'Twas the day after Christmas ...

First, an addendum to the late house cleaners.  After waiting 2 hours for the cleaners, I called their office.  They told me I wasn't scheduled until the 27th.  This, after repeating twice before that I was scheduled for first thing in the morning on the 24th.  Well, as you might guess, that was the last dealings I will have with this company.  Their motto should be "incompetence reigns supreme"!  I then proceeded to start doing the vacuuming myself only to find they left the vacuum hose totally plugged up the last time they used it.  It took a half hour to clear after finally running hot water through the hose.  I was not a happy camper!

Christmas eve was spent at home, with Alaskan crab legs and bacon-wrapped scallops featuring high on the supper menu.  Margaret and I then exchanged gifts.

Christmas morning, we headed over to Josi's for a brunch prepared by her mom and her aunt.  More gift exchanging after that feast.  Then, home to pick up the dogs and off to Carman to pick up Aunt Lil and drive on to Poplar Point to have Christmas supper at Margaret's sister's place.  More feasting and gift exchanging.  After returning Aunt Lil to her Carman home, we headed back to our place for some needed R and R.  It had been a long but pleasant day.

Now, it is Boxing Day and 62% of Canadians are out shopping for bargains.  We are part of the 38% who refuse to be lured by so-called bargain sales.  Don't people realize that the biggest bargain is to spend no money?

Today, we rest. my only job is to make supper.  Today, it's plain and simple, Chinese comfort food.

'Twas the night before Christmas ...

Actually, it's the morning of the day before Christmas. It's terribly cold outside: the current windchill is -40C! I'm sitting in the heated garage, with Holly and Mollie, waiting for the always late house cleaners to arrive and do their magic. They're already over an hour late.

All three of us wonder if this house cleaning service is worth the money and bother. It seems like it takes longer to get ready for them and then await their arrival than it would just to do the work myself. They do a good job but I think we'll have to re-evaluate this service in the new year.

Otherwise, today will be different. Margaret and I will have a buffet style dinner at home, with all sorts of tidbits on the table. Not a special seafood dinner like someone I know, but different from the usual for us, for sure. There will be scallops and crab legs in the mix.  Later, we'll attend Christmas Eve services at Margaret's church here in Charleswood.

Tomorrow, we're off to Josi and Greg's place in LaSalle for Christmas brunch and gift giving with my family. Then, off to Carman to pick up Margaret's Aunt Lil and drive on to the Poplar Point area to Cathy and Ian's place where we'll have supper and more gift giving with Margaret's family.

On Boxing Day, we just plan to relax at home.

Filling the Larder

Last night, we went to Costco to restock our pantry for the holidays and beyond.  Surprisingly, the store wasn't too crowded for a Friday night in Winterpeg.  We suspect that was because the crowds were at the new Ikea store that opened here on November 28th.  It'll be a while before we darken the doors of that store.

We didn't get any Christmas gifts at Costco.  Our cart was full of food (mostly human and some dog) and a few toiletries.  I won't say how much we spent.  That would be embarassing.  Let's just say 'a lot' or maybe two or three times 'a lot'.

But we did have a cheap supper there before taking the cart to the car.  Polish sausage in a bun with all the fixings, an order of fries (boy, were they ever good!), and diet colas (because we were counting calories after all).

I took this photo from our plastic table, on my iPhone 5, as a souvenir of our shopping adventure.

It's not the greatest shot.  Probably because my hands were shaking a bit because I was so hungry and the food hadn't arrived at the table yet.

A Heart of Gold

Ever meet someone with a heart of gold.  Someone who is kind, generous, and happy.  Some people have to go through most of their life before they meet one.  Some people never meet someone with a heart of gold.

Me?  I'm one of the very fortunate people in this crazy world.  I've travelled all over this world and met some great people along the way.  Turned out the person that I was looking for and that I found lived only a block away.

Someone I had first met over 30 years before.  I not only met a person with a heart of gold ... I even married her.  One year ago today.  Happy anniversary, Margaret!

Grey Friday

In the USA, Black Friday is the day after their Thanksgiving.  It's traditionally the beginning of the Christmas holiday shopping season in the USA.

Shoppers look for deep discounts in prices.  Black Friday is supposed to be when the stores make a big part of their annual profit.  Their income would go to from 'in the red' to 'in the black'.  Shoppers typically wait in line for long hours before going into a shopping frenzy once they finally get inside the store of their choice.

I don't think that really happened here in Winterpeg yesterday.  The reports I heard on TV and radio suggested our home-grown copy of Black Friday was just 'ho-hum'.  Sure, there were a few good deals, especially at the electronics stores, but not crazy deep discounts like in the States.

Myself, I checked out a few favourite stores on-line for any specials.  There were some great deals but none of 'things' on sale were items that I wanted or needed.  It was just another Grey Friday to me.

The Ups and Downs

That's been our recent weather. After the pseudo-storm last week, we've been enjoying some great weather. The next few days are supposed to be warm, with highs above zero. Then, back to rain and snow and cooler temperatures.

The warm days will give me the chance to shovel some snow off the deck to make it easier for the dogs to go outside during the day. Also, to empty the compost pail for the last time this winter. It's too difficult to continue taking out the compost during the winter months. Not worth the chance of a fall, stumbling through the deep snow to the back corner of the yard where we have the two compost bins.

Remembrance Day here was quiet. We didn't attend any of the local services, limiting ourselves to watching some on the TV and the Web. We did observe a two minute silence about the right time that morning. I thought of some of my relatives who fought in the war. Some died for their country; others fortunately made it home again.

Later in the week, on Friday evening, we went to our favourite sushi place, here in Charleswood. A lovely restaurant called Asahi. Their food is a cut above most sushi places and their service is always excellent. It was a nice break for me from preparing the evening meal during the week. Marg does the kitchen work on the weekend or we go out somewhere. Last night she made some delicious chicken fajitas. The mutts were very happy to get some of the tasty leftovers.

And so it begins ...

Winter is here. As a Colorado Low moves into Manitoba, the first few cm's of snow are already on the ground. Today, the forecast says "Snow at times heavy and blowing snow. Amount 15 cm. Wind north-east 30 km/h, gusting to 50. High minus 2."

Tonight, the forecast is pretty much the same. Tomorrow, the snow will taper off to only a few cm's.

I thought I'd document this first winter storm with my camera. Yesterday, there was no snow. This morning, here's what it looked like, from my front door, looking across the street.

I'm expecting the snow to be at or above the back bumper of my Ford Escape by tomorrow afternoon. I'm also hoping that my snow removal company will clear the driveway by tomorrow night.

