Shopping, shopping, shopping
Now that spring has arrived, I venture outside more often. For those who are saying “but Tim, spring arrived on March 21″, to which I say, no, no it did not. We had 7 months of winter, which Old Man Winter owes us some payback. So this year, I expect summer to last until the end of November. Anyway, now that spring is here, I’ve taken to going out and buying a few things I need and a few things I want. Like new jacket and shorts. I wanted cargo pants, but there weren’t any at the local store, so I had to forego those. But buying a new jacket made me realize I have about two dozen jackets in my closet. Maybe it’s time to give some of those jackets to good will. Thankfully this is a long weekend and I can have some time going through clothes and sorting them out and getting rid of stuff I don’t want (like the shorts that have lost the top button or the shirt that lost the bottom three) and taking them to good will. Like that old GX94 jacket of mine that I’ve (literally) had since 1988.
The jacket I had tagged with GX-94, a radio station in Yorkton, Sask I used to work at.
It might be best, if buy this jacket second hand, that you get a job as an evening announcer.
…and maybe change your name to Tim Stewart.
I also went browsing through the DVD racks to see if there was anything cheap to pick up. Which there was, but nothing I’d buy. Lots of crap movies and a ton of really old stuff that I had no interest in. There was even lots of MMA, WWE and boxing DVDs. What got me, though, was the world championship poker DVDs that I saw. Really? That’s worthy of a DVD? See, I can understand the others, hell, I can even understand curling. But poker is like watching televised chess. Great game, but boring to watch. Same with poker. Same with golf, for that matter. Baseball is slightly better. It’d be something I’d rather see live.
Needless to say, I did not walk out with any DVDs that were in there.
I do, however, have a new jacket.
The end is ….
The month of March saw the highest snowfall for Saskatchewan, more than the rest of the winter. Last week’s storm brought in so much, when Highways were cleared it was almost like driving through a tunnel thanks to the height of the snow pushed to the sides of the road, much like this on Highway 45 north to Delisle. (photo by Derek Ruttle, front page of the March 28 issue of the Outlook weekly newspaper)
Are we at the end? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? I’d like to say yes, I really would, because as I write this, the temperature sits at a balmy -3 Celsius. I say balmy, because that’s at least warmer than the -20s we’ve been having for the past couple of weeks.
What I worry about now is that as the snow melts, and the temperature rises, how much flooding we’ll have. Record snowfall amounts across the province (Regina with over 200 centimetres of snow) means there will be that much water that goes into the ground. It’s good to have snow because that means it’ll seep into the ground in spring which is good for moisture. Which means we’ll have a decent farming season. It also means a good deal will evaporate and later come down as rain. The worry now is flooding.
We’re normally a hot, dry province during the summer, and we don’t experience as much flooding as would be seen in Manitoba. But we’ll have to prepare for it now. Many have been getting their insurance ready for the inevitable, because there’s a fear a lot of basements are going to become ruined thanks to the snow. You have to remember, when snow melts it doesn’t just go into the ground and everything is fine. It drains into whatever area is accessible at the time, and basements are prime for that.
This also means for a while we’ll be up to our necks in mud.
The spring time weather and warmer temperatures, combined with the budding of the trees, that I like. The oncoming tidal wave that will hit thanks to the record snowfall amounts… let’s just say I’m glad I live in a second storey apartment.
When will it end?
Snow: This stuff is evil.
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland
Really? It sure doesn’t feel like that lately. What with the piles of snow all over the place. I understand Regina has broken their 50 year old snow fall record, and Environment Canada says that we in Saskatchewan have had more snow in March than we have had all winter long. So much for that carrot that was dangled with a promise of plus temperatures, which would have meant melting snow. According to the forecast, today is supposed to be a high of -6 Celsius. Which I guess is fine considering it’s currently -15 Celsius. And it’s all the same for the rest of the week, though the seven day forecast is promising something closer to 0 early next week.
Still, I’m done, I am so done with winter, especially this one, not to say what I think about future winters. I cringe when I hear people talk about going snowmobiling. While they do that, I’d rather be some place warm, not looking at white stuff on the ground. I much prefer spring and summer, even autumn. I can do without the messiness of spring with all of the mud, but at least I have some reassurance that warm weather is coming.
It’s funny, because winter usually only lasts from about early to mid November until mid March. Usually. Sometimes we get an early snowfall in October, and then we have to plan costumes at Halloween that fit under snow suits. And quite often spring doesn’t actually get here until early April, which means that rubber boots have to be kept in storage because it’s too cold to wear them.
