Pride Starts Tonight

It’s Friday: Oh No day. The Arts Club has had my play in their hands since June 19 and I’ve been nervous every Friday ever since because the convention in business is to deliver bad news late Friday afternoon.

Today is also the beginning of Pride weekend and the street outside my place becomes a huge street party tonight. It’s a fun night to be at home but to feel part of the festivities. Sunday is the Pride parade — the biggest, best outdoor party of every year in Vancouver.

My proximity to the party makes my bathroom popular with friends; I’ll be likely seeing Steve and his posse on-and-off tonight. I’ll be watching a two-hour finale of The Great British Baking Show and putting finishing touches on the fortune cookie dress.

This afternoon my plan is to enjoy a nice walk to visit Bruce. After a break of two days I’m keen to see him.

The smoke in the air is really thick today. I hate it. It’s like a summer version of fog stealing the sunniest days of the year.

This is a whale's heart!

The (Smoky) Day Before Pride

I live on the very edge of Vancouver’s gay village and because it’s Pride this weekend the high street is tarting itself up. The rainbow is everywhere and so is the smoke. It is so smoky from the forest fires in our province’s interior that I can only see a few blocks from my windows.

Steve and his partner, Tim, arrived last night. Steve’s my ex and like a brother to me: Beloved but very different. We had champagne at six and then went to my favourite bistro (where I got my shells) for dinner. Then they went to Bruce’s to watch the fireworks and I came home.

Bruce is being discharged from hospital on August 17^th. His stroke was on May 9^th and he’s been in hospital ever since; his recovery has been remarkable.

Today I will follow Steve’s agenda. At this point I know not what it will be except that it ends with a dinner party I’ll do my best to endure.

Steve Arrival Day

I’m totally excited. Steve and Tim arrive today and tonight we drink, dine and watch the fireworks together tonight. His visit has inspired a day of discarding, storing away of things, tidying and cleaning.

I’m also still reeling from the knowledge I will have Dr. Shoja by my side for another year. She attributed her invitation to continue weekly to a change in her plans: “I’ve decided not to take on some projects I was considering.”

I believe her but I also think my having a seizure in front of her yesterday may have contributed to her offer. I am still riddled with symptoms. Regardless, I feel like I won the lottery. She is my guardian angel.

•

I sent a photo of my finished defiant dress to Rachel at the Arts Club. I thought it important that she see the title dress of the show. (Plus I admitted that I wanted to maximize my chances of having my script selected for their new play festival.) I’m kind of hoping she’ll reply and tell me when they’ll be making their decision.

I will miss this living with hope when I find out but I’ll either have pride in being selected or an excuse to overindulge in sugar.

•

And praise Jesus: I see Coca-Cola drivers at work. Maybe the strike is over; could be management.

Totally Finished!

Finally … it’s finished.

A spurt of energy and confidence had me add the feet to the defiant dress Monday morning and when I was done — it only took a couple of minutes — I felt like God’s favourite child. I was terribly happy with the feet; they closed the gap between the top and bottom pieces perfectly and aligned the bottom pieces.

Tuesday I put on the buckles. They make the whole thing “jump!” These final little details add so, so much to my pieces. Now you get the idea more clearly that this is armour to be worn. When the piece is installed in a theatre or gallery I’ll add electric candles inside so that soft light glows though the carved out words and illuminates the shells.

I showed the defiant dress photos to Dr. Shoja and her response was: “This one is so much different than the others.” She could not have said smarter, more fulfilling words. She saw exactly what I want my audience to see.

I was supposed to start seeing Dr. Shoja semi-monthly for eight months starting in September but today she invited me to continue going weekly for another whole year! The relief I felt hit me like a tsunami.