Jill Browne, from home and away

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Away: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

What a nice day to hang out with good friends doing nothing in particular.

It’s been a long time since I lived here. My Edmonton experience breaks into two periods. The first time, I was on my own, had just arrived in Alberta, didn’t know anything about anything, but had a job at a garden centre and that was all I really needed.

The old house where I rented a room and shared a kitchen and bathroom with two other women (strangers to me when I arrived) has long been torn down and a high-rise apartment put in its place. It’s probably just as well, because the nostalgia would be overwhelming.

I met one of the women years later at the wedding of a mutual friend, though of course I had no idea we had a friend in common. It’s that six degrees thing again.

Her secrets are still safe with me.

The day included a trip to Greenwood’s Books. Always a pleasant browse. I bought a book. I asked, “Do you have magazines?”

“No, sorry, we have no magazines.”

“Eighteen Bridges?”

“Except that one.”

Eighteen Bridges is a new Alberta-based Canadian literary mag. One of the two founders, Lynn Coady, is a friend. The magazine just won an award for best new mag of the year. If you support reading and literature in Canada, subscribe!

So, I bought a book and a magazine.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

A week ago I went to the Calgary Zoo for the day. It was bright and sunny, a perfect spring day.

The lions were basking on the rocks. We ran into Kelly, a Zoo educator I’ve known for a few years and found out the lions can bask on the rocks all year round if they want.

The baby giraffe was cute but it was the hyrax that stood out unexpectedly. Usually these little grey guys are few and far between. But this day we saw them piled up on each other in groups of five and six, looking like piles of grey rocks. I guess that’s the point.

Fun day at the zoo.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Woo ee, date night.

Or so they say!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I’ve been going to Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) for years and years with two friends.

The plays are always thought-provoking.

Saw one of this year’s new playRites plays, by Mieko Ouchi. It was a kind of Raymond Chandler detective story with a distinctly Canadian element. Good play. One element went right over my head but didn’t detract.

Nisei Blue, watch for it

I haven’t been to Theatre Calgary in a while. I suppose I could but typically I’ve found ATP satisfies my theatre-going needs.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Would have been a good day to take in a cheap movie if I had only thought of it in time!

Now that I have NetFlix it’s easier to see a movie at home, but NetFlix in Canada has a lot of gaps.

How long are video rental stores and even movie theatres going to last?

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Even though the tall buildings on the north side of the Calgary Tower are crowding out some of the view, it’s still a great ride to sit at the top of the tower and eat your dinner while looking out the window watching Calgary and southern Alberta go by.

I haven’t been up there in a while and the restaurant has changed management since my last time, so I can’t comment on the food.

When I had my last ride, I found it intriguing to look to the southeast, at the Stampede grounds, Victoria Park, and at the almost Victorian-looking brick buildings here and there.

Of course, the star of the show is the view to the southwest and those gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

We have the opportunity for great outdoor skating here, and indoors too.

My favorites: Bowness Park for outdoors. You get on the lagoon and just go, it’s wide open, and there’s the pleasant smell of woodsmoke when they have the warming fires going.

Olympic Oval for indoors. Pretend to be an Olympic star!

One year, when I was living in Mission near the Holy Cross Hospital, it was so cold in February that the Elbow River was frozen and we skated almost to Glenmore. Wonderful way to see the city.