st. john’s maple leafs will move to toronto – concern about confusion.

russell was watering his garden this morning. the ponds are low he said. i was out seeing if his daughter really wanted me to make a snap of his granddaughter. spoke to shirley who rang.

did the same with tj. the first thing out of my mouth was the car runs fine before i asked when he wanted me to photograph his daughter.

- what were you watching the tapes? he mentioned this at the gallery before i arrived.
-no i forget which one it is physic or psycho but i am one of them.
he is away at the end of the week, when will i be up here again.
-as soon as possible b’y.

leaving was made marginally easier as i am to leave the saab at the airport.
leaving – insert paul kennedy type of whelp here.

it was a day of tourists as the gigantic condo ship was in the harbour – docked over the bubble – and all these very rich people were being serenaded by the tattoo down from signal hill and harassing jim because he charges $9/hour for internet access
-why?
-cause i have to deal with the likes of you.

great fun to watch them flood the shops seeking walking in herds.
i was down to see rare birds – a film base on the book of the same name – which is based in the fictitious town of push cove – but is really filmed in cape spear.

came down early to marl before heading up to the university but felt like a menopausal woman. the weather would change each block. one moment was freezing the next boiling. didn’t know what to wear or carry.

also found that the houses of downtown and georgetown too close together i couldn’t get any rhythm going. i walked trying to clear my head and find a link where i could start photographing.

sign of a healthier lifestyle – instead of a frequent buyer card for coffee i have one for smoothies at stella’s.

forgot about distances so i walked from centre to the university thinking that if i wandered a bit i would be there in time for the film, i allowed myself an hour. it took 15 minutes. forget how compact the city is. walked through the still sort of working class area of georgetown. houses here are still affordable in newfoundland standards. people who live in the metropolis of the states could buy blocks of houses. still there was the hint of gentrification here and there.

m.u.n. was m.u.n. a university that had no discernable style which now is a mish mash of all sorts of building styles. was up there earlier to try to get a couple of copies of the newfoundland quarterly saw the issue at the downhomer but i wasn’t going to buy it and i certainly wasn’t going to buy it at the downhomer.

complained to jim and he told me where she lives – this is a small town.

while waiting for the room to open it was in a lecture hall in the engineering building, i ran into karen and don from the night after the opening. they were racing off to something or other in the building but asked the typical questions one asks someone who is visiting. mentioned a get together that was after i would be gone – insert paul kennedy type of whelp here.

so here it was 5 minutes before the film was to begin and i was the only one to watch it. waited until the last minute to pay my $3.00 and said if they chose not to show it well that would be fine.

they usually have more. there are regulars i don’t know where they… and two others – the regulars arrived. grand total of three.

it wasn’t a film but a projected video. before seeing it i thought about buying it so i miss the rock but no if i want to see newfoundland i’ll get the divine ryans.

walking back was at the perfect time of the evening the signs were a bit brighter than the sky, photographed the convenience in allendale road. and the north atlantic gas bar in elizabeth avenue.

on the walk back the streets darkened – they are much darker than in the states. there is no real reason to pretend that the place is a prison. in the distance the lights of st. pat’s were brightening the sky – thought about catching the last innings – technically games have to stop at 10:30 but kept wandering. the georgetown pub conveniently close to the molson brewery. seemed interesting but after the way i felt after cheating on the duke, i gave it a pass.

been hearing about the rise in crime in st. john’s recently supposedly due to a growing drug problem. walking fleming and hayward back downtown no one really seemed concerned as most had their front doors open, i could see back through the kitchen in quite a few. it was true the satellite dish was the 21st century version of the caribou antlers. found the bakery that ruth said sells montréal bagels as well as good breads watched the evening wind down as wait staff at restaurant 21 were all having a smoke, people were enjoying their ice cream at moo moos, kids leaving bannerman park were yelling at passers by “hey stop you whore” and people in cars were circling gower street trying to find a place to park.