Tomorrow

       It is the Day of Truth and Reconciliation, and Manitoba has declared it to be a stat holiday. Two facts to remember where tomorrow is concerned.

      "I wish to acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory, traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation." (https://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/tools/jobaids/terr-acknowledgement-eng.aspx)

       This is the first thing usually said at school assemblies. Treaty 1 land encompasses all of Winnipeg and much of Southern Manitoba. The second thing to remember is that White People are Jerks. I'm as white as snow, so I can say that. Anyway, I will remember these two facts all throughout the day. Especially the second fact, as I am redolent with self-loathing.

        Anyway, Friday I'll be back to work. Also, here are some images.

        Also...

BYE.

Why?!

        I decided to close off my main game by doing something a little different. My eternal fairy Donna's slumbering in the backyard after insulting Grim one too many times. All that's left is her roommate and friend Donat. My gold-suited man went out and purchased a lovely mare he named Triss and they are exploring Starlight Shores together. He's a few days away from becoming an elder and once he's passed on, I should be around week 103 and that will be good enough for me. I'm ready to say goodbye to Starlight Shores for a while. I put Donat in my alternate game as well (Sunset Valley) so I'll still have some fun with him there.

       I downloaded Vector from the excellent crew at nraas (pranaam Twallan) a while ago and had the Minor and Goofy packages downloaded. Good ol' common cold in Starlight Shores and Accidentitis in Sunset Valley - but the other day, I downloaded the Zombie package and decided to see what the fuss was about. So Starlight Shores is swiftly becoming zombified as the Scourge makes its multi-strain mark. I have a feeling I will be disabling this before long, as Donat is going to run out of friends to talk with. Unless he can still text his infected friends. No, I haven't done a deep dive to explore this disease in greater detail - I probably should have. 😭

       Anyway, now I'm asking myself that ancient question. What possessed me to bring this scourge to my quiet community? I might have some pics from this nightmare before long. Oh, and speaking of illness, Manitoba continues to lift restrictions. We might even not have a mask mandate before long. That should be a thrilling yet terrifying experience. I hope ye happy few are staying safe and looking forward to the future.

BYE.

Why is Tumblr?

       This elderly hag taps her wrinkled chin with a yellowed claw and ponders Tumblr. Is getting a Tumblr worth it? I'll probably go for months between posting stuff on there and just stop caring about it. If anyone can tell me what the benefit might be, know that I will be most grateful. As it is, I have to keep reminding myself to post stuff on this blog even though I have nothing worth posting. Well, there's Sims stuff, I guess.

 

      Anyway, I'm getting older next week. All I want for my birthday is dinner at a restaurant with my immediate family but COVID-19, as ever, has other ideas. It has been nearly a year since the pandemic crashed on our prairie shores, and it's not going anywhere for the time being. I am listening to the miracle that is cyriak tonight. Holy doodle, is this messed-up. Not that I'm complaining. Great way to spend a Thursday evening. I first caught a glimpse of cyriak's glory when I watched something about cows. My life was forever changed. Not that I needed any help to be completely messed-up. It's wild and it's unique, and that's what's important.

     Take care and stay well, all of you wonderful types. Now that I think of it, I probably won't get myself a Tumblr. I'm old-school and that's the way I've always been.

BYE.

The Winter Persists

      So, after a massive thaw, the snow is trying to make a comeback. Not that it's trying very hard or anything. Anyway, I fear I do not have much else to say. Stay safe and remember that March is fast approaching.

BYE.

Bouchard!

     When I was growing up, Québec was a massive province in the atlas. I knew what it looked like and I knew it was the original Canadian home of the Français language but that was about it. Then 1995 - the year of the infamous Second Referendum - came around and I was introduced by Air Farce to the likes of Jacques Parizeau, the PQ, the BQ, and to Lucien Bouchard. Being 15 at the time, my first introduction was through Air Farce skits - the Lucien Bouchard Board Game, the Luba Goy parody of a well-known McDonald's advert, and the Story of Lucien Bouchard's search for Princess Sovereignty. It wasn't until later that I realized how close we, as a nation, had come to losing QC in 1995. Since then, as far as I know, the demand for sovereignty in La Belle Province has died down considerably.

     In high school, I learned about the FLQ and about the Quiet Revolution, but about the players of this Great Game I knew little to nothing. My most recent trip to the WPL (yes, it's open for business once again! 😄) netted me a biography by Lawrence Martin called 'The Antagonist'. A life of Lucien Bouchard, in other words. Around the time of the Second Referendum, it was discovered that Bouchard had gotten a visit from the even more infamous flesh-eating disease. This took away his leg - to Air Farce's dark merriment - and gave him another layer of mystery in my head. Before I happened upon this book, I considered Bouchard to be something of a boogeyman in Canada's collective consciousness. On the other hand, I am gladdened to know that he (as of this post) is still very much alive.

