I live in an area that is known as hailstorm alley. That is we get a higher than average number of hailstorms in a summer.
Thunder storms come off the Rockies and hail is formed along the way so that by the time it gets to a rough line between Calgary and Red Deer , hail has formed in the cloud.
Hail damage is so severe in this area that hail suppression projects have been developed. Airplanes fly into the tops of the storms before the get too big and spread silver iodide into the tops of the clouds at a rate of 10 grams per minute and dangerous hail doesn't form quite so often. Hail insurance companies pay for this project as it prevents some of the huge losses that insurance companies have to pay because of hail damage.
This afternoon when I was out I saw a number of thunderstorms form. I also heard the airplanes flying from the top of one cloud to the top of the other. The planes and pilots are suited for flying on top of thunderstorms. You hear airplanes but don't see them except for today as I saw them.
So this afternoon I watched thunderstorms form. It was difficult to photograph and it was very bright. I did get some cloud photos.
Now I did get a couple of aircraft photos. This is the first time I've ever seen the planes.
So no cropping on these photos. These shots were taken blind . I just pointed and hoped I'd get something.
Do you ever get frazzled? What frazzles you? How do you manage being frazzled?
Well today was a frazzling good day around here.
I must note that some people handle these stresses much differently than others.
The Micro Manager had very carefully arranged to have her new dishwasher delivered today. They were to phone her before they delivered. She got up at 6:00 AM to prepare the house for this delivery. She really thought she'd get a phone call a few minutes after 8. Well, no call at 8. No call at 9. What should she do. Finally she phoned the store at 9:30 AM only to find out that somehow or other her dishwasher had been taken off the delivery list. Well, that would make anybody mad. The store said they'd see what could be done.
About the same time the hearing aide place called and wanted to change my appointment for tomorrow just after we told the appliance store that we had an appointment tomorrow and couldn't take delivery of the dishwasher tomorrow.
The Micro Manager decided to phone our Credit Union as I'd read in the paper that it was closing. They were very unimpressive. We were supposed to get a letter and a phone call about the closing and we had received nothing. To top it all of the two people she talked to were underwhelming. They didn't seem to get it that this was an important matter to us.
Just before lunch the appliance store phoned and said they could deliver about 1:00 PM. By this time the Micro manager was right off her game. She had reasons to be upset.
Needless to say , the Micro Manager was frazzled.
Tomorrow is anther day. Nothing is on the agenda here. I wonder what could sail in from way out there?
Never forget to put the coffee pot on the coffee maker. I know it's happened to many people but when it happens to me it's a disaster.
When I get breakfast I tend to be on automatic pilot of on a strict routine. I like to have my mind cleared to think about other things rather than making breakfast. So if the routine breaks down it can be a problem.
In my breakfast routine the first thing I do is put the coffee on. The coffee is ready by the time I'm ready for toast and coffee. If you're not careful water spills on the counter when you're filling the coffee maker. So you wipe up the water before turning on the coffee maker.
Well some how or other I put the coffee pot on the counter instead of in the coffee maker.
I made my breakfast and was nearly finished eating when I noticed a big brown puddle on the counter. Oh yes. I got up quickly. I turned off the coffee maker and started frantically wiping up coffee. It seems like everything I did things got worse. When the pot isn't in the machine, the little valve that lets the coffee go to the pot isn't open. The filter basket fills with water. The coffee grounds float to the top and then coffee starts to overflow from the basket. The coffee slowly and silently spills onto the counter before you notice it. I thought I'd move the coffee maker to the sink. I didn't know what was going on so things really started to flow and I had a big mess on the way to the sink as well as on the counter.
Well, after many paper towels and dish cloths I finally got things wiped up. It seems like coffee grounds are left all over the place.
So it's time to check my routine to see that the coffee pot gets to where it's supposed to go.
Hey, no damage to the coffee pot!
Tomorrow is Canada's birthday and we will be 152 years old.
Now you're going to get a little history and geography lesson whether you want it or not.
At one time this day was called dominion day signifying that we were part of the British Empire. Now we call it Canada Day
When Canada was formed it was made up of 4 provinces...Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Ontario and Quebec were less than half the size they are now. Manitoba joined in 1870, British Columbia in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905 and Newfoundland in 1949. So it took us a long time to get to where we are now as far as territory is concerned. We still have three large areas that are territories.
It also took a long time for us to gain full independence. England controlled the final say in courts and enactments of laws until 1831.
So here we are, a relatively young country . We've taken a long time to get here . We've made a few mistakes along the way but have set up many very good things to make it a good country to live in.
So Happy Birthday Canada!
We have been deluding ourselves about the tooth fairy for generations. As children the tooth fairy game was played with us. We told our own children about the tooth fairy. It was a pleasant activity.
Well, yesterday I did find a real tooth fairy. The tooth fairy gave me a gift card to Tim Horton's!
Okay, here's how it worked.
Yesterday, I had my annual dental checkup and teeth cleaning. I've had the same wonderful dentist for a long time. He's pleasant, friendly, laid back, takes time and does excellent work. At each appointment he will start out with a pleasant chat. He knows about your life and wants to know more. He asks if I'm still riding? Am I still skating? So I have one of the nicest people to be a dentist.
Yesterday after a brief chat he gave me a Tim Horton's gift card. It was out of the blue and I was a bit stunned and didn't know what was going on. He called it Thursday throw back and because I have been a long time patient I got a gift card. I started at his clinic in 1970 before he came to the clinic. I'm not sure how long Glen has been my dentist. Last year we got chatting about a procedure I had a long time ago. He got the idea to look it up in the records. So for 10 minutes he went back in my records with me. He got a big chuckle about the prices charged.
My wife and two children have had him as a dentist.
So folks, you see, there is a tooth fairy. He's my dentist.
I posted two bird stories recently.
First I had black-capped chickadees cleaning out a hole in the big stump in my yard. They worked for three weeks and then suddenly the chickadees were gone and two red-breasted nuthatches worked on the hole.
The nuthatches nested. First, I watched the male come and go with food. Then both adults carried food.
I wanted to get photos of the little guys. I tried. I waited at the stump. They would not poke their heads out while I was near. I knew they were close to fledging.
This morning when I looked out something seemed different. There were no parents going back and forth. I have to assume that the little guys fledged and are somewhere else in the neighborhood.
Far Side from Far side of Fifty https://farsideoffifty.blogspot.com/and her family are going through a stressful time right now. Far Guy is slated for a lung transplant.
I know the yellow lady slipper is one of far Sides favorite flowers so here's a bouquet by photo. I also have one of Far side's carved yellow lady slippers which I won in a draw.