Remembrance Day

Canadians have fought in wars since 1899, when troops were sent to South Africa to fight in the second Boer War on behalf of the British.  More than 1.7 million of our country's soldiers served in World War I, World War II and the Korean War.  At least 13,500 served in the war in Afghanistan.

Many others have also been deployed to peacekeeping operations or deployments in countries such as Cambodia, Egypt, Cyprus, Syria, The Persian Gulf, The Balkans, Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, East Timor, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

On November 11, we remember the soldiers who died for us in these wars and peacekeeping missions.

A Man and His Dog

An anonymous dog lover once penned the following words. "She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.  You are her life, her love, her leader. She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart. You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion".

When I first read these words recently, I immediately thought of my bouvier, Holly. I've had since she was a wee pup, seen here chewing on a stick.

We've been together now for six years. She's only been away from her home once, for one week when she was placed in a kennel while I was on holiday, a week that was extremely hard on her because she is such a creature of habit. She is used to doing certain things at specific times of the day and in certain places, not least of which is sleeping beside me at night.

I worried about her every day we were apart. When I picked her up, she seemed totally stressed out. It took several days before she returned to normal.

George Elliot said "animals are such agreeable friends ... they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms".

More Big Boom

Marg managed to squeeze us in to another sold-out crowd at Celebrations last night for another viewing of "The Big Boom Theory". We shared a long table with seven of Marg's friends. The show and dinner were quite good. The popularity of the Celebrations show reflects that of the TV series, "The Big Bang Theory". And, the coffee was very good!

The Devil Made Do It

I thought I should post something appropriate for Halloween.  Fortunately, my daughter sent me a link that was nearly perfect for tonight.

You decide ...

Here's the link: http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=22984504&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=1&loop=0

Retail Therapy

Why do we buy stuff? Especially stuff we don't really need. Most people will say they go shopping because it makes them feel good, if only temporarily. Yet that feeling is so fleeting. My daughter-in-law says it comes with a big dose of cognitive dissonance or buyer's remorse. She says you'll only feel great if you buy stuff for her!

This topic reminds me of the famous New Yorker caveman cartoon by Sam Gross, captioned "I'm a hunter-gatherer-hoarder". You can see the cartoon on-line at http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/I-m-a-hunter-gatherer-hoarder-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i8472841_.htm.

Of course, if you're retired and on a low fixed income (poor me ... break out the violins), you'll have to get your good feelings some other way. Something for me to think about.

I know! I'll make a slow-cooked pork roast for supper!

Cleanliness is ...

... better than dirtiness. Today, we're starting an experiment in house cleaning. We've hired a cleaning service to do, initially, a "top to bottom" cleaning of this old house. Neither of us likes to clean the house. It seems that about the only time we do is when company's coming.

After this initial cleaning by two, hard working women, we'll have one person back, once a month to maintain things. I expect we'll still have to do some cleaning ourselves when we're having guests for dinner or whatever, unless we plan to have them over right after the house has been cleaned.

The funny thing about this event was that, this morning, I tidied up the house for a couple of hours so that the cleaning women wouldn't be too shocked when they came in the door.

Now, me and the mutts are in the heated garage for the next five hours so that we're out of the way. You need not feel sorry for us.  We have drinks and snacks and I have my laptop and radio to entertain myself. I actually spend about five hours a day out here in my garage office anyways.

Happiness is ...

Windipeg Clouditoba

Let's face it ... our current weather sucks. Tonight, it's going down to -9°C. Tomorrow, up to -1°C. And cloudy and flurries. Makes me want to be somewhere else. Somewhere sunny and warm. Of course, then I'd be worrying about a hurricane or something equally nasty.

Oh, well ... "there's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor's" (Clyde Moore).

Big Boom

Margaret and I attended the latest Celebrations Dinner Theatre show called "The Big Boom Theory".  It's turned out to be an immediate hit in Winnipeg, thanks in part to the very popular TV show, "The Big Bang Theory".

The show has already been sold out on many nights.  And some people are coming back to see it a second or third time.

The cast is quite good, with the mix of songs, comedy, and dance well balanced.  The dinner and even the coffee was better than average.  I look forward to seeing it again soon.

Highlight of the Week

Last night, we attended the Encore Gala at the Manitoba Club. It was a cocktails/dinner to raise money for Rainbow Stage. We were the guests of WOW! Hospitality Concepts, the company that owns Celebrations Dinner Theatre. Although I don't particularly like formal attire affairs, this one was well worth the effort.

We sat with friends and enjoyed conversations around the table. The dinner and service was excellent. The entertainment was superb. "Those Guys", an a cappella group, sang several original arrangements, with lively vocal percussion and entrancing harmonies. They received a standing ovation as they ended.

The venue, the Manitoba Club, was also great. This fine old building is a recently restored heritage clubhouse. It has been used by Winnipeg's elite business people as a social networking site since 1874.

It was definitively the highlight of our week.

Another Good Weekend

It was another good weekend here. We got out to Beaudry with the dogs on Saturday and Sunday. They love going for walks out there. It was a little busier than usual, with dozens of other dogs being walked by their owners. But, the park is big and there was room for everyone.

I managed to take some photos. Nothing special. I was just learning some of the features of my new little Nikon. In particular, HDR imagery where the camera takes three images of the same scene at different exposures and provides one image with a high dynamic range. It's a good approach to photos with both dark and light areas so that both areas are exposed closer to what the human eye sees.

One fun shot I took was of a trail that crosses the Assiniboine River.

The trail is obviously used only in winter, after the river freezes over. Although I expect it won't be too long before that happens, we are still having some fine fall weather here in Winterpeg. I hope it continues for as long as possible.

Routine Maintenance

Every home needs routine maintenance. All it takes is planning and money. Recently, we got the furnace checked out for the winter. I didn't like it when the technician said everything is fine but it seems to be getting old. I liked it less when he said that our water heater needs to be replaced right away. When he showed me the gunk he drained from the bottom of the tank, I readily agreed. It made me vow always to use cold water for my cooking.

That's what's happening now as I write this post. The water tank is being replaced. There's lots of banging and cursing going on in the basement by the surly crew of two technicians. I don't think they like installing water tanks. I guess they don't like their jobs very much. I imagine they wish they were real plumbers, working for themselves, so they could charge more than the company they work for does.

Maintenance never ends. There's a long list of other jobs this old house needs done. But, some will have to wait until next spring. That's one of the good things about a Winnipeg winter: it shuts done exterior work, unless it's an emergency.

