Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Making It Up As I Go Along #566


Once again... From the freezer... MAGNETIC POETRY!!!

Joy moments
Joy moments
Sing beneath light showers
As if almost alive

But essentially brings little things
Blossoming with every whisper
Of barefoot kisses
Which smile comfort songs
Where no friend lives

TUESDAY...
--- Alone at work and pretty busy with the phone. Seems a new call every fifteen minutes or so. Blah to the phone. 

WEDNESDAY...
--- Alone again and maybe the busiest I've been all year at work. Pretty much didn't stop all day with tires to deal with and shoe impressions as well. 

THURSDAY...
--- Back with a partner for the nights. Not so busy tonight. 

FRIDAY...
--- DNA work and then relatively quiet after that's wrapped up. A staff email out today about a bunch of things, including appropriate cell phone use at work. Appropriate seems to be basically only use it on break time. This doesn't say much for my department... With no official break times. And it seems only a few specific issues are being addressed. Personal phone calls at work... Texting... Internet time... All picked on. Drop by desk chats, smoke breaks, trips to the coffee machine... Go for it. I've said it before, I'll say it again... I should take up smoking. 

SATURDAY...
--- Awake way to early considering bedtime. Three and a half hours sleep should mean I can go to bed fairly early tonight I suppose.
--- See Toad Homes in the Lee Valley catalogue.  Now that's a neat ol' thing.  Basically a shallow clay pot turned upside down... with air holes and two entrances/exits (so cats can't corner the poor toads).  What does it say about me that, in a catalogue full of tools and manly instruments for building stuff, my eye is caught by a home for toads? I did have several of them in both my front and back yards this summer.  Perhaps I'll have to invest in their well being.

SUNDAY...
--- Nice winter day. Yes it's still fall but it's bright sun out with a coat of white over the land... And it's -18 with the windchill. So I stay in. 
--- Indoor ball ends in a tie. Good game. I play much better than last game... But I'm doubled off at first base cause I thought there was already two out. Still, hit the ball well and played solid enough at third. 

MONDAY...
--- Spending money today. Drop the car at Mazda for a fluid change, break check and snow tires installed. There goes $400. Have lunch with Melissa while waiting for the car, then get groceries after that's all done. More than a $500 day all told. Oh well. 

TUESDAY...
--- 35 minute walk has me encountering a fox. He's pretty curious of me but keeping his distance. And I see a nice arcing jump as he clears a stream. 
--- Bring in the BBQ from the back deck. We are due 30 cm of snow tomorrow so I figure get it in now. I left it out and covered all last winter but come spring, there were all kinds of mice poop and torn up foil inside. No need to make my BBQ a mouse retreat. 
--- Rogers continues to take over the world. It now basically owns the NHL... From a Canadian point of view anyway. Interesting talk of no more black outs or regional games (two things I've always hated in hockey coverage). But to reduce CBC to virtually nothing. And to cut TSN out entirely... That's not good. Rogers has always been third, by a lot, in how they present a hockey game. 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Making It Up As I Go Along #565

Paths
They lead the way
Haphazardly formed
Guiding you through woods
Marking the way along meadows
Taking you over rolling hills.

Those of Signal Hill and Cape Spear
Historically followed
By lighthouse keepers and soldiers
And now by you
Maintaining the wear
Stomping away growth.

Those of Tor's Cove
Leading you through wild grasses
Wandering around glacial rock outcrops
Bringing you to the sea
To sit with family
Watching masses of Spring ice drift by.

And those of homes
Of childhood wanders
Through the backyard woods
To secret forts
And bubbling brooks.

Of grownup meditations
Venturing off the manmade trail
Worn with grooves from tires
And continuing on towards the setting sun
Through long grasses slept in by deer
Following in their footsteps across a creek
Continuing into the underbrush
Seeing what they see
Wondering where they would pause
Imagining them up ahead
Looking back wondering
"What is he doing here?"

The path in Tor's Cove


MONDAY...
--- Holiday for many but it's work for me. Pretty busy day really. 

TUESDAY...
--- After work, go to get drinks and a meal with Laura and Janice. Go to Patty's Pub. Seems fitting as this was where I always went with Karl and he died a year ago today. 

WEDNESDAY...
--- Thai food at work. Fairly regular night shift. 

THURSDAY...
--- Up just before 1:00. Lounge around the house some before work. The afternoon nap just doesn't work if you only got up about an hour before the nap was to occur.

FRIDAY...
--- Average first day off.  Groceries.  Walk.  Catch up on some TV.

SATURDAY...
--- Out walking in the woods and along the power line corridor for an hour and a half.  Check out what the beaver has been up to... take pictures of the sunset... Do some tramping off trails, in the woods... following a deer path at dusk.

SUNDAY...
--- Rainy day keeps me inside until going to softball.  We lose.  I don't play as well as I should.  It's good to get out and I like throwing the ball around... but I'm starting to wonder if it's time to move on away from it all.  I generally get more enjoyment from things like yesterday's walk with the camera than ball games.  That all said, I also pay up for the winter season.  Not much else to do in January and February... I may as well keep it up.  But maybe the winter season will be my last for indoor softball.