Day 4

I can see clearly now the (eye) pain has gone! Not clearly enough though to almost decapitate myself, Final Destination style, on the fan above my head in the room I was sleeping in. So it's either a very low roof or a very tall me. Had to get up at 5.30am to go and see the Celtic game at the nearby Celtic Supporters' Club in nearby Durham (club crest below). Had to get in pretty early as it filled up quickly, hence the morning wake-up call. The roll and sausage was a great way to start the day, washed down with an Irn Bru obviously, which cheekily still bore the 39p price tag on the can! Clearly contraband from across the Atlantic but I decided against reporting them! The club is nice, well-decorated and had enough swearing ex-pats to make me feel at homes. When Gary Hooper scored for us right before half time, I gave my Uncle Eddie the biggest hug I'd ever given him in my life and vice versa. Sadly, the second half was hellish as the roof fell in and we lost 3-1. We were rotten but the penalty Rangers got for their third goal was a disgrace and that reptile Lee McCulloch should have walked for at least two fouls after his initial booking. Scottish football referees can still infuriate you even 3000 miles away. So a poor start to a rebooted Thanksgiving!


As an aside I've picked upon some of Fe's traits, even at an early stage. I think she should have been a weather presenter, she's obsessed with temperature checking—something she has in common with my Da actually. She complains about the cold a lot, which I find hard to get my head around. It's Canada, it's winter, ergo it's gonna be cold! Their scorching summers more than make up for that! Also she provides a running commentary on everything she does, which I can't help but find amusing. I used to do this myself out in my back garden but in fairness I was playing football and I was of primary school age! I might start doing it in everyday life when I go home: 'Gerard is going for a pish having just updated his facebook!' In fact some people provide commentaries on their lives via facebook now, maybe it's the online equivalent of people who talk to themselves in the street or tell you their life stories!

Mercifully there were no Rangers fans here so I could enjoy getting sozzled for the rest of the day and sozzled I did get, given the fact that my Uncle Brian has his own private bar (pictured below) at the side of his house with a well-stocked drinks cabinet. I think over the course of the day I had beer, cider, whiskey and even rum for good measure! Alcohol always helps to take away the bitter taste of defeat, at least for a while. Heather made a fantastic meal too, was almost like Christmas had come early! Turkey, mash, carrots, onions, turnip, stuffing.....was brilliant and perfect for soaking up the alcohol. Wouldn't particularly have wanted to have stood downwind of me after that but there you go!


My cousin Patti and her son Jordan came up too. The wee fella has tourettes and ADHD, so I felt quite sorry for him. He seemed to take a real shine to me though, which was a pretty mice feeling, because I often feel dead awkward around kids and indeed some adults! He enjoyed a bit of horseplay in the hot tub and it was kinda obvious that he craved a constant strong male role model in his life—not that I'm claiming to even be a temporary one—but that's difficult for Patti as she has an emotional and physically demanding job to contend with, working as a nurse in a critical illness ward at a nearby hospital. He was reluctant to leave to so to calm him down a bit we cut a deal that he'd come back tomorrow for breakfast before he went to school.

Enjoyed the rest of the evening in the company of my Uncle Brian, my Uncle Eddie and Heather in the bar, watching NFL games and learning from my Uncle Eddie which players were unsavoury characters, he's not a fan of Brett Favre or Randy Moss! Turned in happy, drunk and with the Celtic vs Rangers match pushed firmly to the furthest recesses of my mind for now.