December 1st

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -17 degrees, Calgary -13 degrees, Mesa 26 degrees”

Politics- in today’s world a very touchy subject. It doesn’t need to be. The issue is governments have been so poorly run in so many countries. People are becoming passionate about change, whether it be good or bad. Today, I watched Mercedes on the West Block interviewing Daniel Smith. I have to say I am very impressed by Smith. If more politicians had Smith’s common sense we would be a way better off. Her take on the 25% tariff is exactly what we need. Hopefully, she can convince the Americans and Trudeau to act and save our economy. It would be devastating again for Alberta all due to Trudeau’s policy. The one good I see about Trump’s threat is it should smarten up the Liberals with their lax immigration policy. They may have to rethink their green policy with the carbon tax. It may increase our Nato commitment to what it is supposed to be. And our own border more secure from the mass exodus of illegals from the USA.

Trump’s the “Art of the Deal” is at play here and time will tell what happens.

December all ready. This season is going so fast. The scary part is these short days turn into months and years before you know it.

Grocery shopping today and I had to pick up some more hooks and screws for Christmas lights. I dropped off Jackie at Safeway and whipped to the Depot with Daisy. We had a blast running up and down the aisles.

It was a long shop for Jackie.

We came home relaxed and enjoyed the sun in the backyard and side yard.

Then off the Pool Hall for our billiard games.

Carol did awesome going on 4 or 5 ball knock down streaks. Jackie was exceptional tonight with some great runs and shots. Russ had some amazing shots , some with unlucky results but spectacular tries. I did not do as well as I hoped. I believe the girls beat us by one game !! Every game soooo close.

It just makes a fun afternoon and evening as we sat outside after having snacks and talking.

Russ has a 1936 Chevy coupe that is beautiful. Envious !

A close to another wonderful evening

Thought of the Day

A dream with out ambition is like a car without gas. Your not going anywhere.

December 02–3rd

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -1 Calgary 4 degrees Mesa 27 degrees”

As I said yesterday, I am impressed with Daniel Smith over the tariffs and today the Alberta Govt is limiting the use of photo radar. I have said all along it is strictly used as a cash cow not a preventive measure. On the news today one intersection generated over 2 million and has not ONE fatality accident. Add the appointment of Stephen Harper and you can rest assured Alberta is on a good path if we don’t get stepped on by the Feds.

I had to show this. These are two my favorite drives. Beartooth Mountain Pass in Wyoming and Hwy 89A in Arizona. If only I had my Vette for these. I still had fun in my low riding Flex and Jeep Wrangler.

I love the Apache Trail also.

I remember years ago heading back from Penticton in my Corvette with Jackie sleeping and the tires squealing thru the mountains corners. Love it.

Today was my VP golf group outing. My new handicap structure worked out perfect with only player below his cap -3 ( sandbagger) and everyone being +1 to +7 which is normal as the cap should only be achieved 25% of the time.

We had our closest to pin contest on Hole 14 today. Good golfers in our group and NOT ONE person hit the green from 135 yards. Funny and odd.

Man, are the greens tough here with the amount of movement. If putts would drop 5 strokes down instantly. No money today as each person in my grouping won a corner.

7:15 tee time next Monday ? That is early. That means a 6 am wake to go thru my beauty routine.

I talked to a gentleman we know from the 1800 block. Chuck Beach knows one of the girls well that I went to high school with. I know her husband even better. Barb Edwards and her husband Miles Johnston.

I got my invite to our Stony Plain Memorial Composite High School 50th Reunion coming up in May. I do know in 2024 two good friends Darrell Troock ( neighbor from Osbourne Acres) and Bob Nasby both have passed away,

This first picture is from our 25th reunion and the second picture is from our 40th reunion. You can see the class size has shrunk as people are difficult to track down and some have passed on.

I went to school with many of these people from Grade 1 to Grade 12. I am looking forward to seeing them all again.

A mixed bag of things to do today.

I spent about 4 hours re-organizing the shed with some good results. Slowly getting there trying to make it easier to find anything.

I helped a new neighbor put up their Christmas lights. They did not have any lights, and it was after the fact of our block buy. They bought a fibre like system that tonight looks just like ours but a little smaller. Great to have another home lite up.

Stopped to help another neighbor switch out his electrical cord on his lights. Ladder climbing and older people are not a good idea so happy to help.

Daisy and I lounged on the back deck. Love the heat and sun. She sits for awhile then heads to the covered deck to cool off.

Jackie worked like a mad women today washing floors, windows and laundry. The house looks great.

Thought of the Day

If you think things improve with age, just go to a high school reunion. Last time I thought I was at the wrong party everyone was so old !

December 4th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -5 degrees, Calgary -3 degrees, Mesa 26 degrees”

Gorgeous day starting bright and early. I was up and out before 8 am. The 202 can get busy, especially since I couldn’t use the HOV lane as I was traveling alone today.

Even with the busy traffic 80 mph plus which is nice.

Today three great guys in my group. One from Nipawin SK, one from Emma Lake SK and a gentleman from the Canyon Meadows Golf Club in Calgary. All super nice guys. We won a TRAID which is good, so I remain in second place on the money list.

Once again not my finest effort. I just haven’t been golfing as well as I can or should but I had a lot of fun.

A couple of birdies today and I landed pin high on the Par 4 over the water at 257 yards. A wonderful shot. Just those darn missed chips and putts keeping the score from being great.

A scary moment when on a Par 3 Mike fell to the ground stating his arms were numb. Dave runs to his cart and gets two 81 mg aspirin for Mike. We all were worried for a bit. I stated ” Mike, smarten up as I will give you heart compression’s but I am not going to give you mouth to mouth ” He laughs and after a bit stands up and is ok. He thought it may be just strong sensation from heart burn.

He continued play and appeared ok.

I made an easy pork chop and rice supper as we were rushed as it was Christmas parade day.

We walked to the end of our street as it was the Christmas parade tonight. Loads of golf carts decorated all up. Fantastic looking and a lot of work. I would say at least 30 or more carts. Music, merry Christmas chants and candy being thrown was nice .

Thought of the Day

Do not tell me I have to say Happy Holidays to avoid offending someone. If you do, I will say Merry Christmas with extra emphasis !!! over and over again.

December 5th & 6th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 6 degrees, Calgary 11 degrees, Mesa 28 degrees”

A car wash and a stop at Home Depot as I had to replace the flapper on the toilet. I worked on the toilet for bit, We took a drive around the park and watched Pickleball, Tennis games.

I fixed it by adding a couple of boards to my Noel sign. This allowed me to add my new spotlights, which flood the sign and our Santa Bear. A little more organizing in the sheds.

A bit of relaxing in the back yard and a relaxing fun day.

A good golf day and actually even just a little warm. A great group today including a new recruit from Red Deer. Chris is a nice guy and is a IG Wealth advisor. Fit right in well with a good sense of humor.

I drove the ball great today. Long long and straight with no slices and one pull shot only. I was the low guy today which was also nice. And I put money in my pocket so all is well.

Bob had us over to his house. Renting makes it a little harder. However, he found lots of chairs and provided a great variety of meat and cheeses.

Tonight we watched a new series called Small Town Murders with Donald Sutherland’s son and the girl from Smallville. A wonderfully well done show.

