WINTER

Winter has finally arrived here in Alberta. Although we have had snow for about two months the temperatures have been relatively mild. For these old bones this is a good thing.

Yesterday was the last reasonable day for a while.

Today, as I write this, the house across the street is blurred by the snow that is falling. Not a lot, just enough to make the houses look out of focus. The temperature is -24c(-9F) and heading to -29 tonight, which will also be the high for Monday. Tuesday, we are looking at a high 0f -27C and a low Tuesday night of -33C. Wednesday-high of -28 and low Wednesday night of -34C. With the wind out there right now the wind-chill is -36C. Wind-chill is what the temperature feels like on bare skin.

We will go out later and plug in our block heaters on the cars so they will start in the morning. At these temperatures, if you don't, your oil gets very thick and your car is extremely difficult to start.

I also add a bottle of gas line anti-freeze to the gas tank. This keeps the condensation down don't so you don't get water in your gas.

As I look out the front window, there is a Downy Woodpecker at our bird feeder. He looks twice his normal size as he has all his feathers puffed up to keep him warm.

Hope this doesn't last more than a week or so. Stay warm everybody

ADDENDUM: Monday Morning, 9:00 AM. , The temperature is-30c (-18F) with a wind chill of-46C (-49F). Tonight they are calling for temperatures to be -39C. I will keep you posted.

Fwd: Fw: The Haircut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Haircut 

 

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asked about his bill, and the barber replies, 'I cannot accept money from you.  I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased, and left the shop. When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning, there is a 'thank you' card, and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door. 

 

 

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.'  The cop is happy and leaves the shop.  The next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a 'thank you' card, and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

 

 

Later that day, a college professor comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The professor is very happy and leaves the shop.  The next morning when the barber opens his shop, there is a 'thank you' card, & a dozen different books, such as 'How to Improve Your Business' & 'Becoming More Successful.

 

 

Then,a Politician comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.'  The MP is very happy and leaves the shop.  The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen Members of Parliament lined up waiting for a free haircut.

 

 

And that, my friends, illustrates the Fundamental difference between the Citizens of our country and the members of our Government

.

Fwd: Fw: Jeff Foxworthy - Canadian Humor

          
                   A Little Canadian Humor   

    Forget Rednecks, here is what Jeff Foxworthy
has to
say about Canucks

 

    If your local Dairy Queen is closed
from September
through May,  you may live in Canada.

 

    If someone in a Home Depot store offers
you assistance
and they  don't work there, you may live in Canada.

 

     If you've worn shorts and a parka at the
same time,
you may live in Canada

 

    If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation
with
someone who dialed a wrong number, you may
live in Canada

 

    If 'Vacation'
means going anywhere south of Muncie for
the weekend, you may live in Canada.

 

    If you measure distance in hours, you may
live in Canada

 

    If you know several people who have hit a
deer more
than once, you may live in Canada

 

    If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C'
in the same
day and back again, you may live in Canada

 

    If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet
of snow
during a raging  blizzard without flinching,
you may live in Canada

  

    If you install security lights on your
house and
garage, but leave both unlocked,
 you may live in Canada

 

    If you carry jumpers in your car and
your wife knows how to use them,
 you may live in Canada

 

    If you design your kid's Halloween costume
 to fit over a snowsuit,
you may live in Canada

 

    If the speed limit on the highway is 80km
-- you're going 90 and everybody is passing you,
 you may live in Canada

 

    If driving is better in the winter
 because  the potholes are filled with snow,
 you may live
in Canada

  

    If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter,
winter,
still winter and road construction,
 you may live in Canada

 

    If you have more miles on your snow
 blower than your
car, you may live in Canada.

 

    If you find 2 degrees 'a little chilly',
you may live
in Canada

 

    If you actually understand these jokes,
and forward
them to all your Canadian friends & others,
you definitely live in
Canada
   



 

---

Fwd: Aging Baby Boomers!

