False Frost Warning

It was odd on Monday to receive a frost-warning popup on my phone because the projected low night temperature was only 6C. In the morning, I asked Alexa what the overnight low had been, and she replied with a curious 22C. I think she got stuck in the wrong month. 

I was later able to scrub back on the weather app on my phone and saw that the low temperature was 5C. We remain frost-free for the time being, but the highland parts of the region have already experienced frost and even a hard frost. 

This is one year when part of me wishes for a hard, early frost because, as I have previously written, I have the flicker of a  hope that a hard frost might unplug my almost-deaf left ear.

I have my doubts that a cure will wrought by a frost, but we walked over to the health centre yesterday to consult with our doctor to see if there was anything else I could do in the interim, other than the antihistamine and nasal spray that I have been taking daily.

As we waited, I made a guess that this young fellow’s complaint might have to do with his foot. Do you concur?

Then, I was called. As the nurse and I began out walk to the examining room, she asked, "So, what are you seeing Dr X about today?"

I replied, "I am here to see Dy Y."

We stopped our progress, and she went back to check and discovered that it was a different John's turn. John isn't as common a name as it used to be, but there were two of us on the premises. I know there were once three of us in one of my classes when I was a boy, but the name is not so common anymore. Even my grandson is a Jonathan rather than a plain John although he is named for me. Poor boy.

I returned to me seat but was called again soon after, and when the doctor checked my ear, she saw fluid that the student doctor missed last time. I don't think that miss matters much because the treatment doesn't really change. However, I will be on a stronger anti-histamine for a bit and I will add a decongestant to the protocol for 3 days to try to boost a reaction. 

My seniors' drugs are largely covered except except for a small dispensing fee, but I was charged full price of $90 for 60 tablets on this occasion. There are a few medications that aren't covered by the system, but this surprises me. I will check with the pharmacy with crossed fingers later this morning to see if this was an error.

Meanwhile, the doctor continues to think that the blockage is being caused by an allergy. When I told her that I had once been tested and that it was determined that I pretty well have no allergies, she replied that there are many that the test might have missed. Certainly my stuffy and runny nose and frequent sneezing indicate that there is something plaguing me. She also felt that I should continue to use the nasal spray even when the current blockage clears up because that has been my second bout of the year. In other words, she wants me to use the spray for the rest of my life to try to prevent future occurrences.

On the way home we stopped at Dark & Deadly for coffee and a breakfast sandwich — in our case it became a lunch sandwich. The favoured coffee of the day was blueberry. It was good, as was peanut butter and jam the other day. A few of you were thinking that you couldn't abide a pbj coffee, and I admit that I was dubious. However, I tell you that I cannot discern the flavours, other than to appreciate that they go down pretty well. I mean my peanut butter and jam coffee certainly didn't taste like pbj to me. Same with blueberry, a fruit that I otherwise eat almost daily.

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I think I understand the frost warning now. It's a general warning for  broad region but does not apply to every bit of the region. We are in the Lanark section of the green, but our town was not included in the specific paces mentioned in the accompanying material.

Do You Deserve a Tip of the Hat?

I use all but one. If you know and use most and/or you can guess which one I don't use, I tip my cap to you. (My answer will appear somewhat below the next photo.)

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The only word that I don't use cattywumpus, but maybe I should try  

How did you do?

Hand and Band

Yesterday, I donned my red-black jacket for our walk. Heaver than a windbreaker but lighter than a winter coat, it seemed the thing to grab for mid-fifties weather. I also wore one glove a la Michaël Jackson — on my heft hand that holds the cane, because it would be continuously exposed. The other hand, I could shove into my pocket at will.

It did get warmer before we were done, largely from sun warmth more than temperature warmth. 

As we continued past the bridge we began to hear music.

We got closer and saw and heard the bagpipes. This is just a few second clip.

I took a few snaps from a distance. The photos were awful with distractions, so I extracted two of the musicians from their compatriots and composited them into a cheesy image. It's terrible, but I unashamedly reveal all here. Well, maybe not all, but I reveal much — both the good and not so good.

A street was blocked for for a march by the three bands, but we found a space on the grounds behind the Legion building where people were gathered and there was seating available. The three bands took their time marching, each finishing its song and march before the next one started. We couldn't see very much, not enough to bother with photos, but we could see some and hear well. It was an unexpected pleasure on a Sunday morning.

Cold Sunrise

She who runs at an out-of-kilter temperature was surprised when she came into my den yesterday morning. Because. I had the heater on by my computer chair!

Not only that, but I was wearing my winter sweater.

The nights have been cold. Alexa informed me that it was only 2C/36F outside at 7:15.

As you know, our game is to not turn on the heat until the end of October. We have made it to the end of October only once as far as I can recall, but we give it a good shot. We'll see how we do this year. The countdown isn't on yet, but some nights are getting very cool. At present (written yesterday morning), I am heating the bathroom in preparation for my biannual shower. ;)

There was a bit of colour over the opposite rooftops at 6:30. I shot on an angle from the non-screen side of my little window. Come winter, I shall remove the screen, so that I can shoot from either side, likely to photograph the neighbours shovelling snow.

