Old Folks in Canada

Today's song is: Whisky in the Jar .. Dubliners

As I go into my 3rd week in Canada I often to take time to reflect on what older folks in Canada do. I noticed that many of them congregate in the same place, morning after morning. This is often McDonalds for breakfast, or more often, Tim Hortons for their morning coffee. They come in singles, but most often in pairs or 2 pairs where they often chat for over an hour. I took a photo of some of them in the Place d'Orleans mall  ..

The folks in the mall often pair up the coffee at Timmy's with mall walking, where they come to the mall before it is open and walk for an hour or so. For me, I prefer the soccer field at 11 am for a run in the sun around the field for 2 kilometres.

It has been 3 weeks and that is long enough to know that I prefer my life style in Thailand but Canada does it has some things going for it, like the 4 seasons, the beautiful clean air, and the people for the most part are simply wonderfully polite with please and thank you's as they hold doors open for you and wave you across the street. Pedestrians rule in Canada where cars and motorcycles rule in Thailand.

But, as always, when it comes to entertainment noting holds a candle to the City of Angels and the LOS (land of smiles), especially for folks over 40. I think it may be the 30 million tourists a year, but more likely, the vibrant expat community.

TTYL

Raven's Basketball

Today's song is:  I Will Always Love You .. Whitney Houston

My daughter Jaime and I are long time basketball fans of The Carleton Ravens Men's Team and we took advantage of the CanAm challenge to catch 3 games at the Raven's nest. Carleton won all 3 games against NCAA Div 1 teams, with the best game being against NorthEastern. If you like basketball and live in Ottawa you should get out and watch the Raven's play.

Bball at the Raven's nest on a beautiful Sunny Sunday afternoon at 3 pm

hence the small crowd as the summer weather has been abysmal

We also tried to get out to a Ravens Football game, but the game this September 3rd, the home opener was sold out and I travel back to Bangkok before the nest game. I played for the Ravens football team from 1972 to 1976 and have fond memories of the characters I played with.

One of the things I miss about Ottawa is coaching basketball. I coached for over 30 years, boys and girls, club and school basketball. If I find myself back in Ottawa I would seriously want to start coaching again despite having coached over 1,600 games already.

It is August 27th so that means in 12 days, I start the long flight back to BKK and my family. Thavorn and Jaidan are enjoying their stay in Phang Nga but will head back to Bangkok on September 1st. I think Thavorn misses her friends back in Bangkok. They are a fun loving bunch of girls.

Jaidan will also start back in Nursery school when I get back. I am not sure he missed it, but I m sure he will let us know  :-)

I always miss certain foods while I am in Thailand and one of them is the Tim Horton's breakfast Sausage Sandwich so I made sure I had one this morning.

Jaidan is often mistaken for a girl because of his long hair. I am not sure it is the hair because Thavorn put his hair up and shot some photos. Hair up, or down, Jaidan would make for a pretty girl .. If he was not such a mischievous boy  :-)

While on the topic of girls, I was chatting on LINE with one of my ex bargirl friends and we were discussing the type of girl I thought her BF preferred and the type I liked.  He would prefer the first pic and I like the second type.  They are both typical of Thai beauties ...

TTYL

Haves and Have Nots

Today's song is: We are the World .. as Haitians flee Trump to Quebec

The community my sister lives in is somewhat mixed in income and ethnicity. My sister lives in a sheltered lane with about 20 town homes. Across Carling Avenue is a community housing project (low income, usually recent immigrants). As you get closer to the Ottawa River the properties become middle class, and upper middle class. Real Estate is all about location and since the City of Ottawa fixed the annual flooding problem by constructing the Ottawa River Bike Path (levee), this location turned from cottages into expensive home.

I walk through the 3 areas before commencing my run along the Ottawa river walkways and bike paths.  Some pics:

my running path

community housing project

Sign for Community housing

Park beside community Catholic School

The local Catholic school

Upper middle class homes

The Belltown Dome - 2/3rds Hockey rink

Ottawa River bike path - not rush hour

Close to a million dollar home - location

The mighty Ottawa River

Tonight, my daughter Jaime and I head out to a Carlton Ravens bball game. Last night was the bball coaches annual BBQ at Gerry's house and way too much laughter occurred after way too much wine.  All in all a great time was had by all  :-)

TTYL

The Tyranny of Regulation

Today's song is:

Canada is a Country of Laws which gives rise to regulations coming out of your ying yang. Your cats and dogs need a licence. You need a licence to hunt and fish. You need a helmet for your motorcycle or bicycle. Parking on the street is usually metered. I just noticed I have never seen a parking meter in Bangkok and the scourge of parking law enforcement officers simply does not exist. There are no stop signs in Bangkok. You need a vendors permit in Canada to sell food on the street or even a lemonade stand. Not so in Bangkok.  All of these rules and regulations need a huge infrastructure to enforce.

