Saturday, 31 March 2018

6 000 Degrees

in parts of the sun's outer regions

I can't even begin to fathom a temperature that hot.

Our temperature is 45 F ( however, we think the position of our outdoor sensor picks up house heat, between the screen and glass of a window )

There has been no scuttling or other sounds and no bodies in the traps. Where, oh where can the little mouseys be ?
Hiding and waiting, no doubt
hiding and waiting

Happy Easter

Friday, 30 March 2018

Easter Comes

w/ sun

Yes, still cool
garbage gets collected to-day - even though

On Netflix, the last two movies were:

Breathe : A polio patient leaves hospital w/ a home built ventilator
               breaking all the rules and strictures, think here ' iron lung '

Searching for Fellini : the film maker and " Lighthouse " of Italy
Sheltered American girl /lady cuts loose form her childhood AND Goes Fellini hunting ( in Italy )

Thursday, 29 March 2018

warm Gone

rain stayed

Woe is us ( Canada ) China doesn't want our garbage, as much
Apparently, China currently takes in tons of our recyclables
China announced tariffs on our garbage



Long Range from Accuweather Brett Anderson interprets the ECM
the synopsis below covers the Great Lakes w/ some very minor exceptions
In short, bloody cold but Brett notes that better angle and longer days will have temperatures creeping up
Creeping means we freeze our asses off


MR 26 - AP1 Slightly  cool
AP2    -  AP8 Chilly

AP9   - AP15 Chilly

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

the History of " Oa "

post #1986, so you don't forget

Pronounced Oh - ah  ( more or less )

Historically, my first remembrance of  ' Oa ' is in the Douglas Adams novel " the Long Dark TeaTime of the Soul ". tLDTotS, is a continuation of the Dirk Gently series.
DG is an holistic detective. DG believes in the interconnectedness of everything. If you're thinking like ' a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon and a storm will break out in the MidWest ' - you're barely luke warm.
DG would say ' I may not get to where I wanted to go but surely I will get to where I'm meant to be '. To wit, DG follows a car on the basis that the driver appears to know where he/ she is going. And will undoubtedly get DG where ' he was meant to be '
Well, in searching for a god who is running amok in London, DG finds an alternative plane of existence in St Pancreas Stn, London.
He, in fact, finds Valhalla.
And while seeking answers to his many questions discovers that using the sound ' Oa ' that he can get a character in the alternative plane to carry on a monologue, loaded w/ information. 
Viking : " and Thor has not appeared again "
DG :       " Oa "
Viking: " the penalty will be dire "
DG :         Oa "
and so on
Not information that DG wanted but information that he needed.
Oa

And flash forward to 2014, and Oa is a planet created by the Immortals ( error ) Guardians as a home for the Green Lantern corps. And naturally, Hal Jordan ( Earth's Green Lantern ) travels there to become a full fledged GL.

Weather: we are 40 + and heading higher w/ threats of rain

Sunlight is hazy

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

warm Came

and dingy looking skies

A burst of degrees arrived w/ chance of rain. Our driveway is still white w/ salt. The guys put down a lot, pre and post snowfall or ice.

no mices in the traps
so where are they little blighters
many theories have them holed up waiting for me to drop my guard
or eating their way through all the wiring
or consuming all the food provisions in the canteen

something sinister is in the offing --- no doubt
clever suckers they are

Yes, rain all day
damp and unfriendly
however, to be fair, I got by w/ a suit and warm vest underneath
the Occasion was a memorial service for a friend's mother
who passed away at 95, leaving a 101 yr old husband

Thus, conditions could not have been too ugly





Monday, 26 March 2018

mouseLESS

for the 6 th day in a row

Planters peanut butter lost its smell ?
Mouseys are all gone ?
Mouseys got real smart ?

And, there hasn't been a rustling / scrabbling sound for a week

The other shoe ??????

Bright and sunny bound for 45 F +

Sunday, 25 March 2018

barren Traps

for the fifth day in a row

Well, we are getting warmer but wetter for the week. Our temperatures will cross 40 F but bring rain.