A Place to Park

One of the first conditions my wife set for me when we got together was that she got to park her car in the heated garage over the winter months. Foolishly, I readily agreed. Now, for the past two days, I've been tidying and organizing all my stuff to make room for her car.

It hasn't been an easy job because, among other things, the garage has served as my photo studio, plant growth chamber, and summer storage area. But, finally, a few minutes ago, everything is cleared away, ready for her to drive inside.

I can't wait for spring to return.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is near. Only five more sleeps to go. For us, the preparations began last weekend with the purchase of a frozen turkey and some of the other components of the coming feast. This year, we're looking forward to the Holmes family coming to our home for the traditional meal.

Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect on all of the good things in our life. Family, of course, comes to mind first. For me, it means being thankful for my children and their children. It also means I'm thankful for my loving wife. I cannot express how important each of them is to me. If you are a parent or a grand-parent or a spouse, you know exactly what I mean.

It goes without saying that I'm also thankful for a roof over my head and a full larder. Too many Canadians do not have these basic luxuries. I also have numerous hobbies that keep me busy most days, including gardening, reading, nature photography and cooking.

I'm also grateful that I'm still reasonably healthy, considering my age. I'm fit enough to do most of things I need to do. What I can't do, I can get help from others to do. Sometimes, a friend or family member will help me; other times, I can hire someone to help me.

So, yes, I'm thankful for everything in my life. I hope you are, too, especially as Thanksgiving approaches.

Happiness is ...

Aldous Huxley, in his essay "Distractions I", said "Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities". Not having read this essay, yet, I can agree that happiness is mostly the by-product of our other activities.

Activities like continually learning new and interesting things, enjoying hobbies, sharing good times with friends and family, and reading and writing.

I believe happiness is also accepting changes in our lives. Some of these changes may be hard to accept.  Others may be welcomed. Life is always presenting us with new challenges and opportunities. How we react to them determines, to some extent, how happy we will be.

So, although our activities may give us most of our happiness, our experiences and what we learn from them also factor into the equation. It's certainly something to think about.

Turning the Pages

I can't imagine a life without books. I remember someone saying it's time to get more books when you've only got nine or ten unread ones left. I used to head to my favourite book store to restock when my 'pile' was getting low. Now, being both more frugal and more voracious in my reading, I head to the library. There are always more mysteries and suspense stories there. I particularly like Canadian and foreign authors (i.e., non-American). And, if I've hit upon an author I really like, there's always inter-library loan to fall back on when I exhaust those at my local branch.

I enjoy reading paper books. I've tried reading books on-line and using electronic readers but they leave me cold. There's nothing quite like having a book in your hand. It always amazes me how few people read. I've met some people who think they're doing well to read one book a year. Me? I usually read at least a couple every week. I'm not bragging. It's just the way I am.

I watch relatively little TV. However, recently, I have watched more than normal for me. We purchased DVDs for the first four seasons of NCIS and, over the last month or so, have gone through the first three seasons. That's an episode every night! Obviously, it's an addictive series. But, I must say that that series hasn't impacted my reading very much.

Happiness is ...

The Great Pumpkin

The best-known quote regarding Linus and the Great Pumpkin is: "There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin".

Maybe the Great Pumpkin was never discussed because Linus was humiliated every Halloween when the Great Pumpkin failed to appear.

Maybe, this year, he will finally appear? Or, maybe, we'll just have to pretend that the ordinary pumpkins that we see everywhere at this time of year includes a Great Pumpkin in disguise.

Maybe this one is the Great Pumpkin?

Bobbing for Apples

What ever happened to this old fall party past time? I can remember, as a wee child, my mom filling a wash tub with water and emptying a basket of apples into it, fresh from the tree. Without using our hands, my brothers and I knelt in front of the tub and caught apples with our teeth. It was much more fun than just grabbing an apple and eating it.

Fall(ing) Leaves

Autumn is here. Despite the misleading temperatures (it got up to 30 here yesterday!), fall is in the air. The leaves have turned to our famous yellows, browns, and oranges. They're quite beautiful. The road to Beaudry is lined with gorgeous colour. Some leaves are falling but most remain on the trees, so far.

Whether viewed from a distance or ...

up close, they mark the end of one season and the beginning of another. Canadians are fortunate to have four distinct seasons.

You say "Tomato" ...

You can finish the rest of the saying. This is just a note to reaffirm that summer is over in Winnipeg.  Yes, I know about September 22nd, the Autumnal Equinox, and the official end of summer. Here, in my opinion, it's simply the first hard frost. And, we've had it.

Just before that momentous event, I picked the remaining small but good tomatoes. There were still a few small, green 'marbles' on the vine but those will go in the compost.

The last tomatoes were a little harder than the earlier tomatoes but the fresh, home-grown flavour was still there.

I also brought in a potted begonia and hibiscus that I hope to overwinter as house plants.  I'll have to bring in my water lilies and papyrus soon, to store in the heated garage until next spring.

One good thing: the Michaelmas daisies have started to bloom on schedule. A little frost doesn't hurt them.

Summer is Over!

This morning, over a cup of coffee, I checked the weather on-line. I discovered the end of summer.

Just as this temperature marked the beginning of spring, many months ago, it marks the end of summer now. Another degree or two lower and any remaining flowers in my flower beds will be frost-killed. I suppose I better pick my remaining tomatoes today.

The good thing about this crisp weather is that the weeds will stop growing and that I will only have to cut the grass (and weeds) one more time before I can store the mower away for the winter.

Yes, I know we'll have some warm weather yet and I will make the most of it. Maybe, later this morning, I'll take the mutts out to Beaudry again. They could care less about the weather conditions.

A New Toy

I've wanted a new "travel" camera for awhile now. My big gear (a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, with several lens and a tripod) is too heavy to haul around when I'm visiting my grand-kids or whatever. I have a small pocket camera but it's kind of slow and a bit antiquated.  It needed to be replaced.

So, I went on-line and reviewed all sorts of possible replacements. Each had its pros and cons. The nicest ones, unfortunately, were much too expensive. In the end, I went to Henry's Camera to look at some of the possible choices.  There's nothing like taking a camera in your hand to see if you like it. Thanks to a knowledgeable clerk at the store, she asked me what features I wanted in the new camera and showed me some alternatives in my price range.

I ended up melting my plastic to buy a Nikon Coolpix P510 that had just arrived at the store. It's bigger than a pocket camera but much smaller than my T3i. Most important to me, it felt good in my hand.

