Feb 1st
“Mercury Forecast mesa 24 degrees, Edmonton – 8 degrees, Calgary 5 degrees”
I have to say that January as far as a winter month in Calgary was kind to us. Not too cold, not many storms and not too much snow. That helps.
February is always a good month. First of all it has Valentines Day in it. Second and I think quite important it is my birthday month. My sister was also born in February. It has Groundhog Day which is always uplifting if the shadow goes our way. Daisy will be turning ONE ! The working folk get a stat holiday with Family Day coming in Feb plus Penny has her birthday this month. AND we get some freedom on Feb 8th from Covid restrictions. Yahoo !
It was so much quieter last night with a window that closed tight. Made a huge difference never mind the warmth of not having a cold air leak. Typical condo management company that after asking twice and getting no results I bought and installed the window operator myself. This is a common area and should have been done and paid for by them.
Had a phone call from one of our golf group in Mesa that was also stuck in Canada. It was great to hear from him. He was a late joiner to group but fit in perfect and had connections as it seems everyone is a cousin to everyone from Saskatchewan.
I am counting the days until spring. April 2nd ( 2013) is the earliest I have golfed in Calgary and I am hoping maybe even sooner this year. LOL
Plans today are: Go to driving range, Phone Mom, Pickup Jackson and that is about it.
A good win for the Oilers last night but as we well know you can win every game counting on two players only.
New wall hanging
Years ago in central Alberta in some small town Jackie picked this wall decoration up from a craft market. The picture doesn’t do it justice but the blue hue and the style of it is perfect in the living room. Nice to have something from years ago that you can reuse and looks great. I have always love this thing and it now fits right in the livingroom.
Last night when Audrey was here we were going to show her our family pictures on our TV. This is brand new Smart TV. Let me change that to a so so smart TV. I loaded the pictures onto my external hard drive and plugged it in. We found every file, PDF, JPG, PNG, XLS, DOCs etc but the large file that I had used WinZIP on didn’t show. So I thought something had gone wrong on my data transfer but after checking the external drive on my laptop it showed perfectly. I think our TV needs some additional schooling. Should have been sold as a learning TV not a Smart TV. The file with 290 pics on it is too big with zipping it.
“They” said a high today of 5 degrees and in the Jeep it read 9 degrees. My weather app read 8 degrees so they missed it today by a bit. Only job where you can be wrong all of the time and no one really cares.
As I said, it has been a long time since I cooked a roast beef. My new digital temperature probe is fantastic with accurate gauging well done versus medium so it makes it pretty easy. Like doing anything the proper tools make a job a way easier. This thing remains in the item with a heat proof cord exiting the oven to give an alarm when doneness has been reached. Awesome.
I wish all of these stay at home, unemployed people would get back two work. I checked into the driving range and I was number 41 on the waitlist. Last time Jeff & I waited one hour when we were number 24. Needless to say that is too long as I have a commitment to pick up Jackson and didn’t have an idea of the actual wait time. Too bad as it would have been great on a warm day.
So I came home. Paid my monthly Viewpoint fee , talked to Ashley Furniture again without getting a good result and took Daisy for a nice walk. Wonderful outside. My only complaint is the wet roads. I hate having to wash my Jeep everyday. I like the minus 1 degrees so they are dry. LOL You really can’t do anything different with the warmer temperatures but it feels nice and the sun does brighten your day.
I will take Daisy with me to bug Hazel again today . Again Daisy had a blast. I think. LOL She is such a pest continuing to bite at Hazel ears or sides. She gets squished down to the ground by a big paw or held down by a Hazel’s large nose. It is funny as soon as she is allowed back up she is at it again. They play well together. Daisy did a Oopsy Daisy and pooped on the rug at the back door. Normally not an issue as I could just pick it up but someone squished one. I checked Daisy, I checked myself and Corey checked Hazel but we couldn’t see the culprit. Tor will need to spot clean it.
Jan 1 Meet the pest again.
I noticed today Tor & Cor take out frozen chicken breasts in the morning and let them thaw on the countertop. I am perhaps a little over cautious with food ( suffered food poisoning episode from Subway) and I like to error on the cautious side. Food safety was a big concern of ours at Blimpie and we learned a lot. I am the guy that puts away the mayo right after use, will not use the fork or spoon to touch raw and cooked meat and makes sure stuff like potatoe salad is put away right away. Chicken is one of the worst meats for growing bacteria including salmonella. According to the food experts frozen chicken should NEVER be thawed on the counter and if done never longer than 2 hours. I use cold water with the chicken in a bag just before cooking it which takes no time at all to thaw. The Waldie’s have been doing it this way for years I understand and they haven’t been ill but I would say how many tummy aches that they are not aware off caused by such. One could say if cooked to 165 degrees you are going to kill all of the bacteria which makes sense but why add containments to an already risker food. It works for them. LOL Think of how many turkey dinners you see in the news with large group illness. It happens and easily. It still scares me when I see pink around a bone in a turkey but it is only hemoglobin leaching into the meat near the bone even when the bird is done.
I remember one time at Peter’s he served us hamburgers with a way too much pink in them. I couldn’t eat them. In the USA they ask how you want your burger cooked but they use sirloin not ground beef. Very odd as a couple of yeas ago at an Outback they asked how I wanted my pork chop done. Under cooked pork is a haven for round worms and tape worms. Beef is safe to have on the raw side but I don’t care for blood on my plate. It is amazing though how many times stuff like lettuce, carrots, cabbage etc cause salmonella. Did you know even your water you leave at your bedside during the night needs to be refilled to be safe if left out too long.
The do-gooders win again. Calgary city council agrees to reduce the speed limit to 40kms per hour on residential streets. Just means more revenue from tickets to the city and ZERO difference in street deaths. Yet they put Fluoride to a plebiscite. Amazing.
I should join the no mind group DEFUND the Police. LOL
Great Flames game tonight with solid play. Johnny hockey is playing wonderful.
Thought of the Day
I try to eat healthy. I never put salt on my my ice cream, and my beer is always 100% fat free.
Feb 2nd
” Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton -10 degrees, Calgary -3 degrees ”
GROUNDHOG DAY
Well no early spring. The bulk of the weather experts seeing their shadow say 6 more weeks of winter. Did we expect anything different ? Is there one person that believes this folktale? Some groundhogs from Ontario say early spring but they always get a earlier spring anyways.
You know when your watching a movie you can tell it is made in England or Canada due to the poor quality of music, acting, visual affects etc versus American made, well the same thing happens every year on Groundhog day. The States has a real groundhog and ceremony with top hats, scroll reading, music and make it into a real event. We get a dressed up guy jumping out of a hill in a costume.
Just not right !!
The States knows how to have a celebration but we do try hard. I guess since it originated in Pennsylvania they own it and celebrate it perfectly.
Cold weather is coming. Looks like the first -30 degrees this weekend. Yikes ! The weather guys had it completely opposite of yesterday. This time the forecast was 7 degrees warmer than we reached. They are on a off too many days this week. Had a blast playing Xbox NHL 20 today with Jackson. The graphics are amazing. It is very real looking but will take a lot to gte used to it with the controls the way they are. First win for me but he is good and will keep me on my toes. As I was leaving I ask Jackson what my middle name is , Connor McDavid he says slowly. I laugh as he is one smart kid. The fun will really begin when we improve. Jackson’s biggest mistake as the game reflects real life and he chose Edmonton. Odds are they never win.
I believe that we have to play to win and let the kids win on their own merit. Being real with our children and to prepare them for the harsh realities of a “dog-eat-dog” life is important. If we coddle them, they conclude, then they will be unprepared for life and may be sorely disappointed when they fail or lose in a fair, head-to-head competition. If they are weak or inadequate, failing in competition will motivate them to become stronger, more skilled, and more resilient.
Thought of the day
If you have an opinion about rearing a child raise up your hand. Now cover your mouth !
Feb 3rd
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton -17 degrees Calgary -12 degrees”
When I checked the weather this morning I see Calgary could hit -30 this Saturday and Edmonton -40 degrees. That is just stupid cold. We had our heavy snowfall warning last night but we only received about 3 inches so not bad. Looking outside some would say pretty. I would say pretty ugly. I HATE WINTER and when the next pandemic hits I will be in the warmth no matter what. ! If Trudeau lets me.
The Flames didn’t play exceptionally well last night and took a loss. I am a little surprised at their inconsistency as on paper we are a way better than we have performed. Still fun to watch in this pandemic world for something do to.
