Wednesday 11 June 2008

Not only ripped off at the pumps...

Iain receives a newsletter/commentary from a BMO financial advisor, Frank Lambros. His latest missive, entitled "Uh Oh… The Price Is Still Wrong" points out that although the Canadian dollar has averaged a value of $.988 US over the last year, the price gap on goods between here and south of the 49th is still huge, averaging 18% (!!!!??)
Here' s his list:


So where is the extra cash going? I would assume straight into the pockets of the retaillers, but I wish I knew.

Monday 2 June 2008

Whither has thou gone, nice weather?

As of tomorrow, Iain and I have 19 years of married life behind us. Strange how a lifetime flies by. So many memories, and changes. I think I want 19 more.
We're at the cottage, which we often are for our anniversary, and the weather is not cooperating as much as I'd like. It has been rainy and cold by turns. Yesterday seemed a good day to go for a drive, and we took a tour to Pembroke, where I haven't visited for years. For fun, we took some sideroads, and discovered that our map was sadly out-of-date, though we did find our way after a bit. This occasioned the purchase of a new map at the Canadian Tire.
New maps show all the roads, but they don't make very clear how good/bad they are. We ended up on Dore Bay Road, which devolved into a bush track. At the top of one very rocky and washed out hill, we paused to turn back. Fortunately a nice local man (and his truckful of camo-clad companions) happened along at just that moment. They knew the road, and we followed them to the end, where they sent us on in the right direction. We took some more interesting roads on the way home. Wildlife spotted: Marsh Hawk - and that's about it, except for numerous dogs, cattle, and a couple of domesticated turkeys out for a stroll. Some evidence of unseen wildlife: large logs with bark stripped by beavers (felled during the ice storm in April, they were obviously found food for the beavers).
Today is shaping up to be warm and mostly sunny, so we will be staying put.

It's Winter....

 Not a fan, but winter is something one survives (hopefully) so that spring may occur. I miss Stitches, very much. Fortunately, we have Jasp...