I had to wait awhile to test it out.  Seems it takes 4 hours to charge the battery and I had bought a spare battery that needed to be charged as well. About 8 hours later, I tested it, using Mollie as my model.

The flash made her eyes look green (they're actually brown). I could have fixed this in my processing software but I liked the green eyes. I think she must be an Irish cockapoo.

Later, I took the mutts to Beaudry Provincial Park for a walk. It was a real challenge loading the two excited dogs into my Escape but I managed. It was a bit like herding cats.

At Beaudry, out in the grassy field, I took some more shots, including this one of Holly, waiting in the wind for me to catch up to her. Fortunately, the wind blew the hair out of her eyes.

I even took a video while I was there. It's of the dogs, who had gotten ahead of me on the trail (not hard to do!). I called them back and taped them running towards me. I tried posting that video here but it wouldn't work, maybe because it was too large or it was in the wrong format. But, take my word for it, the camera does a great job with videos.

Happiness is ...

Nuts

Several trips to Beaudry Provincial Park lately have yielded numerous photos for me. Some of these I've posted to my Flickr page. Here's one that I saved for this post.

Just an acorn maturing on a bur oak. It's often the little simple things that catch my eye when I wander the trails with my camera.

Fantasies

I got to thinking about fantasies today for some reason (?).  I wasn't thinking about fantasy novels. I gave up on them when they became just a never-ending series of books. I hate it when you get to the end of a fantasy novel only to discover it's "to be continued".

I wasn't thinking about sexual fantasies either (although that might make an interesting post). I was simply thinking about the "what if's" in life.

What if I had become a skilled carpenter? Or a wood carver? Or a chef? Or an English teacher? Or an automotive mechanic? Or a historian?

What if I had born a different colour? What if I lived in New Zealand? What if I could eat anything that I wanted to and never gain weight?

What if I was filthy rich? What if I won a huge lottery? What vehicle would I buy if I could buy make/model that I wanted?

What would my dream house be like? How many rooms would it have? Could I have a special room for each of my hobbies? Could I hire someone to keep it spotless?

What if I loved to travel? Where would I go first? Would I take a lavish round-the-world cruise? Or fly to a country and stay there until I thought it was time to move on to another exotic location?

I guess this probably sounds more like a wish list than a bunch of fantasies. I'm fortunate that, over my the course of my life, I've seen many of my wishes come true. Not all by any means, of course. But, a lot of them.

I think I'll go to the store now and buy that lottery ticket.

Final Farewell

Yesterday, we said our fond farewells to a wonderful woman, mother, grandmother  great grandmother, and great great grandmother. Although a deeply religious person, she never tried to convert you to her way of thinking. Rather, Anne Zacharias lived her 96 years through example.

Friends and family, right down to those great great grandchildren, gathered at Winkler EMM Church, to say their final goodbyes. Some of her children gave eulogies and some grandchildren were pall bearers. We all, in our own way, paid our last respects to her.

A delightful end, at the cemetery, was the handing out of helium-filled balloons to the grandchildren as the casket was lowered. The balloons were released on cue, as we looked heavenward, feeling the symbolism of the act.

A reading by David Harkins, "She is Gone", seems appropriate.

"You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she has left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back

or you can do what she would want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on".

Another Good Weekend

We've had wonderful weather this weekend. Sunny, light breezes, and 'normal'  temperatures. Yesterday, we went back to the local farmer's market and loaded up on fresh vegetables. Maybe enough for the coming week. We'll soon miss these visits for farm-fresh produce.

Later in the day, we headed out to Beaudry Provincial Park with the mutts. While Marg tired them out on a long walk, I took some photos of ripening hawthorn berries, something I've wanted to capture for several years now.

Today, I had more opportunities for photography there, making images of various weeds and wildflowers and other subjects near the bank of the Assiniboine River that flows through the park.

One of the flowers that I photographed today was a roadside aster. They are called smooth asters and they are quite pretty.

Next time I go there, I'd like to get some close-ups of these flowers. I think they'd look great in my perennial flower beds.

The Latest Show

We attended the opening of the latest Celebrations show on Friday night.

Judging by its opening night, this show really seems to have the right combination of professional actors, great singing and dancing, well made costumes, cool sets, and fantastic light and sound.

So many of the songs that were sung were familiar to me. One of the best was done by Ian Kehler. He sung "Hey, Jude" so well that I think that Lennon and McCartney would have been proud of his performance. Certainly, his mother, Elaine, who was sitting with us, was proud.

Even the four-course dinner was above average. The lemon meringue pie was a great ending to the dinner. Now, if only the coffee had been better, it would have been perfect.

Rules for Writers

George Orwell wrote in 1946 about the importance of precise and clear language in his famous essay, "Politics and the English Language".  He argued that vague writing can be used as a powerful tool of political manipulation because it shapes the way people think.

Orwell gave us six rules for writers:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

During my 14 years as City Entomologist for Winnipeg, I wrote countless letters, memos, and reports. I followed rules 2-5 above almost religiously.  But, I believed that the most important rule for me (then and now) was rule 2.  I sometimes joked that I'd rather use a 1-cent word rather than a 50-cent word any day.

This rule also helped me when I was trying to explain a technical subject to senior administrators, politicians and reporters.  When speaking to these people you really had to follow the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid), long promoted by the military.

I'm writing about these rules right now because, over the past few days, I've been researching some technical subjects relating to photography on the Internet.  So many writers broke all of the rules of good writing.  Often, I had to read many different writings on the same topic to begin to understand how to do something.  I sometimes read 6 or 7 different articles before I came across one that clearly explained something in easy to understand words.

I hope I didn't break too many rules in this post.

Warm Days ... But Cool Nights

Our warm weather continues.  But, the evenings cool down quickly and we're able to open all of our windows for sleeping.  I'm convinced I sleep much better when the indoor air is cool and fresh. August is a great month for this kind of weather.

I'm taking advantage of the fine weather to photograph more flowers.  On the weekend, we went back to Beaudry Provincial Park again.  We'd been staying away from this park because of the extremely high tick populations we encountered there, back in early June.  While Marg took the mutts for an enjoyable walk in the grassy fields, I played around with my camera on a woodland trail.

This is a photo of yarrow, a plant many consider a weed but which I think is quite beautiful (I even have some of these in my perennial gardens at home).  I've also posted this image to my Flickr page.  It's actually 3 images, taken at different exposures, that have been combined into one image, using special software that I'm learning to use.

As summer slowly comes to a close, I'll be spending more and more time capturing flowers and insects with my camera.

