Quebec, Oh, File for, eh, While, eh, 2nd Post

A blog is not a diary, so I won’t be recounting my daily life here in Montreal, not telling you that last Thursday evening we went downtown to the Just For Laughs (JFL) Festival for the Chevy Chase Gala. A gala at JFL is a show hosted by a comic (our host was Chevy Chase and you’re not), who gets to open, MC, and do several comedic segments between acts of other guest comics. The night was hilarious. Six or seven guest comics appeared, who were from around the world, like Canada, United States, Australia, Canada, United States and Canada and the United States. Their humor orientation ranged from classic stand up one-liners to stories of going bald at age 23, to physical slap stick about the Dyson AirBlade hand dryers that are ubiquitous in Canada (you can’t dry yourself out of a paper towel around here). Chevy did a fine job, including a stint behind the desk for the news. Some things never get old (but Chevy does, he’s 70 now).

Since a blog is not a diary, I won’t recount our Saturday morning trip to the Ste. Anne Farmer’s Market for the Blues and BBQ event. We attended the BBQ seminar at 10:00 a.m., a workshop by local Montrealer John Lattuca, Pit Master.  He was the 2012 Jack Daniel's 'World Brisket Champion' and winner of a grill-load of other awards.  We parked ourselves in the audience to learn how to make perfect BBQ ribs.  After taking five pages of notes on building the fire, prepping the ribs, crafting a 'Texas Crutch', timing and testing, and seasoning, my wife, Marti, concluded her notes with: "or go to restaurant!"  After he finished his demonstration, and after the sudden appearance of the health inspector was dealt with, John was permitted to sell his food.  We split a plate of ribs, World Championship brisket, beans and coleslaw. Like Marti said, “Dang, it was tasty!”

Since a blog is not a diary, I won’t recount our Sunday evening trip to the Olympic Park for a soccer game. Many of you will recall the 1976 Summer Olympics (my all-time favorite summer games), think Nadia Comaneci, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Bruce Jenner the Decathlete. We drove to LaSalle, a suburb about 25 minutes from here, which is the terminus of the Green Line of the Metro. We rode 30 minutes on the subway to the stadium at the Olympic Park on the East side of town, where the Montreal Impact played the Portland Timbers.  My son John lives in Portland, so we texted him photos and such. He watched the game on TV and stayed dry, while we got wet in the downpour just before halftime.  Hey, this is boring let’s talk about…the fact that a blog is not a diary.   

                                                   1976 Olympic Park in background

Portland won 3-2, on a goal at the 83^rd minute. 

A blog is not a diary. If not, what is it? 

It is a log of events, a log of “b” events, I guess. The “a” events I’m saving for my next book.

Staying under 500 words I’ll close with…Good night, Diary.

Note:  Pit Master episode description courtesy of Marti Franti