Well they have survived for 11 days so I fell confident to write about them,
George, orange tail, and Ben, silver tail, are 2 Japanese Guppies who have stolen daughter's heart. As daughter is now seven years old, and dying for a pet, we decided to let her invest some of her birthday cash in the acquisition of 2 fish. Fish were chosen because of their, relative, ease of care plus the fact that they have short life spans and do not leave hair around the house.
On Saturday March 11th wife and daughter set out, after skating lessons, for the pet shop and purchased - bowl, rocks, food, net, cleaner, a lovely plastic sea plant and ............ George and Ben ($38 all in). Do not ask "Why George and Ben?" because I have and there is no logical response.
Around 2 pm on said Saturday daughter dashes into the house with a plastic bag containing her new pride and joy. Soon, happily ensconced in their new world, George and Ben are demonstrating - at least to daughter - their talents. Daughter assures me that "they already know their names" and will perform such tricks as "George, swim around the bowl" at her command.
Neighbours are summoned to view the glory of G & B while phone calls to dignitaries are sent off to announce the blessed event. The date of acquisition - "My fisshies birthday" is marked on the calendar (so that we can celebrate next year), and the chosen ones are moved from room to room in the house before finally settling in daughter's bedroom. The first night daughter has trouble sleeping but things are gradually returning to normal - in fact when I asked her this morning if George and Ben had been fed I got "Nah - why don't you feed them Daddy" - ah the joys of parenthood.
C'mon Ben - swim this way.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Friday, March 10, 2006
Air Care
I took the car through AirCare this week.
This is an annual rite of passage for those in the Lower Mainland (bi-annual for vehicles after 1992). You spend 30 -45 minutes in line and having your vehicle tested, pay $23 per year and the environment gets cleaner, great in theory............. BUT IT'S A JOKE.
Last year our venerable Toyota failed miserably and we figured "well that's it" but the car still runs fine, burns a litre of oil a month, and we only put about 5000 K a year on it. I was bemoaning our fate to neighbour McGyver who says "well let me see what I can do".
So McGyver cleans out a filter, adjusts the timing so that the car runs horribly and disconnects a hose - the result ...........
Pass with flying colours.
The car runs just fine for another year. This year McGyver spends 10 minutes under the hood, disconnects the hose again and the car runs miserably to the AirCare station where it once again passes easily.
Bear in mind this is not some black smoke belching beater - the car is just old and as such, according to my mechanic, the government wants it off the road. I might feel bad except that if I lived in Kelowna or Kamloops or anywhere besides the Lower Mainland I wouldn't even have to go through the whole process.
This is an annual rite of passage for those in the Lower Mainland (bi-annual for vehicles after 1992). You spend 30 -45 minutes in line and having your vehicle tested, pay $23 per year and the environment gets cleaner, great in theory............. BUT IT'S A JOKE.
Last year our venerable Toyota failed miserably and we figured "well that's it" but the car still runs fine, burns a litre of oil a month, and we only put about 5000 K a year on it. I was bemoaning our fate to neighbour McGyver who says "well let me see what I can do".
So McGyver cleans out a filter, adjusts the timing so that the car runs horribly and disconnects a hose - the result ...........
Pass with flying colours.
The car runs just fine for another year. This year McGyver spends 10 minutes under the hood, disconnects the hose again and the car runs miserably to the AirCare station where it once again passes easily.
Bear in mind this is not some black smoke belching beater - the car is just old and as such, according to my mechanic, the government wants it off the road. I might feel bad except that if I lived in Kelowna or Kamloops or anywhere besides the Lower Mainland I wouldn't even have to go through the whole process.
Of Course We Lose to Mexico
In a classic illustration of all things Canadian the men's baseball representatives to the World Baseball Classic, the singularly least interesting sporting event I know of, lose to Mexico.
Not to take anything away from Mexico, who has a strong baseball tradition and its' own professional league, but after defeating the prohibitive favourite Americans all Canada had to do was win or give up less than 3 runs in a loss to advance.
The final was 9-1 Mexico so, barring a South African victory over Roger Clemons, the Canadians will all be heading back to their respective pro teams tomorrow. At least it gave us one more chance to watch Stubby Clapp.
Not to take anything away from Mexico, who has a strong baseball tradition and its' own professional league, but after defeating the prohibitive favourite Americans all Canada had to do was win or give up less than 3 runs in a loss to advance.
The final was 9-1 Mexico so, barring a South African victory over Roger Clemons, the Canadians will all be heading back to their respective pro teams tomorrow. At least it gave us one more chance to watch Stubby Clapp.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Oscar Night
In the end they just couldn't do it. The saga of the two gay sheepherders was denied by the Academy and the Oscar handed to Canadian Paul Haggis's study of racial tensions in The City of Angels.
Asian Pot luck, a few laughs with friends and Canadian content on the last 2 "Best Picture" Oscar winners, Haggis wrote the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby", added up to a good evening.
My tension level will be high this week as Hearts prepare for their Scottish Cup Semi-Final tilt against cross city rivals Hibernian this coming Saturday. But everybody is in the same boat so I shouldn't complain.
I mean everybody else obsesses over Scottish Football don't they ?
Asian Pot luck, a few laughs with friends and Canadian content on the last 2 "Best Picture" Oscar winners, Haggis wrote the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby", added up to a good evening.
My tension level will be high this week as Hearts prepare for their Scottish Cup Semi-Final tilt against cross city rivals Hibernian this coming Saturday. But everybody is in the same boat so I shouldn't complain.
I mean everybody else obsesses over Scottish Football don't they ?
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