At rising at 1:30 a.m. to ready for my five-mile+ walk, I found myself feeling surprisingly well. However, even though it was 2:30 a.m. by the time I was outside and on my way, I had forgotten to weigh myself. And despite best intentions, I forgot to do so at my return as well.
It was very chilly outside ─ probably the coolest night this side of the past Spring. The sky was clear ─ the 12 - 15 hours of earlier wind had blown away all the clouds.
When I stopped in at the nearby elementary school playground for some exercise, I was delighted to find the equipment dew-free.
And I did rather well despite exercising with my heavy denim jacket on: 6-3-3-3-2-2.
The first two sets were pull-ups, then two sets of chin-ups, and finally two sets of pull-ups between a pair of gymnastics-style rings ─ that final pull-up on the rings ended with me doing a hang for a 30-count.
Then it was over to the cement ramp for a dozen full-range decline push-ups.
It was all quite encouraging, and this 75-year-old went on his way feeling rather uplifted.
I felt myself to be making good time as I walked.
There were two incidents worth reporting. The first was as I was travelling along 100th Avenue between 148th and 140th Streets (Google Map). I kept hearing a coyote that would do a few yaps, and then launch into a sort of howl. I judged that it was likely at the north or northeast end of Green Timbers Lake. I have no idea why it carried on as it did for so very long, but I expect that any homeless person who might be encamped anywhere near would have been uneasy, for even I felt some unease when I was immediately adjacent to the vocalist.
The second incident was when I was shortcutting through the school property where I had earlier exercised. I had just passed beneath the open-sided roofed extension that you can see in the distance in this image:
This image is from streetside. I had come from around the back of the school and was walking towards the street.
The pole in the centre forefront is blocking the view of a sign post towards the far end of the parking lot that I was just about to walk past, when I heard two or three soft flaps ─ almost a second apart ─ and even felt the vague breeze ─ as an owl drifted right by me to attempt to land on top of the sign.
I was only slightly taken aback, for I had a sense of what was happening, and initially I even thought that the owl had thought to land on me.
I had just barely passed by the signpost, the top of which I could easily have reached. I don't think I stopped, but I did turn my head in surprise and spoke softly in a bit of an elevated tone something like, "Hey, little owl."
It wasn't little ─ probably a barred (or hoot) owl. But I spoke reflexively and without much consideration, basically just blurting what immediately came to mind, but in a gentle, friendly voice.
Whether facing and speaking was what changed the owl's mind about resting atop the sign, or if its footing was insecure (I heard its talons scrabbling a little on the metal of the sign), it almost immediately glided off and seemed to be going to land on the ground. However, it must have lifted from that descent, and went up onto the roof of the shelter or the school itself, for I was not able to notice it on the pavement behind me as I continued on my way.
I wonder if it was the same owl I experienced on the other side of the school where I exercise? This was maybe early in the Summer. I had just completed my first set of pull-ups when I noticed a shape seated atop of the high support bar of the nearby gymnastics-style rings ─ in the gloom I was able to identify that its silhouette was that of an owl. At most it was only about 10 feet from me.
It had probably been there when I approached the playground, but never flew off in alarm. It just sat curiously and watched me do my exercising. I had even placed my tote bag on the ground in between the space separating the two pieces of equipment we were using, which of course brought me even nearer the owl without then knowing it was almost above me.
When I finished my sets and dropped off to the ground from the jungle gym monkey bar I was using, I carefully went and retrieved my bag without alarming the bird, and I then moved off, while all that time it remained as it was.
Had it been a crow in the daylight, my act of bending down would have alarmed it and it would have flown off, expecting that I was picking up something to hurl at it. This owl either did not have that sort of history with people, or else it by then realized that I was not paying it any obvious attention and thus was not a threat.
But this experience last night ─ wow! To have actually felt the vague breeze of its measured, rather slow, wing flaps was a unique experience. I could not help but wonder if it may not have once been rehabilitated from injury by wildlife rescuers and might have landed on, say, my arm if I had thought to extend it, had I known it was coming towards me?
Maybe not. Still, why did it seek to land on that sign that at that point was essentially within my reach? It could have gone anywhere else.
Anyway, I was back home no later than 4:26 a.m. ─ could it even have been 4:24 or 4:23 a.m.? At any rate, I was well under two hours in the outing.
My youngest stepson had still been up when I left home, and that had not changed. Soon, his older brother was to rise to begin readying for his 12-hour workday and the rather long drive to get to Tree Island Steel for his 6 a.m. start.
I was probably back to bed a little before 6 a.m., and still my youngest stepson was up.
I was to remain abed unto I checked the time at 10 a.m. or so ─ most unusual to have been there for so long. I hastily rose and dressed, expecting to find my younger brother watching T.V., and my wife up if she was to have a full workday.
Well, my brother had not yet emerged from his bedroom either, so he also slept in. As for my wife, she was already gone ─ I had heard nothing of her.
My brother was not much longer, but by then I had taken possession of the T.V. and had a video lined up for us to watch ─ at 21 minutes (21:31), it had been published earlier today to Rumble's AnitaKrishna channel: Faulty Machines and Hanging Chads, what happens to your ballot?
Faulty paper, ballots, voting machines and touch screens that don't work.
What actually happens to the ballots we cast? I take a look at the and the present.
Greg Reese Report
Then it was Odessa Orlewicz's latest at 45 minutes and also published earlier today to Rumble ─ this time to its Libertytalkcanada channel: World Bank Can't Account For Up To 41 Billion Of Tax Payers "Climate Emergency" Money & More.
World Bank Can't Account For Where Up To 41 BILLION Dollars Of Our "Climate Emergency" Money Actually Went. The WHO's Tedros Running Out Of Patience For The "Un-injected" and Trudeau Quietly Bringing In Digital ID & More.
We got just over halfway through one further video (of an hour's duration), but my brother was already desirous of a return to his bed for some rest, so I will wait until we have watched it all before reporting on it.
I delayed my own nap until ... well, it was well past 2 p.m. But even so, I suppose not an excessive amount of time was lost.
The day has been mostly sunny, so I expect the night will likely be even chillier than last night. I will be heading off anon on a walk ─ I am thinking to visit the government liquor store two miles or so from here for two dozen cans of Cariboo Malt (7.9% alcohol).
Note that it was only three or so weeks ago that I realized that this brand had begun listing its alcohol content as 7.9% from the 8% that it had claimed to be for a number of years, so I have no idea what is going on with that. I had a few dozen of the 8% in stock, and only began the 7.9% series a week to 10 days ago, not then realizing. I was still claiming here that I was drinking the 8%.
But back to the present, I wanted a boost to help ensure my motivation for that hike. This of course involved some T.V. with which to have some drink. My viewing choice was 9-1-1: Lonestar ─ episode 16 ("A House Divided") of season four.
It was a good show!
I had one can of Bumper Crop Black Cherry cider (7% alcohol), and then a stiff shot of Captain Morgan dark rum. I chose the cider to avoid having beer on my breath, and then the rum because there are little venues for bladder relief on this walk into downtown Whalley ─ thus, the less liquid volume consumed, the better.
Along the way, I have my brother's recent monthly expenses reconciliation cheque ($274.79) to deposit into an ATM.
It is already a little past 7:15 p.m., so I had best begin readying and be on my way ─ the store closes at 9 p.m. The latter evening will find my brother and I sitting up to watch two or three of the shows that we follow in common, so I will be adding to my blood alcohol content.
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