Many a Slip

 between the lip and the cup ( ? )

I dropped our gift UK mug. Down the stairs. Yes, I need grip gloves or just smarten up.

Lytton made 49.6 C for a third record in 3 days < 121.3 F >

From CBC online :

{{ Talk about a heavy snack. For the first time, astronomers have witnessed a black hole swallowing a neutron star — the most dense object in the universe — all in a split-second gulp.

Ten days later they saw the same thing on the other side of the universe. In both cases, a neutron star — a teaspoon of which would weigh a billion tons — orbits ever closer to that ultimate point of no return, a black hole, until they finally crash together and the neutron star is gone in a gobble.

Astronomers witnessed the last 500 orbits before the neutron stars were swallowed, a process that took far less than a minute and briefly generated as much energy as all the visible light in the observable universe. }}

Can you swallow that whole ? ! Gulp - a - rama !!!!

For online apps and games. I'v tried ' June's Journey ' now deleted.

' Hidden Objects ' is deleted also.

Mostly, b/c I refused to pay for ' energy bars ' or power ups

Too cheap. Way too cheap.

Shopping today, was at Canadian Tire. CT is a cross between household goods meets tires and tools. CT offers Canadian Tire ' money ' back on purchases ( something like 1- 2 % ) however, the big promo was ' 30 CT dollars ' if you spent $ 150 all at once.

And I've been waiting - ' wanting ' whatever, to buy a replacement lifejacket. The type is an auto - inflate strap vest. Light and unobtrusive but able to inflate on immersion in water. The original is 2008 vintage.
About time, you would think. It can not get water logged etc but the mechanism is 13 yrs old. And there is no guarantee that the folded material that forms the bladder can not deteriorate.
Of course, I hemmed and hawed to the store / in the store and coming home.

BUT the thought  [ ' it costs $ 259 ' , what is your life worth ] won out. To rationlize - the real cost is 259 - 30 or $ 229. Paid and done.
Now. for the follow up.

 
I attached the gas cylinder and all seemed good. UNTIL. I open the second vest strap and see " this is manual inflation only " Say What !!!
Thus, off to YouTube. Found the Halkey brand video < makers of the mechanism >.

Two things. That warning label is attached to an alternate cover that makes the auto inflate into inflate by pull toggle. So, I hid the label away - not needed.
Next, the nice man is discussing the pro s to using auto inflate. ' Of course, you should check the mechanism every two years < not that I knew > and beware that the water intitiate disc can become damaged and not function.  Really, could have told me, like maybe 6 years ago. 

See. Replacing the vest looks better and better. And I might salvage the CO2 cylinder.

Also, I bought ' SeaFoam ' gas / oil additive for small engines < and big >.  I've been adding this supplement to the outboard engine.

A day in the life !

low tech laundry day

 at Lehman s

Couldn't sleep last night

And the hot / humid alert is ' on ' again for today

BUT S Ontario can't hold a candle < b/c it would melt > to :

Lytton, B.C., broke the record Sunday afternoon for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada with a measurement of 46.6 C, according to Environment Canada. ( 115.8 F )

BTW, thats likely Lytton in B.C. interior that sits in the rain shadow of the Rockies. That area is dry and hot in summer

A very ' blah ' type of day ....." Ah, uninspired is the word"

Craft of the day : M was told that slipper sox are best for grip and preventing falls. However, the ones that we found do not fit properly.

Solution : make your own. Saw videos on YouTube < E Z P Z , of course >. At Walmart got the paint. We used ankle sox that fit her feet and stiff cardboard as a solid surface. One and done.
Nope. First ititeration called Alpha trial - not tacky enough. Add more squiggles, please. 5 h later, voila. Functional slipper sox. Beta was a success. There needs to be a Gamma run..........
And I'm praying that we won't need a ' Delta ' prototype....... something about that name ' delta '.

Counting

 or is it just me. I'm always counting as in seconds ' until ' e.g I set the microwave for twenty seconds and then count while moving around the kitchen. What for ?
Dunno.
While exercising, there is the aerobic part consisting of 30 minutes of rowing. Yep. I count strokes even while timing < using the exercise function on the watch >. Now, to be fair the stroke counter is broken on the Concept 2 Rower. There once was a mechanical analog timer and pace meter < died long ago >. Still.

Ontario or actually Toronto set a vaxxn record. Down at the Molson Centre ScotiaBank Centre, 26 600 folks got their vax. While waiting, the 15 minute safety period post vax, the participants got to sit in the stands like a regular crowd at hockey games. This is a Canadian - American record < the old one was 17 000 in Texas >
From Global News:

[[   A massive COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto has broken a single-day record for the most vaccinations at 26,771 doses administered on Sunday, officials say.

“The total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered are believed to be a new world record for most one-day COVID-19 vaccinations given at a single clinic,” City of Toronto officials said in a news release late Sunday.  ]]

We are under a special ' weather alert ' for H / H. Dangerous condition for some people

Whoa ! heat plus. 

Walmart was busy. And Giant Tiger had a line  < me and one other lady > outside the door in the shade < TG >

At WallyM, I bought potato salad and turkey breast - b/c we arne't cooking tonight. Cold dinner on a bun.

