One would think ice-coated overhead wires gleaming brightly in the sunshine would make an easy picture. Althought it looked spectacular viewed from a passing car, it lost its dramatic visual punch when viewed safely from the sidewalk. Shooting from the middle of the road was the best vantage point but the passing drivers clearly disagreed. Damn, those horns were loud. Oh well, what did they know.
Winters in southwestern Ontario are cold but interspersed with the freezing cold days are the occasional thaws when it climbs above freezing. It may even rain. The other day it did both. The result? The pavement in London began breaking apart and deep holes appeared, pitting the roadways.
Today city crews were out spreading asphalt cold patch. This is a mixture of aggregate and bitumen which is more durable than one might think. The repairs last indefinitely.
I believe I have mentioned Mancala in the past. Mancala is one of the oldest games still played today. Its roots possibly go back as far as 700 B.C. The game clearly has staying power. If you would like to sample the game, read on and please click the link in the 3rd paragraph. You will not be disappointed.
I play Mancala with my little granddaughter. She beats me. The last time we played she told me to find a partner and improve my game. My wife bowed out. I turned to the computer and found a fine opponent. The computer not only beat me but did it with poetry. The way it ends the game is absolutely beautiful.
I introduced the online mancala game to my granddaughter. The computer and Isla were soon playing. The computer won. She agreed it was beautiful to watch the computer moves. We agreed that now we both knew how a knowledgeable desert nomad might play.
I researched the strategy of the game and I played and played and played. I got better with time. And then it happened, I beat the computer. It was gracious in defeat.
Wearing a mask never seemed necessary when walking in the park but still masks were often sported by those using the biggest park in London. With so much room, social distancing in Springbank Park was never a problem. Yet, as recently as last month, a walk in the park without a mask could earn one a lot of nasty stares.
Now, in late February the mood has changed. Masks seem to be out. I spotted a mask on only one park visitor. The province is easing the restrictions applying to theatres, restaurants and more and clearly people are ready. Soon we may all know just what endemic entails when applied to COVID-19.
Driving home from the grocery store, I noticed the wires along the road were sparkling thanks to a thick coating of ice, the last remaining sign of the severe winter storm than had moved through southwestern Ontario just a few hours before.
Last night the biggest snow storm of the year hit. When I was boy, we'd have put on our winter duds and headed off to school. School was just a short walk away. Today, with school bus trips taking over an hour each way for some kids, school was cancelled.
This little eight-year-old took this as an opportunity to help Gug, her grandfather, shovel the front sidewalk and drive. She was not alone. A walk through the neighbourhood found lots of kids out helping parents and grandparents clear away the snow. It is a Canadian tradition.
