Whoa

 Mother Nature backed off the deep freeze. And tomorrow is headed for above freezing.

This warming will cause all kinds of headaches - leading to snow or sleet or something in the next three days

Well, as January comes to an end, perhaps stock taking is in order.

Events : I updated some photos in a picture frame. This collage was family photos. I added some really old ones.

Then ' kaboom ' 5 days later, the whole frame falls off the wall. The nail is still there. The support on the back of the frame assembly is cardboard and a tab sticks out to catch the nail. Something about ' the kingdom lost b/c of a nail ' or the horse or the shoe OR the cardboard tab, comes to mind

PBS is running a series called ' Vienna Blood '. A crime - suspense show involving a police inspector and a psychiatrist in early 1900 s Vienna. The team is a fore runner of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Despite the gruesome nature of the crimes and events, the two manage a humourous sort of banter. Not bad TV as compared to most of the flotsam on the ' boob Tube '

We got Kentucky Fried Rat for lunch. I asked M to find a deal. She picks this 6 pc chiken / 6 tenders and sides + fries and gravy. The coupon says 24 dollars - the girl rings it up at cash - regular price $ 33 something.
33 samolens, baby

some relenting

the bitter cold is expected to ease, this week.

wait for it - we will see the freezing point in a day and then freezing point +. Thus, a warming trend for about 5 days 

Follow up. The sleep experiment 10 days on. I don't like admitting but I have benefited from the ' no computer time ' moratorium before bed. Let s not get carried away. I sleep through the night and blessedly even fall back to sleep if  I need to get up in the night < rare >.
However, I'm not quite the ' sleep - eze ' girl in the morning. I don't leap up and swipe the alarm clock off w/ glee.
I might need a special pill for that 
I mentioned that even as a teenager that I would listen to the radio falling asleep. I guess that I'm saying that I could need some long term remedies or keep up the ' no computer ' moratorium longer - to correct a lifetime of poor choices at night.

I suppose that I should gratefully accept that positive outcome - a profitable experiment

putting it out there

 post # 3284

I retrieved the newspaper. Some days ago, it seemed that moving the house about 20 ft to the SouthEast was required. The newspaper was that far short of hitting the porch.
Aha, wait a few days and the paper arrived on the doorstep. Success and no move required.

I've tried several apps that are casual games such as ' June s Journey ', ' WordLots ' etc. And lately, ' Detecitve Sherlock ' and ' Differences - See the Difference ' were loaded. All but the last have also been uninstalled.
I'm willing to give them a try but not pay money - meaning, I watch ads for other casual game apps < and businesses too >. And Google is building a profile on me from these downloads. Google knows that I'm of average intelligence and cheap.

The day is cold and crisp. The air is like a wall as you reach for the TorStar. Warm is coming - as in hovering within 3 degrees of freezing.

Today s theme, revolves around a short story contest in the TorStar. 2 500 words < counted out > open to adults. I read the rules and am actively ' hemming and hawing '. Some would call this planning or strategizing - but you know me better 
Several ideas have popped into my head and popped right out, too !

We did takeout, halibut platter. There is plenty leftover as well. In fact, indoor dining is restored on Monday. The capacity limit is 50 % and there is ansgt concerning hich businesses can open. 2 other openings were followed by closing periods. Our Premier < big boss, dude or dud > claims that it hurts him to order closing.
I notice that his paycheque stayed ' whole '.

January Closing

 and now, you can really notice the difference - the sun is up earlier - for sure

I'm not but the sun is
Well, coffee in hand and typing away - gradually waking < maybe >

I've been out to sweep the deck and side walkway < this is a good  alternate exit from the house - flat and no stairs or hill >. And its good to maintain your property b/c it the only way that you can know what is going on - be out there.

Thus, all ship shape and Bristol fashion

a poor fan

 of sports. I think that I've become a little jaded when it comes to sports esp. the pros

I really don't care. M was watching the Raptors, our NBA team - yes, couldn't care one way or the other

Netflix raised their rate. I watched a winner, though,       ' the Last Full Measure '. A presentation based on the true story of an Air Force Para Rescue jumper in VietNam. The PJ saved many soldiers and lost his life. He was supposed to get the Medal of Honour but got a star instead.
Thirty years later, a DOD lawyer gets the job of fighting for that MOH. Tied up in red tape and political shenanigans, finally by presidential order - the MOH is presented. 

The day is pleasant looking but COLddddd ! It s a presence in itself, there and you notice. Plus flurries.

We eat in < again, > and we do takeout but it s my turn and my specialty is pancakes. Simple and we both enjoy the product

And the verdict ! Maybe, the fluffiest and sweetest, yet. But I'm biased.

However, leftovers are now, snacks. 

