There is NOTHING like a great show tune to round out a wedding, hey?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Hey Ralph!
Check this out ... this is a GREAT idea for Samantha's wedding. As the proud papa, I know you wanna put on a great show. Now, I know you're not Jewish, but this could work .. you could convert, right?
There is NOTHING like a great show tune to round out a wedding, hey?
There is NOTHING like a great show tune to round out a wedding, hey?
Halloween ideas for Melvin
If you've ever met my friend Melvin, you know that he loooooves to dress up for Halloween. But the rule is simple ... it has to come from around the house, has to be a last minute idea .. and most importantly has to be funny.
I've got it, Mel! This idea fits all your criteria. No no, Sandy ... you can thank me after you take pictures.
I've got it, Mel! This idea fits all your criteria. No no, Sandy ... you can thank me after you take pictures.
Many thanks to my friend Liz Taylor for the link to poorlydressed.com. I spent more time there today than I should have .. but damn, it was fun.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dingle Bingle Hill
The first in a series of posts that makes you wonder what kind of meeting this was where they sat around and came up with street names. Or if they let their kids name streets. Which, come to think of it, makes for a fun moment or two. Can you imagine giving out your street address as 536 Dingle Bingle Hill?
They make me smile
This has been the year of the dentist for me. I don't think it's a particular secret that I have an aversion to dentists .. not because I think they are maniacs with a penchant for stressing people with their long, pointy, sharp needles. No, not at all. Actually, the ones I've met are mostly nice professionals you never get to really know because they're all business when you're in the chair. And let's face it .. the chance for intelligent discourse is somewhat limited when you've got a half a dozen instruments in your mouth trying to tame your tongue.
Since Calgary when my last dentist (that I'll claim was 'my' dentist, that is) struggled to get freezing into my mouth, I've known that this has been my issue with dentists all along. My bottom jaw simply doesn't freeze and most of those needle-wielding maniacs in my past have simply gone ahead and worked on my mouth live.
My experience in Nanaimo with dentists had not been all that economical. I had one person give me an estimate for $10,000 to deal with ONE TOOTH. Okay, caps lock off now - I've calmed down. The same person sent me to a periodontist who was also going to treat me like I live on the rich side of the tracks. I didn't go back to either of them.
It was rather no surprise then that I found my way to Dr. Heather Chisholm as the result of a pounding toothache three days in the making. A year before then, however, I'd been sitting in a waiting room one day when I saw an article for her in a magazine. The thing that sparked my attention enough to rip that page out of the magazine (yes, I'm one of those people) is that Dr. Chisholm actually teaches the fine art of freezing to aspiring dentists. I popped that ad up on the side of the fridge and left it there, waiting for 'the day.'
Having dealt with my immediate issue, Dr. Chisholm and her team of laughing co-conspirators have managed to get me, over the course of this summer, to actually look forward to my dental appointments. The Jessicas are an infectious team of dental do-gooders who keep Heather on track. At one point, upon pulling my wisdom tooth on a day when both were absent, Dr. Chisholm giggled and commented how proud the Jessicas would be that she could pull a tooth without their help. The dental hygenist, Joan, has been amazing .. she has me believing in the power of floss. She should take up the pulpit ... I'd donate to the Church of Joan.
Since Calgary when my last dentist (that I'll claim was 'my' dentist, that is) struggled to get freezing into my mouth, I've known that this has been my issue with dentists all along. My bottom jaw simply doesn't freeze and most of those needle-wielding maniacs in my past have simply gone ahead and worked on my mouth live.
My experience in Nanaimo with dentists had not been all that economical. I had one person give me an estimate for $10,000 to deal with ONE TOOTH. Okay, caps lock off now - I've calmed down. The same person sent me to a periodontist who was also going to treat me like I live on the rich side of the tracks. I didn't go back to either of them.
It was rather no surprise then that I found my way to Dr. Heather Chisholm as the result of a pounding toothache three days in the making. A year before then, however, I'd been sitting in a waiting room one day when I saw an article for her in a magazine. The thing that sparked my attention enough to rip that page out of the magazine (yes, I'm one of those people) is that Dr. Chisholm actually teaches the fine art of freezing to aspiring dentists. I popped that ad up on the side of the fridge and left it there, waiting for 'the day.'
