Shopping Lists

This is the list that I took to the grocery store yesterday. There is nothing to see here: the point is that it was a list.

I expect that we of this somewhat senior blog circle take paper lists to the grocery store because we are of an age when this was the only way to do it, for we had no handy dandy portable electronic devices. Apparently, we are thus doing a good thing for our brains, or at least this VegOut article so says. I post a little of the article below, but you now have the link to the whole post, which isn't terribly long, should you wish to click and read a bit more.

When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were far more elaborate than when typing. The researchers found widespread theta and alpha connectivity coherence between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central brain regions. These are the same frequency bands and brain areas that existing literature identifies as crucial for memory formation and encoding new information.

When participants typed, those connectivity patterns largely disappeared. As lead researcher Audrey van der Meer explained, the simple movement of hitting a key with the same finger repeatedly is less stimulating for the brain than the intricate, precisely controlled hand movements involved in forming letters.

This is not just an academic distinction. It means that when you write "eggs, bread, olive oil" on a piece of paper, your brain is doing fundamentally different work than when you tap those same words into a phone app. The handwritten version engages visual processing, motor planning, proprioceptive feedback, and spatial awareness simultaneously. The typed version engages mostly repetitive motor sequences and visual confirmation.

We have three Alexas in the house (don't ask), so when we realize that we need to add an item to our shopping list, we simply hail Alexa. "Alexa put X on the shopping list." When I am ready to shop, I grab the back of an envelope and write out the list more or less in the order that I will find the items in the store. I guess I make the best of both worlds: the convenience of compiling a list from wherever I might be in the house but then doing my brain a favour by writing it out.

How Sweet It Is

May we talk about peppers today?.

For years, we've often had one in the house, usually red. I often consume a few strips during lunch.

I have noticed that we could purchase small bags of peppers, perhaps with 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 orange.

But at the rate that I consume them, what would I possibly want with three peppers?

One day, Sue noticed that she could purchase one of these bags quite cheaply and get 3 for 1 as it were.

So, she did just that.

The sweetness was remarkable: so much better than the single peppers from the bin.

I wasn't mistaken, for the next single pepper that I purchased tasted less sweet once again. Following that, we purchased another bag of three, and it was also much sweeter, just like the first.

Photo by Alamy

What is up with that? Has anyone else noticed this? Whatever the case, I shall forevermore purchase peppers in the bag if I am given the option.

Whitewater and Lavender

We were pleased with our warm day and even cracked open a window for the first time in months. Our walk was reasonably pleasant although there was still a stiff breeze.

We strolled amongst the back bridges where we cross the river more than once. It is whitewater time, but I think the melting of the snow has been gradual this year, so the river is not running as high as it has in other years. I took this picture looking down from the trail bridge.

We walked around to Gillies Bridge from the trail bridge where I captured water flowing through one of the conduits made by the bridge supports.

As we passed by the crocus patch, we poked our noses in and were surprised to find that a few crocuses had opened. I tried taking a few photos but only liked this one. That said, I really do like this one.

We'll keep checking, but if the freezing rain that they are threatening does eventuate, it will be hard on the poor dears. We will return periodically and keep you posted, for the crocus season is fleeting.

Timmies and Tires

That was better. Sleepwatch tells me that I slept for 5:25 last night, which is close to 2 hours better than the previous night.Geting to sleep at 11:10 was also a bonus. As I wrote yesterday, I would rather go to sleep early and wake up early rather than vice versa.

It's already after 9am, and i have just returned from a Tmmies run. I had already consumed my mug (1/2 mug 2X) and Sue her usual big mug. But the lady awoke with a headache and was about to brew a second mug when I offered to venture forth a get her a "good coffee" from Timmies. She was quite enthusiastic about this.

While I usually say Tims and not Timmies, I read an article this morning by a Brit now residing in Toronto, and Timmies is one of the strange Canadian slang words that she mentioned. Of course, it refers to the ubiquitous Tim Hortons. It is not an abbreviation for coffee, however, just for the place that is Tim Hortons. We do not call coffee from other establishments, Tims or Timmies.