Hope Is Not a Plan

 - heard again while watching " Mission Impossible - Fallout "
Crikey - going fishing : hope is all
Rebellion s are based on hope < StarWars- 'Rogue One ' >

FYI, Sunday is weigh in day or morning < pre - breakfast >. My weight has been 176 - 178 lb for a year now. Unfortunately, this past 2 weeks has been more 178 then 176.

Also, Sunday is ' eye treatment night '. Since 1997, I have done a ritual of ' de - oiling my eyelids '. The process is warm and wipe. The  ' warm ' part used to be a facecloth soaked and wrung w/ hotwater.
Lately, almost 2 years now, I use a A/C powered warming mask. The warming is for 10 minutes. The oil production in my lower lids is poor and this oil lubricates the eye surface.
Next, the eyelids are cleansed of any oily residue.
For a long time or some 18 years, I used cotton swabs dipped in a dilute solution of baby shampoo. My current eye doctor recommended an ' eye wipe ' towelette < from the Shoppers Drug >.
The shampoo is cheaper and multi - functional < showers etc > but the alkalinity can cause difficulties. The towelette is pretty much neutral pH.

The ritual used to be almost nightly. However, as the ' Blepharitis ' < yes it has a name > seems to have improved, the shcedule is now twice a week < Thur and Sun >

Okay. Blepharitis. What is it ? As stated, lack of eye oil can cause poor lubricating of the eye. Sludge builds up and infection etc can occur. In 1997, I attended the Waterloo Ocular Centre < a part of the University of Waterloo >. There, Dr Wilson diagnosed the blepaharitis. Lots of people have the condition. Sadly, the long term build up of residue on the eyelids can cause deterioration of the eyelids themselves. Infected eyelids that do not repond to medication may need to be ' expressed ' by surgically removing the build up < ouch ! >.
This surgery is often repeated.

Thus far, I'm good. Due to the pandemic, last years appointment was cancelled

The long range forecast from Brett Anderson at Accuweather : for the Great Lakes Basin esp North shore of L Ontario and Erie b/c L Superior is its own weather

Jun 28 - Jul 4   stormy and unsettled

Jul 5   - 11       wet

Jul 12   - 18   seasonal

Unsettled

 as in a building ? or
weather and rain for the week

Fashion from plastic ?

Came w/ the artcile at CBC Science on line

Treat of the week - turns out to be Takeout from 6 Burger Bar

Chicken pita and fish and chips < haddock >

Terrif !! Made our day

Actually, anything would have made our day < sad that this is IT for the day >

Life or something that resembles it.

An aunt died on the paternal side. The notice was in the Edmonton paper. I met Aunt D* approx 4 times as she and son Maurice transferred at the airport for Europe or Quebec                                      < Quebec ? really ! I think >.                                                                    I told M that I might qualify in the top 3 of cousins who had met Aunt D*. 

The sundering came a long time ago for the family. And cousin L from B.C. pretty much confirmed what I thought. She emailed back    ' thats 4 times more than me ! '.

What happens ? Well, everything. 

An uncle ' D2 ' not to be confused w/ the other uncle ' D ', was often discussed in hushed tones. That uncle ' D2 ' was always good to my brother and I. The story goes : while a young child, D2 was given away to another son - less family that lived nearby. There were 7 sons in my dad's family. This ' give away ' scenario was very common. Well, D2 never understood and eventually, returned to the family. The bitterness lingered.
Then to worsen the tale, D2 contracted Tuberculosis and got sent away to the prarries for treatment. The family was not wealthy and sent one person every year to say hello < a 10 hr train ride >.
Yes, the resentment was intense.

Sadly, I'm not relating anything new in family troubles - probably you are saying " wait til you hear my story ! "

Sticky day out there, H / H kinda, S Ontario day.

Les Habitants Sont La

 was the joyful shout that would ring out at the Montreal Forum < long gone > . The chant was   ' the Canadiens are there ! '    meaning top of the standings.
This year, NO, way down the list of Stanley Cup contenders

However, as of last night, the Habitants have to be ranked #2 at least, b/c they are in the Stanley Cup finals. 24 time Champions, looking to add another < after a long interval since the last >.
We shall see said the Zen Master 

House - wise. The skylights need replacing < we've paid 1/2 down already >. The front interlock is to be taken up and replaced w/ grass and garden bed < for drainage purposes and maintenance >
Ooh ! the cost of keeping a house. Well, at least we won't collapse < xxx fingers here >.

Boo - hoo, for us. NOT.
 Fortunate to have a roof < steel at that > and safe and provided for. 

Just Right

 if as predicted -  an all purpose day

On failure. You read that Tuesday was a windy day up on the 'bee. I referred to my line blowing all over < and the boat the same >. Yesterday, I saw a notation that said  ' tiny child rig ' under fishing and QMH in a notebook that I use. The ' tiny child rig ' is weighted      as in wouldn't get blown around the same way as happened on Tues.

You see what I really needed was to write the note on my forehead. 