And, yes, I'm happy to say that the ticks were gone from Beaudry on this visit.

One show closes ...

... another opens.  Last Saturday, we attended the close of Celebrations Dinner Theatre's show, "Ghost Busted".  I noted a big improvement in the cast's performance from its opening to this closing.  I really enjoyed the singing and dancing.

And, this Friday, we'll attend the opening of the next show, "NCIS: Canadian Affair".

Apparently, the set is currently being transformed from the haunted 100-year old hotel of Ghost Busted to a set for the Naval Criminial Investigation Service show.  I'm looking forward to more great singing in this show.

Grateful ...

... for air conditioning. I can't complain about the weather today. Mainly because I'm inside a cool house, watching the Olympics. Outside, it's a different story.

How hot is it out there? As you can see from the clipped image from the Environment Canada website, it's "stinking hot"!!!

The weather is supposed to get back to "normal" in about a week. We'll see ...

Jewels

Everyday brings a new treat in the flower garden. Some are annual flowers; some are perennial flowers. All are beautiful in their own way.

This flower is a hibiscus I bought at the garden centre, earlier this summer. It's doing well in its original pot, now nestled in one of the front flower beds. I'm hoping I can keep it going inside this winter.

Other jewels from the garden include tomatoes and herbs.   We have a bunch of regular and Roma tomatoes almost ready for the table.  Nothing beats a fresh tomato from one's own garden, especially when sprinkled with fresh basil.

Happiness is ...

Time to Rusticate

In case you don't know the word rusticate, it means to go to or live in the country. Unfortunately, I cannot do the latter but, fortunately, I can do the former. I'm feeling the urge to do some short trips into rural Manitoba, despite the hot weather. I'd like to see how the crops are doing right now, see what's being harvested early, and take a few photos along the way.

I might also visit some old friends in the Carman area. It's been awhile for that also! There's one elderly couple that I visit regularly. I give my old paperbacks to them because they have a hard time getting to their library. They seem to appreciate them. Another elderly couple recently moved off the farm into a condo because the yard work was getting to be too much for them. They always seem to have freshly made cookies and coffee when I visit them.

But, mostly, it's just good to get out of the city and see the country. It seems that no matter what city I live in (and I've lived in several, including Toronto, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Winnipeg, and Ottawa), I spent a lot of time travelling in the surrounding countryside. Happiness is ...

The Passionate Reader

A passionate reader is someone who makes time in his or her life for the love of reading. In other words, the person simply loves to read.

All you really have to do to become a passionate reader is to find books that would interest you (e.g., mysteries, suspense novels, biographies) or books that pertain to your interests (e.g., photography, art, cooking, nature). And, it's very easy to find those books, especially if you live somewhere that has a great library (or you have the necessary funds to purchase any book you want!).

With some exceptional well-written books, you can celebrate the beauty of your language. Such books are written with intelligence, sensibility, and generosity, and a sense of the wider dimension. Some books are just a way to relax with an absorbing and undemanding story, interspersed with a little excitement. They are an absorbing way to forget about your problems, to escape the stresses in your life.

Without my passion for reading, I’m not sure my passion for writing would have been born.

Age

I saw a photo on 500px (a photo-sharing site like Flickr) this morning, entitled "old man with a pipe". It was very disturbing because the fellow looked younger than I do.

I know, I know. You are only as old as you feel. Well, first thing in the morning, I feel damn old. The photo didn't make me feel good at all.

I can only take heart in the fact that this old dog learns new tricks every day. Like yesterday, after changing my password for my Hotmail site using my laptop, I discovered that my iPad wouldn't open properly until I gave it my new Hotmail password. I gave it the password and it still wouldn't open.

Then, the old dog mentality saved me. It was as simple as "reboot, reboot, reboot'. Well, only one reboot was needed; then, it accepted the new password.  Seems that it had to 'forget' the old password before it would accept the new one.

So, what to do about the 'old man with a pipe' image? Simply, page on to the next image.

Leftover Meatloaf

Modestly (?), I must admit I made a great meatloaf for supper two nights ago. It was also a big meatloaf. I'm not sure I could better it in the future (partly because I didn't really follow a recipe; I don't even remember all the spices I used, let alone the amounts used).

I do remember that I used ground hot Italian sausage mixed with lean ground beef in a 1:4 ratio. I think that was a key step.

So, now faced with leftovers, I went on-line this morning to find some recipes for leftover meatloaf. I came up with two recipes that were mouth-watering:

• Meatloaf Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
• Cheesy Meatloaf Sandwich

These are both appealing, in part, because I have buns in the freezer that I can thaw and toast to serve as the sandwich bases. I also have the extra ingredients to cook and mix with the leftover meatloaf.

Maybe, I'll even make a tossed salad as a side dish.

Man Plans ... God Laughs

Summer in the city. This summer, our city is hot. It's 34 as I write this. I haven't even been outside today except to tend to the dogs and to make sure the tomatoes have enough water. In this heat and sun, they need daily watering. All of the potted plants do. I may have to break down soon and start watering the flower beds. The perennials are struggling a bit but the bark mulch we use helps keep them from drying out too much.

I'm always planning to do "stuff". You know, the dreaded "to do" list. These plans rarely go according to my schedule. The only things that happen when they're supposed to, it seems, are things like trips to the dentist, doctor,and optometrist. If the weather sucks, things like a haircut, mowing the lawn, weeding, or oil change, can wait for more tolerable weather (read "lots of false starts").

Ever notice how city traffic thins out in the summer, especially on the weekend? People are no longer rushing to work or driving their kids to day care, sports activities, or the mall. I think most Winnipeggers either have a cottage at one of our many lakes or have a friend who has a cottage. The rest either camp in one of the provincial parks or rent a cabin. The city is much quieter in the summer.

Except at some of the giant box stores. They always seem to be packed with shoppers. The Christmas rush seems to be a daily one at our local Costco. The crowds there are simply unreal at times. It always amazes me to see someone push a cart out of that place with a ton of stuff followed by someone with a loaf of bread. Who in their right mind would go to Costco to buy a loaf of bread? Maybe, these people just like or need to mingle with other people?!

After a 'meat loaf/potatoes and dill/green beans' supper tonight, Marg and I were off to Safeway for some needed groceries. From air-conditioned house to A/C car to A/C store and back. I know, I know. I'll be complaining about the frigid weather soon enough.

A Lot of Words

This is my 579th post in this blog. That's a lot of words. I hope those who read my posts have enjoyed them and that they've made you think. I've used a "wordle" generator to create an image that includes some of my key words over the past couple of years. Key words to me anyways.

