Canadian Buffoon's Exhausted Vacation - Update 09/01 - New TR link!

[pkondz]

Both the blue angels and the thunderbirds are a 6 ship formation. 4 main and then 2 solos that join in for the delta formation. The snowbirds have a LOT more aircraft.

Well... one less as of a couple days ago. RIP Jennifer Casey.

Since I was stationed at Nellis (home of the thunderbirds), I have a bit more interest in aerial demonstration teams than most. The one's from Italy and Great Britain I think are cool in that they use multi colored smoke. I also have to give credit to the snowbirds...when you have a larger formation, it's tougher...the outside edges have a lot more work to stay in formation, where the closer ones don't have as far to move during maneuvers.

Interesting! I hadn't thought of that aspect of it.

Not the national guard per se. Any flying squadron CAN be called in for special events (i.e. flyovers of sporting games and such), but the national guard is not dedicated to that. Air Force - Thunderbirds. Navy - Blue Angels. Army - Golden Knights (parachute not aircraft). Not sure the Marines or Coast Guard have a dedicated team...will have to look that up.

Right. I knew that. I meant flyovers in general were being done.
I don't think your Marines or CG have dedicated aerobatic teams.

I've mentioned to a few folks...I'm not in a hurry to rush back to Disney when they re-open. I'm not panicky about the virus, but it's still out there and being in such close proximity to that many (even if 25%) people is not my idea of sane or safe.

Yeah... I'll wait a bit on that too.

 

[Steppesister]

Hi There, Friend.

Trying to get caught back up while on a vacation here in Bowling Green, KY. Enjoying some R&R before heading back to work with a re-set and normalizing of our medical system in Oregon. Our surgi-center is ramped up for the capacity we're allowed which means basically full-time work for me in what I NORMALLY do. Trying to get myself rested up until my big vacation to Italy in September.

WONDERFUL photos of the formations! I really need to find an airshow to go to sometime. We have an annual one here in Oregon every summer, but doubt that'll happen this year. Who knows. Anyway, hope you are well!

 

[pkondz]

Hi There, Friend.

Hi, Liesa!

Trying to get caught back up while on a vacation here in Bowling Green, KY.

Oh! Nice! Visiting your folks, I bet.
How are they?

Enjoying some R&R before heading back to work with a re-set and normalizing of our medical system in Oregon. Our surgi-center is ramped up for the capacity we're allowed which means basically full-time work for me in what I NORMALLY do

Glad to hear that.
Some normalcy would
be nice for a change.

Trying to get myself rested up until my big vacation to Italy in September.

Wow! This rest is gonna
be epic if it's gonna carry
you for four months!

WONDERFUL photos of the formations!

Thanks!
Such a tragedy though.
It feels weird to have taken
those photos just a few days
before the accident.

I really need to find an airshow to go to sometime.

Me too! Love those.
And haven't been in forever.

We have an annual one here in Oregon every summer, but doubt that'll happen this year. Who knows.

Yeah... who knows, indeed.

Anyway, hope you are well!

Fair to middlin!
Much better than
I have been the past
few weeks.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh! Nice! Visiting your folks, I bet.
How are they?

They are very well, thanks! Dad just received some ginormous speakers so he can enjoy his favorite hobby.... music. Excited for him!

Glad to hear that.
Some normalcy would
be nice for a change.

Understatement of the year, right there.

Wow! This rest is gonna
be epic if it's gonna carry
you for four months!

Hope so. Working 7 days a week is not easy.

Thanks!
Such a tragedy though.
It feels weird to have taken
those photos just a few days
before the accident.

I"m sure so. Very horrible! When I saw the news story I thought of you.

Fair to middlin!
Much better than
I have been the past
few weeks.

Great! But if you want to share about what made the last few weeks hard, you can always PM and share.

 

[pkondz]

They are very well, thanks! Dad just received some ginormous speakers so he can enjoy his favorite hobby.... music. Excited for him!

I remember that about him!
Glad he's got some new toys.

Understatement of the year, right there.

Unfortunately... yeah.

Hope so. Working 7 days a week is not easy.

I know. Lord, do I know.