CV 19 is still a topic. Case number have fallen generally however there are some hotspots of infection. Vaxx are arriving in vast numbers and are getting out to the public. AND as mentioned the ' re - opening ' when and how protocol is front and centre.

 And sales fell through April in Canada

Dead Fish

 dead sea ?  When it rains , it pours < Morton s Salt logo >. However, as businesses try to salvage a 2021 slow start on Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach and North on the Suncoast - Red Tide ! RT is causing fish kills and fish smell. The fish litter the beaches and the odour litters the air.

For me, my hopeful Jan - Feb fishing tries down there, are in jeopardy. The smell will have gone but the forage dies and fish need to replenish the stocks in the Tampa Bay area. Well, more shuffleboard, I guess !

CV 19 news. M and I have passed our two week post 2 vaxxn. Our protection is the 90 % range. Less for the delta variant. Here in Canada, there are no guidelines for vaxx2 people but ....
[[Fully-vaccinated individuals are at a low risk of bringing COVID-19 into the environment — and even if someone does bring the virus, the other people there are at a reduced risk of actually acquiring it, Chagla said. There is also a lower risk of serious complications from the disease if someone does contract it. ]] Chagla is a doctor

Onatrio is ranked 6 th out 11 Prov and Terr based on per capita cases.

Meanwhile on the home front. I went to Superstore and saw a pork chunk that looked not bad for the price.    Ooh !
You see, this cut is picnic < not a picnic but picnic >
Flavourful but tougher than other cuts. Yikes.

Our 4 # piece will take 5 h < bit less >. The sucker goes in at 12:30 to be done by 6. However, it will be crispy and flavour packed.
OR it means takeout from the ' 6 Burger bar '.

So, what else was I going to do this afternoon. At least it sits for 4 h in the oven crisping up - I can have a beer or sand the deck. 

Success. The pork is tender and tasty and now in there cooking w/ carrots, potato, onion, garlic and bay leaves plus celery salt < flavour >

I Came Home Alive

 what and thats good ? You bet. The wind blew me all over the river
I dropped the anchor over the side and the knot slid loose as the anchor disappeared.
Lunch was uneventful

In the CV 19 battle. Vaxx s are up and cases are down
The governement is moving too slow opening up businesses. Now, this is the same government that moved too fast 3 months ago. It s all about timing. Or hindsight.

Country Meats 🍖

from Lehman s

Early morning shopping at the Real Canadian SuperStore was successful. The basics were potatoes, salad pack, coleslaw, onions, Chinese greens < gai lo to you >, tomatoes, buns, rolls, pork roast,  vanilla creamer, ju jubes, wine gums < see the basics > plus a frying pan, snack boxes w/ ice sleeves in the lids    < all on sale for 60 % off >.
The frying pan is ceramic lined on aluminum w/ a steel bottom.

If you go at 7: 30 AM, there is an empty store and no line up at cashier lane. And it rains all day w/ temperatures heded for 85 or a bit more.

From the CBC, there is a Canada, leading the way item : [[ Vancouver-based fusion energy company General Fusion has entered an agreement with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to build a nuclear fusion demonstration plant to be operational in 2025. It will take a unique approach to generating clean energy.   ]]   The fusion technology is called  ' sun in a bottle '  b/c fusion is at the heart of the stars.
The process where hydrogen and basic atoms join and become bigger atoms but release energy. Bazinga ! sun in a bottle.
Now, the bottle is the size of an office building and the energy gets measured in ' kilomega whatzits ' but essentially the same idea

The frying pan was tested and performed well. I decided sometime ago that we are not using the horribly abused mismatched pans that we had. We can afford some basic equipment < and if M stops using metal utensils for cooking then we can do even better >

Lazy but satisfied.
We did takeout for lunch from Skyland hot table and sushi. The combo is noodles / rice and then pick two of the twenty items. This portion is a meal for two. Plus, I took some dim sum  < hakkow and shumai >  one is shrimp and the other pork mix. Both are steamed. The sushi was an assortment of shrimp, fish and veggie collage. Most of the above gets frozen for snacks etc. The sushi has to be finished tonight < ah, shucks ! > but really the sushi will not refrigerate well < dries out > and next day is chancy at best. The flavour goes and then the hardness from drying.

BTW, those spellings are variable e.g
hakkow = har gow
shumai = chu my
Really its an Anglcized translation <  phonetically  > Or you can point and hold up fingers. Actually, the girls are quite fluent as in - they understand my broken English

Dad s Day

 to all Daddy s out there

Sunday means small stories, I guess. CV 19 - wise, Canada is marching on - to the point where ' the vibe ' is " enough vaxn is coming to do all Canadians '

Sunny day out there.

Confession time. I ordered water filters for the fridge. XWF is the designation. One OEM GE type filter is $ 60 or 3 / $49 generic called Mariotto. Amazon, free delivery
In the TorStar, a column explains what happens when you order in terms of what the workers go through. Intense pressure to be fast and effiicent, coupled w/ not great pay.

So guilt set in. 

We are cooking in tonight. It s burgers on the grill + cheese. We almost came close to the ' 6 Burger Bar ' in taste. The patties were Ledbetter s Cowboy Burgers. The cook was me. The instrument was the $ 100 BBQ of shopping fame or infamy.

