BEST FOOT FORWARD, my first SRS birthday and other stuff

all dressed for work, any color you want so long as its black

Canada Day (July 1st) was the first anniversary of my surgery. Despite predictions of rain Southern Ontario enjoyed a hot summer day.

It was made even better as I was able to pick up my daughters that morning and bring them back to my "home" where we had a early birthday celebration for my oldest.

My good friend Julie decorated the house with red and white bunting and did the cooking. Reese's peanut butter chocolate cake!

We all went on a hike along the Bruce trail to a hidden waterfall where we waded barefoot up a stream cooling our tired feet. 

Later we raced slot cars, watched a movie and had a water balloon fight. A wonderful and memorable day and yes I cried when they went home.

It is a weird time right now as I wait to hear about a career position in the city, things look positive but I have been disappointed too many times before.

My part time retail job keeps me hopping....well literally now as the other day I managed to drop a box containing two glass and steel Corvette T-roofs on my right foot. OMG the pain, the end of the box came open and the t roofs slid out (they are very very heavy). The next day I went to the hospital and an x-ray reveled that I had broken my big toe. It is hideous purple and swollen as I sit here type this post, and throbs like a.... well you get the idea.   

Lucky the roofs didn't guillotine all my toes off. No cast or boot, just rest and comfy shoes. I am back at work on Saturday and I am not sure what to tell them. I have a note from the doctor requesting desk work but I really have no choice but to be on my feet.  I am concerned I will be dismissed.

The above photo is pre accident. At work we have to wear black, good thing it is my favourite color (notice I spelled color sans the U in tribute to our American cousins....it is the glorious fourth after all). Dresses and bare legs are the exception as the AC in the store is so cold nylons and long sleeves are a better choice.

My Seville and Lincoln Mark IV in downtown Hamilton.     

Both sides of the 49th parallel are experiencing some tough times right now, it is hard to keep hope alive but sometimes it is all we have. My faith has been tested but America is still the shining city upon a hill, thanks for giving me all the things I love...

Hugs,

April

Grace

Against Me played in Toronto this week as part of World Pride and I was lucky to be there.

You all no doubt have heard of  Laura Jane Grace's transition and the band's new album.

She and the band put on a great show, though I prefer my punk more in the Ramones style.

The album Transgender Dysphoria Blues has some very powerful lyrics though I think a song from her earlier career called Pretty Girls is more poignant in retospect.

It is hard enough to transition in our own little spotlight. To do so in the glare of  the 21st century media boggles the mind.

That one of us can tell our story is something I am thankful for.

True Trans Soul Rebel (acoustic version)

Pretty Girls

 Hugs,

April

Bovine Sex Club, yes you read that right, no cows were harmed in the making of this post.

This year Toronto hosts World Pride, I had never been to any aspect of the pride celebration before. When I worked downtown in a previous life I would come into to work Monday morning the streets still strewn with multi-coloured confetti.

I don't really consider myself a member of the LGBTQ world but that is no excuse to join in the party.

I had a good job interview in the city the other day and was still high on the possibility of a new job in the marketing field. It was time for a little celebrating.....it is also almost a year since my surgery.

I met up with friends on Church Street for coffee then over to an alternative club called the Bovine Sex Club (calm down Cassidy)....as you can see from the photo it was really alternative....loved the white Maleficent in attendance.

The club had an open air patio on the roof where my friends and I met some amazing cis and trans girls from across the province and even from the States.

I was a little worried about my rather short dress alerting people that I was not always female.  Then again it is pretty hard to pass amongst gay guys and other trans men and women in attendance.

On leaving the club we stumbled across this cool 1963 Cadillac convertible.....wish I could add it to my fleet.

Here are the Dollyrots with a mash up of the Doo Run Run and I Wanna Be Sedated