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Sunday 28th April 2002

Really cold miserable rainy day. While I was walking this morning there was thunder. Probably means a warm front coming. This will be perfect for doing some planting and rolling the lawn tomorrow.

This afternoon my movie choice was "Life or Something Like it". Interesting story. (Was continually distracted by Angelina Jolie's painful looking lips!) As usual, I really enjoyed the movie. There are other details, downloads etc. at frontrowcenter.com.

Thursday 25th April 2002

It is a lot cooler today and there are snowflakes and ice pellets in the wind. I would really like to get at the garden again. I hammered some Job's Fertilizer sticks around my apple tree yesterday. I have been doing too much gardening - at 62 I think any amount of gardening is too much! I dug out two small flower beds and dug in 8" beaded edging around them. Although I go to the gym often I still find gardening really hard work. Although the weather was cool, after that lot my clothes were dripping. I don't know why people think gardening is a good hobby for older people. Personally I think it requires the physique of an athlete and the back of an ox! Today I hurt all over and my left knee keeps giving out.

Yesterday I had a funny experience: I decided to wear my Clark's Polyveldt shoes. As I went out I thought they felt a bit strange. However, at the shop, as I stepped out of the car, I felt as though I may be walking on only my socks. Indeed, when I looked at the shoes, the soles had fallen apart.

Tuesday 23rd April 2002

Still quite cool .. supposed to be going up to 10ºC today. I think I had better be doing some work in the garden, before the mosquitoes and blackfly get too numerous. Did I mention that we have the Nile Virus and Dengue Fever here? .. not to even think about sleeping sickness and all the other nasty things that are spreading this way with global warming. Anyway, on a lighter note - here is a very rude cartoon:

I am getting quite old and absent minded .. This is unofficially called "Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder". Here is an article on the subject:

"AAADD"
> >>Do you have it?
> >>I just wanted to let you know that I have recently been diagnosed with > >>AAADD - Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder
> >> > >>This is how it goes...
> >> > >>I decide to do the laundry, start down the hall and notice the newspaper >on > >>the table.
OK, I'm going to do the laundry...
> >> > >>BUT FIRST I'm going to read the newspaper.
After that, I notice the mail >on > >>the table.
OK, I'll just put the newspaper in the recycle stack... > >> > >>BUT FIRST I'll look through the pile of mail and see if there are any >bills
> >>to be paid. Yes. Now where is the checkbook? Oops...there's the empty >glass > >>from yesterday on the coffee table.
I'm going to look for that >checkbook...
> >> > >>BUT FIRST I need to put the glass in the sink.
I head for the kitchen, >look > >>out the window, notice my poor flowers need a drink of water, I put the > >>glass in the sink and there's the remote for the TV on the kitchen >counter.
> >>What's it doing here? I'll just put it away...
> >> > >>BUT FIRST I need to water those plants. I head for the door and... >Aaaagh!
> >>stepped on the cat. Cat needs to be fed. Okay, I'll put the remote away >and > >>water the plants...
> >> > >>BUT FIRST I need to feed the cat.
> >> > >>END OF DAY: Laundry is not done, newspapers are still on the floor,
>glass > >>is still in the sink, bills are not paid, checkbook is still lost, and >the
cat ate the remote control...and, when I try to figure out how come >nothing > >>got done today,
I'm baffled because... I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY! > >>I realize this condition is serious...I'd get help...
> >> > >>BUT FIRST...I think I'll check my e-mail.
My email contained this message, which I decided to put on my web page. .. An hour later it's lunch time already.

Sunday 21st April 2002

Alas, our marvellous August-type weather has gone the way of all things. The temperature is now about 4 and at night it is below zero again. Tomorrow morning they are predicting wet snow. .. but it should melt quite quickly.

My movie for this afternoon was "Scorpion King". I really enjoyed this action movie: Beautifully choreographed fights, excellent effects. Some of the story reminded me of James Bond's "Live & Let Die".

Thursday 18th April 2002

Another gorgeous day. Think I will go outside and start up the air-conditioner. .. Gets a bit too hot for sleeping at night. But, that's the only complaint. During the day I can sit on my deck with Sue and Honey .. close my eyes and pretend I'm in the Caribbean. For this kind of weather (in winter) I can expect to pay a couple of thousand dollars. Hey, Y M I stopping indoors typing anyway? I'm going out to enjoy my garden and lovely flowers.

Wednesday 17th April 2002

Yesterday and today really record breaking heat. Approximately 80ºF (around 30ºC). Already the local authorities are speaking of water restrictions and other punitive measures .. at the same time as they issue yet more building permits for massive housing estates. They say they can dig more wells, which come from the same aquifer system. Does this make any sense? I wonder if these new homeowners will have any means of personal redress against the makers of such decisions in the future; perhaps class action suits? That wouldn't help though. You can't make water or clean air out of money. Reminds me of the history of the Easter Islands. They too must have thought they had endless natural resources.

Monday 15th April 2002

Dull misty morning. Getting a lot warmer though. Couldn't even wear a coat while walking this morning.

As you have had trouble reading the Microsoft articles I have referred you to, I have taken the liberty of copying this one. It is at: www.sentex.net/~oficserv/DigitCam.html. This is not a clickable address. You will have to add the usual prefix to it and put it into the address box yourself.

Sunday 14th April 2002

A cooler front went through, following a warm front yesterday. This made the day rather dull and misty. Alright for walking though.

My movie this week was "Big Trouble" with Tim Allen. I always enjoy Tim Allen's interesting stories. He also bears a startling resemblance to a friend. Anyway, I really liked the movie and this was enhanced by being the only person in the cinema. This was because I prefer the early matinee performance. If I am shrieking with laughter I like to do it on my own.

D'you see the resemblance?

Thursday 11th April 2002

Another really beautiful day. Beginning to get warm now. My neighbour kindly pruned the great hedge of sticks off the top of my pear tree this morning. It took us a couple of hours to complete the prunings gather the bundles and take them to the recycling. I could really use a chipper to make use of all the sticks on my own garden.

Wednesday 10th April 2002

What an incredibly perfect day! As you know, it is my birthday today. That's the good news, the bad news is that I am 65. Oh well, being 65 is better than the alternative.

Went for a nice long walk with the Tsunami. Met someone with a cute ginger/chocolate poodle called Mac. Tsu and Mac played and ran so fast they were both completely worn out.

Took a few photographs. Did I show you how I had pruned my apple tree? Well I tried to follow the patterns - trimming it down to about 8 main branches. I cut other branches down to outward facing buds. Hope I haven't killed it!

Lovely warm spring day.
Before and after pruning
Pear Tree after pruning

Tuesday 2nd April 2002

Yesterday I finally drove to see the doctor. This cold is so awful, I think it may be some other opportunist bacteria as well. He gave me a couple of prescriptions. The total came to $162.00!! Ruddy colds, I don't know why people can't take more precautions against spreading them.

The snow had gone, but today it is all back again!

Snowy morning

Return to other months of Diary from Canada at http://www.sentex.net~oficserv/Canlet.html

Link to the Movies Pages at "movies.yahoo.com"

Visit a site for many photographs of North American Birds and animals.

Rhona Raskin Home Page at http://www.rhona.com.