I do long for spring, I can’t wait until the trees start budding and the grass begins to grow. It’s my favourite time of year, because it’s a sign of hope. Hope that this cold will go away and the warmth of summer is not far behind. The lengthened days and ability to go outside without having to pack a small ruck sack in order to brave the elements. It’s not just the lengthened days, because the days are getting longer, the sun does get up earlier. But right now, when the sun gets up, it’s only a bitter reminder that there’s still a lot of snow on the ground.
I just wonder when it will all end, and hope that it’s very soon.
Done! So done with this!
Hope Springs Eternal
I talk about the weather a lot, I know. It may come from my old days as a broadcast journalist (fancy title for “I used to work in a radio station newsroom” and before that “I used to be a disc jockey”). One thing we always draw ourselves toward is one of two comments:
- It’s a nice day out today
- It’s awfully miserable today
Our mood seems to be fixated on those two points about the day. Now, for each person a nice day might mean a really awful day for someone else. I personally hate snow, but like hoarfrost, whereas someone else may love snow (i’m look at you, you goddamned snowmobile enthusiasts) and enjoy frolicking in it.
By now, we’ve all come to that time of year when anticipation is highest; most of us, myself included, have had it up to here with the snow and cold and we’re all just thinking “get on with it already”. We are, after all, only three weeks away from the first official day of spring. At least in most parts of the world. Now we simply need to sit back and let Jack Frost and Old Man Winter out the door and usher in spring to dance her way around the place and pretty it all up (you know, because Jack and the Old Man have a nasty habit of making a mess of things).
Spring is like this awesome super lady who will come in, make things nice, and eventually give way to Summer. Even Autumn’s not that bad, with the exception that Jack Frost and Old Man Winter aren’t too far away to make an absolute mess of things.
To be honest, I haven’t just recently been getting tired of winter. Oh sure, I like the sight of a crisp winter morning, taking pictures of hoarfrost and sunrises, but there’s that gloom that comes with waking up on a winter morning. It’s dark, really dark. The sun is at least an hour or two away from getting up by the time I get out of bed. Which is usually around 5:30 am. Never used to be that way, me waking up at such an hour, but that’s a story for a different time.
Now, I long for spring, and that saying of hope springs eternal. Well, I just wish it were a hopefully eternal spring.
The last vestiges of light
I awoke this morning at 5:00 am like I usually do, but this morning I awoke with a sudden realization. The darkness.
It was cloudy out, so that contributed to it. It had been raining when I got home and had been cloudy most of the day. Most mornings when it’s cloudy it’s at least a little light out as well. This, however, is September 1st, with only three weeks of summer left. We’ve had a pretty good run, with some very warm days.
The first indication that summer is slowly creeping away is the darkness. Summer always means, for me at least, very early sunrises. It makes it so much easier to crawl out of bed. Not so much during the darkness of winter.
There is one solace, though. Autumn has some of the most beautiful colours around here. There’s also a plus that this fall is predicted to be a warm one. Which we haven’t had in a while. The past few years it’s always gone from sort of warm during summer to crisp and cool into fall, then straight into extreme cold.
Maybe this year we can get gradual cold with it never hitting extremity freezing temperatures.
I’ll miss the sun in the morning, but I’m safe in the knowledge that it won’t be gone forever. Just another few more months and we’ll be back into spring. There’s a lot to do between now and then after all.
YouTube – Writing and Gardening
YouTube – Writing and Gardening.
Hey, look!
It’s me in my pink hat!
Which doesn’t fit…
Trade Show Weekend
I was going to write about this on Sunday, but a case of the lazies came over me, so bad that I didn’t decide to do this until today (actually, yesterday I was quite busy at work and had a couple of other things to blog about).
This past weekend was trade show weekend in Outlook. The Fourth Annual Outlook & District Chamber of Commerce Trade Show to be exact. 96 booths were featured with businesses throughout the area and even some from Saskatoon came out to show off and describe everything from products to safety (as was seen at the RCMP roll over demonstration). There was even a chance to get a glimpse of two members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders as Marcus Adams and Darian Durant made an appearance in the afternoon.
Of the three trade shows I’ve attended (I missed out on last year’s) this has got to be the best attended one so far. There were a great number of spectators and everyone at their booths mentioned how this was better than last year. And naturally, most everyone was sporting some form of Rider apparel (myself included). As has been said in the past, a picture can speak a thousand words, so without further ado, here’s a sampling of this past weekend.
