The Visit

Last week we were paid a visit by my mother, her sister (my aunt) Pauline and my cousin Cathy (Pauline's daughter) here in A'burg.  They arrived Tuesday the 11th and stayed until Thursday morning, when they headed back to Toronto.  My mother is heading home (Sudbury) today, after her week long voyage.  Not too shabby for 96.  Pauline is 2 years younger than Mom, and Cathy is 2 years younger than me.  They stayed at a funky hotel in A'burg called Stry (spelled correctly--for the missing 'O' visit the adjoining bar), and visited here at the Homestead on all three days.  We enjoyed a day out in the county on Wednesday, visiting a market/store, a winery and our favourite off the map cafe (14th Coffee).  We ate out in downtown A'burg, enjoying food at Salty Dog one night and then at Artisan Grill next night.  Lunch in Harrow on Wednesday was at a place called George's Eatery.  All restaurants had delicious vegan options for Deb and I.  One dark and chilly night we wandered into Navy Yard Park to see the holiday light display, still being put up at that time.  It was a really fun visit.  Mom hadn't been down here for 12 years!

 

The day before they arrived we had our first taste of snow.  It was gone by the time they arrived on Tuesday. 

 

Deb, Mom, Cathy and Pauline.

 

Same as above, with me replacing Cathy.      

 

We don't get much family company where we live, so it was great to have a chance to spend time with our closest relatives.  Pauline and Mom are the lone survivors of 7 kids that my grandparents had. 

 

In shipping news there are 5 ships that I follow regularly on-line, watching for their passing from our windows.  This weekend 3 of them passed by (2 are currently with tourists in the Antarctic).  The CSL Laurentien passed southbound on Friday, likely its last voyage of the season.  Likewise the mighty Mesabi Miner.  Both ships were heavily laden and moving slowly.  The globe-trotting Federal Bering passed northbound during the night.  I took photos of the first two, and will watch for the Bering on its southbound journey later in the month.  We currently have an extra gap allowing us to see more of the river, as an old house was torn down across the street and a new one is quickly rising.

 

The 700' Laurentien passes our house southbound.  View from our veranda.  A new house is being built across the street.

 

Riding low, the 1000' ore carrier Mesabi Miner heads towards Toledo after a busy non-stop shipping season. 

 

In movie news there are two to report.  Robert Altman's 1979 A Perfect Couple is a comedy romance.  A couple meet via a video dating service and undergo a very rocky relationship.  She is a singer in a large rock band and he is the manager of an antique shop.  The movie consists of many songs by the band, though fortunately they are mostly okay.  The band is run by a patriarchal and bossy singer, while the man's family is led by a dictatorial father.  The humour is often strained, and the young actress who plays the lead obviously suffers from anorexia off screen.  It is painful to watch her when she removes some of her clothing.  She died of cancer in 2013.  It's a strange movie, with the lead actor (Paul Dooley) being quite pushy and obnoxious in getting her to date him after they have broken off.  Definitely a movie of its time.

 

Leaving Criterion Nov. 30th. 

 

Hitchcock's silent 1928film A Farmer's Wife could have been directed by almost anyone at the time, and was likely one of his pictures he was contracted to make.  From a 1916 stage play by Eden Phillpotts, it is a romantic comedy that sees a widowed farmer seek a new wife.  With the help of his young and beautiful housekeeper (try and guess who he ends up marrying) he creates a list of eligible women and tries to propose to them.  One by one he is rejected.  At first he is furious when they refuse him, but he gradually learns to expect no for an answer.  A few outdoor scenes enliven the many indoor shots.  The comedy is a bit broad for modern tastes, but there are some nuances that show that some care was taken in the filming.  A shot of several hundred hunting dogs crossing a small bridge is unexpected, especially as we see the view from an angle where only their tails show.  Overlong (107 minutes), we did make it to the end, but not in one go.

 

From a DVD that we own. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 
 

 

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture

This is another brilliant PC game from the people who brought us Dear Esther.  Less a game than an interactive story, Rapture relies largely on mood and atmosphere to beguile the player.  The village of Yaughton is home to an observatory with several telescopes, and it is invaded by a mysterious other-worldly light source, a type of energy that seems to absorb the people of the village.  The player arrives after the town is empty of people, and we get glimpses into their lives and personal troubles as we visit sites that still have particles of energy in them, and pieces of a story to tell.  The player wanders for an entire day, from morning till nightfall, and can go just about anywhere, except when blocked by fences, hedge rows, blockades, etc.  There is even a thunderstorm at one point, humourously added as one arrives at the lake and holiday camp. We are led through the game by a powerful ball of pure energy.  If one gets stumped on where to go next, merely stand still for a few minutes and the energy will reappear and lead the way again.  For PC gamers it's best to turn off the tuning system, otherwise too much time is wasted trying to retrieve messages at certain points.  Once this feature is turned off, simply approach the light source and left click until things begin to happen.  Then step back and watch the show.  Rapture, like Esther, is a sad game with a sad story to tell, and there are some very moving moments.  The game saves itself at certain points, and one has to watch carefully for them, as the game will not allow players to save.  The scenery is quite vivid and spectacular, and the light changes as the day progresses.  The music is good enough to just listen to on its own.  This is a highly recommended game, and worth playing more than once.  I have already played Esther 3x, so I will likely replay this one, too.  A classic!

