What a Difference Half a Day Makes

As they say in a lot of cities, but they really mean it here, if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes.

Spooky looking sky for a while, followed by.......


......beautiful. This a shot from one of the many bridges spanning the Bow River, as it drifts lazily through Calgary.

Later this day, it looked as though someone had thrown lots of coloured jelly beans in the water, there were so many rafts and inner tubes and tiny bikinis floating down the river.

Bonus points if you can pick out mia casa in this shot. [Ed. Note: Come on, it's been identified before.]

Flgb Kqrty Phpt Huh?

PK SIRLOIN BLNS? Huh?

Hmmmm....Plums, I know.

Word Must Be Getting Around....

...that I drink eight to ten cups of Joe a day. How many "urban coffee shops" can there be in one city? I'm loving it.

Of course, due to my urban Scottish ancestry, I never go to these. Ain't life a pip?

And The Walls Come Tumblin' Down

Now ya see it........


Another one bites the dust. The first shot is an earlier photo, pre-demo.

This is/was an historical 1900's warehouse that wasn't historical enough. So..come on down! Get ready for another nameless glass and steel slab. Not even any attempt to save the facade.

Wasting Away

Going to be visiting a buddy of mine this summer. We're both coming to Toronto, so gonna hook up. It'll be good fun.

And this photo does not violate my long held rule of using an overpriced camera/cheap phone to take shots.

And if this looks like an album cover....uhhh.....that is what is called a coincidence........

Now We're Talking

Had breakfast at this little place just down the street from me. The Galaxy Diner.

We ate at the linoleum counter on wobbly, red vinyl swivel seats. "Cody's cousin" was cooking up the grub (guess Cody was busy). I had the Cody Scrambler anyway.

In front of me, four different Tabascos! You don't have to ask here. One waitress, one cook (standing next to me), a line up out the front door and a whole lotta coffee.

Glad we held on a few more blocks and didn't do the aforementioned "24 Hour Restaurant".

I Called It

It had to happen. Came across some new signage next to my two little doomed houses.

The old doesn't last long around this city. Hmmmm, that doesn't mode well for me.

If You Can't Say Anything Nice.......

I might work on a new name for that place. Or maybe they're just being honest.
"So, what's that restaurant like?"
"Well......uhhhh.....it's open 24 hours. Yep."
"Okay, but what's the food like?"
"It's uhh....it's open 24 hours. They're right on the mark with that."
Kind of like saying a girl has a nice personality.

Same Old, Same Old

Wouldn't be a day in my Calgary neighborhood without a car getting jacked or someone getting rolled or something getting broken into (like this restaurant across the street from me).

Ho hum Mr. Burglar....is that the best you can do? Are you talking to me? Do you want a piece of me? [Ed. Note: You think you're pretty tough behind a cell phone, there, Camera Boy.]

Not Like That

After a few beers I've been known to wind up in the prone position. But never, I guarantee you, looking like that! Not that there's anything wrong with that.....

Target Marketing?

Wow, they're getting pretty specific advertizing for apartments! How can I say no to that?

Awesome!

What a fantastic view - the sun shining on the magestic moutains. Breathtaking.

What's that? It looks like a cloudy day and a picture of trees? Damn this cheap camera/over priced phone!

No, look to the right. Farther right. There, tucked in the corner - that's a moutain. A big mountain. Honest! And.....uhhhh..in the next photo..Carmen Electra came over, too. Yeah, uhhh.....on the other side. Hard to see, I know.

"What a Difference a Week Makes"

"24 little degrees"

And to think a week ago we had a snow storm. And this weekend, high 20's. What have you done with Spring? Beautiful out and about today. And I think everone in Calgary was.

But because the temperature still drops like a rock in the evening, I have to wear my heavy coat to work in the morning and then sweat like a piggy all the way home. Funny like town......

Floatin' N Boatin'

Cool! What a great way to spend the day. Floating down the river on a little raft.

And I suspect, from the sounds of these sailors, their beverages are kept easily within arm's reach and at a frosty 45 degrees. Gotta try that out later on this summer.


Holy cow! A little father down, it looks like the Indianapolis 500 out there. Boats are everywhere, bumping into the shore and each other.

And after doing some reconnaissance on a few of the female occupants, the bumping is not by accident. Sail on, sailor!


They are even shooting some rapids in those things. I'll have to be pretty beveraged up before attempting that. So, sounds like a plan......

Beautiful Day For A.......?

How often are you out for a nice stroll along the river path with your family and think, "I need to drop a load". I guess if you're a homeless family, you think about it all the time.

I guess that's why the city has set up all sorts of these delightful tourist traps all over the river path system. It's especailly nice walking by these babies on a hot summer day. Pretty sure these were featured in Fodor's latest edition.

Come On!

Now those homeless guys have gone too far! Looks like they've set up a Poop City. And those tents aren't too shabby either.

Okay, okay, someone pointed this is a city festival. Nuts, and I was just getting warmed up, too.

Doomed?

What are the chances of these two, little guys lasting longer than this summer? Not good, I'm guessing.

Surrounded by towering highrises, these two are tucked in a little block across the street from my own towering highrise (blocked in this photo by other towering highrises). In case you're wondering, I live in an area called The Condo Canyon. I think someone looking out one of their living room windows gave it that name.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

When I got tired of running from the goose (see below), got on the Light Rail Transit train. They are trying to fund an expansion of the service, but they say it to too expensive. I think I know why.

There are eleven guys in this crew, with one actually working. And that guy, in front, was only banging his hammer on a board. But it must be a real art, because everyone was watching him intently.

And that wasn't just for this photo. It was for the whole time we were waiting for the train. Which was a long time. On these types of weekends, service is every twenty five minutes. Great for a commuter train. Really makes you want to leave your car at home.

Nice Goosy

Out for a walk along the river yesterday (what's that expression - make hay while the sun don't get blocked by snow). Came across some Canada Geese, and their goslings.

They look cute, but that can change quickly. Taking this picture was as close as Mom wanted me to get. She stopped, looked at me, then started coming my way. So, being the seasoned urban wrangler that I am, I ran away.

The reason was, I was at a zoo one time and took a shortcut across a field. A field with some Canada Geese. Unbeknownst to me, I was cutting between the goose and her nest.

As she came towards me, I veered away. Unfortunately my veering took me closer to her nest. Which then quickly took her closer to me. Running with wings spread.

To end the story, it wound up with a bit of a fight. Her wings slapping at me, and me kicking at her. And that's seldom a good position to be in at a zoo.

You know who everybody's rooting for. I was almost expecting to hear a little girl say "Daddy, why is the man kicking the goosy?" "He's trying to save his life, dear, look away."

What A Difference A Day Makes

Now we're talking. Blue sky, blue water. You can even see the mountains, on the left. (Through the grime on my living room window.)

But I feel like a yo yo. So I'm not counting my chickens yet. But it's worth putting the hiking boots on and getting out for a walkabout anyway. But I'll be sure not to stray too far from a bar shelter, just in case.