the Last of 2017

Dec 31 at 4:03 PM
and is it cold out there
Now, granted I wan't wearing a parka but I was just in the driveway
running between cars
Criminy !

Bright, sunny day w/ big blue sky
You know, maybe the sky is frozen
What do you think ??
Huh ?
Maybe ?

Well, thanks for tuning into the blog, again

All the best for 2018 for you !!

We shall see said the Zen Master

God bless

One More

minute of daylight

Its cold, thus the snow was light and fluffy
TG, easy to shovel

Environment Canada has said that the large Arctic air mass that blankets an extremely vast area is unusual. This cold is not the worst but long lived and broad in coverage.
So, we should feel good b/c so many people are cold
No, sad really

In some parts of Canada, natural gas won't flow b/c the pressure has dropped in the pipes.

The city plow is roaring outside the window doing its thing
poor guy has probably been running all night b/c the snow stopped around 10 PM or so

Stamp your feet, and wear a hat

The cold was reasonable but at night, the city is alerting people of the intense cold. New Years Eve festivities ( outdoors ) were shortened to just around midnight. Thus folks won't be out freezing for extended lengths of time

Yes, Again 7:51 -> 4:48

same sunrise and sunset

I knew there was something not right
the sunrise and sunset stayed the same

Now, I'm really watching closely

Cold, COld, COLd, COLD !

Research says, not a mistake. The sunrise and sunset were the same for DE 28 & 29

But wait, starting to-morrow, we gain a minute of sun each day, for two days.

And snow, looking pretty fluffy there
Traffic exiting the city is el nutso
Fans going to Buffalo 1h 35 m away are reporting travel times of 6 - 7 h. The U.S. / Cda Junior game is outdoors in Buffalo

7:51 AM & 4:48 PM

thats 8 h and 57 m of sun for to-day

I'm keeping track of this longer day thingy and making sure thats its happening.

I'm reading a Xmas present from M. The book is a historical fiction set in a country like Spain bordering the Middle East. The conflict is between Christians ( worshiping Jad ) and Muslims ( holding w/ the Prophets ) and Jewish people ( praying to the 2 moons ). 
The author is familiar to me, Guy Gavriel Kay, a Canadian. I've read 2 other novels of his repertoire.

I got to bed at 1:30 AM last night having read the night away.

COLD , bright and still. FFFFrrrreeeezing !

Coldly Brilliant

or brilliantly cold

It s am icebox out there and ........... I haven't even stepped ouside
It looks that cold
Everything is sharp and clear

Great weatherman here, eh ?

It was just as cold as I said
But the wind was fitful and in the sun cold but not raw

We Are Boxing ?

traditionally, long ago apparently this day was return day or box'em up to go back to the store

I think thats how the name came about

Brilliant sun and frrreeezing cold out there

In Buddhism, this life is filled w/ Dukha or suffering. It is the lot of all living things. Now, don't get too down about this theory. B/c Buddhists also believe that the suffering doesn't dominate our lives if we accept the way things are.
Revere all life and see the sacrifices that living things make all their lives.  Appreciate all things.
The Nembutsu or invocation is " We surround all living things with infinite Love and Compassion. To all those in doubt and ignorance, pain and suffering and especially to those whose feet are standing close to the great change, men call death - we offer up oceans of Wisdom , Mercy and Love "

Now, what kind of Buddhist, am I ?
Dunno
I understand the basic precepts and agree 
but what does it do for my life
which after all, should be the function of a religion
how you see life and live, day by day

We shall see said the Zen Master

Missed Sunrise

I'll report, later

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Buddhists don't have Xmas
However, the Japanese can be very flexible about holidays
Thus, the tree lit trees around our house

Enjoy , please

We watched ' El Camino Christmas ' in which a purported liquor store heist gets two people shot. The local police are bumblers and inbred. Inside the store, hostages and not hostages share  ' my Truth ' to each other. But June comes after the shooting and there is hope

Well,the sun broke out and produced light glinting on snow
then I had to shovel the back patio

We overdid Xmas a bit which is great

And the cold set in, and will stay for 5 days

Deceived ?

or not

The sun rose, right now, at 7:50 AM 
Where's my longer days ???

I'm going to keep track - and it better get earlier
or else !

We get snow to - night into the big day itself
The weather girl suggested getting out and clearing early b/c a lot more white stuff is on the way

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

We have the beginnings of a snow storm, sure as shooting - its on its way

LLoonnnger Days are here

Whats that expression, ' we've turned the corner or rounded the cape ( Cape Horn and going north  ) 

The days grow longer, now.

TED and me. Last night, must have been TED Talk # 8 or so.
A lady used the expression ' Good or Bad, hard to say '
THEN she told the story of the Zen Master w/out the Zen Master.
Yes, the boy gets a pony, neighbours yell fantastic
The father replies ' Good or Bad, hard to say ' etc
It was the same tale line ( s )

We shall see said the Zen Master

The lady in TED Talk had a daughter born w/ developmental handicap, mostly physical. A touching and inspiring growing up diary.
Thus, we learn ' Good or Bad ' is half the story, we write the other half. And like rounding the Cape, the rough water can give way to sun and calmer waters.

Our atmospheric data tells of damp, cold and gray.

So, ' Open up your heart and let the sun shine in '

Be good, all you boys and girls !

The day was pretty much as advertised, mostly dour.
The Xmas tree on the lawn looks neat in a pool of white w/ great reflections off the snow.  Thats it for good news

Closing In

on the shortest day ( or longest night )

On Facebook ( yes, I go there occasionally ), a friend mentioned the significance of Winter Solstice and the family's observation of the day.
Neat

Hope the cath lab was good to you

We got snow / we will get snow / we will be cold

'Bundle up your overcoat, when the winds blow cold '

I've discovered TED Talk on the streaming service. Once again, I'm only 4 years behind the curve. I figure to catch up w/ the world that I'll need to view pretty close to 400 segments. Then I'll nly have a back log of 1, 500 or so segments.

