No, I will not fix your computer.

In homage to our good friends down south...

2008-11-23T15:10:00.001-05:00

We all need some therapy.
Because somebody came along and said…

Liberal means
Soft on Crime…
Soft on Drugs…
Soft on Communism…
Soft on Defense…
And we’re going to tax you back to the Stone Age…
Because people shouldn’t have to go to work if they don’t want to.

And instead of saying

Well excuse me…you Right Wing…
Reactionary…
Xenophobic…
Homophobic…
Anti-Education…
Anti-Choice…
Pro-Gun…
“Leave it to Beaver” trip back to the 50’s…

We cowered in the corner…and said
“Please…don’t hurt me”

No more.

I really don’t care who’s right or who’s wrong.
We’re both right…
We’re both wrong..

Ron Silver as Bruno Gianelli
The West Wing

Why Fear Nuclear?!?

2008-08-17T14:49:00.001-04:00

Stunt Show at the Parry Sound Sport Bike Rally 2007

2007-07-09T17:38:00.001-04:00

Rate this....

2007-06-28T21:25:00.000-04:00

Fuck! That pisses me off...not enough swear words!

Happy Birthday Kate!

2007-06-16T10:28:00.000-04:00

Before...

Two years later...

That's what I'm talking about...

2007-04-22T22:39:00.000-04:00

Ummmmm....yeah about that

2007-04-14T07:32:00.000-04:00

Yeah...sorry about not updating...we are bad bad people. Actually we are just lazy which puts us in line with aobut 90% of the population.

I tell myself that once we start riding the bikes...we'll start updating with pictures and stuff more. I also tell myself that if we just keep working hard and being nice...those millions are ours.

Winter is definitely here

2007-02-04T14:08:00.000-05:00

It's been squalling for the last 24 hours and all the roads are closed.

This used to be our BBQ.

Sigh...

2007-01-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

Just looking outside at the wind and trivial amounts of snow and realizing that it's too cold to motorbike (which is really what I want to do), but not enough snow to do anything at all winter related. The Greenhouse effect sucks...thanks a bunch Al Gore.

Opie (Oct 98 - Jan 06)

2007-01-03T16:41:00.000-05:00

It's been a year now, and we still miss you and love you.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

Happiness is...

2006-12-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

...carrots bigger than your head. Hmmmmmm...tasty.

Winter is here...

2006-12-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

...and we love it!

Yawn.....

2006-11-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

And 4 rides later....

2006-11-04T16:19:00.000-05:00

We barely get to ride them...and then it's winter storage time...

But before we put them away for 6 months...some personal touches were needed..

Boy these are fun

2006-10-16T20:41:00.000-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-10-07T18:38:00.000-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted in a while, work has been quite busy lately and we've been trying to take advantage of the last few weeks of good weather before the snow falls.

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and most people spend it with their families eating turkey and pumpkin pie. What have we done this weekend instead? We bought these two beauties:

Vrooom!!

2006-08-07T13:33:00.000-04:00

Everyone had a good time at the wedding!

More pics at http://photos.yahoo.com/iulitruli under Kincardine Wedding

HNT(uesday) - I do!

2006-07-25T16:00:00.000-04:00

Four years ago today we laid eyes on each other for the first time ...

Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives together ...

Not nervous yet...

2006-07-22T20:02:00.000-04:00

Too busy or tired to be nervous....3 days to go.

Tel us something we didn't know!

2006-07-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

You scored as atheism. You are... an atheist, though you probably already knew this. Also, you probably have several people praying daily for your soul.

Instead of simply being "nonreligious," atheists strongly believe in the lack of existence of a higher being, or God.

Atheism

92%

Satanism

71%

Paganism

58%

Buddhism

50%

Agnosticism

46%

Islam

33%

Judaism

21%

Christianity

21%

Hinduism

13%

Which religion is the right one for you? (new version)

LOL, love that "several people praying daily for your soul" bit. We think we know who those people are :)

HNT - O Canada!

2006-07-06T00:53:00.000-04:00

Showing Canadian pride in everything we do .. including zip lining upside down in the rain forests of Costa Rica!