On Friday, the heron was at the pond. I shot at full 8x magnification and then cropped, so of course, the image is anything but sharp. But it's a heron! And the light is good enough. Eh?

Addendum (still referring to yesterday, Saturday)

When I went into the bedroom at 8 to gather my after-shower clothing, Sue had the windows open and was sitting in a very light, Mrs Roper, caftan. Oddly enough, when we go out, she often seems more concerned about the cold than I.

Things in the Morning

Friday morning was a bit unusual. We had a new driveway paved three years ago, as many in neighbourhood had done. A few days ago, we saw that some owners had found a local company to top it or seal it or whatever you call it. When we saw the posted sign, Sue called, and they came the next day.

By 7 o'clock!

They were done by 8, and it was time to pay: by e-transfer please.

Okay then. Phone out. It took me awhile to locate the app.

Then, I had to remember the 16 digit code, which was new because they just dropped a new bank card on me. Believe it or not, I remembered. You see, I don't want the number to remain permanent on my devices, so I have to commit such numbers to memory.

Next, came my 17 digit password. This is a lot on the spot, one-finger typing on a tiny phone for an almost-octogenarian.

Of course, I had to add a new contact. Eventually, I handed my phone to the fellow to make sure of the email address. Good thing: I had it wrong.

Finally, the payment was made, and he got the deposit notification on the spot.

By then, Sue was more than ready for a second cup. I suggested that we could go out for it, but she wasn't ready yet, so I volunteered go and bring coffee back. Off I went.

In a morning of little hurdles, I was about to encounter two more.

I got to the nearest of the two Tims, but it was closed for renovations. I drove to the other one, but with the first Tims being closed, I couldn't even get into the parking lot with cars being lined up onto the street to go through the drive through.

I could have gone to McDonalds, but Dark & Deadly is closer, so I parked and went in.

Their flavoured coffee of the day was the new, Peanut Butter & Jam. It know that it sounds atrocious, but they gave me a mini cup to try. I thought it tasted fine, so that's what I brought home for Sue and me.

Of course, we now can't use the driveway until Sunday when it shall be sufficiently dry, but I did find a close spot on the street without spilling a drop.

At walk time, we opted to leave the car in order to keep our precious spot. Over to the park we ambled and also slightly along the trail with me dragging my wretched foot.

We have one spot where we can see the river from a gap in the foliage that lines the riverbank. Although most colour is just beginning (as in the background), this tree was already blazing. I seem to observe that trees by the water, sometimes almost in the water, perhaps change colour earlier.

Needs Must and the Devil

Needs Must. We all say it or think it, don't we? I just thought it a few minutes ago upon considering that I might have to do something that not only would be forced to do something that I would hope to avoid and that, in doing it, I would likely need to make the second best choice because that is what would work best overall.

Don't ask.

However, it was only recently that I came across the original full phrase in a novel: "Needs must when the devil drives." Google AI explains it thusly: "You have no choice but to do something difficult or unpleasant because your current situation forces you to do it."

I see the full saying as just a little bit more nuanced than the "Needs must" that we all commonly say.

Further information that, apparently, was posted on Tumblr. I do not know how to get to the original post to cite it correctly, but it seems that gloriascott93 reposted from cupidford.

The phrase is old. In earlier texts it is almost always given in its fuller form - needs must when the devil drives. that is, if the devil is driving you, you have no choice. This dates back to Middle English texts, for example Assembly of Gods, circa 1500: “He must nedys go that the deuell dryues.”

Shakespeare used the phrase several times; for example, in All’s Well That Ends Well, 1601:

Countess: Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry.
Clown: My poor body, madam, requires it: I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go that the devil drives.

The phrase became pared down to needs must during the 20th century and, even in that short form, it is rather archaic-sounding and is fading from popular use. This despite a high-profile appearance on TV in Blackadder II, 1985: “Needs must when the devil vomits into your kettle.”

 

A Classic Beauty

I am not a car guy, perhaps because I have never been able to afford a hot ride. Who knows? I purchase practical cars that are close to what my budget will tolerate although they are always too expensive. Then, I try to get the most out of them, the present car being a 2010 model that we purchased used in 2014.

Budgetary issues aside, I don't think I ever would have been a car guy, but if I were, I'd be drawn to two classic models: the '57 Chev and the '65 Mustang.

Yesterday, we spotted a 57 Chevy in the grocery store parking lot. While I do not prefer the colour, I shot the car regardless: one photo from the front and one from the back. When I got home, I was inspired to extract them from the busy distractions around them and put the two extracted photos into one frame. I asked AI for a deserted urban parking lot, and it decided to give me a parking garage, but at least it was deserted as requested.

You may have noticed that I have been invoking AI more than usual this month, and I have run out of credits until almost the end of the month. This is very sad news. I could purchase more, but I would have to purchase more than I require, and they would be erased at the end of the months, which is extra sad news.