January 8, 2008-I can't see anything.

Hello faithful reader.

Welcome to 2008 and Happy New year. The weather has been a bit weird here lately. Went from -20 C to + 10C over night, and with it came a LOT of fog. Not unexpected with all of the snow on the ground and the warmer temps.

Something a bit different for me, photo wise. Here are some fog shots around the farm that we board our horse at.


DJB

December 30, 2007-On to 2008

Hello faithful reader.

Well, 2007 has come and gone. The world is still in a turmoil, and Dslr shooters are in a tizzy about what may or may not be on the next generation of cameras.:-)
Actually, I had a decent year, all things considered. Had a great vacation in Las Vegas in April. Daughter and her SO accompanied us, and had a wonderful week. They plan on returning. My work here is done.:-). Also had a wonderful week at the Grandfather Mountain, Nature Photography Weekend in June. This was my third year, and i love the place. Great scenery, great company. Pentax may be the # 3 in the camera game, but the owners are #1 to me.
Even though i was bought out from my place of employment, after 34 years, it was not that bad. I had really no love for the business, and was glad to be out. The SO even said i was now sleeping better and snoring less. I tried to tell that to the PDML at GFM, but they don't believe me.:-).
This was my best year every for web based sales from my Equine shows. That means a new lens i fear.LOL

Managed to keep busy with a few part time gig's, and i think i have some decent prospects coming my way in early January.

My daughter finished her show year with 5 of 6 Championships, Champion year end and first overall in Level I, Dressage, in Ontario at the Trillium level. Why we cannot sell this horse still amazes me.

Christmas was good for us. Small and quiet. Had supper at my sisters, whom i only see 1-2 times a year. She does not cook, but didi a great job.

So to all, have a great Newyear and hope all your wishes come true. There has to be a job out there for me somewhere. I'll find it.


DJB

Dec 15, 2007-Wether the Weather

Hello faithful reader.

Well, i have finally had enough of local news and weather channels and their "Storm Watch" doom and gloom reports.

Ten minutes of super hype, for a meager amount of snow, say 1-3 cm's, that may or may not show up.

I can not believe how worked up the GTA of Southern Ont gets over these "storms". I worked for a survey company for close to 34 years, and most of my work was done away from the office, in Northern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta. I have also worked winters in the East Coast.
It is not unusual in the North, to have snow in Winter. Trust me, it does and will happen.
Usually 3-5 cm's a day is common from Nov to Jan, at least, if not more, then it settles down a bit, snow still but less often. Local news might mention it in the daily weather forecast, but believe me, they do not make any big deal out of it. Heck the snow plows don't even come out for any thing less than 5 cm's. You just drive on it.

Here is a typical Northern news lead, as i remember it.

"Oh BTW we should get about 10 cm of snow tonight, say how's are hockey team doing these day, Ken".

That's the Northern way. It should be adopted here. If i see one more reporter standing out side, toque on and saying how bad it is out side, when you can still see pavement, I'll scream.

One or Two cm's of snow, can and will, paralize Toronto and the 400 series of Hwys. No one slows down, and the OPP will respond to a crash a minute. People its winter. Has been around here for 1000's of years if not more. Trust me, in that it will snow between Nov and April every year.
Get those snow tires on, slow down or stay home.

And please no more super hype news stories about what is inevitable any way. Half the time, when i am hoping for a snow day, the sun will shine, and Buffalo gets it.:-)

Sorry for the rant. I'm feeling better now.

Thanks for listening

DJB

December 01, 2007-Repair week concluded

Hello faithful reader.


Well its been a pretty exciting week, at least for a guy with 10 thumbs.

