Date Night Saturday night James and I went out to a pub in Asheville called Jack of the Wood, about an hour from where we live. Our friends Juli and Jim, whose book store closing party I’d gone to on Friday, told me about a band playing called “Enter the Haggis”. I thought “hmmm….where do I know that name from?” and told them we’d meet them there. I looked the band up on the internet, turns out they’re from Toronto; I’ve probably seen them around there somewhere. I know I’ve seen them before, but just can’t remember for the life of me where.

Anyhow, we got to the pub a bit late, but luckily the band was running late as well and hadn’t started playing yet. The place was crowded, and there was a line up out the door, with an expected wait of an hour or more. We didn’t wait that long however, a few people ahead of us decided they didn’t want to wait, and a few people left the pub, so we were able to get in just as the band was starting. We looked around for Juli and Jim, but couldn’t find them, so we just got a couple of pints and found ourselves a spot standing near the bar. Later on, someone vacated a stool, so we grabbed it. Or rather I grabbed it, and James stood next to me. He’s such a gentleman. ;-)

Enter the Haggis is a Celtic-Rock band, and they’re pretty darn good too. Other than them, I think I was the only Canadian in the place. They did ask of course, if there are any other Canadians there, I did the obligatory “whoooooo” from my perch at the bar, and later a guy walked up to say that tho he’s a local, he has a cottage up in Haliburton, and they used to spend every summer up there when he was a kid. He said it always felt like it took forever to get there, I told him from where I grew up, Haliburton was a day trip. ;-)

After the show, I went up to talk to one of the guys in the band, and told him I’m originally from Toronto, and when I said the last neighbourhood I lived in was at the Beaches, he said that’s where he’s from. Ha ha, small world eh? I asked him where I may have caught them before, and he said they usually do the Firkin pubs quite a lot, so that’s probably where I’d seen them. There are a lot of Firkin pubs in and around Toronto, and I’ve been in quite a few of them, plus I used to travel a lot for work, I may have even caught them in some other city.

We bought their latest CD “Casualties of Retail” and listened to that on the way home. I will likely order their others sometime later, whenever I have some money. I won’t be starting my new job at the pizza shop for a week or 2. James doesn’t want me to start on Superbowl weekend, I may not like it and quit. ;-) I was glad to get out and do something other than just see a movie together. I don’t think we’d been “out” since the last time he was able to visit Toronto. Which was back in 2001. :-p At least, not that I can think of. My poor James, he’s getting old. He said he felt sick all day yesterday…just can’t handle his beer. ;-)

Here’s the Enter the Haggis website, if you’re interested in having a listen http://www.enterthehaggis.com/index.php They travel all over the world touring, so check their schedule, they may be coming to a city near you sometime!

During my quest to figure out how I knew the band name, I see on http://www.maplemusic.com/ that The Arrogant Worms have a new CD out as well, I will have to order that too when I get some money. They’re always good for a laugh. One of my fave Worms songs is “Jesus’ brother Bob”, ya just don’t hear too much about him. ;-)

Well, I’m about half done the bathroom now. I’ve got the primer on the walls, and the trim painted. I just need to put the colour on the walls. I could probably get that done today before James gets home from work, he’s there til closing. It’s a small room, but lots of trimming edges, which takes time. Plus my hands are sore from all this scraping and plastering and sanding and painting and and and…whew…I’m just lucky the dogs haven’t got in there yet and shedded fur all over the wet paint! This week we *really* need to get the yard mulched to cut down on some of the mud. Then maybe I can keep the house a bit cleaner. Every time I wash the dang slip cover for the couch, George comes in and gets it all dirty within 10 minutes.

I need to get some boxes and start packing up some of this stuff that we won’t be using any time soon. James said one of his employees at the shop just moved in to her first apartment, and needs dishes and stuff, so we can give her some of our extras. I think we have 3 or 4 sets; we can spare ‘em! Plus there’s a box of plastic storage containers in the basement, and a bunch of other stuff we won’t ever use that may come in handy for someone just starting out on their own. Or not…but better in her cupboard than mine, if you follow!

16 days and counting until my green card interview. I’m getting a bit anxious about it. I know we’ll pass it, but still, the consequences of not passing it are far too great to not worry about it. I really do wish James would get his police record sorted out so he could at least visit Canada. I’d like to go home at some point. *sigh*  ¶ 1:48 PM