Happiness ...

2006-06-26T19:19:00.000-04:00

Poker

2006-06-01T08:23:00.000-04:00

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 7689940

Hmmm...seems I have no thoughts

2006-05-22T17:20:00.000-04:00

A lot more time...and nothing to say it seems...

Just a couple of things that I can think of as I sit here staring at the screen

1) Ultimate Frisbee rocks...
2) Long weekends are never long enough. ..and the short week is never short enough
3) I think we should send our brave troops (the remaining 30 of them) to the US/Canada border to patrol for those pushy beavers that cross back and forth...Harper would probably think this was a brilliant idea.
4) No matter how far away they are...your neighbors are too close .
5) No wedding jitters...
That’s it...

Higher Education...Hurrah

2006-04-29T19:41:00.000-04:00

Sorry friends...with Skule and work...I have been neglectful of the Blogging duties...(heh...I said duty). But now the final exam is done...and unless I had a brain hemorrhage (could happen), the Masters degree is secured.

Whoo Hoo!
Now we can get back to more important things...like not Blogging.

Music meme

2006-04-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

Still can't think of anything to write, so we stole this silly little meme from Os:

Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog. Comment back if you post it on your site.

~Will I get far in life? Enya - Only Time
~How do my friends see me? Brian Eno - Warszawa
~Where will I get married? Savage Garden - The Animal Song
~What is my best friend’s theme song? Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles
~What is the story of my life? Snow - The Plumb Song
~What was high school like? Enya - Book of Days
~How can I get ahead in life? Counting Crows - Big Yellow Taxi
~What is the best thing about me? Enya - Orinoco Flow
~How is today going to be? Bach - Piano Concerto No 9
~What is in store for this weekend? Jerry Goldsmith - Innerspace
~What song describes my parents? Chemical Brothers - Replacement Killers
~My grandparents? Sarah McLachlan - Time
~How is my life going? The Corrs - The Right Time
~What song will they play at my funeral? Monty Python - Lumberjack Song
~How does the world see me? Enya - Caribbean Blue
~Will I have a happy life? Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
~What do my friends really think of me? The Who - Time is Passing
~Do people secretly lust after me? Maroon 5 - Shiver
~How can I make myself happy? Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
~What should I do with my life? Enigma - Return to Innocence
~Will I ever have children? Eagles - Visions
~What is some good advice? Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
~What is my signature dancing song? Enrique Iglesias - Don't Turn off the Lights
~What do I think my current theme song is? Phil Collins - Hold on my Heart
~What does everyone else think my current theme song is? Dido - Here with Me
~What type of men/women do you like? Don Henley - Forgiveness

Hmm ...what to write??

2006-04-13T16:22:00.000-04:00

HNT - Happy St Patty's Day!

2006-03-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

Happy St Green's Day!

HNT - Lord of the Rings

2006-03-09T00:32:00.000-05:00

Myyy preciousss

HNT - Margarita, por favor!

2006-03-02T00:47:00.000-05:00

This is Margarita, the resident Moray eel of the Mortera Shipwreck in Santa Lucia, Cuba. You know those sharks we showed you last week? This sucker is way scarier and more dangerous than them .. just look at those teeth!

Actually, she was very graceful and gentle. She was used to having divers around and she loved being hand-fed.

Aww ...

2006-02-28T22:08:00.000-05:00

A very rare quiet time around the house ...

HNT - Jaws!!!

2006-02-23T00:16:00.000-05:00

Click on the title for a little surprise! (Turn on your speakers!)

Click on the picture for bigger jaws!

Shark diving in Santa Lucia, Cuba, was an amazing experience. We were surrounded by about 10 bull sharks, each around 10-12 ft long. We were not in a shark cage, and we didn't have any chainmail on. It was just us, them, and the dive masters with a bag full of dead fish! And we didn't do this just once .. we went back 4 days in a row to dive with the sharks. Crazy you say? Oh well .. you only live once, you might as well enjoy it!

Get out of the water!

2006-02-21T13:37:00.000-05:00

They're getting closer ...

Don't go in the water!

