So Good!!!!

The end justify the means??

.tough call...but man oh man...nothing says summer like a mess of walleye.

I decided to fry tonight.

A nice mix of plain and lemon pepper...amazing!!

That , some home made tartar sauce and ice cold Leinenkugal Honey Weiss / Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat...great day indeed

(...minus the fact that Ella now has walking pneumonia )

'Eyes'

Oh boy...

I hate fishing for walleye.

There are times on the water during "The Pickeral Drift" that I stare off into the distance.. almost like you would stare at a fixed spot during a root canal..
...this is not an exaggeration ..

On three different occasions today I heard the conversation between boaters go.."Do ya think were gonna hit?"...as in drift into each other because there are about ten million boats jammed into an area about 300 metres long..

...all desperate for some fish.

Gerry and I go early to avoid the madness..and the gobies..but lately that doesnt even help.

We were on the water by 5am and had trouble fitting into the drifting line...or Shitrat Armada as I like to refer to it..

But...there are lots of fish...like the bottom is carpeted..
..if Gerry had done his part we'd have been off the water in an hour with our dozen.

Every year these fish stack up out there. the size of the fish fluctuates but the numbers are consistent..it is a massacre...and there is blood on my hands..lol

The poor Walleye..no love...they are hideous...but scrumptious..and I am looking forward to dinner tonight!!!

I think that it will be the frying pan with some lemon pepper over cracker crumbs...chased with a generous portion of MILL STREET LEMON TEA BEER!!!!!!!!

..for me and my Vagina ..

Anyway...the 'drift' is on and it is time for the harvest..grin and bear it...the only game in town really not to mention a lot of people would kill for a guaranteed limit of  good old 'Pickeral'...

Might start using dynamite just to get off the water quicker.

Squirten 'em like a Bitch

Today is the last day of school for my kids...well Ella and Owen..

They are pretty excited about it of course but also kind of sad. They both love school very much and the teachers at their school are really exceptional.

Next year should be interesting for the kids  and all of us as all but one teacher will remain. I dont know why the school board feels the need to do these types of 'Shake ups' but to mind my it is a very destructive move or at least a senseless one...
 .. Of course I might feel differently if the teachers my children have been blessed with were pieces of shit.

We got a call last week from Ella's teacher.

She gave us a heads up that Ella would be receiving an award this year!!!

I lost it immediately....

Shes my little sweetheart and indeed she has a heart of gold...just such a pure spirit.

The award she is receiving is what they call the "Living Faith Award"and it is given out to the child that consistently shows behavior that best reflects Christian values.
Honesty,Integrity, Kindness, Respect...yada yada
(Good thing they take after their Mother..)

Owen has won this award twice.

This is a big deal and I am so proud of them...even though it is a little weird for me.

God and I are not tight...and yet my kids go to a Catholic school...

I have read the Bible...all of it... I've read a lot of things...
Unfortunately they lost me at Leviticus...lol

I am at least Agnostic however I get most of the Christian philosophy and recognize that our kids have benefited from the great school they have enrolled in.

I know in the future there may be some tough questions asked of me by my children...I will tell them the truth and hope they don't resent me.

...Anyway .. 'that aside' today was a great day...and I had something in my eye when Ella's name was called....must've been an eyelash or something..lol

This was a complete surprise for her and I was so happy for her. The look on her face is something I will never forget.

She has been very proud of Owen with his achievements but just lately I've started to notice how hard it must be for her to be living in his shadow at that school  or even our home for that matter.

Owen doesn't rub it in or anything...but its there.

This was her moment and I see what it is that the people responsible for giving out this award see in her.

I am so incredibly proud of them both.!!!!!!!!

...And  BTW Owen also won Male athlete of the year...Ho-hum...lol  

Now on to the Olympics!!!!!!!

LOL

300 Pound Marlin Tows Kayak 11 MILES

Trio Sud à Hyeres

Beer...(sigh)

I am a bona fide Beer Snob...and I know it can be annoying.

I try not get in your face with it. Those people should be killed.

I like good beer...really good beer..Beer, that is  ..

..and a really good Beer should be revered like the thing of beauty and grand achievement that it really is in the world full of plastic and penis envy marketing.

For the record I love hot chicks...but that is an unrelated fascination that has nothing to do with my enjoyment of Beer..leave the bikinis out of it and give me a great brew.

Morin texted me today raving about the classic Muskoka Cream Ale...he even had the audacity to suggest that it is better than Creemore Springs???????

...Fucking Heresy

If it weren't for the fact that I need him for his cabin I would have him burnt at the stake for such a claim...
Absurd..

It is encouraging to see he has moved on from whatever Urine light beer hes been drinking...LOL

..To be fair .. I have my Moosehead   ..(Union Made fuckers!!)

There has to be a place for the cheap...yet palatable..24 from the Duty Free store or I might have to quite my job.

