Monday, December 31, 2018

Post 3821 - Yes. Still Alive

Hello. Remember me?

I am terribly sorry not to have written in more than a week. I had every intention of writing last week, but on Christmas Day I took ill with a man cold. The really nasty one. I was asleep more than I was awake, for a few days there.

I began to feel human again on Sunday afternoon. Just in time for Patricia to start to get my man cold. Two days later, I don't think it has peaked yet.

I am still recovering. It is the early minutes of 2019 as I write this.

Christmas, even when I am feeling well, has become a shadow of its former self for me, especially since my parents have both died. My sisters and I no longer speak to one another. I am not interested in breaking the barrier between us, any more than they are. It is a long story, and it got me in trouble the last time I discussed it here, so I won't rehash it, but you can search through the old entries in the blog and see what is up.

And, too, New Years is no longer that big a deal. We saw it in. I went out on the front deck and observed some fireworks coming from the next subdivision. A couple of girls walked by the street. We wished each other a happy new year. A moment ago, I returned inside. Patricia was already upstairs getting ready for bed. I went downstairs to the little pantry we keep in the laundry room and grabbed a 12 pack of ginger ale, putting most of the cans in the fridge. I wandered back downstairs and made my way to the home office, fired up this computer and decided to say hello.

I used to make a lot of resolutions on January 1st. Most of them went by the wayside within days. But I do want to make at least one promise to you now. I deeply regret not having written more blog posts in 2018. There was a variety of factors that affected my productivity, but the one I will point to is a bad habit I got into of turning in relatively early with the intention of getting up after a while and writing a blog post. Invariably, I would stay in bed, thereby foiling that intention.  I will do whatever I can to reverse this trend. I will write a blog post, AND THEN head off to bed, sleeping better because I had produced a post for you. How do you feel about that?

It is now past 1 ayem on January 1st, 2019. I think I will turn in. After all, I have produced a blog post, and have earned it.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy


Sunday, December 23, 2018

Post 3820 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Fourteen

Still playing catch up.

Here is the Thursday entry in the contest. It is also the last entry in this year's extravaganza, as I was off on Friday, and off on the 24th. Only 14 entries this year. Get over it.




These pictures were taken following Patricia's Pilates class on Thursday night. Emily, another class participant, who knows someone I went to university with and who shares my opinion of him, took these pictures. Thank you, Emily. I thought you had good taste before you took the pictures. Now I think you have exquisite taste.



The extravaganza is done for another year. I don't know if I will do it again next year or not. Depends on many factors, like whether you want me to do it. If not, then I can find something else to do in December, like, I don't know, sleep or something.

Sleep. Man, that sounds good.



Will catch you up on my latest life developments tomorrow. I know you all care so much.

See you then.

Bevboy







Post 3819 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Thirteen

(Playing catch up)

Sorry for not writing the last few days. Crazy times.

Here is my Wednesday entry. Working hard to meet a Frank deadline. Did I make the deadline? You'll have to check out the next issue to find out.


(Yes. I met my deadline!)

See you shortly...

Bevboy


Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Post 3818 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Twelve

Sitting at home. Working on a Frank article. Had to come up with a tie picture.

I looked at my webcam, which I have used in previous years for tie pictures. But then I remembered the app that powers it, and some of the cool features it has.

What cool features, you wonder?

These ones!





See you tomorrow.



Bevboy


Monday, December 17, 2018

Friday, December 14, 2018

Post 3816 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Ten

Day ten, already? What? Are you kidding me?

No. I am serious. Deadly serious. Serious as a hangnail on date night, folks. That serious.

Meet my friend Frank Sabean. I first met him a couple of years ago, at the McDonald's on Quinpool Road. I had just ordered some breakfast and looked over past the garbage cans. This older man was looking over in my direction.

And I paused.

I thought I was looking at a ghost. This man, who was wearing a hat, looked for all the world like my father, who had died in 2010!



My jaw dropped open. I shook my head. I rubbed my eyes. I turned away and looked back again. But, nope. The man was still looking in my direction.

After I got my food, I wandered over to this man and apologized for staring at him. I told him who I was and why I was behaving that way. He asked if my father had passed, and I said he had. The ice broken, I introduced myself. He did the same thing.



Since then, we have had a sporadic, but pleasant, series of altercations. We run into each other at that particular McDonald's, including this morning. Patricia has met him quite a few times, too, and remarked on the similarity in his appearance with Dad's.

I met Frank during a vulnerable period in my life. It was a year after my mom had died. I was growing used to being estranged from the remainder of my family. Seeing this man I suppose reminded me of the family I no longer had. It was a strange feeling, but I have grown used to it.



Frank is a good man, with a grown family. He was a working man like my father was. I am honoured to have met his acquaintance and to see him from time to time.

And he bought me a coffee this morning!!

Merry Christmas, Frank. See you soon, sir.

And I will see you soon, too, my lovelies.

Bevboy







Post 3815 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Nine

Welcome to day nine, ladies and gentlemen!

This one was special. My friend Brad Dryden at Mix 96.5 in Halifax reached out to me on Facebook and invited me to drop by the studios for a quick chat and a Christmas tie picture or three. I also would have the pleasure of meeting Natalie Fournier, his co-host.




How could I say no?

So, mid morning on Thursday, I drove to the studios, about a five minute drive from my work. I presented myself to the receptionist, who called Brad to fetch me, and who then gave me an authentic Mix 96.5 pen. Not one of those fake Mix 96.5 pens you may have heard about that explode in your face once you push that little button. This was the genuine article!



They came and got me. Natalie was even nicer than I had heard, by the way. They took me into the studios. I had last been there back when Griff and Caroline were still at the former KOOL FM. Since they were let go in 2013 and are now at ... an opposing station, and the station changed format also back in 2013 to Radio 96.5. Many, many, many changes in staff later, they threw in the towel and morphed to Mix 96.5, which I think we can all agree is an improvement.



In studio, we chatted about radio, and some recent developments in the market. It is a conversation I enjoy having. Some people like to talk about sports. I like to talk about the comings and goings in local radio markets. And local unsolved murders and missing persons cases. Sue me.

After that, we posed for some pics. After I asked, Natalie said it was okay if I put my arm around her, and thanked me for asking. Just seems like the thing to do, before I put my arm around someone I don't know.



About 10:25, I left Brad and Natalie and grabbed a sub at the nearby Subway before returning to work. I took a shorter lunch hour to make up for the extra time I was gone.

Brad, my friend, it was a pleasure to see you again. I regret that I hadn't kept more in touch when you returned. And, Natalie, what a distinct pleasure to meet you yesterday. I hope our paths cross again.

Day nine is down and out. What happens in day ten? Wait a few minutes and you'll find out!

