Sunday 31 March 2019

Shovelling on March 31

and to-morrow is April Fools Day

We got fooled last night, drizzle turned to snowflakes
Big ones !


Friday 29 March 2019

a 40 Degree Start

to the day.

FYI - thats the rainbow thermometer on the backside of the house under the overhang or very sheltered ( obviously no sun there as it faces north.

The long range into April from Brett Anderson at Accuweather



Long-range pattern update for April

By Brett Anderson, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Chilly pattern for the eastern half of the country for the first week of April due to a persistent northwesterly, but not terribly cold, flow. Also keep in mind that the normal temperatures will be steadily rising during April. Overall pattern appears to support more widespread mild conditions for much of Canada by the second week of April as spring begins to take hold.


Thursday 28 March 2019

Boldy Goes

where no one has dared as of to-day

I declare the bleakness is gone. We've turned the corner, tacked to the West, crossed the bar ( as in Tennyson ). There is hope in the air

Parts of S Ont hit close to 70 F, us we got by w/ 50 or so.


Wednesday 27 March 2019

Welcome to the

first Wednesday in Spring

Air is still, tree limbs barely twitching, light pours through the branches.
The rainbow temperature is 32 F out on the deck

We served Greek style, yesterday, no one complained.
This AM I found the taziki sauce in their little containers < someone should have complained >

The cousin and family follow soccer in the UK and are Liverpool fans < wow ! >. The girls play soccer as well.

I'm eating left over Greek salad under protest. Greek salad is a cucumber based salad but usually you get served iceberg lettuce w/ stuff thrown on top. Thus, I'll eat it but it is barely Greek-ish.

BTW , Hopkins lost on the weekend to Virginia. JHU thus fell out of the top 20 in D1. The first time in 8 years of so ( I made that up but I'm close - I think )


Tuesday 26 March 2019

First Tuesday in Spring

ran out of ideas for the title

Still cold feeling but we will meet the season average to-day. However, the morning thermometer check showed 24 F out there.
Sunny.

I've been watching ' WonderWoman ' w/ Gal Gadot.
On ' Jimmy ' Fallon ' Kate McKinnon commented on working w/ Gal Gadot.
KM : here we are ( Aileen and me ) two midwestern toads standing next to a Mediterranean goddess. And getting ready to bow

Yes, I'm in love

You know you're older when the mobility company comes to quote a price on stair lift ( moving seat )
and you're serious about buying.

To top it all off, a cousin and  family came to visit from Corvallis, Oregon. They are not American citizens except for the 2 born in the U.S.. The in-laws and me are Canadians.
What do they have trouble finding in Corvallis ? Greek food, thus we had chicken soulvaki and baclava ( way too sweet )
However, they brought a fruit flan which was semi sweet and even looked a tad healthy.
The only thing healthy re: baklava is that it so sweet that you won't eat many. Betcha the Greeks are looking to hunt me down for disparaging their dessert.




Monday 25 March 2019

Feeling the Pinch

or somesuch

Toronto is not a cheap place to live. The cost of housing and transportation etc is high. A recent survey showed that despite good job numbers and seemingly adequate pay that Torontonians feel as though they are not on top of things financially.

As retirees, I often think or realize that we are not in tune w/ the bulk of families.
As some wags on the radio ( CBC, natch ) put it - very boring lives when you describe what you do.

OK  the temperature outside, on a covered porch facing North is 24 F. Our outside digital sensor went out ( again ) thus we've reverted to putting out an analog jobbie thingy - that is big white w/ multi-colour rainbow designs across the face. Can't miss it.
The face shiel has a crack but I used clear hockey tape and got that sucker out in the elements - albeit pretty protected.
Currently, ' rainbow circle thermometer or RCT as we call it ( NOT , made that up ) is sitting on an upturned chair. A more permanent arrangement is in the think tank ( me ).

