happy halloween

Have a good one everybody!!

he reminds me of my grandpa, he had hair like stalin (courtesy theguardian.com)

blbbl

not happy with my dentist

So, today I went to the dentist for some impressions of my teeth for a new night guard as the other one is getting chewed up, literally. They also took impressions for my partial denture, or prosthetic, or "cast partial free end". Whatever, fake teeth to replace the ones I have ground out.

That gets all done. Then! The dentist starts to tell me about my new "partial". It will put stress on the remaining teeth, especially the ones at the ends. 

What?! You told me way back that it would help anchor those, and all my, teeth. 

Oh, I never said that. (He did.) 

Well, it would have been nice to know that back then.

Well, that's why we're having this conversation now.

(Now?!) He was getting pretty snotty with me at this point too. I actually considered walking out. I was pretty pissed about this being sprung on me after all the crap and pain I went through. Not to mention the run-a-round the wife's new insurance plan is giving us. I kept my cool as best as possible and decided to carry on for now and stayed in the chair.

I am thinking that if the conversation was had properly all those months ago, I would either have pressed to pull all my upper teeth for a full denture, which he did refuse to do at the time. Or I would have just had the one seriously messed up tooth pulled and the other one left in and moved on. 

Regardless, I would have done further research back then. He tells me to check out the Ontario Dental Association website for more information and the American Dental Association as well. You see, he had no information pamphlets for partials, just for a full denture plate. Well, I could find no information on either site. They are pretty crappy actually. I even checked the Canadian Dental Association site. That one is even worse! For as cutting edge as I tend to find dentists now-a-days, their umbrella organisations appear to be bogged by bureaucracy and putting on a smiley face.

There is a ton of info here on how to make them. Try finding information on the stresses it may cause to existing teeth. It is like pulling teeth. (Ha, ha. Get it?) This guy is not too bad, but still? I need the information! (Hey! I figured out how to link to a specific timeframe in a Youtube video. Yay!!)

Well, here was some information about stresses. Blah, blah, blah?? Then I found this:

“Many people are not aware of the effect that partial dentures can have on existing teeth.....Partial denture wearers are almost twice as likely to lose the teeth next to their partial denture, compared to the rest of their remaining teeth. It’s important to be educated about how to properly care for your partial denture to help protect your remaining teeth.”

Okay, something concrete mentioned. I have combed through a bunch of sites and most just talk about different options for replacement and how to keep dentures clean. I know all that already and apparently, according to more than one dental type guy I have already consulted, a partial would currently be the only successful way to go. 

It just rankles me that I am told that I will continue to stress the teeth I am trying to save and may actually hasten their failure with a partial. Some interesting gobbledygook here. Again, it does not help me decide what I should do though!?! For frick's sake!!!

I am going to try to get an opinion from the wife's dentist. The wife considers her capable and smart. Good enough for me for another view. However, it is looking like I am going to take my chances without the dentures now. Hey, I have adapted to living without those teeth. (My teeth are my own private Marine Corps: improvise, adapt, overcome.) I can save the $1700 for when more teeth turn on me or when some day I need a full upper.

I just remembered. My mother lost all her teeth by the time she was twenty-five. So, I am not doing so bad. I still have about two thirds of my teeth and almost double her age. Maybe I will spin the wheel of life here and let it happen all organically. I will know in a day or two what I am going to do. With that, and the status of my relationship with my dentist. (He really pissed me off today and as I have mentioned before: I am a bridge burner, I have no problem with cutting off and walking away.) Now, I have to kick in some figurative teeth in for some other matter. blbbl

of mice and pumpkins

Well, the last few days do not really rival John Steinbeck, but there were travails.

Early in the week, we learnt our oven is not working any longer. Not a good year at Hacienda Rooster this year for enamelled metal. Many appliances and and mechanical devices have been replaced this year. It looks like the stove is the latest to jump in line. Last week the electric kettle died. They last no more than a year usually. One lasted about two years. Woo-hoo!

The dead oven does not bode well, but I will get to that yet. The boy was telling the wife that he can hear the mice in the walls again. When the weather turns in the fall, the mice come in to the attic and get in to the walls. As far as we know, they have never gotten in to the house proper though.

A few years back, one mouse got in to the cold room and took a bite out of every soft packaged food item, even the Kool-Aid Jammers. Then, poof, it was gone. No sign of it it ever again. We figured it came in to the house from the garage when we were moving stuff back and forth. Recently, another mouse must have done the same. One day when I was refilling the sunflower feeder for the birds, I noticed a ton of hulls in the bag. Odd? Then we were moving some stuff around and found more hulls piled up, then a cache of seeds. I have since dispensed with this mouse, but we keep finding caches throughout the basement.

As far was we know, there are no other mice in the basement, but I still have some boobytraps set up for any that may still be lurking about. Now, these jokers in the walls. They most likely come in from the garage and then in to the attic from around the chimney. We bought some "snacks" for them yesterday and the boy and I threw them up in to the attic today. However, the ladder is a bit short. My taller one is in the shed with the wasps. So I tried whipping them across the attic. Success was variable. Then I set one last one up in the basement as added security.

The last step was a tin cat with peanut butter in it on the garage floor. If any of these wiseguys lands in there, they will find themselves in the Marlborough Forest jiffy quick. So, that is the mice so far, but I know I need to get more snacks. I will need to keep this up for at least a couple of weeks.

With all the mouse hullabaloo done for now, I set to work to get some stuff together for the boy's costume. He is going as Indiana Jones He was not so very helpful at all. So, we have everything now: boots, pants, multiple belts, holster, revolver, whip, shirt, jacket, hat, and satchel. The only thing that may bite us, is if it rains on Tuesday. The jacket is actually suede, so not good in water.

