Back in Full swing

Our little trip to Edinburgh was quite enjoyable. We spent some time in Glasgow again, before we left on the train. Poor Richard, I was crabby and not easy to shop with. Though I did find some used skirts that I bought at a 2nd hand shop !
We took the train to Edinburgh, it was full of rugby fans. We saw all these guys in kilts in the station, and we had to line up outside 1st, before going on the train, to prevent hooliganism I suspect. There were also some faces painted green.
We easily got to our B&B, it was nice-in an old (what else) house on the bus line. Had another large bathtub-so Richard was quite happy. For people who don't seem any taller than in North America, they all have long bathtubs. We promptly had naps and then out for supper, then back to bed.
The next day we wended our way downtown. Went to the Royal Scottish Museum. Spent 3 hours there and only rushed through 2 floors of it. We went on a tour with a docent, but though we stayed on the tour because we felt kind of bad for him and he did mention/point out some interesting things, he focussed too much on machinary for our liking. Though I am happy for the Scots that someone Scottish (Robert Louis Stevenson's dad in fact) developed how to make a lighthouse, I don't particularly care to know how the lenses work.
We went on the tour of the city under the city, Mary Kings Close. You actually can't take pictures because it is under the courthouse (I think, or at least some government building), but was well worth going. Highly recommend it. Lots of discussion about how the downtrodden lived.
Came back after very early morning again on Monday-got up at 0315.
Tuesday, found out had 2 meetings, went to work Wednesday for 12 hours, then teachign Thurs/Fri, with an interveiw on Friday for the hospital psych consult relief position.
I didn't get out of bathrobe yesterday until 330 pm.
I have been annoyingly waking up at 230 in the morning, which was ok last night as I didn't have to work, but earlier this week, it was quite painful to then drag myself to the hospital for 7 am. Thank heavens I like my job (s).
Nick and Sebastian were challenging for our catsitting neighbours. Nick repeatedly whizzled on the floor, beside the litter box and one or both of them kept barfing up hairballs on the carpet upstairs. I feel the gifts we brought them were not enough.

First Week Done

Got through the first week back, well actually only three days, but it was enough. Thursday night Vicky and I went to see Jann Arden in concert at the Jube, I think this is the 5th time I have seen her live and every time I enjoy her more and more. She did a cover of Janice Ian's Seventeen, that was wonderful, and course all of her songs that I knew, the only down side was that it had to end. In one part of the show, one of the people in the audience gave her a huge bouquet of flowers, it turns out he was a hair dresser, and Jann asked him if he could fix her hair. He ran out of the auditorium, to his car to get his combs, came back, and then fixed up her hair on stage, it was so funny. Work was OK, I am getting used to being back, and I am sure that next week it will feel as though I have never been away, sigh.

Still not a lot of snow here, I don't feel I need to drag out my winter boots just yet. I guess I better get to my Christmas shopping, I was hoping to get some done while I was away, but could not find anything that screamed buy me. Well at least nothing for other people, I was able to find lots of stuff for myself.

Monday I go for my chest x-ray and electrocardiogram. I will be glad to get that over with, and then I don't need to think about aneurysms, at least for a few more years. All of my favourite teams have been eliminated from the Amazing Race, so now I really don't care too much who gets it, the Globetrotters I guess, if they get eliminated then I really don't care.

Vacation recovery

I have been so tired all this week. I thought that usually I recover from time zone changes pretty well, but not this time. That's getting older I guess. A couple more days before going back to work would have been good.
All was well when we got home. Our housesitter took good care of things, did not let Grace wreck the place.
Tim got the kitchen cupboard doors on at his house but did not do much else since he had the flu when we were gone. He took Grace to an Oilers game in the city, and Sam got to go with him this week. He's a pretty good brother.
Lisa and Richard, how was Edinburgh and the underground tour? We are already planning the things we want to do when we go back to Scotland.