Great! But if you want to share about what made the last few weeks hard, you can always PM and share.

Thanks for the offer.

 

[orangecats2]

Yeah I don’t think I’ll get to Disney until November of next year.
a cruise this year would be great but like Ponzi said not sure about it. Like if they’ll be able to dock and let people off.
But I’m going to try really hard to get to Seattle this year.

 

[pkondz]

Yeah I don’t think I’ll get to Disney until November of next year.

I have no idea when I'll get there again.
I guess it would help if I could
even enter the US.
And it might also help
if I could enter the US
and not have to self-isolate
for two weeks upon my return.

a cruise this year would be great but like Ponzi said not sure about it.

Nope! Not going anywhere
near a cruise ship for a bit.

Like if they’ll be able to dock and let people off.

EXACTLY!

But I’m going to try really hard to get to Seattle this year.

That should be do-able.
@Steppesister just went from
Seattle to Kentucky.

 

[docsoliday1]

As has happened before, stopped getting notifications for this thread. I think I know some of why the last couple weeks have been tough, but PM me if you'd like.

I'm in no rush to get over to Disney. I'm not paranoid about this thing, but on the other hand, I don't necessarily want to willingly put myself near a great number of people that could possibly have it and not know. @Steppesister , I would love to know/hear some of the tips/tricks/etc. you've picked up at work. I've mentioned this to several people.
Open up businesses, more people get sick/die: sucks
Don't open up, economy suffers and people lose the ability to live: sucks

Either way --- SUCKS!!!!!!

 

[pkondz]

As has happened before, stopped getting notifications for this thread. I think I know some of why the last couple weeks have been tough, but PM me if you'd like.

PM sent

I don't necessarily want to willingly put myself near a great number of people that could possibly have it and not know

Well, I can't get there,
even if I wanted to, but...

I don't wanna yet,
for the same reasons.

Open up businesses, more people get sick/die: sucks
Don't open up, economy suffers and people lose the ability to live: sucks

Either way --- SUCKS!!!!!!

I think people are either forgetting
or aren't aware of what governments
worldwide are trying to do.
The term "flattening the curve" has
become such a common expression
that people stop thinking about what
it actually is.

Let's take an example of a city of
1 million people.
That city might have, for example,
5 hospitals. Each hospital has, let's
say 200 beds. So that's
(200) x 5 = 1,000 beds.

Of that 1 million people, almost all
will contract the virus.
Yes. All.
I'm not saying they'll
all need hospitalization.
According to the CDC,
the average hospitalization
rate is 0.1%
(of those testing positive)
with the highest percentage
being over 65 (just under 0.3%).

So 0.1% of 1 million is... 1,000.
If the average is maintained
and the entire city gets sick at
the same time, the hospitals get
overwhelmed.

What they're trying to do is make
it so that of those 1,000 requiring care,
they don't all come in at the same time.

The expression "flattening the curve"
does not mean reducing the number
of people who contract the virus,
it means slowing the rate at which
those same people catch it.

You'll still have 1,000 people needing care.
You just don't want them all needing care
at the same time.

The only thing that will lower that number
is a vaccine (or cure, but that's not likely.)

 

[docsoliday1]

Well, I can't get there,
even if I wanted to, but...

I don't wanna yet,
for the same reasons.

I kinda wish you (and others) could get here, but on the other hand, in the area near where I work (UCF campus area), there's been quite the spike of cases lately. I know it's good to open up restaurants so people can make a living, but fact is, it increases exposure.

I think people are either forgetting
or aren't aware of what governments
worldwide are trying to do.
The term "flattening the curve" has
become such a common expression
that people stop thinking about what
it actually is.

This. I'm not worrying myself crazy over it, but yet trying to be sensible. I think it's probably inevitable most of us will get it, it's just getting it over time (not overwhelming hospitals like you said) vs. all at the SAME time.

 

[pkondz]

I kinda wish you (and others) could get here, but on the other hand, in the area near where I work (UCF campus area), there's been quite the spike of cases lately. I know it's good to open up restaurants so people can make a living, but fact is, it increases exposure.