And in the household, disaster city. Our laundry pods failed to dissolve and left slime on the door seal. In fact, one pod came out - mostly intact.
Thus, off to the internet. And discover, we are not alone.
Each manufacturer, has ' tips ' for laundry, mostly involving why its the consumer's fault - not manufacturer.
Of course, I haven't found instructions on the package.
The solve, is a plastic cup of water holding the pod. The cup is placed at the back of the drum before the clothes. Our record is 2 - 0 w/ the cup hack ( I learned from YouTube what a lifehack is )
Ah, modern life.......... tragedy of the pods


Sunday 24 March 2019

First Sunday in Spring

and to-morrow will be the first Monday in Spring
and then the first Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday  already had one

The weather is promising warm but not here just yet

I took back my Xmas slippers, for the second time. First time xchng for different size
This round, for a split seam.
Marks Work Wearhouse said ' no prob' and coded it in and I got a near pair
Different colour but no splittting, yet

" Florida Man " on the internet.
Banner headline " Florida man denies syringes found in his rectum were his "  yick !




Saturday 23 March 2019

Wind is NNW and humming

sunny but wind chill drops the feel by 15 degrees

All night, the wind speed kept up. Slightly quieter this AM but lots of tree movement.

Really didn't venture out - driveway and back
Day looked good
So ,hope you enjoyed it

' the Kings of Spring ' or the lacrosse boys of NCAA are at the half way point of the season. Johns Hopkins is struggling w/ the 0.500 mark. Supposedly, very young w/ a large freshman class. consistency escapes them. Bursts of brilliance and some good runs and then mediocrity sets in. 
It is a longish season February merges into March - April is an onslaught of games, much of them conference play.
Most teams are involved in league play-offs come late April and then May is the run up to Memorial Day weekend and the NCAA championships for D 1 - 3.
I've been once to Championship weekend in Boston or Foxborough, precisely.
Hopkins lost in the semi-finals to Syracuse.


Friday 22 March 2019

......Naked

got you right
you're curious

Recently, I heard a song from a Canadian group, the ' Barenaked Ladies ' < ah, thats the naked part, sorry >

The hit song was ' If I Had a Million Dollars ' and in the lyric body, well, they list items to buy, and we wouldn't eat Kraft Dinner < which is Canadian speak for Mac n Cheese >
Well, I'd buy a Honda Ridgeline - which luckily is what I drive now.
How neat is that !!
How simple, am I, more to the point
Oh well, there it is

Daylight is 12h and 13 m
Gloomy day w/ prospect of precipitation.

Slept til 7 ! Wow, eh ?
Coffee, muffin w/ peanut butter
In fact, its generic peanut butter. Jif was the jar that ran out. And the housebrand was cheaper. Its called Great Value or GT or somesuch.
Love it. Must be chock full of grease and salt, oh and sugar I'm sure.
Tastes great.

Next, I check the weather page for CBC on line. Hence the mention of daylight. Temperature currently, 37 F.
I scroll thru Science and Tech < talk about gloomy >
Health < disease etc > and then business < you want gloomy, heck, they invented gloomy >
The big blooming business ? Marijuana, going like gang busters.


Thursday 21 March 2019

#2270 in the series

and 12 hrs and ten minutes of sun is on tap

I beat the sun up for the second day in a row. Sad, that.

Coffee is on, drop on by for a cup
or not
Apparently, the big smoke has a traffic safety issue that resulted in 41 pedestrian and cyclists dying during 2018.
And the optics of ' vision Toronto ' or keep our pedestrians  program is poor.

Inattentiveness is the main culprit. Distracted drivers are deadly drivers.

And of course, my truck has minimal Audiovisual display. Owners of the Ridgeline have noted the inconvenience of the upgrade navigation and sound system. I.e. having to reach for controls on the screen. Bet that really helps driver awareness of the road conditions.