This entry is post # 1983

ding , ding went the phone and its Wadsworth, OH checking in
" sunny and 25 F "

Saturday, 24 March 2018

Icing the Cake

instead of 1 inch

Just a white dusting, folks !
Day looks cold and gray

Pretty, b/c I don't need to drive


Apologies, for this post which is late by about 3 weeks, apparently trapped in ' Drafts ' and just discovered, to-day

This line, starts 03/25, the real post for to-day

No icing, but cold spring weather is entrenched over us

Sunny, blazing sunny but cold

The Canadian Trapper,  moi

Approximately four months before Sept / Oct 2017, there seemed to be a rustling noise coming from the attic above the bedroom window.
And in Sep - Oc, it became obvious, something was moving and scuttling up there. Eek ! 
Raccoons ( OMG )
Red squirrels, the little buggers chew through siding to get inside

And in another part of the house, I was killing the odd mouse under the sink w/snap traps and cheese bait

Events came to a head 10 days ago. The noise was like romper room for critters. We called the experts in. The go to guys for eliminating hornets / ants etc.
The crew came and said ' one possible opening for squirrels on your roof, where a vent screen was dislodged '. The crew placed a one way door over the vent pipe up there.
Meanwhile a scan of the outside of the house indicates, very few possibilities except for field mice climbing the brickwork or stone.

' We'll be back in 3 weeks and if we have to then we'll spread rodenticide up there in the attic ' say the crew.

Meanwhile under the sink, the odd mouse scenario becomes a stampede. The crew advised the use of good quality peanut butter in the traps.
The good stuff is oilier and nuttier.
Oh really ! Put out the Jiff for the little buggers.
Giant Tiger only had 3 premium brands - I chose ' Planters '
I mean if you're going haute cuisine, all the way baby !

Next day after the one way door goes up - 4 mice all at once are there in traps and sticky paper.
4 of the little buggers went for the Planters 
And one day later, another field mouse.
You see, I'm becoming an expert on mice.
Field mouse - white belly guys

Now, three days later, no more invaders
But definitely, waiting for the other shoe

The Canadian Trapper is on guard
Rodents beware !!

Friday, 23 March 2018

snow Threatens

but so far

It seems for now the pattern is for tumultuous weather to slide beneath us going East ish. We are cold.
Thus, a high pressure cold bubble may be diverting low cells around us.

Of course, its bright sun and cold winds, to-day

This entry is Post# 1982
You were wondering, weren't you ?

In sun terms, we are ( E Canada ) at 12 h and 15 min ( or more ) per day




Thursday, 22 March 2018

YouTube surfing

mostly music

Although, ' experts ' will describe / suggest / fix anything

Dull looking out there

Sorry, if you got buried
The white stuff missed us ---- so far




Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Discovery of mine

her name is Diane Birch

Singer, songwriter
I caught her on Live from Daryl's House, a series featuring Daryl Hall and his house band. LFDH - as its abbreviated brings in guest performers.
KT Tunstall was my first discovery ( yeah, after 280 000 others )
DB was much better only 170 000 got there first

We have spring weather, meaning cool to cold and damp


Tuesday, 20 March 2018

my Salvation ?

the Netflix series, earth - in - danger

While walking on the treadmill, Episode 2 or 3 of Salvation is playing.
Quick recap : Asteroid on collision course w/ earth

Gov't has a plan but its crap

Private Bruce Wayne - ish dude can save the world

Gov't can't be trusted - people die b/c ??? we don't know but looks like covert gov't stuff

They're breaking the law to save the world - rah , rah , rah

The Hop BlueJays are ranked 10 th in Div 1.
The have beaten : Towson ( good for the resume )
                              Princeton ( looked good, maybe not )
                              Syracuse  ( very good for the resume )
                              UMBC
                              Delaware

Losses :                  Loyola of Maryland ( good for credit )
                               North Carolina ( helps NC more than JHU )


Monday, 19 March 2018

pure ' Instinct '

Instinct is the name a new series on broadcast TV

Plot development : retired CIA operative, now a professor of abnormal behavioural science is dragged from the classroom to solve crime

Verdict: hum - M likes it and I'm well, hum

Cold and sunny b/c of the wind chill which dropped the temperature 10 degrees


Sunday, 18 March 2018

Bright and Cold

well, feels cold

Betcha that you're cold down in Wadsworth
after basking in 65 F for 2 weeks

Cheer is coming you'll be above 40 to - day

Stayed windy but did warm considerably


Saturday, 17 March 2018

Desperation or

what

To try and exercise w/out taking a day off - talk about neurotic.
I decided to rest the knees by doing only free weights on the second day or ' off ' elliptical day workouts.

