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4 hours ago, chandrakirti said:

Sounds like you live in a lovely place @will123. I've just been watching a documentary about a couple who have gone to live in British Columbia to run a tourist ranch and be bear guides, it's total wilderness, I love it.

LOL, BC is a lot different than Ontario. I've visited BC a few times too and enjoyed it. Out there it's a lot easier to 'get away' from civilization than it is in Ontario. Where I live we're overrun with cidiots in the summer. Thankfully they go away after Labour Day. Even though I grew up in the city, I don't feel like I have to show off when in the rural and/or cottage portions of Ontario. I guess having a mother that grew up on a farm and being exposed to it and cottage life at an early age lets you see both sides. 

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39 minutes ago, will123 said:

LOL, BC is a lot different than Ontario. I've visited BC a few times too and enjoyed it. Out there it's a lot easier to 'get away' from civilization than it is in Ontario. . 

One of the things that I found really startling in the GTA compared to places I have lived is that development outward has been in grids.  An interesting example is driving west on 403 to the Mississauga/Halton Region border.  Dense development in Mississauga that expanded west over the years right up to the border.  Then open space.  Likewise, heading north, grid upon grid of houses going in, and suddenly wide open space.  No transitional area like we have had here on Long Island where there would be a few houses in an area and then slowly plots would be subdivided and more houses going in.  Granted there was a lot of construction activity right after World War II with places such as Levittown, but not on the scale I have seen in the GTA.  Where my sister moved to in Mississauga back in 1996, just to the west of her was all open space with farms and forests.  Now it is all built up right to the Halton border. I was visiting Milton in the Halton region several years ago and they were expanding eastward but sandwiched in between was still a lot of wide open space.  Funny thing is you cross the border into the U.S. and not very far outside of Buffalo it is all open space with nary any development.  If it were in Canada and not the United States I suspect it would all be developed too by now.  Problem is that most of New York State is very depressed outside of the greater New York City area.  If not for NYC propping the state up, New York would be one of the poorest states in the union on par with Mississippi.

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23 hours ago, faraday☘ said:

This morning I made Christmas gifts for folks in my office.

Haha! Love it.

 

17 hours ago, Muledeer said:

The snow was coming off the roof in a very strange way. 

That's brilliant. It looks like you're trying to grow an ice porch. It's also rather glacier-like. Roof  glacier.

 

17 hours ago, daveb said:

I might end up making an early night. Migraine rears its ugly head

Hope your migraine was short lived.

 

8 hours ago, chandrakirti said:

She died at the age of 45 three weeks ago. I saw her in the obituary column in the local paper.

That's very sad.

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Looking forward to the return of my favourite programme - 'The Librarians' - on Thursday only a day after it airs in the USA. This is so different to others, such as NCIS and Criminal minds which are half way through their run before we start. 

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Migraine was gone after a good night's sleep and some night time excedrin. :)

 

Having a lazy Sunday, and ordering a few presents for myself online. Tomorrow I should go to the post office to get some shipping boxes, get stuff packed up, and then return to the post office to ship them off. :)

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Autumn Sunrise
 
I'm glad your migraine's gone, @daveb Excedrin sounds like a fairly serious cocktail of medications. I don't remember seeing anthing here with aspirin and paracetamol combined like that - they usually seem to be separate medications. If I have a serious headache I uaually end up alternating them!
You're so organised with your Christmas presents and shipping :D
Nice to see you back, @Techie It sounds like in between the weather, your sore back, your mother and "trying to find the required gifts for everyone who already has everything they want and no place to put any more" (lol) you're finding life a bit of an uphill battle at the moment. I hope things get better soon!
 
