The
Squamidian Report – Feb. 25 / 12
Issue #509
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
I'd have much preferred flying with Westjet than on Air Canadal for several reasons. For starters, Westjet is more friendly, less uptight. Also, they fly right into Waterloo rather than Toronto. But, their flight schedule is not very nice, you get in late and fly back out even later which puts you (me) home in the middle of the night. And unfortunately, Westjet was way too expensive this time. So, I flew AC and landed at YYZ. The flight was right on time, I do have to admit to that. Kind of nice getting airborne on time and landing on time. It was one of those big planes that carry a zillion people and it was full. I had done the web check-in 24hr in advance and my seat assignment was a window over the wing. I like a window seat but the wings tend to block the view a bit. I changed my seat to one of the few window choices still available, a seat right at the back, and on the shady side of the plane. When ever you get a choice between left and right side, always think about the direction the flight will be going in so you know which side of the plane the sun will be shining in. At cruise altitude, the sun is very harsh and bright except at night of course. The flight was completely full except for one vacant seat, and that only vacant seat was the one beside me. I had the two rear-most seats to myself. That was good. The only downside was how long I had to wait to disembark, but that really didn't matter because I still had to wait 20 minutes for my luggage. Carol picked me up and that was it. I'm here, or there, depending on perspective.
One interesting fact about the flight, the outside air temp was -74, that's cold. Another was the lack of snow right across the country. Lots in the western mountains but none in Montana or North Dakota. It looked like a dusting over Wisconsin. All the lakes and rivers were frozen over including the upper Mississippi. So, it's cold enough to be February, just no snow.
Ok, now here is an interesting fact not about winter or snow... every time I've visited Ontario in the past, I've seen that their gas prices had been between 10 and 20 cents cheaper than those on the west coast. Well, this time the prices in the Kitchener area are the same as on the coast. Needless to say, our's didn't go down, Kitchener's went up.
Next thing, I went to the pancake dinner at my parent's church. I know, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all, but being nice has never been one of my strong points. They should have stayed with the pancake recipe that I used to use years ago, the one where you made them from scratch. Those were good pancakes. I guess for cost purposes, and ease of doing it, they have switched to store-bought pancake mix. It was just not the same, they were terrible. Oh well, I was able to chat with a few people that I used to know before I was able to leave.
The reason I wanted to leave was that the Tuesday evening was also the Kitchener chapter of CMC's meet & greet night and I wanted to attend that get-together. And I did. I met with a dozen 046 members at the restaurant they meet at and had a great time. We are all members of the same club, just different chapters. The evening was a lot of fun and very enjoyable.
On Wednesday evenings the 001 Cambridge chapter meets and attended that one as well. Their number is 001 because they are the first and founding chapter. Meeting place was the Old Marina Restaurant by Puslinch Lake. I had forgotten that lake even existed. Again, a nice evening meeting old friends that I had never met before.
Thursday I managed to hide from everyone and just do my own thing. I'm good at that.
On Friday, Al and I met with my good friend Brian who comes down from Port Elgin for the OHL hockey games. And that's about it, now you know as much about my visit to Ontario as I do. Today will be a small get-together for Vivyan's birthday celebration, but that hasn't happened yet so I can't include it in this issue. So, that's about it. If you get this, it means I was able to send it.
doug
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THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
Because
I have to get this to my editor before SaturdayÕs release I am writing it on
the 23 of Feb. Today was such a beautiful day considering weÕre nearing the end
of February but it looks like our spring-like weather is coming to an end! By
the time you are reading this youÕll probably all have been out for hours
shoveling or blowing snow thatÕs about to fall starting after midnight tonight.
Normally this time of year would not be a shocker if we were told by the
weatherman to expect up to 15cm of white stuff within the next 12 hours or so
but since weÕve been spoiled by a very mild and snowless winter so far, it
probably will be a bit of a shocker if not just disappointing! Of course IÕll
be in my glory tooting around in 4-wheel drive if not smilinÕ into the wind
from behind my snow blower in the morning. I have an appointment first thing in
the morning and I have some other things to do out and about but IÕm looking
forward to getting home when my running is done so I can blow my snow across
the street onto the neighbourÕs boulevard. Yes, my snow blower is that powerful that itÕll reach across
the street and itÕs also that accurate that I can place the snow pretty much
exactly where I want it to land. Of course, the wind is a factor in both
distance as well as accuracy but usually in the mornings around here there
isnÕt much wind. Anyway, itÕll be fun to try! The weatherman also said that
come Sunday, the temperatures will be back up to anywhere from 1 to 4 degrees c
above freezing for the better part of next week so the snow we do get wonÕt
last very long anyway! ThatÕs been the best part of this winter when we did get
some snow, the fact that if there was enough on the ground to take the blower
out, it was melted within a few days of it falling. IÕve only had the blower
out three times I believe so far this winter and that makes it all the more
fun. Of course, even with the little bit of snow we have had this winter season
the city plows and little sidewalk ŌJiggersĶ have still been busy most mornings
and some evenings and weekends puttering around our neighbourhood walkways and
roads plowing concrete and asphalt and spreading sand and salt in an effort to
deter ice from forming on the bare thoroughfares when the temp does drop to the
freezing point. It seems the city maintenance guys donÕt want to miss out on their
overtime just because there isnÕt much if any snow on the roads etc! That is
one thing that really galls me as IÕm sure you all remember me stating in
previous Ontarion Reports! IÕd love to have the money the city spends on fuel
for this unnecessary scraping of the streets and walkways let alone the cash
paid to the drivers for wasting our tax dollars on snowless days! IÕm sure
theyÕre just out using up the works departmentÕs budget funds so the council
doesnÕt short change their allotment for next winter! Heaven forbid they end
the snow season with a surplus of funds in the budget! No wonder our taxes are
so flippinÕ high! Oh well, I just hope that when tomorrows ŌBigĶ snowfall
occurs, they have enough money left for the fuel needed to plow when it is necessary!
LOL!
IÕll be sure to comment on stuff like this again, at least it gives me
something to talk about in my weekly report!
ThatÕs it for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and IÕll look forward to talking to you all again
next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for nowÉ Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
I hope you all enjoy celebrating VivyanÕs Birthday with her
Tonight!
Happy Birthday to you Vivyan and may you have many more! By the way,
congratulations on passing your driverÕs license once again! Drive carefully!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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