Back in June, after an excellent dinner and drink with Olle and Luisa, Olle walked me to the train back to my hotel. We spontaneously each took a photo of the other once I was inside the train, Olle with his Nokia N73 and me with my Nokia N70. Olle’s photo appeared in his Flickr stream this morning, providing a counterpoint to my version:

Looking at the two photos hurts my head: I can’t seem to easily figure out who took each one.

OzBus operates “a regular overland service for backpackers travelling between London and Sydney.” It takes 12 weeks and costs about $7800 Canadian.

We took our inaugural trip of the season out to the Brackley Drive-in Theatre last night, stopping at The Lobster Claw for dinner as usual (the roast turkey dinner is as good as it ever was).

Bob has been busy this season at the drive-in: there’s new lighting for the canteen, renovated washrooms, a new coat of “drive-in paint” on the screen (is there anything Northumberland Paints can’t do?), and a completely automated projection system with its own “clicker” just like you’d use to start your VCR at home (well, not quite just like that — it’s considerably snazzier).

Coming out of the canteen with the popcorn chicken in hand, Bob asked if I wanted to “do the honours” and start the show myself. I ran back to the car, dumped the chicken in Catherine’s lap, and ran back with Oliver to let him do the honours. Which, given all the new automation of the place, simply involved climbing up on a step ladder and pressing “Start Show.” The fan came on, the lights dimmed, the projector started up, and the show was on. Magic.

Coming up next week is a double bill of Ratatouille and Transformers that might be the best time to take a trip out all summer if you’ve got kids.

While waiting for Oliver to finish up with drum lessons yesterday I recorded a minute of the sounds of drum kits being tested and cool bohemian drummy types milling about.

Nutrition labels for buses. An excellent idea:

Flocks:

This summer in a village in Wales, a small flock of sheep was shorn. Each garment in the collection was produced from the wool of just one of these sheep, continuing until the wool was finished …

Linkage from Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino.

From The Laws of Simplicity via Guy:

“ING Direct tells their customers that to determine how much of their money they should put into high-risk investments versus low-risk ones, just take your age up to 100 years old. However old you are, that is the percentage that you should invest in the low-risk stuff; then take the number 100 and subtract your age from it and invest that percentage in the high-risk stuff.”

I am the world’s worst investor (no, really, I am). Everything I have is earning 3.5% at the Credit Union. So, in other words, I’m 100% invested in extremely liquid, extremely low-risk vehicles. Setting aside my pathological aversion the regular instruments of capitalism, any improvement in my behaviour as an investor requires pithy bits of wisdom like this. They don’t even have to be true.

The Island Grind is Campbell Webster’s private-label “don’t pay the Timothy’s franchise fee” waterfront coffee shop, tucked away inside the bowels of Founders’ Hall at the head end of Prince Street. Despite the rather abysmal environment — expect to be pummelled with tourism propaganda, aural and visual — the place is rescued by three things: a delightful staff, a good cup of coffee, and the best signage you will see anywhere:

Make sure you take a moment, while waiting at the cash, to look at the staff-intended signage that rings the kitchen. Each piece is a work of art.

I got my start in the business (whichever business it is that I’m in) by making hand-painted signs for the marathon sponsored by the Hamilton YMCA. To the extent that I have a visceral sense of typography it is due to that project (there’s nothing like painting a giant foot letter ‘M’ to get you intimate with ‘Mness’). And so I have a tremendous appreciation for those skilled in the arts of hand-lettered-signage. If you share my passion, visit the Island Grind just to experience that.

I was called in for last-minute Ava-sitting tonight. Johnny expertly took me though the official feeding, cleaning, diapering and soothing protocols. Other than my avuncular [and possibly annoying] “check every 10 minutes to make sure she’s still breathing” routine, the night was uneventful, and she didn’t stir once. Next stop “anarchist indoctrination for infants.”

If you have any sense at all, you will immediately telephone the Trailside Cafe in Mount Stewart, PEI and reserve your tickets for their Garnet Rogers shows on either October 7 or 8, 2007. Garnet is one of the world’s preeminent singer-songwriters, and his live show is not to be missed. To see him in a unique, small setting like the Trailside makes it all the more special. You will not be disappointed (listen to samples here).