I’ve moved

Another heads up that my blog now appears at BruceUncorked.com. Please keep following my rants and rumblings, and musical tastes at that site, also supported by WordPress.

Added another facet to the blog

Folks, just a reminder to head to bruceuncorked.com and sign up for e-mail delivery there for my blog. It’s moved.

I’ve added another category, Let There Be Rock, where I rant and ramble about music. Should be good for a few laughs and good listening.

http://bruceuncorked.com/2013/01/let-there-be-rock/

Conversion reminder

Just a reminder that I’ve moved my blog. Please cancel your e-mail follows here and pick us up at bruceuncorked.com

My latest post:

http://bruceuncorked.com/2013/01/honey-have-you-seen-my/

Another switch

Hey, loyal readers, this is just a quick note to let you know I am moving up in the blog world, as I now have my own domain, bruceuncorked.com.

Please bookmark that URL, and sign up for e-mail notifications from there to continue reading my blog. This area, uncorked.wordpress.com, will not be used much.

Thanks for keeping up on my rants and rumbles and I’ll see you on the bruceuncorked side.

Bye, bye Christmas

We always put off taking down the Christmas decorations, including the tree. I know we’re not alone.

Everything came down this morning, and in less than an hour. My wife is very organized when it comes to Christmas decor going up and coming down. My daughter and I basically followed orders.

In no time, I had all the boxes packed back into a basement closet and the tree out on the front yard by the curb (don’t worry, Greenies, I still plan to take it to the yard waste depot).

But now there’s that post-holiday decor void. Sure, the house is back to normal, but we’ve just swept away the last of the holidays as our daughter took the broom to our living room floor.

Some might think Jan. 12 is a little late to pull down the decorations. Bah! I’m the guy who once kept a fall display on my front porch until spring (I wasn’t using the porch through the winter, so no big deal, right?).

I think the earliest we ever got our Christmas decorations squared  away one year was Jan. 2. It did feel weird.

This time around, it felt right. But I was a bit worried about the tree. We purchased it in the second week of December from the Boy Scouts. In fact, it was up for a full month, to the day.

On top of this, we hadn’t watered it for two weeks, so I was worried the tree was going to drop all its needles, Charlie Brown style, as soon as I pulled it out of its base.

It did no such thing. Sure, it dropped a few needles, but it turned out there was still some water in the base, so the tree hadn’t gone thirsty (deep base and we had been watering it regularly until Boxing Day or so).

Well, everything’s back to normal, or as close to it as it can get around our house. At least for now…

As for the outdoors, I’ve still got the lights set on a timer. And the inflatable Rudolph is still inflated. Maybe I’ll pull his plug this afternoon. As for the lights, hmm. They are LED so they use very little electricity. And I see other homes in the neighbourhood that have left theirs up for now. We shall see.

Indirect route to discovery

It is often said all things happen for a reason. I truly believe that’s the case for my gifting of a high-definition PVR/satellite receiver for my wife on her birthday.

We have Shaw Direct satellite service. We’ve had it for probably 15 years. But to use a PVR — personal video recorder — on a satellite system, you have to purchase a receiver/PVR, which I did.

We’re in and out on a regular basis, and with a 10-year-old daughter in the house you can’t always watch a movie at the time it airs, so I thought it would be perfect for my wife. Considering her job affords her longer lunch breaks, why not relax with a little prime-time TV or a movie with particularly colourful dialogue when our child is at school?

Seemed like a smart choice…until I went to hook it up.

Turns out I don’t have enough wires coming off the dish and into the house. When the dude did the install here about a decade ago, he only ran two wires into the house, one for each of our satellite receivers. But the PVR unit requires two connections on its own — one for programming a user will watch, and one for the recorder. Actually, when it’s hooked up correctly, it is supposed to be able to record two shows at once and you can even watch a third (for the real TV addict). And then there’s the ability to pause live TV. Cool stuff.

So as I stared at my impasse, I realized we still had a special multi-switch in a box in the basement. It can send the satellite signal out to up to eight receivers (or four PVRs). It has four inputs, so I wired it up with the two incoming cables, hoping it would work (online referencing had me scratching my head, but pretty optimistic).

Nope. We received all the standard-definition channels, but fewer than half the high-definition channels.

A call to the tech folks at Shaw confirmed my suspicions — I’d need to bring two more wires into the house.

So my wife still doesn’t have the use of her present. But dinner at The Keg can cure most ailments, and that’s where we went last night. I think we’re all still full.

But I digress. As I was connecting lines to the multi-switch, which I had attached up on one of the floor joists in the basement workshop, I noticed an extra cable wire. I knew there was an old line running to the master bedroom that we don’t use, but this cable looked newer. I tracked it to the front of the house, where it exited the building. Sure enough, it goes out and down into the ground.

