So you can't say we haven't been warned

Every evening in recent months I have watched the American newscasts, specifically NBC News and ABC News, and have noticed a startling change. Both networks are now focussing on major weather stories. That's because a day hardly goes by that there is not a major weather event that is impacting the lives of millions of people throughout the U.S. Think of forest fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, massive rainstorms, flooding, droughts and unusual snowstorms in places where cold weather was barely a worry before. This is happening all the time now. It brings me back to a lecture I attended at Northern College in Timmins around 15 years ago where Dr. David Pearson presented a lecture on climate change. He talked about the fact that Earth's climate is changing quickly and we are not prepared to deal with it. I remember thinking that some of his comments back then were alarmist. Over the years, a lot of people say climate change is nothing but a hoax perpetuated by the wacky woke crowd. I have to admit there are a lot of wacky people around but we need to pay more attention to the climate.

Retired? Yes, finally.

So halway through July and I can conform I am indeed retired now feom the news game. Village Media was find enough to provide a retirement package that include accumulated sick days and medical leave. I have actually been off the job since just before Christmas. So That's that. I has lunch yesterday with Jennifer downtown at the diner on Larch Street. We get out there maybe once a year or so. It was nice. We chatted .. or I should say I did most of the chatting for nearly two hours! It was nice to get caught up on the family gossip and to enjoy Jenn's sense of humour. I should mention that we had a grreat visit from Neil in June. He was back in Ontario so he could visitt Timmins with Jenn as they attended Moe and Marie's 50th anniversary celebration. From all accounts it was a great event.

We enjoyed a brief time at Camp Alexander, with good food, some drinks and great company. Life doesn't get much better.

Thank goodness for warranties

So it was a good thing last week that my car came out of the shop. Last Friday I got a call from Ken at Laurentian Motors advising that my car was ready. I had put it in the shop on December 29, first of all for a regular oil change but also because some dash lights were showing. The parking brake needed service, the cruise control needed service, the 4x4 wasn’t working and as I pulled into the shop, the service guy said the engine light had come on. Okay then. Time to check everything. This was all two weeks ago. I figured it would take a couple of days. The service called back two days later. Said there was a tonne of work needed to get done and he needed me to approve it Thank goodness I had an extended warranty. Service guy said the total work bill would be over $9,000 which included transmission work. He said he would notify the warranty people to get it all approved. And so he did. Picked up the car on Friday. Cost of the warranty work was $9,730. My cost was only $434. Yes, this was a good week.

Cool cups eh

I have to say I like the artwork on the new Tim Horton's holiday cups. Grabbed a medium this afternoon and I really enjoyed looking at the winter scenes complete with Santa and a hockey stick. So Kudos to the art designers at Timmies for coming up with the nice artwork. I am sure lots of people will notice and enoy.

Sunday afternoon hockey game

I was pleased to enjoy going to the Sudbury Wolves hockey game Sunday. I keep telling myself that it's one of those simple pleasures that is so easy to enjoy. The Wolves haven't been winning a lot this season but it was still fun to enjoy the game, even if I only had two beers and avoided the pizza and popcorn in the VIP booth. I promise myself I will get out again, to watch some really good fast hockey.

Also Sunday I had a chance to chat with Ronald and wish him a happy birthday. We had a great chat about family and just life in general. It was all good.

My Ken Dryden story ...

So it was back in October of 2008 that that hockey great Ken Dryden was having a cup of coffee at the McIntyre Coffee Shop. He was in Timmins campaigning for the Liberals, and I knew I had to get a photo of Dryden on the ice next door at the arena. Luckily there was a noon hour rec-league game underway and as I tried to interrupt the game, I was initially met with anger by the guys playing hockey. I explained that the legendary Ken Dryden was in the house, and would they agree to a casual photo of Dryden with their hockey team. Yes! they said. And so I have this very nice photo of one of the great hockey players from the 20th century.

A good summer or what!