I have, and still have, some repairs and things to do around the house. I have been "semi retired" since June, and i thought this is now or never time to get some of this stuff done. Three things needed some what immediate attention, a leaking sink cold water handle, a broken basement sub floor(the raised wood kind) and our electrical panel upgrade. I have no intention of doing the panel. The panel has been on the list for quite some time. I have had someone in to install and repair my air conditioner on several occasions and i questioned his wiring on several times. My suspicions we're confirmed by the electrician with comments like, who put this in, its illegal and could cause a fire. Stuff like that.

Managed to get the old water handle off. Its an old, old sink with separate handles. A trip to the local Canadian Tire and with some hands and knees product searching, found what i needed, a cold water plug. Nothing much to put it back in, however i forgot our house was built by a left handed owner, and the taps are all back wards. I should have bought a hot water plug, as the handle is reversed now, but i was not going to get into a fight with it again. We'll live with it.

Next i tackled the floor. A piece about 4'x4' plywood had rotted, due to a small water leak the house has during certain kinds of rain or spring thaws. I knew the plywood and at least one 2x2 had rotted, but kept putting this off. I REALLY need to be motivated to do stuff like this. Motivated, as i did not want my electricians to break a leg, i fixed it on Tuesday. My simple 1 hour plan turned into a 5 hour adventure. My carefully planed mini saw did not cut the mustured and had to find my skill saw, which took some time. Needless to say, finally a new piece is in place, but some old survey words found their way out into the open.:-0.

Friday was D day. The panel was getting up graded from 60 to 100 amps. I hand tried to get this done over the past three years, and the people my SO wanted in kept putting us off. I thought i was being quite fair in letting her have three years to ask them, so in Sept i said i was getting someone else, that she has a hate on for, and that prompted her into calling the son of another friend who is a qualified electrician and a price and date set quickly.
Friday WAS supposed to be nice, about +2 and sunny. Well, how does -10 and snow sound. We pretty much had to do this now, as it would take another month to get Hydro to come and cut and hook power up.

Only a few minor snags, wrong size this, wrong length that, but by 3 pm all was done and inspected. However the worst part was waiting for hydro to come back at 6pm and re hook. Good thing we have a wood stove.

Soooooo, three major repair items are done, i still have 10 thumbs, but its enough to please the SO for a while and i can concentrate on how i will fix the next set of problems. Remember i need to be motivated.:-)

Thanks for listening

DJB

November 21, 2007-Back from my trip

Hello faithfull reader.

Well its been over a month since i last wrote anything, thats due to two things. My life is now boring, and what was to be a two day trip back on Nov 5th, turned into a two week x country adventure in the US and Canada.

I had no loads to escort for about 10 days, when i recieved a call to escort another converyor belt to the Dayton Ohio area for Nov 5th. Sounds good i said, easy loads to cover, just follow and in Michigan another escort is needed and they lead. Well we delivered the load around 9am on Tuesday morn, helped my driver take wires and lights off, then we headed back to Canada.

Stopped for fuel around Wapakoneka Ohio, when my phone rang. I knew i should have shut it off, but i answered it anyway. I'm needed in Holland Michigan for the next day to be one of 4 escorts on two super loads going to Fort McMurray Alberta. Managed to find the place on Wednesday, and met up with all the other drivers. The one driver from Michigan, who shall remain nameless was a complete jack ass and pushed my buttons from the get go.The loads had been sitting in Holland, as well as the truck drivers, for 23 days until they finally received permits for Michigan.

Two days to get out of Michigan and over the bridge to Sault Ste Marie Ontario.Friday was drive like mad to get to Nipigon, were we had to weekend over. Oversize cannot move on weekends in Ontario. Well two days of Mr knowitall(not the guy from Rocky and Bullwinkle, i like him) was all i could stand, and i quit and started to head home. I finally cooled off, and returned to honour my commitment, reluctantly.

