R.I.P.

                                       March 31, 2010

One of his favorite poses.

Hard to believe four years have past since my best buddy died.  If you're not a cat (or pet) person, this won't mean a thing to you, but if you are, you will be able to relate.

I've had cats pretty much my whole life and there are three living in this household even now.

Einstein came to us as an abandoned kitten.  It was pretty obvious that someone had left him behind at the large apartment complex I rented in Fort Mac after Holly and I moved back to Alberta in 1991.  Then as today, the population of that northern boom town was quite transient.  Probably someone thought him cute as kittens are wont to be, and brought him home for a child.  Maybe they lost their job or found other accommodations but whatever the case this little guy got left behind.

He was desperately nervous, shy with strangers and skittish especially in his younger years.  I think he was traumatized by his early life, he may have been abused, he was certainly neglected.  He never really warmed up to people except in his latter years and typically only if I was around.  He seemed happiest on my lap or in my arms or anywhere close by where he could touch me with a paw or whiskers or tail.

I didn't want another cat having left two to friends and family before leaving PEI, but he was just so desperate and having been (some may say still) and underdog myself, I felt sorry for him and took him in.

He fathered 6 kittens, five of which were given away, while he, Snoopy (the Mom) and Scribble (daughter) came to live with us in Calgary.

Scribbles first, followed by Snoopy succumbed to failing kidneys in '03 and '05, while the cat that wasn't supposed to live beyond a few years (feline epilepsy) was my constant companion for almost twenty years.

We had our differences, especially when he would come to me and scratch my furniture right before my eyes, there were times I'd lose my temper with him, but when all was said and done, he was my very best friend ever.

When the end was coming, as he lost first his appetite and then desire to drink, I reflected on how much this little furry creature had meant to me.  He saw me through some very difficult times, listening to me, not judging, purring contentedly on my lap, helping with my homework.  He saw the end of my marriage, the various relationships over the years, the travels, the financial hardships, the moves...

Through it all, Einstein was my 'rock'.  Never faltering in his devotion and friendship towards my kids and me especially.

There is not a day goes by that I don't miss that little cat, not a day goes by I don't think of him and thank the Universe (and my niece Maggie) for bringing him into my life.

Happy here in my lap.

Guess What?

IT's Snowing!!!

I'm not kidding, we just got dug out from the winter's most bad assed blizzard, our road is plowed only a single lane wide, and I will be out later today (or tomorrow) doing it all over again.

Oh, I'm getting so tired of this...


It's 80 degrees in Phoenix...

Just another day in the life of Dr. N.

County Line rd looking north at 10 am atop a massive drift

WHAT a beautiful March 27th it is. 

I mean that!

elevation... 9,257 feet

Gorgeous sky blue sky, sun beaming on freshly fallen snow, and ho... what snow!

Looking at my driveway from bedroom window, 8 am

Major blizzard went through last night and did not really calm out till this morning.  Wind up to 110kph on the Island while Cape Breton we hear, had 100MPH winds!  That's 160kph!!!

 

it was "this tall"

I went out with my winter gear on, around 10 am to get to work on the driveway.  I have about 3500 sq ft to clear.  There was a patch in front of my overhead doors that had literally no snow, bare as a new born bum.  From there to the road it got increasingly heavy, drifts were right across, some as high as four feet.

Truly a beautiful day though, not cold... almost bikini weather!

On County Line road itself, which by the way, is NOT plowed at this time, there is a monster drift just outside the entry, that easily measured 7-8 feet in height and about 60 feet in length pretty much right across the road.  Looking the other direction towards Irishtown road, it was obvious that nobody was moving around these parts today.  There is 2-3 feet on level ground and of course anywhere the wind got at it, easily double that.

No use getting the Big Bear out of the garage, this was a job for SuperBlower!!  Well at least my little 24" 208 cc Cub Cadet.



I have lots of patience, and tackling this immense drift, took much of it.  Within minutes I was in again stripping heavy clothing, I went back out with only a sweater well and pants of course.

As high as the bottom floor windows

View from my study!!

Walking behind the blower inside the cab is quite warm from the engine heat.  I even have hand warmers but rarely use them.

It took the better part of three hours but I cleared all but the section right on the roadway.  Once the plow gets thru here, which could be tomorrow, I will have to clear what he pushes back onto my drive.  I don't mind doing it, its good exercise and fresh air.  As long as I am not shivering, I don't mind the snow.

Harder than it looks, she said!

