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...

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.

Laid out, and not in the Good Way

Well, I think Wesley Crusher (pls see Penny's blog for details) finally managed to get me to my "enough" point. At least we know when this kind of thing happens, he doesn't mess around.

DW and I were at the gym yesterday working with Mr. Crusher and he moved us from the weights into the fitness studio to do some core work. We did some speed squats and some ab exercises, and then he got us into "Chops". What happens is this: you position yourself like you're chopping wood. Full range of motions, altering the direction of chop...left, right, left, right...down, then straight up....down the other side...straight up...down the other side. I got through one set no problem.

Second set....not so much. I felt something particularly nasty in my lower back on the left side. Not like my usual back discomfort (which I know so well) but something different.

Needless to say, my workout was over.

I spent the rest of the night laid out with what I figure is a pulled muscle. Thanks to a well-stocked medicine cabinet, I am suitably drugged with high doses of Naproxen and Tylenol 3. However, I am not exactly loving my invalid status. So I'm hoping I'll be mobile for work but at this point its not looking good. Penny, Biff love her, has been looking after me and worrying about me. She is, at this very moment, snoozing on the other side of the bed. She didn't get a lot of sleep lat night because I was stuck on my back (read: snoring away) and from spousal worry.

Yep...this is why I married her. She worries about me.

So, courtesy of the joys of wireless routers, I am here upstairs with my laptop and staying connected to the outside world.

RIP Brad Delp

Wow. As much as some people were stunned by the death of Steve Irwin, I'm floored by this one.

Brad, for those of you who might not know, was the lead singer of Boston. He had a clear, resilient tenor voice and had a lasting effect on 70's and 80's music.

No real details yet, but he was apparently home alone at the time. He was only 55.

Now I'm sad...

I don't care about indecision
I don't care if I get behind
People living in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind....

Shameless Academic Geekery

Greetings from the second floor of the Stone-Shagwell Manor, where I
currently sit, slaving away at the first assignment for my latest course.
(Okay, so if I'm blogging I'm not, like, totally slaving at it, but you
get the idea, right?)

Anyway, through the kind asupices of my favourite Trini, I am the
temporary keeper of a wireless router. The Manor House has been of the
wired variety of late simply because neither Her Ladyship nor myself
required the freedom of a wireless connection and I admitted to some grave
concerns about security, et al. Our existing router/firewall worked
nicely, so why change?

However, with school work on the go I want the freedom to be almost
anywhere in the house. Of course, I have that freedom with my laptop, but
if I'm sitting comfy somewhere with a paper in progress, I want to be able
to pull up a journal article and keep going. Under the old setup that
meant going to Penny's computer, digging up the article, transferring it
to my USB key and then taking it to wherever the laptop was. Not exactly
how I'd prefer to be spending my writing time.

However, the router is working quite nicely and I am sitting here on the
bed, away from most distractions and hacking away at this silly-ass paper.
Apparently I am not alone among my classmates in a lack of motivation or
interest in getting this one cranked out. Fortunately, its only 2000
words and requiring little research. Thank Biff for reflective
assignments.

I'm sure there's more I could babble about but I've been distracted enough
for the time being and this damn thing ain't gonna write itself. Enjoy
your day wherever you are and whatever/whomever you are doing.

BTW, has Larry fallen off the face of the planet? Did he meet a horrible
fate atthe hands of the Rocky Mountain Yeti while skiing??

Since everyone else is doing it...

A little Meme-ery for all of you who still read this blog.

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Kal? You? Clergy? *snicker, snort, skoff*

X is for X-traordinary

Hello to my remaining readers. Yes I know I've been gone a little while, but I had assignments due for school and a lovely vacation with my wife of now just over two years. No, I can't promise to post more frequently, but I do promise to keep posting. (Yes, Kal, that does mean you'll just have to keep begging, whining, grovelling & pleading fighting for Penny's attentions.)

So we continue with the Alphabet Series.

X is for X-traordinary. (Hey, it works phonetically, so deal with it!)