I start projecting to the cold beer in my fridge at right around 16:00 hrs...which leaves me distracted and salivating for another 4....

In the front door and straight to the fridge..

Cry for help??...maybe..but honesty is the first step...and this is my life..

There is nothing like a real quality class A 'craft Beer' and there is great joy in discovering a new one...

This is my latest discovery and it is outfrigginstanding!!!!!!


Mill Street Lemon Tea Ale 


This is the quintessential summer Beer..I have tasted nothing like it.

It sounds weird and I suppose it is ...although I see that some of the Big names are starting to try the same concoction.
The key with these types of things in my opinion is subtlety...and they have nailed it ..what a gift on a summers day.
Definitely in the top ten for me.

Thank god for BEER...now if they can only keep this one in stock a little better..

It would be better if I was the only one who liked it..
:o/

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival ...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival ...

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

Running??

It is more like stumbling...

I took up running as a form of exercise about 3 yrs ago after being inspired by my son...which is a pretty neat thing when I think about it.

I love it....but I am not fast...not even remotely.

I have never been fast really.

When I was younger I played a lot of basketball and was quite good.
 I played the 2 spot and could shoot it really well .Had a knack for getting a clean look...which was a good thing.. because I was slow...

My goal has been to run 5 kms in under 30 minutes consistently.

This time is laughable to most people. Mothers pushing babies in a strollers are at the pace that I am.

A couple of summers ago I was right around 28 minutes... cant get back there for the life of me but I don't give up easy.

I went for a run today.

I didn't expect much. I had just gotten done a brutal set of 12 hrs shifts and was in truth a little hungover this morning.
The last time Id been out I had to pack it in after about 3.5 kms because of the heat and humidity and I was dying to redeem myself.

I had a good run today.

Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to it. I just felt like I could go forever.

I wish now that I had pushed myself a little bit harder with the pace but either way today was very encouraging....and every bit helps.

If only I could lay off the beer...but whos kiddin who....

André Ceccarelli, Sylvain Luc et Richard Bona au Saveurs Jazz Festival 2...

Thelonious Monk Quartet - 'Round Midnight

The Big Easy..

I was feeling a little blue today despite having a wonderful fathers day with the kids...

I had a chance to do some quick recordings today.

This is a ballad called...

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans??


I don't really...never been...but it is on my bucket list to visit there..

So much history...musical especially...that and the vampires...

Anyway...beautiful tune..made me feel better to record it.

Happy Fathers day

Sylvain Luc Solo a Hyères

Sadness..

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

Gary and I lost a friend yesterday to Cancer.

I thought about Bill quite a bit today...more than I thought I would to be honest. He was a person that never showed me anything but kindness.
He loved that Bayfield river as much as anybody I've known and I will think of him when I visit it.
The times I spent with the gang up there on the fishermans weekends were a great privilege for me and will always remain some of my fondest memories.

Here is a picture of Bill smiling...its the only way I remember him. He is 2nd  in from the right.

Thx for the kindness ..

...rest in Peace Bill

Ribbons

So proud...

Owen has become a very good athlete...certainly way better than I ever was.

Today he competed in a city wide Track and Field Meet.

He has been working very hard at it and we all had high expectations including Owen....( Maybe too high )

He dominated last year with 4 first place finishes in 4 events but this year he moves into a different division which now has him competing as the youngest of his group.
Here he is running the 800 metre...he is the wee short fella on the inside...lol..he is actually pretty tall for his age..
Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.
Most kids he battled today were at least a year and a grade ahead of him.

He wasn't intimidated but you could see the shock and frustration when he didn't just destroy everyone like he usually does at his own school...or did last year against kids the same age.

Oh well...it is all part of  the learning process and it is really nice to see him excel at something he loves.

Four ribbons total..

3rd place in the 100 metre

2nd place in long jump with a 406

2nd place in the relay where he ran as the anchor and closed considerable distance

1st place in the 800 metre

The longer races seem to be his thing but his favourite event is the long jump.

Today was a good day...very emotional for me.
St Michaels School won the overall ..a big part due to my sons acheivements...


I just love that kid
 ...post script..
Kim made me remove the original Youtube video...apparently she was uncomfortable with a comment she made about one of Owens competitors ...absurd but I love her...I reposted it with some of my guitar playing in the background instead
:o)  


.

Chestnuts

 A chestnut is a term  a Jazz musician uses for a classic tune that has been played to death...or almost to death as the case maybe..

These old tunes become part of the players musical vocabulary and give a great platform for improvisation which is the cornerstone of what this music is all about.

One of the most played standard chestnuts is a tune called Stella by Starlight.

It is a benchmark for the Jazz player with chord changes that are challenging for the beginner....it used to give me fits as it changes key about every two bars..

But the melody is beautiful and I for one will never get sick of playing it.

Here is the recording I made today.... " The song a robin sings...."    

