Friday, August 24, 2007

Happy anniversary

It turns out that as Aug.18, I have officially been working with my present company for 10 years! And if I do a little math, I first started with this company in the mail room when I was 18 years old. I did that for a year and then returned to my university studies. To my chagrin, I was offer a part time position with said company to work in one of their trucks on the weekends and fix the problems said company's customers had with any of their products. I did this every weekend throughout college and then made it full time when I couldn't find a job in my field of study. By the time I finally did land a job in my chosen field, I had been with the company for 6 years. I moved to London Ont, worked in my field of study for two years, but could not land anything permanent. Eventually I came home, called up my old employer and got my job back driving around a red truck with the ladders on top. I did this for a year and a half. I heard about an opening at another job in the city more in tune with my field of study. I applied, got the job and again left my employer of many years. I enjoyed my new job, a year after I was hired I was offered a promotion in a new venture with my new company. I accepted and have been with them for 9 years now. Here comes the interesting part. About 7 years ago, my old employer bought the new company I was working for. So those 10 years that I just put in, counts toward time in the old company. How cool is that. Since I was 18 years old I have worked for this company off and on for almost 17 years! Holy Cow!! Where does the time go?! As for the name of the company I work for? I really can't say, but I'm sure if you know me, you know of whom I speak!
Happy anniversary to me!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

The CNE

We went to the the CNE last night. Here are some pictures from our evening out. Enjoy.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The Monarch Butterfly Migration


I started noticing this last summer. Yesterday when I saw them out in my backyard I grabbed the camera and took some snaps and then hit the internet to find out more. Check this out...
Every fall, a magical event takes place in the animal world. Perhaps traveling over your own head right now--or clustered by the hundreds in a nearby tree--the annual monarch butterfly migration to Mexico is underway. By instinct alone, the butterflies go to the same mountains that their ancestors left the previous spring. Somehow, they find a place in Mexico that they've never seen before.
Of all the species of wildlife that migrate from Canada to winter in the temperate zones, few are more spectacular than the tiny Monarch Butterfly. They arrive without a sound and just as quietly disappear, always leaving a few stragglers feeding on the nectar of flowers and especially on their favorite milkweed till finally they too, float onward.
As recently as 1975 their purpose and destination remained a mystery. It was then that the Monarch's first winter habitat was discovered in the high mountains of Michoacan State west of
Mexico City. The exact purpose of their migration and their ability to make the trip at all, remains an intriguing subject for scientists studying them today.
The tiny Monarchs fly distances as great as 3,100 miles, in a southwesterly direction, from Canada and the United States every year. Setting out in late August, they migrate to winter in Mexico's oyamel (fir tree) forests on Sierra Chincua. Unlike migrating birds, the Monarchs have never travelled the route they will follow because previous generations have died off before the journey begins. Many who start are more than three generations away from those that previously made the trip.
And its all happening in my backyard -- cool!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Cottage life

We spent the weekend at my wife's family cottage. Here are some pictures from our trip. Hobbes loves the boat ride to the cottage.He doesn't like sticking his head out the window in a car, but he loves riding in a boat.
It was Calvin's first trip up to the cottage. And it didn't take him long to figure out the proper way to ride in a boat.Their cottage is on an tiny island that they own in the middle of the lake. Here is the view from it. Sunrise...... and sunset.Not even 8am and already a mess.Up until this trip to the cottage, Calvin was not a swimmer. He picked it up right away when he saw the other dogs swimming. That's Calvin splashing in the background.Hobbes looks on in case a rescue attempt is needed.Out in the boat having some fun.My wife knows its hard for me to relax when I'm up there at the cottage. I'm not one for lying in the sun and reading a book, which is a popular pass time up there. I find I need a little more stimulation (it must be the city boy in me). Stuck on an island, a ten minute ride to the main land by boat, makes it hard to pick up and go for a walk or a bike ride. So to help me out, my wife got me a remote control speed boat.And I had hours of fun tormenting the dogs with it. In 2 short days Calvin became a world class swimmer chasing this boat around in the bay. We couldn't get him out of the water.Hobbes is absolutely crazy about fishing. He will sit with whom ever is fishing and has to bite the rod every time a line is cast. He doesn't much care for the fish that is caught, he is just mesmerized by that worm on the hook. And he can't be distracted by anything. If there's fishing to be done, this dog will be your loyal companion.Calvin couldn't care less.Pilar's mom, Mannie.We caught the afternoon matinee at the local dump. Four bears going through the garbage no more then 50 feet away. Pretty freaky stuff for a city boy.The boys sunning themselves in the afternoon sun out on the dock.Sunday also happened to be our 7th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary to us!