Hallowe'en Anniversary

 First, a question from yesterday's blog to David.  Al wants to know if you got charged for swimming too fast in the Venice canals?  

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Birthday greetings to Mardi's grand nephew, Lincoln Brownell, on his 10th birthday.

And today is also a very special day for me.  It was nineteen wonderful years ago that Mardi and I had our first date.  And I've still got her tricked!!! 

You've made me a very happy man Mardi.  And our Christmas Cactus has even revised it's blooming period in honour of our love.

It's now our Anniversary Cactus.

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Another picture of David and Sue from Venice.

Looks like a beautiful city!  Good looking people too!

Then, I got another email, with this message:

                8 oz orange juice $20, a gin and tonic $33,
                My lovely wife, priceless!

He's a romantic, like the old man!

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We had a full crew at the greenhouse today and made excellent progress.  Ewen and Charlie looked after loading the dirt machine.

I was on hanger duty.  Mardi planted.

We're over halfway done.

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Enjoy the goblins and stay well.

Almost Hallowe'en

 Nursing a sore foot from all of the walking I did while placing Fern baskets on the greenhouse floor.  And a sore shoulder from yesterday's booster shot, so I'm taking it easy today.

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A couple of pictures from David:

First, a speed trap on a waterway in Venice.

And the view from their Venice apartment.

Their trip is nearing its end.  Looks like they've had a really good time.  A well earned vacation for Sue and David.

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And, in other news, the Optimist Club is running its Turkey Roll again - on Friday, November 25.  Chances cost $3 each or 7 for $20, but my rule is that I only sell the 7 for $20 option.  Let me know if you would like to participate.  Thanks!

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Tomorrow is an important day in my life.  More about that later.

Stay well.

Hurting a Bit

 Took it easy today as we both recovered from the Boston Fern planting.

But we did accomplish one important task.  We each got our 5th Covid shot.  Three weeks from now we get our annual Flu shot and we should then be good to go for our winter vacation.

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Photo below shows two Davids - one dressed and one not.  Both fine physical specimens😏.

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And, on that note I'll say good night.

Stay well.

Ferns, Food and Fans

 Back to the greenhouse today.  We quickly finished up filling two houses on the east side.  And then the line was shifted to the west side.

You're looking at the full complement (including the photographer), although Christine from the garden centre did a couple of stints to help out.  Even though shorthanded, we nevertheless made good progress today.  A real team!

Here's a picture that Brooke took of Charlie before the last of this year's Boston Fern crop was shipped.

He's getting to be a big jungle boy!

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Sue and David are still in Florence.  They sent a picture of the oldest restaurant in the city, serving since 1820.

But they weren't impressed with the menu and ate elsewhere.  I guess that after 202 years the food may be a bit stale.

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After dinner we headed to Theatre Aquarius to see "Serving Elizabeth".  It was about Elizabeth's visit to Kenya and her father's death during that visit which made her the Queen.  At the time, Kenya was dealing with the Mau Mau terrorists and ended up leaving the Commonwealth eleven years later.

The writer, according to the theatre, challenges us to consider the power of stories to influence identity, shape stereotypes, and build paths to empathy.

Unfortunately, that doesn't translate into a good theatre experience.

Five minutes before the curtain raises, this is the audience.

The absentees obviously knew something that Mardi and I did not.  We're rethinking our subscription to Theatre Aquarius.  This is not the first time we have been disappointed.

It's a lot more entertaining at Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover and Port Colborne.  We'll limit our future Aquarius visits to just a few special events.

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Stay well.

Old Guy Stuff

 Apparently, Sue and David are in Florence because I got the following message from him today:

"If things don’t work out for you at the greenhouse we could get you a corner in Florence."

I bet that would work in Florida!

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As I mentioned yesterday, I scheduled a golf game today so that I could avoid working at the greenhouse.  Maybe it wasn't such a good idea!

Temperature was 6C.  Chilly enough that we were blowing fog.  I'll be glad to get back to the warm greenhouse tomorrow!