In the Deep Freeze - r

 Early morning shop at the SuperStore happened. Get in and get out. The list was long and so was the receipt - go figure

However, beer and wine came home - crucial or desperate. The parking lot was full < of snow > and the store was bare. Maybe 100 shoppers in a warehouse size building. You see, its Wednesday and the new ad prices are tomorrow - sort of an off day for shopping, unless you're me.

O/n was very cold but the sun popped out and that makes a difference - the day looks hopeful w/ that light.

I forgot : ' in theBleak Midwinter ......
forsty winds made moan
earth turned hard as iron
water like a stone ' G Holst and C Rosetti

Alrighty, JA 25

and the month is closing down

Snow fell last night, fluffy and pure white - funny, you still need to shovel the stuff up and away.

Outside work is tidy up. I shovelled the deck and cleaned up the windrow debris < the city came and plowed and took away the windrow > Let s call it maintenance !
Indeed. Do a little work now and avoid anguish down the line.

Oh and its cold - I'm not dressed super warm but my hands were feeling the cold

Boy Scout time , helped the neighbour widow shovel her drive b/c her snow service didn't show.

another brick in the

 wall - sang Pink Floyd ( ? )

We get a second slam of snow tonight.

Like Deja Vu, all over again. How bad ? Dunno

Official notice re: TV remote which is unavailable due to damage,  arrived via email.
I responded to the seller. The seller said yes ' refund '. Amazon Ca said ' refund '. I get a refund.

Item : couldn't find the LG remote. Ordered a replacement from Amazon.  And we found the original remote for LG. Waited. The seller advised that the remote could not be delivered due to damage at the warehouse. Thus, cancel item and REFUND

The cost $9. However, it feels satisfying that I didn't goof it up.
BTW, I use that remote daily. In fact, now.
I ordered and got and set up a bed table - like for feeding people in bed. The 24 in TV sits there. A dongle has the TV plugged and runs to the laptop. Thus, I can watch the computer screen on TV.
Its much easier to spot mistakes < typo s > and video games as well.

As at now, I'm playing ' Detective Sherlock ' or find the items. E.g. pocket watch, rat, bottle or plane - scattered and slightly camouflaged in a scene. I've improved quite a bit. My scores started out at 15 - 20 000. Now, I average 28 000. However, my suspicions are growing that I've failed to register or hit the wrong icon. I'm seeing the same scenes - different objects. 
Kills time and is good eye to hand coordination etc.

The story. I found a YouTube video, called ' Into the Light '. The Drum and Bugle Corp, Phantom Regiment has the bass brass line play a wake up based on their show. The piece is ' Into the Light ' and part of the performance that year. I discovered that the origin of the music is by Michael Kamen, ' New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms '. An 8 part ' symphony ' or mood piece.
I'd never heard that expression ' new moon in .... etc ' before. I Googled the term and many cultures have an expression for the phenomena.
Last night, I read an older novel by Roger Zelazny    < pre - bed routine >, called ' Nine Princes in Amber '. And, yes, you got it, there's the expression, new moon in the old moon's arms. I read it all those years ago ( say 1975 ) and never noticed it.

Still, a really fine piece of music. As well, its the theme music for ' Band of Brothers ', the HBO series.

Is all life, related or
the ' fundemantal interconnectedness of all life ' true. Dirk Gently, fictional hero? of Douglas Adams' esoteric mind - solves crimes based on this principle.

reality

 is when you go out for fish and chips - the bag is hot 
and you think ' in winter, like this, you should get takeout ice cream - you don't worry then about the treat melting '

M had the oven on, and I re - heated the suckers  halibut and chips while I ate the Caesar salad. " Hailbut House " is a franchise operation. See, we've adapted to the climate.

Our temperature will be up and down but below freezing for another week at least. Some days will be 20 s both day and night. This period is winter's blast.

Day is gray and looming but still. The cold is a wall as you step outside < for the paper  >

Follow up. Sleep. Its been about 6 nights in a row. No computer or phone prior to bedtime. First. I'm sleeping through til 6 at least and sometimes a bit longer. Success ? Maybe. I'm reading mostly to quiet down.

Exercise proceeds w/ a slight change in duration. I've cut back about 10 minutes b/c the plan is to be tired and not exhausted < well, 85 minutes is long >. As well, I watched a video on rowing a machine   < he had a Concept 2, like mine, way newer >. The physio guy recommended strength and style over rate. Thus, I'm rowing slower but stronger. Also, the row part used to 30 minutes. Thats the part that got cut back by 15 min or more. And its neat b/c the physio guy was stressing a shorter workout < 30 minutes, lets say > but that included warm up and warm down which I do anyway off the rower as part of the regular workout.

I have to say that you have to give credit to Concept 2 - once a one man company - now part of a mega group, they built a machine still spinning after 36 years. I said all the bells and whistles fell off - still the sucker works.

