TV shows- Highway Thru Hell

This is the kind of show that has me wondering if I should get professional help, a lot of help!

This is like watching a train wreck but instead of a train, it's 18 wheelers, cars, and all sort of vehicles needing to be towed away.

Here what Wikipedia has to say about it:

Highway Thru Hell is a Canadian reality TV show that follows the operations of Jamie Davis Motor Trucking, a heavy vehicle rescue and recovery towing company based in Hope, British Columbia and Lac la Biche in Northern Alberta. The show focuses on the hardships of operating along the highways of the BC Interior, especially the Coquihalla Highway (Coq), and highways in Northern Alberta, around Fort McMurray, which are notorious for rapidly changing weather and big wrecks.

It's currently playing the fifth seasons and I can't stop watching it; Sometimes trucks has full load in their trailer and hang to a side of a cliff. Some other time, the trucks are only stuck in snow and need to be pull off. Spellbound!

To give a better and clearer idea of the show, I'll describe it for you: A truck loose control, it hit a snow bank and end up on its side. Jamie Davis' crews are call. When they arrived, they decided that just one towing truck will not be enough, they call a competitor. Both towing company work together and started to chain the truck and its trailer. The operator started slowly to pull on some levers on their equipment to move every thing back on its wheel. After about 2 times period of advertisement, the trucks is back on its wheel and drive away. Every one is happy. The end. 

Exciting, right? You are going to watch it from now on, right? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!

If you decide that this is a show for you, please let me know, we could trade names of health professional.

The picture of the kitten is a recommendation from my psychologist to fill my head with beautiful images instead of all the wrecks!

Life is Going to be so Easy

I have been 2 weeks without running water. Today it's really exciting, I will be getting running water IN MY home.

During those weeks, I went to a daily trip to the lake to pick up buckets of water to flush my toilet.

I had to get to the front gate and filled up Jerry cans of water for cleaning the dishes and brushing the teeth that I have left.

I bought bottle waters for drinking and using in the food preparation.

But for those 2 weeks, I didn't take one single shower... in my home. I had to go to the main building.

From now on, life is going to be so easy!

Do you have running water? Do you like it? 

 

Wealthy Thoughts

Some of you might be thinking about early retirement or are already retired but would love to supplement their pension. Is there a way to get there faster? Yes there is... Powerball! 

 

I don't know if it's the best way but hey who would say NO to the current amount. It is estimated to be 314 Millions US if you take an annuity that will be pay out in 30 installments. The first one, right away ($4,726,151), and then with a 5 % increase per year, you get your bank account yearly replenish 29 times.

Or you could take 204.7 Millions in cash. But if you do so, you better be in shape, you will have to run a lot!

So Saturday when I win, I'll take the annuity. I never managed 204.7 millions before and it would just complicate my life too much. I'm pretty sure I could manage 4.7 millions... With that amount...

I pay off my tax. Sadly, I will be in the upper tax bracket, lets round it to 50 %, so I will be down to 2.35 M.

I will pay off my debts. After this, I'll still have 2.35 M. in my bank account.

I will keep a third and give two third to the kids. Let them have the headache of managing that! My next bank statement will show ONLY 780 K. If I budget it per day it would be about $2000 every single day.

I buy a new car. It's going to be red. I limited that spending to 100 grand. (680 K. left)

I am going to travel, the whole year. I know it doesn't make sense to buy a car and leave it in the garage but I can afford it. I'll budget 280 K. for this once in a lifetime trip. (400 K left)

I just realized, I don't have a garage... I'll need to buy a house with a garage in a good neighborhood... I'll budget a Million on that. However, all is left in my bank account is 400 K so I won't pay cash, I'll have a mortgage. If I take into account the mortgage payment and all other cost of owning, it might be an other 150 K expenses per year. (250 K. Left)

I'll give to some charities, I'll even going to carry on me gift card for restaurant so that if I come upon a homeless, I can send him/her to get a good meal. (150 K. Left)

I will budget gifts for my family and friends (the one I had before winning) (100 K. Left)

I will get all kind of gadget like a smart phone, NO I can't give that number away... I am just going to walk in Best buy and get carts of stuff... (50 K. Left)

I will through a party where food is free, bar is open, with live music (I'll have to check if Adele is available) (1 K. Left)

I will get an accountant and layer and all kind of adviser. (- 15 K.)

I'm going to buy a boat, I can't swim, but that will be nice to invite people to the boat that is in dry docking. (- 215 K.)

