Damn My Right Foot

Had errands to do today.. Haven't been feeling well already, I stepped on onto the driveway and my metatarsal heads (MT heads) in the center of my foot felt like a nail was through it... Maybe even a spike and the stayed with me through the whole outing. If I had some patience I'd use this poor excuse of a transit system in this city. But when I can walk somewhere quicker than the bus could ever dream of, yeah, I'm walking. It's painful but I got to keep moving. I'm like Forrest Gump (in more ways than one).

I recall startling the 'new' physio therapist I had a Burnaby hospital out patient physio program by rattling off the areas of my foot that were bothering me by their medical abbreviated terms... She had not been told I was one of the programs longest running patients.
(I know I've written about the following before)
I began physio therapy there, the hospital was a block from my house, in 2000 and continued sometimes 3 days a week until I moved back here in 2012. I had been there longer then two of the team lead physios. My first physiotherapist was the one who got me diagnosed. She couldn't understand why I was on the waiting list with no listed injury, but the referral was 'urgent' from my GP. When she saw me she was again at a loss as to why I had not been sent to a rheumatologist... I had seen a podiatrist and I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but his accent was so thick in Asian that neither my room mate who accompanied me nor I could figure out what he had thought the problem was and left us all questioning, What was "sporadic arthritis"? Which of course turned out to be psoriatic arthritis.
I did have a vacation from physio during one of the election periods between 2000 and 2012. The Liberals made cuts and the hospital had to 'cut' our systemic disease physio program... Myself and several other patients, plus some old patients I kept in touch with wrote to the government and told them how important that physio program is to us and denying us that program was causing harm to our quality of life... They finally found a means to get us up and running again.
I learned soooo much at physio and got so much help. Owe them my life.

Got some sunflower seeds today! Came home, got a cup and sat down on the front steps and it wasn't long before the chipmunk I call 'Buddy's brother' showed up. He came up the steps and took bird seed from my hand. Got his fill, then took off.
So I took a small handful and went out back and was waiting on Buddy to show up, he's actually been MIA for two days, so there is a possibility that he's either dead or been run off, mind you I haven't seen any of the chipmunks come in or out of his den....\
Anyhow, I look around the corner at my steps, where I left the cup with some seeds in it and there's one of the young chipmunks, ass up in the air, head down in the cup taking seeds. They must have a strong sense of smell. It had only been minutes that I was out there with sunflower seeds for the very first time.
Hopefully Buddy comes back around, his Brother is warming up to me, but we're still quite a ways to how comfortable Buddy was with me. The chipmunks will soon be heading to sleep.

I saw a dove at my feeder today, well I've seen it on the fence a few times.. I gotta say, what a dumbass looking bird. They look about as smart as rocks... Seriously, they way the cock their heads and look around, it's like they haven't figured anything out about the world they are in...


Just under two weeks until marijuana is legal in Canada!

Just saw the other day that we will be able to fly anywhere in |Canada with I believe 30 grams of pot! Crazy! I mean, I had 'heard' through some source that OBVIOUSLY pre-legalization that they don't condone it, but people have got away with putting pot in the stowed luggage, that airport security's are looking for 'other' items and that weed is kinda low on the list...

I got to thinking and I'd bet anything that in the first year or more of legalization that we'll see many a Canadian being arrested at many airport security checkpoints with pot. Especially those flying to warmer climes... But just because it's legal in Canuckia, again, 'OBVIOUSLY' does NOT mean you can jet around the World with it... EVEN if it's 'medicinal'.... And I'm also betting those countries will no doubt be on extra alert for those Canuckians trying to get some green along with their vacation...

Don't be a dumb pothead!

The Size Of A Cow

The Wonder Stuff

Don't you think it's funny that nothing's what it seems

When you're not looking forward?

Me, I'd like to think life is like a drink

And I'm hoping that it tastes like bourbon

You know that I've been drunk a thousand times

And these should be the best days of my life

Life, it's not what I thought it was

Damn blast, look at my past

I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass

I said, Oh wow, look at me now

I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow

The size of a cow

You know it would be strange to live life in a cage

And only believe the things you see that are written on the page

How easy would it be home in time for tea

And stop feeling like a sailboat rocking on the sea

You know that it's been sunk a thousand times

And these should be the best days of my life

Life, it's not what I thought it was

Damn blast, look at my past

I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass

I said, Oh wow, look at me now

I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow

The size of a cow

The size of a cow

You know that I've been drunk a thousand times

And these should be the best days of my life

Damn blast, look at my past

I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass

I said, Oh wow, look at me now

I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow

The size of a cow

Damn blast, look at my past

I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass

I said, Oh wow, look at me now

I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow

The size of a cow

The size of a cow

Songwriters: Malcolm Roy Treece / Martin Bell / Martin Richard Gilks / Miles Stephen Hunt / Paul Clifford / Robert Jones

Size of a Cow lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Chipmunk Mania!