I just had to pass this along. I hope you all enjoy and get a good laugh.     http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/opinion/walthandelsman/blog/2007/11/animation_baby_boomers.html >

3900

-

 

 

This is an awesome read...

 

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work.  Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other.  What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to   time. Let me tell you about it:

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net.  Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business.  He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say

"Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much.  Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet.  It's too bad you missed your daughter's "dance recital" he continued  ;"Let me tell yo u something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic.  The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.

"Now then,  I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of  Saturdays that the  average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.

It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays." "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.  So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had.  I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear."

"Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life.

There's nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time."

"It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band.  This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some ma rbles.

A friend sent this to me, so I to you, my friend.

And so, as one smart bear once said..."If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." - Winnie the Pooh.

Pass this on to all of your FRIENDS, even if it means sending it to the person that sent it to you.

And if you receive this e-mail many times from many different people, it only means that you have many FRIENDS.

And if you get it but once, do not be discouraged for you will know that you have at least one good friend...

And that would be ME.

 

HE'S NOT A BABY ANYMORE

And we're back with an Owen update. It has been a great time in the life of our little guy. He is starting to talk more and more with words you can understand. He can now say purple, more, yes,please, thank you, milk and of course- NO. He has been testing out his ability to use this particular word. When we ask him if he would like to do something, he shakes his head and says no. If we ask him if he would like somethiing such as milk or water , he will say no. And he understands exactly what it means, for if we try to force him he gets mad. This is another thing he has been trying out. He tries to get a reaction from us by throwing temper tantrums. Not long ones, but just long enough to see what our reaction is. When he doesn't get what he wants, he is okay with that. And we are okay with him trying because it shows he is really thinking for himself. He has also just started to nod his head yes.

He is also starting to try to make sentences. When he does something, he will say" I did it." Or if we are playing hide and seek he will say"Where's he?"So he is getting the idea of stringing words together to make himself understood.

The first picture was taken around Christmas time. He was playing on the couch with my mother and myself and just having a great time. He was also trying to escape my grasp.
The second picture was taken about a week ago and we were out for a walk. He heard the birds in our birch tree and was searching for them as they hopped from branch to branch. Because they are so small and fast he had a little trouble finding them at first. But he soon picked up on their movement so he would know where to look. He found them fascinating and just stood watching for about five minutes

The last picture was taken just after his grandmother had forced his grandfather to feed him Jello. This was the first time that we know of that he has ever had it. It was hilarious to watch. His first mouthful was a sort of " do I like this ?" moment. In about 2 seconds the answer was a resounding YES and he could not get it into his mouth fast enough. Not only was a spoon used, but also his hands. He wasn't quite sure what to do about the pieces that missed his mouth. When he would try to pick them off they would just squish out between his fingers.He would have a very puzzled look on his face.

He also showed us his independence one night. His mom had dropped him off while she went to a yoga class. He was having a great time with us and when she arrived to take him home. He was not very happyat this prospect and left our house kicking his feet while his mom carried him to the truck. As she was putting her purse into the truck , she put him on the sidewalk and the next thing we knew he was banging on our door. When Mrs. Moose opened the door he stood there with a big smile on his face and said HIYA!! As the door opened he was back in the house in the blink of an eye.Quite proud of himself too.

We are in for some great times ahead.

Wisdom

 

 

---

The Wisdom Of Our Time . . .

 

<>It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame .   <> You are not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.   <> We have enough youth. How about a fountain of 'smart'?           The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.   <> A fool and his money can throw one hell of a party.   <> when blondes have more fun do they know it?     <> Five days a week my body is a temple. The other two it's an amusement park.   <> LEARN FROM YOUR PARENTS' MISTAKES USE BIRTH CONTROL <>   <>  money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.   <> Don't Drink and Drive You might hit a bump and spill something.   <> If at first you don't succeed skydiving is not for you.   <> Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.

<> Time's fun when you're having flies. ......Kermit the Frog

 

<> We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.

