Donstar

Gas surpassed $2 per litre in our area. Reducing trips in the truck saves a noticeable amount of money! Yesterday when I was topping up there was a lady across from me filling up her SUV who was crying/laughing as she watched the pump. I feel awful for those dependent on their vehicle and/or with little flexibility in their budget! For me, current gas prices would justify buying an EV. However, there are too many others thinking the same. Waitlists are long and costs are reflected in this demand. I am hoping that, like Covid, a "vaccine" is soon developed!

I'd look for the source of the noise before attempting to cover it up. The first place would be the tires.

I am exceptionally fortunate to not be forced into a quick and dramatic cull of possessions and memorabilia. Any of my complaints and frustrations about "downsizing" are given with the utmost appreciation of being able to choose to go through the process. My strategy of letting time take care of things is proving to be not as effective as I'd hoped. Putting stuff in a Rubbermaid out of sight for a later date only postpones the pain. Some of these stowed away treasures create a dilemma and that is what needs to be given to other living family and what to "recycle". Common sense would tell me if it has been tucked away for 10+ years, passing the decision on to someone else is simply "passing the buck". If I could do "it" over again, my rule would be don't put it into storage unless they're seasonal decorations!!

Weather is nuts here. The calendar is in May but the furnace is running! Bees and motorcyclists are having a tough time adapting to the record setting wet and cold. My spare time purge hit an all time high (low?) yesterday when cleaning out file boxes. It can be a harsh reality when you determine that things like university transcripts are totally useless to you or anyone else. The only paperwork I really need now can be kept in my wallet! This was a particularly sobering day but appreciate how lucky I am to be around to deal with such stuff! This is also one of those occasions when a chat with another, wiser person can help. I engaged in conversation with a neighbour, senior to me, and she advised that the sadness passes once the garbage/recycling bins are picked up! She also asked me if I wanted my kids sorting through this stuff? Harsh but valid justification for the clean-up!

I'm pro equality but there are times where one group outshines the other and deserve to be celebrated. Mother's Day is Sunday and be sure to honor the Mothers in your life. Every year my wife reminds me that I'm not her mother and tells me to, "Leave it up to the kids." Just like your two year old child made breakfast in bed for mommy never stop making sure the mother of your children is celebrated. My kids always remember but their long distance phone calls/Skype only account for a small part of the day. (They talk to each other on almost a daily basis anyway!) Most of the time my wife is my partner but her innate mothering to our adult children often leaves me dumbfounded. During recent lockdowns and layoffs my kids experienced hardships just like most others. I could help them with the logistical stuff but the comfort from their mom is what kept them afloat! Happy Mother's Day to all moms!

This has appeared often in my unsolicited advertisements!

The annual travelling carnival has arrived after a two year break. It is being setup at our local mall parking lot which is a daily walk destination. It is baffling how much money they need to take in for this event to be profitable . They arrive in dozens of customized rigs and spend three days transforming their trailers into rides, concessions, games, and staff accommodation. They run for three or four days, pack up and move to the next town. I use to think this event was a "rip off" but now that I have time to observe the bigger picture my perception has changed. I've even had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the carnival staff. Absolutely fascinating. Thank goodness I don't have kids or grandkids around to pressure me to take in this event as I might not be so pleased!!!

Many cultures see the enormous value in tapping into the experiences of their elders. Unfortunately, too many of us don't fully appreciate the value of experience until we've had one that is similar. There are humorous quips about teens maturing to adulthood realizing that their parents aren't as dumb as they thought. However, this realization doesn't always extend to later years. In my 40's I wish that I recognized my parents' experience was commensurately of higher value than mine. Being old doesn't necessarily mean we're right but opinions have a lot more history. (bigger bibliography) There are many occasions that I regret not taking full advantage of the wisdom so freely offered by older people in my life.

Sort of like how you only need to fill one side of a Harley gas tank. Unless you completely seal off both halves, they'll level with each other. Two days ago a man ahead of me in a lineup turned around and coughed in my direction. Nothing about this incident suggested bad intentions. However, I felt spray and glad I was wearing a mask. I only wish he was one of the many patrons who choose to wear a mask in crowded venues! There are a lot of people here continuing to voluntarily wear masks and I don't agree they are useless to most people. I appreciate the pros and cons and am respectful of the choice made by individuals and am happy that challenges over the efficacy of masks in my surroundings is a non-issue.

I have no hesitation wearing a mask around others. I often wonder how many stopped using them because they are not "required". The only reason my once two year old would stop grabbing pots on top of the stove is because mom and dad told him "no". Putting on a mask when entering a public venue is so effortless for me and this habit can potentially save me from illness. I don't choose to wear a mask based on someone else's permission. Last night on the news they were reporting a dramatic increase in the flu even though it isn't flu season. There is a connection between this trend and the elimination of our Covid mandates. I understand, but don't agree with, a reluctance to having a needle in my arm. However, anyone who feels the need to question another for wearing a mask is dealing with other unknown issues! Thank you for your efforts in keeping yourself and those around you a little safer!

The past can be really hard, if not impossible, to ignore when dealing with today. I have made great headway in cleaning out stuff that was useful in the past. Nothing was/is more difficult to sort through than old pictures and videos. These serve to keep my past successes and hardships fresh in my mind. The reality is we're in the present. Today for example, I feel tough physically. I know if I'd done things differently in the past, I could feel better or perhaps worse. This really doesn't make a difference because I have to deal with what is bothering me today. This applies to every aspect of my life. I often wish I saved more for retirement yet other times I feel happy that we prepared as well as we did! The reality is we work with what we have today. Riding around on my motorcycle often finds me meeting other motorcycle people. Chances are if they're riding a Harley, they are aged like me. Most will introduce themselves by talking about what they're doing now and in the future.

