Clip Of The Week - August 27/07

Ladies and gentlemen...I give you the youth of America at its finest.

That's OK sweetheart, luckily you'll just marry some rich guy and you'll never have to think that hard again.

Favourite Sports Memories

Welcome to part two of my series on sports. Actually I didn't plan this but I was reading the Toronto Sun today and over the next few days their reporters or writing about their favourite moment in sports history from their perspective. Obviously they won't be talking about the 1906 World Series or the Montreal Maroons Hockey team but instead they'll discuss a sporting event they actually witnessed.

So along the same lines, I've decided to post a few of my favourite sporting moments in the last 40 years of my life. OK, I'm 39, but who's counting. I've also included plenty of video evidence to help you enjoy the moments again. Hopefully the links don't disappear.

In no particular order, here we go...

1993 Stanley Cup Final
I can remember it as if it was yesterday as the Montreal Canadians (my team of course) defeated the L.A. Kings in five games to win their 24th Stanley Cup. Sadly they haven't won again since then but I've been fortunate enough to see the "Habs" win ten Stanley Cups in my lifetime. I don't recall ever seeing the Leafs win one however.


1992 Blue Jays Win World Series
As a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team since they were born in 1977 I was thrilled to watch as the Jays won for the first time. The 1992 World Series was the first Series ever played outside of the United States of America. It pitted the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays against the National League champion Atlanta Braves. Toronto defeated Atlanta, 4 games to 2, marking the first time a non-United States based team ever won the World Series.

You may remember a faux pas occurred when a United States Marine Corps colour guard erroneously displayed the Canadian flag upside down during the opening ceremony of the second game. In the end it didn't matter as Toronto beat the tomahawk chopping Braves.

I'll always remember the thrilling 11th inning win in game six for Toronto. Otis Nixon bunted the ball to Jays reliever Mike Timlin who turned and tossed the ball to Joe Carter at first base to earn the first World Series for Canada.

1993 Blue Jays Repeat
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays of the American League against the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. With Toronto ahead 3 games to 2 in the series, Joe Carter hit a three-run game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 6 to win the series for Toronto, giving them their second consecutive championship (the first repeaters since the 1977-78 Yankees).

This was only the second Series concluded by such a home run (the first was in the 1960 World Series on a Bill Mazeroski home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates), and the first such occasion where a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.

I was in Toronto on Younge Street watching the game on the big screen at th HMV store and it was pandemonium when the game ended. I never kissed so many girls I'd never met before in my life. It was awesome...and a little scary.


1987 Canada Cup - Game 3
This was simply the best series of hockey I have ever seen in my life.

The final three-game series of this tournament between Canada and the USSR is considered by many to be the best exhibition of hockey in history. The tournament also was the first time ever that the two most dominant players of the last quarter century, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, played on the same forward unit, and as expected dazzled fans with electrifying goals.

With the series tied 1-1, the Soviets stunned all of Canada by scoring three times in the first eight minutes to take a 3-0 lead in Game 3. Canada's grinders took over after that (particularly Rick Tocchet, Brent Sutter, and Dale Hawerchuk), and pulled Canada into a 5-4 lead after two periods. The Soviets tied it back up in the third and the game looked like it would head to overtime again. But late in the third period, Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky-Lemieux-Hawerchuk line out to play, with a faceoff in Canada's end.

The rest is history as Hawerchuk tripped up Vyacheslav Bykov and Gretzky, Lemieux and Larry Murphy rushed down the ice on a three-on-one. Once again, Gretzky set up Lemieux, who fired a shot over the glove of goaltender Sergei Mylnikov with 1:26 remaining. The Gretzky to Lemieux play is one of the most memorable plays in Canadian hockey history.


Canada Wins 4x100 Relay in Atlanta
It was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad and I were in Toronto to watch a Jays game with some American friends who were up camping. After the game ended and everyone was making their way from their seats, all of a sudden the Jumbotron screen came alive just in time with the start of the race.

Donovan Bailey teamed up with fellow sprinters Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie to defeat a faltering American team in the 4x100 metre relay. The year before the Olympic final, the Canadian foursome captured the title at the world track and field championships. But some commented that the absence of the United States left some lingering doubt as to how good the Canadians really were.

In Atlanta, their victory confirmed their status as the champions. The cheering in the dome was deafening as everyone was cheering wildly. Our American friends didn't feel too welcome with the anti-American comments being thrown around following the win.