These are some of the words that go through my mind when I sit down to write a new post. There are lots of other trigger words I think of as well but you get the idea.

Sometimes, I sit down to write and nothing really comes to mind. Those days, I don't fight it; I just cancel out of the blog site and come back another time. That's happened a lot lately. I have to remember that this blog is, first of all, for me and, second, for my regular readers.

So, keep coming back occasionally, to see what I've written. It may even be about you or something you've inspired me to think about.

It's time ...

... I posted something here. Lately, with the ongoing heat wave (when will it end?!), I've not felt like doing anything. I'm a wuss when it comes to temperatures over about 25 degrees. I was definitively born in the right country for normally cool temperatures. But, lately, I feel like I'm living in Central America. Tomorrow, it's supposed to go up to 35! I am eternally grateful for air conditioning! With the thermostat set at 21, I'm quite comfortable in a T-shirt and shorts.

Right now, I'm running full virus scans on my two computers to make sure I don't have a virus because someone/something is sending out a spam link to everyone on my email list. My apologies if you get one of these emails. Please don't click on the link; just delete it immediately.

Fortunately, it has been cooling off at night, going down to about 16. Marg has been taking the dogs for walk then; otherwise, it would be too hot for them, wearing their fur coats.

I've put up this old photo of me snow-blowing at the old Carman home site. I does make me feel cooler and reminds me that, as hard as it is to believe, this heat wave will eventually end.

Canada D'eh

Officially, I suppose we're celebrating the anniversary of the confederation on the 1st of July.  When I was a kid, it was called Dominion Day.  But, since 1982, it has been deemed to be Canada Day.

Some noteworthy events have occurred on Canada Day.  For example, the first colour television transmission in Canada took place on July 1, 1966.  That was on Canada's 99th birthday.  We've certainly come a long way, technologically, since then.


But, to me, the most noteworthy event that occurred on a Canada Day happened just last year when my grand-daughter, Jillian, was born.  So, this year,Canada's 145th birthday, I'll be celebrating Jillian's first birthday with friends and family.  We may even wave some flags and shoot off some fireworks later on in the day, if I'm able to stay awake long enough.

Wonderful Weekend

The weather was sunny and warm. The location was great: a rented deluxe cottage at White Lake Resort on White Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park.

The photographic opportunities were unlimited. I spent two golden evenings at nearby Rainbow Falls with my camera gear. Arriving at the Falls, the first thing I saw was a white pelican, fishing for walleye, in the outflow.

There were other birds, insects, and aquatic plants there that also caught my attention. Although I took some great nature shots there, I felt I had barely scratched the surface of all the possibilities.

Driving around the area to other interesting spots during the day only whetted my desire to return again soon.

If you want to view some of my photos of this area, check the link to my Flickr page below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/papa-ellis/

Scriptor Senex

Scriptor senex is Latin for "the writer was an old man".  Judging by my recent history of blog posting, it would probably more accurate to refer to me as "vetus lector" which means "an old reader". It seems I always have or make time to read. Most of the books I've read recently have been mysteries and suspense novels from the local branch of the Winnipeg Library.

Occasionally, I still buy books. If I do, I usually purchase them at McNally-Robinson Booksellers. I've been buying books here since it opened in 1981.

Now, I mostly just buy magazines there. I rarely can get past the big magazine stands without buying at least one on photography, cooking, gardening, computing, or art. Tonight, we went there for supper. Prairie Ink is the name of their bistro-style restaurant. And, afterwards, I stocked up on some of the latest interesting photography magazines.

Father's Day

On Father's Day especially, I remember my Dad.

By example, he taught me to be curious about nature.

The Meaning of Life

Many people are trying to find the meaning of their life these days.  Douglas Adams, writer of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", jokingly said it was 42. In his honor, I wear a necklace with that number stamped on its pendant. It reminds me to occasionally reflect on the meaning of my life.

Joseph Campbell said "People say that we're all seeking the meaning for life ... I think what we are really seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our innermost being and reality, so that we can actually feel the rapture of being alive". Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer. His work covers many aspects of the human experience. His philosophy is often summarized by his phrase: "Follow your bliss".

Personally, I think too many people are wasting their time and energy (and perhaps their life) searching for the meaning of life. In their quest, they lose sight of some fundamentals. Like simply loving their family and making the best of what they already have. My philosophy, if it is one, is to simply enjoy the moment and the life that I'm leading. As a calligrapher friend of mine once wrote, "enough is a feast".

Cause and Effect

Herman Melville, the American who wrote "Moby-Dick" in 1851, once said "We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects".

If you're interested, you can read more about this writer in Wikipedia.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Melville

By now, you're wondering where I'm going with all this.  Well, one thread that started many years ago --- call it a cause --- recently resurfaced in my life as an effect.  When I was a high school senior, I joined the school's Hi-Y. These clubs were organized among high-school boys and affiliated with the Young Men's Christian Association, with purpose to create, maintain, and extend throughout the school and community, high standards of Christian character.

There, I became friends with some of my HS mates. I still remember a fine Chinese food banquet that we attended at Cathay Gardens in Coquitlam.  I think that's when my life long fondness for this cuisine began, 50 years ago.

You'll note I'm not in this group picture of the Hi-Y members. As usual, I was the one taking the picture.

Well, the other day, I had lunch with one of the fellows from this Hi-Y club while he and his wife were visiting in Winnipeg. In the photo above, Dave Holte is the one seated second from the right.  He looks a little different now.  It was good to get together again with him and talk a bit about the "good old days". Thus, a thread started 5 decades ago resurfaced in my life again.

Too Many Irons in the Fire?

Sometimes I get discouraged that I never seem to catch up with all the things I either need to do or want to do. Photography. Writing. Visiting friends and relatives. Grocery shopping. Cooking. Gardening. Yard work. Cleaning the house. Setting up my new computer. The list goes on and on. Oh, well. At least I wrote this short blog post today.

I've enjoyed my photography hobby a lot over the past few weeks. I've posted many flower images to my Flickr page (please see the link to that page at the upper right). The flower beds are providing a seemingly endless variety of subjects for my macro photography. I'd like to do more wildflowers, too, but there are just too many ticks out in the fields these days. Hopefully, the situation will get better next month.

Ticked Off

As an entomologist, not many bugs really bother me.  Two exceptions are mosquitoes and ticks.  So far this summer, the mosquitoes have been few and far between but that will change soon, after all the rain we've had lately.  But, the American dog ticks this season are probably the worst I've experienced in 10+ years.

