For such a short month... AUGH! This past week passed horrendously slowly. I kept waking up in the morning going "...oh, it's not Friday." At least it's the 28th today. A short month shouldn't be so freaking full. My school had a fun assembly yesterday to celebrate ILTR. During the 10 drop everything and read segment, I busied myself with Virgil.
The temperature bounced up and down during the month. It's -28 with a windchill count of -38 this morning. Climate change is mercurial. I don't really want to go anywhere today. Hey... here comes March! Spring Break is on the horizon. Cannot wait for that.
I hope my viewers are doing well and keeping warm. Spring Break is coming. Just have to be patient.
In honour of a three-day weekend, I'm posting. I'm not going to talk about the school shooting as so many other people have said plenty and have said it better. School shootings hit close to work. It could happen to any school. I wonder if/when it will happen at my workplace. I've been thinking about the shooting in Taber, Alberta.
It happened not long after Columbine, so only Canadians would remember it. If the recent situation that happened at work is any indication, we might not be ready for the real thing. I don't want to tempt fate but... I cannot help but wonder. Anyway, I just wrapped up reading "The Antiquary". A fun romp. Worth rereading in a few years.
The temperature continues to go up and down. Aurgh, climate change. But that's all for now.
So much packed into the shortest month. The temperature keeps tiptoeing into the little numbers. I am doing well. Apologies that I really don't have much to say. Been doing a lot of reading. I like this month. I hope to do lots of reading to kids this month. "Duck! Rabbit!" is one of my selections. It's a great trompe d'oeil story. Personally, I see the rabbit first.
I also plan to read some Curious George. Maybe I'll shake it up with something from Munsch. Always a kid pleaser. That or some Mo Willems. That darn pigeon! The kids were asking me what my favourite book is. I have a top 10 list, actually. Life's too short to have one favourite title.
My favourite part of this month is probably La Festival du Voyageur. Fantastic music, burned tongues, and gorgeous ice sculptures. A shame the festival itself is extortion exemplified. Probably costs more than the furs the Voyageurs dragged to the outpost. Anyway, I hope you, my awesome followers, are doing well.
The temperature's been up and down all this month. Blowing snow started this afternoon. All that snow will cover the intensely slippery stuff beneath. I caught up on my reading recently. Helps to read lighter fare. I updated my Goodreads today. I update it often.
Anyway, I'm reading a murder mystery right now. Read some Rilke just before that. I'd heard of Rilke before but I don't recall reading any of his works. Ergh, it looks pretty messy outside. At least I plugged my vehicle in when I got home. It's supposed to go down to 20ish tonight. Ergh. At least the kids have been going out for recess.
Nobody needs that kind of pent-up situation. That's really all I have to say. Hope my several viewers are doing well thus far. You guys are great. Here comes the weekend.
So I'm sitting in an IHOP because I'm hungry and Subway doesn't open until 8:30. Done my shopping. Yeah, I'm lazy; what of it? I don't call it procrastination; I call it sheer laziness. Been battling a cold but besides this maddening cough, I'm okay now. Maddening tickle in the throat. It's like "the Exorcist" when a hack attack threatens.
Anyway, all the shopping is done. Stocking stuffers and gift bags bought. Better late than too late, right? Got it done right at 7 before the parking lots got wild. Not going anywhere today but stuff's going on tomorrow and Boxing Day. Feeling all right despite the tickle. I hope my few followers are doing well and keeping warm.
Happy holidays and hope for nowt but the best in 2026.
La neige, la neige! Enfin la neige tombe! Now I can get into the shopping mood. Urgh, shopping for stuff. Not my jam. I'll never fall prey to living beyond my means at this point. I'm too old for lifestyle creep. Anyway, the snow's falling nicely. The roads were cleared recently, which is good.
Here comes Friday. I feel pretty good for some weird reason. Hope you, my several followers, are doing well.
No, this isn't going to be a horrific post about dismemberment. If I recall correctly, Piers Anthony would gaffe months on purpose in his author notes for the Xanth novels. Used to love those novels until they became more painful pun than proper and potent prose. I don't blame the guy; his fans keep throwing pum suggestions at him. A vicious cycle.
Okay, almost made a circle joke. I love puns but the newer Xanth books go overboard to the point they're drowning in puns. Okay, that's all. The winter hit with a vengeance. -19 with a windchill of -29. Indoor recess? Probably. My vehicle is plugged in. And I'm doing battle with a head cold. Lovely way to spend a Wednesday.
That's all for me. I hope my viewers are doing well and are keeping warm.
Remembrance Day ceremony was today. Properly solemn. Our cadets turned out in full force. The trumpeters were... needing more practice. We had a piper as well. I probably should not have stood so close to them. My good ear wasn't happy with me. The weekend is here at last. It seems like the week moved at a glacial pace.