Oh no, it doesn't seem like I have enough... I might have to pass the hat at some point, can any of you spare me a few grand? :(

What would you do if I don't win but you do?

Depressing Day in Canada

Today I'm doing my taxes. If I had a choice, I would rather go to my dentist to get a root canal. I would not even need anesthesia as the pain is much less than filling up forms after forms just to determine that I have too much money in my bank account and have to part with a huge chunks and send it to the governments!

By the time I'll be done, my blood pressure will be higher than my tax bracket, my blood sugar will be plunge lower than any tax exemption and my mood will be as depressing as my bottom line!

I'm sure that once I send my money, our national deficit will be still soaring, the programs we finance will be losing more money and the governments will manage to ask for more next year.

At least I'll feel good about sending one more drops in this out-of-control ocean!

Maybe I could start my own religion, they are not tax, right? Or claim I'm a non-profit organization, that would be true since I don't make profit!

Or what about buying an island and declaring it a country. I would be the absolute ruler, I would not tax myself. Anyone know where I could buy an island for no more than $100? I don't mind how small it is, as long I can have a pickelball court on it, I'll be happy!

Pickelball-R-Us

For a while now, I have been mentioning about pickelball but other than putting a few video, I haven't been describing it to its just value.

What do you need to play Pickelball?

A paddle, a ball, running shoes, a court and someone that is willing to be use as a target practice, I mean someone that want to play and have fun.

A good paddle will be around $ 80. (US or CDN) but you can buy one for $ 15. Most place I played at had spare paddles available.

You don't need to buy balls, but if you buy some it's about $ 15 for a dozen.

As you can see, it's not an expensive sport to practice. As a beginner, you probably going to have no cost. But as you get hook on, you might want to get your own paddle. I played at a center where they charged $ 3 to play all morning and you didn't need to buy a membership.

Who can play?

From the picture it's hard to tell but for comparison purpose, 4 pickelball courts can fit in one tennis court. So a lot of pickelball player are reformed tennis player that were tired of playing on an over-size court not able to play tennis anymore. I didn't play tennis so this was not my case.

I was introduce to the game by one of my neighbor. I can still remember the first few games, sometime I hit the ball... sometime the ball hit me. I was given all the rules at once and felt like I would never understand what I was doing there. But quickly, I got it! It was not that complicated.

During winter, I played a lot. I played against a man that had lung cancer. After a game, he had to sit down and get oxygen. But he was there and smiling.

One couple I met, the gentleman had both knees replace the year before and he was very good.

I played against people well in their seventies and got beat by them. Possibly even in their eighties, but if ask I'll denied everything!

I played with over-weight and thin people, women, man, slow and fast players, beginners, intermediate and advance skill players.

So really it's a game for every one (Kids pick it up so fast). You don't need to be an athlete, personally, I played to get in shape. I was not in shape before.

Where can I play?

All winter I played mostly inside gyms. In the summer, I'll played mostly outside on a paved court. A lot of tennis club has convert a few court for pickelball. The best thing to do is to check with your local sport facility.

Some people I talked to organized pickelball with their church. All you really need is a place where you can have the lines set up and you can buy a net (around $ 125) and voila you are ready! One of the place I played at was within a church complex. The person responsible was charging a dollar to each player to buy tape. Every week he had to remove the “lines”, I'm not sure why but that was not a big deal.

There are serious players and players that are there just for the fun of it. We all encourage each other, and I don't know how often I missed a shot because I was bend over laughing... it's so much fun. I'm not a very social kind of person but with this game, I get to meet so many great friends.

Do you play? Are you going to try it? 

Sunday Humor

“Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got” - Art Buchwald

Another week is over, where did it go? I have no idea! If I had more time, I would take a course... Time Management 101!

Next week my intention is to be more serious, will see if I can manage that!

Any big plan for next week?

Meanwhile now it's time for a bit of humor...

Orange is the new black

Best show ever! If I was on my death bed and a new season was coming out... I would kick every one out to watch the whole thing. I would survive until the end... of the show.

Before talking about the show itself, I will give you a warning. If you take offense with words like: Bitches (or Poochie ), dykes, Plushious, Scissoring or Snatch; This show might not be for you.

If you have problem seeing women on women action or different ethnicity's sex; This show might not be for you. I almost quit the show but I had the remote control so I could fast-forward from those scenes. However some time, by mistake, I end up rewinding it instead. Just joking!

So for the show, it is base on the fictional life of Piper Chapman, a women that had a gay relationship with a drug smuggler. She get caught and sent to jail. I don't want to spoiled the show for you that's all I'm going to say about Piper. But her character was base on real event that happen to Piper Kerman.

