CaptainOrange

Fall is usually a questy time for me. Looking back however, I haven't been able to catalogue anything I've accomplished as being particularly quest-worthy. It is typically the winter that leads me to become dispondant (quite looking forward to that). Not that I am particularyly dispondant of late, more... uncommunicative. Communication follows. Anwyn has wanted to play basketball for 2 years now, but she is finally old enough (at 8) to participate in the 'Spuds' league through the neighborhood community associations. The UofS student, who was to act as our coach, didn't show up for the first practice so I got to help out. I think I shocked the kids (not to mention the parents) when I was seen repeatedly climbing up onto the back of the basketball nets in order to adjust them to the right height for our kids. Nobody else was even aware that the nets could be lowered to 8 feet much less capable of climbing up to do it. So, when our student coach was elected to the U...

A friend of mine emailed me this story. It seemed questy, and I wanted to share it with the my like-minded readers. My friend has a nephew who has recently left the county. I thought since he is now out of the reach of the applicable authorities, I could safely tell this story... Oh, If you open the title of this post in a new window, you get a map of the activities as described. I didn't embed it cause Vin whines is concerned about load times. It's been a long time since I felt like getting into trouble on campus. To be honest, I didn't feel like it tonight. Sometimes I get to feeling like I'm too old to be climbing where I don't belong and like the magic of the night just doesn't do it for me anymore. That may be one of the reasons that I had children. Kind of cliche if it's true. Anyway, mine aren't quite old enough to be this kind of fun... yet. Fortunately, I have this nephew of mine. I'll call him 'David,' in order to protect his ide...

Of course I went. The Chariot (bike trailer) that I have been using forever has in recent months been converted for use as a cargo hauler. Leora and Anwyn are such competent bikers (and lets face it a little large) that they have been getting very few trailer rides this year. Anyway, 4 bolts are removed and the fabric seats, belts and a couple of bars can be rolled up and tied out of the way. The result is that it is capable of carrying a surprising amount of cargo. My bike also has a double sided pannier on the back. Wendy has a rack with bungee cords on the back end and a wire-frame basket on the front. What did we take on this trip? Large items included: (x1) Tent, tarp, cooler, axe (x2) sleeping bags, camp rests, pillows, folding chairs There was all the miscellaneous gear that you might expect: Clean clothes, books, rain gear, bug spray, water, ropes, food, coffee press, cooking stove, pots, pans, fresh spices and some of the best salt in all the shire. Moving on. Wi...

My eyes struggle to open. I've been up a little too late... again. What's my excuse lately? Let's recap on my sleep excuses -- starting from the beginning of summer: -- Cinderella (-- no, not the band, but a fine selection in video... land) Perhaps not the band, after all, but rather the play that I was in. You may have heard me talking/whining about it? I didn't post my show pictures? Well you should really trust me when I say that if you weren't in the show, you probably don't have a strong interest in seeing them. Since there may be those of you who don't listen, or who have lots of time on their hands to sift through pictures of people that they haven't met... here is the link to the album . -- Erin, Colin, James and Brad helped me and Wen and the girls build a fence. It was... educational. Jodi and Brad were my scapegoats for the next couple of weeks. Jodi kept me out to all hours playing pool and even when Brad wasn't directly keeping me...

I've done it again! Everyone has really been clamouring for details and it has become rather bothersome. I have taken the liberty of compiling an FAQ. I suggest you have a look at it. Q-What are we talking about? A-Saskatoon City Quest. A once-every-so-often physical challenge of titanic proportions. Q-And that is...? A-Essentially, it is a hike. I jog some, walk some. Visit when I have company and despair when alone. I take pictures when I can be bothered to carry a camera. The journey started out being roughly 55km (circa 1994) and now stands at 70km in 2008. Q-Why would you do that? A-Pleased to meet you. My name is Mike... Mike Diakuw Q-Can you give me that distance in miles? A-No. Q-Your time is slower this year, isn't it? A-You could say that. Q-Care to comment further? A-Not really. Why don't you try it and let me know where to shave off some time. Q-Did you hurt yourself again? A-Hurt myself? What would make you say that? Q-I'll be asking ...

