Not as original as once thought

I was back in Stratford and strolling about the core heritage neighbourhood. Many of the homes are small, compact may be a better word, and were built a little more than a century ago for a mix of clients. A surprising number of the now valuable properties were built for simple working-class families.

I don't know the history of this home but I did chat with the present owner. He told me how two of the nicest features of the heritage property, features that drew him to the home, are relatively new: The half circle stained glass windows above the front windows only date to the late 1960s.

Now, I wish I'd asked if the home has also had an addition or two to enlarge the place over the intervening years. My guess, the roof visible behind the front peak is relatively new. This might have been a much simpler home when first built.

It's March!

 

"I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!" No, this time these are not the words of The White Rabbit but of Frosty the Snowman. 

It's March. Sunday the clocks are jumping forward with the arrival of daylight saving time. Sorry Frosty, your time has passed. It is too late to leave gracefully. It is time to just leave. 

Bye!

A fine Victorian home near St. Joseph's Hospital

 

The area west of St.Joseph's Hospital is dotted with fine, heritage homes. There are a number of fine colourful Victorian homes still sporting the original wooden siding and not sheathed in vinyl as so often happens in London. London was home to a major vinyl siding company and in many areas heritage homes now sport vinyl rather than the original wood siding.

Some fine homes remain

 

The homes to the west of St. Joseph's Hospital in London were once owned by the elite of the city. Many of these grand, old places have been demolished over the passing years but a good number are still standing and in good condition. Walking about the neighbourhood while waiting for friend to be discharged from the hospital can be a real pleasure if the weather cooperates as it did the other day.

The Good, the bad and the ugly

 

My wife and I had to take a senior friend to the hospital to visit the eye clinic. Recently, the friend's one eye endured an operation. The wait for the operation was incredibly long unless she agreed to drive a hundred kms southwest of London to another clinic, a private clinic. The trip was long and the treatment was expensive. And the results were questionable. This was the bad,

The recent trip to the London clinic was her second follow-up appointment. With the eye now fully recovered from its recent ordeal, the examination went well. The doctor told her he could improve on the treatment result. He'd take a laser and reshape the lens in her eye. And, best of all, he would perform the operation immediately. After an hour spent recuperating, she emerged from the hospital with her vision immensely improved. This was the good.

And the ugly? The new hospital addition. Compared to the older, yellow-brick Victorian building, the addition, at least to me, looked downright ugly.

Very moving music

 

The guitar music sounded distant and possibly slightly distorted. It was both. A young man was bearing down on me rather quickly, rollerblading down a paved path while simultaneously playing his guitar. I was unable to grab a picture of the multi-talented musician approaching, but I did get off one fast photo before he disappeared.

Peaches from Austria

The trade between ancient cities and civilizations always fascinated me as a child. Today, as an adult, I am still fascinated by the extent of trade, often global in nature. And I puzzle over what exactly it all means.

Breakfast this morning was waffles. The waffle-maker was made in China by an American company. The waffle mix came straight from the States. The strawberries, maple syrup and whipped cream are Canadian in origin, while the peaches are from Austria of all places. 

When I was a boy Ontario canned and bottled a lot of peaches. No more. All the canning plants in Ontario are long gone. Closed. There are but very few bottlers of peaches remaining in the province.