Today is also my sister’s birthday. As I have said previously to have a sibling with a birthday one day before yours is odd. For years I could not figure why she wasn’t older than me. Her birthday was before mine so she must be older. The other thing and this was done for ease on our parents but we had numerous birthday parties together. I understand the difficulty with two parties back to back but to give each kid their separate event would have been much preferred. Even today the back to back doesn’t quite work. I phone my sister to wish her a Happy Birthday and as we talked there is no need for the reciprocal call.
Happy Birthday Darlene
Baptism. Kieth & Jenny with Darlene & Jim as our kids Godparents
Darlene with her husband Jim
Darlene with her family
Darlene as a youngster
Happy Birthday Darlene. Just think you are now closer to 70 than 50. It seems like so many years ago you turned 60 years of age.
Although due to this ugly weather there is not much to do I am enjoying watching the neighbors shovel snow again. Moving into a maintenance free condo was a good move. No snow, no grass, etc is a nice perk. Especially when we leave a lot for our lot, for lakes, golfing and over the winter it is the only way to go. To lessen the expense of three facilities we own I would like to have had a cabin/park model on a RV lot at a lake. But being in south Alberta we were looking at close to 1 1/2 hours away to make something work. There is Ghost Lake but I am not sold on that place or the cost.
Well it happened. Jackson beat me tonight in EA NHL 20 on his Play station. I was hoping for a shoot out but he got lucky and got a goal with 1 minute left in overtime. We also had three fights with Jackson winning two of them. I will do better next time. I will read up on tips and tricks as we are both struggling on getting a goal as you can tell by the score in both games. A fun game and fun time. Especially for Jackson ” Connor” Waldie. Losing to a 9 year old ! Will not happen again. I hope. I may have to go out and buy a PS4 to practice on. LOL
February 4th
” Mercury Forecast Mesa 24 degrees, Edmonton -16 degrees, Calgary -14 degrees”
Ok it is my birthday today. I don’t understand how so many people are afraid of admitting their age. You have earned it . TODAY IS MY 59TH BIRTHDAY
It seems like I am stuck at this number for years now. I have had so many wonderful experiences and seen so many neat things in my life that have made wonderful memories. Life is great. No regrets. Would like to have done a few things differently to see what would have happened but to be here right now in the place I am, I am content. I do dislike the last month and really hope for at least 20 years where I do NOT have to stay in Canada for another winter. This is the first birthday in Canada for 7 years for me. If I was forced to stay I would sell our lot and condo and move into the country with a large shop to do things all winter and then travel , fish and golf in the summer. I would rather work than stay at home during winter though.
My life:
Larry at One Starting walking at 9 Months !!
Larry at 13 The awkward years
Larry at 18. Had to cut my hair before this picture, Don’t care for the short hair.
My biggest fish and what I enjoy doing
Golfing is what I love to do.
This is the lady that makes me enjoy life just that much better.
Happy Birthday to me ! I will miss going out with the gang in Mesa for my birthday this year. I have had some fun birthdays in Mesa. I have had fun ones here also but I really do like the warmth better.
TIP to all parents: Make sure planning for a family includes a summer time birth !
Next year in Mesa I will have a big party. LOL
What a great day.
I received a Golden Bear flask with shooter glasses from Audrey. This is a good sign as with this gift I am sure the birdies will be coming left and right to be able to use it. Very nice.
I also received some fancy sweatpants from Jackie. Slim legs and elastic legs but they are comfortable. Zipped pockets are a huge plus and liked. I also got a whack of balls. I am shocked Jackie doesn’t have any faith in me that she thinks I am going to lose my existing balls and require so many new ones. Plus a golf hat albeit not blue or black. Golf hats don’t last if not dark colored as sweat stains the front of them.
I also received a Golftown gift card from Tor,Jack and Cor which will come in handy.
First thing this morning opening my great gifts. Notice the help from Daisy
Daisy had another hard fought day with Hazel. She took a beating as this was the first time she came to me to get help. Having said that she had fun. Lots of fun !
It looks like Daisy won but she took a few knocks today
A nice surprise when I walked thru the door as Cor/Tor/ Jack had decorated the house all up for my birthday. It was a very nice surprise. With Covid my party was limited to the amount of guests I had. I had one wonderful guest !
My favorite party guest and only one !
Everything laid out on the table when I entered the house.
Jackson made me a birthday card that you can sure tell is influenced by a daughter of mine.
Wonderful card . Guess where he got this idea.
My middle name now is Connor. I won the NHL daily game with Jackson 4-2. We are getting better as that is the most goals we have ever had. Still figuring out the buttons to get better. We also had three fights with my players getting three knock outs. Some would say it is my birthday he let you win. I will take a win anyway I can. LOL Great day.
We picked up from the Keg for supper tonight. They are amazing. Tin pans if you want to heat up your meal, foil wrapped containers to keep food warm and even a pad to absorb the steak juice. I would give them a 10 out of 10. It was exceptional. Taste, quality and smell a 10 out 10.
I had a 8 ounce Top Sirloin, double baked potato, mushrooms, squash, Caesar salad and Jackie had the chicken with baked potato, mushrooms, zucchini and Caesar salad. The Keg bread was warm with whipped butter and was amazing. I had the shrimp cocktail as a after meal treat. It felt very good to have such a wonderful supper prepared for us. I have gone to the Keg numerous times for my birthday including in Mesa. Such a treat.
Caught her off guard hence no smile but she looked great !
I laughed as when I returned from my masterly exhibition of hockey skills, Jackie was all dressed up with fancy clothes and makeup with candles for ” dinner”
Even the cake Jackie got for me ( us to eat) was awesome as it was basically a two person cake. That Sobeys is thinking.
I had a Instagram session with Jess and the boys. August loves playing with the games and face additions. He is good with the phone and knows exactly what he wants and likes to do. Little Atti was dancing up a storm tonight. He is such a card. They both were singing and wishing me Happy Birthday which is very nice.
We are ready for Superbowl
Lots of celebratory phone calls, and messages with family and friends which adds to the day. Some are caught up in social media sites that I don’t want to indulge in but Jackie shows them to me. Fun !
I forgot to mention as I was taking a shower this morning I received a birthday call from sister. LOL
Thought of the Day
When I have a birthday I take a day off. When my wife or daughters have a birthday they take a week off.
Feb 5th
” Mercury Forecast Mesa 20 degrees, Edmonton -22 degrees, Calgary -14 degrees”
Well as I said winter is HERE. Lows in Edmonton will hit minus 40 degrees and with the chill will be much worse than that. And it is here to stay for at least a week.
Even though a Covid year I had a wonderful birthday. It was very nice.
Waste Management is on this weekend and it is SuperBowl Weeknd. I am cheering for Brady even though he is the underdog. Looking forward the the Weeknd performance and will be watching Hole 16 at the Waste. The hole will seem different with no one booing now. By the way I made a birdie on that hole playing the course with Bob Ferris. This was right after the event so the stands even were still up. One of those favorite memories. So lots of sports to watch as outside isn’t going to happen.
Victoria had bought a doggie jacket and gave it to us for Daisy. It is little small but it was funny as soon as she had it on she was like she was wearing a weighted blanket as she didn’t move.
Daisy thinking summer is here already in her Hawaii shirt. Look at the length of those lashes.
Close again on the Flames 50/50 but no cigar.
Another successful day playing NHL 20. That Jackson is good and keeps me on my toes. As he was off early today we played a few games. My middle name remains Connor as I won 3 games to 2. Close games everyone of them. Jackson did win a couple more fights than I did but I am all about the WIN. Still need work on goal set up but am getting better. I felt in a couple of games he outplayed me but I managed to squeak out a win. It was a fun day.
Jackson has had a sub teacher all week so no home work which is he doesn’t mind. Today was only a half day so we had lots of time to play.
I had my Jumbo shrimp cocktail today from The Keg. Their sauce is AWESOME. It has a real spice heat to it and the prawns were huge. Basically butterflied. Quite a dish.
I know my hands are feeling cool and my feet so I have a small blanket wrapped around them.
IT IS COLD OUTSIDE
Thought of the Day
I think the BIGFOOT guy should win the hide & seek championship medal .
Feb 6th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton -25 degrees, Calgary -20 degrees”
Now isn’t that lovely with all of those close to -40 degrees temperatures at night for a longer period. And Saskatoon is hitting close to -50 for the week. Oh how I miss Mesa. I know that next year I will appreciate it even more.