Since he was so grumpy with the costume, he was not consulted at all over the pumpkins, four of them. One was easy, the wife got a BB8 "pumpkin push-in" kit. Done. Number two, did it all freehand. It had a scar on the flesh, so it became a scar of a missing eye. Easy-peasy, nice-and-easy, lemon-squeezy. Three, was a tall one, used the stalk for a nose. Bam. Number four, the wife drew what she wanted, pretty good. Finished jiffy quick. The fasted I have ever emptied and carved pumpkins.

Now, what to do with these seeds? No oven, remember? I looked online on how to do it another way. I figured it would be in a skillet. Found this on the interweb. It was the best of the instructions found. I have done two batches. They are okay. The seeds do not really pop. They are moister than in the oven too. Again, not bad, but I think they need to be eaten right quick so they do not go off. Not a problem for me, I love pumpkin seeds. Especially when I do them myself. At least one or two more batches to do though.

The great thing about the pumpkins when halloween is done, we can take them to Ray's Reptiles. They will use them to feed various critters, like the tortoises.

Well, I need to call a couple of appliance guys tomorrow to see if it may be worth fixing this junky oven. I will ask if they have any refurbs too. The wife will try to find a new stove cheap as well; a little more difficult now that Sears Canada is down the drain. I still need to get a wasp exterminator too! Oh, and I need to go to the dentist for my first prosthetic dental fitting. And a new night-guard for sleeping; I am apparently eating it in my sleep. There are several pieces now missing from it.

Almost forgot, the iron removing doohickey on the water softener appears to not be working. I need to call about that too!

Anyway, I need to finish the pumpkin seeds and get organised for tomorrow, send out some Scout emails, blah, blah, blah. Then I am going to have a nightcap and turn in. Shotgun start tomorrow. blbbl

it's gettin' harder

Trying to post every day is becoming difficult. I know I cannot keep it up for too much longer. I did pledge to myself that I would go a solid year, at least, with posts every day, but man, sometimes I just do not know what to say. Or, what I want to say will just take an inordinate amount of time for that particular day to pull off.

Take today, for instance. The wife and I had a run-around-day. I went to the local pharmacy for some naloxone training. Then, we did a whole whack of stuff. Including getting four pumpkins, some squash, and talking to the lady who ran the stand from her home; wonderful woman. We ran off to some shops, including getting halloween stuff at Canadian Tire (I will not include a link, as their website truly blows), Home Hardware, "home of the handyman", for some mouse eradication devices. The "highlight" though was the Third World Bazaar.

Now, I want to discuss the bazaar, but I am tired, the wife is tired, the boy is tired. I would have to take pictures of the stuff we bought and more links probably. I do want to post about it, but not today. I am beat!

I am getting worn down like a heel on a shoe. So, I will say, I will post every day, at least until Sunday 07 January 2018, but I am done right now. I am sure everyone goes through this at times, but I have been, as the wife says, run from pillar to post; I would say: I have been all over hell's half acre. Regardless: tired, worn-out, run-down, beat, done-in, kaput, je suis c'est finis.

See y'all tomorrow. blbbl

restaurant review - eva's chip wagon -- and an odd coincidence

Really, a chip wagon, but the food is far beyond a chip wagon.

So, tonight the boy had training at Ray's Reptiles tonight. We decided that we would eat out to save some time. There is a chip wagon that is open along the way. It is Eva's Chip Wagon.

We had been there a few times before and really enjoyed it. Their cabbage rolls are huge and the wife loves them. I have always enjoyed whatever I ate there, as well as the boy.

They have several Polish type items on the menu, but always assumed they were Ukrainian by the spelling of the proprietor's name on the sign. However, I was perusing their website ans saw an item called the "Polish Burger"?

I decided to ask them about it as it was not on the day's menu when we turned up. They began to explain it as ground beef and pork shaped in to a patty and fried. "Oh," I said, "like a kotlet." They kind of looked at me with a bit of a surprise. I said I was Polish, but my spoken Polish is lousy as I have few opportunities to speak it now-a-days. They were like: Well you said it right.

We bantered back and forth for a few minutes and I told them where my parents were from. Well, the co-proprietor, Eva's husband, is actually from the same place my father was. What a tiny world it really is! I have never met anyone else from there except my dad's family. My one aunt and uncle specifically, who, as my father, have left this world.

I was astounded. He tells me his brother-in-law, who is actually Ukrainian, as it has always been a mixed region, is from there as well and still lives there. (My old man's home town has been in Ukraine since the end of the Second World War. That is why he never went back. He despised Communism, particularly the Russian Soviet type.) He said he is visiting this summer and I should talk to him; he knows everyone in the area. I will, as I had one aunt who stayed behind and had been married off to a Ukrainian Army officer. Hell, maybe we are related somehow in the end?!

Back to the meal. The boy got a burger and fries, the wife "pierogi poutine". Yup, you heard right. This is when multiculturalism can do some nutty things! I got a pork schnitzel burger. Which is really just a different kind of kotlet, or cutlet.

The pierogi poutine was dynamite, the wife could not finish it, so now she has a lunch. The boy loved his burger, all gone. My schnitzel? Massive, twice the size of a burger, and as Homer Simpson would say: Fan-Fugu-Tastic! And, yes, I finished it all. I also got fries, which he wife ate a chunk of. The best fries I have ever had at a chip wagon or chip stand, probably anywhere.

Oh yeah, I also had a leek soup. Very rustic (see article here, but I would not really call it peasant food) and down-home, like my mother, or I, would make it.

Now, they use peanut oil. I think that is why their fries are to die for. So, if you have a "nut thing", you have been warned. If not, run, drive, parachute in. You must try them. Time is limited for the season. They close up for the winter by Christmas, or sooner if the weather turns nasty. I did see them open once, some time ago, during a blizzard. So, who knows. Call them if you are not sure, the number is on their website. They also have a Facebook page.

While they were preparing our meals we took up the banter again. I asked if they made some particular Polish soups. Not really for the customers as most people are not familiar with them. However, the husband said Eva made them for him. Lucky guy!

