I’m sorry about not having any time to write to you all, but it has been busy. I’ll be in Halifax so stay tuned for some pics and stories when I get back.
I’m very glad I have the unlimited browsing on my cell phone since I can use it in Halifax…I’ll be able to keep up with the news. I could blog from my phone but I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to look into that.
I would like to give everyone a head’s up that my name day/onomastico is coming up: Diana of Andalò of Bologna feast day is on June 10. Mark it on your calendars. Some websites claim it is on June 8 or June 9 so if you prefer one of those three days over the others, just go right ahead and celebrate it on your preferred day.
I hope you’re having a great long weekend. There is so much to do. Have fun!
If you want to build your own virtual kaleidoscope visit this nifty page.
Today is Mother’s day: A special day set aside to give your mother extra thanks for all she does for you and to show respect and honour for all motherhood (including being a loving mother towards pets). Today is also Eat What You Want Day. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know about this…this is the first time I have heard of this. I think it is great that the two occur on the same date this year…because that means that children can and should give their mothers all the best foods in the world and mothers can induldge in the delectables with absolute abandon. For me, today’s pièce de résistance (or non resistance) is chocolate with peperoncino. Oh it is sooooo good. This is chocolate that must be eaten very slowly…just let it rest on the tongue and let the warmth of your mouth slowly melt the chocolate until it totally coats the tongue with its silky smoothness and you can fell the peperoncino infusing your mouth and throat with heat.
The chocolate I’m eating is Aiello Ciocolady.
Have a great one!
xox
Why does my cellphone get such good reception in the underground PATH downtown, but not in the subway?
Telus, Rogers and Bell have installed a special network of antennas throughout the city’s downtown underground network. The underground system uses small ceiling-mounted antennas every 150 metres or so. The TTC hasn’t installed antennas on their system yet. But now that Washington and Montreal subway stations have installed the mini-antennas on their systems, it looks like the TTC will follow suit. We may be able to chat while waiting on the subway platforms.
Is writing on money illegal?
Contrary to popular belief, defacing currency is not illegal in Canada. The law states that scratching, marking or otherwise defacing coins such that it is unrecognizable, is illegal. So it is okay to save money by not buying a gift card and just write the message right on the bank note. For example on Pumpkin’s birthday I give her $20 and on the bill I write the following: To Pumpkin with love. Buy yourself some kibbles. Love mommy.
If you don’t have a thermometer handy, can you still tell what is the temperature?
Yes you can! Use cricket chirps to calculate the temperature in celsius. Here’s how: count the number of chirps in 25 seconds. Divide by 3. Add 4.
Today I would like to share with you an e-mail sent to me by my sister who lives out in the country side. I think it is a lovely description of the country flavour and a wonderful contrast to my morning experience.
Good morning Dee!
This morning my lawn is the the “wash cycle” and the last of the sand-speckled snow is vanishing in the rain. The birds are loving this wetness and are singing away, so lovely and relaxing. I wish I could cuddle up in bed with my coffee and listen to Spring unfold outdoors. Unfortunately I have 2 houses to clean today so I better get my ass moving. The good thing is both these places are waterfront so I can glimpse at the river that is now open and just full of waterfowl. Already everyone is staking claim to nesting sites and so there are plenty of arguments and commotion. Meanwhile 4 turkey vultures are gliding into my view along the river bed. Amazing how they barely move a wing to maintain flight. Mind you they have a 6-foot wing span to carry their 26-inch body.
Yesterday afternoon John and I went for a walk in Emily park and on the way home saw a large snapping turtle trying to cross the busy road to lay her eggs on the other side. So I sent John home to get my welding gloves and I stayed with the Mrs., so that she would be safe. On his return I carried her to safety as she fought me..and it was a good strong powerful fight. It is difficult to hold onto the 8 and 4 o’clock position because the most weight of the turtle is in the front. But I prefer to keep fingers away from her powerful jaws.
Off I go to get ready for work. Hope you have a good weekend Dee, at least Sunday will be an outdoorsy kind of day.
M
My Tammy has a bit of a belly on her and is considered a little over weight by her vet (obese was the nasty word he choose to use). So I try to get her to exercise but it can be hard work and I generally get more exercise out of it than she does. My vet gets frustrated with me and insinuates that I am not really trying so I created this video to prove that she won’t get out of her bed to fight the tickler. Oh, she’ll take a swipe at it if it comes within clawing distance but she won’t get out of bed to chase it down. Well, the upside of it is that she is toning her arms and is getting a bit of upper body workout. But the effort involved for me…well I guess it keeps me trim 
Snow can be beautiful to look at, particularly when you are inside somewhere cozy and warm and are looking out the window and the snow drifts. But in general it is a nuisance: It takes longer to get ready for work, the unevenness of the snow covered sidewalks hurts my toe, it is messy (especially when vehicles speed through puddles, spraying dirty slush on innocent pedestrians), the coldness is uncomfortable, it causes traffic issues and thereby extending my already very long commute to work, and it does not lend very well to my sitting outside and enjoying a zen-like frame of mind.
However, there are some pleasures to be had by a fresh scattering of snow, and since we have had much snow over the past week, I had the chance to enjoy that pleasure every day. Since I take the same route to work five days a week, I find I get bored with the scenery and have stopped looking out the window on my daily trek. We have had 30cm (1ft) accumulation, of snow and that has dramatically changes the landscape. Where once there was a brown patch of grass on front lawns, there is now a white patch of crystalline snow that is ready for the creation of snow angels, snow men, or snow cats. Where there was once a porch surrounded by empty flower pots, there is now an enchanted type of garden with flower pots sprouting fluffy ice cream balls. Where once cars were parked close to the curb, mini-ski hills have taken hold and now the cars must park near the middle of the road. Where once there were plain black shingles covering the roofs of houses, there is now sparkling white blanket covering the house from side to side with icicles glistening along the eaves to complete the fairy-tale look. Even the ugliest chain fence was made pretty with little triangular piles of snow nestled in the bottom of the diamond shape. The transformation did not end with inanimate objects - even people had snowflake decorations in their hair which melted to white diamonds as the entered the warm bus. So, I am happy to say that the snowfall has redecorated the city, making it once again an interesting and lovely place to look at, even though I have seen it countless times before.
I had a fabulous weekend … I went to a fondue party (YUM!) and I went to hear the Richard Whiteman Trio (Awesome!). I am too busy (and tired) to tell you about them right now…but stay tuned as regularly scheduled programming will resume shortly (I hope).
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