To that end, I move the weights to the TV room and watch, say, Netflix.

Thusly, here are reviews for shows on Netflix

' Timeless ' two time machines follow or chase each other, e.g. to the Hindenburg landing in New Jersey. The bad guys are trying to do something about interfering w/ the rise of the U.S. during the   40 ' s and on.
Maybe. Gets a little murky w/ innuendo and such

Girl lead is cute but one episode ( there are follow up adventures )
is enough, methinks

' Asteroid    Sorry got confused. Its called ' Salvation ' but guess what ' Asteroid disaster movie' just about covers the bill.
Real babe as the concerned mommy / citizen but overall kinda weak, as in been there done that

Day is bright and cold looking

Footnote : my BlueJays, Hopkins lacrosse are 4 - 2. 

The highlights :
Kicked the snot out of Syracuse 18 - 7 and this was a #6 SU vs # 14 JHU
Beat Princeton, unranked but the PU game is no gimme, EVER !
Sorta good, in a very tight game vs UMBC, the Jays found a new gear and went on a 8 goal tear to blow open the game.

Badlights:

This team is very inconsistent and loses its way easily
kinda Jekyll and Hyde persona




Friday, 16 March 2018

A Prediction

from the Korner Pub, Gossip line

We, Southern Ontario will get sub normal temperatures w/ wet and snow for our spring.
Oops ! Big oops

Netflix took it easy, yesterday w/ not much action. 0.25 GB was used. Well, less b/c that download includes using the laptop.

Got to shop at Wonderland ( or Princess Auto ).
Brought home a back brace for M
an electromagnet ( doesn't everybody need one ) w/ the advantage that the tip is directional and powerful. You can pick up metal pieces ( big ones ) but not stick to sides of the container if its metal.
What can I say ???

As well, a cooling pad fan for the laptop. The original which we used for 5 or 6yrs got very noisy and the plug receptor wore out.More precisely the cord gave intermittent current.
The fan today can at half price. and was missing the power USB cord and a stand tab.
I had a spare cord, no problem
and the stand tab - couldn't figure out how I would ever use it. The 17 in Dell here is too big to stand or prop up.

What a difference, this one is whisper quiet, a hum vs a whirl as before




Thursday, 15 March 2018

Cold ( er ) and Sunny

What can I say
survivable and seasonable

Movie review of ' Wind River ' - Netflix

A murder on a Dakota ( ? ) Indian Reservation gets about the total response the folks expect. A rookie FBI agent is flown in from Las Vegas.
The agent along w/ a Wildlife officer pair up to do what the authorities want to avoid which is solving the case if it means spending time and or money.

Quite timely, reinforcing the daily feeds about indigenous rights etc.

Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen are him and her

Oh, a whole lot of people get killed - mostly in 3 minutes as the story becomes visible

Facebook. I don't think that I'm using FB the way other people do.

Tuesday, 13 March 2018

Consequences

the replacement battery saga

Out of courtesy, I responded to the satisfaction survey from Amazon.ca. I simply stated that the replacement battery needed some tweaking to function. And that I added 2 washers for extra contact.

1. the company processed a complete refund and asked me to remove the response about the misfit battery

2. Amazon.ca has already credited the refund

My goodness, never expected that.

Day is cold, and icing sugar fell last night w/ more to come but a little deeper this afternoon into next morning

Monday, 12 March 2018

What is the Bank

to you

Convenience
Safe
a safe place

Things worked out
Take an American cheque drawn on an American bank and deposit the cheque in a Canadian bank
done and won

Our convenience, for sure but 
our convenience

Done !

