When the Dog bites, When the bee stings.....


I think that is how that song goes.  What a strange week to have back at work.  It is a 5 day work week which is making it longer than I care for but hey it is a week.  Some nice bike weather, mother nature has taken it easy on me and not rained when I am riding.  Really appreciate that little bit.  I have had wonderful weather for the most part not outstanding but it definitely could have been a lot worse.  So what is with the song you may be asking.  Well I have had two near dog bites on my bike this week.  To be honest that is really a first most dogs have no interest or take no exception to my biking.  In fact the geese are much more of a concern than the dogs in my opinion.  But I must say the dogs are looking to score some points this week.

I had time today to discuss something that really has me stirred up.  Retirement.  Yep, that was what I was doing with the HR person today.  I can retire in as little as 10 years.  Now not sure that will happen but looking at the information she was showing me today that is a real possibility.  Not sure what to think.  Makes you really wonder if that is going to take place or if it is a dream.  Also keep in mind that this is the optimum opportunity if I get all the things in a line right now then at 55 I am out of the workforce if I choose.  What a great feeling in some respects.

So how does one get to this point it really seems like a long way off but I am looking at what we have left in front of us with regards to kids and school and house and life.  Wow time is really moving along.  Almost a little much considering the grad ceremony is still warm.

But in my mind I know it is incentive and a plan not an absolute but a goal.  Which brings us full circle to success.  Yep, can you measure success this way?  I am able to retire when I want after I turn 55.  I think if you are a success person then yes, I would suggest if I get to 55 and things line up, success can be had.

So now I am left with the thought what to do in retirement?  Seems odd but I think I will start planning my next career.  Maybe.  Photographer?  Who knows.  Measure that success when we get there.

So keep your dogs on a short leash for my safety and by all means enjoy!  Hope you have sunshine and warm weather this weekend.

Cheers.

Had a few?


So had a few moments to relax today.  It was sunny and warm.  I overheard a conversation about success.  Couple of guys talking at the dump when I was getting some of the drywall out the truck.  Well they mentioned things being successful.  I started to think on my drive home how would you measure success?  Interesting question as to some it is only in money or things they have.  I am sure you see where this heading.  I then thought to myself how successful am I?  Well depends on what you look at.  The first thing that popped into my head was my children.  We have succeeded in raising two children.  Though they are not out on their own by any stretch.  But when I think about where they are heading I think they are good kids with a strong sense of right and wrong.  I think that is successful.  I am not sure why I am pondering this success thing so much.  Maybe it is just having some idle time to think things through.  But in the end success is a gauge to measure something that may or may not matter to all.  Really it is a personal thing.  I am successful at a lot of things.  Not all of them would be of value to others.  But to me when I gauge this person (the one in the mirror), I see the value of what I am and the successes and the failures.  As both have their place.  I am going to relax for the night and have a wonderful first day back at work.  I look forward to riding my bike and being back on the pathways.

Life.  Live it.  Each day.  Be a success.

Well now!!!

Dad is back on shift.  Mom is taking a break.  Yep, Mom is off to have a weekend of relaxation scrapbooking so I will take the helm for the next few days.  Not sure whether anyone is aware but with the amount of rain today, we may be at the helm of ship.

So many wonderful moments this week.  I have managed to relax a little I think. We have had a very busy week but both Traci and I have been home so it has made that business easier.  Good thing to as it seems that we both needed to be able to get a few things sorted out this week.  Still there were some odd things that happened and other things got dropped from the to do list.

I am thinking a bit about this blog thing and what is it that I am doing on here?  I am finding it a bit like my diary of thoughts.  A place to put things maybe to read them and share them.  I am hoping to have some focus some clarity to what this spot is meant to share with everyone.  But for now it is just what I have in my head.

This past couple of days I had some time to take portraits of the girl.  Not idea that the weather is not working for me.  So we had to come inside.  But that is the challenge is it not.  Photography is something I really enjoy.  I love looking for things to photograph.  I have said that before.  But I have been tooling my thoughts to this grad photo business.  I must admit I am not sure why but my photos have left me a little underwhelmed.  I am not as pleased as I hoped.  The main thing is I wanted to try some flash stuff.  I wanted to get creative with it.  To be honest my photos will need to be retouched to fly.  But my thought when I saw them was hey what did you learn?  What did you think they should look like and why are they not looking the way you expected them to?  It was about growing and getting the experience.  I am critical of what I create photographically.  I like to get things right in the camera.  But if this was simple I would not be interested.  There is a challenge to this and that is part of the enjoyment.

I feel better about my photos when I look at it based on how the experience makes me better at photography.  So once the rain is done maybe the flowers will start to come out for their photo shoot.  I will once again play with the light and try my hand at being creative.  Also we are planning an outdoor shoot with Sinclaire for her grad dress when that happens I will hopefully get better shots.  But hey she is a great model she is probably the most photogenic person in our family.  Which makes it easy on my end.