Surely this is our cable connection. As loyal readers may recall, I had a rant against Cogeco’s central office in December over “frozen” ground. That came after a great install guy showed up in the fall to set us up with high-speed Internet (our Bell connection is just too far away from that company’s Chatham hub for us to have much in the way of connection speed). I found what I thought was the cable line that came into the house, but it turned out to be a dead line. We both thought the line must have been cut sometime over the years, so he put in a work order for a crew to come in and lay some new cable for us.

But that never happened, as someone in Burlington deemed our ground frozen. I tried to explain that it was 10C in Chatham, but she wasn’t listening.

It seems that may have been for the best, as this connection I found yesterday may be the quick ticket to blazing Internet speeds for us. I am again cautiously optimistic. If it works out, I will have delivered Netflix to my wife and daughter, on top of much faster surfing. I’d look at that as a bonus birthday gift.

As for the original gift, some hole drilling and cable running should make for a quick upgrade there too. But I’m thinking maybe the experts should be the ones to punch a hole in the house at this time of year.

Atop the world (OK, atop the small hill)

There was no better place to be last night than on top of the world, perched at the summit overlooking the landscape and laughing children below.

Well, maybe I wasn’t at the top of Mount Everest and maybe I wasn’t even at the tallest man-made point in Chatham, as there are many apartment buildings in town that would tower over the hill in Kingston Park. But I was at the pinnacle of outdoor winter fun Wednesday as the sun set.

I took our daughter and her best bud to the tobogganing hill, our first visit since the park reopened in 2011. We’d have gone last winter, but when little snow falls, there isn’t much tobogganing to be had.

Since we were out of town this year when the first big storm of the season hit, we ran into another problem this year — finding a sled. We went looking Wednesday afternoon and came up short. The shelves at Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart had been picked clean — except if you wanted to drop $140 for a three-ski sled with a steering wheel (a device a nine-year-old boy advised was a piece of crap anyway).

So we went to pick up my kid’s buddy and told her the bad news. But her parents were much smarter than we were, having purchased sleds in the past, and they offered them up for use.

Next stop, Kingston Park.

When we arrived just before 5 p.m, as the day was slowly giving way to night, there were perhaps four other cars in the parking lot and only a handful of people using the hill. The girls had their pick of the runs and merrily slid down every option.

As for me, well, I stood and took it all in.

While the hill is at most a third as tall as the one I enjoyed as a kid in northern Quebec, it certainly serves a sweet purpose here in Chatham. In a part of the country that’s flatter than the prairies, it is wonderful for kids to have somewhere to go in town to experience one of the greatest outdoor activities for children in the winter — sledding.

It’s inexpensive, as many sleds or snow carpets cost less than $10. Kids get to experience the thrill of speed, while in actuality spending most of their time getting great exercise — walking or running uphill.

The girls took advantage of the cool night and fast snow. And I switched over to kid time and enjoyed the show.

We spent more than 90 minutes on the hill and saw the numbers swell to more than two-dozen by about 5:30 p.m. But by just after 6 p.m., the numbers dwindled again.

Through it all, the girls found various bumps and jumps to add to their thrill rides. They also almost found a few trees.

That was one thing I noticed around the hill. The designers planted some of the trees in the park way too close to the bottom of the hill. I saw several kids hit the saplings, fortunately with no damage to either the kids or the trees.

One light standard near the wooden-and-earth stairs built into one side of the hill is wrapped in padding and has two tires around its base. As the trees grow, more efforts such as this will have to be done to prevent serious injury.

Then again, it seemed some of the kids hoped for a few bumps and bruises, as a number of the boys took to sledding down the stairs. How to greatly shorten the life of your sled.

At the top of the hill, the only place for an observer to sit is along a low concrete wall. If you plan to do so for an extended period of time, I’d recommend bringing a piece of cardboard as insulation. The concrete is a conduit for the cold. Sit there unprotected long enough, and the chill will run right through you.

I had on a warm winter coat, scarf and toque, but 15 minutes sitting on the wall had me up and walking around to stay warm. Lesson learned.

I couldn’t help thinking that the top of the hill would be a great place for a couple of park benches. They’d get use all year long, considering you get an excellent view of the park from up there.

Still, the hill is a special place at this time of the year, even if there are a few tweaks that could be made to improve it.

All too soon, it was time to go and get a mug of hot chocolate. The girls could have stayed longer, but there was no complaining as the cups of cocoa beckoned.

Weather and retail outlet restocking permitting, we’ll be back to the park repeatedly this winter.

Smooth ride home

OK, on a New Year’s Eve when I consumed two cans of beer, I feel as if it is my right as a citizen to be pulled over by police in a RIDE check.

So when we drove across Chatham last night after 1 a.m., using the busiest streets in town, do you think we came across one cop, let alone a cluster of them pulling over vehicles? Nope.

