8 October 2014

Recovering from stomach flu. Here and there.

Yesterday was nasty. Today a little better, though not much. Feeling weak. Writing sentence fragments. Not good.

***

I had been working on the last installment of the chequerboard series, but, in addition to getting violently ill fort he last few days, my camera batteries went dead. No problem, I keep spares...which someone put into the converter without telling me. Drat. So that means a trip to the store.

Normally, a trip to the store for someone who lives in Toronto is a small affair. This is, after all, an urban area built up and developed. A store is only a five or ten minute walk away.

Except in my neck of the woods. I live in the comparative middle of nothing. There is lots of stuff around me, but it is all aimed at businesses. There is a local store, but I am very shy about using that place. The family that runs that store are cons of the first order. I have bought green bread and lumpy milk from them. I do not patronize them if it is at all avoidable. The next closest store, for someone with no car, is a half hour walk each way. I'll get batteries when I'm feeling better.

***

Continuing on the theme of woodworking, I have been busy with stuff for the upcoming bazaar season. I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row for a good year this time around. I am loading up on small stuff for this year, as stuff under ten bucks are my best sellers. But I also carry a few more expensive items, just in case. I'm also getting a Square or something like it, so people can pay me with credit cards or interac. I've noticed people just don't carry money around any more, or, if they do, they carry a twenty, which they don't want to spend all in one place.

I've also been trying to do a little carving lately. Unfortunately, carving is very dependent upon what wood you use. I am low on my favourite carving wood- basswood so I'va been forced to use alternatives. Real hardwoods, like oak or maple, can hold detail very nicely, but they are very hard and time consuming to carve. Not worth the effort for the bazaars where people want stuff cheap. So I've tried working with pine. It's a hit and miss with pine. Sometimes it is nearly as good as basswood. Others, not so much. The stuff I've been working with this time fall into the 'not so much' class.

I'm also looking into selling stuff online, but the competition is fierce.

***

Yesterday was the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly Our Lady of Victory, in commemoration of the victory at Lepanto. I usually post Chesterton's Lepanto in honour of the day, but was too ill to do anything about it. I also couldn't go to the Mass held at my parish in honour of the day, Extraordinary form and all. It's nice to see the high altar and pulpit used once in a while. It was also put on by the Knights of Columbus, which I am in the process of joining. Yeah, I decided to give it a shot. I'll try it for a year or two and see if I fit. I am not a very good team player.

***

Incidentally, I'd been corresponding off and on with the local head of the Knights, and when we finally met it turns out we've known each other casually for years. We even started out at the same parish back in Mississauga. He' been guest at my mom's house. My mom even did a picture of him and his wife as a wedding present. Small world.

***

Speaking of Mississauga, municipal voters there will be making the first real choice in over thirty years. Hurricane Hazel has decided to step down. Her electoral victories were so one sided that the election was often mere formality. She hadn't even bothered to campaign in years. Her reign has had its strengths (the city has no debt) and weaknesses (sprawl city, with poor mass transportation). On the whole she was very well liked and respected. Back when the various areas of Toronto were being united into the megacity, I had hoped Mississauga would be brought into Toronto as well, that way I would be able to vote for Hazel as mayor. Alas, no such luck.

***

Which brings me to the Toronto mayoral campaign. This election, as most, comes down to voting for the shiniest of three turds. Rob Ford, who was for a time the world's most famous/infamous mayor has dropped out of the race due to health issues and been replaced by his brother Doug. (I won't pretend that I didn't want Rob Ford gone, but this wasn't the way I wanted him out. I wouldn't wish cancer on a dog that bit me. If you can find it in your heart to do so, pray for him.) This election has held a big surprise for me. I had originally thought that the Ford's, having split the right wing vote with John Tory, were handing the election to left wing Olivia Chow. Instead, both right wingers are leading Chow in the polls. Isn't that amazing? Right wingers! In Toronto! Who knew?

To recap I don't really favour any of the candidates, but, hopefully, unless there is another big surprise in the next few weeks, this election may be the last we hear of the Fords and Chow. There are worse outcomes.

***

Anyone else out there wish the mayoral campaigning season was shorter? The federal and provincial governments both campaign for about five weeks. You may argue that is too short. But the ten month mayoral campaign? We're sick of these chumps long before the polls open. It's amazing they don't all lose.

***

I don't think I've written anything about the Synod. I wouldn't want to start now. There is a lot of worry out there over what might happen, and yes, this could be bad. But I have enough problems in my day to day life without getting worried about what *might* happen- especially something over which I have zero influence. "Sufficient unto each day are the evils contained therein" and all that. From my understanding, the bishops at the Synod are trying to figure out the way forward, and to do that they are going to listen and debate all points of view, and yes, some of them are going to be loopy. Keep your head, pray for the best possible outcome, and let the Synod run its course.

1 comment:

Larry Denninger said...

Hope you're fully recovered, Bear.

Best advice I've read anywhere, re: the synod. Peace, courage, wisdom, serenity...you know that prayer. Covers a lot of very things in life.