Seen In The Village

Dog in sidecar, wearing goggles. Just another lunch hour in the village.

Random Photos & House Update

These trash cans have the words "Take Pride Winnipeg" on the sides, to encourage us not to litter. Dear city of Winnipeg: It would be easier to "take pride" and not litter if you emptied these a bit more often, so that they weren't filled to overflowing! Sheesh.


My dad had some movers helping him with larger items on Friday. I wasn't home, so he borrowed my car keys and moved my car forward a bit, to make room for the movers. Saturday I went to go grocery shopping. Looks like the spot my dad moved my car to is under a favourite perch of a rather large bird. My car was *well* decorated with bird droppings. (Oh well... it was needing washing anyway, and $2 at the coin operated car wash got most of it off.)


There appears to be little muddy paw prints on my back gate. My guess is raccoon.

Yesterday the only thing I accomplished around the house was washing the tub and bathroom sink with Tilex Soap Scum Remover. (I had noticed the shower squeegee was picking up some scum when I used it.) The rest of the day was taken up by going to my first Fringe show ever (I saw "More Power To Your Knitting, Nell"), and grocery shopping.

Today I had a lazy morning, and then spent several hours outside in the hot sun (whoops, I meant to get out in the morning... but I really needed the morning for "mental recuperation") weeding. Signs it's time to finally get outside (despite everything else needing doing, and despite the heat) and weed:
1. Your neighbour offers to point out the weeds in your yard, thinking you've mistaken them for flowers.
2. While weeding, when you notice it's getting time to go inside and clean up for dinner, you think "I'll just pull a few more of these ones that I don't need to bend over to pull".
I weeded the side garden, front gardens, the shady "secret hideout", some of my neighbour's garden that is adjacent to my yard (the seeds were ready to blow off, and they're a type easy to pull... I was right there, I might as well), plus the little patch I have stuff planted in out back. Of course, the rest of the back yard and parking area still needs to be done... but I am only one person, and can only do so much. I *did* get stuff done this weekend, and that's what counts. Also, I filled *two* trash cans with weeds! (Since they were going to seed, I didn't want to compost them.) I need one left for house trash, right? ;)

I managed to get a wasp sting right at the start of the job! (My apologies to any neighbourhood children who heard me when I got stung... wasp stings hurt like the dickens!) Stupid thing fell into my glove when I was pulling a weed with flowers, and then stung when the glove squished it against my hand. I really can't blame it... if I were a wasp, I'd have done the same thing. I went in and ran it under cold water. It didn't swell any more than a mosquito bite, and didn't hurt for as long as the previous time I was stung. (Well, the initial pain didn't last too long... I've now got a secondary pain like bruising at the site, or arthritis in my wrist. The sting was right on the wrist.) This is my second wasp sting now, so I guess that means I'm not allergic to them. Of course, this one wasn't the same variety, it was by a little guy... does that have an effect on your reaction to the stings?

Well, I'm bushed. I guess I'll pack it in early tonight, with the hope that I don't hit the snooze button as much in the morning. ;) (Flex time... I've mostly been coming in at 9:15, but if I get moving a few minutes earlier I'd catch the bus that gets me there at 9 with less walking, and ideally I'd like to arrive at 8:30, so that I can leave a bit earlier.)

Frost

Do you ever have those days where the world is so beautiful, you wish you could call in "photograph"?

It's been like that here for the past three days.

However, I do not have one of those jobs... I've had to satisfy myself with photographing things on the way to or from work.

(Yes, the frost lasted that long!)

Stop the Violence

A local kid created this video in response to violence in his North End Winnipeg neighbourhood.

Let's give him some "views" to show our support.

Yay Bike Ride! .... and *ow*!

Yay bike ride! This afternoon I went for a bike ride with my uncles. :) (And, apparently, an ant.) Except for one bit, it was awesome.

