Albatross

I am currently reading Mick Fleetwood's biography. I have always been a huge "Mac" fan, but moreso when Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined. So since I am reading this book, I'm learning more about Mac's history.

This song, Albatross, was a huge hit everywhere, but the U.S., in 1969. It inspired the Beatles song "Sun King." Another of their early songs was "Black Magic Woman" which was later a hit for Santana.

It's a beautiful meoldy. Mick Fleetwood is on the drums, John McVie on the bass, and the guitar players are Peter Green, Danny Kirwin (blonde hair), and Jeremy Spencer playing the slide. It's a great song. I hope you enjoy it.

Ahhhh, Victoria!

Nicol and I just returned from our trip to Victoria, BC...arguably one of THE most beautiful places on earth...well, North America, at least...Seattle is 85 miles southeast, just to give you a location.

The drive was mile after mile of beauty, and the weather was clear...not warm, but clear! We saw probably 20 bald eagles on the drive out, but you need a good zoom lens to get a picture of them. I only had my little digital with me.

The ferry ride to the island is one hour and a half. I don't know how many cars/trucks/buses will fit on the ferry, but it's a LOT! There are several restaurants and gift shops, and tons of comfy chairs to sit it. You can also access three different decks. I'm sure it's fun to do in the summer, but this time of year, you just look at the view and run back inside!

Mount Baker, USA

We spent a few days with Nicol's friends. Kathy lives here in Calgary; she is Nicol's best friend of 30 years. Helen lives in Victoria. She is one of Kathy's oldest friends. Nicol and Helen were in Kathy's wedding. Barb lives in Nanaimo, just up the coast. She and Nicol have been friends since Jr High...so it was old home folks weekend! (Literally, ha ha!)

Helen has her own band, Curl Girlz. She sings a lot like Janis Joplin, and even has the curly hair to match. On Friday, we went to the Canadian Legion, and listened to her and some friends play. Her significant other, Wayne, is an awesome bass player. She has the most awesome guitar, which is "recycled art". The body of the guitar is an old oil can, and it has a surprisingly good sound.

Barb is a nurse, and a really talented artist. Her medium is watercolor. She was telling me about the pod of gray whales she saw just before she came down. Usually, they see the killer whales, not the grays. I want to live where I can watch the whales! And fish for salmon. And paint beautiful landscapes! And go for walks on the beach.

I think this is where we will eventually live in Canada. Anyway, we had a great trip, and I can't wait to go back! PS: Everyone up there is SMITTEN with Barack Obama!

Well Said, Randi Rhodes...

PERFECT

This feels so right because it is so right.

The air is crisp and clear. The crowds are jubilant and don’t seem to feel the cold at all. It is a Winter morning in Washington DC and everything suddenly looks cleaner and brighter. Even I feel cleaner and brighter.

Justice at last. The peaceful transfer of power.

The black limosines built like tanks. The smart salutes from obedient Marines in their flawless uniforms. The bunting. The flag that has waved in the Capital air on hopeful and ominous mornings for centuries waves over a glorious day once more.

And at the heart of it all, the tall, impeccably dressed young man with the bronze skin and his cheerful wife. Masters of their domain.....much of it built in another time by people forced to build because of the color of their skin. The color of his skin. And hers.

This feels right for the simple reason that we've lived this amazing day in our minds, in our hearts, many times before. Even in the darkest days, when our hopes were frozen seeds hidden under dirt and snow waiting for spring, we could close our eyes and imagine a day when what could be, what should be...is. Exactly like this real day.

Yesterday, not so much. Tomorrow who knows? When our glow fades, we'll get reminded why we needed this day, and it's euphoria, so badly. War. Poverty. Fear and doubt. Hatred and violence. They all wait lurking in the bushes outside this joyous party. Eventually we'll have to take a deep breath and face them soberly, stoutly.

But at least we'll deal with them knowing now.... that nothing is impossible. The tall young man with the bronze face getting out of the tank-like limo has reminded us of that. Today all the bad things in the world must cower, at least for the moment, in deference to hope. In honor of him.