Life is funny. I drive 3 hours to Sedona and search and search , look and try to feel and cant find my Vortex, NOTHING. I fly 8 hours and drive 1 1/2 hours to Stonehenge. I search, feel, dream and can’t find my Vortex. Yet “odd” people have said they feel this special feeling and seem to be excited to find it. YAHOO ! I sit in my living room and I finally find my Vortex. It is something so special. I can feel it so easily. All of my hopes, dreams, searching over. I just need to open the door and feel my POLAR VORTEX. Right in front of me. !!
On my agenda today is lounging. This is healthy. LOL Watching the PGA and watching the Flames win. Plus trying to stay warm as Jackie keeps opening the door for Daisy to go in and out.
My neighbor just bought a new G70 Genesis 3.3. I thought the Eco Boast was fast. This thing goes 4.7 for 0-60 and 13.2 in the 1/4 qtr. The Flex goes 5.7 and 14.2. It amazes me how fast the new cars are as in the world of muscle cars a 13 sec street car was fast ! But can the G70 carry a coffin in the back ?
We got rid of the worst government in Alberta provincial history being the NDP and now we need to get rid of Trudeau and his Liberals before he does more damage. It takes YEARS to recover and in some cases things never can. I liked this article by a respected journalist; Rex Murphy: This is the worst Canadian government ever. Can there be any question? (msn.com)
It is extremely difficult as the UCP has found out fighting not only the issues but the left winged unionist, environmentalist and idealist thinking of too many people. Add Covid and a change for the worst for Canada in the USA leadership and you will have issues. The Conservatives federally will experience the same as it will be very hard tp pay the debt and provide policies that people like but we have to do it. Have to do it !
Thought of the Day
I have mixed drinks about feelings
Feb 7th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 22 degrees , Edmonton -42 degrees, Calgary -30 degrees”
This without taking into account the wind chill. Close to -50 for Edmonton. That is just stupid cold. It is rare to hit -40 actual air temperature at anytime. Trust we would hit it this year ! I am sure there will be a boat load of cars not starting. These temps are hard on everything. Tires go flat as the rubber is so hard, engines with thick oil get damaged, people’s skin gets damaged and I am sure we will have a few COLD deaths. I MISS ARIZONA !
The Blasty uniform came thru for Calgary Flames. We were on FIRE. We BURNED the Oilers. We SMOKED them easily. It was an impressive game and good on the Oilers. Two comments about the Oilers. First of all Conner and Leon will be worn out after 30 games. You can’t play 50% of the time on the ice and expect results and longevity. They will get hurt or burned out and then the Oilers will be really lose. Other than Toronto, Edmonton has the best one/two punch in the league. Second, whatever it takes they need a goalie. Trade a lousy defenseman like Nurse or Larson along with a few other players for a good goalie. A must trade is needed
This is a well designed uniform. It represents the name, Flames, perfectly with the flames shooting out of the nose. It represents Calgary perfectly with the horse as we are known as Cowtown. The colors show of the logo perfectly. I like it being brought back. Some teams like Toronto and Edmonton’s uniforms are just plain ugly.
I look forward to each Flames game and I know it is wrong to belittle, tease, harass and pick on Edmonton Oiler fans but I have accepted as my mission to try to get them to see reality and give up on Edmonton. They have no chance of winning and stop living in the past. It is not healthy to have such high expectations and to keep feeling lousy with each additional loss and the realization that another year not making the playoffs is in the cards.
Watching the Waste Management brings back a lot of memories. First it was a lot of fun to attend the event a couple of times. 100K of people running around the course. Hole 16 is awesome getting to boo anyone who doesn’t land on the green and cheer loudly with a birdie. But, waiting in line for 1/2 hr or more to get a seat sucks and then if you have to leave for the wash room you lose your seat and have to wait in line again. They need a better system. I remember following Delaet the one year which was a lot of fun. He didn’t do well but we got to cheer on a Canadian.
The MOST fun though was playing this course the day after the tournament with Bob Ferris. I have a pic of us pretending to move the rock with Tiger’s name on it but can’t find it. Jackie gave this golf event as birthday present. The green fees were $300 each and you had to have a fore caddy which cost another $100. More than worth it. I remember it well scoring a 92 with one 7 and one 8. The best thing was walking into the 16th hole with the stands still up and making a birdie. No one to cheer me so I had to do it myself. That was fun !! The birdie overcame my memory but I hope I got to boo Bob. LOL
I would love to play this course again.
Great golfing from these guys. It was great to see Koepka win again after such poor performances after his injuries. I was hoping for Spieth to win but at least now he is playing up to his caliper. It has been a long time. His last day showing though was disappointing .
Dustin winning the Saudi International was the icing in the cake for him as his number streak carry’s on. He is one great golfer but due to his personality doesn’t get his just due. He is number three all time for weeks being number one only behind Tiger and Greg Norman. Tiger has 683 weeks, Greg has 331 and Dustin with 116. He has a long way to go if he wants to be in second place. I never released Greg was that good and consistent.
A fun Superbowl to watch. I wish we would get to see the good commercials though. That is hard ne to figure out the why not. I am glad the GOAT won. He deserved it, his team mate played exceptionally well and records were broke. Oldest QB, oldest coach and Brady to Kronk most TD on history so quite amazing. Considering everything it still was a good presentation. I liked the cardboard fans. The Weeknd show I guess some would consider good but to spend 7 million of your own money to create his show is pretty admirable. And being Canadian is cool. Plus the fact he likes to make fun of Hollywood and their plastic surgery with his wraps.
FANTASTIC food from Coaster’s Bar in McKenzie. The chicken wings were amazing and the wraps exceptional. When I picked them up I talked to the owners for a bit while waiting. I feel for anyone in a small business right now. How they are staying afloat is unbelievable. I was very happy in the few minutes I waited they had another two calls for pickup. Huge tip for GREAT FOOD!! Well deserved and I hope people start coming back. I know it will be slow for a long time as everyone will still be hesitant and rightly so.
Thought of the Day
All big businesses started off small. Give them a chance.
Feb 8th-10th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa Heavenly 24 degrees, Edmonton -25 degrees, Calgary -24 degrees ”
It was -52 degrees this morning at 9am in Edmonton. – 37 degrees in Calgary. Coming home tonight from Audrey’s at 9pm it was a balmy -29 degrees. The temperature between night time lows and day time highs is minimal. This is what a VORTEX feels like.
Rarely in my life have I ever thought I made a poor decision. Choosing to stay in Canada and follow the rules is a decision we made that in hindsight was a not a good choice. People I know in Mesa already have had their vaccines. The inconvenience of isolation and mandatory hotel stay may or may not be still in affect May 1st and the extra 2k for a long stay is relatively minor in the big scheme of things.
This morning was Daisy’s hair appointment. Jackie has an appointment set for Daisy ever 5 weeks and she was just starting to get on the long side. She always looks and smells so good when we pick her up. Being a private cutter it is so nice as she is only there for about an hour rather than the 4 or more hours at a salon. Daisy has the finest hair so is a difficult cut.
I got home and checked out my Jeep tires. I need new ones soon but my TPMS light came on. I filled all 5 tires a few pounds over the set pressure. I drove about 5 miles but the light didn’t go off which is weird but the tires are all full and no leaks. Hopefully it will reset itself. Jeeps are lo tech and don’t have a reset button. If not it means I need to drop the pressure and then refill and drive to hopefully reset. If that doesn’t work it is a defective TPMS sensor.
Then off to pick up Jackson at school. As usual he was right on time. Parents sure come early. If you aren’t parking 1/2 hour early you are not finding a spot to park.
Today Jackson BEAT me. 5-3 and we are getting better. He played very well today I suspect he has been practicing.
It was so funny tonight. Corey got home and as I was talking to him at the front door we Jackson yell out. ” Papa what is my middle name ? ” I had to respond sheepishly ” Connor” Smart ass kid!!
I will get him tomorrow.
A short time at home and then off to Audrey’s for supper. She made us an excellent supper of chicken thighs, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, salad and a great mushroom gravy. It is always nice to have some cook for you. A nice evening visit.
Getting back into the Jeep as I said -29 degrees. The truck didn’t have a chance to get warm before home. According to the weatherman tonight we have had the coldest Feb since 1936. So much for global warming. Sorry that doesn’t fit so ” they” had to change it to climate change.
