80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #15

Friday, June 29th.

A quick post that I shall update next week when I return. I am off to deal with my boat after which I shall be attending the Cartel meeting - it's been a long time since we had one. After that I am off to a friends cottage for the long weekend - returning home Monday or Tuesday. Finally - summer activities!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #14

Thursday - shopping and cleaning.

Finally got around to cleaning my apartment. The hot weather had left the night before so it was an ideal day for cleaning. Not easy with only one hand but it had to get done. Did I mention that I hate dusting.

I think I shall have to hire a service Bad Girl Maids next time. Only $165 per hour - for the nude service!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #13

Wednesday - once again a lazy day spent indoors hiding from the heat. Paid bills and set my affairs in order in anticipation of being away for 3 weeks come next week when I am off to Maine.

In the evening I was off to a recital in which one of my students, Jessica B., was a participant. Jess is a member of Tisho's Drums 'n Piano Music Academy. It was interesting to watch all of the kids from 6 to 18 display their talents in singing or playing an instrument. Jess did a drum solo and later on was involved with two other girls in a trio - I think it was the all-girl jammin trio.

Later on dropped by the school to single handedly (literally and figuratively) drop the canoe from my car.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #12

Not much accomplished today. Did some 'work' work and started the cleaning of my apartment process - not actually cleaning - just the process - in other words thinking about it. It's a big job for a one handed man - 'man' being the operative word here.

When I'm feeling down I tend to go shopping for electronic gadgets. Today was no different. After browsing through computer screens, digital cameras, and HD TV's, I settled for an electrostatic air purifier - to help control the massive amounts of dust that my apartment generates, as well as a new cell phone. The last cell phone I owned was an analog affair about the size of a small dog.

Bob has upgraded his tech skills - even practiced text messaging!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #11

Monday, June 25th.

A sad day for HouseboatBob. Spent the entire day trying to locate and then negotiate with salvage companies to come take my boat to the big scrap heap in the sky. With all the environmental regulations, most companies are reluctant to touch a boat.

Did find one guy to take it on Tuesday but the marina owner was not able to drop the boat into the water so that it could be pushed over to the loading ramp. He said he could not get it done this week at all.

At the end of the day I'm still not sure of when I will be able to rid myself of this burden. To compound the problem, the marina owner has sold the marina and a new owner takes over Friday - thus I have to start the negotiations from the beginning as to when to drop my boat.

I was going to drop in a few 'good memory' pictures of the old boat here but I think I shall save that for later. As for now - one last howl at the moon.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #10

Sunday, June 24th

Warcraft Baby - 12 solid hours. Now this is vacation time!!!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #9

Saturday

With my hand still sore from the canoe trip, I decided that I had better go to emergency to have it checked out. 2 hours later they confirmed it was a break and I left with a 'half-cast'. It is going to be a fun 4 weeks with this stupid thing on my arm.

Returned home and tried to have a drink to drown my sorrows but quickly learned that it is impossible to break ice cubes with one hand. Not easy opening the olive jar either.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #8

Friday, June 22nd. 10% of the way through my summer and the final day of the trip. One which would ultimately change my summer.

The night before Mr. B made a critical error in judgement and went to bed around 10pm. That left me up alone with more than a few drams of scotch to consume. While trying to prevent a forest fire which I had inadvertently started, I stumbled and fell on a log in the dark and, as later would be diagnosed, broke a bone in my hand.

Regardless of the pain, we were off early morning on the final leg of our journey. Through Ralph Bice Lake, Hambone Lake, and finally into Magnetawan Lake - our final stop.




All in all - a great journey.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #7

The day of winding rivers and portages.

Sticking with the Tim River, we found ourselves challenged by the winding river and a series of obstructions to navigate such as fallen trees and beaver dams. Perhaps the most memorable being the small waterfall over a beaver dam which we ran full speed managing to impale both Jessica and Cory on a fallen tree on the other side.

After a brutal portage of some 300 vertcal feet we dumped into Queer Lake and one more portage later (I think 6 for the day), we were in Little Trout Lake for the evening.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #6

Wednesday, June 20th. Up excessively early as Mr. B, Jessica, Cory and I are off to canoe the wilds of Algonquin.

After dropping a vehicle off at our finish point, we enter the Tim River and head out into Tim Lake.




A simple portage puts us back into a now winding, twisting Tim River leading into Rosebary Lake for the evening.




