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Thursday 26th June 2003

The very day we were asked not to use our cars ... my favourite TV broke. I had to drive all around town, first trying to get it repaired (no luck - too old) then shopping for a new one. I don't know why they bother to ask people to use public transit. I can't think of anywhere I need to go where I could possibly manage on a bus!

Now there is a problem of disposing of the old TV. I called a recycling company in Guelph. They do not deal with electronic equipment. Although I have seen facilities on Discovery TV which now dismantle and recycle the glass, metals and other parts of televisions and computers, there is nothing around here. I sent an email to a company which I found on the internet, but they have not replied. I think it is a shame on us all that no one can organize a facility for recycling all these materials. We actually have to pay $5 to dump them into landfill.

Had been on another flight at Guelph Aviation that morning. Thought I could afford it, having not any big expenses this month. Might have guessed something would come up to break my budget.

I'm spending money on getting my licence back so I will be able to fly around by myself. I like doing that better than anything else. On a good day it's lovely to be able to travel a great distance over a beautiful countryside and be home for supper. I often flew up to Muskoka, Collingwood, Goderich etc.

This week I went to see the "Hulk". Enjoyed that very much. Also, had a free video from Rogers for the month. Chose "Jane Eyre" - a BBC version with two tapes. That was beautiful - really amusing -Timothy Dalton as Mr. Rochester. He has a lovely purring voice. ..... Have to go mow the lawns now, as storms are expected this afternoon and grass will be growing out of control.

Friday 20th June 2003

I don't find it worth the effort or time to clear out stuff, so I just ignore it. I had thought about having a garage sale, but then it's days of fiddling about and then worrying about people stealing things ... not to speak of the rain, which so often starts as soon as you get everything out in the garden. So, I do something more enjoyable. The result is that my house is scarcely presentable - I suppose I could possibly care less, if I tried hard.

Yesterday we went on the luxury coach ride to Marine World at Niagara Falls, with Cherry/Maxey Travel. It was a super day, weather pleasantly cool and not very sunny, so we were not cooked. I seemed to plan the day nicely, so we saw the shows and watched the whale feeding etc. I think my friends enjoyed it very much. They often ask me when I'm going to plan another trip. I'm only sorry that the CAA have given up doing trips. The CAA harbour cruise, dinner and fireworks was a really good trip.

I have been looking for another company to go with on the Canada Day fireworks cruise, but cannot find anything. Rather than putting in a lot of plants (backbreaking work); I usually put nasturtium seeds around my garden. They grow very well, do not spread, look colourful, have a pleasant perfume and can be eaten with salad. In the autumn they go away with the frost. I just pull up the vines and they go into the compost.

In the shady part of the garden I have hostas, bleeding hearts, periwinkle, lilly of the valley .. and numerous other perennials, which have taken over - they keep out the weeds. I haven't had much luck with hybrid roses, which require and acid or clay soil. However, the rosa rugosa (wild roses) do very well, have a lovely scent and tolerate our winters. I simply clip them back after flowering. Same with all my other shrubs and trees. I don't want them growing huge. The council put a beautiful free-tree by my deck. It is now about 30' tall (a bit too much for me). My neighbour keeps clipping it off in the spring, but that just seems to encourage it. Anyway, it gives excellent shade to the deck and drinks about 200 gallons of water a day - to keep the excess from my basement. So, that was the point of that.

Appalled to hear about your windscreen. What rotten luck! I once claimed the insurance to have a windscreen replaced ... never again. It went on my record as an accident. They took that excuse to put my insurance up such a lot. I shopped around, and eventually have a much reduced insurance with a better company.

Talking of appalling charges - my bank has started charging for grocery and retail store transactions. I think I will go over to paying cash and using the services of ING Direct more in future. I can't afford to be paying for paying!

Friday 4th June 2003

Last week decided to do something about getting my licence back (pilot). Eventually booked two dates: yesterday - pouring rain and fog. Today turned out a perfect day. It's usually best to book at least two dates, weather can be so difficult.
Lovely flying around Luther Lake/Fergus etc. Such a perfect day; slight cross-wind on 32. Only did some turns and sideslipping. Have to write another exam before they'll let me go solo again. Instructor watched the time and we clocked .6 hr. Even this is probably more than I can afford ($90 per hr. for the Cessna 150 and $50 per hr. for the Instructor came to $89.88. total for .6).

Tuesday 3rd June 2003

Pleasant day, clouding over, not too hot - about 68ºF.

Decided to revise my clouds painting. First had added a small plane, but it didn't look right, so painted that out. Nice thing about oils, once they are dry you can paint over, add texture etc. Also, have painted a "view from my vacation time-share in Japan". The peasant going over the bridge is actually the landowner. He is a very wealthy merchant and manufacturer. He passes over the bridge almost daily about dawn, carrying a bundle of weapons, in his practice of martial arts exercise. Reminds me of my karate master in Eden Mills; occasionally I would meet him, before sun-up, running cross country in his bare feet.

"Clouds":View of park from my garden, Canada.

"Japanese Scene": View from my timeshare, Japan.

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

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