The Squamidian Report – Oct. 6 / 18
Issue #854
Including:
From Brenda
From Russ
From Lorne
The Ontarion
Hi All,
This past Tuesday was interesting, and a bit on the frenzied side too.
It started out fairly normal, the only issue being that we didn't do
our morning walk because it was a tad on the rainy side. I had made
arraignments to take the bike in to our local motorcycle mechanic to be
serviced. I used to do all my servicing myself but I'm getting a bit
old and a bit stiff to be laying on the garage floor to drain the oils
etc. We have a very competent Harley mechanic in town now that can do
it so much better and faster than I can. He had been the head mechanic
at one of the HD dealers in the city and had gotten fed up with the
'dealer' way of doing things. Being that he lives in Squamish, and had
recognized the pent up demand for a good service shop here, he decided
to set up a repair shop here and has never looked back. Riders now
bring their bikes up from the city to Squamish to have him do their
work rather than endure dealing with a dealer's service department.
Anyway, it was scheduled in for 9am so I bundled up, including rain
gear and rode the bike to his shop. Ironically, I some how managed to
not get rained on the whole way. 'The Wife' picked me up there and as
we headed to the gondola for our usual morning coffee, the rain kicked
back in, into high gear. The winds started picking up as well and the
only reason the gondola lift staff let us go up without waiting for
others to make up a full load, was because they know we are used
to how the wind can effect the lift and are used to it. Normally, when
its windy, they make customers wait until there are enough riders
available to make up a full load of 8 people in order to give enough
weight to counter the swaying effect of the wind. Personally, I kind of
like when the wind swings and sways the cabins, its fun.
Shortly after reaching the top, our usual friends turned up and we
enjoyed our coffee as we watched the storm's intensity increase. Now,
because 'The Wife' had an appointment in the city, booked for 1pm, we
had to head down a bit earlier than usual to give her time to drop me
back at the bike shop before she had to head into the city. Just as we
were about to head down, the storm became a thunder and lightning storm
(rare for around here). They can't run the lift when there is lightning
in the area as a strike while running would do a lot of damage to the
electronics. So, with the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder,
we were stuck up there. Half an hour later we were able to head down
but 'The Wife' had not brought the address for her appointment and
while there was time to head straight into the city from the gondola,
there wasn't time to go home and then head in because that would take
half an hour that she no longer had. However, we were riding down with
our friends and another couple and the woman in the other couple had
been to the same place a few days earlier and still had the address.
'The Wife' was able to head straight in from there and did in fact make
it to her appointment with a few minutes to spare. Our friends drove me
back to where the bike was waiting to be picked up so that worked out
as well.
I had the mechanic change the engine oil and filter, transmission oil,
and primary oil as well as the plugs. When he services a bike he also
checks over everything which is good. I also had him put a product
called 'Slime' into both my tires. I had picked up a screw in my brand
new rear tire a couple of weeks ago and luckily the screw had not
pierced all the way through but it must have been close. At the time I
had discussed this with the mechanic and he suggested that rather than
force a plug through the tire I should put 'Slime' in them. 'Slime' is
a sticky gooey green colored product that coats the inside of a tire
and will seal any small punctures that may happen. Its available at any
place that sells automotive stuff. Problem was, in order to get at the
tire valves on the angle needed to squirt the stuff in, the bike had to
be up on a lift, just like when the mechanic is doing the fluids, so I
had him put the slimy 'Slime' into my tires rather than me fighting
with it while laying on my back on the cold garage floor. Bottom line,
the bike was ready and waiting for me when I got there.
So was the raging storm. Just like up at the top of the gondola, it
wasn't just pouring rain, there was sleet and hail mixed in, rather
generously. If you've ever stood in front of a fire hose you know how
hard it was raining, sideways, as the wind was howling. We were having
a cold front go through that was letting us know who was boss. I had my
rain gear so away I went, its only about a 10 minute ride back up to
our place. Traffic on the highway was crawling along, water spraying up
from the standing puddles, visibility alarmingly low. It didn't take
long before I realized my gloves were not very water resistant. My
fingers became quite cold as the icy water soaked through. Then I
became aware that the seams on the crotch and butt of my worn out 10-yr
old leather riding pants were not exactly water proof either. When you
sit on a bike seat you tend to depress the seat padding, creating a
little bowl shape that fills with water quickly under those conditions.