In Svalbard, Arctic Circle, Cecilia has been 80 + days without the sun. She admits to being a little depressed and struggling to keep her routine. Up at 8 AM and start the day. Except w/out the sun its hard to convince your body that it needs to rise.

Actually, there is ' Civil Twilight, now ' that means the sun's light is seen on the horizon but no sun - yet.

Here, you can tell that the sun is going down later. To boot, I unburied the kaleidoscope light on the ' great wall ', thus there is LED display in the backyard. Really. I found the light under 6 inches of snow and the stand is approx 10 in off the ground. It s a small victory but we take 'em as we can get 'em.

Oh. The remote that I ordered from Amazon < yes, the one that I found after ordering form Amazon > got water damaged and can't be shipped. We are talking a refund now. We shall see said the Zen Master. The supplier asked' can you apply for a refund ' - I did. We will wait for official word from Amazon.

We've been seeing pictures of the ' parcel graveyard ' in L.A. where trains are robbed and items stolen , boxes and shipping envelopes everywhere on the tracks. The remote is in that pile - I'm sure.

it s not news

but it was very cold o/n.
Today is a warm up to below freezing - say 26 - 28

We keep the cold for another 10 days - we're tough 

or stupid. Definitely, not the worse

A guy was discussing attitude. Sure, you're leg is sore e.g....... however the other 90 % of you is still clicking. See, not much to complain about.

We are warm and fed AND we have Netflix.
We watched ' Argo ' re: the repatriation of 6 Americans trapped in the Cdn Embassy in Iran. Ben Affleck and a solid supporting cast incl Jimmy Carter
And Netflix is raising rates. Thats not news either

in the darkest night

 in the brightest light ......

no evil shall escape my sight " oath - ed the Green Lantern

Well, its dark out there < except for the blue carriage lights here >

VERY very cold and wind chill plus. Stay in, stay warm

And the sun is big and wind is down. BUT FYFO for sure

the Dagger of Cold

 struck overnight. Yes, back in the deep freeze.
The economic news is ' rising cost of living ' which isn't ' news '. However, inflation is a concern and the old time solutions are on the table. 
Interesting, the old farts in charge are using traditional methods b/c that is their training. The investment market is always based on track record and then they warn you that past performance is no guarantee of future success.

Then why don't the Fed bankers read the warning first.

As in ' Dr Strange ' when he reads the spell of Agamotto before the warning at the end of the book.

Follow  up: this is FYFO weather < freeze your face off > Bright sun and biting wind. Checking on the mail < garage > is FYFO but has to be done

Definitely. FYFO but the wind is down

Ran M s car out to the East and back - warm up the engine and charge the battery - hardly noticed the cold ...... ha ha !

we awoke

 to the sounds of machines growling away ...... the snow. Yes, the boys arrived at 11:30 PM and cleared the way

Thus, we can drive out. W/ more snow and cold due, maybe a trip to the store might be good

The blue lights can greet the dogwalkers this AM.

Alright. Playing fair. Mother Nature after pounding the country provides a day to recover. The day was cold to mild w/ a wind that was mellow < for January >. A chance to go out and re - sculpt the driveway.

Now, I thought that maybe, this re -sculpt thing was a little weird. This AM, I threw about a foot and half of snow , the length of the drive off the driveway - to get back the width. And I took away a bulging corner of snow crap off the junction where driveway meets road - where the plows leave the ' heap ' of ice and - well - crap.

I decided that the street is cleared < wrong ! looks cleared, thats all >. I get out onto the big thorough fare and find 2 lanes is actually 1 3/ 4 tapering to 1 1/4. Thus, if you know driving - 1 1/4 is not 2 or even close. Plus, at 2 plaza s the in and out lanes were ONE w/ so much snow that it was 1 car width.

So despite being trapped yesterday, we can take solace in the fact that we would've been trapped somewhere trying to get in or out of a parking lot.

While out - yes, there they were shovelling to get back their driveway. The most common problem was the tapering effect - wide near the house and pinching in near the road - in fact some driveways had lost a car width at the road. I flet better, a bit - not the only one.
And getting home, 2 doors over who has a snow blower, was hand shovelling the crap that the plows left.

many would wish for

 a quiet time - snowed in - the snow service has yet to show

The street is plowed but our driveway not. The City said stay home - even today.

Okay. We'll sit.

China, officially said that the first case of Omicron variant came in a letter from Canada. Apparently, someone ordered the virus online and Canada Post and China Whatisface delivered the virus.

You'll find us here

The sun is bursting through w/ big blue sky and freeze your face off wind < I guess its cold, too ! >

And on the street, many neighbours are plowed in by the windrows from the big plow. I can't tell b/c the driveway is buried

a Snow Bomb

 exploded on our street but I suspect that this is not a local event

The trigger was a massive charge of wind coming out of the Arctic and channeling through Saskatchewan. The air mass borught cold and wind but snow totals only ballooned when warm Gulf air shoved the whole mess East and North.
The prediction was for the Great Lakes to catch the tail of the collision but w/ the lakes open that there existed a large chance that moisture would be picked up and dumped in traditional areas.