The wife also put in an order for cabbage rolls to take home and make some lunches for work. I told you she loves them.

So, with the four meals, fries, soup, some drinks, it came to $40. Considering we were filled and fuelled up with food to take home (cabbage rolls and some pierogi), a really sweet deal. We more than got our money's worth tonight. A pizza from the  local shop would have cost about the same and there might be one slice left for a lunch for the boy. A couple of happy Polaks (really, the boy is half Slav and half Celt; two of the most downtrodden peoples in the western world) and an Irish woman were the result of the evening's dining, let me tell you! 

Thanks Ewa (the real spelling of her name) and Gienek!! I also look forward to meeting the brother-in-law; it may lead to some blanks in my family history being filled in. Who knows? blbbl

epi-pen heaven

Hooray!

I went and saw the allergist today. I was lucky to get an appointment so quickly too.

She was very thorough. And she was a bit surprised about my reactions. She was also very frank with me.

She does not think I am in any grave danger. I am in the 5% range for having anaphylaxis. Simply put, an allergic reaction that can ultimately lead to death.

Most people are under 3%, often 0.3%.

However! The next range for me is the 40% range. Still not super serious apparently.

The next range is 60%. That is when it gets serious.

Anyway, she offered to run the tests. At a later date, because the test kits are backlogged due to some factory problems.

She also offered immunotherapy. Basically, injecting doses of venom to desensitise me.

Both can be quite uncomfortable and painful.

We both decided after our indepth and detailed discussion, that neither were necessary. I can contact her directly at any time if my situation changes to review our options.

The best part though? She gave me a killer prescription. Seventy-two epi-pens, a half a gross! (Not all at once of course.) She had no problems, no issues, no worries. She also said that, if I use up the prescription, she will refill it. Or that my doctor should now have no problem refilling it.

The great thing for me? In time, I can now have an epi-pen or two in my various go-bags, my Scout bags, my camping pack (that I am now going to build so I can save time when a Scout camp or other camping trip comes up), my first aid kits. Well, just about anywhere that it would actually be handy if they need to be used.

She had an open minded and refreshing attitude. She was "up" on what her discipline is doing and understood my concerns and alleviated many of my worries.

She did also tell me that I need to get rid of the wasp nests that are on the property. She was surprised when I told her I have not been able to get anyone, that I have wanted to use, to get back to me. Her answer, which is pretty obvious in the end now, start at the top of the list and work my way down until someone will come out.

So, tomorrow, I will start calling around. I do need to get in to my shed to get the snow blower out and a bunch of summer stuff in. The last thing I want is to get multiple stings during the season changeover. Plus, I would use up my epi-pens and may just prematurely launch myself in to the next percentile. We cannot have that. That would definitely suck. blbbl

hooray for budgets - this one goes out to all you accountants

No. Not really.

I hate budgeting. It is not really so hard to do, at least most of what I do it for. I just find it painful to make sure the information is correct.

However, the current budget I am compiling is for the GLJAM, if we go. The particular pain in this case? I have to put it together four different ways. The two main ones are maximum possible costs, expenditures, etc. done two different ways. The other two are retoolings of the first two, but with probable costs, for practical purposes obviously.

Anyway, I need them for tomorrow and I am all over town tomorrow during the day.

So, no I cannot come out and play, I have to practice the violin, um, I mean, compile these goldarned budgets. blbbl

i am batting a thousand.....rubbing people the wrong way!

Who me? But I am such a great guy! Well, at least I think I am.

However! I also know I am an ass. I have said as much on more than one occasion, here, at the rooster, and elsewhere.

However! Some people probably tag a perforated suffix to the ass part. Maybe sometimes, but I like to think I can be one in a good way.

Anyway.

So, I peeved the wife last night. We were talking about a specific bill last night out on the back deck. We were more or less done and I went inside for a moment and when I came back, she restarted the discussion. Frankly, I did not want to rehash it and I told her so. We got in to a mild argument about how I do it too. Apparently, all the time! Well, suffice to say, the evening ended. It was nothing major really and everything is hunky-dory now. That is a part of marriage. A part of life.

Then, today, I was doing something with someone. The thing where I am now wearing my Crocs. I asked them if they wanted me do it a certain way. They said yes, because they want newbies doing it that way. Well, I asked because we did it that way last time. However! She said it in a way that was nonplussed. Frankly, I may be new to her way of doing it, but I am not new to the whole process. I guess she sensed my nonplussedness. She blew it off with an explanation that confirmed my reasoning. I was not convinced. I left it at that, it was no biggie. Not sure if she reads the rooster or not. I know she reads a bunch of other blogs. I guess I will find out tomorrow. That is just the way it is sometimes. You know, part of life.

The capper though! There is a Jamboree next summer, here in Ontario. The Great Lakes Jamboree (GLJAM). I have been trying, passively, to get it off the ground with the Troop. Well, yesterday, I got more proactive. I sent an email out to all the Scouters in the Scout Troop, the Akelas in the two Wolf Cub Packs, and the Group Commissioner ( who also happens to be a Venture Scout Advisor in our Group). So, I contacted all the relevant people by Troop, the other Sections who can participate, and our Grand Poobah. There were a few responses, some positive, but not enough yet to get really serious.

However! One response was very serious and, in my opinion, not very supportive. Sorry, but I am going to put it out there. I countered with some concrete, yet ballpark, information. Hey, it is early days.

I also put out an opinion to an expectation expressed in the serious response. Well, today, I received a response to my response. From Mister Serious. Personally, I perceived it as confrontational. Just my opinion. Basically, I have been challenged to some kind of existential combat over my opinion!?

Now, in my opinion, that is not a part of life. Not the way it is sometimes. I do not know. Maybe it is me? Am I that difficult to get along with?  Am I that much of an ass?

