Having arrived safely and been driven back from the airport by Mike (Pam's BF), we grabbed a five guys' burger and relaxed for the day, getting an early night after meeting Patty, Nick and Joe who are Mike's Mum, Dad and Uncle respectively. No jet lag? Super.
For our first day we went to look around a farmers market (yawn) and then took a trip to Costco. Apparently we have them in England? The place is huge and full of anything you could possibly think of. I got some pants. The underwear kind not the trouser kind. Mine were pinching, I think I'll just buy more out here and send these home, they're too tight. Look we're 7 lines in and I've resorted to talking about my crotch already.
We went home, chilled for a bit before preparing for dinner. We went into downtown Oshawa for a tapas food crawl event, being promoted by what appeared to be local artists. Along with some street performers and craft stalls, they had filled lots of empty shop spaces with art for people to browse. Some of the restaurants and bars had bought into the tapas idea. We got 6 food tokens for 20 dollars and chose items from a specific menu. I tried donair (just like kebab), poutine (chips and gravy) and a slider (tiny burger). The donair was nice and I had a decent chicken sandwich... the rest was pretty disgusting. In one of the bars we were accosted by a friendly drunk who promoted the local music scene. He stood and talked to us as we sat and ate for a while. Whilst I won't assume everyone in Canada is nice just because of the stereotype, even this drunk man was amiable as he stood there, swaying and regaling us with the true value of family and friends. It was fairly poignant when I think back on it. A blottosophical.
The other thing which came to mind that night was something my friend Sam had once said as we drove to climbing. When you're single, you can fall in love a hundred times a day. Your daily travels and endeavours take you to big outside world, and everywhere there are beautiful women who you gaze longingly at from afar. Beautiful women, I might add, that are entirely inaccessible. And you fall in love. Not real love; just miserable, lonely infatuation. At least I can still get a laugh out of people though - I expressed my thoughts aloud to Patty and mum, "I think I'm in love with that waitress." They both laughed heartily and made me feel slightly better about the whole situation. In these times of patheticness, I can still draw a laugh. Admittedly at my own expense. What a dickhead.
Day 2
I've picked up a book to read in the down time. I had brought along 'I am legend' with me, but I finished that on the plane. Nothing like the film at all (besides the fact I have to imagine he's now a tall, white, blonde man, the plot is completely different as well). I'm now reading the second book in the series of 'interview with a vampire'. Patty told me the first book was based on the film, combined with the fact I'm incredibly lazy, means I've just skipped that one out. I'd made it through a few chapters and was now reading this morning (Day 2). As the character of Lestat has a breakdown about the fleeting existence we enjoy on this earth, I suddenly began pondering this myself and felt a sense of terrible dread at the idea of nothingness after we die. I had a raspberry pop tart and soon calmed down , everything seemed OK after the pop tart.
Overcoming my existential crisis, I watched Arsenal win 3-0 against Aston Villa. Better and better. We then went and got Wendy's drive thru which was fairly tasty - pretty similar to the five guys. We drove over to Mike's grandparents' farm. It was great to just sit and watch the Canadian countryside morph from typical North American suburbs into farmland. I saw a mighty hawk. Or an eagle. Not sure. It was big. We drove down to the creek and Mike and Nick began unblocking the pipes which beavers had dammed up. I stood around like a useless knob. Once they'd got the pipes flowing we drove around the farm for Mike's grandad to see, as he had not been there for a while. We let the dogs out for a bit and then drove home. I felt well and truly away from everything on the farm. It was remote and expansive. I wanted to get in a car and drive as fast as possible around the open fields. Apparently they drive the snowmobiles around when it's winter... which sounds even better...
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