Toronto is in a kind of shadow between two ' lake affected ' regions - Niagara and further East, Kingston / Belleville. Still, we appear to ahve gotten exactly what forecasters had us pegged for.

We shall see said the Zen Master < hey, this guy seems to know a lot about weather and stuff ! >

The aftermath : snow blew in approx hip deep at the garage end of the driveway. The snow, also, blew in along the side walkway and back deck. I shovelled off the side walkway, back deck and cleared snow from the front of the lower glass sliders. The driveway is the job for the snow service

Sask Screamer

 a Saskatchewan Screamer aided and abetted by Gulf moisture is hooking North over the Great Lakes. The Screamer will yield lots of snow and wind

I believe that the Screamer c.f. a Clipper is intended to break the monotony of your face freezing off.
A welcome change < really, welcome ? > by the Father of Life < here, reference, Chingashcook in ' Last of the Moccasins ' >
Hey ! we will stay inside and attmept to keep warm.

The news has headlines ' unvxxd fill hospital beds '

And the experiment goes on. I slept through til 3 AM, peed and fell back to sleep. How do you feel ? 
OK but not quite like the ' sleep - eze ' girl

Still waiting for snow - magedon or snow - zilla. The forecast says ' danger ' from Sunday afternoon to Monday

Waiting. However, we stillave a leak from the skylight or flashing.
Crap !

Thusly

 < is this a word ? >

The sleep experiment Part iv ( ? ) The night was un - interrupted. Now, am I like the ' Sleep - eze ' girl. NO !
I did not spring awake or flounce etc. Am I refreshed - not as yet.
I figure a lifetime of doing wrong will not be corrected in a few days.
The expert advice is always ' have a pattern ' and somehow - 4 days or 5 days doesn't seem like a pattern or routine.
We shall see said the Zen Master.

I've been fighting to keep the humidity as high as possible - I say  ' as possible ' b/c 38 % RH seems the best that I can achieve. This AM it is 29 < very low >. On the upside, one can only wonder what the air would be like if I wasn't trying
Scary, that. 
Yes, still cold out there. I have coffee in hand - its warm and comforting. Pancakes for brekkies - left overs to be reheated. This method, my ' Eggo ' etc  imitation.... except that I know what is in these pancakes b/c I made them.

Change of plans. Noodles for breakfast. Boiled up my own noodles, Thursday, and this AM added my turkey stock - broth.
THIS is b/c I had Sapporo Ichiban, instant noodles onTuesday. Then I Googled the nutritional information. YIKES !!!
This item is the treasure house of salt < sodium > I even used my own stock annd cooked the package noodle bundle in that. Nope ! still high in sodium. In fact, that meal contained 50 % of the sodium recommended for the day.
So, anything that I make pales in comparison.
Breakfast noodles. Yes. A flavour sensation across the nation.

" You're as Cold As Ice...

 or the day is ! Another Frosty Flakes morning and its not a cereal
The wind is roaring through the trees and roaring in your face - too boot.

The experiment goes on.
No laptop etc prior to bedtime. The experts say ' one hour before bed do not use backlit screens '. You read that the blue light that computer screens use - is actually a brain ' waker upper '
Hence the prohibition on my laptop use. I've been using the self imposed 2 h rule.
So describe, last night, if you will.
I read a little at 11 or so. I was awake but comfortable. I seemed to have slept through til approx 5:30 AM when I got up to pee plus my eyes were dry. Next it was a little before 8 and Da Da -here I am. 

I've been out for garbage can retrieval and check  for mail. Yes, crisp and force for sure. But the sun burst out and w/ the blue sky - a pretty picture if your face doesn't go solid and fall off

Well, its 8 ish at night and this is the last of the typing before the 2 h ' o laptop ' rule goes into effect. BTW, I likely mentioned that CV 19 and associated disruption have thrown many people into the ' can't sleep ' deep end.
However, for me this is a chronic behaviour. But in the last 20 years - the elctronic age - I admit to an over - reliance on the little box for pre - sleep activity. In fact my 2 h avoidance scheme seems to include TV pretty much. 

I'm reading or writing long hand < one night, anyway > Hey, maybe trying something different is the key.

And Brett Anderson at Accuweather is confirming that a polar highway < my terms > is due to open in a few days and allows cold < like what else >Arctic air to pierce through the heart of Canada ( and U.S. ) The period will extend into the first 10 days of February. The cold will be followed by stormier weather.

