Wonderful TIme at the Parliament Pub

Cathy and I rolled from Brockville to Manotick to the Museum of Science and Technology. Would the museum be a good home for the cocktail glass? The chatter of excited youth greeted us as we saw examples of several Canadian inventions and looked at ancient but fascinating scientific equipment. Our host was occupied with a training session so were on our own.

We learned that Joseph-Armond Bombardier never intended his snowmobile to be called a Ski-doo. He registered the name Ski-Dog but the patent office made a mistake and name is now iconic.

We tried to get an event on Parliament Hill - someone suggested Mike Duffy's office was vacant, but it seems he is still on the Hill.  An aide to Murray Rankin tried to get permission for us to drive up onto the Hill, but we were seen as promoting something - wonder if it was the pills on the sculpture, or drinking martinis! None-the-less, with the help of an Ottawa friend, we were able to host an informal gathering at the Parliament Pub, across the road from the Parliament buildings - and miles from any parking!

I ordered a martini and sat facing the door, while dear Cathy parked the truck. I overheard someone ask about this woman who had made a giant cocktail sculpture. I waved over one of Murray Rankin's aides - Dave Cannon. Within minutes, we were a crowd engaged in conversation about pills, empty pill bottles, HIV awareness, place-based science education, history, plastics,... Exciting and fun, but we were missing Cathy. She was driving in ever widening circles looking for a place to park Babe - the blue truck with dragonfly wings! 

David Pantalony saw the truck as he was heading over to the pub from a workshop at the University. He helped Cathy navigate the traffic, before running off in this direction. At the table, he shared his desire to see that the collection of the Museum of Science and Technology (90% of the collection is not what we see when we enter the interactive space that feeds curious minds) is open and available for use, as well as preserved and protected.  We talked for about 30 minutes before he and I left to go see the sculpture in her safe bed within the truck.

When Cathy came in, she tried to order Canadian wine. You'd think... But not here. The menu was easier - one clear choice - the Elizabeth May salad!

 

This evening we are sharing a meal with some dear friends before we have to leave them all to head to Montreal, where we'll meet with women at CASAM in the morning. I'm looking forward to that.  The last time I was there was for a Blueprint meeting and one of the most tragic cases in the criminalization of HIV involves a woman from Montreal.