Dang it was trying to find some 'chipmunk chaos' videos. I don't think if I went out with my camera that what happened would happen again.
I found a 'chipmunk fight' video, but it was actually pretty brutal, with one lil chipmunk limping around and it's adversary coming back and kicking it's ass some more... Wasn't very cute or humorous.

So over the last few days, a couple of the young chipmunks from the late Summer brood have been slowly coming up to me. As I was out back, 'Buddy' was up on the back of the lawn chair, his perch to have a great overview of the backyard surroundings.
It's happened a couple of times that while Buddy is watching over the yard that one of the other chipmunks will come up to me for a nut and Buddy will dive off the chair and give chase to whoever the chipmunk is.
This morning, right after Buddy had taken a couple peanuts back to his den, I felt a tapping on my foot and there was another chipmunk.. To be honest, with these new young ones packing on weight, I've really lost track of who is who. I have noticed that sometimes two chipmunks will be up on the bird feeder. So I'm guessing it may be either 'Chippy' or 'Skit' the Momma and a young one. Even Buddy doesn't seem to run off the young ones, just the older youth chipminks and perhaps even Buddy's own parents. They are quite territorial, as I've read and observed.

So I was out about 15 minutes ago and Buddy had just gone back to his den, then a real young one, who might as well be 'Skit Jr.', has been slowly getting used to me, but is very wary of taking a peanut from my hand.. So 'Skit Jr.' is deciding whether to take the peanut or not and another chipmunk shows up and then Buddy comes over, so I had 3 chipmunks all together at once around my feet. All was going pretty good, but I think Buddy lost patience and gave chase to the older chipmunk, while the younger one stayed behind and took a peanut.

I've been trying to lay off on peanuts for Buddy, god knows he's got a fucking mountain in his den... Oh, I learned something recently about chipmunk dens. So, because the average lifespan of a chipmunk is maybe 2/3 years, if that. They usually get killed by cats, foxes and other predators. Of course in the city, cats and cars would be the biggest risk, maybe the odd raccoon encounter. So, fact is, a lot of chipmunks die, leaving their dens and their horde of treasure available for any new chipmunks who decide to venture in to the now vacant dens. Chipmunks are 'fixer-uppers', they'll find an old den and then refurbish it for their own.
But yeah, I've been trying to get peanuts to the other chipmunks. Really, in reality, maybe I shouldn't be doing this at all. I question that sometimes. But also I know I haven't totally made them reliant on me for food. When I'm not around or in the house I'll look out and they are foraging for food, not just from the bird feeder, but other nuts on the ground, berries in the trees.

LOL, sometimes I feel a kinship with Buddy, he's like a metaphor of me. He's got this MASSIVE stash of food and should he die before Winter, he loses it all.. Me, my stocks and RDSP have been doing really, really well and it's made me think, 'Damnit, I better not die before I'm 65 or all that money will be vapor'...Who should I leave it to? Maybe the chipmunks?

Check out this guy and all his chipmunk buddies! lol Makes me feel like less of a nerd! he's got 'em on his head, climbing all over him.... Maybe next Summer I'll have them all over me. Buddy's been getting better at letting me pet him... I think I might get some sunflower seeds and see if he'll feed off me that way.

'Rock For Donnie' Interview On The Crazy Train

[Updated: Thanks to Gary B. for pointing out that I had 'Oct. 29th' when it should have been 'Sept 29th']

In case any of ya's missed it, here's the link to the podcast of Saturday, September 29th Crazy Train that Larry Hall, Ian Noble and I were guests on to talk about the Oct. 13th 'Rock For Donnie' benefit.

http://chsrfm.ca/blog/current-shows/music/the-crazy-train/crazy-train-cxxv-rock-for-donnie

AND! Because I know you love them as much as I do here's a brand new video from Poland's 'Behemoth':

'Bartzabel' is the second single from the bands on a verge of being released, 'I Loved You At Your Darkest'. The album comes out this week, October 5th.
(A bit of a bummer, but I got an email from the band's store saying that there's been a delay due to production of the vinyl.... So I won't get my album this week.)

The Wasteland Zombies Have Risen Again... Re-Risen??

First rehearsal in over a year! Everyone actually remembered what instruments we play. So that's a start.

Thanks to Mo & James.

Singer's are too ugly to have their photo's included!

