Sunday 26th July 1998:

Lovely day again today. Temperature about 72º and sunny.

At our home in the country, our well-water had to be treated with a UV light. This killed all bacteria etc. I wondered whether the natural UV light could be responsible for killing / deforming frogs' spawn, fish eggs, plankton etc? I have briefly surfed the Net to see whether any consideration has been given to this idea, but can find nothing so far. It seems to me reasonable that if UV can kill bacteria it could also kill / maim / disfigure any other kind of delicate eggs etc. in water or within reach of the sun's UV rays.

In a local garden I noticed a person with four E shaped metal pieces stuck into the ground, with electrical wires attached. The worms were coming to the surface, to escape the arc. What an ingenious way to do worm-picking!

Saturday 25th July:

What a pleasant day. Fortunately the high temperatures did not materialize and settled down to about 32º. But today it is about 22º, which is even better. The UV rays are very strong though and we are continually warned to wear sunscreen and hats.

My old retriever likes to walk along by the river, so today when we reached the bridge and he refused to turn for home I decided to let him go the way he obviously wanted. Shortly we came to a person with a rottweiler on the loose .. who, as usual, assured me his dog was very friendly! (I have yet to meet a truly friendly rottweiler). Unfortunately my dog is a mean fighter. Despite my yelps that my old beast would turn into a maniac, this person would not grab his dog. I can see how people get badly bitten.

The puppy in question

Apart from that we had a nice peaceful walk. Today I had decided to teach the puppy about steps and stairs. The Church of Our Lady has about fifty broad shallow steps which are just right for this little lesson. At the bottom of the steps the pup was terrified, with her feet stuck out and whiskers bristling. For the first ten steps I had to lift the front then the back. Then she raised up on her feet, then she started to walk. By the top of the steps she was trotting and swaggering (as I told her how immensely clever she was). Which, I remember, is how some very patient people taught me to fly!

The Llewellyn Security - Dog Encyclopedia is full of useful training information. I have put a link at the end of this page. I have found their idea of putting the dog's own faeces into holes to prevent further digging, extremely helpful - if disgusting. The capsicum pepper was getting too expensive as every time I put it down I had to water the garden or it rained and washed it away. (Note - April 1999. Eventually I have had to get an area fenced off for the dogs. It cost me nearly $1000! That plus all the plantings they killed and the turf will all have to be replaced. Altogether, keeping large dogs is very time consuming and expensive. Now they are on concrete - which is not good for them. Also, in the heat of the summer this area will be very unhygienic.)

Tuesday 21st July:

Today the temperature is forecast to be between 104º and 113º (taking the humidex into consideration), as the hot air from the southern States is coming in our direction. Thank goodness it is only supposed to last for one day. Makes one have some empathy for those who live in Texas!

I bought my puppy a cheap little wading pool. I have not had such fun for just $5. for a long time. She enjoyed this pool so much, jumping and nosing down like a tiny polar bear.

Recently I made a list of prices of everyday things in Canada. I have also translated this into UK£ and USA$ at approximate current exchange rates. (The code for the UK£ sign is ALT1180).

There follows my attempts at creating a table in simple html!

This table will have a heading and four columns eventually.

This afternoon I went to see "The Mask of Zorro", with Catharine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas as the heroine and hero plus the excellent Anthony Hopkins as the father. I haven't enjoyed such a piece of amazing swashbuckling for years. Of course there's James Bond, but one has come to take his interesting gadgets and expertise almost for granted. Last week I saw "Dr. Dolittle". I enjoyed that too, as much for the animation as the humour. What talented, dedicated people they are. The sword-fight choreography alone must have taken many hours of practice. I wonder if they think past the money - to the millions of their fans who obtain an hour or so of relief from their lives of quiet desperation.

I wonder why I would spend a beautiful summer afternoon in the cinema. Well, it has been so dreadfully hot here and humid too. (Up to 40º with the humidex). The cool dark cinema is a welcome relief.

Saturday 4th July:

This morning I was watching Wimbledon on TV. The weather in England is rather cold isn't it. Here in Canada it hasn't been less than about 75º for weeks.(does anyone know the ascii code for the degrees symbol in txt? I know it's ALT 1191 in Word. I wish they'd give us a list as they used to do. Oh surprise - it worked as ALT 1191!). This year we have had thunder storms most evenings. Fortunately, the night of the fireworks, there was a clear front across the area.

My puppy is doing very well. She is only eight weeks old, but comes when I call her. She will fetch a ball and run with me. I couldn't ask any more from a puppy. She has dug my garden a few times, but I sprinkled some capsicum pepper on the things I didn't want her to touch and that seems to have kept her off somewhat. If you are interested in dog training, or have questions, go take a look at (the link for Llewellyn Security is at the end of this page if you don't want to type it in for yourself) http://www.llewellynsecurity.com/encyclopedia/dogstuff.htm Llewellyn Security Encyclopedia of Dogstuff - AND USE BACK ON YOUR BROWSER TO RETURN HERE. My neighbour sits on her patio next door and talks to my dog and puppy when I am away. That helps keep them company too.

Thursday July 2nd:

Last night, I went with CAA to the Symphony of Fire at Toronto Harbour. This is an international fireworks competition which goes on for about two weeks. July 1st is Canada Day - a celebration of Canada (a bit like July 4th in the U.S.A).

What an interesting city Toronto is. Looking down from the bus I was continually impressed by the cosmopolitan mix. The sidewalk cafés are European. The occupants of the seating are from every country in the world. Entertainers I watched could be from the Caribbean and jugglers apparently from Copenhagen. Just fascinating! If the "Internet is Whatever You Want It To Be" .. then "Toronto is Wherever You Want It To Be".

The contenders in the fireworks/music display competition were from Britain on this occasion. I thought they were excellent. The position of the cruise ship, out in the middle of the Toronto Harbour was perfect too. The firework display is synchronized by computer to music. The music is broadcast by radio, so one may listen using a portable or "Walkman", while watching the display. Toronto Harbour is really beautiful, day or night. The skyline is so attractive at night, a mass of twinkling lights mostly in red and gold. I like travelling with CAA. Their motto is "Travel With Someone You Trust".

The fireworks went on from 10:30 to 11:30, ending in an enormous bouquet of chandeliers which continued for five minutes. At the end all the ships sounded their horns and sirens. There were so many I wonder they don't hit .. many of them were yachts under sail. (Guess it must have been something like that on D-Day, with all the boats they could muster). It reminded me too of the night my brother took mother and me on his boat down the Tuckton River at the Regatta (Tuckton is near Bournemouth, Dorset, U.K.). I really enjoyed it very much. I didn't get home until 2 in the morning and feel rather tired now.

Recently I persuaded the women who have done some painting for me ("The Painter Sisters") to let me make an advertisement for them on the Internet. I have put a link to the advertisement at the end of this page.

The director of their company came to see what I was doing and I think that influenced her. I now have such a large and complicated magazine with sound and some animation, I think it is very good. I have also had 1300 visitors since last September. This is not a lot, as web pages go, but for me I think it is excellent.

Unfortunately I have no idea whether any business results from my efforts for Guelph Aviation, The Painter Sisters, Dressings, Mary Dawn Roberts, The Convenient, The Safety Man - - or anything else, because only very rarely does anyone contact me directly. Oh well, the counters don't lie so I suppose I must be getting some visitors.

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

Return to home-page of OFICSERV Computer Office Services & Drafting at http://www.sentex.net/~oficserv

The Llewellyn Security - Dog Encyclopedia is full of useful training information.

Click here to see information on The Painter Sisters