Sissy truck

I don’t get it. If you’re going to own a truck, get a truck. I parked downtown yesterday and discovered I was next to the strangest truck I ever saw … It was called an Escalade, made by Cadillac. Trucks are for the bush. But obviously not this one. It’s equipped with 22-inch chrome-plated tire rims. Aren't they just lovely.
It’s like if you need work boots, you get work boots. Don’t substitute them with patent leather dancing shoes. Hmmm… maybe it’s envy. But I don’t imagine the person who owns this Cadillac will be hauling lumber, or throwing the snowmobile in the back and heading off down a logging road for the weekend. And taking the kids to the dump to see the bears is definitely not likely.

Nov. 22... i won't forget it.

I guess it's because I am part of that generation that grew up in the sixties. I do indeed remember the day(Nov. 22, 1963), sitting in school, when the voice came over the PA annoucing "President Kennedy has been shot". Because ours was a Catholic School and because Kennedy was a good Boston Catholic, well that was just enough reason for the nuns to inflict another kneecap-bustin' round of the Rosary on us. I remember thinking "jeezus... sure hope the friggin pope doesn't die..." And the prayers would drone on, and I don't know if anyone else did, but I would drift off... Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come... coming down the ice with a rebound off the boards. Brewer passes. Armstrong's got the puck! Beliveau tries to catch him. It's a pass. Shack! Eddy Shack is crossing the red line and crowd here at the Gardens is on its feet..... I wonder if the nuns ever caught on why I liked to close my eyes and smile during prayers.
Anyway, the Kennedy killing still fascinates me... and a lot of others too I suppose. Well known lawyer and author Vincent Bugliose has written a book -- called Reclaiming History:The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It always gets noticed this time of year. This is supposed to be the final word on the shooting. Bugliosi is not to be taken lightly. He is the same lawyer that put away Charlie Manson for the Tate/Labianca murders (another 60s thing). Apparently he has spent more than 20 years researching the book and has come to some startling conclusions. I can't wait to get a copy. Of course, they're all being snatched up right now for Christmas gifts... I will probably have to wait awhile.

I stink.

Whenever I rush out to a fire scene, I usually get in close to snap some photos. It's always smokey. When I come back to the newsroom, I suddenly notice I have that smell of burnt, wet garbage all around. I am gonna have to hang my coat outside a bit when I get home tonight. Come to think of it, I will have to roll down the windows in the truck for a while too.

Jesus, it's the last bottle of wine!

I know, I know... it sounds like something Mary said at the Wedding At Cana. Actually it's what I said this week when I pulled out this bottle of red wine Jenn dropped off this summer. I think this is the last bottle from the batch she made for her wedding, just over a year ago. For a moment, I felt bad about opening it. Then I figured, Ha! She'll never know! ( if you click on the pic you can enjoy the nice label)

Good music

I heard a preview today of one of Canada's best female singers. Anne Murray has a new album coming out tomorrow called Duets - Friends & Legends. It features her singing some of her best songs accompanied by some pretty amazing artists, all women. Listen for K.D. Lang, Carole King, Martina McBride, Celine Dion amd Emmylou Harris, Of course I was pleased to see that Shania is included. For real serious music fans, the album was produced by the amazing award-winning Phil Ramone.

Well it's about time eh?

