This is the time when bloggers, media outlets and other practitioners of of the communicative ahhts feel compelled to produce their retrospectives of the year about to pass. We’re no different, but since we don’t have a suitable sweater, we can’t entitle this “Look Back in Angora”. “Look Back in Wool” doesn’t have the same gravitas, but we will press on.
Some will disagree with our choices, while others will golf clap.
The Lac Megantic derailment was one of the big ones. It showed just how messed up transportation safety is/was in this country. Government cuts have left the railroads to self-regulate to the point of truly stupid. The derailment, explosion and fire cost 47 lives and millions of dollars damage.
The Senate/Duffy/Wallin/Brazeau affair still leaves a stench cloud over the entire Parliamentary precinct, showing our Prime Minister to be the micro-managing playground bully we always thought he was. Nigel Wright now runs a nail salon for double amputees in Hamilton.
The OCTranspo Bus Crash, a local piece, that saw a double decker transit bus disagree with a Via Rail passenger train, killing five. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is trying to get to the root cause and will find the golden nugget in this level-crossing accident that killed five.
Obama-Care has shown itself to be a complete waste of time, having been ear-marked, politicized and porked to the point of no return. The high concept, basic health care for everyone, seems so simple to grasp, that we’re left wondering if there is intelligent life left in the US. Canada went through this in 1954 and the trade-off was simple: Federal taxes go up to pay for it. There is no free ride.
Breezy is a dog that was beaten almost to death, then tossed into a dumpster. People saw it happen, called the cops and got Breezy to the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) shelter. She’s been patched up and is almost fully recovered. The perp has pleaded guilty in court to animal cruelty and will be sentenced shortly.
Charlie, Gus, Tommy and Winne arrived at our abode. They’re our new family additions. Charlie and Gus were littermates and when we were looking at cats at the Humane Society, we were down to Charlie and Gus, or Tommy. We didn’t want to split up the littermates, so Charlie and Gus came home with us. A few weeks later we found Tommy, still up for adoption at a PetSmart in the west end. Kismet.
The story of Winnie (a private rescue) is ongoing, but she is settling in well with a house full of cats, getting over her issues. We laugh with them daily, some days being too cute for words, or pictures without being tiresome, or crazy.
The Canadian Road Trip, from Vancouver to Ottawa by train on The Canadian was a highlight for both of us, celebrating 25 years of marriage. All we have to do to rekindle the memories is sit in the bottom of the linen closet, drinking a Black Russian and rock back and forth. There’s more room in the linen closet than in our room on the train, but the feelings come back immediately.
Winter is still here, the temperatures dropping across Canada as we go into the deep freeze after a monster snowstorm, then ice storm. Fortunately the snow blower works and so does the block heater on the car. The snow banks are up over 6 feet and when the neighbours come back from their vacation, their first reaction will probably be: “Holy Crap!” It has snowed that much since they left on Dec 20th.
Remarkable dinners have been too many to recount with several great friends. Altogether too much laughter, including a recounting of the story of the Rarey Bird. We still haven’t got all the stains out of the carpet from that one.
Overall, a reasonable year with the laughter outweighing the tears and fears. Which is about all one can hope for these days.
May your 2014 give you the wisdom to know the difference between what you want and what you need and then give you the right one.
WordPress Tags: Lookback,Wool,gravitas,Some,Megantic,transportation,Government,self,explosion,cost,millions,dollars,Senate,Duffy,Wallin,Brazeau,affair,stench,Parliamentary,precinct,Prime,Minister,micro,playground,Nigel,salon,Hamilton,OCTranspo,Crash,transit,Rail,Board,nugget,accident,Obama,Care,concept,health,life,Canada,Federal,Breezy,death,People,Ottawa,Humane,Charlie,Tommy,Winne,abode,additions,cats,adoption,PetSmart,Kismet,Winnie,Canadian,Road,Trip,Vancouver,memories,Black,Russian,room,Winter,temperatures,snowstorm,blower,heater,feet,vacation,reaction,Crap,Remarkable,dinners,Altogether,laughter,Rarey,Bird,haven,carpet,Overall,wisdom,difference,five,littermates,linen
RoadDave 