So, February's around the corner, that point of the year where it's hard to stay up and focused. I read on the CBC site a couple of weeks ago that Monday January 24th has been scientifically determined to be the worst, most depressing day of the year, due to a combination of factors including the fading of the holiday season after-glow, the onset of holiday-season debt, and the lack of sunshine. Personally I'd vouch for today, Monday January 31st as the worst day, but maybe that's just me.

Admittedly, part of my Monday blueness this week is my usual, biweekly bipolarity that occurs when I give the kids back to evil ex, which I did last night. Two days just ain't long enough with them, and I'm in one of those "dry periods" where I'm not getting a lot of time with them. (For instance, it's their mom's turn to have them for Spring Break this year -- fortunately she can't take the whole week off, so at least I'll get the girls for two of those days.)

Anyway, last night Eldest stated that it'd be cool to go to school in Montreal if she could just transfer all of her friends over from Ottawa. Damn right. I told her she'd be welcome any time. She gave me once of those piercing "what exactly do you mean?" looks (she's 11 going on 30), then evil ex and her boy arrived.

We had a nice weekend though. Saturday we stayed in (Eldest's request) and played Cranium Cadoo and the "Find it" game. The latter is where you look at board filled with drawings and try to find matching objects from a set of cards. Kids kick adults' arses at that every time. I don't know what it is. I guess your powers of observation grow less acute as you grow older. Or maybe your brain just become accustomed to only noticing the things it can use, whereas when you're a kid, everything has meaning. The other thing is, that when a child looks at something long enough, their sponge-like memories seem to incorporate all the details, which means that by the end of one of these games, they take a about 5 seconds to find the most ridiculously concealed objects. Quite humbling for an adult.

Sunday we walked over to the park. The kids are 11 and almost 9 now, but they still ask me to play "Monster" with them there. "Monster" is like a mutated form of Tag, where they climb on to the park's play structure and I have to try to tag them without getting *on* the structure. Just as we were about to leave, Middlest discovered a sliding hill in back, so that further extended the fun for them. Then it was home to hot chocolate and a continuation of a game of "Admirals" (strategy board-game) that Eldest and I had started in the morning.

Saturday night was a gig at the local pub. Normally I do not like to play when the kids are down, but I need the money these days. Plus, the fact that this pub is literally around the corner from me means I don't have to leave the apartment until very late (thanks to Scottish Legs for bringing the boys to and from the gig). The gig went very well; it was so refreshing to play for people who want to listen. When I gave the guy behind the bar a tip at the end of the night (one of our trademarks), I think he nearly dropped dead from shock. He said it was the first time in 11 years that musicians had tipped him.

Oh, and Friday I walked around a cold Montreal and dropped off gigging packages to all the pubs. Within 8 hours, 2 of them had called and we now have a pretty full schedule come St-Patrick's week. Who'da thunk, after last year's innocuous debut with one gig at the parade?

I'll try to write more later, as this is getting long and I've got work to do...

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