Great weather means fall outings…
The Plaque Is Back!!
Miz. Jo informed me last week that the AWOL bronze plaque from the Bell Monument had been found by the Brantford Police Department, re-installed and was going to be ‘re-dedicated’ in a luncheon/ceremony last Thurs at 11:00. As we’d been following the story’s news snippets now and then, I decided to take it in. Free lunch, why not?! Found a parking spot a block away and the mayor was just into his speech, which was an interesting ‘history lesson’. Not much was said about the actual theft of the plaque, other than to heartily thank the Btfd P.D. for its safe return. The monument….which was Alexander Graham Bell’s idea….was ‘dedicated’ in 1917, with Mr. Bell among the attendees….AND….unbeknownst to yours truly (and others) until the mayor’s speech, the Bell Memorial was designed by the same gentleman who was responsible for the Vimy Ridge Monument in France!! (* I just finished reading Pierre Burton’s “Vimy” and there ARE definite similarities) Anyway, after a scramble for pictures….all including a large, olde fellow dressed in 1800’s Town Crier garb. Then, someone called out ”let’s eat” and Goo Catering immediately took over, setting out a fine spread of BBQ burgs, dog’s, sausages, two or three salads, pop, water and homemade cookies!! By the bye, the “F/N” unofficial count of attendees was just over 200….and perfect weather to boot!
‘Outings’ Update *
In our ongoing efforts to ‘get out and do stuff’ in/around The Telephone City, Sun 15th saw us at Brantford’s 12th Annual JazzFest. I tossed a couple lawn chairs in the back of Edna The Equinox, and after making ‘special parking arrangements’ through a reader within a stone’s toss of the two stages, set them up in Harmony Square, sat back and took in the wonderful sounds of Johnnie and Mrs. Defelice’s smooth-as-silk quintet doing show tunes, standards, and cetera for the next hour. Then we strolled out onto Dalhousie St, setting up this tyme for a set by Trickbag, which has become Rotzy’s favourite local/area band, and they were really kicking it out! Made myself a promise later as we walked the short distance back to Edna…..we’ll be back for the 13th Annual (*see below).
Our Monday ‘Outing’
….isn’t really what I’d call an ‘outing’, but what the hey?! I’m talking about Elberta’s (*yes, the spelling IS correct), about a 10-12 minute drive from Harris Place out into the country on #24 and #5….for fresh veggies, fruit, apple-cinnamon donuts, plants, flowers, plus, plus. We often go for a couple items and usually come back loaded for bear! Funn with food!!
I Can’t Remember
….when Jo Ann first asked me about going to the Annual St. George Apple Fest, which was on last Sat and Sunday. I answered (for some reason?) with an over-emphatic ”YES”!! I mean, I/we have never been there, tho some neighbours here at #555 have said really good things about it. Hey….why not, eh? Nothing like a Fall Fair, right. And, my calendar tells me that TODAY is the first day of my favourite season. So….SO….after short enjoyable drive through some beautiful, rolling hills farm country and we’re driving up the main business street into St George….and it is a total ZOO!, altho the only ‘animals’ we would spot over the next 1/2-3/4 hour were two greyhound dogs and a few ankle biters. Cars parked everywhere, people walking up and down the very steep three block section on the road and sidewalk. Vendors, vendors and more vendors….hundreds and hundreds of ’em, selling anything/everything you’d find on the CNE Midway, plus things you’d not find on ANY midway, but more of it! Oh yes, methinks I forgot to mention the temperature. It was apparently supposed to ”feel like” 36C….hence it WAS 36C!!…and Rotzy was sure I was gonna become a puddle of sweat on the cement sidewalk and we ‘enjoyed’ one of several ‘rests’ at a picnic table we shared with a couple other oldsters. Seems neither of us wanted to be first to say ”let’s go”, then I think we chimed in together “that’s it”! and shuffled down the steep incline. I grabbed an apple strudel, and then waited for some deep-fried apple fritters!! After almost 15 minutes I’m at the front of the line, asking the lady for 3 of them for $5 rather than 7 for $10, so she says ”you need a ticket” and some lady customer informs me ”you need to go to the end of the line, mister”. To which I replied ”Thanks….and you have a great day, ma’am”! Or something like that. Next year? Not likely (*see above).
When The Dust Settles
….on this mess in the coming election, the ‘racial finger of guilt’….if anybody still cares at that point??!!….will be pointing at the three parties that caused it in the first place. Egg on the face syndrome, you think? Then we had Trudeau’s non-stop apologies!! Not needed. Today “From Nakina” found a picture of Stephen Harper wearing an Indian Headdress (or Aboriginal Headdress if you prefer) and he had ‘makeup’ on his face. Imagine. Anyway, I gotta run for now….I’m smashing all my olde Al Jolson records.
*Thought Of The Day…All my passwords are protected by amnesia.
