It was pretty quiet at the Historic Stewart Farm in south Surrey, BC, this morning, but I did spot a Great Blue Heron, and in a first for me in that location, a muskrat.
And. . . Another Milestone in my Life. . . Goodbye Hydro?
Seasons Change, Days Shorten. . . Salmon are Coming
I love the end of summer and early autumn.
As the days get shorter, the air cools, evening falls sooner, and the salmon start running home to spawn.
It’s one of my favourite times of year.
I wish for rain, for rain may lift the campfire bans, and I love camping. I wish for rain, for rain will swell the barely running creeks and streams, welcoming the salmon home.
I love sleeping in the cooler air, snuggling with the cat.
Yes, a few months in and I’ll be wanting longer days, eh? But for now? I’m savouring the change of the seasons. . .
Teach Your Children Well
Teach your children well:
Driving into our complex there’s an adult male and two children in the middle of the road. Man is on his cell phone.
Children see me and move aside — man is oblivious. Sigh. . . .
Goodbye ClipMate, An Amazing Utility for Windows
Tho apparently it shut down some time ago, I just discovered that ClipMate (an amazing clipboard enhancement program for Windows that includes many other useful utilities) is now no longer being developed — but you can get still get it — for free.
Dunno how long this will last, so jump on it, folks!
It appears the main site is already down, but this download link still appears to work, and the developer has kindly offered a way to register the program for free.
I’ve paid for, and have been installing ClipMate, on all of my Windows machines many times over the years. Glad I could still get it on my latest notebook computer!
Bat ’n Bee Boxes, Heron on Fraser River Walk
We walked along the waterfront in New Westminster, BC, today. Nice to see bat and bee boxes installed, and a Great Blue Heron fishing in the Fraser River.
Taking a Short Vacay in Victoria, BC
We took a short vacay in Victoria, BC. Love the town. I spent a year at UVic and did an MA at Royal Roads University way back when, so it’s always great going back. Not to mention hanging out with my sister and bro-in-law!
Making like a tourist!
Legislature
Yumi with Emily Carr statue
Me with a John Deere in front of the Empress Hotel. You can take the boy from Saskatchewan, but. . . : – )
Two fave shops: Munro’s Books and Murchie’s Fine Tea & Coffee
Sunset view of the Inner Harbour
Watercolour view of the Inner Harbour
Adding Lenovo X1 Carbon to Computer Arsenal
I has happy to find an open box Lenovo X1 Carbon at a greatly reduced price online the other day. I like Lenovo keyboards.
The X1 Carbon I spotted has super specs with an Intel Core i7 processor, 64GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an IPS display with a recommended resolution of 2880 X 1800 pixels. Yoiks!
Plug that into one of my 27″ monitors and it’s a super setup.
In this photo, the Carbon is sitting on my previous laptop, a Dell G3 that’s over five years old.
The Dell has been a great machine, but it’s at least twice the weight of the feathery 2.5lb (just over 1kg) X1. I’ll keep the Dell, it’s no slouch with an i5 processor and 16GB of RAM, and a 4GB video card. But it’ll be great to have the Carbon for taking on the road.
The Carbon is now my fastest machine, outdoing my tower computer. The advantage the tower has is multiple HDs, so I’ll keep it up and running.
I’ve ordered a dock for the X1 so that I can connect multiple monitors, a wired LAN connection, and have additional USB A and C ports.
Stewart Farm Wildlife in South Surrey, BC
Another walk. . .
Stealth bunny
Gorgeous, shy, garter snake
Lovely pollinator
Finch couple
Dragonfly
Damselfly
Great Blue Heron Extravaganza in Burnaby, BC
I took a morning stroll in Fraser Foreshore Park this morning before it got too hot. I was happy to spot several Great Blue Herons in various states: snoozing, scratching, preening. . .
Look Ma! No head! 🙂
Today was my last day working a shift at a public event with the BC Hydro Community Outreach Team. What a ride!
Fittingly it was at the Everything Electric show at the (Double LEED Certified!) Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, where BC Hydro was the major sponsor.
I wasn’t going to post this until my FT contract expires in a week or so, but. . .
I love this team so much, I need to say something now. For I’m already feeling bereft. . .
I’ve been on the team for about 2-1/2 years, and the training, the work ethic, the camaraderie have all been outstanding. I’m the “grandad” on the team, and while I could stay on, the time has come to start pulling back on the work schedule.
It’s been grand to be in my ’60s and hang out with bright, intelligent, hard-working young folks heading out on what will be impressive careers.
They may play music I’ve never heard of, but I like learning that, too :-).
I’ve been the “Dad Jokes” team member, and I suspect nobody will be able to fill those shoes soon, eh? That could be a gaping void, or that could be a relief. . . 🙂
I’ve worked for superb managers at BC Hydro, and I respect them all.
If some day I find something PT at Hydro, I’ll BE BACK :-). It’s good to keep working, keep some cash flow flowing, and keep the brain engaged.
I love you all, team! 💖