You’ll grow so much and learn so much, they said. You’ll be faced with so many new challenges, they said.
Like repairing a slatted frame on a Friday afternoon because the kids thought that you only told them not to jump on your bed because you’re a mean old sucker…
©Giliell, all rights reserved
You can see the part where the laminated beam broke completely through. Mr will visit Ikea on Friday and # 1 will learn about the value of money (that’s the equivalent of 7 Pokemon movies!).
The New Year has arrived, with a new, fresh and unsullied threat of a third world war. For me, personally, that would be more than enough to jump with joy /s, however, there is more.
Closer to home we hadn’t any decent snowfall this winter, only rain. Which does not seep very well into the frozen ground. Even the mountains have no more than a few cms of snow, and to get the skiing business running, they keep depleting groundwaters to make artificial snow. So in all probability extreme droughts are going to continue for the third year in a row. But global warming definitively does not exist, because right now there is about two mm of snow outside that fell overnight. Yay!
Even closer to home, I was pain-free for a whole week, so I felt confident I can manage the transfer from Windows 7 to Windows 10. The update went reasonably well, after only four tries I have managed to install the system without needing to buy a new license (or doing anything illegal), and mere two days were needed to install all the software I use and get it running. Some older programs and HOMAM III needed some persuasion, but I managed it alright. The PC runs better than ever before (clean system installation does that) and everything is ship-shape. Now the only thing that remains is to backup and clean all my data when I am at it. True joy. Except that both my pointer fingers flared up from typing, the right one with extra helping from all the mouse-clicking before I got my old drawing tablet running so I can use left hand too (I have an ergonomic mouse, so I cannot use it left-handed). And it was not that difficult work to do, to begin with :-(.
So the new year is off to a very “good” start, even the good comes with some bad.
On a cheerier note, I heard that it helps to keep new year resolutions when you write them down publicly, so here are mine with commentary:
1) Exercise at least 2 minutes, daily, no other specifics (last year I tried an hour two times a week, that got thrown out of the window with subsequent 6-week illnesses – 2 minutes daily should be more manageable and possible in some form even when ill, less exhausting and still at least somewhat useful).
2) Absolutely no using phone or PC after 21:30, I shall be reading books instead before bedtime (I think I was staring into my phone more than is healthy, even without facebook or twitter, especially these last two months when I could not do much else).
3) No YouTube or movies or internet or games on PC or phone from after breakfast till 19:00 on workdays, only perhaps audiobooks to listen to at work (I do not need to watch as many vids as I did, neither do I need to obsess over what new idiotic thing the conservatives the world over have done right this minute).
4) Most relevant to you all – at least one blog post a week, however short and inconsequential.
5) Start painting and drawing again (to have something to blog about).
So, happy New Year to you all. The farce is definitively with us.
Bye, Bye, Angus. ©voyager, all rights reserved
Just a short post today because Jack and I are heading home, that wonderful place where we keep all our junk and where life is a bit more predictable. I know Jack is growing weary of Angus’ hyper-vigilance and herding and, to be honest, so am I. Angus is a bullheaded, tripping hazard, and he’s noisy. He’s exhausting to be around, and two weeks in close quarters is enough. Jack and I will both be happy to return to our quiet little corner of the world. It’s a long drive, but Jack is a seasoned traveller. He took his first trip to the east coast when he was six months old, and that’s a gruelling 22-hour drive over two days. Seven hours to home is a breeze by comparison.
Mostly, though, I’m looking forward to not having to talk to people all day. I’m an introvert by nature, and two weeks of constant chatter has left me drained and exhausted. I can’t wait to get home and put my phone on mute and just read without interruption. Oh yes, and to have a nice quiet coffee in the morning before I have to engage in ‘happy talk.’ If I wasn’t so damned exhausted I might even jump up and down for joy at just the thought of being alone for a while. I’ve told my friends that it will be a few days before I talk to them and I know they understand. I’m goin’ home, and I’m gonna have me a good, long dose of quiet contemplation to recharge. See you on Monday.
Beatrice Harraden. Things Will Take a Turn. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1898.