If you close your eyes and think about what happen in a women prison you might get a glimpse of what it's about.

This is so outstanding, you get human stories lock with a lot of humor, with power control fight, manipulations. There is something for everyone I'm sure!

Yesterday I watched my recording of this week Survivor. In case you haven't watch, I'll just going to say... my jaws dropped, for a while I thought I would need surgery to get it to close again. Do you watch survivor? Have you watched this week show? Were you happy?

Thing to Be Proud

I am so proud of myself, last night I ate salad for diner!

Mostly croutons and tomatoes.

Really just one big, round crouton covered with tomato sauce and cheese.

OK fine, it was pizza. I ate pizza!

Peace and Quiet

Coming back to Canada after spending the winter in sunnier Florida is like moving; There is a lot of packing, meals at restaurants, sleeping in different bed.

But what is different from moving and is so much fun (I say sarcastically) is all the appointments: Doctor, dentist, renewal of driver permit and such, get groceries (a lot of), process months of mail and one of my favorite: fill the income tax.

Because of all that, yesterday was another trip in town. I even stay for the night.

To get some peace and quiet, I went to Costco. When I got to the line at the cashier, there was a lady before me. She was talking to a women in the next line. Talking is lightly put... she talked and talked, never needing to stop for air. My ears were ringing for this consistent bla bla bla... By the time she had put her cart's content on the cashier belt, I was so relieve thinking that she would be quiet for a seconds or two. But no, she knew the cashier and without interruption, started to talk to her. Finally, she paid and walked away... To my relieve, I could slowly hear her voice fading as she was getting away.

As soon the cashier greet me, I mentioned; “boy this women is a talking machine” and smile. She knew I wasn't being mean as I was smiling and she laughed.

I paid and walked out of the store, who do you think I catch up to? What did I do to Karma?

Today, as soon as possible, back to my place in the country. Where it's noisy: singing birds, meowing cats, the ruffling wind in the tree. 

 

Moving Parts

If you have been sitting down for an hour or so, why don't you take a break and go walk a little... 5 or 10 minutes. This is proven, we need to keep moving it will be a great benefits to our over all health.

Here is a list of some of my observation of this short walk:

1. If you have a nice butt... it will give the opportunity for others to admire it. If it's not so nice, they will have a gossip subject, thanks to you.

2. On your way, you can re-fill your coffee. WARNING: No sugar; that would defeat the purpose.

3. If you wave at people you come across... you will have double the exercise benefits.

4. Bring your dog, it will be so happy. However, don't let it pull you, walk in front of the dog and you do the pulling.

5. Going downhill is easier, going uphill is a pain, I'll let you decide.

6. Keep it simple, remember the golden rule... Left, right, left, right... do NOT deviate from this pattern!

7. Bring some liquid. The best one: water. I will not recommended beer or wine... before 10:00 AM

8. If you walk in the wood, in case you get lost, bring: a compass, a knife, matches, first aid kit, a tent, dry wood, food for a week, a pair of sock, rain gear... second though: DON'T walk in the wood!

9. If you get a call on your cell, answer it and make sure to talk loudly, everyone is soooo interest by your conversation!

New Exercise Plan

Today the day started really early, I had to go in town, during morning traffic rush... where all those people were going to? Never mind there is a really bad word that come back from my past w-o-r-k.

I can't believe last week I spent over 20 hours on the road coming back from Florida and today a small round trip of less than 3 hours and I'm beat. Maybe I'm already into nature mode where the traffic in front of my home has been mainly deer. Downtown, there were cars, buses, traffic lights, stops... it's crazy, why people lived in city?

I am so excite about this Exercise that I found by myself. If everyone start doing it, it will be so good... It involves bending down and coming back up, some walking is also required. What is it? No one ever ask... Before end I'll just describe the scene:

I had to picked up some stuff that was store at my daughter's condo. The sun was shinning, birds were singing. I had a tune playing in my mind: “it's a beautiful day” behind me Walt Disney castle was... oh wait is it too much?

Any way as I was walking back and forth, I noticed on the ground a piece of discard paper. I stopped, slowly bend down, pick it up, and slowly get back up. I walk a few more feet, same thing happen, someone had through out an empty pacs of cigarettes, walk further more papers. The more I was doing it the better I felt. So I though what a great way to exercise, I'm outside and picked up trash. I'm getting in better shape from someone offensive action. SCREW THEM I keep all the trash to myself.

