Tempus Fugit

Latin (tem-pu̇s-ˈfü-git): Time Flies

Author: garry.c.stewart

  • Maui revisited

    Some of the photos from the helicopter tour over Maui.

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  • Makes my day…

    when I get a message like this from one of the Grandkids 

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  • Sunday 

    This morning I’m serving at my church,Springschurch, by doing the TV audio. It’s an early start at 7am and we’ll be finished 3rd service around 2pm. 
    This is my position with the sound board and TV monitors in a room up behind the stage. 


    It’s just me and the equipment. As I’m mixing the band and vocalist I can hear my son Scott quietly on the intercom calling camera shots as he directs the camera operators to present the service on the big screens in the sanctuary and record for later TV broadcast use. 
    It’s hard to explain my emotions and feelings as I hear Scott’s voice. I’m so proud of him. Thankful and full of joy for the wonderful man he has become. A great son, husband and father. 
    It’s very special to be serving together at a great church that is doing great things for God. 

  • The reality of parenting

    Came across this great post. Laughed out loud a couple of times. So much truth And much of it applies to grandparenting as well except they go home after a while. And while we’re responsible when the Grandkids are with us, the ultimate responsibility goes home to the parents too. 
    http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/12/to-parents-of-small-children-let-me-be-the-one-who-says-it-out-loud/

  • Snakes

    Took a Mother’s Day road trip to Narcisse to see the snakes, us and hundreds of other folks!  The parking lot was jammed and people were parking on both elides of the highway for at least 1/4km in each direction from the enterance. 

    It was a pleasant walk around the area between the various snake dens. Lots of kids seeing how many snakes they could catch at one time. This guy was one of my favourite shots.


    I thing next year we’ll plan to take the Grandkids. I’m sure they would have a blast running around and playing with the snakes!

    A few more photos over on Flickr https://flickr.com/photos/44072178@N00/sets/72157668107992076

  • Cottage Opening 2016

    Opened the cottage a little early this year, the Thursday before the traditional May long weekend. I took a few days off and came down Wednesday evening. Part of the early opening was a group ride that was taking place in the Kenora area, billed as a “Spring Training Camp” which seemed like a lot of fun, and it would be nice to have the water running for a hot shower after the rides.  Plus, Gail & Gord are coming down on Friday and staying at the lake until they take possession of their new house in Saskatoon sometime in June. 

    After last years pump problem where it wouldn’t prime, but in the end noting seemed to be wrong with it after I dragged it into town for servicing, I was a little apprehensive about this years startup. But, no problems! It started up just fine on the first attempt and after starting at about 6:30am I had the bulk of the cottage opening chores done by 8:30 and was sitting down with a cup of coffee and waiting for the hot water tank to do it’s thing.

     Being pretty lazy and enjoying the quiet. After a trip to town to look for an Apple power adapter for the laptop (unsuccessful) and enjoying the first Chip Truck of the year, it was time for a nap. Life roles at a different pace at the lake, well, at least for me. 

    I’m thinking there are not too many people around right now as Netflix ran fine all evening without buffering. Normally, on a summer weekend, the wireless bandwidth is getting sucked up by all the neighbours and the Internet slows to a crawl, making Netflix almost unwatchable. 

    The weather is cool at 0°C and drizzling, in fact right now it’s snowing kind of hard . HArd to see in the photo, but it’s like a micro blizzard which I’m sure will disappear momentarily, right?


    The planned big group rides for the weekend have been cancelled because so many guys bailed because of the weather forecast. I guess I’m on my own. If there is a break in the weather I’ll take a spin over to Rushing River and if things really turn around perhaps a longer spin out to Minaki and back.

  • Karate is Rough

     
     The day after some kumite sparring. Just a little bruising. Must have blocked a few hard Tsuki. 

  • Walkabout

    Spending the day walking The Strip in Las Vegas on the Saturday before the Information on Demand conference. Flights down were good and a $30 taxi ride from the airport to the Mandalay Bay, which looks like walking distance from the airport and I’m here. Room is great and after picking up my registration materials it’s out to explore the town on foot. Actually, I think I’ll

  • First Group ride on Zwift

    Over the Christmas holidays I said goodbye to TrainerRoad and hello to Zwift. TrainerRoad is awesome and I enjoyed pairing it with The Sufferfest videos, but Zwift with it’s interactive and social riding,   workout plans similar to TrainerRoad, and integration with my Wahoo Kickr takes indoor riding out of the Pain Cave of solitude into a shared suffering experience of the most engaging kind.

    The first few rides were a learning experience as I got used to the controls, routes, graphics and the immersive experience. I’d been used to the TrainRoad training plans, so it seemed natural to latch onto the Zwift Workouts. Even an interval workout is fun when you’re watching other riders around you and watching the ride chatter as people text & ride at the same time.

    It’s surprising how engaging the ride experience is. If I’m just casually riding along and someone passes me, the competitive nature kicks in and the next thing I know I’m accelerating hard to see if I can catch a wheel or blow by the other rider.

    Today was the 1st attempt at a group ride. I selected the Saturday Sit-in group as it fit my schedule and seemed like a group I might be able to hang with. I “arrive” at the start/finish line to join the group about 10 minutes before the start. Actually, I go by the start/finish a bit and try to turn around and back up a bit (down arrow for a U turn) but it’s not working for me. I switch my view to the ride leader so I can watch for the start and I’m tracking the text messaging countdown.

    The ride starts and I start peddling but my display is still locked on the ride leader and he goes by me and now I’m a little lost and confused as to where I am in the group. I can’t get the display to show my avatar (figured this out post-ride) so I opt for restarting the Zwift app and now I’m back and the group is nowhere in sight. With virtually know warmup I’m now hammering to try and chase back, scanning the rider list looking for other SSI riders.  After a lap of hard riding and noting from the test messages how far ahead the ride leader is I realize that while I’m gaining a bit, I’m never going to catch up.  I slow up a bit but still have some delusions of joining up and sprint away from time to time. Here I am sloughing  up a grade on the 2nd lap somewhere trying to catch those guys in the distance.

    Chasing the pack
    Chasing the pack

    Not the best 1st experience, but I’ll get the hand of it yet and I’ll probably look for another group ride later in the week.

    And of course, Strava says…

  • Transistor Radio

    I was looking for some electrical parts in the shop the other day and re-dicovered this in the bottom of a box.

     

    One of my 1st electronic toys
    One of my 1st electronic toys

    When I was about 10 years old my parents went on a trip without Gail & I. We stayed with our grandparents Amma & Grandad for several days. I think is was a Great-West Life convention in the U.S. and perhaps a side trip as well, the details are a little foggy now. Anyway there was a tradition in our family that if my Dad went on a trip, we’d get some sort of a gift on his return and this trip was no exception.

    Upon their return they came over to my Grandparents house on Oak St. to pick us up. After some hugs and kisses and some chatter about the trip they presented a radio just like this one to my Grandparents. I was totally fascinated with this! We’d never seen such a small portable radio. I really wanted one, bad. Mom & Dad kind of ignored that and carried on talking about who knows what, and I was getting a little disappointed. Actually, more that disappointed.

    And then the big surprise!  I got the same radio! And Gail got one too, with a white case. I was ecstatic.  That radio didn’t leave my hands for quite some time.

    I remember having it in bed after I was supposed to be asleep under the covers listening to Foster Hewitt and Hockey Night in Canada because it came with an earbud, super cutting edge back in the day.

    BTW, it still works!