Chicks

We had a great time last night. At 5pm we picked up Abigail and Maggie at their hotel. Maggie is my great uncle's son's wife and Abigail is their daughter. I had only met them both briefly, years ago (1996) when I was in Alberta for the cattle drive so I wondered how our evening would go. As  it turns out from the moment they got in the car we got along famously. We had an instant connection, perhaps because of shared experiences (they live in Buffalo Alberta which is one of my most favourite places in the world), or perhaps it was just because they were nice. Or could being related, however distantly break the initial ice. I think perhaps it was all of the above.

It was rush hour, and rainy, but Carm drove us around the city so we could show them some of the sights. We saw lots of tulips, yet to blossom ; the university campus, much grown since the last time we were there ; the falls over the geographical fault line ; the arboretum and experimental farm... We finally ended up in Little Italy where we stopped for supper, at a Thai place (thanks Maggie). After lingering over supper, and gabbing for ages, we wanted to reciprocate so took them down to the market for a decadent dessert. A perfect ending to a lovely evening.

The dessert seemed perfect, but oh my, it kept me awake most of the night. I shouldn't have had that coffee, but the sugar from the dessert did not sit well with me. I should have only eaten 1/2 of it but after spending $$ I was too cheap to leave it - stupid. A night awake wouldn't be a problem for most people, but one the most common bipolar triggers is lack of sleep. Luckily I seem to be okay and will make sure I get a good nights sleep tonight.

I would have loved a quiet day at home today, but it ended up being a day of 1000 errands. First we stopped by the accountant to see what the result of our taxes (we get some back - hurrah), then on to Ikea to buy a few more chargers and plates so that I have a place setting for 6 (I like that kind of stuff), a quick stop at Jiffylube for an oil change (where they sort of ripped us off - we'll stick with our regular mechanic from now on), then to Costco (trying to find a place to park was ridiculous - aren't people working?), then PetSmart to  see if they had canned tripe (they didn't, but it was fun to watch the dogs playing, and we came out without a new toy for Spike - his toy box is packed), then to Critter Jungle where they did have the canned tripe, we swung by Carm's mom's but she wasn't home, and then finally... HOME... ahhhh... home sweet home.

This afternoon on our walk in the lower pond paddock the dogs flushed a bird - I didn't get a real look at it. Bella was acting strangely so I walked over to see what the trouble was, and there on the ground was a nest with 4 chicks. They were maybe 1/2 the size of a chicken chick, all fluffy and alert looking, not like parrot or robin chicks. I wonder what would be hatched this time of year (remember we had snow 2 days ago). (I did some searching on google - perhaps they are American Woodcock?)

Here’s something you might find interesting if you are a soda drinker:

http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/osteoporosis-diet-soda-depletes-calcium-and-may-increase-heart-attack-risk.html

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.
Thomas Jefferson