Life in Rockburn, eh?

“It happens in Rocky Mtn NP when the elk are near the road - or in the road. This past winter a herd of about 30 elk where licking the salt off the road and it took about 10 minutes to get them nudged off the roadway.”

“....pointed to her face with my teacher look and pointed to the side of the road.....



Not the teacher look!!!”

“(NC knows all about it, eh?)

My buddy had a couple of free hours and so we drove to the nearby city of Valleyfield to work out at the gym.

We stopped at a Chinese buffet for lunch and I told him I'm famous.

Last saturday I went to see a rugby match. The women were playing at the Anglo school in Ormstown. One old friend who played club and provincial fullback for years was beatching at his daughter's play - she's a fullback too.

'Anyway,' he said, 'soccer's a better game for women, eh?'

'You know I'M biased in favour of rugby,' I answered, 'I started women's rugby in the region.'

'I know,' he said, 'I read it on the placque.'

'What placque?'

Apparently when they inaugurated the new pitch at the school where I taught for 30 years they put up a placque about me. I left in 2 005 and they opened the field in 2 007. They invited me to the opening, but when I walked out I knew I'd never go back.

My buddy said a placque is cool. I said that it was cooler that I'd never seen it and coolest that I never will.

Bitter and twisted, eh?”

“Bitter and twisted. I've got the twisted down, how long before I master bitter?”

“First ya got to master the lager.”

“C'mon, Zac, you were born in 1980 and you've never been divorced. Listen to Mark and stick to lager.”

“How about a Newkie Ale at the Cascade?”

“Now yer talkin.”

“Way to go, young man.

Speakin' of beer, I should visit the Mendicino Brewing Company in Saratoga one of these days.

You can have the toga, I'll take Sara without.”

“Just don't come in August.”

“My buddy and his brother were comparing peni$ bones yesterday evening. They had just got back from bear hunting and the brother (the one who stole the piglet at the Ormstown Fair - scroll up) had shot a 350 lb bruin. My buddy got a 160 lber two weeks ago. Yup, bears, like walruses, whales, et c. have bones there.

The Ormstown Fair has come and gone, pretty much without incident. My rugby club does the Security there. We get a few bucks and it solves both problems for the fair - sort of hiring the gun fighter as sheriff if you know what I mean.

It's strawberry social time at the churches and Bob and I cooked at the Legion's steak supper last Saturday.

Oh, yeah, Bob says I'll have to go indoors to pee this summer (this is unusual in the country and invites questions about one's sexuality). Apparently his wife's chihuahua (sp?) has cirrhosis of the liver.

Bob claims it's been licking the grass where I pee.

I told him my doctor had checked my liver enzymes and they're normal.

'That was last year, Doug.' he replied.

The good news is that there's a pill for cirrhosis (now, how do I fake a canine prescription?).

Take care, everyone.”

“The Strawberry Moon was last Wednesday.

Sounds like the little dog has the problem licked.”

“It's been a crazy couple of week-ends, but here goes.

My buddy and I went down to Gettysburg on the July 4 week-end to see the re-enactment of the battle(s).

It was awesome - unbelievable.

We drove down Thursday, saw a battle scene on Friday, visited everything, spoke to the actors, attended workshops including the presentation of both General corps who explained what they were doing (what the real Generals did) and why.

Saturday was the big day and we couldn't miss it in spite of a July 4 picnic invirtation from Earth n Sky and some of the 'boneheads'.

There were two battles and a mortar competition.

In all there were 12 000 re-enactors (not a typo), 1 200 horse and 100 cannon.

We also learned what 'Canadian bacon' is.

We were in the bar (surprise) beside the motel in Dillsburg and got talking to the locals. Inevitably we were asked about Canadian bacon. I know what it is, but my buddy just looked puzzled and replied that it was the same as American bacon. People tried to explain what they meant, but my buddy just kept looking puzzled.

The next morning at the restaurant he saw it on the menu and ordered it with eggs. When it arrived he looked at it, tasted it and said it was just f*cking ham.

He said that whoever called this 'Canadian bacon' should have his head smacked. Wonderful how travel broadens one's horizons.

On Sunday we drove to Watertown and took a room. We drove the rest of the way home the next day on Route 11 through Gouverneur, Potsdam et c. - a much nicer drive than the boring freeway. We crossed over at Churubusco, NY, and they never even looked in our car (my buddy had done a number at Gander Mountain and Bass Pro Shop).

Last week-end was my buddy's pig roast and I'm going to try to post pics. We brought the other (big) BBQ on a trailer from his brother's place and roasted a small black bear too (gotta love living in the country).