Oh, I have contmeplated changing Blogging sites. If I leave the free Blogspot site here, I'll pay approx $ 4 a month for a permanent blog site. But I can they monetize by getting advertising.

More readers could find me b/c its hard to find blogs on blogspot. Don't think that I'm moving

? 

" Welcome to my morning

 welcome to my day ....." sang John Denver

Today s topic < til something else comes along - did try the CBC though > is exercise

I've been doing some form of aerobics since I was 20. Truth: there were times when I was jogging 3 times a week for 2 miles or so. Also, there were two regimens of swimming each lasting about 3 - 4 years.

Readers will know that for the last year < give or take > I've morphed into an every other day workout routine of approx 80 minutes ( including warm up / down ).
In all that 51 year timeframe, the most common comment that I can recall is ' you should really should get in shape '. Not exactly positive encouragement. Right now, I'm 177 lb. A little chunky, but drinking beer and more or less content.

That is a loaded term for me ' content '. I've figured out that I'm likely never to be truly content. Why ? Dunno. Just me.

Back to the exercise front. The major goal is to sweat. Freely sweating < I soak my shirt and towel during the 80 minutes > to clear my pores and stimulate my muscles. Overall, I've decided that ' this workout program will have to do ' b/c my true aspiration can only be                  ' maintenance level fitness '. 
In the past, I've had goals such as ' so much distance in so much time ' etc. Now, its mostly ' let s hang in there ' kinda thinking. In the movie   ' Nobody s Fool " w/ Paul Newman, PN s character ' Sully ' gives that advice for everything.
PN:    well , hang in there
MG : is that the some total of your advice on marriage problems
PN:  thats the sum total of my advice on most subjects

BTW, MG is Melanie Griffiths. Plus Bruce Willis and Jessica Tandy

Treat of the week - the 6 burger Bar. Great burgers. We ordered pork soulvaki < salad, french fries and rice and garlic bread > and chicken in a pita. No. There are leftovers, we didn't eat it all. The 6 is about 12 minutes away. If we had found it earlier - it would have been our go to for takeout.This trip was our third. Never disappointed.

I noticed a flash banner ' update available ' and hit the icon. After update, a message said check for diagnostics { now easier }. I ran the memory test for the CPU - 12 minutes later ' Success '. Then I got to thinking what happens when the CPU fails the memory test. Crikey, what a horror that would be, Computer - Alzheiemers, really ?

The blessing of a Chrome machine - no Windows shinnanigins - when the update rearranges something in memory or system. On the big laptop < 17 inch Dell > I've had to re - store 3 times b/c of some change.
Chrome reshuffles all the main crap in the central server < where ? > w/out bothering my machine.

a $ 400 Phone

 our house is wireless for internet and phone - there are some wires running into the modem, TV boxes and home base phone unit BUT then all connections are WiFi.
So, 400 dollars ? Yes, our cell phones < his and hers > both Moto G8 b/c we need only one charger for trips etc.
I could not believe that $ 400 was needed to have a cell phone - except that now, our home security system is controlled by the Moto G as well as my workout HRM.

CV 19 in S Ontario. The cases are falling not a plummet but steadily downward, trickling down daily.

From the CBC online : [[ Toronto General Hospital says its medical surgical intensive care unit is free of infectious COVID-19 patients for the first time since March 26, 2020, and its managers and nurses are celebrating.]]

TGH is one of the big 5 of hospitals in the city core.

Your dollar buys less : 

Less car, less gas, less house

Even while prices continued to surge, both Jerome Powell and Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, who addressed the Canadian Senate Wednesday evening, continue to insist that the inflation we are seeing now is a flash in the pan.

Price increases, they say, will head back down toward two percent after the pandemic's distortions have passed and the economy gets back on track.

Sleep Eludes Me

 woke at 6 - no falling asleep happened

Today marks 7 days since vaxx2. And that means - well , not much
Our Public Health Officer reiterated 'wear a mask and keep that 6 ft distance '

Hey, wasn't I doing that social stuff before

Warning : For fun < as in can't sleep > I was searching around in FaceBook Marketplace and discovered ' arm precision clamping tool ' that lifts or raises heavier type items such as furniture to get underneath or maneuver the item. I decided to check Amazon. Of course, it was cheaper on Amazon, Next, I read the reviews. The reviewers used words such as ' cheap, poorly made and failed at first go ' Nuff said there, I guess

Well, from CBC online - ' prices of daily items rise '
That is not news, its called ' life '. Now, news is                                      ' prices fall and reflect that CEO s and Company officers gave back 60 % of their salary ' or      ' executives pay taxes '

A Covid Report

post # 3063 and thanks to all you readers 

From the CBC online:

[ Ontario reported 296 additional cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the fewest on a single day since last September, as well as the deaths of 13 more people with the illness.