 

There are "You Are Here" maps scattered throughout the village, so the player can usually find where they are easily.  The entire village gets explored.

 

  

As one wanders in and out of houses and businesses in Rapture, framed art is encountered on the walls.  All of the art is taken from screenshots within the game. 

In Homestead news, another health problem has cropped up for Deb.  She had a bladder and kidney ultrasound lab test last week, and it showed a blockage of some type in one of her kidneys.  She is now awaiting a CTI to further pinpoint the cause and size of this blockage.  This could be the cause of much of her illness over the winter.  She was able to finally go for her routine teeth cleaning last week as well, and we both had some blood work done.  More health news as it happens.

 

I had two excellent starry nights this past session, and managed to stay out four hours each night in sub-freezing temperatures.  I was able to finally observe winter constellations, which are by now nearly gone from view.  Those were my first doable observations since November 7th.  It's been a terrible year for observing, and now that we have daylight savings time I don't get to be till after 2 am.  And that will get later and later as summer approaches.

 

Great Lakes shipping has fully resumed, with the opening of the upper locks sat the Soo.  It's been busy already, with ships gliding by regularly now.  This time of year we have nearly unobstructed views of the river, and the colourful parade of ships, both lakers and salties, are a welcome addition to the neighbourhood activity.  We also have four kinds of flowers booming in our front garden at the moment, too. and today is very warm.  Meanwhile in Sudbury they just had another snowstorm, and Toronto and area is currently amidst an ice storm, with lots of power out in that area.

 

The CSL Laurentien, one of five ships I watch over the shipping season, makes its first voyage of the new season.  It will travel between Quebec City/Montreal and Thunder Bay from late March to late December.

 

The first salty of the year that I managed to see pass by.  This is the Patagonman, flagged out of Singapore.

Our front garden with snowdrops, a dwarf iris, a few well hidden crocuses, and just blooming today, our daffs! 

 

In piano news, it is time!  I begin my performances next Saturday for a few piano friends, then again on April 11th for non-piano friends, and once again sometime after the 20th.  The program is made out, and I will post it here soon.

 

In film news there is one to report.  The Saragossa Manuscript is a three hour Polish film from 1965, in b & w.  Deb found out about it on one of her film blogs, and found it playing on Youtube in a very decent print.  Modeled somewhat on Canterbury Tales and Arabian Knights adventures, the story within a story format can grow a bit confusing at times.  The first part of the film, and the ending, are quite good, but it really sags in the middle a lot.  A strange illustrated book is found and two soldiers, in the midst of a battle for a city, discover it and begin to read it, ignoring what is going on around them.  Then the story telling begins, with supernatural elements mixed in with mundane period soap opera elements.  Recommended as a rare oddity, the film could use some trimming, and perhaps male leads who are a bit more attractive and lively to watch.

 

The film is playing on Youtube.  It is as good print, and the yellow subtitles help a lot. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 

 

Mogi Is Home!

 Our little best friend pulled through from the eye removal surgery--now we just have to make sure he makes it through the full recovery period.  He had surgery around 5 am Saturday morning, and we picked him up at the hospital about 12 hours later.  His former eye area is very swollen.  There are dissolving stitches which mustn't be touched, so he has to wear a cone for at least ten days.  Not fun.  He keeps hitting it on things as he tries to move around.  He ate like a little horse as soon as he got home, and everything else seems to be functioning normally, too.  We did find out from the tests they ran that he has stage 2 kidney disease, not that unusual for a cat his age.  So he is now on a special vet diet.  He was very restless when he first came home, but he is finally resting quietly now (9 pm), on a blanket on the floor of our entrance way.

 

I will get caught up on movie news soon.  We'll see how things go.  First, I would like to talk about ships for a few moments, those muscular great lakes ones that pass our house constantly from spring to late fall.  The first ship I saw pass this year was the CSL Laurentien, heading upriver towards Thunder Bay, at the top of Lake Superior.  That was March 24th.  Then it passed with a full load, heading downriver on April 2nd, travelling to Quebec city.  Today it passed again upriver, thus completing a full loop, which took 17 days.  The ship is 223 meters long, well over 700'.  A few photos are below,  along with the American Spirit, over 1000' long.  I can follow their progress on Marine Traffic.com.  So far I am watching four ships, but that will expand to ten when I have time.

The American Spirit, heading up river.

 

The bridge of the Laurentien.

Heading back to Lake Superior.  How many trips will she make this year?  Any guesses? 

 

Mapman Mike