11.11 BOYS IN BALLGOWNS

Once again, it's me and the boyz tonight. A few of the ladies showed up a bit later in the evening but weren't here in this very room with me to encounter the spectacle of a group of guys in fancy dress.

I've made mention of the "fancy dress" party in a previous blog entry and won't go into too much detail besides to describe briefly how it transforms a person.

I watched (and captured on camera) this rare moment, when boy meets bathing suit bottom; man meets makeup. They took to the fancy dress as naturals - as if accustomed to strapping on stillettos and styling their locks. They even helped one another get all dolled up, making sure pins were in place and zippers were done up tight. And at one point, each of these grown men stood in front of the mirror and gave their gurny a sideways glance before applying the last tough of lipstick. Amazing.

It was like being a spider in the room of a boys-only slumber party. Is this really what happens when there's way too much testosterone in the room. After they were dressed and ready to resume their manly method of chugging beer - albeit while seated comfortably cross-legged with their pinky's pointed - I asked a few of them what it was about the 'fancy dress' that made it such a habitual happening.

I was told: "Dressing like a woman is liberating."

If you say so buddy. I'll stick to slacks (yeah, slacks - pants mean underwear here).

11.10 CHARDOLINI

It's me and the boyz tonight. Sean has a group of friends visiting from his hometown, near Bristol. We ordered in - Chinese was the choice. The meal came complete with a bubbly bevvy called 'Chardolini.'

The bottle wasn't small and it only reminded me of Chardonnay because it tasted bad so I can't quite explain where the name comes from. It was more akin to a cross between Sprite and champagne.

In any event it was enough to toast to Sean's upcoming birthday and enough to wash down the sweet and sour chicken balls.

Cheers to Chinese and Chardolini?

11.09 BIRTHDAY REMINDER

As if I needed a reminder that I have turned twenty-six and eleven-twelfths. That means I'll be hitting the big two-seven in only a month. That also means I'll be hitting up BK for a whopper in just 30 days.

I was in the library searching for books on privacy law when this one caught my eye (and you know how my eye likes to wander when I'm in a library...). If I had the time of day I'd definitely give it a good read. I've got the cover shot here (which according to privacy law might not be legal - but it could fly because the circulation of my blog is limited - besides, it's advertising for the author) in case I want to go back and pick it up.

But a glance was good enough to judge the cover as good enough to induce a Pavlovian moment as the countdown to my birthday begins (not that i'm counting, really...).

11.08 ADLs

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). They are physical tasks that keep old people fit.

Take, for example, carrying the groceries. For a post-menopausal granny, this could help keep the triceps toned and the bone density in check.

Gardening is another. It keeps the joints limber and is a serious springtime calorie burner.

I have begun to rely on ADL's myself. How do I explain myself? Only recently I was logging 80k/week on runs, cycling nearly half that distance, and bone building with weights in the meantime.

Either I've grown lazy or otherwise I am old enough to begin to count these random exertions as exercise. Both possibilities worry me.

In any event, at least I have these ADL's or I wouldn't come close to Canada's Physical Activity guide standards. It's a shame for a kin graduate.

I caught a glimpse of my exercise equipment in this shot. A combination of cycling and stair climbing are getting my heart rate up and keeping my calves strapped. I use the bike I solely for commuting at the moment - with barely enough time for leisure rides it is a true ADL. As for the stair climbing, you're looking at the first leg of several flights to the attic where my room is.

Those are some serious METs for a granny workout right there, wouldn't you say?

11.07 CHRISTMAS COOKIES CAN COME EARLY

...and just one more gastronomical reason to visit Spain. Maddy whipped out these seasonal anise cookies - a Christmas treat from Gibraltar.

In their candy wrapping, each cookie is a small token - a gift.

While it irks me to see store shelves lined with tacky tinsel and random christmas ware before Halowe'en has even passed, I stand firm in believing it is never too early to bring on the Christmas cookies...(and never to late to be eating Halowe'en treats for that matter...)

11.06 SPANISH OMELETTE

Maddy arrived home from a visit to Spain this evening. Somehow, I'm suspecting through Gibralter, she managed to smuggle a Spanish omelette into the UK. I think the greater feat was actually arriving here with her grandmother's home baked dish in one perfectly round piece.

It was still warm when she sliced through the smooth crust. In tact, it looked like a full moon - a light oil glistening, golden, and with darkened spots that could be craters from a distance.

It was soft in the centre, fluffy, with a hint of olive oil - I could have gobbled up the entire thing.

When the moon hits your eye its...its no big pizza pie...

It turns out its a Spanish omelette.

11.05 BONFIRE NIGHT

Its bonfire night. There's a massive pit aflame in the Forest and its drawn an equally massive crowd. Wish I had a massive stick with a massive marshmallow at the end of it.

Bonfire night, or Guy Fawkes night, is an curiously pyro-centric celebration of the November night in 1605 when a plot to torch parliament was thwarted by officials. Guy -or Guido - and his band of angry Catholics were condemned by King James I for their foiled attempt. It was a champion day in British Parliament.

The festival is actually said to be rooted in pagan traditions dating even earlier than the 15th century, when the bonfire was kindled with human sacrifice.

I'd rather be torching buildings than people. Makes the wanna-be cruisaders seem almost sympathetic.

The festival was impressive, the fireworks show remarkable. The fire, not hot enough to keep us from shivering. My friends and I stood and watched the entire show then headed up to the nearby carnival - much like a mini version of last month's goose fair...with the dizzying rides and greasy snacks.