In one session, a speaker on ' Flow and Happiness ' presented the data that shows that watching TV is on par w/ sitting on the john for boredom and inspiration.
This could be good or bad

The weather outside is frightful. I was tending the back 40 in knee high boots and windpants, thus not too bad. the snow is about 2 -> 2 1/2 in. And the wind is driving

On the Third Day of Waiting

for the solstice

The weather is blah. All gray out there but temperature is around freezing. The wind seems to be up and throwing the trees around.

I was out and about, facing a cold breeze w/ little gusts, wear a scarf and you were fine.

Its official, all prezzies under the tree, waiting for Santa,
Hold it ! Doesn't Santa leave presents ?

Well, the swag is there for someone

I'm watching TED Talks on the streaming service downstairs. The TV is not ' smart ', thus there is an external box to get Wi Fi. The streaming box was $ 60 and a new flat screen, likely $ 500.

Of course, we use data but monthly we go through 60 out of 200 Gb, so there is fudge room, there.

Snow is due in a couple of hours to the tune of 4 in, give or take

4 Days in December

til, the long dark

Then, longer days begin !!!!!

This Equinox was really big for the ancient peoples - sort of the forerunner for Yuletide and other pagan rites.
The old time astrologers and sky watchers knew about celestial events i.e. equinoxes and solstices.
Hey, is Dec 23, a solstice or equinox ?
Dunno
Correction, the winter Solstice is coming.

Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator

Worst of the Worst

the precipitation is everything that you can name

Temperature is close to freezing and a mixture of crap is falling.

However, the afternoon brought 37 F and melting, all over. Temps stay warmish all night. To-morrow sees falling mercury and icy roads.
Are you counting down ? 3 days and then the days lengthen.
You realize tho' that its one short day there, w/ minimum day hours.

What a Pair

big sun w/ big cold

A beaming sun in a frozen sky
The afternoon brought 30 F and gray skies
Feels damp, tho'

Somehow the idea came to me, to build gingerbread houses for gifts. Normally, I buy 2 houses but I waited and never saw them for sale. Thus, the building project was conceived. and executed.
" Have fun " read the instructions. Sure, right !
A whole lot of cursing went on ....... and on !

However, all done and boxed !

Closing in

on Christmas

8 shopping days
notice we don't refer to the advent calendar
shopping days ?

Nearly 8 , and the Xmas tree is the light of the neighbourhood - again
do you think that I'm a little proud of the tree ?

We decided to do a turkey on Sunday. We will go to a turkey dinner on the 26 th. I wanted our own turkey at home. But not too close to the 26 th - kinda take a break.
There you go
one and done

I watched ' Power Rangers ' the movie 
Crikey , a real dog

Well , you see , I loaded ' TED Talks ' on the streaming app downstairs. When I went to choose a segment on ' Shopping in the Future ' , the app froze.
What the heck ............. I tried PR s The villain is named Rita Nebulosa or something like that --- oooh crap

the End in Sight

having endured the icebox
there is hope for above freezing temperatures

Having info that Fla was cold makes our weather seem , well OK
but Go Away cold


Grim out there
a ray of sunshine, the Xmas tree on the lawn is doing its thing
a beacon for travellers on the crescent

" the harbour lights were shining
the moon was in its high
the Captain said thank God
were home
We've drunk the perils dry "

Homecoming, Man ( ala Andy Williams )

We started to warm b/c the cold alert Special Warning has been lifted for the cityWind chill was still 24 F but the wind was fitful

the Good News

we'll be at 35 F for the week end

Right now, its the deep freeze
w/ bright sun

We've received a message from the East coast of Fla., where the temperature was 40F, yesterday
Karumba , dudes !

The day wasn't a disaster, if you were dressed, not bad

the Fire is

growing cold
maybe, I should close the door
but anyway the snow
has covered all
your footprints
and I can follow
you no more

Lyrics from a ' Winter's Tale ' ala Blatt / Rice

The Jet Stream dropped down and we're in the Cold Bowl, here.

" Button up your overcoat " twice

The sun popped out and the wind blew, just off and on. Thus, there were nice parts to the day
To -morrow is predicted to be colder than to - day - oh joy

Movie review from a Netflix choice:  Meagan Levy starring Kate Mara.
A misfit civilian joins the Marines for all the wrong reasons. Despite a rocky start, Meagan becomes a dog handler, handling Rex. The two bond. Sent to Iraq, the team does outstanding work and Meagan not the dog gets a Purple Heart.
The story heads home or she does. She fights to get to be w/ Rex in civilian life.
Rating 0.7 out of 1 ( Redbox scale )
Did you know that the acting sisters, Kate and Rooney are both named Rooney. Their lineage includes, yes the two families Mara and Rooney ( football club owners - Steelers and Giants ??? )

SnowFell

the new name of our house

and what happened
Trapped by the snow
the Xmas lights were special , last night

I watched ' Guardians of the Galaxy , Vol 2 '. What was I thinking ?

