Online Versions Of This And Past Issues
(Choose the year and then the date for the online issue you want)

Issue #1066
Including:

From Nova Scotia Sus

From Russ

The Ontarion

Hey There,

Well, that record breaking on-going heat and drought we endured finally came to an end. It ended so fast you’d think someone threw a switch somewhere. Snap, click and suddenly its late fall and feels like late fall, and trying hard to make up for all the rain we didn’t have. The Harley is now put away, but not just because of the time of year and change in the weather. The following should explain whats happening….

Ok kids, we’ve got a little issue that we need a volunteer to help out with. If you all would like a Squamidian next weekend, that being the November 5^th Squid, well, I need someone to step up and put it together and send it out. Because, I don’t think I’ll be able to hobble up the stairs to my computer desk to do it myself. The reason is, after waiting for several YEARS, I finally got the call. My hip replacement surgery is suddenly a GO. It happens on Nov. 3^rd. Yes, next Thursday. The intent is that it will be ‘day surgery’, meaning that I’ll come home that evening, assuming all goes well. It could end up being an over nighter but we won’t know that until then. Bottom line is, I’m both apprehensive and excited at the same time. Like I said, I’ve been waiting, in a lot of pain, for several years now and this is very good news for me. Just imagine, walking or sitting or laying in bed or standing or getting out of a chair or doing any and everything pain free. Wow. So, like I said, I won’t be able to do the Squid for the 5^th, but should be able to by the next week, once I’ve mastered doing stairs on crutches. If one of you could step up, that would be great. Otherwise, we will all have to do without for a week, hopefully not longer than that, or at least until I can get to my computer.

While I should be able to walk around the house right from the beginning (using a walker or crutches) and in fact am supposed to walk etc, my computer is on the top floor meaning another flight of steps. And, apparently some precautions will be needed regarding sitting because of the angle sitting puts on the hip joint so sitting at the computer may be another issue to work out. Thing is, this is all new to me. Its a very successful procedure these day, I’m basically in good health (more or less at least I think I am). It’s just all new territory for me so I can’t make any promises regarding doing the Squid for the Nov 5^th issue.

This whole thing is requiring quite a bit of pre planning. Things like new X-rays, lab tests, preparing the house for post surgery procedures and so on. All this prep and these pre surgery appointments have proven to be very frustrating to the point of driving us nut. The system is so broken that getting anything done is almost impossible, with lab requisitions not turning up, appointments that were supposed to be ‘just walk in’ turning out to require a booked appointment that can’t be booked in the short amount of time before the surgery date, and on and on. And, sadly, putting the Harley away. From what I understand, it could be 3 months before I can ride it again and by then we’ll be almost done with winter and riding season will be just a few weeks away. So, the bike is tucked away along the back wall of the garage, plugged in to a battery tender and covered with its cover. Thats always a sad yearly ritual I have to go through every year around this time. But just think how great it will feel when I climb back onto the bike next spring without having to nurse my leg over and get my right foot planted onto the foot peg. Certainly something to look forward to.

Just to satisfy our weekly need for musical entertainment, I’ve done another little video, this time of an old Ian Tyson song (from the early Ian & Sylvia days) called ‘Four Rode By’. This song is about the notorious 3 McClain Boys and that wild Alex Hair. Back in about 1880–ish these young guys went on a crime spree in central BC, thieving and killing as they went. They were eventually caught and brought to justice, and hanged for their lawless deeds.

Four Rode By

(my video)

doug

****

From Nova Scotia Sus

With Halloween coming we thought maybe it was time to meet our new neighbour's down the road. We had heard they have 3 kids. It's been a long time since any trick or treaters came to our door and every year we prepare for them only to sit and wait for no one. The village of Scotsburn is where they go. You can't blame them with so many doors to collect their treats. And the parents don't have to struggle getting the kids in and out of their cars. Also meeting their friends in the crowd. So to compete with all that we give out large treats such as full bags of potato chips and large pop. It used to work somewhat years ago but all the kids grew up on our road and moved away. Now with this new influx of people moving here from other provinces we might have a chance.

So back to meeting the newest neighbours we found out they are from Kitchener and were drawn to the quietness of a rural setting. Things are looking up for Halloween! I'm not sure how quiet they are finding it since Fiona came by as the chain saws have been going steadily around here.

Sus

****

Sorry folks, no uncle Russ column this week.

****

The Ontarion

Hello everyone!

Some people think that many Fire fighters don’t have much on the ball but this past election disproved that thought! One of my former crew members just got himself elected to be Mayor of South Bruce area of southern Ontario! His name is Gary Michi and he used to also be an employee of the city of Kitchener before becoming a Waterloo Firefighter! He was a gas fitter for Kitchener when working for that city! He’s got a lot on the ball and to think that he was a team member of mine and once told me that he attributed his ambition and knowledge to having worked under my supervision! I’ll have to remind him that he said that if I ever see him again! LOL!

Maybe there are a few other political wannabe’s that I could take under my wing or maybe I should even run for office next time there’s an election if I’m still around? LOL!

If I’m not mistaken, there’s soon to be an opening for Prime Minister! You never know do you! Hahahahaaa….

Maybe I’ll just stick to looking after my own domain! Speaking of which, I think our two trees out front of the house are sprouting more and more leaves every year! I’ve taken my gas powered blower to the leaves on the front lawn about 6 times this year so far and it seems there are more of them every time I do that job! Today was the 6th time I’ve cleared them off and today there was about a foot of them on the lawn again! I keep blowing them onto the roadside for the city sucker to suck up but they don’t seem to be coming around our area like the road signs say! The big yellow and white signs that they posted on the edge of the road surrounding our neighbourhood direct us to place the leaves at the roadside for pick up by the city trucks but they don’t seem to be doing that this year! I guess we’ll have to resort to burning them again like we did in the 60’s! I used to love this time of year and the smell of the burning leaves along the road sides! I guess someone in their infinite wisdom as a city councillor over the years decided that doing so was a fire hazard so they put a stop to all the leaf burning many year’s ago! The city of Kitchener seems to care less and less about doing things in an expedient manner! The city hired Bell to install new cable services in our sub division and they started that project back in May and they are still at it! It seems to take longer and longer each time any of the services in the city need replacing or repairing! The old comments about the lack of initiative of city workers are true! So often there is one person digging and three others standing leaning on their shovels watching him! It doesn’t have to be “City workers either!” If it’s any work being done on city streets it takes twice as long as if the work is being done for a private company! I know that Bell is likely spearheading this cable project and not the city but one would think that the city would be urging them to get this project finished before winter sets in, wouldn’t you?

Oh well, I guess there’s no heavy over seeing by the city on some of these projects so the company doing the work just takes their sweet time!

I guess that’s enough from “Greg’s soap box” for this week folks!

Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!

Bye for now …. Greg

****

Take Care
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.