Happy New Year

   This is my last post for 2017. I'm also off on vacation next week, and won't return until January 8th. Because of that,  wanted to take a moment to wish you all the very best of 2018. I hope the coming year finds you all healthy and happy.
   As for the outgoing year, 2017 was, at least for me, not overly spectacular in either a good or bad way. Nothing stupendous happened, aside from me cutting off my long hair! I don't mean to sound trite, but it was "just another year".
   That's not to say nothing happened. There were plenty of events around the world that caused joy, concern and triggered tears as well.
   What's ahead for us in 2018?  My wife and I will actually take a vacation. With each other, which doesn't happen often enough. We'll be heading to Calgary for a long overdue visit with family, and maybe some old friends.
   Happy New Year everyone!

TTFN

Happy Holidays

   Christmas Day is this coming Monday. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all the best of the festive season.
   Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous 2018.
   We've just got a very small family gathering planned for Monday, since both my wife and I work Tuesday, Boxing Day.

TTFN

I Ate Too Much

   But it was so worth it. Yesterday was the annual staff pot-luck lunch, and as you can see, we had a lot of food. My contribution was jambalaya. Last time I made a batch for the lunch was in 2014, but I had more than one request to reprise it this year.
   Our sports guru Benny Walchuk brought in some of his Nana's perogies (one of my favourites), and there was home-made pizza, plenty of salads and 2 chickens in place of the turkey someone usually deep-fry's.
   And the desserts. Home-baked cookies, shortbread and other things too numerous to name.
   Did I eat? Heck, yeah. In fact I (and quite a few others) went for 2nds. Some (not including me) went for 3rds! I did not need supper last night, and I may not have lunch.
   So much for the weight I've lost over the past months/years. Thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year!


TTFN

X-Mas Came Early

   And this is what Santa (otherwise known as my wife) brought me. We saw something similar in one of the specialty stores in Regina not long ago, and found out they were actually from an Indonesian import store in Grenfell, about an hour south-ish from where we live in Yorkton.
   Being curious, we trekked down there this past weekend, and saw the item above. It's a piece of teak driftwood, with a hand-blown glass bowl molded on top. The shop, The Village Merchant, had a bunch of other wonderful things aside from that, and the owner is right now on a buying spree in Indonesia. We were told to come back again in March or April when the shipments start arroving. and we will be back then!
   What did I get me wife in return? Two sheep. No, she's not starting a sheep farm or spinning woll. I got them through an international aid organization, Plan Canada, and they go to families in what we would call "poorer" countries. Not for eating. The families can sell the wool and milk for a profit to feed them, and help their village.
   Have a Merry Christmas!

TTFN

Man, It's Hot Inside

   I don't know what it is about our heating/cooling plant, but it's been stifling in our office the past few days. The problem is, if you try and adjust the thermostat downward, it turns into the North Pole in no time flat with an adjustment of even a few degrees.
   I've been darn near sweating all morning, and noticed someone had set the temperature at 85, with the cool-down cycle kicking in when it got down to 80.
   I usually find it warm in here at the best of times, but not all the time. I remember not long ago the arctic blast in here was so severe people were wearing jackets. Heck, I was almost at the point of reaching for my gloves, which is not conducive to working on a keyboard for a living. And with a duct right above my head, and our sports guru's head, it generally means the thermostat gets cranked up again when we start losing feeling in our extremities.
   I'll just have to keep making adjustments, trying to find a "happy medium". Hopefully soon, so I can get out of the sweat-box.