Back at Home Again

After a wonderful trip to the UK, I am back home in my cosy condo. Mom and I left on the 6:45 flight to London, on the 21st from Glasgow, and got to our hotel in London around 9:00 am. Our room was not ready, so we walked around the neighborhood, and found a place for breakfast. After that we walked over to Buckingham Palace, which was just across Green Park from our hotel. Did not see any royals, but did see the guards, and a ton of tourists. A trip down the street to Trafalgar Square (with frequent stops to rest) and finally back to the hotel, and our room was ready. Del came to meet us around 4:30, and took us out for coffee, just down the street. Then back to the hotel, and Mom treated us to dinner. All in all a very good day. We had a nice visit with Del, it was so great of him to come all the way to London to meet us.

Then Sunday, back out to the airport, to catch the flight to Edmonton. I left Mom, going through another security point, so she could finish her trip by going through Vancouver and finally Kelowna. I think we were both pretty happy to be home, at least I hope she made it!! Back at work on Wednesday, so a couple of days to get over the jet lag.

Pictures above, Mom at Canada House, and Mom and Del

Police Report is everywhere.

see more Epic Fails



It's time for me to go back to work.

Pigeon Impossible

I got this off http://www.edrants.com. Awesome!

Natasha Home?

So, I think I have Natasha back. I know that sounds weird, but the cat I got from the pound may be her but may not. Found in Mill Woods, her ears are shorter, she's a bit fatter, and her voice is quite different. But same white whisker, same look, same colour eyes. Not sure.

Last night at Windy Yett

It's hard to believe our holiday is almost over. We have to get up really early tomorrow to get to the airport so we don't even have a whole night left.
Our second castle was Edinburgh Castle. We drove to the train station at Falkirk and parked there, thinking that taking the train would be the best way. We were right. It was very much less stressful for our driver and navigator. We split up in Edinburgh (with a plan for meeting); some went to the castle and some didn't. The castle was great, there was so much to see there. And just walking around Edinburgh later was also great. Geoff and I went to the Museum of Scotland and like everything else could have spent much more time there. We have to come back to properly see things. Now we have finally got a rough idea of the history, so we won't have to relearn it all next time.
Everyone spent at least some time shopping on Princes Street - so many stores.
Anne, your Dad and I went into the Old Waverley and had a half a pint for you.
Glasgow yesterday. Again, parked and took the train. It rained a lot there the whole day. Our waiter at supper said they had 36 hours of rain in the last day. We got pretty wet but it's not cold. The cathedral was great, Will. Not sure what you want to hear in terms of details. It is Presbyterian but of course started out as Roman Catholic. St. Mungo's bones are buried there. There are lots of chapels. The whole place is beautiful.
We got separated but met up again at the Willow Tea Rooms - afternoon tea is so good. Then shopping on Buchanen St. The shopping is so great, there are these huge department stores and also small stores along the street. I found it all overwhelming and hardly bought anything. Glasgow is a really great place. Have to go back there and spend more time, we barely saw anything.
Went out for supper at an Italian restaurant by Allison's hotel, then back on the train. We were quite pleased with ourselves - we found a parking spot at the train station. Parking is a huge problem here; there just isn't any. People park on the street right in the driving lanes, you have to swerve around them. Or they park on the sidewalk. So if you do find a good place it makes your whole day better.
Top picture; Jude and I at Edinburgh Castle. Bottom: raising a pint at the Old Waverley.

Glasgow

Yesterday we went to Glasgow-we all liked the city. I think it is more down to earth and friendlier than Edinburgh, but with only a day in each really it is hard to tell.
We walked and walked. 1st to the cathedral, then to the Museum of Religion which covered all of the world's religions and religious life. Apparently they wanted to have a museum dedicated to the cathedral, but the Scottish government would only give them money if they made it multi-cultural.I really liked the museum, they had all the religions ceremonies, traditions together-ie coming of age for all different faiths. And there were artifacts from all different belief systems.
We then walked to the Willow Tea Rooms. Mom, Richard and I walked on ahead while Jude and Al waited for Theresa and Geoff. We got to the alleged site some blocks away, no tea room. Then saw Jude walking toward us. We wandered around, and finally found it on another street, with Geoff, Theresa, and Al waiting for us. Al was worried that we wouldn't find it. We then realized that having a back up meeting point as we did in Edinburgh=good idea. Tea was delicious! Scone with cream and jam, shortbread, sandwich, and cake. Then Mom went to rest in Al's hotel while the rest shopped. All Richard and I bought was a coaster with the definition of crabbit on it. Which Theresa will be this morning when she gets up and realizes that I drank the last of the filtered coffee. I thought she had already been up. Eek.

Shopping in Edinburgh

Today we spent much time shopping, albeit mostly separately. While the rest of the badgers went to the castle, Grandma/Mom and I had coffee at Jenners department store. A nice old 5-storey department store with little cafe and lovely little desserts with sugar roses on them. And danish shaped like the Queen's crown. I took a couple of pictures and one of the staff asked me if something was wrong, to which I smiled and nodded, not quite understanding him. He looked concerned, and asked again; this time, I just said, "I like taking pictures of food," and scuttled off.

Geoff bought a belt, Judith bought shoes and a gorgeous jacket (& some other bits), Lisa & Richard bought catsitter gifts, and Mom bought more than anyone, including some presents for some unnamed readers of this blog. I spent a whack of money on a lovely cashmere shawl. Then we bought some beer and came home.

Glasgow tomorrow, and my night staying at the Alexander Thomson Hotel, at least until I have to get up at 3am to get to train station. I want us to go to the Glasgow Necropolis.

Our first castle

We have seen lots of castles from a distance on this trip but Stirling Castle today was the first one we went right into. One good thing about travelling this time of year is that places are not crowded like in the summer. We actually drove to Stirling and parked right outside the castle, something I'm sure would be impossible in the summer. We haven't gone to Edinburgh Castle yet but I can't imagine that it could be better than Stirling. We took a most interesting tour of the castle, then a tour of Argyll Lodgings which was just as good. Argyll Lodgings is a house that has been partly restored to the way it was in the late 1600s. Something interesting - it was used as a youth hostel for some years, and Jude and I realized that was where we stayed in 1977 when we visited Stirling. So all kinds of people from rich noblemen and women to lowly backpacking kids have slept there in the last 500 years.
You can see from the picture what a beautiful view there is from on the top of the castle. I wish we could have spent more time there but we took a while to get going this morning. However, we have vowed to get up early tomorrow to take the train into Edinburgh so we have lots of time there. We wanted to go on an underground tour in Edinburgh but they are not available every day at this time of the year. A disadvantage of travelling in November. There will be lots of other stuff to see anyway and I would like to spend some time shopping.
So far no fights among the badgers, except between Lisa and Richard as usual.

Back Home at the Yeti

We are sitting at the kitchen table,drinking coffee after our trip back home to Falkirk.
We went on another walk yesterday before catching the ferry. It was by the sea and through the forest. At points I felt like I was a hobbit on an adventure as the path and location felt very J.R.R. Tolkien. It was beautiful. Huge oak trees with moss growing all over them. And moss pathway. And standing on the rocks at the sea, with wind buffeting us.
We went for a 4 hour walk. Mom did almost the whole thing, then she and Allison went to the ferry terminal where there was a little cafe, with a man-a Maclean-who served them coffee gruffly. Allison felt a kinship with him.
Mull was quite beautiful-but I don't know how anyone managed to survive there, with no arable land and it would be so cold in winter, and is cold there anyway without central heating. During the walk we saw a spot where people had been cleared from their land. The early Scots were nomadic, they brought their cattle and sheep to the mountains in the summer for grazing and in the winter were in the forest, in thatched buildings-no fireplace, smoke just went up through the thatch, they burned peat which has antiseptic properties and since they didn't use tables etc., they were below the smoke line.
We met people in the 2nd bar we went to on the 1st night. Allison, Geoff, Richard, and I. It is all bit fuzzy though. The man who 'locked' us out of Tobermory Hotel was also at the bar and we conversed with him too. Richard had a conversation about how to pronounce tart.

Back Home at Windy Yett

With our excellent driver, we made it home in about 3.5 hours with a little stop in Falkirk to pick up some food, wine and beer. We did another hike yesterday, around the sound of Mull. Ruth and Stuart were a great source of information about the birds, we saw the national bird of Mull the oyster catcher (not the scientific name) and learned more about the clans and the clearances. You could easily spend a couple of weeks on Mull, and the adjacent islands, I kind of feel that a trip back there might be in order.

Standing stones on Mull

We went for a hike today with a couple of guides who took us out into the bush and showed us what grows here. They knew a lot - it was a good time. The area here actually reminds me of Vancouver Island. It is very lush with lots of greenery even at this time of year. The guides took us up to some standing stones, which were placed on this hill thousands of years ago. The stones are not from Mull, they came from another island so whoever put them up had to bring them over by boat, then haul them up a very steep hill. Quite amazing.
We have been enjoying our hotel. We have breakfast here and have also been having supper here. It's so nice, we sit in the lounge before supper with a glass of wine, then after we are done eating our delicious meal, we go back to the lounge for coffee and tea and just visit there.
Off for another hike tomorrow, then back onto the ferry and onward to Windy Yett again.

Looking for McQuarrie's

Today we spent a little time doing genealogical research. Grandma Robins side of the family is from these parts, and we thought we might be able to find out who they were. I think Richard got us access to the library at the Mull Museum, where they had a book on McQuarries, as well as some databases (aka card catalogs), and Allison's librarian skills came in very handy as she was able to find some likely candidates. After that we also went to visit a woman, who does some genealogical research of people form Mull, and found some more information there. It looks like we need to do some more research in Canada, looking at birth, death and marriage records, to really nail it down.
Our hotel is very cool, it started out as fishermans cottages and is being/has been (work looks like it is still in progress) transformed into a hotel. For breakfast we had a full scottsh, which included haggis and blood pudding, with eggs, bacon, sausage, tomatoe and of course beans. The buildings along the high street are very colourful, and there are some great stores. One is a liquor/hardware store, Geoff thinks that is the perfect combination. Just a couple of doors down from the hotel in one direction there is a chocolat shop and in the other direction a pub, so the location is perfect.
It rained today, but it felt soft, and I have not found it cold. My room looks right onto the harbour, a really lovely view.

Isle of Mull

It takes longer to get anywhere here than you would plan on at home. It's only 100 miles between Windy Yett and Tobermory, where we came today, but it took almost three hours, not counting the ferry ride. Part of it is being unfamiliar with where we are going, but the roads are so narrow and winding. Geoff had a mishap when we were boarding the ferry today, he scraped a pipe and scratched the front bumper of the van. Felt really bad about it. But he has outdone himself today - when we got off the ferrey, the road to Tobermory narrowed down to one lane. Not one lane each direction, one lane for both directions. There are passing points every once in a while so one driver or the other has to pull over to let the other pass. Difficult enough, but I don't know how Geoff did it in the dark.
Then when we got here, our hotel was locked. We spent a few panicky minutes banging on the door but the clerk eventually showed up and apologetically let us in. A guest had mistakenly locked the door on his way out. Anyway the hotel is fine, we went to a pub for supper and some of the others went on to another pub. But I am off to bed. More adventures tomorrow.

Are you kidding me?