2006-02-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

Bull shark, Santa Lucia, Cuba

HNT - Brrr

2006-02-16T00:46:00.000-05:00

Well, we were going to get half-nekkid and then this happened ..

We are nucking futs...

2006-02-06T20:02:00.000-05:00

We now welcome two new members to the household. The one on the left is Baxter (1.5 years old) and the middle one is Riley (1 year old). We got them from a kennel who had sold them to someone else...but they had to give them back...so we picked them up for free.

What in good God have we done....Jebus!!!

Sorry for such a long time between posts...as you can see we've been busy.

Also..the Cuba trip was great..pics can be seen at Julia and Scott Pics

HNT - Little bundle of fur

2006-01-12T00:29:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since we posted...we were a bit shook up with Opie...but we're doing better now...Kate is helping.

This was last year in BC (again with the BC trip I know...)

Pika at Takkakaw Falls

We're off to sunny Cuba next week (a shout out to all our American friends who can't do that...sorry guys...just forgive them will ya?) so we should have lots more pics for you...both above and below water.

Opie (Oct 98 - Jan 06)

2006-01-03T15:04:00.000-05:00

You've put up a good fight but the disease was too strong.
You're now free to chase squirrels and rabbits.
We love you and miss you!

Scott, Julia & Kate.

Cause and effect ...

2005-12-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

We'll be back in a week ...

2005-12-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

... if we don't kill ourselves ...

HNT - Redneck snow heaven!

2005-12-15T00:43:00.000-05:00

Nature looks better at 140km/hr!

Let It Snow

2005-12-11T22:48:00.000-05:00

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I brought some corn for popping;
The lights are turned way down low,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Imagine

2005-12-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Imagine there's no Heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
Living for today ...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
And no religion too,
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace ...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world ...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one,
I hope someday you'll join us,
And the world will live as one

~ John Lennon (Oct 9, 1940 - Dec 8, 1981)

HNT - A retrospective

2005-12-08T00:06:00.000-05:00

Before HNT even existed, we posted a boobie pic. Yay for boobies!!

A year ago we decided to jump on the bandwagon and create our own blog: http://lostintheboonies.blogspot.com/2004/12/leaving-civilization-behind.html

In the last year we moved from the big city to the boonies, went to Costa Rica for a week, got our new puppy Kate and joined the HNT crowd. It's been a wonderful year! We love our new town & new house, and Kate & Opie certainly keep us on our toes. And what would we have done without HNT? It looks like that's all we've been posting lately. Thank you Os!

HNT - My, what big feet you have!

2005-12-01T00:42:00.000-05:00

Drumheller, Alberta...and that's gotta be the biggest fricken chicken I've ever seen!

HNT - I'm the king of the world!!!

2005-11-24T00:11:00.000-05:00

This is the top of Mount Washington, NH. I spent three hours climbing the east face, only to discover a snack bar at the top!!

2005-11-18T16:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Mother Nature,
We're ready. Bring it on!!!!
Sincerely,
Opie & Kate

2005-11-17T13:04:00.000-05:00

Hmm, what's this white stuff? And why is it so cold?

HNT - Wish I were here again

2005-11-17T00:11:00.000-05:00

It started snowing tonight, and they're predicting 10-15 cm (4-6 in) by Friday morning with snowsqalls. Yay, winter is here!

But I really wish I were here again ...

Ahh, warm weather, white sand beaches, and SCUBA diving: coral reefs, multicoloured tropical fish, manta rays, barracudas and Caribbean reef sharks!

Just about the saddest thing I ever saw

2005-11-10T18:14:00.000-05:00

Well...our poor little Opie had to have 7 teeth pulled today...if only I had known it would be so expensive I could have done it myself with a sledge hammer with a treat glued to the end of it. Just kidding...I would have used an ordinary hammer.

We picked him up from the vet...and he's so doped up he can barely stand. Missing most of his front teeth now...he could be a Maple Leaf bruiser.

He just wants to sleep...and we thought Kate was going to be all about the playtime as soon as he got home...but she just amazed us.