Well.... not really interested in
heading south of the border
right about now.

This. I'm not worrying myself crazy over it, but yet trying to be sensible. I think it's probably inevitable most of us will get it, it's just getting it over time (not overwhelming hospitals like you said) vs. all at the SAME time.

 

[Steppesister]

As has happened before, stopped getting notifications for this thread. I think I know some of why the last couple weeks have been tough, but PM me if you'd like.

I'm in no rush to get over to Disney. I'm not paranoid about this thing, but on the other hand, I don't necessarily want to willingly put myself near a great number of people that could possibly have it and not know. @Steppesister , I would love to know/hear some of the tips/tricks/etc. you've picked up at work. I've mentioned this to several people.
Open up businesses, more people get sick/die: sucks
Don't open up, economy suffers and people lose the ability to live: sucks

Either way --- SUCKS!!!!!!

Well, I have loads of opinions on this, but the fact is, even as a medical professional, they are unpopular, so the voice is invalidated by the courts of public opinion and media-driven panic porn. I will say, every single day at work I have multiple conversations with docs and nurses that end with the same consensus'... be cautious. But being overly so creates a whole nuther problem which is, in many ways, far worse. I will add that were we to ramp up antibody testing, we'd be shocked (in a good way) at how many of us already have been exposed. Best tips: Wash your hands, maintain social distancing when and if reasonable,, wash your hands, pay more attention to numbers of actual overrun hospitals and hospitalizations as opposed to numbers of "cases" and presumptive cases, wash your hands, wear a mask if it makes you feel better (WAY too much conflicting data on this one- and yes both present "facts" they feel prove their stances), and I guarantee after November, 2020 this will all be a thing of the past.

 

[pkondz]

I guarantee after November, 2020 this will all be a thing of the past.

Strong statement, indeed.

 

[docsoliday1]

I guarantee after November, 2020 this will all be a thing of the past.

Wow. Guarantee? I hope your guarantee is better than car companies.

 

[Steppesister]

Wow. Guarantee? I hope your guarantee is better than car companies.

I’m banking in it dying down enough that people will be bored of it, or we’ll have moved on to the next Issue du Jour.

 

[pkondz]

A Year In The Life

Well, hello there.
Long time no read.

Or write.

Right?


Right.


For the last few years, I’ve been writing about
my adventures in Disney and places far and wide
for your edification and entertainment.

The fact that there’s been little edification
and next to no entertainment is beside the point.
I’m writing. You’re reading. We’re both suffering.

So why am I writing?
What exciting trip or trips have I undertaken???


Well… none.

(mass exodus of readers ensues...)


So… why am I writing???

2020 has not been a stellar year.
This may come as a shock to you.


But a new year is dawning and while the troubles
of the last year are not behind us,
nor will they be for a while yet…


There is hope.


Doctors, while unable to stop the ravages
of our least favourite virus, seem to at least
have reduced the mortality rate somewhat.
And of course, there is the promise of vaccines
already beginning distribution or in various
stages of development.

Why I am writing is just my way of trying
to provide you, dear reader, with a small gift.
A (very) short respite from the troubles of the world.
A tiny escape for those who are stuck
in the humdrum of 2020
and perhaps unable to get away like they
normally might be so inclined.

So, for your entertainment, or perhaps, unfortunately,
to add to your ennui, is a semi-brief recap of 2020
for pkondz, your semi-gracious
(but mostly atrocious) host.

Fear not, this recap is photo heavy and prose light.
So the suffering should be kept to a minimum.
(But there will be some suffering.
As I’m sure you are painfully aware, I tend to
run off at the keyboard at the drop of a finger.
Brevity is far from assured.)

Shall we begin?


The year started off with what seemed
like a portend of the coming months.
Covid was just starting to make itself known
and everyone was beginning to brace for the
two weeks that we might have to wait until it was all gone.
(Hah! I am going to go out on a limb here,
and say that “they” might have been just a teensy
bit off in their forecast.
Then again, the nameless, faceless “them” often are.)

I was out accompanying my eldest DD deliver
a package to a friend’s place.
As I sat in the car, I spotted this discarded dog toy.

