I haven’t posted anything in a couple of days so I suppose I had better get things a bit caught up. 

So what has been happening?  Well, to put it quite simply, not very much.  The week has seemed to zip by and you have to wonder just where it went?  It seems as if the older you get the quicker time goes.  One thing any Canadian can always comment on is the weather.  And just how it has changed over the past week.  Monday and Tuesday a howling gale was raging which was accompanied by warmer weather.  Now that the wind has dropped to a more normal rate so has the temperature. Once again back into the more or less seasonal normals of just above or below freezing during the day and a few degrees lower at night.

Wednesday was the usual Old FARTS lunch at the Vanier Legion.  The cook certainly is doing a good job in providing us with a good meal at a reasonable rate.  On Wednesday it was a 1/2 breast of BBQ chicken, french fries, mixed carrots and peas and cole slaw.  I even got a take-away for supper and it seems as if I got a double portion in that because there were 2 pieces of chicken and enough other goodies for the two of us.  I got nominated to choose the meal for next Wednesday and the cook suggest fish and chips or ribs.  I was really torn between the two because both are up there on my favourite’s list.  After much deliberation I picked the fish and chips.

Thursday was a stay at home day but it was out for drinks at supper to meet up with some old over-seas colleagues.  A colleague from my Nairobi and Abu Dhabi days is in the city for a bit of training and suggested that some of the old crew from Nairobi and Abu Dhabi (and several others) get together for drinks at the Heart and Crown in the market.  We showed up on time and spied one from Nairobi and the other from Abu Dhabi sitting at the bar.  It seems as if they just happened to be sitting at the bar and discovered they were there for the same reason.  Well, the four of us took a look around to see if we could find the ‘organizer’ but did not see him anywhere.  Mind you the Heart and Crown is divided in many different rooms and alcoves but we took a look a couple of times to no avail.  Never-the-less the four of us had a good time reminiscing about old times.  When we got home Wendy texted the organizer saying that we were there but he wasn’t.  He came back and said that he was in one of the back rooms.  Oh well maybe we will meet up again in the near future.  It was a great meeting with the other two though.

We got a call on Friday morning asking if we could go out and pick up the grandkids after school and of course the answer was yes.  As we were about to get ready I got a call from the bank “about the 1 pm meeting” even though it was written down on the calendar both of us had completely forgotten about it.  Luckily the advisor was very understanding and a new appointment was made for next Friday.  I will have to put that notice on the fridge in big letters.

At the farm I checked on the chickens and gave them some food scraps that we took out, gave them some more mash and ‘fluffed up’ the straw in the coop.  I noticed a large hole in one corner and am wondering what could have made it.  It seems a little big for a chipmunk and there was only eleven eggs which seems to be quite a drop in production.  We will have to keep a close eye on things.

It was “Meet Santa in North Gower Night” and the Boy Scout and Girl Guide groups were doing a bit of a concert.  Because Adrian is a very proud Beaver it was another, most do for grandparents — off to watch the concert that the kids put on.  It is a treat to see just how much all the kids like to put on a show.  One thing we noticed — there is no shortage of little children in “The Gower.”

Even if we were afraid that we would be blown off course it was a great run last night.  The wind was just howling in the trees when we were in the forest so it was not only beware of the rocks, roots and slipperiness but also the fear of falling trees.  Luckily nothing like that happened, except one runner twisted his knee so went home before the end of the run.  The hare who set the run is well known for setting long trails but last night was considered by most to be just right at just a shade over six kilometres.  You can read more about it under the Hash link.  Have also added a new submenu there which will display Hash Trail Maps.

The wind has let up a bit and the temperature has certainly dropped since last night but I haven’t noticed any of the predicted rain or snow.

I am still wondering what to do about putting photos up….  Should I post some that I already have digitally or should I scan some of the older ones from England, Syria, Pakistan and some other holiday photos.  I guess it will just have to be something that I work out in the next little while.

