11-105 (14/4/24) -- Challenging Walk

At a meeting with a research colleague yesterday, we submitted the manuscript to a journal. It feels quite good to have the this off our desk for now. Now I'm working to get the taxes completed and off to someone else to review. In the past two or three years, their reassessment of my calculations led to a bill for a smaller amount. The explanation for last year seemed odd as it referred to a tax credit that I don't qualify for -- so not sure why that was disallowed as I didn't claim it. There was also a calculation error that changed the overall tax due figure. That is more believable, though I check the software calculations when reviewing things before submitting. I've come to expect such missives now. So, once I get through the check and re-check, the package will be sent and I just wait to hear back from the agency -- cheque book at the ready. <shaking head> 

I went for a short walk today. There were moments of bright sunshine but lots of clouds flying across the sky with the strong westerly winds. Walking into the wind was somewhat uncomfortable. With warmish temperatures the winds made things feel much cooler. That was the main reason I took a shorter walk -- walking into the wind was challenging as it pushed back a lot. It made the quads work on the uphill into the wind portion of the walk. 

After working against the wind and against the software calculations, I chose a song that addressed the difficulty of such experiences. The songwriter had been a cross-country runner, so understood the extra effort needed to move into the wind.  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Against the Wind -- Bob Seager and the Silver Bullet Band

11-104 (13/4/24) -- Altered Routines

I spent today doing the usual Saturday laundry and household tasks. The less usual item involved me entering figures into a software program for income tax calculation. Just like last year I seem to owe more than I expected. <sigh> It may come to paying quarterly, but I will let them make that decision. I will take time tomorrow to review the worksheets and ensure that everything is in place -- at least as far as I can tell. Then get ready to submit next week. I can pay electronically but have attached a cheque to the paper copy in the past. I miss the days of a refund, though understand that was my money to begin with <smile>. Paying a large amount all at once feels more painful than the smaller amounts that left with monthly pay periods while working. Just one more thing to get used to as a retiree, I guess. 

I've pondered the new routines that are being developed post retirement and post-covid a lot recently. I like some of the reflection of these lyrics by and older artist. "You might get lost, but you'll find a way." <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Hell Yeah -- Neil Diamond

11-103 (12/4/24) -- Memories, Smiles & Tears

There was a knock at the door just before I started supper. I was two young girls selling Girl Guide cookies. Delightful! This was the first time I recall having them come to my door since I moved to town 25 years ago. I have been able to buy them from colleagues whose daughters were selling cookies, though. So, I had my evening chai last night with a couple of cookies. <smile> 

This reminded me of the many years that I toured the neighbourhood with my best friend as we sold these cookies. They were much less expensive back then -- 50 cents a box (I  paid $6 yesterday). That may seem like a large increase, but that same 50 cents could get me into a movie at the theatre and the $6  won't do that for me now. <grin> 

You just never know when grief will broadside you. I was laughing about being so excited about the cookies and the next instant I was crying as I recalled a memory with my best friend. I do miss her a lot. I share a song about missing someone. The second verse says a lot of what I've felt for some time now. 'I don't know how to do this'. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

I Still Miss You -- Keith Anderson

11-102 (11/4/24) -- Unplugging

Today was filled with bright blue skies and sunshine. Winds were less cool than the past few days, so walking was less intense <smile>. I spent much of the afternoon uploading files to a journal template. We've worked on this article for some time. It will be nice to see it off to a potential publisher. Each online submission platform I've encountered has been different. They are consistent in the vagueness of what is expected for the different sections of the platform. Grad school didn't hone my clairvoyant skills adequately to complete the submission processes. <sigh>  I will discuss this with my colleague and co-author tomorrow and we will make the joint decision to just click on submit. <grin> 

The other online task today was to download tax preparation software. The paper submission I still make comes from the calculations done by the software package. The mailed package I received this year does not have the detailed discussion and explanation for each line of the tax form. I used this often to ensure I was doing things correctly -- or that the software had the correct figures with which to calculate. Apparently, the federal taxation gurus asked people who submitted on paper  if they used all the of the taxation package and they concluded that few people used that part of the package. Odd. My return is likely a bit more involved than some people using the simplified package. I can find online some of the information and extra forms that we used to receive in hard copy. I'm hoping the explanation booklet is online for assistance when things get murky. I do have someone I can call for clarification, but given this time of year is insane for people who do this for a living, I hate to resort to that. We'll see.