The rolling seven-day average of daily cases, one of the most critical indicators of the pandemic's growth or decline, is down to 479, its lowest point since Sept. 29, 2020. The measure peaked in Ontario at nearly 4,400 in April. ]

Its that seven day average that is most critical in gauging CV 19 affects

I'm going upstairs as at now to take the 24 H antihistamine                            < for the last time ???? > The chemical is cetirizine hydrochloride. And following :

Cetirizine, sold under the brand name Zyrtec among others, is a second-generation antihistamine used to treat allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, and urticaria. It is taken by mouth. Effects generally begin within an hour and last for about a day.

I've actually switched antihistamines b/c the previous one ran out. It was called desloratidine. Follow up

Cetirizine has also an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory activity that could be fruitfully used in clinical practice. Therefore, cetirizine is, also after 30 years, a first-choice antihistamine

And further research : There is no contraindication for taking one followed by the other.

Plus, I discovered that I could take cetirizine HCL to relieve cold symptoms - bonus.

From the Quarter Mile. Among the chores accomplished was fixing the garage door on the boathouse. The metal door that rolls up, is a testament to DIY repairs. Yesterday. I re - attached a bracket that holds a roller wheel of the door. I struggled but found a replacement bolt and nut to hold the bracket firmly - ier.

The bolt and nut had loosened but I found that they could not be tightened < ????? >. Of course, it was classic jury - rigging. The space behind the bracket was under a quarter inch. Thus, a short bolt was needed and a skinny nut. I happen to carry an assortment of spare nuts, bolts and screws and truth be told - a little of everything b/c you never know. [ I'm reminded of this fact each time that I lift my tool satchel.]. The rest of the brackets      < 10 more > are held on by the original self - tapping metal screws.
But - you can guess - the screw that was supposed to be there left a hole in the metal frame too big to take a screw and hold. Without the bracket firmly attached that bracket twists and the roller wheel skews in the track and jams. Thus, there are bolts in a few places < done over the years >.

The added benefit of going to QMH is the relaxing which I did. Yes, I'm retired but sometimes a change of scenery, pace and ho hum days is good. I swished a t

toilet ( removing winter scum build up ), soaped up the truck windows to take off the bug splatter and ate too much. All good.

Ready. I've got sore spots on my scalp ????

The End of an Outburst

of allergy

Yes. I'm reporting a denouement of skin activity.

The full skinny. Travelled to the Quarter Mile House. And played         ' Lotto - will the boat launch ' my favourite game. And Da Da Da - a minor glitch and splash - a - roo.
Okay to be fair - since the massive re - build the waterfront effort up there 3 yr ago - there have been fewer and fewer cockups w/ the boat trolley and rail system. And credit where credit is due. At the time of the re - build " A " and fishing friends "F " and " D " worked on the foundation for the ramp. And I guess that solid foundation makes everything above that just that little more stable.

Engine - balked a little - but like a trooper purred to life w/ a slight cough < it was 10:30, afterall >. The 75 HP ran up river nicely

Fished a little got a little. All panfish but a joy to be out.

So, the skin allergy situation. I forgot my hat at the dock. It was windy but I knew that UV index was going to be high. Thus, I cut short the the fishing time and came home.
Good thing b/c I coudl feel my face glowing as I went upstairs the QMH. The wind and sun were brutal. I rested and then realized that it was too sunny to go out. Exposure to sun kicks the skin irritation into overdrive, so I stayed in and rested - doing little housekeeping things in the Q < always chores inside >

Coming home, I showered and applied Soothing Gel. Last night, I slept through and ' no burn at all '. Plus, I'm wearing a collared shirt right now. BUT I will take one more  ' 24 H antihistamine pill '.

the Dimming Goes On

Yes. I'm wearing the cut down shirt < collar slice >. According to records, this is day 4  of [ 24 h ] antihistamine medicinal treatment. BTW, I've noted that this outbreak is pretty typical of my plant allergy syndrome.

' Syndrome ' is the word b/c its happening to me . And I have a history of sorts.
I've had poison ivy 2x and one bout kept me bed ridden or couch ridden for days.
I've had the general allergic reaction < thats what the doctors call it > just about yearly for 30 years.

And its so old hat, I can wait for the pattern. Little bumps on my left forearm. Bumps migrate across my shoulder and on to the right side. And little bumps show up on my stomach or side at the same time. If the little bumps grow bigger and this happens in the sun - the bumps become water blisters.

However, this go round the neck bumps were the most irritating and still are - fading but there

I'm chancing a run up for fishing, to the Quarter Mile.

Yes, if the trip goes badly south - you will hear about it

The skinny. Fully vaxxd Canadians = 12.9 % vs. partly vaxxd 63.9 %

the Burn is Dimming

 Thus, after three days of burning itch the allergy symptoms have dimmed a lot.

Applied Soothing Gel last night, pre - bed time and made it through the night. Minor irritation but definitetively going

Canada in the news. From CBC online

[[ For months now, noted American cardiologist and researcher Eric Topol has been keenly following the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines around the world. And he can't say enough good things about his northern neighbour's fast and sudden rise to the top.

His frequent praise for Canada can be found on Twitter, including a recent tweet lauding the country for "pulling away, setting a new pace and ceiling for 1st dose vaccinations of major countries." 

It's a rise to the top that he says is mostly due to "the culture" of Canada.