Violence galore and over - blown , well , everything.
However , the good guys and gals win and look good doing it
The music
' Brandy ' by Looking Glass

" my luck , my Lady , is the sea "  classic music

Cold again to - day. Good old Brett Anderson , never said anything about this snow thingy

I'm re - re - re - re - re - re reading ' the Tyranny of the Night ' from the series ' the Instrumentalities of the Night ' by Glen Cook.
To be fair , I really am skipping pages or chunks of the book. The parts that I don't like or are boring.
" The divine conspiracy is no great engine w/ goose greased parts turning over smoothly. It is a drunken tarantella in a cosmic town square where the dancers frequently forget what they are doing and wander drunkenly bumping into things before purpose is recollected.
And like ants at their labors in the town common, those who do the world's work will, too frequently enjoy the sudden, unpredictable strike of an inebriant's flashing hoof. "
the book goes on from there.
" In politics and war, don't waste time looking for conspiracy and deceit when stupidity and incompetence will explain the event "

We shall see said the Zen Master

Human Nature

the song

I've been surfing YouTube , again , this time tracking versions or cover of ' Human Nature ' , Michael Jackson. I ' discovered Jacob Collier.
The best cover so far is by , Michael Jackson. I always thought he was not bad as a singer. Whoa , nellie , the guy was pure entertainment. Sorry , MJ , you had it all

I left a calendar reminder about the long range prediction from Brett Anderson at Accuweather , this week
VERY COLD  
it is

and snowing at 4 PM

Tell Tale Signs of

the season

My bathroom is not hooked up to the central heating system. The previous owners had a baseboard heater in there. I opted for a change to a blower / heater w/ a thermostat. The b/h goes on when it gets cold , as now , and I raise the setpoint but only when I'm going to use the shower.

The hint of winter , when the temperature in the washroom falls below 65 F. And , yes , its reading 64 - 63 most days.

Cold and gray out there. Poked my nose out for the paper and ducked back in
I'm not stupid
Well , round 2 , of Xmas ' do s ' happened last night , here. The fishing buddies and sig others got to - gether. Apparently ,fishing and fishing related stories predominated.
go figure !

Lies my father told me. I'm drinking a mix of V - 8 juice and beer w/ some hot sauce. I've always told people that my dad called the concoction a ' bullshot '. Turns out , someone lied - maybe me.
The real name is a ' redeye'. A redeye is beer and toamto juice but I use V - 8 for the vitamins etc.
A ' bullshot ' is consomme and vodka
Eww ! beef broth and vodka 

My latest discovery , Jacob Collier , musician , and he's only won 2 Grammys. I'm so late to the party. Shucks !

Can You Hang On

roughly 14 days and

the shortest day of the year
which is followed by lengthening days
and unbelievably cold days

I turned on the front lawn Xmas tree again , this AM to light the street
A beacon marking the curve in the road

The day was pretty non-descript. Some flurries  ,some sun and now it is fore-telling precipitation. There has been a dampness in the air and the wind has been steady and strong but not gusting.

Winter Sets In

Cold and Dark
are the watch words for this morning
Bonus , though
The Xmas tree in the front yard is stellar
simply stellar

Sorry the top tree 
snuck in ( backyard tree )
Bottom photo is the front yard - stellar tree

On the car front , I purchased a portable DC air pump. The advertising claims ' up to 300 PSI '. Great. But it chugs away like the ' little train that could ' .
I used a DC power pack on the premise that if the pump does something bad , at least its the power pack that gets destroyed.
And not the car electrical system
Good plan but after 3 tires ( on a very cold day ) the power pack ran out of juice.
Plan B , the AC pump and air tank , the old reliable , to the rescue.
5 minutes and all done. The AC air pump is 20 yrs old and has been jury rigged w/out a pressure gauge ( kinda keeps going ). The pressurized tank holds up to 8 cu ft at 100 Psi. Both are very bulky but dependable

The portable pump has a gauge in ' bar ' as readings. I'm assuming , it means ' millibars' or 1000 bar is normal pressure. So why advertise 300 PSI ( which is a lie ) when you measure in ' bar '.
Well , its cute , the pump.

BTW , the sun came roaring out and its a great day 

Charlize Forgives Me

well , I'm pretending

On Netflix , I watched a British ( ? ) film , called ' Their Finest '.
During the WW1 conflict , the Br film industry is devoted entirely to the war effort. There is limited production as supplies and monies are rationed. A young married woman is seeking any kind of employment and applies for a secretarial / odd job position. By fluke she gets into the wrong department as a copy writer.
W/  tad of encouragement , she is good at writing ' slop '. The perfect job , it seems.
Well done but slightly depressing , after all it is wartime and death is waiting it seems , just over the yardarm.

The weather is cold and sunny w/ flurries this AM but all white is gone

Hope Charlize forgives me

Thank You Mr Sun

hope popped out of the sky
Gray is gone

However , 10 degrees colder than yesterday
We ( Grt Lks ) are due for very cold nest week
followed by cold / dry
followed by cold
Courtesy , of course , Brett Anderson and his European modelling or it seems to be mostly the European one that he uses at Accuweather

I apologize to Charlize Theron. I gave her pretty and in lycra ( Aeon Flux ) very attractive. But acting  ???????????

Yesterday , I re - watched ' in the Valley of Elah ' where she plays a detective to Tommy Lee Jones as bereaved father. Jones is an ex - military policeman and loyal American.
His eldest son was killed overseas but the recent death of his son occurred on American soil.
Curious and upset , he heads to the Army base.
Everyone is ducking the case , including Emily ( CT ).
Charlize is no lightweight , she measures well against TLJ which is no mean feat. TLJ projects a competence and determination. Too fluffy and you'll look insipid next to him and overpowering TLJ , well , good luck

Charlize is solid

Movie is depressing and a sad indictment of U.S, foreign policy and the crap role the Army gets overseas

Can Hardly Wait

what ?