The day did itself proud. Wind a tad chilly. Sun was intermittent but open jacket kinda day


Wednesday 20 March 2019

Spring has Sprung

or almost b/c it comes at approx 6 P

And we will be above 40 F to-day close to 50
w/ rain or something

Couldn't sleep, thus got up

We did change accountants
and M fell in lov w/out meeting the guy
b/c he gave us an estimate before we left his office.
c.f. last year
when we found out what we owed                                ( or got back, NOT ) 
on April 30,  the tax deadline
Now, there could be changes up / down a tad but more or less our position re taxes is ballpark.

According to Steven Pinker, professor , evluator, we live in an improved time for health and wealth
Whether, Pinker is right or wrong
I realized how negatively that I view the world and life.
Maybe, I'm being careful and don't want to jinx the way things are going by ' bragging or being ebullient '
that last bit - ebullient - can't see me that way

Well, 6:02 P Happy Spring to you

The day was a treat, breeze a little cool but full sun




Tuesday 19 March 2019

' the sun shines bright '

on my old Kentucky home

and here, too ! Cold but hope springs

Approx 4 months ago, at a funeral ( where else ) I started a conversation w/ a second cousin who is helping the Univ of Toronto archive the history of the Japanese Canadians in Canada esp. the war years.

I recall seeing some albums etc and promised to get in touch. I did.
However, I some realized that my cousins probably haven't seen these photos and would enjoy the experience.

Quite the trip down memory lane.
And I do look like my mother
we're related it seems

Monday 18 March 2019

7:25 to 7:26

thus, we made it
Sunshine prevails
and burgeons
from now til ( Summer solstice ? )

Thats a biggie in some places, like England ( and ????????? )
Druid celebration etc
or someone

Call my name
.... and I'll be there

A summoning ?  Don't call my name


Sunday 17 March 2019

7:27 sun up
 7:25 sun down

2 minutes off equal light and dark

' When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this world and wide '

Milton , ' On His Blindness '

Hope the wind has lost its chill b/c yesterday was a real fooly if you stepped out.

OK, not bad to-day, it felt a tad chilly but do-able

Saturday 16 March 2019

Equality of light

7:29 AM  Sunrise            7:23 PM Sunset

The times they are achanging ( B Dylan )

Gloomy St Pat's Day here in the big smoke


Friday 15 March 2019

Coming real close

to equal daylight / dark

Konmari or the Marie Kondo method to de-clutter.
On Netflix, as a series of vignettes of live interventions by MK in people's homes and family.

Yes, I'm watching ( not addicted, but interested )

So far, I've changed the way that I fold clothes and how these items are then stored.
The key is to fold in thirds and stand the items in the storage space. The sweat pants underbed storage plastic envelope used to never quite fit ( too bulky )
- now that sucker just slides under the bed.
And you can guess, standing folds are much easier to see.
M is not a fan of MK, detests the show.
Which only adds to the number of programs we do NOT have in common

Thursday 14 March 2019

Sunrise 7:32AM  Sunset 7:21 PM for S ON

Bright sun w/ a hint of haze or dullness

Wednesday 13 March 2019

#2262

Yepper, bopping right along

As predicted the warming trend is for real.
Temperatures will  approach 40 F this early PM.

We still have a Xmas scene out back in green on white.

Confessions : No, chipping ice for 6 h on Saturday tho' successful - comes at a price. All muscle groups were howling on Sun. As noted previously, calves shoulders, upper arms and teeth ( kidding ! kidding ! )

However, the right scapula ached from Sun thru Wed.
I broke down ( of course, its a breakdown ) and went to the physio lady. Upshot, muscle strain. She evaluated then flexed and did range of motion.

I got a rub down ( phantstic ! ) Heat ( glorioso ) and exercises which are stretch type jobbies.