A good day

we shall see said the Zen Master

always
42 F and cool but tolerable


I'm trying to re- re- re - re - read the series ' Instrumentalities of the Night '
Roughly, this read through would be # 5
But I'm skipping whole chunks that I didn't enjoy before.
I wonder if I'm doing the Readers Digest version of the books where RD abridged the dickens out of a book.
The genre would be slash and dash
sorcery sci - fi fantasy
Trust me - you need to suspend your normal view of life
Relatively benign in re: bloodshed although many deaths occur
the hero dude is a Captain General or higher for most of the book ( s ).

Insurance - bewildering
e.g. 2005 Toyota Highlander costlier to cover than a 2014 Subaru
Forester - huh ?
now we have a 2017 Honda small truck cheaper ( not cheaper, less costly - nothing cheap about insurance )
less than the 2014 Sub Forester

They have their tables that they consult
sort of like Ouija, for sure

Sunday, 11 March 2018

Mar 11 Sunday

the date
and time change for us
clocks ahead 1 hour

Not all jurisdictions change their time settings
Our change is steeped in Br history ( I think b/c there are so many stories that seem to explain the reasons )

However, we lose an hour's sleep.
Evidence says that the worst time change is the one in the fall when dark hours of driving produce an increase in accidents.
This time change coupled w/ unsure traction on the roads w/ wet and leaves, is a problem.


Saturday, 10 March 2018

Bingo Bango

we got sun
blasting through the windows

Funny, that.
Blasting seems ' bad ' or unwanted
Maybe, not quite ' blasting '

No, it is blasting through

Cold day, actually but still air

Momentous days - happen and pass
so quickly 

Well, tax information is set to go. Or we could call it the big ding
Afterall, we sold a cottage. And capital gains accrue




Friday, 9 March 2018

W/ out Even Telling Me

Yes ! Netflix added 6 more episodes of ' Peaky Blinders '

I originally thought, ' OK , 16 episodes, a little much but I'll do it '

Last night : ' Season 3 of Peaky blinders ' shows up as ' NEXT '.

Day is dull but temperatures are predicted above freezing, slight chances of flurries
Some snow fell overnight but streets are white and walkways not


Thursday, 8 March 2018

dull and Gray

to begin the day

Our week's weather should improve steadily for 5 days.
Chance of precipitation but sunny to follow
A bit raw out there

However, you can tell
There is hope
and we're closing in on 50 / 50 sun and no sun


Wednesday, 7 March 2018

a Part Sunny Day

in the city

And a slow,      very slow morning
in fact, embarrassingly slow
for a working day

Which it isn't, for me
or you ( correct or not )

The portents are for chance of rain / snow but at 43 F in the morning, rain, for sure. 




Tuesday, 6 March 2018

the woodlot was our playground

or so, its said

Dull and waiting for something to happen.
And dribbles of snow or ice pellets, thats it for the day
A brooding day for sure, cold winds and damp




Monday, 5 March 2018

we worked hard

growing up on the stead

In Eastern Canada, we are up to 11 h and 20 m of sun. This number is tantalizing b/c 50 / 50 isn't far off. Its a magical thing equal daylight and dark.
I'm not alone. Religions and cultures through history have celebrated this event.

Day is cold and brisk but full sun. This gets followed by snow/ rain / sleet for early in the week for us.

On Netflix, I finished Season 1 of ' Peaky Blinders '.   Set in early 20 th C Birmingham, the Peaky Blinders are a family run blackmarket and everything else business. I think that the name derives from the caps or tams that they wore w/ a slight brim. And razor blades decorating the lower edge ( for slash and burn, mostly slash ).
I tried to avoid starting b/c its 16 episodes spread over 2 seasons.
If I got hooked, thats a lot of watching.
Oops ! it happened.
A little rough and black in a lot of places - its a glimpse of steel / shipping life for the not-barons of industry. Workers rights promoted by Communists play a side role in the events.

Men drop by after work to wager their pennies on off track betting
before heading home. Or lunch is a run to Peaky Blinders to place a bet


Sunday, 4 March 2018

the Homestead

was a tranquil place.

Temperature continues cool but very sunny. Bright blue sky which means a high pressure zone ( for us )

Since I've had trouble parking the truck ( backing in ), I decided more light was needed.
A motion sensor activator seemed to be the ticket. I first considered a wall mount switch in place of the regular light switch which is there in the garage, on the wall.
However, that switch is integrated in a dual plug arrangement as well. Leave it alone !

