Not Pretty

I was to be found in a clothing store on Wednesday morning, for there is a downside to losing weight.

Basically, I was swimming in my summer shorts (not literally), and when the temperature went up to 26C/79F, it was time to start getting myself out of hot jeans and into something cooler.

So, three shorts and many dollars later, I think that am more or less set for summer. 

I also felt the need to purchase a new belt for the first time in many a decade. Fortunately, jeans had already been updated.

As long as I don’t need to dress up for some fine occasion or other, I should be sufficiently kitted for awhile.

What I will also share with you is how awful my body looks. At one time in my life, I looked pretty good at this weight, but I already have an old, saggy body that is now compounded by skin that was stretched too far for too long.

It ain't pretty, I tells ya.

An Observation

When we three photo amigos meet for coffee, Bob is always there first. In point of fact, he is usually so early that he has finished consuming his consumables by the time Nick and I arrive. Mind you, he usually drinks something other than coffee, perhaps chocolate milk, and that does tend to go down the hatch more quickly than coffee.

Traditionally, I arrive second —  a bit before the appointed time.

Then comes Nick — a bit after the appointed time.

However, I have arrived a little later in the last two meetups. I have done this deliberately but not for any particular reason. Meanwhile, Nick has arrived a bit earlier than usual, so we have arrived at the same time.

When I walked through the door before him, I bought his coffee. The last time, he entered first and paid for my drink.

I recently observed that women tend to bring gifts to each other when they visit. I mentioned that, in my experience, men do not do this. However, it is also my observation that men are more likely to pick up the tab for each other and not quibble about who paid more or less than the other or even expect reciprocation at all.

Of course, this is just my casual observation and not exactly a scientific study, so it may or may not parallel your experience.

Hungry After Hibernating

I got myself to the grocery store pretty early yesterday morning. It's a good time to shop, and it works for me. There is usually only one cash open at that time, for that is all that is usually required.

But yesterday wasn't usual because ahead of me was a couple who had, apparently, spent the winter hibernating with the bears and hadn't eaten since October, and they were very very hungry. They had two full carts and kept piling countless items onto the conveyor for what seemed like an eternity.

The lady behind me had one item — grapes — that she was going to take to her friend when they visited that morning. I observed that women do that sort of thing — take gifts when they meet for a visit. Men don't do that and find it perplexing. I don't know why she didn't use the self-checkout for just one item, but I didn't ask. I use it sometimes, depending on how full my cart is, because it is cumbersome to self-check many items in the setup in this store. But I guess that I still should have.

The guy behind her angrily threw his few items, including meat, on the adjacent conveyer and stomped off in a great huff. The next guy, who was now behind me because the lady had moved ahead of me, was also getting a little tetchy. We talked a bit. He had fewer items than I, so I offered to let him precede me as well. He seemed a little chastened and decided that his time wasn't all that important.

The hibernating bear-friends eventually got through and so did the lady with the grapes. Out of curiosity, I asked the cashier how much the bear-couple's order came to. More than $1100.

Meanwhile, the man who had been behind me got through quicker than I because they did open another lane, and he didn't even wave goodbye. When they opened the new lane, my items were at least partly on the beltway, so I was stuck in Noman's Land as it were.

The extra time didn't really matter. I got everything done that day that I needed to, and I shall continue to let people go ahead of me when it seems like the right and proper thing to do.

Overcome

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I was really appreciating the greenery that I was seeing on Sunday's walk after the preceding rather miserable week. I continued to notice the colour, almost as if my senses were being overcome, and then I realized that, in a sense, the colour was also overcoming the scenes and buildings that we ambled by

When we first began to walk across the bridge, I looked back toward the old mill and saw much green along the waterway. The old mill was seemingly being overcome by green, or at least its sight lines were. 

Note: these photos are all iPhone shots, and I have run some filters. There has been some intentional soft-focusing, which I know that some may find difficult.

At the other end of the bridge, the old machine shop building also appeared to be overcome.

We then walked around to the front of that ↑ building, and I saw that the smaller building beside it was also being rather overcome. It was at this point that I was really picking up the theme. 

Even though the next three photos are not my favourite photos of the day, I show them as part of the progression of the theme.

Between the two buildings above, I saw more green trying to obscure and overcome the dilapidating buildings.

Continuing along that little path, I next came to this doorway, which I think was being quite overcome.

Finally, along the same passage between the two buildings, we came to one more doorway. I think this may possibly be my favourite photo of my little Overcome shoot that evolved on this walk.

Near the end of the loop, we came back to the old mill, I took a photo from a different perspective with lots of surrounding green.

In summary, I'd have to say that both I and the buildings were rather overcome by spring green. I quite like the first two photos and the final two, but I present them all as part of the day's progression and exploration.

Back to Walkies with Sue

Our walkies really got curtailed for a week. We still went on a few local quickies, but, my goodness! the wind, rain and cold were not very appealing.

On one day that was somewhat moderate, Sue had me walk under this arching branch along the trail, or arcing if you prefer.

Since her photo theme for the day was Hurry, I decided to ham it up a bit.