Bevboy











Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Post 3814 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravagazna 2018 - Day Eight

Well, hello there, handsome!

Day eight. My goodness. Where has the time go?

You know that I love my hair. It is the best hair ever. I have the best hair.

But I will let you in on a little secret.


I have help.

I used tea tree-based products, shampoos and conditioners.

Here is proof.




See you tomorrow.

Bevboy




Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Post 3813 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Seven

I eat too much.

Most of this year's entries are focused around food. I am sorry about that.




Here is another example. After breakfast at the Subway on Argyle Street this morning, the lovely manager, whose name I keep forgetting even though she has told me several times, agreed to pose with me.



She posed with me last year or the year before.

Like I said, I eat too much.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy

Monday, December 10, 2018

Post 3812 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Six

And, the beginning of week two.

On the way home we decided we were hungry and wanted soup. We were driving through Fairview. Rather than go to our go-to place in Lakeside, we went to Best Choice Chinese Food. A dear friend, now deceased, used to work there and give me some food that would otherwise be thrown out. I developed a hankering for the place.

The portions are huge. The prices are good. The menu options are such that one can spend an hour regarding all the items before selecting something, and even then you'll second guess your selection.

Anyway, here I am, enjoying some wonton soup.


And, as a bonus, here is Patricia also enjoying a hot, steaming bowl of wonton soup!



Good times. Good times!

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy


Sunday, December 9, 2018

Post 3811 - Sunday Night Stuff

Welcome to Sunday night, the end of yet another weekend.

I had some work to do this morning. After I got home, Patricia and I (mostly Patricia) did some cleaning up around the house. Mid-afternoon, we transported some stuff to the storage space I rented last week, after which we bought a Christmas tree, which Kent is selling for 20 bucks.

This evening we watched a couple more episodes of "Outlander".

The highlight of the day for me was when Patricia found something I misplaced nearly a year ago: my digital camera, which was in a protected camera case. I couldn't find the bloody thing all year. Finally, she found it, and I was so happy. The batteries in it were dead. The spare batteries were too. So I pulled some fresher batteries from storage and put them in. And the camera sprang to life. It had even kept track of the date and time after all these months. So very pleased.

I know that most of the time for most pictures, I just use my camera phone; but if I want to take a better quality picture, I need this camera. And now I have it again.

Another work week beckons. I should probably turn in so I am fresh as a daisy.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy


Saturday, December 8, 2018

Post 3810 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Five

What? Day Five already? What are you talking about? Get on with your bad self?

A long day at work. Still getting over the euphoria of my hair cut on Thursday at the hands of Helen. Nothing is better than chilling out on the chair in the living room.



Or is it?

See you soon.

Bevboy



Post 3809 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Four

What? Day four already? Get out of here!

Yeah. Still playing catch up.

Thursday morning we went to Smitty's in the downtown. We both had the Salmon Eggs Benny. I think the appeal of that place for breakfast is behind us. The coffee is on repeat. You can drink as much of it as you want for one price. But the coffee tastes such that you're a hero in my book if you can finish one cup. And the salmon was salty in a way that I cannot express in polite words. I don't think we're going back.




I look pretty happy, don't I?

We had a party after work, so a bunch of us hied over there to the Dooly's pool hall on Kempt Road. Place is like the Tardis inside. Seems so small from the outside. Huge and sprawling inside. We had pizza and finger foods and allegedly some prizes. I bugged out of there just past 5:30.

Helen's hair place is pretty much next door. I needed a bit of a trim so I went in, and here is what happened:







I swear Helen cut a lot of hair off me, but Patricia couldn't notice the difference. I was a little hurt.

Helen washed my hair after cutting it, running her expert fingers over my scalp with such passion and ferocity that I felt like a rag doll in the jaws of a bear. I decided to let her have her way with me, to go along for the ride, to see where this would go. At one point, my foot started pounding the floor, as if I were a dog whose back is getting scratched. I may have shouted out the pin number to my bank card while reaching for my wallet. It is possible I asked her to marry me. I can no longer remember. I was not responsible for my actions.

All too soon, after buying scores of unneeded hair care products and leaving a mighty fine tip, I found myself outside, and alone, my nose pressed up to the window, waving to this magnificent woman, who had moved on to her next... client. I felt used and used up and made my way back to the car, where I could cry in peace.

Sigh.

Day four in the 2018 Christmas Tie Extravaganza was history.

What would happen next?

Wait a few minutes and you'll know.

Bevboy


Post 3808 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Three

Did you miss me?

Sorry I haven't written the last few days. Work. Sleep. Repeat.

Anyway, let's play catch up!

Wednesday, day three. After work, I went to the Frank bunker and worked for a couple of hours while Patricia was trying to get out of one of those escape rooms that have taken root in the city, and which sound like a blast.

Frank grunt/scribe Paul Hutchings was delighted to pose with me. Can't you tell?







Seriously, can't you tell?

See you in a moment!

Bevboy


Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Post 3807 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day Two

What? Wasn't it just like five minutes ago when you wrote last time, Bevboy? Are you favouring us with two posts in one day? 


Yes. Yes, I am. Judge me not.

Tuesday night at Casa Bevboy. Newbie was on my lap. I grabbed my phone and figured out how to point the camera back at myself. I hear this is known as "selfie" mode, but don't quote me on that. This computer stuff is so new to me.




Hard to get the little so-and-so in the picture along with my glorious tie. But I managed somehow.

Tomorrow... day three!!

See you then.

Bevboy


Post 3806 - Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza 2018 - Day One

Come on. Come all. Welcome to the 2018 edition of Bevboy's Christmas Tie Extravaganza.

This is year 12 I believe for this special event. My goodness. Do I have nothing better to do?

Well, apparently not. I will put up two posts this evening. I didn't have a chance to put up yesterday's pictures, yesterday.

We went to dinner at the Swiss Chalet in... hmm, is it Bayer's Lake or Clayton Park? Or sort of between the two places, on Lacewood Drive? You tell me.

At any rate, here I am about to chow down on this year's Festive Special. It was a taste treat.



Patricia saw me eating the chicken with great gusto and remarked that she still remembered the time when some people from her part of the province came to the big city of Halifax, where they were fed a chicken dinner. Nix nix on the utensils. They picked up that chicken and jammed it into their faces until every bit of nourishment was from that poor bird. They would look at me aghast, using a knife and fork.

More in a bit.

Bevboy


Sunday, December 2, 2018

Post 3805 - Sunday Night

My weekend is over.

Friday morning I rented a storage facility here in the city. I went from there to the Valley house, where I stayed over night.

Friday night, I called the son of a man who was murdered in Halifax long ago. He is tentatively amenable to speaking to me as long as his siblings are on board, too. If they are not, then I am in a bit of a pickle.