In an interview with CBC News, Topol said Canadians are more science-based, less vaccine-hesitant and certainly less likely to be "anti-vaxx" than those in his own country. ]] < that value is 64 % vaxx 1 >

However, we started slow and ballooned upward, but we lag in vaxx2. Thats b/c Canadian stategy was ' first dose protection first and second dose as vaxx2 became availible ' .

Amazing Amazon. Ordered a tower fan < after much research > Sunday and it arrived at lunch. Tower fan ? Yes, a Honeywell ' QuietSet ' 5 spd. The fan is bound for the bedroom < warmest room in the house and site of a ceiling fan installed in 1996, that died months ago >. We tried the Honeywell in the liivng room where it was drowned out by the TV. W/out the TV, whisper like.

All we wanted was a little air motion in the bedroom. We don't need the hot air off the ceiling mixing ala HighVelocityLowVolume ceiling fan. Now we get, low speedlowvolume middle room air movement.
We shall see said the Zen Master ...... 

There was an 8 spd version availible but when what you need is  ' quiet mode ' the other 3 spds don't come into the calcuation.

The Rules

 of re - opening
The way forward for Ontario emerging from lockdown is staged in 3 steps, however, there is also a built in 3 week interval between stages.

And so far, Canada has not announced travel rules except to say that starting early July < ? >  inbound travellers that fly will not need to quarantee for 3 days in a hotel and 14 days in situ but need to show proof of vaxx2 and have a negative CV 19 test and take a test at the border and isolate til that test result is known.

Follow up from the last 4 days. Vaxx on Wed A.M.. Thurs though, a rash re - occurred on my neck. And since, the burning sensation has been off / on much as happens when my allergies flare up.
And still, today, I've been trying different topicals plus 24 hr antihistamine. The best topical is Solarcaine - Soothing Gel. However, last night, in order to sleep, I cut the collar on a T Shirt and slit the seam to the shoulder. This tailor job keeps the collar from rubbing agaisnt the sore spot on the neck.
The allergy source pimples < ? > are small red and burn like crazy off and on. The one caveat is that exposure to sun turns the pimples into water blisters, Yick - a - rama !

Ontario RE re Opens

Yes, been there - done that. Except last, re -open was ' don't blink b/c you'll miss it ' 6 days and shut down.

Supposedly, the Premier line up his ducks and said ' Go '

We shall see - says everyone. Premier Ford has low ' street cred '

The average summer weather continues.

In the news, from CBC online. Please note that these are comments from press writers and not necessarily Doctors < who disgree BTW >

Canada needs to establish guidelines for re - starts to travel and that is internal and external. Manitoba has done this - 2 vaxx Manitobans can travel inside Canada and outside and do not have to quarantine upon return if they provide their ' vaxx passport '. Canada has mumbled something about a ' vaxx visa ' , maybe, kinda - most likely. 
And our 4 international airports are at passenger capacity < 5 % of pre - pandemic levels > w/ distancing and CV 19 isolation protocols.

Fullest Meaning

 of vaxx 2 or the second dose stage

Very little except peace of mind. M is still out of sorts post shot and pre - coffee. I'm sleepy but minimally affected.
I'm drinking ' brown coffee ' aka packaged overly sweet instant coffee.
The packets are for emergencies while travelling.
Yesterday, I finished the ' day before thermos coffee ' and decided if M didn't need a new pot made that I'd drink ' perfect coffee every time ' which it isn't
Very sweet < so I used 1 / 2 the packet > its coffee.

OK vaxx2. Canada leads the G7 in 1 st vaxx but is second only to Japan in least 2nd vaxx percentage. The actual 2 vaxx percentage is 11 in Canada.

The bottom line is that the bulk of the world is waitng for 1 st dose coverage. Recent blurbs have said that the world needs to be 2 vaxx by the end of next year < I think that means 2022, which is a scary thought, in itself >

Today, in Ontario, non - essential shopping opens w/ limits on numbers in store and masks and distancing the same. Malls are closed. Thus, a store must have  outside access itself.

The proposed non mask date < not final > is late August 2021. 

Haircuts e.g. will happen in early July < ? >

Weather is fine.

Joyous patrons return to the patio scene. The fav saying, Canada has 2 seasons, Winter and patio. Korner Pub was getting ready but not quite open. Instead we got takeout from Vienna Fine Foods - hot counter. One goulash soup for both of us, ham and cheese and a pork cultet on a bun. The soup is $11 a styrofoam pint < ? > container and is always hot and rich. The sandwiches are well done items. 

Our House

 # 3056

the skinny : 2 nd Pfizer vax report. Me - arm w/ shot tender. Her - feeling lousy, ginger ale was required.

We were warned that there was a possibility of a light reaction.

Sweeping through the CBC online, as businesses esp. food related types start to plan for Jun 12 or so re - opening < outdoor dining > owners face a shortage of staff.

[   About 60 per cent of [our staff] are not coming back due to the fact that they either found something different to make a living or have moved out of the city," said Lora Pankova, general manager of Cibo Wine Bar in downtown Toronto. ]

We heard that Las Vegas went wide open w/ little restrictions and the patrons returned but not the staff or/ the venues didn't count on the level of the crowds b/c rumour say that unprecedented numbers occurred on certain days.  

