We've been home two weeks now from winnipeg, most commonly know at this time of year as winterpeg. We were home for a day and a half and got THE phone call..." could you, would you, come back to winnipeg". How long?, well, maybe a month but more likely a couple of months. So, off and running we are.
We're learning from experience about travlel on the road and living out of a suitcase. Last time we went to Winnipeg, we took our VW beetle. All our stuff, jammed into the punchbuggy, including two cats and a dog. Cramped, not much room, but we made it there and back. Now wiser, we've decided to take the Mazda. Four doors, more room for us , or the animals, we're not sure, and maybe a more comfortable trip. So here we are tonight, almost packed, the bags in the trunk, all that remains is the suitcase of lauries make-up, piling the kids in, the dog food, cat litter, the leash for daisy. Yep, we're ready. Heading out tomorrow morning, and as i look out my window...blizzard. Hope that snow stops soon as it will be a long trip, our first stop in Regina. We're off and running, tomorrow, another road trip, another adventure.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Kats and Dawgs
When its too cold for a walk outside, we have to turn to something different. Spent the afternoon at a pet fair. Now, my expectation was to go and see the different breeds of cats and dogs, pick up some good literature, maybe talk to a couple of vets and see what the latest food type was available for our animals. Healthy animal food, that's what i was thinking. So, we jumped into the car and drove off to the pet show. Arriving at the entry gate I spot a sign above the cashier window...parking $12.00. Twelve dollars!!, heck, i figured i was only go to be there for and hour or two at the most. $6.00 an hour, outrageous, but i was in the line-up, couldn't turn around, and besides, i really did want to see what the show had to offer. I waited in line, observing the cashier in her small booth. Something was wrong. The tape in her register had run out and there she was, while cars were stacking up, trying to figure out how to change the tape. She did glance up once to see how long her line-up was, then buried her head into the task of reloading the tape. Mission accomplished after trying for five minutes and the line started to move. Coming up to give my parking fee to her she wanted to know if i had a ticket. Ticket i wondered. You need a ticket to park here? No ticket i said. She replied it was $12.00 to park, i gave her my cash and and she handed me my ticket, which represented $2.00 off the price of getting into the pet show. A deal, already getting money off and i haven't even parked my car yet.
Now, living in the cold, you try to stay out of it as long as possible, so, we drove around the parking lot, looking for the elusive spot next to the main entrance. We call it rock star parking. If you drive around long enough, your bound to get that spot. We did!! Thank God for my discount ticket. At the booth inside, i scanned the price list looking for a seniors discount. Nope, not at this trade show, but, i had my ticket for $2.00 off. A real deal.
First stop after buying the ticket was...go to the bathroom. You can't walk around on full. You have to be empty to really enjoy your time. Inside i saw a mismash of tables, booths, and lots of people, wondering around. First booth was the reptile booth. In front a guy was standing in the crowd, a huge snake wrapped around his neck, people petting the snake. I wondered if this guy hadn't heard about a scarf. Not my type of pet for sure. Moving down, following our system of doing the perimeter then up and down the inside, we stopped at the kats. Cute things they were and some very different ones. There was the main coon tabby, which looked like a miniature lion, a Persian cat, a Sphinx cat and a rag doll cat. All adorable and I'm sure great pets.
I was looking for the dogs. I was sure there had to be some dogs, because what would a pet show be without them. There were. What struck me funny though was the number of booths that were set up by volunteer organizations seeking donations and giving information about stray animals and adoption centres for animals. These organizations occupied most of the trade fair. Made me realize there is a real need out there for someone, anyone, to open their heart and let mans best friend in.
I didn't find any vets there, wondering why not? What i did find though is a new cat litter product that is biodegradable. Its made out of barley. Let the cat do its business in this litter, scoop it up and voila, flush it down the toilet. Its clean, reasonably priced and the next time i need litter for my cats, I'll try this.
Two hours at the show was enough. It was interesting, perhaps worth the price of admission, but certainly not the price of parking, but what would you do when its too cold to go outside for a walk?
Now, living in the cold, you try to stay out of it as long as possible, so, we drove around the parking lot, looking for the elusive spot next to the main entrance. We call it rock star parking. If you drive around long enough, your bound to get that spot. We did!! Thank God for my discount ticket. At the booth inside, i scanned the price list looking for a seniors discount. Nope, not at this trade show, but, i had my ticket for $2.00 off. A real deal.