Just got off the phone with Jennifer, and I am laughing because I have finally reached the age where my kids give me hell. And I have to listen, because they're not kids anymore. They're grown up and they make sense.
Jenn was peeved because I hadn't phoned in a couple of weeks and what's worse, I haven't added anything to this blog! She had no way of knowing that Dad was okay. She suggested I might just as well have fallen off the face of the planet.
I told Jenn it has been a busy time, and I never realized that a month had passed since my last entry. By the way, the apple crisp I made that day was amazing. I had thoughts of sharing it with the gang at work... but once I tasted it, I said to hell with 'em... I kept it at home for me!
I told Jenn that maybe there was not enough going on in my life right now to justify writing anything, but I know that's just an excuse... especially since I am a writer.
Well the rec room is certainly warmer thanks to all the new insulation. I noticed that right away. Winter has arrived in Timmins. We got a good dumping of snow a week ago and it's here to stay. I was too lazy to put away the canoe, so I am going to wrap in in a tarp and leave on the deck in the back.
Work is keeping me extra busy, but that's okay since I enjoy it so much. Working on a small town weekly newspaper is more fun than i expected. Part of the reason is that I am "the old guy" in the local media. The good part of that is that everyone in town knows me and tells me the good stuff. People call me at home and stop me on the street to whisper all sorts of interesting news. I did a story on a city housing bylaw that city council was pushing through rather quickly. None of the other media outlets clued in on it. Once the public found out all the nitty-gritty stuff in the bylaw, they got upset. There were petitions, letters to the editor and council has had to rewrite the bylaw three times to get it passed.
A local mining company planned to do some drilling near some neighborhoods. So we did a story... put in the front page, and once again, people got riled up. So there have been a few public meetings and the mining company is treading lightly.
It's kind of fun, but it's also part of being a local paper to keep tabs on things.
I can't get over the value of the Canadian dollar these days. It's great to see. I once told my Dad, "tory times are good times"... i think he choked on his tea.
Oh, by the way, I am sipping a new whisky these days. It's called Forty Creek, its made in Ontario I think it's one of the best new Canadian whiskies anywhere. Apparently it has won all kinds of awards. I am not a whisky snob at all, but this stuff is smooth and tasty. Keep your Crown Royal and Gibsons... try this stuff.
Today was interesting. Our local member of parliament, Charlie Angus, did something innovative. He held a passport clinic at the shopping centre. Nearly 500 people showed up. Living in Timmins, we don't always benefit from efficient government services. It was nice to see some action from the MP.
I called Gary last week and he is doing well. He says the weather in Mira is still good and he gets a bit of work every now and then with a fella who lives "down the road". The best part, according to Gary, is that the man's wife is such a good cook... so good that Gary doesn't complain when she puts onions in her cooking. That's a change, when we were kids, Gary hated onions.
Finally I forgot to say happy birthday on Friday to one of my favorite Canadian Forces veterans, my brother Ronald. Happy Birthday Brother.
Well it's Saturday night, so i am going to grab a book, a glass of Forty Creek and listen to CBC Radio, which has amazing program with Randy Bachman, called Vinyl Tap. Check it out. It's good radio.
Finally, tomorrow is Remembrance Day in Canada. Don't sit around. Get a poppy and get out to whatever services or cermonies are going on. Show your support for your fellow Canadians past and present. Next time you're at Tim's, buy a cup of coffee for one of the vets you see there all the time.

A new word

The word came to me as I tasted my newest version of apple crisp… the word is fabulousfreakinamazing. I took Aunt Sadie’s apple crisp recipe last night and threw in two cups of fresh cranberries (they were on sale this week!).Now I’ve added CANNED cranberries before, but they’re not as tasty. This time, I didn’t add any sugar or anything and I admit I was worried it might be too bitter. But it was just fine, thanks.

First snow

Haven't been here in a few days, but that's okay because I was busy with the election. That's all over now for another four years. Today was different. We had our first snow. I guess that mean's it's time to put away the lawn mower and move the snowthrower to the front of the shed. I should put the barbecue in the shed too. Some of my neighbors are a bit more excited about barbecues and keep them on the deck all winter. Now I will just have to go and dig out some mitts and the snowbrush.

Insulation Update - Neil would be impressed.

If you check out the July 18th blog post, you'd know how pissed I was when I discovered I didn't have enough insulation in my rec room. Well I spent part of the summer tearing out the walls so I could add more. I put in four inches of the pink fibreglas stuff and then in front of that, I added an inch and a half of the styrofoam panels. Next week, I will put new sheetrock up and paint it. That should make things a bit cosier when winter arrives.

A nice find

It's good to spend time in bookstores -- especially those bookstores that specialize in used books because they sell other things, like old CDs. I was lucky to find a Dave Brubeck album that has some great jazz from the 1950s and 60s. It was a lucky find. Brubeck produced the first ever million-selling jazz tune, Take Five, and it's on this album! Woohoo. He's also the composer for a lot of the tunes in the old Charlie Brown cartoon specials. I also stocked up on half a dozen paperbacks... enough to get me through October. So it's a good Saturday night. Warm whiskey. Cool jazz. And a good book.

Doors Open at McIntyre Mine

I dusted off the old miner's hat, literally, Saturday, to act as a tour guide for the Doors Open event. I was out at the old McIntyre Mine and couldn't believe that more than a hundred people toughed out the weather and dropped by. Some of the stories of the old miners were better than anything I had to say. Thanks to Mark Joron for snapping a the photo.