Better still, I'd been applying the TENS pads, analgesic ointment etc in the wrong place. Physio lady found the crux of the problem.
Correction, M says she was placing the TENS device in the same place as physio did ( and I still wouldn't tell the truth ). My bad, it seems -sure felt different

Yes, I'm going back. Betcha, she'll make me do muscle stuff this time - weights etc.
If she rubs me down and does heat - I'll go back once more 




Tuesday 12 March 2019

that is a Cold - Cold Wind

but sunny

We are going to get five days of above freezing temperatures. Except that wind to-day is NW and frigid.

Daylight is long-ish 7:36 AM sunrise and 7:19 PM sunset

WWW or world wide web
Happy Birthday. 

But pardon me if I mention the concept was to create a free communication system.
I never knew ' free ' could cost so much, however, w/ Ma Bell leading the way.
Oh, Bell Telephone and sorry Telecommunications ( longer name so that they can charge more ) is Ma Bell to Canadians
We also have Mr Rogers and he charges a fortune as well.

Monday 11 March 2019

doing Nothing can

lead to Something

from the big heart of Winnie the Pooh

Yes. I watched the movie ' Christopher Robin '
 or the ' Hundred Acre Wood - reprise '.

 This Netflix offering was rated 5 stars. OK, I was jaded by all the pap that I selected for workout time from Netflix.
CR was a delightful change. Silly. But at least I felt emotionally refreshed after seeing the story. CR is about a grown up Christopher Robin, husband, father and executive. 
Supporting cast Eeyore, Piglet, Owl and Kanga and Roo + Tigger was exceptional demonstrating great interpretive depth and a flair for the big screen.

The weather is gloomy but above freezing. In fact, the high will be above freezing all week ( 34, 39, 48, 33, 33 ).

In the news, a quiet sun records no sun spot activity for a month. Sunpots are violent in sun terms and eventually affect the earth as electronic interference
( usually, quite mild but can be widespread and costly )


Sunday 10 March 2019

Chipping the Afternoon Away

What ?

All froze up, is what !
The front eavestrough and the downspout were filled w/ ice.
Thus, I went out and chipped the ice out and poured more ice melter into the downspout. In two sessions broken by a lunch out, I managed to get the ice out of the gutters and eventually water flow going in the downspout.

" Everybody Hurts " REM
My calves are sore and shoulders too. But it worked. Rain last night and the downspout took the rain. There was ice in the downspout but I got the pieces out about the size of beer cans.
So far, we have a working eavestrough.

Weather. Damp and misty but clearing. Temperature will hover aorund freezing and then drop but mid week, 40 + may be possible.
This week end was turn your clocks ahead and we did.
I woke feeling dragged out and rode hard and put away wet ( love that expression )

Still shaking off the ice chipping soreness
Damp all day but hoping for a touch of spring, there'll be no green ( except the Leprechauns ) : but warm would be treat.
< the rivers will be dangerous b/c they had warnings out this week end due to the , melt possibilities >




Saturday 9 March 2019

Y.O.L.O or bad advice

You Only Live Once ( YOLO )

On the buds, CBC overnight had a podcast which was taken from the BBC series called ' Conversations '.
The panellists discussed their careers and trends in Ireland.
At the part where the audience asks questions, the moderator turns to the guests and asks ' what is the worst piece of advice that you've ever been given '

And one guest came up w/ YOLO 
Others had ' be normal '
or ' never shout '
But YOLO caught my attention. The speaker of those words pointed to a lack of a pension as the result of YOLO.
I've said ' YOLO ' before but looking at meals in a restaurant. Obviously, I've got a limited concept of YOLO.
Very limited. Extremely limited
or not even in the ballpark.

Weather is bright sun and 20 F. We will warm to plus 32 F and wait for the sleet / snow or rain or all of it overnight.

To segue from YOLO to my life, at the pub, I listened to one regular discuss taking the family car at 13 y.o. and going downtown. And all of his other similar forays in his youth.
I knew my life was dull but between the aforementioned YOLO and the pub stories
Yepper.

