Saturday, May 31, 2003
This is a fairly big event for the area: the annual Beaches Triangle Yard Sale. Organized by the local Beach Triangle Resident's Association, they place ads in the local papers and encourage people in the area to hold their yard sale on a single day, drawing in more crowds than any single yard sale would.
Unfortunately, the weather didn't want to co-operate. It threatened rain all day, but in the morning it never amounted to more than a minor trickle. So we initially though the whole thing was going to be postponed for the rain date the following day, which also promised better weather. Erika started calling around for partners to join her for her yoga workout, when she discovered that people were putting things out on Rainsford, the adjoining street. So, we quickly got out all of our respective jun- er, treasures out for the sale.
Things were priced not so much as to make a profit, but to encourage people to walk away with them. So we didn't make a lot of money out of it, but we have recovered some extra storage space in the house, which is ultimately worth more to us. ;-) In a matter of minutes after putting it out we sold our old, 50s-era bamboo couch and chairs inherited from Erika's grandparents. We probably could have charged more, as people kept asking about it even with the "sold" sign on it, but we suddenly have plenty more space in our shed. For the heck of it I put my old Philco Predicta TV out among the other things on the front lawn, but while it attracted a lot of looks and conversations, I obviously priced it too high as I had to haul it back downstairs. Oh well, another year of tinkering lies in store, so I am hardly broken up by it. I also discovered some interesting Predicta repair sites which weren't there the last time I looked up the subject on the Web, so maybe it's time to return to the set after all.
While I minded shop, Erika went out looking for baby clothes, though unfortunately with little success. Then I went foraging: I picked up some educational software for Vanessa, and found the neighbour who subscribes to the Canadian history magazine I scooped from them at last year's sale. "Here's your copies of The Beaver" she called out as she saw me coming down the road. I couldn't help but blush. ;-) I bought a year's reading supply for a few bucks.
The sale is also a chance to get out and get re-acquainted with people in the neighbourhood. I saw some people who I don't normally get to see socially except at things like the yard sales, so it is a good excuse to say "hello" to everybody.
The cutest thing at the event had to be Vanessa's "lemonade" stand. She was initially all set to go shopping with her pocket money, but then a friend of her's from across the street came over to play, and suggested they set up a lemonade stand. Erika got some drink mix, I dug out a plastic pitcher and plastic cups, and the girls quickly set up shop, doing a hard sell at anyone passing by asking if they wanted a glass of lemonade for 5 cents. They did a brisk trade, and I joked to a few purchasers that the yard sale was in fact a front for the lemonade business. Profit-making it was not, what with the cost of materials, but the two girls had lots of fun collecting nickels (and the occasional quarter and looney from heavy-tippers) from people. And also dipping into the drink themselves when passersby were few.
Movie Review: Finding Nemo
The rain really started coming down shortly after 1pm, and so I packed everything that hadn't been sold back into the house and shed. Thankfully there's a couple of people in the area who are active with local charities, so the remainder will be put to a good end.
Erika got back with a tired Annie from the doctor's (she had a check-up and vaccination appointment) and so I whisked Vanessa away to see Finding Nemo, which was playing at the local cinema. We ran into one of her friend's from school and her father who had the same plans, and together we all went to the cinema.
While I wouldn't call this a dud for Pixar (who never seem to really ever go wrong), it wasn't as satisfying as some previous pictures, like Monsters Inc. or the Toy Story films. All beautifully done and rendered - the characters look suitably cartoon-y while the 3d aspect of the ocean and subtle, though effective coloring and lighting effects will impress any computer animation afficianado. It's also interested that the animators deliberately chose to make the humans appearing in the film look suitably cartoon-y instead of going for photorealism. But the whole movie felt rushed, and a little bit frenetic - it was hard to get close to too many characters because other than the principles, as they didn't get a lot of screen-time.
Still there are lots of funny touches. I love the seagulls who look at anything edible and call out "mine!". That is in fact all they say. ;-) Or the sharks trying to set up a self-help group aimed at becoming friends with the fish they would normally eat. Or the attempts of one of the characters at communicating in whale-speak. And enough slapstick elements to elicit giggles from the gaggle of kiddies in the audience.
Just not as satisfying as I had hoped for. But I also suspect that this is a film that will grow on me over time.
The Night of Two Parties
We went to two local parties this evening. One was an after-yard sale get-together comprising most of the people from the laneway, the second at a friend's 40th birthday party. Much painkiller and beer was had.
The second party was truly rockin', since a bunch of musician-friends of the birthday girl got together and jammed -- and they were good! The fascinating thing for me was discovering that one of the musicians in fact not only went to Queen's U., but who also had a stint at CFRC like Erika and myself. He left the year before I joined so I likely never ran into before, but he well remembers Studio A, having recorded there. Now he has his own professional recording studio! Erika tried to join in on the jam with her trumpet, but as it turns out improv playing is not really her thing.
Got home very late, around 1:30am or so, which is way past our usual bedtime. ;-)
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