Having dealt with my immediate issue, Dr. Chisholm and her team of laughing co-conspirators have managed to get me, over the course of this summer, to actually look forward to my dental appointments. The Jessicas are an infectious team of dental do-gooders who keep Heather on track. At one point, upon pulling my wisdom tooth on a day when both were absent, Dr. Chisholm giggled and commented how proud the Jessicas would be that she could pull a tooth without their help. The dental hygenist, Joan, has been amazing .. she has me believing in the power of floss. She should take up the pulpit ... I'd donate to the Church of Joan.
A Peach of a Guy
My buddy Chris was off at a dragon boat race in Penticton a week ago and I twisted his arm to bring me back half a dozen peaches if he could.
Peaches were always one of those fruits I could take or leave. I liked the flavour, but the fuzzy peach skin was a deal-breaker and peeling them, if you've tried it .. is a messy business much akin to what happens when you leave a small child unattended in high chair with banana or a bowl of cheerios and milk.
Then one year for a dragon boat festival, the Waverunners rented a house together in Kelowna. It was the year after the big fires ... there was construction all around. Our host had some interesting stories to share and amazing pictures of the fire - it had jumped over his house and burned down the ones in front and back. This was his first year renting the house and he was quite keen to receive positive feedback for future rentals.
The kitchen was amazingly equipped and center stage on the huge island was a humongous bowl of peaches so fragrant and ripe that you caught their whiff across the room. So I yielded to that temptation and .. fell head over heels in love with a fruit. Each year now, I eagerly scour my grocery store hoping to find fresh Okanagan peaches in August. However, its not the same as buying fresh from a roadside Okanagan stand, however rmuch better they are than the usual California variety.
So when Chris told me he was going to Penticton in September, I wasted no time in bargaining for space for a half dozen peaches on the way back. Some of them got kinda banged up on the way home, so I made them into a peach crisp. And enjoyed the unblemished ones as much as that day back in Kelowna.
Thank you Chris :D
Peaches were always one of those fruits I could take or leave. I liked the flavour, but the fuzzy peach skin was a deal-breaker and peeling them, if you've tried it .. is a messy business much akin to what happens when you leave a small child unattended in high chair with banana or a bowl of cheerios and milk.
The kitchen was amazingly equipped and center stage on the huge island was a humongous bowl of peaches so fragrant and ripe that you caught their whiff across the room. So I yielded to that temptation and .. fell head over heels in love with a fruit. Each year now, I eagerly scour my grocery store hoping to find fresh Okanagan peaches in August. However, its not the same as buying fresh from a roadside Okanagan stand, however rmuch better they are than the usual California variety.
Thank you Chris :D
2s and 7s are plotting against me.
Every morning, I have a ritual. I suppose we all do, and you should tell me yours. Unless we have company, mine goes pretty much like this ... bleary-eyed and hair all looking amazingly Einsteinish - and not in a good way - I trip down the hall to the kitchen and put on the kettle for tea. I stand at the counter, look across the room to the weather outside, blink to jump-start the focus and register "sun," "rain," or whatnot. Breakfast when I'm dieting is eggs, when I'm not .. it's cheerios or something of the sort. Either way, I stand at the island while I eat and peruse the morning paper.
Bruce reads the newsy parts ...I can always tell when the morning was particularly easy going for him by how many pages have been pulled out, refolded and are left scattered about the surface of the island. I read the juicier bits .. the advice and gossip columns, the horoscope, the comics .. Zits is my favorite .. then I pick up a pen and settle in to battle the Sudoku while I leave the crossword for Bruce. This particular page of the paper gets left on the counter all day until we either give up (around dinnertime) or we reign victorious for yet another day.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Rod and Debbie's house
Another update for Ralph. Rod says this will be ready for October renters.
They're doing a bit of landscaping today. I'll keep ya posted!
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| September 15, 2010 |
They're doing a bit of landscaping today. I'll keep ya posted!
Confessions of an Indifferent Cook
Mannnnnn .. I need to give up cooking brown rice. I just don't have an attention span that can survive the time it requires.
The crockpot gently bubbling with a cassoulet and brown rice burbling away on the back burner, I did what I always do with rice ... looked in the fridge for something to toss into the rice when it was done. I decided upon onions, peppers and celery with a dash of cilantro .. a nice bit of fresh sautéed veggies to offset the heavier beans. I quartered, seeded, chopped, diced and tossed everything into the one good pan I have.