1972 Summit Series
My memories of this series are dim at best as I was only four years old but it still remains one of the greatest sports moments ever and if you're Canadian then you know all about it. Canada needed a in win in game eight of the series in Russia to claim victory after a slow start. In the end they did just that thanks to a late goal by Paul Henderson.


1988 World Series - Game One
I'll be honest...I don't remember much about this series other than the fact that the L.A. Dodgers went on to upset the Oakland Athletics. However, one of the most amazing moments in baseball history took place in the bottom of the 9th in game one when an injured Kirk Gibson came off the bench to pinch hit and hit an impossible homerun to take the lead in the series.

To see Gibson hobble around the bases was unforgettable and to see Manager Tommy Lasorda jumping up and down like a little kid reminded us all that baseball is still just a game.


Red Army versus Montreal - December 31, 1975
The game showcased two distinct systems: not capitalism versus communism, but the determined, linear play of a Montreal team on the cusp of a dynasty versus the swooping, circular style of the Soviets -- the one now prevalent in the NHL.

The Canadiens outshot the Red Army 38-13, but Boris Aleksandrov beat Montreal goalie Ken Dryden on a three-on-one late in the third period to secure the tie. After the game Montreal defenseman Serge Savard said, "God was Russian tonight." It was a game for the ages.

1987 World Junior Hockey Championships
The "Punch-up in Piestany" erupted halfway through the final game of the 1987 world junior hockey championship. Canada was assured a medal, and would have moved ahead of Finland for the gold if they had beaten the Soviets by at least five goals.

The blow-up began as a fight between Pavel Kostichkin and Theoren Fleury. Four Soviet players left their bench to join the brawl, and then all the players on both teams swarmed onto the ice. I was never so proud as I was to see our boys stand up to the Russians and in the end...kick their Commie asses.


1984 Adams Division Finals - Game 6
Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Nordiques - Known as "Good Friday brawl/the battle of Quebec" this is possibly the most famous game ever played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques. A bench clearing brawl erupts and during the brawl Louie Slegr KO's Jean Hamel and later Dale Hunter goes ballistic. I really miss this old rivalry.


2002 Winter Olympics - Canadian Gold
It had been a long time since Canada had won a Gold Medal in Men's Hockey at the Winter Olympics and this time they were on a mission that nobody was going to stop. The final game was an awesome match-up with Team U.S.A. and was the perfect finish.

Sadly my memories of this game are mostly from video tape and from what I saw at the airport. I was flying home from a cruise of the Caribbean and we had left New Orleans and landed in Houston to catch our connecting flight. We didn't have a lot of time but we did see a bit of the game before we had to board the next flight. At that point the game was still close. We had asked the Captain to give us updates which he really never did until the game was over and when he announced that Canada had won...the plane erupted in cheers and applause by the Canadian passengers...mostly in our group.

Upon our arrival in Toronto there were people waving flags and blowing their car horns in celebration. Thankfully my parents taped the game for me and I was able to watch it once I got home. Knowing the outcome certainly made it easier on the nerves to watch. It was an amazing game even on tape.


And so that's a list of my favourite Sports Moments. I'm sure I've missed a lot of others but perhaps I can save those for another day. If you can think of any, please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.

My Top Ten Sports Scandals

With all of the news today surrounding NFL Quarterback Micheal Vick and his guilty plea for running dog fights and killing dogs it got me to thinking about the Greatest Sports Scandals of all-time.

So here now are the choices for the Top Sports Scandals as chosen by me. I realize some of them may not be the same as what you'd choose but then again...it's my blog.

10. Rosie Ruiz Wins Boston Marathon

On April 21st 1980, Rosie Ruiz finished first among the female competitors in the Boston Marathon with a record time. However, race officials determined that she had not completed the entire 26.2 mile course, but instead registered for the race and then jumped in from the crowd and sprinted to the finish. When asked by a reporter why she didn't look fatigued after the grueling race, she replied "I got up with a lot of energy this morning." Eventually race officials decided to strip Ruiz of her title and named Jacqueline Gareau of Montreal the women's winner.