I'm not sure what Calvin was up to.  Looks like a gun in his back pocket!

 But we ignored that because he brought some treats to help us celebrate Matt's birdie.

Matt also got four Dog Meats, but Calvin and I chose to ignore that.

Nevertheless, we are a good team - we stick together, even in the sand traps.

Actually, a very enjoyable day - if you could ignore the chill.

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Stay well.

From Boston to Mexico.

 This afternoon we started to plant the Boston Fern baskets.

Sean set up the line.

Donna ran the dirt machines, Brooke loaded the baskets, Mardi stuck the fern plugs and the old guy, with some help, attached the basket hangers.  A few of the baskets had Monica's name on them!

Sean moved them all to the floor (those baskets without hangers were fixed).

And, despite being short staffed, we finished over 1,300.

Just 13,700 to go!

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A quick shower after work and then off to the Banana Leaf for dinner with Gillian and Scott, followed by an Optimist fun night.  Rose and Ed joined us for Mexican Train.

A fun, relaxing night with good friends.

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Unfortunately, I won't be able to work tomorrow.  I have to golf.

😢

Stay well.

Stay Awake

 Despite a somewhat sleepless night, Sean successfully managed to ace the CFIA greenhouse inspection today.  Well done Sean - now your mom and dad can continue to enjoy Italy!

Spring plantings should begin later this week.  Boston Fern baskets are first up.  Mardi and Irene can hardly wait.

I finished the front garden that I was working on.  It's now ready for spring.  

And I finished cutting the grass, including inside the rink.  It's now ready for David to flood when outdoor hockey begins this winter.

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Came home to be greeted by this wonderful scene.

 Mardi said that the date squares in front weren't going to be frozen.  So I have very little time to eat them before they go bad!  She later asked me how they tasted, but I had only eaten four at that time so the jury is still out.😋😋  

By the way Al, you wouldn't like them 😞😞 so don't ask!

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Thought that I should enlarge on the "woke" and "anti-woke" issue that influenced my school board vote yesterday.

The official Wikipedia definition of "woke" is: Alert to injustice and discrimination in society, especially racism.

However, the far right also claim that it includes more far left stuff: Intent to dissolve the nuclear family, abolish capitalism, eliminate religion, rewrite the constitution, and raise children gender neutral.  Sounds pretty crazy and extreme, but the majority of U.S. Evangelicals do think that is what the far left want and therefore they perceive that the "woke" folks are a great threat.

Let's delve into that a bit.  The part that worries me the most is the gender neutral issue.  They believe that the solution to LGBTQ children is conversion therapy.  In other words abusive brain washing to make them "normal"!

And those are the folks who are trying to get on, and eventually dominate, our school boards.  Please, please, spend as much time next election on your school board choice as you do on your ward representative.

I don't want to get too deeply into religion right now, but it amazes me that U.S. Evangelicals, who supposedly believe in the Bible, can be so astoundingly inhuman, and they also applaud Trump and the evil that he stands for.  

That's not what I remember being taught in Sunday School!  I am not a believer, but I do think that most Christian principles are worth fighting for and trying to meet.  And I think that Wikipedia's definition of "woke" is part of that worth.

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On to better things.  We got the following picture from Yancy with his teething daughter, Rowan.

What a cute pumpkin!

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And a question.  How many of you have wine with your mac and cheese?

One of my favourite meals.

And, on that note I'll say good night.  Stay well.

Voting Day

 Enjoyed a beautiful day at Cambridge Golf.  Even golfed decently!

Thursday we head to Willow Valley.  Hopefully, next week back at Cambridge.  Unfortunately, time is running out on the season.  Each game at this point in the year is a victory.

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After golf, Mardi and I voted.  Hope you all did the same.  And I  hope that you checked out the School Board candidates.  There are some right wing "unwoke" wingnuts running for the boards.

At the time of writing this, our ward candidate, Jeff Beattie was winning handily, and our choice of school trustee, Todd White, has defeated the anti-woke candidates.