Return To The Crazy Train

I'll be returning to CHSR-FM's 'The Crazy Train' tomorrow night as a guest with local guitar legend Larry Hall and local personality and mega Dreamkick fan, Sean Callahan to talk about the 'Rock For Donnie' benefit at the 'Tribute Bar & Lounge' (Aka 'the Dock' Aka 'The Loading Dock', Aka 'The 'Bottom Part of Nikki Zzzz's' Aka 'The Lava Lounge').

The Crazy Train, hosted by Johnny James 'Dio' starts at 6PM and we'll be on at around 6:30PM.
You can tune into the show on your radio: 97.9FM or listen online at www.chsrfm.ca -Then click on the 'Pop Up' player in the upper Right Hand corner.

The benefit Saturday, Oct 13th will include: 12 hours of live music featuring band mates of Donnie...

Awake By Sunday
Sheltered (reunited for this event!)
Hero’s Last Rite
South Bound Sinnerz
Brother
Vinyl Tap
Wasteland Zombies
Shed Heads
Mad Mary
Brass Knucklehead
Run for Your Lives (Iron Maiden experience)
Appetite 4 Destruction (GnR experience)

$10 donation at the door gets you in!

Kid friendly event until 6pm!

Donate $5 for a chance to win awesome prizes... including an Epiphone Slash Les Paul guitar valued at $1100, a Yamaha electronic drum kit valued at $600, Marshall Bluetooth Speaker Systems, and much much more!

Hourly prize draws, Donnie Robichaud Memorial T-shirts for sale, and tons of great music!

All proceeds go towards the trust fund for Donnie's children.

Come celebrate Donnie's life with us while raising money for a great cause.

Well, That Was Quick!

Man, check this out!

That was Centennial Building on September 8th.... Check it out today, September 27th

That's all that's left! Once they got the gutty works out looks like they've been ripping through it. 

I mean, they've been going full out really, I was really shocked on a walk with Nancy on Saturday evening, that they were jack hammering away at like 6:30 or so. It's kinda cool, the Sun is shinning where it's not shone in a couple decades, which I imagine is nice for that neighborhood. But it won't last long, as a huge new building will no doubt be blocking out the Sun again, but maybe in a year or so down the road.

Ok, when I posted the last entry, I was just sitting down to supper and hobbling out to see where Brad was soaping to death the nests of Box Alder beetles... I did grab some pix. It's hard to tell what you're looking at here because they are reduced in size. But if you see any 'red' dots, that's the female of the bug, the males are black-ish/gray with a red 'V' that's on their backs, it kinda runs along the outside of it's wings.

I'll make 'em as big as 'Blogger' will let me so you can maybe see.

Genocide!! We've committed genocide on a massive scale with soap! Muahahaha!

Some music? Our theme song...

Some 'Critter Pix' From The Backyard & Bird Feeder

When I've been out in the backyard, several times a small (I think they are all small) Black and white chickadee comes by, seems to be braver than other birds that frequent the feeder. The chickadee will land, take a couple of looks at me, then start to pick out stuff off the feeder. At first I was kinda miffed at it's behavior, it would stick it's beak into the feeding hole and pull out seed, throw it to the ground, pick out more, throw it to the ground, pick out more, throw it to the ground, Oh! it found something it liked, takes it and flies off.
I was thinking, 'What a little jerk! Throwing what it disliked to the ground!', but really, it's good for ground feeding birds and the chipmunks (not like they don't get enough food...)...

So here's some pics of the black & white chickadee:

Kinda dumb that 'Blogger' won't let one use 'tables' or attach photo's side by side to save room. Tried multiple ideas, but none worked, anyone have any clues, would love to hear 'em

Buddy!

And now! Some bonus photo's of 'Buddy' from Sept 23rd. I didn't post them then with the video because they are blurry, but they are pretty funny, looks like Buddy is making faces, but obviously he's stuffed to the gills with nuts!

Man, last Fall we had this outdoor infestation of Alder beetles... Little fuckers! Brad (my neighbour and I), had found them in the field last year and then they got the house. So THIS Fall, we were prepared, we've been watching the field since probably July, we found a big nest about a month ago and I've been dumping soapy water now and then on the sporadic nests I've found, but nothing like what we found a couple months ago and NOTHING like what we found tonight. 

Brad found a MASSIVE mound, like hundreds and hundreds of these fuckers! It's a true miracle that soapy (dish soap) water instantly kills them dead! Dad says the soap gets in their 'breathing apparatus'' and well they suffocate! if anyone thinks this is cruel? Please, by all means come to our field and scoop \em up and take them home with you. 

Last year we had them all over the side of the house, they don't do any harm, aside from getting inside, they emit a 'stink' when you upset them or if pets or anything else tries to eat em... But they are a pest. Our house has like shingles all over it, so they love to hide in those and winter there... Not this year!

We got 'em dead to rights! 'V' Is for Victory!