That weekend just sped by

Weekends really do go by too quickly, don’t they! I had a great time, starting Friday night when I met my daughter to check out her new coat on layaway at Aritzia. It looks great on her and I think she was a bit sad to leave it behind, but it’s not really cold enough to need it yet, and she’s being fiscally responsible. She approved of a pair of high-waisted, pleated charcoal pants for me, although she swears she’s never giving in to high-waistedness. Wonder if I’ll get to say “told you so” to that one, eventually — more than a few fashion twists I’ve sworn to avoid over the decades but found myself compromising. I’ve always loved what I think of as a Katherine Hepburn pant and especially love the way it makes allowances for a tummy–plus roomy pockets? What’s not to love!

After our shopping, Bronwen and I met Paul and Adam at the Greek place ’round the corner from our Vanc’r apartment. Stepho’s on Davies is an institution especially favoured by budget-stretching students — good Greek food, really affordable, and there’s always — and I mean always! — a lineup outside the door. No worries if you’re with friends, happy to visit and with young-ish legs to stand on. Paul and I prefer to go up the street to Taki’s Taverna where there are shorter, if any, waits and where the food is perhaps a bit better. Not quite as inexpensive, but still very reasonable and they have this really wonderful grilled calamari. We shared that as a starter, but then both Paul and Adam ordered it as their main while Bronwen had grilled prawns and I had chicken livers, Greek-style. A shared dish of ekmek to finish off and we all went home happy. I can’t tell you how blessed, lucky, happy, Paul and I feel to have a daughter and son-in-law whose company we enjoy so much and who seem happy to hang out with us as well.

Saturday Paul and I went for separate runs — occasionally we enjoy running together, but I’m always conscious of holding him back and he’s not one for chatting (that’s an understatement), so the entertainment value is low! I’m happy running on my own — I love being in the moment, in my own head, and even when I’ve been at a point in my training where I’m running for two hours at a time, I never find it boring, never need an Ipod. For this run, I headed over the Burrard Bridge and ran along the Seawall past the Planetarium and then up along Point Grey Road. It’s hard to imagine many cities that could offer better running than Vanc’r — such spectacular views. Saturday was perfect weather — sunny but crisp with a fall breeze. So many people out walking, running, exercising their dogs, biking, paddling. My run was a bit sluggish, and I regretted the previous night’s wine, but still, I put in my hour and a half and was really able to appreciate my bacon and eggs when I got back to the apartment. I love my Saturday breakfast with The Globe and Mail and The Vancouver Sun–getting mad at the usual columnists, interrupting Paul’s reading to read him the latest target of my indignation . . .

Some marking, some reading, then I headed out to Robson Street to window-shop a bit more and then called Paul to meet me for dinner. This time we headed down toDesi Downtown, a fairly new Indian place on Denman, for some curried chicken. Their poppadoms are perfect — thin, crispy, spicy — and the naam is great as well. The rice comprised beautiful long threads spiced with cardamom pods — a perfect base for my curried spinach chicken and Paul’s butter chicken.

We’d thought about going out to see 3:10 to Yuma, but instead picked up a DVD — Fracture, with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. As soon as we got home, though, I started thinking about that combination of actors and realized we’d seen the movie already, only weeks ago surely, and thought it quite good if, obviously, not quite memorable! So while Paul returned it to get Fauteils d’Orchestre — a pleasant little ensemble movie about overlapping lives centred around the arts — I set these beauties out on a plate and made the tea. We’d picked them up at Cupakes on Denman as we walked home — Ah! the joys of city life!

This morning we were up fairly early and headed to La Bretagne on Jervis for crêpes — we always have the #5 — sausages, apples, and cheese–on buckwheat. Part of the entertainment is watching how busy they are, the steady stream of folks arriving to stand inside the door or having to file along outside it, the single chef-owner preparing crêpe after crêpe. Service is brisk, efficient, French-style–no wasted pleasantries, although they’re friendly enough, and sometimes if there’s a moment or two, we get a slight acknowledgment as regulars. After enjoying our breakfast there this morning, we walked down Robson, checked out the beautiful carpets at The Golden Rug, and then strolled almost to the park and back along the seawall to the apartment. Leaving always feels awkward for me, especially when I’m torn between spending more time with Paul and knowing that I need a full afternoon at home on the island to really feel ready for classes in the morning. Today was no different, but I got away early enough to catch the 12:50 Horseshoe Bay ferry and was back here by 3:30. Now the week starts again and it’s countdown to the weekend all over again!