Away

   I've got some holiday time I'll be taking next week, so I won't be back until January 7th. In which case, I'd like to wish all of my viewers the best in 2019. May the new year bring you health, happiness and prosperity.
   Happy New Year everyone!!

TTFN

Merry Christmas

   To those who celebrate it, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. Those who don't, have a Happy Holiday!
   Regardless, enjoy the season.

TTFN

United Has An (Interim) Manager

   And he's certainly got a history with Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played in 235 games with United, scoring 126 goals, including one in injury time in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, knocking off Bayern, Munich.  

   I also remember him coming on as a substitute in a league game and scoring 2 quick goals to secure a win.
   After his playing days ended, he became manager of the teams reserves, before returning to his home country of Norway, where he's currently the manager at Molde. But don't expect him to be named a permanent replacement for Jose Morinho, who was sacked yesterday. Solskjaer had his contract with Molde extended through 2021 earlier this month.
   Good luck Ole!

TTFN

It Was Bound To Happen

   Manchester United has fired Jose Mourinho

   After 2 /12 years as the team's manager. And it was bound to happen. The Red Devil's are off to their worst start ever in the Premier League. They're in 6th place, 19 points adrift of table-topper Liverpool. Mourinho is the 3rd manager to have come and gone from Man U after the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Not that Fergie had a stellar start either.
   But after taking the helm, Mourinho, who came to United from Chelsea and was United's third manager in 5 years,, seemed to do little in the way of bringing the team to championships. Credit where it;s due, under his watch United did win the Football League Cup, Europa League and the FA Cup Community Shield. But the team has been lackluster, and something had to give. And, like most sports teams, it was the manager.
   United will appoint someone to take them through the rest of the season, and then start looking for a permanent replacement.
   Thank you Jose for your efforts, and accomplishments, with the team, and all the best in the future. I have a feeling someone will snap you up quickly.

TTFN

A Bittersweet Anniversary

   Yesterday (December 16) marked the 12th anniversary of our new fur-babies coming to their forever home. My son and I trooped to the Regina Humane Society in a raging blizzard to pick up new members of our family after we had to say "goodbye" to the 2 girls who were with us 17 years in November, 2006. We got these 2

   Aslan (named after the lion in the Narnia series) was the big tan one. The silver grey one is Kell. Sadly, Alsan had to be put to sleep in April this year, due to illness. We miss him still.

   Kell, on the other hand, is still extremely active, despite being at least 15 years old. He imprinted on me right from day 1 when we brought him home.

   After showing them the 'facilities' and the food dishes, we sat down to get to know each other. He immediately leaped up on me, and settled down on my left shoulder. That's still his favourite place to perch on me. Even if it's just for a few minutes.
   We added to our family again in June 2011, when we got our little girl Freya

   And we are still looking to add another kitty to the family, even though we were unsuccessful earlier this year. Hopefully, we'll find the right fit next time.

TTFN

My Old Home Town

   That's where I grew up. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The shot was taken a few years back 400 kilometers up by an astronaut on the International Space station. Calgary was "home" from 1961 to 1985, when we moved to High River, just south of the city, when I restarted my career in radio.
   Needless to say, the city grew up quite a bit from when I lived there. In 1961, the population was just under 250 thousand. When we left in 1986, it was a hair under 679 thousand. Now, it's over 1.2 million.
   A lot of people like to say "hey! I can see my house", which of course they can't. But looking at this picture I can, with 100% certainty, say I know, and can see, the general location of ours. The black area top-left of centre is Nose Hill, where myself and my buddies would climb at least 3 of 4 times a year.
   If you look just a little lower and a tad left of the hill, you'll see a patch of grey looking lights. That's the general area I grew up in. If this had a zoom capacity, I'm sure I could find my house with no problem. But not at this resolution.
   And while it's nice to see Calgary from this vantage point, and it was nice to visit earlier this year, I don't think we could move back, even if circumstances permitted.

TTFN

This Was A Long Time Coming

   I've been suffering hearing loss for quite a few years now, but it finally got to the point where I needed to get a hearing aid. My wife has been urging me to get my hearing checked for years now, and I finally agreed after not being able to hear her talk to me when she was in our living room, and me in the kitchen of our home. Less than 10 feet apart. In an "open concept" house.
   Not surprisingly, the hearing test I took showed loss in my right ear, and profound loss in my left. And so a couple of weeks ago I got fitted, and picked it up last week. Is it perfect? No. Has it restored at least part of my hearing? Yes. But only part of it. I have to go back for a re-evaluation (apparently required by law) in a week, and will need a couple of issues addressed.
   How did my hearing get so bad? Several reasons. Firstly, the industry I work in deals with sound. That means I wear headphones a lot. Probably 66% of my work day. I also suffer tinnitus, which is incurable. And as a teen, I used to play rock music as loud as I could get it wearing headphones. None of which helped.
   But why is the left ear worse than the right? That's easy. I use my left ear more. When I'm reading news, I only have the left ear headphone on. I also used to use "leftie" to talk on the phone. So that one took the brunt of the punishment, so to speak.
   I will, in time, need to get the right ear fitted for a hearing aid as well. But that's going to have to wait until I can afford it.

TTFN