Marcus Adams and Darian Durant make it to the trade show. Durant, in his first full year with the Riders as starting quarterback, lead the Riders to a first place finish and a berth into the Grey Cup. Adams helped anchor one of the best defenses in the Canadian Football League last year.
The crowd gathers as the arrival of the Riders is anticipated. People could sign the.. well, sign displayed at the back which boldly states Rider Nation.
Almost one hundred booths had different products available. From farm equipment to clothing to furniture to food. This year's trade show had a lot to offer everyone, including the kids, as there was a pony ride and a bouncy house.
The RCMP had their roll over demonstration and a small demonstration with an available police dog.
Saskatchewan Alley Cat Allies made their third appearance to the trade show, this year adopting out a cat. The organization rescues abandoned cats, gives them medical attention and finds homes for them. Sask Alley Cat Allies only had to put down 5% of the cats they rescued last year, compared to 75% by the SPCA. All cats rescued by Sask Alley Cat Allies received treatments and are spayed and nutered. And yes, that's an iguana sitting under the sun lamp.
This is the place I got my new Rider jacket. I needed a new spring/summer jacket anyway, and got it here at the trade show. Tried on the Friday before, but almost all of their Rider gear had been packed away to travel over to the Jim Kook Recreation Complex for the day of the show.
A crowd gathers around another of the attractions, a silent auction. In this same area was where the antique appraiser Vern Reese came to give his expert opinion on items that everyone could bring in for appraisal.
And that’s another successful trade show. Until next year (for the show, at least)…
…keep ‘em flyin’!
The weather has turned to crap
Three weeks ago we had a great day with a high of 10 Celsius. Last weekend, the temperature soared to 19, shorts and T-shirt weather. Then yesterday, old man winter decided he hadn’t said good-bye to us all properly.
Friday mornings are the mornings I get up really early and head into work really early. I get the paper ready for delivery and set off to haul everything to the post office. Next week we’ve got an insert and it’s also the day everyone in Outlook gets a paper for free. Getting up yesterday was easy, especially when the wind outside was howling. The constant whistling dragged me from my bed. Low and behold, the wind was somewhere around 50 kilometers per hour gusting to 70 kilometers per hour. Add snow and blowing snow to the equation and yesterday was a pretty crappy day indeed.
But that was not the worst of it.
On my drive to work, I had to drive around a large spruce tree that had fallen into the middle of the street, thanks to the strong wind that had snapped it fifteen feet up. I only managed to get a picture after it had been cleaned up. Normally I don’t take my laptop and camera to work on Friday. That may change now. Later in the afternoon, however, there was a spruce tree that toppled over. Or at least snapped in two. The upper part of the spruce tree in front of the apartment across the street from me had the top ten to fifteen feet break off in the wind. The tree that stands right beside it was fine, however, even though it looked like it would break off right near the base. The needles and branches weren’t nearly as thick as the other spruce, which may have been the reason why it didn’t break.
As the day progressed, the temperature did get warmer, and while I know that 5 or 6 Celsius is not T-shirt and shorts weather, it was warm enough to begin melting the snow. Which began to turn to slush and sleet. Driving conditions were horrid, combining the wet, mucky streets with the poor visibility. Add a great deal of tree debris on the roads and you had a recipe for a few accidents. There were some. I was informed of accidents just outside of Rosetown. One involved a milk truck that missed a turn and went into the ditch. Glad I wasn’t driving yesterday.
Speaking of driving, I uploaded this video on Youtube. The maximum speed I was driving yesterday was about 10 kilometers per hour. You can also see the strength of the wind.
Oh, and today it’s snowing again. So the photos I promised three weeks ago that would compare how the buds and trees that were coming along had progressed… not happening. I’ll try it again next weekend. Just hope that old man winter doesn’t stick around during all next week.
Until next time…
…keep ‘em flyin’!
Oh snap season highjack
First off lemme point and laugh at Tim because I can and because I’m such and awesome friend. I got better weather…kinda.
Outside my apartment, the sun is usually shining, birds singing and pollen is pissing my allergies off with it’s cheerful blooms. That’s right spring has hit here full force.
Just the other not so sunny day I snapped a picture of the crab apple tree right out front. The white one is outside my dining window and the pink one below is just outside my neighbor’s.