STELLA By STarlight

Classics...by the masters...

ELLA


and

FRANK


and

BILL EVANS TRIO....sigh


and

MILES

Turtles

My kids love animals...

With Ella it is a constant campaign / guilt trip for a dog.

For the record she has won me over.

I feel now that it isn't just a passing fancy with her and she would devote herself to the pooch...I mean,  as much as any child can.
 I am in.
I would get one today for her...as a matter of fact I am concerned that if I don't that I am depriving this beautiful child of something really important...something that I enjoyed myself and only have fond memories of.
That is a sin in my mind....a terrible one.

My wife has no frame of reference.

They never even had so much as a gold fish growing up.

When we first got married we were dog-less..and pet-less ...and I was cool with it.

As a matter of fact I don't miss the mess...and I do remember that...hair...shit in the back yard..itchy eyes..and that funky stink that gets on everything...

...I also remember that it was worth it.

This is something that I will not force however...it has to be a joint decision with everybody on board...so far it is just Ella and I ..with Owen Neutral ...Avery hates dogs...

Kimi is not budging and in truth I suspect that I will thank her for it in the long run....but I have never really been a big fan of the long run...

The long run sucks...and it haunts me...fuck the long run...

So in the interim it is wildlife...Toads, Mice, Snakes, Snails, Dew Worms....and of course Turtles..

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.



It is tradition for us every summer to grab a Turtle from the local swamp and bring it home for a few nights.

The kids name it..(this one is  "Candy"..lol..) and we build a little home for it in the 'Turtle Pool'.

He eats well..usually BBQ scraps...as in leftover tenderloin and walleye (Pickeral if you reek of back bacon...eh).

Here is a picture of him done by Avery..lol

They are neat animals and I get a kick out of it too.....reminds me of my youth.

So far we haven't been able to teach it to fetch ....but for now this will have to do...

..we'll keep working on Mommy..

:o)

On to the Next Thing...

Turned out pretty good...

Not sure if I would ever use the sealer again....kind of useless...but the good news is it doesn't last very long and if it discourages the ants a bit that will serve...

Pork Tenderloin tonight...on the BBQ...on the Patio...using steps...sounds like the end to me...

That and cold Mousehead..

Summer...not all bad..


"mouse-head"...????....wtf...must have mice on the brain

MOOSEHEAD!!!!!....Union Made ...fuck the man!!!

Body and Soul

I had a chance to do some music surfing today.



I got thinking about some of the great ballads that have been written over the yeas and the various recordings..

When I think of Ballads one of the first ones that comes to mind is 'Body and Soul'...a song of unrequited love and a lyric that is the pinnacle of the romantic spirit of that time period...
That paired with a perfectly haunting melody in Eb minor..the saddest key in the medium..makes it just about perfect.

 BODY and SOUL... classic

My heart is sad.. and lonely
For you I sigh (cry)...for you dear only
I tell you I mean it...,


I long for you.. Body and Soul


I spend my days in longing..,
Just wondering why...its me you're wronging 
Why haven't you seen it...


I'm all for you ....Body and Soul


I cant believe it..its hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending?..it looks like the ending..?
Unless I could get , one more chance to prove dear?


My life a wreck ( Hell ) your making
While I am yours..
Just for the taking
I'd gladly surrender...


Myself to you ..Body and Soul


The middle section is genius...into a major key change that implies hope...mirroring the lyric...then drop to the minor of the same key and the bottom falls out...back to sadness...then up a semitone with the key change back to Eb minor...finally resolving to Db major..

Really pretty... Here is Ella singing it




Now here is my version...



:o/

About halfway through I get Ella and Avery running into the kitchen barking like dogs with their webkins...Nice...

Oh well ...that is my life..lol...

And of course theres alway the genius of Coltrane..

Best Laid Plans Of Mice and Patios...

One more step left but at least the BBQ is back where it belongs.

I like the way it looks but the stairs will have to be reused for now as I have come in quite a ways over budget...lol...

I can't help but wonder what a new deck would've cost if Id just placed an ad on Sarnia online and had some 'looking for work'  shit rat throw one up....

I think the stone looks better anyway to be honest.

Oh well ... it is done...just have to lay some sod around the perimetre and I will be able to move on.

That little job should be tomorrow or the next day...barring any unforeseen horseshit...or OT call outs....$$$$

Stop the bleeding!!!!!!

:o)


May was an easy 'get some rest' month and I really managed to enjoy it.

This little project was fun and it makes me feel good to see that I did this ..and it turned out OK.,

I am off this weekend  but then things are going to get busy and I am mentally preparing for the shitshow that summer is with my job.
It is also a time for me to grab some OT money to keep this ship afloat ....it makes me sick to think of it... but when it is hot out I don't much want to do anything anyway so I might as well be working.

So ...suck it up and bring it... I guess