Thought of the Day

I should probably try to sleep. Oh look another eposide.

December 7th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 3 degrees Calgary 3 degrees, Mesa 25 degrees”

This morning after Jackie’s walk and getting ready we thought we would have fun relaxed day.

We watched the Pickleball courts for awhile. And yes I am correct it is game for OLD people with very limited motion or activity. The odd player actually could put spin on the ball which was nice to see. It is a sport that minimizes injury’s with no overhand serves hence no rotary cuff issues. Very limited side to side movement limiting twisted ankles and sprains and no movement back. The ball speed is extremely slow. It only requires fast reaction time for the odd play when two players are 4 ft apart from each other. Or another point scored. LOL

So it is definitely not on my games to learn list. Besides the only kitchen I want to be in is in my house or deck. Whoever came up with that terminology in a sports game should be shot. Once I hit 75 to 80 I may look at it as a substitute to a real sport.

Now the baseball players here are athletes. Guys and gals well into their 70’s some 80 plus playing ball and doing it well. Their was one older lady on this team we watched every time at bat she smoked it. She then had a pinch runner take over for her. She was a great player. It was a fun afternoon to watch sports.

For $11.25 I got two huge cheeseburgers and a pop for Jackie and I to enjoy from the concessions while the games were on.

I think Daisy likes baseball.

A few years ago now I switched from SAS sandals to a cheap Chinese brand Jousen Sandals. In Canadian dollars the Jousen are $58 and the SAS are $275.

My Jousen are actually more comfortable but wear out a little faster. They are described as an orthopedic shoe and they are wonderful. I get between 1 and 2 years out of a pair. The first pair lasted 2 full years. The second pair lasted 11 months. They are still wearable but ready to fail. So, a new pair is on order. Remember, I wear them close to 11 months out of the year. The SAS by memory I would say last 4 years. I can buy 5 pairs of Jousen. They look brand new and cost the same as one pair of SAS.

Here is the issue. The rubber lets go on the tread. These Jousen have a great grip on the bottoms. In comparison, SAS has what I would describe as a dangerously smooth grip on the bottom. I just about killed myself on the Columbia Icefields with my SAS.

My new ones are to arrive on Monday. If these fail in less than a year, I will try another brand. I might choose Dockers, as I can get them cheap also.

I talked to Mom today. She said Alfred’s dog might have swallowed a squeaky from the inside of his play toy. An expensive X-ray may tell. Otherwise it may pass if he doesn’t get plugged up or ill. Can you imagine your god farting and the squeaky makes a noise. LOL

Thought of the Day

Old age is coming at a bad time. Just as I was starting to know everything, I am now forgetting everything I knew.

December 8th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 1 degrees, Calgary 2 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

One could describe the weather in Mesa this year as SPECTACULAR ! There is not a cloud in the sky. It is warm with no wind lasting until about 7 pm. Then there is a drop in temperature that requires a light jacket or turning on the heater. Lovely

Daisy had a blast today in the park playing with her friends. She can’t tell us but I am sure she thinks this is doggy heaven. She meets all of her friends there every day. I think Jackie really enjoys the social dog parent gatherings.

Busy week coming up. Jackie golfing twice, myself golfing three times, gatherings at Fred’s for games and a meal, Monday night burger night on the deck,a Happy Hour gathering with our concert set up group, billiard afternoon and Christmas train ride evening to name a few functions. Throw in the relaxing times on the deck, evenings sitting outside and neighbor gatherings and it is a pretty nice place to be.

Syria regime over thrown is a good start.

A few Christmas presents bought and delivered. Older people are hard to buy for as needs are limited, hobbies and activities are limited, and wants are few. I am glad I do not fit into that grouping. I can think of 100 things I would like, need, or want.

The unemployment rate is high. Banks are not meeting their goals. The Bank of Canada is once again considering lowering interest rates. As a result, the dollar will slide even more. On a selfish side I want the interest rates to increase and the dollar to rise. Wishful thinking !

Ultimately beside the higher rate and higher dollar I would like inflation to drop. Not asking for a lot eh !

First time in a long time I watched PGA golf. Scottie is awesome and is by far the best player our tour. He just makes it so easy looking to play with his skill. I was hoping Justin would finish second but a ball in the water on the last hole and third place. Only the third player in history to win back to back and with the second best score ever at this course for this event. Pretty good golf.

Fun afternoon at the pool hall. Everyone was hot tonight with some amazing shots had. Close games every one of them again. Russ & Carol are both excellent billiard players but Jackie & I hold our own.

A nice evening at their place for a few drinks and snacks.

Watched a bit of TV and another day ended and happy.

Our tree this year due to the above average warmth is loaded and ripening quickly , our oranges.

What a wonderful day today. The weather this year has been unbelievable. I would say the best November/Dec ever. Every day 23 degrees or more and sunny with no cold days to speak of.

We had a convoluted start today. One player messages he cant make it. Then another. Then one guy shows up. Luckily the course was not that busy today. So from a tee time booking of 8 down to 5 players. The starter/marshal allowed us to play 5 as a group under the condition of keeping up. We had to wait for the group ahead numerous times. All five are pretty decent golfers. We were not looking for balls, etc. We finished the course under 4 hours.

It ended up playing good but still having to pay money. I took one tick but Ron took 3 and Kirk 2 so a few bucks handed out. On our closest to the pin only one guy hit the green.

A very fun day golfing. We were bugging Bob. He was getting pretty tired as the game went on. We suggested he take a ride rather than walking. But he persevered.

After golfing we went to Denis’s place for a after golf gathering. Again a fun gathering.

Tonight, it is Fred & Terry’s last Monday before leaving. They might be gone for a long, long time. We had planned a visit to Fat Willy’s Burger night. These burgers are awesome, huge, and delicious.

Tim invited a couple of guests which we had met before which are a fun couple and a friend. Our main purpose was for Fred & Terry. But Fred had to visit the doctor today. He is on antibiotics due to having bronchitis. Hopefully not viral as we have supper plans tomorrow with them.

I tried their Canadian Caesars but it was a fail so I ordered a BEER. Now there is beer and there is beer. Beer has been wrecked by adding fruit flavors, making it hazy to save money on filtering or in this case tonight shrinking the cup size. Our guests tonight order a beer and I ordered a BEER. This is what a beer should look like not a 8 or 12 oz glass. I think they were jealous LOL

Thought of the Day

IPA a lot when I drink.

December 10th -11th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -10 degrees, Calgary -5 degrees, Mesa 18 degrees”

I think it is only the second cool day this year in Mesa. Now saying that, 18 degrees is a hot summer day for us in Calgary, so perhaps cool is not the correct wording.

The wind was fairly strong last night even blew over the bikes. I was out working this morning and I needed a light jacket.

And today Jackie had fairly early golf with the ladies so had to dress a little warmer. One has to remember we are acclimatized to AZ weather now so require it to be warm.

I finally found a spot for the last of the difficult tool placements today. Additionally, I added another watering line to the irrigation system.

Then off for games and supper at Fred’s place.

Tim dropped over and our first game was 5 Crowns. Unfortunately the luck wasn’t on my side as Fred won by 3 points over Tim. Then Play Nine with a convincing win. So one could say the males dominated today.