I noticed today, with the weather being a bit overcast and the temperatures a bit cooler, that Summer 2025 is passing quickly. I cannot complain. Overall it has been a nice summer. Don and Denise have put on some really excellent family dinners. Those were fun. ¶Things were especially good this past week when I was able to spend some time relaxing up at Camp Alexander. Jenn and Scott were excellent hosts. It was nice to spend time with Don and Denise also, along with all the rest of the folks. ¶The big surprise of course was the unexpected visit from Neil, all the way from Vancouver. I was sitting in a Sudbury restaurant with Jennifer for a nice supper when Neil suddenly walked in. I didn't recognize him for a few seconds and then I did. Very happy. Neil was able to spend some time at camp and he even found time to get up to Timmins where he was delighted to meet uncles, aunts and cousins. Back in Sudbury this week, both of us had a chance to visit my favourite pub where we spent time eating, drinking and catching up. Neil is heading back home and on Thursday we took a photo at the bus station just before he left town. Can't wait for another visit. Which means I now owe him a visit. It's all good.

Back at work after an excellent five day break where I had time to enjoy the best of life at Camp Alexander in Westree. The food was excellent of course, and I ate too much, felt really great. And so I decided to drink a little more beer than usual. I love it when everyone chips in and adds food to the community table. So many good tasting things.

The kids had a great time going for rides in the ATVs and yes, they all worse helmets. There was even some excitement as the gang went out for a picnic and a swim at one of the local lakes. There was one incident where we needed a first aid kit, but things worked out okay.

I know it is hard to beat the sense of relaxation that takes over as you sit by the fire, watch the stars and enjoy everyone's company.

Retirement? Not right now ...

So every now and then I think I should retire from the news game. But I am having fun. Seriously, I usually grin each morning as I head to work. Sometimes I think I am loopy. Then this week the company said thanks for five years; they gave me a raise, gave me another week of vacation and gave me a really nice watch.

Getting up to date

Staying up to date on things. Was pleased to chat with Debra recently to learn that she and John are planning a trip to Europe and a Mediterranean cruise. Also, kudos to John for his recent win on a CTV trivia show. I hope they have a great time. Deb said they have plans to visit Vimy Ridge. I am jealous. I can't wait to see some of the photos from their travels.

I was spring cleaning my hall closet on the weekend when I found a nice pair of almost new black Timberland ankle boots. I absolutely know they're not mine, so I think they were left by Neil during his last winter visit two years ago. I tried them on and they fit perfectly. I will have to talk to Neil. * * * * * I have been so busy lately, I barely noticed that spring is almost over and summer will soon by here. It's a great time of year. I am especially pleased that I feel healthier. I think I get tired of winter to the point where I just like to sleep in on weekends. The nicer weather encourages me to walk more. That feels good. I was pleased recently to go out with Jenn and Scott for a nice supper at the Dog House restaurant in Azilda. It was nice just to sit and shoot the breeze while enjoying good food and fresh draft beer. Jenn and Scott are also considering some interessting travel plans, so it will be nice to see how that goes.

My usual beer at my local pub was Muskoka Brewery Treat Lightly. But they have been selling out or not buying enough of it. So this past weekend, I had to fall back on my usual Bud Light... an American brew that I was avoiding.

I has been bitten by the travel bug again and I am no sure where to go. I know I cannot go to the U.S. although there were a couple of cities I had planned on visiting before the government there got stupid.

I saw a recent travel report of a guy who travelled from England to New York on the Queen Mary. That could be an interesting trip. https://cruiseinsider.com/specials/transatlantic-crossings-with-cunard/cunard-line

Life is too good some days eh

Sometimes, the simple meals are the best. During a recent visit to Fionn MacCool's pub in Sudbury, I enjoyed one of their best suppers; Shepherd's Pie and a Caeser Salad on the side. Now I don't often buy the salad but as I ate it I thought how much I miss having a really tasty salad. It was just the perfect side dish to get my taste buds going into overdrive. Then the mashed potatoes with the beef, pork and veggies just hit the spot better than I was expecting. I think it was because I skipped lunch that day.