But she decided on a triptych of the squirrel by the backyard feeder that we pass along the trail. 

You might wonder at this next scene. We are told that this building will be a Winners store. Canadians, at least in this region, will know of the franchise, and it is a pretty big deal for just a town.

We were there because her theme for that day was Construction, but she thought she could do better than this, so off we went to another location where they are constructing apartments. With two cranes and two workers, I think she nailed the construction theme.

Finally, on Sunday morning, we had somewhat sunny skies so our walk was a little more pleasant and uplifting.

We drove to the trail bridge, and as soon as we got up there, I was quite taken with the green.

A guy walked by with three poodles. I got a snap of them retreating along the path.

After our mild exercise, we stopped for coffee and turkey-bacon club sandwiches at Tims and took our provender to the park where it was nice enough to leave the car and eat upon a bench. After eating and drinking, we used Sue's selfie stick and made an effort to get both of us plus the arc of the tree in the frame. Composing with an selfie stick while trying to click the shutter caused us some mirth.

I Almost Forgot the Couple

Please believe me when I tell you that I was not planning to subject you to a third set of prom photos. But then I realized that I had not posted my formal semi formal photos of the couple but just those candid photos under the umbrella. You have seen some of Sue's couple photos in a composite, but I would like to post mine as well. Please don't feel obliged to comment again. You've done your part, and now I do mine.

While I have you here, I really should also post the photo of Dani and her dad.

I swear; I'm done.

A Second Round of Prom Photos

I promised you more pre-prom photos, so here we go.

Sue took many shots and made collages. Here are two: the first of the couple, the second of Danica.

We took our very brief turns with Danica: first Sha and then Sue.

Then moi.

I leave you with just a few more before I fade quietly away, starting with the setup for my photos.

I found another candid umbrella photo that I like.

Finally, this was actually Sue's first photo: a candid of Danica walking with the umbrella and smiling her gorgeous smile. on her way to the porch to begin the somewhat frenetic, time-sensitive shoot, 

You know that I could go on, but I shan't.

A Big Day for a Young Lady

I looked out my den window yesterday morning and decided it take this shot through the screen. 

A reader might wonder why I would take a banal picture of kids waiting for the school bus.

I took it because it stirred a memory of me standing there with Dani and JJ over the course of about half-a-dozen years. The kids were young, and we spent a lot of time with them. They are good times to look back on, and the scene was especially poignant yesterday.

Why yesterday?

Because it was the day of Dani's senior prom. It was an ending and, of course, a beginning.

It was a big day for her, getting her hair done, getting all made up, and getting into that very special dress before heading of to dinner and dance and a party.

Unfortunately, it was a bleak and rainy day, so the few minutes that we had for photos were quite restricted. She posed on the rather unflattering porch, and we pointed our cameras upward, and took the best shots that we could for a few minutes.

Shooting upwards, especially in a hurry, is not best portrait practice, but needs must. What I did in post for that ↑ photo and the following two closer photos was to tilt them a bit vertically. I think it helped a bit. 

After a few photos like the one above, her mother thought to have her wear her wristlet (wrist corsage) .

The next and final photo, for now, was opportunistic. We seemed to be done with the photoshoot. While waiting to get into the car, Dani's beau was holding the umbrella as they faced each other. The moment and background looked good to me. I clicked and like the result very much.

Then, they were off. I think first for formal photos in Ottawa and then dinner followed by dance and then a party of some sort. I know some of it took place in Gatineau (cross the river in Quebec), so there was a fair bit of travelling that day. Her dad drove her into Ottawa and then picked her up from wherever in the wee hours. 

Sue was taking photos too, clicking even more than I was, and I will post her photos in the fullness of time, probably tomorrow. I may have a few more too. We shall see.

Concern for the Turtle

What a contrast between April and May by the footbridges along our trail.

We were ambling along the bridge at the top, the April bridge, when we saw a cyclist get off her bike and climb over the railing and down into the swamp.

I asked how it was going down there. She replied that she was concerned about the health of the turtle. She was especially interested because she had seen turtles mating just a day or two previously and even had a picture to show us, which I do not have to show you.

 You can see it in the green grass on the other side ↑ of the water from where she was standing. If you can't see it there ↑ you can see it here ↓.

The critter bestirred itself after a while, so the young lady was content to leave both the swamp and the turtle.

She rode off and we walked on, and I assume that the turtle did not miss us.

Before the Paddlers Paddled

Going back in time just a bit, I found a few photos from the Jock River Paddle that I took while I was waiting for the paddlers to come into view.

This was the scene on a lovely spring day, the one photo not taken from the bridge.

A little later, while waiting on the bridge I looked down on the water and saw and photographed a few bits of vegetation.

I'm glad I rediscovered these photos, for I am reminded of a a very pleasant morning.

Old Chin on Hand

I was just playing around with a car selfie photo of  me and Sue. I liked my chin-on-hand posture, so I decided to extract myself from the photo, or I should say crop out Sue (sorry love). I had no particular goal in mind: just wanted to see how it would work out.

In the end, I liked it well enough, but “What now?”