The Key’s made us a wonderful rib with potato salad meal tonight topped off with a cherry pie. Awesome.

Drinks, games, warmth, friends and winning make for nice evening.

As winter hits Arizona we experienced our coolest early morning. I decided on pants as it wasn’t hitting 17 until noon and only getting to 22 degrees at it’s peak.

I was partnered up with the “money man” and ” organizer” . Bill our organizer is 82 yrs old and shot a 79 today. He had his grandson playing with us today. I hit the ball longer than most players, but today Eric was flying by me at least 25 to 50 yards each time.

I didn’t have a great game today due to one reason mainly with the odd mistake thrown in. PUTTING. So many missed putts. I haven’t figured out to fix this as it is my nemesis to low scores. So many missed, lipped, or short putts today it was unreal. Now Aquilla is a lot faster than Viewpoint so there is an adjustment but most of the blame is on the aim.

Having said that I am still in second place on the money list so no complaints other than to myself beating up myself on how to correct.

Watching the news tonight with an interesting article on a 85 yr old still snow skiing. He appeared to be in good shape and definitely was spot on with his thought process. He stated “health is wealth“. So true and brings up instantly Jackie’s saying “motion is lotion”. You combine both of those sayings and make them real it is a good life you will lead. Just need a saying about mental or positive thinking and all would be good. 85 yrs old and teaching his Grandkids and Great Grandkids how to ski is amazing.

I know my Mom was in pretty good shape at 85 going camping with us and even pulling the compound archery bow to hit targets but hit her wall after a few episodes of TIA’s and today at 92 is very limited in what she can do including just being mobile.

It is a little luck of the draw to have the health needed and very admiral for those that are lucky to, not to waste it.

My neighbor today added more Christmas lights today that look great. Now I have to go out and buy more lights. I will not be out done !

I added a new irrigation line to water a potted Palm tree as my other line was dry. I tied into the main line so was fearful of a leak but all is good and my Palm will do just fine by itself while we are gone.

Thought of the Day

They say nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes you perfect. Make up your mind.

December 12

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -6 degrees, Calgary -3 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

A very fun day with a lots of different activities.

Jackie went golfing this morning with her ladies group. Before she left she cut up the meat, cheeses, beets, celery etc and wrapped them.

I cleaned the outdoor kitchen patio and wiped down all of the furniture for the ladies. I brought out the extras chairs needed for the gathering and organized things.

I worked outside for a while. Just before Jackie’s arrival, I brought out all of the food, wine, and plates. Jackie had organized these items to use.

As soon as the women arrived I left up to Tim’s place to see how Fred was making out with the plumbing.

Tim’s new counter top arrived and was the correct size. This one was 100 percent better looking. They used a smaller router bit on the edging and the overall appearance looked so much better.

Fred was working on the sink install when I arrived. A little issue with plumbing sizing but after a bit Fred got it all done. They bought a “new” glue that is supposed to work for ABS and PVC. I am not sold on it as during the install we could still move fitting for bit and with the correct specific glue not a chance. PVC glue used to be called a cold weld glue as it actually melts the pipe together. ABS glue still “melted the pipe” but was a complete different process. ABS and PVC expand at different rates hence different glues. Years ago it was a no no to intermix the glues with the different plastics. Today Tim bought a glue for ABS and PVC. Smelled different and was a different color. Years ago they made a glue called a transition glue. It was designed to glue the two together but was a lot more money. I don’t know if it was designed to be used for one type.

The kitchen is looking good.

Tim and Fred installed a new lithium battery system in Tim’s cart. Nice at $600 and a better system than acid batteries but time will tell on the Chinese made product. If it is successful I will switch next time i need new batteries. I know we are taking one home for Fred’s cart at Pineridge.

I came home and picked up Jackie. Then, we headed to Pat & Bonnie’s. We went to meet our partners in crime for chair set up and take down for the concerts. Very nice people and will be fun to work with. They had a great snack arrangement with shrimp and meatballs and spinach tip. Very good tasting.

We visited and then headed home to attend our block Christmas get together. It was supposed to be a train ride. However, since the train was broken down, we had a golf cart parade light seeing caravan. It turned out to be a lot of fun. We had lights flashing and Christmas music playing. Our organizer did a great job with even planning a parade route. We have some pretty good streets with ours being in the top 4 for sure.

Hot chocolate, Bailey’s and desert was a perfect ending to the fun.

We had a lady and her dog join our caravan and every time I honked the horn it would howl. She followed our group for a good 45 minutes . We lost two carts due to low batteries with both making it home but not in our caravan.

It was cool enough I had to wear my light jacket and pants as it is cooling down at nights.

The ending to a wonderful day.

Thought of Day

If you are not in the parade you will be on the sidelines watching.

December 13th

Mercury Forecast Edmonton -4 degrees, Calgary 7 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

Well look at that. Another bright sunny day with no clouds and no wind. This year the weather has been incredible with only two day below 20 degrees.

Full tee sheet today with 8 players. Another fun day. Barry wins the closest to the pin again. Two times for him. AND he was 50 ft away. LOL

Once again a disappointing score. Lip outs, missed putts and not driving today well. Perhaps, my way too long of break in Canada may actually help me. I want a med to high 70’s score to happen regularly even if Viewpoint is a difficult putting course.

Having said that even if the score wasn’t great I still pocketed a couple of bucks.

Nice to have the full group that golfs every Friday back.

Dwight, our next door neighbor, brought over some spice cookies. Ginny was working on them all day. They were delicious.

My Firestick CTV app which has had hiccups worked tonight perfect.

We had a quick visit with Fred & Terry. We said our goodbyes as they plan to head home in the morning, bright and early. I hope they make plans to come back next year.

17 years having fun in the sun will not be the same without them.

We have experienced some changes. Ralph & Tracy, Fred & Terry, Bob & Pat, and recently Russ & Carol, have all decided to sell and try something different. I am not convinced at all this is what I want to do. For my 12k a year or so I prefer having a second home that I can use for 180 days ( 6 mths) versus a “vacation” for a month or two and having to rent a Airbnb , hotel or a rental place. A smaller 2 or 3 week actual vacation thrown in for us works just perfect. Since we retired 10 years ago we have spent all winter here in AZ but have had numerous trips to Europe, Alaska, England, Mediterranean, NYC etc. Our favorite travel mode is still cruising. We do not need to worry about food, accommodation, and security. Most importantly, we do not have to pack and unpack a suitcase over and over again. I love the Arizona lifestyle and will continue to come for as long as we can.

Re-fried beans in Mexico are a staple. Fred & Terry will need to get used to them. They may not be on their favorite list but they are given with every meal. Throw in the odd road kill Taco and hepatitis ice filled drink and you are all set to go. LOL

Thought of the Day

I hate tacos said no Juan ever

December 14th –15th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -5 degrees, Calgary 4 degrees, Mesa 22 degrees”

You can tell winter is here with the 22 degree weather being the high now.

This morning, I plugged in and set a timer up. I moved Christmas cords for Ardon & Florence and added a timer. Then, I added another timer for Deena & Terry’s house for their reef and sign.

One of Ian’s spot lights hasn’t worked since I put it up. Same old you just can’t beat a everyday plug in spot versus solar.

