5 Provinces over 3 Days, or, How I Spent My Weekend.

Wow.

Courtesy of Google Earth, you see the route taken by yours truly and his father-in-law in the latest episode of the Stone/Shagwell in-law Support Operation. Penny and I flew out to Newfie on Sept 30, and she and her mother flew back on the 3rd. Her father and I dropped them at the airport in Gander (a pale shadow of itself from its heyday as the key Transatlantic stopover point) and we headed for their place in Pickering.

Note to future Newfoundland Travelers: I actively encourage you to visit this Province. It really is a rich experience, particularly for those who like a more grounded and wholesome populace with no pretentions. However, don't underestimate the size of The Rock. I know people who think they can "Do Newfoundland" in a day (yes, I am talking about YOU...you know who you are). It took Dad and I the better part of 8 hours just to drive from Gander to Port-aux-Basques to pick up the Ferry. (Oh yes, the Ferry. IF you go, book ahead. Reservations are needed if you want to avoid sitting on your ass in the ferry terminal queue line on a stand-by ticket...that didn't happen to us, but I figured I should give you the heads-up, dear reader.)

Anywhoodle, Dad and I slept, more or less, during the overnight the Ferry crossing, then went from Sydney to Montmagny, QC. We had enough energy to push past the planned stop in Riviere-du-Loup (translated into English as 'Wolf River') and got closer to Quebec City. I managed to get a half-decent sleep in the motel that night, and we roared in from Montmagny to Pickering.

Penny was very happy to see us both and we endured a mind-numbing trip to get groceries for a fridge we hadn't seen in 6 days.

We are home, safe, and sound, although somewhat travel weary.

Penny will blog the details surrounding the need to head eastward. Just as soon as her brains stop pouring our her ears...

When Mossy met Outburst

Through a series of strange little coincidences (no, I won't call it a Series of Unfortunate Events), I discovered that Outburst and I work for different parts of the same organziation. It's not really surprising that we didn't figure this out sooner given the size of the org., but it was still nice to make the connection. He was mulling over new work opportunities, and I offered to help. While that piece of things didn't come to pass, we decided to celebrate the breaking of the fourth (blog) wall when he was down in my neck of the woods.

It's always nice to confirm that bloggers are as affable and articulate in person as they are in their various entries, and he's certainly no exception. We enjoyed a rare afternoon (post-work) on a local patio and I got to introduce him to the joys of Keith's Red Amber ale.

Consider it a standing invitation, Outburst. :)

207.4 (or, an Answer for Bat-Rider)

Was happy to see the scale down a little bit more this morning.

After a long, four month absence, I returned to the rink last night. I admit, I was a little nervous about playing again. I was worried about the amount of rust on my already shaky game as well as being worried about how the knee would hold up.

In spite of a loss, I managed to make it through the game intact and uninjured. Now that I'm only playing one night a week (thanks to some nicely immature communications on the part of my former Thursday team) it will take me a while to get back into the groove. (or is that "rut?)

P and I are back with the midwife tomorrow and because the appointment is a little later in the morning I will be able to have my morning workout at a semi-reasonable hour.

Can I get a "yay"?

208.8

So far so good. I bounced back up a few pounds but I expect that as part of the process.

I hit the gym pretty hard after work today, and I managed to work off some lingering bullshit. I won't get into the details, but suffice it to say some people have no balls at all.

Anyway, I'm feeling better and Penny says she's noticing a difference. I'm probably losing fat and regaining some muscle, so I don't have a true picture of what's been lost versus anything gained....I just know the bottom line.

Hockey starts on Monday. Will be interesting to see how much rust I have to shake off after 4 months of not playing. ~yikes~

209.4

The weight has been coming off at a reasonable rate and I've been pretty good about the gym. It's not quite as effective as getting pushed by Wesley Crusher, but I think I'm doing okay. I've started incorporating the bosu ball with a few of my exercises, and it really is a challenge. On Monday, I decided to do my cardio work by walking to/from the gym. It's 6.4 km as a round trip, so that's not a bad way to do it.

