Y is for YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE

Click on the video to listen as you peruse the rest of my post about the upcoming Round 15 of ABC Wednesday.  The letter Y is always a hard one to think of something original so I decided to just put up the song "You Can't Hurry Love" which is sort of my personal anthem.  After all, it took several decades for Lorne and me to get married.  We met in 1969 and finally tied the knot on May 1, 2014!  In our case, we sure didn't hurry!  Yowzers! 

Only this week and next before we start another round of ABC Wednesday.  I hope you are still enjoying the experience, especially those of you who are new to it.  I've been participating since the letter B in Round 2, which makes 6 1/2 years!  It might seem like a long time for some, but I find it exhilarating to come up with something creative each week that can combine my writing and photography.  Plus, I've met many new friends through this medium and have even met Denise Nesbitt, the creator of ABCW, having been her guest at her home in North Yorkshire where she served tea and scones and gave us some eggs fresh from her hens!  I feel as though I know Roger well, too, having emailed with him over the past few years since he's been administrating the site.  For the next round (15), we have a new logo, designed specifically for ABCW by Troy.  Read Roger's intro to find out more about this logo:

So be sure to spread the news of this fabulous and popular hangout!  And if you are in the least bit curious about becoming a "team member," just contact Roger at the above link, and he'll get you set up.  It would probably take 15 - 30 minutes a week to visit about 10 contributors and leave a brief comment.  And as I mentioned, you'll get to know lots more people (if you want) and during your world travels (LOL) it'll be fun to visit with them. 

 

Maybe "you can't hurry love," but be sure to hurry over to Roger to sign up as a team member, hurry to yak with your friends about ABCW, and hurry to think of some ideas to share with us all during Round 15. 



X is for XEROX

How many of you are willing to admit you remember the days of the old mimeograph machines that spat out copies in purple ink?  Well, I must admit I not only remember them, but also used them for my first years of teaching.  And I actually still have a copy of a French exercise that I made up way back in those dark ages!  Recently, I learned that "the mimeograph can be traced to inventor Thomas Edison, who patented a stencil duplicator called “autographic printing.” Albert Blake Dick invented the mimeograph in 1884, and Wilhelm Ritzerfeld gave us the ditto machine in 1923."  (Remembering the Ditto and Mimeograph - by Harmon Jolley)

The mimeo was made by typing a document on a wax-covered stencil with the typewriter ribbon disengaged.  The impressions left on the paper were then filled with ink when squeezed through the mimeograph's rollers.  And the smell that came from the ditto machine’s duplicating fluid, a mix of methanol and isopropanol, was really strong when the paper was hot off the press!  And I don't know why, but the colour was always purple... anyone know why? 

Nowadays, printers are usually referred to as "Xerox" machines after the company that was founded in 1906 to manufacture photographic paper and equipment developed a new product for printing images using an electrically charged drum and dry powder "toner."  The word "Xerox" comes from the Greek meaning "dry writing." 

We've come a long way since those early days of duplicating what we write!  But looking at the following photo, it is now apparent to me why we were always calling the copier repairman!

And now modern machines do double-sided, enlarge or minimize, collate, staple and more!  I think I'd need another degree in "Machine Management" to be able to work one of them!



After this week, there are only two more weeks for Round 14 so we're eXcited to see how many of our new (or old - and I don't mean that in age!) contributors might like to join in the fun of being on the eXcellent team that visits 10 posts per week.  I'm sure you already do that anyway, but it's always eXtra fun to meet others on ABC Wednesday.  We do count on your help in keeping this eXciting weekly blog spot a place to eXhibit your writing and photography!  Please contact the eXtraordinary Roger, our administrator, to let him know and he'll eXplain the duties further.  Also, thanks to the eXceptional Mrs. Nesbitt, who created ABC Wednesday over 7 years ago!

