Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.  I couldn't say it better than Al Knapp has done.

 "Wishing all of you a happy Valentine's Day. It has been a difficult year for everyone. Make today a special day and tell someone you love them and if you can, give them a hug.

Liz and I have ordered Chinese food and will enjoy it while watching the Raptors. 

Things could be worse.

Stay safe.

Al"

To my special Valentine.

We're in our seventeenth year and never a harsh word!  That ignores trash talk at the card table of course.

Love you Mardi!  Happy Valentine's Day.

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The experts are now assuring us that the coronavirus vaccines do not affect fertility in women or men.  That's too bad....some of us old people were hoping they would👴👵.

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We were able to visit the greenhouse for Valentine's Day.  Sarah-Jean is home for Reading Week.

And Malcolm and Esther also made a visit.

While we were there, David cleaned and resurfaced the ice.

And, I checked on some of the plants.

Last year when I separated the Cactus for Monica, I also planted some florets.  After sitting idle for several months one of them has now started to grow!

Sean has developed a very green thumb too.  One of his projects is Orchids, a very difficult plant to grow.

The Million Bells are ready to plant.

Mardi will help with that project tomorrow while I'm painting.

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Hope you enjoyed a glass of wine with your lover today.  Stay well.

The Ox

 Four score, three years, ten months and seven days ago an Ox of the Fire Element was born.  Today he was savaged by an "honest" friend.

He was, however, defended by the love of his life, ensuring that he will honour her tomorrow on St. Valentine's Day.

And that's all I have to say 'bout that!

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We'll talk tomorrow.  Stay well.

Year Of The Ox

 We'll pay special tribute to our friend Calvin Wong today as he observes the Chinese New Year.

Normally Calvin's family would get together in Montreal to celebrate the holiday and enjoy special food dishes which are prepared at New Year's only.  This year it will just be a Zoom meeting.

The really unfortunate part is that Calvin has not been able to see his mother since January 2020.  She has reached the age of 100 in the meantime.  Thankfully, she has all her mental senses (wish I still had all of mine) and can Zoom with the family.

The year that just ended was the Year Of The Rat.  Sounds appropriate for the coronavirus pandemic year we have gone through, doesn't it?

Matt and I met Calvin several years ago on one of our guys' golf trips to Florida.  There were four guys in Calvin's house and four in ours.  Eventually, both houses lost members and our house was able to entice Calvin to join us.  And now he also golfs with us on Tuesdays at MontHill.

Happy New Year Calvin!  I don't know when the Florida golf will resume, but the Tuesday guys can't wait to get back on the links with you.

It seems like forever since we last played golf.

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It appears that the impeachment trial has taken a toll on our TV.  After the Senate closed the proceedings the picture quit on the TV.  We had audio but that was it.  The TV goes to the doctor tomorrow.

In the meantime, my technician installed the bedroom TV in the living room.

Quite a difference in TV size - 32 inch versus 54 inch.  But when I think about the early 12 inch black and white snowy models, I realize we have nothing to complain about.

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Our other adventure today was to buy a pine dining table and six chairs which Mardi found on Facebook Marketplace.  Had to drop off the 78" long table top at the greenhouse until we are able to arrange the use of an elevator.  Heavy devil!

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Watched some more of the impeachment trial.  Clear and persuasive!  But, how many Republicans will vote to find Trump guilty?

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Stay well.

Impeachment

 Took the day off to watch the impeachment trial.  What a fantastic job the House Managers did in presenting their case!

It is hard to believe that any Senator would not vote to convict, but we know some will still claim that Trump is innocent.

It's interesting to compare our two political realities.  In the U.S., the Republican party started downhill when the Tea Party faction took hold several years ago.  They've gone steadily downhill ever since.

The Democrats have a lesser but similar problem with the far left.

In Canada, we suffered through the Reform movement which split the Progressive Conservatives.  When they reunited, the word and focus of being progressive was lost.

On our left, the third party, the NDP have staked out the far left position.  That has left the Liberals to hold the middle, politically productive ground, which has benefitted them immeasurably.

Whether the U.S. can produce a new configuration (many prominent Republicans are talking about spinning off a new party) is problematic.  But in the meantime they're on a path to destruction.

The far right are now talking about another insurrection on March 4th.  We'll have to see what happens.

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I won't be watching Trump's lawyers defend him...........I'm sure the nightly highlights will be enough.  

So the blog tomorrow may be more informative.  Stay well.

The Impeachment Trial

 Got a picture of my favourite dog walker this morning.

Brave soul!  It's minus 8C right now.  Man, I love that woman!

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Did my paint routine at the greenhouse, and guess who I saw?

Apparently, Sandro has a lot more talents than what he has shown us on ice!

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It's my guess that coronavirus infections will be down for this week.  My reason?  A lot of us are inside, glued to the TV and watching the 

impeachment trial.  Fascinating!  Frightening! Unbelievable!  And much more.

Regardless how this political theatre ends up, I am looking forward to when some of the criminal lawsuits hit him.  And, the fact that he stiffs his lawyers for their billings means that he's going to have to rely on crap representation in court.  Jail time!

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Stay well.  Keep smiling.

Ice Time

The dog walker has returned from her walk.  Some of my friends might recognize her dog walking costume - my fishing pants from the 23rd Annual Invitational Bass Classic, June '98, and my Tromper fleece sweater from the Sept. '97 hike, Big Head Bivouac.

 

The sacrifices I make! 😇

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What a day for the rink!  Sunny, -4C, with still air.  Perfect.

And our intrepid pair, Sven and Sandro, were there to show off their multi-sport skills.  Today it was hockey.

And they're using wooden sticks that date from the original six era!  What nostalgia!  And you thought my clothes were old!

At the back of the picture you can see David flying his drone overhead (it's above the scene).

In the picture below you can see David's drone, between Sandro's head and the far boards, filming the whole spectacle. 

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Meanwhile, back at the greenhouse, another batch of Boston Fern baskets has been hung, to make room for more baskets to come.

And Sean is watering some fern plug trays that just arrived as well.

The geranium baskets are progressing....

....as are the Easter Lillies.

And the Million Bells are getting close to planting time too.

The greenhouse circle of life continues.
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One bit of excitement in the condo tonight.  A burning wire smell brought the Shipton's man out.  Turns out that when the wiring was redone the other day a nut must have fallen off against one of the wires and it was heading for failure.

But we're back in business again.  All's well.

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Stay well.  Enjoy the polar vortex.

Lost My Memory

 So, what was the weather like where you were today?  I had sunny, 80ish weather in the greenhouse.  Tee shirt time for sure.

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Took some pictures today but the camera's memory card appears to have lost its mind.  A sign of my future?

Hopefully, with a new card I'll be able to repeat the pictures tomorrow.

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So, instead I'm going to put out a plea for your support for our Optimist Ham Roll.  The virtual draw will be on YouTube on March 27 at 10 a.m.  I'll give you the link when it is posted.

Circles once again are $3 each or 7 for $20.  The "hams" will be $30 Fortino's gift cards.

Thanks in advance.

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Yours in Optimism.  Stay well.