Christmas
Nope , in 17 days ( give or take some hours ) we will have the shortest day of the year.
THEN , the days get longer
To wit , this morning , I looked out and said ' crap ' and turned the Xmas tree on in the front yard. Kinda  , let there be light , moment.

Besides , we are at 50F but it will fall to 32 before nightfall.
Oh , and Santa got turned on , as well , this morning

Going for 50 F

w/ rain , off  and on

I've always wanted to try the Korner Pub. It is not on the corner , except in a broad sense ' of a plaza ' , but barely.
Well , Thurs , I did. Small , of course , but clean and friendly.
After 2 beers , which is always dangerous , I over heard the guy two seats over , negotiating a gig at the Pub.
After he mostly sealed the deal , like 90 % sure , I asked about what music he played. Blues and semi blues. Remember , 2 beers , so to brag , I said my biggest coup was going to see Vienna Teng live.
He starts to type her name into his cell phone and then I added , ' she really is like Sara Bareilles '
the guy stopped and replies ' you listen to Sara Bareilles , then I know this girl is good '
I was so proud ! Bravely , I mentioned that it was at Hughes Room.
Well , I should have started w/ that , b/c the guy was really impressed. Then he mentions , his friends bar up the street from Hughes.
P.S. I was drinking Urquelle Pilsner , rating is very good esp after 2

Its foggy , again , dense and soupy , out there

I mentioned that I put up a random stringer of LED s , not a long stringer , loosey goosey.
The box said pure white , well , they are pale green unless you're red green colour blind. I decided , green lights ! its a Xmas tree.
so , yes , there are 2 Xmas trees in the backyard.

the foggy Mountain Dew

well , no mountains , but foggy

A former student invited me to a Xmas get to - gether w/ other people from that age group. The group in general our beginning sandwich people - older parents and kids in high school or university.

There are several interesting oddities about our house. On several occasions I've found walls that are difficult or impossible to put a fastener into , such as a screw. Often I hit a layer harder than wood , as in concrete or steel. Dunno , but its hard whatever it is. Then , yes ,  you got it  , way too soft or unable to hold a screw and anchor.
The bathroom wall where the toilet paper holder goes , is soft. One of my little jobs , to day is to get the TP holder up , again. Last night , M wrenched the little sucker right out its screw holes. One tough lady is M.
OK , done , I think it will resist most efforts to rip it off the wall.

As well, found ! our icicles for the tree

Coming Around

in the backyard. I went out ans stuck a string of LED s on a bush.

While , finishing up w/ the loose stringer , a neighbour yelled out ' we love your Xmas tree ! '. We are not sure if she meant the front 5 ft tree ( plastic frame ) or the 10 ft tree in the backyard.

About the loose stringer. The package says ' pure white ' LED. We think that it looks greenish ( low voltage problem ? ) and b/c it just lays there ( no pattern , really ) doesn't look that good. But  it twinkles and balances the Xmas tree - lights left and right , kinda.

The temperature is 46 F and gray but still - even the leaves are still.

Remember , Remember ......

the first of December

That is a mis quote , from Guy Fawkes Day - 5 th of November

but it rhymed

The day is off and on , a bit sunny then cloudy all over. Temperature hovering around 45 F w/ gusty winds.

A visit to the Optometrist was first order of business.
My eye problems:
initially , blepharitis or a lid infection caused by build of crud and bacteria. Diagnosed in 1996
next , lower lid glands that didn't produce oil readily
followed by a possible bacterial infection of the glands

Over 6 months , the 3 difficulties have ebbed and flowed , singly and to - gether, To -day , all 3 were in remission.
The next few months will see the addition of Krill oil to my diet
b/c the gland oil was heavy. A reduced lid cleaning regimen and let's wait and see.

I left w/ $80 worth of eye cleaning supplies
which are way cheaper at the Dr s office than the drug store

Going for 50 F

???? but the sun is beaming , out there

I got a scam email , yesterday , ' sister dying in the Philippines , we need any money that you can send '
I called the sender and he got hacked
He was at a bonspiel and came home to find his wife holding the phone , saying ' here , you deal  w/ this '  She took 25 calls during the day

So far , so good - I didn't send out any scam emails . yet.

The Warm Air

stays to - day but some leaked away in the night. We , actually , got to close to 60 F yesterday but the winds were strong and constant.

The sun decided to do a show and tell , and very successfully , too boot.

This is the blog in review:

Exercise proceeds as per description. We bought a baby treadmill.
The treadmill is foldable into a suitcase shape but taller by 20 in.
The speed variation is the sole option. This treadmill is not for running but we are way past worrying about that. Whats its good for is a leisurely stroll.
Thus , my alternate work out is the treadmill supplemented by stretches using a pilates ball and rubber resistance bands.
The usual elliptical work out is the other day. Both work out regimes are approx 35 min. The change is that alternate day was supposed to shorter w/ less time on the elliptical sort of a rest from the usual. However , I figured the treadmill is so different that longer by a bit is OK
My weight remains steady in the 170 - 173 # range. I would like it to be less but that 170 # mark seems to be the weight that I can maintain given my many sins.

The lack of cottage adjustment is just that ,  an adjustment , to wit I worry about the leaves
Right , real smart , that

We shall see said the Zen Master

The Best of

the week
Sunny and into the 50 s if all goes well , to - day

Get out and do stuff is the watch phrase

We went for lunch , excellent pub nr ' the mattress store '
We were researching adjustable beds. The one that we saw was  a split queen where each side from about the bum up , tilts. Special sheets allow the independent movement of each side.
$ 4 000 all in.
Lunch was cheaper

Charlie Brown Comes to

our backyard.