Definitely! The problem in this situation was I didn't feel safe if he had unknown issues. It was dusk and not a lot of eyes around. I now have three teen grandkids and they talk to Nana and me with an incredible level of openness. Their parents receive the grunts and groans! (pay back )

It is astounding how much of our behavior is learned. A toddler won't think twice about hitting his parents, grabbing the dog's ears or pulling a hot pot off of a stove. Our operating system is pretty basic and our storage capacity is huge. This is exacerbated by the length of time it takes for our brains and bodies to fully develop. The opportunities to receive poor programming are countless and our fixes are much fewer. A couple of weeks ago while out for an evening walk, I observed a teen kicking over garbage cans that were placed at the curbside. He was by himself, didn't appear "homeless" but was bigger than I cared to confront. This guy was at a critical stage of development. He was obviously not able to properly express his frustrations and was in an acute need of guidance.

My questioning is more rhetorical than a search for an explanation. There are a lot of people killing, maiming others. History does not make this acceptable. You'd think history would have led to more effective conflict resolution strategies!

Comments here have made me spend some time thinking about advancements in my lifetime. The technological advancements have been outstanding. However, it is beyond any understanding how the barbarianism taking place in the Ukraine is a current reality. How can our intelligence be so great yet such a large number of "us" are killing each other. I was a result of the post WWII baby boom and I remember adults in my childhood with considerable physical and emotional scars from war. I know I am ignorant of many things but taking land at the cost of lives in 2022 is not human.

On our last Costco shop we bought a box of their four frozen plain(cheese & tomato) pizza's. It is nice to have a meal with no/little preparation on occasion. Last night was such a night and it was a quick and cheap way to take care of supper. Years ago we'd buy these and use them like you'd use a rock when making stone soup. Now with ten minutes in a preheated oven, supper is ready with almost no clean up. The best part is the guilt will drive us to make an extra special supper tonight!

I ran into a fellow Harley trike owner that I met once before. The last time we met he was riding an aftermarket trike. At that time, I told him about a trike I had wanted to buy but was a little too expensive. I gave him the contact information and didn't see him again until yesterday. He was on a new trike and it was the one I'd told him about! This man has some physical challenges, like me, and I was able to show him a couple of accommodations I've made. Again, I had to give him contact information for these not-so-common accessories. It turns out this man does not "use a computer". He can access email and open links but has never embraced the internet. This is not unusual for the generation prior to mine but I was surprised. I am trying to imagine what these past two years would have been like without this window into my family, friends and the outside world! I guess I could have written letters to my family and friends....

ASDF JKL; rings in my head from my Grade 9 typing class. We had to master a basic wpm count before we could move up to the electric typewriter lab. Our methods or techniques of communication evolve. My neighbour can carry on a verbal conversation with me while typing a note with her thumbs. Over the past couple of years, my extra alone time forced me to become more proficient in texting which makes me appreciate the skill required to achieve my neighbor's level of skill. It is analogous to watching my sister type 90+ wpm on a manual typewriter.

I don't know why we'd want to destroy our memorabilia and this is not what is being said, imo. I don't believe our ability to decipher handwritten notes will disappear. "Is there an app for that??" I still have my father's cursive writing skill books from the mid 30's. Many hours of /////0000// are reflected in this treasure! You and I can name many things that were taught that are no longer of much use. Roman numerals and slide rules come to mind...

Exactly! The funny thing is this discussion took place a good decade before we all had cell phones c/w calculator function! Most of us carry a calculator into the woods whether we need one or not!

I believe aseibel answered this but I will respond with another story. I remember participating in a healthy staff discussion as to whether we should allow calculators to be used in math exams. The pro-calculator argument was winning but I was on the fence. My opinion evolved when one person asked, "What if you're lost in the woods and don't have a calculator?" Efficient and legible handwriting skills were important at a time when typewriters were special! Cursive writing has little application in our daily lives is now is part of our history. Use it or lose it!

Last week I endorsed passport renewals for the family next door. I was sort of surprised how both teenage children printed their signatures on their applications. Last night my teenage grandson phoned with a thank you for the Birthday Card we recently sent to him. We know that our grandkids typically just turn our cards upside down to see what falls out and don't spend time with the message. However, this 15 year old made a comment on how impressed he was with the handwriting in the card. He thought how cool it would be to be able to do that! Cursive writing is something I once incorporated into my daily lessons and witnessed the transition from being required instruction to being phased out. The part that hit me yesterday is our handwriting, no matter how neat, is a challenge to read for a growing part of our population. Those of us who occasionally take the time to add handwritten notes with our parcels may need to rethink our communication strategies!

Your comment hit home for me. My wife and I were eating our supper last night and our conversation went to how the meat portion of our suppers was becoming the least desired. We always felt that a dinner was not complete without the beef/chicken/fish portion. For me, vegetables were something to get out of the way in order to enjoy the beef portion! We are looking at meals where meat may compliment but are not the defining part of the meal!

I hope everyone had a good Easter weekend. We had planned to have relatives share a roast beef supper with us but as mentioned before, they are home with Covid. It is good that we can share a meal with others and yet people won't hesitate to stay home if they are sick. We aren't past covid, we are living with covid. Last night I spoke on the phone with a past colleague as we occasionally do on special occasions. She is very involved with her church and I had assumed her day would have been special now that everything has "opened up". It turns out she is more worried and isolated than ever and has spent far too many days by herself! I wonder how many are like her? These are seniors, living alone without immediate family and not in a designated seniors' facility. I suspect most of us know a relative or friend in this group who may benefit from our time. It is a most rewarding experience to give your time to someone who needs it!

Please let's avoid using specific political leaders to support our comments. This simply creates angst. I usually can find enough awkward stuff in my personal history to use as an example.