The most annoying thing . . .

It's very annoying at five oclock in the morning when the furnace kicks on and its only the second week of September! The temperature in Timmins was two degrees and the sound of the furnace coming on -- the first time since April -- woke me up. I am so cheap. I think I get it from my Dad. Whenever we left the front door open when we were kids, he'd yell "close that jesus door..."
Oh well, time to put away the canoe and dig out the snowshoes.

Treat yourself... i dare you!

Some friends used to snicker about the fact I have a few opera albums that I listen to. Yeah, I like rock and country too. But good opera is nice. I’ve never been to an opera, but I’ve followed it for some time. Well it’s Sunday morning and I am having tea, doing a bit of housework and I have the speakers cranked up as I listen to the late, great Pavarotti. It’s sad that he died last week, but my goodness what a gift he had. His voice was magical. I’d listen to him sing Nessun Dorma and I’d get goosebumps. It’s the aria he sang at the opening ceremonies at the Turin Olympics. It’s a fabulous piece of music. I’ve even got a CD of Aretha Franklin, yes Aretha, singing that same aria. I dare you to treat yourself. Listen to Nessun Dorma and then tell me you don’t like opera.

Labour Day in your jammies

It was nice to visit Jennifer and the boys for the Labour Day weekend. I think the only way I can relax these days is to get right out of Timmins. So it was a nice four-hour drive south to Sudbury. I feel right at home at her place. Jenn lets me eat leftovers and drink day-old coffee... but she wouldn't touch the stuff. After eating a big breakfast Monday, Jenn and the boys sat around on the back porch in their pyjamas while Scott worked on the new garage. The boys seem to get bigger every time I see them... maybe they're just growing eh.

I bumped in to Jack Layton this evening who came north to see the new De Beers diamond mine... it's something of a big deal up here in gold country. The gold mines are used to spending lots of money... they usually talk about hundreds of millions of dollars. De Beers is the new kid on the block... they got everyone's attention spending more than a billion dollars. Layton is a not a bad politician. I don't always agree with his style of politics... but I've never caught him lying.

Drill on the lake

When the price of gold is buzzing at more than $650 U.S. an ounce, one can understand why there's a bit of excitement around Timmins. We've got more gold here than condoms at a Madonna concert! So it was no big surprise to find a diamond drill-rig sitting on a barge out on Porcupine Lake this morning, drilling for gold. The funny thing is that no one seemed to notice it -- go figure....earlier this year, they were drilling on the golf course. Anything goes, in a gold town eh.

Bear with it eh

It’s getting to be a common sight in Timmins. Police officers with shotguns are out every day and evening confronting the black bear problem in Timmins. This bear was prowling around a back porch on Lakeshore Drive this evening. As I write this, the cops are trying to scare the bear back into the bush… the problem is, the bush is about half a mile away and there are kids all around watching the action. So far in Timmins this summer, there have been more than 400 nuisance bear calls.

Bear ass!

Some people say there's too much nasty stuff on the internet. So I figured I could just add my picture of a bear ass! Yeah, yeah... I know... it's just a joke. But hey I had to get close enough to the busy old black bear to shoot this photo... I guess it's a good answer to that age old question: "Does a bear sh*t in the woods....?"

Mattawa getaway

It was nice to take a day off and enjoy a long weekend. We snuck over to Mattawa... actually it's a five hour drive south from Timmins. We decided to check out the Voyageur Days and meet some nice people. We found a nice B&B there that had quiet rooms and great food. We also checked out the outdoor concerts and got to see Nazareth, an early 70s British rock band. I was never much of a fan, but my brother Ron liked them. Oh well, they sounded okay,... for a rock band that has been playing for 38 years!

Don't Snuggle with your Purex!

Guys should take note, since they don’t seem able to master the intricacies of doing laundry as well as women. It’s bad enough trying to figure out lights and darks, especially since I have a dark laundry room. But now I have to master the liquid laundry soap VS. the liquid fabric softener. It's easy to get them mixed up. I guess I learned the hard way when I noticed the clothes get really soapy in the dryer when you add soap in the rinse cycle.

Guess what I found!

Every now and then you hear about people who rip down the old sheetrock and find valuable stuff behind their walls. Well, I am renovating the basement … so I tore down the sheetrock and guess what I found. Nuthin! That’s what is pissing me off today. There was supposed to be insulation there!!! But there was nothing there but concrete! I have been living in this house for 12 years and the basement rec room is always cold. I just thought it was the normal Timmins weather. Oh well, now I have a s**tload of work to do… and some insulation to buy.

