Twenty Fireman Walk a Rope through the Graveyard

Was it a usual Saturday? Hard to tell.

We are looking after my in-laws’ ancient blind teacup poodle.

On a great bike ride to the Bayfront park, I did get introduced to Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun’s work through a great Ideas’ Podcast.

I attended the Arraymusic 35th Anniversary concert and finally got to meet one of Canada’s senior experimental composers Udo Kasemets. The concert was excellent. I always enjoy Arraymusic’s choice of program, their amazing musicianship and Bob Stevenson’s affable yet intense leadership.

While I was in Toronto, my daughter got a tick embedded in her and it had to be removed by pulling off its head with tweezers.

My wife came home from doing the groceries to see six heads poking out from over the roof. (My three kids and their friends.) They’d set up a cardboard city and, from the roof, aided by fireworks, were reinacting the firebombing of Dresden.

When I arrived home from Toronto, my son’s friend told me that my wife had called 911 and that my son and his friend were stuck half way up a cliff leading to a graveyard, their pockets filled with fireworks. They couldn’t get up or down. It had begun to thunder and lightning. My wife had to call the fire department to rescue them. By the time I got there across a dark and rainy field, there were about 20 firefighters, and EMS guys, a variety of fire engines, SUVs, and many pulleys, ropes, and a large search light. I found my wife and other son and the bottom of the cliff. Once the fire dept had got ropes to my son and his friend we drove around to the top of the hill, through the graveyard to be there when they were pulled up. A TV crew was there. (They phoned us in the morning, but I declined to allow my son to speak to them. I couldn’t see how it would be a positive thing for them, even if it might have been a good lesson for others.) The firefighters went down the cliff in harnesses and attached the boys to harnesses. Then about 15 firefighters pulled the rope back through the old graveyard until the boys were safely up and on flat ground.