I cobbled a Xmas tree shape in lights , to - gether for our backyard
A bamboo pole for the upright and a hockey stick for the crosspiece. It has been described , kindly , as stylistic.
You can tell its a Xmas tree and is not perfect.
The temperature is 42 and will not budge a lot from there. The wind is up from yesterday , most of the tree trunks are swaying.

A sunny day w/  a bit of chill. Wear a scarf and you were fine.

Our Toronto Argonauts , the Canadian Football League team , won the Grey Cup for the 17 th time in 105 tries. The most cups by any team. Unfortunately , the Argos have not been drawing crowds for maybe the last four seasons. The team down sized to a smaller venue to cut costs and get a more intimate field ( no dome , tho ' )
The BMO field was primarily laid out for soccer but accomodated soccer . lacrosse and football.

Further on Fuzziness

and why nots..............

This baby laptop runs Google Chrome , mostly , its not exactly Chrome b/c the program is so basic.
But the beauty of Chrome is not getting zapped by Windows updates. The tech at Microsoft Help even acknowledged that my problem was not unusual and he had a ' work around ' patch for graphics problems resultant from the latest update.

Weather is enough to make you wish for Florida and a sugar sand beach.
The temperature is 40 and not budging much. Gray and cool but the trees are mostly still w/ some shaking on branches still leafed.

the Cure

for fuzzy disease

Success !
Then 2 h later , Windows updated ' again ' 
fuzzy is back

I'm going to drink all day , so that I can explain the fuzziness

The weather is rainy and dull

Re : fuzziness or distortion. I went to the Microsoft Helpline
I waited 3 minutes and started the chat.
Tech : we are aware that some graphics cards can't handle the latest update. There is a temporary patch
Tech : can i Remote control your laptop
Me: yes

3 minutes later , the screen is clear and non distorted

Thank you MS

Fuzzy disease

and other dyslexic happenings

Yesterday , the screen shrunk , leaving a black rim around the window display.
No fixes worked.
Then the images got big - real big.

This AM on start up , the window is normal size but the icons and print are fuzzy.
Its like the screen is drunk or we are
just off

I googled the problem and we are not alone
I've tried 2 more fixes and dicovered my laptop ( big boy ) won't allow certain changes

Weather : sunny and warmer than yesterday 

On ' Carnival Eats ' , yessir food served at fairs etc around the country. One event was called the Apache Rattlesnake Round Up and they serve rattlers - deep fried

37 F in the bckyard

overcast and windy

42 F in the Smoke

A pleasant enough looking day. Aha , but the wind is humming out there. I put little caution flags to warn the mailman etc that an electrical cord is running out along the edge of the pavers, Those flags are straight out pointing East.

Yesterday , was a catch all day. I tried to new baby air compressor. As in the stories of the ' little engine that could ' this little sucker thrums away but not much seems to happen. Yes , it raised the pressure 1 # in one tire that needed tending.
On top of that , the readings are in ' bars ' or millibars. As in 1000 Bar is normal atmospheric ( I think ). Any whoo the hype on the air pump pamphlet says ' will inflate anything '. My lord , it will kill itself. And ...and somewhere , I read the warning ' do not run for longer than 2 minutes........
2 minutes !!!! Crikey 
in 2 minutes it would change the pressure in a tire 3 #
What do you want for $ 20 and fits in 2 hands

Weather turned out great. sun and cool wind

Back from the Dr s , a report on my shoulder impingement. Yes , I probably had an impingement w/ a bursa pressing on the tendon. However , the inflammation is probably gone ( no pain ).
Overall , its a don't worry situation , until it hurts.

On the up side , my blood results were back. And Dr G goes ' there's your proof of your exercise program , an excellent HDL to LDL ratio '
Aha , something that shows that I exercise.
Finally !!!!

A Day in the T.O.

Well , we took in the rug for cleaning from the front room or TV room or room where we spend a lot of time.

The front yard is Xmas ready w/ a 5 ft tree in lights and 2 candy canes. Usually , our display is small and dignified and close to last up. We are in second place this year and besides next door will not put up Xmas wildlife , as in bears and reindeer and Santa.
Thus , humble might look , not bad. As well, we have lights in the door.

The day started cold and damp but the sun popped out and the day was reasonable. cool but sunny and slightly windy and the wind was cold.

Day 2 Post Snip

and all is ( mostly ) well.
I exercised last night , the weight / elliptical work out. No problems , I think.

The outside conditions are lousy looking. Bit of sun but gray looking

I got out for bits and bobs. The two catch all stores , the Giant Tiger and Canadian Tire , the Tire has tires and auto parts  , otherwise , not a lot to choose.

Little jobs : the Xmas tree had lights that were pre - wired but died,
I stripped the dead line which was wrapped around each branch and twig. Two hours. But done.
And the Xmas tree is up and bare.
We wanted to get the sucker up early b/c we will have short Xmas and New Year interval. And it turns out that we're probably hosting a casual get to - gether of fishing types ,here.
Thus house needs to be decorated earlier than usual.
I'm making plans for the outdoor decorations - still plans but its coming to - gether.

Snow is forecast for East and North of T.O.

the Day after the Snip ( pings )

Much better to - day, I'm glad that I don't need to operate a truck to - day , still not quite back to normal.
Part of the after effects is that I didn't sleep well the night before the snip.
I drank 2 L of laxative solution form 5 - 7 P and then repeated at 11 P for 2 h. Actually , I cheated and drank the stuff a little earlier. However , I was nauseous toward evening , anyway. And sleeping on  2 L of water is not easy.

