QUIET NIGHTS AND NOSTALGIA

Well it is a tranquil evening, perfect for  recording  nostalgic events of times past. Outside temperature is in the 50 's and there is drizzle in the air. Oh what a peaceful night . One of those  that always leads to reflecting on life and missed opportunities . This is the times when fond memories of past vacations with long departed family members visit. Times when childhood friends appear as  ghosts in our minds not as they look today but in the decades long ago . The bell bottoms ,monkey shirts , and longish hair, which were  all common as  sunshine on a summers day. Ambition consisted of winning the neighborhood  hockey game in the parking lot of  the local  post office. Judy giving us the cold shoulder, not having the brand name  displayed on our jeans, these were the crises of yesterday. Today we look back on childhood  "problems"  with amusement. Today we have mortgage problems, today our  employment could end, today we could receive devastating news  from our physician concerning our selves or a loved one . How many of us can truly say our hearts do not  pang for the simple problems of yesteryear.... particularly on those quiet summer nights when gentle raindrops whisper in our ears of past victories and defeats.

PEACEFUL THOUGHTS

I had Friday afternoon off and of course, today and Sunday. Since my  resumed interest in photography has led me to several interesting places, many that I have not visited since my early 20s on even  earlier in some cases. It is pleasant to see areas that you haven't seen in years ,some have changed dramatically while others look the same, only smaller. Places such as Ball's Falls where I winter camped with my scout group in the mid eighties, Decew Falls where I went on numerous hikes again in the  eighties.Isn't it interesting when we visit houses we lived in as children or schools we attended always appear so much larger in our memories and as adults they can truly appear almost cramped ! Well one more day to go  before back to work and the unrealistic expectations they process. Oh what happiness I could have if only the lottery gods would play at my house . Some of the proceeds would go to help the needy, some to the Alzheimer's society ( as my mother passed away from complications as a result of that disease ) ,some to family and friends. Wow no more work! what dreams ! Oh well back to work on Monday I guess only to hope the gods of the lottery will come to play !

BP'S OIL LEAK

BP'S latest attempt to stop the oil leak has failed and now there is a possibility that it may be August before another well is built to relieve the failing leak. The damage to the local economy is devastating, the wildlife is facing complete catastrophe! This company has had other problems at the same well and in their interest to increase profits ,has ignored various  safety measures. Therefore I think it is only right for BP to pay all expenses accrued in cleanup and  to take a front row position in all and any expenses spent in wildlife disposal and medical care from all contributing wildlife organisations. What other avenue  do people have in order to prevent this disaster  from repeating itself by some other profit hungry business. If this will result in a major net loss for BP or even in having them file for bankruptcy so be it . Is our enviourment not as important to their profit and loss statements?  The only way these greedy executives will learn is by removing all profit gained in recent transactions and then downsizing them to the point of a corner gas store . The alternative is to give them a mediocre size fine ( which they would probably raise gas prices in order to compensate any fine ) a few legal slaps on the wrists and then watch them have this situation repeated in some other  unfortunate part of the world.  

STANLEY CUP FINALS AND OTHER THINGS

This Saturday the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers will play in the opening game of the Stanley Cup finals. Montreal was  defeated last night after a heroic playoff run beating the top team of the season ,Washington Capitals, and last years champion , Pittsburgh Penguins. So who ever wins God Bless Montreal  and best of luck next year !  
                 The last couple of weeks I've had people park in my designated parking spot. Since complaining to the super of the building ,as of this writing anyway it has been resolved. Now  I'm waiting to see if the apartment above me is going to be rented to someone who works during the day or someone who wants to party all night. If by chance I have to lay awake all night again listening to the tenants above me I will take this as a sign it is time to move on .I believe in a

                I was daydreaming about what it would be like to win the lottery and live a life of leisure. Wow ! It would be outstanding , I would sleep late ,go cycling, play on the computer, read several novels at one sitting and of course get involved in the many charities that  I believe in but have no time to contribute. I guess this is the Canadian dream , to win the lottery I mean since few companies have any meaningful pension plans and so much of our incomes go to taxes . Mentioning that , I received this week my income tax gift of paying an additional  $1300 hundred in taxes . Oh what joy !

DEATH OF AN AUNT

My aunt Shirley Morgan died this week after complications from surgery.She was really my cousin but growing up my sister and I always refereed to her as Aunt.There are so many memories of Christmas dinners , nights ice skating on a homemade ice in the backyard, and Friday nights at cub scout meetings ,which she was a leader along with my mother. A lady that could be extremely kind as well as hand out biting comments, overall she was a very decent human being who will sorely be missed by friends and family. She was 77 , my mother was 80 , when she passed last year and I never thought either of them as old . My god it is interesting as we ourselves age what we consider old would be a completely different figure if asked the same question 20 or 30 years ago . Perhaps this is our own safety feature to extend our own sense of mortality. Well goodbye Aunt Shirley and Godspeed.
Now for the working life . THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY or in this case a long weekend. To work for people who can barely read a spreadsheet or see the relevance of certain figures is frustrating to say the least. It comes to mind the adage " wealth does not equal intelligence " , to watch them continually look for the magic formula to properly structure a department without the necessary people is exasperating, what is the other saying " to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results is insanity " . My employer is the reason why unions are the only answer ,I have come to believe for the working man. The next few weeks should be fairly interesting.

PHOTOGRAPHS ALONG THE NIAGARA RIVER

Along the Niagara River