Los Chicos

Marg and I went for supper at the new Los Chicos Mexican Restaurant which is opening soon (maybe tomorrow) in Lindenridge Mall. We were invited for taster's night. The decor, food, and service was great. So good, in fact, we plan to go back again on December 3rd. Maybe, we'll take along some friends and family.

Riding Shotgun

Holly persuaded me to take her for a drive to Carman yesterday. The 45 minute drive was great, with dry highway all the way. We stopped just before Carman, near where I used to live, by the bridge over the now frozen Boyne River. That gave Holly the chance to sniff the tracks left by deer, fox, and other creatures and leave some scents of her own.

In Carman, I made an appointment with the vet for Holly's booster shots for an hour later. Meanwhile, I went into town to shop at the Coop Food store, stocking up on some freshly baked breads for the home freezer. While there, I let it be known to one of the checkers I know that I was getting married in a couple of weeks. By now, I imagine most of Carman (at least those who know me there) is talking about the news. There are few secrets in a small prairie town. I also stopped at Knockabouts to visit with Karen, my guardian angel.

Back at the vets, Holly was examined, given her booster shots, pronounced healthy, and told to lose some weight. Then, the vet gave her a treat. What's wrong with this picture?

Knowing I had to tidy the kitchen and prepare supper, I headed back to Winnipeg. Happiness is ...

Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia is a fear of the number thirteen. Thirteen is regarded as an unlucky number in many cultures. Some hotels and apartment buildings do not use the number thirteen for floors or suites at all.

Why is this number considered unlucky? Some people think it comes from the Last Supper or a Norse myth that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia. I can't even pronounce that! Personally, I am not "afraid" of the number 13 (he said as he threw some salt over his shoulder).

Thud!

That was the sound of winter, arriving here on the prairies. For the next 4 or 5 months, Winnipeg will be Winterpeg. I noticed the white stuff has covered the dandelions that never got sprayed. Maybe, I'll have another chance in the spring to deal with those weeds. For now, I'll just enjoy the season.

For the first time in my life, I've hired a fellow to clear my driveway and walk of snow. I have mixed feelings about that. In some ways, it's great. Shovelling or blowing snow in bad weather is hard on the system. But, I've also given up some independence. On the bright side, I'm helping someone who needs the extra income.

The dogs, so far at least, are enjoying winter. Holly especially likes winter. Sometimes, she can lie on a snow bank for hours without feeling the cold with her thick fur coat. And, regardless of the weather, she's always eager to go for a walk.

Happiness is ...

Blacklegged Ticks at Beaudry

I just learned today (from a friend in Health Canada) that deer ticks are now established at Beaudry Provincial Park, our favourite place to take our dogs for an off-leash walk and to do some nature photography. Lyme disease is not a pleasant thought. It's just another thing we'll have to watch out for, here in friendly Manitoba. 

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. People become infected with the Lyme disease bacteria when they are bitten by an infected blacklegged tick. I guess we'll have to use a repellent with DEET (on our skin or clothing) or permethrin (on our dogs and our clothing) to protect ourselves next spring and summer.  We started using insecticide-impregnated tick collars on our dogs last summer. We probably should be taking extra precautions on our walks anyways.

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
Canada mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon

Memory

One of Aldous Huxley's famous quotes is "every man's memory is his private literature". Maybe, that's why he never seemed to publish his memories.  Not that they might have been included in some of his essays, novels, or poems.

Of course, some times people do publish their memories, making what might be called a memoir or a more lengthy or detailed  autobiography. Others leave the task to their biographers, like Huxley did. Some autobiographies and biographies make excellent reading. I certainly enjoy reading ones about famous historical people, especially scientists.

It's really interesting reviewing the life of someone whose theories have shaped modern thought or whose art remains magnificent. People like Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Albert Einstein, Galileo, and Guglielmo Marconi.

For me, I will just share most of my memories with my very close friends and family. My children will inherit my journals where most of my history is written (at least the last 45 years or so).

You Cannot Win a War

In Flanders fields the poppies grow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place, and in the sky,

The larks, still bravely singing, fly,

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

(John McCrae)

Brown-out

Autumn is a great season but, right now, I'm getting very tired of all the browns I see when I look outside or go for a drive. That must explain why I delved into my photo archives this morning to review some of my more colourful images. I stayed away from all the winter shots I've done; white (as in snow) is right up there with brown. I concentrated on spring and summer shots.

I found several that I posted to my Flickr page this morning. No. None of them were flowers or other plants. They were all shots of mammals ... two of wild mammals and two of tame animals. You'll have to check my Flickr page to see them. The link is right beside this post.