I decided that I might as well use it as a new buddy icon on FB. The thing is that I just wanted to quietly and without fanfare change the little image that people see when they come across me. Of course, FB also posted the big version separately, and some noticed: even a former student from the 70s.  Said student is now retired. That confirms that I am pretty doggone old.

I have since switched to this photo in Google and Blogger because why not.

I Tend to Waffle in the Morning

While the world is fixated on Wordle, and that includes our little family, I also enjoy the other word game — Waffle.

To begin, the puzzle looks like ↓ this. The green letters are correct and in the right place. The orange letters are correct but in the wrong place, and the white squares are all wrong in their locations. For example: both the i and the u in the top row will be somewhere in that row. The L, however, could either be in the top row or the middle, vertical column. A player gets 15 swaps, and the game cannot be won with fewer than 10 swaps, or in other words, with more than 5 swaps remaining. (I later did this ↓ puzzle in 11 swaps or 4 remaining.)

But I am not really posting either to explain the game or the give you the result of that particular game.. Rather, I come to brag.

As I have said, the best a player can do at least on the waffle.net version of the game here, is to complete the puzzle with 5 swaps remaining. I can go fairly long intervals without achieving this best result, but I recently accomplished the feat on three consecutive days, and I just want to brag.

disregard colours in this completed version
they mean nothing in particular

It’s not always like this. In these two subsequent days, I have solved the puzzle but much less impressively with it taking me 3 more swaps so that I had only 2 turns remaining at the end rather than 5. One requires a bit of luck to complete the puzzle perfectly.

It’s a good game, almost as good as Wordle in my rather worthless opinion, but it doesn’t seem to have caught the fancy of anybody else that I know.

More Spring Photos

It turns out that I do have another trillium photo from my woodsy walk last week — looking down this time.

Our own lilac bush was thriving in time for our anniversary and long weekend with one of the gifted Mother's Day flowerpots in the foreground. By the flowers are a birdbath and statuary heron, which was a Father's Day gift a few years ago.

Behind the lilac bush and in other spots as well, both in the front and back yard, the forget-me-nots are thriving. These are descendants of flowers that my dad planted at our former home more than four decades past. In many years I have taken macros, but this drift may have to suffice for this year, especially if the ever-present winds remain ever-present.

This is another backyard photo, looking between the lilacs bush (right) and the tree (left) past the second birdbath to the inukshuk with more forget-me-nots beside it, daylilies behind, and the big Hosta in the corner. I held the phone high and pointed it downward to miss the road beyond the fence.

When I call that bush ↑ on the left a tree, it is rather the remnants of a tree that didn't do well and had to be cut down. Now, for the second consecutive year, the old tree is sending up new shoots so that, in effect, it is a bush. It suits us fine to have that bit of volunteer greenery. 

Finally, I decided that the inukshuk and forget-me-nots required a closer look. 

Anniversary Flowers, Fotos and Food

Sue and I had a discussion yesterday about whether it was our 55th or 56th anniversary. We came to the conclusion that we have been married for 56 years, which made yesterday the 55th anniversary of that day. It gets hard for old brains, eh?

At this point in our lives, since, as I reported yesterday, it is also gardening weekend. We just give each other flowers and whatever other purchases are necessary for the garden work. This is practical giving, and we will enjoy the display until late October.

In addition to this new ↓ flowerpot, the mulch and bordering stones were part of the occasion. The little patch next to the sidewalk had gone to weed over the years, so we put down a weed barrier, covered the patch with mulch, and laid the border.

I don't get down very well, so Sue did most of this. My part was to make several trips to the nursery to obtain the necessary supplies and then to hand her the border stones and dump the mulch.

You may recall that Sue has been given two hanging flowerpots by Sha and the kids on Mother's Day, but the flowerpot above and the two below, by the tree, are our anniversary gifts to each other.

Aside from the flowerpot by the sidewalk, these two by-the-tree pots ↑ along with the three final pots, below, are the rest of our spring planting. Sue has pretty well matched the flowers in the full, purchased pots with smaller additions in the three pots in the foreground. Those pots will soon fill-in, and they will be moved to the front of the garden, nearer the sidewalk, when the tulips and forget-me-nots are done for the season, which will be quite soon for the tulips. There are perennials in the ground, so all of the annuals go in pots that can be moved about as the time and light or whims change.

Then comes the food part, but we're not foodies, and so I speak only of common comestibles. Sue's daily photo prompt found her opposite Timmies ↓ so we drove through later and ordered coffee and breakfast sandwiches. We also asked for hashbrowns but, sadly, there were all out. How such cataclysmic things are allowed to happen on our anniversary, I know not.

We took our fare to the park where it was raining, so we ate inside the car and took a selfie when breakfast was done. I poked Sue's selfie stick out my window, so we could at least see some of the river in the background.

Since we had been deprived of hashbrowns, we opened our traditional anniversary fudge when we got home before we repaired to our respective corners to work on pictures and blogs.

The traditional anniversary pizza arrived at suppertime, and we finished the fudge.

I have shed 30lbs this year, and I have been weighing-in on Sundays, but I think I will pass today for obvious reasons. There have been too many reasons to celebrate recently.