bombus stevus - a friendly bumble bee who returns yearly to one backyard (my parental unit’s) with a specified patio focus (in terms of the area under his guardianship) who acts as sentinel against wasps and other such winged critters who may disrupt an evening meal.
Steve has shown up again this summer! Fuzzy and protective!
so because life is bloody ridiculous at the best of times, my other grandfather got called away last week. so that’s two grandfathers in 3 weeks. do the math - it just isn’t good odds.
my mum’s dad, the venerable grandpapa, passed at the ripe ole age of 90. some facts about grandpapa:
1) he liked to feed you - anything with either a high fat or sugar content (this is a man who wouldn’t kick a bacon fat sandwich out of bed). if you didnt take the food, he’d advise you to (a) not be shy, and (b) that he’d put it in your pocket.
2) grandpapa rocked some amazing fashions and would, if i may opine, fit in quite well in my hood. polyester baby blue with a snowflake pattern and a zipper instead of buttons? f*ck yeah, that’s his favourite shirt!
3) grandpapa would call you 5 different names until he got to yours. this was not just an “old age” issue. my mother is officially known as “nicole, michelle, therese, cindy, denise”
4) he was a tailor that came from st. albert, the place where the best darned cheese on this continent is made. and that’s simply fantastic.
So, to Grandpapa, as to Superpake, a big old wave goodbye.
Yesterday, one of my favourite authors, Monsieur Kurt Vonnegut Jr., died. Personally I’m really over this whole death thing lately. But either way… I’ll have a glass of wine for you tonight.
“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you different.” - K.V.
It can be said, with what I consider to be near absolute certainty, that the British make some of (if not the) best TV in the English speaking world. Their reality TV options are also much more fantastical than ours - mostly because of the outlandish and fabulous characters that populate those glorious time slots. Of these, the best of the best, is Mr. Louie Spence - dancer extraordinaire.
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Just as a quick aside, I realize I am using a lot of adjectives in this post, but it cannot be helped. Louie is just that fancy.
So who is Louie? Well you can catch him on 2 shows that I am *currently* aware of - Bump & Grind (aired with amazing irregularity on MuchMusic) and My Bare Lady (I don’t even remember what channel this is on, but it was on this past weekend). In both of these fine programmes, Louie acts as a judge, a choreographer and an all around fabulous authority on “what’s hot and what’s not”.
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The most important thing about Louie is his lisp. I have never, in all my years, heard someone who talks quite like this. Somehow, he has managed to actually have a lisp that seems to originate from the back of his mouth. I cannot help but clap my hands and smile when I hear him.
Please note - Louie - on the right (yes that’s a leather vest).
Unfortunately I have to bring the generally mirthful tone of the Duotang down a few notches with this post. On Sunday, my grandfather, the venerated SuperPake, passed away from a stroke and a subsequent heart attack at the ripe old age of 87.
My grandpa’s awesome (still using present tense…). He puts the Super in SuperPake and the Grand in Grandpa. Some fun facts about him are:
1) the name SuperPake is actually a tribute to Friesland (where he’s from). In Frisian, Pake means grandpa. He is my niece’s “great” grandpa. Another word for great? Super. *Presto*
2) SuperPake spent time in a Nazi POW camp and then, once released, aided in the Dutch Underground. He then spent 3 years in Indonesia after the end of WW2. He was a small guy, but he was wiry, and I bet he’d give YOU a run for your money.
3) SuperPake said the word “milk” like this: “mil-ik”.
4) SuperPake likes to play Euchre and drink Bailey’s.
5) SuperPake was a mac; taking all the widows to the movies and to play cards. *high five*
Bye grandpa. xoxo
(these people are not related to me or SuperPake. They are, however, in Leeuwarden, where my grandpa is from. Adds flavour, don’t you think?)
