A good day!

Actually, a good couple of days - yesterday I got in two films that were reasonably entertaining: Doom and Cruel Intentions (though the former required some serious suspension of reality).

Today saw another walking tour of London; this time of features and events that are/were below the surface of London, including the creation of the Embankment to house tube lines and (more importantly) sewers, everything I ever wanted to know about bunkers during WW2, secret meeting rooms, Parliamentarians displaced from their crypts, and the infamous Gunpowder Plot.

I had a lovely lunch at Quizno's (in London), then returned home to do a running session, showered, packed and came to imapunkin's place to spend the final week of holiday (free of her kids, as they are away on holiday!). The first task of the evening was to get kebabs for takeaway. We then moved on to Big Brother Winner's Week and a couple episodes of Tru Calling (awesome!). We're both still trying to sort out what to do tomorrow.

Oh yeah, and as for the back...

... I'm near the finish of another bout of back trouble. The usual signal for the end comes when the back stops aching near the spine and the pain migrates further right where muscles that have been guarding all the while decide to complain about it. Fortunately, even that is mostly gone. I should be just fine in a couple of days (though I still should see a doctor about it all, at some point).

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By now, my folks are about half way across Canada. They're on their way to see my paternal grandfather, who is dying of cancer and has been told he hasn't much time. They have to drive as they really can't afford airfare, but the driving really cuts into their available time for this trip (which isn't really all that much before my father starts work again). When I last spoke to Mom, she was a bit stressed out about the whole thing as there was so much to do before they left.

Before they left, I asked for my grandfather's telephone number. I'm not sure if I'll call or not; I picture the whole thing being quite awkward between the two of us (especially given that we do not share a language of proficiency (he is solely French speaking and my French "est la merde")). On top of that, we haven't really given a damn about each other for over a decade. In those years, the only conversation we've had (if you could call it that) was when I would answer the phone on the rare occasions that he was calling my father. Any attempts to engage in even simple conversation ("How are you?" "I am fine.") at such points met with failure. Just to be clear, I don't bear him any malice; I just don't really bear much of anything for him. I'm guessing the feelings are mutual.

But the opportunity to speak with him is now coming to a permanent close. And that finality is making me question whether or not I should break the silence. If I call him, what would I say? ("Hi, how are ya?" "Merde, I'm dying.") It's not like we can really sustain a meaningful conversation, given language differences (even with the translation help of my mother when she arrives). Should I even call? Would calling him give him him any comfort, knowing that I've thought of him or that his grandson has finally achieved some measure of success in a career? Or would it just uncomfortably remind him of the long standing distance between us? It's a bit of a conundrum.

I've still got a couple days to think about this, before my parents arrive back east.

In the meantime, I'd best get on with enjoying the last week of my vacation.

A relaxing day...

Lemme see, imapunkin and I slept in late, watched some Tru Calling, went out to get some groceries, had some Moroccan lamb for dinner and watched some more Tru Calling (six episodes, in total). All of this, of course, interspersed with some messing around on the computer and much cuddling. Yep, a pleasant day indeed!

PS: The back is way better, too.