May I present Mr and Mrs Briggs

My sister Chloé got married and the wedding was absolutely spectacular. She has worked so hard, pretty much all by herself for the past year to have the perfect day, and save for a slight hiccup on the Groom's Team (Best Man forgot the Rings, which only caused a 5 minute delay, no biggie), the whole day went off without a hitch (although Chloé and Wayne did get "hitched" so...).

Up to here.

We checked into Whalley Abbey, where the wedding reception will be. Paul and I, sharing a room. I get the wifi password and Paul is back into his ipad with an exasperated "thank god!". His head might as well be up his ass. I don't want to sit around so I head to the pub. I was going to tell Paul where I was going but then didn't so as to avoid the possibility that he might come with me. I think I'm just over tired and stressed to the max, but the wedding will be over soon and I would be better off to just stop being pissy and enjoy my time with my family.

The bartender sees me eyeing the taps and asks if I'm looking for a bitter. England is all about the ales. It isn't bad although I didn't catch the name.
Chloe's bridesmaids show up asking about my dad and Chloe's dress. I know nothing about either but apparently my dad is staying above this pub, which I suppose makes it an Inn.

I'm guessing I can meet him here if I wait around long enough. I order the chicken curry.
It's taking forever. Maybe it has to fly from India.
of course it arrives just after i type. I'm hungry but its too hot to consume. None of the food in England has been awe-inspiring and the curry in no exception.

The whole family shows up, we have pints at some of the fine pubs Whalley has to offer. At last-call, Paul takes off to check out the small town club scene, while Marc and I stay at the bar to finish out pints. We go outside so Marc can have a smoke and the bartender tells him it's against the law to have our drinks outside, but if we want to re-enter the bar we can smoke inside. It was a lock-in! We got to stay and order a few more pints before running into Paul on our way back to the abbey. As the sun rose we 3 brothers had a great moment together exploring the ruins of the old Abbey.

Shite Day

What a shitty day.

We take a cab from the Avalon Hostel to the airport that costs me 28€.

I try and sleep a little on the 40 minute flight back to Manchester but it doesn't really happen.

We catch a commuter train from the airport to Chloé's town which costs £28 for both of us. This was stupid since it took 2+ hours and a cab would have been £12 more.

We need sleep. I grab a few hours on the sofa before tensions boiled over between Chloé and our cousin Laura. Two forces of nature in a small house it was bound to happen. Laura's upset for many reasons, none of which have anything to do with Chloé excepte the fact that it seems "like everything is about her!"(It is. It's Chloé's wedding). She also fails to see the imposition her unexpected tenancy is creating at this stressful time. I am elected to mediate, which I feel I was somewhat successful at since the next day they were both talking.

an annoying tick

Wake up! Chloé found some fleas on George, which is stress she doesn't need with less than two weeks left till her wedding day. This means we must all tread lightly. If I can survive her wrath I will be flying to Ireland tonight with Marc, otherwise spread my ashes over Black Rock City.

Banana Baker

I'm in a Starbucks in a bookstore. Enjoying the air conditioned sweetness but running short on power. Coffee shops seem to have less and less power outlets, maybe hoping you will move on when the battery gets low.

Is it cheating to go back and make up a post for yesterday? It was a busy day and by the end of it I was much too tired to write about it.

I leave for my sister Chloe's wedding in England tomorrow night. I have tons to do still. Laundry and packing, is all really.

So this is what happened yesterday:

Yesterday I went to the bank to get Euros and Pounds. I'm not sure which I will need more of but I'm glad I won't have to try and find an international bank machine or pay insane service fees. The bank tried to sell me on a service package that I pointed out would end up costing me more over the long run. I did end up starting a tax free savings account. We will see how that goes.


I picked up a birthday gift for my brother Marc. I haven't seen him since last April and I can't wait to have a pint with him in (fingers crossed) Dublin.

I made banana bread, maybe not the smartest thing to do on a hot day but I wanted to use up my over-ripe bananas instead of tossing them. I bought a nice loaf pan for a birthday gift I never ended up giving so I used that. I used a basic recipe I found on the internet and it turned out pretty good.

I said goodbye to my best friend Ian. He's going to Hollywood to work for some big movie Director (yeah, Seriously). We went for a drive and chatted about what the future may hold, which neither of us know. I'm looking forward to visiting him in LA at some point. How exciting. I'm really happy for him but I'm sad because I will miss him so much.

Claude Hooper Bukowski

I booked my flight to the UK for my sister Chloe's wedding. I booked through A Canadian Affair. I normally fly Air Canada but it was way more expensive. I will be flying on Air Transat, it was 200$ cheaper booking on A Canadian Affair than the Air Transat website. My direct/return flight to Manchester, taxes in, was 818$.