Limited
Very limited
and ? Ballpark not even in the province.

The eavestrough saga. The afternoon was spent on a ladder siphoning water out of the frozen eavestrough.
The combination of ice and water had the overflow falling onto the interlock. The water had no where to go b/c the downspout was frozen.
I'm imagining tonight when the rain comes. Not nice, that.

Friday 8 March 2019

in the News

equal daylight / night

On the buds this AM, yes, the comments started w/ last night at 6:58 PM the sun was still up.
Folks are noticing the lengthening days.

The cold continues, I can vouch for that. I did the garbage check this morning which means adding garbage to the bin. Sort of topping off the bin if there is room.
I've made an effort to clear the eavestrough and especially the downpipe. I poured ice melter down the spout in an attempt to melt the solid water in the pipe.
In spring the water overflow coats the interlock w/ ice and the way becomes slick and dangerous.

Thursday 7 March 2019

equal

day and night

I've been watching the times for sunrise / sunset and have known that ' equal ' hours of light and dark we're coming. We've got 6:45 A and 6:12 P to-day.

Saturday night, we'll turn the clocks ahead.

Cold is the word for outside and brilliant sun from the get go.

My library card was about to expire in a few weeks, thus I renewed the card as I happen to be passing the library on the way to the Korner Pub.
It is free to renew but while there I found 2 gems. # 1 was a ' large type ' book, a novel ' Magicians Impossible ' and #2 a DVD titled ' Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool '.
The book is e-z to read and a little out there. Mostly, Sci-Fi, of course.
FSDDiL is a partly true story based on the memoirs of Gloria Grahame. The kicker is the female lead is Annette Benning. How good is she ?
I'm not sure, b/c it seems like its her story in a way.
Classy lady all around tho'.

Well, we're changing accountants. Our last year guy, we inherited from a working relationship w/ a reliable accountant that my father found by asking around.
Time for a change. Nothing will be different tax wise, b/c we are not in a cheap position, as in we get taxed to the gills.

A funny feeling like a new barber or such

We shall see said the Zen Master.

Wednesday 6 March 2019

neck OUT limb

or he stuck his neck out
and he is out on a limb

Who ?
Brett Anderson of Accuweather. BA published his spring forecast. For the Great Lakes ( all 5, w/ a radius of several hundred miles ).
BA highlights near normal temperatures and below average rainfall.
How to calculate the effects. Certainly, snowfall was sufficient for spring melt. And perhaps lower rainfall will favour spring planting for farmers.

For me, anything other than snow and cold and raging winds will do quite nicely.
At the moment, I'm figuring out how to deal w/ the melt off the roof and keeping the drains clear exiting the foundation area.

Tuesday 5 March 2019

Hope !

...rebellions are based on Hope '

from ' Rogue One ' a StarWars story

The forecast for Thur onward has 4 days of rising temperatures starting at 26 F.
26 F ?? what ?
Yes, we'll take 26 over 9 any day of the week b/c we are hovering around there to-day.

On Netflix, ' the Spinning Man ' was the choice last night.
TG, its free or pre-paid, cuz we didn't get close to our money ( likely 12 cents for the month )

Free shipping. the call to arms. Love to see those words
Thus, sure I ordered. 3 days for a further $6.
No, free
3 weeks to ship
Go figure

My beast got a recall notice. The Honda ridgeline has a water drain problem. The drain holes in the bed of the truck apparently send the water dripping over the fuel pump. The pump may crack from freezing or malfunction w/ the corrosion.
To wit, my bed is covered w/ a rigid locking top.
However, Ridgeline needs to go in, for warranty purposes
and supposing that I ever use the truck coverless which I already have


Monday 4 March 2019

the Claws of Winter

sunk in deep and won't let go

Weather advisory is extreme cold and is in effect til further notice < I think they mean 2022 >

Promise of above average temperatures in a few weeks.