(Sorry, some sort of formatting glitch operating here - I don't know how to fix it :lol:)
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8 hours ago, Techie said:

One of the things that I found really startling in the GTA compared to places I have lived is that development outward has been in grids.  An interesting example is driving west on 403 to the Mississauga/Halton Region border.  Dense development in Mississauga that expanded west over the years right up to the border.  Then open space.  Likewise, heading north, grid upon grid of houses going in, and suddenly wide open space.  No transitional area like we have had here on Long Island where there would be a few houses in an area and then slowly plots would be subdivided and more houses going in.  Granted there was a lot of construction activity right after World War II with places such as Levittown, but not on the scale I have seen in the GTA.  Where my sister moved to in Mississauga back in 1996, just to the west of her was all open space with farms and forests.  Now it is all built up right to the Halton border. I was visiting Milton in the Halton region several years ago and they were expanding eastward but sandwiched in between was still a lot of wide open space.  Funny thing is you cross the border into the U.S. and not very far outside of Buffalo it is all open space with nary any development.  If it were in Canada and not the United States I suspect it would all be developed too by now.  Problem is that most of New York State is very depressed outside of the greater New York City area.  If not for NYC propping the state up, New York would be one of the poorest states in the union on par with Mississippi.

When southern Ontario was surveyed in the 18th and 19th centuries, a base line was used along Lake Ontario. The towns and cities along the lake shore are laid out quite simply. As you go further north, things become a bit on the 'random' side.

 

Talking about the build up of the GTA reminds me of the James Snow Parkway construction back in the 70s.

hwy401-805_lg.jpg

 

Since it was in the middle of nowhere (at the time), and in the riding of a Government MPP, the Opposition attacked it as a make work project. In the passing years urban sprawl has blown by the location and the area is heavily built up.

 

Earlier this year one of its highway signs was vandalised:

 

jon-snow-parkway.jpg

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/milton-jon-snow-highway-1.4226287

 

I've visited friends in Erie County quite a bit and driven thru upstate NY (up near the border with Quebec and the Adirondacks) and yes, there are some areas that are down at the heels.

 

 

 

 

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Hi folks!

 

 

l have no idea when I’ve last been on this site.  Been busy traveling back and forth to California to help out my mom.  I’ve been going through some boxes in the house and found a bunch of old photos.  I’ve been working out too, but as usual l aggravated an old shoulder injury.  I’ve started going to a person who does nerve restoration by using pressure points.  She’s very good.  I have another appointment on the 20th.  

 

I hope all is well with everyone, I know the holidays can be stressful.  Fortunately, all my shopping is done.  Just gotta wrap up stuff , mail it off and get my Christmas cards done.  Speaking of Christmas cards, I’m sending some out to some of the peeps here on Aven!

 

If I don’t get back on here before December 25th, I wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Blondie12

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6 hours ago, Blitzentan said:

favourite programme - 'The Librarians'

I should check that out. :)

 

1 hour ago, will123 said:

Earlier this year one of its highway signs was vandalised

Well, the pasted on "Jon" is a bit slapdash, but at least the idea is amusing. :)

 

33 minutes ago, blondie12 said:

I wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Same to you!

 

It's funny, but I never found the holidays to be stressful. I guess I enjoy a lot of it, and the parts I don't enjoy so much I tend to avoid (like over-crowded malls and over-crowded family gatherings). In fact, I declined an over-crowded family gathering this year, by not agreeing to travel to southern California. :P 

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3 minutes ago, daveb said:

 

 

Well, the pasted on "Jon" is a bit slapdash at least the idea is amusing. :)

 

 

Better than this (in sticker form) plastered around a city:

 

16984253215_5762c66e3f.jpg

 

Started out as this:

 

artnow-jul-2016-jermix-feature.jpg

 

I guess he got lazy.

 

He considers himself an 'artist'. I don't think artists use a stencil. As much as I hate taggers who vandalize railway cars, at least they put some effort into it.

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We had snow yesterday - I was supposed to be working but they cancelled overtime so I didn't have to phone in to tell them I couldn't get there :lol:

SHould  have been going in this afternoon but the part of the road that causes me the most trouble (out of shot - it's uphill with slight bend and tyres just can't get a grip) is still trecherous and will get worse when it freezes this evening. Gritters never get to the side roads - don't even get as far as the main road (Bankside) because of the stupid chicanes!! 

 

sno2017.jpg

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I'm not looking forward to the morning. We've had ten hours of rain and sleet, now the sky is clearing just as night falls 

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On 12/9/2017 at 5:16 AM, chandrakirti said:

 

Now, let me introduce this lady. she's lovely, kind, cheerful....and eating herself to death.

