Potion, Lotions & Creams

27 Aug 18
05:00 hrs

     Getting older sucks. And I don't mean getting older in the regular sense. I'm talking about aging.

    Psoriasis in the ears that requires a twice daily smear of hydrocortizone, blurry vision, an itchy patch of dry skin on an ankle that started with some kind of insect bite, the shakes and a nodule of something under the skin. Some people of these physical issues and others that drive them crazy on a daily basis. Here at the Wayward Inn, we are not immune to such things and we have our issues too. All we can do is soldier on.

     My Better Half and I, along with our Jr. Loin Fruit, volunteered as parking attendants at the local community fair. For a while it was like I was back in Triple-T servicing, marshalling a flight of CT-114 Tutors on the south apron. The fair is more agricultural with horse shows, 4H cattle judging and chicken shit bingo. You know - chicken shit bingo. You make a huge bingo card with all 75 numbers for a chicken to walk on. All the participants get a simplified bingo card. When the chicken shits on a number you mark it off on your card. All of this fun can be yours for the price of a toonie. With the winner splitting the prize with the chicken wrangler.

     This year the Queens Cowboys put on their musical ride. It's a great show and I highly recommend you see it if you can. The Colours Troop needs a large arena to display their equestrian skills and unfortunately the Valley's prime riding ring is just a wee bit small for the full program.

28 Aug 18
04:00 hrs

     Yes, I am wide awake. More or less. Sometimes, things get stuck in the recesses of one's brain pan that will not allow you to get a good night's sleep until those demons are exorcised. My latest demon resides at the south end of The Rock. He'll be up island this morning to discuss issues with my employment. My concern lays with the fact that as my manager he is far more interested in protecting the corporation than his workers. The other fact is that when I first met this individual and the new manager (at that time) at a re-organizational meeting the two of them lied to me about the most innocuous of details. Over the course of the following years there were several more occasions when the corporation saw fit to side with a complainant instead of with the facts. Personally, I have had enough of this bullshit and I have come to realize that one of several scenarios are going to have to play out.

     1 - I let things continue as they are    which very well could lead to an ulcer. (Not a good plan.)

     2 - I request that the corporation re-assign me to another department before they decide to fire me. (This option may already be too late but I will find out more later this morning.)

     3 - Acquire the technical means to CYA with a body camera at either the corporations expense or mine. Either way, I will be able to back up my side of the story with evidence because the managers are not doing their jobs. (I have checked Amazon and these are available for a couple of hundred. I feel that if my employer won't purchase the unit I will and write it off on my taxes.)

     The Sage's are doing well. They had some phone issues but that got sorted out. Sort of. As mentioned earlier, at least I think I mentioned it, they have a new pooch who is learning a great deal on how to rule the roost.

     I forgot to mention that we had a surprise call at the Wayward Inn. A dear family friend, from my side of the tree, was in town. She's in the same age cohort as the Sages and I have known her ever since I had first lived to the Left Coast. We actually caught up with M. and her friend at the fair on Sunday. Later on my Lobster and I met with them again for an additional BS session.

     I am going to see if I can get a number of blogs done that will keep you entertained as next week I will be gone. I would hate for you to look elsewhere for your casual reading feature.

It's not Allowed!

20 Aug 18
06:00 hrs

     Good morning Dear Readers. 
    
     Does the word epiphany ring a bell? You do know the meaning of the word, correct? The millenials refer to it as having an aha moment - the moment when a significant idea or notion suddenly comes to mind. Not everyone has an aha moment and epiphanies may be large or the mat be small. And for some people an epiphany may not be important at all. My Better Half has told me that my ideas and by direct connection any epiphanies are half baked and not allowed. Although I disagree I will let you be the judge.

     I thought that with all of the forest fires happening it would be really cool if there was slow cost 100 to 250 litre tank c/w a 12vdc high pressure pump, 75 feet of hose and a nozzle that could fit in the back of a pickup truck. Just think of how many road side fires that could be thwarted by a unit such as this. If Crappy Tire stocked it I'd buy one. When it was on sale at least.

20:00 hrs

     Is it smokey where you are? The whole Island and most of the Interior is heavily  shrouded in smoke from the forest fires. If you have to be outside please limit your exposure to the least of time.

     On the weekend my Lobster and I went on a date-day taking in The Goats on the Roof as well as some other venues. No Loin Fruits allowed. Actually they could have tagged along but they're much too cool to be seen with us.

     On the drive south I noticed - as one should when paying attention to the road -  that there were numerous sets of skid marks and brake marks that swerve and weave as they criss-cross the road. Some of these tracks are pretty wild. My question is - what was happening that caused the operator to lock up his brakes? What were the weather conditions like when it happened? If you haven't noticed these anxiety fueled tracks you must not be paying attention or maybe you just don't care. But you should care because these road lines may indicate a slick spot or road maintenance issue and seeing what happened before could save your ass now.