9. Tocchet's Gambling Woes

Operaton Slap Shot ended recently with former NHL tough guy and rookie coach Rick Tocchet getting two years probation after he helped run a betting ring which took in an estimated 1.7 million dollars on football games (at least he only partially disgraced hockey). Much of the hype surrounding the case focused on some of the alleged bettors, notably Wayne Gretzky's wife. But while operating a bookmaking racket is illegal in New Jersey, simply placing bets with one is not. So it appears the Gretzky's are guilty only of bad judgment. For Tocchet the scandal was career suicide as the NHL will stay clear of him. Tocchet is now public relations poison and he won't get another shot because it would provoke too many nasty headlines.

8. Pine Tar Incident

While this is more humourous to me than a scandal it still made headlines and is worth noting. On July 24, 1983, the Kansas City Royals were playing the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. In the top of the ninth inning, Brett came up to bat against Goose Gossage, his old rival. Brett hit a two-run homer to put the Royals up 5-4. After Brett rounded the bases, Yankees manager Billy Martin calmly walked out of the dugout and used home plate to measure the amount of pine tar, a legal substance used by hitters to improve their grip, on Brett's bat. Martin cited an obscure rule that stated the pine tar on a bat could extend no further than 18 inches. Brett's pine tar extended about 24 inches. A few moments later, the home plate umpire, Tim McClelland, signaled Brett out. The normally mild-mannered Brett charged out of the dugout, enraged and being restrained, and was immediately ejected. The game was protested and in the end it all meant nothing as the Royals won the protest and the game. The Pine Tar Game has become part of baseball folklore, with Brett's famous bat on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

7. The Kerrigan Attack

Figure skater Tonya Harding won't be remembered for her smile or her skills on the blades but instead her legacy will be for involvement in the attack on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan. On January 6, 1994 at a practice session during the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Shane Stant, who was hired by Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, used a pipe to strike Kerrigan on the knee and send her into one of the most annoying hissy fits ever caught on camera. Harding won that event, while Kerrigan's injury forced her withdrawal. After Harding admitted to helping to cover up the attack, the USFSA and United States Olympic Committee initiated proceedings to remove her from the 1994 Olympic team, but Harding retained her place after threatening legal action. She finished eighth while Kerrigan, recovered from her injuries and finished second.

6. The Paralympic Pretenders

The 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, which had already seen controversy with numerous positive drug tests, would be the venue for the most scandalous events in the sport's history. Spain, having defeated Russia in the intellectual disability basketball tournament with a score of 87-63, were stripped of their gold medals shortly after the Games closed. After investigations were completed it was confirmed that 10 of the 12 competitors on the winning team were not disabled. The controversy has been cited as one of the "most outrageous sporting moments" in history.

5. 1992 Little League World Series

The 1992 Little League World Series took place between between August 24 and August 29 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Little League baseball team representing Zamboanga City of the Philippines won its way through national trials, the Far East series, and after brushing aside the competition at the Little League World Series, were crowned champions of the 46th Little League World Series. The team was stripped of its title after Filipino journalists revealed to the world that the team had used ineligible players who, variously, did not meet either age or residency requirements. The team from Long Beach, California, whom Zamboanga City had defeated in the final, had the title awarded to them.

4. Pete Rose Betting Scandal

Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader and manager of the Cincinnati Reds since 1984, was reported as betting on Major League games, including Reds games while he was the manager. Rose, facing a very harsh punishment, along with his attorney and agent, Reuven Katz, decided to seek a compromise with Major League Baseball. On August 24, 1989, Rose agreed to a voluntary lifetime ban from baseball. The agreement had three key provisions:

1. Major League Baseball would make no finding of fact regarding gambling allegations and cease their investigation;
2. Pete Rose was neither admitting or denying the charges; and
3. Pete Rose could apply for reinstatement after one year.

To Rose's chagrin, however, Giamatti immediately stated publicly that he felt that Pete Rose bet on baseball games. Then, in a stunning follow-up event, Giamatti, a heavy smoker for many years, suffered a fatal heart attack just eight days later, on September 1. The general consensus among baseball experts is that the death of Giamatti and the ascension of Fay Vincent, a great admirer of Giamatti, was the worst thing that could happen to Pete Rose's hopes of reinstatement. On February 4, 1991, the twelve members of the board of directors of the Baseball Hall of Fame voted unanimously to bar Rose from the ballot. However, he still received 41 write-in votes on January 7, 1992. In 2004, after years of speculation and denial, Pete Rose admitted in his book My Prison Without Bars that the accusations that he had bet on Reds games were true, and that he had admitted it to Bud Selig personally some time before. Rose, however, stated that he always bet on the Reds — never against. Rose's ban is still intact today.

