Observations

From time to time, I will have nothing interesting to post for the week, so you will see a blog entitled "Observations."  This is your cue to either stop reading now or continue on and learn nothing of any redeeming value.  Your choice either way. J

We had so much rain this weekend that we couldn’t do our planned "Mini Series of Hikes."  Soooo we did the next best thing, we went to IKEA.  I LOVE IKEA!  Jim, not so much.  In fact, he calls this store "Scandinavian Hell."  I love how the store routes you through mazes and mazes of room settings and mock kitchen and bathroom settings so you can get lots of decorating ideas and buy a whole lot of furniture!  By the time we got out of IKEA, Jim was not in a very good mood, so I suggested we take a tour of the local Farmer's Market.  I thought this was a brilliant idea and one that would cheer Jim up right away. J

For some reason, Jim wasn't really keen on going to the Farmer's Market either, but being the good sport that he is, he agreed to go.  When we got there, the shoe was on the other foot.  Jim loved the place!  Not only did they have the usual organic fruits and vegetables, but the place was filled with all kinds of memorabilia and tchotchkes  from the era when Jim was a teenager.  I of course didn't recognize any of it since I was but a wee baby when Jim was a teenager. J  We spent hours looking at eight track tapes.......... 

The market also had booths where you can get a manicure, pedicure, ear candling (yucky), etc.  I suggested that Jim get a haircut from a little Vietnamese lady cutting hair in her bare feet.  For some reason, he wasn't "feeling it."  I thought she looked perfectly capable, but he said, “She's no Twee." (Twee owns a salon in Atascocita where Jim and lots of other neighborhood men get their hair cut).  Twee has quite a following obviously. 

The annual book sale was going on too, so we stocked up on books for those looong winter days everyone keeps telling us about. We walked away with ten hardbacks and ten paperbacks for twenty-five dollars!  All in all, a pretty productive day I thought.

Okay, now for the promised “observations” mentioned in the heading of the post.  Remember, these are only my observations, not some political or religious comment on either Houston or Calgary.  I love them both!

·    In Houston, you probably have a little panel on the wall that has an on/off switch for the AC and heat, which more often than not is switched to AC.  In Calgary, you have an entire room in your basement devoted to heating and cooling your house.

·    In Houston, you have one water heater usually in the attic or the garage.  In Calgary, you have three water heaters (in that little room mentioned above.)  One for the floors, one for the washer, showers, etc. and one for…..? (Most of the stuff in that room is a mystery to us).

·    In Houston, you DO NOT cross the street unless you look both ways, twice.  In Calgary, if you are standing on the curb, just thinking about crossing the street, cars from all directions will stop until you are safely across...all the while smiling happily like they have no where they need to be.  This of course is very bad practice for retiring in Ecuador where drivers will mow you down like a bad weed.

·    In Houston, you will get mediocre customer service some of the time.  In Calgary, people will go out of their way to help you.  Case at hand: we have had the security alarm guy at our house four times now.  We are on a first name basis, with Harold, who called yesterday just to see if the alarm had gone off in the middle of the night AGAIN! (Like it has three times already....another story for another blog.)

·    In Houston, we can play twilight golf for $11 a player, year ‘round.  In Calgary, people will pay ungodly amounts of money to play golf for three months of the year.  Supply and Demand, I guess.

I could go on, but why should I?  Come visit us and see for yourself.  J

The kids are coming for Jim’s birthday next week!  I’ll have lots and lots of pictures to post and you won’t be subjected to my usual drivel.

Have a happy Fourth of July, Mi Amigos! 

Our bounty from the book sale!  We sure need to fill up those book shelves!