I get in on June 21st, a Thursday. Pear Jam will be playing, I've never seen them play but I did see them in person at the Tiff11 screening of their eponymous Cameron Crowe directed doc. It would be cool to go with Marc and Chloe and Wayne if they are interested.

I was very apprehensive about making the booking because without a job I can't really afford the trip, but I can't miss my sisters wedding and the aeroplan points on my credit card will bring me one step closer to another trip to Japan (which I also can't yet afford).

double cheese deluxy excited

Please Click Here to check out my Movember page! I'm growing hair on my upper lip to raise funds and awareness of prostate cancer.

Denison Ave, My old street

Yesterday I was productive and set up some postcard blog posts. They will go up every morning for the next week. I really like this Street Cents postcard I got way back in 1994. It felt good to have some posts up. I have to stick with it, I have been getting more and more hits on the postcard blog. It's important to post regularly, and I've been terrible at that.

I should mention I'm going to Japan next month. My good friend Koji is getting married! If you haven't met Koji then your life is missing a small chunk. We met while working for the Evil Hollister Corporation. Koji was in Canada on a working holiday, and while here we became good buddies. He came to visit my hometown of Timmins Ontario with me, a memorable road trip. He said he would like to show me his hometown one day, which just happens to be Tokyo.
I went ahead and booked my flight last night. I figure it's not getting any cheaper the closer we get to Christmas. I got a good deal on Air Canada. I will be there for Christmas and New Years.


I told Koji that I had booked the flight, to which he replied: "I'm double cheese deluxy excited!!!!!!!"

I need to go to the gym tomorrow, no excuses. I'm not fat but I'm getting a little belly.

I also have to learn some more Japanese. I took an introductory course a few years ago but I'm rusty. I don't want to look like a tool. I remember how to say "No I am NOT an American, I am a Canadian" but beyond that I'm going to have to study up.

On the road to Elliot Lake for more wedding bells

so now I seem to have the power of mobile blogging. I'm packed in the backseat of a car right now. if I were alone I could try the voice to text feature of the phone, instead I'm typing with my thumb. Dad is driving, Marc is sitting shotgun, Paul, Doe and I in the back. we are going to my cousin Christian's wedding. I wish I could still be in Toronto since I only had 3 nights in my own bed. If my sister Chloe gets married more than 20 minutes from my house and I'm not going. Here we come Elliott Lake!

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Deputy Sunny J

I woke a little late. No time to get breakfast at Sweet Chinito, I didn't even have time to hit the bong before Mike swung by to pick me up. We went back to his place and I made coffee with a splash of Irish to get my day started.

V and Mike with the license that isn't official till I see a wedding

Mike, V and I went to San Francisco City Hall to get a marriage license and for myself to get deputized so I can perform the ceremony. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and to guard against enemies both foreign and domestic, so if terrorists attack the wedding I am the first and last line of defense. Mike said I looked like i was really getting off on the oath. it was really cool. I am now a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for the County of San Francisco (for a day).

I always thought we would be getting married to

 each other, but they don't do "those" kind anymore :(

We picked up Koji at his hostel and we went back to Mikes place to have some beers and greet people as the arrive. I was so happy to see Mikes mom France, she is awesome. Koji Mike and I went to Taqueria Cancun for burritos. Koji looked impressed, and said it was better than any he had tried in Toronto. I feel bad that Koji is only seeing the inside of peoples apartments but until the wedding stuff is done I can't take him on any tours. We are going to try and do Alcatraz, or something cool as soon as we can.

YYZ to SFO

Once again  I'm blogging from the Air Canada lounge, drinking a Crown Royal and Ginger Ale (Canada Dry, of course) waiting for my flight to San Francisco. You know for an unemployed guy I sure do get to do a lot of traveling. My reason this time is noble, I will be performing the ceremony for my best friend Mike and Vanessa's wedding. I am starting to feel the pressure. I have to write the entire thing and I'm not done yet. It will be ready, I'm just feeling the stress.

Today was very busy trying to get all my shit together before my flight.

I went to the gym this morning to try and suspend my membership for two weeks which I thought I could do, but can't. I wish I had called first to find out if it was possible cause I wasted some precious time.

On the way back from the gym I picked up a special gift for Koji, my good friend from Japan who will also be attending the wedding. Mike and V both met Koji in Japan at my insistence and had a great time with him in Tokyo. I'm so excited to see him and show him around my favourite place in the world, San Francisco.

I finished packing up my bags and went to the bank to get some American currency. The line up was a little long and the time spent got me panicked enough I took a cab to the airport instead of the TTC. I wish Toronto had a direct train from downtown to Pearson, IT'S 2010! Get with the new millennium. 

I really can't stress how excellent Air Canada's service is, and the lounge provides both comfort and class. I'm the luckiest unemployed guy in the world. Now I must close up my computer because I think the soup is coming out soon and I want to have a bowl before my flight.