3. 2002 Winter Olympics Figure Skating Scandal

In the pairs competition, the Russina Pair had won the short program over Jamie Salé and David Pelletier of Canada. In their long programs, Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze stumbled during their double axel, while Salé/Pelletier skated a flawless program, albeit one that experts considered to be of lesser difficulty than that of the Russians. Despite the Canadians being the crowd favorite, the results were a 5-4 split in favor of the Russians. Judges from Russia, the People's Republic of China, Poland, Ukraine, and France had placed the Russians first; judges from the United States, Canada, Germany, and Japan chose the Canadians. There was obvious disagreement from the crowd and Salé/Pelletier accepted their silver medal with grace but open disappointment. The North American media was quick to take the side of the Canadian pair, and played up the controversy until it threatened to overwhelm the entire Games.

When confronted after, the French judge had an emotional breakdown in which she confessed that she had been pressured by the head of the French skating organization to vote for the Russian pair. It was alleged that this was part of a deal to get an advantage for the French couple in the ice dance competition which was to follow a few days later. On February 15 the ISU and International Olympic Committee, in a joint press conference, announced that it would award a second gold medal to Salé and Pelletier, and that the French judge was guilty of "misconduct" and was suspended effective immediately. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were allowed to keep their gold medal as well.

2. The Chicago Black Socks

The 1919 World Series resulted in the most famous scandal in baseball history. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox (nicknamed the Black Sox) were accused of throwing the series against the Cincinnati Reds. Details of the scandal remain controversial, and the extent to which each man was involved varied. It was, however, front-page news when the story was uncovered late in the 1920 season, and despite being acquitted of criminal charges the eight players were banned from organized baseball for life.
In an effort to clean-up gambling in baseball, one important step was the lifetime ban against the Black Sox Scandal participants. The "eight men out" were the great "natural hitter" "Shoeless" Joe Jackson; pitchers Eddie Cicotte and "Lefty" Williams; infielders "Buck" Weaver, "Chick" Gandil, Fred McMullin, and "Swede" Risberg; and outfielder "Happy" Felsch.

1. Ben Johnson

As a Canadian I can still remember vividly watching with my dad as Ben Johnson, while representing our country, ran an amazing race to win the 1988 100 metre final at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. We were laying on the floor in front of the TV and cheering out loud as he ran to victory...or so we thought.

On September 24, Johnson beat American Carl Lewis in the 100m final , lowering his own world record from 9.83 to 9.79 seconds. Johnson would later remark that he would have been even faster had he not raised his hand in the air just before he finished the race. However, Johnson's urine samples were found to contain steroids (namely Stanozolol), and he was disqualified three days later.

He later admitted having used steroids when he ran his 1987 world record, which caused the IAAF to annul that record as well. But Johnson and hundreds of other athletes have long complained that they used doping in order to remain on an equal footing with the other top athletes on drugs they had to compete against.

His claim bears some weight in light of the revelations since 1988. Including Johnson, four of the top five finishers of the 100-meter race have all tested positive for banned drugs at some point in their careers: Carl Lewis, who was given the gold medal, Linford Christie who was moved up to the silver medal, and Dennis Mitchell. Of these, only Johnson was forced to give up his records and his medals, although he was the only one of the four who tested positive or admitted using drugs during a medal-winning performance.

So there you have my personal Top Ten Sports Scandals...subject to change of course. Do you agree or disagree. Leave a comment to let me know.

Just to finish, I still enjoy watching Johnson beat Lewis even though it was drug aided so here it is for you to view one more time.

I Hate Cats!

Sorry cat lovers but the cold hard truth is I hate cats. I realize that "hate" is such a strong word but in this particular case...it really isn't strong enough.

I certainly wouldn't wish any ill will towards a cat. I'm not a member of PETA but I don't like to see any animals in pain, suffering or killed. But if something were to happen to a cat I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

I know what you're thinking...how could he be so heartless? Well I do have a heart but I just don't have any patience for one of the most unaffectionate pets known to man. A pet pig will show you more love and loyalty than a feline.