Marvelous spring - summer day ahead. And what happens here. ??? 

We shall see said .... a resident

Vaxx 2

our second dose day - in about 4 1/2 h. It s a 10 minute drive to the Centennial College location

Weather has us at a humidex of 104 F < sorry its 98.6 > or pretty uncomfortable. The next five days are much more seasonal. But this is S Ont and we get humdidty at times. Basically, the temperature outside will match your body temperature. Thus, no cooling

And from Parent Today, online

In case parents needed to hear another thing we’ve been getting wrong all along, researchers from Stanford University published a study recently that suggests we might need to rethink what we’ve been told are normal and fever temperatures. The study analyzed databases from the mid 1800s to 2017, and found that humans’ normal body temperatures are now running almost 0.5 degrees Celsius cooler, compared to the 1800s.

This means that normal human body temperature isn’t the 37C or 98.6F that most of us have been taught. Instead, ‘normal’ seems closer to 36.5C or 97.7F. What’s perhaps most surprising is that this isn’t even news. A number of studies in recent decades have shown that normal isn’t 37C.

And funnily enough, we've been using an aural thermometer and my temperature has been reading 97.3 to 97.8 for about 9 months < since we bought the ear thermometer >. Who woulda thunk it - I'm normal at something

In the news, CBC online. From Business

The government should commit to a date to reopen the Canada-U.S. land border — which has been closed to non-essential travellers for more than a year — in order to help an industry that has been "hardest hit and will be the last to recover" from the pandemic, said Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. 

"The industry has been crushed and we cannot lose another summer tourist season," Potter told reporters in Toronto on Tuesday, launching a campaign to demand the federal, provincial and territorial governments work together on a plan now that vaccine rates are rising and COVID-19 caseloads are decreasing.

The Prime Minister has set a rough target of 75 % of Canadians  < 1 dose > before thought of border changes can happen.
Meanwhile, predictions are that the U.S. will fall short of the 70 % vaxxn target of Pre. Biden for July 4. 26 states are pretty much guaranteed of making the 70 % vax level

Done in one. EZ PZ for our 2 nd shot. Kudos to the Scarborough Health Network for ease of EVERYRHING. TG for SHN

And of course, I've got a rash. On the opposite arm. Allergy time for me. Pollen is flying all over the place in the backyard. 

And do not panic b/c the rash or whatever died down. Sprayed on Benadryl and all is good. Just me, allergic to the air.
Now, its 10 PM and I'm saying ' what rash  ? '. Yep, disappeared

Hyena Road

 Netflix. Let s build a road in Afghanistan. Nobody wants the road except for the Coalition. Quote " they don't need us, they don't want us - all they really want is a little money and stability "

Written and directed by a Canadian, the movie is as dirty and crooked as the country. Bad men in power and the good ones used and abused.
I'm recommending it b/c after all the dross that I've watched - well, this HR is pretty good. Oh, the Canadian is the led actor as well.

Lehman s banner :   Cherry Season! 🍒  ( Ohio, b/c not for months here )

Bear w/ me, b/c this is an excerpt from the HR.

Alexander the Great is corresponding w/ his mother back in Macedonia.

M: you conquered 3 nations in 1/2 a year, why are you in your third year in Afghanistan ?

Alexander goes outside his palace in Afghanistan and scoops up dirt and sends the bag home to mom

A: mom, scatter this dirt around the palace where you live

Mommy gets the dirt and and does as she is told.  A day later two guards standing on the dirt take out their swords and almost kill each other

M: I get it. Even the Afghanistan dirt wants to fight itself

D - Day Special

on the anniversary. I was amazed at the crap way the landing went. Soldiers stepped into 10 ft of water fully loaded. Heavy machines didn't make it ashore.

And then the luck of it all. The Germans had reserves < Waffen SS > too far away to get to the beaches in time. The extra manpower would ahve made a difference < right at the beginning - first day, first few hours >

We owe a debt to a lot of young boys.

Make Your Home Sparkle ✨ from Lehman s. This is a reminder to me that some homes do get cleaned                     < occassionally >

We discovered a takeout restaurant, really close. I thanked the lady and said we'll be back. She replied                                    ' we've been here since 1986 '.
Oh, yeah, I'm a sharp cookie. NOT

The burger and wrap were good. " Terry s " is a breakfast - lunch kinda place. Full meals are bacon and eggs and soulvlaki. And then of course, all kinds of sandwiches.

TG, I did a Scarborough search in Google.

Nuts. Is when you discover that you don't hear a sound when a text comes in. M got a text and her phone chirped. Mine didn't do anything.
Right now, after 3 hrs of search and destroy, Google - mania as well. I have sound.
Maybe. Set it up and .... we shall see said the Zen Master

A new coronavirus variant is taking hold in Canada, leaving experts divided over whether it will expose the weaknesses in our strategy to prioritize first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and jeopardize reopening in much of the country. 

Some worry that's the case, but with Canada's vaccine supply ramping up and second doses accelerating across the country, others believe fears over B.1.617 may be overblown.