OK , nuff said
I survived

A raw , raw day out there
so , snuggle up in front of the fire 
and wait for better days ( or day )

BTW , I bought another air pump. This version will be number 4. Two battery powered jobs . lasted a total of 6 attempts and then ka - blewwy , died.
The best was #3. The AC powered pump is big , bigger than a bread box and is clumsy. Powerful tho'. Thus , I bought a reserve tank that can move around easily. Fill the portable tank and you're good to go.
The air pressure regulator failed a year ago after 10 years but I by - passed the fitting. Still works but its dangerous w/out the regulator.
There is a safety feature and the pump stops when the pressure gets too high ... still , not the safest. Filling the portable thank works well b/c the pressure rating on the portable tank is so high that the pump never reaches the stop level.
However , the other day in the States , Kohls had a small air pump ( DC powered ) for $ 20. I was up at the craps table , so took  a chance. I was supposed to go out and try the pump on the tires
to - morrow will do just fine

View from the Computer Rm

as I sit , typing

I saw that the high will be 30 s give or take. The sun is brightening the scene. Leaves are scattered and swirling into piles.

The day was windy but almost comfortable when the wind died or you got some shelter - well, nice.

I got colonoscopy - ified , by the Digestive Disease unit at the local hospital. The dude found two polyps 1/2 in  each and snipped them off.
I'm good for another 5 yrs
The downside is that I'm a polyp grower , like my dad. Yepper , I'll keep making them.
And no alcohol for the day - bummer
I left the hospital feeling , pretty normal. Had lunch. Took a nap.
And now , I'm real dozy. The experts were right , I need down time
 

Away , Away

we were away , no kidding

Fall weather , all over the Grt Lks. Cool and dampish.

I get scoped to - morrow ( bottom up only ).
Family history dictates that I get checked regularly
Apparently , I'm asymptomatic but just checking to be safe

No solid food for the duration til 1 PM to - morrow
I mixed up the purgative solution ( fruit flavoured , so you know it tastes like crap )  
My back teeth will be floating come 8 PM to - night.

All the grisly details , here as they become available

The long range from Brett Anderson at Accuweather
BA had us at seasonable , for this week

NO 20 -- 26 is shaping up as cold

NO 27 - DE 3  cold and dry

Doom and Gloom

and  I know about this

I was afraid ( not uncommon ) that I wouldn't see my 13 th birthday b/c Russia and the U.S. were going to trade ICBM s during the Cuban missile Crisis
Well , I made 67 y.o
Doom and gloom are fine but so ffff...ing useless

as a friend is fond of singing
" the sun will come out to - morrow "

Dim

not me , the light

We are overcast and dampish looking

Can we make mid to hi 40 s to - day ?

Still Cold and Getting Dark Earlier

NO 6 - 12 wet
NO 13 - 19 normal ?
NO 20 - 26 on the edge of mild

According to Brett Anderson , the prediction was wet this week.
Next week , Mon  --> , I think we should be normal. The lower Grt Lakes were in white on the map.

Then , following , we are just on the edge of mild

Since , our Thanksgiving is over , up here , our thoughts are turned to decorating for Xmas.

We won't get turkey til Dec 26 , unless we do a special meal.
We find the almost 2 month  break between Thanksgiving and Xmas about right for turkey dosings.
And it explains maybe , why when we visit in the U.S. at Thanksgiving  the amount of ham we see on tables.

10 Degrees , better

to - day , than yesterday in the AM

Ooh , warmth or something like it

The wind is down and the sun blazing in a patchy sky.

Mon and Tues offer some hope

I had X rays on Thurs for both shoulders. Fri , the Dr s office calls and he needs to see me , nothing urgent.
Likely , he'll tell me that I have osteo - arthritis or more of it b/c we were pretty sure that I had OA places all over e.g. hip , wrist

Frrrrrr igid

thats cold spelled w/ an F

Big sun and cold. There is a white  coating out there and the leaves went crazy last night.

The day stayed cold and miserable but the sun was cheering

Always Searching for

stuff

The latest lighting feature.... not the last , either

At Canadian Tire or the local everything store - auto / hardware
and who knows.  There was a LED security light w/ motion sensor.
I've noticed that M reaches for her flashlight to find the door in the bedroom , at night.
Well , I put the security light on the floor , thus when someone gets out of bed - Pop ! , light is on.
Except , way too bright
solution : put the unit under the bed
still bright ( I mean , half the room gets lit )
solution : foil over the top of the light dome
much better
totally portable and battery operated

We shall see said the Zen Master

To - day , was physical check up at Dr s
As well , flu shot
X rays for both shoulders
and a referral for colonoscopy , oh ! my favourite

Colon scoping is , now , scheduled for next Fri
Now , you got to understand. They put you out lightly.
Well , I basically , don't wake up for an hour or two.
the last time , the Dr dude is standing there , saying ' sorry , had to make sure that you were all right , I wanted to go home '

Thats me , pharmaceutically naive

Rain and cold wind - a great combo

Surprise ! Sun

a real sun up

and 1:30 P and its still shining

I re - purposed a paint roller handle to accommodate a re - purposed window scraper to clean out the gutters from the ground.
A big fail there.
The leaves are too compacted for a device that can't reach deep down

Back to the drawing board or my life hack gutter blower.

Dull and Gray

starts the morning


But real cold comes in 3 days. The ' high ' for the day will 28 F.
Brrr !