W is for WAKING THE DEAD

As I typed the title of this post, I felt like it was myself that needed waking!  I've been so weary lately that I could just sleep for days!  I guess it's partly let-down from all the wedding excitement and part stress from worrying about Lorne's osteomyelitis and the hernia surgery he needs urgently as soon as the osteo clears up.  But as I always say, "this too shall pass." 

"Waking the Dead" is a reference to a BBC television series that we have recently discovered on our local "Knowledge" network.  When I first saw the title, I thought it was "The Walking Dead" but that's another show about vampires, in which I am not the least bit interested. However, "Waking the Dead" is a crime show about a group of British CID police detectives, a psychological profiler, and a forensic scientist who solve cold cases.  It's intelligent, gritty, and realistic and we would never miss it now that we know what it's about. 

Click here to watch a bit of the pilot show.  It's 1 hour and 39 minutes long, but just watch a bit to see what it's about.  If it appeals to you, check it out on stations in your area.  This is a photo of the cast in the episodes we're watching. After researching the show to tell you all about it, I found out it began in September 2000 and ended in April 2011. Season 3 has just started here, so there are a lot of episodes left for us to watch as actors develop and come and go. 

We are almost at the end of Round 14 of ABC Wednesday and so it's time to shout out another welcome to any new contributors and to inquire if anyone has the time to participate on the ABCW team.  All that is required is to visit a pre-arranged (by Roger, our administrator) number of posts during the week.  As they say, "many hands make light work."  And if you'd like to go one step further, you could help out by doing one or two introductions during the round.  Whatever you decide, whether it is to be part of the team or to simply post your own weekly blog, be sure to let your friends know about ABCW so they can get in on the fun!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

V is for VILLAGE

Again, a difficult letter to work with for ABC Wednesday, the letter V speaks to me about my village of Ladner, just south of Vancouver in Canada.  I have lived here since 1978 with a brief foray to Ottawa when my first husband took a temporary posting with Telecom Canada.  The house in which I and Lorne currently make our home is about a 5-minute walk from "downtown" Ladner so we are quite close to the shops and special events that take place there at different times of the year.

When I first moved here in 1978, it was a very rural area with a small population and not too many people were familiar with the area.  However, as house prices rose in the big city, people started looking for other places to live so they could commute to work.  Now we feel like we live in a small town and the traffic is getting so bad that we'd love to move further out.  But it still is a very pretty area on the banks of the Fraser River, with fantastic weather and good access to the city. Also, the quaint coastal fishing setting and heritage buildings bring in vast numbers of film crews for movies. 

Basically, we believe that we live in a "wonderful world" here, so will most likely stay forever.  Enjoy the slideshow and be sure to turn up the music to give you the right ambiance.  Cheers!

Before you click on the video, though, be sure to think of the vivacious Mrs. Nesbitt (creator of ABC Wednesday) and the venerable Roger, our current administrator and thank them for their vigilance in keeping ABCW going.  Also, do remember the team whose participation is vital to the success of ABCW.  If you'd like to participate as a "team member" by visiting about 10 posts per week, please contact Roger.  Thanks!

U is for UNDISCIPLINED



I was totally stumped about this week for the letter U.  I researched the Internet and went through my photos and couldn't figure out what to do...until I was looking at the shots I have of Tegan, our 18-month-old yellow English Lab.  And suddenly I had it - UNDISCIPLINED.  It's taken us a long time to train her, but looking back and seeing how undisciplined she was, I think we've done a pretty good job teaching her to be a good, friendly, well-trained dog. 

The only unfortunate thing is that she may be a bit too friendly because she loves to greet everyone and anyone she sees and sometimes that can be a bit frightening for those who don't know her.  She goes bounding up, unbidden, circles the person while wiggling and waggling her tail before running back to us pell-mell.  I know that if I saw some huge animal coming at me, I'd be rather upset myself. 

Ah well, this week deserves a humorous little slideshow showing Tegan in training.  You may have seen a few of these shots before, but they all tie into the story of her training.  Enjoy and please have a wonderful week.  Do remember to think of the unequivocal Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, and the unflagging Roger, our administrator, for keeping us all upbeat each week.