We drove up Queen Street, cut across Wellington, turned up Third, crossed the bridge and headed up St. Clair. No po-po..

What we did see was surprisingly light traffic (I guess it wasn’t all that late, so the younger folks were still well into their partying) and surprisingly heavy foot traffic.

And that was a pleasing sight. We had no idea how many of those walkers were intoxicated, but it was good to see so many people just opting to hoof it home.

The day began with my wife and I planning on being part of the foot brigade. Neighbours just down the street were having a get together, but the wife of that house awoke that morning with a bout of the stomach flu, so…

Instead, we went to a cousin’s house for a low-key gathering. Since my wife is related by blood, I opted to drive and stay sober (not that she got loaded or anything, but four beers to her over the course of an evening has a little more impact than two on me).

Board games ruled the night, something our daughter loved. It turned into a men-vs.-the-ladies event, and we males clobbered the women in the opening competition. Trash talk drew more than a few stares, as well as giggles.

Unfortunately, our bravado was shattered the next game. In fact, we didn’t win another match all evening.

But everyone had a good time, as there is never a shortage of laughter at that table.

With the clock ticking towards midnight, we shifted to the living room and turned on the tube. It was weird watching the ball drop in New York and not seeing Dick Clark around. It was weirder seeing Jenny McCarthy rolling around on the floor.

All too soon, the fatigue took over and it was time to head home…with nary a cop in sight.

Today I awoke with no gremlins using pickaxes inside my head, two vehicles in the driveway and the energy to tackle a big load of laundry that’s been staring me in the face for a few days. Sure, I’ll still get in the recliner and watch some college football today, but that’s a tradition to be enjoyed regardless.

Winter travel

Last winter spoiled us. Only a little snow.
So you tend to forget about the perils and annoyances of winter driving. That is until the first big dump of snow drops.
We actually kept the storm in mind as we headed northeast on Boxing Day to visit with old friends. We arrived in advance of the crappy weather. Smart move. But Lindsay received more snow than Chatham, and the drive home was none too appealing.

Mother Nature reminded us that you have to take into account both elements of your trip — the ride out and the return.
Try to avoid the worst of the weather, but be mindful of the wind. Driving in a few flurries one day might be preferential to driving in sunny, windy conditions the next. Blowing snow can be hellish.
And don’t forget to make sure your wiper fluid is topped up.
Be sure to take your time. And beware when passing a plow. I did that once near Huntsville and soon watched the plow go by me after I had spun out.

The lights at night

On Sunday, we enjoyed a wonderful bit of family time taking a drive around Chatham and checking out Christmas lights and decorations outside houses.

We were at times awed.

I took a look at the Nights of Light website to get an idea where some of the highlighted homes of interest were located. I must say, Coun. Marjorie Crew and the steering committee behind the website deserve huge pats on the back here. The site is a great starting point for anyone heading out on a holiday trek to check out Christmas spirit on display.

We snaked our way through north Chatham, going through neighbourhoods such as The Maples and Prestancia, along roads such as Taylor Trail and King Street West.

We thought we’d see the best displays in the most affluent neighbourhoods, but that didn’t always prove true. If you check out the Nights of Light website, you’ll notice no home in The Maples is highlighted, although there are some wonderfully decorated homes. Ditto for Paxton Drive and Prestancia. Again, some well-decorated homes, but not one that makes you pull over to gawk.

Our first such home actually came on Willowdale, just off Oxley. A thin strip of yard is home to a beautiful display of colour and the shrubs and trees come alive with lights. You’ll know it when you see it.

It was our top-rated home until we went up Delaware, where two homes had progressing light displays and music playing. We parked for a few minutes there just to enjoy the flashing colours and “Seasons Greetings” hologram on one home’s wall.

A house on Glenwood at Wiltshire delivered a sweet and bright display of lights.

Another great display is on King Street West, on a corner. I’m believe it’s at Robertson, but it is a guess, as the name of the cross street eludes me. It’s one home that’s not on the Nights of Light website, but should be. There are even oversized, brightly lit ornaments hanging on a tree in the backyard.

When we arrived on Merrit, we looked north and saw some interesting lights in the distance, so we had to investigate. But our eyes had deceived us, for as we approached the Active Lifestyle Centre, it became obvious the neon lights of A&W across the river beckoned.

Ooops.

For some reason, it wasn’t long after that we decided to end our quest for light and grab a bite to eat.

Despite all the excellent displays we saw, it was easy to tell some streets lacked a Vic Frohmeyer. He’s the character played by Dan Aykroyd in “Christmas with the Kranks” who whipped up the neighbourhood into insane levels of Christmas zeal and participation.

But to each their own.

And to all the folks who took the time to string up the lights and set up the displays, we thank you. It was a fun family excursion.