I cannot recall if I had read 'Dolores Claiborne' already. Finished reading it today. Powerful, real voice narrating a heartrending story. I think Dolores is one of the most real voices I've ever encountered. Meanwhile, life has been pretty good. The first snows fell yesterday. The winter, at long last.
Going from King to Cohen... oi. This might be deeply depressing. We'll see.
Really, Alberta clipper? Okay, it's true we were overdue for the snow. For about two days, things were dicey. But the plows were out before long and things were good. Then the deep freeze threatened. Indoor recess two days in a row and more promised next week
Yeah, it's frustrating. Also, something is borked in my Sims game. I'm still playing but one of the sims is a bit ropey. Anyway, here's a dude I spotted a while ago.
Happy chappy, no? That's all I have for now. Things are going to be wild next week. The chill won't be going away very soon. Yeah, we were spoiled.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! I finally got all my shopping done. It's just a matter of wrapping things up in my usual half-assed manner.
2024. Hope the situation of the world is better in the new year. The school year was such that our cut off date was the 22. Yikes. Well, at least we'll have lots of time to relax in January.
To the few who actually still read this blog; I wish you happy holidays; get plenty of good food and rest in ya. See you in 2024.
So we got our first big snowfall of the year and my car got stuck in a rut (aren't we all so stuck in ruts?). Yeah, so I'm home today and not very happy about that. It was Remembrance Day yesterday so I was off from work. You might think I'm thrilled about having a four-day weekend but I'm just frustrated. I hope someone can clear some of the parking lot so I can at least get my car back in its stall because I couldn't make the turn and got stuck. A very nice dude who was shoveling out behind his vehicle helped me to at least park out of the way of oncoming cars. Not that anyone's going to make that turn right now.
A lot of outraged shrieking in the car, let me tell you. Nothing to do but wait. At least I'm safe and warm. Also, I'm not the only staff member who could not make it into work today. Meanwhile, I'm avoiding my compy. I need to open it up and give it a good blast of air because I want the ghost in the BIOS to go away. It's been at least a week since I turned it on. I'm not going to say what I've been playing, Sims-wise, because I uninstalled that piece of dreck from the compy a long time ago. Why I installed it on my lappy, I cannot explain. I'm sad and pathetic; that's all there is to it.
Now for something very important - after the fact, but still...
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.
Something about ballpoint pens. My blue one likes to trick me; first it seems like it's on its last dregs of ink, only to charge forth as strong as anything. That sounds like a neat name for a blog, doesn't it? 'The Pen Persists'. You, my few and fantastic followers, are welcome to use it. Besides, this is the only blog I use. Yeah, I was on LiveJournal once a long time ago, but that's lost to the mists of time. As far as I understand it, LiveJournal is deader than disco. Blogger might be fading like the dodo, but this has been my base of operations for some time, and I have no intention of going anywhere new.
I've had the year of 2017 on the mind lately. One of my second cousins was born in 2017, while another one was born in 2016. A third one was born only a few weeks ago. My cousins are going wild with the babbies these days. We had a wretched cold snap - on par with Texas only Canada's used to such dealings - and the cold killed my car's battery. Cue my bitter frustration with a very overworked CAA. Anyway, I had a new battery installed and now I'm paranoid. Something at last for my rampant anxiety to sink its yellowed teeth into! It's been almost a week since that happened, and my car's working fine.
2017 was a momentous year. A wedding, a journey to Nova Scotia, a second cousin born in China, and a very sad event for my great-aunt and great-uncle. Anyway, the cold snap has passed and tomorrow calls for a high of 0. Very good news all around. The fact that it's Saturday is also very good news. Assuming my car doesn't die again on me this weekend, I'm going to see my fam and eat some excellent potato casserole. Another of my Grandma's recipes, and it is amazingly good. Anyway, I thought about posting some Sims stuff but I changed my mind. This is just all the nonsense of my life. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you are all staying safe and warm.
Winter finally caught up with us. I expect indoor recess all the rest of the week. We had an inservice today, so the kids got to stay home and stuff. On the literary front, I finished up a poignant book called 'The woman on the Orient Express'. I only call it poignant because it woke so much nostalgia within. Agatha Christie was married and divorced in her early days, and she made an escape to the Middle East to get away from the rumour mill. I wonder now what her ex thought when she became something of a superstar writer. Did it stick in his craw - an ache that not even death could heal? Yes, I am spiteful. What of it?
Anyway, the book was so drenched in Mesopotamian affairs that I flashed back many times to the Christie classic 'Murder in Mesopotamia'. The author of 'The woman on the Orient Express' confirmed my suspicions that one of the characters in the book who crosses paths with Christie was the inspiration of one of the characters in 'Murder in Mesopotamia'. This character was a real person, believe it or not. As a result of all my flashing back, I found myself enjoying the foray very much. If I recall correctly, 'Murder in...' was the first Christie book I have ever read. Both books are very good, by the way.