It feels so right today, on The TV, in the Capital. So drink it in, because you'll remember today forever. And, if you are so inclined, save a smile for yourself. For your imagination, for your hope, for your labor, for your vote. Is this day really happening? Yes it is. How did it come to pass? We dreamed it then made it. We said we can, we will. Yes.... we did.

President Of The United States Of America Barack Obama. It sounds so right.

It feels so perfect.

President Obama

All Zeroes!!!!

Notice if you will, on the right side of my blog, that the Backwards Bush Countdown clock is at zero...all of the numbers are zeroes!!!! Wow that feels good! But what makes it so much more than feeling good, is the fact that Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th President of our United States. All off the hard work and sacrifice is at it's culmination.

Nicol and I watched the inauguration here in Calgary. The Canadian people are celebrating with us. In fact, Calgary has the largest population of ex-patriates in the world, and there are a number of huge parties tonight all around town. This day is definitely dominating the news all around the world. One of Pearl's (Nicol's mom) caregivers, Emy, just received a text from her boyfriend, who lives in the Maldives, a small island country south of India. He had watched the inauguration with his boss. That's so amazing! Today, everyone is an American.

"We will reach out our hand if you will unclench your fist..." I loved this part of Barack's speech...I feel a change in the air...peace, equality, and prosperity. I am hopeful for all of our futures, especially after hearing these well spoken words:

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

"CHOOSE HOPE OVER FEAR"

Not Much In Particular

Well, today is a bright and sunny day...warm by Canadian standards! I have had a good week, for the most part. What turned it around for me was re-watching The Secret. Nicol decided she wanted to watch it again, and I said I would watch it with her. I'm really glad I did. Sometimes you just need a reminder, or a kick in the pants. I made a "Visualization Board" to remind me of what I want for my life. I am putting my desires and goals "out there" for the universe to take care of!

As if I needed more reminders, it seems that everything is pointing me in the same direction right now. This was my most recent Early Morning Buddha quote:

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. ~Buddha

It's only less than 50 hours until Barack Obama takes the oath of office, and becomes our 44th President. That is so exciting. I'm proud to have been a part of this historic campaign, and excited for the future.

Nicol and I head to Victoria BC on Wednesday. It's a long, but beautiful drive. We'll make our way through Vancouver, and take a two-hour ferry ride from there to get to Victoria Island. It is, without a doubt, one of THE most beautiful places I have ever seen. I'm excited to go. This will be my third trip there. I'm sure I will have a lot of pictures to share.

Big Happy Buddha

Every day, I get a quote from Big Happy Buddha. The one I got today was really good, so I thought I would share it with you:

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

---Buddha---

Snowshoeing Snippets

Some video snippets of the snowshoeing adventure:

Snowshoeing on the lake:

Snow fall:

Snow Shoeing

Nicol's friend, Kathy came to visit us, and brought with her three pair of snowshoes. I had never been snowshoeing before, obviously, since I grew up in the desert in New Mexico. This is what lay ahead of us. Isn't it pretty?

So, off we went. This is Kathy (in the blue) and Nicol heading into the woods. It was pretty cold that day, but we bundled up, and were able to stay nice and toasty warm.

This is me, posing for the camera.

Nicol and I tried the same pose together, but ALAS, it wasn't as successful. Luckily the snow is soft, and we were wearing waterproof clothing. It was great for a laugh, though!

This is Kathy and Nicol snowshoeing across the lake. In the summer time, you can't even get to this part of the lake. By the time we got to this point, my legs were aching from the movement of lifting my legs up and out of the snow each step. And I was wishing I could shed a layer or two of clothing. It works up quite a sweat!

While I was waiting for Nicol and Kathy to make their way through the forest, I took the time to make my initial in the snow. Hey, the world needed to know that I had been there, right?

See the little dots on the lake, toward the horizon? Those are ice fishing houses. Cold weather dwellers have some weird ways of entertaining themselves!