Well ,got out there
blew out the gutters w/ the blower contraption
took in the outside hoses before Fri 's 28 F , high for the day
right , now , draining the hose lines from inside

and the sunn popped out from about 10 AM
and now at 2 P , mostly sunny

A mixed day , ha ha
I'm drinking my fav cocktail , a Salty Dog
salt the rim of a highball glass w/ coarse salt
add grapefruit juice  and vodka
a Salty Dog

And , for dins spaghetti
I bought fresh pasta - angel hair
We loads of little left over containers
labelled pizza sauce , tomato sauce etc

I bought a prok loin chop and sauteed the dickens out of it , along w/ minced onions

the plan is for all afternoon simmering red sauce left overs and the pork onion mixture

Nov Is the Month

of leaves falling
of temperatures falling
hustle and bustle

Our yard is a hot bed of activity. Squirrels are chasing nuts and leaves and each other.
The eavestroughs are filling up w/ leaves , too !
I've taken out the leaf blower attachment to clean the eaves from the ground. The first run through , next door came to help. We did the two storey part.
Three days ago , I did the low eaves by myself.

Cool and damp is the order of the day. Gray and overcast and to - night the temperature in the city goes to 32 F

Okay , lets get those small jobs done

All timers have been adjusted for regular time.

Harvey on fire

for Guy Fawkes Day

In an English village , instead of a Nov 5 bonfire , the citizenry burn a replica of a person in the news. Last year , donald j got the nod. This years effigy was Harvey Weintstein
The two are not related to each other

We have warm and rain and rain and rain for the week

For a guy who specializes in small jobs , to - day was ideal.
I oiled a squeaking massage chair. I bought the chair in 1982 , straight off the boat from the warehouse. The massage chair was $600 ( a veritable fortune ).
however , I had seen the chair in action at a father's friend's house.
And it was unique. At the time massage chairs in North America vibrated and warmed your body part ( s ).
the Koizuma model had hands that did clockwise and anti - clockwise hand motions. As well , the hands slid up and down the chair back.
It always seemed to grind or groan ( not me , the chair ). I finally, figured out how to oil the squeak out.

To - morrow is the 5 th

remember

Guy Fawkes Day 

No rain , yet , but gloomy
Our temperature soars to - morrow , heading to shy of 70 F
w/ rain

a Love Affair

NOT

The social media miasma. Americans are mesmerized by FaceBook to the tune of one hr a day.
An eight year old will now spend 15 yrs of their life on a device.
One quite electronically literate 8 y.o. described his day
< get up , do my Samsung
go to school , do my Samsung
homework , do my Samsung
go to bed >
And the phenomena is insidious. All the likes and chiming sounds are psychological rewards to our brains.
or , dare , I say , followers

FaceBook and me. A love affair
I think not
I'm a FaceBook illiterate. I cannot figure out what its for
Or , maybe , what its for for me

My life is such

Oh , forgot its 6 thirty and I'm almost awake. I sat in front of the fireplace for 30 minutes fiddling w/ my i Phone.
Then said ' lets blog '

Yesterday , we were waiting for a call in the car and didn't hear it ring. More to the point , M was holding the phone while I'll drove.
And the silly thing is set to vibrate , too.

Think that I can't do FaceBook ! I can't get my mobile device to make a sound ( I can hear ). BTW , on the net , a search by Google reveals hundreds of posts and replies on the topic ' My i Phone won't ring '
Is there some solace , in the company of other     ' electronically deaf ' cell phone users.

The rain is rattling on the roof and skylight.
Obviously a day for ducks or those whose surfaces are water repellent

On the exercise theme. I used the baby treadmill. M thought it was cute. i.e. I have a baby laptop and she gets a baby treadmill.

Well , I've been seeking an alternate workout routine. Thus , I substituted the treadmill for the elliptical.
And discovered
that the ceiling in the fireplace room is lower than my normal workout room b/c the barbell bounced off the ceiling
that the low speed treadmill setting produced a sweating workout session ( which surprised me , greatly )

I was pleased , overall w/ the new regimen

The most telling feature will be < does my knee feel better w/ the substitution >

And to my gang of 3 followers
thank you

The " Case of the i Phone That doesn't Ring '. As noted above , I'm not alone.
The best answer or most popular answer is ' make sure that             < do not disturb >  is not active '.
Why would it be , I never touch the icon
Ah, but do you slide the ' control panel ' up as a shortcut
Guilty !
Then , my son , you may hit the ' half moon symbol ' for
you got it
' do not disturb '
Yep , ' do not disturb was checked off

Ah , sweet mysteries of life or i Phone
Who wudda thunk !

Not me

The Rain in Spain

should have stayed there

Nope , its here. The forecast calls for days of rain. From mist to drizzle to steady downpour

We are unlikely to see much above 50 F
Aha ! the temperature made 56 F

As well , the house bought a treadmill. M needs to exercise and she wanted to be safe i.e. hang on to something
The treadmill is a mini , 90 # total weight
only goes to 4 mph
and has minimal settings
you walk , thats it

The sucker folds to a rectangle such as a big suitcase in footprint but about 8 in higher

We shall see said the Zen Master

Remember , Remember

the first of November

WRONG ! , the date is Nov 5 and its Guy Fawkes Day in England
The dude tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
And failed

Segue , into the movie ' V for Vendetta ' w/ Natalie Portman. V does blow up the government < on Nov 5 >

We may not make 50 F to - day , it will be close

55 days to Xmas

There were sprinkles over the afternoon
but heavy rain to come , later this evening

I went surfing on ' Blogger ' , that is the system that lets me do the blog.
I hit next and a new blog shows up.
If you reach a dead end , meaning the blog doesn't have a ' next blog '  label , simply return to my blog and hit ' next blog ' again.
Seems the format sends you randomly around the Blogger Sphere.

I discovered that several blogs had 1 follower. Thus , my 3 followers is a gang.
And as always , I find that most blogs stopped 3 - 6 months ago or even three years.
However , one blog had the notation that the writer achieved a blogging marathon of sorts by blogging each day for a month.
I think that I got that one beat.