Santa… face down in the muck.
If that doesn’t describe 2020 in a single visual,
I don’t know what does!


Earlier in the year, pre-Covid
(and isn’t it hard to remember
a time that wasn’t Covid?)
I was doing things that I never thought
I’d not be able to do again for the rest
of the year and into the foreseeable future.

I took a familiarization flight in a Cessna
where I even got to take the controls.
I quickly learned that I can’t fly a plane at all
and it's a lot harder than I thought it would be.

I did manage to not kill us both,
so I consider that a success.
(And how strange is it to see two
strangers sitting close to each
other without even wearing masks???)


After the beginning of the year, however,
things took a turn and we found ourselves
trying to support our local restaurants...

(Yes. That's my photo.
It's not far from my folks' place.)

...or staying at home and searching for new recipes.

Luckily, I have sous-chefs that
assist me in these endeavours.

(Yes. That's where they hang out
while I'm trying to cook and not
step on them.)


The other item that dominated the news
for a good chunk of the year was the US election.
We were inundated with information,
graphs, bar charts and maps for months...
And it's still on-going.

No, I shan’t comment on results or theories.
This is the DIS. A haven from political discourse.
And I’m really okay with that.


I've been fortunate to remain employed
during the pandemic.
So I'm grateful for that.
However, it's not been an easy journey.
My office normally staffs a supervisor and
three people during the day,
two in the evening and one at night.
Every department was split into two crews
so that if one person got sick and took down
his or her coworkers, there'd still be another crew
that could continue on.
Except... that meant we staffed one person/shift.
And while traffic numbers are down, globally,
most of us had days where we were overwhelmed
due to excessive workload.

Ironically, my city was mostly spared from the
pandemic during the "first wave".
My company ended the crew system at the
beginning of November...
Just as the pandemic's "second wave"
hit the city much harder.

Don't ask me what the thinking was.
We've managed to avoid infecting
the building so I suppose it's working.


So what does one do in a pandemic
when the borders are closed
and travel is discouraged?
Well, I did go camping with my youngest DD, Kay.
We set out in early June with a pit stop along the way.

Falcon Lake is located about an
hour and a half east of Winnipeg.
It's a pretty popular spot for camping,
swimming and boating.
They also have a riding stable.
And it also happens to be the site
of Canada's best known UFO sighting.
(More on that later.)

We arrived in plenty of time for
our 10am scheduled ride.
We had driven through driving rain
(as opposed to sledding through sleet?
Fighting through fog?
Inching through ice?
I'll quit now. You're welcome.)
but it stopped just as we arrived.
We were looking forward to a ride,
but that took a slight pause as Kay
announced she was unable to exit the car.

"Dad? I can't get out."
"What? Did I park in a puddle?"
"No. There's a pig here."

Eventually (just a few seconds, really)
the pig ambled off and she got out.

We checked in and were soon astride
our mounts.
Or mounted our steeds.

Pick one.

We were the only two on the
tour, so it was nice to have our
guide all to ourselves.
(And socially distanced.)
We set out through the woods,
enroute to our destination.

After about 45 minutes we arrived
at our destination.

In 1967 a man named Stephen Michalak
was prospecting in the area when he
claims he saw two UFOs.
One landed and as he approached,
the craft rotated, displaying what he
described as exhaust vents.
The UFO took off, burning him
in the process.
An easily discounted fairy-tale...
except for the strange burns
left behind on his body.

The story was curious enough
to be covered by the TV show
"Unsolved Mysteries".
If you're interested, I've linked
the episode below. The first 15
minutes of the program discuss
the incident.

Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack

The site is fairly non-descript.
There's nothing that would set it apart
from any other area we'd ridden through.
Our guide did point out a few features;
the pond where the geese had been,
the vein of quartz that had been of interest.
But nothing else remains to indicate that
anything odd had ever happened here.

Our guide took a photo of us to
mark the occasion and the spot.

After our ride, we continued on
and drove an additional half hour to:

We found our campsite and...
it was a wee bit on the boggy side.

But we made do and found
some spots that were at least
not underwater to pitch our tents.