      I was thrilled by the synopsis and deeply hoped that Martin was not going to let me down. So far, he has not. Currently in the book, Mulroney (jerk! twat! bastard Tory!) has made Bouchard Canada's ambassador to France. Good move or bad? I'll keep reading and hopefully, I remember to let you know. If you're feeling impatient and can check it out for yourself, I definitely recommend it. Meanwhile, not to count one's active cases before they grow in number, but we in Manitoba were down to 4 as of yesterday and there have been no new cases here for over a week. Yeah, I've probably just jinxed myself. Please keep the border closed, Trudeau et. al!

     And now for something completely ordinary.

BYE.

Haz insurance?

       When I moved into my own apartment, it was insisted upon that I get apartment insurance. When I moved into the condo, the insurance 'went condo' as well. My insurance company gave me a discount because I'd gone ten years without a claim. Well, I am going to crush that perfect record. I developed a leaky faucet (which I got replaced today) but now my neighbour below has a lovely water stain on her ceiling. It was at the back of my mind that this might happen but my insurance should cover this... right? Well, I have to get in touch with the condo corp. before I do anything else. I took pics that I'll be sending along with the email.

        The timing is great, eh? I'm on EI right now and will be until the schools open up. Money is a question. The current active cases in Manitoba stands at 8 and restaurants have begun to open up to dining in (maintaining social distancing, of course). The school year will hopefully start up early and I'll be able to start early too. Anyway, that's what's going on with me. On the sims front I have a few Plantsims (first time ever!) in one of my games. I love not needing to make my sims cook. I also love when my Plantsims insult their plants. Flirting is also pretty cute.

       Davy, my first Plantsim, was brought into being by this extraordinary mind. Dr. Quinn Reardon at your service.

Though it's doubtful anyone would want his services.

    That's all for me. BYE.

Cans

     Nothing like inclement weather and poor road conditions to make one do an inventory of one's canned goods. I consider myself lucky that I only had 3 cans of soup past their expiration dates. One of my cans was still good so I made lunch and will make dinner out of it. Chunky beef barley soup - smelled and tasted okay. Fills me up, anyway. While I'm here, I have to wonder about expiration dates on canned goods.

     Once it's past the date it should be thrown out - better safe than sick - but how far past the date is it okay? I mean, once you get past the date the can's in a grey area and you're doubtless better off throwing it away; suppose it's all you have and you can't get to the store because of of poor road conditions? That or an ICBM came for a visit upwind and you're completely screwed anyway? Like the dude in 'The Day After' said, "Just get the canned goods!" I'm sure 2019 might have been okay but what about 2018? Too far past the date?

     I was already stuck with a churning belly the other day as it is and I'd rather not go through that again. If you plan to go to McDonald's, DO NOT order the spicy chipotle seasoned fries! Anyway, I should go out and clear the snow from my car. Not planning to go anywhere but it's something to do, innit?

    Okay. Here's a bit of Sims stuff.

BYE.

Others are saying it with more class

     Regardless, Happy New Year 2020! I got through a headache-inducing book by Ian Stewart about the top 17 mathematical equations. Kudos to Stewart for bringing all this brain-bashing math into the concrete world.

     Mom and I celebrated by watching 'For your eyes only'. Bond on skis and going deep-sea diving with a gorgeous Grecian. And Julian Glover was being the nastiest piece of work ever while another crime boss dude snacked on pistachios and helped Bond save the world. Again. We also feasted on pakora, samosas, and other spicy vittles from M&M. Normally, we go with the egg rolls, chicken balls, and spring rolls but this year we went with something different.

      This is going to be a do nothing day. Maybe I'll go out for dinner later. Who knows?

      On a simming level, I am not sure how I feel about Isla Paradiso. I thought there would be more fishing spots and the houses look so small. Normally I'm into compact and bijou (whatever that means) but the house my Bogusa clan chose just seems so disjointed. I love the way the water looks, on the other hand.

       My other game, on the other hand, is so very classy.

BYE.

A Quiet Man (Finale)

Monks do not live forever, Davis acknowledged as he chatted with his dear friend Sister Janna. She had moved again, this time to the foot of a distant mountain, and rarely got within easy reach of a phone. When she was near a phone, she tried her best to keep in touch with him.

He listened as she spoke fondly of Sunset Valley and of their old friendship. His heart turned to lead as she warned him to seek more solid shelter. At this point, there seemed no reason for him to leave his beloved campground. He was close to the thunderous surf and the constant flow of the tide - surely the day-to-day of a house would keep him away from the ocean and his fishing rod.

Besides, he needed all the time he had to make connections with newcomers to the community. He hung up and curled up in his tent; fondly recalling his past encounters. That time when he'd first found that ancient circle of stones just beyond the valley, his battles with the zombies, and that time, last year, when he and Old Clara had tried their hand at ice dancing.

These memories, more precious than platinum, comforted him as he fell into a deep and delightful slumber. In the morning, his heart light, Davis emerged from his tent to be bathed in all the joys and splendours the world had to present him.

 And thus ends the story of Davis, the Quiet Man.


I hope the two of you who actually read my blog enjoyed this little story. Will I do another one? Plumbob alone knows.

I probably won't for a while as work is well underway. Thank you for your time and have a great day.

BYE.