It's like she knew he was in pain and sleepy...she just whined a bit and sniffed...then let him be. She never does that.

Lesson for all you dog owners out there...we have seen a bit of our future with Opie...sooner or later...it will not end well.

Stupid limited lifespan.

HNT - Taking a bath

2005-11-10T00:02:00.000-05:00

This is the single most horrifying thing from Opie's point of view ...

He just absolutely hates taking baths. All we need to do is say the word "bath" and he just runs away and hides. Kate seems to be developing the same fear of water.

Dude...where's my car?

2005-11-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

Well..it's a wee bit windy here today...

Had some wicked rain and wind last night...and the wind is still going today. Knocked over the BBQ and took off the Hot tub cover (twice). Right now I am soooo happy the house is built to code...

But the kids don't seem to mind too much.

HNT - The other half ...

2005-11-03T00:07:00.000-05:00

... of our happy little family ...

... doing what they enjoy the most: chewing bones and playing XBox.

HNT - One half ...

2005-10-27T00:03:00.000-04:00

... of our happy little family ...

Because of the Halloween theme happening this week, I thought I would make this pic a little dark & spooky.

UPDATE: People have been commenting that the pic is too dark. If you want to see the lighter version, click on the pic!

Anybody need a maid?

2005-10-24T20:39:00.000-04:00

H.O. Maid Service - It's HO-tastic!

Didn't even last the first #%! hour

2005-10-23T17:36:00.000-04:00

1162th Place in 40 min...I suck so badly I can't even articulate it. Lost to a Jack on the River...sucks.

9 Down..1 to go!

2005-10-22T23:39:00.000-04:00

Well...today marked the end of course number 9 of 10. That Master's degree is almost mine...and once I have it I can work at the same job...for the same hours...and the same pay.

WHOO HOOO!

Glad I spent the last two years working towards this goal.

HNT - Dancing away my hunger pain

2005-10-20T00:42:00.000-04:00

Moving my feet so my stomach won't hurt
I'm kind of like Jesus
But not in a sacrilegious way
-Homer

BBQ season is over :( It was good while it lasted, but now it's time to batten down the hatches and get ready for winter.

I'll miss you, my little friend! I promise I won't forget you and I can't wait to see you again in 6 months :)

UPDATE: According to the weatherman it will be -5C (20F) tonight and chance of flurries less than an hour north of us. Guess winter is on our doorstep!

Online Poker Blogger Championship

2005-10-14T23:02:00.000-04:00

I have registered to play in the
Online Poker Blogger Championship!

This event is powered by PokerStars.

Registration code: 6269098

HNT - Cold feet

2005-10-13T00:04:00.000-04:00

Last week you got to see Julia's legs, so it's only fair that Scott's legs make an appearance this week. Which ones do you like better? ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-10-06T22:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Canucks out there! Turkey and long weekend .. yeah!
We were talking with a British friend who lives in the US about the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, mainly the timing. Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend, while the American one isn't till November. He told us that the Brits celebrate Thanksgiving on a different day too: July 4th, Independence Day (aka Good Riddance Day!) LOL.

HNT - She's got legs, she knows how to use them

2005-10-06T00:33:00.000-04:00

During our trip out west last year, I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. So of course, I had to jump right in!

This is Vancouver's Spanish Banks Beach at low tide. We saw lots of wildlife: birds big and small, crabs and other crawly things, jellyfish, and this little gimpy guy:

Poor gimpy starfish. His 5th leg was a little stub that was just starting to grow out.

HNT - I Want to Hold Your Hand

2005-09-29T00:13:00.000-04:00

Two mushy posts in a row? Sure, why not :)

This was also taken in Kootenay last year, at the ochre Paint Pots. They were spared by the fires of 2003 but there were obvious signs of previous fire damage.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart :)

2005-09-26T21:28:00.000-04:00

It looks like I've only posted HNT pics for the past few weeks, but it's time to break that pattern. Tomorrow is a special day!