Not a lot going on in this FRIGID temperatures but still finding ways to keep busy.
Shopping for groceries today was very nice. Literally only 10 people in the store. I could walk down the aisles the wrong way no problem. Picked up the few groceries and headed out. My hands got cold just loading the groceries in the car. I was also able to mail my forms to the IRS for our closest connection to Canada form. It was an enjoyable experience with no lines etc.
My TPMS light still hasn’t reset itself which is annoying. I manually tried the reset and that didn’t work so next step is air down and refill and drive. Hopefully will fix it.
Jackson “CONNOR” Waldie has been practicing. He has learned a few new tricks and he BEAT me again today. A little kid beating me !!!!! LOL I will research his tricks. I love these games.
Thought of the Day
A man is getting old when he walks around a puddle instead of through it.
February 11th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 24 degrees, Edmonton -24 degrees, Calgary -24 degrees “
Wind chills again approaching -50 for nightly lows. That is ridiculously cold. Starting the Jeep at noon today to go for lunch I think I scratched the drivers door with my nipples.
Today is another friends birthday. Tracy just retired in December and Ralph and Tracy bought a Viewpoint home about a year ago. They had one wonderful season in it before all of this happened. I know though they will have years and years of future enjoyment out of their place. So being newly retired and with Covid restrictions in place it may put a damper on her best part of her life but soon everything will be normal. Last year Tracy, Wendy and I all had a celebration as we are within weeks of one another.
Birthday share. Jeff is just helping us celebrate.
Teachers break again so I am looking after Jackson all day Thursday and Friday.
This morning he won the first and then I came back with a vengeance and had a good game for the win. After a bit we will go to war again !!
It is funny how so many people in their efforts to save a few pennies lower their room temperature to what can only be described as uncomfortable. Each day I raise the temp and lower it before I leave Tor’s house. They set it a 20 degrees which is 68 which when it is cold outside is too cool for a comfortable room. That is only 68 degrees. We don’t even cool our house in Calgary or Mesa that low in the heat with a/c. A comfortable room temperature from the ” Experts” is 22 degrees which is 72.
What is the best temperature for a winter thermostat?
The cost savings is minimal. The Department of Energy estimates a savings of 1% for every 8 hours for 1 degree. So as an example. Your monthly current bill is $100. You go from freezing at 68 degrees to being cozy at 72 degrees for 8 hours it will cost you : 1% x 4= 4% of $100 is $4.00 per month. The cost of a coffee to have warm hands, feet and not to have to wear layers of clothes. So if you set back your temperature when you go to to bed by the recommended 7 degrees 1% x 7=7% of $100= $7.00 you WILL save $3.00 a month , be warm when awake and sleep well at night. If you use the set back for 12 hours you even save more. This is in it’s simplest math form. The cost of comfort is so minimal. We could take it steps further and reduce time lights are on, turn down the hit water heater, take shorter showers, don’t flush yellow and on and on and accomplish saving a miniscule amount but adding a very unnecessary worry about everything attitude.
Having to use every advantage I can get with NHL 20 and today as of noon we are tied ! All even.
Daisy is having a blast. Right now the dogs are laying down far far apart trying to get a break and nap in before going at it again. The can only stay outside for about 10 minutes before their feet freeze up.
Hours of rough housing and finally a break !
Poor Hazel as Daisy just bugs and bugs her. The odd gentle reminder not to squish her or bite to hard as her mouths goes right over Daisy’s head. She is very gentle. Never gets angry being bugged.
Great hockey night in Alberta . The Edmonton Oilers get a shutout thanks to Mike Smith our old goalie and he FACED 38 shots. He played very well. Even though the big guys didn’t score they still got assists. Cover those two guys and a team could win easily but teams don’t for some reason. I think there is some “secret” NHL rule against this strategy as they want the action and free play to promote hockey to the masses. Then near the end of the season and the coverage begins and the Oilers lose not making the playoffs again. Good game last night even with a COVID scare. The Flames played a brilliant game again with a relatively easy win against the Canucks. Great hockey ! We need to win the 4 in a row against these guys as a way to leapfrog into the lead in the standings.
Thought of the Day
All hockey players are bilingual; they speak English and profanity.
February 12th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 23 degrees, Edmonton – 21 degrees, Calgary -18 degrees”
A big day today in our house. Today our little Covid puppy turns ONE YEARS OLD. Here is a little bit of info on our Daisy LarE Willard. She is an Shitzu Corkie mix called Shorkie. She weighs 10 pounds which is a little bigger than we thought and really wanted but with a mix you never know the sizing, Having said that she is really nice size as she can fit under the airplane seat perfectly yet is big enough not to get stepped on extra. She get so much attention from people it is amazing. She has a real cute face. She has 3 inch long eyelashes. She LOVES people more than other dogs. Her personality is one of a kind. She sleeps on our pillows and every morning it is lick feast, She licks and licks, heads, hands back etc. I can not wear socks. Daisy attacks my socks every time I put them on. I have to wear an old pair as holes are made in them within minutes. Then she attacks my feet for hours. She loves to sit on the deck and stare at people. Sometimes a little barking which we hate but she is not bad as people and other dogs walk by. She gets so excited to be rewarded for doing her business on her paper or mat. She is a lot of work but a lot of fun.
Happy First Birthday Daisy !
This is the picture her breeder used for her and what made us buy her.
Our little girl when she first was home with us.
The new Daisy after her first haircut. We love her haircut as it is left longer than normal
Daisy’s first reaction to meeting people.
Larry “CONNOR” Willard is back with a 4-1 whipping of the hockey guru Jackson. The kid id good and it takes all I have to win and lots of luck. I could say Larry Lucky Willard but I get to rub him with the Connor. I love playing our little hockey match.
Is anyone else noticing that EVERYONE has to apologize nowadays. Our society is a mess. Times change and what happened 5 years ago or 10 or more happened and in a lot of cases without ill will yet today it maybe considered different. Get over it !
Even the host of The Bachelor in hot water. I understand we have to go to the extreme one way to bring it back to normal but this is getting stupid.
Thought of the Day
Does I am sorry make a difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word. One word against a thousand actions. Just saying !
February 13th -14th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 18 degrees, Edmonton -18 degrees, Calgary -20 degrees”
Minus 41 this morning with the wind chill in Edmonton and in Calgary not much different. Finding my Vortex isn’t a good thing. Having said that though it is Feb and it is Canada so it is not unexpected. Unwelcomed yes but expected.
We went over to Audrey’s and set up a TV downstairs for her that Alan & Maryann had given her. I would say at least a 40 inch smart TV. Audrey had an older model of a Telus remote so it took Alan & I a lot longer than it should have to sync the TV with the universal remote and digital box. But we got it done.
Social distancing and masks it was nice to see Alan & Maryann again. These two have been going back and forth to Edmonton once if not twice a week as Maryann’s Dad was terminal and failing. He just passed last week and for anyone that has lost a parent we know it is a difficult thing. His name was Alan also and he was the nicest guy. Funny and always always smiling, joking and laughing. It was always a pleasure to visit with him over the years. He was very involved with grand girls being their babysitter when he first retired. Just a nice man.
When we arrived Kristen had just phoned letting Audrey know that Grandma D had just passed away. Delores was a neat lady. A hearty laugh, fantastic cook, vociferous, and liked to party.
So needless to say two circumstances that mellow everyone.
Death is a funny thing. We all know it happens to everyone but we don’t accept it for them or ourselves. We are scared of it. We don’t want it to happen to anyone we know. It hurts those that are left. It helps some as near death living can be painful. We see it as final. And it is on earth. People just need to accept what comes after.
In both cases Alan and Delores lead a good long life. It is easier to accept for everyone knowing they lived 8 decades of enjoyment, pleasure, family and life in general.
The Flames tonight were a way off. Outshot and outplayed but they were up against a desperate team not wanting to lose 7 in a row. It happens. Monday night hopefully they will show up.
Happy Valentine’s Day
The 14th already. You sure have to give credit to the marketers promoting Valentines Day like they do. Stats indicate women want approximately $154 spent on them but only spend $64 on their Valentine. Where is the equality in that? Over $20 billion will be spent this year which is ridiculous.
It is always nice to have a day marked as special for someone in your life. Jackie has been my Valentine for 45 years now. We have spoiled each other some years and have been low key others but always enjoy the day.