TTFN

The Wall Era Is Over

   We've lived in Saskatchewan (off and on) for more than 23 years, the majority (15) in Regina, and 4 in Yorkton. We moved back to the province in 1997, after an 8 year stint in Northern Ontario. During our move, I noticed signs promoting something called the Saskatchewan Party, a new political movement that started just a few months before our return,
   Fast forward a few years to 2004, when a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Swift Current, Brad Wall, became the party's 2nd full-time leader. Fast forward another 3 years, and the then 42 year old forms the first SaskParty majority government. He would go on to be re-elected 2 more times, making him the only party leader in the province to ever form 3 consecutive governments.
   In August, he announced his retirement effective January 27, 2018, and yesterday (Dec 7) attended his final legislative session.
   Like his policies or not, Wall had a tremendous impact. Under the SaskParty banner, the province's population and economy grew, although the economy has taken a hit in the past couple of years. Wall was also tireless in promoting Saskatchewan not only in Canada, but internationally as a destination.
   I was fortunate enough to have had several dealings with him during my 15 years in Regina, not the least of which were Provincial Budgets

   Mr. Wall was always our first guest after the budget came down. He also joined me on a few occasions when I had a call-in talk show there. I found him to be a very affable person, and while there was no doubt he had a political agenda, it never came across during our conversations, unless it was brought up.
   When he announced his retirement, he said he'd be glad going back to just being "Brad from Swift Current", and despite the fact a new leader will be chosen, a part of me will always know him simply as "Mr. Premier".
   Thanks for your 18 years in the Legislature, and your 10 as Premier, Brad.

TTFN

Russia Is Out

   Due to past doping infractions, Russia will not be able to send participants to the upcoming Winter Games in South Korea. The IOC made the announcement yesterday. Does that mean all Russian athletes have been banned? No. In a bid to protect “innocent athletes” the door has been left open for Russians to compete as an “Olympic Athlete of Russia”, as long as they satisfy strict conditions that show they have a doping-free background.
   All the ban really means is the athletes won't be able to compete under the Russian flag. Which for them is truly a pity
   There have been accusations fired off at Russia and the former Soviet Union for using performance enhancing drugs, but this is the 1st time the IOC has acted on them.
   Needless to say, reaction from quite a few sport organizations in the country is negative, with Alexei Kurashov, president of the Russian freestyle federation, saying: ”The Olympic movement has discredited itself and there will be fundamental consequences to this".  But just in the past month, the IOC  has banned 20 Russian athletes from the games.
    My 2 cents: It really is sad that the majority of Russian athletes will now not be able to compete due to the actions of a few, and with the approval of their respective organizations. But I also feel the IOC should treat all countries fairly, and look at doping in all nations.

TTFN

Not Feeling Naked Anymore

   As I blogged about last week, my wedding ring needed to be resized, since it was loose, and to the point where it was starting to slip off. I picked it up Saturday, and while it is still loose, there's no way it's going to fall off. Until I lose another 40 or so pounds of weight.
   I must admit, it feels so much better having it back on!

TTFN

I've Felt Naked

   I've been on a weight loss kick for quite a while now, and it recently took a toll. I have not been on a program, and I still don't exercise. I've simply made some food choice changes. I used to scarf back M and M Peanut candies, and wash them down with a sugary soda or 3 every evening. Given my sedentary life-style, it won't come as any surprise that I ballooned outward.
   In fact, a number of years ago, my weight was north of 250 pounds, and I had to go to the Big and Tall store for pants. My waist was 50 inches around.
   By just cutting out the evening snacks (and watching my food intake in general), my weight is now south of 215, albeit only just, and I've shed 8 inches off my waist. I still have a paunch, or middle-age spread if you prefer, and I know I'll never get rid of it totally. But still it's progress, and in the right direction.
   It's also presented a problem I did not take into account. My wedding ring. It's gotten so loose that it was in dire danger of slipping off my finger completely, and vanishing somewhere. So, I took it in to one of our local jewellery stores to get it re-sized. I'll be honest, both my wife and I had to have them cut off and re-sized years ago due to weight gain. So, it's somewhat ironic that years later I'm having to have it shrunk a bit.
   I have to say, the ring finger feels awful without that little gold band. It's just the 2nd time it's been off in the nearly 35 years we've been married, and I miss having it on. That will be taken care of tomorrow, Saturday, when I pick it up from the jeweler.

TTFN

Turkey Day

   Just a quick note to wish my American viewers a Happy Thanksgiving. Here's hoping you all can enjoy a great turkey dinner. And Happy "Black Friday" shopping as well, to kick off the holiday season.

TTFN

Charles Manson Dead

     In 1969, that was the face of evil. In t he summer of 1969 Charles Manson ordered his followers to brutally butcher 7 people, including Sharon Tate, who was married to director Roman Polanski. Tate was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time she and 5 others were murdered. The so-called Manson Family 2 days later killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in their L.A home.
   Manson himself did not participate in the Tate-LaBianca killings, but was found guilty of 1st degree murder in the case, along with several of his followers. There is evidence Manson actually did kill at least one person before the Tate murders, but he was never convicted.
   Manson and the others were sentenced to death, but that was later reduced to life in prison, after California officials scraped execution. He was serving 9 life sentences when he died Sunday in a hospital at age 83 of natural causes.

TTFN

Food, Glorious Food!

   Regular viewers will know from past posts that both my wife and I are pretty handy in the kitchen. All you'd need to do is take a look at my more than ample frame to know that. My wife is an incredible baker (her chocolate cake gets rave reviews), and I'm more or less the person producing a lot of our meals.
   Last year, I was asked by GX94's mid-day host Tonya Cherry to do an item from her Christmas Goodies Cook-Book, and I did a pork chop-suey stir-fry. Tonya's on maternity leave, so this year, her locum, Nick Kaczmar, is taking her place in selling them. Between Nick and Tonya, they convinced morning show host Danny Ismond to produce something. Danny dutifully did, bringing in chocolate cupcakes. Were they good? Yes.
   But during our chat this morning, that spun off onto a rather less than successful culinary adventure my wife took us on a number of years ago, called a 5-can casserole.
   I can't for the life of me remember exactly what was in it, but none of us could eat it. Sorry dear, it really was that bad.
   She got the recipe off the internet, which is where it should have stayed. The result ended up in the bin. Not that I haven't had food flops myself, but this one was memorable. For the wrong reason.

TTFN

A Time Change Oops!!

   This past weekend was "time change weekend" in most parts of the world, when clocks are set back an hour from Daylight to Standard time. Except in Saskatchewan, where we don't touch our clocks. And that's fine, since I always hated the twice yearly adjustment. But even though we're on the same time year round, the change can, and this morning did, play a little havoc.
   The weather service we subscribe to is in a different time-zone than we are, meaning they set their clocks back an hour. Which I was aware of. But I'm also used to seeing the forecast from them in my email in-box when I get in the door at 04:00. So, imagine my chagrin when the clock started getting close to 05:00, and nothing had come in (even though we don't actually need the forecast until 05:30, when both stations morning shows hit the air). So, a quick email to our service, gently reminding them of the change, which brought about (and very rightly so) a mild rebuke, and a reminder they have other clients as well, and they get it out as soon as possible.
   Lesson learned.

TTFN

Halloween Steps Back

   All the way back to November, 1971. That's when Led Zeppelin released their classic, and iconic, 4th album. And that's the genesis for my Halloween get-up this year. The image on the inner sleeve of the album is actually a tarot card, "The Hermit", but to Zeppelin fan's it's known as "Lantern Man"

   And that's what I decided to do this year

   It wasn't an easy decision, either. It wasn't until last month, when we were in a Halloween store in Regina, that the idea went "click". And it was the lantern that sparked the whole thing.
   Normally, I plan well in advance (usually starting November 1st), but this year had been a blank. Did I pull it off? Not really, although I did give it a good try. Although, looking at a side-by-side screen shot co mpiled by GX94 Morning Host Danny Ismond, I got closer than I thought!

   There is one very interesting aspect of the gear; the stick. I bought that years ago in Regina at the Cathedral Arts Festival. What sparked my interest in it was the head, which is a piece of antler. The artist somehow carved a cougar's head into it

   Which I thought was very cool. Now, I need to start planning for next year.
   Have a happy, and safe, Halloween!

TTFN

It's Almost Time

   Halloween is tomorrow, and all of us around the office are encouraged to get into a costume for the day. As mentioned in an earlier blog (Sept 19: Finally A Decision), I've got my gear together.
   Also in that earlier blog, I mentioned I came as the long lost relative (who hasn't been lost long enough) of G 'n R guitarist Slash.
   This year, I'm going to continue the rock 'n roll theme by going way back into the archives. Some 40 years, to be exact.
   All will be revealed tomorrow.

TTFN

Too Rich For My Taste

   That's the only bottle of a 50 year old, single malt Scotch being made available in Canada, and it was up for grabs in Calgary, Alberta yesterday. It's also one of only 128 bottles to be released worldwide.
   The whiskey was laid down in an oak keg back in 1963, and comes in a hand-blown glass bottle. The whiskey has a malty, toffee sweetness with hints of honey, vanilla and oak, and was produced by the Balvenie distillery in Scotland.
   That single bottle is selling at, get ready for it, $64,999.95. Canadian. Which means you could buy a thousand bottles of regular 12 year old Scotch for the price of the one bottle.
   I just hope whoever does buy it doesn't cut it with something like Dr. Pepper.

TTFN

Time To Re-Tire

   No, I'm not retiring. But it is that time of year to re-tire, and put the winter skins

   On my little Lancer

   It's been a fairly nice October, despite a nasty wind-storm with gusts of 95 km/h in Yorkton. And the forecast for the early part of this week calls for a high of 14 C tomorrow. But the steady march toward winter continues, and with it the need to change my tires over again.
   It was only after getting to Yorkton I actually started putting winter tires on. In Regina, I simply relied on my 3-season radials, and never had any real problems. But ever since, I've always switched over, and wonder why I didn't in years past.
   Not that winter tires are the cure-all for the upcoming season. They're not. I still have to use good old fashioned common sense while behind the wheel when the snow flies and the roads get slippery. But they do give an extra little sense of protection.
   When I re-tire again in the spring, I'll need new 3-season skins. The ones I've got on the car now are getting a bit thin in the tread.

TTFN

It Was Time

   For the past 2 1/2 years or so, I've been letting my hair down. Literally. It's been at least 30 months since I had my last haircut, but it was time for a change:

   There was no special reason I "freaked out", other than the fact that I hadn't had long hair in more than 40 years. And there was no special reason I decided to get it cut this week, other than the fact it was starting to get in the way of almost everything.
   The beard and 'stash will get trimmed as well, but not before Halloween! Facial hair is integral in what I'm doing this year.
   Will I ever let my hair get that long again? I doubt it. But "never say never", either.

TTFN

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving

   It is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, and that means a full meal-deal with turkey and all the trimmings:

   But not at my house. There's an enzyme in turkey that plays merry hell with my digestive tract, and therefore renders me unable to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I like turkey. It doesn't like me. Because of that, me generally have a roast chicken or 2 for our meal.
   And we actually had our big dinner last night, mostly due to the the fact I'm working today. That, and we traditionally have it Sunday evening anyway.
   So, to my Canadian viewers: Enjoy!, and don't overdo it at the table tonight (easier said than done, I know).
   And to my U.S viewers, Happy Columbus Day.

TTFN

A Tragic Weekend

   As you are probably aware, in the U.S, at least (as of this posting) 50 people are dead and 400 wounded in the worst mass shooting in American history. Automatic gunfire raked the crowd at an outdoor concert by country star Jason Aldean on the Vegas Strip. The shooter was perched on the 32nd floor of a hotel across the street from the event and fired clip after clip of ammunition before being killed. Police say it appears the 64 year old shooter was a "lone wolf", and there was no link to terrorism.
   In Edmonton, Alberta, terrorism is believed to have been behind an attack as people were leaving Commonwealth Stadium after a football game.
   Video shows a car ramming into what appears to be a police cruiser. The driver then jumps out and stabs a police officer. Later that night, a U-Haul cube van was deliberately plowed into a crowd of people, injuring several. Police have arrested a 30 year old refugee claimant.
   Not much can be said about both tragic events, other than to offer condolences to the victims and their families, and wishes for a recovery to the wounded.

TTFN

"Hef" Has Died

   Playboy founder Hugh Hefner passed away at age 91. To many, he was a sexist, exploitive pig. To others, he was a revolutionary, who started a sexual awakening in the U.S, and many other countries.
   He started Playboy in December 1953, and featured Marilyn Monroe as the first "gatefold girl", even though her nude pictures had actually been taken in 1949. Not only did the magazine feature naked women, but also fashion and lifestyle articles and some pretty darn good interviews.
   My only brush with a centrefold was way back in 1980, when (I can't remember which month she was featured in) one of the women came to Prince George, B.C for a car show. I was working at a radio-T.V station, and got the "short straw" to go interview her. And, yes, she was gorgeous! She also had that "deer in the headlights" look about her, and didn't come across as particularly intelligent. I remember getting the video back to the station, and turning it over to my news director, who went upstairs to the editing bay to start cutting it.
   I also vividly remember walking past the stairs a few minutes later to see the video cassette come flying down and smashing into the wall, accompanied by some foul language, which was unusual for my N.D, who was a passive guy. The story never made it to air.
   At it's peak, Playboy magazine had some 7 million readers. As surprising as this may sound, it's the absolute truth: I never subscribed to the magazine.
   Of course, Hef went on to form the Playboy club, and several other endeavours. Sadly in later life, he became a caricature of himself. He died at his Playboy mansion last night.
   Like him or loath him, Hugh Hefner had a major impact on society over the past 64 years.

TTFN

Some Sad News

   A lot of people probably won't know the woman above, but she starred as one of my favourite T.V characters of all time. Liz Dawn played the irascible Vera Duckworth on the long running British soap opera "Coronation Street" for 34 years.
   I must admit, I was a huge fan "back in the day", but haven 't watched in probably 20 years. Vera and her husband Jack (played by Bill Tarmey, who passed away in 2012) got up to a lot of shenanigans. At one point, they owned the Rovers Return, the local pub.
   One of the funnier things Jack and Vera did was put stone cladding on their row-house which, of course, looked ridiculous.
   The show's network, ITV, issued a statement last night, saying, in part, "It is with the greatest sadness that we have learned our beloved Liz Dawn has passed away last night. Her family at Coronation Street are heartbroken. We extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy at this very sad time to Liz’s devoted husband Don, her loving children Graham, Dawn, Ann and Julie, their families and her six grandchildren and three great grandchildren."
   Tara "Vera", and thanks for all the memories, Liz!

TTFN

Finally, A Decision

   As regular viewers of this blog know, when it comes to Halloween, I'm a bit of a keener. Normally, I start planning next years get-up November 1st, leaving plenty of time to think about and get ready for the next year. There were 2 exceptions. 2013, when I'd just started here, and this year.
   In years past, I've been a Zombie News Reader (2013)

   An Aussie (2014..and I even learned sort of how to play the digeridoo)

   A Zombie Killer (2015)

   And last year, "Scrape" the long lost relative of G 'n R guitarist "Slash", who hadn't been lost long enough

   But this year was a challenge. In fact, it wasn't until this past weekend during a quick trip to Regina that it clicked. And, as always, I'm going to drop a hint, but that's about all. It will be an iconic image from the past, and require a lantern

   Further details will have to wait until October 31st.
   And yes, I do get into the Halloween spirit.

TTFN

Brrrr!!!

   Baby, it's cold INSIDE. The air conditioning in our office seems to have been stuck on "high" for the better part of a week or more. I like it on the cool side, but, since I have an A/C vent just above my head, I'm even finding it too cold right now.
   One of my co-workers has to wear a jacket in the office, and I may bring one in tomorrow, if they don't get it sorted out quickly. In fact, the poor guy next to me gets the Arctic blast not just from the vent over my workstation, but one on the other side of him as well! It's to the point where the morning cup of coffee makes a great hand-warmer, as well as a delicious wake-me-up.
   Yes, we have tried to adjust the thermostat in the newsroom. In fact, we've got it cranked up to the max...85 F. But it's not making any difference. Hopefully, someone from building maintenance will get on it quickly. Before it starts cooling off outside. In the meantime, we're all just trying to stay warm.

TTFN

Back At Work

   It was a great week or so off, but I am back at it today. And I admit I accomplished a few things during the last week of my vacation, and got a few things checked off the "honey-do" list. Among those were calling a dry-wall company to look at some water damage to the ceiling in our living room, patching up a few holes made (by me...on purpose) in the columns outside the house for my wife's garden, and getting one of our kitties in for some dental work.
   I also scurried around the kitchen a bit, canning another batch of home-made salsa

   Which wasn't as watery as the batch I did last year. And, unlike last year, I actually followed the recipe correctly. One jar didn't seal properly, so I had to use that quickly. The rest is now ready for use.
   Another thing, and a culinary first for me, was making samosa's

   Which I had never done before. I did 2 batches, one chicken and rice, the other beef and potato. Both turned out well, although folding them was a bit of an adventure to say the least. I cut back on the spices, not adding curry, since my wife is not a huge fan of that particular flavour. Would I make them again? Yes. The process took me most of a day to get through them all, but they were more than worth it in the end.
   But now, it's back to work as we get set for a busy fall season.

TTFN

Outta Here!

   I'm taking the final week of my vacation time, which starts right after I finish the noon major news package today. I had been kicking around the idea of a quick trip to Calgary, Alberta for a few days to see family/friends. That got spiked rather quickly, though, due to scheduling around appointments, a trip to the vet for some dental work for one of our cats, and mostly $$. It takes quite a bit of $$ to go out there and come back, even in my fuel-sipping car. My wife and I are now hoping/planning to make the trip next spring.
   Aside from taking kitty in, I've got a few things I can or need to do around the house. Not the least of which is try to get hold of a drywaller to look at the ceiling in our house, which had some water damage last October. Yes, I do tend to procrastinate.
   Other than that, I'll probably potter around the kitchen. I feel another batch of salsa may be in the wings, and, since we got out 1st deep-fryer last weekend, I'm going to try making samosas. We'll also squeeze another quick trip to Regina in (my wife needs flower bulbs for next year).
   And, yes, I will also make plenty of time to relax, sit on my couch and watch TV, not that there's much on.
   I'll be back right after the Labour Day weekend, so:

TTFN

Who Knew?

   Who knew that an item I shared from Facebook a week or so ago would, in turn, get almost 200 shares itself? In fact, it was still getting shares late this past week. For something I posted (or re-posted) to get that many shares is unbelievable! And I can't (and don't ) take credit for it.
   It goes back to the rhetoric and sabre-rattling between U.S President Donald Trump, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It's over the North's continues missile testing, and threats to launch a strike at the Pacific Island of Guam, home to U.S military forces. That lead Trump to promise "fire and fury" if a strike should indeed happen.
   A lot of people seem to believe the 2 leaders are cut from the same bolt of cloth, and share some similar traits. And that prompted someone very much more well versed in photo-shopping than I to produce this:

   Say "hello" to Donald Un, and Kim John Trump!
   Enjoy your weekend.

TTFN

A Political Earthquake Has Struck Saskatchewan

   And it was a massive 9.0 on the political Richter scale. Saskatchewan Party leader, and Premier, Brad Wall took to Facebook live yesterday, and announced his retirement from politics.
   The move comes even though Mr. Wall and company still have 2 years left on their mandate. But it also comes amid slumping support due to a widely unpopular budget, and rumblings of possible sell-offs of government owned Crown Corporations, even though there are no deals on the horizon.
   By making the announcement half-way through the term, Wall has assured the party will have someone in place within the 2 year time-frame ahead of the next election. The opposition New Democratic Party are also going through the process of picking a new, permanent leader. So the political landscape is changing.
   Mr. Wall took over the SaskParty in 2004, and was first elected Premier in 2007. This November would have marked his 10th year in power. Under Wall, the SaskParty has been elected with increasing majorities every time we go to the polls.
   Will that change with his departure? Likely, it will. Although that depends an awful lot on who the party chooses to lead them, and who the NDP pick as well.
   As for his legacy: Politics aside, Mr. Wall was, and remains, passionate about the province, and fought very hard for the interests of Saskatchewan, whether it was the federal government, or boosting trade on the international scene.
   From a personal perspective (and without delving into the realm of politics) I found Mr. Wall an affable, approachable man.
   I had the extreme pleasure of having him as a guest several times on my talk show when I was in Regina. He was also our first guest during our provincial budget broadcasts, and Throne Speeches.

  
    When I departed Regina 4 years ago, and since as news director, I spoke almost daily with executive council, I mentioned that fact to staff. Somehow it got twisted into me retiring. A few days later, I received in our newsroom mail an envelope from the Premier's office, which included a letter congratulating me on my retirement. True, it was a "form" letter, but Wall did amend and personalize it for me. Needless to say, I returned it the very next day, with my deep appreciation. Like his politics or not, that shows the human side of him.
   Mr. Wall was, and is, a gentleman in every sense of the word. Thank you Brad for your years of service to the province, and smooth sailing in the future.

TTFN

Hackers

   And people still wonder why I do all my banking in person, rather than on-line. The answer to that is simple: Hackers. There've been more than a few instances lately of high-profile hacks, the most recent was HBO's hugely popular Game of Thrones franchise. Seems someone "accessed" a script, and has threatened to release it unless a ransom is paid.
   This is just the latest in a seemingly endless parade of high profile hack attacks, with the highest the supposed Russian hacking of Hillary Clinton's emails during the last U.S Presidential election campaign.
   I'll admit I'm probably over-reacting, because my (and any) bank has some pretty intense security and anti-hacking hardware. But at he same time, I'm pretty sure HBO and others also had stringent software.
   So until there's a 100% hacking-proof system out there (which can't happen, because anyone who wants to can access just about any site), I'll just trek to my local bank branch to pay bill, mortgage, car loans and manage my accounts.
   Guess I'm just old fashioned.

TTFN

Old Habits Die Hard

   I guess I'm a creature of habit. My day starts at 04:00, and I'm the first person in the station every day. As part of the prep for the morning news run, I always script out, print off and deliver the morning weather forecast to our Master Control Suites.
   This morning, I caught myself checking not one, but both studio "On Air" lights before entering. After 35+ years, and having it drummed into your head almost every day, it becomes 2nd nature, even when it's not needed.
   And for the record: Yes. I have been guilty of bursting into the main studio without checking to see if that light was on. Luckily, I have never been cursing at the time.

TTFN

Disaster!

   For some of us, a cup of coffee is a luxury to be savoured. For others, like me, it's not only a necessity, but it's the staff of life. Not that I drink a lot of it, but I need my 2 cups in the morning to be able to get through the rest of the day. Okay, I'll admit it. I'm coffee dependent, even though I do limit myself to those 2 cups.
   The very first thing I do every morning at work, without fail, is to start a fresh pot of Joe. That gets done before I even go into the newsroom and switch on the lights. Before I fire up my workstations. Before I actually sit down and start working. While the life giving liquid is on the brew, I start my daily routine of setting up newscasts, writing stories and getting the weather. THEN I go get the 1st cup.
   So you can imagine my despair when I got into work this morning and found no coffee. There was nothing in our dispenser, there was nothing in the usual stash where such supplies are kept. I couldn't even bolt down to the nearest Tim's to get a cup.
   Luckily, someone went to the store and bought some. But it was too late for me. I quit drinking coffee about 08:00, and don't have any throughout the rest of the day. But, we've got an emergency supply in, and tomorrow is another day. Hopefully with coffee.