So have a great weekend hope that the rain is not too much at once and that the sun shows a few hours of light for the warmth factor.

The most wonderful time of the week!!!

Love it when it is thursday dressed like a friday.  Not making know too much how happy I am to have a break from things.  I am on the tail end of a cold which has dogged me for a week and half.  I am feeling much better now.  But to be honest the best part is the joy of having time off from work.  I really am looking forward to having a break.

That said I am full of gems today.  First up, back to the start of the year.  Yep, discipline.  Need to check in on how we are doing.  So a quick check on things and to be honest we are doing well.  A few little adjustments maybe but in general I would say we are getting an above average grade.

Number 2 on the list of things (ooooh will there be 3 because that is what Job's used).  I am looking at the progress on some of my photos and found that I am struggling with my PSE 11 upgrade.  I have updated in hopes of staying current only to find things are not working the way I want.  Piece of crap upgrade.  So back to the google searches and some work to figure out how to make things happen.

Well i know you are waiting for this one so here it is number 3.

well you still waiting?


Yep that is the point not sure where the 3rd item is today.  Not that I need one.  Actually I am very much on the positive side I am on holidays and ready to relax.  So really who needs number 3.  Well I have a few things to mash in here.
-  Lyndon 15 years old tomorrow May 17 - Happy Bday young man.
-  Sinclaire competed in 3 events today in track, an 800m, 3000m and 1500m and qualified in all 3 for city championships!  Awesome.
-  Traci - knitting class is almost done and her sweater looks awesome just needs the collar.
-  Scott - Vacation.  nothing more is needed.


Everyone I hope your long weekend is safe.  Have fun! relax! Enjoy!

Almost here and I am sooooo happy!

Well it is right around the corner.  Vacation 1 day to go.  Need a break.

Glad to have got that out there. I am still getting over the cold but have found my stride again feeling much better.

Enough about that stuff.  Something happened the other day, cycling in to work and some guy is drafting me.  I am of course sick as a dog and finally I look over my shoulder tell the guy to back off and perhaps pass.  His comment, you are going the perfect speed.  Now since this moment it has happened again where I had a person drafting me.  Drives me nuts.  Do you draft when you drive your car?  I hope not.  But that is not the point in this conversation.  Really what I am amazed at is that I said something.  I do not know why but I just said something.  I was shocked afterwards but quite please I had.  So more to the point why did I say something?  What pushed me to that point.  Speak your mind....and the rest will follow.  (stole that from a song).

So now I feel this great urge to just express things all the time.  Dangerous I know but I am feeling like wow I can tell people the honest truth and I am free to do so.  Obviously not everything will happen that way but I do feel a bit empowered.


Moving on.  Grad May 22nd.  Girl gets it done.  :)

Next no real idea had some thoughts for pictures for grad but the potential for Rain may dampen that we will have to see.

Now for something a little lighter.  If more people were real and relaxed and loved and lived like these folks.  Much better world.  Got a good chuckle out this.  I loved that they just went and said yeah sing sure not about anything it was simple they had fun!

Gas Pump people


Have FUN and Be YOUNG!

DAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!


hi.  Well I am still fighting this cold, I really can not believe how long it is taking to clear up.  But hey it is something that will go away eventually.  That said not much taking place the reno's are stalled due to track meets and colds.  I am fully prepared to get the tile in we even found some accent tile for the shower.  Very excited for that to get going.

So what can I say we have been warm we have been sunny.  I have stayed inside sweating and chilling.  I would like to point out that no matter how grumpy this has made me my better half has been amazing.  She lets me stay in bed and sleep and if I am coughing she heads downstairs to sleep on the spare bed.  I am amazed by her.  She is simply put one of the best things in my life.

We put some new patio chairs out on the font porch.  It made Traci very happy she goes out there so often to sit and soak up the sun.  She was upset about not getting the matching chairs so I managed to find them and we go them the other day.  Made her week I think.

But I am often watching Traci.  I find her ever more wonderful and beautiful.  I know she would not be willing to believe the comments but it is true.  I look at her every day and see something I hope never fades.  So she is the Mom in the house.  Hopefully you all remembered Mothers Day.   I put a small photo album together for her and she loved it.  I almost got some tears.  So my absolute love and Mother of my children I hope that the day was special.

Have a great week.  I hope to be less nasal the next time I post.

Cheers!

Missing a little this week.

So just a little post today.  Happy Mother's Day for those Mom's out there.  I know it is a day early but have a wonderful day!

My cold has gotten the better of me this week.  I still managed to get to work on the bike despite feeling like absolute garbage.  I have hope that things are going to be better next week as I am trying to get over this stupid thing.  Nasty cough and fever the first few days followed up with a runny nose now.  I am really hating this cold.  Won't leave but perhaps after I give it a kick it will.