At this point I'm going to digress into my love/hate relationship with teflon coated cookware. If you don't use it, you give yourself extra hours of endless toil at the kitchen sink, and when St. Peter tallies up your good deeds as you stand before the Pearly Gates, I'm sure he won't be considering how much time you spent at the sink. If you do use it, you must go through the hunt for specialty tools to use while you cook and after, when you clean it. It can't hit the dishwasher if you want it to last. And you know what? It doesn't last anyway. Never. Not even this nice Lagostina pan that eventually turned a dark almondy brown from its original golden hue.
Back to the topic at hand. See what I said about attention span? Okay, now back to the rice which needed about 10 minutes and the sautéed veggies which had been turned down to 1. Everything else was ready, and I'd forgotten to do something downstairs that would take only a moment to handle. So I ran down here, flipped open one of my websites and saw something that engrossed my attention for a bit. When I was done, I ran back upstairs.
As I hit the 10th tread, I smelled charcoal. Yea, you know that sinking feeling .. you've been there. So I turned the corner into the kitchen and grabbed the sauté pan with those forlorn bits of veggie matter. And I did what cooks the world over do in such a situation ... wondered if it was still edible. Stay with me ... I know you've done it. So yea, I picked out the worst bits and put the rest in the rice. And I ate it. Not the flavor or texture I imagined at the start. *wince*
Since I do the majority of the cooking, Bruce usually handles dishes. He confessed the next morning that he'd thrown out the sauté pan because he couldn't get the burned bits off the bottom. Oh. My. God. It really was so horrible that the pan had to be thrown out. And I ate it.
So .. appies at my place, anyone? I have a new pan ..
The crockpot gently bubbling with a cassoulet and brown rice burbling away on the back burner, I did what I always do with rice ... looked in the fridge for something to toss into the rice when it was done. I decided upon onions, peppers and celery with a dash of cilantro .. a nice bit of fresh sautéed veggies to offset the heavier beans. I quartered, seeded, chopped, diced and tossed everything into the one good pan I have.
At this point I'm going to digress into my love/hate relationship with teflon coated cookware. If you don't use it, you give yourself extra hours of endless toil at the kitchen sink, and when St. Peter tallies up your good deeds as you stand before the Pearly Gates, I'm sure he won't be considering how much time you spent at the sink. If you do use it, you must go through the hunt for specialty tools to use while you cook and after, when you clean it. It can't hit the dishwasher if you want it to last. And you know what? It doesn't last anyway. Never. Not even this nice Lagostina pan that eventually turned a dark almondy brown from its original golden hue.
Back to the topic at hand. See what I said about attention span? Okay, now back to the rice which needed about 10 minutes and the sautéed veggies which had been turned down to 1. Everything else was ready, and I'd forgotten to do something downstairs that would take only a moment to handle. So I ran down here, flipped open one of my websites and saw something that engrossed my attention for a bit. When I was done, I ran back upstairs.
As I hit the 10th tread, I smelled charcoal. Yea, you know that sinking feeling .. you've been there. So I turned the corner into the kitchen and grabbed the sauté pan with those forlorn bits of veggie matter. And I did what cooks the world over do in such a situation ... wondered if it was still edible. Stay with me ... I know you've done it. So yea, I picked out the worst bits and put the rest in the rice. And I ate it. Not the flavor or texture I imagined at the start. *wince*
Since I do the majority of the cooking, Bruce usually handles dishes. He confessed the next morning that he'd thrown out the sauté pan because he couldn't get the burned bits off the bottom. Oh. My. God. It really was so horrible that the pan had to be thrown out. And I ate it.
So .. appies at my place, anyone? I have a new pan ..
Mo: 25 Dandelions: 0
From where I sit on my balcony enjoying a glass of wine, I can pretty much see the entire neighborhood and occasionally overhear telephone conversations that are probably better kept a bit more private. Bruce and I do enjoy a good neighbor gawking once in a while, when the show is worth it (such as the house being built) ... but other than that, we'd rather give our neighbors some privacy. Particularly the hot tub that is discreetly screened with climbing roses, wisteria and jasmine. So the cedar hedge was planted .. we're currently in the "nourishing" phase, hoping to get to the "need to prune" stage - but not too soon, cause that's only going to bring back some unfavorite childhood memories for someone in this family. Not naming names, of course.
Today's adventures in lawn mowing included one of those "I can't handle it anymore" moments that ended with a dandelion tool (an extra long screwdriver) and almost an hour's worth of digging and tugging, then turned into a full scale brawl with blackberries and other weeds under the cedars.