A Quiet Man (07)

Turning seventy brought with it a number of challenges. Davis knew he definitely was not a young man anymore. He'd long since abandoned the denial that comes with being old but, honestly, there were times when being this old made him blue.

Over the years, the Quiet Man's notoriety had grown. From the time that busload of curious uni kids to that boisterous bevy of ladies down the road, Davis recalled fondly his many encounters. Sister Janna had relocated to another community and her replacement, younger and a little wilder, had her own ideas of contemplation.

Not all such encounters were welcome. Besides his partying neighbours and the nymph-like Sister Delphine, Davis also had problems with Jedd-the-Klutz. This local sleaze was known for everything from knocking over people's bins to threatening people with irradiated rubber chickens to flat-out breaking into people's houses. That night that Jedd had visited him, for instance.

Luckily he'd had the foresight to invest in a small motion sensor. It had not taken long for the cops to come and he'd salvaged a few more hours' sleep. These interruptions did not come often and, for the most part, Davis was still very content with his tent and few sticks of furniture his admirers had left him.

Still, there were those days when he felt a lot more than his age.

END.

A quick note

My neighbours had a party to celebrate the end of their renovations. They bought a garden gnome and decided to hold a gnome naming contest. My offering won some votes but it was not the winner. The winning name has a great history and is connected to our community so it all worked out.

So Labour Day approacheth. A welcome three-day weekend. The kids come back at the end of next week. Yeah, I'm back to work already. It had to happen and I was ready to go back. There will be more Quiet Man stories coming but I've decided to pause until September.

Normally I don't post as often as I've been doing but the Quiet Man kept me busy. Once the last two chapters are ready to go, I fear I have nothing else to write about. Maybe I'll give a family story a go but I am not sure.

That is all for the time being.

BYE.

A Quiet Man (06)

The heat had driven Davis away from his tent and into the gym for a bowl of cereal and some contemplation. While he had his midnight snack, he pondered his years in Sunset Valley. Four years had passed since he'd first arrived in Sunset Valley and he felt pretty good.

He'd been in contact with his monastery for the first three years but the monks had moved on and so had he. Besides Sister Janna and some of his neighbours, he was alone in the world. Sometimes his neighbours would call inviting him to meet this or that young lady. This usually led to arguments.

Life in a tent made him feel his age at times as well. While the sin of vanity was merely a whisper, sometimes that whisper muttered exceptionally loud.

He felt ashamed of himself for listening to the whisper and prayed fiercely that he might be strong enough to conquer his vanity. A week later, he went to the local bar - a quiet place in the early afternoon - for a glass of iced tea.

\
It was there that his eyes were opened anew. Here there was a woman seeking sustenance. There a man suffered from thirst. Davis's mind sharpened and he felt the old strength - the power that had once thrilled him in his earliest days - flow back. He sought one of these seekers and eagerly spoke of the way the world is coloured by one's cravings.

Later, under a star-clad sky, Davis thanked the universe for his renewed spirit and looked forward to the years to come.

END.


Note: Davis has passed on (for the two of you who actually read my blog) and I have pics and ideas enough for either one long chapter or two regular ones. I probably won't post anything else about Davis or otherwise until September.

The Creepy Side of Life

 Just passing through with a couple of pics that creeped me out or speak of death. These are all Sims-related.

 Ever wonder about that neighbour who just rubs you the wrong way?

Ever get that feeling that someone is watching you from a dark window?

Meanwhile, things are not going very well in the current family I'm playing. Poor Chad, fresh from his old job running the local Aleister's, decided to have a snack from the jelly bean bush.

Yeah, that went well, didn't it?

His ex-girlfriend Andrea pulled him out of Grimmie's grasp and put him to work cleaning cages.

Then Andrea found herself a Philosopher's Stone. Chad had some fun with it. Andrea got jealous and tried her hand.

Poor Andrea. Now only Chad and the birds remain.

I've had the jelly bean death before but the turned to gold death has never happened in my game. I was speechless for some time after it happened.

BYE.

 

Gardener Genn

 Gordo was feeling sentimental that evening. Relations between him and the door remained hopelessly doomed but it was time to move on. He'd spent the evening before pondering his future and the things that had made him happy. Now it was time to act.

 He planted a seed he'd found on his doorstep (maybe a gift from his old flame?) and dedicated his time to caring for it.

 During the day, when people were out living their lives, Gordo would stay home with the plant and his newspaper. He read out the sports scores and gave the plant all the details about the Girl on Page 3.
Hard to tell who was blushing more by the end of it.

 At night, before he went to bed, Gordo would get into long monologues over the concept of life, plants, and the girl he'd read about during the day.

And then, it happened. His new companion began to put out lovely little flowers. Gordo rejoiced in his little room; secure in the knowledge that he had a new friend.




The End?

Genn still sorrows

 Another day, another reason to rage at the world.

 At times, Gordo's sorrow and desperation were so great that horrifically burned pancakes sent him into a frenzy of delight.

 Sadly, he paid for eating those pancakes later.

 Gradually, Gordo pulled himself up from the morass of his sorrow and sought wisdom and insight.

Gordo discovered old interests and found he had the energy to enjoy them. Now it was just a matter of making a decision.