Other peculiar Canadian slang that she mentioned were toque, washroom, Loonie/Twonie, runners and two-four. You already know about toque, but you can read about the others here if you like. Briefly however, loonie/twonie are our one and two-dollar coins that have replaced paper currency because an image of a loon graced the first Loonie. Runners are what we call running shoes that you may call trainers or sneakers. A two-four is a case of beer and also our May 24th holiday (Queen Victoria's birthday). Many a two-four is consumed on May two-four.

Driving though for coffee, I had to insert my credit card rather than simply tap because it is a new one, by which I mean an updated version of an old one. This will involve much updating on various sites such as Timmies and Amazon, for example. It's a bit of a pain, but once done, it will save time for 6 years.

Next, I shall get back in the car to visit the tire shop where they will change Hermione the Honda over from winter to summer tires. I look forward to the nice, less noisy ride of the summer tires, but I don't look forward to the changeover expense. The storage fee plus the change-over fee will amount to more than $100, and I have to do this twice a year.

Fortunately, the weather is nice today and will rise to a positively balmy 14C/57F. Unfortunately, it won't last, and we shall suffer through an ice storm tomorrow and into Wednesday, during which the car and its summer tires shall remain parked in the garage.

Now to do some more credit card updating an inputting before I head out again.

Pieless and Almost Sleepless Too

We returned to the putative crocuses patch; alas, there was no change with just two slender shoots once again striving to live. We both tried a shot, but we weren’t successful with our results being on the blurry side. It’s a tough task for seniors to get down and get the shot. 

I realized that my sleep was over at 5:30 yesterday morning after only 4:40 of sleep, so I rose up. It was better than the 4:10 of the previous night and also better because I went to sleep earlier and got up earlier, which is preferrable to late and late. On the previous night, it had taken me hours to fall asleep, and that grinds my gears. (Last night, I got a whopping 3:40. This is unusual, even for me.)

Shortly after 9, I found myself at the grocery store. A little later I was off to Ashton Church to pick up apple pies for Easter only to find the door shuttered. Apparently pickup will be next Saturday. It's okay; it is only a 10-minute drive.

Closed or not, I am posting a photo of the church. You’ve seen it before if you’ve been visiting me for a few years, but I don’t think I posted anything last year. Maybe I'll take ann inside photo next week.

It was brightening up by the time that I got to Ashton, but on the way there, it had been snowy and blowy, so I stopped for this ↓ shot. I didn't even notice the geese when I took the photo. I was hurrying to get back to the car in the awful March 28th weather.

Here's another photo of the shed on the same farm. I brightened the photo a little in this case to try to make the scene a little more appealing.

 

Slovenly AC

I didn't know that I looked quite this ragged in the morning, specifically that my shirt hung down at the back like this. It's one of the shirts that I use for sleeping.

Until I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I had no idea. Sue notices such things but hardly ever mentions them, for she is never one to nag at me about how I look, whether it is my beard being unkempt or my hair being too long. On rare occasions, she might opine that garment x doesn't go with garment y when we go out but not very often.

You may also wonder about my socks with my pants tucked in. It's an accommodation for sleeping in the chair. With blankets not properly under me, cold air can seep up from the bottom, so I tuck my pants in. Sorry to the Brits who employ the word 'pants' differently. 

BTW, as seen above, the sweater is my constant companion during winter because we keep the house on the cool side in deference to my very hot wife.

As you are about to see, I do look a tad more put together once I dress for the day. 

It's the angle. I am definitely not taller than the door. Not even close.

The Actual Birthday Day

As planned, we walked to the cafe at 11 o'clock for coffee and breakfast sandwiches. We enjoyed the S'Mores coffee blend as we waited for our breakfast to appear. Meanwhile, I did my standard thing and took a quick portrait of my lady friend.

Time elapsed with no breakfast appearing, so after just about draining our coffees, I sauntered over to the counter to ask the young lady if she might possibly have forgotten the breakfast sandwiches. Yes indeedy, she had forgotten our order in the busyness, especially having been left on her own for a spell. About 10 minutes later, she delivered them — to the wrong table! Said table was within my view, so I was able to call out as the server began to walk away as the temporary recipients sat in bewilderment before also beginning to call out.

Once again, there were apologies. Once again, it was okay. 

After a lazy afternoon, we made our way over to the kids' for the usual family get-together for gifts, pizza and cake.