I have to note here that the condition of the lawn is amazing, considering how brown it was earlier in the year .. due to hot weather and a couple of the neighbor's dogs who wandered through the fence and did what dogs do.
A close-up of part of the cedars .. you can see the deer fencing in behind the hedge if you look closely. If you look closer yet, you still won't find a dandelion. At least not today. :D
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| This is the hedge that Bruce built. Twice. It's a long story that involves swearing at landscapers. More than twice. |
Today's adventures in lawn mowing included one of those "I can't handle it anymore" moments that ended with a dandelion tool (an extra long screwdriver) and almost an hour's worth of digging and tugging, then turned into a full scale brawl with blackberries and other weeds under the cedars.
I have to note here that the condition of the lawn is amazing, considering how brown it was earlier in the year .. due to hot weather and a couple of the neighbor's dogs who wandered through the fence and did what dogs do.
A close-up of part of the cedars .. you can see the deer fencing in behind the hedge if you look closely. If you look closer yet, you still won't find a dandelion. At least not today. :D
Friday, September 10, 2010
Dodge
Game designers come up with complicated formulas for how any particular individual or class of character will resist damage when facing down a boss. It comes with many names .. dodge, agility, dexterity.
They need look no further for inspiration than our Mr. Tippy, who .. when the camera comes out, refuses to be photographed properly. He's got an amazing Charlie Chaplin mustache. One day you may even see it, but alas .. not today.
They need look no further for inspiration than our Mr. Tippy, who .. when the camera comes out, refuses to be photographed properly. He's got an amazing Charlie Chaplin mustache. One day you may even see it, but alas .. not today.
The Cutest Announcement
This is currently adorning my fridge and I have to comment on how much I like the simplicity of this wedding announcement. It's so cute, without clutter or over-fanciful declarations of impending bliss. I like it.
I've removed the last names from the invitation, but this is for my niece Samantha and the love of her life, DeeWynn. May they have as many happy years together as Bruce and I. And many more interesting text messages not sent to Mom in error. *wink*
Ancestral Aunt
Sharon gave me permission to reprint one of her works here. This one is entitled "Ancestral Aunt."
I don't have much more information, but Sharon .. if you can .. please share your medium and surface, and date of creation. And where, if we were in the beautiful Okanagan valley, we might view more of your work. :D
I don't have much more information, but Sharon .. if you can .. please share your medium and surface, and date of creation. And where, if we were in the beautiful Okanagan valley, we might view more of your work. :D
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thought Clouds
There's a baby blue blanket of sky playing peekapoo with pouty cumulonimbus cherubs today. I catch glimpses of it occasionally as I go about my errands. It's trying so hard to break through and I'm cheering it on. I'm not looking forward to the gray days of Winter .. they suck out your soul and store it in a pair of fuzzy couch socks for the rainy season.
Here's a good way to spend a coffee break, or if you happen to geek out a bit (like me) a whole lunch break. Cracked.com ... debunking commonplace errors or mocking our society .. it's all there. Enjoy.
Here's a good way to spend a coffee break, or if you happen to geek out a bit (like me) a whole lunch break. Cracked.com ... debunking commonplace errors or mocking our society .. it's all there. Enjoy.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Stone Walls
These walls tell an eloquent story of life in Nanaimo .. where rock walls refuse to be simple rock walls ... of an artist who breathed creation into the ordinary work of laying stone one on top of each other ... of an extraordinary developer who didn't mind thinking outside the box.
The name of the complex is Three Pines and their logo is three pine cones. Can you see them here? I think the artist did one hell of a job merging the soft and hard sides of nature to create this amazing wall. You might think that it would surround something important, but no .. it's simply part of one retirement complex on a street of many.
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| Looks pretty much like any other rock wall, right? Well, maybe a bit more artsy with the boulders. |
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| This is the first indication of the unusual creation of this wall |
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| This is really quite amazing |
The name of the complex is Three Pines and their logo is three pine cones. Can you see them here? I think the artist did one hell of a job merging the soft and hard sides of nature to create this amazing wall. You might think that it would surround something important, but no .. it's simply part of one retirement complex on a street of many.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Of Headers and Fonts
I love fonts and have collected them for years. I play with them, I twist, turn, mold and otherwise have fun with them. With over 10,000 fonts on my machine ... and many unzipped ones yet to be sorted, you'll be seeing some stuff you might not have hit upon before. I'll attempt to keep track of the names and have them available for sharing, if the copyright allows and they also strike your fancy.
