Friday, June 29, 2007

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #13

Wednesday - once again a lazy day spent indoors hiding from the heat. Paid bills and set my affairs in order in anticipation of being away for 3 weeks come next week when I am off to Maine.

In the evening I was off to a recital in which one of my students, Jessica B., was a participant. Jess is a member of Tisho's Drums 'n Piano Music Academy. It was interesting to watch all of the kids from 6 to 18 display their talents in singing or playing an instrument. Jess did a drum solo and later on was involved with two other girls in a trio - I think it was the all-girl jammin trio.

Later on dropped by the school to single handedly (literally and figuratively) drop the canoe from my car.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #12

Not much accomplished today. Did some 'work' work and started the cleaning of my apartment process - not actually cleaning - just the process - in other words thinking about it. It's a big job for a one handed man - 'man' being the operative word here.

When I'm feeling down I tend to go shopping for electronic gadgets. Today was no different. After browsing through computer screens, digital cameras, and HD TV's, I settled for an electrostatic air purifier - to help control the massive amounts of dust that my apartment generates, as well as a new cell phone. The last cell phone I owned was an analog affair about the size of a small dog.

Bob has upgraded his tech skills - even practiced text messaging!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #11

Monday, June 25th.

A sad day for HouseboatBob. Spent the entire day trying to locate and then negotiate with salvage companies to come take my boat to the big scrap heap in the sky. With all the environmental regulations, most companies are reluctant to touch a boat.

Did find one guy to take it on Tuesday but the marina owner was not able to drop the boat into the water so that it could be pushed over to the loading ramp. He said he could not get it done this week at all.

At the end of the day I'm still not sure of when I will be able to rid myself of this burden. To compound the problem, the marina owner has sold the marina and a new owner takes over Friday - thus I have to start the negotiations from the beginning as to when to drop my boat.

I was going to drop in a few 'good memory' pictures of the old boat here but I think I shall save that for later. As for now - one last howl at the moon.

Monday, June 25, 2007

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #10

Sunday, June 24th

Warcraft Baby - 12 solid hours. Now this is vacation time!!!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #9

Saturday

With my hand still sore from the canoe trip, I decided that I had better go to emergency to have it checked out. 2 hours later they confirmed it was a break and I left with a 'half-cast'. It is going to be a fun 4 weeks with this stupid thing on my arm.

Returned home and tried to have a drink to drown my sorrows but quickly learned that it is impossible to break ice cubes with one hand. Not easy opening the olive jar either.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #8

Friday, June 22nd. 10% of the way through my summer and the final day of the trip. One which would ultimately change my summer.

The night before Mr. B made a critical error in judgement and went to bed around 10pm. That left me up alone with more than a few drams of scotch to consume. While trying to prevent a forest fire which I had inadvertently started, I stumbled and fell on a log in the dark and, as later would be diagnosed, broke a bone in my hand.

Regardless of the pain, we were off early morning on the final leg of our journey. Through Ralph Bice Lake, Hambone Lake, and finally into Magnetawan Lake - our final stop.




All in all - a great journey.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #7

The day of winding rivers and portages.

Sticking with the Tim River, we found ourselves challenged by the winding river and a series of obstructions to navigate such as fallen trees and beaver dams. Perhaps the most memorable being the small waterfall over a beaver dam which we ran full speed managing to impale both Jessica and Cory on a fallen tree on the other side.

After a brutal portage of some 300 vertcal feet we dumped into Queer Lake and one more portage later (I think 6 for the day), we were in Little Trout Lake for the evening.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #6

Wednesday, June 20th. Up excessively early as Mr. B, Jessica, Cory and I are off to canoe the wilds of Algonquin.

After dropping a vehicle off at our finish point, we enter the Tim River and head out into Tim Lake.




A simple portage puts us back into a now winding, twisting Tim River leading into Rosebary Lake for the evening.




A delicious meal, a wee dram of scotch - with ice - and bed to rest the sore muscles.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #5

Tuesday, June 19th. The end of a wondeful weekend. I thank you all for the wonderful memories. Keep in touch.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #4

Day #4 started off all wrong as I was awakened at 4am to deal with a problem. One of the students had to be driven home as his behaviour was - less than desirable. So at 5 in the morning off we go, Sarah, Hayley and I with a passed out student in tow. At 5:15 said passed out student awoke briefly to vomit in the backseat, making the 4 hour round trip journey a memorable event - for those of us who weren't passed out.

