With just a skiff of snow on the ice, the wind sure makes some interesting patterns, and the "Wolf Moon" helps with the lighting. This almost looks like what Neil Armstrong stepped onto when he landed on the moon.

Yesterday afternoon/evening Mr. P. helped me scrape off the ice and give the rink a first flood. The rink measures 110 feet by 100 feet. It took 1 1/2 hours to flood the rink, and we were like popsicles after it was done -> it required two large hot whiskeys each after for us to start to thaw out.

How ccccold is it? -27C this morning. Brrrr. Sort of makes you want to roll over and stay under the covers. What is it with the "western" work ethic that you get up and go to work like everyday is the same, regardless of the weather conditions. I'm hoping the truck starts.

Here is our neighbour's house with the windmill on shore shown in yesterday's post. The windmill's not huge, but most "cruisers" on the lake putt putt slow close to shore, so it is easy to spot.

This is the windmill on the shore of our lake at our neighbour's house. I use it for directions when I talk to folks about how to find our place in the summer via boat. For some reason they rarely figure it out, saying they can't find the windmill. I guess observation and perception do vary greatly in people.

The Killer Strawberries Hockey Club

Here we are last night fresh from another victory. So far this season we've recorded 2 losses and 1 tie, and the rest of the games were wins. The only player absent last night was Warrin' Peace.

Sunny and I went for a walk on the lake on Saturday before I snowblowed the "I hope it works out" skating rink. A couple of kms from our place is an old 1960's type cottage that has since been converted to a full time house. It has, however, retained its 60's look and original siding colour.

Sunset over skating rinks just off our place yesterday evening.

I took Sunny for a run on the lake this afternoon, and the ice conditions suggested to me that it was a good time to start to make a skating rink > afterall, rain is in the forecast for the next day or two, and then a cold snap is coming to settle in. So, clear the snow from the ice for the rink (2 hours of snowblowing) while spending some fab time outside on a beauty day, then wait for the warm spell to arrive, drop some rain and then cold freeze - voila > a rink with a nature provided 1st flood.

Beauty day today on the lake > just above 0C and sunny.

Here's a pretty typical scene at this time of year as folks head out to the ice for some fishing.

I like the confusion of the stalks of bull rushes, and it works better in black and white.

Here's an old view of the chrome plating shop on Main Street West in North Bay. It is now sided in a very plain looking siding and looks very nondescript.

China town street musician, just off Spadina .

Here's the original photo that yesterday's was cropped from. It's not the easiest thing to do > take photos while barrelling down the highway.

I took this while driving through the Ottawa Valley farm region on my way to Ottawa yesterday. I'll post the original uncropped photo tomorrow.

I s'pose one goes here after visiting the anti-aging shop.

Following Sunday's Raptors' game we went to Pauley's Pub on Younge Street to hear Toby and the Don Valley Stompers play some jazz. Here are 2 of the Stomper's fans enjoying a chat and a beer between sets.

I wonder if this store is part of a franchise? Seems to me it would be a no-brainer for baby boomers - one stop shopping for staying young.

Here I am with the Jims on Sunday afternoon at the AC Center in Toronto for a Raptors' game. Jim, on my left won tickets to the Miller Genuine Draft box where we sampled free beer all afternoon, and some eats. The game was good too. For more on the afternoon saga click on the "Phone call from Urban Cowboy" link.

This is an old photo of the Bay Street Diner on King Street in North Bay. It has since been renovated and enlarged, and it sports a new name, but I'm at a loss as to what the new name is.

This photo from my archives was taken so long ago I don't remember where in North Bay this park was. I think the picture is from the late 70's or early 80's. Does anyone know more about this park?

This photo was taken in the early 80's of the old warehouse area off Oak Street West in North Bay. The area has changed greatly since then, and I'll try to get out and get a recent shot for comparison.

I took this photo sometime last year while in Toronto for a birthday party. I don't really remember where this studio was, but I think it's in the Danforth area.

For all you Sheena Easton fans.

Now what would a New Year's Levee at the lake be without the annual "record burning?" You all know about burning CDs or DVDs, well this is nothing like that. Certain vinyl records are selected for burning based on stringent criteria, then prior to burning a lengthy "sermon" is pronounced on said record, then it's placed on the pyre. Here Mr. P. sermonizes John Waite and then smokes him.

We had our annual New Year's Day Levee yesterday, and although the attendance was down, we all had a swell time - roasting, burning, revelling, boulesing, beveraging, etc-ing. The lake ice wasn't up to making a rink, so no pond hockeying this year.

Happy Y2K10

Sunny is all go for our annual New Year's Day Levee today.