The Captain and Me
Isn't he adorable? A gift from Bruce, he guards my front door from scallywags and rogues. His roustabout buddy is a bit more timid, hiding betwixt the planters.
The Power of Blogging
Or is it the hazard of blogging?
Either way .. I'm now seeing collision repair services pop up whenever I visit sites with ads. -.- I no longer need you to mock me. The entire internet is doing it!
Either way .. I'm now seeing collision repair services pop up whenever I visit sites with ads. -.- I no longer need you to mock me. The entire internet is doing it!
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Beauty of Family
The wonderful thing about families is that most of them .. well, the ones who don't live a block down the street ... have lives of their own that go on without your own daily input. For the larger part, this is probably for the better because embarrassing moments are up to you to disclose, rather than your closest relatives who rarely show pity - or remorse for that matter. I'm pretty sure Larry still wishes Jamie hadn't heard about the smoking stacks incident. For a particularly lurid retelling of the escapade, just ply George with a beer.
However, those same people have rich, complete lives full of interesting things and people. Any phone call to my mother came with a complete update on family and then people I didn't know, but who filled her life with every day purpose and pleasure. I want to know about those things and people in your life and I'll be sharing mine with you.
For the events and things in your life you'd like to share with the rest of us .. please drop me a note. I've added Kristen Hughe's two weblogs to the left column. For those on my side of the family who are scratching their heads and wondering who Kristen is .. here's the relationship breakdown:
However, those same people have rich, complete lives full of interesting things and people. Any phone call to my mother came with a complete update on family and then people I didn't know, but who filled her life with every day purpose and pleasure. I want to know about those things and people in your life and I'll be sharing mine with you.
For the events and things in your life you'd like to share with the rest of us .. please drop me a note. I've added Kristen Hughe's two weblogs to the left column. For those on my side of the family who are scratching their heads and wondering who Kristen is .. here's the relationship breakdown:
Kristen ---> wife to Brad ---> son to Sharon ---> sister to Bruce
I can think of other links I'd like to add ... Scott's or Hugh's music ... a bit of Sharon's art ... Sandy's photography. And that's just off the top. Please share!
Damn garages keep moving!
For those of you who know me .. and that should be all of you, thankfully, you'll probably remember the day the garage in Calgary jumped in front of me as I was parking my three week old Intrepid. And how I spent $1300 repairing the side of my car. I want you to know I've spent many years in therapy to deal with the mockery you all continue to heap upon me over this eensy teensy little issue.
Alas, if that were the end of it. I fear I'm about to give you even more fodder to chew.
In June, Bruce was forced to take a business trip to Alberta in order to deal with some financial issues. It wasn't the greatest of times .. he's been having back issues this year because of a pinched nerve ... but it needed to be done if we were to establish a proper setup in Alberta as well as BC. We decided he'd take my car because the cloth seats offered more comfort than his PT Cruiser. While he was there he managed to sneak in a dragon boat festival in Lethbridge with our old team, The Waverunners, so it wasn't a trip totally devoid of fun.
His PT Cruiser was in my charge for the week he was gone. Now, you all know that Bruce loves his PT Cruiser and I've seen him be completely irrational (yes, I said it Bruce .. completely) over a smallish bruise to the skin of the cruiser when it was newer.
So the day I walked around the corner of the house to go coach a dragon boat practice ... to find the PT Cruiser buried head first in the garage door .. well a lot of things ran through my mind. Most of which started and ended with "Bruce is gonna kill me." Then I crapped myself over not setting the parking break. I looked into the car .. and whew, it was still set.
In Calgary, I drove a Daytona stick shift .. in all those years, I never parked the car in gear unless the situation was extremely hilly. I'd normally just kick the car into neutral, set the emergency break and be off on my merry way. This was necessary for the Command Start to work in the winter.
Bruce has a much firmer hand with his parking break than I can usually deal with. I often have to ask him to come unset the brake if I want to take his PT Cruiser. Well, it would seem that the cables have become stretched .. and when I walked away from the car that bright sunny day, I set in motion another epic Neuman tale. The driveway is an incline and the car slowly rolled down the hill and pushed into the garage door so slowly I never heard a noise.
So .. damage done .. I had to pull the car back and see how Bruce's baby was. And .. omg .. not a mark on it. The push had been so slow that the only scuff marks were on the leading edge of the vehicle .. which happened to be the license plate.