Continuing on the nostalgia train, I discovered another reason why I love the band Squeeze as much as I do. When I was in high school, like most people of my time, I watched 'Hackers'. My first encounter with Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, and Matthew Lillard, as well as my first encounter with Fisher Stevens as a bad guy. When you're used to Ben Jabituya in 'Short Circuit', it's a little bit of a shock to see him as this douchey hacking mastermind. Anyway, at the end of that movie, while Miller and Jolie are in the rooftop pool, there's a great song that plays. I've been in the dark as to which band released that song for YEARS. 😥
Thank you IMDB! It took me a bit of searching but I finally found the song in question.
Is it any wonder that I love Squeeze so much? All this time and I don't even have one of their albums. I think that's going to change soon. Shoutout to KeeFHQVideos for posting this video. Am I getting people in trouble by giving them a shoutout? Not like there are any people actually wasting their time on my blog. Now, I hope people stay warm in Canada, as the cold weather ain't going away anytime soon. Maybe by this weekend.
Am I happy that January will soon be but a memory? Until more Canadians get the vaccine, one month is just like another. Until all Canadians get the vaccine, actually. I have nothing good to say toward or about the anti-vax crowd, so if any of my followers are part of that crowd, just keep moving and forget you ever heard of me. Groundhog Day draws near; time to listen to Sonny & Cher's whinging in unison about their *ahem* undying love for each other.
This is going to be a quick post. Oh, and what's this stuff about Google wanting me to join a group? I'm too anti-social for that, guys. I recently finished reading a batch of fluff called 'Planet Lolita'. You'd think there'd be more to a story with that kind of title. Nope! It was a somewhat fascinating bit of fluff that I really do not recommend. Still, if you like the concept of social networking put on paper, have at it! Now I'm reading 'Casino Royale'. I think I understand why this book was not made into a movie back in the 1960s. The censors would have flipped tables.
Okay. That is all I have for now. Stay safe and warm, ye few still in need of a good night's rest. I hope I've bored you plenty today.
I should be excited for Xmas; but thanks to the pandemic, I'm feeling immensely meh. Not sure if this is a sign of ambivalence or plain old apathy. Does one term follow another? Anyway, my tender feelings to the few that follow this blog. I wish you nowt but the best for the end of this whole miserable year and nowt but the greatest hope for 2021. 💕
I've been playing some Skyrim of late and watching a Youtuber/Twitcher named Rufert play Morrowind. The scenery in Morrowind looks gorgeous but Rufert played an unarmoured, hand-to-hand Argonian. My play style in Skyrim has been that of a sneaky archer. I'm nearly topped out on sneak in that game. A sneaky orc chick; not summat one sees very often, eh?
It's crazy cold today and I've been grumpy and in dire need of a hug. It's been months since my last hug. Okay, enough griping. The pandemic will end eventually, and then I can go back to hugging my family until they run from me. Now, should I post a few pictures that have nothing to do with the season? Yeah, why not.
I'm sharing my usually silent space with noisy 6s until Xmas Break. It was either this or a complete and total lockdown for our school division (I'm guessing; and that could happen anyway). So one of my favourite co-workers has moved in and turned the library into a makeshift classroom. Today was the first day with these 6s. I was expecting chaotica but it's too early for that. Once the kids settle down a bit; then the chaotica and shouting will follow. The pandemic continues to work its deadly skill upon the hospitals and the ICUs of the world.
Even Nunavut is no longer immune. I was in awe of Nunavut earlier this year but it has joined the rest of Canada. At least they're smart enough to institute stringent lockdown rules. The rest of Canada would do good to follow suit. Perhaps it's too late for that. It might be too late for our divided neighbours to the immediate south. At least they voted for a new Prez that won't cause America's rep to continue its freefall. Not that he could do any worse than the Orange Nuisance, at this point. He certainly cannot do any worse. At least, I hope he will not do any worse.
I plugged my car for the first time this winter tonight. Exciting, this wintertime! Now for some generic pics.
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?
This wondrous and goodly thing has come at last? If not, at least I can take comfort in the approach of Spring Break. We've had some plus temps this month and the snow is starting to melt. Not fast enough for some people but we need to take care that it doesn't melt too fast. One of the last things we need this May is a flood. Bad enough the outskirts are going to get the mess this Spring (as usual), but we've had enough water this winter as it is. Watermain breaks here and frozen pipes there... yes, this city is more than ready for a nice slow thaw.
As you can see, even my indoor cat's ready for a change in the weather. Some news if you're interested. After years of withstanding the temptation, I finally broke down and got a YouTube channel. I'll be posting my videos there from now on. If you're looking for something to bore you to tears, look on YT for the Wry Zone - also doing business as WryAlways. I'll keep posting the pictures on here. Pictures like this one.