The block overall looks pretty good. It is nice coming around the corner and seeing the level of participation that only took us 17 years to accomplish. I think next year we can bring it up even one more level by trying to get about 5 homes to anti up. I would like to add one lighted item to our block on each house.

I am bringing back a Lithium battery kit for Fred’s golf cart at Pineridge which hopefully will work out great for them. Fred installed one in Tim’s cart it works and looks great. I will switch next time.

Lots of chatter lately about the exchange rate. Even people saying they are cutting back, not staying as long, know friends that think it is too expensive to come etc. I find this so STUPID, no other word for it. It is a cost of doing something. It is a cost linked to your stay or vacation. You can’t change it. Lets say you are 65 years old. That leaves 10 YEARS max of potential excellent health and you are going to stay away for a few bucks. You do not get a guaranteed extension of the time. And the exchange used to be .65 cents so we still could go lower.

I am convinced many OLDER people, even though not defined as cognitively declined, yet, become hormonally or chemically imbalanced. As a result, they become whiners and complainers. They turn into negative nellies and enjoy being depressed and become isolated in their own little world and want the world to know they are not happy and find anything to have a negative opinion on.

In real terms, yes it costs a bit more, due to the exchange, but the real cause is the inflationary pressures brought on by Biden and our Trudeau’s policies.

A character flaw that I will admit to, is my lack of tolerance for negativity and whiners. Drives me nuts. We have it SO GOOD overall there is no need.

What I do enjoy is trying to explaining this to people and seeing their reaction as they think about.

I will be outside whistling tomorrow in the sun again while a few people are staying in winter due to a 2 cent change on the dollar.

The Oiler’s are hot again. Darn ! I hope the Flames win tonight against one the best in the league right now. We need to keep up.

Watching the finale of the Voice tonight, Some amazing singers. Tears for Fears band looks 100 yrs old but are only 63. Hard life I guess. LOL I love Michael Bublé. The producers of this show have gone over board with skits and singers, it is unbelievable, funny and entertaining. I had it right down to the final two but my choice for winner finished second.

A slower week coming up as we ready to come back to the frozen tundra. Jackie is golfing three times, I am golfing twice, billiard night, nothing to repair, replace or fix before we go, and most of the golf group and park per say leaving for Christmas. This year more people than EVER are going home. 8 out of our 12 golfers going, loads from my Saskatoon group and many neighbors. On our end of the block out of the last ten homes seven will not be here.

When you think of it, for $500 bucks, you get to reset your insurance. You also get to visit Canada to see friends and family. Additionally, you take a break from the warmth. You appreciate it more when you get back here.

I do have the Junior Hockey to watch, Jackson has a hockey tournament and visits, I will also attempt to make Shortbread cookies once again. I think I will phone a friend Jenny Harry as hers always turns out perfect.

Jessica created a AI generated facsimile of yourself that was pretty cool. Quite a similarity.

I thought I would try to do a AI caricature of Jackie. I like it.

Thought of the Day

Be extra careful out there on the roads as the Christmas season is here, and a lot of husbands have been drinking, and their wives are doing the driving.

December 16th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -16 degrees, Calgary -7 degrees, Mesa 22 degrees”

Daisy and Jackie had a fun morning at the park. I love it when she runs into the house and straight to her water bowl as she is tired from running. I know then she had a great time.

We got ready for our golf game today. Beautiful weather, bright and sunny and no wind. When we got to the tee box we were set up with two other golfers. I had hoped just us but everyone trying to get golf in before returning home to cold winter weather.

Our guys were two interesting young locals. I love golfing with Daisy and Jackie but sometimes when placed with other golfers it can be a little cumbersome.

The guys were entrepreneurs one selling ammunition and the other optical equipment for hunting. One great golfer and one with potential but requiring a lot of work. The good golfer could hit it a mile. Super long but very erratic. Both of them over a 100 but can be good.

We finished the course in 3 1/2 hrs so it moved really well.

Jackie and I both played well. No mulligans or gimmies and Jackie gets 96 breaking 100 again on the championship course. Putting again killed me but I can live with a 78.

A fun day !

Daisy was the absolute best all day. No sleep so right now she is passed out and snoring.

I think the only difficult thing today was the young punk out driving me a few times. I do not want to admit I may be losing a bit of distance. I used a new grip that I saw on Utube and I have to say I did not have one slice. I actually had pull lefts but long which I can live with.

The Oilers tonight are on Prime. It was blurry, so I turned it off. Edmonton was losing, so hopefully it stayed that way. Netflix screwed up the Tyson fight and Prime not doing a good job with hockey. I think the NHL should have stayed with CBC.

Thought of the Day

It’s not the size of your putter. It is the number of strokes you take.

December 17th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -20 degrees with a snowfall warning , Calgary -14 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

For the math guru’s out there, that is a 43 degree swing in temperatures. Edmonton still is not that cold. AZ is not that warm. The main reason we come to AZ as it difficult to imagine having to stay in this cold. I wish everyone could experience the pleasure of no shirt, sun tanning, and shorts in December without the fear of getting sunburned or being cold. Love it.

All week it is mid to high 70’s but dropping to mid to high 40’s after the sun goes down. If it wasn’t so dry here it would be perfect. But having said that 80 degrees with humidity is not nice. Desert versus sea side.

Jackie was golfing with her second ladies group today. As soon as she left my Amazon package with TV legs showed up. I wanted a new TV for outside as the 32 inch was just too small and it was not smart . New to us a 49 Inch curve Samsung hi def TV that was top of the line a few years ago. Awesome TV and the curve works perfect for the sight lines and brilliant picture.

I got my new legs installed with a little hiccup due to the curve but it all worked out perfect. Then on to the set up. Took me a long time (1/2 hour) to delete the incestuous apple Mac IP address attached to the TV. Apple products suck. After a lot of effort, including stopping, starting, and locating the WAP, I was finally able to connect to our Wifi network.

When I started I was in disbelief. The previous owner had so many apps installed that remained open it was unbelievable. If they log out on their new TV, I may lose access. However, I have 3000 channels and apps that I never heard of. They work perfectly. I have more channels then my inside TV by far. And the picture !

I ordered a cover for it today and hopefully with the curve still fits. The curve TV also is great for the corner fitting in a taking less room than if a flat.

As it goes with golf Jackie golfed wonderfully yesterday and today not so well. Tomorrow I am at Southern Dunes with it’s 12 acres of sand and $200 plus prize money on the line. I better do well. I would like first place on the money list. The number 1 guy needs to do poorly. I need to do very well.

I sprayed for bugs today just to give us a little more protection.

I chatted with the guy in the park with a beautiful 1970 Nova SS. Mine was nice, this one is tier ONE and at $84K not a bad price. EVERYTHING was redone first class, suspension, brake cylinder, rear end, interior and a Dart engine build. A 427 small block and for those that know Chevy it was never made. It is a Dart block to handle the 4 inch bore made with a lot thicker walls. A small block Chevy revs compared to a big block. 568 horsepower 571 pounds of torque so it will be a screamer especially with 3:73 Eaton gears. I would prefer a different red but it is nice,

A complete retro build done first class.

A drunk came thru a red light and t-boned me with insurance writing it off. This happened just a few days before I had to pick up Jackie up for our first date. Loved this car and it did not lose many races. I pulled the engine and tranny and put into a 1967 Camaro RS/SS that I actually loved even more. Dad completely rebuild, bored, honed and new cam for the first of about three rebuilds on this engine.