It really is sad what some people will do to themselves...and she worried about having to pick you up off the floor due to low blood sugar?  Yoikes! 

 

 

On 12/9/2017 at 3:10 PM, faraday☘ said:

This morning I bought myself a Christmas gift.  It's an indoor hydroponic gardening system.  It's an Aerogarden. 

I have a confirmed brown thumb.  I kill plants of all sizes and descriptions.  I even killed a snake plant, and those are supposed to be highly resilient to abuse.

On 12/9/2017 at 3:10 PM, faraday☘ said:

 

This morning I made Christmas gifts for folks in my office.  

  Reveal hidden contents

24909888_1965628037096588_68105606940390

The bag has a little terracotta planter, and the jar is filled with jellybeans.  

  

**snork** :lol:
Gonna be a very mellow office.
 

On 12/9/2017 at 8:39 PM, Muledeer said:
  Reveal hidden contents

20171119_151609.jpg

The snow was coming off the roof in a very strange way.  When those big slabs broke loose, they hit the ground with a loud "thump" .

I had a pile of snow on my van a number of years back.  Was out driving, stepped on the brakes coming toward a stop sign at the bottom of a small hill...and all the stuff on the roof let go.  It was a bit concerning hearing it slide up the length of the roof, and then **woosh** a whiteout on the windshield.

I try not to 'mohawk' my car now, and get all the white stuff cleared off.
 

14 hours ago, will123 said:

 

jon-snow-parkway.jpg

 

There are some **serious** GOT fans in the world.  I like the show, am currently working my way through the books on my Kindle, and waiting for the end of the story - but I'm not that obsessed with it.  

 

13 hours ago, will123 said:

As much as I hate taggers who vandalize railway cars, at least they put some effort into it.

I was stopped for a train a couple of weeks ago...saw the usual - some bubble words, some real lazy stuff, and actually spotted some virgin cars (no paint on 'em at all).  Then a masterpiece appeared.  It was a painting of a lady's head in profile, background of a rising sun over a field...and it was beautiful.  It should have been sprayed on a canvas instead of a train car.  I only wish I'd had my camera at the ready to catch a shot of it.

We didn't get much snow here in Wisconsin over the weekend - just 2 smallish flake-drops resulting in maybe a half inch of accumulation.  It was enough to merit getting out the winter boots, though, instead of my walking shoes.

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18 hours ago, will123 said:

I've visited friends in Erie County quite a bit and driven thru upstate NY (up near the border with Quebec and the Adirondacks) and yes, there are some areas that are down at the heels.

A big problem for New York State is its very high taxes and energy costs.  They just as bad downstate but the high salaries make them somewhat affordable but a large number of people leave here as soon as they retire as it is just too expensive without an income.  Not so upstate where businesses have already fled to the cheaper southern states.  The largest upstate employers are the governments and farming.  Large businesses like Sylvania, Kodak, Xerox, Carrier, GE and IBM have either left or scaled their operations way back to a token of what they were.  And with the new Federal tax bill shaping up, high tax states like New York and California will be even more expensive as states taxes will no longer be deductible from Federal taxes.

 

I have not been to the GTA since 2013 and I am sure a lot more development has taken place in that time.  I found it interesting to watch because it is basically what happened to my area of Long Island before I was born so I never witnessed it first hand.  I am sure it must have been upsetting to a lot of people here to see all the forests and farms disappear for row upon row of housing.  The one thing they have done somewhat right in the Mississauga area is to preserve small sections of the developed areas as park land.  Here they did not do that and most neighborhoods do not have any kind of park at all.

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Second assignment off tonight (I hope) - should have been in Friday but my tutor gave me a week's extension. I PANICKED tonight when I thought I'd over written it with a blank page, but it turned up - phew!!!! So I went to the page on the website to send electronically and clicked on 'TMA 2' but there are two TMA 2 (slightly different pathway or something). No, it doesn't give you the option of checking the text before you send it. So I've emailed my tutor and explained my problem, said I'll send the right one if I've sent the wrong one, but not sure if that can be done :( 

Everything crossed again 

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23 hours ago, Blitzentan said:

Looking forward to the return of my favourite programme - 'The Librarians'

Ooh, I enjoy that show as well! Sadly we have to wait until some time next year to get it in Australia.

