38 Years Old

Love this song! It tells a story, most songs this band writes tell a story. Great Canadian band for sure.

Reflecting on the past.

Time is an Interesting Concept

I have always been interested in the past, but as I get older it's become apparent to me we all create our own "past" based on time spent on the planet alone! I think back now, to my childhood, and ponder things that I am able to remember. I thought maybe I should write some things down, you know, so I don't forget. 

Here's a list of sorts...

• My earliest memory is living at a place in the west end of Winnipeg, "Blake Gardens" I have just one memory from there, that is riding on a circular merry go round - I assume in the play area. I was less than 2 years old.
• I remember riding a green tricycle my dad bought for me, I think at Canadian Tire, I was about 4 years old so 1967.
• I remember collecting insects with my older brother Chris, probably when I was 5-8 years old. The biggest deal was trying to catch the big red centipedes. They were fast and I remember my brother getting mad when we missed one lol.
• I remember watching hockey night in Canada with my grandma. She liked the Canadians, I liked the Leafs. Dave Keon was my favorite player. I was about 5 or 6, 1968 or 1969.
• I remember driving home in my parents station wagon after a party at our cousins. My dad was drunk and I remember my mom freaking about my dad's driving. Not good, all 6 kids were in the car. Anyway, we made it home okay, probably about 5 or 6 again.
• I remember my dad making a rink in my back yard, about 10 years old so 1973.
• I remember sleeping on our  sun porch and my dad was trying to install a window air conditioner in the 2nd floor bedroom window. He had just bought it. It fell off the ledge and came crashing to the ground and all I remember is waking up and looking up at my dad hanging out the 2nd floor window with a look of disbelief on his face. I was probably 13 or 14 so 1976-77.

Well that's all that come's to mind right now. We'll make this an update-able post, one that gets updated when I remember more things from my childhood. I remember something now actually, but I don't feel like adding it. Too much work.

Cool baseball pic eh? That's Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson!

I Love Summer!

It was a fun but fleeting summer

Well September 25th and in the Kenora area, the leaves are well on their way to changing colours. Nights are also a lot cooler although the month of September has been pretty nice weather wise. Had lots of fun this summer doing stuff like camping, fishing, etc. Spent time with the kids at the beach and that is usually a fun time. 

My only complaint is that summer is way too short. I could use at least another couple of months of warm weather. I pretty much hate winter now that I am 50, it is just too damn cold and you can't do much outside without getting cold after a short time. The snow is pretty and all but I am sick of it by New Years and just want it to go away. Unfortunately at this latitude, it lingers all the way until the end of April.

I guess I live in the wrong part of the country!

The Guess Who - Share The Land - first LP I ever purchased....

Guns, Guns, Guns by The Guess Who

The Photographer

Taking Pix is Fun!

I take a lot of pictures with my old but very reliable Canon-D-60 digital camera. In fact, since it was purchased oh, around 10 years ago, I have taken more than 60,000 images. What I like about the more expensive digitals (this was one of the best you could get back when it was purchased) is the quality of the lens, and the camera itself, which makes all the difference in the world. I am strictly an amateur photographer but some people who have seen some of my photos said they wuld buy them from me. Let's just say I don't plan on quitting my day job but thanks.

I admit I don't really know what I am doing compared to an actual trained photographer but since I take these photos for myself does it really matter? I have learned quite a bit from asking others as well as by trial and error. In many cases, I use full manual settings so I can get the effect I am looking for. I love to take pictures of the sky and especially, of sunsets. I am sure my right eye has been damaged from doing that without the proper precautions. Wilflife is another favorite as is taking pix of my family.

Anyway, here are a few sample pix of some stuff from the past years, I hope you enjoy it.

Where has the time gone?

Holy Cow I Had Better Do a Post!

Well for bejezuz sakes, it's November 15th and I have not done one friggin blog post this year - not one. At least I am sticking close to my annual average, save 2007 when I first started. Well, I'm not really sure I have much of substance to post, maybe I will do a bit of a "Year in Review".

I must admit, 2012 was a lousy year for me, personally anyway. I lost both my parents in a span of about 7 months. My mom went unexpectedly and very suddenly in March and boy, was that hard to understand/take! She was fine then all of a sudden she was gone. Goes to show every day on this wonderful planet is something to savour. My dad had a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer and according to his doctors, was supposed to die oh, about 2 years before he actually did. While we sort of "expected" our dad to pass, it still sucked when he went in August.

Things will, obviously, never be the same.

On a nuclear family level our boys sure are growing up fast. Josh is now 16 and Matthew is 15. Josh is a clone of me in many ways. Matthew, well, he's a giant in the making with his size 14 shoes and 6'1" frame - all 220 pounds of him. He will be at least 6'4" when he's done, I am sure of it. My wife Kim is pretty much the same as she always is....

Anyhow, work is beginning to bore me a little....do I need a change? Maybe, but I have it good now and I like Kenora. Kim hates it though and would move in a heartbeat. Winnipeg is the preferred Kim spot followed by any other big city after that, shop til ya drop so that explains that!

Anyhow, now I have accomplished something, I did a blog post at least once a year over the past 5 years. Does anyone even read these things anymore? I don't think so.......