At no point in my life have I ever thought to myself, "I'd like to have a cat." Its just never happened. I'll admit it, I'm a dog lover. But even some dogs can drive me crazy with their barking. I don't blame the dogs though as their owners should have trained or disciplined them to not yelp at any passing car, animal or mailman.

My family's last dog was a Cocker Spaniel named "Taffy" and she was very quiet and well behaved to the very end. The only time she'd bark was if a raccoon came into our campsite. She even had her own chair to lay in by the fire and that was usually set next to dad. She also wasn't much of a guard dog as her only weapon was to lick you to death. It broke my heart to take her to the vet to be put down as she gave as much affection as she received. While officially my dad's dog, she was a family pet and was truly a part of the family.

But I digress. Back to the frisky felines who frequently infuriate me. What is it I don't like about cats?

For starters, I can always tell by the smell when I walk into a cat owners house. In most cases it's likely the litter box that can be traced as the point of origin for the odour. As disgusting as that is, think about where most people have their litter boxes located...in the kitchen. Now that's an appetizing smell for dinner guests to enjoy. Of course not everyone keeps them in the food preparation area but no matter where they are, the smell is enough to turn your stomach.

Speaking of eating, when was the last time you saw your dog walking across your counter or dinning room table? Cats jump on and walk all over all sorts of locations in the house. If I wanted to taste cat in my food I'd order in.

How annoying is it to go visit friends only to have their cat or cats decide to visit you in the living room while you're trying to carry on a conversation or enjoy some appetizers? Up it jumps into your lap. So it's time to either pet the damn thing or push it away. You don't want to be rude so you decide to run your hand along the back of the cat. However it's not purring you hear but a hiss as you've annoyed the little bugger and the claws come out and rip your arm or thigh to shreds. Actually, you're lucky if it's only your arm or thigh. Why the hell did he jump up there in the first place if he didn't want some attention?

Don't get me started on stray cats or non-house cats roaming the streets at night. Where I live I dread the times when the buggers are in heat and feeling amourous. They start howling or moaning or whatever you call it outside my window and if I can't find a bucket of water then I'll grab the slingshot and make them scatter. Of course there's nothing better to help put you to sleep then two cats fighting. Isn't that a lovely sound?

Finally, I've learned one lesson that I'll always remember. If you're sleeping over at someones house and they have cats, make sure you close the door and the room is empty of the little furballs before you turn off the light. The last thing I want is to have one jump up on my bed and walk all over me while I'm trying to sleep. Either that or it will lay down beside you and purr and make enough noise to keep you awake all night long.

No I'm not a cat lover and as I've been writing this I've tried to remember why I started disliking cats in the first place. Aside from the obvious reasons above I believe I had a traumatic experience when I was younger. I've tried to block it out of my memory but the bits and pieces I can put together involved my crotch and a cat using it as a scratching post. You do the math.

Monarch Munching

Monarch
Originally uploaded by Bundy68

Here is yet another photo I took recently while on vacation.

I ventured out one day with my brother Scott and Sister-in-Law Erin to try and photograph some Monarch Butterflies that were passing through Presqu'ile Provincial Park.

We found a field where some were making themselves at home and feeding and I was able to snap this photo.

Visit the Bundy's Photos link on the right to see more photos from my vacation and from the past.

New Polls Feature

A new feature I have added to my Blog is a Poll which you will find located in the right hand column.

Please take a moment to vote for the most appropriate answer.

I hope to add new polls from time to time so keep checking back.

Healy Falls Photo

Healy Falls 01
Originally uploaded by Bundy68

From time to time I'll just be posting some of my latest photos that I'm proud of or happy with the results and I hope you enjoy them.

Keep in mind you can also see many more photos of mine by clicking the link in the right hand column.

This photo was taken at Healy Falls north of Campbellford. The falls are located just below the damn on the Trent River and can be quite photogenic if enough water is flowing.

In this photo I tried to use a slow shutter speed to give a more interesting effect of the water flowing over the rocks. I think it worked fairly well.

News Junkies Annonymous

As I'm sure many of you know, I'm a news junkie. I always need the latest news and information on what is happening both locally and around the world.

I guess having been in the media for so many years it's in my blood. In fact, it amazes me how some people can be so totally oblivious to what is happening around them or of what news is happening. I realize that some people lead busy lives and may not be able to find the time to pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV long enough to get an information fix but I also know there are some people who just don't care. They live in a cocoon where the only thing that matters is what affects them personally. I can't live that way.

