December 29, 2012: Well, it’s been a fun time in Montreal but it’s time to head back…oh. Not yet?

Sarah and Supa Nige.

Well, it’s certainly been nice reconnecting with friends and family here in Montreal but I’m looking forward to getting back to Vancouver and – oh, wait.  What?  I still have four a half days left in town?  Shiiii-oooot!  Uh…great!  Fantastic!

Today, we dropped in on my aunt and uncle.  An hour into our visit, it started to snow and, rather than risk being caught in a storm like the one we experienced the other day, we elected to cut short our stay and head home.  My mother suggested that, rather than going back the way we’d come, we should try a different, purportedly quicker route.  I was leery.  The road conditions were bad and getting increasingly worse.  Also, I may be adventurous when it comes to a lot of things, but driving aint one of them.  It may take a little longer, but I prefer to know where I’m going.  But mom insisted it would be simple.  Just take a right on St. Martins, left onto the highway, then take the turn-off to Montreal and it would be smoooooooooooooth sailing.

Well, as most of you longtime regulars to this blog know, whenever I say smoooooooooooth sailing it never is.

So we took a right on St. Martins, a left onto the highway, took the turn-off to Montreal and then…we were lost.  My mother suggested we take a right toward another highway.  I took the turn and, for the next twenty minutes, we found ourselves slip sliding along with no highway in sight, ultimately winding our way through an industrial area where I eventually pulled over and consulted google maps.  Another twenty minutes of white knuckle driving and we were finally on the highway and heading toward familiar territory.

As we turned off at our exit, mom glanced down at the dashboard clock and marveled over the great time we’d made (!).

An easier drive last night as Akemi and I headed downtown for dinner at Da Emma restaurant – which now occupies a building that was once Montreal’s first women’s prison.  Dinner was good (I suspect better than what was served to the former occupants) but the company was OUSTANDING as we were joined by my good buddy Supa Nige and his friend, Sarah (pictured above).  As long as I’ve known Nigel, he has been one of the city’s premier partiers: coming home from work, napping until 11:00 p.m., then heading out to hit the clubs until their 3:00 a.m. closing before heading home – unless it’s the weekend, of course, in which case it’s off to the after-hours parties.  He seems to know everyone in town.  Whenever we go out, he’s greeted with hugs and kisses from staff, clientele, and owners alike.  He’s a charmer.  And the quintessential bachelor.  Back in the day, he lived in what he considered the perfect apartment complete with custom carpeting, a state of the art entertainment system, and high-end furniture.  It had everything – except a stove.  Whenever I called him on it, he always insisted it would just take up room, space that could go to one of those zero-G astronaut chairs or a humidor.  Besides, he had a microwave, what the hell did he need a stove for?

Like I said, he’s always great company – and last night was no different.  I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since I last saw him – at his house party where, during one exuberant response to the Jamaican gangster movie he was screening, he jumped up and brought one of his ceiling-mounted speakers crashing down.

Good times.

A couple of announcements -

Cookie Monster conveys his apologies but he won’t be able to review Spiderman 3 for this Monday. He’s visiting Kermit in The Hamptons. As a result, our Supermovie of the Week Club will reconvene the following Monday.

The owners of Chino, the pit bull shot by a police officer in North Carolina (one of many recent police shootings of family dogs on private property like this one Chicago police shoot and kill second innocent pet dog in one month, this one Police kill homeowner’s dog while responding to call at wrong address, this one Justice for Chloe -Dog shot by Commerce City Co Police, this one https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=263119177122122&set=a.251151961652177.42171.251137081653665&type=1&ref=nf) have hired a lawyer.  Best of luck to them: Justice For Chino and Ivy

Finally, many thanks for the well-wishes sent my sister’s way following the passing of her beloved husky, Aspen.  She left the following message for you in the comments section:

I have been touched by the number of people who have reached out on my brother’s blog and on Facebook, taking the time to leave me a few kind words. I appreciate every one and take comfort in reading them over and over again.Those of you who knew me, know that Aspen was special to me. He was my “bad boy”, a challenge to train who always had to have the last word. But Aspen was loving, loyal, funny, goofy, dignified and proud.

Aspen was diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma in June. As is common with the disease, by the time we found out, it had already metastasized to his prostate, bladder and lymph nodes. Our only option was chemo, which we tried for a while. When it became clear that the chemo wasn’t working and that the side effects were beginning to destroy his quality of life, we stopped the treatment. In early November, Aspen was in such rough shape that I thought his time had come. But my boy rallied and blessed us with just over one more month with him.

I know everyone says you will know when it is time and then it will be okay. I have even said the same thing to others. The truths is, you make the decision when you feel their pain is too great and their quality of life is gone, but it is never okay. It is never okay and it never feels right.

I opted to let Aspen die peacefully at home, surrounded by familiar smells and the things he loved. I knew I needed to be there for Aspen… with him to the very end. It was the least I could do for him after everything he had given me during his life. As I lay spooning him with his face in my hands, I buried my face in his furry nape and kissed his head. His ears were so soft. I sang to him, and told him I loved him, inhaling his familiar scent for one last time as he took his final breath.

I miss him so much, and cry often, but you know what helps? Your kind words and knowing you understand. Thank you.

Andria (aka Sis)