Rain, rain go away...

Our summer is being ruined by rain! It seems every day now there are showers, downpours, drizzles... you name it... everything is wet, wet, wet. I am starting to think they've moved Timmins to Vancouver. I guess it's good for the lawn, but the yard has been so wet for three weeks that I can't even cut the grass.

bread rant

Okay, so I may be getting crusty these days, but what's with the price of bread? I was out shopping this morning and I guess I just noticed it... bread, a single loaf of ordinary bread, was $2.37! What the hell is that about? Is there gold in the flour or what? I don't think that's normal. It's not like we see wheat farmers driving those sissy SUVs and taking trips to Europe! Friggin' $2.37 for a load of bread! Somebody's getting rich eh.

Chocolate cake for breakfast!

It's great when my grandsons come to visit me in Timmins. It's nice to sit around in your peejays on a Saturday morning and have chocolate cake with whipped cream! Kids are easy to please, eh.

Grrrreat weekend. Happy Canada Day.

Yup, had another great weekend celebrating Canada Day. Who knew that Bacardi coolers would cause heartburn!? Oh well, live and learn. We were pleased to have lots of great things to do, despite the cold and rainy weather. But if you live in Timmins you get used to changes in weather. And for some reason after every Canada Day weekend, I just find less and less to gripe about. I guess we really do live in the best country in the world eh.

Father's Day

I know it was yesterday... but it's still one of the best days there is because my kids feel obligated to pick up the phone and call their dear old Dad! Poor Dad was out canoeing and catching some sunshine, followed by a great spaghetti dinner, some wine, a movie and lots of pampering. Sorry Kids... I love you so dearly and I loved getting your phone messages, but I don't hang around the house on a sunny Sunday. Thanks for the thought... It feels great. I think I am good till Christmas now. Oh by the way, is canoeing relaxing... hmmm... got home and checked my blood pressure. 111 over 72 woohoo!

Beat the heat

It was 35 Celcius in Timmins today. I have a hard time with the heat. I guess I am like my old Dad that way. He never did well in the heat. I do have memories of hot days when I was a kid. Dad would sit on the step with a water hose, a beer and a smoke. And he would water the grass with the hose. The funny thing is he’d only water a patch of grass about two feet wide and 30 feet long. I guess it was too hot to move the hose eh.

Holy smoke eh

Small town journalism is getting me into church. I have been in four churches in the past two weeks. First there was the anniversary at Sacred Heart, then Father Olenga had his 25th priesthood anniversary at Notre Dame, tonight the bishop is celebrating his 45th anniversary at the cathedral,and this afternoon there was a fire on the hydro pole outside the old Nativity church. Holy smoke!

River is so high

The Mattagami River is running a lot higher than normal this week. We may get some flooding in the next few days, according to the local flood committee. Of course I couldn't just take their word for it, so I climbed a couple of nasty fences and hiked through the bush to get a close up shot of the water pouring over the floodgates and shooting through the dam at Hydro Bay. Yep, the water is high

Wait for the first new moon in June!

You never plant your garden until after the first moon in June ... if you live in Timmins. That's the rule! It became apparent last night why that rule is there. Temperature dropped to minus two this morning. Lots of plants and flowers hit by frost! The first new moon arrives on June 15th. I will be planting my flowers the next morning.

Welcome June

There's a saying... if you don't like the weather in Timmins, wait ten minutes. It will change. So we started this month Friday morning with fog. Saturday it was sweltering hot for several minutes. This afternoon the humidity was off the scale. Tonight, there was a massive thunderstorm that caused lots of flooding around Timmins, and a bit in my basement too! The flooding at the Spruce street underpass, in the photo, is two metres deep. So June is finally here. But I am not sure what the season is. Oh well gotta grab a mop and clean up the rec room.

Tea vs. Coffee

The most frustrating thing about tea is that one must wait for the water to boil. It’s about as exciting as standing beside the dryer waiting for your jeans to dry. But I usually find it’s worth the wait. The coffee pot comes on automatically, but I am beginning to regard coffee as too bitter in the mornings. Coffee seems better in the afternoons. For some reason tea gives me just the right caffeine kick in the mornings. I think it goes back to my childhood, when I could find a pot of tea on the stove at any time of the day or night.
By the way, it's the last day of May and Summer is finally here in Timmins. It’s a bit rainy, overcast and there is some fog this morning. We don’t get smog in Timmins, but I can pick a whiff of that big forest fire that is burning about a hundred miles south of us.

