A “reloaded” post is a quick-clipped summary of a bunch of small things from the past few days. I want to write them down, but I am either lacking in (a) details or (b) time. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Enjoy.

birthday five times two

We were in Calgary on the weekend for my niece Julia’s fifth birthday part(ies) this past weekend. Five. Yeah, that’s right. Already five. I guess we needed more than one party (though both were amusing, so I won’t complain.) I took lots of photos and some at the request of Shannon (already breaking my no photo favours rule — what a sucker I am — OK… starting now!) though I haven’t had a chance to post any of them seeing as how I’ve only been home to sleep (literally) since.

claire-cation

We packed our daughter up for a few days with her grandparents and cousin. She’s in Red Deer swimming, corn mazing, playing at the park, lunching with auntie, making crafts, and generally having a fun few days away from her parents. We were going to drive her from Calgary to Red Deer, but standing on the curb she insisted on riding with grandma and grandpa and informed us: “I’ll be OK, mom and dad. You go now.” So much for separation anxiety: she’s officially more mature than the dog now, I guess.

the final potter

We took advantage on NOT requiring a babysitter for once and made an evening of Sunday, hitting a semi-fancy restaurant for mid-evening drinks and appies, and then dropping in on a late-evening showing of the final Harry Potter movie: Harry Potter 7 Part 2. We’ve been in this since the beginning, and I don’t know if I was more struck by the story itself or by the fact that as the credits rolled it was very momentarily symbolic of our epic ten plus year journey with these characters in print and film. A satisfying conclusion, either way, but unless you’ve been playing along too, know that the movie really is for the fans — and hits the mark.

luxury dined

A few months ago I’d picked up a Groupon for the Lux Steakhouse in downtown Edmonton. But it is a fairly upscale restaurant — not somewhere I’d drag Claire — and the clock was ticking on the discount. Karin met me after work and — en route to our later evening entertainment plans — we stormed the steakhouse and went big. We ordered this thing called the “lap of luxury” — or something. A sharable entree with a 24oz lollipop steak, lobster mac and cheese, shrimp, potatoes au gratin, and fresh asparagus. I shouldn’t tell you this, but the a’la carte price was almost a hundred bucks for that one plate — so thank goodness for Groupon, eh? Awesomely delicious. Divine. And we rolled out of there and still stashed half the leftovers in the refrigerator in my office before hitting the train for:

buble in concert

I’m a jazz music fan — sort of. I enjoy it, but I’m not an encyclopedia of jazz knowledge by any stretch. Michael Buble, modern Canadian vocal icon, opened his show with a song and a bit of humourous self-deprecation, putting it out there for all the boyfriends and husbands only semi-willingly in the audience: you know what we’re talking about here and you know why we’re all here tonight. That said, there were far more ladies than guys in attendance, and only knowing his music because (a) Karin occasionally gets a turn at tuning the iPod playlist or (b) they are covers for other famous jazzy vocal stuff, I’ll admit it was a good night of solid entertainment. Music, sound, stage: all solid and enjoyable — and nice to see from a Canadian class act.