I looked across the street, there was a lady doing exactly the same thing, I hate competition and I wanted to run to the outer side and tell her to find her own exercise (I'm going to copywrite my new exercise plan) but I run this scenario in my head first and chasing away a women might not be perceived for it's worthwhile value. 

 

Sunday Humor

Good morning, afternoon or evening. Today the weather in my part of the world will be gorgeous and should take a big bite out of the snow.

I want to keep Sunday light so from now on, I'll only post things that made me laugh in the previous week. Enjoy!

Walking... Dead

Sometimes (some people may not agree that it's only sometimes) I'm not that smart! In a moment of weakness I subscribed to Netflix. For most people this is not a problem, for Richard a TV junkies it was a life changing event.

I don't know how I would be able to enjoy regular TV anymore. On Netflix; no advertisement, no schedule to check if my show is playing, no game that kick out my shows and that the following day, I checked my recording and it's missing. I have full control, I can watch as many shows as long and at the time it please me. You might think those are advantages but let me say this again... I AM A TV JUNKIES!

So for my weekend post, I'll talk about TV shows. The first one in that series... The Walking Dead.

For years, I have from time to time, surfed the TV programming and notice that show. I thought what the heck is wrong with the persons watching something so stupid! I can answer this, I watched all 5 seasons on Netflix, and I can't wait to see Season 6 that is currently on TV.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me without spoiler, describe it.

There was a virus that spread in the U.S. Once someone get the virus, they died. What about the walking part Richard you might ask. Well they come back from the dead but they are not human anymore. They just walk aimlessly. Wow if I had read this before, I would have never watch the show but it get better, stick with me.

Those walkers has no purpose, they don't even seem to feel anything; you could cut their arms, open their stomach and pull out their entrails, no problem, it might slow them down but like the energizer bunny, will still keep going and going.

It seems that the only thing they are motivated to do is to eat living people (also known as not dead). I don't really understand why they don't eat dead people but hey I'm not in their shoes.

I'm not watching the shows for entertainment, I'm watching to learn: What would I do if this ever happen in Canada?

I have learned so much already, I'm the type of person that would have tried to reason with them. Maybe let them chew on a finger while explaining how wrong this is. THIS IS THE WRONG APPROACH! What you have to do is stick something in their brain to kill them indefinitely. You can stick: a knife, a sword, a bullet, you can even bash their head... it will do the trick. Ouf! I'm so glad to know that, bring them on! I'm ready, I'm keeping my Swiss knife at the ready.

If you don't want to watch the show, it's OK, when you start to see walking dead people coming for your limbs, hurry up come to me, I know what to do.

This is a test if you fail, you are doom. One of those two is dead, can you guess wich one? 

Have you watch it?

Hardship or is it?

I own 2 homes.

One is in Florida and is the perfect get away from our Canadian winter. It's locate in a retirement community.

The other is in the province of Québec, Canada. I live there 7 months per year. It's in a camping where you can buy your lot. 

Do you see me waving in the window... I hope not, I'm taking the picture, can't be at 2 places at the same time LOL 

During summer, on weekend there is a lot of people but once Sunday arrived, I have pretty much the whole place to myself.

My view is spectacular; I'm by a lake and across the lake is a small village (Val-des-Bois). I also have a view of the mountain. I can sit on my sofa and take it all in for hours and be so blissful. As a bonus, in early spring and late fall, the ONLY traffic in front of my home are deer. For entertainment, there is about 10 strays cat begging me for a free meals.

 The view from my sofa at 6:30 AM, the sun hasn't rise yet!

I have satellite TV and High speed Internet. My propane tank is full and I'm not freezing to death. But because this is a camping, there is no running water until the weather is warm enough to prevent the in-ground pipes from freezing.

This “little” inconvenient is enough to keep away all the other walking-on-two-legs campers. Personally, this is my favorite time. I have bottles water for drinking, I have Jerrycans (which I can re-fill at the main gate) for things like doing the dishes, brushing my teeth. And being beside a lake, I get buckets of water to flush my toilet. At the front office, there is showers. So I need nothing, it is just a little more work, but it's well worth it. 

You do whatever you want with your life, for certain a hardship is really just a small inconvenience that is worth to look over. I would use the analogy of the glass that is half full, but since I'm limited with my water I'll not going to. ha ha ha 

Now the best part... I retired at 52! you might think I'm rich or something but it is not the case. It is cheaper to live in Florida during winter than living in Canada... I don't have to pay to heat the place (which in Canada amount to a lot of $$), I don't pay municipal taxes on a house (still a lot of $$) but I do pay for food, cable and Internet but I would do the same thing back here. If you are interest to know more about my financial, let me know in the comment, I'll be more specific but I think that what the financial planners advised is a load of crap.