Back from the doctors.  Found a parking spot on the street so it was about a five minute walk to the office.  Arrived there before time and then waited for 45 minutes for a couple of minutes consultation to be told, “it is healing nicely.  Will put you on another set of antibiotics and come back in three weeks.”  At least he did say to get the prescription filled at the ‘local’ pharmacy in the building because if the original prescription was not covered by my drug plan he would write another one that was.  This one was almost completely covered but the dispensing fee was $10.99 compared to the $3.89 that Costco charges.  Never-the-less instead of paying the full cost of $67.82 it was only $13.56!

So there is no face-lift for me.  I am stuck with the one I have and everyone else is just going to have to like me the way that I am...  or not...  whatever...

What a change in the weather!  When I first woke up this morning it was pouring down rain, then on the walk from the car to the hospital it was warm and mostly cloudy.  Came out of the hospital and it seemed to be clearing with more sun and temperature of plus 17.  Now a couple of hours later it is once again dark skies and the wind has started to blow again.  It looks as if it is going to be an interesting hash tonight.


Special weather Statements
12:10 PM EST Monday 24 November 2014 - issued by Environment Canada
Special weather statement in effect for:

• Ottawa North - Kanata - Orléans
• Ottawa South - Richmond - Metcalfe

Very mild air makes a brief visit today, then windy and turning colder as winter returns by Tuesday.

A deep low pressure area over Northeastern Ontario will track northeast into Western Quebec this evening. The majority of the rain has moved off into Quebec, however some showers and even the chance of a thunderstorm will linger today producing local rainfall amounts of 25 mm. Very mild air will pay a brief visit to the regions today with temperatures getting into the low to mid teens in many areas, with even a few upper teens possible such as in the Cornwall area this afternoon.

Meanwhile, a sharp Arctic cold front will blast east across the regions later today. It will be heralded by strong and gusty southwesterly winds, with gusts of 80 km/h being common over Southern Ontario and in Eastern Ontario near the north shore of Lake Ontario. A few gusts of 85 to 90 km/h are quite possible in some exposed areas. These strong and gusty winds will result in difficult driving conditions, especially on highways subject to strong cross winds.

Got a call from Don in the morning inviting us out for Sunday Dinner, well actually we usually alternated between homes, and to help putting up his outdoor Christmas lights.

Put up most of the lights before we were called in for supper.  Of course we had lots of help from Adrian who loved to climb the ladder.  At the beginning he would go part way up say; "I'm not scared" then come down and say "I'm brave."  Well this progressed until he was climbing to the top of the ladder and he was so proud because he was higher than the roof and the chicken coop!  And of course he was not scared and brave.


Got a few eggs for us and for the hash tomorrow night as well as the frozen chickens that the son of one of Don's friends is selling to help pay his way through university.  They may be a little more expensive but they are not 'factory-battered raised' and they are pretty much free range or at least can get out in the open and are on a much better diet.  All of this adds to them being more flavourful!

Off to the plastic surgeon tomorrow to see about the cyst on the side of my face.  I think it has gone down a bit but will see what is going to happen.

Someone once said that I should write down some of the things that I have done or have happen to me over the years and I am kind of torn on just what to put down on paper.  It is how much should one share on an open network like the internet where everything that you put here will remain here for time immortal!  I will just have to give it a bit more thought and see what my poor old brain box can come up with.

Well there is really nothing like 'just another day' each one is different no matter how much they seem the same.

It has warmed up a bit, at least it is above freezing and raining at 6pm!  Started raining a bit earlier while I was putting up some more Christmas lights.  Had to get another 'spider plug' to get them all plugged in.  Will wait and put up the various ornaments on the 1st of Decemeber when I will turn the lights on.  There are quite a few housed decorated and with their lights turn on now but I think it is far to early.

A rant about crank windows.  Simply put - I hate them!  One of the supports that holds the bar that pulls the window tightly closed broke off and I got the new piece today and installed it.  The more complicated they make things the harder it is to replace or fix them.  No wonder the window companies changed from the simple sash (up and down) windows to these more complicated things.  Just walk into one of the shops that sells replacement parts and see the various styles of the contraptions that open and close those windows!  If one of the rollers that pull the window closed when you crank the handle wears out you have to buy the whole piece!  Handle, gears, and arms just to get the nylon roller!  Also before we had these high tech energy effecient things installed we never needed air conditioning.  We would also just have to open the windows and we would be getting a good cross breeze.  Now, because the way the windows are designed, there is no cross breeze and it seems as if there is almost no beeze at all unless the wind is blowing in just the right direction.  Waiting to win the lottery and out these windows go and replace them with the good old fashioned ones.

It seems as if I have turned into a 'fair weather runner'.  While todays temperature is hovering just below freezing the wind (SW 31 gust 47 km/h)is howling which drives the windchill down to minus 8!  That is the 1pm readings but earlier readings were just a tad bit cooler - at 11am wind SW 34 gusting to 62 giving a windchill of minus 10.  There were times in my younger days that those winds and temperatures would not have bothered me but I now think that I am just a little to old to put up with them if I do not have to.

No snow yesterday but it was cold and very windy!  Made a trip out to the farm in the afternoon to check on the chickens and pick up some eggs for today.  I think our poor choocks have cut back a bit on the egg production (only 13) now that it has turned cold. They weren't even outside when we got there but all inside.

Today it was the usual visit to the Vanier Legion with the Old FARTS for a Shepard's Pie lunch.  Then dragged off to Costco to do a bit of shopping and gas up the car.  Costco gas price $101.9 saw one price for $107.9 at an ESSO station so that would have been a saving of 6c a liter and with 39 litres to fill up it was a good saving.

I finally have my July and August photos put up on picasa and linked from the photos page.  Will send out an email to family so they can have a look at them at this site.  Hopefully I will get some positive feedback.

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be.....

     Well not really.  Woke up to some of that horrible white stuff on the ground.  You know that stuff called snow!  It looks as if winter really is here to stay now.  Environment Canada has even issued a snowfall warning for the area.  
     I was out and dutifully shovelled out the driveway.  Thankfully it was not to cold only hovering around the zero mark but it did make the snow heavy and wet.  I will have to be out later to re-do it before we head out for the first hash of the winter season.
     Am still working on the July and August trip photos and hope to have them finished today or tomorrow.  Once they are done I will let some of the important people in the world know about this place and see what kind of comments I get.
     Just back from doing the driveway again.  I certainly am glad that the snowblower is working.  Don and I, well mostly Don, changed the two drive belts in the summer and they seem to be working a treat.  The snow is heavy and wet, probably has to do with the warmish temperature.
     Now to get ready for the hash.  I am wondering what it will be like in the snow.  Hopefully the hares have thought of that and used the appropriate marks.  Time will tell.

Yesterday…..  all my troubles seemed so far away.  Now that brings back memories.  When my kids were young I would always “sing” yesterday and the first couple of words instead of just saying yesterday.  For years they never believed me when I said that it was a real song until one day it was on the radio..  Now they know!  Anyway yesterday, I finally got the garage cleared out enough to put the car in.  It is still a bit of a tight fit because the snowblower is in front which cuts down a couple of feet.  Once the need to use that machine I will either move it outside under the cover or keep it behind the car.

Woke up this morning to some light snowfall and a trace of snow on the ground so it looks as if our winter has arrived. Checking back on the weather for last year and on this day the high was plus 12.8 and the low 0.7!  And we thought that it was a long cold winter last year. 

Just got a call from Don and we will be out to “the farm” for supper tonight.  

Now it is back to work on putting some more photos up.  I am kind of torn on just what to put on here.  I have lots and lots of safari photos but how many photos of lions or elephants or any other animal do people really need to see?  Is one enough?  Is two to many?  May just do some more trip photos.

More photos put up on picasa and then linked from the hash photo page.  Will work on getting some more photos up as well.  Not sure if it will be hash photos or other general photos.  I have so many photos it is a bit hard to decide on just what to do and share.

Was at the ‘Signatures Craft Show’ earlier and there were a few interesting things to see, and food to sample.  There seemed to be quite a few women’s clothing stalls as well as jewelry displays.  They always seem to be the most abundant.  While there was nothing there that absolutely jumped out and said buy me we did manage to get a couple of Christmas presents as well as some of the best tasting local honey.

It looks as if we will be missing tonight Rideau Hash.  We have been out and about every day for the past two weeks as well as several nights as well, so it may be time for a bit of a rest.  Besides, there is Christmas baking to get done as well.