Still aiming to be below 200 by the end of this month and I'd REALLY like to be under 190 when convocation rolls around. I'd settle for being back down a pant size, though....

Thoughts on the Labour Day Classics

There's nothing quite like spending Labour Day enjoying the real turning point of the CFL season. I got to enjoy the two big rivalries on Monday, Edmonton/Calgary, and Toronto/Hamilton. (I also enjoyed Michael Bishop's debut for Saskatchewan on Sunday, where they got a convincing win over Winnipeg in the so-called "Banjo Bowl")

Anyway, there's not too much to say about the western game except I wasn't sure why the Esks were sporting green helmets, and that the Calgary offence seemed to disappear after half-time....to say nothing of the defensive secondary.

The Argos/Cats tilt lived up to its usual level of intensity. While I'm happy with the result, I'm not thrilled about a few things.

1) Poor capitalization on turnovers. The Argos left a lot of points un-taken and we wound up setting for FG instead of TD.
2) Dropped passes. It looked once again like Nigel Williams tribute night out there. I love Bethel Johnson's speed, but even he knew he blew some really catchable balls
3) Stupid Penalties. Can someone please explain how Adriano Belli managed to cost the D 25 yards of field position and NOT get benched for his efforts?? There's intensity of play, and then there's stupid. You do the math.
4) Blown Field Goal. Pretty sure the Special Teams coach will be drilling the boys after that botched attempt in the 2nd quarter.

On the positive side, there were some nice things to be seen, like Bryan Crawford getting that late TD, Mike O'Shea picking up the blocked kick and turning himself into a running back, Kerry Joseph's running, and a team back at .500.

I do feel bad for Winnipeg and Hamilton, now stuck at 2-7 records because the East should be more competitive. I wonder when the plug will be pulled on Doug Berry and Charlie Taaffe? Those two 3rd and short decisions Taaffe made will likeluy come back to haunt him. The Argo "D" couldn't have come up with a stop at a better time for the second one.

Let the run to the playoffs begin!!!

Oh man....Only in Texas....

You have GOT to be kidding me...

On the plus side, I bet it helps with disobedient children.

Just to quiet the masses...

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

212.2

With the kidlet on the way (and hockey season fast approaching) I finally got off my can and got back to the gym this weekend. I was reasonably smart and I didn't push myself too hard but still managed to get a half-decent workout. As much as I'd like to be able to afford to go back to train with Wesley Crusher again, that's not in the cards. So, I went back in my workout book and repeated most of a workout from about 18 months ago. I figured that would keep me on track.

I felt better for doing it and I ate pretty well this weekend.

Let the re-shaping begin (again)!

For Larry

Hey brother,

I dunno if I would brag too loudly about being a Mazda Miata. Any "more broke-down mule cart" comments and I might have to give this poster the "Where's Steph" treatment...

Remember the pic of you and Elton John? You've been warned ;-)

Well, whaddya know...

(Two posts in one day? WOW!)

Way back when, I drafted a suitably objective piece about one fine, upstanding citizen and his particular stance in the so-called 'War on Terror'. (okay, you can stop snickering, it wasn't even close to objective and impartial.)

I was pleased to see that the Supreme Court of Canada had a blissful moment of lucidity and refused to hear an appeal of the deportation order against Jeremy Hinzman. Kudos to the Immigration and Refugee Board for making the right call. Their only faux pas, IMNSHO, is giving him until the 23rd of Sept to leave the country.

Granted, this country doesn't always treat refugees and immigrants well (e.g. foreign trained doctors and other professionals driving taxis or washing dishes), but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

You take the oath, you stand up and be counted when it matters. Or at least have the balls strength of character to face the music when you take a stand.