I did respond to the challenge when I got home today. I felt it was important to do so. In the end, I did not have time for my own supper or to shower before taking the boy to his Medieval Martial Arts training.

I basically told him there is no battle to be entered in to. It was my opinion. He cannot have it, it was mine, but he could share it if he liked.

No response back yet. I am sure it will be a doozy though. And it is only Tuesday! I cannot wait to see how the rest of the week unfolds. Jeeze!? blbbl

google sometimes just does not get it - google drive and file transfers - ha!

So, after being caught up in several day consuming email chains, I decided to do something I intended to do some time ago.

I uploaded the vast majority of Scouting resources that I have on my computer. To the wrong profile. I now have a profile and accompanying email address that I just use for Scouting. All the resources were uploaded, somehow to the incorrect profile.

I think: no problem, I will just copy them over. Nope. Google does not allow that. You can share across profiles, but not copy. At least no way I can figure out.

Well, I did find a not so difficult way. I can download it all as a zip file from the one profile then upload it to the profile I want it in. Okay, not so bad. They even provide an online unzip app to facilitate the whole thing too. Not too shabby.

However! Some files now open oddly using Google resources. Not a fan of that, but I can live with it.

However! Even though I checked for the correct profile to upload, and I did select it, it opened another browser window for the other profile and defaulted to that one. I did not realise that. Not a big deal you say. Well, I added a massive amount of additional files, to what I thought was my Scouting profile. Nope, it was all added to the profile that I did not want any of the data sent to in the first place. It was a giant bitch pain in the ass to do all this. So, all the newly added files are in the wrong place.

However! I have options, I can comb through my computer manually and do it all again and hopefully drop it in the correct profile and not miss any files. Or, I can just do what I did the first time to move the files and have take several hours to have it all copy to the correct profile, hopefully.

I think I will take the hours long zip-download-upload-unzip process and have a bunch of files tagged to work with Google programs.

However! I still need to wait for it to finish uploading all the additional files I have already sent up to the wrong profile.

Honestly, I used to be a huge Google cheerleader, but it gets harder every day. All the Blogger resources are somewhat wanting. Getting support from Google is nearly impossible. You do learn to comb through their own and others resources on how to fix Google-Universe problems and how to ask the right question in the first place, which in and of itself is a difficult talent to learn.

In the future, I think for any documents that require no further editing the best thing to do is to convert to pdf. It appears Google does not reformat that file type unlike doc, rtf, txt, xls, and the like. At least I appear to have learnt something new! Plus, pdf files extract much faster, even when they are the same size as a doc or rtf.

Well, anyway, I will let it finish uploading to the incorrect profile, then rezip the whole lot, then download, then upload to hopefully the correct profile, then unzip. Then I hope that is the end of that for a while.

Wow! I started this at 6:00 PM my time. By 10:15 PM, the upload has crapped out twice. Google is disappointing me very, very much right now. They really need to get their act together. For the resources and wealth they have, there really is no excuse.

Well, maybe three time's the charm???

Something really interesting. When it showed it was going to upload to the same folder, I thought great. It will ask me if I want to overwrite existing files and I would choose no. That way, it would only upload the files that failed. Nope. It created the folder again. With the exact same name. I have never seen software do that. Create two identically named folders under the same master folder. So, it started uploading every file again!

Okay. Three absolute failures. What. A. Bunch. Of. Assclowns! Six hours now. I know how to use technology, particularly of the computer and interweb kind. Sure, there are things I am not very good at, like manipulating Youtube stuff, but more because I have not really bothered yet. I will try to do it piecemeal now. I have a feeling this may just take me days to do. I have a pretty full week after today. Oh joy! blbbl

two-and-a-half hour nap and now going to bed?!

Yup. I fell asleep on the couch. I guess the weekend took a lot more out of me than I thought. It was pretty sunny and unseasonably warm though.

So, I am still wiped. My eyes are so "tired" still that I cannot completely focus. Good thing I did not have the nap while driving, I would not be able to see the road very well once I woke up.

Anyway, I am having a bit of trouble typing too. A lot of backspacing to undo all those extra characters my dancing fingers are adding to the words I type.

All in all, a good weekend. The Scouts had fun hiking and camping. Plus, we ended up being able to have a campfire, which was a surprise and a mixed blessing.

Well, I cannot keep this up. I am sure all the Scouts who came this weekend are out cold in their beds right now. I need to follow suit. Nighty-night rabbit. blbbl

rcj hike complete

Well we did it. We left at about 9:00 AM and hit HQ at about 1:30 PM. Four-and-a-half hours for 12.5 km (7.75 mi.). Pretty respectable pace.

Eleven Scouts, two Scouters, four parents. A good crew was out. Everyone was helpful and cooperative, for the most part, until after supper.

We had chili for supper that the other Scouter made. It was very tasty, very good. I had two big helpings.

We  also learned that we could actually have a campfire. Wish we knew before, would have brought the makings for bannock.

Anyway, once we got our campfire going, I noticed something I noticed previously, and is now confirmed with certainty. The Scouts in my new Group have a lot to learn about campfire etiquette. Just some standard practices in regards to behaving around fires and how activities are carried out. Oh, and volume and that screaming is not singing.

Anyway, early as it is, I can barely keep my eyes open.

Nighty-night. blbbl

packing for the rideau challenge journey

I have to apologise. I have been busy all day. Now, I will be busy all night packing for the RCJ. I just have not had time this week to organise for the event with our Scouts. 

We decided to do wraps for our lunch since we are on the trail. Well, I am making them tonight. Thirty-six of them. So, much work yet to be done.

Plus, I still have to pack myself for the hike and the overnight portion. 

(Several hours later.....)

Oh wow. Lunches are made, paperwork is done. I am packed, I think. Just a sweep of the gear to make sure nothing is missing. My boots should be fine from last week. Hey, it is only a 12½ km (7¾ mi.) hike.

