Decision Made

At last a decision has been made on our application, unfortunately they do not indicate the result of this decision. After more than 3 years we can wait a bit longer, but it's stressful I can tell you. There is a cloud next year September and it getting a bit darker every day. Should I look for something else? Norway maybe, as that is a cold country too. It turned out I like cold countries, this despite the fact I declared someone going skiing out of his mind for "voluntarily place his butt in the snow". Obviously things change. The wait is on...... Again......

Me likka this!!!

Unfortunately the bull did not pierce his private parts. That I would have liked even more. What stuns me is the fact this is still allowed as Spain is part of Europe. Beautiful picture and video this one. No difference to the bull, unfortunately it dies anyways, but he had some fun in this, for the bull, bloody and painful unequal battle. The coward cuts the bull's neck-muscle so it is less dangerous, but if you are so stupid that you trip over you own cockiness the bull will pick you up. So you are headlining you own stupidity and that of Spain. Great-Beautiful-Fantastic-Extra ordinary!!!!

Weather Craziness

The last couple of weeks we went from -8 with 10 inches of snow to a scorching +32 last Tuesday, the day Ellen and Gerard touched down at Calgary, to 2 days of solid rain and today we even have wet snow. The rain and wet snow are very welcome don't get me wrong, nature-wise. But with Ellen and Gerard visiting and going on a RV trip we, and they especially, could have used some improved weather. Nevertheless they made a nice visit to Elk Island and saw some bison and other wildlife, also thanks to Johan who has a keen eye on it and knows a lot about it. He sees birds where I only see branches, knows species, behavior and uniqueness. For me they are an UFBO.
E+G are in Jasper now and are on their RV tour, I really hope the weather improves and by the looks of it next week will be better with temperatures close to 20 degrees. It was very nice to have them visit us, although too short, and show them where we live, work and spent our time in this very special country.

Lower back X-ray

Yesterday I was at the chiropractor's again, I have to go twice every week now. But it helps greatly, I can walk for over an hour without lower back-pain, this was not possible the last couple of years. I remembered they had an CD with X-rays. "Take it, it's yours anyways". So now I can share an X-ray of my lower back. You can see disc #3 and #4 from below are starting to grow towards each other and, without treatment, they will soon become one. Causing a lot of trouble, potentially. The cartilage in between seems stuck also. The main goal of the chiropractor is to get all the discs moving again and in that way releasing the nerves so freedom of movement will improve. So far he is doing a great job with me. His assistant, Serena, knows 2000 patients by name from the get-go, amazing.
Also in one of his treatment rooms there is a nice quote from Thomas Edison (1847-1931): "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease". I suppose there is a lot of truth in this quote. It is not a painful experience, at the crack-man as I call him, there are only the popping sounds of which you know it will reduce, if not end, the pain. At least for a improving length of time, until it becomes just maintenance every once and a while. Good call on March 17th to go see the crack-man.

Rolly View or Rollyview?

Both are listed in several official documents, so I do not know yet. I do know Rollyview made Wikipedia, check it out. In 2005 we had 58 inhabitants, it's not much more currently I'm guessing. When you enter Rollyview it is listed a one word, so I will go with that for the now. Does it matter? No not really; post arrives anyways based on the postal-code at the general store. On another note I always thought it was zip-code instead of postal-code,  that's probably used in the US.
Emma and Johan are on a camping trip enjoying the great outdoors, fly fishing at Kananaskis Lake, Joka is off to work and I am postponing lawn-mowing on this beautiful sunshiny Saturday afternoon, all next week it will be 20+C and better. I'll have a beer and enjoy Vos having fun outside.

CAD$ to €

I started watching the € a couple of weeks ago, it was valued at $1.42 to €1.00. Over the weeks this dropped bigtime due to the Greek deficit, rumors on Spain and Portugal being even worse than Greece, contributed to this steep decline. I needed to transfer a big chunk of $$ to €€, so my smile became bigger with the hour. I had locked in a target, with the help of Graham at Custom House, of $1.285, which is valid 24/7, and Wednesday overnight it had hit it's target, just around the low of this week. At our office we have a guy, Gerry, who watches the exchange-rate very closely. The word is one is hoping the rate will not break US$1.25; if it does all hell will break loose and the € will go into a free-fall towards $0.98; if that happens we are fucked worldwide. So I am really hoping the worst is over and I have been just bloody lucky, again. Maybe I will open a Foreign Exchange (ForEx) account and go trade currencies also. I'm just having fun over here.

Echoes.....

This is truly one of the best ever rock songs by Pink Floyd, especially the Live in Gdansk version. But if you are in a emotional state of mind, like to have had your dog put down, it is not the best song to listen to. Why? It really gets the tears rolling and goes right in and thru your bones. At least with me. Pink Floyds music does this to me anyways, Echoes-Sorrow-Wish You Were Here-Comfortably Numb, really get to me in a positive way. There is always that touch, sometimes it hits you like a ton of bricks and another time it's only goosebumps. The heavy blow is not very welcome if you drive your car or truck, but turning it off is a no go; cannot do that. So you have to sit it out and that a pretty good thing. Slowly I am getting over Mac. Fortunately there will always be the Echoes......

Oilsands

 

From the Edmonton Journal, Malcom Mayes Cartoon 

Nice wheather on May 5th 2010

Alerts: Leduc Co. near Leduc Beaumont and Kavanagh

Snowfall Warning : Leduc Co. near Leduc Beaumont and Kavanagh

Issued at 11:31 AM MDT Tuesday 4 May 2010

Summary

A narrow band of heavy snow has developed over and just west of the city of Edmonton.

Details

Radar and public reports indicate that a narrow band of heavy snow has formed just west of Edmonton. The snowfall is moving slowly southeastward. Amounts reported as of 11.30 AM range from 2.5 cm in Spruce Grove to 9 cm at the international airport to as high of 16 cm in the town of Calmar. Further accumulations of 5 to 10 cm are possible before the band weakens later this afternoon. In addition strong northwest winds will lead to widespread blowing snow causing near zero visibilities at times.