I even had Brenda come down and do a couple of cuts going downhill, which is easier than up.  It's not as good as the tracked blowers I used to sell but gets the job done if I have the time, and I have the time...

Ahh, yes... scenes of summer...

So... we went to the Island Motorcycle (?) show, held in Charlottetown on the weekend of the 21/22.  Mike (XV 650), his son in law, Trevor (ZX600E) (whom I call Stretch) Nevin (Suzuki C90T) and me (list is too long...) 



First of all, Mike locked me in the car.  I mean it!  I was getting my camera gear together (more on that later) and the merry men went their merry way, locking the car in the process.


I had to send a quick text to have me sprung!



The show...... was more than just ho hum, it was downright boring.  It took Stretch and I about 7 minutes to cover the entire floor.  Missing were any Kawasaki's, Suzuki's, Centennial Suzuki from Summerside and their Yamaha store from C'Town.



Last year there were far more vintage/custom/race bikes... this year you could have thrown a blanket over them all.  I had charged my camera batteries all week in anticipation for what was being billed over the radio as an Island motorcycle extravaganza. Complete representation from all the dealers, many customs and vintage bikes, spectacular deal on accessories and tires etc etc, blah blah blah!

When the two bikes most vying for my attention were an overpriced Honda Grom ($3,199!!) and a poorly painted 1970 Trophy 250... you know I was disappointed, as were we all.  Sure, the Island motorcycle market is suffering, feeling the ill affects of our own recession.  (Back in the 80's if we read a headline proclaiming "It's official... Ontario is in recession"  we would joke that must mean the Maritimes is officially in a depression, because we could never climb higher than recession status)

I took a total of 10 photos.  Yup you got it right
T E N!  So much for all that battery charging...



One of the guys quipped that between us, we had almost as many bikes as the show had on display.



Sad... 

I have taken part in or done myself, perhaps a hundred shows in my 23 years in the business.  It's a lot of work and there were times I was ready to quit, but hey... if you're in the biz, ya gotta be there (or be square)

Needless to say, we will not be attending next year, and I heard that from several others.

Annnny waaaaay... on with thoughts of summer...

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday, you know who-ooo...

Happy Birthday to youuuuuu!

And many more!

Polar Vortex eh......

Call it what you want, it's been a lonnng, colllld winter up here.  Just reading, it's the coldest in 35 years on record, with only slivers of western Canada immune.

3-2-1 GO!

No s__t Sherlock.   

It took science to tell us something we already know.  Even hard core snowmibilers have confided to me that's it's been too bloody cold!

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, and although it is melting gradually, we likely won't see the end of this snow for weeks!  Some of the build-ups in parking lots, maybe months!  I was commenting to Brenda the other day driving into "Metro" (Summerside pop 11,000) that Superstore's parking lot and Walmart next door, looked like a mini version of the Alps!

It's all downhill from here.

For our part, during our routine walk, I veered us off road and we traversed some fields and valleys for a little XC loop.  Tough sledding it was too, slick as ice in places and waist deep during our foray through the woods. I suspect our little 'pond' below the sand pit, will be quite the lake if this goes quickly.  It was so crusty in places, walking was difficult if not downright dangerous.

So slippery in fact that we got the plastic sleds out and careened down the hill from in front of our home.  We would have done it longer had the walk back not been so tough.

Except the long walk back...

Neighbors dog, Diesel did the whole loop with us or at least in the vicinity, appearing from the woods regularly to see if we were still okay.



The outdoor jog with us along on his turf as company, tripped something in his canine brain apparently... his behavior became, ahem... somewhat randy.



 It was difficult holding the camera steady, I was laughing so hard as he chased her all the way down the hill, jumping her at random intervals!

Diesel with amorous thoughts in his head.

Less so when I became the object of his amorous affection my turn sliding down the hill.  He jumped me in no uncertain terms while I was prone on the sled, and 'rode' me down the hill!

My heart rate was pumped!

That... I could have done without!

Old friends...

WE try and walk regularly.  County Line Road, is officially a "Heritage" road here on the Island, named after Prince Edward. 

What that means in translation officially I cannot say, but unofficially, it means this little summer time cut-off to some excellent beaches, is left un-plowed for most of it's 5 km length during the winter.  A couple of hundred yards to the north, sits the home of Ted and Sheila and beyond that, its a pleasant country lane during the summer and a snowmobiling/sledding attraction winter.  If you are reading this blog routinely, you'll know we are far from Spring seasonally if not in days.  The Island is divided into three counties, Prince to the West, Queens in the middle and King county to the East.  Yes... can you tell that Islanders adore royalty?! 