Every time our eyes meet
This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take
Baby when you touch me
I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away
I've never been this close to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts
I can see your dreams
I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better
I wanna spend the rest of my life with you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you
The smell of your skin
The taste of your kiss
The way you whisper in the dark
Your hair all around me, baby you surround me
You touch every place in my heart
Oh, it feels like the first time every time
I wanna spent the whole night in your eyes
(Lonestar - Amazed)

Happy Birthday baby! I love you thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much ;)

HNT - Paint it Black

2005-09-22T07:25:00.000-04:00

This is another picture from our trip out west last year.

Kootenay National Park in British Columbia was devastated by forest fires in the summer of 2003. When we visited a year later, many trails were still closed to visitors. The damage was incredible: burnt forests as far as the eye could see, rocks cracked into multiple pieces by the heat of the fires, soot still covering the trees a year later. However, in between the ashes, small plants and flowers were starting to grow again. Such is the circle of life!

HNT - Riding along in my automobile

2005-09-15T01:13:00.000-04:00

Continuing the car theme, this is a photo I took last year in Alberta.

We were heading back to Calgary from Drumheller when we saw the city in the distance. We were just amazed how flat the prairies were that you could see Calgary from probably an hour away, so I decided to take a pic. I was pleasantly surprised when we got the photos back to see that I also caught myself in the car mirror taking the shot. I thought it's a pretty cool pic.

HNT - Singing in the rain

2005-09-08T00:03:00.000-04:00

Not quite Hurricane Katrina, but a heavy storm nonetheless.

Continuing the Dorky Theme

2005-09-07T14:15:00.000-04:00

No Dorky pictures in this post, but Julia took the Dork/Nerd/Geek test, and these are her results. (We were so made for each other!)

Pure Nerd
52 % Nerd, 17% Geek, 47% Dork

For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.
The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

It's Dorky Tuesday!!

2005-09-06T00:58:00.000-04:00

Come one, come all. The mastermind behind HNT has decreed that today is Dorky Tuesday. It's today, and today only, so enjoy it while you can!

I know we're supposed to post pics of our dorky childhood, but why do that when we have great dorky pics from a year ago. So without further ado, I present to you my Dork:

This was taken last year on Scott's birthday. I don't know why he's wearing that stupid hat, or why he even bought it in the first place, but it seemed like a good idea at the time :)

Hmmm...ground seems a little low here

2005-09-01T18:08:00.000-04:00

I do not wish to make light of the suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina, but I must make this point

- New Orleans is, on average, eight feet below sea level. Tall levees to the north and south keep the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain from pouring into the center of the city. The following image gives some perspective

- And an intricate system of pumping stations and canals keep the land dry, even after heavy rainfall. Without this drainage system, much of the city would be engulfed in water.

- All the pumps, canals, and levees that work so hard to keep New Orleans above water are actually causing the city to sink at a rate of three feet per century.

So here is my point. They live on the Gulf of Mexico, they are below sea level on both sides, and they are sinking. Did they not see this coming? Is it not about time to close shop and head for the hills?

Simple fact of the world…pumps fail…so do levees. Water always wins out. My sympathy is tempered by the fact that this has been avoidable for decades.

HNT - Brrr

2005-09-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

Swimming in the cold Ontario waters

HNT - Everybody was Kung-fu Fighting

2005-08-25T07:22:00.000-04:00

I have found the one good thing about being unemployed during the summer: kick-ass tan lines!!

What do you think?

What, you didn't think I would show you the other ones, did you? ;)

Clinton and Gandhi walk into a bar ...

2005-08-21T14:46:00.000-04:00

Try and guess who's who?

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

HNT - I'm flying away

2005-08-18T12:02:00.000-04:00

This is another pic we had in our archives. You could say we were trying to go for the artsy look with that sun reflection thing we have happening in the pic ... but who are we kidding? It was just an accident.

We celebrated our first anniversary by doing an intro flight on a 4-seater Cessna. It was a lot of fun. We both got to fly unassisted, and do the take-off and landing assisted by the instructor. Would love to be doing more of this, but who has all that $$?

You like me, you really like me!!

2005-08-14T19:47:00.000-04:00

Our dogs started playing together for the first time today since we brought Kate home. They're finally starting to get along. YAY!!