After we finished our adventure, we headed back to the cabin and had a mug of hot chocolate and warmed up our bodies. It didn't really take long. My first snowshoeing adventure was a LOT of fun and I'm eager to go again. I don't like downhill skiing, but I knew I would like snowshoeing. You have more control than skiing, plus you can just wander off anywhere you want. That night, and especially the next day, I was REALLY REALLY sore. You use a whole different set of muscles for snowshoeing. We are thinking of investing in our own pair of shoes. Might as well, since we can just go out the front door and take off.

Wish You Were Here

Just sitting around on a Sunday afternoon, after a going on a brisk (ha ha!) walk in below zero temps (it warmed up to about 15 below). The hot water had been frozen (that's an oxymoron). When we got back from the walk, it had unthawed, so I was able to take a shower. I feel so much better! And I smell so much better! Anyway, just listening to some music, and this Pink Floyd song was playing. It is one my absolute favorites by them, and probably one of my all time favorites, period. I wanted to share the lyrics with you.

Wish You Were Here (Waters, Gilmour) 5:17

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Now, Who Will We Make Fun Of?????

It is with mixed emotions that the countdown to the last days of the Bush dictatorship, I mean Presidency, nears the end. Because now, I, along with multitudes of late night show hosts and comedians, will have to find someone else to make fun of. One thing you can say for President Bush (see how nice I am...no name calling like Dumb Ass or Numb Nuts) is that he always provided plenty of material. With that said, here's a few "Bushisms" to brighten your day, and hopefully help you appreciate Barack Obama's intelligence (btw...number nine is my favorite):

• "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." — September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.

• "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" — January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.

• "They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." — Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks.

• "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." — Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.

• "It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." — April 10, 2002, at the White House, as Bush urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.

• "I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves." — April 18, 2002, at the White House.

• "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." — Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.

• "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." — Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.

• "Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." — Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

• "Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." — April 20, 2005, in Washington.

• "We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job." — Sept. 20, 2005, in Gulfport, Miss.

• "I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." — Sept. 5, 2005, when Bush met with residents of Poplarville, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

• "It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." — June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

• "Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." — Dec. 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

• "These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." — June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

• "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." — September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.

• "Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." April 16, 2008, at a ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.

• "The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." — May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.

• "And they have no disregard for human life." — July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.

• "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." — June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.

• "Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." — July 4, 2008 in Virginia.

• "The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer — prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." — Sept. 3, 2008, at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, La., after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.

• "This thaw — took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.

3 Out Of 4...Sucks!

In anticipation of the cold and the holiday, Nicol and I took a trip to Blockbuster on Wednesday. We picked out four movies, since we don't have cable yet, and I can't watch football. SNIFF. SNIFF. Our choices were: Dark Knight, The Mummy 3, Burn After Reading, and Ghost Town. Personally, I thought all four would be great movies to watch...wrong.

First movie: Dark Knight was okay. Heath Ledger was as good as promised, but it was wayyyyyy too long, and I thought the inclusion of Two Face was lame. Not my favorite.

Second movie: Burn After Reading, which should be re-titled to Burn Before Watching. It was stupid.

Third movie: The Mummy. I love the first Mummy, and the second one was pretty good. This one, though....sucked. It seemed that the script was written by the same writers of Josh and Drake on Nickelodeon...the lame parenting attempts...please. As usual, the special effects were good, but not enough to rescue the movie.

Fourth movie: Ghost Town. FINALLY!!! This one was funny.

I'm really disappointed. What a waste of money. I wonder if Blockbuster would give me a refund?

Happy 2009

Well, Happy 2009, everyone! I am really looking forward to a fresh start. Not everything about 2008 was bad...a lot of good things happened...but it wasn't the best year I've ever had.

It's freakin cold up here...I think the high today is supposed to be -16C...but the sun is out, and that is a good sign. Some neighbors invited us to go watch a Curling match on the frozen lake today. Don't know if we will make that or not...probably stay inside where it's warm, and watch movies. For those of you who don't know what Curling is (most Americans), it is a sport invented out of desperation for something to do when everything else is frozen solid. It involves a big polished rock, and a couple of glorified brooms. You try to "sweep" a path for the rock to get to the target. See.....you're wondering how I can resist the temptation to stay home where it's warm!!! Ha!

I think I will also take time today to work on my New Year's Resolutions. I know, I know...my life is one big party after another.