We arrived back at the cottage by 8:30 and went to bed not awakening again until past noon. At this time Fred began his quest of drinking 24 beers in the course of a day. Not pussy beers - good old Labatt Blue. Fred had previously numbered the caps of 24 beer and starting with #1 proceeded to drink all 24 before going down in the wee hours of the morning. Truth be told I think he dropped a few ounces here and there and could only lay claim to having consumed 22 beers - thus his new moniker - Fred Two Two - note the 2-2 fingers in the picture.

The high point of the evening came when Sarah was required to drink from Fred's belly button. Nice!


It was a great evening as we walked down memory lane - a fitting end to a wonderous journey through high school.

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #3

Day #3 started late as I didn't get up until 1 in the afternoon. An hour or so later, Hayley, Sarah and I went to town for lunch and supplies and returned to meet the fellow gradutes as they were supposed to arrive by dinner. The first to arrive were Meghan, Stefanie and Ashley and after getting lost and having to go out to rescue them, Fred, Andy and Megan.

With the arrival of all grads by 9pm or so, the games could begin. Since I had been into the martinis since 5, I didn't need any drinking games to "catch-up".

I certainly don't recall much of the evening though apparently I was on the winning team.

















The smartest thing I did all night was crash down at midnight. It left me open for more than a few pranks but, as it turned out, it was the right decision.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #2

Saturday June 16th. Up early and doing laundry. Must have clean clothes as I will be busy over the next few days.

Next stop, Newmarket to drop off tux and then up the 400 to Hayley's cottage for a weekend with the grads. I am happy that I am able to spend some quality time with the graduates before they all go off to university.

Arrive at the cottage at 5 pm or so and Hayley, Sarah and I have a few margaritas and chill out in the hot tub - well except for Sarah who has to keep our drinks filled.




I remember playing a weird version of Trivial Pursuit and talking to Hayley unti the wee hours of the morning. Went to bed as the sun was coming up. Nice!

80 Days of Summer for Bob - Day #1

Day #1 begins on Friday June 15th - Prom Day

Up early to finish writing the script for the senior graduating class. Also buying last minute gag gifts. Into a tux and off to Ashley D.G's for the pre-prom party.

After a few toasts and pics off to the prom - same old, same old but a lot different because there were so many kids whom I shall miss. No tears though and finally home at 1 in the morning.



Was sad when I got home and had to tell the grads why I was feeling weird all night so I sent an email (below). Then to bed.

I must say that I have mixed emotions about tonight. This is the second time in my life at the school that this has happened in this way. The whole night went by like a dream - it felt like I wasn't really there. I think maybe I didn't want to be there. I don't know if this will make sense to any or all of you but it goes like this.

I couldn't be sad tonight because it was wonderful to see an entire class graduate with such wonderful hopes of a great future. I really do believe that you all will have great lives. I couldn't be sad because this was a celebration for all of you. But on the other hand I couldn't be happy since you were all leaving me behind. I feel so connected to you all that it felt like you were off to bigger and better things and I was the stupid kid left behind.

As I said this has happened once before - the graduating class with Megan Lord and 5 others to whom I was closely connected with. I had a tough time with it at the time ( I remember a meeting in which I was crying and Mrs. Klein was looking at me as if I was a total idiot) and Mr. Eta - in his not so brilliant wisdom - equated my job to that of a bus driver. He said my job was to drive the kids from the bottom of the hill to a stop part way up the hill, wish them well and then go back down to the bottom to get more kids. I hated that analogy for many years - until I recognized the truth in it - Damn that Eta - he was right - I can't get off of the bus at the stop on the hill and travel with you as you continue further up. I can't be with you as you travel along the next stage in your journey - but at the same time I can't let you go - you are all too important to me.

So - I settle for the occasional email from somewhere up the hill and I have to be satisfied with that. I hate it - but it is the way it has to be. So here I sit at 3 in the morning - Missing you all - tears in my eyes so bad I can barely see to type - and wishing I had failed all you buggers - just so I could spend another year with you on my bus.