Anyway, I have beat midnight by the looks of it. I may get some sleep this time.

Obviously, tomorrow's post will be about the hike. Hopefully, something amusing will happen. There were a bunch of edible berries on the trail last week, it will be interesting to find out if they are still there. It has been so mild, the edibles season appears to be extended. Oh yeah, one not so happy item: there is no latrine at the HQ campsite. Well, I have a shovel. blbbl

my spirit animal

I had been thinking on and off the past couple of weeks about a topic that has crossed paths with me over the years. Variously called: spirit animal, animal guide, spirit guide, totem (the term I will use in this post for brevity), amongst various other names.

This past weekend, before I went for my amazing massage, I was up pretty early and had time to tool around a bit on the interweb. I found a multitude of websites discussing the subject. Some told one how to determine their totem. Some had quizzes.

The sites that examined the topic explained largely that one should reflect on animals that they have repeatedly come in to contact will in their lives, both positive and negative experiences. The positive experiences are pretty self-explanatory. Those happy times were there to help and guide one on their journey in life and help them make beneficial decisions to better their lives and the lives of those around oneself.

The negative encounters were largely of a similar ilk. They were not so negative as appear at first glance, they are usually a message, generally a stern one, that the path one is taking is not the direction one should be headed towards. An example, using a physical path: you are on a hike and a coyote is on the trail is in front your path and seems none too friendly; instead of seeing it as a potentially dangerous encounter, the coyote is telling you not to take that path or that maybe you should turn back as a hike along this trail is not a good idea. Then you get home and hear on the news that the area was flooded out and treacherous or there was a fire or some such. See, that supposed nasty encounter was really a totem keeping you safe.

A real life example, albeit not as strong as that fictitious one, was last spring when the boy and I thought that the RCJ was still going to happen at that time, we did the pre-hike, much like this past weekend. At one point we encountered a fisher. They can be dangerous animals, to say the least. They are often not fond of interactions with humans. Anyway, this fisher came out of the woods in front of us, right on to the trail. He appeared to be completely aware of us. He looked at us and then headed down the trail. Every so often he would turn around and just look at us, as if to see if we were still behind him. Which undoubtedly was exactly what he was doing. However, he did not seem distressed, more like he was interested in our progress and that we were still on his tail, so to speak. Not once did he show any aggressive behaviour or reactions. In the end, upon reflection, it seemed like it wanted to ensure we stayed on this trail and not veer off. I do not really recall any real chance to get lost, but maybe it was setting a pace so we could avoid something else. I have had several encounters and near-encounters with fishers in the Marlborough Forest.

What these websites tell us about these encounters and ones that are even less benign, is that they may be totems interacting with us. Sometimes, they are just feeling us out, maybe that is what the fisher was really doing, sometimes they are trying to tell us something.

Further along these lines, several of the sites also tell you to think about animals you like, dislike, and all that type of stuff. Basically, any and all animal encounters and thoughts can potentially lead to you discovering your totem.

Some sites had quizzes. I took a whole whack of them. No two were the same, and I think only a few had one or two similar questions. Basically, they were all pretty unique. They asked questions about seasons you liked, colours, what type of activities you preferred. Basically, some questions were useless, some were designed to determine your personality. Anyway, the results of the quizzes were not universal. Some were specific, such as a wolf or coyote. Some were vague, stating canine. I had deer a couple of times. Dragonfly once, thunderbird. Snake twice. Anyway, they were somewhat inconclusive.

So, while I was at my killer massage, I started thinking about animals that have crossed my path in various ways. I have owned a very loyal dog and I generally get along very well with dogs, especially retrievers, shepherds, and rottweilers. And I had a similar encounter at a cemetery with a coyote as the boy and I did with the fisher. I have had a couple of cats, one I am certain was a wildcat. I have always been interested in big cats, particularly cheetahs and cougars; which is interesting as the two are more closely related to each other than they are to other big cats. Yet, I also love jaguars and leopards, particularly snow leopards and clouded leopards.

Other animals? I have always been interested in bison and buffalo. Any time I come across a coin with one I keep it. I have various nickels and quarters and other coinage with various buffalo and bison portrayed. I have a stuffie that the boy abandoned years ago of a moose that I bring to Scout events now. I have had crows hassle me over the years. A friend gave me a small carved polar bear head on a leather strop years ago, but has since gone missing. I do have other polar bear baubles that have been given to me or I have acquired over the years.

Now, here is the thing though. Everybody wants the cool animal to be their totem. It is just like how when people go to fortune tellers or some kind of medium and they want to know who they were in a previous life. Almost always it is Joan of Arc, Napoleon, Cleopatra, Richard the Lionheart, Catherine the Great, Charlemagne; you know: big wheels in history; "cool" people.

Well, sorry to tell ya buddy. Not everybody can be Old Boney or Cleo. Sometimes you have to be a nobody. Me, if I have been reincarnated, I know who I have been: a vagabond, or scoundrel, or some soldier of the rank and file. You know, possibly in or near events of history, but certainly not influential over them. That is fine by me.

So, if I were to have a cool totem, things seems to be pointing to a wolf or coyote, or maybe a cougar, wow cool neat, or a polar bear. Someone actually asked me if that was my totem when they saw the now vanished head around my neck. Well, If I was no one cool in any previous lives, what gives me the right to have a cool totem? Well, to be honest, if I have a totem, any animal is cool, if you stop to think about. Well, except squirrels; with me they are the Loki or tricksters of my universe. Yes, definitely tricksters, most of them anyway.

Anyway (wow! I use anyway a lot!), I started thinking more about direct connections. Other than the dogs and cats, I have been Rusty the Fox as a Beaver Colony Scouter, I have also been Kaa the Python as a Wolf Cub Pack Scouter, I was also technically Akela the Wolf, but I did not adopt that title. I did supervise a Bison Lodge in Colony as well. So, a little more concrete, but I am not so sure about those.