I was getting soaked from the bottom up, my privates felt like they
were being packed in wet ice. The hail was bouncing loudly off my
helmet and face shield as I turned up our street. The driveway was
white with sleet and hail. The garage door opened when I clicked the
opener hanging from my jacket and in I rode. Water was running off of
me and the bike. I went in and put on dry pants. The rest of me was
fine.
I then got a text from 'The Wife' saying she had made it on time and
that out on the coast the weather was fine, she didn't have any of the
storm we were still enjoying up here at the top of Howe Sound. By the
time she got home the storm had long since moved out, heading north as
it went. Whistler ended up with several inches of snow in the village
as the storm's cold front passed by. The mountain passes got hammered,
and so on. Our local mountains all sport nice new shiny white coats and
on Wednesday morning the outdoor workers at the gondola were hammering
away at the ice and snow that was frozen to the decks. Our roofs here
in the valley were all white with frost but the frost didn't effect the
ground or low plants. However, we had a service appointment for the car
first thing Wednesday and when 'The Wife' headed down to that garage
for her oil change and tire rotation, I had to hunt up my ice scrapers
to clear the truck windows. The truck sits out by the street during
bike season and it got iced up big time.
Now the weathers back to normal, all the appointments are done with and
we can relax. There should be a fair bit more riding over the next
month but it will be on the cool side. Long range forecasts are calling
for mostly dry but way below normal temps. Thats ok, its easier to
dress for cool riding than it is to deal with overly hot weather
riding. I may have to avoid those high mountain passes and stick to the
valleys, but thats ok too. And by the way, I've now dumped the
over-flowing pail of water 3 times since our drought ended a month ago.
Thats well over a meter of rain. No wonder our streams and rivers look
nice and energetic.
doug
****
From Brenda
Here's another account of the Ottawa Tornado as written by a friend
from Kapuskasing days. I asked him if I could send it to a few others
and he agreed. Not too many of us in Ontario have ever had the
experience (nor would we want to) so I thought others wold appreciate
his account of the tornado and its aftermath.
The Chris St. Clair mentioned is a reporter for the Weather Network.
The writer is Paul Corscadden.
Use it if you have room.
Brenda in Kitchener
Editor's Note: I've uploaded Brenda's stories and pics to my web site
for easier viewing and management. Please follow this link for the
articles and pictures.
Please indulge me to side-track for a while. Rather than talk about
‘police training’ this time, I’m moved to express my thanks to God for
all the blessings He’s given me during my time here on Earth.
I’m thankful I didn’t pull the trigger when I held the gun to the kid’s head.
I’m thankful for the excellent training in the use of firearms I finally received.
I’m thankful I was given a “pass” by the examining doctor when I applied for employment with the City of Kitchener police Force.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to teach at the Ontario Police College.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to teach at Seneca College Law Enforcement Programme for 26 years.
I’m thankful for the comfort I’ve enjoyed for 26 years of retirement.
I’m thankful that I’ve been able to live, ‘full time’,
here in Point Clark for the past eight years.
I’m thankful for my ‘church family’ at St. Luke’s Anglican Church.
I’m thankful for my family and friends who drive me to all my appointments, since I no longer drive a car.
I’m thankful for my ‘Cub Cadet’ that I can drive on the gravel
side-roads here in ‘cottage country’(‘cause I don’t need a licence to
drive it)
I’m thankful I was born to a Christian family, and upon the best Country in the World.....CANADA!
And finally, I’m thankful to you > the readers of the great
Squamidian for your interest and kind words you’ve expressed over the
past.
Your “Thankful” old uncle Russ.
****
From Lorne
Sometimes the editor of this publication finds it hard to find
something to write about and when he does, he usually goes to the
subject of computers. Well, this time, I too will use my computer as a
'who cares' topic. Attempting to type a reply to one of my many
fans, the keyboard would not operate. No response no matter what I
tried. Being wireless and operating on batteries, My first thought was,
install new ones. But it quit suddenly, not like dying batteries do.
They sort of fade then come back several times until they finally give
up the ghost. I turned the computer off for the night, back on the next
morning and low and behold the key board was back on board and eager to
bring to you this exciting happening. First a reversing clock and now a
keyboard that has it's own agenda.
