Winter Cold

Every year I tolerate the winter cold. I don't enjoy it, I don't even have time to enjoy winter sports any more to fake that I enjoy it.
Needless to say I could live happily without winter for the rest of my life.

We have had a great winter so far with very little cold and very little snow but as every one around here knows it was on its way.
Yesterday the cold finally came in and gave the province the feeling as if it had a bad head cold.
It just makes you want to stay in bed and wait till it passes.

I hate being cold.

Today on the way to work the temp read -32C and with a wind chill the news said it was -40C. I know this isn't the coldest we've been through but not great all the same. ( Yes the picture is blurry because I was shivering . )

The Dream.
If we sold everything we owned except for a few essentials, where could we move to that doesn't have winter, bugs that kill you when you sleep, terrible natural disasters or high crime rates ?

Does this place exist and if yes can we afford to live there ?

Any ideas ?

Mid-Life Epiphany Anyone?

Just because I refuse to call it a crisis.

For the last few months I have been feeling this strange sensation like there is something I should be doing but I'm not sure what that may be.

I keep feeling it and keep thinking about it.

Is this what people go through in mid life? A feeling that they need to do something, anything just the throw their life into " Crisis " so that it becomes interesting again.
Or is it that people start realizing what is truly important to them in life and start to go for it.

Is this new just go for it attitude coming out, totally out of character from what people are used to seeing a " crisis " or is it an epiphany.

I have been told a few times in my life, jokingly and seriously that I must be going through a mid life crisis and that is why I have done or are doing the thing I am doing.

I always had good reasons for the big changes in my life and I believe these big changes came on the decisions I made because of epiphany moments. " Just a feeling that it was the right thing to do. "

I am sure that one of these moments is right around the corner just teasing me right now. Is it a New Job, City, Course to take, New House? No honey not a New Wife.
You were the result of a big epiphany years ago and the best big decision I ever made.

Nope not sure what it will be but when It happens please don't think I am in Crisis.
Just know that some overwhelming feeling has come over me that I will need to experience with the goal to be happy and content with life.

Halloween Art

I'm not a big fan of dressing up, actually dislike it with a passion. Not sure why that is but I like to carve pumpkins and decorate. As Daniel usually decorates and has the drive and passion to decorate he does it. I am good with that because honestly I don't really have the time to fit it in with everything else going on.


But I do like art and like to create so I allow myself a little time to create some Jack-O'Lanterns and here they are.



Angry Bird Pumpkin

Orc Pumpkin

All Black Skull Pumpkin.

Land Rover Defender and Longing for Adventure.

Many people start out with a dream of adventure and we want to love the adventure that a Land Rover Defender will provide. It is in fact the poster truck for adventure as it is shown in many print advertisements and movies ( Tomb Raider ) but in the end it never lives up to it's reputation at least for many in North America where you can't own one until it is old and tired. (importation laws)

I mean it is more trouble than it is worth unless you live somewhere that you can get parts and service readily or have a lot of money to keep it going.

Also lets not forget living with this uncomfortable, smelly, leaky ( oil from everything that holds it to the roof when it rains ) truck is an adventure in itself but not the kind most people are after.

The adventure I want is not if I can make it from A to B but that I will enjoying the trip along the way.

I follow another blog of this amazing photographer that loved his Defender as well but needed to give it up. He is now driving something newer and I have no doubt will make his adventure much better.

Lately, craving adventure and having owned a couple of these defenders in the passed has got me thinking, What would be the best expedition adventure vehicle for Canada and the United States ?

Suggestion ?

Change is Good.

Well it has been a while since my last post but I have a excuse, I have been rather busy.
I have finally made the jump from my job of 18 years and 1 day to start with a new company. It has been just over a month now and so far the grass has stayed greener. Not sure if this is the job I have been waiting my whole life for but it will do for now. New office, (never had a full on office before ), Company car, (That is new to me as well), and people I work with seem to care for the most part. ( which believe me is a change from where I was.) Oh yes and the job isn't all that bad either just working my way through a huge learning curve.

On the non job front I have sold my old stinky truck and purchased a small 2 seater convertible sports car. Yes oh so midlife of me but who cares. When I drive it I feel really good and to me that is all that matters. House projects are coming along really well and many of the small things I have been neglecting have been getting done. I am working out harder at the gym lately too and do I believe to the fact that I am not so depressed having left that soul sucking job I had.

Life is good right now. I feel good. I have goals that are being worked on. Everyone I know and love are healthy and I believe happy so I can't complain.

So cheers to change. Have a great day.

Mixed Slo Pitch Not So Much Fun.

This is a letter to the Editor I wrote and submitted today to the Sherwood Park News.
I hope it gets published and someone in the league takes notice.


My Wife joined the Sherwood Park Mixed Slo Pitch league in order to have fun and let her kids come out and watch her play. She had been talking about it for a few years and finally decided to join. She was so excited to finally be doing it. She found a team in the D division because she hadn’t played since grade school and she really doesn’t know what she is doing but that being said she is eager to learn and have fun. The coach informed her when she started that not to worry it was at the fun level and that she would do fine. Have I mentioned Fun enough times yet? Anyway for the most part she is learning and enjoying the experience, Making that great hit or catching that fly ball. That is what she was after when she signed up.
What she didn’t sign up for was having a Man twice her size run her down from behind because she was not in the correct position, with no warnings to look out or get out of the way, just a knee and an elbow to the back knocking her to the ground. Really is this the fun level?
Yes I agree that she was probably standing where she shouldn’t have been. But this was the first time she was in 1st base position and yes I agree that her coach should not have put a player that had only played a few games ever into that position. But what I don’t agree with is a Big Man running down a woman from behind without any warning in a D division fun league.
Isn’t hitting from behind in hockey a game misconduct or at least a penalty? All my wife got was the other team yelling at her team to get or first base player to stand in the right position. No apology for intentionally hurting her, nope nothing. Now battered and bruised she is probably going to quit what she had been thinking of doing for years because it isn’t all that fun. The game is fun yes but when you get a Big Jerk mowing you down it kind of changes your prospective on the game.
I hope that the SPMSPL does something to curb this sort of activity by suspending players who try and intentionally hurt others. I also hope that the Big Man who mowed down my wife finds this letter so that someone can read it to him and explain to him that what he did was wrong.

Hola Todos

Recientamente he estado tratando de hablar más español en mi vida cotidiana. Leí las noticias en el internet y mirando vídeos también. Ha sido la práctica buena. He estado estudiando muchos años ahora y una esperanza un día para ser más fluido. Un día, un día.
Todavía debo utilizar un programa para ayudar a traducir mis oraciones a veces.
Necesito más tiempo espero.