The Squamidian Report – Oct. 23 / 10
Issue #439
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
The 2010 riding season is coming to an end. It’s not over yet but the writing is on the wall. Our rides are getting further apart and becoming fairly short in length. I’ve only been out 3 times this week and none of those rides were very much over 100 kilometers. The rainy periods are lasting longer and when they clear out the sunny bright days are a bit cooler than the last time. We have had some glorious days but if we are still out when the sun goes down we need the heated vests for staying warm on the way home. But it’s sure is nice riding under a full moon with Jupiter and all those stars filling the sky.
Ryan’s Sportster and the Virago spent the summer over at his place but they have now been brought over here and parked in our garage. That way they stay warm and dry but are still available for some late season riding when the opportunity arises.
We did manage to do a nice afternoon ride down to Horseshoe Bay on Thursday. Our excuse was we wanted a hot chocolate and that seemed to be good choice for obtaining said beverage. The wife had the camera in her jacket pocket and decided to snap some shots as we rode along Howe Sound. The sky and the water were both the same incredible shade of blue, the sun was reflection off the water and the mountain islands made a nice backdrop. Posted 4 pictures at:
http://www.thedougsite.net/10-Rides/Afternoonride.htm
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There have been no further episodes of BBQ mouse although Willow the dog has not given up. She has it locked rigidly in her brain that just after sundown is ‘hunting season’. She is determined to get out onto the deck and into the back yard in hopes of repeating her hunting triumph. She is so determined that when we won’t let her out, she checks out the windows to see if there are any alternative exit routes for her. She even checks out the skylights. I have visions of coming home sometime and finding her on the roof. Aside from her fixation with small furry creatures she is very well behaved, especially given that she spent her first couple of years chained to a tree in some lowlife’s back yard and then her 3rd year living in a kennel at the pound. She is even learning to play with other dogs. She comes across a bit pushy and tends to play like a bulldozer but for the most part the other dogs on our street are now her friends.
Because of her background and breed, many of the people on our street were a bit leery or even out right afraid of her. Some seemed a bit upset that we would bring a Pit home to a residential neighbourhood but as they have gotten to know her they have relaxed. Where they had been ‘afraid’ for their kids they now see her as loving and gentle. She is now just another dog on the street. We don’t let her run free and unsupervised like some of her friends get to do but when we are outside she is permitted to have some fun, run and play and enjoy being a dog.
doug
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THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
It’s that time once again and as I look out the window of our office and watch the snowflakes drift by I can’t help but wonder if I’ll be blowing snow in the morning! I sincerely hope not! The flakes seem to be tiny and wet so it’s likely they’ll be melting as they hit the ground. With this in mind I’m looking forward to the weekend that Dave MacDonald tells us will be warmer and sunny. Dave is seldom wrong or so he tells us and that’s good enough for me! After all, who am I to question the man that picked my name in a contest 13 years ago and awarded Carole and I a lovely trip to the Dominical Republic for our 25th wedding anniversary? Dave’s been our favourite weatherman ever since. LOL! Besides, I’m ready for winter whenever it gets here. I spent the last few days packing away all the summer yard stuff and to make room for that “stuff” in the shed I had to place the snow blower on the patio temporarily. I have a good cover for it so it’s not being subjected to any inclement weather such as sunshine while it waits for it’s parking place in the garage for the winter. The garage is stuffed with our MGB and my motorcycle as well as Adams Yamaha and tons of furniture and other belongings of Adams while we finish redecorating and doing some renovating on the house he purchased back in June.
We figured he might as well leave all of his belongings here and continue to live here while he works on his new house. It’s a beautiful two-story home with a large double garage on a big lot about ten minutes from here. He’s been looking for a house for about five years and finally found this beauty back in the spring. It was built in 1973 and of course needed some esthetic updating. He’s done a lot of work just redoing the interior of the house to suit his tastes. We’ve been helping with the actual labour of painting etc. He’s lucky he’s able to live somewhere else while doing all this work. At least this way he doesn’t have to be working over and around rooms filled with furniture in the process. It’s taken a few months but it’s been worth it. The makeover is almost complete and then he’ll be able to make the move. We of course are happy for him but are also looking forward to the day when he has the house completed. It’ll be a first for both Adam and for Carole and I to have our homes to ourselves. I’m sure it’ll be strange for Adam to live on his own for the first while but he’s very happy to finally have found a home in which to invest his hard earned money. It’ll be interesting to watch as he cooks and cleans and does his own laundry etc. He’s already been cutting the grass since June so he’s got a handle on the yard work ok. I guess he’ll have to invest in a snow blower as well since the new place has a good-sized drive and walkway to keep clear of snow this winter.
It’s going to be very different to say the least to have our place to the two of us for the first time in 34 years. 1976 was the last time Carole and I were alone in our house and we’ve forgotten what it was like! LOL! When I retired, the laundry load lessened a little with the end of my contributing all my uniform clothing to the daily load. However with Adam being in the electrical trade, he’s a large “generator” (pun intended) of dirty clothing with some of the construction sites he works in every day. Carole is really looking forward to not having to do laundry almost every day as she has done for many years. I told her that if she wants, I’ll switch from soiling my underwear to wearing “Depends” if it’ll make her feel any better and she can just toss them in the garbage every day! LOL! We should have a lot less laundry when Adam is on his own. I have for a long time worn a pair of bright blue coveralls whenever I do any yard work or renovating etc around the house. This saves dirtying my normal clothes thus lowering the amount of dirty clothing in the wash as well. The coveralls are tacky and I’ve been accused of being a runaway prisoner by my neighbours when they see me out doing the lawn and looking like an escaped chain gang member out of one of those southern states prison movies. I’ve often been tempted to have a tee shirt company print a prison number on them for me just for laughs. Maybe when these get ripped up enough I’ll have that done on my next pair. Of course I’ll have to pick up a pair of bright orange ones to make it look more authentic. Makes me think back to such movies as “Cool Hand Luke” and the Buford Pusser movies with Jackie Gleeson in them as the Sherriff. Anyway, back to the point, I’m doing my best to make the laundry load less of a hassle for Carole. Between Adam’s new residential move and my work clothes consideration, laundry time should be less work for Carole I hope!
Once Adam has finally moved in to his house, I’ll have my garage back not to mention 2/3 of the rest of the house will be opened up as new usable space for Carole and I to rearrange things and make it seem more spacious. I’m sure we won’t know how to fill all that extra square footage …. Or will we?
Guess we’ll just have to wait and see! It won’t be much longer now. I’ll keep you posted as to the progress!
That’s it 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.
PS: Something To Think About>
Remember the cardiologists diet: If it tastes good, spit it out!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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