Nightowls & Newborns, Day 5

We started the fifth day of the tour in stop-and-start, wake-and-sleep starts. In that, mewed away in Tracy's dark basement, we slept in.

It helped that I was sleeping under a quilt emblazoned with the little mermaid. And that the basement was dark. And that we were both tired.

In any event, after we admitted to consciousness, we lolled around doing computer-y things for a while before setting out for the McKenzie Art Gallery, which was within walking distance.



We were greeted by a variety of concrete sculptures of people, leaning against the walls, sitting on benches. My favourite one, of course, was the reading pregnant lady.

The work at the gallery included a retrospective of an aboriginal artist and a couple of photo/video works.

The last thing we saw was a video piece where Minnie the elephant was filmed doing tricks (playing dead, begging, etc.), projected against two huge screens in a dim grey room.



Although I was fully fully rested, as we left the gallery I was plagued with jaw-splitting yawns, probably a result of the sleepy/awed feeling Minnie left us with.

We dashed off to the salon where Tracy cut my unruly hair and then used an iron to get it glass-smooth. Which also afforded us an opportunity to gossip madly, which is always ALWAYS great fun. Especially with Tracy.

Having not had lunch, we then shuttled off to the 13th Avenue Coffee House and related shoppes, where we had nosh and tea.



And then we only had time to change into our reading duds and meet Tracy and Gerry Hill, who had kindly offered to host us at Luther College, at La Bodega.

And all I have to say about La Bodega, having heard T and B go on and on about it over the years is: you're right. (Steak and frittes! Syrah in a goldfish bowl! Attentive but understated service!)

Then we jetted to Luther and a rapidly filling room, which I greatly appreciated...



Students of Gerry's, new/old friends from Regina, and people-unknown-to-me all watched as Kerry and I salon-ed it, by which I mean we alternated poems, taking cues from each other's work as to what the next poem would be.

I had thought this would be a difficult process (thinking while a poem is being read? Impossible! Also, I only have 28 pages of tightly-themed poems versus Kerry's full collection-selection options) but it was easy and even fun and we could have gone on forever...



And even though we'd been to several restaurants already, we then headed to a bar called Johnny Fox's. At which I was served a G&T with bar lime 'drink.' Which was abysmal but it was nice to have a little more chat to chew on.

Thanks to Gerry and thanks to Tracy and thanks to everyone that came out to the reading. Such a treat to have a full room of people, especially when we're come-from-away...

Fun!

* * *

Regina Luther College set list:
british museum (as read by Kerry Ryan)

Pre-conception: bedding (as read by Ariel Gordon)

one real star (ibid)

Eight months: the gathering (ibid)

sleeping through

Seven months: the navel gaze

orbit / january / summer sleep / all day

Five months: all knocked up

grip

Three months: morning sickness

saturday night in new orleans

Nine months: swelling & swollen

alchemy

Six months: in the bath

snowblind

Two months: moving day

* * *

Books sold: 4
Books left: 10