My daughter had her ten year high school re-union that week-end and dropped over. She is living with her mother and my husband-in-law in Ottawa - in fact she's working for him (he's still in Afghanistan training government management personnel). She starts her Master's in Fine Arts in Toronto in September - Ryerson Univ. which is the only school that offers an MFA in documentary film (2 200 applications for 40 places).

She took a lot of photos of her dad and other assorted loonies to show her city friends. She said she tells them all about us, but no-one believes her. She and her friends went off to the re-union and we all proceeded to get as stupid as possible.

That about all, folks, take care and God bless.

Doug
last edited: 7/16/08 6:49:43 AM”

“My mom goes to Sarnia when she can to buy "Pea-meal bacon."

Ooh that reminds me, I have a big chunk of it I need to use up soon. Sliced thin it makes the best BLTs.”

“Kool.”

“I will definitely share the Canadian bacon story with my Canada-tripping friends, lol! Too funny.

Hope you're well Gremlin!”

“I got some bad news Friday. At my last meeting for my most recent knee operation I mentionned that I have neck problems and it seems to be getting worse. For years now my pulse stops and my fingers go numb when I raise my arms. I also black out if I turn my head quickly to the right (not cool when driving). My surgeon told me to make an appointment with the neck doctor.

Now, my surgeon is the team doctor for the Montreal Canadiens (and part owner). He and his colleagues operate the West Island Sports Medecine thingy - with some of the best in the world. In fact when I was making the appointment a young man came in who was clearly well known to the nurse (Sany Capiello who comes from here - her dad was mayor of Huntingdon for years) and said he was going to start post grad at Harvard and wanted to know who is the Red Wings' doctor.

Anyhoo, I drove back and got my neck X-rayed the next day. I showed up at the medical centre, but my doctor wasn't there. They said they tried to contact me, but they had the wrong info (bull).

When I had my first operation some ten years ago you still needed a GP's referral to see a specialist. I made my appointment with Larry Coughlin and went to the local medical centre the next day. I didn't care which doctor was working as I just needed a referral. When I explained what I needed he asked me what hospital I wanted to go to and I told him I already had my appointmnent with Dr. Coughlin.

'Larry Coughlin?' he asked

'Yes.'

'I thought he'd be in L.A. by now.'

Anyhoo, when I called Sandy back to tell I had my referral she told me that if it was really nice weather to call her before I left as it was drive of more than an hour.

Which answers the question about L.A. In L.A. he'd have to work for a living to pay for his 4 million dollar mansion while in Montreal he lives in just as nice a house and works when he feels like it.

Anyway, the neck doctor was there Friday and we looked at my X-rays.

Pretty ugly.

He has sent me for an MRI and then we have to talk to a neurosurgeon. A major operation is unavoidable.

I hurt my shoulder in the weight room and haven't been back to the gym in a month. It turns out that it isn't my shoulder, it's my neck because it continues to degenerate and the pinched nerves are affecting more and more of my body.

Thirty years of rugby in the front row - I have no regrets, but I'm paying the piper now.

Just wanted to share.

Doug”

“Thanks, NC.”

“You Canadians and your bacon.

Good luck with the surgery Doug.”

“Ouch, Doug!!

I'm now paying the piper for my exploits with the mountain infantry(ever been to Val Cartier?) and jackin' trees and all the other wildman stuff I've done.
As with you................no regrets, just a touch of pain here and there...........and there and there.”

“Your friend is right, it's just f**kin' ham.”

“Mortar competition? They were throwing cement at each other? You canucks are weird.”

“Gremlin and Marko, what's up? Hey, you guys don't lie down and die now, do you? I mean, I was hoping to meet you on a hike one day.”

“I'm hoping to be hiking by Xmas, Euro.

You ought to join us in Lake Placid at year's end for some cross country skiing.

I have 11 or 12 days off around Xmas every year and if I am able I will be there and Le Gremlin may be there as well.”

“We're too whatever to die yet.

You would have a blast with MarkO and me - although your liver might suffer from it.

You can see us giggle if you search for the FYAO IV thread.

MarkO lives in Baltimore, Lumberzac in upstate New York and most of the other 'boneheads' live in and round Philadelphia. I'm an hour from Montreal.

We all play in the Adirondacks of New York State and you would have the time of your life if you travelled here.

Doug”

“A mortar competition is the damnedest thing you ever saw.

They mark or a square and put a traffic cone in the centre and four or five guys just hang round in the target.

