August 1 2024

 I used to have a saying, " I'm only passionate about one thing, yard work, I hate it with a passion". We had a big fir tree in front of the living room window, which nothing grew under, and it stretched out over the neighbors driveway so much so that they would ask us to cut it back every year. We decided to cut it down and remove the stump. The immediate benefit was an abundance of sunlight streaming into the house. The drawback was a large portion of the yard was just dirt covered in pine needles. I would have to dig it up and remove some roots before trying to grow a new lawn. The neighbor's dad owns a construction company and he was redoing his own back yard, he was so thankful we had removed the tree, he drove his skid steer around to the front with a 6 foot wide roto tiller attachment and made a few passes on our yard. We decided to plant potatoes to improve the soil for a lawn later on. The potatoes were a big hit in the neighborhood and I was soon know as "farmer Ed" even though I had no idea what I was doing ( luckily Deanie did ), I had a black thumb, not because I couldn't grow anything, I had hit it so many times as a construction worker it was actually black. Any way the potato patch has become a full garden over the years and it has made yard work not only bearable but enjoyable. 

Have a great day

Loved

P.S. Happy anniversary Dave and Louise

July 1 2024

 HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!

June 1 2024

 I think I can now say I’ve seen everything. Deanie’s dad was a farmer but she also had a number of aunts and uncles who were also farmers. I guess it should come as no surprise, as the younger generations took over, the operations would become modernized. One of her cousin’s son has taken it to another step. The farm, originally established by uncle Walter, is just west of the old #54 between Regina Beach and the number 11. As we were driving up to the farm I quickly noticed a drone flying around, he used it to check the property. He showed me a tractor that worked by GPS, just push a button and it did all the work on its own. I noticed some chickens running around that somehow looked odd and he tried to explain to me that through some kind of genetic engineering and using some of the cloning technology they were able to produce a chicken with a third leg, it was way over my head and I thought it was just a growth, but watching closer I could see they actually used it, they moved a bit erratically but they definitely used it. It came off a little Dr. Frankenstein to me and I asked why. He said the fast food industry. He figured the chickens would be sought after because chicken legs are so popular. I had heard of genetically modified crops, GMOs and of course I know about hormone use to promote growth in animals and some people are against both so my next question was if the fast food industry embraced the idea or not and if they had any feed back from the drumstick eating public about the taste or texture. He said “ No, we haven’t been able to catch one yet”.

P.S. if I caught any of you with this you can blame Tony, it’s one of his. He tried it on me but by that time I had heard so many I could tell he was joking because his lips were moving. 

That was Tony

Loved

6 for 6

May 1 2024

 It happened quite a few years ago, actually, more than quite a few years ago. He walked into the shop appearing to be in a less than good mood. It was pretty early in the morning, not a good way to start the day. I thought if he talked about what was bothering him he would feel a little better. Turns out it was all he needed. He started to tell me about the drive in from Regina Beach. He had almost hit a cow on the old "nine mile" highway 54. Already I could relate, I had been in more than one car that almost hit a cow on that stretch and although I hadn't almost hit one myself I had come very close to a bad encounter with a deer on that very highway. He went on. Turning onto the number 11 he was greeted by that early morning sun just at the wrong level. He was still smoking in those days but he would have to concentrate so he flicked his cigarette out the window, too bad the wind blew it back in the car. Instead of pulling over he reached down to rummage around for it, he couldn't find it right away because it had lodged in his shirt cuff. Unlucky for him his shirt caught fire, he threw his hand out the window and within a few seconds the flame was out. Unfortunately an RCMP cruiser had witnessed the mayhem and the familiar red and blues were flashing in his rearview so he pulled over. Then he just quit telling the story. I'm like you I was curious so I asked what happened. "I knew I wasn't speeding and I thought I had done a good job of staying in my lane but he gave me a ticket anyway." "For distracted driving I asked?" "No" Tony said, "For waving a firearm". 

That was Tony

Loved

April 1 2024

Today is a good day to go out early in the morning and forget your cell phone on the kitchen table.  You can decide to leave the car behind and walk if you want to become like a ghost and have nobody know where you are. April 1 is a tricky morning, I am thinking about Tony this morning.

 Antonini and Sons were operating out of the building located on the southwest corner of Rose Street and 8th Avenue at the time.  I was working on a set of drawings in the estimate room adjacent to Tony's office when the phone rang. I heard the customary "Good morning, Antonini and Sons". There was a moment of silence then Tony apologized for not being able to understand. Another moment of silence and again an apology. Quite often the only time Tony couldn't understand something, especially at work, was shortly before he was to have a diabetic event. I walked into his office and his hand went up to stop me from even asking. He put the phone on speaker and I understood his confusion. The voice on the other line was speaking fluent Italian, the only words we could understand through the thick accent were "abigga Lou". Tony figured he was asking to speak to dad and tried to explain dad was retired and didn't come to the shop often. It didn't work. There was more Italian and another "abigga Lou". Once more Tony tried to explain but once again it didn't work. The Italian seemed a little agitated when he spoke again and likewise did Tony when he tried to explain again. Once more the Italian tried to get his words understood but there was a bit of levity in the voice this time. Tony and I both realized it at the same time. Tony started to respond with a good tongue lashing but I don't think Marty heard it through his laughter. I didn't feel so bad about feeling fooled because he had got Tony. Tony didn't need April first to tell one of his stories. He's in my thoughts often.

Loved

March 1 / 2024

 There was an idea some one had related to me about airport luggage conveyors, their theory was that the airlines sent out decoy bags to appease passengers eagerly waiting for their bag to appear. It actually made sense and was one of those tidbits that sit in the back of your mind unmindfully growing strength. So it had positioned itself as fact by the time we took a trip to Scotland in 2015. We had landed in Glasgow and made our way to the luggage carousel, the idea weaseled it’s way to the front of my mind and I found myself being interested in the airports creativity. It is funny how your mind works, I waited for the first bag to appear. There it was. My first thought was, these guys are pretty clever, they’ve sent out a generic looking bag, one anyone would use. It moved on closer, I thought very good boys, same shape and color as my own. Only a few feet from where I stood my mind was blown, these guys had actually attached a tassel exactly like the one Deanie had made so I could identify my bag easier. That idea I had been told years before was so imbedded in my mind it didn’t dawn on me it was my bag until I saw my name on the tag. I learned a couple things that day. I have a mind that could be pretty easily brainwashed and... there aren’t any decoy bags.

Three for three

Loved

February 2024

This might be one of the easiest resolutions I've ever made, but I better not get to far ahead of myself, I have ten more to go. 

January is done, I'm becoming a bit of a couch potato, I can usually get a pretty good workout shoveling snow. We have a law in Regina that the sidewalk in front of your home must be cleared within 24 hours of a snowfall.  We've had so little snow I've been able to keep the walks clean in front of 3 neighboring houses. I feel sorry for seniors who are no longer able to clear their walks on their own, plus, I don't want Jenna Lee coming by in her squad car to stir up the neighbors...again. Last time a few of the neighbors came out to see why an officer of the law was escorting me out to her car. We have more than one Mrs. Kravitz on the block, let me know if any of you remember who she was.

We are looking forward to the upcoming get together to celebrate a belated Antonini Christmas gathering, it coincides with Family Day and a memorable date. We are fortunate Len has booked us the RMF facility. We will be missing Tony for sure.

Have a good February

Loved