21 Aug 18
04:45 hrs

     My Better Half was baking cookies last night for the monthly birthday treat at her work. Spiral shortbread cookies. Those that didn't make the grade tasted great. While she was occupied with her recipe I carved up a Costco pork loin into several portions. Several roasts, a set of boneless chops that will be cooked tandoori style on the Flame Pit and the last chunk was tied in butchers cord before being coated (in eleven herbs and spices) to cure the meat. It's an experiment really. If given half the chance - and if my Better Half will let me - there is no reason that I cannot produce my own pastrami, salami and corned beef. The raw ingredients are quite affordable from Costco so why not give it a shot. Once it cures for a number of days  it will be rinsed and left to dry with some of the prescribed techniques involve hanging the meat in a closet or the pantry.  I'm sure that my Better Half will not appreciate this so I'll try it in the spare refrigerator.

     The cured roast may or may not be put through the smoker. But I am going to smoke some salmon and also produce my own gravlax. This past winter a neighbour of the Wayward Inn gave us a 12 pound chinook salmon. It's been taking up space in the freezer. Once I am finished processing the salmon I will be taking it (probably most of it) and the cured pork roast with me when I head Out in the Weeds in a couple of weeks.

22 Aug 18
14:45 hrs

     So, where were you, Dear Readers, when the news of Manafort's conviction and Cohen's guilty plea were announced to the world?

     Do you even care?

     Well, you should care.  We're talking about the freedoms and the rights of individuals being trapped. We're talking about a head of state who believes that racism and misogyny are okay. We're talking about the 50 year regression of a nation's civil attitudes.

     And they are our neighbours so you had better get with the program. It is not FAKE NEWS. So pay attention.

Moving Day

13 Aug 18
21:30 hrs

     No, yours truly is not moving. Nor is any other member of the Wayward Inn. And, it's not a who but a what that is moving.

     The first thing moving or may be moving is the Subway on our side of the river. There will be a lot of high school students students that will be pissed come the start of the new school year. They will be left with A&W, Fresh Slice, Timmies or Mickey Dee's. The only healthy choice or the closest thing to it would be a sandwich from Timmies.

14 Aug 18
08:00 hrs

     The second thing that's moving or has moved is all of the merchandise that has been locked up inside the "Buck or Two" store next to the Timmies. The owner locked the doors for some unknown reason about three years ago with all the foreign-made knick knacks left on the shelves. The location has been sold.

     A new business has opened up next door - a  virtual reality experience. Virtual reality. What the hell is wrong with reality? Of course, this is all the rage for millenials who can't pry themselves away from the screen and the desperately want to feel something...anything. Some of these high-end VR units have haptic feedback and augmented sensory input so they can feel the real thing. Most of these puppies play first person shooter games like Call of Duty or Doom or Bio-Shock. I say if they want reality then re-instate conscription and but these layabouts to work defending the country. Then maybe they will learn what it's like to carry a weapon all day long.

20:46 hrs

     My Lobster is coming home tomorrow.  She'll be on the milk run out of the Nation's Capital tomorrow and arrives after our Jr. Loin Fruit is finished work. I'm sure she will relish the peace and quiet after the attending Circus. I  het absence I tried to build a water feature for our back patio but I just couldn't make it work the way she wanted it. So, I'll have to try something different.

     The light is failing Dear Readers and as soon as my ale is gone I'll be hitting the fart sack. My Better Half wants me to ensure that she is up so I have set my alarm to coincide with hers. Is that love or what?

Stuff and Things

06 Aug 18
09:30 hrs

     My Lobster has gone to the Nation's Capital to visit the relatives - The Oma, et al. From all indications from her the weather is intolerable, the city is crushing and the Circus is in town. She returns in just over a week leaving me and the Couch Monkeys to tend for ourselves. The one thing we have yet to look at is a vegetable. Speaking of the two Loin Fruits. They are doing great. No arguments thus far. We all have jobs to do and we're keeping busy.

     Before she left my Better Half had completed Ethically Reviewing my latest tome. It was difficult for her to slog through it as the stories that I had committed to paper were some that she had heard many times over and the last two chapters she probably considered to be a just well researched long winded rant. Regardless, it had to be done. It was pointed out to me that it didn't quite have an ending so I am trying to figure that out.

     Today is a civic holiday out on the Left Coast. It also marks five years that I have been doing this particular field of employment. There have been a great number of changes since I started. Most notably are the four "managers" I have had in five years. And none of them have had a clue of what I do. Let me correct that. What we do, as I do have a counterpart. The office has now been moved three times as well. The third move, just last week, has placed it directly behind a neighborhood pub. I haven't decided if that's a smart plan or not.

     There will be a fly past/airshow demonstration of the Y2K Spitfire. I hope I have a chance to get to see it.

     In a months time our Jr Couch Monkey will be in college and I'll be Out in the Weeds. I'm sure he'll do really great.

07 Aug 18
22:45 hrs

     It is so frickin hot here in the Valley.  The temperature has been climbing steadily.  Each day has been two or three days hotter than the last. Supposedly there is supposed to be some precipitation happening on Friday. I'll believe it when I see it. But there was supposed to be some rain last week and it never showed up.

     The water feature that I'm building for my Lobster will soon be ready to be test driven. I hope she likes it.