The thing I love about these trees is the vibrant colors. Sure I know they are going to be horrible when the fruit comes in and I know I’ll be sick of spring and shortly after summer because of the bugs. But right now it’s pretty watching everything come to life again and even watching birds make their nests like Mr. Robin who is plotting on in my crab apple tree this season.
Keep it real and rockin’
Farmer’s Market
A while ago, I did a write up on the local Outlook Farmer’s Market. I like going to farmer’s markets, there’s all sorts of produce and products to buy, and often times you’re pretty sure it’s locally grown or produced.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Saskatoon Farmer’s market. It was awesome! Located in the city’s downtown and part of the river front project that is ongoing right now in Saskatoon, it was a nice change of pace from the bustle of going through a major shopping centre. It’s also proof that establishments like Wal*Mart will not be the end of all smaller businesses. Mostly because a lot of those smaller businesses have produce and products that Wal*Mart can’t (or will not) carry.
When I walked into the farmer’s market, I had a sudden feeling that this was like the exhibitors lane at the Saskatoon Ex, but on a smaller scale. And it’s held year round, as opposed to just for the ten day duration of the Ex. Or, in the Outlook Farmer’s Market case, just during the summer months. To be fair, this building was set aside by the Saskatoon City Council and by the business community. It adds to the River Landing.
Locally grown produce and locally manufactured food stuffs and hand crafts are all on display. Even a couple of restaurants have set up smaller food court versions in this place to give the place a nice sit down area to have a bite to eat. And next door to it all is a specialty beer and wine store, filled with imported (both internationally and interprovincially) alcohols. From pale ales, to stouts, to bitters, it’s got it all.
It’s one of many wonderful things to do on a Saturday afternoon, or during the week over the lunch hour. Be careful about heading out to the Farmer’s Market during the work day, however, because you can easily lose track of time while you’re browsing the wares. But it is an experience that should not be missed at all. Markets like this are a great thing, whether it’s in a city the size of Saskatoon, or a town the size of Outlook (or smaller). But the bottom line is this; support your farmer’s market. You are in a win win situation when you buy locally grown and produced products.
Until next time…
…keep ‘em flyin’.
Spring is sprung
I remember a small poem when I was younger…
Spring has sprung, the grass has ris’,
I wonder where the birdie is?
There he is up in the sky,
He dropped some whitewash in my eye!
I‘m alright, I won’t cry,
I’m just glad that cows can’t fly!
It was hilarious (of course I did, I was five). And as I found, there’s several different versions of it.
Spring is officially here now, the tell tale signs are all around. One of the biggest is when the sun rises in the morning. For six months (okay not exactly six months, but when you live in an area that is plunged into darkness for a good portion of the year it feels like longer) darkness still settled in around us during the early morning hours. Now around five in the morning, you can start to see the sun rise on the horizon. A reminder that it won’t be long until I start complaining that the sun is streaking through my bedroom at four in the morning.
Another stark reminder is the lack of snow. We had a pretty good snow fall the other day, but the very next day it was gone.
Yesterday’s temperature was decent enough that I could even walk around in shorts and a T-shirt (okay, shorts and a hockey jersey with a jean jacket, but still). The weather was warm, a nice breeze to be had, not the usual harsh wind we sometimes experience in March. All in all, it was pretty decent and I got to enjoy yesterday walking around and taking some photos.
While it was unfortunate that I couldn’t spot any buds yet, most likely because the weather, while warm, hadn’t been that warm for a good number of days, I did see some other signs of spring life. Rather, I heard them. Birds, and lots of them. The happy twittering of birds (and no, I don’t mean the social media program, I mean actual birds) as they gathered the necessary things to get ready for nesting.
While it wasn’t straight into the warm, wonderful days I am longing for, it at least gave hope that warmer days are coming around. While I could go on and talk about all that I saw, let’s leave it to pictures that I took yesterday.
Until next time…
…keep ‘em flyin’!
The odd and weird
Work around the office is slow, very slow. So it’s given me the opportunity to devise a few posts. I put up a couple of cool observations already today, but wouldn’t you know it, I then find some weird things.
For anyone who is jonesin’ for a Tesla Coil, maybe start searching in the city of Regina. As the blog, Best of Used Regina puts up, there’s someone in desperate need of a Tesla Coil. Maybe they’re working on their own creation that would make Tesla himself impressed. Wonder if anyone in Regina has Jacob’s Ladders? Should I check?
