Anne made me some spicy chicken strips/fingers and macaroni for supper. I settled into the Oiler game at 8pm. First 2 periods nothing much was happening. I kind of fell asleep on the couch with my Oiler blankey half watching it until Stoll scored. The Rangers scored. Then Horcoff. Then with the last 2 minutes left in regulation the Oilers take a really soft penalty. They fought it off and with 7 seconds left NY scored to take it into OT. It’s clear to anyone that watched last nights game, the officiating wanted a tie. A flurry of penalties in OT. They went to a shoot out. This was the Oilers 14th shootout and they won 12/14 including this one. At least they won the game. Up Next NY Islanders.

I had potato soup and cheese on toast for lunch and that took me to 11:30. I fired up the computer and here I am. Previous to this I was checking on a keyboard someone was playing on YouTube. I love it’s sound and full bodied synthesizer quality. Very nice. I saved the link and went hunting. It’s the Yamaha PSR e403. It’s not a Pro keyboard but it has a built in Flash memory card and if I read it right can take music and turn it into notation and chords. Mothers music lists in stock but they don’t have a price. I imagine it’s about $400. I’ll call to conform pricing Monday morning. If we don’t get a rental increase slid under our door.

About the PRS I watched a YouTube demo doing Star Wars “The Force” theme, Excellent. This is the keyboard I would have liked but Anne’s reward points at the time didn’t cover Mothers music. Actually they are not far from the office on 109th around the corner from Mooney Mart. I can probably just go in on Monday before work and pop in and get a price quote. I like my EZ150, but the piano sounds a bit week and tiny.

The other thing I’m thinking about is this May 12th represents the third time May 12th has fallen on a Monday in the last 28 years. May 12th 1980 of course is the first day of my diary. This blog is an extension of that original diary. May 12th fell on a Monday only 3 times in the last 28 years. 1986, 1997, 2003. May 12th and April 25th are special occasions for me. Check my original diary for details on that special day. Of course Ellen would be oblivious to that day. What could make this upcoming May 12th even more special is if I get on that pension say in April. Thursday may 22nd was also an important day for me. On that day I had a sort of epiphany. I remember outside just walking around the area. More importantly sitting on the bus stop only a few meters from the phone booth. That evening it was about 8pm. I wanted to get out of the stuffy basement room for some air. Kind of to sort things out. I didn’t get anything settled but I sat there outside as the lilacs perfumed a damp overcast evening air. I thought about the special time in my life I was undergoing. I felt alive full of hope and promise. Never to realize that June 7th just a few short days away it would all end. But in late May, when the lilacs bloom and perfume the air, I think about that night. I even have a song for it I attach it to: Midnight summer dream by the Stranglers. It sort of well for me anyway, frames that night in my mind.

I think this May 22nd on that Thursday night I’m going to head over there. And if the weather is good I’ll sit on that bench again and ponder the last 28 years. Hopefully before then I’ll have my disability set up so I won’t need to be at Xl to get a pay cheque. Anne will be at work and I’ll be sitting on a bench. Unless it’s raining of course.

Some years ago on my old W95 system I was able to get a historical record of a specific day weather wise. I recall about that evening it was overcast May 22nd 1980 and looked like it could spit out at any time. Also the traffic on the road wasn’t as heavy then as it is today. Of course the area is more built up. The Meyer’s house is still there and I think owned by Peoples Church fir storage. We used to get a lot of rain in those days. I went to Environment Canada to get a history of that day but they changed everything around. They also had links to Service Canada website and a number I took down to get an application sent to me for CPP disability. I checked their criteria and they said must be severe and prolonged. Well, it is prolonged. I don’t know how severe it is. I got the 1-800 number and I’ll call them up Monday and ask for an application. The whole process takes about 4 months. If push came to shove I can site my brothers disability as we have the same thing.

I didn’t get any writing done tonight but I’m up at noon today so I hope to get some then and work on those character sketches. And as promised here is my weekly E. Jim Blog roll Round up: