How’s the weather?

[jjohnwm]

Go in the fish room and lock the door.

Lol, for some reason this comment brought to mind an episode from my past dealings with some of the more abrasive members of my family, or more correctly, my wife's family.

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away...i.e. not long after my not-yet-wife and I had recently moved in together...we were blessed with a completely unannounced visit from a relative of hers, who showed up with his wife and 2 kids literally on our doorstep. In that benighted time, we were living in a 19th-floor condominium in Toronto, where visitors typically needed to be buzzed-in...but the leader of this particular band of Orcs thought it would be uproariously funny to slip past the front exterior door at the same time as some legitimate tenants and ride up to our place to surprise us.

So after we fed them...we had eaten our supper hours earlier...and had sat through a couple hours of stilted and uninspired conversation to "catch up" with each other...and after one of their evil brood had managed to receive a bite from our cat, who was the gentlest, friendliest cat on the planet so I still wonder how that happened...they announced that they wanted to turn in because they needed to get a 5:00am start (!) the next day to continue their cross-country jaunt. The fact that they were leaving cheered me up a bit, so I happily showed them to our one small guest room, which was situated between the master bedroom and the spare room occupied by wall-to-wall fishtanks and snake cages.

They pointed at the closed door and asked what was in that room; I assume that they were hinting that they wanted to occupy both rooms instead of just the one. Before I could answer, my wife blurted out "That's where John keeps his snakes!"

I blanched; I normally didn't disclose the contents of that room to other than close friends, and these people were neither "close" nor "friends". The female Orc bristled immediately; "You have snakes in there? Actual live snakes???"

I smiled innocently. "Well, they're not much fun if they're dead..."

She continued unsmilingly: "Well, we'll have to put those out on the balcony for the night. I can't have live snakes next door to me while I sleep!"

I should mention that all this occurred in February...a cold, snowy February...

I drew in a breath and girded myself for battle...but my wife beat me to it...

"Well, then, Broomhilda (not her real name, I use it here to protect the guilty, and because it was our little inside joke when referring to her...), I guess you will just have to go to a motel. The snakes stay inside!"

The combat was short; much huffing and sniffing and growling, but no weapons were drawn. The Orcs finally retreated and we barred the door. I looked at my wife questioningly.

She looked grim. "Don't say a word!"

So I didn't.

 

[esoxlucius]

Lol, for some reason this comment brought to mind an episode from my past dealings with some of the more abrasive members of my family, or more correctly, my wife's family.

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away...i.e. not long after my not-yet-wife and I had recently moved in together...we were blessed with a completely unannounced visit from a relative of hers, who showed up with his wife and 2 kids literally on our doorstep. In that benighted time, we were living in a 19th-floor condominium in Toronto, where visitors typically needed to be buzzed-in...but the leader of this particular band of Orcs thought it would be uproariously funny to slip past the front exterior door at the same time as some legitimate tenants and ride up to our place to surprise us.

So after we fed them...we had eaten our supper hours earlier...and had sat through a couple hours of stilted and uninspired conversation to "catch up" with each other...and after one of their evil brood had managed to receive a bite from our cat, who was the gentlest, friendliest cat on the planet so I still wonder how that happened...they announced that they wanted to turn in because they needed to get a 5:00am start (!) the next day to continue their cross-country jaunt. The fact that they were leaving cheered me up a bit, so I happily showed them to our one small guest room, which was situated between the master bedroom and the spare room occupied by wall-to-wall fishtanks and snake cages.

They pointed at the closed door and asked what was in that room; I assume that they were hinting that they wanted to occupy both rooms instead of just the one. Before I could answer, my wife blurted out "That's where John keeps his snakes!"

I blanched; I normally didn't disclose the contents of that room to other than close friends, and these people were neither "close" nor "friends". The female Orc bristled immediately; "You have snakes in there? Actual live snakes???"

I smiled innocently. "Well, they're not much fun if they're dead..."

She continued unsmilingly: "Well, we'll have to put those out on the balcony for the night. I can't have live snakes next door to me while I sleep!"

I should mention that all this occurred in February...a cold, snowy February...

I drew in a breath and girded myself for battle...but my wife beat me to it...

"Well, then, Broomhilda (not her real name, I use it here to protect the guilty, and because it was our little inside joke when referring to her...), I guess you will just have to go to a motel. The snakes stay inside!"

The combat was short; much huffing and sniffing and growling, but no weapons were drawn. The Orcs finally retreated and we barred the door. I looked at my wife questioningly.

She looked grim. "Don't say a word!"

So I didn't.

