It's a choice
Ottawa seems to get a lot of freezing rain, even during winters where they predict mostly snow. Commuting can be a challenge, especially if you need to walk to get to the transitway.
About six years ago I was hit by a car riding my bike to work. BecauseOntarionow has no-fault insurance, our car insurance provided coverage for things I wouldn’t have expected. Twice I had ergonomic assessments at home, and then another one when I returned to work. Read the rest of this entry »
For the past few weeks I’ve been walking home a couple of days a week. And I’ve discovered some nasty intersections for pedestrians. Some are just poorly designed, and others are ruled by cars or buses. Read the rest of this entry »
I went to bed early last night, hoping to catch up on some much needed sleep. AroundmidnightI woke up thinking that the cat was trying to open the door to the bedroom. The cat was awake, but he was meowing because of all the noise outside.
Trees were swaying in the strong winds, shaking off chunks of ice that had formed in the afternoon. The wind was then taking the chunks and throwing them on the windows, more than 20 feet away. This continued for a couple of hours. Sometimes it sounded like the raccoons were back on the roof. Oh, memories of critters scurrying around above your head while you try to sleep. Read the rest of this entry »
On a cold winter’s morning in January, ice crystals rose from exhaust pipes and hovered in the air at intersections. With each blink, my eyes shed two more icicle tears. Behind my neck tube, I inhaled in bone-chilling air and exhaled the warmth from layer up layer of clothes. Thankfully the wind was blocked by the moist air that hung over the downtown core like a lazy cat, sleeping on top of a fence. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s cold today. The kind of cold that crunches on your feet, freezes on your eyelashes. And there’s snow on the ground and snowbanks up the street. It finally feels like winter.
Yesterday I decided to walk home in the remnants of the snowstorm. It was the second time this week, but the challenges were different. It wasn’t nearly as cold, but the sidewalks along Booth Street were slushy and slippery. Drivers on the Chaudiere Bridge were speeding along playing a game of how many pedestrians they could cover head to toe in brown muck. Several times I ran off the path and pressed my stomach and face into one of the abandoned buildings so that my back could take the spray instead of my face. I wore my sunglasses like goggles to protect my eyes not just from snowblindness but also from the chemical we pile on our roads. Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday my old walking pool buddy e-mailed me, and we decided to walk home together after work. We had started during the bus strike and realized that it wasn’t really that far to walk one way and had the added benefit of incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Depending on how clear the sidewalks are, it takes about 50 to 70 minutes. I suppose it also depends on ho wmuch we’re talking, whether we stop to look in new businesses, and which way the wind is blowing. It was nice to catch up with her and see what was going on in Hintonburg. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy New Year! It’s been a while since I’ve posted. And maybe you’ve been wondering how I’ve been getting to work. Or maybe not.
The first week back NosyNeighbour and I were on a pre-retirement course so we car pooled because there was free parking. Then I lucked out the first real day back in the office because the transfer machine on the first bus wasn’t working. I didn’t even need a transfer, but I’ll take the free ride. Remember, if the bus driver ever asks you if you need a transfer, the answer is always YES! Then on another day, my transfer didn’t have a time, which meant it was good all day. Read the rest of this entry »
With the weather warming up this afternoon, we decided to take a walk towards downtown. Many of our walks have been towards Westboro, so it was about time.
A picture says a thousand words, so here goes: Read the rest of this entry »
10. I HATE sticking my hand inside to take out the innards
9. I don’t have a big enough carving plate.
8. There’s no room in the fridge with all the beer and Christmas cream.
7. If I gobbled it all up, I’d be stuffed like a turkey.
6. The cooking time interferes with fun winter stuff like tobogganing and skiing.
5. A turkey is just a chicken on steroids.
4. I’d have frozen turkey meat for sandwiches for a month.
3. I’d be eating turkey soup for a month.
2. I’d be eating turkey stew for a month.
1. I ate leftovers from a 30-lb bird by myself and have only had one slice since.
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