Autumn Can Wait!

The calendar may say September 24th, but looking around it doesn't seem like it.  Yes, there are some trees beginning to turn colour, and dusk arrives much earlier than a couple of months ago, but we are having some very fine weather.  Haven't yet had to turn the furnace on, and I'm wondering if we can get one more camping trip in this year (So far we've only had one weekend in our tent-trailer).

We did take a quick trip back to Saskatchewan to visit family.  We were gone from Thursday to Monday, and put over 2,500 kms. on our vehicle.

 While we were there, the youngest, who is just starting kindergarten, lost her first tooth.

We walked our grand-daughters to school last Monday morning, before heading home.

One of the big events of September in Nelson is the annual Road Kings weekend, with a vintage parade and car show, as well as a roof top dance in our parkade.  Here are a couple of the photos I snapped of the cars displayed downtown.

 This is a 1956 Buick Century.  Dorothy's dad had one of these, but theirs was red and black.
 
Note the small back window in this 1956 Volkswagen.   They also had very small engines, with not much power, but they would go a long way on a gallon of gas, and were good in snow.

The following is an excellent story.  I don't know if it is true:

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.

There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman. 'You saved my son's life.'

'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.

'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked.

'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.

'I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.' And that he did.

Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill .. His son's name?

Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said: What goes around comes around.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?

This is a riverfront property in Salmo.  It is a beautifully maintained 4 bedroom, 3 bath home with an amazing back yard.  It's less than a half-hour drive from Nelson, or from Castlegar or Trail.  Check out the details and additional photos on our nelson real estate web-site.  It is priced at $329,500.

Last month I mentioned that I had turned over 100,000 kilometres on my vehicle, and talked of a song by John Denver.  Thanks to my friend J.G. for finding a link to this song.   The song is called "On The Road".

Here is some information that was sent to me from the Pillar to Post Home Inspection Service.  Home inspections have become pretty well standard practice when buying a home, and the inspectors often have some good advice to share with home-owners.  This piece is a good one.


With heating and cooling costs continuing to rise, it makes sense to look at one of the leading causes of energy inefficiency in the home: the windows. Installing energy-efficient windows can mean increased comfort as well as savings on utility bills in any climate.

The transmission of air and light is generally the most important function of windows. However, this can mean heat loss in the winter, overheating in the summer, and higher energy bills. A typical home may lose up to 30% of its heat or cooling through windows. Properly installed energy-efficient windows can go a long way toward improving this situation.

There are many factors that affect a window's energy efficiency. Whether they are single or multiple-paned, gas-filled, Low-Emittance (Low-E) coated, and even the material of the window frame all contribute to a window's performance. One excellent resource is www.efficientwindows.org, which provides detailed information on these specifications and how to select windows appropriate for various climates. An experienced window contractor can also be a good source of information and recommendations.

Homeowners should check with their local utility to find out about possible rebates and other incentives for the purchase of new, energy-efficient windows.

Of course, replacing windows is not always a viable option. However, there are steps homeowners can take to improve their energy savings without replacing windows such as making sure windows are properly caulked, keeping weather stripping in good repair, and using storm windows will help. Putting in window coverings is another good way to reduce heat loss in winter and avoid overheating during summer.

Improving energy efficiency throughout the home means cost savings to the homeowner. Energy-efficient windows are a significant step toward that goal. 

Another bit of information came to me this month from the Royal Bank.  I'm posting two links for this one, the first on Identity Theft
and the second one on the importance of your Credit Rating. Each of these links is to a short (less than 2 minute) video.

Political Correctness For Kids

Your bedroom isn't cluttered; it's "passage-restrictive."
Kids don't get in trouble anymore. They merely hit "social speed bumps."
You're not having a bad hair day; you're suffering from "rebellious follicle syndrome."
No one's tall anymore. They're "vertically enhanced."
You're not shy. You're "conversationally selective."
You don't talk a lot. You're just "abundantly verbal."
It's not called gossip anymore. It's "transmission of near-factual information."
The food at the school cafeteria isn't awful. It's "digestively challenged."
Your homework isn't missing; it's just having an "out-of-notebook experience."
You're not sleeping in class; you're "rationing consciousness."
You don't have smelly gym socks; you have "odor-retentive athletic footwear."
You weren't passing notes in class. You were "participating in the discreet exchange of penned meditations."
You're not being sent to the principal's office. You're "going on a mandatory field trip to the administrative building.

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*

I know you don't want me to tell you this, but 3 months from now it's
CHRISTMAS!

Lorne & Drew