The S Word, Goofy Wine Labels, and Female Gazes

The S Word

Edmonton awoke to its first snowfall this weekend. Here's a photo taken from my balcony. And so another six months of winter begins . . . . 

Goofy Wine Labels

Saw these labels on zero alcohol wine at my grocery store this week. They tickled my legal funny bone.

Female Gazes

Went to an interesting art exhibit of paintings by women of women.

These four were my favourites --

Vanessa Carrigall

Beneath the Sunlit Surface

Susan MacEachran

Invisible but not finished

Justina Smith

Natalia with Zinnias

Antonia Parker

Lady in gold

Moonflower Murders, Ukrainian Embroidery, and Mabon

Moonflower Murders

My sister got me hooked on last season's Magpie Murders on PBS, a very clever British series involving two completely different but related storylines with dual roles for all the actors. Now I'm watching the new season, Moonflower Murders, which has just started on PBS. It's equally good so far! Any other fans out there?

Ukrainian Embroidery

I've always loved this beautiful artistic expression of Ukrainian culture. This week I finally made it to a local exhibit on its last day to see some stunning vintage pieces (all handwork, of course). Here's the exhibit poster and a few photos I took of my faves --

Mabon

Yesterday evening, I attended a celebration of the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) at a local Unitarian Universalist church. The gathering's special guests were two indigenous elders who led us in some drumming and singing. I enjoyed the opportunity to use my hoop drum again!

Poetry Club, Eight Pieces of Brocade, and a Russian Mezzo-Soprano

One of the new seniors recreation groups which started up this week is a Poetry Club. Lately I've felt a hankering to try writing some poetry again, so I joined it. Five of us showed up and we had a marvelous time!

I also began a fun Qigong class which teaches the gentle and meditative stretching, strength and balance routine known as The Eight Pieces of Brocade. We covered the initial two exercise movements in the first class: "Two Hands Holding Up the Sky" and "Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk." This cute little GIF shows the routine's eight movements in simplified form --

The album I've been listening to this week is the just-released debut by Aigul Akhmetshina, a 27-year-old Russian mezzo-soprano who made a big splash recently in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera House in London. She is at the start of a huge international career! Although born in Russia, Aigul plans to become a British citizen. 

Omega-3, Orville Peck, and Lost in Space

Cue The Excitement!

I braved Costco this week to buy a big honkin' bottle of fish oil pills. Yes, this is what "Retired Life" is like, folks!

Who's That Masked Man?

I've also been busy listening to Orville Peck's latest album of duets, Stampede. Here's his duet with Willie Nelson. I love the two-stepping lesbians in the video, especially the sexy butch with the Mayan nose. Rowrr!

News Story of the Week

I feel bad for those two NASA astronauts who were supposed to remain at the International Space Station for a short 8-day stay which, due to Boeing's faulty spacecraft transport, morphed first into an 80-day extension, and now will require a further 180-day stay until they can be brought home to Earth next year in a rival SpaceX vehicle.

Kung Pao Chicken, Rufus Wainwright, Zombie Gnome, and Unicorn Skull

This week I've been going out for some lovely meals with various friends. Here's a photo from Earls Restaurant of their delicious Kung Pao Chicken with 3 hot hunan peppers. I've been going to Earls for nearly 30 years now and I always order this same dish Every. Single. Time.

I love gay singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright. I've been listening all week to this fabulous 2021 live album of his. It's an intimate and intense mix of eclectic songs written by various Canadian and European songwriters, as well as by himself. Four of the songs are sung in French, his childhood language from Quebec.

I also went to Canadian Tire this week to buy a new muffin tin and noticed that their Halloween merch is now on the shelves. My two faves were this Zombie Gnome and the Unicorn Skull.

Cribbage, Tiger Tiger, Back Scratchers and Marvel

Welcome to my "Vacay Edition" of Weekly Roundup! While visiting my sister, we didn't get up to too many shenanigans but instead had a quiet and enjoyable visit. Here are a few hilites --

I got my ass whupped at cribbage. I only managed to win a measly couple of games.

A special treat was going for some yummy tiger tiger ice cream! This is a Canadian delicacy consisting of orange ice cream with a black licorice swirl. I've written previously about tiger tiger here.

I finally found and bought a replacement back scratcher for my old one which broke about 6 months ago! Victory is mine!

And I scored an awesome new Marvel t-shirt! (And before you ask -- no, I haven't seen the just-released Deadpool & Wolverine movie yet! I'm waiting until it streams on Disney+).

Summer Heat, Graphite Pencils, and Public Air Conditioning

It's been HOTTER THAN THE HOBS OF HELL here all week. The heatwave is supposed to last for another week too. Like many Edmonton residences and apartments, mine does NOT have air conditioning. When I first moved to Edmonton in 1998, I was STUNNED by this city's general lack of air conditioning. But everyone just laughed and said "Oh, you don't need air conditioning HERE! We only get maybe 3 hot days per year!" And in 1998, that was true. But not anymore. Thanks, global warming.

Most days it has been 30-35ºC (about 85-95ºF). I know that's NOTHING to you poor bastards sweating it out in the American midwest and south, and even to those of you in continental Europe, but for us it's SCORCHING! 

Here's a bit of good news. After the cancellation of my painting-in-gouache class due to low enrolment, I found another ART CLASS to take this summer instead and it has enough students to proceed! It's a drawing class, which I always enjoy. Plus it's with a teacher who is new to me, so that's always a bonus too. New things to learn!

Apart from that, I also got caught up with various friends this week by getting together in nice AIR CONDITIONED restaurants and coffee shops. Delightful!

Loose Change, Falafels, Painting, and Sexy Vicars

I miss doing those periodic Sunday Seven summaries of miscellaneous goings-on that I started posting last year. But quite frankly, some weeks it was darn hard to come up with seven items for it! So I've decided to rename the series Weekly Roundup instead and free myself from the tyranny of a numbered format. So here are my little items for this week -- 

In December 2023, the Royal Canadian Mint started issuing coinage in the name and image of Canada's new head of state, Charles III. I finally found a King Charles toonie in my change this week -- it only took six months for one to circulate down to me, LOL!

Friends told me that M & M frozen falafels are really good, so I bought a bag to try. They are indeed delicious! With some roasted garlic hummus and small whole wheat rounds, now I'm making my very own tasty falafel wraps!

I was supposed to start a new art class this week -- painting in gouache (opaque watercolours) but alas, not enough people registered so it got cancelled. That's the problem with summer classes -- people want to do other things while summer is here and the weather is nice. Hopefully, I will be able to pick up this class in the fall or winter instead.

Anyone else watching current season 9 of Grantchester, the British cozy mystery series on PBS? I think the new vicar Alphy Kotteram (Rishi Nair) has brought renewed life and welcome diversity to the series. And it doesn't hurt that he's so handsome! (Not that I'm batting for the other team now, don't worry, but a girl still has eyes).