From where I sit, the trick to getting a lot of work completed is to take things in small doses. Spoonful sized, if you will. That way, nothing gets hurt along the way, and the day doesn’t stretch out endless before you.
posted in pets | Comments Off on Testing the dog’s patience | 255 words
This was not a day filled with accomplishment. After rehanging a window blind, and quickly receiving a review (“It’s not centred over the window”), I decided to go for another plan; still B for blinds. Off to the hardware store for additional hardware. And then I ran out of steam. Nothing else happened. Yes, I was distracted by a really good university football game, and that season will be over soon, so I’ve already absolved myself. In passing, a great Rouge et Or win. Five in a row. They have enough accomplishment for everybody.
posted in sports, technology | Comments Off on A cracked screen to test my ingenuity | 270 words
Noticed in passing: going to work takes up valuable time that could be put to other purposes.
And with that as a starting point, we had to wait for this evening to go curtain shopping. Curtain being the old-fashioned, generic term for window coverings, because once we got into the marketplace, we learned that there are many other options out there. Mind you, green garbage bags fastened with duct tape no longer hold the attention of shoppers. Instead, the trend involved blinds, either vertical or horizontal, in a dizzying array of colours and textures.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Shopping blind(s) | 269 words
Each morning, my bus travels uphill and around a gentle curve for the final kilometer before reaching the city centre. Three lanes of traffic; two for the gang that travel solo in their chariots and one for the crowd (bus, 3 to a car, etc). Exception to note; for the last few weeks there has been a certain disregard for the “reserved lane”, which slows everything down. Until this morning.
posted in pets, travel | Comments Off on Get back in your own lane | 259 words
Further proof that we see the world in a very different way from the dog that co-resides. While we rejoiced at the installation of the new windows, the ones that would make his egress difficult, he never noticed the effort.
posted in pets | Comments Off on Need better cage clips | 278 words
I missed all the action. While I was away for the day, some elves came and changed all the windows and doors. I’m saying elves, for lack of a synonym. Without any trace of real human intervention (other than subvocal ramblings by son #3 about how cold it was), the twenty-six years of wear and grime were whisked away, leaving new and shiny in their place. I’m happy.
posted in environment | Comments Off on An alternative to window washing | 258 words
I’m going to sleep tonight without the benefit of curtains. Preparation, you see, for the busy day tomorrow, when the window changers are due onsite. We got word just after suppertime, and the last couple of hours have been a scramble. Vertical blinds are designed to defy gravity; removal meant that my arms stayed above my head for far too long. Little matter. The windows have been bared, and by this time tomorrow I’ll be back to trying a reversal. Bets are already on over how many will be the wrong size.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on My very own Bathtub key | 254 words
Finally, something new in my life. Specifically, trying to figure out why the phone just rang.
The cellphone. Or smartphone. Distinct from the tried and trusted landline phone which only rings when someone wants to talk to someone. The new device doesn’t follow that one simple rule. Instead, it rings and throbs and wriggles for things that I didn’t realize were noteworthy. Lunar phase changes. A message from Hotmail that my password is lost and irretrievable. The update that there may be wifi within range. I can’t tell about other things, because the phone doesn’t ring to announce callers. Maybe, some day.
posted in technology | Comments Off on Random maps | 251 words
Took the dog to the vet this morning. No urgency; the scar from the recent surgery seems to be healed properly, so it was time to get things unsewn. Between my phone call and the laying on of the magical scissors, less than two hours, most of that because I wasn’t ready to go down any earlier. The usual comedy show where I tried (and failed) to fit the car harness, and we were off. Once on site, I did the power lift to get his hairiness into position. The tech took her trusty scissors (just like the ones used to cut bandages in a first aid kit) and snipped the seven sutures. Done. No hassle, no wrestling. A quick inspection of the externals by the vet and we were out.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Suture snippery and some abstract literature | 262 words
Against my better judgement, I’m staying home tonight. Son #1 is launching (with his group) a CD in the next hour, somewhere in the city. Although there is a school of thought that says “you are only as old as you feel”, methinks I’d stand out (as the oldest person on the dancefloor) if I attended the show. Sorry, son. When I launch MY CD, don’t follow my example.
posted in music | Comments Off on Missing the launching | 264 words