Saturday's run in the Beaudry fields ended up being a big mistake.  The dogs picked up literally hundreds of ticks as they ran through the tall grass.  We've been taking ticks off them since we got home.  The tick collars kept most of them off their heads but that was all.  I gave them a rub-down with permethrin when we got home and that helped also.  Lots of dead and dying ticks wherever the dogs laid down.  But, some escaped that treatment and attached themselves to the dogs.  So, the picking process continues even though we've pulled off at least 50 from each dog.  It's not fun for either us or the mutts.

No more dog walks at Beaudry this summer for at least another month.

Officially Over

According to the statistics, southern Manitoba is all wet.  Manitoba has had a wetter-than-normal April and May, according to statistics released this morning by the provincial Agriculture Department. Winnipeg has had 46% more rain than normal since April 1st. Certainly, our yard is wet! Our sump pump is getting a workout.  It's pumping out about 10 gallons or so every 10 minutes.  Our "basement water feature" is quite alive and noisy.  I'm convinced we have an underground creek running beneath our basement floor.

All that pumped water goes out through an underground pipe that releases the water half-way down our front lawn. From there to the front, street-side, flower bed, the grass is super green and the flower bed is saturated.  There's so much water going out that it drains over the curb, onto the street, travels down the street, and runs into the city's storm water sewer.

The plus side of all this rain has been that the city has an emerald green colour to it.  Maybe, I won't have to go to Ireland to see that colour after all.  It certainly saves on our yard watering bill.

Fude for Thought

Margaret and I went on a date night last night. She chose a restaurant we'd heard about but never tried, called Fude, in Osborne Village.

Fude serves Manitoba-inspired cuisine. Their menu features such culinary favorites as "fall off the bone" Manitoba Bison Ribs, smothered in a smokey chipotle sauce, spice-dusted Manitoba pork tenderloin, served with their own rhubarb chutney, locally caught pickerel, drizzled with a zesty lime-cream sauce and their signature dish, chili chocolate chicken. This dish is slathered in Callebaut dark chocolate sauce, offset with cayenne cream.  Have you started to salivate yet?

The Fude was really good.

Let Them Eat Cake

It was fun, yesterday, to get together with family at the Keg to celebrate my birthday.  I had a good time, watching the antics of my grand-kids at the table. Each with their own personality, having fun, mostly. My heart melted a bit when I got unexpected smiles from the littlest ones, Becca and Jillian.

Unfortunately, there was no black forest cake on the dessert menu so I 'settled' for a mini warm brownie with ice cream and chocolate and caramel sauces.

The treat was as good as it looks. Thanks to all (but especially Margaret) for making my day so special.

Fun with Flowers

Yesterday, I spent some time in my heated garage, with an improvised photography studio. The day before. I bought a beautiful hibiscus with three buds from the local garden centre. I was hoping to do a time-lase series of the buds opening but I discovered the buds were already fully opened when I went out to the garage yesterday morning. So, I spent some time trying out different lenses, lighting, and compositions.

I posted two of the best shots to my Flickr page (see link in upper right of this page). I thought I'd write about the experience here.

The shot above shows two of the opened flowers. This a somewhat distant shot to show the blooms and leaves, lit by an on-camera flash. I used a spiky plant in the background to hide the distracting garage clutter. This was the starting point for subsequent close-ups. I thought the blooms themselves and the stamens needed to viewed closer, leading to the shots posted on my Flickr page.

Today, I was going to do a series of much closer shots of the flower parts, at magnifications of 1-5x this morning. Sadly, the blooms were one-day wonders. They had already started to curl up and wither away. There's still one unopened bud so maybe I still get those shots in a few days. I must say that, by doing this photographic exercise, I learned some good lessons for next time.

Sweet Sixteen

Sara (Margaret's niece) and her friend were waiting for the show (Jail House Rock) to begin at Celebrations Dinner Theatre on the weekend.

Sara turned sixteen and celebrated her birthday by going on her first date with her friend Bradley. She obviously had a good time, even appearing in front of the audience when people celebrating their birthdays were called up on stage. She quickly became the star of the show. Yay, Sara, another milestone in your life.

Rain and Snow Coming

This Saturday and Sunday doesn't look great, weather-wise. Not that we don't expect late winter storms in Winterpeg. We've had our share over the years. Everyone here remembers early April, 1997, which dumped tons of snow on us and led to the flood of the century. That's unlikely to be repeated this weekend.

Sunday evening, we plan to see the new show at Celebrations Dinner Theatre, with my daughter, Josi, and her family. This musical is called "Jail House Rock" and will feature the tunes of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. It should be a fun evening.

In like a lion ...

... out like a lamb. So, the old saying may be true. We started this month with a snow storm and ended with a sunny, relatively warm day (+17 today!). It must have been the other way around with eastern Newfoundland because they are having quite the snowstorm today. It's time I got outside and enjoyed this fine Winnipeg weather.

Morning Routine

Mornings here begin as one might expect. Usually, I wake up in the middle of the night. One of the first things I do is make a cup of coffee on my Kierig and give it a 10 second 'nuke' in the microwave. I like my coffee hot. Then, it's over to the laptop to check what happened since I was last there ... on Facebook, my Flickr page, the weather forecast, on CBC news, and, of course, my email.

Usually, not much has happened in the intervening 4 or 5 hours since I was last there.  If there has been any personal email, I'll probably answer it right away. Then, I turn to Flickriver to run through the 500 latest photos posted there. Some mornings, there are many great images to look at. If someone's photo really interests me, I'll go to their Flickr page and look at others that that person has posted. Once in awhile, I know a certain photo will interest a friend and I'll send an email with the link to it to that person.

Lately, I've been disappointed in Flickriver. The 500 photos are supposed to be the most interesting posted on the previous day. It's not always true. Some days, like this morning, there's an abundance of what I consider poor images. I know literally thousands of images were posted on Flickr in the past 24 hours that were more interesting. But, I continue looking each day because, as I said, some days, there are many really great images selected.

When I've done all this, I'll probably head back to bed, read for a little while, and try to get back to sleep for another hour or two.

Weird Wintry Weather

The prairies are experiencing winter's 'last kick at the cat'.  Rain, sleet, and light snow here in Winterpeg today, with the temperature hovering around the freezing mark.  So far, we've been missed by the heavy snowfall that fell west of us earlier today.

The grass here is greening up.  Lots of green buds on the trees and shrubs but no leaves yet.  It's just as well with this weather.  At least, with this rain, the early perennials will have lots of soil moisture for a good start to their spring growth.

