Summer vacation is pretty darn neat. It's a little bit like being a kid again, only when you call your friends on the phone, they say "My job is a thing I have to be at so I can't come out and play " or "Stuart, I'm at the place where I do adult things" instead. Our school gives us 7.5 weeks in the summertime, and most people flee the humidity and bustle of Macau to do things that are fun. For me, fun has meant hastily travelling across the province seeing and doing all the things I impulsively signed up for during the preceding weeks. Maybe next time I won't try to contact nearly everyone I know to try and do every single thing on every hour of every day.I realize these posts are getting fewer and less frequent, and that's been a product of that hasty travelling. But I can write that off as quality over quantity, so you're very welcome.
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| "What a breathtakingly magnificent piece of supercharged machinery" |
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| "What a rotten pile of leaky garbage" |
My long-dormant car hobby addiction quickly reminded me of what a mix of elation and frustration it is to own something so old and stupid, as I dealt with rusty body panels, severed exhaust pipes, and a turdburglar of a seller who was flakier than a Kelloggs box of cereal. I'll save you from the full story for now, but I'm certain that a 3 year old child could have quickly and more ably sold a car to me than this guy. Finally, with all the fussy business concluded, I now have a pretty solid vehicle that I'm pleased to say is 100% mine (and 100% healthy, 85% of the time). I'd like to keep it around for future Christmases and summers in Canada, but for that I need a bit of help. See the bottom of this post for more info.
As soon as I had my new plates & insurance (which is far more affordable now), I set off to the States for a 4th of July party at a friend's lake house in upstate New York. It's not quite your Muskoka or Tobermory type cottage, but those folks in the states sure know how to put on a party, even if they made me wear full stars & stripes apparel. The beer was even on par with the Canuck stuff we like so much. Afterwards, an extra day let me stop in Buffalo for one of my favourite schmutzy-hand foods, chiggin wings (hence the web address of the blog). The wings in Buffalo are much like the cars in Sweden, or the witty television in Britain, Effortlessly fantastic.
Buffalo itself was a pretty neat city, I hadn't been to the States since high school, so checking out the local neat places was pretty chuffing neat. The restored Frank Lloyd Wright mansion is a pretty neat place to check out too, definitely worth a look if you're in town.
Returning to your home country after an extended stay elsewhere reminds you of the little things that you may or may not take for granted. The freedom of driving across wide-open spaces, the fresh air that smells of soil and pine, clean water that flows from the taps without the concern that the source is a garbage-filled muddy Chinese shipping lane, and the familiar but wholesome satisfaction of home food. I ate breakfast at Tim Hortons 3 days in a row to re-discover the inexpensive Timbits, cold drinks & goodies that I had missed out on for so long (For those non-Canadian readers, I highly recommend you stop at a Timmies if you're passing through). Ontario in itself is very much a land of plenty, with things like juicy strawberries, AAA-grade ribeye steaks and craft beer all produced & sold within the same place.
I feel a little spoiled being able to get all these fresh tasty things so cheaply and easily. Even my hometown of Hamilton has a plethora of new cafes and restaurants that are begging to be explored, all that's needed is a spare hour & empty stomach. I feel a little bit like a kid in a candy store; just given a full wallet and an empty knapsack. this has been a food-filled vacation so far. Mom pulled out all the stops, as she usually does, for all nature of home-food needs.
I remembered why it's imperative to never move home with my parents long-term, as I would likely have trouble fitting into my clothes after a few weeks. Often I'd get WhatsApp messages from Mom reporting on what new meats were on sale at Fortino's, and that there was a big dinner on the way.
Out from the kitchen came a constant torrent of food, including (but not limited to) the likes of BBQ chicken, seared steak, honey-glazed pork chops, marinated shrimp, grilled asparagus, peppered corn on the cob, cheddar & broccoli salad, buttery sweet potatoes, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter brownies, and peach cobbler, all paired with enough ice cream to float a boat on. Good GREIF. Good thing vacation time is all for eating, right?
Hometown appreciation goes farther than food too. Being a tourist/visitor in your old stomping ground means revisiting or exploring nearby places that have long been taken for granted. Hiking paths, museums, neighbourhoods, music & art venues, and the new 'lil bits of the city that have changed since you were last there.
Being at home in the city also means neat city things. Things that include really old-fashioned jazz, music & food festivals, good beer, and the widespread availability of tacos at the time of your choosing (you folks at home take this for granted far too often).
Even something simple like an outdoor concert in a large venue with friends is a refreshing and awesome experience, even if you don't know any Weezer tunes and they're some hip band that plays rock & roll or something. At least I have cool friends that play in hip bands and wear flowery shirts from Forever 21, so I can pretend to be hip and cool like them.
Camping, fishing, and cottaging might just be the most Canadian thing that you can do during the summer. Hasty adventuring meant I got to see a variety of places like Parry Sound, Wasaga Beach, Tobermory, and the Kingston area (Frontenac Provincial Park), but it also meant I had to travel from place to place at max speed just to make it on time to the next thing. The family Volvo is pictured here because of reasons, the Buick may or may not have been in the shop having the sub-frame welded back on (and it now may or may not be stronger than it was when it rolled off the assembly line in 1995).
You folks make sure you get outside and get some fresh air, sunburns and pine needles in your feet before it gets too chilly. We've got a heck of a lot of country out there.
One special place that I had made a point to visit was a camp that I had worked & volunteered at for 8 years, a little patch of land in Bruce county, Ontario by the name of Silver Lake camp. It was refreshing to be back and work with the people (and former campers) that you had been around in the past, you're reminded of their fantastic enthusiasm and UMPH that just makes camp GO. It's also not as great to be back because you realize you're 8 years older than you used to be, and you can't run as far, shout as loudly, or keep up with the whippersnappers that now work with you. Sunburns, sore throats and stiff backs quickly became a prevalent theme during the week.
