We seem to have had an unsettled week of weather as we sort through the crow snows. The dire forecasts of ten centimetres of snow didn't come (not here, anyway). We didn't need it. I hope the Big Guy is soon finished punishing the crows, as truckers and ranchers are not enjoying this weather either. Bring on the sun, Big Guy!
On the home front not much is happening. I see we have another squirrel show up in the combine. He does a lot of chitter, chitter and just about drives Bev's dogs crazy. He is on top of the combine, the dogs are on the ground. The squirrel is safe and he knows it, but the dogs would really, really like to get him. I wish they could. I wonder what wires he has chewed up in the meantime.
I got my final payment for the wheat I sold to the Wheat Board almost two years ago. It was so small, I had to take it to the bank. It was too small to go by itself. I hope the Wheat Board is satisfied with themselves, because I am not. The payment is two or three dollars short of what I can get today and I have had to wait just about two years for my money. Today I dump my grain in the elevator and I get paid right there. That is a terrific difference in cash flow. What about the other money (farmers' money) the Wheat Board has tied up? Where is the money in the contingency fund? Six hundred million, what happened to that? Will I ever see any money that they spent on the two lake freighters they bought? What about all the other things they bought? The Wheat Board had no money. All they had was farmers' money, yet they spent it like it was theirs. I was one of the ones who thought we should keep the Wheat Board. Not any more! It's gone and I say good riddance.
I am overjoyed we have a new Pope. Thank God that's over! Six thousand media people were there to cover it. The church outdid themselves, 150 cardinals dressed in bright red, long flowing robes parading in army precision. Then locked up in secret. A chimney was the only communication to the outside world. They burned the ballots as a signal that they were voting. Black smoke meant no decision, white smoke a pope has been elected. Even a seagull came to see what was happening. The media starved for something to report covered the sea gull landing on the chimney completely. And over and over again. It's hard to believe this pomp and ceremony has been going on for hundreds of years but it is just tailor made for the media. The show for the media is only rivalled by the opening and closing ceremony for the Olympics. The media just gobbled it up and there was no other news in the whole world other than the electing of a new pope. Well, I'm glad it's over but I don't know for how long. The new Pope is 76. I look at him and my little voice says he is an "old" 76. We could be doing this again before you know it.
In political news, another week, another senator in trouble. The Pandora's box is open and reporter Robert Fife is all over it just like a goose on a wheat swath. This time Liberal Senator Mac Harb is under fire. He was appointed to the senate in 2002. He has a residence in a small village of Westmeath about a 100 kilometres northwest of Ottawa. No one in Westmeath has seen him or knows what he looks like. He has a house and four Condos in Ottawa. He has claimed the house in Westmeath as his residence. Since 2002 he has billed thousands of dollars for housing allowance, travel and meals. I think he is caught! Good!
Senator Pamela Wallin has repaid back the money she had claimed as travel allowance that she wasn't entitled to. Senator Mike Duffy says he will repay back the money he owes. Independent Senator Patric Brazeau is still waiting for his day in court, but he is still receiving his salary of $133,000 as a senator.
Which one of those honourable gentlemen will be next??
Joke of the week: An elderly Saskatchewan lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!" The four men didn't wait for a second threat. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she couldn't get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then she realized why. It was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs of beer in the front seat. A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down the row. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.
Moral of the story? If you're going to have a senior moment make it memorable!
