It's something we all do to some extent

and some of us, like myself, would end up like the Collyer brothers if we had their resources...

Favourite things

"Is it a noble instinct or a destructive desire? Sally Feldman delves into the pathology of collecting"

It is interesting to read that some believe obsessive collecting (the type I engage in) to be a sympton of a type of autism, perhaps Asperger’s Syndrome. I won't go any further on this, for obvious reasons.

To some a hobby, to some a pathology...

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The ants came marching two by two...

Actually, they're booties. Baby booties that SWMBO has been knitting. She's going to be selling them at church for the CWL fundraiser. Aren't they beautiful? They're so cool because, given the type of yarn she's using, there's no way that she can make a matching pair, so people are just going to have to mix and match. They're so colourful and cute! I think it's just a great idea.
Here's another photo:



I was thinking about knitting and knitters yesterday after SWMBO showed me these. I think that knitters have to be the single most generous 'group' of people on the earth. When you think about it, knitters are rarely knitting anything for themselves. They're knitting for their children, their grandchildren, their church, some charity, some auction or some other event. Oh, they knit for themselves too, but, I think that in order to become proficient at the craft they have to knit a fair amount, and that amount is greater than anything they could use themselves, so they knit for others. So, when you think about them as a group, the amount they contribute to others is incredible.

Here's the website of someone (a Canadian, God bless her!) who is a confirmed knitter, and where SWMBO browses regularly:

Yarn Harlot

(If you're a knitter, read her FAQ page on Knitters Without Borders and give it a thought...)

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This one is for SWMBO

You thought veggies were cool, eh?

Okay, Where’s the Scarecrow

(The title is a reference to the 'Wizard of Oz'. Can you guess what it is?)

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I've changed my thinking

Kindle DX: Amazon's 9.7" Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

I'm a big fan of books. Paper books. I have a preference for hardcover books, but I enjoy paperbacks as well. I love the feel of a book in my hands, the smell of the paper and ink and the tactile feel of turning pages and so on. I can't see that changing in the future. I'll always love books. That's why our library is so large, I guess. SWMBO has the same love of books that I have.

When Amazon released their Kindle reader I wasn't too impressed. It was about the size of a paperback and, as I said previously, I prefer hardcovers to paperbacks. Also, I've never been keen on reading on an electronic screen. If I have to read a lengthy document on my computer it takes me forever. I have to take regular breaks to give my eyes a rest. It just isn't a pleasant way to read. Reading should be relaxing.

Now that I've read a number of reviews of the Kindle and particularly of the new Kindle I'm more impressed. The new one is closer to the size of a hardcover book now. I'm more comfortable with that. Reviews I've read have said that the screen is great for reading. The battery charge lasts for days, and you can hold 3,500 books on it. Your whole library! I'm becoming more in favour of it. I'd love to see one.

Alas, they're not available in Canada yet. Who knows when, or if, they ever will be? Whatever the case, they'll never replace paper books for me, but a Kindle DX with a leather cover would be terrific to carry one's reading material on. I carry large books with me every day now, in my bag. I'm never without at least one, and I usually have 3 or 4 books on the go at once. This way I could have 3,500. I like the sound of that...

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The past week or so

has been busy in a pleasant and fairly successful way...



Over the past month I've taken the 55 gallon aquarium that used to belong to the pond goldfish and created a lovely tropical fish aquarium. I've had tropicals in the past, and I missed the beauty of a nice tank. I set it up, got the temperature regulated and the nitrogen cycle going and then planted it with live plants for a couple of weeks to get them started. It looked nice. Then, when we went to get some fish, we settled on Buenos Aires Tetras. They're a schooling fish so I had to get a dozen of them. The kind fellow who sold them to us was just netting and bagging them trying for approximately 12. We have 16 or 17 instead. That's fine. Then, what I later discovered, is that they're voracious eaters. That's ok, too, but they love to feed on live plants. Sure enough. The live plants (that only cost about $60 all together) make a great salad bar for them. Aaaarghhhhhh! It's tough to research your fish before you go to the shop because you don't know what they have at the time. So I had to supplement the live plants with plastic. I hate plastic plants in aquariums but it's either that or no plants and we wanted a mixed community tank.

We then bought 2 Dwarf Flame Gouramis. I've had luck with them and have even bred them in the past, so I feel good about them. So we had top eaters (the Tetras), mid-tank eaters (the Gouramis) and I picked up two tiny Black Spot Corydorus Catfish who are bottom feeders and who will help clean up food before it can rot. I feel good about the tank. There's just enough rock, driftwood and bottom sand to look really good, I have a heater and a backup heater, and external Fluval filter and a Hagen and a CO2 generator for the plants, so I'm hoping for good results. I think it's set up to sustain a good community. When/if I get a good photo of it I'll make sure to post it here...

A new home

For some of our fish!



We were most fortunate yesterday. I was able to purchase a used 90 gallon aquarium for our pond fish. A fellow who has a number of aquariums in various charitable organizations' offices has changed his job and can't take care of them all anymore. He was willing to sell a 90 gallon aquarium with a homemade stand and a hinged top for a price that was really reasonable. Way cheaper than a new aquarium. When we arrived at his place to load it up he was taking the last of the water out of it so it seems that it should be fine. It needs cleaning, we need to stabilize the stand a bit and we still need to get the filters and accessories, but the fish will be happy with their new home next year. Between that and the 55 gallon we should have enough room. I'm thinking of turning the 20 and 25 gallon tanks into tropical aquariums again. Hmmmmm...


(The thing weighs about 200 lbs. so I had to get the next-door neighbour to help carry it in, after which, well, it was only polite to offer a libation for said help, which led to further imbibing of intoxicating beverages and much general hilarity... . Our next-door neighbours are truly nice people, btw...)

Stamps and Cash

Philatelic and Numismatic Office

You know, the Vatican is a great place to start collecting stamps and coins from. Other than a very few expensive stamps, for instance, and some of the pre-Vatican State stamps, the whole collection is accessible to the average person. You actually can get a complete and representative collection for the whole of the existence the Vatican.

Most people are satisfied with stamps or coins

Collect-Me-Nots