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Published: January 17th 2007
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Wildlife shots
Some pics I took with my new camera... Hi everybody
Sorry I've been out of touch for awhile. Things were pretty crazy getting out of Burkina before Christmas. The biggest reason was a second -and much more severe- bout of malaria. Thanks to my good buddy Guy I got to the doctor and got treatment, but it was a very VERY unpleasant plane ride home as my liver swelled and almost caused me to stay over in Niger... Which would have been bad... So I didn't... Anyway, I won't bore you with the story since most of you heard it while I was home anyway. But the bottom line is that some doctor decided I was going to be held against my will in the lowest country on the UN development index to receive medical attention. I basically told him to get stuffed!
Good summary, don't you think?
So the trip to Canada was really good. Thanks to everyone for making it so. Thanks particularly to Mom and Dad for being my flop-house yet again, for giving me unrestricted access to their vehicle, and for enduring the now famous Bike Saga.
For those of you who don't know, I decided to get a bike after that
race with Guy. Actually, GUY decided we were getting bikes so I had to go out and buy one. Thanks to Janno for shlepping around the city with me (and flirting with salesmen, you hussy!) to find the perfect mountain bike. In the end, I bought from Rebec and Kroes, who happen to have given me the most amazing service ever. Please, if you are considering buying a mountain bike, go see them because they are fabulous. Not only did they give me a great deal (and threw in some free stuff too!), they also packed up my bike for me to be shipped at no charge AFTER I took it home and rode it. Their techs are very knowledgeable and personable as well, so overall just a great shopping experience. Go there!
In order to get my new bike back to Ouaga, there was the issue of getting it to Toronto first. My cousin Lance had a reception for those of us who didn't attend his wedding last week in Dominican, and I was not about to miss it! So the bike got wrapped in a tarp and tossed in the trailer, and hauled all the way to
Paris
A boring layover makes for great pictures! TO. Apparently people in TO are not familiar with trailers since our pulling one seemed to cause quite a scene. The biggest scene, though, was wandering through the Sheraton hotel lobby with a giant box. Everyone was staring at us as if to say "what's in there????". Honestly, it was quite a moment. One woman actually stopped talking and STARED. Another guy asked me if it was an out-drive (we went the weekend of the boat show). Overall, it was funny and quite worth the hassle just to see the looks on peoples faces!
**Ok, Dad, I realize you might not agree with that last statement, but it was funny anyway!**
So the wedding reception was a hit and everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks Lance and Martina for throwing that for us, and welcome to our very nutty family! All the cousins from Lance's side were sitting at the same table, and naturally we proceeded to get VERY sloshed. All of us. At the end of the night I stood outside with Lance for a little heart to heart while we smoked a cigar with the boys. I am fairly sure it was the biggest bonding moment my Cuz and I have ever had.
You may be wondering what the title of this blog has to do with any of this, but in fact it refers to some of the fun I had in the couple of weeks I was home. I will provide a rundown of the highlights:
-Christmas with the fam, including the essential Brown Family ritual of watching Scrooged
-Boxing Day shopping with LK and Huntley. The drive to Montreal was interesting, but we certainly didn't let that freezing rain deter us! Something like 10 cars in the ditch...
-New Years; finally one that didn't suck! Thanks Dave Fish for helping me ring it in with style!
-Trip to the strip club with Jeff and the boys. They learned never to put me in Pervert's Row without a beer in hand. "We'll pay your cover, Linds". "You bet you will!"
-Boozeluck 2k6; J-Hor it was memorable as ever. Janno, never seen you so hammered! Thanks for the spoon, Bryn.
-Wood chipping and stacking wood with parents and grandparents. Truly a family affair in Heckston
-Dinner at Moxies twice in a row; yay for feature cocktails!
-A "family trip to the store" with Tezza and Balchin, then home to watch "movies". You're the best pirate hunter EVER!
Well, that's about it for news at the moment. I hope you're all doing fantastic and successfully shedding those holiday pounds. I know I'm working on it!
Sending my best,
-Brownie
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Amanda Machado
non-member comment
Hello from Canada
Hi Linds! It's been a long long time and when I finally run into Katie Belcher on facebook I'm told that you're having the adventure of a lifetime in Africa! I checked out your blog, and although I must confess I didn't read EVERYTHING, I'm hooked. I hope that the next time you're home in Ottawa (who knows when that will be with all your Australia plans and whatnot) that we can get together and catch up. I miss you girl, and I'm sorry I've been so awful at keeping in touch! Take care, Amanda