We happen to live on the fringe of Queen's and Prince but officially we are PC residents.  It gets more confusing from there.  Technically across the road it's another county but more than that, our 'street' address places us in Kensington's rural mail route but if we need a fire truck or ambulance, we are in Spring Valley.  Conversely across the 'road' it's Irishtown.  Nothing complicated on this Island of 140,000 people!

Saturday we attended a pot luck at the new S.V. community center, which by road is about 7 km from here but if I rode the Polaris Indy Lite to the SW... it's about 1.5km distant.  See, on the fringe of both Prince County and also Spring Valley, but also Irishtown.

During the snow free months, we explore the little trails up in the woods, but winter finds us on the plowed portion, during our exercises.  It's 1.3km (.8M) to route 101 (Irishtown road) From there we can walk in several directions and distances. 

A couple of days ago with a wicked slicing wind coming from the Northwest, we stuck to the tree line and did that 6 times, about 2 miles (3.2km)

Yesterday, the three of us headed into Summerside and after dropping Anna at a friends for an overnight visit (YAYYY!) the two of us parked at the rather remarkable C.U.P.  Credit Union Place is a modern, large and seemingly out of place for such a small town, err... city, as SS, recreational facility.  Two rinks, a huge pool complex, fitness center, a Pita place and a bowling alley that regularly hosts not only sporting events, but big name acts. I can name drop just a few for you; Reba has been here, as has Sting, Sir Elton John and Bryan Adams to name a few.

Above the ice surface, ringing the bleachers, there is an indoor walking/jogging track.  Four circuits equals one kilometer around the outside perimeter.  The few times we have used it, there is always room and little traffic.  We walked a total of 31 laps yesterday.  That's 7.5 km, a pretty good workout on a cold winter day.  If you use your imagination, as I do... I am walking on the moon, or in the wilds of Baja, or New York city.  It's not hard to transport yourself to something more exciting that a simple walking track.

After our trek, we stay for a coffee and snack in the spacious entrance foyer and while my partner was off adjusting her hair, I took a moment to call an old friend who works at the facility.

Mike DesRoche was an Motorcycle Instructor of mine and a buddy and general hanger abouter in the old days.  He worked at a local pizza shop back in the day and was a great help to me during the dark days when my marriage imploded.  It was Mike that got me out and about, trying to keep my spirits up (sometimes with spirits!) when everything I had worked for was crashing down around me.  Marital problems can be death to a business and my beloved Freedom Cycle was another casualty of the break up.

As I am listening to the answering message on his line, I am thinking back to 25 years ago, when that was all happening.  I wasn't in a good place then.  I leave a typical message; "Hey MD, it's FS.  I'm in town at the CUP after a jaunt around the track, ring me back when you get this and next time we can plan on meeting..."

I put the phone away and see Brenda approaching, looking ravishing after her 5 mile walk, and who do I see in my line of sight, but Mike hisself.

We have a short chat, vowing to get together next time during a time when he is off and do some yakking catching up on events. 

I have traveled over 30 countries in my lifetime, and have met people from every walk of life, profession and gender.  Some people are there for the proverbial moment, while others last forever.  I especially like the last forever types. 

Friends will attest to my saying often, "no matter the distance involved, or the time traveled... good friends always remain just that."

I've been fortunate to have met many, and I appreciate them all.

Smile... Spring is only 6 days away!

Yeah... probably not going to happen in Spring Valley, maybe Silver Springs?

March 14, 2014

I've spent the last three days clearing snow.  Not so bad, (although the blower will give your shoulders a workout) using equipment, but I also shovelled a foot of crusty, wet snow off the decks yesterday.  There is about 70 x 6 feet of front deck, plus of course the stairs at both ends, plenty to deal with  considering my back and shoulder probs.

Widening the drive.

Overnight we had about 3-4 inches of fresh powder (skiers would be happy) that I made short work of with the Big Bear and blade. 

F 150

I'm heading into Kensington today to put some gas in the Ford and exercise it a little, she doesn't get much use. Tonight we're going to a pot luck dinner at the Spring Valley community center.  Get to know the neighbors etc.









At least its above zero today, yesterday during our 2 mile walk, it was 10 below zero with a stiff wind on our faces from the west.

Going with the flow...

Slammed!

It was a dark and stormy night...

...and kicked in the nuts! 

I'm sure I'll be doing this again sometime in the next 12 hours.