A delicious meal, a wee dram of scotch - with ice - and bed to rest the sore muscles.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #5

Tuesday, June 19th. The end of a wondeful weekend. I thank you all for the wonderful memories. Keep in touch.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #4

Day #4 started off all wrong as I was awakened at 4am to deal with a problem. One of the students had to be driven home as his behaviour was - less than desirable. So at 5 in the morning off we go, Sarah, Hayley and I with a passed out student in tow. At 5:15 said passed out student awoke briefly to vomit in the backseat, making the 4 hour round trip journey a memorable event - for those of us who weren't passed out.

We arrived back at the cottage by 8:30 and went to bed not awakening again until past noon. At this time Fred began his quest of drinking 24 beers in the course of a day. Not pussy beers - good old Labatt Blue. Fred had previously numbered the caps of 24 beer and starting with #1 proceeded to drink all 24 before going down in the wee hours of the morning. Truth be told I think he dropped a few ounces here and there and could only lay claim to having consumed 22 beers - thus his new moniker - Fred Two Two - note the 2-2 fingers in the picture.

The high point of the evening came when Sarah was required to drink from Fred's belly button. Nice!


It was a great evening as we walked down memory lane - a fitting end to a wonderous journey through high school.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #3

Day #3 started late as I didn't get up until 1 in the afternoon. An hour or so later, Hayley, Sarah and I went to town for lunch and supplies and returned to meet the fellow gradutes as they were supposed to arrive by dinner. The first to arrive were Meghan, Stefanie and Ashley and after getting lost and having to go out to rescue them, Fred, Andy and Megan.

With the arrival of all grads by 9pm or so, the games could begin. Since I had been into the martinis since 5, I didn't need any drinking games to "catch-up".

I certainly don't recall much of the evening though apparently I was on the winning team.

















The smartest thing I did all night was crash down at midnight. It left me open for more than a few pranks but, as it turned out, it was the right decision.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #2

Saturday June 16th. Up early and doing laundry. Must have clean clothes as I will be busy over the next few days.

Next stop, Newmarket to drop off tux and then up the 400 to Hayley's cottage for a weekend with the grads. I am happy that I am able to spend some quality time with the graduates before they all go off to university.

Arrive at the cottage at 5 pm or so and Hayley, Sarah and I have a few margaritas and chill out in the hot tub - well except for Sarah who has to keep our drinks filled.




I remember playing a weird version of Trivial Pursuit and talking to Hayley unti the wee hours of the morning. Went to bed as the sun was coming up. Nice!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #1

Day #1 begins on Friday June 15th - Prom Day

Up early to finish writing the script for the senior graduating class. Also buying last minute gag gifts. Into a tux and off to Ashley D.G's for the pre-prom party.

After a few toasts and pics off to the prom - same old, same old but a lot different because there were so many kids whom I shall miss. No tears though and finally home at 1 in the morning.



Was sad when I got home and had to tell the grads why I was feeling weird all night so I sent an email (below). Then to bed.

I must say that I have mixed emotions about tonight. This is the second time in my life at the school that this has happened in this way. The whole night went by like a dream - it felt like I wasn't really there. I think maybe I didn't want to be there. I don't know if this will make sense to any or all of you but it goes like this.

I couldn't be sad tonight because it was wonderful to see an entire class graduate with such wonderful hopes of a great future. I really do believe that you all will have great lives. I couldn't be sad because this was a celebration for all of you. But on the other hand I couldn't be happy since you were all leaving me behind. I feel so connected to you all that it felt like you were off to bigger and better things and I was the stupid kid left behind.

As I said this has happened once before - the graduating class with Megan Lord and 5 others to whom I was closely connected with. I had a tough time with it at the time ( I remember a meeting in which I was crying and Mrs. Klein was looking at me as if I was a total idiot) and Mr. Eta - in his not so brilliant wisdom - equated my job to that of a bus driver. He said my job was to drive the kids from the bottom of the hill to a stop part way up the hill, wish them well and then go back down to the bottom to get more kids. I hated that analogy for many years - until I recognized the truth in it - Damn that Eta - he was right - I can't get off of the bus at the stop on the hill and travel with you as you continue further up. I can't be with you as you travel along the next stage in your journey - but at the same time I can't let you go - you are all too important to me.

So - I settle for the occasional email from somewhere up the hill and I have to be satisfied with that. I hate it - but it is the way it has to be. So here I sit at 3 in the morning - Missing you all - tears in my eyes so bad I can barely see to type - and wishing I had failed all you buggers - just so I could spend another year with you on my bus.

I love you all and wish only the best for you - keep in touch with the old bus driver every now and then.

Me