Getting home from Verne's and it's -20c outside

It's -20c outside right now. It seems that's quite normal in many parts of Canada at this time of year. I'm surprised that I'm handling it quite well. At least for the little time I have to be on the street. It's only about two blocks from my apartment block to the c-train, and another 100 metres from the University station to my office.

It was a little more brisk this evening walking the four blocks from Verne's Bar to the apartment block. I met with my new friend, Kurt Norlen, for a drink at Verne's this evening. Verne's is owned by three guys, Ian, Trent, Clint. Ian is a consumate host - he seems to know everyone in the hospitality trade in Calgary. Ian was at the dinner party at Dennis & Robyn's house a couple of weeks ago. He started in the bar trade as a barman in the Canadian building at Expo'88 in Brisbane. Trent is a blues/country guitar player and song-writer who spends most of his time making contact with visiting/traveling minstrels and bringing them into the bar Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Trent always ends the night jamming with the band. He's also a reasonably good cook, making chillis and soups for bar guests. Clint is a huge friendly confident dumb character who can make conversation with anyone. Together the three of them make a good bar management team. Maybe they even make a profit somewhere along the line.

In the next two days a Chinook is expected to come through and the temperature will be more tolerable at -6c, and maybe even above freezing over the weekend. In the meantime I'll be wearing my long-johns.

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