Too darned busy eh

I haven't been here for awhile... my excuse. I am toooooooo busy. But that's a good thing, I think. So last night was up till 2 a.m. sitting around waiting for a tranquilized bear to fall out of a tree. Hey... that's what a small town news editor does during black bear season. I am getting lots of yard work done, but I won't be planting flowers right away... the rule in Timmins is to wait until after the "the first moon in June..." but i haven't checked a calender lately. There is cool news from down east... there is a Grand Mira website!! Lots of interesting news on a very special place. Interesting news from the west coast. Ronald sent a photo of wife Loni... in Afghanistan with the Stanley Cup! That was a nice picture. I promise to get back in here more often.

New Cruisers

It's getting easier to see police cars in Ontario. The OPP says its a good thing. Ontario Provincial Police have returned to the design of their old cruisers that were all black and white. The OPP says if you can see the cruiser, chances are you will slow down and drive more safetly.Hmmmm..

Flying the friendly skies of SAR

Today was indeed interesting in that I met several fellows who didn't know me... but they know my brother in B.C. So we snapped a few photos of familiar faces that I will be emailing to Ronald very soon. The guys are from 424 Tiger Squadron out of Trenton, Ontario. I was along for the ride, packed in among their parachutes and luggage, on a Search and Rescue (SAR) training flight aboard a Canadian Forces C130 Hercules over Timmins. It was noisy, cold and fun.

A new toaster!

Well I finally did it. If you remember a posting from last August, you’d know I was thinking of getting a new toaster. Well I caved a couple of weeks ago, gave up a bunch of Airmiles and ordered my new appliance. It arrived today. I threw in an onion bagel and it was just fine, thanks.
I haven’t been in here for a few days because I have been extra busy making sure all goes well in the new job. The news stuff is easy, but I am struggling with the old Macintosh computer system… it’s click and wait, click and wait. I guess I have to have patience.
In other news today, I have a new blog. We’ve started up a newsroom blog to keep people in the loop on breaking stories. We are a twice-weekly paper. We don’t publish daily. But we are in the newsroom seven days a week, so we may as well keep our readers informed. That’s all for now. I think I will go make some toast and tea.

The press room

I kinda knew what was happening when I felt the floor shake a bit. It’s a feeling that brought back memories of those early winter mornings at the North Bay Nugget when the presses began to roll with all the latest news. I dropped in to see the fellas in the Times press room today and they were happy to show me around. I could smell the ink even before I got through the door. This is the massive 14-unit Goss Press, the largest in Timmins. I got a kick out of seeing the pages roll faster and faster while the pressmen adjusted the pressure and ink levels as it began spitting out hundreds of papers each minute. The pressroom is a cool place.

I got a brand new bag.

I don’t know if we can stop worrying about climate-change after today, but I surprised myself and did one tiny little thing that may make a difference. I bought a grocery bag. It’s one of those re-usable tote bags so I won’t have to keep using the disposal grocery bags. It cost 99-cents at A&P. Now I will just have to remember to bring it to the grocery store every time I pick something up.

New Job

I haven't been here lately owing to the fact I have a new job. I am the new Editor of the Timmins Times newspaper in Timmins. I never expected to get back into media work, but the opportunity was just too good to pass. So I am back in the newsroom doing what I have enjoyed for so many years. I know I will miss all the nice people in tourism, but I am sure I will enjoy meeting more nice people in the news game. I will keep ya posted.

Nature beats art every time.

I saw this bit of frost on a window today. It looked like somebody etched it into glass. But in reality this is a close-up shot of frost about the size of a matchbook. Click the pic to see it up close. Amazing detail. On another urgent subject, tomorrow is National Tartan Day. It's the day where men of Scots heritage should wear a kilt. It's also one of the seven days where one is encouraged to enjoy a glass of Scotch. It's called Friday!

It's all my fault!

Yup, I cleaned the truck on the weekend and put away the snowbrush. That obviously upset the snow gods and that’s why we had a storm this morning. It’s all my fault. This is not great for tourism. Oh well, I have one week left of being Tourism Marketing Guy. Then I begin my new job as Newspaper Editor Guy. I sure hope the sun is shining.