I have always admired blue jays, cardinals, and orioles. I have not seen an oriole at my place in several years. Cardinals always come back and I have a mating pair hanging out most everyday this year. I have three or four jays hanging around, particularly one huge mother-brother of a jay. This guy always makes a point of making eye contact with me when comes to feed and I am outside. That fascinates me. I have had a few happy encounters with jays over the years. I saw a massive party of blue jays at a cedar hedge years ago, near where my usual trailhead is for hiking. (A sign perhaps?) While doing an extended hike in the Marlborough, there was a jay I encountered that followed me for some time and sang to me. I have seen jays in the Marlborough several times. Just this past weekend we encountered one that was unfortunately dead. It was odd and it truly saddened me.

As I lay there during my massage, that damn jay kept popping in to my head. Now, one can have more than one totem. As I understand it, they come and go for different reasons and to help in different ways. However, a person generally has one main totem. I know they are not all super cool. it is starting to look like Mister Blue Jay may just be the main totem for me though.

I did a quick look. The blue jay does not have the best reputation in a lot of ways. He too is a trickster, yet also helpful. Now, I am not so much of a trickster, but a guy who has no problems burning my bridges to make a point. I can be quite an ass, I have pointed it out more than once in fact, but I too am helpful, not unlike the blue jay. They call the jay a trickster, but perhaps he is more of an ass or a dick? Like me! I will have to look up some of these tales and myths about our "tricky jay". He may be more akin to me than not. Perhaps I should be called "tricky dicky"? blbbl

[N.B. I am not an expert on spirit animals, animal guides, spirit guides, totems, etc. I do find the subject very interesting and have only very recently been drawn to it to consider what it means to me and how it may guide and affect me. I have had many other animal encounters that may be influential in my totem(s). I may yet write about them, but I will do some serious reading on the whole subject of totems and the blue jay specifically. No need to read up on being an ass or a dick. In that, I am expert! lbblb]

happy feet!

Darn tootin' I gots happy feet! I wore my Crocs instead of going all day in my socks.

It was a very long day too. All day in the Crocs. Cut the grass, which was like short hay, while wearing safety boots. I always cut the crass in safety boots, you never know if something may come out flying from the mower and take an odd angle. Made supper and went to a meeting at my club. I had to miss the weekly Scout meeting though. I took on a new job at the club too.

I just got home. I am bushed. Another day in my Crocs tomorrow and the day after, then a Scout hike and camp this weekend. I will wear my old service boots for the hike; just like last week. However, I will wear my topline socks; it will be more comfortable and provide more cushion too.

You know what though, after this very long day, my feet are not sore, not tired, not anything but normal. So, I am obviously one of those people that needs foot cladding and not those ridiculous looking foot glove things. If I want something like that, I will go all ninja and get a pair of tabis. I saw some guys working construction in Japan wearing them. It was unusual, to say the least, but I bet their feet were happy!

Anyway, I cannot subscribe to the theory that we should not wear shoes, or at minimum go minimalist. The minimalistest I will go is Crocs. I am a shoe guy, through and through. Boots are even better, but maybe it is just me.

I expect much the same results tomorrow. I will wear Crocs and my feet will be content, happy, and not sore and hot. Why I did not do this after the first couple of days baffles me. At least I finally tried it and now my dogs are not barking at the end of the day. I need to hit the hay, early worm and all that; but I just wanted to put it out there that wearing footwear instead of trudging all day in stocking feet, was a good decision. A darn good decision! blbbl

i am a "shoe" guy

I am the kind of person that pretty much has something on his feet from the moment I wake up, until I go to bed. It is rare for me to be barefoot or even in my stocking feet. The exceptions are usually when I am at someone else's home.

Most people I know cannot wait to take their shoes or boots off. I have a friend who practically throws his shoes off as soon as he gets the chance. Others like me, by my observations, tend to be Polaks, other Slavs, and many who are from so-called Eastern Europe. The one real exception I have ever come across is my friend Denis, originally from Sudbury. He wears "proper" footwear always when he is indoors. He has a pair of indoor shoes for just that purpose. Even though he is a Franco-Ontarian, I asked if he had any Polish or other Slavic/East European lineage. Nope. The exception that proves the rule? Maybe, I guess.

Even during my time in the military, most fellow soldiers could not wait to remove their field boots, or at least undo them. I slept with mine at the bottom of sleeping bag in the field, very loosely laced so I could throw them on at but a moment's notice.

I am known to wear my footwear, be it shoes, boots, even Crocs, for sixteen or even twenty hours straight. I just do not like my feet exposed much. That is why this new endeavour I am involved in, that requires me not to wear "outdoor shoes" rankles me some. I can apparently wear light footwear, such as Crocs, as long as they do not set foot (ha, ha) on the street.

The problem with that is, the main pair I use, are used as indoor-outdoor slippers/trampers. A phenomenon I encountered in Japan. Do not fool yourself in to thinking that the stereotype of not wearing outdoor footwear indoors in Japan, and similar footwear cultures, is so rigid. There are exceptions. They are just not discussed.

My other pair of Crocs, are my "fancy" ones. I do not use them much, they have several jibbitz on them, that when other people notice them, they offer to buy them from me. Very annoying. Get your own! How my Crocs wearing habits work, is I have a pair and I wear them until they are on the verge of total failure. They become my horrible conditions, slouch around shoes then another pair, either already possessed , or newly acquired, become my everyday ones. (I always find it weird to use a word that defines singularity in the plural. There may be a post in this?) So, I am reluctant to have two pairs in mainstream use.

