Life is rough. Here it is, 8:45 on Sunday morning and I’m exhausted.
Finally got the humans up, ordered a bit of soft food and a wee bowl of diluted juice from a can of water-packed tuna on the side, had a group cuddle while they nursed their first coffees…
And I still have the whole day ahead…. I think I’ll have a snooze.
Throwback Thursday — me wearing a Goodtimers T-shirt, heading out for my #Burnaby south slope walk today. The Goodtimers was a jogging club founded by a friend of mine in Tokyo in 1988. That makes this T over 25 years old!
It’s a bit musty, but nothing a good sweat won’t, um, cure 🙂.
Why we love our pets:
I have not succumbed to a brooding summer cold, but have a splitting headache. Today mid-morning I turned out the lights in my office and eased myself down on the floor for a nap, and…
Choco the Cat came in, meowked around a bit, gingerly stepped onto my chest, stretched out, and set the purr machine on 11.
“It’s OK, daddy, I’ll purr you better!”
Spent a lovely morning through afternoon wandering Lonsdale and along the north shore taking photos.
Took my cameras for walks at Deer Lake Park and Fraser Foreshore Park in Burnaby, BC, today. Lots of wildlife and sunny views.
Not sure if this is a “good” frog or a young invasive bullfrog sitting on a piece of wood floating in one of the Fraser Foreshore ponds
Great Blue Heron hanging out near the mouth of Byrne Creek
Lots going on around the Fraser Foreshore Ponds
Deer Lake Park is overrun with invasive Policeman’s Helmet, but the bees sure love it!
These frogs also look a bit big and bulbous… Invasive?
I couldn’t resist that alliteration : -).
It was a super morning for a walk around Rice Lake in North Vancouver.
At one point I crouched on the shore and fired off over a hundred shots at dragonflies and damselflies, and heard this exchange.
Female voice, whispering behind my back: “What’s he taking so many pictures of?”
Male voice: “Dragonflies in flight. Good luck with that, eh?”
Me later at my computer: “Why thank you. One out of a hundred did turn out OK. Patience, grasshopper, um, damselfy shooter…” : -)
Blam! Blam! Black Sombrero fired his Colt .45 at the shadow in the barn, then spun and snapped three shots at the posse approaching across the coral. . .
My latest blog post for The Editors’ Weekly on why factual accuracy and plausibility are important even in fiction.
UPDATE: Aug. 26 — and this is why the world needs editors, lots of them! I don’t know how many sets of eyes went through this without noticing that “coral” should be “corral.” Blushing. . .
Roll-your-own sushi for my birthday. Thank you to my lovely wife Yumi for the delectable feast!
And yes, Choco the Cat has officially attained the age of batshit-crazy grandma who doesn’t give a #$%* anymore about proper behaviour. : -)
We don’t have it in us to discipline the old gal in the twilight of her years. Choco has been a wonderful addition to the family ever since we got her from the Burnaby SPCA many years ago.
She just looks hurt and confused if admonished these days, a noticeable contrast to her youth when she learned quickly.
You have to make adjustments as a beloved companion ages.
We’ve been rearranging furniture, and adding “steps” here and there so she can still get to her favorite places.
Damn I love my kitty, even when she wakes us at 5 am…
Hi folks, here a few tips for effectively sharing information, or reporting on things that concern you, be it via social media, email, phone, snailmail, etc.
Learn and remember the journalist’s question prompts of 5WH.
5WH?
Who
What
Where
When
Why
How
Answer those questions as best you can before you start sharing information, before you start writing, calling, Tweeting, posting to Facebook or blogs, emailing… and you’ll be miles ahead in clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and so on.
For a fleshed-out guide to 5WH see the Wikipedia entry here.
This applies to streamkeepers reporting spills or fish kills, to citizens reporting crime, to folks contacting their local papers, to students posting on blogs, to. . .
Gorgeous day for a ramble!
I promised my wife I’d leave my DSLRs at home, but ended up giving my wee pocket Canon a workout anyway : -).
Sparrow enjoying a dust bath