Happy Birthday Tyler!

Today was Ty's big day... he is 7 now and he's a cool dude alright. No foolin'. He's one of my favorite grandsons! I had a birthday this weekend too. So thanks to the birthday wishes I got from Ty & Nader, from Jenn and Neil, from Deb and Ron and thanks to Claudette for a great weekend and a fabulous chocolate cake!

Changes on the way...

Mark Twain wrote " a journalist is a reporter out of a job". He also wrote "I am not an editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and be good so that God will not make me one." Hmm... Well things are gonna change. Stay posted.

Growing Stuff

I started growing stuff last week. No!, not THAT kind of stuff... I am growing herbs. And it's not THOSE kind of herbs either. I am gonna try my hand at growing basil, sage and chives. It's not because I am being cheap... although there is that advantage. I just figured it would be fun to see if fresh herbs make a difference in my cooking. I set up a few growing pots in the kitchen with a UV light and already tiny little sprouts are coming up. I will keep ya posted.

Spring has sprung!!!

Today is the first day of Spring. Yup. It’s today. Not March 21st. Spring is no longer determined by the calendar, according to NASA. It’s determined by the position of Earth in relation to the sun and occurs on the vernal equinox, which is the day when the length of daylight is equal to the length of night. The first day of spring in Timmins is rather mild. What a change from last night when we had a storm with high winds, white-outs and it resulted in schools being closed and the highways shut down. And tomorrow, the forecast is rain! There’s a saying in Timmins … if you don’t like the weather, just wait ten minutes, it’ll change!

Things you DON'T want to see while ice fishing...

Hey what can I say? He caught a fish and had to bend over to pull it out of the hole in the ice!

The latest buzz...

I was deleting some of my old photo files when I found this shot of a honeybee on a thistle. It’s a good reminder that the warm weather is not too far away. In other news I got a note from my favorite sister-in-law Loni ... she says she is on leave from Afghanistan and will be home for a few weeks. I sure hope Ron gets caught up with all of his housework! : )

Funny Church Sign

Good Doctor? Bad Doctor?

Check out this website to find out what people say about the doctors and dentists in your town. It's called: - RateMDs.com - It’s interesting to read. I think people love to complain about their doctors. To do a search, just enter the name of your town and you will get the list of local physicians. We all have friends that seem to know more than the doctor does… but the next time you get sick, will you go see that friend, or go to a doctor?

Looking for gold...

It’s no surprise to see a diamond-drilling rig at work in a mining town. This one is set up behind our office, about ten metres away from the hiking trail. This diamond-drill is searching for gold. It’s called a diamond drill because it uses a diamond studded drill bit that drills a hollow tube about two inches wide and a mile deep, into the rock. The driller then hauls the drill tubes up, twenty feet at a time, containing core samples that tell where the gold is hidden.
The drill cores are stored flat in these wooden boxes which will be shipped off the lab where they'll be studied to see how much gold there is down the hole.

Take Mother in Law for a ride eh

Okay I am not making this up… some guys call this the “mother in law” sled. I was out on the trails Sunday and saw this cool set-up. It’s all enclosed and it’s a good way to bring youngsters along for a day of sledding.

Grrreat neighbors

It's happened twice now. I've been out and about lately. And when I get home after a snowstorm, my driveway is clean and clear. So thank you to the good neighbor or neighbors who have been so helpful.

Neil living in Van-groovy.

Got an email from Neil, my fave son. He is now living in Vancouver. I guess the fresh air of Jasper was too good eh. Oh well -- always good to try new things. Sources tell me he even shaved his beard, trimmed the sideburns and got a haircut. I guess it all goes with the new job at the Steamworks. It's all good eh. Hmmm... I must be getting old. I just realized it has been 35 years since I hung out in Gastown.

I still like wine -- despite the tax grabbin' bastards.

So here is a photo of my new wine opener. It was a gift from Claudette. I have to admit this is the best and easiest corkscrew I have ever used. It's so easy that even a man can do it right. It’s even easier than a Swiss Army Knife. I like wine, but the Ontario government has instituted an annoying bottle return program. The LCBO now charges 20-cents extra for each wine bottle to entice you to return the empty. But here’s the dumb part. You have to bring the empty bottles to the beer store, not the liquor store. Not everyone drinks beer ( did I really say that in Timmins?). It’s not very environmental when you consider the extra driving required to go to the beer store to return a 20-cent wine bottle. I know I won’t do that. McGuinty’s lying liberals say the program will divert 80-million bottles from landfill sites. Oh please, …. put a cork in it willya!