I have been very lucky over the years with the cars I have owned. I have picked the right vehicles and have a knack for the correct dress up items. Most of them have been head turners. Most of my cars garner unsolicited comments on them. The saying if you don’t look back you do not have the right vehicle. Even my Jeep get loads of attention.

In order of the likability noted from others would be: 1967 Camaro, 1972 K5 Blazer, 1969 Nova SS, 1977 Corvette, 1969 Dart GTS, 2006 Ram Mega Cab, 1970 Monte, 1971 Monte, 1994 Vigor, 1977 Chevy Van, 1977 Blazer, 1968 Dart GT, 1963 Nova SS, 1952 3100 Chevy, 1963 Volvo, 1963 Pontiac.

Add-ons for speed and looks except for the last three on my list. Two of my favorite add-ons were the 4:11 gears in the Camaro and the $3K exhaust on the Ram.

Another of many activities that make Viewpoint a fun place. A Christmas concert was well attended. I am looking forward to the Toby Keith tribute concert the most and the Olivia Newton one..

I picked up Daisy from the groomers this morning and she looks beautiful. She can’t say but I bet she feels wonderful.

Thought of the Day

No one appreciates the very special ‌genius of your conversation ‍as a dog does

December 18th–19th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -18 degrees, Calgary -13 degrees, Mesa 27 degrees (81 F)

Absolutely a beautiful day today. Forecast to hit 81 and got to 83 degrees so just perfect.

Today was my golf group at Southern Dunes. Remember this is the course with 12 acres of sand and 182 bunkers. Knowing this it plays HARD. But to add to our experience it had the Cactus Tour golf tournament right in front of us. We started about a hour late due to this. You take this course and add the difficulty of the pin placement for a professional league you are spelling trouble. Every team coming in was not happy with their scores. My group of four are a pretty good group of golfers and the low guy was a 92. One was over 100 for a low handicapper it is hard to take. I had one hole with a 4 putt. I also had an 8 so errors and putting killed everyone. That is golf to go 78 then 95 back to back.

It was a wonderful fun day. We enjoyed cold birdie juice and had lots of laughs. We also cried over our poor shots. I am waiting for the results. I know I made no money. However, I am hanging on to my hopes of still being on the top ten money list.

Coming home tonight from Maricopa the traffic was busy. You hit rush hour and no being able to use the HOV lane the freeway gets packed and is slow. So a longer day from 9 am to 6 pm. But a FUN DAY.

Another warm one hitting 84 degrees today. It is about 18 degrees above average for this time of year and I love it !!

Jackie was off golfing with her girls league today. She brought her umbrella fro the shade.

I took Daisy and we headed to the ABM to get some cash for our upcoming trips to the airport. I committed to a ride from a service in the park. Then two neighbors offered. The neighbor ride would have been free. However, I have always felt that once you commit, it has to be a pretty major reason to cancel. I dislike when someone cancels a tee time, a camping spot, trip etc. You commit you follow thru. Some would say it is a waste of money. You could have had it free by canceling. That is just not me. I drove out to Turner Valley knowing it was nasty weather but I had booked a tee. I golfed about 6 holes before my partners quit but I filled my commitment of coming and playing. I have gone to numerous golf courses when others have “chickened” out and have had a great game. I have known people that when two snow flakes fall they do not want to fulfill their promise to drive. Twice in my life that I can remember have I caved in. Once with Atti and August. The highway wasn’t cleared, and it was miserably rough. Jackie convinced me to turn around and go home. Once in Northern Alberta during a whiteout, I waited at McDonalds. Then I returned home. I used to drive home from Ft Mac at night during heavy white out storms leaving around 6 pm and not arriving until after 10 pm.. I promised Trail Building I would be there every Friday morning and I made sure to follow thru.

Funny how I remember them so vividly.

It is because it bothers me when people cancel !!

I stopped in at Bashaw to get a gift for our caretaker and left Daisy in the car. I noticed the a/c when using the remote start didn’t working. I read through pages and pages of the manual. Then, I performed a simple reset in the management system computer that I adjusted so that the heater/ac would come on at the last setting I had it at. Test complete and works perfect.

Our neighbor has lived here for 20 years, more than we have. Due to health reasons, he has decided to sell. He came over and dropped off at least 100 golf balls. I should have enough to never have to buy a ball again. And good quality and brand name.

My new outdoor TV cover arrived and it is perfect. Keeps the dust and rain off the TV on the outdoor kitchen. Love the new curved TV picture and apps.

Thought of the Day

The seduction of a warm bed on a cold morning -Calgary

The seduction of a warm day after a cool evening- Mesa

December 20th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -9 degrees, Calgary 5 degrees, Mesa 28 degrees”

My thought of the day came about when thinking about having to go back to the tundra in Canada. It is a totally different experience knowing what your day will bring. Sunshine heat or winter freezing.

As I have said before people live longer if they can snowbird anywhere in the world to get away from the cold. The activity level, the socialization level, and the overall health aspect are contributors.

Here is one interesting article:

Studies show how more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading for an early death

Key Points

• Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity
• There are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D [vitamin D] or for sun exposure
• 340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or “sunshine deficiency, and the United States could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng/ml (100 nmol/L)

The main factor is Vit D deficiency.

Luckily the eggs, butter, red meat and high cholesterol myths are slowly changing as science better understands. There are people “scared” to be in the sun. Having said that caution has to be taken as skin cancer is real but other studies are concluding that the lack of Vit D could have been the culprit and cause.

Nail salons are a big contributor to melanoma in women and men are targeted mostly due to outside exposure from farming and working. Skin cancer risks increase as you age, likely due to accumulated exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or other artificial sources. But skin cancers may also be found in younger people. Factors like genetics, personal history, where you live, all play into the risk of exposure. Sometimes melanoma can happen in a sixty-year-old due to sunburns that they had in their teens, twenties, and thirties. I know I had a few nasty burns over the years. They hurt and you just don’t know the consequences of it until you hit 60. Nitrogen freezing hurts hence why I always wear a hat now.

People just don’t understand that UV rays can still affect you even in your house. They easily pass thru windows yet people think nothing of it. They actually pass right thru walls of a house. I have seen metal interior door foam destroyed by UV rays passing right thru the metal skin. My mom sun burns right thru a heavy shirt.

It is sad really that we have so many weaknesses to disease to deal with.

Last day so clean up and prep. Give away food that will spoil and ready the place for a few WEEKS away.

My finger tips turned white just from the thought.

Busy schedule but fun when we get home. Arrive midnight, get up to buy groceries, turkey, finish off presents, set up tree and decor, watch PNC on TV, wash Jeep and that is just the first day. The nice part from landing until Dec 26th, we are busy which is nice. Hockey tournament, Christmas gathering, special event Christmas eve, appointments for Jackie to manage, pick up pills .One trip up to Edmonton for a visit and then wait for the plane to go “home”.

It will be interesting as Shoppers texted me that my prescription had expired. I do not have a new one, yet they filled one for me. I have no idea how many pills but i need 100 to last me. If not I will need to see about getting a doctors appointment for just the meds. Love Danielle Smiths new doctor pay schedule. This may ease my pain in the ass of getting pills.