I returned to the city Saturday morning, putting some stuff in the storage facility that I had rented the day before. I went to the Mission Mart nearby and got a wide screen computer monitor for seven dollars. They put the price sticker right on the screen. I had to squirt just a bit of WD-40 on it. After about 10 minutes, the sticker peeled off.

In the afternoon, after a quick nap, we went to downtown Halifax. Patricia was taking a calligraphy course at the NSLC on Clyde Street, and I had some research to do at the library.

My research was very successful.

I was able to get a good photocopy of an excellent article about a long-ago murder in Halifax,which had been written about in a supplement to the Toronto Star in 1971. They won't make a PDF for you, just paper copies. I scanned in the document last evening, so now I have a really good PDF of that old article.

This article was part of a series on vintage unsolved murders and missing persons cases. Against all odds, the library had the other four parts in that series. I have photocopies of all of those articles.

After Patricia's course, we had dinner at Mexicali Rosa's. Fajitas. They do a good job of them there. We returned home. I did the scanning in that I mentioned and turned in for the evening around 10:30.

I didn't really get up until noon. And, by 1:30 or so, I took a nap.

Today was one of those days when I was going to do a lot and did very little indeed. Now, now, here it is 10:30 and I am facing the end of another weekend and a return to work in the morning. Where do these weekends go?

I am off my sleep pattern like crazy. But I really should make an effort to get yet more sleep.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy


Thursday, November 29, 2018

Post 3804 - The Weekend Is Here! (For me)

Thursday night, and late.

I have spent the last hour incrementally changing a minor aspect of one of my research aids for my Frank work. For a couple of years I was old school: took a sheet of looseleaf and draw a little table with a pen and ruler with column headings for newspaper and date range and microfilm number and whether I had found something. Worked fine. Nothing wrong with this approach.

I decided to automate it a bit a few days ago. I went into a couple of different word processors and created tables. Then I just changed headings, and added shading, and made small incremental changes that if I showed them to you, you would think that perhaps I needed a vacation and a long nap. Which I do, come to think of it.

The upshot is that I believe I have simplified my research a little bit. The time I spent messing around with these tables will eventually pay for itself.

In theory.

Off work on Friday. My weekend dance card is filling up quickly. Friday and Saturday are nearly chock a block. Hoping to be able to slow down a titch on Sunday.

I am going to turn in. Been a long day, and there's plenty awaiting me tomorrow.

See you tomorrow or Saturday.

Bevboy


Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Post 3803 - Two Days Later

Well, I didn't write on Tuesday night because a friend of mine died Monday evening. Her death very much put things into perspective. Complaining about much of anything is trumped by something this serious.

Anyway, I have worked the last two days. I went to the Archives for a couple of hours after work to research a missing persons case from a very long time ago. I had hoped, perhaps naively, that there just might be something there. But the newspaper holdings from that time period are so poor that the date of the person's disappearance is not represented.

A local writer, the better part of twenty years ago, managed to write 1000 words or so about the case. I have a copy of that article. But I need some vintage articles.

I will even tell you what the case is. What the heck? I have mentioned it on my Facebook. It is about a man named John McDonald who in November of 1846 stepped out of his house at 95 King Street in Dartmouth, and was never seen again. That house to this day is known as the Dartmouth Mystery House. It is for sale, by the way.

If you know anything about the disappearance of John McDonald, or can point me to some articles or to someone who has some information about the case then let me know. Best bet is to write me here. I guarantee anonymity if you ask for it.

After all that crazy fun, we drove out to the Mission Mart in the new part of Bayer's Lake. It's the new thrift store, where every cent after their operating costs goes to the Soul's Harbour Rescue Mission. Unlike Value Village, it is non-profit. I have a bunch of books and DVD's and other stuff I can donate to them, and I will.

But Patricia was looking at some stuff, so I wandered over to the handbags and luggage. I saw a black bag, masculine, that looked as if it would hold the binder I use for my Frank work. Most bags are either too girly, or too large by far, or too small by a mite. I went out to the car and retrieved the binder and it fit very nicely in the bag. Whereupon, Patricia snatched the bag from me and proceeded to the cash. I guess I will be getting it for Christmas.

The bag I have been using is threadbare. It is actually a swag bag from an event I attended a year and a half ago and doesn't owe me anything. This "new" one is in very good condition and far more robust than the one I am using now, and cost very little. I am looking forward to receiving the bag for Christmas next month. I will try to look surprised!

I have a long day again tomorrow, so I need my shut eye.

See you tomorrow, my lovelies.

Bevboy




Monday, November 26, 2018

Post 3802 - A Nice Lunch...

We got up a bit late this morning. Cooked breakfast but didn't have any lunch prepared. Normally I trudge over to Superstore on Young Street to get some overpriced tasteless product. Or I go to the Italian Market to get an overpriced tasty product. Or to Burger King, to get an underpriced tasteless product. Or go to Burrito Jax to get a tasteless product that is relatively good for me, although I'd rather eat cardboard. Or go to the Metro Deli, which is sort of the Goldilocks of nearby places to eat. Good food at a good price.

But not today. I walked up Young Street, past the places I mentioned. Not sure where to go. I recalled having two meals at the Lion's Head last week and contemplated going there again. But then I saw this place, and decided to check it out.




It was a very nice, clean establishment, in an apartment building that rose from the ashes of one of Bill Mont's old buildings a year or so ago. Street-level retail that seems to be fully occupied.

I found out that one could order a soup and sandwich combo, with a can of pop or tea or coffee, for $8.50, I think it was. The soup of the day was minestrone, not exactly my favourite. But it was a cold day, and a day, therefore, for soup.

The sandwich I chose was chicken pesto. It was fine. More than fine, actually. And the can of Pepsi was.. a can of Pepsi. But the soup! Spicy, zesty, thick. Plenty of pasta and veggies lurked below the surface.

I loved the soup.

I told the owner, Rami, who gave me the above business card, how much I had enjoyed the soup, even though minestrone soup is not something I crave. He thanked me and told me with some pride how much effort they put into producing their soup every day. He listed the kinds of soups they prepare. One of them is Italian Wedding, a soup I like even less than minestrone. But I told him that if the Italian wedding was even half as good as the minestrone, that it must be good indeed.

I returned to work, with a skip in my step, and faced the afternoon with renewed vigour.

After work, we went to Clayton Park and grabbed some food from the Cheesecurds outlet by the RBC. Had never been there. Had a couple of really nice tacos.

We returned home. I washed some dishes and started some work on my next Frank article.

I keep thinking about that minestrone soup, though. I can't wait to go back and get some more.