So on top of everything else now, I managed to get the flu. Figures. This has kind of put a stop to any thoughts of working on the house this week, although I still managed to get over there and put a few touch ups on the cupboard doors. I have also decided to stay at Mom and Dad's house for a little while (Surprise!). I really didn't feel like laying around sick in a house full of people. It always seems kind of relaxing staying here, even if I do normally only live a block away. It also makes me laugh how Mom and Dad always had clever things to say about how much food Grandma Ferrey had stored in the basement, while theirs is better stocked than costco.
Grace got here yesterday safe and sound, and we have managed to have a few good chats in between me laying in bed moaning, and her working on her paper. She also baked cookies this afternoon, the smell of which is akso very familiar to me in this house. Hopefully, if I'm feeling better, we're going to Martesa tomorrow.
Anyway, glad everyone made it safetly to Windy Yett, and I look forward to hearing more about the trip as it progresses.

Alfie's Neighbour Fights Back

This is what Alfie's neighbours should do this year.

Glad everyone is safe at Windy Yett (which makes me think of yeti - have you seen any of those yett?) Wish I was there but it is a bad time to leave. I am racing against time to get something written up before December, because a). there is a conference that I really want to go to, but it is necessary to have some data to present, and b). then I will feel like I accomplished something this year. I'm still collecting the data for the study while concurrently writing up the Methods section, but I might be able to actually pull it off. Hope so, because it will soften the blow when my supervisor finds out that I'm going to Alberta for a month.

In other news, have weird stabbing head pains* just behind my right ear. Del says I should go to the doctor, but I know they will say it's stress or hypochondria. Lisa, Grace? Any suggestions as to how I can make this go away? It hurts :(

* insert dad telling me that he "better just cut it off then"

In more exciting news, got a parcel from Edmonton! I am not going to open it till Monday but is it hard. Thanks Judith!

it'slisa not judith

I'm going incognito as Jude's computer refuses to let me sign in. We were so happy to see Theresa and Geoff pick us up from the train station at Falkirk High-being picked up in a strange place is a nice feeling.
And then we got to Windy Yett where Jude, Mom and Al were waiting to greet us.
It is what a Scottish farmhouse should be. Stone, old wood, rooms leading off of other ones. And a huge clawfoot bathtub. Which I will need from traveling all night/day.
We went to Richard's homeland on our way. I took a picture of him in the Schipol airport and he interpreted for me while we were there. 'Now they're saying it's 1230'
The airport there has a changing exhibit from the Riksmuseum, so we got to some great masters enroute.
Our trip to Ontario went well-got to see everyone and had a brief though good visit with all, including helping Bill build a shed, sort of.
Richard and I are feeling quite jet lagged-slept on the plane better than last time we went over seas, and this trip was quite a bit shorter, but still tired.
Will bathe in tub tonight.

All badgers here and accounted for. Just waiting for supper to finish cooking. Geoff is getting very good at driving the route to Falkirk.

Windy Yett at last

It's been a long couple of days. But that is travelling I guess. Everything has gone pretty smoothly, except that after we picked Jude and Mom up at the Glasgow airport we got delayed by probably an hour by an accident that stopped traffic. Geoff seems to have got back into driving on the wrong side all right. It was dark when we got here (because of the delay) so he found it stressful navigating the narrow roads in the dark. After we got our stuff in Geoff and I drove into Falkirk to find a grocery store so we could have supper. Even with the GPS we rented we got off track a couple of times. Geoff is amazing to drive a strange vehicle in the dark on unfamiliar narrow roads.
Windy Yett is nice. After you turn off the main road the road gets narrower and narrower until it stops at the farm. So we feel quite away from everything. It feels like an old farmhouse but has all modern conveniences and I think we will be comfortable here.
Thanks to Jude and her points we stayed in the Hilton in Glasgow which was very nice. After supper we stopped at a pub and lifted a pint (Geoff) and a half (Theresa) of Tennants for Tim.
The rest of the badgers arrive on Wednesday. We are picking them up at the train in Falkirk.
Oh yes, if people from work are reading this: Jenelle and I were wondering about how they celebrate Remembrance Day here. It looks like the Sunday before Nov. 11 is the day they mark. When we were at Heathrow Airport on Sunday waiting for our next flight, there was an announcement at 11 a.m. that there would be two minutes of silence. Everyone in that huge place just stopped eating and walking and talking and there was two minutes of complete silence. Then The Last Post came over the intercom and after that everything resumed as before. It was very moving.