From the CBC. This topic is big news across Canada

Our Prime Minister

 claims that Canada leads the G7 countries in 1 st vax s. He's had a bit of a rough go, overall, and needs a PR boost.

Weather will continue H/H this week. A/C is working a charm

And the bathroom wall is a success - footprints were hidden by the touch up. BTW, I did some YouTube research and now have ideas for the ' steel stud ' problem.

India is leading the variant race in CV 19. Version delta or 1.6.17 originally found in India is the leading CV 19 virus, here in Canada. A much more rapid spreading version of the first virus

Air Power Reigns

 set at 74 and holding

And its warm ou there, and humid

Thank you Service Express, you answered the call and then provided a timely install.

Aftermath. There is always ' aftermath ' for me. The bathroom wall, repaint of M s bathroom.
Footprints. Footprints ?
Thats what it looked like. Thus, touch up and try and remedy the problem
We shall see said .......  me !

The ' footprints ' are gone from the bathroom wall. Why footprint ? Dunno.

The day is warm to hot and the air is heavy.
In the daily mystery, what s for dinner, we decided on pancakes. We often have pancakes, french toast and / or  bacon and eggs for dinner. In a restaurant, we see the breakfast menu and say ' we never have that for breakfast ' . Our breakfast is toast or cereal.
Thus, tonight, its pancakes. Homemade and not mix.

Air Power Draws Closer

 the A/C is hours away from being needed. Humidity and warmth start to build in and a crescendo of heat rolls over S Ont.

Ah, situation ' delta ' is affecting England. The Greek letter signifies the " India variant " of CV 19. Apparently, delta version CV is the main culprit in risng numbers over 'ome < as they say >

I'm sitting in bed - typing away or is it ' keyboarding away'. It is a ' qwerty ' keyboard like in modern typewriters. " QWERTY " is pretty much the standard now but not always. 

At time of writing, the A/C is awaiting a temperature rise. The hall is 72.5 and the set point is 74.
Some painting got done. M s bathroom. The site of the infamous towel rack collapse and steel in the walls. Not a total loss b/c a little touch up in a few places that take a lot of abuse from shoes and objects along the baseboards.

Weather Predictions

 are rain today and getting humid and hot
Wow ! A/C would be a treat

Yes, we have cooling power - here and now

Yesterday, I travelled North and East to the QMH. I spent the day uncovering the boat, cleaning the boathouse floor, washing the boat, vacuuming the boat decks and checking for mouse bodies and dropping. I re - stocked the boat and carried the batteries down to the boat.
I checked the rails for zebra mussels and scrapped them off. Even a snail shell could block the trolley < and has >. Gingerly, I launched the boat. The boat launch is always a lottery. Winch, rail, the boat and who knows ? 

BUT. Magic. In the water

 OK, now turn the key. Wait. Nothing..... except it purrs to life. Ran the boat upriver < b/c if the engine fails at least you drift home - see ! you never know > . The Stratos glided up the river to Campbelltown launch and back. Watching for deadheads < logs let loose in the high river levels >

The aftermath. I'm sore and tired. Too many trips up and down the steps to the river. Those batteries were heavier this year. And next year ? 

Old body and older knees
However, 400 mg Ibuprofen and voila - exercise happened as usual.

The Stratos 176 is 13 yrs old now. A 17 1 / 2 ft bassboat w/ a 75 HP    E-Tec by Evinrude < Co. is now gone > 
W shall see said the Zen Master

Announcement Day

Lets set the stage. Jun 14 is the proposed open up day for restrictions. Many activities wll be allowed such as in person shopping, small group gatherings. However, the trigger was to be vax numbers and case counts. Both are on target. Ontario is close to 60% vaxxd and case counts have a 7 day rolling average of 1 000 c.f. 4 - 5 000 approx a month ago.
So, what about Jun2. Its announcement day. An alert to all that that first step will happen.

The Lehman s icons 🔥+ 😳

Below is a comparison chart for acitivites w/ Onatario on the left and Quebec, right.

Many outdoor activies are allowed now

These are the two most populous provinces in Canada.

When can I...?

Comparing Ontario and Quebec's plans for loosening COVID-19 restrictions

Ontario

Quebec

Walk in a park, forest or path

Now

Walk in a park, forest or path

Now

Shop in non-essential stores

June 14

Shop in non-essential stores

May 28

Shop in non-essential stores

June 14

Eat outdoors on a restaurant patio

June 14

Eat outdoors on a restaurant patio

May 28

Dine inside a restaurant

July 26

Dine inside a restaurant

May 31 (Up to 4 people)

Get a haircut

July 5

Get a haircut

Now

Home growing

Prohibited

Attend an indoor fitness class

July 26

Attend an indoor fitness class

June 14

Have friends over for a BBQ

June 14

Have friends over for a BBQ

May 28

Play organized sports

July 5

Play organized sports

June 11

Go to a wedding with 50 people

July 26

Go to a wedding with 50 people

June 14

Watch a movie at a theatre

July 26

Watch a movie at a theatre

May 28

Attend a concert

July 5 (Outdoor)

July 26 (Indoor)

Attend a concert

June 25 (Outdoor)

made with