Another major snowstorm began last night.  By midnight, you could hear the wind whistling and it sure wasn't Dixie!  Our yard lights were continually coming on, the snow was swirling in great eddies, and at times I thought the windows were going to give in on the North side of the house. 

I watched it throughout the night and there was no let-up.  Ice pellets smacked against the siding, they sounded like an MG 42.  Rat a tat tat!

Looking north up County Line Rd

It hadn't calmed down by early afternoon when I finally decided to go out and clear the driveway.  It's after 4 pm now and still snowing and blowing.

The snow plow made a pass around 8 am, just enough to get the compost truck thru on its rounds. It could use another now, but I don't suspect we'll see him again today.

South towards Irishtown 1.5km that away.

I can hear the howl from my den window right through the glass.

What do they say... 'not fit for man nor beast'.  I bet our little red fox is holed up tight in her den sitting this one out.

I will most certainly have to go out again tonight or tomorrow early.  School and pretty much everything else was cancelled today, who knows about tomorrow.

The front yard, the 2nd last window is my den and the last is Brenda's studio.

It's been one of those winters, started early with a bang and has pretty much continued. 

Best I can do now is curl up in the living room with a good book and sit it out...

 

Bookcase

My bookcase/Honda Passport stand, is coming along nicely.  When I designed this house, I wanted a wide open, south facing heat in-taking living room and because the ceiling is high and there is a large feature wall, from the beginning I had planned on a special place for my little yellow vintage C-70.

This one I bought with 109km on it.  It has 223 now.  I also have another (red) that I purchased over eBay in Phoenix long before I had a home there.  That one is in excellent shape and is a rider.



The MC stand, umm... I mean bookcase, is constructed from 2x12's and is 8 feet in height and 16 in length.  It weighs about 300 lbs plus bike and books.  It's bolted to the wall in several places, don't want the thing to come crashing down one night (Yikes)

There will be a floating ladder attached, to reach the loftier elevations.



 
 


Being the artist in the family, Brenda is responsible for painting the deep espresso that really pops it from the wall.

As you can see in one of the photos, she is using Willy's ladder (note cushion on top).  He isn't complaining... he's supervising.





We should have this last interior project completed in about 20 more hours.  Can't wait.


 



The little Honda, is the number one produced motor vehicle of all time, serving to meet the nicest people on... to moving the most people ever in history.








You'll see Honda step thru's in virtually every corner of the planet, from the Alps to the Andes, the Congo to the Cascades, the streets of Viet Nam to the blvds. of Vienna.  It even withstood a drop from a 3 story building (thanks to Charley Boorman) and came up flattened but running!

Being the boss is tiring!

later.... 

Still winter...

Mike tells me we should expect 30 cm (12") of new snow this week.

I'd have preferred if he said, "hey did you hear... it will be +15C by the weekend..." 

Anna at the helm!

No such luck.  Quite Frankly, I am tired of this winter.  It's started early, been long, cold and tons of snow.

I've been out on the Polaris about 3 hours total, been too cold for me.  Once on my own, once with Anna, and again when Lisa was here for a quick visit. Hance even showed up the other day on a Ski Doo for a visit... from his place in Bedeque.  I didn't even know he could ride a sled! 

Lisa in our backyard.

As I was puttering in the garage yesterday, we're building an awesome bookcase for the living room,  I thought I heard a voice, very faint but distinct.  At first I put it down to some unusual vibration from wind, could have been a cat somewhere in the house, water running, I  didn't know, and besides it was so faint.  On my way into the house, I heard it again, this time just a wee bit clearer.  I stopped in my tracks, straining my ears cupping my hands over them like a gramophone.  Yup there it was again, and again. 

I could hear it better now and it was a voice.  I followed the sound back and forth until I was sure of it.  Twenty minutes had past and it was near time for me to get supper on the go, but I was certain of it now and put the meal out of my mind.

Hance and his Ski Doo

It was coming from one of my bikes, the Yamaha Serow 225.  Maybe the fuel tank venting a little but what I heard was;

"Ride me, come ride me.  Ride me now, I'm ready, c'mon, don't think, just do it."

I swear, it's true!

I knew it was sunny , the road was dry but it was about -12C, but hey... I was being called.

Quickly pulling on a winter jacket, some gloves and a helmet, I pushed her outside and after draining the fuel, she fired up within a few revolutions of the engine.  It was so cold, I had the enricher (choke) on for the entire ride out to Irishtown rd before the engine was warm enough.

I even did a few wheelies on the way back.

I always smile after riding, note smile is frozen on my face.

Did I mention, I'm getting real tired of this winter...