Jack’s Walk

The big news around here today is the sudden closing of one of the largest snow removal contractor’s in the Pointe-Claire area. Snow is big business in this part of the world, and most households contract snow removal for their driveways, and they pay by the season and not by the number of visits. After a significant snowfall, anyone without a garage moves their car to the side of the street (which side is determined by date) and then the contractors come with their big, tractor-sized, enclosed and comfortable snow blowers. The city itself has most streets plowed quickly, (Montreal does snow removal well) making the whole process quite manageable.

Today, when Jack and I were out for our walk we saw quite a few people shovelling their drives and most of them were grumbling about Bo Pelouse going out of business. It isn’t certain that any of Pelouse’s customers will get a refund and most of the other contractors don’t have the infrastructure to take on new clients at this point in the season. According to the morning news, one other major snow contractor picked up over 2,000 new customers in 24 hours. Thankfully, my mother-in-law uses a different company, who arrived late yesterday to blow out our driveway. My aching back was overjoyed to see them.

Meet Adorable George

This adorable young fellow is George, the wire-haired Miniature Dachshund belonging to Raucous Indignation. George was adopted by Raucous as a puppy and he celebrated his first birthday a few days ago on December 28. I can’t think of a better way to start the New Year, than with a great big dose of cute. Thanks, Raucous, George has stolen my heart with his big eyes and fabulous, bristly whiskers.

Jack’s Walk

We had a total of about 15cm of snow overnight, and Jack couldn’t be happier. One of his very most favourite things to do is to lay down in the snow and roll around. He starts with his head, digging in his nose and then sweeping it back and forth. Once his head and whiskers are sufficiently rubbed cold, he wiggles his body around, making sure to get full contact with his belly and boy bits, which will be bright red by the time he comes back inside. I don’t understand the appeal of this behaviour, but it makes my Bubba happy, and that’s good enough for me.

I, on the other hand, am not that happy about the snow. It’s beautiful, but it’s heavy wet snow. The kind of snow that packs well and makes a good hard snowball. It’s also the kind of snow that’s heavy to shovel, which is how I spent the morning. Jack and Angus kept me company, but they weren’t much help. It took about an hour to clear the sidewalk and patio, and by the time I was finished, the muscles in my back and shoulders were complaining. They still are, and boy Howdy am I stiff and tired. I doubt that I’ll be able to stay awake until midnight, so I expect I’ll greet the New Year in my sleep. That’s fine with me. I’m not a party kind of person at the best of times, and tonight my bed is where I want to be. Gosh, I must be getting old.

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I would like to take a moment to send my best wishes to our readers in Australia. The news we get from your country is frightening, and you’ve been on my mind. I hope you’re all safe.

Tree Tuesday

Photo courtesy of Sharris, from Atlas Obscura

Say hello to Canada’s knottiest tree. This massive cedar tree has a giant burl growing out of its lower trunk and lives in a grove that was discovered in 2009 and has been protected from logging since 2012.

This lush grove near Port Renfrew is filled with large western red cedars and Douglas firs. Many trees seem to be growing out of each other, with knots and burls as if there was a struggle to break free of their bark.
The highlight of the grove is Canada’s gnarliest tree, a massive cedar with a giant burl growing out of its lower trunk. This whimsical giant stands tall, overseeing the cathedral grove.

There are walking paths into the grove and visitors are welcome, but the paths can be slippery and difficult to navigate. There are more photos at the Atlas Obscura link below as well as a small map.

via Atlas Obscura

Shades and Reflections

I took my camera with me on our Sunday walk and upon looking at the pictures I decided that they together shaped a perfect theme for an end of year post.

Because looking at a whole year can never be one thing. Unless you’re a rock. I guess then you’re thinking in centuries or something.

There were so many good things this year. I love my job, despite its high stress levels and I really hope that I can stay in this area. And I won’t say that I don’t care about the money. Having some financial backup really takes a lot off your shoulders, despite all the unexpected expenses we had this year. We had a wonderful holiday and despite the fact that #1 is deep within puberty and of course we’re having conflicts it’s also some precious time that won’t return.

I have so many wonderful friends, some very close to me, some across the globe and I’m greatfull for all of you.

