So this is where I live now: an attached condominium townhouse. My unit is second from the right, and goes underground. The white windows facing out on the main floor are part of the breakfast nook. There are still boxes everywhere though, and it’ll take at least half a month to get everything cleared out.

It feels good to wake up in my own house, and as such, I now have to fulfill all the promises I made to myself on the satisfaction of such a condition.

• I promise to floss every day.
• I promise to vacuum more often than I did before (how non-committal of me).
• I promise to smoke less weed.
• I promise to stop pouring cooking grease down the drain.
• I promise to film Dolly running her fat ass up the stairs (she never experienced stairs until I moved).
• I promise to walk more often than I ride the bus.
• I promise to get my finances in order, which involves entering all my incomes and expenses into Quicken XG then setting up (virtual) savings accounts for retirement/emergency/pleasure spending.
• I promise to keep my room spotless.
• I promise to read more than I watch movies.

I love the feel of a new book. Before the corners are dented, when the cover is still slippery smooth.

Guy Gavriel Kay — The Last Light Of The Sun
I was a huge fan of Tigana (although not so much Fionavar Tapestry, even if it was partly based in the city I grew up in). I don’t even like fantasy books, and Tigana is on the list of my top five books of all time.

Carol Shields — The Republic Of Love
As I said in a previous post, I was in the mood for something modern although I couldn’t bring myself to admit that I was also in the mood for something romantic. I found out about this book when I noticed Karen reading it during last years May 2-4 camping trip.

Mordecai Richler — The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz
Ever since I read The World According To Garp, a book full of lust, humour, passion, and life, discovered from the “Recommended Reading” list that my high school published every year, I had a deep repsect for the books I was exposed to in class. However, two English classes meant two different curriculums. When I was studying The Great Gatsby, the other class was studying To Kill A Mockingbird. When they were doing A Prayer For Owen Meany, I was doing Pride And Prejudice. The Apprentiship of Duddy Kravitz is to make of up for the time I spent studying The Catcher In The Rye.

It was only a few days after I bought these three books that I realized every single one of these authors is Canadian. Why does this country rule so fucking much.

The transfer of keys is the very last step in buying a house. Aside from all the steps involved in actually purchasing one, to get a set of keys means the completion of many things. A consolidation of one’s funds (deposited in trust, posted on file, verified by accountants). The payment of all parties involved (lawyer for legal fees, government for land transfer tax, insurance company for title insurance, as well as the seller for the full amount of the house). A record in the municipal ministry of the transfer ownership (once the lawyers of both parties involved have paid for an execution clearance certificate).

The keys signify that the deal has been closed, and nothing has gone wrong between the time of purchase and the day of transfer. Usually, I worry about things going wrong, even when there’s only a marginal chance, and I have a complete understanding of this fact. When someone shakes my hand after an interview to congratulate me on getting the job, I’ll worry for days, right up until I get my name on the contract. This was no exception. Anything could go wrong — seller changing his mind, hidden lawsuits or liens, or even a failing of the final inspection — from the day I made the bid to the last minutes of the closing date.

Yesterday, I walked into my lawyers office. I carried with me a certified cheque that was mostly my downpayment, but also included his fees and taxes (I’m fortunate enough to not have go into my line of credit to pay for the latter two). I signed several documents, received my status certificate and condo papers, as well as other letters of confirmation.

Today I picked up my keys, and now I own a house.

I’ve tried many times to capture the actual size of Dolly’s current girth, but the camera doesn’t really do a good job of it. I figured that the only way to accurately show how large she’s gotten is with stereoscopic images. That way, one can actually tell how much Dolly is coming off the couch with a bit of depth perception. It’s never easy to take stereoscopic pictures of a cat. Usually they’ll move or twitch when the alternating photo is being taken, so it almost always has to be done while they’re asleep. Even a twitch of the camera strap, or a shuffling of feet will be enough to pique the curiosity of a cat

Dolly’s head looks small in comparison to the rest of her body, but her head is actually normal for a cat her age, and it’s her pot belly that’s grown out of proportion. Every time someone comes over, I usually get a comment on how much she’s grown. Outward.

A strong Alberta clipper will track southeast over southern Ontario today into upstate New York tonight. Snow heavy at times has spread right across the Ottawa Valley into Québec and will continue throughout the day.

Snowfall rates have often been 2 to 4 cm per hour with this very strong clipper.

Freezing rain and ice pellets have moved into the St Lawrence Valley area east of Brockville late this afternoon. A sharp Arctic cold front will blast through the regions this evening as the clipper sails into northern New York state. Temperatures will plunge up to 10 degrees to well below freezing within the first hour after the front goes through. As a result: rain in the regions east of Lake Huron and southeast of Georgian Bay will change suddenly over to snow or flurries with untreated surfaces quickly becoming icy and very slippery.

Elsewhere the snow and freezing rain will pull out of the regions this evening as the clipper and sharp Arctic cold front moves into northern New England and southern Québec. Snowfall amounts of 15 to 20 cm are likely in the snowsqualls along with whiteout conditions from blowing snow.

Dangerous travelling conditions are expected due to very low to at times nil visibility in heavy snow blowing snow and icy conditions. All travellers should exercise extreme caution and adjust plans accordingly.

My most vivid memories of the spring are from high school. About a month before exams began, every guy would start spending a minimum of thirty minutes looking out the window every day. On the southern side of the main building would be a small football field, and two soccer fields, as well as the tennis courts, hockey rink, and large swimming pool. Three more fields used for various other sports, such as lacrosse, cricket, and field hockey, could be seen on the western side. At the north was the baseball diamond, as well as the small pool, and more tennis courts. The main gates of the school property, what many considered a triumphant walk away from the main building after a day with no spares, was at the east.

What male teenager would be thinking about anything but running through the wooden halls, throwing off their tie, and rolling in the lusciously green, well-manicured grass? In a school with a lack of females, no less. Add to the fact that a significant portion of alumni pride is put into a well-funded sports programme, and the result was classes of boys bottling testosterone, encouraged by teacher and coach alike to be released in the form of physical activity. (I find sports metephors very useful for making veiled sexual references.)

I could see it in every one of them, how difficult it would become to concentrate in class, instead of imagining how the hours after school were to be spent. But it was never like that for me. While everyone else was waiting for the fields to thaw, I’d be waiting for the snow the fall. It’s days like these that make it hard for me to concentrate.

All I want to do is stay at home wrapped in a blanket, watch the snow collect, and write.