Unfortunately, Andrea Horwath has been declared for mayor.  So, based on past performance, this term will likely be a lot of talk and not much action on her part.  But we will survive.

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Tomorrow it's back to work.

Stay well.

Family

 Two comments on a milestone event:

First, congratulations to Rada and John Buckley on their 40th anniversary.

Second, condolences to Rada for the same.  And, Mardi wants to know what John bought for Rada to compensate her for her years of sacrifice.

Lots of love to both!

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Joined Jo-Ann and Kathryn for brunch at Sammy's in Ancaster again.  While their mom and her husband are at church they had a chance to take a break from their daughter duties.  Kathryn looks after her mom, while Jo-Ann manages Mike.  No doubt in my mind that they are both headed for sainthood!

But they have decided that they will resume their lives in late December and they are driving to Florida starting January 1st for a lengthy, well earned vacation.

Nice to touch base with my girls!  Sorry for what they are going through.

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We've talked about the RSV vaccine trial that Mardi and I (and others on this list) have enrolled in.  Here's a CTV news item about the disease.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2547947

Hope what we are doing will eventually help!

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Monica dropped by this afternoon so that she and Mardi could exchange jig saw puzzles.  A nice visit.  

We showed her the Remembrance Day wreath that Mardi's friend Pat made for us.  

A lot of effort went into that work of art!  We'll hang it proudly on Remembrance Day.

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Congratulations to Rory McIlroy for once again returning to the #1 position in golf.  Stick it to Greg Norman and LIV golf!

Don't forget to vote tomorrow.  There are hundreds of millions around the world who don't get this opportunity.

And stay well.

The Last Rodeo

 Mardi and I headed out and picked up Judy for what was probably our last yard sale rodeo of the year.  Worthwhile!  I picked up six containers of Weed'n'Feed, the kind that fit onto your garden hose and all for a total of $5.  You can't buy this stuff anymore.

Probably have to wait until next year to use it.  If the weeds aren't growing they're not going to suck it up.

Mardi got some more puzzles - she now has enough to keep herself busy in Florida.

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Then headed to the greenhouse to do a variety of tasks.  Finished digging the clay out of the front garden that I have been working on.  Spread about 20 broken soil bags - may have to "break" another four or five to finish the job😉.

Cut some grass and disposed of some trays of dead plant plugs.

Only two hours, but I got a lot accomplished.

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Came home and had a nap!

Mardi beat me at Skip-Bo - surprise, surprise!

Stay well.

102!

 A couple of birthdays to celebrate today.  Mardi's niece Rhiannon is celebrating one.  Best wishes!

And Calvin is in Montreal to be with his mother, Bessie Lee Wong, to help her celebrate number 102!  Awesome!

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Threw out some more plants today.  Boy, the Boston Ferns present a challenge.  Their roots are very aggressive.

They have to be pulled back in order to get the pot insert removed.

But, today we had extra help.  One of Mardi's golf buddies, Irene Cousins, came out to help.

Coincidentally, Irene was a member of our Order Entry group at Dofasco.

If you're wondering why we have to throw out so much, it's called "farming".  When Covid hit and people were stuck at home, gardening took off and it was hard to keep up with demand.  So, David planted extra.  But in 2022 a lot of people called Covid over, and went back to whatever they were doing before gardening.  

That's life on the farm!  Better luck next year.

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Tomorrow, I'm back to digging in the garden.  And Sean is finishing his preparation for a Canadian Food Inspection Agency visit next week.  They are the government agency that controls the greenhouse industry.

Stay well.

Socked In

 I sent yesterday's blog and then tapped back into my email to discover a copy of the diary message that Sue sent to her four kids:

"David and I just happened to drive by a cemetery for Canadian soldiers who died fighting off Germans in 1943 in Ortona, Italy. We stopped and went in. Gardeners carefully tend over 1600 graves, with every stone planted with perennials. I was overwhelmed and could not hold back some tears. Such a waste of life. Each stone identified the fallen soldier and gave his age at the time of his death. I couldn’t help but think of my own children as I read many headstones. We can’t forget our soldiers. I also thought of what is going on in Ukraine and wish we could do more to end the senseless death and destruction."