"Funnily" enough, I was very resistant to Crocs for a long time. I would not have a pair for years. The wife and the boy had a pair each. I refused to get them. I did not like the holes in them. Then, one day, I came across a pair that was different. Minimal holes (jibbitz could not be installed on them), an adjustable padded heel strap, and dirt-brown in colour. I bought them as they felt more "shoe-like" than any other Crocs I ever tried out before. I had them from when the boy was very young. I guess I had them for ten years or so. They were my backup shoes I always packed. I had even hiked in them. I wore them as wet shoes (until I found a pair of Columbia wet shoes that were also light hikers), slippers, and going out and about town.

They finally gave up the ghost this past summer. That is, I assassinated them. They were worn so thin and water would wick through them, the soles were so thin. I took them to the Scout Jamboree (CJ) as one of my backup shoes, with the intent to not bring them back. When CJ was done, I cut out the straps and mounting points to use for repair or replacement for other Crocs. They got a funeral of sorts. They were shrouded in a shopping bag and, with a sigh, placed in a recycling bin to be broken down in to base material and find a use in another life elsewhere.

Those first Crocs were the only pair I had for some time. Then we went to visit friends at their winter home in St. Augustine, Florida. There was a Crocs outlet store. We all bought pairs of Crocs. Super cheap. I wanted another pair of my brown ones, but they had been discontinued. So, I bought this pair of camouflaged ones with a super thick sole and hunter orange highlights, a bit of a visual oxymoron. And hey, there were holes for jibbitz. So, I got a few. Sadly, one of the shoes broke apart soon after while engaged in an activity with my Wolf Cub Scouts at the time. What was I to do, they were only a couple of months old?

Well, I took them to the official Crocs Shop in Ottawa with the receipt from the US outlet store. The manager of this store let me pick out whatever pair I wanted. Variety was a bit limited. I ended up with a "standard" pair of Crocs, but with camouflage imprinting. It was a straight exchange, she only wanted the original receipt so she could send it back up the pipe to recover her shop's costs. No worries, she even gave me an exchange receipt, just in case these failed me. Well, I still have them years later. Sadly, there were no jibbitz I liked for myself, but I got some for the boy.

The following year, we returned to St. Augustine, we went to the outlet store again and I got a similar pair as the replacements in Canada, but a different camo pattern. I also bought a few more jibbitz for myself. So, here is the funny thing. The first, now dead, pair, was made in Canada. I loved the fit. The second pair was made in India, the fit is not bad either. The third pair, is made in China; I am less crazy about the fit. However, it is just perhaps that I have not worn down the massaging comfort ridges on the footbed enough. Time will eventually tell.

Now, as to where Crocs have been and are made. The wife still has a pair that was made in Canada and she loves them. She has another fancy pair, made in Mexico, she finds them alright; but they are a good pair to take places where you may be dressed up and may need to change out of uncomfortable shoes after a while.

The boy just got a replacement pair as his other ones, which are still in good shape after more than three years, are made in Mexico. The previous ones that he replaced are also made in Mexico, but he outgrew them. His heels completely hang out the back of them. His earlier pairs were all made in Canada. Sadly, no real Crocs are made in Canada any longer. Many thought they were amongst the best ever made. Like the wife's ancient surviving pair, and my recently demised ones.

So, wow! I could have done a whole post about Crocs. What a digression.

Where was I?

Oh, yeah.

So, I wear some kind of footwear practically all the time.

Why is that?

I used to joke, that being a Polak, you never knew when you were going to be invaded and overrun and have to flee the advancing hordes of enemy forces. As I said, many Polaks, et al., wear shoes indoors, my family was no exception. Is there some inherited instinct? A genetic memory? Personally, I think so. "My people" have been invaded, ravaged, subjugated, disparaged and the like, for centuries upon centuries. Can this memory develop that quickly? Over a millennium or two? I think so.

So, what the hell is this Rooster guy talking about? Well, I will tell you.

There are many who purport that, we, as animals, naturally should not be wearing foot-coverings. Poppycock, I say! Sure, many millennia ago we were not intelligent or skilled enough to figure out how to do it. However, we have apparently been wearing "shoes" for forty-thousand years. That is a very long time for our physical structure to adapt. Yet, there are basic arguments that support both sides of the shoe. Yet, Ötzi had shoes.The description of the construction and assumed purpose makes complete sense.

Of course, I know there are cultures and peoples who do not wear shoes. There are many people in emerging economies, developing nations, the third world, whatever term you choose to use, essentially, nations with a large impoverished class, that do not wear shoes. That, though, is due as much to money and also populace control (the impoverished thing, not necessarily the lack of footwear), as it may be to culture and belief.

However, in the so-called "Western World", we have been wearing shoes for a so very long time, that it is not necessarily the best thing to be barefoot. This is my opinion, if you do not like it, then: speak up! Our urban landscape is very harsh on the foot. Asphalt, concrete, surfaces so smooth that one can slip, surfaces so rough that you can rip your foot apart, dangerous litter, and a multitude of other enemies of the bare flesh. Again, of course, inside most dwellings and places of human interchange, the walking surface is not so dangerous. However, public places are often quite unsanitary. More so than I care to think about. Consider how many people probably walk around with dog crap on the bottom's of their shoes and do not even know it. A small abrasion on the foot and some fecal matter thrown in can lead to a very sad ending.

Now, my home does not have poop all over the place, but I have been in residences that did. Yes, in the course of my long, varied, and storied employment I have seen turds, or remnants of such, in many a home. This is not why I want to wear shoes in my current endeavour though. My feet are just not comfortable in such an exposed state. They ache at the end of the day. And, I have flat feet.

This guy, says the best way to address flat feet is being barefoot. Well, he can kiss my bare @＄＄! My feet are not sore with corrective insoles, or footwear; even non-corrective. My feet and I feel better with foot coverings. Personally, I think he is quack! Each case of flat feet would need to be reviewed individually. Maybe being barefoot works for some, not me. Now, to be honest, I wore some so very sexy shoes when I was young for many, many years (eight, or nine or more), that were corrective. I looked the the Nutty Professor's nephew in those shoes. Now, my foot no longer is totally flat. So, Doctor Pompous knows not of what he speaks, at least when it comes to my tootsies.

my fashion inspiration as a (very) young man (courtesy sensesofcinema.com)

Where am I going with this? I need to reread what I wrote so far and get back on track.