Different mortar companies (8 pounder, 12 pounder, 24 pounder) placed round the field demonstrate aiming techniques (a string thingy and a sledge hammer - honest to God). Then they fire away.

Outside of the noise (bring ear plugs if you go) it's like watching golf. You follow the bomb just like a golf ball and the guys in the target measure the distance where it hits from the cone.

It's a blast - literally.”

“You ought to join us in Lake Placid at year's end for some cross country skiing.

I have 11 or 12 days off around Xmas every year and if I am able I will be there and Le Gremlin may be there as well.”
MarkO
11:05:45 AM
7/16/08

Yeah. I'll even have my own skis for the next one.”

“Oh, a word of caution. Be careful around Gremlin if he pulls out his cloths iron.
last edited: 7/16/08 8:17:08 AM”

“I'm saving up already. I don't think I'll gtet operated on before Christmas, otherwise I might not be able to ski.

I'll bring my G3's as well as my Canadian army skis (I drove back to Cascade Ski Centre to get them on the Monday after our last trip).

I plan on getting waxless skis for that trip.

I want to use the G3's as downhill skis at Whiteface.”

“Now don't go frightening Eurohike.

The iron was for waxing skis (not CpnBoBo despite the rumours).”

“Deal. If you guys are up and running again I'll join you. Not sure where exactly Lake Placid is, but I'll find my way to it.”

“Maybe this time I won't pass out before midnight.

BTW I've got a couple of old washing machines in the basement, so I can bring the ice cream.”

“I don't get the connection between wash machines, old or new, and ice cream.
Maybe it's one of those north country things.

The most memorable quote from last year's trip to Lake Placid was from Le Gremlin.
"Has anyone seen my waxing kit?"
Believe me, we kept our distance after hearing that.

Lake Placid is the site of the '32 and '80 Winter Olympics it I ain't mistooken.

Last year's weather and snow was PerfectO.................for what we had in mind.”

“You must not be keeping up with watching Red Green, MarkO.”

“Oh geeez, I might have known Red Green had something to do with it!”

“I managed to get some pig roast pics into my Yahoo e-mail. Can anyone tell me how to post them?”

“Right Click on photo

Left Click on Properties

Copy Location address

Paste Location address in Message Box

Highlight Location address

Left Click on "Img"

Submit Message”

“Will this get them on TT, MarkO?”

““Deal. If you guys are up and running again I'll join you. Not sure where exactly Lake Placid is, but I'll find my way to it.”
Euro hike
11:19:42 AM
7/16/08

Lake Placid is in Upstate New York, in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Park. It was the site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.”

“Great boarding on Mount Whiteface, Euro.

Any help with posting pics - anyone?”

“Grem, do you already have them loaded on your Yahoo account?”

“Okay, okay, I am conviced. I want to come.
Now you guys get your knees straightened out. That's the most important thing.
I'll make sure I do a skiing refresher training when the season starts over here. I am snowboarding and haven't been on ski for many years.”

“Bring the board.”

“I bring the board, but I have to rent some ski for backcountry skiing. Or do you use snowshoes on the trip?”

“We did both skiing and snowshoeing. This year I'd like to see about skiing into Avalanche Lake.”

“What sort of ski do you use on those trips? The very slim nordic ones?”

“For Avalanche Lake, you'd want something with some width and metal edges as the trails in are not groomed. I’ve got a pair of Fischer Outbound Crown’s that are 70-60-65. Hopefully Gremlin will chime in on his thread, because I know very little about skiing. Last season was the first for me.”

“I skinny skied in the backcountry for years. The advantage is the lighter boots. My backcountry skis have metal edges and the bindings only accept my plastic mountaineering boots or my AT boots. These are torture when the weather gets up round 0�C.

I've snowshoed to Avalance Lake then down to Lake Colden. Ski-ing it is frankly beyond my abilities. Getting up 'misery mile' requires skins (no prob) getting back down is something I wouldn't even think of trying.

I once took a fall coming down when I hooked a front point on my gaiter strap. It was like doing the luge. Luckily I managed to grab a tree, but it was hairy.

You can rent skis at Cascade X-country ski centre (you can have lunch with wine and/or beer too). Rental is cheap, but the deposit is expensive unless you just leave them your credit card for the duration of the rental. They won't use it unless you damage the gear and even that can be negociated.

Happily, ski-iong is easy on the knees.

Doug”

“Oops!
last edited: 7/22/08 8:31:53 AM”

“Don't mind me - I'm tryinfg to create an album. I should have a pice in my 'Rockburn Life' album.”