Amen!  A mother's message to her 20 to 28 year old children.  

And think about the men and women who served and died in Afghanistan.  I can't believe that there will be anyone tending the graves of those whose bodies never made it home!

There are no easy answers.  Unfortunately, man's inhumanity to man will not end.  But thankfully, at least there are people in Europe who appreciate the sacrifices that have been made and who tend to those graves.

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Mardi and I headed to the greenhouse today.  Main activity - composting the end of season remnants.  That's Mardi and Brooke.

Ewen manned the tractor and I broke up and stored the Canna Lilies in the foreground.  Also organized the storage area a little better.

Charlie was begging at lunch time.  He even tried to steal some Canna corms to chew on.

He's getting to be a big boy.

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Made the best of a crummy weather day.  We'll be back at it tomorrow.

Meanwhile the boss is having fun in Italy.  At Maiori on the Amalfi Coast.

He commented: "The driving is the most fun I've ever had!"

I'm afraid to ask why!

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Stay well.

Looking Back

 We had breakfast with Liz and Al at the Casino Deli this morning.  Once again, good food and good friends.

Mardi and I spent a bit more time at the slots today.  I lost some but I'm still ahead (barely) for the two days.  Mardi won some more - enough to pay for two turtle necks at the Outlet Mall.

A great time.  We'll have to do it again!

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At breakfast, Al and I reminisced about our time at Dofasco and our retirements about 30 years ago.  He headed north and started an antique business, something that he loved doing for years.

In my case, about two years before I decided to retire, the company needed to go through a cost reduction program.  President Paul Phoenix advised that we needed a 20% manpower reduction and asked all departments to work on that.  But no "or else", so only two departments apparently took it seriously.  My department was one of the two that accomplished the goal - the folks willingly came on board to help eliminate or streamline their jobs.

But two years later the edict came down from new President John Mayberry that all departments must reduce by 20% or else, and no exceptions.  Firm action was required, but it was not fair to the two departments that had taken the first request seriously.  It appeared that the people in my department would face an unfair penalty and potential job loss after helping to achieve the earlier goal.  So I decided to help the process by being part of the 20%.  Not exactly what I wanted, but what I felt that I had to do.

Two weeks later I started working for Larry's Truck Inc. as an assistant to the President.  After he sold the business four years later I left and began to apprentice for a farm labour position, helping David at the greenhouse, a job that I love.  I  show up when I want, leave when I'm tired, do what I think needs doing, and David ignores me unless he needs my help with something specific, which for a few years meant running the garden centre.  

A dream job!  Have I mentioned that I'm happy?

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As requested, David forwarded some more pictures and a brief commentary from his travels in Italy:

"Missed a turn heading back across Italy to the Amalfi Coast and ended up at a Canadian War Cemetery just outside Ortona. The first picture is from Wikipedia showing one brother at the grave of another brother in 1944. Next picture, we found the head stone for the dead brother. Next is Sue among the graves. Last, there were two men looking after the cemetery. Everything was perfect. I did a quick count of head stones and came up with 1200. I was wrong. There are over 1600 of which over 1300 are Canadian."

That last picture is pretty impressive.  Other than three fallen Maple leaves in the foreground (which are meaningful in themselves) you can tell the reverence that is felt by the people of Italy for the people who died fighting for them.

Thank you David.  Keep it coming.

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Tomorrow it's back to the greenhouse.  Stay well.

Fallsview

 Today we headed to Niagara Falls to meet Al and Liz for an evening and night at the Fallsview Casino.

Based on the views, apparently they like Al and Liz...........

more than they like Mardi and me........

Maybe he loses more money than we do😓.

For dinner we headed to TGI Fridays.  

Good food, good friends!

After dinner, Mardi and I headed back to the slots to make more donations.  But, at the end of the night she is still ahead of the game - more than I'm behind.  Altogether a great day.  Thanks Al and Liz.

