Canada Day revisited

Amidst conversations about politics, engineering (I contributed much to that one), religion, the Middle East, children, relationships, friendships, airplanes, Salman Rushdie, marshmallows, cooking recipes, digital cameras, sand pits, CBC, BBC and STDs, the following are my choice quotes from Canada’s Birthday celebration at Dietrich and Aalya’s. Photos posted when applicable.

"FaceBook is a time-suck."
"FaceBook can blow me."
- Steve's witty response to Sean's otherwise normal observation of what FaceBook really is.


"Beneath that is the bb-q."
"I sort of figured it wasn't the Kaba, because it doesn't look like we're in Saudi."
"Cackle. OH MY GOD, I'm not religious but my Muslim blood thinks that's so sacrilegious."
- Aalya and I


"Jasper, may I take your photo?"
"Yes you may. Please go ahead."
- Jasper and I

"I'm a bottom", when introducing himself.
&
"This is Pretty. She knows Shep Pettibone, can you believe it?]", when introducing me.
- Sean



"This bb-q is all man."
"Do you think they'd let me take him home?"
- Steve & Sean



“I don’t think we’ll run out of wood.”
“Did you guys need wood?”
“Yeah.”
“Because I have, like, a six foot long piece of wood at home.”
“Why didn’t you bring it?”
“Well. I asked: ‘Is there anything I can bring?’ and no body said: ‘Yeah, actually, how about a six foot long piece of wood’.”
- Steve, Dietrich and an unseen

"The difficult times are the times that really show you what a relationship is made out of. That's when you decide that that's the person you want to have around when you're miserable."
- Natalie


“If you’re not on culinary duty, you are not in the kitchen. Now, Go.”
“Someone hand me a knife and a mushroom, quick.”
- Maha talking to no one in particular, in response to Dietrich


"Somewhere around here is the world's cutest kid."
- Almost everyone at the party at one point or another during the course of the evening.

“We all need a gay role model. Whose your gay?”
(Silence.)
“Now get your finger out of your nose, we have company.”
- Sean to Jasper, aged no-more-than-six

“Nadia, where did you get the firewood?”
“On the way here.”
“Did you cut it down?”
“Yes, actually she did. Every time she saw a good tree, she would pull over and run out with her little axe.”
- Nadia, Aalya-Mum, Sean & I

“All these cameras are frightening me.”
“You should really talk to a doctor about that.”
- Steve & Andrew

“I play the piano, accordion, cello, violin and a little saxophone.”
“I play the kazoo.”
- Steve in response to MJ
(Note: I was laughing so hard at Steve’s response that I’m not certain I have all of MJ’s musical talent well documented.)

“Do you remember when you used to come and pick me up after closing the McDonald’s cash register?”
“Oh my God, in my white van?”
“And your techno music and you white Levi’s jeans.”
(Beat.)
“Levi’s rocked.”
“They sure did.”
(Beat.)
“But truth be told, I haven’t worn them since I used to safety pin them tight all along the side from the knee down.”
- Sean, Joanne and Natalie

"I like to take photos of myself."
"John's going to post those on FaceBook right now."
"FaceBook can blow me."
- John, Gio & Steve


"Can you please take a picture of me and the stars?"
"What?"
"The stars. Over there..."
"You mean the hanging lights."
"Whatever. The electric stars. I think they're pretty."
- Andrew & I

"I work"
"Yes"
"hard for"
"Right"
"my money"
"So what are you saying?"
"and I want to"
"Ok."
"LiveInAGoodNeighbourhood."
"How unfortunate for you."
"BecauseI'veLivedInABadNeighbourhoodAlready."
"Money won't make you happy at all."
"ButIWasMuggedStandingAFootAwayFromMyFence."
"Poor people are often much richer than rich people."
"But there's nothing wrong"
"Sad. Really, sad. Money is nothing. You should really just stop."
“But.”
“No, just stop it. I’m feeling rather sorry.”
- Aalya-Mum responding to Dan attempting to discuss a standard of living.


CRASH. Tinkle. Tinkle. Tinkle. CRASH.
"That has to be John."
"It is! Look - Aalya's cleaning up and he's sitting there."
"Likely apologising for breaking something."
"It's just. John. You just have to expect it."
"Aalya probably prohibited him from helping her clean."
"God, he's just probably apologising like mad! Poor John."
"He probably saw the strawberry shortcake and in his excitement to reach it knocked half of the kitchen over."
- No names will be posted re above for fear of reprimand from John.

"Snap. Snap. Click. Shutter. Snap"
"I really don't know what sorts of pictures I'm taking. Oh dear, there seems to be something wrong with my camera. Oh my. (Snap. Click.) Oh! I've GOT you!"
- Aalya-Mum as she took very close-up photos of my face.


Posting because it is the most adorable photo of anyone I have ever taken.

Complete photo stream can be found here. Will post a short videoclipp soon enough...