So that was a pretty long-winded story ... don't you love the new garage door? Me too!
Alas, if that were the end of it. I fear I'm about to give you even more fodder to chew.
In June, Bruce was forced to take a business trip to Alberta in order to deal with some financial issues. It wasn't the greatest of times .. he's been having back issues this year because of a pinched nerve ... but it needed to be done if we were to establish a proper setup in Alberta as well as BC. We decided he'd take my car because the cloth seats offered more comfort than his PT Cruiser. While he was there he managed to sneak in a dragon boat festival in Lethbridge with our old team, The Waverunners, so it wasn't a trip totally devoid of fun.
His PT Cruiser was in my charge for the week he was gone. Now, you all know that Bruce loves his PT Cruiser and I've seen him be completely irrational (yes, I said it Bruce .. completely) over a smallish bruise to the skin of the cruiser when it was newer.
So the day I walked around the corner of the house to go coach a dragon boat practice ... to find the PT Cruiser buried head first in the garage door .. well a lot of things ran through my mind. Most of which started and ended with "Bruce is gonna kill me." Then I crapped myself over not setting the parking break. I looked into the car .. and whew, it was still set.
In Calgary, I drove a Daytona stick shift .. in all those years, I never parked the car in gear unless the situation was extremely hilly. I'd normally just kick the car into neutral, set the emergency break and be off on my merry way. This was necessary for the Command Start to work in the winter.
Bruce has a much firmer hand with his parking break than I can usually deal with. I often have to ask him to come unset the brake if I want to take his PT Cruiser. Well, it would seem that the cables have become stretched .. and when I walked away from the car that bright sunny day, I set in motion another epic Neuman tale. The driveway is an incline and the car slowly rolled down the hill and pushed into the garage door so slowly I never heard a noise.
So .. damage done .. I had to pull the car back and see how Bruce's baby was. And .. omg .. not a mark on it. The push had been so slow that the only scuff marks were on the leading edge of the vehicle .. which happened to be the license plate.
So that was a pretty long-winded story ... don't you love the new garage door? Me too!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Lunchcraft!
Met up with Chris, Bev and Corey today. Corey also goes by Roger or Ike .. or in World of Warcraft .. a variety of other names. He's lived in Vancouver for seventeen years, but had never made it over to the island .. so Bev and Chris insisted he comes spend a lazy Sunday. We introduced him to one of our favorite Nanaimo restaurants .. the Longwood Brew Pub.
From left to right .. a pilsner, a Heifenweisen and a framboise for - respectively - Chris, Bev, and Mo. Ike was drinking water and we didn't want to say that he was missing the point of a brewpub - hes's a new friend after all.
We met a couple of weeks ago on the Mal'Ganis realm where we're all levelling low levels. Suprisingly, there was very little chatter about World of Warcraft as we chatted about island things or work that Corey was doing with databases and ICBC and then subsequent tales of computer systems gone funny.
From left to right .. a pilsner, a Heifenweisen and a framboise for - respectively - Chris, Bev, and Mo. Ike was drinking water and we didn't want to say that he was missing the point of a brewpub - hes's a new friend after all.
We met a couple of weeks ago on the Mal'Ganis realm where we're all levelling low levels. Suprisingly, there was very little chatter about World of Warcraft as we chatted about island things or work that Corey was doing with databases and ICBC and then subsequent tales of computer systems gone funny.
Two bucks!
Early this spring, I went on the hunt for climbing plants for all those trellises. My favorite place, Green Thumb, which is conveniently close .. or unfortunately close depending on the state of my wallet ... hadn't received their shipment of climbers yet, but did have a motley assortment of last year's "didn't quite make it" plants that they were selling off at fire sale prices. Two bucks got me a stick with a few leaves that has turned into this beauty climbing up the pergola over the front door. A few more years and it will be a show stopper. I don't recall what it is actually. I remember I'd first bought a jasmine, but it turned out to not be deer resistant .. a necessity in Nanaimo as the deer eat damn near everything.
When in Rome ...
... become a tree hugger! This is Cathedral Grove Forest Bruce and I visited soon after arriving on the island. The Douglas Fir are simply .. well, amazing is such an overused word, but when you walk away with such a clear sense of awe, wonder and respect ... perhaps amazing is the right word after all.