I may even settle for Italian Wedding.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy




Sunday, November 25, 2018

Post 3801 - Black Friday Recovery Mode

Well, that was fun!

Friday, I got some stuff taken care of at the house in the valley. Learned some stuff. But before that, Patricia and I went to the Bayer's Lake Superstore where I got a couple Black Friday specials, including that Amazon Fire tablet for $70, no tax. Just a bit of environmental fee thingy.

I dropped Patricia off where she would spend her work day and then took care of that issue in the Valley. After that, I went to the Superstore in nearby New Minas and... got a few more Black Friday things. Batteries, cheap. Went to the Canadian Tire there and got a couple of those power bars I coveted along with a set of pliers. Returned to the Superstore and after a great deal of thought dropped several hundred dollars on a 55" Sanyo Smart TV. It ever-so-barely fit in the Soul. They were also selling a 58" RCA Smart TV. I don't think it would have fit, which is just as well.

There was going to be a house showing Friday afternoon, so I hung around town for several hours. Hit some bookstores I don't get to that often. Killed time until around 3:30, when I finally returned to the house. I barely had time to sit down before the man I hire to keep the driveway plowed showed up and did this thing. I had to move the car out of the driveway so he could do his work.

We chatted a bit before he left. I had a dinner appointment with my realtor in Kentville, so I returned there. Over steak tacos, pan-fried haddock and deep fried dill pickles (!) we talked about the best approaches to selling the house, which has been on the market for eight months now. We hope to implement those approaches in the coming few weeks. I admitted to have been dragging my feet about it.

I returned to the house and spoke with Patricia. Watched some stuff on the tv and fell asleep in front of it before deciding to go to bed.

Saturday morning, after breakfast in New Minas, I returned to the city. Unloaded the car with all kinds of things including the tv and an Instant Pot. Patricia was... well, she reminded me we need a new dryer more. I agreed, but emphasized the price. She wasn't happy with me.

Saturday night, after a supper from a local church, I went back to Superstore in Bayer's Lake and got some more stuff, including Brita water filters, a snow shovel for the car, a toaster and a second one of those Amazon Fire tablets, for Patricia. As soon as I got home, she asked if I had asked about the tablet. I told her I had not, and then presented her with her belated birthday present. She was very happy to get it. I can tell you that, 24 hours later, she is using it a whole lot. So am I.

The Amazon Fire tablet has an 8" screen and for the price is an incredibly good bargain. It is very fast. I can use it as a tablet, an e-reader, and has a dedicated Amazon app that makes shopping on Amazon very easy indeed. I love this little tablet.

Sunday I had some other things to take care of, but when they were done we started watching season two of "Outlander". Loving is so far...

This has been a very expensive few days for me. My goodness. But I have some things to show for it. I don't regret making these expenditures. Well...

Another work week beckons. I should get ready for it, huh?

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Post 3800 - Post 3800

Welcome, sort of, to post 3800!

As I have noted before, over the past 11 years, I have lost count of what the actual post number was. I would forget the previous number and therefore the next one (or next several!) would be incorrect. By the time I discovered my error, I would have to decide what to do regarding the numbering. It is all very confusing, and something I don't wish to discuss at this late hour.

The Black Friday flyers arrived sometime over night. I spent time this morning and this evening poring over them and have jotted down some things to get, in addition to what I wrote about last evening. Like, I can only find a few pliers here and in the Valley house. Either Dad only had a few of them and used them for decades, or there is a stash of them down there somewhere that I have never found. Meanwhile, Canadian Tire has a set of pliers for $30, so I may invest in them. They also have a Master Craft power bar for $10, a sharply-reduced price. I'm told that the Master Craft line is manufactured by Dewalt, which is a terrific name.

I may also buy a solid state drive for this computer. The one in this machine is 128GB, which should be plenty for the OS. But my dropbox folder is gradually taking over the world, so I may have to get a bigger drive to accommodate it. Best Buy has a 500GB one for $100.

Still thinking about getting an RCA tv. People have been writing to tell me that RCA is now a generic brand taken over by manufacturers in China or wherever, where they slap the RCA label on whatever potential piece of junk they're slapping together. I get that. But the RCA tv's I have, all have a magnificent picture. And maybe I'm naive, but why would Loblaw's bring in, what, tens of thousands of these televisions across the country and sell them this cheaply if they were all junk and subject to disappointed consumers returning them en masse? It would reflect poorly on Loblaw's, or Canadian Tire, or whomever. So, I'm not sure what to think, other than, if I buy one, to keep the receipt close to my heart.

Also still thinking about getting that Amazon Fire tablet, too. $70 at Superstore. The reviews are quite good. The low-end Samsung tablet I got a few years ago is practically useless to me. Slower than dirt.

So much to consider. So much I can justify.

I think I will turn in and think about it all.

Likely won't be able to write a post on Friday. Back at 'er on Saturday.

See you then.

Bevboy


Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Post 3799 - Four Days Later...

Well, that went by quickly!

Uh, what happened? We went to the Valley on Sunday morning and returned around supper time. We spent some time, and Patricia some money, at the Acadia University Craft Show thingy. She goes most years. I looked around, impatient, wondering why people want to buy that crap, and also wondering why people spend so much time producing that crap, before I returned to the car and waited for Patricia to be finished.

We ended up having dinner in Wolfville. Prime beef at Rosie's. We have never had a bad meal there.

Monday night, we finished watching season one of Outlander on Netflix. My goodness, what a saucy show that is. And we have more than two seasons left to go before we're caught up with the rest of the world. I have sourced a couple of the "Outlander" novels and am wondering if the books are even half as raw and erotic as the tv series.

Last night, I took Patricia to Ele in Bayer's Lake. The Greek restaurant. It was her birthday. She had some wine, and shared some appetizers before the main courses arrived. I had the chicken skewers, which were excellent. Patricia had one chicken skewer and one lamb skewer. I had never eaten lamb, at least not to my recollection, and had a piece. Chewy, like beef steak. I liked it, but am not sure how much of it I want to eat on a go forward basis. I like what I like.

And today, was another work day. We have caught up on some content on the pvr. Patricia is upstairs watching "Hollywood Game Night" while I tap out these few words.

I am taking a vacation day on Friday. I have some things to take care of, yet again. I look forward to the day when I can take a vacation day or three and actually kick back and relax. It has been a while. Maybe over Christmas...

Black Friday deals are coming up in Canada this week. I am trying to figure out what to get. They are selling flatscreens larger than any other one in the house, by far. I am tempted to get one. They have the RCA label on them, which deters a lot of people. When it comes to televisions, I am not sure why. I have an RCA 32 inch flatscreen here in my home office. I don't use it much; but when I do, the picture is exceptionally good. The sound quality is not great, but that is what soundbars are for.  There is another 32 inch flatscreen in the Valley house that I got in 2016 on a Black Friday deal. That picture is also excellent. I don't get why people hate RCA televisions so much. I think they are fine.

