kontinuum - wtf?????

We took the wife's cousin to two activities today. The first was Mosaïcanada, I will cover that tomorrow. The second was the so-called Kontinuum.

Kontinuum? What a farce. The write-up on the website is a fantasy. Before we even went in, they checked my daypack; fair enough. We could not bring our water in, so we disposed of it. Then we went through a security checkpoint. Yes, we did. Metal detectors and everything. It was like going to see the Senators play a hockey game. So, the boy had to leave his pocket knife. I had to leave my two pocket knives and my Leatherman multi-tool. The best, the young lad I was dealing with was about to lecture me on why I should not carry a pocket knife. I stopped him and said that the carrying of these tools would not be discussed. Good thing I did not tell him I was a second-degree Shotokan Karate black belt, he may have required me to go in leg-irons and hand-cuffs. The boy's "security" guy actually asked if he should even have a pocket knife.

Anyway, we went through and were told that it would take thirty-five to forty-five minutes. We were out in less than fifteen. Picture a non-crowded, walking, alcohol and drug free rave. But really super boring, with crappy music, and without focus. I figure as this is in a future light rail station we were in and with all that is happening with the Canada 150 celebrations, they were required to halt work. So, I figure the development company behind the work had one really messed up brainstorming idea to milk the City of Ottawa during the work stoppage and pulled off the bonehead idea.

In the end, to me, not worth the effort. If you do decide to go, do not bring liquids or anything that might be a "weapon". Whatever. What-a-joke. blbbl

cooking - guest room 184 salad

I do not know the salad's real name, but the wife had it out in Ucluelet, British Columbia while the boy and I were at the Canadian National Scout Jamboree in Nova Scotia. She wanted me to try to recreate it.

She had the salad at a bed and breakfast there that is owned by a friend of ours. The B&B is called: Guest Room 184. Hence, my name for the salad. I think I will shorten it to Salad 184 though.

Anyway, this salad is pretty simple, tasty, healthy, etc.

GUEST ROOM 184 SALAD (aka SALAD 184)

3-4 avocados, cut in to chunks

1 can chickpeas (drained & rinsed)

3-4 green onions (chopped)

1 bunch cilantro

feta (about a 2-3 inch cube), cut in to chunks

juice of 1 fresh lime (I used lemon as I had more of that)

salt & pepper to taste

cayenne, if you like

I may cut up some jalapeño or cherry bombs in to the salad next time. I think it would go very well with the salad. You can of course scale this recipe up. You can also scale any individual ingredient up or down for preference. If you are on a budget, add another can of chickpeas. I would possibly double the green onion or add some vidalia onion chunks. You can leave the feta out as well I imagine. I would only use a quality feta anyway. Cheap feta tastes, well cheap and crappy. There is a lot of room to experiment.

So, well, I have made the salad, I quite like it. The wife has found it acceptable. Now, the wife's cousin from Belfast, Northern Ireland is coming tonight to visit for a few days. We will see if it passes with her approval.

Thanks Denise of Guest Room 184 for this great, yet simple, recipe. I hope there is still some left when the cousin arrives. Mmmm, tasty! blbbl

solo canoe training - day three

We passed!

Great training.

Go here for more info.

Very tired.

Good night. blbbl

solo canoe - day two

Man-o-man. We are exhausted yet again. Learnt so much. I can actually more or less go straight, forwards and backwards. I can turn pretty sharp corners. I can paddle in circles; that I am really good at!

So, so tired though. The wife actually has just finished up a ninety minute nap. Me? I am battling the Expanding Legion of Evil. Ever vigilant!

As to the solo canoe course. I do not actually expect to pass. However, I have gained skills I did not have before, plus confidence. Anyway, I will keep it at that. Supper to make, sleep to get, more canoeing and testing tomorrow. Cheers. blbbl

solo canoeing

Let me tell you. If you think you know something about solo canoeing, but have never had formal instruction or it has been since you were a kid, then you know nothing.

First day of instruction and it was only recovery and self-rescue. We all learnt a lot. The wife and I are exhausted. Looking forward to the next two days though. It will be tough. No cheating with little tricks and bad habits.

If you are in Ontario, then you should check out ORCKA. For any kind of canoe or kayak instruction, from novice to expert, two-in-a-canoe to solo to fast water, etc. Whatever. The instructors I have had the pleasure to learn from do not charge very much either.

 There is also Paddle Canada and many other organisations for quality instruction. You can just jump on the interweb and find high calibre instruction pretty much anywhere in the world. It is truly is worth it. Hopefully, tomorrow I can give a progress report. Time for sleep now. Very tired. blbbl

the world keeps turning - in a canoe

Just back from chores, errands, and getting sorted for canoe instruction this weekend with the wife. Not the best time for it, but a commitment is a commitment.

Anyway, basement is almost finally put back together, but still have tons of stuff to sort and no bookshelves yet either. Next, putting the garage back together. So much crap was thrown in there to keep it dry or removed because it was wet; whatever.

We realised too how much stuff needs to be sold on kijunkjunk (my nickname for kijiji), but is still sitting around and taking up space. Crossed fingers for next week to get that rolling.

The garden is all but a total write-off. A few cucumber and tomato plants. It looks like I might actually have some potatoes though. As long as they stop getting flooded.

Anyway, my point is that no matter what is going on and if it overtakes you or forces you to change directions: life goes on, with or without you.

To that, to not get left behind, I may go dark for a few days here on the rooster. I will, as likely as not, be stepping back from attempting to post every day and move towards three to five times a week very shortly. 

This post is my two-hundred-and-sixteenth post in a row since I started. Some posts are less than stellar, some (I believe) are pretty damned good. My readership was climbing until, on or about, Friday 19 May 2017 when it crashed and has not recovered very well. Basically, it is not like more and more people are reading the rooster. Google has blown me off for trying to run ads so I could make a few bucks.

I appreciate all those who have been there from the beginning and are still here, especially that one person in Portugal. I also appreciate those that have joined us at various points since this journey started and even those who move in and out with some frequency.

However, to be completely honest, time to get a haircut and a real job. This blog is not paying the bills and it appears that Google's business model includes denying opportunities to small time operators like myself. I will live. The world will keep turning. The universe will not implode. I just need to admit this experiment has not provided what some hoped for. I am not stopping, but I am not breaking my back anymore either. Some will tell me too bad. Whatever. Some will tell me they knew I would give up. Not giving up, just adjusting to the flow of things. Some will tell me they knew it would not work. Yeah, I already knew about your negativity: Bite me.

Anyway, need to get a good night's sleep. Still have lots to do and then canoe instruction, plus I have to find my aerial photographs. History waits for no man Jablonski! blbbl

nagasaki

On 09 August 1945 at 11:02 AM (local Japanese time) an atomic bomb was dropped by US military forces on the Japanese city of Nagasaki; three days after the bombing of Hiroshima with another atomic device. It was the second, and hopefully the last, time nuclear weapons have been used in warfare. blbbl