Sounds positively dreadful. You seem to have been blessed with some particularly awful family, and of course all on your wifes side, lol.

I'm beginning now to fully understand why you chose to live in the back end of beyond. It's nothing to do with the tranquility of solitude, or the fine hunting and copious cuddly wildlife, no, you've moved out there to escape the Addams family, lol.

 

[jjohnwm]

Sounds positively dreadful. You seem to have been blessed with some particularly awful family, and of course all on your wifes side, lol.

I'm beginning now to fully understand why you chose to live in the back end of beyond. It's nothing to do with the tranquility of solitude, or the fine hunting and copious cuddly wildlife, no, you've moved out there to escape the Addams family, lol.

No, certainly not only my wife's family...not even close...but, as with anything, it's the bad ones that stick out in memory and folklore. We actually have some wonderful family as well, and many of them are in this province...and I do indeed enjoy all those other benefits of country life.

And, yes, when I originally moved to Toronto (~200 miles from home) the decrease in familial drama was delightful. After my father passed away, there was nothing to keep me even that close, so we moved to Manitoba (next province over from Ontario, a move of roughly 1300 miles)...and now even that seems too close at times...

I'm now considering either Australia or Mars...not sure about the hunting in either location...

 

[esoxlucius]

No, certainly not only my wife's family...not even close...but, as with anything, it's the bad ones that stick out in memory and folklore. We actually have some wonderful family as well, and many of them are in this province...and I do indeed enjoy all those other benefits of country life.

And, yes, when I originally moved to Toronto (~200 miles from home) the decrease in familial drama was delightful. After my father passed away, there was nothing to keep me even that close, so we moved to Manitoba (next province over from Ontario, a move of roughly 1300 miles)...and now even that seems too close at times...

I'm now considering either Australia or Mars...not sure about the hunting in either location...

You don't want to go to mars John, lol. They've discovered life, and I can tell you now, it is extremely hostile. At least that's the story that a film I watched on Netflix tried to portray the other night! It's called "Life". Great film.

Besides, given your slow post building speed, and the time it takes messages to reach earth, we wouldn't hear of your hunting exploits until about 6 weeks after you'd actually been hunting! Lol.

 

[jjohnwm]

I

You don't want to go to mars John, lol. They've discovered life, and I can tell you now, it is extremely hostile. At least that's the story that a film I watched on Netflix tried to portray the other night! It's called "Life". Great film.

Besides, given your slow post building speed, and the time it takes messages to reach earth, we wouldn't hear of your hunting exploits until about 6 weeks after you'd actually been hunting! Lol.

I want to see that film as well; are you being serious when you say it was good?

Funny to read about my "slow post building speed"; I always thought that I post way too much...I'm sure there are some here who agree that I do ...and I always feel guilty for not being at work on something more important than wasting time on the internet.

And on that note...poof!

 

[esoxlucius]

I


I want to see that film as well; are you being serious when you say it was good?

Funny to read about my "slow post building speed"; I always thought that I post way too much...I'm sure there are some here who agree that I do ...and I always feel guilty for not being at work on something more important than wasting time on the internet.

And on that note...poof!

I really enjoyed the film. There's something about space films that are alluring to me. I think it's the remoteness, knowing that if something goes wrong, and it always does, then you're on your own! The tag line from the Alien franchise sums it up nicely, "in space, no one can hear you scream!"
If you enjoy movies, it's worth a watch.

When I said, "slow post building speed", I was referring to your own admission, that you sometimes are half way through a post when someone else posts first and beats you to the "punchline" regarding any pertinent info. I took it that you are a little ponderous when typing!


And yes....you do post.....wayyyyy too much, lol.

 

[jjohnwm]

When I said, "slow post building speed", I was referring to your own admission, that you sometimes are half way through a post when someone else posts first and beats you to the "punchline" regarding any pertinent info. I took it that you are a little ponderous when typing!


And yes....you do post.....wayyyyy too much, lol.

Dang! I knew it!

 

[The Masked Shadow]

It’s 88 today, but I’m the car thermometer…I feel like it’s 100. It isn’t supposed to be hot

 

[esoxlucius]

At the beginning of October I wrapped up my outside banana plant in preparation for overwintering it. October usually gets very chilly.

However, it is nearly November now and we haven't had any cold weather at all yet! I could have given my banana another month!

Even projected night time temps for the first couple of weeks in November only go as low as 5 or 6°c. This is exceptionally mild for us at this time of year.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

It was crystal clear… no clouds in the sky. I could see 25 miles all the way to La Jolla Shores, and perhaps Downtown San Diego.