I am really enjoying this weather. Sunshine every day. It is beautiful. In the back of my mind I keep saying to myself, "How long will this last?" Last year and the year before we had snow by now.
This is much better. If I don't see the sun, I get a feeling like the world is closing in on me. It's hard not to feel depressed in that situation. I could not live as a miner, or some job where you never see the sun. The only time this past week was on Tuesday where it was overcast in the morning.
I say it was my friend Max whose estate sale was on that day. Max was crying because people were taking his stuff. He quit crying about 2 p.m. when his 1170 Case tractor sold for $17,000. That was probably more than he paid for it. The rest of the afternoon was sunny but later that night, when everyone had gone home with Max's stuff, it rained a little sorrow shower.
Max was very proud of his stuff and kept it in top-notch condition. He would not be happy someone else got it. Another one of my friends that is gone and I don't get to visit any more.
On the home front, I have all the machinery parked and I like it like that. If it is not moving, it can't break down. That's my theory anyway and I'm sticking to it.
I have some jobs that could be done but I may not do them. I have a clutch to change in a truck but, since I don't fit under trucks as well as I used to, that project may be put on hold. I used to enjoy working in my shop in the winter but the getting up off the floor is a real struggle for me now. I could work in my elevator in town but most of the fixing is 20 or 30 feet up and 10 feet sideways. Not a job for a short fat guy like myself. I could hire some help but I think I will just enjoy not thinking about hired help, for a little while anyways.
Other people go to Hawaii or Mexico but I am comfortable in my easy chair. The hassle of going is far in excess of the pleasure of just staying home. As long as the sun shines I like it here. I do not have a bucket list!
In politics, by the time you read this the four byelections in Alberta will be over. Jim Prentice will know if the people of Alberta have decided to give him a mandate or whether the spending scandals of Allison Redford are still on Albertans' minds. Tuesday morning, after the votes are counted Monday night, might be very interesting. We can only watch from our easy chair!
In Eastern Canada two radicalized Canadians are doing bad things. In Quebec a radicalized man waited in ambush and, with a car, ran down two members of the Armed Forces, killing one man and critically injuring the other. He was killed after a police chase and a shootout with RCMP.
In Ottawa a man with a 30-30 rifle killed a soldier standing guard at the War Memorial. Then he stole another car and ran into the Parliament Buildings and had a shootout with security guards until he was killed by the sergeant-at-arms. The sergeant-at-arms in Parliament is an honorary position but lucky for Canada he had a pistol and was a retired RCMP officer.
The next day, when he performed his duty of carrying the mace into Parliament he was roundly cheered by the MPs. He looked uncomfortable about the attention and I thought he also looked like a man who never slept the night before.
This killing of members of the armed forces is shocking and disturbing to all Canadians. There are questions that have to be asked. Where did the killer in Ottawa get the gun? How did he get shells? How did he have money to come all the way from British Columbia to Ottawa? How can these young men get radicalized by ISIS?
Hopefully this is a one-time event but any time it could be repeated as the RCMP have 90 people on the so-called watch list. There is no shortage of drugs and people with mental problems. Those two things seem to be related.
Ottawa is big on ceremonial positions. From now on if a member of the armed forces or anyone else is standing guard for Canada, at least let them have bullets in their guns so they can defend themselves. Even a crazy wing nut will think twice before opening fire if they could be shot back at.
Only a coward would shoot an unarmed man. Shot in the back besides! What a waste of a life. He was only 24 years old, his whole life ahead of him and he left behind a five-year-old boy.
On a sad note, my condolences to Jacquie Gerbig and family on the sudden passing of her husband Buck. He leaves behind two sons and their wives, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and countless friends. He was a long-time player with the Standard Hill Lakers ball team. He loved the game, and he thought highly of his teammates. All of us will miss Buck's numerous stories, sense of humour and his quick smile.
Joke of the week: A business man went to Las Vegas where he lost everything gambling. All he had left was his return plane ticket and a few cents. He went outside to get a cab to the airport. The cab driver refused to take him if he didn't have the $15 cab fare. He promised the cabbie he would send him the money once he got home. He even gave the cabbie his home phone number and credit card number.