So -- with all the uploads and downloads involved in my day, I need to walk away from the laptop for a while. Unplug as it were. There still is a lot to do for both projects, but I need time to clear my head. Several songs come to mind when I need something to sooth or calm me. I chose one of those to share tonight. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Peaceful Easy Feeling -- The Eagles

   

11-101 (10/4/24) -- A Lovely Day

This morning I headed up to campus with a laptop to get the office suite working again. Some system update created an issue -- again. <sigh>. I then printed some files, but pdfs would not print due to 'paper size' error. In the past these often insist on being printed on document size paper -- huge! Today it wouldn't even do that. So, I will leave those two files for another day. I had a good visit with a colleague I hadn't seen for a while. I miss being next door to her during work days. Retiring has some up sides, but the social networks from a worksite are lost -- well not entirely, but they aren't daily connections. 

It was nice to be outside walking and doing stairs as I moved around campus. The day was bright and sunny with few clouds. The wind was very cold, though. The walks were 'brisk' <smile>. The songbirds back from their southern vacations could be heard as I walked around the block at home. I enjoyed hearing them again. More will arrive soon. Hummingbird sightings have begun in the southern part of the province, so they will be back here soon. I hope to get some feeders up on the patio for this summer. I would enjoy watching them out the windows. 

An older song came to mind today when I was out walking in the sun. I enjoy the upbeat lyrics and the easy R&B rhythm. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

A Beautiful Morning -- The Rascals

11-100 (9/4/24) -- A Nation Remembers

Today is Vimy Ridge Day in Canada with remembrance ceremonies held at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, on a piece of Canadian soil in northern France. The battle began 107 years ago on a cold snowy Easter morning. Men had huddled in the trenches overnight knowing they would head over the top in the early morning hours. It couldn't have been a comfortable or relaxing night for them. On that fateful 1917 morning, the battle to capture the ridge began. It lasted for four days. Men fought forward through the mud carrying huge packs weighing about 36 kg (about 80 lb). Of the 100,000 Canadian troops that fought there, about 11,000 casualties occurred with around 3600 of those fatalities. 

This battle was the first where all Canadian divisions fought side-by-side with a Canadian commander. The expeditionary forces to that point had fought under British command. This battle served to define the Canadian troops and a young nation. The Vimy Ridge area was gifted to Canada by France in perpetuity. Some areas have been rebuilt to help visitors understand the nature of trench warfare there. I hope to visit this area. My grandfather participated in the battle and made it home to build a life on the Canadian prairie. 

I chose a song that tells a story from this historic battle. The artist has a wonderful voice that is well suited to the haunting sound of the work. She has also worked with baroque music and has trained in opera. This particular song placed her as a finalist in two major songwriting awards, while the video won 10 international video awards. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Vimy Ridge -- Lizzy Hoyt

11-99 (8/4/24) -- Totality

From the Google doodle wearing eclipse glasses to every news channel on the TV, it was all about the eclipse. We all have a new word to use in our vocabulary -- totality. <smile> We were not in the path of totality, but those not far away were in PEI and northern Cape Breton. I did not have special eyewear, so I spent the time inside the house with a cup of tea watching out the window. The shadows seemed more distinct. The light had the quality it has before sunset in the summer. As I sat there, I realized that less light was getting into the house. I had been reading the flyers in the kitchen and a few minutes later it was too dark to read. Had I spent the time outside, I wouldn't have really noticed much. The light was still bright, but not as bright as before or after the event. I will admit it was surprising to be in the dim light inside. We have big windows and lots of light except on cloudy days.  Many folks took time to view the eclipse partial or complete.  Meat Cove a fishing hamlet on the northern tip of Cape Breton was a place of total eclipse -- it consists of a few houses and a large wharf area where the fishing fleets moor between trips. There isn't a lot of room there or along the narrow two lane road from the highway down to the wharf. I haven't seen any news footage from there. Perhaps something will be on the late night news.  

I chose a song with a great line about the skyward event of the day. <smile> One line from the last half of the song has been in my head for the past few days as the news amped up over the potential to see the eclipse. If you listen closely to the chorus parts, you can pick up the voice of one of the backup singers -- Mick Jagger. Keep safe. Enjoy!

You're So Vain -- Carly Simon

You're so vain -- Carly Simon