Shovelled a pile last night, then had to deal with the snowbank the plow created in the end of the drive overnight when I got up this morning. A blower is looking more and more appealing all the time, but if I get one, my car will have to park outside year-round (our garage is tiny and barely holds both cars so we park mine outside in the summer to make room for the mower and wheelbarrow) or we'll have to put in a shed.
Caffeinating with David's Breakfast Blend this morning. Nice, flavourful black tea blend.
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Crazy old ape
Quote by Wordpusher715
Coffee, please. Quality auditor will be here within the hour. This is my only chance to breathe and prepare for his visit. Wish me luck that there isn't a non-conformance to be found. I'm ready for the struggle.vRpGpdsSQUeNILlA
Best of luck. My employer is ISO certified (9002 or something like that) so we have regular audits. However, our last audit they didn't bother with IT so I was off the hook.TnPXRtQ3SxG7M7G0
Crazy old ape
Quote by elizabethblack
Nothing a good American woman loves more than queens and the history of England.
I always find it interesting how fascinated Americans are by an institution that they gave the boot to more than two centuries go. Meanwhile, I live in a constitutional monarchy and am bored to tears by the whole thing.
Good morning, folk. Kettles on for the tea drinkers. Picked up a new selection of fine black teas for you to enjoy. Added some whole bean coffee and an automatic grinder for coffee folks wanting something special, too.
Frigid weather but it's a bit warmer than on the weekend (single digit instead of double digit negative temps).
No football here. Our Grey Cup is in November so it's just hockey and (in Toronto at least) basketball in Canada right now. Though some Canucks do follow the NFL and likely are raging at the apparent officiating debacle on the weekend.
Have a fine day, all!
Crazy old ape
Can something be both sad and enjoyable? Yesterday, I was watching a concert in memory of a member of the Canadian pop band Walk Off The Earth. Their keyboard, trumpet, accordion, and other miscellaneous instruments player Mike Taylor, affectionately known as "Beard Guy" to fans, passed away unexpectedly just before New Year's. The concert was held in the band's hometown of Burlington, Ontario, Canada and featured mostly local acts, many with ties to WOTE. Some good performances but some sad moments, too. Sarah Blackwood, the band member who emceed, was in or close to tears several times and had some great stories about WOTE's ties to some of the various guest artists.
Having a tall cup of Orange Pekoe right now.
Having a tall cup of Orange Pekoe right now.
Crazy old ape
Quote by fuzzy1954
Two guys from Michigan die and wake up in hell. The next day, the devil stops to check on them and sees them dressed in parkas, mittens and bomber hats, warming themselves around the fire. The devil asks them, “What are you doing? Isn’t it hot enough for you?”
The two guys reply, “Well, you know, we’re from Michigan, the land of ice and snow and cold. We’re just happy for a chance to warm up a bit, you know.”
The devil decides that these two aren’t miserable enough and turns up the heat. The next morning, he stops by again and there they are, still dressed in their parkas, mittens and hats. The devil asks them again, “It’s awfully hot down here, can’t you guys feel that?”
Again, the guys reply, “Well, like we told you yesterday, we’re from Michigan, the land of ice and snow and cold. We’re just happy to warm up a little bit, you know.”
The devil gets a little steamed up and he decides to fix the two guys. He cranks the heat up as high as it will go. The people are wailing and screaming everywhere. He stops by the room with the two guys from Michigan and finds them in light jackets and hats, grilling sausage and drinking beer. The devil is astonished. “Everyone down here is in abject misery, and you seem to be enjoying yourselves.”
The two Michiganders reply, “Well, ya know, we don’t get too much warm weather up there in Michigan, we’ve just got to have a cookout when the weather is this nice.”
The devil is absolutely furious, he can hardly see straight. Finally, he comes up with an answer. These two love the heat because they have been cold all their lives. He decides to turn all the heat in hell off.
The next morning, the temperature is below zero, icicles are hanging everywhere, the people are shivering so bad, they are unable to wail, moan or gnash their teeth. The devil smiles and heads for the room with the 2 Michiganders. He finds them back in their parkas, mittens and hats. They are jumping up and down and cheering. The devil was dumbfounded. “I don’t understand. When I turn the heat up, you’re happy. Now it’s freezing cold, and you’re happy. What is wrong with you two?”
The Michiganders look at the devil in surprise. “Well, don’t ya know - if hell froze over, that must mean. The Lions won the Super Bowl!”
The Ontario version ends with the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup, but otherwise you'd just need to do a find and replace on the location.PSqwolJMaSPqrg3o
Crazy old ape
In the immortal words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." That line absolutely has to appear in the pilot for the new Picard-based Star Trek series.
Week almost over and I think I've made it. Happy weekend to all.
Take care of yourself and get well soon, Wordpusher. I've dodged the bullet so far this winter but I'm sure I'll come down with something sooner or later. My wife was ill back in October but I didn't seem to catch it.
Week almost over and I think I've made it. Happy weekend to all.
Take care of yourself and get well soon, Wordpusher. I've dodged the bullet so far this winter but I'm sure I'll come down with something sooner or later. My wife was ill back in October but I didn't seem to catch it.
Crazy old ape
Quote by henrietta_fieldingQuote by MendallaQuote by henrietta_fielding
You are far too kind!! I'll go for bedtime herbal tea, please. Maybe lemon and ginger. (Tasty Evening Aromatic) ;) ☕
Love lemon ginger herbal. That's my evening drink right now. I need to get more lemon thriller, the other herbal I drink.
Lemon thriller sounds delish! Pukka teas do a lemon, ginger and manuka honey, which is lovely on a cold winter's day.