Just saying , thats all
its not bragging if its true

Looking into the Future

for weather signs

Always interested in how the predictions play out when they forecast weeks in advance
At one site , if I type in a city , the forecast gives temperature , wind and probability of rain , three weeks out

I'm interpreting this modelling , as wetter than usual ( NO 6 - 12 )
followed by fairly seasonal
leaning toward mild

First few days of November looking quite cold with some snow for the Prairies!

And In Between

comes the sun

Roaring winds last night, and I swear an animal was trying to get into the house , as well.
Things that go bump in the night , you say.

Yes , the sun is out and beaming
Rain to follow , this afternoon
and for the week

Found !

on line Sudoku

As an app , there is an offer of Mah jong and even Sudoku.
The on line Sudoku lights up the number that your working on.
The highlighting makes it easier to see the patterns.
However , it still takes me anywhere from 7 to 20 minutes to solve a puzzle.

Rain

Well , this photo was taken last night. I stood on the road outside our house and photographed the view from the street. This view represents the effect of the rope LED s in the sidelight windows of the French door entrance.
What is not evident is the pool of light that spreads out on the front apron , providing a security / aesthetic feel to the front.

And the scene in the hall , at night , for us.

As well , there is an added glow from the rope LED on the left side , installed last night - having moved from outside the house to inside ( as the right side )

Yes

??????

Gambling can be addictive

For a short while.
Last night , I played the on line slots from our fav casino.
I was determined to get ' bat splat ' or a bat flattened against the screen for BONUS spins !

I am tired this morning. Thus , promising that I won't do that again

Rain and rain and rain for the next week.
The timing is good. The water will soak into the ground and prep our trees for winter. In point of fact , I was set th water the tree in our front yard  ,over a period of several days , for winter prep.

Friday and Me

and I've been warned , the Weather Network has given me 3 h to get out and do rain free things. Then .............
4 days of ' off / on ' moisture.

The jury is out on the rope LED sidelights. When you go cheap ( or cheaper ) , some finagling is required. To wit , the stringer is 16 ft which means a bit left - over. The solution is to curl the lights at the top into a circle or loop. The loop symbolizes ...... ? , well , I may have to work on the story.

On the bright side , Ha Ha , the hall ' pops ' w/ light at dark. The photocell controls the rope LED. The original LED s were to be 60 button lights instead the stringer ( 16 ft ) is 80 mega button lights.
Twice the light at least.

Oh , well , the world has bigger problems.

Keep your powder dry

And this afternoon , I put up the rest of the rope LED on the outside of the other sidelight. There may have been a problem running the electrical connection across the transom or bottom of the door. There is an outside receptacle for the porch on that side and that makes it easy to plug in the rope LED , over there.
I did not do the symmetry thing < make both sides look the same >
instead I outlined the whole door assembly as far as the rope LED would reach.
Hopefully , for the present and near future , onlookers might think that the lights are pre - Halloween or pre - Christmas.

Robot Bees

Insect-sized robot can go from air to water and back again

At just 175 milligrams, the 'Robobee' is inspired by nature and could be used in the future for search and rescue, monitoring water quality and tracking insects

In your dreams is the expression and here's your worst nightmare.

Wait til the military gets hold of this

Weather is cold and dreary

Rain in buckets on the way , starting Sat for 5 days

Compartmentalize

or how to deal w/ problems

In the made for TV series ' Noble House ' based on the books of James Clavell , Ian Dunross explains how he can deal w/ momentous decisions. Each problem gets its own compartment and you bring it out when the time is right to deal w/ that specific problem.
Nope , I can't / don't do it.
Unfortuantely , Ian Dunross is correct.

And you have experienced the same result yourself.

For example , on selling my Dad's house , a yard sale accompanied by a call to 1 - 800 got junk accomplished almost all our goals.
Ah , but the garage !  A place w/ only room to walk from front to back. I worried for 3 days about how long and how to clear it out before the hand over of the house.
No solution. I confessed to my father that I couldn't see a way to get the job done.
Dad goes ' leave it w/ me '.
Fifteen minutes later , Dad comes back.
and says ' I paid the new owner $ 200 and he'll deal w/ the garage '
Never thought of that or that amount.

The purchaser of the house was a neighbour and had worked for dad previously. So , Dad went over and talked to the neighbour.

The day is dull and damp. We record 52 F outside.

Segue , to explain the story above , re: compartmentalizing.
Well , now that the boat is asleep , I am much relieved. The next little while can be devoted to little jobs. You see , I'm good at little jobs.
To wit , last night , all the fishing equipment that I lugged home got sorted. All the little bits were put back in their places and tools de -rusted and cleaned.
Fishing rods and reels need to be checked and stored properly.
As well , one group of tackle elements , namely jigs and small bullet weights , are not organized.
I left these things for last b/c I may need them in the coming months.

And in the sidelight windows for the French doors at the front of 
the house , I am trying out ' rope LED 'lights as used for Xmas decorating of a house. 
Right now a blinking imitation of the ' Las Vegas Welcome ' sign is the welcome light.
The rope lights go around the sdielight frame and are 10 x brighter than the LV sign and very obvious - ah , maybe too obvious.
Cost wise , there are LED step lights available for $ 75 a stringer.
I'd need 2 or 160 dollars.
The rope lights were on sale for 1/2 price or $24 for 2.
the cheapness keeps me in !

notice the common themes in this blog ?

A garage light was not functioning. Tried different bulbs
Nope
I went up there and checked the receptacle turns w/ the bulb - as in the copper fitting for the bulb is detached.
I waited 3 weeks , to - day , took apart the fixture and replaced the offending part.
ah , there was ( more ) light. The garage is lit by 2 LED lamps for utility purposes