I think Daisy will miss Arizona more than us as everyday she has a blast at the park with her friends.

A fun afternoon and evening with Russ & Carol. Today’s billiards resulted in a convincing win for the guys only losing ONE game. As usual every game is down to one ball or less. Close close games which make it fun. I am not a music guy per say. Today in the pool hall, it seemed too quiet with no music on. Perhaps our win could be contributed to more concentration without the noise. But I did miss it.

A nice gathering after at our place where Jackie was using up as much stuff as possible before we leave. Fun conversation, laughs and stories.

Here is picture of Russ & Carols beautiful home and Russ’s car I love.

Thought of the Day

Showed up at gender reveal party and noticed i was only one without clothes. Must have misunderstood.

December 21-22nd

“Mercury Forecast: Edmonton -2 degrees, Calgary 6 degrees, Mesa 25 degrees

We visited with the neighbors. We dropped off our flowers to be watered. We arranged for our garbage bin to be put out.

Our ride showed up right on time which is always nice as one can be tentative about getting to the airport on time. Being a weekend flight we didn’t have to worry about rush hour traffic. He charged $40 so I gave him $50 and said thank you very much and will for sure use him again.

It turned out we arrived about 1/2 hr earlier than needed. I expected the airport to be busy for the Christmas rush but it wasn’t at all. Made it easy with only about a 6 minute wait at security.

Our whole trip the security and custom gates were awesome. Friendly nice people.

Flair Airlines was perfect again. Every trip we have taken with them they have provided us with very good service. They are a discount line, actually a ultra low air line, and people should know that and not have the expectation of a full service line.

A funny situation happened at the check in counter. We had to go there due to the dog. In front of us was a young family. A young couple with two kids about 10 and 12 yrs old. The women had large fake eye lashes and what looked like man made breasts. It turned out she was a “Karen” .

Flair Air is very strict with their luggage sizing. Free for a personal item and pay for a carry on but restricted to sizing. Numerous emails are sent to you prior to boarding, informing you of this. Personal sizing is 16 in x 13 in x 17 in 7 kg and carry on 19 in x 15.5 in x 21.5 in 10 kg. Not much more than a laptop bag or a smaller back pack. What I noticed is what I would call a normal carry on suitcase was just a little too big. I think it is a marketing scheme. It is perhaps, a money grab. People believe all airlines have the same sizing, which is far from true and by making the sizing cage about 2 inches smaller than the carry on case you can buy, you get fooled.

All of the families personal items were a way oversized backpacks. They were caught with carry-on’s that were about 1 to 2 inches too big. I think not fair but it the reality of the situation and “Karen” did not like it. She was raising her voice and being confrontational with the clerk. She then demands to speak to the manager. The clerk turns around and on his vest is ” Manager” . Funny. That didn’t help Karen’s attitude.

I was impressed with this manager. He spoke softly without elevating the situation and told the family to move over to the side and wait. Left them there for at least 10 minutes to cool down. He then called the husband over. The conversation was brilliant. The manager was going to allow them on if they paid. They also had to promise not to create a scene. Over and over he expressed this and said he was going to be at the gate check in. The man apologized for his wife and everyone was happy. It was just a fun event to witness. I am sure quite embarrassing for the family. ” Karen” watching is always fun.

Sky Harbor had a dog relief outside on the west end which was good. We were 3 hours before departure. At the gate, Jackie took Daisy into the handicap washroom. Daisy peed on her pee pad perfectly there. It is so handy to have trained her to use these pads.

Speaking forward, Daisy was absolutely the best dog on this trip. Not a sound, no whining or restlessness. It was a easy travel.

A 3 hour flight is pretty short and goes by pretty quick.

The one downfall of Flair is they do not serve cold water or pop and no ice. I understand it removes a risk and obstacle but sure would be a nice addition.

Customs as I said was fast and easy.

We were very fortunate to have Victoria and Jackson pick us up as it was after midnight. Great to see them.

We got home at about 1 am and headed straight to bed. Great bed but not the same, as the condo heat at night is not like the desert coolness at night. Still had a wonderful sleep.

Up and wanting to watch the news and no power. I checked the plug and no power. I had to check the breaker box and very weird but the bedroom plugs breaker had flipped. It is a arc breaker so even weirder. Flipped it and all is good but strange.

While Jackie was climatizing Daisy I whipped to Tim’s for breakfast.

We unpacked and fixed up a few things then off to grocery shop. Need food for two weeks and Christmas dinner. I think everyone would agree food pricing or gouging has got a little out of hand. Now I remember when Victoria, Corey and Jessica were living with us spending $400 a week on groceries. Today for Christmas dinner and our needs ( which I know we will be back tomorrow, lol) was $400. I guess when considering a large turkey and ham plus the sides it isn’t bad.

Watching the PNC today is awesome. What a great tournament. Charlie gets his first hole in one. His first eagle and Bernard winning again after Tiger and Charlie missing so many chances.

“I am a great scramble player. I am not a competition golfer.” This is a great way of looking at it, but he has to be happy with his play, said Tiger. 3 months after surgery on his back is amazing.

I used to get to play a few scrambles each year while working. It has been a long time now , but they are fun.

I remember with friends Joe & Dianne at a BNS tournament in High River scoring plus 15. I thought for sure we would get the horses ass trophy but we didn’t. I was shocked.

It was odd as today I had to put on the a/c in the Jeep in Calgary in December. !!

I picked up my pills and was told that they only had a refill for 30 days. Does me no good. As I said to my doctor my blood pressure pills cause my pressure to go just trying to get them, nothing else. I will attempt to book an appointment on Monday with her but she doesn’t allow people from out of country to see her for 14 days. If that does not work (I hope it doesn’t), I will go to the walk-in clinic and bypass my doctor.

Do I like being home, no not really but it is only for two weeks. We get to visit with family and celebrate Christmas which is the best part.

Now to start getting ready for Christmas. Jackie went to visit her mom and started to decorate.

Tree done, decor up and supper in the oven so a good day.

Tomorrow I will whip out early. I will get a few presents. This must be done before Jackie has to take her Mom for blood work.

I had to buy a Oiler 50/50 ticket as it hit 3 million plus a 1 million extra. Sick. I guess you know which town has the money in it.

Ottawa is not playing well though. Edmonton fans sure to like the wave.

Great true story movie on a undercover mission of the British to stop supplies to the U boats in WW2 on Prime tonight.

Thought of the Day

Christmas one of the best times of the year. You get to believe in Santa and learn about the birth of Jesus.

December 23rd–26th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 5 degrees, Calgary 9 degrees, Mesa 24 degrees”

Do you think Daisy likes snow & cold or grass and warmth ?

Time is running short with still a fair amount to do. Too much to do.

Out of the house at 9 am to pick up some gifts. I needed to be back by noon as Jackie needed the truck to take her Mom.

While Jackie was out I wrapped a few presents. I like my job I did.