Next idea, was a plug in motion activator attached to a light fixture that could be fixed in place above the back shelf - aiming down at the rear of the truck.

However, while at ' Princess Auto ' which is Wonderland for boys / men, I found a socket motion activator that fits between an existing light bulb and the original socket. The cost was $40 a piece.
Apiece ? Well, there are 2 overheads in the garage. Both floodlight LED fixtures and bulb all in one.
Thus, I screw everything in. The lights go on intermittently it seems.
I played w/ the suckers for several minutes.
Aha, the description on the package said ' for incandescent / halogen and compact fluorescent. I'm using LED fixtures.
Nope, even w/ a compact fluorescent, the lights don't go on.

Back in the house, I finally read the ' destructions ' in the package.
And there it is : ' at night the motion sensor will activate for 10 minutes ' IN THE DARK , you dummy !

Da da, a working system. However, how will it help backing in ?

And you should know, the LED fixtures have a lifetime of 15 000 hrs and were hardly on. Thus, having the LED s go on when the garage opens is a good idea.

As well, Princess had reflector strips which I placed on the back of the tonneau cover or lid to highlight the end of the truck. And I made a reflective target on the back wood shelf to aim for w/ the reflective strips on the tonneau

We shall see said the Zen Master.

the Zen Master, I'm told is fond of gunpowder green tea or Zhu Cha in the lingo.
I wrote a review for Pure Leaf, gunpowder Green Tea leaves. Walmart Cda had a review section, thus I added mine. I attempted to be an authority but failed.
I described a slightly bitter taste but cleansing feel.
I was supposed to mention smokey, coppery, minty or nutty as the professional tea tasters do.
Heck, I like it !

Saturday, 3 March 2018

Above Zero

w/ snow on the ground

To write the ' great American novel '
the story of your life

and then the problem of the blog
the basic premise - keep personal / emotional details out of print
really, not compatible

Solution
write about you - as in ' I'll write your life story '
absolute fiction, natch !

""" I was born of a mountain top in Tennessee, Greatest state in the land of the free.
Obviously, there will be some pretty heavy plagiarism of sorts.

Early on, resiliency was a linchpin of our family life. Daily chores included fetching water, chopping wood and building the fire in the aga.
The cabin was warm and toasty, all year. The basic building was formed from a miner's shack, doors opposite for a through breeze and windows too ! Small to start but additions tripled the footprint and made the place roomy enough for five people.
The nuclear group was granny, mom and dad plus the two little ones, us.



Friday, 2 March 2018

overNight

the snow came

1/3 of the expected accumulation - the front blew through at speed
I guess

Big sun and cool but we'll cross freezing all week end

Well, our Shoppers Drug Mart card got assimilated by a grocery chain card, ' Presidents Choice '
Thus, SDM became PC
We lose a letter

However, we've contemplated getting a PC points card, previously, but it meant more plastic cards. Now, Shoppers and Loblaws ( the biggie grocery chain ) are one company.
A win / win, is it possible ?

We shall see said the Zen Master

Aha ! Garage re-organization
means = shuffle stuff around

Well, some good resulted.

a) M can place her car on the right side via a hanging styrofoam marker

b) the left side got a signal marker moved out a bit more, thus easier to see when I backing the beast in

Looks neater  .............. a bit
which is big b/c at least I tried




Thursday, 1 March 2018

" Sunny Day

everything seems OK "

Dazzling sun
and of course, they predict a big dump of white overnight - mid morning

Wadsworth !  Watch out

We know cuz we've been there

Lovely friends

And a field trip to Lehmans, a non-electric back to simple store
It was a 30 min drive into Amish Country
but worth the drive to Kidron, OH
Lehmans is a barn like structure, extensive w/ sections for kitchen, farm, crafts and household chores. Canning, knitting, heaing etc.

I found a sale on line and went to Kidron for a Memphis BBQ Tool, regular $ 45 but reduced to $ 11. A solid hinged implement able to scrape racks, lift racks and plane off grease from flat surfaces. I quite imagine, a real weapon as well - to fight raccoons and other BBQ invaders.