Rather than go out this year we are doing pick up which I am all for as I am sure the places will be booked solid as people are raring to get out. It is also a lot safer.
Jackie & I in 1976
Jackie & I in 2007
New York Date 2014
2019 date
Date in 1990
45 years of Valentine’s Days have been wonderful. Some wonderful restaurants, great gifts and gag gifts. For years Jackie used to buy a singing plush toy. We got rid of all of those.
We normally would be in Mesa for this and go out as a couple to some nice restaurant but Covid killed that, so we will bring the restaurant home. I do love a restaurant made Caesar though. LOL
Does everyone remember making and handing out their Valentines to each kid in their school class ? Always homemade and individualized. Trying to make the perfect for the girl you liked in class and no knowing how to sign it. Luv or Love. The teacher making sure everyone got a card from everyone so no one felt left out. Sort of like a participation medal program. LOL
Happy Valentines Day to everyone. It is meant to be more than just romance as it should be about togetherness, partnerships, sharing life, chocolate and laughter.
Enjoy your day and your special one !
Love is a choice we all make that can easily be dissolved if we let ego’s, opinions, anger, jealousy, greed, pride, and lack of mutual respect and compromise take hold.
After 45 years of marriage this is how romantic we have become. Jackie and I went shopping to Home Depot and bought a new TOILET. Yes the important things in life taken care of on Valentine’s Day. Funny thing is there are a lot of romantic guys in Calgary as the Depot was packed.
Thought of the Day
Love is the light of life and marriage is the light bill.
February 15th-17th
” Mercury Forecast Mesa 23 degrees, Edmonton -17 degrees, Calgary -14 degrees”
Finally the weather is breaking. Nice to have -15 degrees feel warm. LOL About time.
We ended up ordering from Berwick which has great food. Boston Pizza our first choice was juts too busy and after trying to phone for about 10 minutes I gave up. Berwick answered right away and we like their menu as we have sat on their patio a few times. Jackie being her daring self ordered a Chicken Caesar Saad with garlic toast and I had their Philly Cheese Steak. Both dishes were awesome and ready right on time. Going in the bar to pick up they had about 20 people eating in. I don’t know what their limit is but I am sure it is a lot more. People are still scared. A extra large tip again to hopefully help this guys out.
I decided today was toilet replacement day. It usual takes about 1 hour to change out. I have changed out a few and installed new plumbing for ones a few times. Today this did not happen. A toilet replacement 3 1/2 hours and a trip back to the Depot. Ok what went wrong. First the flange was not installed level. Second in my mind a flange should be installed level to the flooring. This one is cut into the tile flooring and was not flush. It is a glued in flange and installed a little off square. I removed the toilet three times. I had to make a trip back to get the jumbo wax seal. The bolts due to the flange twisted kept coming out of the flange. Even the nut on the shutoff was seized and took awhile to get loose. I could not find a supply line at Depot that wasn’t made in China. That is just wrong.
Long story short a long time for a simple toilet replacement.
It better have a powerful flush. It does look good.
Daisy was right in there grapping things including my socks while working. Funny dog.
It is so nice experiencing a little warmth now. I took a trip to Lowes as they had a couple of fixtures on sale that Jackie wanted to change out. I picked those up and she also wanted to change the change we made to Chandelier globes. Disappointing as today out of the 7 items I wanted everyone of them was made in China. No option other than these. Annoying !
Jackie was changing out the globes when we ran into a hiccup. A $700 chandelier and the bulb holder threads are poorly made causing the globe nut to bind. So many times in the past were this has been an issue. A ceramic holder and steel or plastic nut to hold the globe and poor threading. Needless to say large hands, globes and locked nut don’t work out well. We tried everything and it ended up I had to cut the globe wires to get it off. The globe fell from the fixture and we had a pillow right below to protect the table put it was missing this. Fast reactions I tried to hit it away and succeeded to contact it put it just caught the edge of the table and left a little dent. I hate dents. Things aren’t meant to be pulled apart numerous times and reinstalled ie globes as we just put the new ones on about 2 months ago. The new new ones are up and Jackie likes them. I think they are ok but I was happy with the first set of new ones and a table with no dent.
Must be a full moon coming up or something as a toilet issue and now a self caused dent due to to a lighting issue.
Today we are calling it a tie. Jackson was leading on the Xbox hockey when the controllers went dead. So we decided to play old school table hockey were I won. It was a lot of fun.
We get to go for a nice walk tonight and it has been awhile and I am sure Daisy will love it.
EVERYONE will agree that assault rifles have no place in our general population. They are war machines only. Passing a law to make them illegal though is just stupid. Waste of time and money especially if he offers a buy back of 600 million. Trudeau is so naïve and stupid that it is amazing. Spend half of that by beefing up the security on guns coming into Canada at the border would be a much smarter move. Stop the guns before they hit the streets. Making drugs illegal sure eliminated them didn’t it. One can say if it saves one life it is worth it. Less guns less chance of deaths. All true but what most forget is even if illegal it is not going to stop the flow of these getting into the hands of the undesirable. Very very very few legal registered weapons are involved in mass shootings. Legal owners are good people and respect the law. Making drunk driving illegal doesn’t stop people from doing it. It is a waste of taxpayers money and politicians time to create, write, read, pass and enforce such a dumb bill that doesn’t address the real issue.
IF YOU WANT TO STOP GUN VOILENCE you do not allow manufacturing of these guns to exist in abundance of the army’s need. Every manufactured gun has to be traced and accounted for. The only source of ammunition is from a specific military warehouse and again tracked and accounted for. Leave the legal owners of any kind of gun alone.
Guns do not kill people. People kill people.
I guess we could make knifes, swords, hatchets, axes , Kool-Aide and wet noodles illegal also to help. Hint- Jones killed 919 people by having them drink Kool-Aide
I installed the new lights in the hallway this morning. Wow, it is amazing to me the quality of work done in this condo. The toilet flange was annoying a day ago or so but today putting up the new lights the electrician did not impress. If you remember I can’t install USB charging receptacles as they used 1 1/2 wide electrical boxes. With these you need to use push in connections as the side screws have to be all the way not to hit the sides of the boxes. The normal standard box is 2 inches wide. I guess if you save .50 cents each and have a thousand in a condo it adds up. But today again being cheap they did not install box extenders in the ceiling where in a condo they use two sheets of 5/8 drywall for fire and sound. The box is set in 3/4″ below the drywall so needless to say the fixture screws are too short. Luckily I had a few from before that I used. Still it amazes me how we can’t make light fixtures easier to install. Having to guess the depth of the machine bolts for the closed nuts takes a few tries. All of this while working overhead. Speaking of overhead, to hold a fixture above your head and connect the wiring isn’t easy. Lucky today I had Jackie give me a quick hand which is a big help.
Jackson BEAT me today. That kid is good. I am sure he is practicing as he keeps coming up with moves I haven’t seen before.
Daisy had her usual fun day with Hazel. Daisy weighs 10 pounds and Hazel weighs 70 pounds so Daisy has to be careful. She is so funny playing coy and then be the little bugger over and over again. They both go in and out at the same time. They look for each other than start play biting and fighting. It is funny to watch. Daisy has figured out that the deck is her safe spot. Hazel rarely runs after her all the way up. Check this out it will make you laugh.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GPoWrHFHZwaWmCBW7
NOTE: The link isn’t working. I need to find another way to load large video. I deleted this video already due to it size.
They play like this for about an hour each day I am there. She is one cute dog !!
I smiled and I have to admit I didn’t feel bad it. The “green” people have had to eat crow. Texas gets a winter blast and their wind turbines FREEZE up and they have no “green” electricity. Good old gas sure would have nice hey ! Speaking of gas Trudeau should say to the States no natural gas until you approve the XL pipeline. We ship over 6 Billion dollars worth of gas to them each year. They need it to heat their homes as electricity sure isn’t working. Tit for Tat . I can only wish. LOL
Pretty interesting article about electricity in Europe. Greta is quiet eh !
Fun night coming up getting to click between two games. The Oilers and Flames. I am hoping McDavid gets his point tonight to tie Crosby getting 500 points in 369 games. That would put him in the 8th fastest pace which is impressive.
Fewest Games to 500 Career Points in NHL History:
Wayne Gretzky – 234
Mario Lemieux – 287
Peter Stastny – 322
Mike Bossy – 349
Eric Lindros – 352
Jari Kurri – 356
Bryan Trottier – 362
Sidney Crosby – 369
It is unbelievable how much better in every stat Wayne is. I was very lucky to see him paly his career in his prime.