Another camera

I added a new “old camera” to my collection this past week. I found a very nice Nikkormat FTn on Ebay so I put in a bid and got it a great price. The Nikkormat was my very first ‘professional’ camera. I bought one in 1974, but sold it a few years later. After going full digital for the past few years, I guess I will enjoy using a fully manual film camera. The Nikkormat allows for all manual functions and lets the photographer take the picture. It also works perfectly in any weather, with or without batteries.

Snowmobile adventure

We had a full house last night when Scott arrived with buddies Richie and Al to get a headstart on some good snowmobiling. The guys were up early this morning to make sure their machines would start okay. It was minus 30 last night. It was all good. They’re heading north to the Abitibi Canyon for some extreme riding. Happy trails guys!

Free stuff

Sometimes good things are indeed Free. I found that out with a note from PC World Magazine about a free download that catches spy programs trying to get onto your computer. It’s called Zone Alarm and it actually works. It stops those annoying pop ups and other worm programs that try to sneak in when you’re on the internet. It even stops Microsoft from trying to get in with updates! I have installed Zone Alarm on all three of my computers. Try out the free download for yourself. If I find any glitches, I will post a note here.

It's Flag Day.

Happy Flag Day. This is one of those nice holidays where you don't have to buy cards or gifts or get caught up in the big marketing thing. Just smile and enjoy the fact the Canadian flag still means freedom and the good life. I checked the official Government of Canada webpage at 9 AM today and there was no mention of flag day ... oh well.

Real Hockey

There were at least a couple of good hockey games on the weekend. Jennifer and Scott went to the Toronto Maple Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre. Tickets were more than $125 apiece! I guess the game was worth it. There was great action, a good fight, they saw Sid Crosby and the game had an overtime goal. Of course, the Leafs lost. I also had the chance to watch hockey this weekend. I took this photo of a bunch of kids at the Eighth Avenue playground rink in Timmins. It was about minus 30 and they were having a great time. As I stood there watching, I realized this is real Canadian hockey. Oh by the way, this is the same playground rink where Bashing Bill Barilko used to play when he was a kid. Leaf fans will know that name. Bill Barilko was around when the Leafs played great hockey.

Porcupine Lake

Had some fun on the weekend. We drove over to South Porcupine where is was sunny and freezing cold. It was a great day for a drive so we drove out on the lake for a nice spin. We even surprised a couple of snowmobilers who pulled up alongside while we were driving. The ice was thick and the snow crust was easily hard enough to support the truck.

Tipping

I was visiting a restaurant in the US recently when the waitress noticed me. “Oh the Canadian guys are back…” she snickered. I should mention this was a biker bar and rib joint that had excellent food, great music, good beer and waitresses with attitude. She said “ hey what’s the difference between a canoe and a Canadian?” I shrugged. She said “Canoes tip” Recently I had a good discussion with a friend after the kid at the gas station filled up the car while the weather was close to minus 40. “Did you give the guy a tip?” I asked. The answer was No. So I figure we Canadians need some advice on tipping. I feel mildly qualified, especially since I have worked as a waiter-bartender. So have my kids. I try not to tell people how much to tip, but I feel there are several categories of hard working people who provide service, often good service, and deserve a little extra recognition. They are: Tim Horton’s staff, gas station jockeys, table waiters, bartenders, hair stylists, hotel porters, taxi drivers, hotel shuttle drivers, casino blackjack dealers, hotel chambermaids and even the kid at the supermarket who pushes the cart and puts the groceries in your car.

Watching TV

It's not something I normally do... but I watched TV yesterday. The Superbowl Game was on and I had a connection for some free nachos... so I caved and watched TV. Living in Canada, we don't get to see the best part of Superbowl; the commercials. Today I found the website that features all the best commercials... check it out and enjoy. http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads . My favorite is the guy with the comb-over.

Welcome to February

Have you ever noticed how many people say Feb-YOU-ary? This is my rant today. How difficult is it to say Feb-ROO-ary? It’s really annoying when broadcasters, people who should know how to speak, can’t manage to pronounce such a simple little word. Lazy or what! If they can’t manage to say February correctly, how can you possibly put any stock in what they have to say. Maybe they should spend some time in the lye-berry reading up on how to speak eh.