Please, may I have a bite? ©voyager, all rights reserved
We had guests for dinner last night, and we served a roast chicken with homemade stuffing. It was delicious, and everyone enjoyed the meal, including Jack and Angus, who had a few tasty tidbits on their kibble. Did it satisfy them? Well, yes and no. They ate with great gusto, but both dogs wanted a bit more. Angus barks when he begs, which is annoying and not effective at all, but Jack has begging down to a fine art. He simply turns up his charm to maximum volume and sits quietly beside someone until they notice him with his goofy smile and big eyes that say, “Please, may I have a bite? I am a poor, hungry dog, and I will be eternally grateful.” It’s a very effective strategy, and it doesn’t seem to matter that I tell people not to feed him at the table. People are helpless to resist, and even I give in once and while. Poor Angus doesn’t seem to learn from Jack, he just barks more loudly and seems confused that no-one offers him anything. Twice I forced Angus to hush for a bit and rewarded him with a bite, but the lesson didn’t stick. He’s a guard dog by nature and barking is his go-to mode. Jack, on the other hand, is a lover by nature and guarding isn’t on his resume. I don’t mind. All that chocolate brown love makes me happy and brightens my days. It might even help me to be a better person, and who could ask for more than that?
Stella G.S. Perry. Girl’s Nest. New York, Frederick A. Stokes company, 1918.
This tree is getting a good workout. ©voyager, all rights reserved
The big news around here today is the sudden closing of one of the largest snow removal contractor’s in the Pointe-Claire area. Snow is big business in this part of the world, and most households contract snow removal for their driveways, and they pay by the season and not by the number of visits. After a significant snowfall, anyone without a garage moves their car to the side of the street (which side is determined by date) and then the contractors come with their big, tractor-sized, enclosed and comfortable snow blowers. The city itself has most streets plowed quickly, (Montreal does snow removal well) making the whole process quite manageable.
Today, when Jack and I were out for our walk we saw quite a few people shovelling their drives and most of them were grumbling about Bo Pelouse going out of business. It isn’t certain that any of Pelouse’s customers will get a refund and most of the other contractors don’t have the infrastructure to take on new clients at this point in the season. According to the morning news, one other major snow contractor picked up over 2,000 new customers in 24 hours. Thankfully, my mother-in-law uses a different company, who arrived late yesterday to blow out our driveway. My aching back was overjoyed to see them.
This adorable young fellow is George, the wire-haired Miniature Dachshund belonging to Raucous Indignation. George was adopted by Raucous as a puppy and he celebrated his first birthday a few days ago on December 28. I can’t think of a better way to start the New Year, than with a great big dose of cute. Thanks, Raucous, George has stolen my heart with his big eyes and fabulous, bristly whiskers.
©Raucous Indignation, all rights reserved
©Raucous Indignation, all rights reserved
©Raucous Indignation, all rights reserved
©Raucous Indignation, all rights reserved
Jack is making doggie snow angels. ©voyager, all rights reserved
We had a total of about 15cm of snow overnight, and Jack couldn’t be happier. One of his very most favourite things to do is to lay down in the snow and roll around. He starts with his head, digging in his nose and then sweeping it back and forth. Once his head and whiskers are sufficiently rubbed cold, he wiggles his body around, making sure to get full contact with his belly and boy bits, which will be bright red by the time he comes back inside. I don’t understand the appeal of this behaviour, but it makes my Bubba happy, and that’s good enough for me.
HappyJack! ©voyager, all rights reserved
I, on the other hand, am not that happy about the snow. It’s beautiful, but it’s heavy wet snow. The kind of snow that packs well and makes a good hard snowball. It’s also the kind of snow that’s heavy to shovel, which is how I spent the morning. Jack and Angus kept me company, but they weren’t much help. It took about an hour to clear the sidewalk and patio, and by the time I was finished, the muscles in my back and shoulders were complaining. They still are, and boy Howdy am I stiff and tired. I doubt that I’ll be able to stay awake until midnight, so I expect I’ll greet the New Year in my sleep. That’s fine with me. I’m not a party kind of person at the best of times, and tonight my bed is where I want to be. Gosh, I must be getting old.
*******************************
I would like to take a moment to send my best wishes to our readers in Australia. The news we get from your country is frightening, and you’ve been on my mind. I hope you’re all safe.
Photo courtesy of Sharris, from Atlas Obscura
Say hello to Canada’s knottiest tree. This massive cedar tree has a giant burl growing out of its lower trunk and lives in a grove that was discovered in 2009 and has been protected from logging since 2012.
This lush grove near Port Renfrew is filled with large western red cedars and Douglas firs. Many trees seem to be growing out of each other, with knots and burls as if there was a struggle to break free of their bark.
The highlight of the grove is Canada’s gnarliest tree, a massive cedar with a giant burl growing out of its lower trunk. This whimsical giant stands tall, overseeing the cathedral grove.
There are walking paths into the grove and visitors are welcome, but the paths can be slippery and difficult to navigate. There are more photos at the Atlas Obscura link below as well as a small map.
via Atlas Obscura
Eliza Horn White. The Strange Year. Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Co., c1920.
I don’t know the plot of this book, but the title sums up how I feel about 2019. Here’s to a better 2020.
