Someone has scrawled – in chalk, so it’ll wash off – “End War”, “Kyoto Not War”, “Smart Kids or smart bombs”, “Bring our troops home” and “Punks 4 Peace” all over the court house at 361 University. Sentiments I approve of – and it gives work to Guardsman Surface Restorations.
Category: o canada
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first
Saw my first redwing blackbird of spring just by Scarborough station.
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raise your double-doubles in a toast
I’ve been Canadian for a year … pauses … eh?
(did that come out natural, like?)
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the discarded galosh
Winter is nearly over …
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audible minority
Everyone says I don’t have a very strong accent, but I’m sick of being misunderstood. I have been offered Wild Turkey when I asked for water, and my house number – 36 – is a constant source of confusion. Bell got it wrong for a couple of hours when we first got our phone in 2002, and so the poor folks at 56 have been getting our junk mail ever since.
Last straw came during the last power outage. Toronto Hydro has an automated voice recognition system which first asks your postal code, then your street name, then the house number. It got the code and the street right, then assumed I was saying big ol’ 56 again. It took me right back to the postal code question, even after confirming it and the street name before.
Rather than going postal, I ended up having to slur out my mooshiest “thihrdheesihx” before it took it. C’mon people, consonants, consonants!
Hate to think what it’d have made of the Glaswegian ‘thehrty’, which my Gran always decried as “common” …
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yay bloggers, it’s cold!
GTAbloggers tonight. Is there any coincidence that it was absolutely baltic last time, and there aren’t exactly that many brass monkeys hanging around today?
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Things I Saw in Vancouver
Things I Saw in Vancouver – and yes, there are flowers in bloom. Beware of the cute sea otters, though they’re not quite up there with the Oh Noes! otter.
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so that just about wraps it up for vancouver
Q: What do you get after two days of rain in Vancouver?
A: Monday!Well, I’m heading back, and quite typically, the sun came out today so I got a peek at the mountains. It’s been a fun, busy trip, even if I am using Telus‘s ridiculously expensive and slow hotspot in Vancouver airport.
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a good day
Lots of walking today. Went to the Vancouver Aquarium – which is beyond nifty; they even had some Corys, even though I’m supposed to mention the sea otters and belugas. Then I took a long walk through town, ostensibly heading to MEC. The Van MEC is huge!
I walked about half the way back to the hotel. This was probably far. My feet hurt.
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in and around the van
Spent a pleasant, if damp, day scooting around Vancouver and environs with Dave. After a quick tour of Granville Island, we headed off to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. We then had lunch at Fuel, which is extremely good.
We had to work off lunch somehow, so we hiked around Lynn Canyon Park, which includes the nifty and shoogly Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. Back at Dave & Leanne’s place, we decided on dinner and a movie, but I had to bail on the movie ‘cos my cold was getting bad.
Vancouver is so green. I like it.
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I’ve never been to BC before …
Can’t say that any more. I was struck by how much one of the mountains looked like Dumgoyne, which we used to see out the kitchen window in Kirkintilloch. The one here’s probably a bit bigger …
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wrong for reasons too many to name
The VIMY RIDGE bike – currently on display in my building. Yes, that’s real barbed wire.
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weedtree
Did some remedial gardening today, which included lopping some trees that have sprung up. Man, are these things soft wood:
It’s about the thickness of my wrist, and got there in only five summers.
Weird weather; there was a dandelion flowering, and some of the trees had buds.
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Frosty’s Drano (or the snowmen’s suicide pact)
Catherine pointed out that the current Tim Hortons “Happy Holidays” campaign depicts an ill-advised, possibly fatal, beverage choice for snowmen:
To me, it’s clearly a suicide pact. They don’t want to see another summer. They’re going to a better place where it’s always ten below.
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new tokens
I rather like the new TTC tokens. Their swirly pattern makes them look asymmetric, but it’s a trick of the light.
Wish I had one of the pre-1975 “SUBWAY” tokens, but alas …
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Dexit® INSTEAD? No, Dexit is dead
I see that the number of Dexit terminals has reduced to almost nothing, and now they’re offering refunds of outstanding balance. Looks like it’s dead.
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Dexit. It was almost a great idea, but offered no significant advantage over cash from the bank machine. I wonder how long it will be before you can buy the old terminals in Active Surplus?