Anyway no photos not energy no interest so sorry for the dull and boring and no I am not looking for the cold sympathy just not feeling much like doing anything so give me a few days I should be back in full gear.

Stay healthy and Celebrate your MOM!

I am back....sort of.


Looked and noticed that my last bit was Friday.  Just not squeezing in much time for this as it is that time of year where our house goes nuts with sports.  Both school and club track is in full swing and of course we the adults are trying to squeeze some nonsport activities in.  So here it is in the middle of the week.  I have managed to acquire a cold, head is stuffed and I am grumpy.  I am hoping by sleeping a lot today I can get back to things tomorrow.  Busy weekend coming up and really do not have time for this.

I am again moving forward with my positive musings.  We are getting closer to a vacation which is really quite overdue in my books.  The girl gets to graduate on the 22nd nicely done kid!  I am quite happy to see this high school stuff end for her, she is so frustrated with how high school can influence your life.  I really do not remember the high school times as that bad.  I was trying to ponder what I recall of that time in my life.  Nothing sticks out and nothing makes me want to go back.  I think there is a lot more that goes on in life that when you get out of the high school crowd you open up to.   That is really what I recall.  The girl will succeed she always has and she has such a great personality that I know she will be able to find her way.

High school aside, biking is in full swing, the wind has been taxing me but I have managed to push through.  I think the wind was around 65km/h the other morning.  I am not a fan of that sort of gust but you know when you are out there it is just something you accept.  It may sun or rain but you just need to go.  I am also finding that the legs are adjusting to the riding and I can push through the week and survive.

Photography side of things now.  PSE 11 is installed.  I have waited to this time to update our photoshop elements.  I was hoping to get to CS from adobe but they have now announced that they are going to the full cloud solution.  Not sure yet that is monthly charge which is great for Adobe not so great for me.  Prefer the one time cost, I think.  We will see I am thinking I may try out the trial version.

Those items aside, I have thought about having a garage sale.  My better half feels it is not needed and that we have nothing to sell.  I am of the opinion that we are actually in a great position to clear out a bunch of the old things that are of no major interest.  I actually love the garage sale mentality.  Deals!!!! People really get crazy on that stuff sometimes.  I have taken to browsing the Value Village for biking shirts and layers.  I have a hard time going to the MEC and paying 25$ for a shirt when I can get one for 5$ at VV.  Even Sinclaire has found Lululemon in her size at the VV which makes her happy.  I missed a couple of photographs of NYC that I was eyeing the one day and went back to get them and they are gone.  :(  Proves that you need to just put your money down when you see the stuff you want.  Crap.

But shopping at the VV has an interesting effect, I find I look at things differently, you sometimes wonder where they came from and who used them last.  Why would anyone purchase that item now?  Goes to show that everyone has different tastes.  Well maybe a shopping trip is in the near future or maybe I will try and sell some things in a garage sale.  Have to see?

From the camera this week unedited and untouched.

The Times They are a changing......

Here we go with one simple thought.  Spent some time working on renos and some time shooting photos.  Which would I rather do?   HMmmmmmm?  Not a hard choice in the grand scheme.  But seems that the sun is warming us up the trees are showing a sign or two about coming out of there winter hibernation.  

I am thinking a lot about what or how to shoot my daughters grad photos.  I have continued to look for locations on my bike rides.  I think we have chosen the most common spots and struck them from the list of potential. It will mean we need to continue think about this and the clock is ticking as we are only 19 days away.  If the weather is good we will do the shoot if not then so be it we will pick another day.

So dwelling on the photo side.  I would like to try some disciple out here and make the ramblings more positive. So I am looking around at my photos and thought perhaps the thing that I enjoy I will try and put it out there a little more.  Yep you are going to see a few extra pics up here.  Speaking of pics I did a slightly sneaky thing and had a photo book printed via snapfish.  It worked great and is on the mantel it is for Mother's day and we had some near tear experiences.  I plan to do more of these photo books as I really like how this will get the photos off the Mac and into the eyes of those that visit.

Ok so just imported the last photo shoot.  This is a combination of track and some wandering around the inglewood bird sanctuary/train tracks.  Uhmmm.  Think it is time to install that larger hard drive.  326 photos.  wondering if there are any keepers?  I have taken to deleting a lot of photos they really are not all gems.  So I do not feel bad when I shoot that much.  So quick run down on the gear today.  

Nikon d7000.  Love this camera it is a great middle ground in the nikon line up.  Only thing I would consider beyond this is probably a full format sensor in a D600.  But no money for that right now.  

Lens today we had the 80-200mm Nikon ED 2.8 and the 50 mm 1.8 AFS G.

That is the line up for the gear I will see what I have for pictures and drop a couple below if they good out of the camera.

Please hold.......