In other news

The weekend out east, once the irritation of the passport lunacy passed, was really great—a bit on the brief side, obviously, but even so it was fantastic to get at least that opportunity to catch up a bit with so many people. Poker was played, talking was done, and red wine was drunk in astonishing quantities—Saturday night in particular: though Shahn had a big glass, I think Scott, Stacey, and I otherwise finished seven bottles between us (effectively eight: One was a 1.5 l bottle). Almost as astonishing as that quantity, to me, is the fact that I woke up the next morning feeling fine, with no trace of a headache, thanks presumably to pacing myself somewhat, drinking lots of water in between large glasses of wine, and downing a bottle of Gatorade early in the evening.

There’s not much more to tell about the weekend as it wasn’t so much about events as just being surrounded by people that I have missed. (Michaëla was unable to make it, but met up with me in Montréal on Sunday afternoon, and we ate and hung out a while, and she accompanied me to the airport.) All I can say is that thanks go out to the friends who offered me free hospitality, food, wine, and so on—I hope you’ll come out to Vancouver at some point that I may return the favour, and that I’ll have the chance to visit Québec again in a matter of less than two or three years, this time.