Hmm...beaver valley

2005-08-13T08:06:00.000-04:00

You gotta love these small towns. They sure know how to name 'em...and give 'em a proper catch phrase.

HNT - Boo-boo

2005-08-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Training Kate has been challenging and tiring. I love my sleep, so waking up every 2 hours all night long has not been fun. Kudos to all those out there who have kids, I don't know how you survive.

So being tired and uninspired, I'll post an old pic this week.

This was taken last summer on a mountain biking trip at Mont Ste. Anne, Quebec. I could make up a whole story about me going down the mountain like a speeding bullet, when I fell trying to manouver through the trees ... But I won't ... I fell while *walking* my bike trying to manouver through the trees :( I'm such a retard.

Say hello to Kate

2005-08-07T11:11:00.000-04:00

She's effectively taken over the house. She and Opie are slowly getting along...he still wants to be top dog. Training here will be a challenge for sure.

Puppy!

2005-08-05T13:28:00.000-04:00

We have a new addition to the family. Say hello to our new beagle puppy.

Isn't she just the cutest thing? Big brother Opie is looking forward to playing with her.

We're still trying to name her. Any ideas?

Music Meme

2005-08-04T19:38:00.000-04:00

Amy and Cate tagged us with a music meme:

List ten songs that you are currently digging ... it doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're no good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the ten songs in your blog. Then tag five other people to see what they're listening to.

Julia's songs (in no particular order):
1. Leftfield - Release the Pressure
2. Banco de Gaia - I Love Baby Cheesy
3. The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
4. Enigma - Return to Innocence
5. Shpongle - My Head Feels Like a Frisbee
6. Colin Hay - Beautiful World
7. Dead Can Dance - Saltarello
8. Shawn Mullins - All In My Head
9. Rank 1 - Such is Life
10. Leroy - Good Time

Scott's songs (in no particular order):
1. Lazlo Bane - Superman
2. Filter - Take My Picture
3. Evanescence - Going Under
4. Phill Collins - Take Me Home
5. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
6. Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
7. Bob Marley & The Wailers - One Love
8. Everything - Hooch
9. Irish Rovers - Beer, Beer, Beer
10. Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of LIfe

We don't want to tag someone and have someone else feel left out (such is the friendly Canadian way), so if you want to do this, go ahead and let us know so we can check it out.

HNT - Another camping one (or The start of a beautiful life together)

2005-08-04T00:52:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time (a little over 3 years ago), there was a boy (Scott), his crazy dog (Opie), and a girl (Julia) who all decided to go on a camping trip organized by a mutual friend. The boy and the girl had never met before this trip, but through fate (the boy pushing for it), they shared a canoe for 4 days. After a wonderful weekend full of adventures (the crazy dog following his nose and getting lost, and all of us organizing a marine & land search and rescue operation complete with walkie-talkies), the boy and girl decided to stay in touch after the trip. The rest, as they say, is history, and here we are, 3 years later, still together, still taking care of the crazy dog (who ran back to camp about an hour after we started looking for him. He was all wet and dirty, with a bloody ear and his dog-tags were gone.)

Don't let his cuteness fool you. He is the devil sometimes.

And this is me, fresh from a swim in one of the beautiful lakes of Algonquin Park. The blackflies were out in full force that year, as you can tell from the huge red welts on my legs.

My mind is a terrible thing to waste...

2005-08-03T15:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know where this came from, but during the coverage of the Air France Plane Crash …I kept wondering if I would see an interview with the pilot and the interviewer would say “It’s amazing that you and your crew saved all those lives…how long have you been a pilot?”, and the pilot would say “Oh I’m not a pilot…but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.”

My mind is funny that way.

HNT - Mmm, half-nekkid in the woods

2005-07-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

Camping in the wilderness of Ontario last weekend.

Hmmm...3 years together..and Sushi...

2005-07-25T20:37:00.000-04:00

Well...Julia and I have been together 3 years today...and what better way to celebrate than by making Sushi for the first time.

Awww...that's so sweet I'm sure most of you are just retching now (that would be "most of you" that are single).