Also looking at an Amazon Fire, which is a tablet/e-reader. I bought a Samsung tablet a few years ago. A very low end model that they still sell. It is slower than molasses rolling uphill in the middle of Winter. I haven't turned it on in months. But the reviews for the Fire are quite good. The price is practically a steal. I am tempted to get it!

Other than that, I don't plan to get much at all for Black Friday. How about you?

I am going to turn in for the evening. Long day tomorrow. Won't be home until relatively late.

See you then, I hope, unless sleep claims me as soon as I get home.

Bevboy


Saturday, November 17, 2018

Post 3798 - A Symbol of... Something

Happy Saturday night.

Thursday and Friday I turned in early. In fact, Friday night, I got home from work and was dozing off during the supper time news. I went down stairs "for a few minutes" to "take a short nap", and was down for the evening.

We had a very nice afternoon. We went to Hatfield Farms in Hammonds Plains. It is an actual farm and wood mill that they commercialized such that folks can go out there and recreate for periods of time. My union arranged the event. Ten bucks per person. Well spent. They took us out to the lounge via wagons pulled by horses. Unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, hotdogs, fries, and hamburgers. A zipline. A bouncy place where you could pretend to fight someone. An urban cowboy mechanical horse. And some good people to hang out with.

Before it all started they had a petting zoo. Patricia befriended some goats....



They get rowdy, those goats. You don't mess with them...

The zipline was great fun. Getting up there scared the hell out of me. But I got my legs on the "swing" and grabbed on to the rope and held on for dear life. As soon as we started to zip along, I was laughing.

Patricia took quite a bit of convincing to try it. She nearly gave up when she got up there. But once she started zipping, she had a great time, too.

I do recommend Hatfield Farms for your corporate retreat, large-ish party, or whatever. I hope our union does this again. It was a great idea.

We left around 5:15 and made it to the Home Hardware in Tantallon just as they were closing. They let me in because I had cash and I only wanted a few wood screws.

We got back to the house and watched some episodes of "Outlander" on Netflix. Washed some towels and blankets. And a little while ago I used four of those screws to mount a pencil sharpener that I rescued from the Valley house last weekend. There is a story about that pencil sharpener, and I will share it with you now.

When I was... 14 or so, when I was attending Kings County Academy in Kentville, the school where i was bullied every damn day, there was one day when I saw the janitor unscrew a metal pencil sharpener from the wall and throw it in the garbage. A student had done something to cause a dent in the pencil sharpener.  Not that big a dent, in my opinion. It didn't look like a grave injury to me, so I fished it out of the garbage can and took it home. That evening, I asked my father to screw it in to a bookcase or something in my bedroom, which he dutifully did. It worked flawlessly for me from that night on.

That pencil sharpener got me through the remainder of junior high school, senior high school, university. In 1985, my sister and I switched bedrooms, and the pencil sharpener came with me. I left it behind when I moved to the city in 1988. It remained attached to the underside of a bookcase all these many years, unused, and probably feeling unwanted, until a week ago, when Gary and I removed that bookcase from the wall and unscrewed the pencil sharpener. I brought it back to the city with me a week ago. I lost the four screws that had attached it to the bookcases for the last 40 years somehow, but that's okay because they were stripped anyway. That's why I needed new ones this evening.

The pencil sharpener is now attached to the side of an old entertainment center here in my home office. I use it to hold books and some old computer equipment and the thousands of Bevboy's Blog business cards that I will never go through. And, you know what? I had a package of ten pencils here. I took one out and sharpened it. It is a beautiful thing to behold, that pencil. The pencil sharpener worked just as well as it did all those years ago. I still squirted a bit of WD40 on the mechanism and the handle, and it turns much easier now. There is no reason why it should not last me for many more years to come.

Here it is, where it belongs...



We have an automatic pencil sharpener at work. You stick a pencil in, and it tries to sharpen the pencil. It doesn't do that good a job. But the one I rescued from the Valley still does a magnificent job, and I am so very happy that it has a new home here. If you're nice to me, I will sharpen your pencils with it. If.

No. I don't like so-called mechanical pencils. I had to write a test with one nearly about a year ago and asked to have a regular pencil, which my manager was kind enough to get me.

I know that this doesn't mean much, if anything, to you. But it means something to me. Anything that reminds me of a pleasant memory of my childhood, and young adult hood, is something I wish to cherish. The house down there is on the market, and there are many memories I have of that place. Good ones. Bad ones. Indifferent ones. For some reason, that damn pencil sharpener, with its dent in it created by some punk kid in 1978, is a symbol of a more innocent and happy time, and I will keep it into perpetuity.

Patricia and I have an early day, Sunday. I will tell you about Sunday night...

See you then.

Bevboy


Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Post 3797 - Uhhhh...

Hello again.

It is as if I am introducing myself with every blog post lately.

I've been going through a lot in the last several days, to be honest. I will give you a summary.

Friday I drove up to the Valley, right after I dropped Patricia off at work. The furnace guy was dropping by to replace the pipe going from the furnace to the outside. The old one was very much worn. I don't know what that will cost me, but the man was there for about 30 minutes.

I remained there over night, watching stuff on the television until my eyes could no longer function.

Saturday morning was the main part, and the saddest part. At 7am, the man I hired to help me clean out the house, showed up. We were systematic. We went through nearly every room in the house, upstairs and down. We had rented a bin/dumpster. Working nearly non stop for five hours, we carried out, tossed out, said goodbye to, dozens and dozens of items, including furniture my parents had owned since the 1970's.

The barrel and the furniture and so much other stuff


One chair was especially interesting. It was in my father's workshop downstairs. As he grew older, it became more and more difficult for him to stand and putter around down there. So he took an old chair and extended the legs on it so he could sit in it, legs dangling, while he worked away, at a good level with the items he needed within easy reach. It still went out, but I kinda wish I could have found a use for it.

The chair I just mentioned



Other things were just junk. A couple boxes of ash from the wood part of the furnace. A barrel. Garbage bags full of, well, garbage. Some broken glass. Fluorescent tube lights. Broken tools. I can't even list it all.

At noon, we called it a day. We were both tired. The dumpster was close to being full. And I was emotionally exhausted.

Among other things, the lighting I mentioned


When I decided to sell the house, it was the result of a tremendous amount of soul searching. I knew the time would come when I would have to decide what to do with the place, but I kept putting it off until the decision was all but made for me. We had many many thrift store donations over the months, but removing the bulk of the stuff was something I had put off for so long. It hurt, but at the same time, it felt good.