As an information sponge, I had a tough time keeping myself away from the TV and the computer with so many crazy and interesting things going on during this time.

The bridge collapse in Minnesota was both horrific and mind-boggling. How could something like that happen and on such a large scale. As bad as it was it certainly could have been much worse had the traffic been heavier. Those fortunate enough to survive the disaster will no doubt be cashing in on this one. Lawyers were probably lining up to help the survivours out of their vehicles and out of harms way and asking the victims if they needed a representative in their lawsuits.

The space shuttle Endeavor is currently orbiting the earth after a successful launch during my time off. Of course by successful I mean it didn't fall apart during the lift-off. Getting the astronauts home could be a different problem all together. Here they've launched this shuttle that has been overhauled and basically rebuilt for safety reasons and on it's first launch after all the work it suffers damage to some heat tiles. Of course I don't need to remind you of what happened to the last shuttle that tried to return home with damaged tiles. They're still trying to find all of the pieces in Texas. The thing I find scary is they've been in space over a week and there's still no decision (at the time I'm writing this) on what they need to do to fix the problem or if they're going to fix it at all. If they don't make an attempt to fix the hole and the worst case scenario happens during re-entry into the earth's atmosphere, heads will certainly role. Lets face it, with the Challenger and Columbia disasters and the psycho diaper wearing astronaut love triangle, NASA doesn't need any more bad press.

The other big story has to be the trapped miners in Utah. While I'm certainly hopeful for a positive outcome, after 10 days trapped underground with no food, water and an unknown amount of air, the chances of these men coming out alive and with all of their faculties intact grows slimmer with each passing moment. The one thing that really bothers me about this story is how the media was so quick to lay blame on the mining company and the manner in which they mined for the coal. The ONLY focus should be on the rescue operation at this time. There will be plenty of time to point fingers and place blame once the ordeal is over with. At the time of my writing this, the latest report had them hearing something from the mine and starting a new hole to try and determine what the sound was and where it came from. There's still hope for a happy ending but you can bet these officials won't make the same mistake as the executives did during the Sago Mine disaster.

So as you can see I have a need for news. Whether it's a cabinet shuffle on Parliament Hill, a missing child in Quebec or an earthquake in Peru...you can bet I've done my best to feed my hunger for information.

Vacation's Over

It is with some sadness that I have to report that my two weeks of vacation have come to an end and I'm back to work.

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy my job and the people I work for are great and good friends of many years but there's just something a lot more enjoyable about sleeping in, staying up late, traveling, spending time with family, camping and not having to keep an eye on the clock.

This summer my vacation was spent close to home with plenty of day trips and lots of time spent at the trailer at Presqu'ile with my parents. I have been spent time at Presqu'ile every summer for the last 40 years and I always enjoy sitting by the lake, watching the fire burn and looking at the stars on a warm night.

My vacation was also special because my brother Scott and Sister-In-Law Erin and her sister Ashley made the trip up from Florida to get away from the heat. Unfortunately for them the temperatures were just as hot here if not hotter than they were in the Sunshine State.

Without going into every boring detail of the vacation I will tell you that we were kept busy most days with small trips around Eastern Ontario including Kingston's Fort Henry, the Captain's Table Restaurant in Hastings for fish 'n' chips, Healy Falls, Picton and Toronto. Can someone please explain to me why the Yorkdale Mall doesn't open until 10am on Thursdays?

Aside from the fun and relaxing stuff, the time off also meant we had to get a couple of jobs done as well. My parents have wanted a new kitchen floor so we took one day and were able to get that job completed. Of course things never go as smoothly as you expect so it's safe to say that the language on our job site was certainly rated PG. I have to give added credit to my brother for doing most of the work as he remains the most agile of the Kennedy men. My talents were noticed more when it came to moving heavy furniture and appliances or standing on a recently glued board to help it set in place.

We also spent a morning trimming a tree. No we weren't putting decorations on it for Christmas but instead using the chainsaw to take a few dead limbs off. So now the risk of having a branch come crashing through the front window of my parents place is somewhat diminished. Plus they also have more wood to burn at the campsite.

All in all it was a great vacation that left me well rested and ready to get back to work. The stretch run to the holiday season has begun and I now have four months to get my Christmas shopping done. It won't be enough time as usual.