Lemon Thriller is a store brand (President's Choice, which is owned by Loblaws, Canada's largest grocery chain) but I don't hold that against it. Love it plain or with a twist or two of lime, which I guess would make it Lemon-Lime Thriller.3stNSOrmElwuLoVG
https://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc_lemon_thriller_herbal_teaprod1450003.html
Crazy old ape
A minister and a friend are out golfing.
On one hole, the friend's ball lands just shy of the green.
"God damn it, I missed," he curses angrily.
"My friend, be gentle with your language. The Lord would not approve," chides the minister.
On the very next hole, the friend blows his putt.
"God damn it, I missed," he curses again.
"Take not the Lord's name in vane, my friend," the minister says, more sternly this time.
They go on to the next hole and, again, the friend's ball lands in a sand trap just off the green.
"God damn it to Hell, I missed again," the man roars.
"Look, if you continue to blaspheme the Lord, He will surely strike you dead with lightning," the minister lectures.
Low and behold, on the very next hole, the friend's drive falls just short of a hole in one, letting the minister win the day.
"God damn it to Hell," he shrieks, throwing his club down range.
Suddenly, the sky turns dark. There's a bright flash of light and a crack of thunder. The minister is instantly vaporised, leaving his cursing friend standing in shock.
"God damn it to Hell, I missed," says a thunderous voice from the heavens.
On one hole, the friend's ball lands just shy of the green.
"God damn it, I missed," he curses angrily.
"My friend, be gentle with your language. The Lord would not approve," chides the minister.
On the very next hole, the friend blows his putt.
"God damn it, I missed," he curses again.
"Take not the Lord's name in vane, my friend," the minister says, more sternly this time.
They go on to the next hole and, again, the friend's ball lands in a sand trap just off the green.
"God damn it to Hell, I missed again," the man roars.
"Look, if you continue to blaspheme the Lord, He will surely strike you dead with lightning," the minister lectures.
Low and behold, on the very next hole, the friend's drive falls just short of a hole in one, letting the minister win the day.
"God damn it to Hell," he shrieks, throwing his club down range.
Suddenly, the sky turns dark. There's a bright flash of light and a crack of thunder. The minister is instantly vaporised, leaving his cursing friend standing in shock.
"God damn it to Hell, I missed," says a thunderous voice from the heavens.
Crazy old ape
I haven't used a software grammar checker beyond what Word provides in years (can't even remember the name of the one I was using back in the nineties). Grammarly is the one I hear about most so maybe I should give it a try. My experience with them has been mixed in the past but maybe they are getting smarter.
for roaring too loud and waking up the rest of us. Crazy old ape
Man, too quiet in here these days. We need to throw a party or something. Fuzzy had some donuts backstage so I'll put some of them out here along with fruitcake and shortbread left over from the holidays. Some of my brother's famous fudge, too (he took over my Dad's recipe when Dad gave up making it).
* fires up the kettle to make some green tea *
Anyone do anything fun over the holidays? I had a family cruise. 8 days out of Miami with stops on four Caribbean islands. We don't get much time with our son anymore since he goes to university out of town so these vacations are becoming more special with every year.
* fires up the kettle to make some green tea *
Anyone do anything fun over the holidays? I had a family cruise. 8 days out of Miami with stops on four Caribbean islands. We don't get much time with our son anymore since he goes to university out of town so these vacations are becoming more special with every year.
Crazy old ape
So is Night of the Wind too long, then? It's 4843 words and does not, IMHO as the writer, lend itself to breaking in a natural way. And my output will likely continue to be in that range if I ever get back to writing for that universe. I'm not here to write musings and micro-fiction.
Crazy old ape
Quote by gillianleeza
I had not realized that they made a movie of Castlevania. I only knew it at a video game from my kids. I will check it out.
Series, actually. 4 episode first season and 8 episode second season. I'm halfway through the latter.
Quote by gillianleeza
I recently rewatched the movie with Gary Oldman.
Been thinking about that as well. Netflix Canada has it up right now. I remember being blown away by it in the theatre back when it came out and watched it a couple times since. It diverges wildly from Stoker on a couple points but is very faithful on some others (Dracula's changing apparent age, for instance).
Quote by gillianleeza
I am reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I have read all of his books but could never get into the Dark Tower series. I'm giving it another go and have just finished the first.
I loved the early novels but fizzled out about halfway through. The completion of the series happened when I was a new parent and very busy with life in general so I never finished Wizard and Glass (fourth book).
Crazy old ape
Quote by Survivor
The first cuppa java is finished. Starting on the next. Doing my morning computer chores.
So far I've read two stories in a contest and I'm working on a third. It's good to support friends and neighbors in their work.
Cheers all.
If it's the contest I think it is, I'll try to get some in over the weekend.bpQRq9IZsXAJQrqR
Crazy old ape
After watching Castlevania on Netflix and a discussion with DamonX of the other place, I am re-reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's in my top 10, probably top 5, novels of all time and I haven't read it through in probably a decade or more. Nice to re-engage with an old friend (even if he does have fangs and wants to suck my blood) and noticing some little character details that I had forgotten over the years. It's a much better, more nuanced piece of fiction than someone only familiar with the various media adaptations might realize. Not to diss those. There are very few Dracula adaptations that I don't like to at least some degree.
Castlevania, by the way, has very little to do with Stoker's novel, though its portrayal of Count Dracula seems more informed by the novel than some straight-up adaptations. It is, however, an excellent piece of horror/dark fantasy, surprising given that it's a videogame adaptation, which are usually terrible.
Castlevania, by the way, has very little to do with Stoker's novel, though its portrayal of Count Dracula seems more informed by the novel than some straight-up adaptations. It is, however, an excellent piece of horror/dark fantasy, surprising given that it's a videogame adaptation, which are usually terrible.