TTFN

Hot, Hot Heat

   We have been sweltering under a dome of very hot air the past few days, and it doesn't look like much relief is in store. In fact, the mercury is forecast to get up to 32 C today (just under 90 F), and heat warnings are out for quite a few parts of not only Saskatchewan, but most of western Canada as well.
   Luckily, I work in an air conditioned office, although it wasn't functioning Monday, drive an air conditioned car, and have central air in our home. After having lived in Saskatchewan for more than 20 years, we knew we needed it. When we bought our place, the first thing we did was have it installed. We still use good old-fashioned fans, as well, but just to keep the air moving, primarily in our upstairs bedrooms.
   And yes, we do keep it running 24/7 during the worst of the heat wave. It's just easier to let it cycle, rather than having to wait quite a while before it cools the house to a comfortable level. I don't know if we're saving anything on our power bill by doing it that way, but I feel it's cheaper in the long run.
   As for the heat-wave ending any time soon: Tuesday looks to be the coolest so far at 26 C, but a forecaster at the weather office says it'll heat up again after that.
   Stay cool!

TTFN

Cravings

   We all get them now and then. That sudden, impulsive urge for a specific food item. Whether it's popcorn, ice cream, taco chips or pickles, you have to have them, and you have to have them now. So it was for me on the way into work this morning, after I, for some reason, woke up 20 minutes before my normal 03:45.
   After my morning ablutions, I got in the car, and it hit. A craving for an egg McMuffin. So, instead of turning left to get to work, I turned right and headed for the only McDonalds in town open 24 hours

   McD's has what they call "Breakfast All Day", so I naturally assumed I could get a bacon and egg AND a sausage McMuffin before trekking into the office to start my day.
   But as I pulled up to the drive-through, I was informed that the "breakfast menu doesn't start until 04:00". Am I missing something? Either "All Day Breakfast" means just what it says, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, don't advertise it as such. Or did the crew at the location I went to think that 03:45 was still "night", meaning "All Day Breakfast" didn't apply?
   Dejected, I left without getting anything, headed down the block to one of our Tim Horton's and got a bagel. Which is a poor substitute for an egg McMuffin, when you're really craving one.
   C'mon McD's: Either provide the meal you advertise, or go back to the old menu, meaning you couldn't get a burger until 11:00, and nothing from the breakfast menu after.

TTFN

Yes, More Flowers

   As regular viewers will know, my wife is an avid gardener, and every year she does some magical things with what little space we have for flowers etc. This year, however, hasn't been very good for her flowerbeds, with a lack of rain being the big problem.
   That aside, she did get a good growth on her Tango Lilies this year, the 2nd year she's had them. However, her Eye Liner lilies did not even come up after last year. Why, she doesn't know.
   She also planted tomato's for a 2nd year, and they've finally started to come along, albeit slowly. Part of the problem with them is we didn't get the heritage variety like we did last year.
   But, gardening is gardening (she says), and Mother Nature rules. But She's dealt us a rather lousy weather hand this year.

TTFN

Another Tour In The Books

   It's one of the highlights for my wife every year. The Secret Gardens Tour, where (as a fundraiser for a local dance academy) people throw open their gardens for others to look at. You get a passport when you buy your ticket and, as you can see, get it stamped at each venue.
   There were 23 gardens on the tour this year. We managed to get to 20 of them in a 7 hour stretch. Luckily, there were a few groupings of 3 or so in the same general area, which meant it was easy to get to them.
   Here are some of the highlights:

   All in all, it was (for me) nearly 11 hours behind the wheel, what with the drive to Regina from Yorkton, then puttering around to all the sites, then back home again. And it was hot! It got up to 29 Celsius. But, I have a/c in the car, and we managed to park in shady areas for the most part.
   And, yes, my wife's already looking forward to next year's event.

TTFN

It Really Was A Simple Question

   Morning guru Danny Ismond did have what at first blush seemed a simple and innocent question on our GX94 App and GX94 Facebook page: "What's your favourite phone app"?

   But during our daily chat, things got a bit more complicated. While I did answer the question (Facebook and our in house pages, along with a game or 2), things degenerated, and we ended up doing an App count.
   I'm ashamed to say my tally was a paltry 23. Danny, on the other hand, totted up 182 on his phone. And he claims to use them all.
   But still, both of us got to thinking about what we have on our phones. I need to find some new interests and Apps, while Danny says it might be time for a "purge".

TTFN