 

19 hours ago, will123 said:

Earlier this year one of its highway signs was vandalised

 Love it! The icing on the cake would be if it lead to a place called "Winterfell" or there was a Stop sign with "You know nothing" underneath.

 

 

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Just popping in to say hi! My new rooster, Simon, is a very handsome boy and hopefully keeps his good nature. I really enjoy the crowing (I am a morning person and it makes me wake up smiling), but my last rooster who passed away last spring hated me. I couldn't turn my back on him while in the coop. I don't miss him!

 

IMG_2165.jpg

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Simon is a handsome fellow, isn't he?  He appears to have some Brahma breeding in him and he is giving your Americana hen the romantic eye.

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1 hour ago, Mocha Jo said:

Just popping in to say hi! My new rooster, Simon, is a very handsome boy and hopefully keeps his good nature. I really enjoy the crowing (I am a morning person and it makes me wake up smiling), but my last rooster who passed away last spring hated me. I couldn't turn my back on him while in the coop. I don't miss him!

 

IMG_2165.jpg

Yea, there are some roosters who are downright evil.  We had one who'd charge at you the second you entered the coop, then jump with spurs leading.  We'd have to chase him out of the coop with a broom before we could feed the hens and collect eggs.

One time, my Dad caught him, flipped him on his back, and just held him there.  Didn't hurt him, just kept him still.  After about 5 minutes, he stopped struggling and just lay there.  Stayed there while we fed & gathered.  I guess he could still 'feel' the hand on his chest.

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4 hours ago, Techie said:

A big problem for New York State is its very high taxes and energy costs.  They just as bad downstate but the high salaries make them somewhat affordable but a large number of people leave here as soon as they retire as it is just too expensive without an income.  Not so upstate where businesses have already fled to the cheaper southern states.  The largest upstate employers are the governments and farming.  Large businesses like Sylvania, Kodak, Xerox, Carrier, GE and IBM have either left or scaled their operations way back to a token of what they were.  And with the new Federal tax bill shaping up, high tax states like New York and California will be even more expensive as states taxes will no longer be deductible from Federal taxes.

 

I have not been to the GTA since 2013 and I am sure a lot more development has taken place in that time.  I found it interesting to watch because it is basically what happened to my area of Long Island before I was born so I never witnessed it first hand.  I am sure it must have been upsetting to a lot of people here to see all the forests and farms disappear for row upon row of housing.  The one thing they have done somewhat right in the Mississauga area is to preserve small sections of the developed areas as park land.  Here they did not do that and most neighborhoods do not have any kind of park at all.

Up in the northeastern part of the stae there are a lot of 'subsistence' looking farms and abandoned factories (out in the middle of nowhere) and old mines. 

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2 hours ago, Mocha Jo said:

Just popping in to say hi! My new rooster, Simon, is a very handsome boy and hopefully keeps his good nature. I really enjoy the crowing (I am a morning person and it makes me wake up smiling), but my last rooster who passed away last spring hated me. I couldn't turn my back on him while in the coop. I don't miss him!

 

IMG_2165.jpg

The farm near our cottage when we were kids had geese. Bill the gander snuck up behind my grandfather when he was visiting one day. Grandpa ended up with quite a wound on the calf of his leg.

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On 12/12/2017 at 10:06 AM, Mocha Jo said:

My new rooster, Simon, is a very handsome boy

He's a lovely boy. What do the hens think?

 

On 12/12/2017 at 11:53 AM, EarthMama said:

Yea, there are some roosters who are downright evil. 

We had a few at Uni who were evil to other roosters and bullied the hens but only one who really hated humans - Blue (he had a blue leg band). Some of the others might run at you, but Blue would hide behind tufts of grass, then run at you as you passed. Of course, you'd turn towards him at which point he'd fly up, spurs forward and aiming for your face. I gained a number of scratches on my arm from defending myself. I also caught him numerous times, even kept him under my arm while I did the rounds, but nothing deterred him. He'd take his humiliation out on the other roosters, beat up the hens, then attack me next time I came in. Mind you, he hated the guy who did all the feeding and watering more than he hated me!