The rivers are still high, and will be for a while. There's a spot near us where the trail had been under water, and, while it is now above water (just barely), it's covered in gloppy mud and flotsam. There's a narrow, unofficial trail just above that spot. I made it through there fine twice the other day, but my luck ran out today. I was being careful not to let my pedals hit the high side (something I noticed happened before), but accidentally let (I think) my handlebar hit a tree, which sent me tumbling down the other side. Luckily there was a bunch of trees and shrubbery to cushion my fall. (They won't be quite so cushiony for the next victim... everything under about an inch in diameter literally *broke* my fall.) However, I only suffered some bruises, scrapes, and a temporarily jammed brake lever. (I got it unjammed once I noticed it... when I tried to use it, of course!) I suspect this is probably where I picked up the ant, although I didn't notice it on me until I was back home.

The rest of the trip was only eventful in good ways. :)

The Forks was busy with the Winnipeg International Children's Festival and a highland dancing competition.

The little ones are creepy-cute!

(How can they be so good when they're so *teeny*?! It's creepy!) I bumped into a friend from high school who was one of the volunteers/organizers.


After dallying around the Forks, we biked over the Provencher Bridge to Whittier Park. We couldn't use the path under the bridge, because the river is too high.

See that winding path with the set of stairs down the middle? well, there's a lower level under the waterline that goes under the bridge.


Looks like Fort Gibraltar isn't open for the season yet. (It's probably open for school groups, though.)

Whittier Park is lovely... you can hardly tell you're in the city.

Well, besides the nicely groomed paths, of course. ;) The occasional siren or bit of traffic noise makes it in, but not much.

The Seine River is also quite high.


(Hint: Trees don't normally grow *in* water. Not these ones, at least.)

You can tell that levels have dropped a bit, but I suspect this is another summer where the riverwalk is basically useless.

Okay, the rest of this post is just documenting the damage from the fall. Feel free to skip. ;)

Sunglasses are a bit scratched.

(They scratch easily, though. I think it's an evil plot to make me buy more sunglasses.)

Light scratches on my right arm:


More impressive (but not serious) scratches on my right leg:



Left leg got some green smears, and feels like it will develop bruises:


And finally, the obligatory bike chain grease, this time with accompanying scratch:

Lilacs

I love the smell of lilacs in the spring!

Rowdy Fans

Although the intersection was open by the time I passed through on my way home, there were some die-hards still on the curbs.

The rude drunk on the bus was obnoxious, but thankfully he got off after two stops when he discovered there were still people left at the corner.

Portage & Main

It was a bit interesting getting to work today, with the rabid hockey fans taking over Portage & Main. (They tried to get them to go to the Forks, but gave in and closed the intersection.)

You know, if you hear the radio reporters say "NHL" too many times, it starts to sound funny and unrecognizable.

I feel sorry for the Moose. Apparently they're getting shipped off to Newfoundland. (Which looks like a really pretty place to visit in summer, and I've been dreaming of having a painting vacation there, but I'm not sure I'd want to be on a hockey team being shipped there.)

Out The Window

Gee, the pounding from the bridge construction sounds rather rhythmic today. Wait... it sounds *really* rhythmic!


Turns out there was a small parade going in front of my place. "Youth Honouring Youth"... remembering missing and murdered aboriginal youth.

This is why we need more community youth programs: to provide options besides joining gangs. We also need programs for kids who want to quit gangs. Not that all missing and murdered kids are in gangs... some are innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. We need to starve gangs of new recruits, and incarcerate the ones committing or directing crimes, and rehabilitate those we can.

This is why I volunteered with the Inner City Computer Club: a kid learning to program isn't out on the streets. (Although I was working with immigrants and refugees there, but there are gangs targeting those kids too.)

This is why there shouldn't be a waiting list for addiction rehab programs. I don't care if that means there's normally empty beds costing money, if someone shows up, wanting to get clean, they should be accepted immediately! Yes, they may relapse. So accept them again, and give them another shot. Improve the programs to help prevent relapse. It may not work this time, but perhaps next time it will work.