What the Dog Walker s See

 on our street

blue from the carriage lights and sparklers under the window at ours. A ' hello ' in the dark

Well, we had the skylight inspected and retrofitted w/ insulation and sheathing to ' fix ' the drip. The company was good about coming out to take a look. The fellow who came may have installed the skylight last September. He found a flaw in the tape area between the skylight flashing and the roof tile substrate. Funnily, M found drips later after he had left

I installed a chin up bar for M b/c we saw a video that said that a hang from a chin up bar might relieve stress on a bulging disc.
I figured that I'd test the bar - to see if it would hold my weight. ' Oh, I'll do a chin up to test '
Nope ! not one. Hanging was hard. Really, not one chin up  ...... talk about depressing.

Anyway, deep dish quattro pizza, ' Canadian ' was good. Greasy, but good. From Lil Caesars

My dental appt is today - yes,  amid Omicron. Surprise ! the dentist office had several cancellations. I took an earlier appointment time.

Frigid overnight temperatures are returning in a day or 2.

Dentist went swimmingly. Then shopping..... rice was on sale ..... egad

give me a break ! If there wasn't beer in my cart - I'd have walked out.

The line up for self serve checking was 10 people - almost left the cart there .... but the beer

Survival is the key - you need beer - thats a given

From now on its 7 AM at SuperStore, or nothing

In lieu of the laptop, last night, I wrote out a sample entry for the blog. I found ' diary ' material from 1972. One line said :
" if in the future, you read this, buy the ' Avengers ' series w/ Patrick McNee and Diana Rigg < BBC productions >
Surprise ! Already done.

As well, one of my favourite quotes is ' The scenario does not always work out the way one would choose. For every dictum there is a contradction '.
The situation was a match race for 2 horses at Hollywood Park. The owners bet 100 000 each. Fletcher Jones, entrepeneur - world bon vivant had a speed horse, Typecast. He gave great interviews. Horse racing he said, ' is a numbers game. There are more losers than winners. You must select your opportunities '. Typecast lost to a staying horse, Convenience. Hence, the quote.
Jones died September of that year , in a small plane accident. I kept the clippings from Sports Illustrated. The quote and a photo of Jones and girlfriend watching the race. 
Why ? A moment in time, a quote - a truth. 

Life : one big experiment

 referencing my ' no laptop ' before bed trials. The same situation, I didn't drop off immediately but I was comfortable - relaxed. We shall see ......

BTW, I was remembering as a teenager that I would listen to talk show radio falling asleep as a teenager - yes, even back then - bad habits.

The cold spell broke b/c it was only 28 overnight c.f. single digits the previous night ( s )

The CBC has a piece on the psychological aspect of the CV 19 journey. As well, South African trials are re - emphasizing the rapid spread of Omicron and the problematic ' asymptomatic ' phase of infection in Omicron variant people

The day as it is. Gloomy and still - the feeling is waiting ..... for ?

" I remember, I remember, the place where I was born ..... " by Hood ?

The video that I watched criticized poorly designed electronics from China. Sometimes the fault was lousy apps to run the object.
Then
I thought about growing up. Cheap and knock off were associated w/ ' made in Japan '. Then ' made in Japan ' was all the rage and the prices climbed. Now, you still want ' made in Japan ' but its not
....Singapore < if you are lucky > - Pakistan, China - ah the romance of the Far East.

I might have mentioned that in 1985 or so, friends of my father's had a massage chair. A family of brothers and one sister lived close by to my parents. The centre point of their living room was a massage chair. The brothers booked time on the chair. I laughed.
Some months later, I was aching and thought  ' the Chair ! '. It was not simple. I called the importer < the chair was made by Koizuma Corp > and talked price. All in $600 something. ' Wow ! ' back then a third of a car. Well, in a fit of something or other - I ordered the chair from Japan.  A month or 2 later, a call comes ' pickup your chair '. Now, I don't know what I was thinking but I drove over, approx 20 miles, to get the chair.  I had a hatchback and took rope.
Crikey, the thing was enormous. However, take away the box and Japanese ingenuity < everybody was Japanese or Japanese-Canadian > and the hatch closed. It took three people to get it out of the hatch.
The chair was a hit w/ eveyone except M < yes, we met about then >

Fast forward. Well, still in the basement, still working at 36 years. Ah, the Koizuma. Admittedly, the design is primitive and no heating feature but the sucker works - and works effectively.

On CBC TV, a info segment topic was ' trouble sleeping ' and that the pandemic worsened an already noticeable problem.
OK Solutions. Exercise regularly, develop a routine, ' NO ' electronics screens one hour before bed < mine was 2 h > and don't be hungry or too full from eating. Thus, I've got most of that covered   < now, maybe >

The roofers sent a service tech and found a sealing gap that could open up between flashing and the roof substrate < water seepage entrance >. The guy got a close to optimal day for temperature and precipitation. Just makes the work easier and problem easier to solve
TG. B/c its a long way to spring < or seems a lo.....ong way, away >

Well, Did It Work

 i.e. not using the laptop before bed.