I love you all and wish only the best for you - keep in touch with the old bus driver every now and then.

Me

Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year

What better way to spend New Year's Eve in Canada than in the company of a Hot Babe in a Hot Tub drinking Cold Champagne. It was a perfect night as there was a near full moon yet also a cool, intermittent drizzle to keep the champagne cold.
However, as is often the case with inexperienced drinkers, the new year saw my friend (who has asked to remain nameless even though she does have a name) spending the wee hours of the evening ignoring me, instead preferring to talk on the phone - the big white phone. I am, however, forbidden by friendship and common decency (it's a new years resolution of mine to practice common decency once a week - no more - no less) to post the picture of the phone conversation.

For myself, 2007 started off perfectly and I am looking forward to a great year. I wish all my friends (those who do have names as well as those who don't) the same for this coming year.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

A Christmas Intervention

Christmas used to be one of my favourite holidays, beginning with the annual trek into the woods (or tree farm) to bring back that perfect tree, through to decorating the tree while listening to Christmas carols - all in anticipation of Christmas morning. I must admit though, with my own children grown up and not with me and no family nearby I’ve lost touch with the Christmas spirit. On the last day of school before the break, while other teachers brought in movies, I scheduled math tests - the more the merrier. Gives me something to do Christmas day - marking tests.

But this year was different. It all started with one of my grads - Miss Hayley, asking if we could get together for lunch on Saturday to which I agreed. At 11:30 this morning my buzzer sounded and I buzzed to let Hayley in to the apartment building. 10 minutes went by and no Hayley - strange! Then I heard it - a lot of giggling coming from the stairwell - something was up. As I opened the door there they were - my grads - complete with Christmas tree and all the trimmings. A Christmas Intervention for the old grouch.

They barged into my apartment, put up the tree, decorated the tree and had even brought presents to put under the tree. As I am typing this now there are tears in my eyes - I am so touched by their gesture. I love them so much - and all will be graduating this year and I shall miss them so very much. They are a fantastic group of kids - so kind and so thoughtful.

My words alone can not thank them enough nor demonstrate my gratitude for their thoughtfulness - perhaps I shall have to pass them after all.


Thank you Hayley, Megan, Meghan, Patrick, Ashley, Stef with an ‘F’, and Andy (who was late for the picture). As well to Fred and Sarah who could not be there but had contributed earlier with the cutting of the tree and the shopping as well as with their hearts. I shall indeed miss you all as your journey through life continues after graduation. I pray with all my heart that each of you will live a cherished life because you are all extremely special people.

From the grouch who’s heart you touched today more deeply than ever, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas - I love you all. And I can't see my keyboard anymore for the tears in my eyes.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Advent Calendar


Well I am off to Costa Rica Monday but I thought I would leave you with the best advent calendar in the world. It is similar to those chocolate ones BUT for men! Click on CHOCOLATE.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

It's Quarter to Three

Actually in truth it is - quarter to three in the morning - as the song implies - and I'm tired of life.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Global Warming - Humbug!

Arrggg! Well I’m back after several weeks of non-blogging. I’m back because I am once again frustrated with the world and feel I must try to make the human race see the error of its ways.

Specifically I am concerned about all this Global Warming talk. On one side of the issue we have the tree-hugging, socks and sandals types who are crying out that the world is about to end in a catastrophic manner because the increase in Global Warming is going to cause the polar ice caps to melt, ocean currents to disappear and baby seals to grow teeth and, and, and ....


On the other side we have the ‘head up the ass’, blue suit and tie crowd denying that the presence of human activities on this earth is having any significant effect on our climate whatsoever. As I said earlier - Arrrggggg!!!!

First let’s lay out some ground rules. The climate of the earth is and will continue to change with or without us being here. We know that at one time where we live was once covered by miles of ice and we also know that at another point in history this same area was a lush tropical forest. We also know that the amount of carbon dioxide and other chemicals that we release into the air each day is having an impact on our personal environment. What we don’t know is, by how much and what will be the consequences.


I say - who gives a flying rats ass - we are looking at the problem in the wrong way. I shall get back to this.