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David sent most of you a picture of he and Sue on the Adriatic coast, but I think he used an older mailing list so I'm resending it for those who may have missed it.

Keep the pictures coming David.

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I hope that the rest of you are having as much fun as we are.

Enjoy.  Stay well.

Rained Out

 Yesterday, Mardi's grand-nephew Cristian Lougheed celebrated his 14th birthday.  Best wishes!  And his lymphoma appears to be responding to the chemo.  Great news!

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Headed to the greenhouse, but it started to rain on the way and was pouring after I got there.  Chatted with Sean and Charlie for a couple of minutes and headed back home.  Unemployed for a couple of days, but that's OK.  Mardi and I have plans for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the boss is enjoying sunny weather in Italy.  Hope he sends us more pictures.

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And an important question of the day, sent to me by my friend Wayne:

White thanks!

And a toast to your good health.

The Seasons

 I've commented on how much I love this time of year.  Barry Kopysh is the moderator of our Wordle group and he started his plea for tomorrow's results with this:

The four seasons are all different.  Summer warmer than others.

Spent time at the greenhouse again today, but I only needed a lined jean jacket rather than the parka I wore yesterday.  Same thing for tomorrow.

And, another quote, this one from Henry David Thoreau:

Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.

Take care and stay well.

Promise Yourself....

.................to look at the sunny side of everything, and make your optimism come true.

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What a great day!

I spent an hour and a half on the forklift with my parka hood up to cut the cold wind.  And I got stuck in loose gravel in the parking lot and Ewen had to rescue me with the tractor (sorry, no picture).

But I met my objective for the day and it was a beautiful sunny day indeed.  Fall is by far the best season, regardless of the temperature! 

Mardi's cold is getting better (10th day).  Life is good.  I'm a very lucky man.

Stay well.  Enjoy life.

Oh well

 Did some good work at the greenhouse today, but that's pretty boring to talk about.  And nothing exciting happened for the rest of the day.  

My chick is still battling her head cold.  Hopefully tomorrow she'll be better.  

Stay well.

Life

 Today we headed to Winterberry Health Clinic for our RSV vaccine trial checkup.  We dealt with Heather, who is a bubbly RN. 

Altogether a great visit, which started with this scene while we were in the waiting room (another rainbow greeted us when we arrived home).

And then this sign...

Reminded me of an Oscar Wilde quote:

"To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people just exist."

We're both on board with living!!

There are several benefits for participating in a vaccine trial.  One of them is the financial benefit - we each received $200 today.  Half for today's visit and the other for two phone "visits".  That's a total of $400 each so far.

Another big benefit is the extra health care that goes with the trial.  Mardi's head cold (two negative Covid tests) triggered a nose swab which will be tested.  Any time in the next two years that we have a health issue, we will be given immediate attention.  Kind of reassuring.

They're still looking for participants.  Over 60 in good health, go for it.

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Live a little.  And stay well.

Optimism

 First of all, best wishes to David and Sue as they depart for a well deserved three week adventure in Italy.  The greenhouse is in good hands with foreman Sean, second-in-command Ewen, Donna, Brooke, and Jaimie, with grandpa on hand in case of emergency.

The garden centre closes on the 31st (coincidentally the anniversary that Mardi and I celebrate), so this month is a wind down, clean up period.

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Matt sent me a picture of our golf yesterday.

It was definitely an awesome fall day.

Some non golfers might wonder about my reference yesterday to "birdie juice".  The following picture is unattributed to protect the innocent😇.  Looks like Kalua to me.  Fortunately, we don't get enough birdies to do lasting damage to our livers.

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Thank you to John Buckley for this:

....and the leather shaving strap was a frightening threat!

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Our first Optimist meeting of the new club year tonight.  We inducted a new member, the President of Optimist Little League, Tim Simmons, second from the right.

And the new Board of Directors was installed.

We're on our way back from the Covid years.  Tonight the Treasurer advised that we have enough money to be able to fund our normal charities once again.

You'll be hearing from me!

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Stay well.