Once the tents were set up,
we spent some time exploring
the area on foot.

Doesn't that beach look inviting?
More on that later.

And no camping trip would
be complete without a campfire.
And no campfire is complete
without S'mores.

It's a rule.
Ignore it at your own risk.
(The risk of a very angry teen. <shudder>)

The next day, we got the kayaks
in the water and headed out.
We'd picked Caddy lake for one reason...

Near the turn of the 20th century,
a rail line was built between Caddy lake
and South Cross lake, to the North.
A tunnel was blasted underneath the line
to restore drainage.
It makes for an interesting canoe/kayak.

Shortly after we entered the tunnel,
we were met by a motorboat traveling
in the opposite direction.
We were traveling with the current
and while Kay was able to maneuver
her kayak over to the side in a slightly
wider area, I was forced to struggle and
paddle backwards against the current.
The boater admonished us and asked
if we had bells or horns to sound.
I hung my head and replied that we didn't.

Only on the return journey southward
did we find out that in actuality he was
required to sound his horn and that we
had the right of way!

By the time we had traversed Caddy lake
and paddled through the tunnel,
we were both hungry and looking for a place
to stop and have some lunch.
I spotted this little island
and thought it might be fun to eat there.

As we got closer, we spotted an
abandoned dock on the island
and had a picnic on it.

Sated, we made our way back
to our camp.

Notice the sign advising motorists
of the rules for traversing the tunnel
in the photo below:

Definitely a fun and cool experience!
And I give full credit to Kay.
While I had heard of the tunnels,
it was her suggestion that we go.

When we got back to our campsite,
we were both ready to cool down
with a swim.
We headed to the beach, which we
had all to ourselves.
And we found out why.
We waded in and got as far as
about mid-thigh.
The water temperature, still early
in the year, was probably around 45F/7C.
Also... when we waded out...
we each found we'd picked up
an unwanted passenger.
One leach each.

Sooooo gross.

Continued Next Post​

 

[pkondz]

Continued From Previous Post​

I did also find the time this year
to finally finish off our deck.
I had put up the railings earlier,
but it still needed to be finished off.
Before and after photos of the process.

And another small project was
replacing the gate.
I think it turned out well enough.

In late June, I heard of a contest
that was being held at a local burger place.
The owners of the burger place were
competing with a hot dog vendor to
see who could sell the most burgers, or dogs.
All proceeds were going to charity.
I hadn't been to this spot before, so...
Kay and I decided to go.

I'll say that it was a very good burger.
Don't you think that Kay thinks so too?
And in case you were wondering...
Hot dogs won the contest.


Mid July found me itching for
the open road.
I grabbed my bike and set out
on a day of riding.
I didn't take any photos this time
as I just wanted to relax and ride.

However...

There's a little church located
just outside of Winnipeg.
It sits, oddly enough, between
the northbound and southbound
lanes of a major highway connecting
the city to the US.
I've seen this little church for years,
but I never stopped.

Seemed like a good day to do so.

There was a sign saying the church
had been built in 1887.
It was open, so I ventured inside.

Quaint.
And the stained-glass window
took me by surprise.
What was of even more interest
was the tiny graveyard.
Holding only about 30 or so remains,
I was surprised to see a grave of a pilot
who had been killed in action during WWII.


Late July took us camping once again.
This time DW and my older DD, Elle, joined us.
Once again, at Kay's suggestion, we camped at
a spot she recommended; Nutimik Lake.

My tent...

And the girl's accommodations:

We headed down to the beach
and just chilled for a while.
The kids and I decided to walk
to the far side where people were
jumping into the lake from
some rocks.
You can barely make them out
on the left side of the photo.

We climbed to the top and
enjoyed the view.

Later, the kids tried jumping
from the rocks and while they
liked the lower (8-10ft) jumping
off point, Kay tried the higher (20ft)
spot but said it knocked the breath
out of her.
I settled for the lower spot, myself.
I don’t have a death wish.
Or at the very least, I don’t have
a severely injured wish.
If I'd been in my teens,
I'd probably try the higher spot.
I'm older and more prone to
injury now.
Then again, I'm stupider, so it's
really a wonder that I didn't leap
from the higher point anyway.