The results tonight not exactly as hoped but that is hockey. McDavid got his point which is awesome for him. The Oilers won . Boooo The Flames sucked again unfortunately. It is hard to explain with their talent so I hope they find their mojo very fast. Back to back with the Oilers this weekend will be the test.
Thought of the Day
Here is something EVERYONE can be the best at in the entire world. BEING YOU !
February 18th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 18 degrees Edmonton -3 degrees Calgary -1 degrees”
I got the new lighting installed. As I said only made in China but they were what we liked. I don’t know how electricians do it, holding their arms above their head for a long time. Not only due to the broken bicep but I don’t do it that often they tired fast. Changing out fixtures NEVER has been something I enjoy as each of them have their own little idiosyncrasies that make them tough. Having to adjust bolts to special lengths, using the two bolts instead of the threaded rod but the most difficult thing is holding them while trying to wire them. I cheated as my arms were starting to shake like I had MS and had Jackie hold them up while I wired and nutted. Made it a lot easier. I do wish Jackie would leave things alone. I am sure NO ONE is going to notice a new light fixture.
New light fixtures, New globes on Chandelier and a photo bomb dog
I do have to say it is starting to look pretty good. In this picture alone we have the new flooring, the new closet doors, new lightning, my library panel and ceiling feature from previous and my crown mold from before.
We have Edison bulbs in the new ones which a beautiful and provide warm light but not the lumens output.
One HUGE job left is to replace the backsplash. That is a nightmare as large tiles 8 x 12 hold a lot of gripping power and the drywall will get wrecked. Even best case scenario it is four days, removal, install, gout, and then seal. A lot more if I have to replace the drywall. Time will tell. Not really looking forward to it but the backsplash will make a big difference in appearance.
Nice to see the sun, see the snow melting and to feel the warmth. How long it lasts is another story.
Mom is still in the hospital but getting better. She is getting up to walk with her large walking cast and using a walker. She does want a new walker as the 4 wheeled ones she finds run away from her and the ones with two 2 wheels and two legs allow her to move at her own pace. She thinks next week they may let her go back to her home which would be good. It is wonderful as a nurse and vaccinated my sister Darlene is able to see her once a week. I phone her to break up the day as they can be monotonous with no TV etc.
She has always been a very determined tough strong farmgirl but now with advanced age of 89 years old, multiple strokes and a broken ankle she is feeling a little beat up. As she gains her strength back after being in bed for two months, get up to walk with her cast she will slowly regain her independence again. She has had a tough time in the last year or so with the strokes taking her strength and overall affecting her thoughts and writing but as I said one tough cookie. To her detriment sometimes as she wants to do everything herself like her laundry , vacuuming, cleaning etc which right after a stroke is too much. She has never been a good sleeper and the hospital setting with noise and light doesn’t help at all. Hopefully home soon and cast off and recovery again.
Getting old is not fun which only reinforces my thinking about retiring early and enjoying life while you are still healthy enough to do it. This COVID took one good year away from most people. DO NOT be afraid to SPEND money NOW to enjoy yourself. Think about it this way. The average life span in Canada is 8o years old for men and 84 for women. If you retire as a man at 65 years old you ONLY have 15 summers to enjoy. If you are one of the lucky ones to live longer in most cases after 85 of age you will be handicapped by health issues or attitude. LIVE FOR NOW. ENJOY NOW.
This makes me think about Carol my Step Mother-in-law that put her life ( and enjoyment) on hold to care for her aunt ( Carol was her only relative). It ended up that the years lost in this circumstance were never made up as Carol died very young herself.
We had two deaths in our extended family this last week with Jackie’s brother Dave’s ex mother-in-law dying and Penny’s Granddad passing away. Both lived long lives with Penny’s Granddad being 101 years old. This is a man I would love to be like. 100 years old in good health and mind. I think the secret to longevity is to keep moving, keep engaged, healthy habits and a good piece of luck.
Thought of the Day
Just remember if you are dying in an elevator to make sure you push the UP button before your last breath.
February 19-21st
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 24 degrees, Edmonton 7 degrees, Calgary 6 degrees ”
I just realized I have been so busy I didn’t have time to update. That is a good thing. Also when this happens I short form the info. Time does fly by.
Friday was a 1/2 day so I picked up Jackson at school at noon. Perfect timing as it is lunch time. Jackson had never been to 5 Guys & Fries so we thought we would try it out for him. They make great burgers and topped as you like them and always have wonderful tasting fries. They are on the pricey side as a single burger was around 8 bucks and the standard double at $12 plus drinks and fries. Our bill for two was $30 which is high but they are a quality custom burger. Everything is more as Subway is now $6 bucks or more for a 6 inch sandwich. Jackson loved his burger and ate it all so that is good thing. No one can finish the amount of fries they give.
On to Hockey 20 on his Xbox. The kid is good. Fast learning and he MUST be practicing as he beat again. Some tricky moves and he is just good. I need a little more luck. LOL
We had a light supper after a big dinner and settled in to watch the Flames and Oilers. To make it short the Oilers won but by only one goal. It was a good game except for the final result. McDavid and Leon kept off the scoresheet is a bonus. Fun game bad ending.
We decided to go to Lethbridge as it is Penny’s birthday on Monday for a nice drive, short sidewalk visit and for something to do. We picked up Audrey for the day drive. I do have to say that Flex is a nice vehicle to drive and we had an enjoyable trip. Getting close to Raymond the wind really started to pick up. In fact a few miles before the town the highway was covered with blowing snow. It was only on a small section but it was quite deep. In fact two cars hit the ditch as they were pulled into it. One car was vacant the other had a lady still in it that actually waved to us as we drove by. I thought as a HI not as a HELP. Jessica was the one that suggested she may have been trying to get you to stop. A few minutes down the road a snow plow was coming which was good. As the car was gone on our trip home I expect it pulled her out of the ditch.
We had a nice short visit on the driveway with Jessica, Penny, Auggie, Atti and Tom. It is always nice to see them. The wind was blowing which made it cool outside so that shortened up the visit a bit plus they had to get ready for Penny’s Grandad’s funeral.
What made the drive even better was the sun was out and the traffic very low. There was a bit of nodding off for everyone except for the driver. I enjoy driving and a 5 hour trip back and forth is a hop skip and jump. I drove from Vancouver to Calgary with even a pee break which was about 12 hours. I have driven to back and forth to Edmonton twice in one day plus unloading stuff out of my truck. I have driven Calgary to Winnipeg on a Friday night but the longest day was Calgary to Grande Prairie ( 7hrs), had a full round of golf and ate (5hrs) and then drove to Lloydminster another 7 hours as I had another company customer golf event to attend. That still gave me 6 hours of sleep. Keep it cool, use the radio and sit back and enjoy the drive.
Then off to watch the re-match with the Oiler & Flames. As we all we lost. Calgary played great out shooting the Oilers by double but still lost. Mc David was on fire and played awesome. I can’t even say our goalies played lousy as they didn’t. Some bad luck but mostly great shots by McDavid. They are going to burn him out and start losing if they are not careful. It is too bad as you hate to lose two in a row especially to the Oilers.
You sure can tell which city is being hurt by unemployment. Edmonton being a union town and government town has money to spend that Calgarians due to record unemployment and layoffs don’t. Last night the 50/50 draw in Edmonton reached 1.3 million dollars . In Calgary it only reached 200K. I bought in both places but was a way off the winning sequence.
I do have to say I am liking the fact the Oiler fans are seeing a glimmer of hope and are feeling better as witnessed by my Oiler friends come backs to me. My way of helping them out of their doldrums. I have copied an pasted a few of them. Love it and nice to see they feel excited enough again to engage. They have been so down for so long.
Here is a small example of their creativity.
The next day……..
Well, that was quite a statement! Back to back wins! Neal and Smith looked good.
I will slow the wagon down so you can jump back on the Oiler band wagon.
If Calgary can’t beat Ottawa, they will implode this coming week.. more of there players will demand a trade..
Go Oilers!!
This says it all .
I rather enjoy the banter and in 90% of the cases I am on the winning or good side of the smack talk.
I will humbly concede that we lost this first battle but WE WILL BE BACK ! I can’t wait and should start formulating a response for our upcoming wins.
