Gentil Alouette

Apologies for another long hiatus; I can't fathom how I had quite a few readers last week.

As you know if you've been paying attention, I was in Canada last week... oh, actually the week before. Since quitting work I am already struggling with/enjoying this 'what day is it?' feeling.

Canada was great, after negotiating the British Airways/Heathrow strike by cancelling and taking a Business Class seat with American Airlines. I was looking forward to being the scruffy one in a Business Class cabin full of suits and laptops, but it wasn't like that at all so I just had to settle for enjoying the comfort and about five episodes of 'Everybody Loves Raymond'.

I am getting quite into the Canadian Football League after my three trips; the three downs, twelve players and other rule peculiarities make it rather fun. I would like to pick a team to support (and hope to get as lucky as I did by seizing on the Patriots twenty years ago) and am torn. It ought to be the Toronto Argonauts due to locality, but I am completely smitten with the Montreal Alouettes helmet logo - an absurdly cute/funny cartoon bird. Don't worry, I will tell you as soon as I make up my mind.

So what about poker? Well, I am behind where I would like to be after almost a week, but I am enjoying myself and feel okay about it all. I am not under financial pressure for the time being, which helps enormously to cope with the swings - and they have already been remarkable for just six days of play.

I'll go into more detail next time.