Windy Yett at last

It's been a long couple of days. But that is travelling I guess. Everything has gone pretty smoothly, except that after we picked Jude and Mom up at the Glasgow airport we got delayed by probably an hour by an accident that stopped traffic. Geoff seems to have got back into driving on the wrong side all right. It was dark when we got here (because of the delay) so he found it stressful navigating the narrow roads in the dark. After we got our stuff in Geoff and I drove into Falkirk to find a grocery store so we could have supper. Even with the GPS we rented we got off track a couple of times. Geoff is amazing to drive a strange vehicle in the dark on unfamiliar narrow roads.
Windy Yett is nice. After you turn off the main road the road gets narrower and narrower until it stops at the farm. So we feel quite away from everything. It feels like an old farmhouse but has all modern conveniences and I think we will be comfortable here.
Thanks to Jude and her points we stayed in the Hilton in Glasgow which was very nice. After supper we stopped at a pub and lifted a pint (Geoff) and a half (Theresa) of Tennants for Tim.
The rest of the badgers arrive on Wednesday. We are picking them up at the train in Falkirk.
Oh yes, if people from work are reading this: Jenelle and I were wondering about how they celebrate Remembrance Day here. It looks like the Sunday before Nov. 11 is the day they mark. When we were at Heathrow Airport on Sunday waiting for our next flight, there was an announcement at 11 a.m. that there would be two minutes of silence. Everyone in that huge place just stopped eating and walking and talking and there was two minutes of complete silence. Then The Last Post came over the intercom and after that everything resumed as before. It was very moving.

Different Country, Another Lounge

The flight over was good, it will be pretty hard to go back to coach after this. Mom was able to eat something, they had mashed potatoes, and a custard tart, so no horrible pudding for her. I got a bit of sleep, but poor Mom did not, she says she cannot sleep when traveling, either by car or plane. We had to walk and walk and walk to get to the terminal where will will catch out next flight. But we made it and we are now just sitting in the Air Canada lounge for a couple of hours before we get on the plane and meet Theresa and Geoff in Glasgow, pick up the van, and drive over to Windy Yett Farm.

Badgers lets go.

Waiting at the Airport

Allison dropped Mom and I off, and we are sitting int he Air Canada Lounge waiting for the time to board the plane. I can't quite believe we are leaving today, even thugh we are checked in and have our boarding passes. Sam and Grace came over for supper last night to have a bit of a visit with Mom, before she leaves to country. It is always good to catch up with them, and find out what is new and exciting with them. Allison also came and brought some yummy dessert, Tartuffo. I was not very organized and did not start packing until today, but I think I have everything I need, and if not there will be stores there. Mom got all her visiting done, seing the other Sivaks and Stan, she said all seemed well.

Two Extra Days Off

When I got back the office, things were not quite ready for me to be fully productive. It took a day for my computer to get re-imaged, pretty hard to be helpful, typing on a phantom keyboard. Got the computer back on Tuesday, only to find some of my ID's had been deleted, so no access to some stuff. Then the request for my access to other stuff, got sent in late, so basically I couldn't help with anything because I had no FREAKING ACCESS to anything. Yesterday afternoon, I went over to talk to Darryl (manager of the area) and said if I don't have any access by the end of the day, I was taking the next two days as vacation. I could have gone into work, waiting around for word that access had been restored, but I would rather be home.