Wow is it busy out there. I wanted to pick up my fridge door part to fix that and we needed a few more gifts and food for Christmas. So, Jackie and I headed out. This morning was dead when I went out now at 3 pm a zoo. NEW RULE if I was the dictator of Canada. No young girls, no old women, no old men and no new drivers allowed on the roads on Dec 22 to 27. Must be driven by a “normal”driver. What is normal you may ask. NORMAL. You have old peoples reaction time holding up traffic, you have young timid drivers afraid of cutting in and you have inexperienced drivers with no courage or reaction time just holding up everyone. We love our cars but we must learn how to operate them better. A turn light happens and three cars get thru when 6 or more could have. Do not pull into a parking space when busy as you will wait forever. Back in then you can nudge your way out. Tailgate thru lights so the guy behind you can get thru. Turn on the yellow to move traffic. It is all common sense.

Two small plastic parts for my fridge were $85. NUTS. When I bought them the clerk says “first time replacing these? You know your fridge is 18 yrs old ” I know but $85 versus $1200 it is a no brainer. It is a little scary though. I have repaired a few appliances, but Calgary’s are 18 years old. Arizona’s are 17 years old and they all work perfectly. After I replace these parts. The pricing is asinine.

Super busy traffic and the first appliance store only had one part. I had to drive to another store to get the second part. Takes time.

I had dropped off Jackie at 130 ave and headed out. I thought for sure after my ordeal she would be done before I got back. However, she wasn’t.

Wordle while waiting in 4. A tough one today.

Luckily for supper we had left overs which worked out good.

I checked the turkey and still pretty froze. May be cool water in the sink. One day to short. LOL Done that before.

As I stated earlier I need 100 pills so I phoned my doctor. Nope, I have to go in and see her before I can get my prescription. I sure hope Danielle Smith’s new for doctor pay corrects this. Appointment New Years Eve at 5 :30 pm. Go figure ! The fun and games.

News : Love that Trump is causing chaos with the tariffs. Causing border issues and corrections. Scaring people that he will demand 5 % of GDP not the 2% as current that Trudeau hasn’t even met. Wants to take back the Panama Canal and buy Greenland. Wait till Putin wants Alaska back. LOL

Paul Dunphy retiring is another lost to Global. Best dressed nicest weatherman ever. Too bad as I liked him. But best wished to him.

Honda & Nissan merging. Auto manufactures are struggling due to their own stupidity.

Stellantis which owns Ram, Dodge and Chrysler is not doing well. Ram priced themselves right out of the market. Chrysler hanging with one mini van that NO ONE wants anymore and Dodge other than retro cars suck.

Honda one of the best Japanese autos for quality and resale merging with Nissan that is horrible in both aspects will be interesting. Nissan has the distinction of the worst deprecation of any car and a tranny that is a time bomb in their cars. Trucks and SUV are great but just don’t hit the mark in styling and performance. Love the GTR though. This will be a hard merge.

One thing for sure that I have concluded after this trip back to Calgary. As a family we will NEVER be a one car family. I would have to be completely broke or too old to drive but we MUST have two vehicles. It is really unbelievable to me how any family can get by with one car. Someone inevitably feels trapped or having to ask for favors. They can’t go or do what they need when the partner is using the car. I don’t believe it is fair to each other, healthy or RIGHT. I don’t care how close you think you are in doing things together. It is NOT worth it, no matter how much money you THINK you are saving, it is not worth it. Independence or in this case losing it is negative to a relationship and puts power into one partners hands.

I walked to the store to get some tickets and Eggnog. It is cool out, but for December, I sure can’t complain.

I researched the time required to cook a turkey while still frozen and hopefully will guess correctly. Needed one more day to thaw. Timing is everything. I readied everything I can. One of the issues we have is by not using the party room is lack of space for the amount of people and cooking. It is really hard to clean dishes and cook at the same time.

As I am a stickler for hot food so we will cover the pans etc in the sink and the kids will have to visualize them while eating.

Finished vacuuming. Man, how much dust in 2 months and how much hair does Jackie lose. TONS

Christmas Eve is a odd time. The anticipation and the knowledge of a busy day ahead. It is just fun getting everyone together.

Jackie arrived and we headed to Victoria’s. The whole family was there which was awesome.

Off we headed to our “Mystery” game Christmas Eve event that Victoria had arranged. We arrive at ACTIVATE a sports fun themed gaming space. A little hiccup with Atticus missing running shoes. Penny was amazing. She got a pair of shoes that were perfect in no more than 10 minutes from a local store. They arrived just in time to the event. We broke up into teams so decided to go girls against boys. We had to enter in game names so before knowing we were teams I chose Kill Waldie Hicken.

Off we go. There are about 10 rooms with different events in them. My team excelled at some games and struggled with others. Our best showing was at basketball setting a record. The wall climbing and having to hit colored blocks was hard. The laser room was quite strenuous having to climb under lights, run side to side and dodging lights. It was a very fun night.

We had about 1/2 hr in time left and the boys were behind by 6000 points. We ended the game and went to the front desk. The boys team were declared the Greatest Of All Time. We won by 3 points.

It was an exceptionally fun Christmas Eve event that everyone enjoyed. My team had everyone contributing well and planning each event that resulted in our success. We were age disadvantaged and perhaps color disadvantaged but where that was a factor we overcame it with stamina and, talent and effort.

We then picked up Daisy. Tor picked up Chinese food from Mighty Mango. That’s our go to Chinese place for at least 30 years or more. Another wonderful gesture and great meal.

Great food.

We decided to play 5 Crowns. I started off real strong but had a couple of bad rounds. Corey ended up winning with Penny coming in second. I think this was her first time playing and after the second round caught on to it too good, LOL

I like this game.

Jackie read a book to the boys which they loved. The Night Before Christmas.

The dogs had a blast playing together. The kids opened one present which is always fun to see how excited they get. And it builds the excitement for tomorrow.

Christmas Day has arrived.

We were up early and headed to the Waldies. The kids had just gotten up and the chaos began. Chaos is fun. Wrapping paper everywhere. One gift after another was opened. a let me tell you they were spoiled.

Victoria made a Lazy Housewife Casserole which was excellent for breakfast. Her first try at it and it was perfect and very tasty.

Then back to the condo to the food prep. Having pulled the turkey out and with only two days to thaw it was still froze inside. Cold water baths and pulled out the neck and giblets and set to cook. I figured due to the frozen bird we needed to add at least an hour to the cook time. Use digital thermometers to check the bird’s internal temperature. Otherwise, you may have a golden bird, but it could be raw inside if you attempt to cook it this way.

Jackie whipped and picked up Audrey and brought her to our place. When they came thru the door it was like a major Amazon delivery. Audrey brought so many gifts for everyone it was amazing. The wrapping alone had to take a huge time.

Full turkey meal complete with glazed honey & brown sugar carrots, sweet peas, kernel corn, mashed potato’s, pineapple marinated honey ham, dressing, gravy, buns, and salad. Plus add pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

It took exactly the time we thought for the turkey which was nice as we got everything done on time as we needed.

It is funny as every year things can change as you discover new ones do to things. Now for carving the turkey beside the extra resting we do we removes the whole complete breast and then cut into strips. This way everyone get a portion of the seasoned skin, it cuts easier and presents it self better. I have the dressing down pat now. Notice I say dressing as we do not do stuffing. It is concoction that I came up with a few years ago and have tweaked. I love poultry seasoning and lots of it in the dressing with celery, onions, bread crumbs, and two secrets.

Even the mashed potatoes time has changed the how. I now heat 50/50 cream, with garlic powder and butter in the microwave to add when we are mashing.