The ' Umbrella Academy ' is weirding to a conclusion.
To quote, Tim Powers from his sci-fi history novel, the " Drawing of the Dark " - ' much has been lost, much more will be lost '.
The Academy has lost and his losing team members.

I'm primarily in a philosophical mood right now. 
A comme ci, comme ca kinda place.
Epitomized by breakfast - a homemade bran muffin.
I'll be enjoying the muffin, thinking ' who else gets to do this '
I didn't even make the muffin. M got all creative and energetic and put to-gether, the make a large batch of dough and keep in the fridge. I did the oven part for this lot on Saturday.

BTW - the boys of spring - Hopkins BlueJays lax team came from behind and toppled Princeton 14 - 12. To return to safer territory at 2 - 2 for this year.
Apparently, my memory is suspect b/c the game notes for the week end had a reminder ' last year when the Jays were 1 - 2, the BJ s reeled off 5 wins in a row to finish March. '
Of course, I was going ' the worst start ever 0 - 2 ' and I still might have been right but obviously, marginally correct.

As well, on the buds this early morning, a writer was explaining her battle w/ predator trolls on the internet.
A case study that she highlighted, ended up 3 years later w/ the same sex couple charged and convicted of child abuse. The writer was accused of knowingly abetting the charged couple.
However, followers be aware that there are only 3 of you and I know who you are.

Sunday 3 March 2019

remiss

and embarrassed

Netflix has become a ' go to ' entertainment venue.
Especially, while working out.
At best its variety
At worst, a showcase for average to below average fare.

A Report
' Teenage Titans ' or some such. We have ex - Robin sundered from Batman for psychological trauma. A flame thrower girl who is missioned to eliminate the second coming of an evil wizard type guy. A skin changer and toward the later episodes ' Wonder Girl '
( didn't even know there wa a Wonder Girl, I mean except for Natalie Portman ). A whole whack of episodes paraded across the screen.
And very hard to rate, b/c I was of decimal values out of 4, like 0.9. But then I got to thinking if I rate Titans as a decimal, readers could ask < why did you watch all those episodes > Cuz I needed something ?

the " Umbrella Academy " begins w/ a round up of children born on the same day / year. The mothers conceived these children w/out fathers and some had a gestation time of 12 hours. Weird and paranormal.
The ' father ' purchases these wonderkins and raises them in a para-military, para- boarding school fashion.
The talents include time travel, bringing back the dead to talk to, super strength, mixed martial arts and one more which must be extreme physical displacement of matter < the air explodes out ward from her and everything goes  flying >. I'm not at the end and I'm sure much more will be revealed.

And Finally, a winner. A period piece highlighting the supposed disappearance of Agatha Christie. And that during this time, AC was off solving a murder w/in a murder.
Her marriage is failing b/c the dude is playing away from home. AC is looking for inspiration for her writing which has dead ended in the middle of a script.
Well done w/ excellent production values.
A bit low for M ... and me but it worked itself out.

Weather is benign. I know < what ? >
Cold but clear snow flurries in the afternoon. However, after some tumultuous days, these last 2 have been ' halcyon '.

The weather dudes are predicting warm or warmer flows of air for late March and early April BUT we gotta get there.


Saturday 2 March 2019

benign

what a useless word

However, the shoe fits
The air is still, the trees are still, it is cold still
Still not bad, like benign




Friday 1 March 2019

deadpool

the movie

Slick, tongue in cheek and sassy - all that Marvel world does best but amped up.
And violent, way like violent
blood spurting, body parts coming off
flash and bang

" you're the meaning in my life
   you're my inspiration "

Yes, they managed to cram in a Peter Cetera song as well. It almost was appropriate - OK it fit pretty good
considering the rest of the movie

Cold and bright, snow is not on our minds. Roads locally, are similar to goat paths and the main arteries are shrunk on the sides. Thus, 3 lanes are 2.8 lanes.