Lorne
****
THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
Well, it most certainly has turned fallish around our neck of the
woods! I cut the lawn today and on top of my favourite blue coveralls I
had to wear my red and black lumberjack shirt/jacket. You know the kind
I mean, those warm checkered jackets with the padded satin lining! Sure
did the job for me today! Although I warmed up after working outside
for an hour or so I would have been chilly for sure without the jacket.
I started my day by lowering our Canadian flag from the flagpole out
back. The pole was a gift to me from the Deputy Chief at Waterloo Fire
Department HQ when they replaced the flag pole with a new style pole. I
have a lot of memories regarding the old pole that was made by the WFD
resident mechanic many years before I joined the department. It
consists of a couple of 12 foot steel pipes about 2 ½ “ in diameter
that he welded together end to end to make the pole. I don’t know where
he got the metal ball that he welded to the top of the pole but it’s
stood the test of time for sure. The pole was the original one that
held the flag at the original fire station for the city of Waterloo on
Albert St behind the old Waterloo Farmers Market just off Erb St W.
When they built the new Head Quarters station on Weber St in the mid
60’s they moved the flagpole from Albert St to the front lawn of the
new station. There it stood until it was replaced by the new stainless
steel one that graces the same spot today. Due to the makeshift style
of the old pole, someone had to go out and hoist the flag every morning
and remove it every evening for the many years I was employed by WFD. I
had the honour of performing that task many times over the years. About
two years after I retired in 2002 I dropped in to the HQ station to see
how things were going and bumped into the Deputy Chief. He told me that
they had just had the flagpole replaced the day previous. I asked what
they were doing with the old one and he said it was lying out behind
the station on the edge of the parking lot. I asked if he’d sell it to
me and his reply was “If you would like to have it, you are welcome to
it, help yourself!” So I strapped it to the luggage rack on the roof of
our new Jeep and with about 8 feet of overhang on both front and back
of the Jeep I cautiously made my way across town to our present home
and planted the pole in our back garden beside the pond. There it has
had a place of honour ever since! If we ever move, it’s going to be
coming with us! The only way it won’t accompany us to our new home is
if we move to an apartment or condo! LOL!
After lowering the flag I decided it was a nice enough day to do some
outside winterizing of the rest of the yard etc. I usually leave the
closing of the pond until later in October but today just seemed like a
good day to do that. So, I set about disconnecting the filtration pump
and removing the hoses that supply the circulation of the water all
summer long. I coil the hoses up and secure them for storage in the
shed along with the pump. The filter is the type that is used on most
swimming pools so it is too large to store in the shed and has to stay
outside all year long. I drain the filter and place a plastic bag over
the top valve assembly to prevent animals from making winter nests in
the openings. With that done and all the hoses etc in the shed, it was
time to mow the lawn. Of course I spent a good hour cleaning out and
rearranging the contents of the shed so everything would fit inside for
the winter. Then off I went cutting the grass! I don’t know how many
more times I’ll have to cut the grass this year but I’m sure there will
be several more days of growth ahead of us! With all the snow that
Alberta is having we may just be in for an early winter here in Ontario
if the wind keep sending cold air this way! Yikes! I’m not looking
forward to winter this year, I’d just as soon it stay away until
December sometime and then get warm in January but of course that’s not
a possibility here in The Great White North! LOL! Guess I might as well
resign myself to getting the TORO Snow Blower ready for that first
blast of winter that’s sure to come before we expect it! I had the lawn
mower tuned up about two weeks ago so I might have known that would
bring winter on early! Just have to wait and see how soon it does rear
its ugly head! Maybe if I get the blower tuned up early winter won’t
show up until the New Year? Hahahahahaha… fat chance of that!
With both Carole and I working on packing the outdoor stuff away and
doing the lawn and pond winterization we managed to get a good start of
what happens each year at this time. If we get a couple more days of
good weather it will be finished before our usual time of late October.
Not much more to do really but it seems like a lot of work every fall!
With the permanent roof over the patio we at least can BBQ all year
round. There are no sides on the patio to close it in from the weather
but we still manage to use the area all winter long. I do have to
shovel the snow off the patio on heavy snow days but usually it’s not
all that bad. I hope this winter is a mild one but there’s no telling
what Mother Nature will throw at us is there?
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a mild one this year!
That’s about all I have for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next time in The Ontarion Report.
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend!
****
Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.
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