Well, I did not drop off, easily. However, I was not uncomfortable.

It was peaceful and eventually I slept. I did not toss and turn. Thus, partial success. Besides, we are retired and nap as needed or not needed.

Scientists are warning : alcohol is the third leading cause of cancer. After smoking and ....... < I forget >

Great. I'll worry endlessly while I drink my beer. I'm starting to believe that scientsits are the first leading cause of bulls*** !

Coldest day yet. They announced more warming centres are open.
The day is dull and the wind is down. There is a light layer of white - snow or ice particles ??????? 

Time for Canadian coffee - add a little Canadian spirit to the Java

Cup of Joe

The old brown go - go juice

The sound of the morning,  ' bup a bup a bup bup ! ' < well, the coffee perk sound, that you never hear anymore >

Keuring only hisses at you. And makes 1 cup of coffee -                      the most un - social device ever created
Lets bake a single muffin
Oh, one tart is good
" Have the cookie that I baked " or Lets share the last one 

I'm using the tablet and it's uncomfortable

I suppose that you got better at this fi get typing 

a 5 O'Clock Awakening

..... perhaps I have light sensitivity to computer or laptop light. I was thinking < this is always dangerous > that before I try to sleep - I'm often using the tablet < usually > for a word game, last night was an example.
Thus, I'm going to try to stay off the 'net or app s from now on as a test for an hour or 2 pre - bedtime. I was working on the coffee theory < drinking coffee would keep me up ? >
But this computer thing is also proven

We shall see said the Zen Master.
Well, a cup of coffee and cookie - a little typing etc and its try again.
Already this morning, I watched the James Webb Telescope unfurl and take shape < a simulated video on YouTube. >

There is a bluebird sky and frrrr - eeze your faceoff temperatures. The sun is out to say ' ha ha ' somewhere it is warm. Like SPB !

The cold hangs on at least 48 h and then moderates a bit.

Futility ? I added gas line antifreeze to the gas tanks. This temperature is the coldest yet of the season. Thus, the antifreeze will sit on top of the fuel and sometime in the next 3 weeks mix in and go through the gasline. Meaning, the gaslines still could freeze

A Brief Respite

 from frozen face and snow and sleet. Still a gray day and dull. The day is best dscribed as looming.

The house has very little signs of Christmas. We left up the small table micro light tree that has light fibres for needles. The last vestiges of our Xmas display.

The typical Sunday < typical in the sense that ' this ' used to be usual > routine was to visit the Giant Tiger. Tiger is a Canadian company. Tiger is a department store in the old vein. I get coleslaw on sale. Sometimes rye bread and sometimes ' well, who knows '. The ' who knows ' is LED lights for around the house - floor mats, shower curtains, batteries and stuff. Right, stuff ! Real descriptive !
Once this summer - I hope b/c if it was last summer then I've really lost track of time. I drove to a bigger and newer GT on the outskirts of the GTA, approx 5 miles out of our area. I had been searching for replacement plasric wear < w/ lids >. 
I had looked in the plastics drawers and saw the mish mash of incomplete sets and lids. The containers were not new and of questionable vintage. One type had started to crack on the edges but the capper was trying to find lids among the wide assortment available.
On Amazon < yes, it was starting about then >, a very practical name brand offered a set of 5 plus lids. The price was $ 20 something. By chance, a GT aid offered the same set for $5 < not on sale >. Hence the drive out to newer GT. I had called ahead and the sales lady set aside 2 sets for me. While there, I retrieved the 2 and said ' wait, $20 for one set - you could buy 4 ! '. Well, there you go. However, I brought home 5 sets.
OK. How did it work out ? As advertised and predicted, handy and easy to find lids. A whole stash of plastic got consigned to the basement, either in my workroom < the fate of many items > or the canteen storage as spares.

Tiger is a small ish place and often, ' stuff ' is on sale. Its intimate c.f the big box places. I see the same staff and they're friendly.

Brrr - ave People Are Out and About

 #3263 or the lunacy continues

" consistency is the last refuge of the un - imaginative ... " Oscar Wilde

Well, the house is de - Christmas ed. Tiny jobs remain. Such as, where to put all the stuff. My solution : since we didn't use all the decorations, don't put them back in the downstairs cupboard. Brilliant. I take the unused boxed Xmas decorations to the garage and clear a space up top. The box that I moved - yepper, Xmas decorations et al.

How can one man be brilliant twice - unheard of.

As well, our artificial tree came pre lit. Some chains have ceased to function. We added stringer lights where the tree was unlit. OK. Taking down the tree, I unstrung the spare lights. And unstrung the spare lights - and said ' oh, crap. Are these the original lights pre - wired ?.

Thus, this afternoon. Sort out the conundrum of the origin of the lights.
This event should be videotaped for ' bloopers of the season '. Friends w/ the same problem, stripped the pre - existing lights and added their own to their pre - lit tree.

