Late Snow, Great Snow

It was supposed to snow today. So far, it's been all sunshine. And it's not too cold. Last week, we had a 14 degrees Thursday. This is November. In the old days, about twenty, thirty years ago, this time of the year was covered in snow and about twenty degrees below zero. It's common in Ottawa to hear people say, "If this is global warming, I like it." Which may be ignorant and selfish but I kinda feel the same way, too. Except I like the first snow of the season. I've always liked the first snow of the season. I love watching the flakes come down and the quiet of it all. Of course since I live in downtown Ottawa it isn't too quiet. Not like when I visit my friends out in Smith Falls, ON in the winter and they have a snow day there. I love to see people walk around in the snow and how happy they are. But in Ottawa, everyone complains about snow. People on the street, the radio and the television. Because of the driving. Now a lot of people who know things will say Ottawa drivers are especially bad. I don't know. I do often see people turn from the wrong lane and not signalling and I've gotten used to watching the driver of the nearest car when I'm crossing the street. Just to see if he/she is paying attention. Sometimes they aren't. A woman texting once almost ran me down in Chinatown. She wasn't even aware that she had done so. Back to snow, Tuesday is also supposed to snow. Now since it hasn't snowed today, I'm looking forward to Tuesday. But I'm not sure I want it to snow too much. I am getting old. Now I guess I'll go and walk around in the sun.

Monroe Isadore

Well, sometimes I don't know what to make of the world. I spend some time trying to figure out which country is the best in terms of safety etc. I used to think it was Norway and then some guy shot a bunch of kids on an island. Sweden's out, too. That leaves Finland and Denmark. But wait, what am I talking about? I heard a story that shocked me and need to talk about it and wonder how many countries this could happen in. I'm talking about the 107 year old man named Monroe Isadore, who got confused when people came to take him away to a nursing home and lay down on his bed with a gun, firing into the ceiling. Someone sent out the S.W.A.T. team. Why? I can't figure out why anyone would need twenty big men with assault weapons to contain a deaf, blind centenarian. They had a camera on him all the time. They knew he was not a threat. He would not even be a threat to a wussie like me. Why didn't they yell out that they were police? His family says he would for sure have come out. I can't get the image from my mind of ten young, strong men with assault weapons pumping bullets into a terrified 107 year old man who couldn't see them. It's clear from the tape that he was terrified, he had no idea who was trying to get into his house. Why didn't they send in some of his family? But the question is: which countries could this happen in? It could not happen in Canada where the cops will wait all night if they have to, just to resolve things peacefully. I think it could happen in South American countries and I really think it's a shame that it happened in America. Of course, happening there, it is on the news and people have a right to comment. Anyway, I think it must be hard to live in a country with so many guns although that isn't really an issue here. Except that an old man shouldn't need a gun. So R.I.P. Monroe Isadore. I'm really sorry that you couldn't end your life peacefully, that it had to end with a whole bunch of panicky cops killing you. Hope you find justice in Heaven.