 

That stopping struggling and just lying there is part of an anti-predator behaviour called tonic immobility. it's defined loosely as "a natural state of semi-paralysis that some animals enter when presented with a threat". It's supposed to confuse the predator but is not a perfect strategy - works well about 50% of the time and usually with naive predators. Something wise and hungry doesn't give a crap! Bit about it here:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-s-poultry-science-journal/article/the-tonic-immobility-reaction-of-the-domestic-fowl-a-review/87D485D3B87B63E8860309A23F17A681

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Nice rooster, @Mocha Jo! I have never had one, since I live where it's just too populated, so wouldn't want the noise factor to possibly irritate the neighbors. (Though some hens can be very noisy too!) Recently I have heard a rooster crowing nearby, so obviously one of my neighbors has gotten one--I don't hear him unless I'm outside, though. 

 

Just spent the past forty minutes shoveling the driveway, with more to do. (Also did 45 min last night, but since it kept snowing, i decided to quit.) I need to get my car out, as I am taking it this morning to get snow tires put on. :D We got maybe 5 or 6 inches, sticking to all the branches so very pretty. Had lots of patients yesterday either cancel or no-show; the latter is so infuriating. Geez, couldn't you just call and say you aren't coming??? The last patient of the day was a no-show, but of course we had to stick around and wait.... (The two patients before that had canceled, so it was a long wait. We had tried calling to see if she would move up her appt., but couldn't reach her.)

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I'm having a "lock the stable door after the horse has bolted" moment and getting my winter tyres fitted just after the cold snap and an "interesting" drive at "as fast as I could go, not as fast as I wanted to go" along back lanes yesterday 

 

@Mocha Jo, are you Cock-a-Hoop? :P:P

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I finally got my Christmas packages shipped. I had previously mailed some Christmas cards. All that's left now is to bake some more cookies for local recipients, but I ill wait until closer to Christmas to do that. :) I also bought a wreath and hung it over my fireplace. All set for the holidays! :D 

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@daveb - Hooray! for being all set for the merriment early!

I've got all my Christmas chainmaille builds done, but I'm still on the fence if I want to add to it.  Got MOST of the shopping done, too. 

 

I still have to buy chocolates for the household, which I do absolute last minute for survival reasons ( :D ), and pick up one of those holiday-themed party tin towers for the SO's sister.  I can't believe she loves those things, but who am I to judge what a person finds cutsey?

Then comes the hard part...wrapping presents.  With 4 cats in the household, it's always a challenge to get things looking pretty and UN-perforated by claws.

 

It's snowing again here.  Not enough accumulation to cover what's left of the fall leaves yet, but it's mostly white.
 

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2 hours ago, EarthMama said:

It's snowing again here.  Not enough accumulation to cover what's left of the fall leaves yet, but it's mostly white.

Usually in my area the leaves are long gone before any snow arrives, but this year they and our first snow were coming down at the same time.  I did several rounds of sweeping and light shoveling to keep the walkway clear of both. More snow is arriving tonight, but hopefully nothing that will impede my getting to work tomorrow. 

 

@teatree, does or can your office charge no-shows in some way? At least that might be a deterrent. I don't get, either, why someone wouldn't be courteous enough to let you know they can't make it. How much time would it take them to call, about 30 seconds? Sometimes I'm just mystified by human behavior. :huh:

 

We don't seem to be having a holiday party at my office this year, but several folks are retiring as of December 31, so we've had a few goodbye cakes. The imminent retirees are all on the youngish side (late 50s to early 60s). I'm envious! Their departures are also moving me up in the ranks of senior-most employees, which is a little unsettling ... maybe because inside I still feel like I'm about 15? :P

 

 

 

 

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Guest Jetsun Milarepa

Hi All, been a busy week, at the moment I spend so much time staring at a screen during the day, I've kinda gone off looking at one at night as well! Won't be seriously here till the weekend, but in the meantime have a great rest of the week!

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