Edmonton days 5 thru 8

Time has blurred over the last few days.

The entertainment system is assembled and and tweaked.

We had our first movie night on monday night.

My task list is now completed.

My claim to fame this week is I have now been to every Costco in Edmonton. All four of them.

I spent Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning taking pictures of downtown Edmonton.

Its pretty amazing the people you see out and about at 1am. You just have to keep looking over you shoulder while taking the pictures. I tried to take some pictures of the oil refinery as it was pretty cool to see all lit up at night but was asked by the boys in blue to keep going as you were not allowed to stop.

I spent the afternoon with cousin Michelle. We did a roadtrip to Elk Island National Park sans kids. I managed to get a few pics of the Bison.

Here is a link to the pictures I managed to take over the last couple of days http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157603997929190/

I had dinner at my cousin Tamara's place on wednesday night.

My plan A for my Calgary trip has changed. I won't be seeing Marieke and Anke as the are going skiing in Fernie for the weekend. But I now have a plan B which still allows me to stay in Calgary friday night at Michelle's brother-in-laws place. I plan to drive the entire Banff/Jasper corridor on saturday and was hoping to get a room in Jasper but I will have to settle for a room in Hinton which is 80KM east of Jasper. Oh well ... but at least I am still doing the roadtrip and hope to take lots of pictures on the way.

I will be visiting Deanna (haven't seen her in 24 years) plus Denis who I met paddling on the Ottawa River last summer on friday in Calgary. I hope to see Brad at the Olympic Park as well but not sure if I will have enough time. I will also be stopping in Red Deer to visit Kathie for a bit.

I spent today doing some laundry and chilling. I am heading off to the shooting range shortly to blow crap up with my friend Mike before heading off to his place for the night.

Edmonton Day 4

I had the house to myself for most of the day.

I ended up finishing up the Vista machine with the printers that I networked.

I also re-formatted a laptop and desktop from scratch with XP.

Time flew by and the rest of the clan came home around 4pmish.

I started putting together the new TV stand before dinner and have it almost done but have stopped for the night to enjoy some drinks.

I will finish the rest of it on monday and get the new electronics hooked up on it.

Edmonton Day 3

Well ... today would be my do nothing day.

My cousin and family decided to go to Calgary for a party.

I figured I would take a break and go visit friends an relatives.

I met up with Brian Cryer from high school. We haven't seen each other since 1984. I met him and his girfriend Sandy at a badminton tournament. We talked for quite a while in between Sandy's tournament.

After that I went to MEC and Costco of course to pickup a strawberry cheesecake for desert.

I went and visited my cousin Tamara at her place before heading off to my aunt and uncles place for dinner. I found out that I like Vanilla flavoured Kahlua on the rocks. I also found out a few days ago I like Amaretto on the rocks.

I ended up going to bed early well late in Ontario time.

Edmonton day 2

Spent the day working on a couple of computers (what else is new).

Went shopping with Michelle for some new electronics for the house. I get to hook up the new stuff on sunday when things will be quieter.

I plan on just hacking around Edmonton for the day on saturday to visit friends and other relatives.

I have seem to misplaced my infrared remote for my camera. Most likely in the car or at John's place in Toronto. Will have to check when I get back.

On vacation in Edmonton

I stayed at a friends place in Toronto last night and took pictures of the eclipse in the -13C temperature. It got way to cold after 90 minutes and did not get pics of the change back to normal.

See pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157603955510217/

I left Toronto at -20C this morning and landed in a balmy +8 or so in Edmonton. I am only wearing my T-shirt outside (and pants).

I am visiting my cousin Michelle's family giving them a hand around the house. This is only fair as they paid for the ticket. I picked them up a screaming fast desktop computer in Toronto and brought it with me as checked luggage.

I just finished running some network cable and am now having a few drinks. Nothing like having a 2 year old helping you drill a hole through the wall by pressing the button while your holding it. He can run the vacuum cleaner pretty good as well.

I think we are having chilli for dinner so let the farting begin!

Anyway got to go figure out what my task list is for the week.

More frickin snow

Ok I do realize it is still winter.

My question is how does a forecast of 4cm snow overnight equate to this?

I think those highly educated weather people should get their money back!

Cooking tip on how not to make poached eggs

Well ... I was really looking forward to poached eggs for breakfast.

I had a slight problem










Important tip ... don't under estimate how much time it takes for the water to evapourate while you go and watch your friends latest video posted on FaceBook.

The pot is salvagable and if not them at least the glass lid fits my rice cooker as it broke a few weeks ago when it slipped off the counter and onto the floor.

Does anyone have any extra egg poaching cups they are not using?

Plan B is now special K!

Not much going on these days

The weather has basically sucked on and off for the week with snow.

The house is a disaster as I have been ripping it apart to look for old photo negatives from my childhood.

I have spent the last couple of days uploading paddling pics from last season onto my Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/12726359@N08/sets/.

I have also be scanning negatives from the old days and posting them on FaceBook. I am slowly tracking down friends I used to be in cadets, reserves, and school with.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=86950&l=09010&id=679800461

On a good note I am going out to Edmonton in a few weeks to visit my cousins and do a side trip to Calgary to visit some friends. Then back to work for a week and off to paddle in Tennesee for a week.

After that I will be stuck in the office for a while as it will be my co-workers turn to disappear for three weeks of vacation.