I don't know for you folks, but this weekend there will be a lot more snow melting going on in my area, I'm so excited about this.

An Ounce of Wisdom – 20 pounds of Baloney

Last year I was perfect! I was so dedicated to that health race track; nothing unhealthy touched my lips.

My main exercise was walking. I was walking all over, even one day in the excess of 30,000 steps. My vivofit counting every steps of the way. If there was no where to walk, I would go to Walmart and walk around and around, never looking back, never looking at what was on sale. I would bypass the bakery, didn't need to get those aroma to hunt my resolve.

At night, around the fire, I would have vegetables and enjoy a nice bottle or two of water. Meanwhile the pigs my friends would stuff their face with food that were off the chart calories wise. The pigs my friends would keep opening wine bottles and draining them down like they were a bottomless well.

I was so successful, I lost in excess of 50 pounds. Yes I was perfect. But there was an inner voice murmuring: “Richard you are a fraud, soon you will be back to your regular bad habits, you'll see.” I kept shutting down that voice and tell every one that it was a lifestyle change.

In the fall, I started to release my grip on my lifestyle... a little bowl of chips in the evening, a small portion of dessert, a glass of wine, once in a while won't hurt, right? After all now I had so much wisdom, I could manage something call MODERATION, couldn't I? Any way those small treat would be burn the day after on the pickelball court.

In insight I can stated that I thought I had so much wisdom, but the reality is that it was probably less than an ounce of wisdom and I can say I was full of baloney as a matter of fact I took about 20 pounds of baloney in less than 6 months.

Today I'm at one of those fork on my health road, do I need to get back on the lean wagon or do I want to ride the chips wagon?

I don't know! Last year I was addicted to pills... maybe addicted is not the right word :) I was taking a pill for cholesterol and one for blood pressure. I know I don't want to take those any more. That is all I'm certain of at this point.

On a less self-doubting subject... the sun is up, it's going to be a gorgeous day. Probably there will be some melt down of the white cold substance that is hanging around so late this year and I 'll be sitting front and center to keep an eye on the whole spring process. Youppi!

What happen when you keep driving North?

At one point you catch up with winter. Those are today pictures of my paradise...

The lake (just trust me on that one)

The road in front of my home (It's great if you don't particularly enjoy traffic)

Jo et André here is your space... just bring a shovel you will be fine... in July :)

A medical year in review

Last year, at the beginning of April, I had lost a lot of weight. I should have felt the gain of energy everyone talk about. But it was not my case. My right shoulder was giving me so much pain that I had problem to lift it over my head. My back was also acting up and once in a while I was taking pills (Aleve) for it.

I consult my doctor and he send me for x-rays. The verdict was devastating, I had degenerative bones problems and I was not to get better. The doctor even told me that I had to give up pickelball entirely.

I didn't like that, I keep playing but I was trying to only used my left arm, not an easy task for a right hand guy :) After a while, I decided to used my right hand but not smash the ball (because it involved bringing my arm over my head and I just couldn't do that without excruciating pain).

I was really down. There I was doing my very best to get healthier to find out that the quality of my life was diminishing as fast as my waistline.

The doc send me to see a physio therapist. At my first meeting, she said that what I had was bones of a 55 years old and was just the normal aging process. However I had a tendinitis to my shoulder. This could be fix, I need to get a doctor to removed some calcium in my joint.

By the end of the summer, nothing was medically done but at least I had hope.

I kept playing pickelball, always careful about movement. At one point the ball was just too perfect and I smash it without putting any strength to it. I felt a little discomfort but nothing that I couldn't manage.

As time past, I kept hitting the ball over my head more often and what happen; I started to feel better.

During the fall and winter, I started to gain weight (about 20 pounds), the strangest thing happen; I started to fell more energy and the pain is now almost gone. Even my back, with the extra weigh I would think that it would get worse but it's not the case.

Now I can smash the ball as hard as I want. I don't push it because I'm nervous about the previous pain and it's still a little tender but I'm so happy with where I am right now.

I'm about to get back on the health trail and drop the extra weight but I'm curious, does anyone out there ever had an experience when putting up weight made you feel better?

I keep talking about pickelball but I know many has no idea what this is, I'll post about it but here is a clip of it if you want to see more.

Pickelball Link 

I forgot to mention, I had some works done on my knees, here is the x-ray: