On wasting time

Wasting time. Yes. I think I'm proficient at that hobby. Wait, now, I don't do it all the time. Just some times. Especially when I ought to be doing something, usually something to do with tasks around the house.

Evening time is my best time to waste. I kick up my feet, log onto something (either online or other visual), or pick up a book and time passes. This doesn't always work. Time is harder to waste when you've got a bunch to waste. (Travel to visit family, for instance!- Especially those long treks). Waiting in airports. That long wait for lunch when you're at a conference and you don't have a meeting from noon til one and food won't be ready til then. (Although, that can be a fun time to go wander the hotel looking for answers to mysteries!)

Wasting time...I think that was part of why I started this blog. I did intend it to be a way to keep in contact with family, friends and others as I roamed about different areas, seeing new and different things, but then life got a bit busier, or I found other ways to waste time. (So far I've held back, and am not tweeting, linked-intoanything, or much of a follower, but I do waste time with FB)

Sharing photos- yes, that was a big thing I wanted to do. As such, and because it's been over 6 months, I'll share a few. Then it's time to go waste time/wind down elsewhere.

Skippy!

 Lucky bay!

Some family of mine - Feb 2014

Jump for the bird J!

September is here again

Wow.
This year is flying by. I don't quite know where it is going, but all the fun things to look forward to keep coming and happening and being sometime back there.

I have enjoyed many fun visitors this year. The months of June, July and August seem to have flown- with family here, pre wedding fun with Ashley and the wedding and VBS along with work.

I don't seem to take the time to write out my thoughts here so much anymore. Maybe I've found other milieus in which to "wind down", however, I do hope to pop in here from time to time. See how this edge of blogland is doing/going etc.

One or two pictures from the fun this summer- so far! Then I'll be off. Labour day is nearly gone and with it- back to fun of work...off to school for some. Enjoy. Hope to see you back here again soon.

Family

Wedding

Shoe shot!

At wye marsh

Happy father's day video.

It's getting late, but I thought I'd try to share a fun video I took the other day...

Happy Father's Day-  a few days late! (Please watch video with no sound the first time through, then again with sound- better effect that way!)

It's shocking how quickly this year is flying by. I have a hard time believing that tomorrow is the first day of summer, but there you have it.

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. I get to see all sorts of family and friends over the next little while. Maybe in some of my "free time" I'll get to share some photos of our goings on with you here!

Talk to you again soon, I hope! (Sooner than this past inter- post length).

Little things

It's the little things.

Recently I've been fighting off the edges of a long lingering bug. Nothing that was keeping me down, or from doing the day to day stuff, but it was keeping me feeling a little numb, if you know what I mean. Always tired. (I think that's partially it being January and a bit blah out doors!). However, this week I've been feeling better and the little things I've been seeing and enjoying are putting great big smiles upon my face. The sort that should rub off on someone else, should they witness them. At the moment I can only recall two of the things, the little things, that made me grin like mad!

First- it's not that crazy- you'll probably have witnessed it yourself one day, but I couldn't help but be struck by this: Coming to an intersection I notice a courier style van, lets call it DOWNS, approaching the intersection from the opposite direction, I see the driver make a funny face, maybe a scowl/grimace...in the direction of another courier style van, lets call it UNFED-Y....which was just turning Right, onto the street in front of me. I think it was just the juxtaposition...the drivers may in real life be friends, but the "rivalry" which I imagined at that time put a big grin on my face. It held out down the street, but was likely gone before anyone really got to feel the power of it. (That is, unless the other drivers caught it!)

The second incident likely won't take as much description.

A leaf, blowing across a bare, dry road (yes, January, mid winter, it's acting more like fall!). Not in and of itself very grin worthy, but my first impression of it was that of a tiny mouse, running across the road, in more of a cartoon fashion- up on its hind legs- than it would really run. It just looked cute. Yup. A cute leaf. And that thought (mostly that I was finding a leaf cute) made me grin! :)

There was more, but I cannot remember them at present...maybe later!

Have you got a story that recently made you grin? Please share!

I think it's time

Time for a post! Yes, it has been months since I last posted. I don't have excuses like some of the other bloggers I know, whose families have grown and gotten busy. I probably shouldn't try to make any either!

Today was a very warm day hiding in the early part of November. Warm enough to wander around in shirt sleeves, to set aside the winter jacket, to think about all the out of doors things I could be doing...and didn't do.  I did get to tidy my house a bit before the family members popped in to check it out. I also got 2 loads of laundry done. Should have spent more time out doors...next time.

Today was a day to celebrate with one good friend a happy 90th birthday! It was also a day to remember, and thank all our vetrans and those who died to permit peace for us.

As it's been a while- I think a couple pictures are due.

 For Remembrance Day

Fall - the leaves fell.

 Thanks to Sandy- a few waves on the bay

The moon about sunset time.
Hopefully I'll be back sooner next time!

You're not in Oz anymore...

Perspectives are fun, sometimes. Having traveled a bit, and even for anyone who has played at a zoo, or with different creature types, you'll know what I'm talking about. The way a bird holds itself, or swims or flies, tells you a bit about what bird it is. The way your cat leaps onto window sills far too high and scares you...that's another story. No, today is about a strange sight I saw on my way home.

I was driving, as I do to get home, when I looked into the field to the right. I instantaneously identified the creature munching away at the plants in the field as a deer...had to be. Right colour, right location, right time of night....but there was something that made me take  second look, and wonder, am I where I think I am. The deer was grazing the low lying plant, in such a way that the shape of its body looked like a kangaroo. That's right. A kangaroo in  a field, near my house, Ontario. Not likely, right? Well, you have to see a kangaroo doing the crouch forward and you'll know the body shape I saw- just on the wrong critter in the wrong place.

I wish I had my camera out, or that I could have stopped for a picture without frightening it away. Instead, I hope, the picture is planted firmly in my brain.

Heart of Gold- a review

This evening I spent an enjoyable 2.5hours watching the story  of Timmins- 100 years ago come to life .
It was a masterful piece, with amazing costuming, wonderful music played by the Timmins Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, interpretive dance and talented amateurs!!

With the help of youths enjoying the show from the seat behind (love you E and S),  the power of the imagery was intensified- the worry as the fire built, the giggling for childish antics, the concern for the safety of the cast...the show felt real.

The beginnings of the City of Timmins, as a very divided, segregated by language camp of camps, was well portrayed with the use of many languages in the opening scenes. One word, common to all "Gold".

The river, fire and trees came alive with the interpretive dancers, and "love" danced across the stage for one song.

The tableaus made up in the pharmacy, in the camp fire dance and throughout the poignant scenes of the disaster made you feel as though you were peaking in through a window back in 1911.

Some of the characters were gutsy, well suited to be out in the wilderness, hunting for something to make their fortunes. Maggie Buffalo's story was sad and touching. You felt her need to be part of something bigger than herself, a family once more.

The cast was made up of a wide range of ages- from 10 on up. Two main characters, Pearl Crawford O'Day and John Campsall with amazing voices, led the audience and worried mothers around the bush in their hunt for gold.

The sets were simple, but effective and set changes were done to lovely bridging music. The Orchestra kept the music alive and set the ever changing moods for us, to tug at our heart strings.

Some of the other main characters started out on the wrong foot together, but made it up with more beautiful, cockles of your heart-warming lyrics.

We had the opportunity to feel fear, hatred, love, hope, joy, mourning and relief over the course of the play and it was a masterful piece performed from the heart to celebrate this wonderful community.

This could not have been done without the dedicated work done by Laureen Kuhl and Luc Martin. What a wonderful show- I only wish I was able to stay in town to enjoy it again!!