Later, I took a hike up a trail to
take in another panoramic view.

While I was admiring the scenery,
I heard the sound of some animal
rustling in the woods.

Um… I’m in the middle of the woods…
By myself…
With zero protection from bears…

I started to worry about what
might possibly happen.
When would my family start to
grow concerned?
How long until someone found
what was left of my mortal remains?

Suddenly, the hidden beast let out
a terrifying roar!
“Tttttrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!”

I never did see the squirrel that
had scolded me.


Having survived my brush with
near certain death,

I returned to camp and dinner.
And of course, the inevitable
campfire and S’mores.

mmmm… Want one?
Yes. Yes, you do.

Earlier in the day, we had
stopped in the local store
to pick up a few snacks.
While there, Kay noticed some
packages and asked if we could
get one.
The store owner recommended
that we get two.
Each package contained some
powder that you sprinkled onto
your fire pit before you lit the fire.
It was actually quite pretty.
It made the flames turn different
colours and lasted over half an hour!

The next day, we headed five minutes
down the road to Bannock Point
to see the petroforms.

What's a petroform?

The Bannock Point Petroforms
are rocks that have been laid
out in figures and shapes.
It is believed that they were lain
centuries ago, by First Nations peoples.
No one knows what the original
purpose of the petroforms were.
Some think it may have been for
sacred rituals or teaching.

The first thing you see are the
remnants of gifts of fabric and tobacco
left by visitors to pay their respects
and honour the site.

A short walk takes you to
a more recent circle of rocks.
The area is currently occasionally used
by First Nations people for ceremonial
purposes.

Perhaps you noticed,
if you have sharp eyes,
a splash of red colour
in the above photo.
The REDress Project (click for link)
is a movement to highlight
the disproportionate number
of murdered and missing
indigenous women in Canada.
The dresses have and are being
displayed in various locations in
Canada and the United States.
There were several located here.
It was both eerie and humbling.

The petroforms themselves
were interesting and obviously
quite old, based on the amount
of moss that had formed on them
over the centuries.
Here are some of the more easily
recognizable ones.
(There are many more, but some
are indecipherable.)

(There's a penny on that one, for scale.)

In contrast, this horse (?) is
over six feet long.

It was a very solemn
and humbling experience,
and I'm glad we went to
witness it.


We drove about 45 minutes
from Bannock Point to
Pinawa Dam Provincial Heritage Park.

The Pinawa Dam was the first
hydro-electric generating station
in the province.
It began operations in 1906
and continued service until 1951.

Afterward, the dam was
used for artillery practice
by the military.
But what remains is still
pretty dam impressive.

The spillway was used
to control the amount of
water flowing through the
power house (the dam part).

The spillway isn't anchored
in place. It's held in place by
its own weight.
There was concern that ice
might push it over.

The solution?
A worker, with a rope tied
around his waist (!) would
walk on the ice and chop it away.
How's that for a job?

Logs were placed in these
frames to force the water
higher if needed.

All the concrete you see
was poured by hand.
It was all either made in
a mixer and poured into
wheelbarrows or mixed
right in the wheelbarrow
and pushed by hand to the
desired location.

They poured 24,000 cubic yards
(or 18,460 cubic meters) of concrete.
All by hand. All with wheelbarrows.
It took three years at a cost of
$3 Million. (About $70 million today.)

The actual "dam" or
power house.
The holes are where the
turbines were located.

After a hard day of driving
for a few minutes and seeing
interesting sights, it was time
for a little lunch and relaxation.


We stopped in the small town
of Seven Sisters.
(Named by fur traders for the
seven rapids in the nearby river.)
I'd read about a seasonal outdoor
restaurant called Jennifer's Picnic.
They specialized in Wiener Schnitzel,
so how could I say no?

Notice the Covid spaced tables.
Of course, I opted for the schnitzel.
So did Kay.
DW had chicken fingers (boring!),
while Elle had escargot.

