The Jungle Road, also known as the Tenth Line of Collingwood Township.

Global Warming and Cool Cats

We Canadians have a love-hate relationship with snow. I should say adult Canadians, I suppose. Because when you look at it, Canadian children aren't as judgemental about weather. They don't have driver's licences nor the inclination to worry about clean sidewalks and frozen plumbing. It's the love side of the relationship that I recall most fondly.

I remember growing up in small town Ontario during the sixties. When the snow fell, a kind of mass mania struck with an unimaginable allure. Every kid around was pulled by an irresistable force to the out of doors. The bliss engendered by being the first kid on the block to make footprints in freshly fallen snow was a great reward. Maybe we felt like explorers covering new ground, despite the fact that we had trod the same ground sans snow many times before. It didn't matter if there was a fresh blanket to run through. The juvenile imagination ran wild. There were snow forts to be built and snowmen to be erected. There were snowball battles to be fought.

All was well with the world.

As an adult, unfortunately I have to work harder to find snow in this pristine shape. Sometimes it's hard to find snow at all. It's been couple of years since I've had the pleasure of donning snowshoes and wandering around the Grey County Forest. I have to get out in the snow just to recover some of that youthful exuberance for the stuff. Living in a large city has certainly changed my appreciation for snow because it's so disruptive. Our illustrious mayor called out the Canadian Army a few years back to help cope with a larger than usual snowfall. All of the folks who were prepared and nonplussed by the amount of snow scratched their collective heads at the commotion. Even so, we were all annoyed that something that was commonplace 25 years ago is now considered a major nuisance.

Despite these urban foibles, I have to side with the rest of Canadians who scoff at Toronto's inability to cope. Don't whine about the snow. Get out and play in it.

A new baby in the family... Max 

A kitty cat from the Book of Kells. The artist had a fanciful way with colour, and the facial expression is a bit peculiar don'tya think? This cat would have been alive in the late eighth century when the Book of Kells was illuminated. 1200 year old cat. hrm.... 

A baby picture of Spot. She was a cute little beggar. 

The Lone Rhinoceros

I'm a lone rhinoceros
there ain't one hell of a lots of us
left in this world

I stand alone in my concrete cell
where people stare and toss me Coke cans
I guess it's better than being poached
but I'd give my horn just to see my homeland

I'm a lone rhinoceros
there ain't one hell of a lots of us
left in this world

They say I am ugly,
call me a beast
I hear them snicker
when I'm half asleep
Is beauty such a big commodity
I always heard it was only so deep

I'm a lone rhinoceros
there ain't one hell of a lots of us
left in this world

I know the zoos protect my species
they give me food, collect my feces
but I can't help it, I miss the past
I'll never again see my good old mudbath

Adrian Belew

Can't Get Any News on This TV Set 

It's Soapbox Time.

I recall a news article about an academic who had studied the effects of information overload. I'd like to know what he found because I'm a wreck. I'm a news junky and every bit of it is making me nuts. I could be just overreacting to all that I hear, but I still think the world has gone mad.

The weather is screwy. I can't even listen to the weather report without being anxious. Being a red blooded Canajun boy, I should be up to my knees in snow right now, and it has been raining cats and dogs all day. It's going to be like a warm spring day tomorrow according to the geeks with supercomputers in Ottawa. This time of year, normally there are emasculated brass monkeys running all over the place. Now there are rivers of water in the streets. Catastrophic weather. This global warming thing has got me in a state.

Now we can proceed to the real hard news. That's the stuff that's really got me freaking out. Every week we hear stories of greedy business people peddling poisons and playing hard and fast with the facts to avoid scrutiny. Their friends, the greedy politicians are under constant scrutiny, and they're not saying much either even though they try to hog airtime as much as possible.

About the only good news these days is kinda bittersweet because it has taken a disaster of horrendous proportions to motivate the world to do good. Massive relief efforts are underway, and people the world over are rallying to the aid of the tsunami victims in south Asia. It's good to see this global effort, but I wish a few hundred thousand people didn't have to die to generate the good news. Even so, I've donated money and I'd urge anyone with a few extra bucks to do the same. Maybe the world can improve by keeping the momentum of third world debt relief and construction ongoing. That would be good news without the accompanying disaster.

It is more likely that in a few months we will get back to scrutinizing the greedy business people and the crooked politicians, and forget that we were ever decent. Then the news will return to it's normal state. Bad.

Othercat 1983 - 2005  

RIP Othercat 1983 - 2005

The old gal has packed it in. Born in Ottawa in 1983, the other one has followed us on our adventures all over North America. She was a most excellent cat. She returned years of affection and a kind of inter-species loyalty for a regular meal and a place to crap. She was on to her job when we had a mouse problem. She kept Spot in line most of the time. Pretty good deal for everyone.

Unfortunately, the ravages of age proved too much for other, and we had to put her to sleep. I'm still teary eyed at the thought of her drifting off when the good doctor pushed the plunger. It was peaceful, and the right thing to do, but even so, it's a big bummer. I'm gonna go play my horn.