Just to stir the pot over the pandemic again. I just heard on the news that the manager that authorized the private clinic for the Calgary Flames has been fired. they also said there should be no blame attached to the Flames, since they thought everything was kosher. But come on, I find it a little hard to believe that some manager at Alberta Health, just called up the Flames and said we have organized a private clinic for you and your families, come on down and get your flu shots. Because we don't want there to be pandemonium, if you stood in line just like regular people. To me it seems more likely that someone from the Flames organization called and asked if it would be possible. In any event you would think that someone with the Flames might have thought hmmm not everyone loves hockey in the province, and they might not be too happy about the special treatment, especially if they have just stood in line for 6 hours to get their kids vaccinated.

Mom gets here tonight, Allison is picking her up at the airport. Then only 3 more sleeps before we get on the plane. Can't wait. And with time off, I may even get the place in reasonable shape before she arrives.

Back again

I`m afraid that I have been absent from the blog (although not overly present in the first place) for quite some time. I blame this completely on the loss of my old computer, and therefore the address to the site. Also the reluctance of my family to give me the site address, uh..... because I pressured them so hard to, uh....... yeah. I`m a bad liar. Even while typing.
Anyway, I am back in the loop and there will be more pictures of my continuing renos when (and if) any of them are completed.

oh, and I am so completely jealous of every one of you going to Scotland. Everyone who is so inclined should have a pint of Tennants for me, and humor me if it`s not as magical as I so fondly remember.

Meant to post this photo last time. The living room. Tim has added a ceiling fan but it's not in the picture. There are also a lot of new outlets and light switches.

North End Action

Seems like Lisa and I somehow miss all the "action", (thankfully), that goes on at our old neighbourhood.

10 years ago we slept through the house 2 doors down burning down.

Last year we missed it (slept through) when a car went through the T intersection on our corner and went through the neighbours hedge, over a stump, through more junipers and then into their basement window with enough force to crack the cement stairs leading to her front door.

Then this year after we've moved...

Apparently on Halloween the downstairs tennant (on Jones) went out to get some beer and on his way home (on the street right outside the house) he got jumped! Haven't talked to him yet but other tennants / neighbours have told me that 2 guys jumped him and our tennant turned around and knocked out his attacker cold. The second guy then bolted, hopped the neighbours fence across the street and took off running down the alley. From what I've heard second hand or tennant was fine. Story goes that the guy was out/down for 15 minutes from the blow. The paramedics and police were called and the guy was eventually hauled off in the back of the police cruiser. Wow...who needs a security system! We'll just hope the rumours spread through the neighbourhood not to mess with the tough guy on the corner! Apparently the assailants were at a party down the street but no one there seemed to know them...or so the story goes!

Richard

on a lighter note

Here are some pics of Tim' s renovations. His basement bathroom (no more feeling like you're going into a gas chamber, Grace), painting kitchen cupboards and the new electrical panel of which Tim is proud.

Cat herders

We had to watch this in my nursing lecture that was about culture. I laughed and thought about my cousins the cats.

mutation of flu vaccine advice

• It is a pandemic. Very dangerous. Everyone must get vaccinated.
• What, half of you don't want to be vaccinated? You are bad citizens.
• There is enough vaccine for all.
• Vaccine is here. Ready, set, go get it.
• Oops, running out of vaccine. Only at risk people and NHL hockey players should be vaccinated right now.
• OK, we're stopping all clinics. At risk people can get their vaccines next week.
• Ordinary people, if you get the flu, no big deal. You will be sick for a few days, then fine.
  
  Here is an interesting article.
  

Mind Pump

This is from one of the best library blogs I've ever read.

I work today from 3-10. Class next Saturday. Then, freedom for 2 weeks. Cannot wait. All this week was very very busy: put in grant to support PhD work (thanks, Anne, for looking it over), work, bunch of gallery things while Todd's been sick.

He got selected as one of Edmonton's Top 40 under 40! And he's out of the hospital now. He couldn't go to the event on Thursday because he'd just been discharged, unfortunately.

Happy Hallowe'en

Sandi sent this picture of Tessie. I love it. So am posting, I don't think Sandi, Tessie, and Jim will mind!
I like the look Tessie has on her face. I'd like to squeeze her!