Oh. I also had a camel kabob.
Never had camel before.
Tasted alright.
I couldn't tell if it formerly had
one hump or two.
And I'm not at all sure if I ate
it on a Wednesday, which would
be more appropriate.
(Among the other exotic foods
that they have had: alligator, rabbit,
bison, sturgeon and kangaroo.)
Not quite what you'd expect from
a small town food truck!

Continued Next Post​

 

[pkondz]

Continued From Previous Post​

After lunch, there's nothing like
a short nap. Or in my case, just
stretching out on the hammock.
(Never been much of a napper.)

Relaxation didn't last long
as Elle wanted to go exploring.
I was game, so we set off.
But... never disturb a resting dad...

As we strolled along the
narrow path through the woods,
she mentioned that she was a bit
nervous about bears and she
was prepared to climb a tree
if necessary.
I asked her if she'd ever seen
how fast a bear could climb?

This fast:

After that, every time a twig snapped
or the wind rustled leaves, she'd jump.

So I did what any good father
(who had been disturbed from his rest)
would do...
I told her a story about a giant
Grizzly bear. I'm sure it helped.


Made me laugh, anyways.
I'm evil that way.


We wound up hiking for about
an hour.
We wanted to see the "falls"
that signs kept pointing us to.

Ladies and gents (and Mark)
I give you... the Nutimik Lake Falls!

I think when they say "falls"
they mean "a bit of a current".

We did pick up a passenger.
Probably saved him from being
eaten by a bear.

And that was about it as
far as excursions in 2020 went.
I did buy a fire bowl for at home
and we did use it a few times

It wasn't all fun and games this year.
We managed to avoid
any covid exposures.
(We did have a couple of close
calls, but no one caught it... yet.
As I write this, we're waiting on
Elle's test to come back.
ETA: Just found out it was negative. Phew!)

As I was putting the pool to bed
for the year, I managed to snap
a critical part of the mechanicals.

I called the pool company that
installed it and they sent someone
out to look at it.
I was informed that they didn't use
that system anymore and to "fix" it
they would have to replace it at a
cost of about $2,000.

That's just a smidge more than I
wanted to pay.
I posted my woes on the DISdads
forum and someone there mentioned
that I should try Amazon.
Amazingly enough, I found the part.
I also found the tool I needed to clean
out the old joints.
I'm hoping to be able to fix it myself.
At a fraction of the cost.
Hoping being the key word.


Also this year, I decided to
take up jogging.
I used the C25K app.
(Couch to 5K)
I started out by running for
60 seconds.

60 seconds is a looong time.

After that you walk for 90 seconds...
And then they make you run again!
You alternate for 20 minutes.

I thought I was going to die.

Elle joined me and we set a goal.
We wanted to see if we could run 5K.
We signed up for a Disney
virtual 5K as an incentive.

We stuck with it, and eventually...

Now I run 5K just for the fun of it.

Well... maybe "fun" isn't the right word.

When Elle joined me, at first she was
able to run more than I could, but now
I tend to outrun her when we run together.

(Unfortunately, I got injured and while
I can still run 5K, I am not running 10Ks
like I was a few months ago.)

A few of the shots I took with my
phone as I ran, this year:

Not everyone was up for
running, however.
Luna seemed to find an
alternate pastime that
suited her needs.

The summer turned into fall...

And the Van Gogh exhibition
came to Winnipeg.
I took my folks (and Kay)
to go see it.
It's a dynamic display of
his works that are constantly
changing as you watch.
The paintings are projected
on the walls and the floor.

It was pretty cool, but after about
40 minutes or so, we'd had enough.
Still... glad I went and more glad
I took the parental units along.


Halloween was a bust.
We normally get around 120 kids,
but this year we got 12.
'Nuff said.


Christmas was quiet as well.
With the city under lock down,
we didn't have my folks over
or go to their place for the first
time in years.
I know I'm not alone in that this year.


And with that, I'll bring this
update to a close.
I hope you are all staying as
healthy and safe as you can.

Here's to a better, healthier,
happier new year in 2021.


And by the way…

Did you see it?

Bonus Chapter. Winter Wonderland​

 

[buzzrelly]

Well, hello there.

Hello, stranger!