Not me standing next to the bin. The man I hired, named Gary


Anything of a family heirloom nature, running the gamut from family photos to an old clock to just some neat stuff, has been kept. Things with people's names on them that are not heirlooms, will be shredded, although that will take a very long time to do.

It was a sad day, Saturday; but ultimately, it was a good day, too.

I returned to the city Saturday afternoon, after a lunch at Rosie's in Kentville. Took a nap and watched some telly with Patricia before turning in early.

Sunday was more or less a day of rest for me. Monday I took some stuff in from the front and back decks for the Winter. Threw a bunch of stuff out for recycling on Tuesday.

We returned to work on Tuesday. Patricia wasn't feeling well, so I took her home at lunch time before returning to work. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I turned in early.

And, today, Wednesday, I worked again, while Patricia remained home.

Pretty boring, huh?

The cleaning out of the family home on Saturday took a lot out of me. Not just physically, but mentally. Part of me thinks I let my parents down by doing this, but no one, not even me, would want any of that stuff.

There are two more work days left before another weekend, which will go by far too quickly for my liking.

How about this? I will write you tomorrow. Let's make a date.

See you then.

Bevboy













Thursday, November 8, 2018

Post 3796 - Four MORE Days Later...

Sorry I haven't written much. Monday and Tuesday I slept the nights away. Wednesday, Patricia went to the library to see Ami McKay do a book signing. I worked on my next Frank article, working quite late into the night on it. I am pleased with how it turned out. There is information about this case, an unsolved murder from the 1990's, that has never been reported elsewhere. I hope you check it out when it appears on newstands next week.

Jordan Bonaparte just told me that his Night Time Podcast series (which will be broadcast on Global radio stations in large swaths of the country, starting this weekend) will include at least one of my appearances. The Three Musketeers of Hollis Street was selected by the producers of this series as being one of the episodes they wanted to start the series with. I am beyond flattered to learn this.

We also have been discussing recording more podcasts in the coming weeks. They will all discuss cases I have written about in Frank, so if you have read all of my work, you will be at an advantage.

I never thought, never dared dream, that I would have this opportunity, to write about missing persons cases and unsolved murders. It is a subject that has interested me for most of my life. If I ever did get a chance, it was my hope that I could take these cases to the next level. Do my best to uncover information either never reported before, or not reported in many years. You can judge whether I have been successful.

Getting up very early tomorrow morning, even though it is a day off work. Will be hitting the road and taking no prisoners. Spotty internet service. May not be able to write you until I am back, later on Saturday. Sorry!

See you... soon.

Bevboy


Sunday, November 4, 2018

Post 3795 - Four Days Later...

Uh, hello again, my friends. How have you been?

I have been sleeping an awful lot since we last corresponded. I had my flu shot on Tuesday after work. Ever since, I have had a hard time staying awake. I get through my work day. Go home. Eat something. And conk out early. Thursday night and Friday night, I went to bed frightfully early. Saturday, after a trip to the archives and some dinner, by 8 or so, I had to "take a nap".

The time change hasn't helped today. I slept in late and took a long nap this afternoon. That means that I will be up all night now. It is pushing 10:30, and I daresay I will be awake until 1 or so, long after I have found out what happens to Rick Grimes on the Walking Dead.

I am going to call this post short. I just wanted you to know that I am still alive, probably well, and that I am still resolved to write a post as often as possible.

See you tomorrow.

Bevboy



Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Post 3794 - A Day Later...

Two blog posts in a row? What? Really? You mean, you wrote a blog post Tuesday night? And here you go, just a day later, there is another blog post? Are you joshing me?

No. I am not joshing you.

How was your day?

I have got some comments about Cindy Day. You know, how I said last night that Cindy Day looked like a man dressed up as Cindy Day. One guy wrote me on Twitter and told me that he had been blocked by Cindy Day, and didn't know why. Another guy wrote me, but I cannot find the message this evening to save my life. Perhaps I imagined it in a fevered dream or something.

Hey, we had a potluck lunch at work today. I was at a loss as to what to buy. I went to the Superstore at 11am and found a veggie tray and got that. The best part? It was half price. All my Scottish ancestors were rejoicing. Sean Connery gave me an attaboy. The ghost of Pierre Trudeau, who was according to one writer "breathtakingly parsimonious", will likely visit me in my dreams tonight.

There was  a lot of food there today. Meatballs. A couple macaroni dishes. Chicken nuggets from the Burger King across the street. Some noodles. Desserts. One dessert was multi-coloured cupcakes with syringes sticking out of them. The syringes contained "blood" (strawberry jam), which you could "inject" into the cupcake. What kind of mind thinks of that kind of thing? And will she marry me if things don't work out with Patricia and me? Just hedging my bets.

After work we drove home in traffic artificially heavy because everyone wanted to go home and take their kids out trick or treating. We got home around 5:45. We made sure the lights were off. I came downstairs; Patricia went upstairs. We don't "do" Hallowe'en any more, ever since the great comicbook controversy of 2011 or so.

As I likely told you about at the time, I was giving out comics for years without incident. Kids loved them. One busybody parent objected to the material and fomented rebellion with other busybodies on Facebook. I was fearful they were going to grab their pitchforks, right after they got their pearls and clutched them, knock down my door and drag me off into the night. Absolutely venomous comments. So we quit giving out comics and anything else on October 31st. We are done.

Anyway, I came down here and answered some Frank emails and Facebook messaged with a source for a potential upcoming article. Watched some murder-related stuff on Youtube. Just marked time until 8:15 or so, when it seemed that the kids would all have gone home.

We each had a sammich and watched an episode of "Sabrina". Just one more to go in this miniseason. Show gets better and better. Check it out, lazybones.

Tomorrow is Thursday, already. Where do the days go, anyway?

I think I will turn in. Patricia has Pilates tomorrow, so we will be home late.

See you then.

Bevboy


Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Post 3793 - Two Days Later...

Uh...

So, I didn't write Monday evening. My body shut down around 9pm, so I went to beddy bye.

After work last night, we went to Mexicali Rosas on Spring Garden Road. We nearly didn't go in, but it was close to the library and we didn't want sushi again so soon. We had had a couple of sub par meals there over the years and decided not to go back, but once again, it was close to the library and we didn't want sushi, and didn't want to walk that far, either. Why aren't there more pubs on Spring Garden Road, anyway? But I digress.

We decided to order the fajitas. They came out, sizzling, like they always do. We wanted the chicken based ones. Plenty of veggies and guac and refried beans to add to the wraps. We stuffed ourselves and loved every bite. I will not say these are the best fajitas in town, but they are the best I can think of at the moment.

We waddled around the downtown before going to the library, there to see Ms. Kayla Hounsell discuss the release of her true crime book, "First Degree", about the Taylor Samson murder and subsequent William Sandeson trial.

