midday drunks and Aberdeen's elderly

We live across the street from a large grocery store which seems to be the preference of Aberdeen's elderly. So from what i see there seems to be a disproportionate amount of old people in this city, and of those individuals a vast majority of them are either drunk or senile and running amok in the city.

This trend came up in a job interview yesterday—a job in which, if granted, I'll be making presentations to large groups of old people on a regular basis (presumably the sane ones). I mentioned to my interviewer that there seem to be an excess of crazy old people roaming the streets and she proposed that maybe in Canada we are just better at hiding them. probably true.

In any case, the interview wrapped (on quite a good note, I believe) and I meandered home again in high spirits. Wandering through the Morrisons parking lot, I veered to avoid a typical midday drunk, and in doing so I walked toward an elderly gentleman, who smiled at me. I unsuspectingly smiled back and then he began his own veering in my direction, revealing he was also midday drunk.

This particular gent's drunkenness extended beyond his sense of direction to his mouth, which he opened and shouted at me with a good measure of cheer: "'Allo Sexy Bum!"

At least he was a KIND drunk.

***** ******* ****** ****** ****** ******

The flat was too messy for pictures today, so the tour will ahve to wait until after the weekend. Off to Edinburgh tomorrow!

spot of sun

The sun heard all my whining and poked its head out for a bit today. I think the temperature may have even reached 20C. Miracle.

I'm currently on the job hunt and hoping that things start to come together soon since leisure is only really fun when you know you could be doing something else :) Your prayers in this area are much appreciated.

Little news to report from this end except that our flat is slowly but surely coming together to our liking. We've been stocking up on pillows and linens, and this weekend we'll make a pitstop at IKEA en route to Edinburgh to purchase a new couch, lounge chair, coffee table, desk and blinds (whew!). Hopefully our Edinburgh wanderings will take us by Habitat to stock up on some little odds and ends as well. Art has been ordered online, curtains are forthcoming and we're hoping to paint the living room on Monday. If I think of it I'll take some "before" shots this week.

until then, cheerio!

A Deeside Day (our royal encounter)

We're not wasting any time getting back in tourist mode here in Scotland. Saturday took us Dee side—to the Royal highland retreat, Balmoral Castle (as seen in The Queen).

For those unfamiliar with Scottish geography (95% of you) Aberdeenshire is bordered by two rivers: the Dee and the Don. We caught a bus in Aberdeen which carried us all along the Dee to its source in the Cairngorm Mountains where the Royals spend six weeks of the year as an escape from their demanding lives. Summer seems to skip over this part of the world, but in spite of the rain we gave ourselves a good tour of the carefully crafted and maintained gardens and Queen Victoria's "summer" house.

Dean's photos of the day:

highland home

Back in my old corner of the Medical School library here in Aberdeen and it feels good.

Thanks for your patience, all--I do promise to get this blog ball re-rolling in no time flat if you'll all just take a few minutes away from Facebook to establish some sort of readership :)

Aberdeen is prettier than I recalled, but colder than a northern hemispheric city ought to be this time of year. On Tuesday Dean took me for a long walk on the beach to keep the jetlag at bay and it seems to have worked. I'm sleeping through the night and dozed-not, even at the "cinema" last night (Harry Potter's no snoozer, that's for sure).

Flight was smooth. Reunion was bliss. Flat organization is still up in the air, pending purchase of hangers and mirrors and a new "settee" (sofa). But all in all I feel at home and am looking forward to showing many of you around in the coming months.

scorcher

Yep, it was the hottest day, like, EVER in Vancouver, but the weather is not what I refer to in my post title. Rather the man below, my husband.



Not only is he really, really, incredibly good looking, also it's his 29th birthday (this is to say, even in old age, he's retained his good looks ;)

For those you don't know or just have a hard time seeing past that handsome face, Dean's also very intelligent—so intelligent he was presenting and the biggest baddest Health Economics conference in the world this week and knocked some academic socks off with his research and patented (pending) "Regier Curve." This boy doesn't mess around, and now the city of Copenhagen knows it. Thus, I'm not with him to coordinate a birthday extravaganza as in past years.

Let's make it up to him. Send him some birthday love at dean.regier@gmail.com

welcome summer!

Right this moment, there is nowhere I'd rather be than on an inner tube, floating down the Vedder River.

Instead I'm knee-deep in boxes and working to deadline on writing projects.

Summer took its precious time getting here, but now that it has arrived, I won't begrudge its dawdling. I'm just happy to have a mild burn and a sparkle of persipiration at last.

I have stories and plenty to share, but as the temperature rises my desire to output words is being devoured by my desire to absorb them (ideally poolside, in a bikini).

So, the quick update in FAQ form:

1. I leave Vancouver on Sunday

2. I'll be on the Island for a week with the Smith fam (all of them!)

3. I leave Canada two weeks today

4. You can reach me on my cellphone until July 23

5. I am busy, but I am trying to make time for cold beverages with friends. Just try me.