 

<>Red meat is not bad for you Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

 

<> Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name.

 

<> One good thing about Alzheimer's is you get to meet new people every day.

 

 

Friends don't let friends
take ugly  people   home. 

 

<> > Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to produce reproductive organs.

 

Alabama state motto: At least we're not Mississippi

 

<> Gaseous clouds have been detected around Uranus.

 

<> ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NO MATCH FOR NATURAL STUPIDITY.

 

<>  GUN CONTROL: using both hands

 

The more I learn about terrorism, the more I understand the phone company.

 

The latest survey shows that three out of four people make up 75% of the population

 

Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant'
is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist '.

 

 

 

Fwd: Tree Hugger

A woman from Vancouver, who was a tree hugger and anti-hunter, purchased acres of timberland, near Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island. There was a huge tree on one of the highest points in the tract. She wanted to view the natural splendor of her land, so she climbed the tree. As she neared the top, she encountered a spotted owl . It attacked her! In her haste to escape, the woman slid down the tree to the ground. The ensuing fall incurred several splinters of wood: in her crotch.   In considerable pain, she hurried to the nearest doctor, 35 minutes away, in Duncan. She told him she was an environmentalist and anti-hunter and how she came to receive all of the splinters. The doctor listened to her story with great patience. He then told her to go into the examining room and he would see if he could help. The impatient patient sat, and sat, and waited for three hours before the doctor reappeared.   The angry woman demanded, "What took you so long?"   He smiled and said , "Well, I had to get permits from Environment Canada, the BC Forest Service and Worksafe BC before I could remove old-growth timber from a recreational area. And, I'm sorry, but they turned me down."   !! OH CANADA !!      

A BUSY TIME

I'm back. Actually I haven't been away anywhere. It has just been very hectic around our house since Christmas.

We had a small snow storm which left the trees looking beautiful with a fresh coating of white on the branches. The first picture is the birch tree in our front yard. It had been snowing lightly for about 2 days at this point. The nice thing about snow here in Alberta is that it is dry. It is not a wet heavy snow like back east but rather a light fluffy snow that is easy to move

While I was looking out the window one day I could here the Blue Jays making all kinds of racket and flying around like crazy. Out the door I went, and there in the Spruce right at the top was this bird. The jays were harassing it , trying to drive it away. I tried to get a good close-up picture before it flew away. I also looked it up, in our bird book. I think it is a bird called a Merlin. They belong to the falcon family and usually hunt Waxwings


During the holidays my mother(86 years young) came out for a visit. Unfortunately, I had to work most days and did not get to spend as much time with her as I would have liked. Fortunately she is a voracious reader and was able to keep herself amused.

Owen also came over a number of times and once he realized she was part of the family warmed up to her very quickly. I wanted to make sure I got a picture of them both together. Almost 85 years difference in age ....incredible !!

The night these pictures were taken, he was in a silly mood. He wanted to be chased and chased. Then he would run to my mother, laughing his head off, for protection.


I also wanted to get a picture of the three of us. By this time he really didn't want to co-operate so we had to find ways to distract him while Mrs. Moose took the pictures. If you look closely , you will also notice that I have more grey hair than my mother. She keeps very fit and as active as possible.


These are just the highlight s of what our last month has been like. I will write more later

haha

An elderly couple were driving across the country. The woman was driving when she got pulled over by the highway patrol.

The officer said, "Ma'am did you know you were speeding?"

The woman, hard of hearing, turned to her husband and asked, "What did he say?"

The old man yelled, "He says you were speeding!"

The patrolman said, "May I see your license?"

The woman turned to her husband once again and asked, "What did he say?"

The old man yelled, "He wants to see your license!"

The woman gave the officer her license. The patrolman then said, "I see you are from Arkansas. I spent some time there once and went on a blind date with the ugliest woman I've ever seen."

The woman turned to her husband and asked, "What did he say?"

The old man yells, "He said he thinks he knows you!".