Newcastle Island
Across a narrow channel from our shoreline sits Newcastle Island. We pass by its rocky shores while we're paddling .. sometimes, the racoons or deer on the island pause in their routines to watch us float past, sometimes we point out Bald or Golden Eagles or even the swan that made her home there this year.
In July, Bruce and I took a the pickle boat ferry over to the island and spent a couple of hours tramping along the trails. You can see that it's a beautiful walk. The thing that made it especially noteworthy was not the insects droning in the fully blossomed heat of the summer day, the fleeting flash of a sail as we wandered a coastal trail or the heart stopping boom of an elder tree falling in the forest near where we were walking, although they all contributed to a wonderful memory.
No .. the thing that made this so pronounced was that as we were walking along a trail in the middle of the island much like the one above, we came into a small clearing and Bruce and I were both hit with the same smell and we both commented in unison "that smells like home" and we stopped in our tracks to enjoy it. The coastal air always carries the ocean tang ... every breath is a reminder that but a few feet away is one of the largest bodies of water on the planet. However, at that moment, there was only meadow, sunlight pouring down in beams and spruce sweating sap to remind us of Alberta. It's funny that we still think of it as home .. even after five years away. I'm betting it will always be that way to some degree.
The Neighbour's New Place
When Ralph and Debbie visited us in June this year, our neighbors below us were in the midst of a flurry of construction activity. At that point, foundations had been poured, the house framed .. and then we all watched as another floor went up on top of the other two and the roofline encroached ever closer to blocking our view of the ocean. Now, this wouldn't have been a cause for general alarm, but we have only two smallish views of the ocean and they are important to the resale value of our house.
Ralph asked me to send him pictures as the construction went along and I'm pleased to say I've had the port in my computer repaired and am able to download from my camera with ease. So .. without further ado, Ralph .. here you go:
This is about a week after Ralph and Deb hopped on their bike and took off for the Alberta border.
The house sat like this throughout most of July and August. Now that September is here to remind us of the imminent arrival another chilly, wet winter ... the banging and pounding have picked up again.
The Forest Pansy tree in the foreground is leafing out rather nicely, don't you think? Look at the color change in the next picture.
Ralph asked me to send him pictures as the construction went along and I'm pleased to say I've had the port in my computer repaired and am able to download from my camera with ease. So .. without further ado, Ralph .. here you go:
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| June 11. Roofline getting closer! |
This is about a week after Ralph and Deb hopped on their bike and took off for the Alberta border.
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| June 24: Ocean view unharmed - whew! |
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| Jul 12: Not much going on since. |
The house sat like this throughout most of July and August. Now that September is here to remind us of the imminent arrival another chilly, wet winter ... the banging and pounding have picked up again.
The Forest Pansy tree in the foreground is leafing out rather nicely, don't you think? Look at the color change in the next picture.
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| Sept 5: Siding is up and concrete poured. Ocean in background! |
Creativity?
Every desk I have ever had has one thing in common.
Some desks are neat as a pin, kept pristine and ready for new work. Everything has a place and there shall be no messes left on my desk by anyone! Not even me. Those tend to be the kinds of jobs where I have a variety of work that needs to be done .. where a deadline can shift your priority and a new kind of work has to be take precedence. Those are the kinds of jobs I love. They can make you nuts, but at the end of the day, you feel like you've really bitten into something juicy.
There are other desks .. more often the ones at home .. where life is less structured .. they tend to be a bit messier. Well, okay, if you insist .. a lot less organized. It's there that this collection seems to spill out of the containers that keep it neat in my work situations. A bit of color never hurt anyone and even in the most straight-laced jobs ... a container of colored pens and pencils is all you need for a flight of creativity in your day.
Some desks are neat as a pin, kept pristine and ready for new work. Everything has a place and there shall be no messes left on my desk by anyone! Not even me. Those tend to be the kinds of jobs where I have a variety of work that needs to be done .. where a deadline can shift your priority and a new kind of work has to be take precedence. Those are the kinds of jobs I love. They can make you nuts, but at the end of the day, you feel like you've really bitten into something juicy.
There are other desks .. more often the ones at home .. where life is less structured .. they tend to be a bit messier. Well, okay, if you insist .. a lot less organized. It's there that this collection seems to spill out of the containers that keep it neat in my work situations. A bit of color never hurt anyone and even in the most straight-laced jobs ... a container of colored pens and pencils is all you need for a flight of creativity in your day.