Running away isn't 'taking a stand'. It is the coward's way out, and you're allowing your wife and child to suffer for your actions. Shame on you.

Buses vs. Busybodies (a.k.a. Today's Idiot)

The (Toronto) Star does tend to lean a little more to the Left than I'd prefer, but sometimes their leanings are worthwhile reads. For example, their "Fixer" series is an excellent piece that holds municipal and regional entitles accountable for things that are broken or missing (e.g. missing street signs, potholes, other repairs of a Public Works nature.)

Today's little tidbit is a llittle closer to home, metaphorically and actually. In an age where we should be actively embracing public transit, this shockingly myopic and misguided individual deems it an intrusion on her fluffy, suburban lifestyle.

Kudos to the folks at DRT who are (wisely) dismissing her concerns and supporting their passengers.

"Route change request sparks bus war"

(Edit: I wonder if the next dictionary that includes the term "Asshat" will use this 'person' as an example?)

Fuckity

I did it to myself again

Tried to use the iGoogle blog interface to generate a post and mistakenly tried to refresh my email. Methinks I need to move this thingy to another tab in my iGoogle page.

(Outburst, I was actually writing something that you might appreciate. Specifically, the madness of the local sports media vis-a-vis the non-decisions of one Mats Sundin. But I wonder...does complaining about their silliness make me party to it???)

Is it possible to have an Urban Soaker?

According to the weather-guessers, we have set some sort of moisture record for this season.

In layman's parlance, the Toronto area has been summarily pissed upon. Over, and over, and over. Frankly, I didn't expect this kind of rain this side of Monsoon season in Indonesia. But I was quick to remind myself that I could have just as easily been spending my weekends in an open jeep on some kind of FTX (Field Training Exercise). As a sidebar, I knew a Reg Force Captain who loved to utter the phrase "it ain't trainin' if it ain't rainin'!". Of course HE got to spend the bulk of the weekend in the CP (command post) while we got to practice personal "pruning" and experiencing the early stages of trench foot.

...not that I'm bitter.

Anyway, I just wanted to rant about the weather, because getting into some long-winded beef about stuff like Mats Sundin's hockey future or the sad state of the Who Jays, or the shockingly large number of unsold ducats to the Buffalo Invasion would just be too easy.

Now THAT was a game...

I just watched one of the better games of the CFL season tonight. Montreal visitng Saskatchewan. The score was extremely tight for most of the game and the lead changed hands at least 8 times. However, near the end is when things got exciting. Fumbles, interceptions, and a real hard-fought game that sent the Regina faithful home with a smile. Pretty intimidating when the defending grey cup champs can beat you even with their third-string QB.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Viva la Weekend!

I spent a day snipe hunting (with outcomes that Scott Adams could appreciate) and I am now home, relaxing and unwinding. Okay, so the relaxing came in the form of two large Rum & Cokes, but that's not really the point, is it?

Sadly, I have work stuff to tackle over the weekend so it won't all be relaxation and/or home reno activities. However, the work stuff is all part of my greater career advancement plan so I will make the necessary sacrifices.

Foiled by Heinous Geekery

...geekery most foul.

There are times when iGoogle is a neat way to centralize stuff, but maybe not for blogging. I had a nice little post on some post-grad school ponderings and managed to lose it.

Just sayin'

(Of course, Penny says I should just do it "the old fashioned way")

And the list gets shorter...

This weekend saw some more tweaks and fixes completed at the Stone-Shagwell manor. I brushed in this nifty sand/polymer mix in the stones on the front walkway. When this stuff gets wet, it hardens and cures, not only locking the paves in place, but also preventing ants and weeds. Score one for the bipeds there. The other labour completed was the building of a shelf in the garage. Not just any shelf, mind you, but a hanging shelf that takes advantage of the high ceilings. I'll have to get a picture of this puppy to do it justice. It's actually the first of three ceiling-based shelves we will be putting up there. We don't make good use of the space in there, so lesser-used items and seasonal items can get off the floor, and that will help a lot. Sadly, I haven't figured out how to deal with the 2 big snow shovels, but a few ideas come to mind.