Of course, a nice fresh pint of draft beer kept the day going right. Since the tariff issue I have quit drinking American beer. I have been enjoying a new light beer from Muskoka Brewery called Tready Lightly. It's only four per cent alcohol content and really refreshing. Things don't get much better than this.

This stuff doesn't make sense

The world does not make sense some days. I was reading the New York Times about former Fox News announcer Pete Hegseth putting out confidential military information over a cell phone chat application. First of all, how does a former news announcer become Secretary of Defence? One would think this is a role for a high-level military person, not some sycophant that sucks up to the guy trying to be president. In a real world, goof-ups like this would result in somebody being arrested or least removed from a sensitive role. The guy lives in a world where people just deny reality and hopes others believe him. Now that the real media -- NOT Fox rookies -- have this story in their sights, you can be sure that Hegseth's days are numbered.

Shipping news

I guess it is one of the cool things about the internet; the vast amount of information available, if you're willing to take the time to search. I was snooping several weeks back when Jenn and Scott took a cruise trip in the Caribbean. Their ship the MSC Seaside was listed online along with the voyage and the ports of call. So I snooped further and found info on the last time I was on a ship... The RMS Cunard liner, the Saxonia.

Oh my but there is a tonne of information available, and photos too. It sure brought back memories on travelling home from France, back to Canada in the early 1960s. Airlines did not make a regular crossing from Europe to North America back then. The trip took five or six days, as best as I can remember, departing from Le Havre, France, on to Southhampton, U.K. and then across the North Atlantic Ocean on to Montreal.

I still have some vivid memories of that trip. One of the funniest was that I was in the ship's theatre watching a movie with my Mom when suddenly the theatre door crashed open, light poured in and there was my big brother Gary shouting, Hey Leonard, we docked, we're back in Canada!

So I found some basic info on the Saxonia. But the best part is there is another link that lists the names of families and passengers who were on the ship in the 1960s. I think I will have to dig back for more information.

Life sure is good these days

I hope you like the photo. I took the picture from the parking lot at work where we can see the old Sudbury water tower, which has been converted to a light beacon in the heart of the city.

So it was a super relaxing Christmas break for a couple of days. Jennifer and Scott of course were the perfect hosts. When I say relaxing, I should mention that I parked myself on the couch Christmas Eve, watched a nice movie -- Home Alone -- drank whisky and fell asleep, sitting on the couch. Embarassing! I slept on a cot in the rec room, which was perfect. It was so quiet. Christmas morning was nice. There was no pitter, patter of little feet. It was thump, thump, thump as I could hear Ace running around all excited because Santa had visited. I was pleased to get a great new sweater from Santa. It's all black and made of lambswool. I could tell is was wool right away. So I know I will enjoy it. I just have to remember to wash it properly. The nice thing about a wool sweather like that is I can wear it with jeans or with a suit; either way it will look great. Christmas dinner was with the Alexanders as Don, Denise and Christine were amazing hosts. As usual, the meal was outstanding. I managed to get a messy nosebleed but it stopped quickly enough. Embarassing. All in all, another perfect Northern Ontario Christmas. I am spoiled. Life is good.

Writing and stuff

I read recently how many young people are losing out on important communication skills even though they do a lot of texting. Part of the problem -- their word not mine -- is that people are losing the ability to communicate in regular sentences. For some reason this came to me on the weekend as I was looking over some old papers, which included letters written to me by my Dad and my Grandmother. Grandma wrote really interesting letters. Dad, not so much. His sentences were short and very much to the point. Grandma would go on in detail about how life was for her living in the country and things like that. I remembered that as a young teenager, I had a pen pal. I also remembered how nice it was to get a letter every few weeks and how much I enjoyed writing a letter back. I should write here in this blog more often. Also, I recently dropped by Jenn and Scott's place in Val Caron. It was Nathan's birthday. Nathan and Dara were there with Ace. It was nice to have coffee and cake and then we headed out for a nice Friday night supper. Tyler and Nila came along and so that too was nice to spend time with. After that, I headed home to continue binge watching old episodes of The Sopranos. Now THAT is something I should write about. That is such a good series. It has very good acting. But of course, good writing is at the heart of it. It was also nice to spend time with Jenn and Scott before they set off on their cruise of the Caribbean. Their ship is massive; the MSC Seaside. Check out the website. I am pretty sure they will have an enjoyable time. https://www.msccruises.ca/plan-a-cruise/ships/msc-seaside

Wendel Clark is a cool guy. So is Joe Bowen.