First stop after buying the ticket was...go to the bathroom. You can't walk around on full. You have to be empty to really enjoy your time. Inside i saw a mismash of tables, booths, and lots of people, wondering around. First booth was the reptile booth. In front a guy was standing in the crowd, a huge snake wrapped around his neck, people petting the snake. I wondered if this guy hadn't heard about a scarf. Not my type of pet for sure. Moving down, following our system of doing the perimeter then up and down the inside, we stopped at the kats. Cute things they were and some very different ones. There was the main coon tabby, which looked like a miniature lion, a Persian cat, a Sphinx cat and a rag doll cat. All adorable and I'm sure great pets.
I was looking for the dogs. I was sure there had to be some dogs, because what would a pet show be without them. There were. What struck me funny though was the number of booths that were set up by volunteer organizations seeking donations and giving information about stray animals and adoption centres for animals. These organizations occupied most of the trade fair. Made me realize there is a real need out there for someone, anyone, to open their heart and let mans best friend in.
I didn't find any vets there, wondering why not? What i did find though is a new cat litter product that is biodegradable. Its made out of barley. Let the cat do its business in this litter, scoop it up and voila, flush it down the toilet. Its clean, reasonably priced and the next time i need litter for my cats, I'll try this.
Two hours at the show was enough. It was interesting, perhaps worth the price of admission, but certainly not the price of parking, but what would you do when its too cold to go outside for a walk?
Friday, January 23, 2009
The people you meet
In my job, I have the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. I've met a man who, in his early 20's, was on the development team that created the A-bomb. I've met a man who was a gunner in the second world war, got shot down, and spent six months as a prisoner of war. I've met a man who lost three years of his life as a prisoner of war, holed up in a bamboo cage. I've met a woman who was a survivor of the Holocaust. I've met a woman who started as a primary school teacher and became a professor at the University of Alberta. I've met a husband and wife and joined them in celebrating their 73rd wedding anniversary. I've met a woman who this year will be celebrating her 100th birthday and is as sharp as a tac, but is only 4 months older than her table partner, who is also as sharp as a tac.
In the past 4 1/2 months i have met over 500 people, but there is one person whom I met who has a direct link to Canadian history; the great grand son of Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford, born 1918 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the grand son of Sir Hugh John MacDoland. Sir Hugh John Macdonald is the son of Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford mother (Isabella) is the daughter of Sir Hugh John MacDonald.
Hugh Gainsford is the last lineage to Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh's mother, Isabella, spent her summer months as a young woman with Sir John A. MacDonald. One of the memories Hugh Gainsford remembers from the stories his mother told him was how furious she would get about the rumours of Sir John A. MacDonald's drinking. She stated that Sir john A. was never unruly to the family. I asked Hugh if he had any letters of pictures of Sir John A. MacDonald. He stated to me he did not, partly due to the fact that his family moved around and most got lost or misplaced. He does though have two articles that belonged to Sir John A. MacDonald. One is an ebony walking stick that was given to Sir John A. MacDonald when he attended a picnic at Maidstone, Ontario, August 20th 1867. He passed the walking stick to me and for a few moments, stick gripped in my hand, I walked around his room, holding a part of history. The other article Hugh has a statue of Buffalo horns which was given to Sir John A. Macdonald in 1888. These came into Hugh's possession by way of his mother, who received them when John A. Macdonald died.
In my job I have the privilege of meeting many people, all with their own bit of history, all with their own stories. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford is one of those people.
How many people have you met?
In the past 4 1/2 months i have met over 500 people, but there is one person whom I met who has a direct link to Canadian history; the great grand son of Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford, born 1918 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the grand son of Sir Hugh John MacDoland. Sir Hugh John Macdonald is the son of Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford mother (Isabella) is the daughter of Sir Hugh John MacDonald.
Hugh Gainsford is the last lineage to Sir John A. MacDonald. Hugh's mother, Isabella, spent her summer months as a young woman with Sir John A. MacDonald. One of the memories Hugh Gainsford remembers from the stories his mother told him was how furious she would get about the rumours of Sir John A. MacDonald's drinking. She stated that Sir john A. was never unruly to the family. I asked Hugh if he had any letters of pictures of Sir John A. MacDonald. He stated to me he did not, partly due to the fact that his family moved around and most got lost or misplaced. He does though have two articles that belonged to Sir John A. MacDonald. One is an ebony walking stick that was given to Sir John A. MacDonald when he attended a picnic at Maidstone, Ontario, August 20th 1867. He passed the walking stick to me and for a few moments, stick gripped in my hand, I walked around his room, holding a part of history. The other article Hugh has a statue of Buffalo horns which was given to Sir John A. Macdonald in 1888. These came into Hugh's possession by way of his mother, who received them when John A. Macdonald died.
In my job I have the privilege of meeting many people, all with their own bit of history, all with their own stories. Hugh MacDonald Gainsford is one of those people.
