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.

Candle and Benches

I posted this candle last week but decided yesterday that it needed both a flame and a message. I played with it a bit in the morning before walkie and shopping.

On our walk, I photographed a red bench ↓ with the subsequent bend in the adjacent path. Sue was looking for bends that day, so I looked too.

At home, I discovered that a tighter crop works better for me. I don't know why I didn't see it on site, but I did have the bend in the path in mind, and I can have a pretty one-track mind. Also, I am more patient in the editing phase than I am with the camera.

As you can see by the colour and the maple leaf, it is a very Canadian bench.

I found another bench in the same park. In processing, the subtle beginning tinges of autumn were more visible than in person. Somehow the editing overdid the colour, but it suits me and the season too, I think.