Improve mental heath programs. Cover psychiatrists and psychologists. Have a referral program, and make sure people know about it. Many people with drug, alcohol, or other addictions are people with mental health problems who are self-medicating.

Some of the stuff that goes on in this city frustrates me. I wish I knew how to help. I wish we had a mayor who cared. (No, the city doesn't decide what medical services are covered, but they could lobby the province and federal government for change.)

Social Cooties

Winnipeg is in it's dusty season, where the snow has melted, leaving behind a season's worth of road grime, ground down sand (and probably road too), salt, and snow mold. I'm recovering from my cold, and still have a hacking cough.

So that my cough isn't exacerbated by the dust, I've been wearing dust masks.

People look at me strange, and I've noticed the seat next to me staying empty longer. I ignore the looks, and enjoy the space. ;)

Yesterday's Snow

THANK YOU to those who shovelled! (That thar walk was *hand* shovelled!)

Walking through yesterday's snowfall was hard on the knees.

How's the weather where you are?

Hoar Frost

The hoar frost was lovely today.

Tip For Idiot Drivers

Suggestion: you might want to brush off more than just the front windshield and driver's door windows... with roads the way they are, being able to see more than 90 degrees will help you avoid someone who is about to hit you from the right or behind.

Also, how on earth do you expect to be able to merge right safely?!?!?!!!!

I'm glad I'm home now, for more reasons than one!

This is Ridiculous

Really? REALLY?!?!! It's only been snowing since Thursday, and the snow piles are *already* a storey tall. Sheesh.

The rivers are still high. I heard on the news this morning about flooding in some areas, and the Amphibex being sent out to break up ice jams. Next spring could be *bad*.

Weather

Winnipeg came down with a case of the white fluffies last night, but it seems to be fully recovered now.

All these pressure changes are killing my head, though. :P

Vote

*sigh*... Smarmy Sam won again. :(

Now to wait and hear who my city councilor is... this is the first time in my memory that it wasn't the same person. I hope the person I vote for gets in.

Nooooo! I just checked the live results, and the Conservative is in the lead with 97.7% of the polls reporting!!! Dang Rod G, for splitting the left! Well, perhaps Smarmy Sam won't hate our riding so much with a councilor on his side. :( (It's still pretty tight, though... perhaps she'll still pull through...)

Miscellany

I feel like I might be coming down with something... after dinner I snoozed on the couch for a bit, and then went straight to bed. Not counting brief wake-ups, I slept for 17 hours. Hopefully that will bolster my immune system.

I find robo-calls exceedingly annoying. Politicians who have annoyed me thus:
• smarmy Sam Katz (incumbent mayor, I *don't* like him to begin with)
• Thomas Steen (also someone I'm not voting for anyway)
• Judy Wasylycia-Leis (boo... I had such high hopes for you!)
Politicians on whose behalf I had a human call me:
• Shaneen Robinson (bonus points to you!)

Big pile of things to do this weekend. :(

Yay Bike Ride!

Between loads of laundry, I snuck away and went for a bike ride with mom and uncle D... 5k out, and 8k back (we took the long way through St B). Over the Provencher Bridge, we saw "Knit The Bridge":

We also saw some native dancers who were part of Culture Days. (Had my weekend not been so full with the workshop and dinners with parents, I would have tried to make it to some of the other activities.)

Strange

Wolseley is an area of town where you're pretty much guaranteed strange sights. Yesterday I saw a man with a bag of groceries in one hand and a baby on his back... riding a *unicycle*. I sure hope that guy has amazing balancing abilities!

Pretty Sky

The sky was pretty on Monday night, and I thought I'd share it with you.





Too bad it had to come with *crazy* heat and humidity. (It was a day worthy of a NC summer... not a NC heatwave, but a NC summer.)