Another odd, yet completely normal thing has been this year’s weather. Past few years has been up and down as far as weather, but this entire year has been strange all around. Essentially a wet cold spring that turned into a cold dry summer (save for two weeks when I was driving back from Indiana), that turned into a hot September. A flash of snow in October, then back to warm conditions throughout Halloween and most of November. But Mother Nature reminded us just how fickle she can be when she dumped snow and cold temperatures on us on December 1st.
I know, I may talk about the weather a lot, but I live in Saskatchewan. Unless it’s politics, curling, agriculture or the Riders in the Grey Cup there isn’t much out there.
Until next time…
…keep ‘em flyin’.
A Taste of Fall
Well the weather this week has be crazy. Last week it did nothing but rain. I was so sick of the rain after twenty-four hours that it starting to affect my mood. Everyone noticed that it was weather. You see I suffer from SADS (Seasonal Affective Disorder,) simply put, I get depressed when it grey and cloudy for an extended period of time. Normally this doesn’t occur until winter rolls through. At times it’s a crippling disorder. Causing myself and millions of others to not want to get out of bed or do the norm for us.
So yesterday (Monday) I was excited to go to work because it was sunny outside. It was also cold and the wind had a bite to it. The previous week, the air was still warm enough for me to turn my AC on just to cool off my place enough to breathe without breathing water. Yes it was that humid.
Now I love fall, between all of the seasons spring and fall are my favorite. Fall more than spring because there is more color. The rich browns, golds, and red, the warm earthy colors that tell you snow is coming. I enjoy the crisp mornings and standing outside to smell the seasons. That’s right I said smell the seasons. Try it some time.
Winter has a cold, crisp smell. Everything smells fresh and new. It also looks pretty when the snow is piled up and still coming down. Yes I know the dangers of the roads I grew up in Philadelphia, and have seen what a blizzard can do to a city that large. But it doesn’t fail to impress me.
Spring has that fresh, wet dirt smell. New flowers filling the air with their fragrance. Life of all sorts waking up or in some cases being born. I remember the first spring I had when I was out of high school. I saw the world in a whole new light. Everything looked brighter and green. It was amazing to watch the yearly flowers coming into bloom seeing them start out as little bulbs and becoming a hyacinth, daffodil, tulip and even lilies. I was lucky enough to live where I could see new life beginning. It was truly a cool thing.
Summer smells like heat, that musky dry smell with a spice kicker. Summer is a great season too but not a favorite only because it’s too stinkin’ hot at times. Humidity kills me, but it’s a sign of great things coming. Like cookouts, outdoor activities, swimming and for kids it’s a mark that school is over for several months. The other good thing about the summer is everyone in my immediate family has a birthday in the summer. Dad is July 8, Brother is July 16, mine is July 23. I’m older by five years and fifty-one weeks. Finally there’s Mom, she celebrates her birthday the 26 of August.
Now on to fall. Fall has that earthy smell without spice. It’s more of a mellow decay smell. My favorite smell is that sun baked leaf smell. Just after it rains and the sun dries the leaves. The leaves falling, while messy, looks amazing . Sure it’s a closing of warmer months, but it a kind reminder that family celebrations are coming. Halloween, Thanksgiving. My only thoughts when the month of November hits is ohemgee where’s my turkey! I love Thanksgiving, not so much the family part but the food part, oh yeah all over that.
So as I was saying, last week my AC was on, this week I open my windows and put the fan in. It’s cool enough that it requires a warm coat to step outside in. I’m sad to see the vacationing season close, but excited that my fall is just as busy as my summer. It will bring about a new set of things for Rhys and I to do. Like collecting leaves. This year, we’ll be able to save those leaves that finds and press them.
It’s also a time to head to the apple orchard for some fresh cider, apple butter and of course apples. Then there’s hay rides and my favorite holiday. Halloween. It’s become cooler since I’ve had Rhys because I still technically get to go trick or treating. It brings up a lot of good memories and helps to make many more.
Keep it real and rockin’
<3
Friday randomness
Weather
This was a common sight in Saskatchewan during the 1980s.
I did have a blog post all ready to go complaining about the weather. And then mother nature tosses me a raspberry and in becomes warmer. Windy, but warmer. However, according to environment Canada, this warm weather won’t last too much longer.
The year started off pretty crappy, as March seemed to drag into April, and then into May. Usually May is the time when we look forward to the first buds of spring to really take off. But this year, it didn’t happen until the end of May.