In Thailand, if you overstay your visa, they turf you out and then ban you for X number of years before you get back in. They do not put you on pogey and give you a free lawyer to represent your case. Guess what, no hug illegal immigration problems!

Sure Thailand has its issues, but over regulation is not one of them.

Meanwhile back with Thavorn and Jaidan have decided to stay in Phang Nga for the rest of the month of August. It seems despite the lack of air conditioning, Jaidan is having fun and Thavorn is enjoying time with her 3rd child she sees once or twice a year.

This is a busy week for me with beers with my buddy Larry on Wednesday and and with fellow basketball coaches Ashley, Mike, and Gerry today, and basketball games with my daughter Jaime on Tuesday and Friday.

My sister Elaine gets back Saturday night and I will be relieved of the tyranny of the 5 cats who seem to be running my life at this moment in time and space.

Some pics from Phang Nga  ..

Communicating via LINE video

Bai Deri, the 3rd child

Dinner time

Ymmuy

Seems content and cheeky

TTYL

Phang Nga Visit

Today's song is: National Memorial Concert 2016 .. Beach Boys  .. macabre choice  ..

Thavorn and Jaidan are visiting her sister and third child in Phang Nga. Phang Nga was devastated in the 2004 Tsunami caused by the massive off shore earth quake. She seems to be having a good time as she stays in the same house as her ex husband and new Laos girl friend. Everybody seems to get along well. Go figure  :-)

They visited a local attraction, hot springs that seemed very popular with tourists. Thavorn says many, many handsome farangs  :-)

Jaidan and Thavorn are finding it hard to do without air conditioning, especially when trying to sleep at night. It is hotter in Phang Nga as it is in Southern Thailand. It is a 12 bus ride from Bangkok, best experienced as an overnight.

Tsunami stringing Phang Nga

Wrong place at the wrong time

A portion of the Tsunami memorial

Jaidan is spending his time chasing the chickens and playing with his half sister.

and Thavorn and her friends and relatives are having a few beers and enjoying the hot springs.

TTYL

10 Days in Canada

Today's song is: 82 Minutes of Leonard Cohen  .. Sit back and Chill out  ..

I have been in Canada for 10 days now and I am getting a little bored. I have seen my daughter 3 times which is great and I am supposed to see my son Jordan tomorrow, Friday and then my good buddy Paul Cotton on Saturday. Then Sunday, it is back to my sister Ann's log house on the lake in the woods with Jaime and Jordan.  So I am keeping busy.

On Saturday I met some friends at Big Rig, my favourite brew pub in Ottawa. I met Debbi and Bob Grils, along with Don Burke and Bill Fox and Terry Nolan, whom I had not seen in a least 10 years.  We managed to reminisce from 4 pm to 9:30 so it was a good time.

Don (Little Dude) and Terry Nolan

Deb and Bob

Unfortunately Billy left early so a glass of Gold will have to do.

I am out of food now so it is off to Farm Boy I go tomorrow to stock up for another week. Of course, I will get my run in first and perhaps some programming. That is the boring part.  Meeting with friends and family is great  :-)

TTYL

Roast Beast

Today's song is: Leonard Cohen  .. Greatest Hits

Pour yourself a glass of red wine, sit back, and relax.

Today I visited my sister's house out in the country. She lives in a restored house in the woods on a lake. It is a beautiful idyllic setting.

Roast Beast

My daughter Jaime

My sister Ann is a great cook and best of all she had roasted up some potatoes and a rib eye roast that melted in you mouth. Very yummy, especially as I do not eat much red meat or potatoes in Thailand. Topped off with a few glasses of red wine  :-)

Monday is a work day with my partner at his house. Tuesday is an exercise day, starting off with a run along the Ottawa River Parkway. Wednesday is a pub day with friends, Debbi, Bob, Bill, Matt, Don, and Terry. Should e fun.

TTYL