We shall see said the Zen Master. or guru or Buddhist priest or keeper of the eternal flame.

I've hit the doldrums on Netflix - lots of fairly poor choice for vids.

Follow up details. The tree lights. Yes, I had started to remove the permanent lights. Approx 6 or so were the original. Then the separate stringer that we added was evident and I stored in another marked container.  Tagged a note to the pre - lit stringer for next year.

And our skylight leak continues, catching drops in buckets. Just like in the movies

and the Cold Goes On

 w/ blue sky and high cloud

We call this crisp - so no one panics as their face frees off.

In Svalbaard, this is a welcome warm spell. In Ohio, its called, a northern spell.

The news will say that a blast of ' arctic air ' is sweeping south.

Well, the air is running West to East, and this is what dominated the West s weather for about three weeks.

As well, flash ! - news report : we take down the tree and Christmas do - dads. The Merry Maids called and scheduled a Mon appt - surprise !

A slight mix up in the back  and forth communication. Thus, the scheduled < in my mind > de - Christmassing got pushed up 6 days.
Not like we were desperate to  hang on. I mean the outside flasher lights got taken down yesterday. And the blue bulbs were waiting on a warm ish day. Next door, took down the Santa / reindeer extravaganza, three days ago. However, the Xmas zoo on our left is still in full bloom.

A cousin who sends daily or very, very regular jokes and funny bits did send a selection of quips by Will Rogers  < American poet ' lariat ' and reconteur >. " Don't squat down when you are wearing spurs " - never wore spurs but ' it ' hurt just the same.
One of my favourite < vinyl > records was ' An Evening w/ Will Rogers ' from a stage presentation. James Whittamore Jr, protrayed WR. A program of reportage and commentary ' I don't make this stuff up -just what I read in the papers '

" America is like a runaway train and anyone who thinks that they can stop it - is a fool " 

getting Colder

 the day is a bit of everything < strong winds, overnight > a little blue ishness, cloud and chance of precipitation all day.

# 3261 posting. OK. some credit for keeping this up. I'm thinking of re - writing some earlier ' diaries ' and entering them here. A sort of forensic ' thinkology ' or thought - ology. Betcha, not much has changed.

Update.Today, we receive delivery or item # 16 in 3 months from Amazon. Of course, that included our weird semi - not lockdown Xmas. As c.f. January which is lockdown - no indoor restaurant, viewing or gyms.

And now, we can point to the value of buying your own fitness equipment. Several friends reported a slowdown in their physical activity b/c of gym closures etc. I kept chugging along.  Apparently, the buying didn't stop        < yet >. M wanted a chin up bar for a doorway. On YouTube, a physio suggested ways to alleviate the discomfort from a bulging disc. These steps may not work but right now < CV 19 et al > we are giving it a go

BTW, if you think that not much got done around here -
you are correct. And the sun went down.

By Any Other Name

 lockdown 
clampdown     all the same : limits on indoor gatherings, no indoor anything - dining, theatre etc

This omicron-itis bites deep if you own a small business.
Monetary relief is - coming, yeah,  ' Eli's coming ..... ' sang Laura Nyro

The day is gloomy and rain is due. Plus our skylight is dripping. Big rains didn't seem to be a problem but snow and snow build up, I guess are a glitch.

Early shopping at 7:30AM b/c of the ' new ' 50 % limit on customers. I figured get out there and avoid difficulties.

None. The SuperStore looked a little more busy but at checkout - I walked up and slam bang thankyou ma'am - done. So, I forgot the shopping list at home - a senior's moment - but missed just pie shells.

" Day is done
Set s the sun ... " plays the bugle ( I'm a little late there )

We have targeted Jan 12 as de - Christmas the house day. Very arbitrary, quote, Robert Zimmerman, ' you ain't going nowhere ' now copyrighted by Sony Corp. or the like

' smile on your face ....

you gotta get up every morning 
w/ a smile on your face .... from the Carole King & James Talylor special

and there is a commercial from ' SleepEze ' or the like - the girl sits up and half rises onto her feet and swipes the ' off ' button on the clock. This ad is disgusting. If I could do the acrobatics that she does coming out of bed ..... well, it would be amazing.

Feedback, its important - don't you know. At least, Amazon keeps emailing me for ' customer reviews '.
 The bed table that I bought has been useful. Using the laptop and 22 " TV in bed is much more organized. I have the laptop powering the TV through the dongle. The top of the bed is clear. And, of course, that table came upstairs for a TV tray requirement when we had Margaret's friend over. 
Now, its doing duty as a audio - visual cart.
To be fair, its not a construction miracle. A set of tubes  < white, thankyou > , two slabs of fancied up particle board on wheels. Total cost of parts - likely $8. To boot, I imagine in a while that I'll need to drill holes in the pipe to better secure the vertical adjustable pipe. The mechanism is a friction fit < screw bolt pushes against a pad inside the tube > - its not gonna last 
BTW, the bed table came w/ its own tools for assembly < cheapies but very thoughtful >

And Amazon again - provided a 10 ft HDMI - HDMI cable which makes the TV to laptop connection very flexible.