Hey...this is the first time we get to use the funny bamboo rolling thingy. (Thank you WalMart and your non-unionized staff).

Rolling of California Maki complete...just cut into slices (eat the ends of course..they don't look as good) and place delicately on your $9.99 plate (thanks again WalMart...god bless your non-union bitchy staff).

Maki and Nigiri...hmmm...so tasty looking....we will find out in 24 hours if the fish was really fresh or not.

Ok..maybe I was a bit generous with the Wasabi...by about 300 grams or so.

Happy Anniversary baby...enjoy the hot fiery death.

Here's to the remaining 67 years of my contractual obligation. After that...FREEEEDOOOM!!!

The Phantom Piper

2005-07-24T14:05:00.000-04:00

Every sunset the Phantom Piper plays on top of the lighthouse. This is what he sounded like a few nights ago: "Phantom Piper"
Seems to go back to an old tale of a ship lost in the fog. A bagpiper who was awaiting the ships arrival started to play...and the lost ship heard the tune and headed towards the sound. They found their way into harbor, so now they play bagpipes every night.

Half-Nekkid Thursday

2005-07-21T14:18:00.000-04:00

All the cool kids are doing it, so we decided to join in. The mastermind behind HNT is Osbasso.

This is from our recent trip to Costa Rica.

Cervezas, cocodrilos and monos

2005-07-12T18:17:00.000-04:00

Oops, looks like we haven't updated this thing in over a month. That's what happens when real life takes over.

We've recently returned from hot & wet Costa Rica to hot & muggy Ontario. Woohoo.

Lots more pics available over there on the right sidebar...

This is why we came here...

2005-05-31T17:59:00.001-04:00

First nice sunset.

Walking the beach

Gotta say...worth the move. Better than most of the things back at the T dot.

I buy all this SCUBA stuff..and still can't see shit!!!

2005-05-23T19:23:00.000-04:00

Damn this stuff is heavy

After 1.5 months of Thermo hell...the course is finally over. And what better way to celebrate than by diving into freezing cold water to look at a sunken Cessna you can barely see...much less find at 30 feet.

Costa Rica will be much better…I hope.

I know what that picture is.

2005-05-15T02:06:00.000-04:00

Paulysaurus

I know now what Paul was trying to show in his pic. After some IT work by Sean...you can see it is the fabled Paulysaurus. The floppy ears and dumbfounded look give it away.

Thanks to Sean for working hard to discover the truth.

I hate Thermodynamics

2005-05-03T19:10:00.000-04:00

Curse the man who invented Thermodynamics..CURSE YOU JAMES PRESCOTT JOULE!!!

This course is the reason I have been neglectfull of my Blogging duties...that and I am lazy as hell. For your science lesson of the day..let us equate the laws of thermodynamics to a poker game. In this analogy, the three laws of thermo are...

You can't win.
You can't break even.
And you can't get out of the game.

sigh...

Blog-a-thon answers

2005-04-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

I'm being interviewed by Binsk for the blogathon...essentially a pyramid blog scheme..but I’ve got nothing better to post…so these are my answers to her questions

1. What's your biggest regret in life so far?
I regret nooothiiing!!!

2. If you could read everybody's mind would you want to?
Hell yes….my Texas Hold’em skills would be invincible.

3. Who would you say has influenced your life the most?
My Father…and he didn’t have to say much to do it.

4. Would you like to be famous? Why or why not?
No…famous people have to big a spotlight on them..too easy for their flaws to be scrutinized. I prefer smaller, easier to manage spotlights…camping flashlights for example.

5. If you could play just one song over and over again forever which song would it be?
”Take me home” by Phil Collins.

For the blog-a-thon:

I'll offer to interview the next 3 people (3 max…I’m not made of questions you know) who respond to this post, and here's how it works:

1. Leave me a comment saying 'interview me', if you'd like to be interviewed.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions here. They will be different questions than the ones above.
3. You'll update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You'll include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you'll ask them five questions.

Ultimate Frisbee...Ultimate Pain

2005-04-13T21:36:00.000-04:00

It's like football and soccer put together!!!

