Okay. The Internet is amazing. While searching for a Dancing Shiva image in order to have a referrence for my Dancing Astroboy (a work still in the design stage), I ended up finding dancingshiva.at, which seems to be a pot-smokers' site. In German. Wacky.

Anyway, let me tell you a bit about my excellent weekend. I picked up Carrie a bit later than intended on Saturday morning, arriving shortly before noon. The roads were all closed or packed because of the pilgrims and my way was mighty hampered. We got on the road and had a boisterous and enjoyable ride to London and we were both very happy to have Scarlette's air conditioner working properly again. Joy ! We arrived a Tanya's after a series of right turns (which should have been left turns) and were greeted at her appartment by a very excited hostess (and clean, since she JUST got out of the shower). We talked, and talked, and talked, and headed to the Fanshawe Conservation area, which happens to boast a lovely little pioneer village. We enjoyed it, though some of the signage could use an update and the print shop and blacksmith were closed. We talked to some of the interpreters and Tanya called me a freak when we were in Paul Peel's house (you know, that Canadian artist obsessed with painting naked children) because I knew who he was and the names of his most famous works. Hah. She can talk about psychological disorders that are lost on me, so who's the freak now? Anyway, we also talked to a nice guy who told us about some very nice oxen in a field. None of us had every seen oxen before, at least not to our knowledge. Also, stick candy was greatly enjoyed. Mmm.

We left the village at closing time and discovered a hedge maze with hedges that were actually taller than us and we threw outselves into it with the full intention of getting lost. Well, Tanya was a remarkable leader and we took what was probably the most direct route out only to find ourselves confronted with a bride. A stunning bride ! It seemed that we'd stumbled upon a Carribean-styled wedding about to happen at the edge of the little lake on a public beach. The bride, who was black, was stunning in her classicly beautiful gown and trailing head scarf of lace. The groom was a beaming white guy in summery clothes and the whole wedding party was breezy and nice. All the women had their shoes off, including the Justice, and the men were all in sandles. There was even a steel band ! The one thing that marred an otherwise lovely wedding were the slug-men in their low-riding bathing suits sprawling too near the guests. We took photos and cheered when the ceremony was over (along with all the bathers on the beach).

That night, we feasted on a delicious dinner of mashed potatoes, baked chicken and candied carrots. Following that, a mad race to the liquour store, before heading to a friend of Tanya, named Jackie, who was hosting a small party with a campfire in her back yard. That was good fun, too, and Carrie and I, feeling no compunction to sobriety, decided to make merry. The weather was silly, threatening rain, drizzling enough to make everything moist, and then being sticky and humid, but when the storm blew in, we hoofed it before the downpour. My voice was hoarse from all the laughing and talking, and to make it worse, when we got back to Tanya's, which was blessedly cool thanks to subversive air conditioner use, we talked more. Not even when her male cat peed in my suitcase could bring down the jovial mood. In fact, it was kind of humourous. I don't think I now own a suitcase or bag that hasn't been peed in by a cat. Good thing I like cats.

Sunday was very laid back (with one substantial misadventure that threw Tanya's brand new television to the floor) with us not getting up until around 11:30 in the morning or something. Breakfast was nothing exciting - cereal and coffee and things. We lounged around with books and had showers (not together, you dirty bastards), and then mid-afternoon we piled back into Tanya's car and took a tour of London. We walked around the campus of Western, which was sprawling and vast, but mostly quite stately in the manner that university campuses ought to be. We went into a little art gallery on the campus and looked at the small collection currently on view. They seem to rotate them every month, or so. There were a couple of pieces I liked, one, an abstract work dating from the '50s appealed to me quite a bit, and another that was simply amazing by how it appeared three-dimensional even though it was painted on an utterly two-dimensional surface. We also went to a mall (whee?), but the coolest stores were closed. There was one that looked very neat that was full of celtic-styled art and clothing, which I definitely would like to see from the inside.

Following that, we returned to Tanya's and when her boyfriend, Chris (who is a lovely, cute, charming fellow who made me think of a gigantic hobbit), arrived, we had a barbeque of burgers and whatnot. Delicious. Then, Carrie and I, who were intending to leave by 7pm, ended up getting engrossed in conversation (yet again) and we didn't get out of there until twenty past eight. Naturally, more talking occured on the drive home and good fun was had by all. Tanya is a superb hostess. Thanks for having us ! Also, one bit of important wedding business was determined. Burgandy bridesmade gowns. Yay ! No seafoam for me !

Today, I met Mom and Ray at the ROM in order to see the "Images of Salvation" exhibition, which has a wide selection of interesting and inspiring works from the Vatican Museum in Italy. There were still plenty of Pilgrims not yet heading home who were enjoying the exhibit, too, including a group from Germany that was being led by a very artistically knowledgeable priest. The high point for both Mom and me were the sculptural pieces, though the Cistine Chapel ceiling sketches by Michelangelo were pretty amazing as well as a stunning piece by Guido Reni were amazing, too. The absolute pinacle of the exhibit, however; was the full plaster cast of Michelangelo's "Pieta". It was mind-blowing. I cannot adequately describe how it made me feel. I did not burst into tears as I did before the van der Weyden in Philadelphia, but I was definitely moved. And awe-struck. To see the awesome skill that moulded such completely human figures is beyond expression. How one figure, Christ, can be so utterly without life, while the other, Mary, can be so completely alive is beyond me. It was just incredible. I am very pleased to have gotten to see this exhibit, it was absolutely worth it.