Brad and Jodi were up visiting for a couple of weeks. We managed a trip to the Narrows out at Waskesiu. Click below to see the photos with my oh-so-witty commentary. Waskesiu Later, Brad and I managed to melt glass with my new oxi-acetylene torch and to manufacture 1 Prince Rupert's Drop (Wikipedia.com) at a bargain price of about $100 *ouch* Prince Rupert's Drops

Ancient CCorner-friend, Simon was flying across the country and decided to stop in and see what had changed in Saskatoon. Thanks to Anita and Facebook, several of us got together at Lydia's for veggie burgers, nachos, poutine, beers and coffee. I invited everyone for the impending City Walk. Let's just say there may have been some 'loose shoes' in the room. I hope some of them manage to lace up for the event. Ani took some photos, which she will hopefully cough up at some point and link for the rest of us. Thanks for the invite, Anita ***update*** The photos have been up for a looonng time now. I've just been goaded into grabbing them from facebook and putting a couple here. Thanks again, Anita :) Geof, Me, Anita, Simon Chins R Us

City Quest 2008 is upon us. Grab your backpacks, fruit-bars, a bottle of water and a good pair of shoes. The date for this year is Sunday, August 3. Call or email me if you want to take part. You need not come for the entire day. Any distance is appreciated for the company. Departure time is estimated at 4am Lead-up and Break-down for last year. Or you can go straight for the pictures of last year and the year before...

From Cinderella-Mik's Piks Pippin, our new cat, certainly has her work cut out for her... One thing certain is that this fellow was of no help whatsoever! From Cinderella-Mik's Piks In case you have been under a rock, our show goes up tonight and runs for 10 days (with Canada day off). If you think this show isn't for you, think again. Princess, pumpkin, punctuality, ... er ... posture?!? And don't forget True Love :) Oh, the other 'P' word. Price. Tickets run about $40 (ouch!)

It is time that you were training mentally and physically for this year's event. Here is the scoop on last year , if you need a refresher as to what City Quest is all about. I don't have a firm date yet, but it will definitely be after Cinderella is finished for Leora and I. That means after the first week in July. My summer will book up early, so if you want a say, speak now. As a primer, Leora, Anwyn and I are planning to bike out to Osler to see Grandma and Grandpa. It looks to be about 36km of backroads. Should be a good challenge in itself. Look for this to happen near or just after the end of school. I guess I would be remiss if I didn't plug the show. Leora and I both have small roles in the production, so no star value here, but if you like Cinderella (not the Disney version) and waltzes...

You may have heard me mention this at one time. The girls and I are planning to visit as many parks in town as we can this summer. We will take pictures and rate the parks , posting the results. Google has kindly rolled out their google sites for everyone to use, so I am. As usual, the project is way too ambitious for my available time. Per usual, I will at least start! The fun (and time consuming) part for me is linking everything together. You can get to these things from picasa, google maps, google sites, and now my blog. Anyone want to wager how many parks we get reviewed by Sept 1st? Here are the girls 'testing' a hill in John Lake park for its playability :) The look on Anwyn's face tells you how much 'work' it is.

I've been away from you all for a while and we have a lot to catch up on (depending on how much I feel like typing). But, that will have to wait. We have had our first nice weather day in quite some time and Anwyn insisted that it would be windy enough to fly her kite. One of us was wrong and one of us was right. Anwyn's friend, Tianna, also had a stellar dragon to fly. The picture below is a link to our after-school fun. Kites

Cookies and Cream was our cat (for those who don' t know). She was 3 months old when we rescued her from the SPCA last year. I was opposed to 'owning' a pet, but a compromise was struck whereby we could have a new family member -- so long as she was as free as we could possibly allow. This lead to her having her own door which she happily used at all hours of the day. It also meant that when she brought in mice and birds to show us, we would make no serious effort to deter her (much as Wendy tolerates my coffee drinking, my vegetarianism and general odd behavior). Without getting sappy, suffice it to say that CC was great pleasure to live with. She is dead. . She was about 15 months old on April 1st when she was hit by a car crossing Clarence Ave. Despite my resistance to eating meat, extreme respect for life, and a general feeling that animals ought not be treated as slaves, I have never previously mourned for the death of anyone (animal or human). It was with great surpr...