I didn't get a lot of sleep lat night despite some serious fatigue. Not quite how I wanted to kick off Monday, but what can ya do?

Happy Birthday NNLCC!

Much love from your NNLMM, I love you. :)

My name is Vila. Bob Vila.

Today began the work in the long-overdue leveling of the front walk. It looked okay before the deck went on last summer, but not so much now.

So after shopping today we got started on the first part, removing the stones and clearing out the weeds and soil accumulating between the pavers. Ironically, while we have many patchy spots on our lawn, we manage to grow a bumper crop of weeds between the stones in the walk.

It was a rather mindless, dirty job, but we managed to get all the stones out, all the weeds out, and most of the aggregate re-leveled. However, a little research showed that the bozo who put in the stones didn't really do it right. So when we go to pick up the big tamper tomorrow, we will also pick up the appropriate edge barriers (to prevent the stones from slipping and spreading), the cloth barrier (to prevent weeds from growing), and the sand to lay over the aggregate and to brush over and inbetween the stones to bind them all together. If done correctly, the online sources tell me the walk should last a good 20 years.

I figure by the time the task rolls around again, I'll have recovered from this one.

We won't talk about those big-ass 2'x2' pavers in the back that still have to come up and get sorted out. I'm not naive enough to think they were laid down properly in the first place. But, yeah, I know it will have to be done too.

Maybe next weekend....

(Edit: The task was largely done Sunday night and everything hurt afterward. All that's left to do is re-positioning the edging, adding more sand to the gaps in the stones, and re-installing the stairs on the porch. If the "fuck you" signals I was receiving from my muscles are any indication, I will definitely neeed to make the back patio refresh a 2-person job.)

Ow...

~ugh~

There's really nothing worse than the end of your vacation and trying to get back into the groove after you drag your hide back to the salt mines.

Don't get me wrong, I can be productive, and I am contributing (one of my colleagues even said "were you away???") but I always find it the equivalent of jogging through knee-deep water. Slow, messy, and awkward.

Just sayin'...

On other notes, I am excited at the start of the CFL season, and the hometown Boatmen might be able to go 2-0 if they smack the Pussy-Cats in the home opener at the Dome tonight.

I am baffled, however, at some of the NHL free agency moves. However, I am not surprised at the local media going bananas over Mats Sundin's non-decision with respect to his career. Every little indecision spawns 2-3 articles agonizing over it and performing some kind of navel-gazing analysis.

Gawd. You'd think this burg only had one team that mattered. Guys, he's likely not coming back. Get over it. Move on.

(I've missed my writing outlet. Glad school's over. For now. *8*)

Is this thing still on??

Well, whaddya know. You leave a blog alone for a while and, well, nothing really happens with it. Apparently they are not self-perpetuating.

At the risk of raising the hopes of the one remaining reader (Duff) I am posting a very consolidated update.

Grad school is DONE (Sorry, Kal.) A long, long 23 months of work, study and sacrifice, but allegedly worth it in the end. Convocation is in November and I'm looking forward to seeing my classmates again.

Work is, well, work. No real changes there, in spite of my passive efforts to re-locate myself.

I am off hockey for the summer, having managed a small tear in my MCL in the first period of the first game of the summer season. I am hoping to be back watching pucks fly through the five hole in September. Penny wasn't all that disappointed to have me home all summer.

And in other news...

[[imagine, if you will, a lovely ultrasound of my bride's insides, showing the latest addition to the Stone/Shagwell manor, "Chip" at the ripe old age of 11w3d of gestation. But, Blogger being Blogger, it is having some kind of imagery-uploadery-fuckery-malfunctionery-thingy, therefore the image will be posted later.]]

Edit: Said scan of DW's indsides showing 'Chip'