Three days of following a 16' wide by 16' high load followed untill we reached Lloydminster Alberta Wednesday night. Alberta escorts would now take over and i could look forward to a long, three days to get home. I over nighted in Lloyd and headed out Thursday.
Gave it pretty hard, Lloyd to Kenora Ontario in 13 1/2 hours. Not much to see or stop for photos in the prairies. Friday i made it to Longlac, i was tired, and over nighted there. Big changes since i was last there in 1999. They put up some street lights and built a new drug store.
Managaed to get a few photos on Friday, of some churches i had always meant to in Upsala and Longlac(the Upsala one is featured here.)
Saturday was a twelve hour drive and i'm finally home after 13 frustrating days.

I am now in the process of looking for a new job, for obvious reseaons. I do not want to travel anymore, and guess what this job entails.LOL

Any way, glad to be home, the North is still the same, under populatred and dreary, but it was nice to see, for the moment, one more time.

Thnaks for listening

DJB

October 13, 2007-Post Thanksgiving Blues

Hello faithful reader.

Been a while since i had something to write down, been a bit busy with post season photo orders and job hunting.

Its not unusual for a lot of orders to come in after the equine season is over. Lots of people wait to see if i get anything else they may want printed or on a CD.

I don't mind, bill's have to be paid, right.:-)

This past weekend was our Thanksgiving here in Canada, and as in the past 7 years, i made the anual trek up to a friends hunt camp in Madawaska Ontario, for a weekend of what we call bird hunting(actually its more of a nice walk in the bush, with camera, but i bring the 410 along to make it look good) and the "family" dinner on the Saturday. The family is a group of people, some related to but mostly associated with the camp and are or were one time Mmadawaskians. Great group of people. Unfortunatly some could not attened. The desert lady was there and had my fill of home made carrot cake and pecan pie. Now as long as my Doctor does not read this.LOL

Its a happy and sad weekend for me. Happy as i enjoy getting away from the big smoke(Toronto) and in the quiet bush. Quite a few photo op's but the weatehr the past few years have lead to not so great colurs in the trees.
Still, photos are out there to be found.

Sad because its pretty much it for the summer type weather most people like. I personally am a cold weather person, so i'm not so sad for long.

Two banquets on tonight. The Central East Hunter Jumper, of which i supply slideshow material and take awards photos, and the Cadora Dressage Banquet, of which my daughter will receive her first place and Champion awards.

Unfortunatly they are at the same time, different locations, and i will miss her night. To bad we only knew about the Cadora one a few weeks ago, not longer.

For that i am very sad. I missed a lot of my daughter growing up, due to major work travelling, and i try to attend everything she does now, to help make up and catch up the time missed.

Thanks for listening.

Oh and what am i thankfull for on Thanksgiving, well, that i have a wife that puts up with the cameras all over the house, and a daughter who is smart, honest and fun to be with.

DJB

September 11, 2007-A proud Mom and Dad.

Hello faithful reader.

Well the horse show season is just about wound down for me, one more to go, but it has for my daughter.

As i may have mentioned, she she has been riding for about 15 years, showing in the hunter ring for about 10 years, and last year, about this time, made the switch to Dressage from the Hunters, due to some coaching concerns.

Well it turns out we should have made that move many years ago, at least with this horse, the Trakehner mare. Both of them have taken to this disipline like ducks to water. Lessons went well, and her show this year in Orangeville were all great. Out of six shows, she was Champion for five of them.

This past weekend, was the Trillium Championships, again held in Orangeville. Saturday was lovely and was a schooling day, although it was judged. Did well, and we enjoyed the sun and the day.

Sunday however was another day. Heavy rain off and on all day made for some tough ring conditions, but the mare has shown Hunter in these conditions and it did not bother her, as it did with some others. They did their two tests and finished second place for both, which was good enough to take Champion for the Tournament in her division, Level I.

Daughter is finally happy again in her riding, really enjoys the dressage atmosphere and team comradery.

Only sad part is she needs money to help build up their house hunting fund, and we reluctanlty will be selling her. If this years success does not help in the sale, i don't know what will.

Thanks for listening, and oh, ya Mom and Dad are very proud.

DJB