I have discovered pain again...after some years of sitting on my duff and watching TV...sexy TV mind you….but TV nonetheless...I have come to realize just how out of shape I am. I also can't seem to throw a straight Frisbee either…but that can be improved upon.

I swear I will keep up with the outdoor physical activities...right after I finish coughing up this left lung of mine.

The Contender

2005-04-06T20:28:00.000-04:00

Place your bets! Place your bets!

Well...you can gamble on anything...so why not gamble on the next Holy Father...

I have a better idea...let the top contenders perform various tasks and then box each other for the final prize...the Undisputed Catholic Heavyweight Champion of the Woooooooooorld!!!!!

And the profiles of the top two are

Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy "Italian Stallion"
Odds: 11-4
- He's got the reach...but lacks that knockout punch. Tends to invoke the power of Christ to early in the fight.

Francis Arinze of Nigeria "Southpaw Charlie"
Odds: 11-4
- Powerful uppercut and fast on his feet. Likes to douse himself in holy water between each round.

It's an even match..but I give it to Tettamanzi in 9 rounds by TKO.

A total list of the contenders odds are here.

I hate moving

2005-04-05T22:56:00.000-04:00

Although this move was much better than most (they packed, they lifted, they unpacked), I still don't enjoy moving...cause it's like taking stock of all you stuff...and when you really look hard at everything you own...you realize you spent most of your life filling your dwelling with crap.

-Birthday/holiday cards from god knows how long ago...did you even like those people?
-Home Depot light stands that are perfectly straight...if you happen to be drunk on Sambuca
-Waterlogged couches (don't ask)
-$50 laptop that is only there to help you chat online while watching busty twins compete on Fear Factor

And the above list is the good stuff...

To waste time..or not to waste time.

2005-03-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

Today’s news: To pull the plug…or not to pull the plug...is that really a Congress question?

Now I’m not going to directly comment on the morality of the medical issue…she’s brain dead…I hear she was in pain and asking to die…and the husband (Legally allowed to decide this) pulled the feeding tube.

My question is…doesn’t congress have better things to do? I mean even the President is coming in from his very deserved 50th vacation of the year to sit at his desk and wait for the bill to show up so he can sign it…so that this women he never met, whose quality of life has been reduced to the quality most often seen in carrots, can be forced to live out this existence.

You’d think they could work on more pressing matters…like figuring out other ways to keep Canadian cows and lumber out of North Dakota…
-Scott

Just legalize it already ...

2005-03-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

From yesterdays's news: 4 RCMP Officers killed on Alberta farm

Why were they killed? Because they were trying to bust a marijuana grow-op. The Public Safety Minister now wants to toughen up penalties for grow-ops. Why do that? It won't solve anything.

Just decriminalize marijuana altogether. The government can make lots of money off it by taxing it, same as tobacco and alcohol. Whoever wants to grow pot can grow it at their heart's content, and whoever wants to smoke it, be my guest. Everybody wins. And the RCMP can focus on more important issues like the growing problems with gangs ...

-Julia

Forgive our inattentiveness...but there is a new house in play.

2005-02-20T18:48:00.000-05:00

Hey all

I know...we are such bad people for not updating...but many things going on at once...

Sold the Pickering House..and bought a new house in Kincardine. It's a new build so we got to pick all the interior...hardwood floors, hot tub for 6, etc.

The following is a link to a slideshow of pics where you can see how the house is progressing. We will update as we go.

Other comments...will hockey please just die already so that the curling circuit can get the airtime and audience it so desperately needs?

Left...no right...no LEFT!!!

2005-01-31T19:05:00.000-05:00

Damn it...I said hard to PORT!!! Pass the wine...

From BBC news:
"A sailor has died after a US nuclear submarine ran aground south of the Pacific island of Guam, injuring several sailors on board. The accident occurred on Saturday, near the submarine's home port of Guam, one of the most important US Pacific bases.
The US Navy said the nuclear reactor on the USS San Francisco was not damaged during the accident. "

Billions of dollars in technology and equipment...maybe the thing just got sideswiped by another Tsunami