Creature comforts
Murray and Bruce have a ritual every day that begins with Murray walking into Bruce's office and almost brushing up against Bruce's legs as he circles around him. We call this 'the air bump' and it's enacted by timid tabby cats afraid to commit to a full on body rub and meander between your legs sure to tangle you up.
For Murray, this means "It's time, Dad." Bruce saves his work, puts away his pencils, sets a virus scan to run and assures Murray that he agrees.
Like Huck and Tom, the two buddies meander their way through the kitchen and downstairs to my office where they go through a formal observation - Bruce gives me the handset to answer in the event it rings and Murray airbumps against my legs, Bruce's legs or the chair legs while Bruce and I chat. Murray then goes back and flops down in the middle of the hall while he waits for Bruce to finish in the washroom. They stroll down the hall to the family room where Bruce flicks on the television, grabs the green blanket and eases back into the recliner after setting his alarm for an hour and a half. Five minutes later .. this is the view:
Midday is pretty laid back in the Neuman house. Murray and Bruce insist upon it.
For Murray, this means "It's time, Dad." Bruce saves his work, puts away his pencils, sets a virus scan to run and assures Murray that he agrees.
Like Huck and Tom, the two buddies meander their way through the kitchen and downstairs to my office where they go through a formal observation - Bruce gives me the handset to answer in the event it rings and Murray airbumps against my legs, Bruce's legs or the chair legs while Bruce and I chat. Murray then goes back and flops down in the middle of the hall while he waits for Bruce to finish in the washroom. They stroll down the hall to the family room where Bruce flicks on the television, grabs the green blanket and eases back into the recliner after setting his alarm for an hour and a half. Five minutes later .. this is the view:
Midday is pretty laid back in the Neuman house. Murray and Bruce insist upon it.
They call it The Harbour City
Known as the "hub" city because of its central island location with connections to all places up or down island, Nanaimo's official slogan is "The Harbour City." With good reason .. this is one of the finest views on either side of the Georgia Strait.
Returning to dock on a cool winter evening often entails concentrating on stroke and technique as you switch your paddle from one side of the boat to the other. If you're sitting mid-boat, you may also be counting strokes to call out changes to the rest of the crew, the person in the front is keeping an eye out for floating debris and the steersperson is poking, posting and trying to get in some paddling. Some of us think of the beer waiting at the Lighthouse Pub, but all get lost in their own thoughts. When I look up and see this sight .. it stuns me every time. Water this calm happens rarely because of the tidal action and wind in the harbour, but when it does .. it's a camera worthy moment. It makes me glad I'm here. I take a deep breath and say "this is why I'm here."
The Cable Bay Trail offers this view from south of the Duke Point ferry terminal looking over at Protection Island. Protection Island sits in the Nanaimo harbour adjacent to Newcastle Island. Between the two, they provide a well protected shoreline for pleasure boats and working craft to moor. Out in the bay, many boat owners drop anchor and become floating homes. The city has been attempting to get the more derelict boats out of the harbour with the institution of new rules for how long a boat can stay in one place before they must become tax payers like the rest of us. Some of the older ones hadn't moved in years and certainly wouldn't be considered seaworthy. This photo was taken by Mo on July 26th during a walk that involved a LOT of up and down.
Returning to dock on a cool winter evening often entails concentrating on stroke and technique as you switch your paddle from one side of the boat to the other. If you're sitting mid-boat, you may also be counting strokes to call out changes to the rest of the crew, the person in the front is keeping an eye out for floating debris and the steersperson is poking, posting and trying to get in some paddling. Some of us think of the beer waiting at the Lighthouse Pub, but all get lost in their own thoughts. When I look up and see this sight .. it stuns me every time. Water this calm happens rarely because of the tidal action and wind in the harbour, but when it does .. it's a camera worthy moment. It makes me glad I'm here. I take a deep breath and say "this is why I'm here."
The Cable Bay Trail offers this view from south of the Duke Point ferry terminal looking over at Protection Island. Protection Island sits in the Nanaimo harbour adjacent to Newcastle Island. Between the two, they provide a well protected shoreline for pleasure boats and working craft to moor. Out in the bay, many boat owners drop anchor and become floating homes. The city has been attempting to get the more derelict boats out of the harbour with the institution of new rules for how long a boat can stay in one place before they must become tax payers like the rest of us. Some of the older ones hadn't moved in years and certainly wouldn't be considered seaworthy. This photo was taken by Mo on July 26th during a walk that involved a LOT of up and down.
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