I'm getting the spring urge to check the flower beds daily and to visit my favourite garden centre.  I want to get a few new house plants and some seedling herbs.  My thumb is developing a slight green tinge as I write this.  Maybe, now, I'll go look through some of my seed catalogues and do some day dreaming.

What more can you say?

It's  March. We seem to be alternating between 'good' and 'bad' weather. One day, it's  sweater weather; the next, it's parka weather. It seems we're being teased by Spring. One things for sure: it'll come. I keep watching the buds on my trees and shrubs, hoping Spring will come sooner than later. I'm so looking forward to seeing green again.

Both of us have been fighting a bug that we picked up on our flight home from Panama. Lots of coughing, sneezing, and lethargy. We're looking forward to getting over this bug soon. Fortunately, we have lots of books to read while we recover. The only ones really complaining are our dogs who aren't getting what they consider their necessary daily walks.

Gift Suggestions

Ever wonder what to give someone?  Consider the following:


To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

Life is Hard

Many of you probably know that, over the years and for various reasons, I've come to hate travel. Not so much being in a new place as in getting there and back. I've been to several countries in Africa and Europe, to Iceland and Greenland, the Caribbean a couple of times, New Zealand, Alaska and most other of the United States, and, of course, to every province and territory in Canada.

It's the waiting to go to the airport, going through security, customs, and immigration, and finally being shoehorned into a seat in an aluminium tube called an air-plane for a long, boring ride. And then, on the way home, reversing the whole process. These days, I'd more happily ride an armchair.

All the places I've been to have proven to be interesting. Some more than others but each one has been a good learning experience. Travel has enriched my life. And my latest travel adventure was more interesting than most.

... the new Westin in Panama ...

... the Gamboa Rainforest Resort

Panama has a wonderful history, including the building of the Panama Canal. Most of the people who live there are very friendly and helpful. Where we stayed (first at a brand new 5-star Westin on the Pacific coast and second at a Rainforest Resort very close to the Canal), the food and drinks were great. Every meal was a varied delight. Special mention has to be made of the delicious fresh fruit. I think I had more fresh fruit over those 7 days than I've had over the the past 7 months, here at home. I never knew pineapple could taste so good.

I was also able to indulge myself in my photography. I took many of the usual touristy shots around the hotel and resort but I also was able to photograph some of the local flora and fauna. Soon, I'll be posting some of my shots of flowers, trees, birds, turtles, monkeys, slothes, and even a few insects to my Flickr page. If you're a friend on my Facebook page, you'll have noticed I've already started to post some images of the places that we stayed.

Panama is a must-see place to go. I'd recommend visiting this wonderful country to anyone.

She Won the Gold

Marg's niece, 15-year-old Sara Holmes, won the Gold Medal today in the 200 m snowshoeing event at the National Winter Games of the Special Olympics (1 minute and 20 seconds!). Her team also won the Silver in the Snowshoe Relay. She is one very happy girl this evening and we are all so proud of her.

This is a shot of one of the snowshoe races at St. Albert, taken from the Special Olympics website (http://www.stalbert2012.ca/en/):

Marching Right Along

Every day, I think, 'I must write a blog post today'. But, obviously, it doesn't happen. Sometimes, I can't think of any subject worth writing about; other times, I'm 'too busy' (read 'I have other priorities'). And, of course, sometimes, I just lose interest in blogging. I suppose that this occasionally happens to even the most dedicated bloggers.

So, now, it's March 3rd. We've just had a bit of a snow storm and now the skies are once again sunny and full of ice crystals. And, it's cold (-14) here in the Peg. I'm sitting at the laptop, wondering when the fellow I hired to clear my driveway after each snow will do his job. I suppose he's both busy and tired, dealing with all his customers. I'm learning patience.

Today, we have to run some more errands, getting ready for our trip to Panama. Yesterday, we got some needed vaccinations and both of us have two sore shoulders. But, prevention of disease is better than dealing with disease. Next, we'll have to start packing our new suitcases.

Deciding what to take and what to leave behind is always a challenge. Typically, like most people, we tend to pack too much. We also have to stock up the larder for our live-in house and dog sitter. Sometimes, I think (actually, I know) it would be easier just to stay home and wait out the cold winter. Soon, it will be spring.

Every day now, I see the photos of other photographers on Flickr. Many shots are now appearing of their spring perennials. This wave of floral excess slowly moves northward from the southern USA. By the time that I post some of my spring flower photos, most viewers will be bored with such shots. It's the price of living in a northern climate. Not that I'd trade places with those southerners. I do love where I live. It makes me think of that old saying 'bloom where you are planted'.

A Bit of a Leap

Yes, 29 days to this February. According to Wikipedia, February 29th is a date that usually occurs every four years and is called leap day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days.

I think we have leap days just so that we can catch up on our "to do" lists.  Not that that works with me.  I probably need those days just to revise or update my lists (when I can find them). You know, to delete those things on the list that I don't even remember what they were or why I wanted to do them someday, maybe.  Personally, my "to do" lists would be better named "procrastination lists".

I think I'd be better off just listing the things I normally do every week.  Then, I could cheerfully check the items off every week and feel good.  "To do" lists are so depressing because they seem to only increase in length.

If you're reading this and smugly thinking you use a "to do" list and you get everything done, then let me know and I'll send you mine.  Maybe, because you're so organized, you can come to my place and work through my list. Tomorrow, being the 29th, might be a good day.

Time flies ...

... when you're having fun. So fast that you forget to write about what's happening. It's been nearly 3 weeks since I last sat down and wrote a post. Part of the time, I've been having 'body work' done. Visits to my doctor, dentist and optometrist were included in my body work.

Plus, the usual weekend dog walks and photography at nearby Beaudry Provincial Park. And, two more birthday celebrations. And, speaking of 'celebrations', we took in another show at Celebrations Dinner Theatre. And, then, this weekend, we got away to Lakeview Inn at Gimli.  Just to get away from the city for a brief spell.

Over the past 3 weeks, our weather has been up and down like a yo-yo. Some days exceedingly warm for February in Winterpeg and some days very cold and blustery (like today!). Tonight, we're having Marg's family over for supper. Tomorrow, Marg and some of them are off to the 2012 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games near Edmonton. One of Marg's nieces is competing in the snowshoe event. Maybe, she'll get to compete in Korea later on.

Me? I get to stay home and watch the dogs. But, the Panama escape is our horizon now. Ten days to go before that adventure.