I told you I was somewhat miserable this week. One of the reasons being that I had accepted a mission last QNY and as of 9pm on the 16th, I had not completed it. I was certain that I didn't have the time or resources to manage the job. Another failed project to add to the list. Not really what I was hoping for. I think I'm growing a beard to compensate for my failures as a person. Fortunately I have a Quest cheering section all for my very own. Wen talked me through some ideas and, eventually, I became convinced that there was still time to do something. The something that I am talking about was the box/chest that I was elected to manufacture last year in the hopes of storing a "Quest Fund" of sorts. My revised plan was to spend all day on the 17th purchasing materials and constructing this receptacle. Word must have been leaked to my enemies, because a virus with an agenda (perhaps doing the bidding of old "Rust") infected Leora as she slept soundly two day...

That's right. It is once again Quest New Year. For any requiring some historical info... here are my last 3 years posts: QE 15 QE 16 QE 17 But these posts are hardly Questing in themselves. They do, however, represent to a degree what my mental space is like during this spring-time of change, challenge and renewal. Last night I was up with a serious case of angst-induced insomnia. I have been concerned all this week that my old nemesis, Rust, was up to his deleterious ways. I'm finding it hard to push myself. To drive boldly ahead. Or rather, I'm not sure what those things are anymore. Winter is certainly playing a part, as it always does. But there may be more here... I've been Questing since my first year in university. QE 1, for me, was March 17 th , 1991. I draw a large part of my Quest ' mojo ' from those formative years. The problem is that those years were about becoming an adult, not just nominally, but literally. Transitioning to adulthood without losin...

Sister moon will be my guide In your blue blue shadows I would hide All good people asleep tonight I'm all by myself in your silver light I would gaze at your face the whole night through I'd go out of my mind but for you Lying in a mother's arms The primal root of a woman's charms I'm a stranger to the sun My eyes are too weak How cold is a heart When it's warmth that he seeks? You watch every night, you don't care what I do I'd go out of my mind, but for you I'd go out of my mind, but for you My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun My hunger for her explains everything I've done To howl at the moon the whole night through And they really don't care if I do I'd go out of my mind, but for you Sister Moon -Sting- The recent lunar eclipse was on a Wednesday. What fortune for me and what a night. I got lousy pictu...

My sister-in-law, Teela, came to visit recently and with her came a marvelous young child. You will all be jealous to know that his name is Merlin! If you can't make up your own name, at least use one with a bit of flash. Anyway, it was a terrific visit. Merlin is nearly 8 months and loves to wake up early in the morning. Since he was visiting over reading week (when we might have been tempted to sleep in), it was kind of him to make sure that no one in our house frittered away a moment of the day. Merlin's favorite activities seem to include eating when someone other than his mother is feeding him and sleeping when someone other than his mother is holding him. If he had one wish it would be for world peace (and he looks dynamite in a one piece swimsuit, too). During an overlapping interval, Greta came to visit along with her new boyfriend, Anthony. They are buying a house together, but it's way too early to talk about marriage. With all four of the sisters in town, it was ...

Those of you who know me may know that I rarely take an escalator. What can I say? Today I was weak. I had a date with the Cosy Corner and I was excited to get there ASAP. Let this be a lesson to you all. "Preventative Maintenance" sure is an uncommonly apt name for it! Finally, there was the corner, beckoning to me. I ran with arms outstretched, despite the odd looks from passing students. The years had not been kind. While my memories of it remain bright and clear, age and disuse had caused a pallor to descend on the place. The sound of my boots echoed a dull thud as I inspected the area. At least the fire escape was as I remembered it. Alas the door had cobwebs stretching across the threshold. I reverently stroked them aside as I recalled many hasty exits, vaulting me from darkness to sunlight. I looked around and was unable to find a place to sit -- save the stairs and even then , the angle was all wrong -- the air not quite right... Just then, I was struck with a solutio...

Most of you are now painfully aware that my fine wife gave me the perfect gift for Christmas. For those of you not in the know, that gift was a Playstation 3. Peace on Earth was actually my #1 pick, but she said Vin and James already went in together on it. I wonder when it will show up? In the mean time, my birthday rolled around and lo-and-behold, what should show up in Saskatoon on the very day? You guessed it -- Rock Band for the PS3. It is now quite clear, I suspect, why there have been no updates to my blog for the last month. MotorStorm - there was a brief time when this was my only 'action' game. In the first couple of weeks, I have managed to get about 75% of the way through the solo game. Eye of Judgment - It's a card game that the PS3 moderates for you, or competes against you via the camera. It is just as geeky as it sounds. I've put about $25 into booster packs of cards, and not played since Jodi and Brad left shortly after the New Year. Kyro, sounds like y...