Checking out the newspapers in Edmonton it is like the whole worlds weight has been lifted off the city. They are excited about their performance. Let me make a prediction. It will all come falling down in a few games when their luck runs out. I repeat two players will not win enough games to make the playoffs. Enjoy it while you can.
Looking at the calendar only 7 weeks left of this “hell” until golfing. April 5th has been my earliest golfing in past years so hopefully again. LOL
Now “people” want Jeep to get rid of the Cherokee nameplate. Come on. I will let them use Willard any time they want. When will it stop ?
Thought of the Day
You have to tease enough misinformation and lack of information to hopefully make people want more.
February 22nd
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 24 degrees, Edmonton 6 degrees, Calgary 8 degrees”
Beautiful warm sunny day. Love to see the sun shining and the snow melting.
Jeff & I went to the driving range today and it was busy. As I said before we need to get Covid over to get people back to their work. I am positive half of them are work at home people slacking off. We had to wait an hour to get our stalls.
I enjoy the range trying different things with my club to see what happens. I was hitting them clean today and only WISH I could play on a course right now. I can’t wait. I checked prior years and only about 6 weeks left max before we can golf. I have listed April 2nd as the first date but I am sure by going down to Claresholm we have done it in March. Hopefully a early one this year. It was a fun day at the range.
Well that little brat Jack got me again at hockey. Overtime with less than a minute left he wins the game. He loved it ,I disliked it. LOL
Jackie made home-made Sweet Potato Fries and they were AWESOME. 5 out of 5. The homemade recipe for them was delicious. Nice to have a change and a wonderful tasting meal.
Now that is a hockey game . Calgary beating the Leaf’s which are in the number 1 spot. Riddick getting a shut out is wonderful. Sean getting back and getting a goal. Hopefully the turning point to greatness ahead.
Flames
Talk about weird weather. Tonight it started to HAIL and quite hard then it turned to fluffy snow. Hail in the winter ! Funny thing David Spence LIED to us saying we may get a little amount of snow early tomorrow morning not within 3 hours of his forecast. David is a meteorologist so perhaps should focus on falling meteors in the area and leave real weather forecasting to Adriana Zhang who is a weather specialist. Only job where you can be wrong everyday and people accept it.
Happy Birthday Penny
Today also is our daughter-in-laws birthday. We are so lucky that our children found the perfect spouse. Penny is a wonderful person. Exceptionally caring, kind, sensitive yet strong as a bull and creative.
When an older gentleman used loosely as he was only about 65 yrs old couldn’t help lift Jess & Pen’s new door Penny grabbed one end and away we went. Now some would think it is only a door. This was a 36″ metal door, 6 1/2″ jamb, with glass inserts with sidelight and door hdwe weighing at least 200 pounds. She handled it no problem.
She helped me build out their basement using the nail gun, Hilti gun, moving wood, carrying drywall, standing walls etc with no problem. I had her help me drench the underground pipes for the irrigation system and that is no easy task on the arms and back with no problems. We laid, with help, pallets of sod in their backyard. Penny and I pushed upstairs a large couch up and over the stair railing which was no easy task. Most strong people would have struggled with this. No problem. She has become quite handy building out her electric fireplace, spice rack and shiplap on a bedroom wall beside typical decor stuff like hanging lockers and shelving. Along with the handi-person role she is an amazing cook making some great tasting food.
Peter used to call her ” Copper” with her red colored hair. I like that name. So today celebrating during Covid she will need to hope her “others” are resourceful enough to make it a wonderful day. Happy Birthday Penny !
Happy Birthday Penny !
Beach time Penny & August
August in April at Waterton
Penny Jackie Atticus
Penny Jessica & August
Thought of the Day
Take every Birthday with a grain of salt. This works best when accompanied with a Margarita.
February 23-24th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton 2 degrees, Calgary -2 degrees”
Reading an article today in the SUN by Rick Bell which by far is not my favorite writer but it is a little scary with a poll suggesting that the UCP are trailing the NDP by four points in Calgary, in the province by five. Notley is more popular than Kenney in Calgary. Naturally, she’s cleaning up in Edmonton.
The UCP has made many mistakes yes but there is no comparison between the parties. Notley was the worst Premier we ever had and would destroy Alberta if re-elected. Some of the UCP issues were trying to fix the NDP’s mess.
Edmonton is a union city. They think and act like socialists. They want everything for nothing due to the union mentality. They elect provincially and municipally with that slant. But having said that we need to question why people are upset in the rest of the province. As I said Kenny has made a lot of mistakes. He back tracked on some items which doesn’t look good. He has the majority right now and should use it STRONGLY as there is only 2 years left before the election. The COVID crisis has had a huge impact on popularity as no one can do anything right. Too soft, too harsh etc. I believe this has impacted the numbers quite a bit.
- Mining in the mountains- he should not have backed down on this. Force the companies to meet criteria that make this as safe as possible but create jobs, wealth and a future
- XL pipeline. This was a huge gamble that backfired due to no fault of the UCP. We are in a war to get oil to the market within Canada and the USA with the governments in place. Yes it will cost us money ,1 billion but it is always better to have tried than to complain on the failure.
- Unions- this is his biggest downfall as he has not been hard on them at all and yet is getting beaten up due to them being so vocal. They are very good at spending union dues on TV ads to promote and incite. He needs to cut wages in all public sectors/services but can’t due to the Covid. It is a tough place to be in. Bill 9 is controversial but needed in todays world. Other bills like Bill 21 and Bill 32 take union powers away and you know that isn’t easy to do.
- Coal power- he should have reversed this asap and didn’t and I can’t figure out why.
- Equalization payments- he has not done a good job here. Even though at times talks tough we have no plan to make this a fair program.
I am hoping that those that are leaning towards “punishing” Kenny think twice about what they are getting.
What I can say is that arguing for large scale deficit spending, absurd minimum wages, highest union salaries in Canada and a relaxed attitude towards debt has become mainstream and it is a recipe for disaster at some point. Socialist union states like the NDP want are unsustainable long term yet union workers and the younger generation fall for this everything due to the “ME” only and lack of fiscal responsibility.
My hopes are that the Oil pricing uptick takes some pressure off and that people will realize you can’t get something for nothing.
I have been trying to keep the humidity at a decent level in the condo but that isn’t easy. The noise is distracting as we have a portable one and a large one to handle the 1300 sq ft plus the consistency level is difficult. Opening and closing the door for the dog and at night time off it is hard to maintain. I am a little worried what to do over next winter while we are gone as it could get as low as 19 % easily. The rapid weather changes also make a huge difference. This is all floor related.
Tiger Woods is getting a history with vehicle issues. First the Caddie/club/wife issue, then the parked car DUI issue and now in a roll over accident where he had to be extricated. Hope it was not DUI related and he is ok. It looks like he needs surgery to his legs which isn’t a good sign. He is my favorite player.
Larry “CONNOR” Willard is back. I gave the young Xbox master guru Jackson a lesson in hockey with a whipping of 3-1 today. He has won our games for at least three days in a row so nice to be on the winning side. I also discovered a little trick/motion that results in goals more often. I need every trick to beat this kid as he is good. With it being 64 years old versus 9 years old I am not sure WHO should have the advantage with computer games. I do know it is awful close every night and I have to rely on luck sometimes to win which I will take with no problems.
Corey’s Mom got out of her major surgery today which is awesome. This poor lady has had such poor luck with her health. No easy feat to replace multiple valves in your heart. Hopefully she has a very fast recovery.
This cartoon below is for anyone that had to supervise staff, is at a workplace ,has young children, elderly, school or even just in everyday life dealing with getting things done.
The keyword in the sentence is ASSUME as we all know is “Making an ass out of an me “. I have over the years went overboard in instruction to eliminate these incidences in business but one of my weaknesses even today is when I believe it is impossible for someone not to know what is right and they don’t. It frustrates me and I usually end up doing it myself. I could work on that but really, why ? LOL
How many times !!
People do amaze me. Today was the first day that those born before 1946 could book an appointment to get a vaccine shot. The webpage and phone lines were inodiated. And people were complaining. 250K people want a to use this at the SAME time and people wonder why it couldn’t handle it.
Try booking a concert seat which is only 20K people at a time.