However, now it seems that the weather has decided it really can’t make up it’s mind about if it wants to be warm or cold. Yesterday was a nice warm day, a little windier than I care to have, but still warm. Today, however, turned cooler. We in Outlook were lucky. Some places had temperatures dip below zero, and some got snow. I hope and pray that snow does not hit here until… let’s just say November. I check the forecast and at least there is some warmer weather in sight. Hopefully, it’ll get here soon.
Work
Reid Motors in Outlook.
I can remember last year around this time of year was a scramble in the office. Fridays the paper was usually completed and we had a graduation issue to look forward to. Now, that is much different.
It feels slower, maybe because we publish Wednesdays instead of Fridays. But there’s also a severe lack of advertising coming in. Some of that comes from the fact we no longer will have a GM ad, after the motor giant went into bankruptcy court hearings. It kind of sucks because a lot of small town dealerships were affected, including ours here in Outlook. They didn’t close, but one can only wonder, what happens now.
Anniversaries
Tank Man — This famous photo, taken on 5 June 1989 by photographer Jeff Widener, depicts an unknown man halting the PLA's advancing tanks near Tiananmen Square.
Twenty years ago pro-democracy protesters raised awareness in China. Who can forget the image of a lone man blocking the way of a tank as it tried to get to Tiananmen Square during the several weeks of protesting. Now, the anniversary is come and gone, and one can only wonder if anything was really learned in China, as the government banned several popular web sites including Twitter, YouTube and Google (just to name a few) on the eve of the anniversary.
Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. 6 June 1944.
Sixty five years ago, allied armies launched the largest offensive to that date, in a bid to push back the Nazi army. Dubbed D Day, the landing at Normandy saw the six pronged attack by American, British, Canadian and Norwegian soldiers cripple the German army and help bring about the end of the war. In history, I had always been taught that it was Canadian, American and British and did not know of the offensive by Norway. As well, I always thought it was a five pronged attack, with locations codenamed Sword (British), Gold (British), Juno (Canadian), Omaha (American) and Utah (American). Pointe du Hoc was another landing by Allied forces.
That’s it and all for now. Until next time…
Keep ‘em flyin’!
I wish mother nature would make up her mind
See this? It's warm!
Last weekend was the warmest day of the new year as it reached a high of 18 Celsius. Literally, T-shirt and shorts weather. The beginning of this week was alright, especially when I didn’t have to worry about scraping the windshield anymore.
But today, I walked out of the apartment block thanking good thinking for donning a bunny hug before stepping outside. It only got up to 5 Celsius today. FIVE!!! And it’s April 15th. People should be thinking about baseball, getting rid of the winter tires, getting the boat out, and looking forward (or not) to yard work.
See this? That's not warm!
The rest of the week doesn’t bode well either, as Saturday’s high is 9. Monday finally creeps into double digits. But the worrisome thing is the forecast for the ‘S’ word. Yeah, that’s right, snow.
I honestly wish mother nature would make up her mind.
Until it gets warm…
…keep ‘em flyin’.
Around town, new stuff
Finally, the temperatures are starting to get back to something that resembles normal this year. A few days ago, you could look around and see snow all over the place. Today, the only snow is the piles located in more shady locales as people tried to clear the streets and sidewalks during our late winter. I guess that stupid ground hog was right.
Stupid ground hog.
Outlook, Saskatchewan has a new business. Okay, not a new business, but a new location for an existing business. Riverbend Co-operative has hunkered down in their new digs, and the place is quite impressive. Bigger than the previous store, with more selection, and grocery and pharmacy in the same building. And to that, it’s right next door to the Home and Agro centre for building supplies and farming supplies. I was talking to one friend when the new Co-op store opened up on Wednesday, and he retold a story of comments made by a child. The child said it looked just like Wally World (the nickname for WalMart in these here parts). Maybe not, but the new store is impressive.
That reminds me, I should make my grocery list and pick some items up tonight on the way home.
Congratulations have to go out to a couple of hockey teams. The Outlook Novice Ice Hawks ended their season on a high note as they captured the Fertile Valley league championship.
It should also be noted the Outlook-Hanley-Loreburn Hooters women’s hockey team captured the Busch League title. Congrats to them as well.
Now that all the important hockey is done, we can go about looking at that other league that plays into June. You know, the NHL.