X-traordinary Tidbit #1 - The Steph blogged! I must say, she doesn't post often anymore but she's always a good read. Especially when she tries a little BUI (Blogging Under the Influence.) She is the step-sib of our friend (and other hopeful Penny-suck-up-suitor) Larry. Penny told me that Steph finally did a 100 Things list. I can't wait to sit down and enjoy it. Bring a snack, folks, because you might be a while.

X-traordinary Tidbit #2 - (TMI Warning!) Nature's cycles being what they are, Penny and I nearly wound up being bereft of travel sex on two consecutive trips. We didn't really plan it that way, but fate's a cruel diva when she wants to be. We accept these little potholes on the road of life and deal with them. Fortunately, Penny does maintain an even keel about it but every once in a while, the mask slips and her frustrations show. At one point, we were in the kitchen, getting some things for an afternoon meal and I gave her a hug and a little nuzzle of the neck. She grabbed me and whispered harshly in my ear, "Damnit, don't DO that to me or Mother Nature be damned, I will throw you on the floor and take you.right.here." Yep, this is why I married her, folks. For those of you who aren't completely turned off and still wondering, the stars did align and we managed to 'reconnect' in time for Anniversary #2.)

X-traordinary Tidbit #3 - My Awesome Wife. 'nuff said.

X-traordinary Tidbit #4 - Penny and I have been working very hard of late to, as we say, "cast smaller shadows." This involves some radical changes to our diet and eating habits (such as they were) and making trips to the gym. We've actually done quite well, but vacations tend to be a little hard on us, especially when her mother's cooking/hospitality is involved. My MiL is a wonderful woman and always makes sure her guests want for nothing. In true East Coast fashion, that includes copious amounts of food. Amazingly enough, we stayed very true to our plans and intake and probably managed to lose a little while we were down there and even walked about 7km almost every day. So, yay, us!

X-traordinary Tidbit #5 - Pan's Labyrinth is a freakin weird movie. Visually impressive and an amazing tale, but weird. Experience it for yourself.

X-traordinary Tidbit #6 - I've missed regular blogging. I really have, honest. School has me writing a lot (assignments, notes and discussion forum contributions) so some of my writing energies are drained, but I miss the simple, life-based pleasures of the blog. Unbelievably, this particular blog has been running for two years and its been a great trip so far. Blogs as a whole are becoming pretty mainstream and I'm curious to see the evolution.

X-traordinary Tidbit #7 - That would be all of you who still read this stuff every so often. I'm glad you're all still around. You regulars and lurkers rock.

V is for Various

Yes, this is a belated and somewhat eclectic post, but it will have to
suffice.

V is for Victory...something my hockey teams and the Maple Leafs have been
lacking of late. No, I still don't want to talk about Monday night's
game. ;-)

V is for Vengeance, referring to the recent execution of the favourite son
of Tikrit. Although...I have to say I'm a little surprised they didn't
keep him around for his subsequent trials. Yes, I know he was guilty as
all hell, but due process is due process.

V is for Voluntary...Penny and I have finally bitten the bullet and
decided to do the gym thing. Neither one of us can really say, "oh, its
just happy fat" anymore and with the big 4-oh looming for me in '08, I
know that hockey just won't do the trick for me. So we started a little
while ago with a realistic plan for increased activity and a little
culinary/dietary balance.

V is for Victim...a while back, Toronto Police took the unprecedented step
of publishing a highly sanitized photo of a child sex abuse victim in
order to identify the location and eventual identity of her abuser.
Amazingly enough, they accomplished both ends (with the cooperation of
thise FBI folks down south). The victim, now 14, has since willingly
abandoned her anonymity and has made victim impact statements available to
courts where the accused possess pictures or movies of her. While her
abuse took place in the US, this kind of sickness truly knows no
borders...and a former Air Canada flight attendant here in The Big Smoke
is at the end of her trial. Victim she may be, but she's one brave little
girl.