There is hope.

And of course, there is the promise of vaccines
already beginning distribution or in various
stages of development.

Yes! The beginning of the end, I pray. I got my first dose 12/22 and can't wait for my second on 1/9. I can't wait for the rest of my family and all of you to be able to get it too

Why I am writing is just my way of trying
to provide you, dear reader, with a small gift.

Looks like I came back to the TR pages just in time

everyone was beginning to brace for the
two weeks that we might have to wait until it was all gone.

This has been the longest two weeks of my life

I was out accompanying my eldest DD deliver
a package to a friend’s place.
As I sat in the car, I spotted this discarded dog toy.

Santa… face down in the muck.
If that doesn’t describe 2020 in a single visual,
I don’t know what does!

I took a familiarization flight in a Cessna
where I even got to take the controls.
I quickly learned that I can’t fly a plane at all
and it's a lot harder than I thought it would be.

I did manage to not kill us both,
so I consider that a success.

Very cool

Luckily, I have sous-chefs that
assist me in these endeavours.

(Yes. That's where they hang out
while I'm trying to cook and not
step on them.)

Aw, they're beautiful that's exactly where my Oscar lays and I am constantly tripping on him!

I've been fortunate to remain employed
during the pandemic.
So I'm grateful for that.
However, it's not been an easy journey.

Sorry…my job has been a bummer too but I'm also grateful that I am still employed.

Eventually (just a few seconds, really)
the pig ambled off and she got out.

So cute! My Allie would love that!

The story was curious enough
to be covered by the TV show
"Unsolved Mysteries".
If you're interested, I've linked
the episode below. The first 15
minutes of the program discuss
the incident.

Interesting, I'll have to go click that link when I have more time.

We found our campsite and...
it was a wee bit on the boggy side.

Ew. No. God, No. Nope, never, no way.

As we got closer, we spotted an
abandoned dock on the island
and had a picnic on it.

That looks fun. And now I'm craving celery with peanut butter

Also... when we waded out...
we each found we'd picked up
an unwanted passenger.
One leach each.

Sooooo gross.

Where's the picture of that?? Yikes!

nd another small project was
replacing the gate.
I think it turned out well enough.

Looks great!

I hadn't been to this spot before, so...
Kay and I decided to go.

I'll say that it was a very good burger.
Don't you think that Kay thinks so too?

She's in love and I can't say as I blame her…that looks amazing

There was a sign saying the church
had been built in 1887.
It was open, so I ventured inside.

Very pretty

I started to worry about what
might possibly happen.
When would my family start to
grow concerned?
How long until someone found
what was left of my mortal remains?

Suddenly, the hidden beast let out
a terrifying roar!
“Tttttrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!”

Perhaps you noticed,
if you have sharp eyes,
a splash of red colour
in the above photo.
The REDress Project (click for link)
is a movement to highlight
the disproportionate number
of murdered and missing
indigenous women in Canada.

I think I started listening to a Podcast about that a while back. There's a famous highway where so many women have gone missing, right? I had to stop listening to anything depressing after the pandemic started since life was depressing enough…

Ladies and gents (and Mark)
I give you... the Nutimik Lake Falls!

Wow…just like Niagra!

As I write this, we're waiting on
Elle's test to come back.
ETA: Just found out it was negative. Phew!)

Thank goodness! We've had a couple close calls here too…knock on wood...

As I was putting the pool to bed
for the year, I managed to snap
a critical part of the mechanicals.

I'm hoping to be able to fix it myself.
At a fraction of the cost.

Youtube is your friend…and pools are crazy expensive, aren't they??

Now I run 5K just for the fun of it.

Awesome! Congrats to you!

Here's to a better, healthier,
happier new year in 2021.

You too!

Did you see it?

No, of course not, but I was wondering if there would be something! Now I'll have to go back and look!

 

[cindianne320]

Thanks for the update! I especially like the Unsolved Mysteries clip- that show was a favorite of mine growing up. What an odd story, and cool that you could visit the site!

It sounds like you and your family made the best of this year. I look forward to hearing more stories in the years to come.
(And I didn't see it, either!)