Yeah, okay.

My feet and I fell better, happier, and healthier when they are covered. I also believe we as a species have generally been conditioned to wear something on our feet. I think I am, and people of my geographic and cultural heritage (and Denis) are, predisposed to wearing shoes, etc. indoors due to genetic memory. I also feel safer and more secure. I think that is a combination of all that.

So, I guess I need to wash my Crocs and get them ready for my new thing. I need them for tomorrow. I bet my feet will not hurt and I will be a happy, Crocs wearing, clam.

scrubbed clean and drying for their new job tomorrow

Well, I washed them so I cannot be accused of dragging in random dirt or mystery poop. Tomorrow, the acid test. I just hope I can get used to my Chinese made Crocs for my new indoor/outdoor slippers. Well, at least I can amuse myself with my jibbitz. blbbl

my new indoor/outdoor togs

no, they are my jibbitz; get your own!

argh, interweb so, so, soooo slow

Okay. Bell is really boning me now.

I have been only getting 3 Mbps with the new modem.

The old, very old, one I had was getting twice that speed peaking at 10-11 Mbps.

Today it has been crawling, and crawling, and crawling. I was looking for a packable down vest for hiking. Two hours to crawl through various websites. It should have taken no more than twenty minutes.

I ran a speed test. It said I was getting 4 Mbps. No way, José! Some of the tests even stalled out. All my devices, hardwired computer, wifi phone and tablet behaved the same and had the same speed test results. Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.

I called Bell. They still think I am not connected. I assured them, again, that I am, just at an excruciatingly slow speed. One tech said I am connected by what they call a "stolen connection". I never heard that term used, except when "stealing" cable.

Anyway. They are sending a field tech tomorrow. They told me there is something physically wrong with the line coming in to my house. It should be fun. The field guys tend not to try to pull the wool over your eyes. They can be quite blunt with the truth.

Nonetheless. I cannot take this slowness and locking up anymore.

I apologise for my continued harping about my interweb woes. Hopefully this is all fixed tomorrow and and can get on to doing some more fun or serious, or at least not Bell related (for a while) posts. blbbl

back to hiking

So, I have not done much hiking since returning from the Scout Jamboree in July for many various reasons. However, the boy, another Scouter from our Troop, and myself went on a pre-hike of our assigned route for the Rideau Challenge Journey (RCJ), which was postponed from May.

A near-perfect day. Overcast, a bit of rain, not hot out. Hiking out in the bush, with boots on, my feet feel fine, not like when I have to spend many of my days in stocking feet. It was pretty short, only 15½ km (9½ mi). I figure this will be the way it goes for a while, hiking on weekends and sometimes on free days.

It truly is worth it. I feel better, although I am a bit tired today from being out of the regularity of it. I lost a bunch of weight when I first started hiking, which I have kept off. I eat less crap, most of the time (potato chips are still my kryptonite). I just feel fantastic when I am out in the woods. I have started noticing details I did not before. This other Scouter has a lot outdoorsy knowledge, so it was great hiking with her today. I look forward to the RCJ next week for more fascinating titbits. blbbl

had a massage today - very so much relaxed

I need to apologise. I had a killer massage today. Then I got some gear sorted with another Scouter from our Troop for a hike next weekend. Yet, I am still super calm and relaxed. We are about to have steak for dinner and then we plan on a campfire if it does not rain.

The boy, another Scouter, and myself are going to "pre-hike" the route tomorrow, plus I have a ton of paperwork to still get organised for the hike.

So, I am going to take advantage of my relaxed state and enjoy. On the flipside, I came up with two pretty good topics to post about during the massage. Coming very soon they will. Cheers! blbbl

new modem, but at least one last frustration

I got a call from the field tech this morning. I confirmed that I was not at home. He asked if he was installing the new wifi modem-router. I told him no. I would do it. I asked him to just drop it off at the house. He said he would.

Guess what? He did. The correct address actually was applied. I open up the box. Wow! How very modern. I do not like the aesthetics of this new unit. Plus, it is massive. Should it not be smaller than a twenty year old modem? Anyway. I follow the instructions. Both hardwired computers are connected. Woo-hoo!

I login to the modem. At least I think I do. I can see basic information, but when I click to do anything, it asks for the administrative password. I use the one that the tech yesterday told me to use; no-go. I use the password for the preconfigured wifi; no-go.

I then run through a series of passwords that at one time or another have been involved with Bell Sympatico. None of them work. I try "admin", with and without caps, no-go. I try leaving it blank, no-go.

I call Bell Sympatico. They tell me I am not even connected to the interweb. Well, I am pretty sure I am as I can actually surf. I explain that I actually want to log in to the modem, in order to change the wifi information. Well, a bunch of blah, blah, blah. I am pissed off at this point too and let them know, in no uncertain terms. My call is escalated. I curse. I am hopping mad.

A bunch of apologies and being put on hold. The "escalation tech" is trying to figure out why I am not online. I tell him I am, as I can see the WWW. Anyway, while he is trying to solve a problem I do not have, I explain what I really want fixed. I tell him what I have tried, as per another tech. I also explain that i have tried a bunch of other passwords. He says to try "admin". I tell him I already did (more than once), but I will try it again. Lo and behold! It works!!

Okay, something fishy is going on, but I do not care. I can log in to the modem and change stuff. I change the wifi SSID and password. I change the administrative password to log in to the modem in the first place. I am happy enough with this huge wifi modem-router. However, I can tell you that this saga is probably not over from some of the messages I received while setting the unit up in the first place. But that is a story for another time. I am all tuckered out from all this run-around and horse crap. blbbl