Finally, I know it has been a while. School and work have chewed up a lot
of my time, so my posting frequency is likely to be somewhat diminished.
Sadly it looks as though a number of my favourite reads are slowly falling
away.

So, for all of my delays....V is for apology. Did you know that?

Vi vapologise. ;-)

U is for Unexpected

Unexpected is right. Penny and I were unexpected...by her parents, that is. We pulled off the complete and total surprise of her parents when we showed up last night. They were really touched that we came down to spend Christmas with them. Nothing like a little positive karma for future use. ;-)

Unexpected also refers to the amount of rain we're receiving. At this time of year we can expect brief showers on & off during the day. However, we've had a rather steady downpour for the balance of the afternoon. Before the rains really hit Penny and I managed to hit the nearby pool and hot tub for some totally unseasonal Christmas Day swimming. Sure beats the Polar Bear Swim hands-down.

I hope this Christmas Day finds you well and enjoying the day wherever you are.

Rampant Despotism IV

Well, we finally did it. We really did. We finally took the next steps on our path to rule the world.

After much drooling and longing, we picked up Civilization IV this weekend.

Anyone who has read this blog (if there is anyone left reading this blog) knows that I was a big CivIII fan and I was really excited to see that an update would be forthcoming. The game came out a while ago but it has finally taken up residence in the Stone-Shagwell manor - the perfect plaything for two equally aspiring despots.

Granted, Penny and I take different approaches to world conquest. She's all about steamrolling the competition, and I'm more into the economic and cultural stranglehold prior to military action, but the end result is the same. What I really like about this version is that apparently you can run multiplayer scenarios on the same machine where you take turns.

Once I crank some more RAM into the computer (because we're at the bare minimum for the system requirements) we'll have to try it out.

The graphics rock, the soundtracks are amazing and I could happily spend a few days building and ruling a few worlds. *sigh*

Screen shots follow...

So here I sit...

...Wires crossed yet again with DW's ex. My schedule says to drop them off after 7, and when I arrive at 7:20 he ain't here. So I call. He's apparently half an hour out.

Since I have no interest in burning up gas for 30 minutes, here we sit. Good thing The Boy was in slow mode getting out otherwise we'd sit here longer.

This isn't helping the headache I've been nursing since noon. This one is a doozie and nothing seems to help. Maybe sex will. :P

K. Is he here yet? *looks* nope. Not here yet. Fuck.

I have to do a major shout out to Steph, the Dirty Gypsy for her awesome alphabet posting series. She came up with 26 great posts that really are a great read. You'll even find a really awesomely embarassing picture of Larry the Nature Boy from a recent party chez Steph. Nothing like a pic of a drunken blogger on a bathroom floor in a really stupid hat to bring out those wanting to use the picture for evil purposes. (Like that picture would have any other purpose???)

*looking at clock*

Shit.

I really should have just gone back home and told him to pick the kids up there. But I'm a nice guy so I didn't do that. But I should have. Oh well.

Fuck its cold outside. Could be worse. I could be in Buffalo. That does apply at almost any time but in this case it's doubly applicable because they got pounded in a rare fall snow storm. Buffalo and the parts of Ontario right across the border got 12"-15" of the white stuff closing roads and schools and wreaking all sorts of havoc. Better them than us.

Speaking of which , I played 2 good periods of hockey last night and I'm not quite ready to talk about the 3rd period so we'll just not, okay? K. Good

7:42PM. Not here. ~sheesh~

My head still hurts. Did I mention that? Good. Didn't want you to forget.

Hmmmm. What else....Penny has been back at work part days this week I'll leave her to relate the gory details, suffice it to say that she really is the glue holding her department together. Based on what she told me I envisioned her department looking something like Klinger's Office when he got sick and the doctors took over. Chaos chaos everywhere.

7:50. I'm really glad I have my blackberry. Otherwise I'd be seriously bored. Kids are keeping themselves entertained with some kind of in-car wrestling. As long as they are still laughing and there's no blood I'll leave them to it.

7:56. He arrived. Kids gone. Am off.