HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Mt. St. Helen's and Seattle

Maria and I came back from our trip to Mt. St. Helen's and Seattle this past Thursday.

I met Maria on Sunday afternoon in Seattle's airport. We picked up our rental car and drove down to the Nob Hill Bed and Breakfast in St. Helen, Oregon. We stayed in the French suite, and had a scrumptious breakfast with all organic foods. Yummy! They had this liquid body wash that foamed. I bought a lavender bottle.

We then went up to Mt. St. Helen's. We'd been viewing the Volcanocam for years, but the pictures didn't do it justice. There are still areas where, almost 30 years later, the forest hasn't grown back, and you can see the burnt trees that have been blown over by the force of the blast.

We then went to Seattle, and visited the Space Needle, and did some shopping at the Pike Place Market, which is celebrating its 100th year.

Pics from the trip are here.

In other news, the Faculty settled their strike with University. Classes began yesterday, just in time for me to come back from vacation, shockingly.

TTFN,

WUFA Strike...and rally

The Windsor University Faculty Association (WUFA) went on strike on September 17. There are a lot of issues that led to the strike.

A rally was held on Friday, September 19. Members from Faculty Associations from all over Canada attended, along with local union members, MPs, and newly-elected CAW President Ken Lewenza attended to show support. Pics from the event are here.

Within a few hours of the rally, the University removed access to the website WUFA had on its servers. The Canadian Association of University Teachers is loaning them web space here.

TTFN,

C

My birthday... and a visit to see Kristen

Last week was my birthday. It was a pretty quiet - Jon brought me a present... and a brownie cheesecake. My present was a Nintendo DS. I found what it was before my birthday. We were in an EB games store in Halifax, and I said that I was going to look to see if they had any used ones. Jon VERY quickly said "NO ... they don't sell used ones here... " He had to tell me that that was my present and he'd already bought it...lol.

He is also letting me use his old computer, which is MUCH better than my old desktop. I can play LOTRO on this one... in "high" graphic level! I couldn't even run it on my old desktop. I've been playing on my laptop in low graphics mode.

Yesterday, Jon, Bandit, and I went to see Kristen and Al yesterday. Kristen gave me a birthday present, which was featured in her blog earlier in the week. I knew when I saw it that it probably would be a present.

In other news, Jon and I will be going to the Labour Day parade. Fall classes start next week..... ugh.

TTFN

Finally Pics from Nova Scotia, and others...


As most of you know, Jon and I went out to Nova Scotia with Bandit the last two weeks of July. Bandit, as is normal for her, took over Jon's parents' house within the first five minutes of arriving, claiming the property as "New Banditland". Who knew Nova Scotia had been misnamed?


Pictures are here. Be sure to go back to visit the page in a couple of days. I don't have Jon's pics yet. There were some things I noticed about Nova Scotia:

• Most houses are sided. Unlike Windsor, where brick is everywhere, there's not much brick out in Nova Scotia. Siding and shakes seem to be the rule.
• Even though the speed limit is 110 km/h, everyone seems to do 90. Really irritating, considering I'm usually doing 120 on the 401.
• Cows ice cream is REALLY good!!!!!
• The Bluenose II is smaller than I thought it would be.
• If I never see fog again, it will be too soon for me. Ditto for tree lined roads where you can't see what's on either side.
• The above being said, when the fog lifted, and you got away from the tree-lined road, it's a really beautiful place!
• The best banana split on the planet, is not from Cows, but from a restaurant called Sweet Basil in Halifax. It had the most amazing caramel sauce...
• Lobsters aren't available all year around, dammit.
• But I DID eat lots of scallops. mmmmmmm... scallops.... drooooolllllll. The smaller ones are best.
• I don't think that anywhere but the East Coast would you find a bag of smething called "Salted Fish Bits" on special in a grocery store flyer.

A huge thanks to Jon's parents for letting Bandit and I stay during our visit!!!

In other news, Kristen is recuperating from surgery, done while I was away. I'll be visiting on the Labour Day weekend.


A week or so ago, the Odette School of Business held its annual Faculty and Staff picnic. As part of the activities, there was an activity (for the kids, but I did it anyway). There were these little plaster piggy banks to paint. I brought it into my office. The Rabbit with the Sharp Pointy Teeth decided it was food. I'm waiting for someone to comment on it.

In other news, it's my birthday this weekend. I'm taking a couple of days off this week, just to hang out and relax.

TTFN,

I'M ON VACATION...

... and Jon, Bandit and I leave for Nova Scotia later this morning. It's the first time that I've been that far east (in Canada), and the first time I've had more than one week of vacation at a one go since college. Actually, even then I worked through the summers.

I'll try to post updates while I'm gone.

TTFN,

George Carlin - May 12, 1937 - June 22, 2008

George Carlin was my favourite comedian. He's the reason I almost NEVER say "Have a 'nice' day". Here are a few of my favorite bits

Have a Nice Day

Seven Words You Can't say on TV/Radio

Soft Language (sound on this one's bad)

I have many other favourites, but I couldn't find them online.

TTFN

Bandit and Jon get haircuts... but not me.

I finally brought Bandit in for a grooming. She was getting really shaggy. While she was getting grommed, I convinced Jon that it was time to get a haircut too.

Pics are on my Facebook site here. Don't they look cute now?

TTFN,

I can't believe I got it wrong AGAIN!!!!

I do it every year... I remember Kristen's birthday, just never on the right date.....

I got her a cool present at Art in the Park... so that should compensate (I hope).

Speaking of Art in the Park, there seemed to be a lot less pottery and more jewelry and food stuff this year. Of COURSE it was sweltering hot, but at least it didn't rain during one of the days like it usually does. I ordered some earrings to match the gold celtic-inspired ring form the same guy I got the ring from. They will have 5mm peridots on them. Jon had a good time, although he was not optimistic about that. He was calling it "Fart in the Park".

TTFN,

NO MORE HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA THEME!!!

As of the last game of the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, the CBC ended its current license agreement with the 'owners' of the Hockey Night in Canada theme, with no plans to renew it, due to cost issues. I was dumbfounded!!! So, I whipped this email off to the CBC (via their comments form) today.

Today I read with some outrage, that the CBC was not renewing its agreement with the 'owner' of the Hockey Night in Canada theme.

I am sure that the CBC is, or will be, sifting through thousands of letters/emails expressing the same outrage and shock as my own. That theme is as Canadian as hockey itself! Ask a Canadian what would instantly reminds them of Canada, and I can almost guarantee that the Hockey Night in Canada theme is in their top five. Most Canadian can identify it in five notes or less.

The CBC is supposed to be a guardian of those things which make us uniquely Canadian. Don't let yet another piece of our cultural heritage fall by the wayside in the interests in profit margins.

I'm sure the CBC will ignore it...


TTFN,