The best part of it all is that I can do all the things that the restrictions of being a responsible employed adult prohibits: Freeze them at mealtimes (a game we play at camp) and balance various objects on their heads, or just feed them too much pudding and watch as they get it all over themselves and their clothing.
I had a great counselling partner & spunky camper group that were excited for our activities and tolerant of my shenanigans. It's an innate, deep-seeded, urge to be a benevolent menace, and you can only truly satisfy that at summer camp.
So now that July is finished, the final major expedition of the summer approaches (well, since it takes me so long to write & revise the interlude, we're currently in the middle of it), a 4500 KM trip to the South of the United States. You'll hear just a bit more about it once we're all finished here, but right now, there is some fried chiggin and gumbo that needs attending to.
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Side-Note: If you or someone you know would be interested in a very easy and enjoyable way of making an extra bit of change, this might be the opportunity for you.
WHAT: Buick Babysitter
WHERE: A parking space, driveway place or other place to place a car in a comfy place of personal space
WHEN: End of August 2016 to end of June 2017 (with a short break in December)
HOW TO EVEN: Once a month; Start the car, take it around the block/to the grocery store, then put it back again (Yes, that means you get to commandeer the Buick)
WHY: Because I will give you a 'lil money on a monthly basis, and because the Buick will bring magic into your life
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| Jen's pretty chuffed that she made me wear this |
As soon as I had my new plates & insurance (which is far more affordable now), I set off to the States for a 4th of July party at a friend's lake house in upstate New York. It's not quite your Muskoka or Tobermory type cottage, but those folks in the states sure know how to put on a party, even if they made me wear full stars & stripes apparel. The beer was even on par with the Canuck stuff we like so much. Afterwards, an extra day let me stop in Buffalo for one of my favourite schmutzy-hand foods, chiggin wings (hence the web address of the blog). The wings in Buffalo are much like the cars in Sweden, or the witty television in Britain, Effortlessly fantastic.
Buffalo itself was a pretty neat city, I hadn't been to the States since high school, so checking out the local neat places was pretty chuffing neat. The restored Frank Lloyd Wright mansion is a pretty neat place to check out too, definitely worth a look if you're in town. 
Returning to your home country after an extended stay elsewhere reminds you of the little things that you may or may not take for granted. The freedom of driving across wide-open spaces, the fresh air that smells of soil and pine, clean water that flows from the taps without the concern that the source is a garbage-filled muddy Chinese shipping lane, and the familiar but wholesome satisfaction of home food. I ate breakfast at Tim Hortons 3 days in a row to re-discover the inexpensive Timbits, cold drinks & goodies that I had missed out on for so long (For those non-Canadian readers, I highly recommend you stop at a Timmies if you're passing through). Ontario in itself is very much a land of plenty, with things like juicy strawberries, AAA-grade ribeye steaks and craft beer all produced & sold within the same place.  |
| This was a great year for strawberries |
 |
| "Stuart is this for the internet?" |
I remembered why it's imperative to never move home with my parents long-term, as I would likely have trouble fitting into my clothes after a few weeks. Often I'd get WhatsApp messages from Mom reporting on what new meats were on sale at Fortino's, and that there was a big dinner on the way.
 |
| The tray on the bottom is for catching all the goop that overflows from this plethora of pies. |
Hometown appreciation goes farther than food too. Being a tourist/visitor in your old stomping ground means revisiting or exploring nearby places that have long been taken for granted. Hiking paths, museums, neighbourhoods, music & art venues, and the new 'lil bits of the city that have changed since you were last there.
Being at home in the city also means neat city things. Things that include really old-fashioned jazz, music & food festivals, good beer, and the widespread availability of tacos at the time of your choosing (you folks at home take this for granted far too often).  |
| The Beaches "Jazz" Festival (not all of it was jazz...) |
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| Spot the fellow in the flowery shirt and I'll be impressed |
A special shout-out to Martin Loomer's Orange Devils (who play on the 2nd Monday of every night at the Monarch Tavern in Little Italy by the way) for playing a wicked set which included my very favourite tune in the world. Check them out if you like swing dancing/neat music/the colour orange.
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| Look at how outdoorsy this makes me look |
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| Jen caught a fish |
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| A friend's lakefront cottage in the Parry Sound area |
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| I didn't catch any fish |
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| Please note that fun is shown and kid's faces are not |
The best part of it all is that I can do all the things that the restrictions of being a responsible employed adult prohibits: Freeze them at mealtimes (a game we play at camp) and balance various objects on their heads, or just feed them too much pudding and watch as they get it all over themselves and their clothing. 
I had a great counselling partner & spunky camper group that were excited for our activities and tolerant of my shenanigans. It's an innate, deep-seeded, urge to be a benevolent menace, and you can only truly satisfy that at summer camp.So now that July is finished, the final major expedition of the summer approaches (well, since it takes me so long to write & revise the interlude, we're currently in the middle of it), a 4500 KM trip to the South of the United States. You'll hear just a bit more about it once we're all finished here, but right now, there is some fried chiggin and gumbo that needs attending to.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Side-Note: If you or someone you know would be interested in a very easy and enjoyable way of making an extra bit of change, this might be the opportunity for you.
WHAT: Buick Babysitter
WHERE: A parking space, driveway place or other place to place a car in a comfy place of personal space
WHEN: End of August 2016 to end of June 2017 (with a short break in December)
HOW TO EVEN: Once a month; Start the car, take it around the block/to the grocery store, then put it back again (Yes, that means you get to commandeer the Buick)
WHY: Because I will give you a 'lil money on a monthly basis, and because the Buick will bring magic into your life