I will confess that I only casually followed the trial, but I was in the minority. There were Facebook pages devoted to every twist and turn. The nightly news discussed the latest developments, with Kayla providing many of them. When I learned that Kayla would be doing a book on the murder, after she had been writing about it for so long, I thought this might be a pretty good book. She revealed last night that her employer at the time, CTV, was not supportive of her doing the book. Whether it was because they didn't want her to moonlight, or that it would be a conflict of interest, or what, I don't know. She solved that little problem by quitting her job and devoting her time to writing the book before landing a new (and much better) job at the CBC. That new job was interfering with her deadlines, so she buggered off to Mexico for a couple of weeks, writing by the pool for 12 hours a day. That is dedication.

I have a lot of respect for Kayla Hounsell. Despite the couple of typo's I have found in the book, I know that they are not her fault. (One of those typo's is in the first sentence on page one, but what can you do?) So far, having read the first couple of chapters, I find the book pretty gripping. I am sure lots of information will be revealed in the tome that has never seen the light of day. She even provides a theory as to what happened to Taylor Samson's body, which has never been found.

After she spoke, Kayla was signing book for the public. I was the second in line. We exchanged a few pleasantries. Patricia asked a question. We excused ourselves and left.

We milled around the room in the library where Kayla was speaking. It was a who's who of local media,with folks from Global, CTV and CBC there. A retired politician recently caught up in the #MeToo thing was there and asked a question of Kayla. Steve Murphy was hugging everyone in a skirt. Cindy Day looked like a man dressed up like Cindy Day.

It was a good evening, Monday night. But by the time we got home, driving through the darkness, through the rain, through the breeze, I had a tension headache. After playing back the news, I turned in early, which is why you didn't get a blog post last night.

Today was much better. No headache. After work, we got some food and came home and ate some of it. We watched three episodes of the new Sabrina series on Netflix. It is a show sure to infuriate any Christian who doesn't accept that it is fictional. We love it.  Two more episodes to go in what they call "Part One".

Tomorrow, Hallowe'en, is up in the air. After the debacle of several years ago, we no longer give out candy. We either go out to a movie or come home, turn out the lights and watch tv. Which one we do, we are not sure yet.

It is nearly 11pm. I need my beauty coma.

See you tomorrow, if you dare.

Bevboy


Sunday, October 28, 2018

Post 3792 - Yes! I'm Still Alive!

Hello there.

When I began this blog 11 years ago it was because I was put out over having left a message board I had come to enjoy hanging out in. I was made to feel unwelcome there, so I quit. Long story. You can read about it back in post 300, if you want to go through the Bevboy archives and find out.

But I still had a need to express myself. And I decried misspelled words. So I decided to start a blog. I had been called "Bevboy" since 1988, and it would be a blog, so why not call it... Bevboy's Blog? Seemed natural. I eventually got business cards printed up. I literally have 15 000 of them here in my home office, due to various sales at Vista Print over the years.

Over the years, I told myself that it was a good idea to "feed" a blog on a regular basis. Once a day seemed like a good goal to set for myself. In the early years, I often did multiple posts in one day.

Eventually, unlike so many other bloggers, I was lucky enough to be able to sell some of my writing, to Frank Magazine.  The need, and even the ability, to write a blog post every single day became more difficult. Paying work was, let's face it, more important.

For a time, I was producing two columns for a given issue of Frank: my former radio column; and the cold case series. I had always had a keen interest in cold cases, in particular missing persons cases. My editor asked me to consider writing about unsolved murders, too, and I took on that responsibility.

After a while, the radio column was retired. It was a mutual thing. I was getting tired of writing radio news and commentary. The commentary pissed off more than a few radio folks who are unused to being commented on.  I liked the little history items I was adding to the pieces to justify the word count, oftentimes more than the news I was spending so much time researching. At the same time, I was getting more and more satisfaction from writing the cold case series, and it was taking more and more of my time. I told my editor this, on more than one occasion. When my editor decided to discontinue my radio column, I did not express any disappointment. I was relieved. I have not lobbied to bring it back. Nobody to my knowledge has written Frank wanting it to return. It is part of my past, and I am happy for it to remain there.

The cold case series now occupies a tremendous amount of my free time. I am not complaining. I enjoy the work, and the challenge of researching and writing these articles. But it comes at the cost of this blog. This past week was a deadline week, and I was working hard on the next article, which appears in the issue of Frank Magazine that hits stands this week.

This is where you come in.

I am sorry I haven't written more frequently lately. As I told you the other week, I have a house for sale in the Valley. I spend quite a bit of time down there, cleaning out the place, and deciding what to keep and what to donate to thrift stores, and whatnot.  Entirely me and Patricia, and nobody else to help us.  I recently discontinued the internet connection down there, so when I am there, I cannot blog, or watch Netflix, or have much fun at all, to be honest. I have to watch the two channels that come over the air, watch a dvd, or watch something on the hard drive that's attached to the media player that's hanging off the flat screen in the living room.

We have also been neglecting the cottage. We were there a week ago. First time in more than two months. No internet connection there, either. We got the place ready for the winter, there, then. I even managed to mow most of the lawn, too.

I had to take a vacation day this past Monday to be in the Valley at the house to take care of a couple of matters. I drove back to the city in the afternoon and was exhausted by the time I got home. I am always exhausted by the time I get back to the city from the house in the Valley. I suppose it has to do with the stress associated with maintaining two properties. Both suffer in the end.

I know that all of the above sounds like a litany of excuses. We are all busy. We all work hard. I have not cornered the market on being busy or working hard. I am not complaining. I am explaining. Trying to explain to you, and justify to myself, why the blog appears to be less of a priority in my life lately.

I have told you before that I want to get back to a daily schedule again. I do. I will try really hard to write something Monday night. But I must tell you that we are going to the library Monday evening. Kayla Hounsell will be discussing her true crime book at 7pm, and we both want to be there. It means getting home 9pm or so. Newbie will be pacing the floor and looking at his watch and wondering where we are and why we are neglecting him. I will have to make it up to him.

But, also, let me make things up to you.

Let me try, really hard, to write a blog post for you Monday night. And another on Tuesday. And, if you're good, Wednesday night is a good possibility, too.

You mean a lot to me. All 4.7 of you. You're like my kids.

See you... tomorrow?

Bevboy


Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Post 3791 - What I Have Been Up To

Hello again, my lovelies.

I have been incommunicado for more than a week now. I am sorry about that.

We... ended up not going to the cottage. The reasons for that are complicated, actually. We didn't go to the Valley, either. We just stayed in town, laying low, taking things easy.