But 2019 also had different layers. My body introduced me to whole new levels of pain. I thought I knew pain. After all I gave birth twice, broke some bones and had an infected wisdom tooth, but as it turned out, I only knew pain, not Pain. If you ever thought that “passing out from pain” was a trope found in books and bad movies: believe me, it’s not.

Politically, the world seems to be getting darker. Fascism is more and more normalised, the coup in Bolivia has critically endangered native rights and right wing parties in Europe are gaining more and more influence. But there is also some light, with progressive movements, especially around environmentalism.

Let’s see what 2020 brings and let’s work together to make it a better year, each one of us however we can.

Jack’s Walk

I hope the weather is good in your part of the world, but here in Montreal, we’re having big weather. Big as in an ice storm that has just morphed into a snowstorm in the last hour or so. I awoke at 3 this morning to the sound of ice ticking the windows and was greeted by windows fully covered in ice. Outside the world was slick and slippery, and by 9 o’clock just getting Jack out for his morning pee was an adventure in balance, which is not always good for me even on normal days. We managed to get the job done without either of us falling, though, which we celebrated with toast. Not a toast, just plain toast and jam which Jack is always happy to share. I decided it was too slippery to go for a walk so we’ve been cloistered indoors all day and feeling restless. Finally, about an hour ago, the sleet turned to snow which oddly made it easier to walk because it provides a bit of traction. It’s snowing hard, though, and soon it will be deep, so I took advantage of the small window of time before we’re deluged to take Jack out. It was actually a pleasant walk, too. The snow muffled the sound of traffic and we took a slow stroll around the neighbourhood, stopping to say Bonjour to a few neighbours and comment on the weather. By the time we got home, both Jack and I were wet and covered in snow, but we were feeling much less restless.

Montreal knows bad weather. It happens often here because of its location on an island in the St. Lawrence River. Maybe tomorrow I’ll tell you the story of the Ice Storm of 1998, which left huge areas without power for as much as two weeks. We were here for that and it was a doozy. This morning we were a bit worried that it could happen again, but the switch to snow is a good sign and totally normal and manageable. By morning we will likely have about 20cm of snow, which is a bit harder to walk in, but it will be good exercise for us both, as long as we remember that there’s a layer of ice underneath all the white stuff and to tread with a bit of care.

A Memory Braid for Caine

From Avalus,

I do have something to share, but it requires a bit of a back story. In June 2018 (has it really been that long?), Caine posted about hair braiding styles. (https://freethoughtblogs.com/affinity/2018/06/14/sure-macrame-your-hair-why-not/)

I commented that I have a friend who likes to play with my hair, and I would post pictures of her handiwork.
Sadly, due to several sicknesses, we did not get together until earlier this week again for her birthday. And of course, she did something cool with my hair, which I now want to share.

I do feel very sad that I could not make good on my promise for Caine.

Have a good holiday season, stay safe and Fuck Cancer!

Jack’s Walk

Jack and I have hardly left the house today. We had freezing rain overnight, and the world is very slippery. First thing this morning, I took Jack out to the backyard for a morning pee and the poor boy fell twice on the patio before getting to the grassy area. He limped into the house and has been lightly favouring his right leg all day. I decided not to risk further injury by taking Jack out for a walk, and I went out carefully alone, to get ice melt for the patio and front walkway. Jack didn’t even ask to come with me. We’ve been out to the backyard a few times since then, and Jack has learned to hug the patio close to the house until you reach the garden, then across the dirt to the grass and back again. The other dog here, Angus, springs across the patio like a leaping deer, and if one leg slips, he can correct for it without falling. Angus is also only 7 years old. Jack is almost 12. Bubba didn’t; mind the forced inactivity too much. He found a comfortable chair and spend the day in it watching the news and looking for sympathy from all who walk past him. He’ll be fine. The limp is gone, just the indignity of it remains, and Jack will suck that dry soon. That’s OK. I fell last night and have a few bruises, myself, so I understand. My bruises are all on my ass, though, so I prefer to stand, not sit, which is good because Jack is sitting in my chair. Oh, the dangers of ice for the elderly. It’s due to get warmer here tonight, with continued rain. As long as it doesn’t freeze, I don’t mind. Wet doesn’t hurt.