The sock & sandal crowd is concerned that we humans are negatively affecting our environment. So what - it is stupid to believe that we can maintain a stable environment in any geographic location. Mother Nature will alter our environment with or without our consent. It is naive and arrogant to assume that we have the right to decide otherwise. I’m sure that some people in drought stricken areas of Africa or elsewhere would appreciate a slight shift in the environment in their favour.

The ‘head up their ass’ crowd is just as bad. They deny that there is any change at all. They don’t have to work towards trying to maintain a stable environment - they believe it is already stable. This view is also naive and arrogant.









I said I would get back to how we are looking at the problem in the wrong way.

Believe it or not, both sides are actually on the same page - that is, that it is desirable and possible to maintain a stable global environment. Now this is where I call BULLSHIT! Anyone with a half a brain will tell you that the entire universe, let alone our planet, is governed by chaos. The entire universe is governed by the need to increase entropy or in other terms, increase chaos.



Note: What can I say - when I googled entropy this picture came up!



You see this effect everyday. Throw a deck of cards into the air - they don’t fall down in complete order stacked one on top of another. It takes energy to order the cards. It takes energy to order or maintain the order of anything in this universe. The universe itself is expanding to increase entropy. I could go on and on here but you can do your own research. Just Google Chaos Theory & Entropy and learn to read. The point is we are spending massive amounts of energy in even thinking about, let alone trying to, maintain an environmental status quo. We are fighting a losing battle people!

It is time to accept that Mother Nature will cause our environment to change with or without us and there is very little we can do to prevent this from happening. We may speed up the process a bit through Global Warming or if you believe some scientists we may even have slowed down the onset of another ice age through Global Warming. As I said before who cares what side is right. Significant changes to our environment will happen sooner or later and because we have our collective heads in the sand, we are going to be unprepared.

I say that it is time that we accepted the inevitable and start to prepare ourselves for the future. Why are we still building cities near the ocean when we know that ocean levels will rise and/or fall over time? Why do persist in protecting our traditional crop land from Mother Nature when we should accept that the growing seasons to the north are getting longer and perhaps look at ways to move our crop producing areas northward to match the fickle whims of Mother Nature? Why are we not looking at constructing bubbles to protect our cities from Mother Nature as well as our own pollutants? We are good at designing bubbles we call homes to protect our family from environmental extremes - why not our cities?

It is time to remove our heads from our asses, throw away our socks and sandals and get to thinking about how to protect ourselves, our species, from the inevitable changes that Mother Nature is sure to throw at us. After all - there is a reason why Mother Nature is referred to in the feminine sense. She is as unpredictable as, and as vengeful as, an ex-wife. It’s time to take her to court and settle this once and for all.

Hmmmm - seems I have allowed myself to digress from the main issue - which was .....????

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Back to the French River

Mr. B and I, along with two students from the school (let's call them H & J), were back to the French River the weekend of September 15th as part of the Duke of Edinburgh program. For their expedition component of the program, the girls had decided to go canoeing for three days.


Although it had been only two weeks ago that Mr. B and I were on this same river system, the scenery was very different as the foliage had already begun to change colour.

It was also colder at night and the fire skills of Mr. B were much appreciated. I don't think a single piece of fallen wood was left unburnt once we had departed the site.

The trip, though memorable in its own right, was taken over the top when Mr. B had to exit the canoe and bare his toes during a simple 'pull-over'. I had to document the occasion despite having to face the wrath of H for the 'from behind' angle of this picture.

Cartel Update - Sept. 22

I have been remiss in attending to my blog since starting back at school. So much to do at the beginning of the school year that I have been unable to find the time to sit down and update my own blog let alone peruse through the variety of blogs which I normally follow.

Anyway, since the school is off on our yearly trip to Haliburton this coming week, I was able to find a few precious moments this morning to attempt an update.

There have been several Cartel meetings since my last update but I had forgotten my camera and thus these meetings can not be properly documented. The last documented Cartel meeting was last week and as you can see from the picture, D and her cleavage was in attendance - or is that 'were in attendance'? Unfortunately, LED was unable to attend but she missed little as we did not go to a movie. It has been my observation that there seems to be a lack of good movies at this time of year. Maybe distributors also recognize the lack of free time at the beginning of a school year.