The Curious Case of the Droopy Eyelid

Our oldest, Shauna, has never been thrilled with her droopy left eye -- or eyelid to be more precise.

Neither I, Sue, nor our parents have a droopy eye.

But in perusing the family album, I noticed something.

This is my grandfather.

And his father -- my great grandfather.

But that particular gene, skipped my father.

And me.

So, if I understand the math, there was only a 1 in 8 probability that Shauna would inherit this gene, and while there was a 50% chance that her kids would inherit, neither did.

This kind of thing just interests me. That's all this is about. Besides, she doesn't really suffer in looks.

View from the Bridge

With apologies to Arthur Miller for the title, here are some photos on and from the railway bridge. Not to worry, the tracks have been removed. To worry: there are no railings.

Before I go any further, let me acknowledge my senility by confessing that I forgot to check blogs for about a week. Sad, I know. In fact, I might have forgotten for longer, if Sue hadn't asked me if I had read a certain post.

I have visited the bridge on my own in the past and took this photo earlier.

But I thought the kids might enjoy it. I thought about it for awhile before I took them up there, but I held on very tightly, and they really liked the experience.

I got very nervous when they picked up stones to throw into the river because they started really leaning toward the edge.

So, we didn't stay too long after that.

I did, however, go back on my own to take some more pictures. These were taken just after sunset, so they are supposed to be a little dark.

I like the lighting on the townhall, but I wish someone would cut the trees, which almost obstruct the view.

In the other direction lies one of the three bridges -- four if you count the one on the bypassing highway -- to cross the river in Carleton Place. Obviously this is the least used one. I toned the two versions a bit differently.

Chicks and Chips

July was a pretty busy month, three weeks being spent with Danica and Jonathan. They are travelling this week and will be with another care provider for the two ensuing weeks, so grandma and Grandpa can recuperate.

So, I am going back through the photos and found this little series.

What's in the box?

Many little chicks.

Yes, during the summer, the Country Depot gets a shipment on every second Wednesday. JJ has seen them before, but since Dani is usually in school this was her first exposure.

So, I was able to prove that a guy is never too old to pick up chicks.

Everybody had an opportunity to pet the wee thing.

Then we toured the nursery part of the place, and Danica behaved like a prim and proper young lady.

Then, they sat around for awhile.

Finally, it was off to the chip truck for our treat of the day.

Where grandma and granddaughter enjoyed a moment before the chips (fries) were ready.

Pool Time: Good Time

We got back into the pool yesterday. Good times.

Brainy Kid

One PA day or snow day, Danica decided that she should do schoolwork. She kept me very busy at the computer, thinking and typing worksheets.

So, at the next opportunity, we checked out the learning aids at Chapters and purchased Brain Quest Grade 1.

This posed no problem for brainy girl, and she's ripped through it with no problem. She's not quite into the busy work, like colouring, that many kids would enjoy, so we have skipped some exercises, but she's effectively completed the book -- fairly easily.

Fortunately, we have another book at our disposal. It's a Canadian book -- greater variety, more difficult and challenging -- so we'll see how it goes.

I don't force her to do this against her will, but if she's ready to give it 20 minutes., I'll sit with her and help her out as need be. She likes to race, so I sometimes need to clarify the task, which she can usually do fairly well. I notice the author's name is Kenny. I had a prof named Kenny a million years ago when I was in teachers college. I wouldn't be surprised it they're related.

After a two-week break, we are back with the kids this week. We will then have a three-week break. I imagine that Sue's almost daily pictorial updates will resume shortly.

AC's Coffee Budget Skyrockets

About a month ago, Sue lined up at Tim Hortons to get a free Tassimo. It necessitated a $40 purchase of various coffee discs, but the freebie seemed like a good deal. So, she lined up and was one of the last ones in line for the free coffee maker.

Since then, our budget for coffee has increased substantially. We are now spending about the same per week as we used to per month.

Why?

Well, the coffee is so darn good. That's why! In the past, sometimes, my morning coffee would be quite good, but it was only fair and just a habit much of the time. Now, I really enjoy my morning coffee. Yum.

But I would gladly pay you on Tuesday if you could loan me some coffee money today.

(Do you know where that modified line originated, at least for me?)

Book Review: The Beggar's Opera

I've been escaping reality -- mostly that of torrid heat -- by reading mysteries during the past week or so. Generally, the Brits, do murder mysteries the best, or at least their environment seems better suited for that sort of plot. This is so true that some American mystery writers, such as Elizabeth George and Martha Grimes, set their plots on the other side of the pond. Of course, this is not to say that I never read American mysteries and that they are never good reads.

So .... I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up Peggy Blair's, The Beggar's Opera. Mind you that's a bit of a lie since I had already read the sequel, The Poisoned Pawn, but the general idea still holds. In fact, I been sufficiently intrigued with Pawn to search out Opera.

Her detective protagonist is Inspector Ramirez of Havana. Yes, the book is set in Cuba. Therefore, one learns a fair amount of the politics culture and living conditions of the country while following the plot. Blair is also a Canadian living in my hometown of Ottawa, so there is a significant Canadian/Ottawa connection in both books. In point of fact, it is an Ottawa detective who is charged with murder in Cuba, and it is an Ottawa lawyer who flies to Cuba and helps Ramirez to solve the case. The second book also features a trip to Ottawa by Ramirez in the middle of a January freeze.

Not only is it fascinating to learn about Cuba, but Ramirez is enticing in his own right, for he is a man who is visited by the ghosts of the people whose cases that he is trying to solve. Are the ghosts real or is he experiencing disease-wrought hallucinations? And will we ever know the answer for sure.

Not only is the character a clever departure from the typical detective protagonist, but so are many twists and turns in the narrative. Some mysteries are pretty straight-ahead affairs, but this reader was frequently surprised by her unfolding of events.

Although this novel is complete in itself, Blair set it up so that the next episode, The Poisoned Pawn, occurs within a week of the first with a most definite tie-in with The Beggar's Opera.

Try it, if you are a fan this genre and would like to read a refreshingly different setting and approach. Like me, you will probably hope to see more of Inspector Ramirez in the future.

Note: If you wish to read a real review from a real critic at a real newspaper, just click this link. Also, here is a link to the book on the American version of Amazon.