Jack’s Walk

That black dog with Jack is my brother-in-law’s dog, Angus. He should have been named Satan because he is full of the devil. He teases Jack with toys and then runs away and refuses to share. He barks loud and long at every shadow, and when he wants your attention, he whines until it feels like my ears are bleeding. He’s also restless and prone to patrolling. Angus is mostly Australian Shepherd and true to his breed, he likes to herd. Since we have no sheep for the boy to watch over, he herds the people around him instead. He’s happiest when we’re all together in a knot, and he can control our perimeter.

Angus also herds his toys, placing them together on the seat of a chair with careful deliberation. That’s sort of cute. And he dances when you scratch his bum. That’s kinda cute, too. So are the wet, sloppy kisses he gives me every time I bend over. Alright, I admit it, he’s adorable, but I’m sure glad I only have to live with him for 2 weeks a year.

The Art ofBook Design:

John Howard Jewett. Little Christmas. Illustrated by Anna Milo Upjohn. New York, F. A. Stokes company. 1906

Jack’s Walk

Bonjour, ça va?

Jack and I have relocated to Pointe-Claire, Quebec, which is on the west island of Montreal. We’ll be spending two weeks here, visiting my mother-in-law, who will be 94 on the third of January. She’s a pistol, Mum is. She still does everything she did at 50, including baking (store-bought cookies just aren’t as good), shopping, driving, cooking, laundry, ironing (even underpants because they fit better in the drawer when pressed!) and keeping a tidy split level home with stairs everywhere. She has a full turkey dinner planned for Christmas Day, including a home-made raspberry pie.

We had a good drive. The roads were clear and traffic was much lighter than we expected, even going through Toronto. Jack slept most of the way, but the Mr. and I are feeling a bit road-worn after the 8-hour trek to get here. We’ve been making this drive for nearly 30 years, but the older I get, the longer it seems. Now, I think I’ll have one of those homemade cookies and wait for the feeling of still driving to stop.

Jack’s Walk

Here are a few food safety tips for your pet over the holidays.

Keep chocolate out of reach from your dog. It’s toxic to then.
Keep alcohol out of reach of pets. I used to have a cat with a taste for brown cows.
Limit table scraps. Too much rich food may cause diarrhea, gastric upset and potentially, pancreatitis.
Give pet safe scraps only. White meat with no skin, unsalted and unbuttered veggies and plain white rice are good options.
Don’t give your pet bones and mind the turkey carcass. Cooked bones can splinter easily and cause injury to teeth or gastric systems of both cats and dogs.
Don’t let your pet eat raw dough. Yeast might still rise after ingestion or release fermented sugars, which can cause ethanol poisoning.
Wash pans right away or put them out of reach of your pet.
Don’t leave cookies and milk for Santa within your pet’s reach. Leave Santa a note telling him where the treats are if he wants one.

source – Top Dog Tips

source – Catster

Jack’s Walk

It’s a miracle. Jack is walking on water. He’s Jesus-Jack.

It’s been wintering here since early morning, even though winter doesn’t officially begin until Sunday (Dec. 22/19). We’ve had brisk north-westerly winds bringing in snow squalls and Lord Thunderin’ Jesus, but it’s been bitter. With the wind chill factored in the temp was -19°c when Jack and I were out for our walk this morning, and at times the wind was driving snow into our faces and visibility dropped to just a few metres. Brrr!

I shouldn’t complain, though, Harsh weather is harder on Jack than me. Today, I put on 2 pairs of socks, and then my boots, but poor Bubba has only a layer of vaseline for boots, and I don’t think it gives much protection from the cold. Jack also doesn’t have a long, cozy down-filled parka, nor a tuque, nor gloves, yet he never complains about the cold. He’s very stoic, our Jack. Me? I like to complain about the cold. It’s part of my culture and the opening line to most conversations. It’s something that we Canadians do. We comment on the weather, both good and bad, and storm days like today allow us a bit of drama with the talk as we stamp our feet to shake off the snow and rub our hands together or blow on them or stick them into our armpits for warmth.

If only we could share the cold, I’d send a good bit of ours down to Australia, where they’re dealing with sweltering heat. Since I can’t do that, I’ll share a frosty photo of Jack and send our good wishes that our Australian readers stay cool.

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