BenSpark Family Adventures

So I’m sitting here in the Vancouver Airport awaiting my 10:45pm flight. It is now 11:30pm. Which is real close to my original flight time. Fun, fun! Have you ever had to wait for an entire 777 airplane’s passenger list to be re ticketed? I have! And let me tell you, it is as joyful as they say it is. Standing in line listening to ‘experts’ discuss what can be done to improve air travel. Guess what? Shut up! Nobody cares what you think. Why is it that it is always the idiots who express their opinion to anyone and everyone, who are the loudest people on the planet? Just let me stand in line, and get my new ticket, without listening to you prattle on with your conspiracy theories and witticisms. Okay my rant is done, for now. I have a feeling that we won’t be making our 11:50pm departure time either. Oh well, another nail in the coffin regarding the theory of Allison’s that Vancouver is evil. Vancouver however is not evil. I look forward to returning in two weeks to do this once again. ...

  So, here in Vancouver there is a strange thing that I just had to experience, Boston Pizza. They are everywhere. I went to Boston Pizza last night for dinner just to go there and check it out. Expecting a Boston themed restaurant I was surprised not to find any Boston decorations or anything. It’s just them name of the place. It made me laugh to see, Boston Pizza rather than New York or Chicago Pizza, because frankly pizza is not what I associate with Boston, no matter how many times I’ve been to the North End. The only references I saw to Boston were on the menu, I had the Boston Royal Pizza, (Pepperoni, Ham, Peppers, Mushrooms, Olives, Onions and Shrimp.) Weird. They also have a Boston Extreme Heat sauce for the wings, which were not at all as good as the wings at Montana’s (Which by the way was themed like a lodge in Montana.) Despite the false advertising of this restaurant having anything to do with Boston the pizza was actually decent.

  I’m in Fogville. Every morning it is dark, every night it is dark, every afternoon, well you know the rest. I am in Vancouver BC and it has been foggy and cold each day so far, oh and its rained for a change too. So, I’ve not been uploading images this week. I’m on a dial-up too and I’m not able to really upload much of anything. I tried to take another picture from my hotel window again. If you would like a big grey image I would upload it, but however it is not much fun. I bought an umbrella. I rented movies Charlie’s Angels 2 and Bulletproof Monk. I can rent in BC now from Blockbuster. Both movies were okay, lots of crashes and fights, guy movie stuff. (i.e. Movies that make Allison’s eyes roll.) I found a new chicken wing sauce that is my new favorite. Honey Garlic! I had dinner at a restaurant called Montana’s last night and had chicken wings that were fried in cornmeal then coated with Honey Garlic sauce. They were awesome! Hopefully the sun will come out so I can get pictu...

Originally posted by Allison Drew has been mysteriously missing from the Blog for a few days now….. hmmm….. That must mean that he’s back in Evil Vancouver again! Things have been quiet around here since Neil & Andrea’s wedding. Drew and I went to a VERY interesting open house at a home for sale in Grafton this weekend. And not good interesting…. it was no-work-had-been-done-in-this-house-since-1950 Interesting. At least we got a good laugh out of it! I was off to my first meeting of the new year for the Zeta Chapter at Merrimack College Sunday evening. It was good to see the girls again and to see them all excited for Recruitment. Last night I was at PetSmart in the cat room. That was fun. There are lots of great cats there, if you are interested in getting a sweet little kitty. I’ve totally fallen in love with a kitty named Zephyr who is at the shelter. But we have our two boys and that is enough for now. Well I guess I’ve rambled enough… but that’s what is up with the Bennett/Sp...

Have you heard of The Kieran Ridge Band? If not, you probably soon will. Kieran Ridge is a classmate of mine from the Saint Anselm College. He contacted me today asking for help because his band. The Kieran Ridge Band is in a contest where they could win the chance to play a large concert. His band is way out in the lead, but let’s keep him there okay! I for one have already downloaded the song, and will probably do so many more times, as it kicks ass. Kieran has a great voice and the song is awesome. Please help The Kieran Ridge Band by going to this website http://www.musicforamerica.org/music/aid/516 and downloading his song “Lonesome Traveler”. You can also download another song of his called “Laborer’s Blues”. Also go to Kieran’s website to find out more about The Kieran Ridge Band.

Andrea and Neil walk down the aisle Yesterday was the wedding of our good friends Neil and Andrea. What a fun time! The wedding was at Saint Mary’s in North Attleboro. I did the prayer of the faithful. Then after the wedding ceremony the reception was at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield. We were able to see the Pat’s win the AFC Championship before the first course of the meal. Gonna be another exciting SuperBowl for New England Fans. Allison and I sat with Derik and Sarah, Jimmy and Kathy and Michelle. Dinner and dancing were great fun. Dancing with Derek and Steve is always entertaining. Allison and Michelle both got to take home centerpieces. Wasn’t that a great looking cake, it tasted really good too, with hard shelled chocolate covered praline ice cream. Allison and I wish Neil and Andrea a long and happy life together. Thank you for letting us share the day with you. The Wedding Cake Some Fancy Boots Cutting the Cake The Bride feeds the Groom The Groom feeds the Bride. The Happy Coup...

I’m in Langley, BC and this morning when I arrived at Langley hospital I saw that it was transformed into Smallville Medical Center. I learned that Smallville is filmed in Cloverdale, BC. That is a little ways away from Langley. It was a rare treat for me to see the film company setting up for a scene that will be part of and episode called “Resurrection” that will be airing here in BC on March 2, 2004. During lunch I took a walk around the front of the building to see how the production was going. And while I was standing there and checking out the set up I took a few pictures. And as I waited I saw the arrival of John Schneider (Jonathan Kent) and Tom Welling (Clark Kent). I even took a picture but I was very far away from them to get a decent photo. But that is them in the red box. The scene that they are filming is a simulated bomb threat and evacuation from the Smallville Medical Center. The room that I am conducting training in is right next to the room where all the extras are h...