American Friends

Americans are so nice, at least those whom I have met and known, be it in real or cyber life, as in the blogosphere. They are pretty understanding about Canada as we read in this post from the Palmer Report from April 06 2025 that I leave with you, below. For me, the friendship isn't over on a personal level, but it sure has changed on the world stage.

 

Best friends go together like peas in a pod. Best friends are often the glue that holds one together; they can also act as healing balms to soothe, to encourage, and to love unconditionally. Best friends are for enjoying sunny times out and whispering confidences late at night. Best friends never judge you—they love you for who you are, and their adoration is evident in their daily actions and words.

And for a long time, that was exactly how it was between the United States and Canada. Their love for each other was evident—until Donald Trump snuffed out the light of love quicker than one could say, senile traitor. “Over.” A breakup has occurred, unraveling a friendship. Canada has announced that its friendship with us “is over.”

“It’s over.” A century and a half of love, friendship, and goodwill. The fault lies on the doorstep of a Putin-loving felon. Our friendship survived: The Great Depression. The Cold War. 9/11. But now — all goodwill has vanished. Prime Minister Mark Carney made this announcement, and I imagine he made it with sorrow: “We will need to ensure that Canada can succeed in a drastically different world.”

Yes, it IS different. Donald Trump has made it so. Can you blame Canada? Threats of annexation. Crippling tariffs. No wonder Canada is so upset. DONALD TRUMP CAUSED THIS BREAKUP. But there is cause for hope, I would like Canada to know that WE, the American people, still love them.

. . .

We think the world of them. And you know what, friends and readers? All breakups are not permanent. Sometimes, reconciliation can and does happen. That is what will happen here eventually. We will once again come together, a festival of lights and apologize—apologize to Canada—for the deranged senility and viral impudence of one man who tried to split us, but did not succeed.

Danica Refuses the Addicition

Speaking of kids and coffee, as I was in a recent post when JJ took Sue out, I mentioned that neither of the grands drink coffee.

Danica is quite adamant about it because she was not impressed when Sue and I suffered from coffee-withdrawal headaches after the derecho event two summers past.

We and the whole town were without power for three days (or was it four?) and we couldn't make coffee. We could not get enough heat from the old side burner on the grill, and the little generator that we keep in the car for tire mishaps wasn't up to the task either. After a day or three, Shauna did get us to her workplace in Perth, and we got our fix.

Anyway, Danica was not impressed by our addiction and its concomitant headaches, and is, therefore, not keen to become fall prey to drug abuse, like her junkie grandparents.

I found the Derecho Saga post and had forgotten the part where we were eventually able to purchase propane canisters for our old camp stove. It was also three years ago in May, not just the two years that I had posted above.

On a Pleasant Day

We were downtown, and while Sue was doing her pictures, I turned the corner, spied a bench, and sat down. Do you know how long it has been since I could enjoy sitting on a bench? But the temperatures had risen into the fifties, and it was sunny, and I was dressed warmly enough, so I felt pretty happy about my situation.

When Sue came around the corner, did she catch a smug look, or am I dreaming?

That was Friday morning. That afternoon I went to the opposite side of the river from where I took the water photos the other day. But there was a fence in my way as well as scrub vegetation, so I wasn't able to add to my rushing water collection. However, I did take a short clip, hoping that you could hear the sound of the water raging through and past the dam. Blogger seems to have changed how they do video, so I don't think that I can enlarge it like I used to.

At a clearing just a little away before the dam I found a solitary goose. I felt sorry for the poor, lonely thing and took some pictures.

I also took one of town hall, deliberately putting the building well off centre. The sky was blah, so I replaced it in Photoshop. I have let my town hall project dwindle in the wretched weather, but at least I can add this photo should I choose to keep the project going, or I should say if I choose to restart it.

It was good to enjoy the moderately nice weather and to get a few shots, but according to the forecasters, that will be the last of the good weather for a week or so.

JJ and Sue do Coffee

I imagine that because of Sue’s recent birthday, our little family has rallied around to take her out for coffee breaks, just as a little, extra treat.

Shauna drove her to a coffee shop in Almonte. Danica brought coffee here, and I got in on that one. What could Jonathan do?

Well, he can drive now except he doesn’t always have access to a vehicle, and even if he does, a licensed driver still has to be in the car with him.

In the end, Sue picked him up after school. JJ took the wheel, and they drove around to add to his driving experience in a different vehicle.

Eventually, they got to Tims and went through the drive thru, where he treated. Of course, Sue ordered coffee while JJ decided on a fruity drink, for neither of the kids drink coffee yet.

Off they went with their drinks to the spot where Sue and I usually go at the edge of the park by the boat launch.(Hopefully, we will soon be able to have coffee while sitting on a park bench on a nice day or even while strolling through the park. But we are at least a week away from that happy event and probably longer.)

Sue memorialized the event.

The next day, Sue's photo prompt had to do with keys, so she was able to use this photo, which I assume she took with the meme in mind.

A Picture of Health

There has been a pre-surgery questionnaire in My Chart pretty well ever since my consultation with the urology specialist in October. They wanted it done by April 11, so I thought that April 01 would be a good time to sit down and complete it. For one thing, I had to borrow a scale in order to be able fill in the second question: my weight.

Ironically, despite being up for surgery, when I answer a questionnaire like this, I appear to be very healthy.

I answered 'No" to 8 questions about heart problems and the same for 7 problems concerning lungs and breathing. I went on to other organs and mental health, and then reported in the negative for opioid/narcotic usage. I could go on but won't.

Except for this infernal prostate thing, all of my health problems seem to be to my outer shell — bones, joints muscle and what have you. Most inner organs seem to by hanging in there, at least for a guy in year 78. We all know that could change on a dime, but so far so good.

So, I will continue to look pathetic hobbling about with my cane while, apparently, brimming with health on the inside.

Maybe not actually brimming but bearing up, as it were.

The Snit and the Cheese

They were $2.59 + 13% tax for a very small, 70g/2.5oz bag. Quite expensive, eh?  But Hawkins Cheezies are Canadian through and through, so they were worth investigating, especially since the package says they are made with real cheddar and no preservatives.

Shauna said was familiar with them from her teenage camping parties that I don't want to know anything about, but I hadn't even heard of them until you-know-who decided that America should annex Canada. That put us into a bit of a snit up this way.

I thought, "Darn the expensive. I'm going to give them a try." 

So, I did . . . try them.

My Oh My! What I have been missing‽ 

I owe it all to you-know-who.

Stupid Photoshoot

Well, it was a stupid shoot that I kept brief by necessity. Because what silly, old fool would take his equipment out at -4C and gale-force winds? In my defence, and I surely need one, it did look nice out there from the warm side of my windows. 

Here's where I was out behind town hall looing toward the waterfall and dam. After my short photographic attempt, neither of us wanted to proceed on our intended walk, so back home we went.

The whitewater way off to the right was what I was trying to capture with my telephoto lens. 

I wanted to get more rushing water photos while the river is still in spring runoff mode, so I squeezed off a few shots, before I made like a tree and leaved. (Back to the Future reference)

This photo is in colour, believe it or not: a patch of blue visible at the top of the drop.

1/5sec, f10, 339mm, ISO100

I like the flow and colour of the rushing water after the drop.

1/5sec, f10, 400mm, ISO100

I squeezed off a couple more shots of the edge of the faraway dam and converted this one to b&w with some filtering. I converted because I did not like the colour of the edge of the dam against the water.

1/10sec, f10, 400mm, ISO100, cropped

Believe it or not, we are under yet another weather watch tonight, but the day may be liveable.