sandy

Now, I'm not a professional doctor, but did you know that you can scream a cold right into your body? It's true, I did it last week. As I'm apt to do, I was hollering like a homeless person on a song (called 'The Steady Hand') when suddenly a coughing fit overtook me and I straight up got a cold that second. Luckily there were many other things to do the rest of that week, backing vocals, additional keyboards, euphonium soloes, Malaysian throat singing, recording the sound of snow, etc., so we weren't terribly derailed. Still, it's been unnerving, as my immune system is generally pretty vigilant, and getting ill at this particular point is kind of like killing a cop at your wedding. Or something.

Fortunately, my voice has chilled out enough to get some sanging done, and we're well on track.

Stay warm, my pets.

It's my 24th Victoria Day! So far, it's probably in my top 3 and since there's still quite a bit more day left this could very well shape up to be the best Victoria Day ever. Keep those fingers crossed. Victoria Day, of course, is the day that responsible Canadians take time to reflect on the tribulations and sacrifices of Imogen Yorkshire Nathaniael Victoria, our first National Queen.

In 1439, long before the internet or music, Queen (then Senator) Victoria came across the Atlantic on an organic, living raft. This was also how the Galapagos Islands were populated. Quickly, ruthlessly, she claimed everything that the light touches, and with her flaming scimitar smote down all that opposed her. A parliament was hastily constructed by Louis Riel and John A. McDonald, featuring an awe-ful throne of ebony and steel at its epicenter.

Her reign was shortlived however, and soon there was a great mutiny lead by Evil Chancellor Hathaway F. Confederation. His Terrible Army beseiged the parliament, and locusts rained down from heaven for 44 days while the sun stood still in the sky. Some say that his heart was a cobra.

Queen Victoria was seized from her thrown and paraded down the steets of Upper-West Canada East. The peasants and serfs cursed poxes and fies, for they were bedazzled by Chancellor Confederation's sinful promises. She was placed in the stockades on the gallows and was forced to walk the plank until she collapsed onto her knees: 'Sanctuary!' she cried into the locust-filled night, but only Pocahontas could hear her and she did not yet speak good English.

And that's why people go to their cabin's during the May Long Weekend.

Finest regards,

sandy

Well, James won the beard growing contest. A tiny shred of my humanity had somehow stayed resilient during the beardy onslaught of the last couple weeks, and it finally woke up and took control. I strode purposefully into the bathroom and, with a razer in each hand, began hacking away at the dense foliage. It's nice to finally have ridden myself of that albatross smeared across my face.

Still, I lost, so it wasn't all good. But I won the 'Ruin Everyone's Dinner By Having a Handlebar Mustache Contest', so I guess we're tied.

Pics soon.

-st.

Oh, hi! Well here we are in sunny Toronto, just soaking up that gorgeous sun... Actually the sun is rarely out, and even if it was they don't really let us out of the deep and dank studio catacombs. Like deep sea fish who eventually de-evolve their eyes away, we are groping blind from instrument to instrument, our unseeing and pupil-less eyes fixing on the scurrying sounds of what may become tasty meals.

No, of course Michael and Jeremy and the others at Canterbury are all genuinely stand up fellows who would not dream of keeping us incarcerated in any way or letting us eat scurrying things, unless of course we continue to leave empty beer bottles in the isolation booths.

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More to the point, David and Jason are polishing off the "bed" tracks of 'The Hum Keeps us Warm'. It sounds good. It sounds first-kiss-in-the-rain good. That puts us squarely at half of the bed tracks being done, but due to laziness and yes, terror, we have left all of the hard ones for the back-nine. This may or may not be a problem, but if our website goes off-line and you find that all public records of Quinzy have gone missing, you'll know why. We're making a clean escape.

And finally, the real reason for this trip in a way, Jamie and I are having a Beard Growing Competition. We'll get some pics up hopefully so that you, the taciturn reader can be the judge. Let's just say that if the judging is based on overall length and consistency, then I'll be wearing a beardy crowd, but if it's based on actually looking good, I'll have to settle for the beardy constellation prize: A joyful shave.