How many people have you met?
Colder than Ice Cream
According to Wikipedia: the temperature of ice cream is -5 degrees celsius, but it depends on the fat and all that stuff.
Over the past 6 weeks we worked in Winnipeg, Manitoba, otherwise known at this time of year as Winterpeg. Winnipeg carry's a lot of history with it. A city of approximately 700,000 people, it embraces the new with the old. From historic old bank buildings to sleek glass modern skyscrapers, it truly is a city to explore. The city core is broken into districts, two being the exchange district, and the forks district. The forks district is situated where the Red River and the Assiniboin river meet. Comprised of historic buildings the area has been converted into a "meeting place". Parkland had been developed and some of the old boding converted to a year around market, selling everything and anything to do with Winnipeg, native and local crafts. A great place to shop, when its not too cold.
Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba, and one of its mascots is the polar bear (wonder why?) Near the parliament buildings there is a small park which is dedicated to....Polar Bears. These are fiberglass structures depicting the polar bear is different shapes and sizes. Not just white, the polar bears are artfully decorated and combine together in the park make and extraordinary collage.
The main street in Winnipeg is Portage. Driving along the downtown core of Portage one can't help but notice the fiberglass sculptures, not only of polar bears, but of dogs, women frolicking. Portage links with Main Street, heading east. It is at this corner where they say the coldest winter temperature in Canada is (colder than ice cream). In the winter one would have to be either brave or a fool to stand on this corner for a photo op. I decided not to.
When we arrived in Winnipeg, we were greated with snow, and cold temperature (colder than ice cream). Our six week stay saw the temperature plummet from a balmy -15C to bottom out at -35C (really colder than ice cream) and I'm not factoring in the wind chill factor.
We surrived our first stay in Winnipeg, but before we returned home, we had the experience of visiting another Manitoba city, Brandon. Brandon is just a pocket city compared to Winnipeg, having a population of just over 60,000 people. We were there for one week, and it is here where I really experienced the cold. Two days before we were to leave the temperature was
-35C with a wind chill factor of -47C (wayyyy colder than ice cream). The car refused to start without a jump boost, the squeek of the snow when you walked sounded like two pieces of styrafoam rubbing together. We survived, returned to Edmonton, and now, having been home for 11/2 weeks, will be heading back to Winnipeg again.
I'll guess our average temperature while in Winnipeg was -22C, which is colder than ice cream
Over the past 6 weeks we worked in Winnipeg, Manitoba, otherwise known at this time of year as Winterpeg. Winnipeg carry's a lot of history with it. A city of approximately 700,000 people, it embraces the new with the old. From historic old bank buildings to sleek glass modern skyscrapers, it truly is a city to explore. The city core is broken into districts, two being the exchange district, and the forks district. The forks district is situated where the Red River and the Assiniboin river meet. Comprised of historic buildings the area has been converted into a "meeting place". Parkland had been developed and some of the old boding converted to a year around market, selling everything and anything to do with Winnipeg, native and local crafts. A great place to shop, when its not too cold.
Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba, and one of its mascots is the polar bear (wonder why?) Near the parliament buildings there is a small park which is dedicated to....Polar Bears. These are fiberglass structures depicting the polar bear is different shapes and sizes. Not just white, the polar bears are artfully decorated and combine together in the park make and extraordinary collage.
The main street in Winnipeg is Portage. Driving along the downtown core of Portage one can't help but notice the fiberglass sculptures, not only of polar bears, but of dogs, women frolicking. Portage links with Main Street, heading east. It is at this corner where they say the coldest winter temperature in Canada is (colder than ice cream). In the winter one would have to be either brave or a fool to stand on this corner for a photo op. I decided not to.
When we arrived in Winnipeg, we were greated with snow, and cold temperature (colder than ice cream). Our six week stay saw the temperature plummet from a balmy -15C to bottom out at -35C (really colder than ice cream) and I'm not factoring in the wind chill factor.
We surrived our first stay in Winnipeg, but before we returned home, we had the experience of visiting another Manitoba city, Brandon. Brandon is just a pocket city compared to Winnipeg, having a population of just over 60,000 people. We were there for one week, and it is here where I really experienced the cold. Two days before we were to leave the temperature was
-35C with a wind chill factor of -47C (wayyyy colder than ice cream). The car refused to start without a jump boost, the squeek of the snow when you walked sounded like two pieces of styrafoam rubbing together. We survived, returned to Edmonton, and now, having been home for 11/2 weeks, will be heading back to Winnipeg again.
I'll guess our average temperature while in Winnipeg was -22C, which is colder than ice cream
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