MAY 2017

DEAR PM vol.17

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 1, 2017, 4:52 PM
subject État d’alerte autour d’immeubles fédéraux à Ottawa; Harjit Sajjan accused of downplaying role in Afghan war in attempt to thwart investigation by watch dog

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived the weekend, though I didn’t get to spend too much time with Rose: she had a sleepover Saturday night and then a friend over on Sunday, while I visited SRoberts and her new baby quickly between dropping Sol off at a birthday party and picking him up, and also a brunch with some of the AC crew on Saturday and during that Rose went off with the neighbours’ to eat at Petit Alep and then the girls came over and played in the yard and alley while I cleaned up… I had gone to the market with the kids Saturday morning but Clo went to do the weekly grocery shopping after supper Sunday. I even slept ok last night, and again on the bus this morning, but I’m feeling like I’m coming down with a cold, and now I need to cycle to Greg and Julia’s in the rain. I might skip the gym tonight and go to bed early.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 3, 2017, 4:21 PM
subject Présidentielle française: préférence timide de Trudeau pour Macron; Climber trapped 3,000 metres up on Canada’s highest peak after two earthquakes strike Yukon

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I am surviving this weird week at work, changing works around again and again and again, it looks like final approval of the placing of all these new changes – not even a hanging, just the placing of them on the floor – won’t happen until Friday afternoon, then works need to be shovelled out of the way of a number of walls that need to be re-painted because of course the new paint doesn’t allow for patches and to be retouched. Also I am surviving the rain, getting soaking cycling home from work on Monday, then buying an umbrella to avoid the rain yesterday that suddenly stopped, allowing me time to cycle home, go to the gym and get a few groceries before settling in for the night to watch the Rangers spank the Sens. Tonight I am going to Axeneo7 with Nicole for an opening of post-punk works, we’ll eat at a pub nearby, and walk there, so I will leave my bike here. Dang I better check on a ride share. Poor Rose keeps telling me that she is scared I will die in a car accident! She must have anxiety about all my travelling back and forth to Ottawa. Finished in 6 weeks! Can hardly wait.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 4, 2017, 10:19 PM
subject Des lobbyistes auraient été exclus d’une soirée du PLC avec Justin Trudeau; Police chief in Nova Scotia charged with sexually assaulting 17-year-old girl

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived another day of work, of bringing yet more works up to be nixed almost immediately, more placing and spacing, everything more or less set for Marc’s final approval tomorrow. I also survived the bus ride back to Montreal tonight. Sol woke up, he was too excited to see me, wanted me to listen to the Moana soundtrack with him, then he got up again to show me the dinosaur puzzle he made (all by himself) and showed me the little Stegosaurus toy that he saw in the puzzle, then changed his CD to Help! by the Beatles and finally fell asleep. Clo is working late and I’m I’m I’m trying to stay off Facebook but more comments going around about the transgender / trans racial academic paper and witch hunt, and the doofus plagiarizing Norval Morrisseau’s work, and the White privilege everywhere, and I have to take a break from that and read some New Yorkers before bed. Tomorrow is my vasectomy! Have you had your yet?

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 9, 2017, 4:18 PM
subject Relation avec une mineure: le sénateur Don Meredith démissionne; Disgraced senator Don Meredith quitting Senate over sexual relationship with teen

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived my vasectomy on Friday, the procedure took about ten or fifteen minutes, and I had plenty of time to get to my dentist appointment, even with the stalled truck in the middle of the 20 near Boucherville. Had a good weekend, we went to visit Jo and her kids and Clo’s folks on Sunday, then I was back in Ottawa Monday despite missing the first metro of the day, I was still able to just catch the 6am bus. Sol really didn’t want me to go. The gallery has been on half speed since the Gatineau residents haven’t been coming to work. I went to the gym last night after waiting in line at the walk-in clinic at the U of O to get a doctor’s note for my massage therapy, so I can get reimbursed for past treatment and perhaps book a few more. I also got a prescription for Naproxen, as my back is acting up again. Off to get my haircut now as it is starting to get a bit muffin-like on top. Who does your hair in Ottawa?

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 10, 2017, 4:46 PM
subject Balance du pouvoir des verts en Colombie-Britannique: Elizabeth May ravie; Climate change ‘a boon’ for Quebec wine industry but potential axe for traditional wine-growing countries

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived work, getting my haircut, getting groceries, eating supper with Greg and Julia and watching the Senators eliminate the Rangers. Survived work again today, mostly hanging acoustic panels in the Stan Douglas projection room for Nu’tka. Meeting Nicole shortly to go eat and then head to the Galerie UQO for a vernissage, then to Axe for more ’70s post-punk video art screenings (time permitting). Also I’m starting work at 7 for the next while, making up some of my lost time putting up the gallery signage. Claude has calculated over 37 hours I owe. I only have 5 weeks left! And over the 10 months I have not managed to save any money and in fact fell further in debt. Another $800 to change the timing belt on our car in a couple weeks, oy oy oy! It’s only money.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 11, 2017, 4:30 PM
subject Stephen Harper n’assistera pas à la désignation du prochain chef du PCC; Ontario Liberals roll out legislation to lower hydro bills for 10 years — but consumers will still pay for it later

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived work, then supper out with Nicole and Stephanie at Alirang, a good Korean restaurant, though I find it a tad too spicy. After we Ubered to UQO (it took 3 tries! The first 2 weren’t driving to Gatineau). The exhibition by Marie-Michelle Deschamps was all about language, and though the video, audio and sculptural forms were interesting to see, the meaning behind it all I found a bit obtuse. After that Nicole and I walked to Axeneo7 to catch another night of post-punk film and video screenings under the theme of “home taping”. I preferred it to last week. We walked across the Chaudière bridge and wow were the rapids ever fast and loud! We stopped as well to watch the last few minutes of an outdoor projection and rappelling performance in front of the war museum, something to do with a children’s festival. Caught the 14 bus and watched the final period of the Penguins-Capitals and the first period of Oilers-Ducks. Now I’m surfing FBook deciding what to do next: go see the hockey exhibit at CMH? Go shopping for “surprises” for the kids? Go to SAW and book equipment for the next #everydaygoalie performance in June? Try to find a copy of the Handmaid’s Tale? Go to the gym? What would you do?

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 15, 2017, 4:40 PM
subject Direction du NPD: un nouveau candidat saute dans la course; Families who sheltered fugitive Edward Snowden in Hong Kong looking for fast-track asylum to Canada

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived another aller-retour weekend in Montreal, and another Monday back at work, working in circles and undoing and re-doing work done weeks ago. It seems final decisions are hard to come by here. The weekend was too short, but I am in the Final Countdown and after today, 4 more Mondays! Saturday Rose was invited to a friend’s birthday party in Parc Jarry, we all went and the kids had a blast running around and playing games. Sol has a knack for soccer, I think. Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day by trying to stay quiet and letting Claudine sleep in while we baked a cake, then since the weather was iffy we went to a public swim at le Patro in the afternoon. The kids loved it sooooo much, we were in the water almost the full 2 hours. Sol has advanced so much, was holding his breath underwater while floating, and even jumped off the diving board many times. Poor guy had a bed-wetting accident last night, he came into our room butt naked after midnight, he was angry with himself but he had the sense to put his PJs in the laundry basket. I washed his sheets as I was feeling insomniac, Clo and I had watched Big Eyes (not terribly good, not terribly bad either), and given the shortness of our weekends, connecting is difficult, so much is swirling in my head I feel paralyzed to act or make plans. She thought if we gave each other assignments during the week it could help, but I can’t even think of a decent project for her. We both hope that our lives go back to some sort of normal after this gig is over. Our particular kind of normal.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 16, 2017, 4:37 PM
subject Un sénateur qui voulait souper avec Trudeau forcé de quitter son caucus; Drug under-dosing: New study may explain why obese patients more likely to wake up during surgery

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. Survived work, the gym, groceries, frozen pizza for supper, 2 periods of boring hockey, then an early start at work, as a group of us gathered at 7am to put a fabric roof on Rodney Graham’s Coruscating Cinnamon. Now I’m trying to tweak travel and camping plans, as well get my CV up-to-date, as there is a job at the CCA that seems interesting and I am perfectly qualified for.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 18, 2017, 5:46 PM
subject Difficultés techniques; The Wild Conservatives? Suggested alternate names for Alberta’s new united conservative party

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived work, and last night an opening at Axeneo7 of electro-acoustic lullabies designed for children ages 0-3. It is part of a partnership with la théatre français of the National Arts Centre. Last night was a performance by Philippe Lessard Drolet, it was really quite good. I grabbed a bite to eat with Nicole at the Black Tomato and was surprised to see Stven Moorre working there, I had last seen him probably over a decade ago in Halifax, he was a Khyber bartender, and good painter to boot. He bought us a round of drinks and mentioned he is a proud member of the NGC.

It was so hot cycling to Axe and back, and the bike path in Hull along the water is washed away in spots, good thing I memorized where they were because I left my bike light in Montreal and could hardly see a thing cycling back. Watched the third period of the blowout with Greg and Julia and her cousin, visiting from Saskatchewan.

Tonight I won a ticket to see a lecture/performance/discussion with George Elliott Clarke, Kent Monkman and a cellist named Cris Derksen. It is part of a U of O conference called Restorying Canada, or something to that effect, reconsidering religion and public memory as forces that shaped Canada as a colonial nation. Should be fun!

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 23, 2017, 3:22 PM
subject Nomination de Madeleine Meilleur: des candidats au poste confient leur inconfort; Salman Abedi, suspect in Manchester concert bombing, described as ‘withdrawn’ and ‘devout’

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. Survived the long weekend with my folks and visiting downtown to see the Giants. Drove to work this morning as I am dropping the car off at a local garage to change the timing belt. Writing on break, have to go now.

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 24, 2017, 6:20 PM
subject Système de paie Phénix: 142 millions de plus pour régler les problèmes; Ontario Liberals’ jiggery- pokery on the hydro file means savings plan will cost twice as much as it saves

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I am working 2 extra hours per day starting today in the hopes to catch up on the almost 40 hours of extra time I have been taking since I started the contract in Ottawa. I have about 24 hours to go, and 3.5 weeks of work to do it in. Not really sure what will happen if I don’t hit the numbers, I’ve submitted a vacation request for the final week of my contract which ends the 23rd, and I still have a few vacation and personal and family hours I could use. And at the pace we are going their will be lots more opportunities to work late in the coming weeks. Hopefully that will help pass the time, I am impatient to be home with the kids. My lower back aches so bad it makes me think of disease and mortality, though I think it is a result of carrying Sol on my back and shoulders this past weekend, and probably not a tumour, though it feels like I imagine a tumour might feel. Can one get a tumour at the base of one’s spine?

-chris

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 30, 2017, 5:13 PM
subject Justin Trudeau réagit au froid entre Angela Merkel et Donald Trump; Christy Clark not going without a fight: She will seek confidence of the B.C. legislature

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. Had a bit of a scare last Friday, woke up and one of my balls was swollen and there was a hard lump floating around in the sack. I drove straight to St. Julie and saw my vasectomy doctor, who prescribed some antibiotics and he figured that my 15k cycle to get the car (in the rain, no less) must have irritated the scar tissue. I had a follow-up appointment with him on Monday, so a 4-day weekend was much- appreciated, though I didn’t do a whole lot: surprised the kids Friday night, had the gang over for supper, Saturday AND Sunday Rose had birthday parties to attend, but we surprised her by having Femke come over Saturday afternoon for a play date and BBQ, then much later Clo and I and Pascal and Pip went to see Get Out, which provoked a crisis of separation (based mostly on exhaustion) from Sol, and then last night, Monday, after the appointment and also applying for Gabe’s job here at the NGC, that of Registrar, Transit and Loans Officer (yesterday was the deadline to apply and also the first anyone had seen of the posting, Christian texted me a photo of it, then my employee ID wouldn’t work, problems with the system, a few telephone calls back and forth and finally I sent my CV and cover letter via email), mostly it was cleaning the house in anticipation of Marjorie, who comes to clean every second Tuesday. Oh, Pascal and I helped Pip move some of her paintings, it was moving day for her, she moved from NDG to the heart of Mile End. This morning I was an hour a change late for work there was an accident on the Queensway, so my extra hour tonight basically cancels out this morning, leaving me still with about 20 hours to make up in the next 2.5 weeks. Feels good to know I’m done after the 16th, the kids will be happy, Rose seems to be developing anxiety about Clo disappearing and me dying, I wonder if it is related at all to me being gone all week and Clo working so many evenings. So in an effort to improve my mental health I deleted Facebook from my phone but also I haven’t even checked it on a computer in about 2 weeks. Feels good to be slightly tuned out.

from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date May 31, 2017, 5:28 PM
subject Gilles Duceppe appelle le Bloc québécois à clarifier sa position quant à un État palestinien; Canadians show how a 100-word research article helped create North America’s deadly opioid crisis

Dear Justin,

I am still alive. I survived another day of work, my ball is less swollen, but for the past three days I’ve had crazy itchy haemorrhoids. I guess I should buy some cream. My folks were at Greg and Julia’s last night, we ate together (Greg did salmon on the BBQ) and we watched new episodes of House of Cards. I’m without my bike for the remainder of my time in Ottawa (I took it back to Montreal last week) so I am getting through more of Infinite Jest on Audible. Finished the Handmaids Tale on the weekend. I think perhaps I need to find some lighter reading material. What are you reading lately?

-chris