Missing Plane

The outcome from the missing plane appears to be very sad news for families that boarded that flight.  What happened may never be known, but what is known is that many people will not be going home, and for that, it is a difficult time for their families.  For those of us who were not immediately affected, empathy is difficult. And may we never have the situation ourselves to know true empathy for those who lost family members.

Whenever You Find Yourself in a Heated Argument…

Here are some true words to live by.  You know how difficult it is to get family members to take some advice from one who has been around the block a few times?  Do they take it? Not likely. Do they listen? Maybe.

If you want a message heard and heeded, try this.

"Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected” Mahatma Gandhi

How Does This Happen?

Flight manifest identifies two Canadians on missing Malaysia Airlines flight

NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE AND EILEEN NG

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA and XI’AN, CHINA — The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Mar. 07 2014, 8:06 PM EST

Last updated Saturday, Mar. 08 2014, 9:32 AM EST

How does an entire aircraft and all onboard disappear?  Did it fall into the China Sea?  Why?  What a horrid event for those involved and related to those involved.  This looks a bit like the Bermuda Triangle.

This is all I could find relating to this terrible event.


News coverage at this time

update
most recent report

TGIF - not that it matters

When you live in a rural location and do not go to an office to work, does it really matter whether or not it is TGIF?  Sort of like 'if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there, does it make a sound'?  Well, for me it does matter to some degree.  The lamebrain construction guy will likely not be here - either at all today, or leaving early if he does show up. That means a great deal to me. He has destroyed so many things around here, helped himself to whatever he wants, and then takes over any relaxation area in the house at the end of the day so he can use my wifi while he surfs God knows what on a laptop he does not know how to use.  Other than that, TGIF does not really apply to me. Oh, yes, and he burns an inferno in the fireplace, whatever he can lay his grubby hands on. He has managed to burn through a cord of wood plus the trash he burns in a few months. This amount of wood should take at least 1/2 a year to burn. Last night I found some metal structure in the fireplace that was clearly not 'proper' firewood.  After all, if he burns the trash he removes from the house during renovation, he won't have to haul it to the dump.  There, I am finished on that topic now.
The snow is almost all gone now, thanks to a heavy rain.  That rain also took out a massive tree on the property perimeter two nights ago. I was aware of something wrong when I saw a hydo truck in our lane way blocking the driveway exit.  Going out to check on things, I learned that one of our trees toppled during the night and took out the neighbour's power line.  Oops, sorry about that.  Not really a great way to get to know your neighbours.  The hydo man kindly cut up some of the tree into big logs and tossed them into the wooded area from whence it came.  The rest of the tree now dangles suspended in the forest, supported by it's healthier neighbouring trees that remained tall and proud.  Now I am feeling a bit like a bushman who goes after roadkill, fighting over it with others.  I surveyed the damage, and realized that I would be a soaked person if I were to go after those logs at this time. They would be handy for the fire pit but I will take my chances to see if they are still there when the area dries up a bit.
My little hummingbirds still come to the house.  I went out about 7 am to see what kind of day was shaping up and again, overhead, the familiar buzzing.  I looked up to see the little bird likely asking me when I was planning on putting out nectar for him.  I do know the pattern of that. If you begin, you have to do this daily. Otherwise they will die, coming to get nectar, and when none there, not enough strength to go foraging on their own. Besides, I don't really know where to get the stuff anyway.  But the ritual is amusing.  I think this little guy has trained himself to come to the kitchen window every morning, do a fly over, and then hover while looking inside to see if anyone is preparing breakfast for him.  I too have a regular pattern, and 7 am tends to be my time by the kitchen window, and each morning at that time, he peers in at me.
My TGIF is starting off on the right foot.  Now almost 10 am and no construction workers here. That does not mean they are not coming - when they stay over they don't get up until this time. I am guessing that is their pattern wherever they are.  But jeepers, they will have to actually provide their own breakfast, since they did not spend the night here last night.  Or maybe they will just build up a healthy appetite that will inhale whatever I have not hidden or nailed down in the fridge.  In any case, right now it is peaceful and quiet.  And that is a good thing.

Snow is Melting

After another dump of the white stuff it is finally beginning to melt.  I went to the woodpile this morning to gear up for splitting a log.  I can only manage splitting one a day as I tend to miss the mark about 40 times before the splitter actually hits the bloody thing and then actually splits it.  Good exercise no doubt.  While I was out there I heard a whirring overhead.

I looked up, and there above me was a wee tiny humming bird. How on earth did he survive this cold spell?  How on earth does he survive winters here anyway?  He certainly showed me the power of determination.  There must be something here that blooms all year.  These little critters need to eat. I checked, and the species that winters over here are called Annas.

Snow Again Tomorrow - Ha!

Nice for the warning that snow is again forecast.  Not so nice to see the white stuff falling today - Saturday.  Still no firewood delivery.  Too much snow to get the wood to the woodshed here.  I am beginning to feel a bit like a pioneer.  But then, I don't think they had dishwashers and indoor plumbing in those days.

I abandoned this post yesterday in hopes of writing something a bit more positive regarding the weather.  Not gonna happen. I awoke to more snow, had to shovel the path, and then decided that a fire was a good idea.  Split some more wood, lit a fire, and intend to sit here and mull over life and keep warm. A vision of me splitting wood would give you a laugh.  I find a huge log, stand it upright, then bring the big maul over my head and swing at the log furiously, only to miss it entirely several times. By the time I am ready to say enough blasphemies to attract every priest in the world, I finally hit the log dead centre.  Shoot. That means probably 2 more strikes are necessary in order to burn the bloody thing. Splitting one log is all I can do in a day.  Good thing I don't do this for a living. Right now I am trying to bring back the feeling of sweating every day and wanting a cool breeze that was not provided by an air conditioner.  OK, I have experienced that, now I am ready to be warm again, due to the weather.  If I was God I think I would find a 2x4 and swak me on the head. I change my mind faster than the weather changes here.  No one can keep up with 'what I want' -  even me.