No server can handle that burst. So instead of whining and complaining work with the system and know it will eventually fix itself. It took me about 3 hours sporadically trying to get an appointment for Audrey. That isn’t bad. Trying talking to the government tax department or your own insurance company and then you may have something to complain about. In todays instant gratification world a minor inconvenience isn’t a big deal. Funny thing is these people are over 75 so what is so important that they can’t have a little wait. Where are they doing ? I say looking for an excuse to complain. The news should have asked, who you voted for before the interview, as we all know it doesn’t take much to upset a NDP supporter. It was a real life event that I think was handled reasonably well. No one should ever of thought no hiccups. Audrey gets her first shot this Friday. It is nice to see we re on our way and hopefully with enough vaccine to get everyone done by summer. I am thinking my age group should be around July/August. Long time away but it is a huge undertaking. Just be careful until you get yours and then still be cautious as I don’t see this thing ever leaving and we will need to live with it.
Jackson created his own player on the Oiler team in NHL 20 X box. It is so funny listening to the announcers state his name when he is hit or scores etc. This is such a fun neat feature. I played really well and didn’t deserve to lose but the little brat with his new modified player was the winner again today. I will be back.
Daisy had her usual fun with Hazel in the back yard. She comes home and just passes out around 6pm and sleeps all the way through till 8am. She misses her sleep during the day. LOL
Jackson and I had Booster Juice today and I will say I wasn’t impresses. Too expensive and a way to sweet tasting to enjoy. Only 300 calories but too sweet tasting and $7.50 for a smoothie is high. Not a fan of the taste compared to say Orange Julius smoothies.
A great hockey game with the Leaf’s again tonight but some back luck. Taking 3 out of 4 points against the #1 team is ok though. Riddick again was exceptional. To have TWO great goalies is a huge plus. We just need a powerful goal scorer and we would be perfect. If only Johnny would put on 50 pounds of muscle and grow one foot taller.
Thought of the Day
I told Jackie she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
February 25th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton 4 degree, Calgary 7 degrees”
Another nice winter day. Saying that though is like an oxymoron statement, Nice and winter should NEVER be used in the same sentence. It really doesn’t matter wither it is – 30 or plus 7 during Covid and during winter it doesn’t really matter as we are sort of trapped in the home. It only reinforces that I will never spend another winter at home. Even if I am short of money I will sleep in a tent in a campground in a State Park but to spend a winter in Canada is not my cup of tea anymore. Now I realize that a lot of people have no choice due to illness, injury, circumstances or finances but I am sure if they tried they could find some way to make it happen. I plan to spend a lot longer south next year. We typically stay 4 months but I may try for 5 or 6 next year. There is only one big event in 2022 with Mom turning 90 in April that I will need to get home for. Other than that I should be able to make it happen. Perhaps a quick weekend flight back and forth.
Talking to Mom today she is finally up and walking down the hallways with help. She is out of quarantine so at least gets a little bit more stimulation. She is supposed to go home on Saturday. As long as she can get the washroom herself and with some mobility to do things they will release her. She will be in isolation so they will deliver the food on her arrival back home. But she is home and has a TV at least.
Picking up Jackson at school is fun for Daisy. I park right at the front door and the minute she sees Jackson she is wagging big time. Before he comes out numerous people walk by with her staring but not barking. The barking happens when a dog comes by.
Today was Orange Julius day so how can you go wrong.
The internet wouldn’t connect with the Xbox today so no hockey. Shame as I really felt it today. Tomorrow being half day at school I will make it up.
I understand the lack of substance in the Alberta Budget but don’t care for it. It would have been political suicide to cut the public services during the Covid and the general public in their state naivety don’t mind huge debt. I cannot see a real budget that we need until 2023 or 24.
A nice night for a walk with Daisy. David Spence lied again today with the weather. It was supposed to be windy so I didn’t go golfing. It was not. Even tonight after supper it was beautifully warm out and it is nice to get out a walk.
Not a good night for the NHL. The Flames take 3 out of 4 points from the top team in the league then get blown out by the bottom dwellers. It doesn’t make sense but that is Calgary this year. On paper we should be a way better than we are. We need some kind of shake up. Johnny and Lucic are playing awesome along with Dube & Mangiapane but everyone else not so much. Another 10 games and their fate is stuck. At this point we may not make the playoffs.
The Oilers had another good game. Darn. Between Toronto and Edmonton they have four of the best players in the league. Edmonton is finally playing the they should. As usual though they will have worn out their top two and either miss or lose the first round of the playoffs.
David Spence sure has been missing the weather lately. It is odd as he was so good but seems to have lost it. Where was our winds we were supposed to get? Where is our cold and snow we are supposed to get today ?
Thought of the Day
Don’t you hate it when the Knight in Shining Armor turns out to be an idiot wrapped in tin foil.
February 26th-27th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 21 degrees, Edmonton -7 degrees, Calgary -4 degrees”
Jackson had a half day of school today so I picked him up at noon. Today we decided on Popeye’s. He hasn’t had anything from them as of yet. They have the BEST Chicken Sandwich there is with their sauce and pickles they put on it. They also have wonderful Cajun fries. Jackson loved his dinner.
NHL 20 didn’t turn out well for me today. The little brat was the winner. Close games with only one goal separating us but all him today. He was quite upset losing most of one game and then a quick two goals and he wins. It is a lot of fun playing him. I just need to win more often !!
Pizza tonight from Western which as always is exceptional.
People were complaining about the AHS system crashing and then today trying to pay my Maricopa County taxes in Arizona their webpage was unresponsive. I tried and tried but couldn’t get thru the system. So I decided as they are due on Monday I would just phone and pay via visa card over the phone. I got thru instantly and then talking to girl had a fun experience. I explained to her I couldn’t get thru their system so wanted her to process my payment. She had a neat Georgian accent. She apologized for my inconvenience and tried to access her webpage. She came back and said they have had issues with their webpage. I asked if I could just pay her. She laughed and said she uses the same website so she couldn’t process it so I would have to retry later. I laughed to myself knowing Sheriff Joe is no longer there so I wasn’t worried about be arrested right away. It happens to lot of businesses when their server is overloaded. People just need to relax.
About an hour later I was able to log in Maricopa County and pay my taxes. Patience works just about every time. I also paid my SRP power bill in Mesa. I got lucky and converted dollars in the last few days when it was .7999 . We haven’t had that good of exchange for a longtime. I like that.
Colder still with the wind chill but all next week is supposed to be reasonable warm.
Watching the Global news and I had to smile. They interviewed this “snowbird” woman returning to Canada and she just about starting crying stating “It was awful. Just awful. I felt like a criminal. I have had to just pay pay pay for Covid testing” No sympathy from me. People were told not to leave the country. They were told there may consequences. Suck it up buttercup. How inconvenient for you. The added expenses are just an additional cost for your winter away experience. I wouldn’t mind this bill at all but choose to follow rules, safety and common sense. Having said that not a day goes by I wish we would have went.
February 28th
Daisy and I went out to the lot today to pick up some tools for kitchen tiling project. Let e first to say tiling has never been one of my favorite things to do. Worst part is I have done it in every home we have owned. Messy , tedious, time consuming and is in most cases a lot of work unless a band new application. Then not bad.
I remember doing the house in Mesa and after completion looking at and thinking I am out of square or wavy. Upon further inspection I realized my eyes were being fooled due to a arch top on the stove back. The tile job was perfect. ( one small imperfection as the cupboards were not hung plumb and the top row (hidden to the eye for the most part) is a little off.
Complete and we love the look !
Another tile job complete at Fred’s place that turned out wonderful.
There is a lot of snow left out there. Hopefully with this weeks temperatures it goes melts enough for us this weekend.
Taking Daisy for a walk she met her new BFF. Right across the road new neighbors were working on their yard to get ready to pull their 5th wheel in. They just bought the lot under the new format and are very nice people with a dog the same size as Daisy. They ran around around like yahoo’s the whole time. It is a Jack Russel with lots of energy. Hard to keep them apart but Daisy will have. Lots of people out there skating, being pulled by golf carts and having campfires.
I came home and brought some tile samples home for us to check out.
Audrey came over and Jackie & her pretended to dress up for the Golden Globe awards tonight. I actually enjoyed the awards better this year with the new format. It was enjoyable to watch.
What a gown
Jackie bought on sale a 3 pound Pork Roast and I actually liked it better than tenderloin. Add crispy roasted potatoes, smooth spiced gravy, roasted butternut squash, and an awesome salad makes for one great tasting supper. I like making and eating meals like this.
The end to another great day, weekend and month. My month !
Thought of the Day
Carbs are the answer no matter what the question.
Larry & Jackie Willard's Retirement Adventure 