Its a little sad that a ' bed arrangement ' is my big news. However, its life.

' You're as Cold as Ice

 ...... ' the song    < Foreigner ? > Describes the day, 7 out there and dark

Unlike Svalbard, on the Arctic Circle, we will see hours of sun and not only a lightening of the horizon.

We will get a ' balmy ' 20 or so at peak. W/ gusty winds and yes, wind chill of several degrees.

Full sun at 12 noon. Looks still out there. Classic winter scene.

Today, was - get off your ass and - change filters, fridge and furnace and add a humidfier pot to the front room. % humidity fell last night to 32. Right now it 35 and looks to be climbing. My reading says that the moister air prevents infections in the airways by not letting memebranes dry out < likening it to cracked skin on lips and hands when these places dry out.

A cold day for sure but wind is down and really not bad. Oh, the skylight leaked < dribbles on the floor >

First Snow of '22

 # 3297 post, and still going

" a blanket of white
we're happy tonight < today > "

I will stop, now w/ the ' first of ' naming but it is - white, fluffy and quiet

Wake up call was 7 AM which seemed pretty normal to me. The date in digital is neat ' 2022 01 02 ' and Feb 20 will be 2022 02 20
or Feb 22 will be 2022 02 22 - hey, that s not right either
I thought that it would be the same backward and forward.
OK. then year / day / month,  2022 22 02
Thats it
 but I don't write the date that way. Some receipts are printed that way. If you shop on the 22 nd of Feb, look at the date - maybe it will be there. 
Retirement is neat - you can think of stuff like that
 -this will be year 19 of the second half of my life
- doing quite well, thank you

Someone said something and I said ' what ? ' in my head
There is vegetarian peanut butter

peanuts are legumes, granted and I thought vegetarian meant ' not meat ' or made from plants
See ! The company probably calls it ' peanut butter ' substitute
And I say, ' yick ! ' 
Update - Mother Nature is sifting flour - as a metaphor for ' snowfall '

Bragging and / or

 false pride

For 2021, the Lenovo Duet 11 inch Chrome device made several ' top of 2021 ' best buy lists.
The Duet is powered by an android friendly ARM technology, reminscient of your phone s power set. I bought one for a spare Chrome device.
 As well, I foresaw the demise of the Dell Studio 17' which is the house computer < 12 yrs old and has been wiped twice to purge extraneous crap >. The Duet could replace the Studio in a heartbeat. And Duet would take a 22" screen < yes, whopper viewing area >
However, as at writing the Dell keeps chugging along. I was sure that a new printer which we did install would not interface w/ the Windows platform and Chrome OS running system. And we would need a Chrome device to print. WRONG - O !. 
The Dell, forgets what its doing on ocassion but in the main - prints quite nicely thank you. I think its hanging on to spite me and the world < good ol' Dell >

Alright, the Duet is close to godly. BUT each excellent review comes w/ the following < in some form or other >
The Duet - ' at that price point delivers great value. For an underpowered, small laptop provides great flexiblity. For an extra       $ 300 you ......./ blah, blah.

And recall, that the Chromebook doesn't work offline easily, won't accept all apps and is best for online surfing.

Well ,folks, thats us - online and less techno savvy than a lot of households. We are a ' make do ' kind of technical household.
 We burst into the Golden Age of technology when 3 yrs ago or more - ooh, we got cable to the house. Our integrated WiFi service including house monitor is 9 months old. We represent, lets see, how did it go in the movie " this is the frontier west of the Hudson. The last of a vanishing breed ...... " cuz' this is how we feel much of the time. And we are way west of the Hudson. The movie was ' Last of the Moccasins ' my name for it.

BTW, please recall that the Duet is a laptop converting to a tablet w/ a detachable keyboard. And right, now, I'm using the Duet in laptop mode w/ a dongle plugged in to use a mouse and seperate keyboard < 3/4 size but full keys > AND you might ask ' why keep the laptop keyboard attached ? Answer, when folded up the laptop keyboard protects the screen glass. See. Plus, no matter how often you say ' that the Duet keyboard is a good compromise ' - the 3/4 keyboard is way better if a little clumsy to carry. However, if you are going to plug in mouse < which I prefer, always > you might as well, plug in the keyboard.
The Duet in laptop mode doesn't sit easily on your lap   < duh ? you're kidding, right ? No. >
To boot, I carry Duet and accessories in a toolkit tote bag. The tote sits by the couch and I pick and choose what I need from the tote.