The Saskatchewan government plans on holding information meetings around the province in the near future. Uranium in Saskatchewan, part of the government’s flag waving for nuclear energy in the province. I’ll have a blog (rant) about that in the near future.
With hockey and basketball looking toward their respective playoffs, many people are beginning to get their cleats and gloves ready for baseball, softball, fastball and slow pitch seasons. It’s been years since I was at a Red Eye, and the last competitive game of baseball I played was in Melfort in 1991. Before that, I played baseball for the Conquest Midgets when I was in high school. I wasn’t very good. But I am a good bowler. And neither of those two sports have anything in common. Perhaps the ball in each is round, and bowling pins can be argued to have the same shape as a baseball bat.
As sports go, I’m looking forward to the CFL season. The Ottawa Senators were knocked out of the NHL playoffs officially by the Florida Panthers a couple of nights ago. Now my interest in the NHL is even less than passive. Speaking of CFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were fined for going over the salary cap. The most unbelievable thing was that the Riders, even with a huge amount of injuries last season, didn’t complain. They did say that they would like to see how the cap is treated in the future, however, in the event that a large rash of injuries does hit a team as deep as it hit the Riders. Hopefully that trend does not continue this year.
That’s it that’s all for now. I may have other news later.
Until next time…
…keep ‘em flyin’!
Ahh Spring How I Love Thee
Spring is almost here.
For me, spring is the season of renewal, everything wakes up from the dull, boring winter slumber. You can always tell when spring is here because there are several flowers that pop up out of the ground. Starting with the crocuses, then the tulips, daffodils and hyacinths . The trees start budding and getting ready to burst awake with brilliant green leaves.
I first discovered that I like spring best of all, my first year out of high school. I was walking to the bus station to get to work and it was very warm. I seen the crocus peeking their little heads out of the dirt, the tulips were straightening up and getting ready to stand tall and fill the gardens with color. It was a truely eye opening sight. Everyday I decided to walk to the bus station, so that I could see Spring forming.
New life comes to into play when spring rolls around. Animals who hibernate are only looking for two things when they wake up. Food and mating. Even this process is surprisingly awesome. Not so much the mating part, but the babies that are born from it. New lambs are born, foals, ducks. Everything in nature is new and fresh.
Spring also has a certain smell I love. Each of the seasons do, but spring is my favorite. The smell of flowers and dew on the grass. Though my also time favorite smell of spring is the smell when the ground has dried enough and then it rains. Just as the ground gets damp and the smell of wet dirt is there to fill the air for a few wonderful minutes and makes the world smell clean and pure.
Keep it real and rockin’
Busy, busy, busy
After three weeks, the hectic nature I’ve felt has started to slow. I must explain, that this is not a bad thing. It’s very good, actually. The place where I work just acquired a small coffee house magazine. Called Catch-A-Copy, it’s like a coffee perks, filled with jokes and one liners and tid-bits of information that are interesting to read. It’s made my day job quite busy, and quite full filling. That’s one of the things I like about my job, it’s never boring. And I always see the end result of a week’s worth of work.
The weather became much warmer and in celebration of such an event (and for acquiring the Catch-A-Copy) my co-workers and I decided to celebrate.
With bubbles.
Sometimes in order to stay sane, you have to act insane. Or at least have fun.
Until next time…
Keep ‘em flyin’.
Road trip
I had always heard that there were a lot of car accidents in Regina.
Now I know why.
On Monday, a co-worker of mine and I made the long, five hour journey to Estevan. It was part of some tips and training for the company we work for, and allowed us to see how things can be done for what we do. Very enlightening, I must say. We went to the Estevan Lifestyles and got a warm welcome and managed to see some incredible things.
But on the journey we saw many different (and unusal) sights. Like drivers in Regina. Drivers in Regina, I have found, are a lot less considerate than drivers in Saskatoon. Perhaps it’s because I know the city of Saskatoon much better. But driving in rush hour traffic on a Tuesday afternoon was like jockeying for position. Let’s just say a few choice words were said while I was behind the wheel.
There was a few stops that were really interesting, however. The town of Chamberlain is very picturesque. When the greens of spring finally come around, that place is going to look incredible. Craik was a mellowing experience, especially when we drove past the Flax House. The Flax House received national attention a while back when the owner of the house showed how much energy was saved by heating his home with bales.
All in all, a very good time during the trip. I wish I could have a few photos, but being behind the wheel did not afford me the opportunity to do so.
Until next time…
Look, listen and learn.
Keep ‘em flyin’.