Had a good day today. There was a hockey fundraiser game on to support Easter Seals. A lot of former NHL guys in town. I had to take photos, including a team shot, out on the ice at the end of the game. It was slippery. Former Leafs captain Wendel Clark skated up beside me and let me hold onto his stick as we crossed the ice. I also had a chance to say hi to Joe Bowen, the iconic voice of the Maple Leafs for more than 40 years. Joe was a co-worker back in our days at CKSO Radio and TV in the 1970s. Cool or what.

Las Vegas

Still at home recovering from my first ever trip to Las Vegas. And no I didn't misbehave. If anything I am disappointed. It was a bucket list thing for me, having never been there before.

I took some vacation time and decided I would also take in the Mine Expo, which is the world's largest mining technology convention. Besides, it was a cheap holiday considering that flights and hotel rooms are far less expensive to other places I have visited in recent years. Much cheaper than Vancouver or London for example. To make a long story short, I injured myself. I severely sprained by left hip and knee. It doesn't help when I tell the story that this happened when I was getting off a barstool. I wasn't at all tipsy. It's just the way I twisted my body ... after having only two pints of Bud Light. I slipped and landed badly on my left heel before catching myself from a serious fall. So as I returned to my hotel room on Tuesday Sept 24, my left leg was very sore. And when I went to bed my hip and knee were screaming at me. I figured part of the problem was that I had overextended myself that day with all the walking and touring I did. So I spent the best part of the following three days in my room, in varying degrees of pain as I swallowed a couple of bottles of Advil. I just could not get comfortable and the pain was constant. Upon returning to Sudbury, I went to the emergency room and instead of a long wait, they looked after me quickly and sent me for X-rays. I told them I was a senior citizen who had a minor fall. They reacted quickly. The attending doctor told me nothing was broken but my hip flexor muscle was sprained. She said that would explain the severe pain, which was still with me last Saturday. The pain was from my left knee, along my thigh, around my hip to my butt and lower back. So she prescribed Naproxen and told me to lay off the Advil, which was upsetting my stomach. She also gave me a prescription to ease the stomach trouble. So working from home as I wait for my leg to heal. More stories coming later.

Poor rabbit ...

I bumped into my neighbour briefly last week as I was walking through the parking lot when I got home after work. We both noticed there was a skinny little rabbit running around behind the cars. It was small and didn't look too healthy. I had some cherry tomatoes in my grocery bag and so I tossed a few toward him. The rabbit sniffed the tomatoes, but didn't eat. Oh well. Things change.

Came home this week and noticed that the remains of a little rabbit were on the asphalt. I think the ravens liked the taste of the rabbit.

Mmmmm ... leftovers

Having a hungry spell at work right now, while I enjoy a tea break. Jennifer invited me over for supper last night with leftover spaghetti sauce from camp. OMG it was so good. Salad. Garlic break. Pasta. And sauce that was excellent. I think my eyes glazed over as I just inhaled how good it all smelled, and tasted. In three hours I will be home having leftover leftover spaghetti and sauce. Can't wait.

The Rodeo Burger

Sudbury has this neat charity thing that happens each summer, where people get a chance to buy a hamburger at their favourite restaurant and a portion of the profit goes to a local charity. I was more than pleased to try out the Rodeo Burger at Fionn MacCool's pub on Friday.

OMG it was a huge burger combined with deep fried onion rings and gouda cheese balls. It was big. It was tasty. And I am glad I tried it. It also filled me up for Friday supper. Next time I will eat only half and take the rest home. And I will try to find out why they named it the Rodeo Burger.