First of all, I have been keeping something from you for months and months now. I had my reasons for doing so. I think they were good reasons, but upon re-evaluation, it just doesn't make sense any longer. This thing has taken an enormous amount of my time, and Patricia's time, over the last six months, and contributed mightily to many of the problems I have had getting blog posts out on a regular basis.

Here it goes.

The house I have in the Valley is on the market.

Some of you have known about this since the beginning. If you work with me, you would have likely heard me grousing or seen my exhaustion.

Patricia and I have spent a lot of time down there cleaning out the place. Many, many trips to Value Village, dropping off stuff. So many salt and pepper shakers. Packing things up. Cleaning out the attic took the better part of an entire weekend. My father had put stuff up there over the decades that was promptly forgotten about. Goodness gracious. Old exercise books from high school. University stuff. We filled 14 or 15 large plastic bags full of that stuff, after I had climbed up in the attic and thrown stuff  down into the hallway. So much stuff. 99.9% of it went out with our recycling.

A couple of years ago, I went up there and found some old mystery magazines and back issues of SF magazines, issues I had long ago misplaced, and which either I or my father had put up there more than 30 years ago. After rescuing that stuff, I had hoped that there might still be some treasures up there. Not so much.

That is but one example.

We have found so much stuff there over the months and got rid of it. My father was  a packrat of the highest order. We found hundreds of cancelled cheques he wrote back in the 1970's. He would pay Mom a sum every week with which she would buy groceries. We have found so many of those cheques. Those will be shredded.

There have been a couple of offers on the house. One of them, to my ever lasting regret, was rejected because we didn't have full information. The disappointment was nearly palpable. Another offer fell through over when the person could not secure bank funding.  Plenty of people have traipsed through the place.

The decision to sell the property was not made lightly. I thought about it for years. I felt I was betraying my parents by selling the place. They wanted me to retire down there, even though my life has been in the city for the past three decades. But the cost, on my finances, on my psyche, on my soul, on nearly every aspect of my being, had become such that keeping the place was an untenable situation. Driving up there. Taking care of the place. Driving back. Rinse. Repeat. For years.

I resisted for as long as I could before friends and a couple extended family members managed to convince me that my parents would not want me to go through all this sturm und drang, that they would understand if I just let it go, that it was time for someone else to live there and put their stamp on the place. Yet feelings of doubt lingered, like

I recently hired a man to replace the back steps, as the old ones had become unsafe. I haven't seen the work yet. I am sure the man did a very good job, as he has been doing extremely well with the other handyman jobs I have had him do in the last several months. He has been a godsend. I always address him by his last name because he is a good man who deserves respect, and therefore I will address him with respect.

There are other aspects of this topic that I probably should not discuss here, but you can guess what they might be.

In other news...

We did have a bit of fun during our vacation. We went out to a couple of meals, including a place called Delish, in Upper Tantallon. It is a British-focused eatery that also sells groceries from the U.K. We really like the place.

Also had a good meal at the Finer Diner last week. And before hitting Nocturne last Saturday, we had a meal at our favourite Halifax sushi place. As we left, the owner looked at me and said, "I am a boy". Turns out I had given him one of my Bevboy's Blog business card and had kept it for the past year or so. Must be a blog reader. Hello, sir.

The return to work on Monday was difficult. I was exhausted Monday night and slept the night away. Felt a bit better Tuesday night and made a stir fry for dinner. Wednesday morning, the dull headache I had had for a few days was still there. I found a stash of my headache pills and took one around 6:30. 45 minutes or so later, it was gone, and I felt fine. I love those pills. Have saved me from taking dozens of sick days over the years.

So, that is what I have been up to, in broad strokes. I feel better for telling you about it.

I am going to turn in for the evening. I have to get up in less than six hours. Where do the evenings go?

Talk to you tomorrow.

Bevboy


Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Post 3790 - Tomorrow.

The blog returns tomorrow. Sorry for the delay. All will be explained.

See you then.

Bevboy


Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Post 3789 - Not Just Yet

So, it is very late Tuesday night. Sort of Wednesday morning.

We haven't gone to the cottage just yet. We plan to head out Wednesday before lunch time.

We kinda lazed around until mid-afternoon. I had some finishing touches to put on my latest Frank Magazine article, so that is done. My editor gets to concentrate on the remaining articles in the magazine, whatever they may be.

By three pm, we got tired of sitting around the house, so we took off for Tantallon. I had to go to the bank, the RBC there, so we parked there. Patricia ran into an old friend of hers, so they gabbed. I grabbed a slice of pizza from the place next door to the bank and wandered into the "Delish" deli and British-based grocery store. I had been in there years before and been unimpressed, but the improvements in the place made me smile. I now have a jar of Branston Pickle to consume!

We went across the street to the Tantallon Farmer's Market, which for whatever damn reason operates in the summer and early fall on Tuesday afternoons, between 2 and 6. I bought Newbie a catnip toy. I got a jar of dill pickles.

Then we went to Otis And Clementines because used bookstore. Ellen had just got in some vintage mystery paperbacks. I sifted through them. Musty! But I found six John Dickson Carr novels for two bucks each. Once I conquer the problem with the musty odor, I will add them to my home office/library.

I have tried putting musty books in a zippered up bag along with an open box of baking soda and had only limited success. Please pass along your tips for removing musty odors from books, won't you? You're a peach.

We drove along the "loop" that took us along French Village and all those other numerous communities. We grabbed a bite at the Finer Diner. I had the soup of the day (cabbage with bacon), and a side Caesar salad. Loved them both. Patricia had the hot turkey sandwich, which she found a little dry. We drank water. Too full for dessert.

We continued along our way, eventually reaching Peggy's Cove, and continuing the way around back to the Saint Margaret's Bay Road. In the gathering darkness, in October, the drive was not the most exciting. A ton of rocks and not the most interesting views. We returned to the house around 7:20. I gave Newbie his present, and he played with it like a crazy kittie.

We watched two movies on demand this evening. "Kidnap", starring Halle Berry is about a single mother whose son is kidnapped in broad daylight. Without her cell phone, she hops into her car and gives chase. It only got a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score, but it pressed all our buttons. It was a fine little film, and I hope you check it out. It was filmed in 2014 and originally supposed to be released in 2015, but sat on a shelf until last year, when it was dumped in theaters in August. It deserved a far better fate than that. Check out "Kidnap"!

The other one was the 2017 "Murder on the Orient Express", the remake of the 1973 film, based on the Agatha Christie novel. I have enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's acting and directing for more than 25 years, and he does not disappoint here. The film sort of sets up a sequel, based on another Christie Poirot novel. I hope it happens.

By this time, it was nearly midnight.

It was a good day. Let's hope that the rest of the week only improves.

See you soon.

Bevboy