I also used boil the carrots in honey water with brown sugar but again now add the honey after they are cooked in the sugar water. Add lots of Thyme for looks, taste and health benefits.

If I have to say so myself the meal tasted awesome.

The kids played games, and opened more presents.

A nice family gathering.

A few random mixed up pictures.

It was a fun fantastic Christmas with lots of fun. We were very fortunate to have a games night and Chinese food bought for us. It is funny what stands out for a person. I have forever liked the Cosmo magazine, always use Lady Stick and never sweat or smell due to them and I love Terry’s oranges. I received all three. I had bought a Terry orange for Jackie’s sock and didn’t think to get myself one and then Audrey had one for me in her package.

Thought of the Day

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.

Dec 26th-28th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 0 degrees, Calgary 3 degrees, Mesa 19 degrees”

Actually slept in today not getting up until 9:15. Daisy and Jackie being real lazy stayed in bed until 9:30. How ? The windows were wide open and the traffic limited so it was nice.

Still full from yesterday but still had cups of coffee and cereal. Finished all of that they started to work on the fridge. We cleaned out the door of the fridge. I used black tape to keep it shut. Then, I got out towels to lay it down on. I prepared the tools that I was supposed to need.

First attempt and wouldn’t you know it. It was supposed to be a Philips screwdriver but turned out to be a nut screw. I have limited tools here and no nut driver set. Luckily, I found a small nut driver in a case I didn’t know I had. I used a pair of vise grips to remove the first screw. No power drills as they were all out at the lot.

Luckily I had the 3/8″ wrench and I removed the balance of the nut screws with it. Then lift off the door and set it down to work on it. The bottom pivot was completely broken off. Both the pivot and the stop were broken. More nut screws to remove to get at it. Got it all off then installed the new pivot and tightened it all up. The bottom door stop used Philip screws which made it easy. Got that all done.

Lifted the door, taped it shut and installed the top hinge screw nuts and it was done. Works like brand new and has a tight fridge seal.

While working on the fridge I thought I may as well clean the coils and compressor out. I removed the back panel and vacuumed it all out. There was not much dust because it was done not that long ago. I had changed out the plastic water line to a braided steel line then.

Pushed it back in and hopefully all done for another 10 years.

Turkey left overs as good tonight as when cooked. Love turkey dinners.

Watching the World Juniors hockey brings back some wonderful memories. Nice win tonight !

JELD-WEN sponsored the team and we were involved in all aspects. My customer that owned the Finishing Centre Dale Shudra was picked for a free trip to Sweden to see them play.

I went with two reps, Ken Reid and Dana Johnson, to their practice. We had an opportunity to have our picture taken with them.

I tease it was my short coaching career. 2nd from right second row

Going to the bar at 3 am in the morning to watch games with the Graces was fun.

I have all my days mixed up into as we have been busy.

We had a bit of shopping to get done then we headed Jeff & Wendy’s. Great to see them again as it has been awhile. Their life is a little chaotic right now. We played a new game called Cover your Assets, I laughed as Wendy being an accountant loves games with money involved.

We also were lucky they brought in Chinese food for us for supper. Awesome.

Later that evening we headed off to Jackson’s hockey tournament. We took Wendy with us and dropped her off in the north so she could pick up her car.

Jackson’s game was a good game with a poor result. Jackie and I did think the same as both teams were very lethargic. Turkey. The score was not indicative of the game but still a fun game to watch.

Up this morning and off to Audrey’s place for brunch with Sheldon and Kristin coming over. The brunch today was awesome. Egg salad sandwiches with the crust cut off ( I like the crust) sausage rolls and Caesar Salad. I loved the dressing as it was one of the best dressing’s I have had in a long time. Very good.

Alan & MaryAnn were there also so a nice visit.

Then off to Jackson’s tournament at a different arena this time.

Same story where the score wasn’t indicative of the game but this time Jackson’s team won 4-0. Jackson had 2 goals and played very well.

Watching Jackson this kid is identical to Jess & Tor when they were kids. They have the above average skill, excellent play knowledge and could be Division One players if they had the drive. That one short burst of energy, or the time where a long stretch of energy would result in more goals or a excellent play just seems not to happen. Jackson is deadly with his aim and shot. He has the play knowledge but needs that little more effort at times. Some of it is stamina but it is like that little spark is just missing that sets them apart from top tier players.

He received the Golden Stick for heart and hustle tonight and it was well deserved as he played very well and was the best on the ice.

I do know one thing. If I was the coach I would put a stop to the stick banging, door banging and bad attitude of the players. For a 14 yr old to believe it is necessary to bang your stick to show frustration is a learned behavior and in my opinion should be corrected right now. As I have said numerous times before people that have not learned to control their anger or emotions are weak minded. To have one player or person in group exhibit these qualities it can make the rest of team feel reserved or uncomfortable and may encourage others to imitate.

This type of behavior is never accepted in the workplace and should be disciplined and removed out of youth sports. Now it is different world ( I will say a much worse one with the “new”: idea on how to handle things) but it is not right.

It just seems to be ignored. Having said that for a coach at this level to argue and be upset with refs or linesman is just as bad and sets a horrible example for the players. It is youth sports, youth refs and linesman and volunteers in a lot of cases and trust me the win or loss of one game is not going to make a difference in your life what so ever but a player watching you maybe changed forever.

Canada loses to Latvia. Shocking one of the best teams losing to most likely the weakest team. The boys better smarten up.

Thought of the Day

Don’t become the old guy or woman predicting the weather with their knee pain.

December 30- 31st

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -9 degrees, Calgary -3 degrees, Mesa 22 degrees”

Up and out of the house and heading for Edmonton. Daisy was dropped off at Audrey’s place and then had to have Tim’s stop.

Dry roads and no traffic on the highway was nice. Now as any one knows a Jeep isn’t the smoothest ride or the most quiet ride but they are fun to drive. So I set the cruise at about 120 and wobbled along the highway. My wind deflector for my roof rack’s weatherstripping has worn out and so we experienced a rather loud noise with the shield hitting against the top of the Jeep. In Red Deer as the Jeep has a small tank we stopped for gas and i jammed a cleaning rag between the body and shield. Works perfect but about 1/2 between Red Deer and Edmonton it blew away. On this subject coming home I used another rag and a bungee strap and it worked like a charm. Peace and quiet the whole trip.

A very nice Christmas visit with the family. Alfred & Mary, Darlene & Jim, Mom and Jackie & I.

Just about 93 yrs old now Mom is still getting a little weaker and is having a more difficult time doing tasks. Having said she does have a lot of will to try to do things herself.

She is on the independent side but between the home staff and Darlene it is really care help.

As she has aged as happens with too many old people she is not liking to leave her room for visits, meals or events as much as she should.

We ordered supper from Mugginz which was excellent. The young lady I ordered from and picked up from was super with her service and friendliness. Fish & Chips , Cottage Pie and Pasta were the items and everyone said it was very good..

On the way home about Carstairs it started to snow and funny enough we woke up to about an inch or so on the ground this morning.

Jackson won silver in his hockey tournament which is wonderful. Kids always love the awards of success.

Every time we have a chance to catch up to the Oilers ( they lost) we end up losing and gaining no ground.

Thought of the Day