16. Jan, 2011
Tag Archives: Postcard from home
15. Jan, 2011
Shame at the Calgary airport: 82-year-old lady badly treated by security
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Weather: Cold. The same cold as yesterday, but no snow today. Yesterday we had enough to have to shovel. It’s still a dry cold. And no sun, what’s that all about?
This is one of those stories I don’t like telling, because it reflects poorly on my city.
Yesterday on the afternoon news, I heard that an 82-year-old lady with a gel-filled prosthetic breast had been humiliated by the security screeners at our airport. She didn’t say she was carrying more than the allowed amount of liquids and gels, never thinking the prosthetic would count. Result? Public humiliation.
What made me even more sad about the story was that the lady was so upset she said she was done with travelling.
To the lady and her family, I would like to say, please don’t let this bad experience keep you from enjoying travel again. As a resident, I am very sorry to hear of this whole incident, and I trust the authorities are making sure it won’t happen again.
I was at the airport last night to pick someone up. Couldn’t help but wonder, as I passed the occasional security person in the terminal, “Are you the one?”, and that is really unfair to them. It only takes one jerk to give everybody a bad name.
“Airport security apologizes to B.C. woman, 82“, from CBC.ca
14. Jan, 2011
You won’t see many cats in Calgary
Friday, January 14, 2011
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Weather: bloody cold but not windy. And again, it’s a dry cold.
It seems a little strange to me to see cats walking around outside when I’m visiting other places, because we don’t allow that here.
In Calgary, we’ve had our Cat Bylaw for a few years. No loose cats! You can own a cat but he stays indoors or goes out on a leash or supervised, not just wandering.
It sounds like that old Monty Python sketch about the Cat Detector Van, but it’s true.
No cats.
Oh, and we have no rats in Alberta.
But bats, so far, are allowed.
13. Jan, 2011
Favourite Calgary pet store? Fairplay.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
On an outing in the NW this morning, even though it was rather cold. About -22 degrees C.
Passed by the corner where we go for dog food.
We’re well served for pet supplies in Calgary, with lots of choice of stores, but Fairplay is my favourite.
2604 Kensington Road NW, Calgary T2N 4S5
403 – 283 – 2117
In business since 1921, Fairplay has supplies for dogs, cats, horses (in the Horse Store), birds, caged creatures like hamsters and gerbils, supplies for pets with allergies, and wild bird seed. More too, I’m sure.
You can buy a lot of things in bulk there, including dog treats and bird seed. They offer a good selection, too. In fact, thinking of the products I’ve bought there, it seems there is always more than two brands or styles to choose from. Often, several more.
To give credit to other pet stores, you often do find passionate pet lovers working at them. Fairplay is special because it’s still a small and personal place with a welcoming, cosy atmosphere, and a long successful history.
The store is on Kensington Road a block west of Crowchild, in a little strip mall with a 7-11 and the Kensington Memorial Veterinary Clinic as neighbours.
Today’s outing took me up that way and reminded me how much I like the store.
12. Jan, 2011
The Loop Breakfast House, Marda Loop, Calgary. Nellie’s as was.
TRFKAN (The Restaurant Formerly Known As Nellie’s) is called The Loop Breakfast House now. This wasn’t obvious to me, not that it matters since I know where to go: 2015 – 33rd Avenue SW, Calgary.
I’ve gone for breakfast (actually more like brunch, it’s a lot of food) about a half-dozen times in the past year, I bet.
Happy every time.
Today:
$11.95 for the Big Al, which is (gasp) 3 eggs, bacon, French toast or pancakes, regular toast, and potatoes. I was still full at dinner time.
My friend: a fruit plate and an omelette.
Both: coffee and milk. (As in, a serving of milk that you buy, not just a splash in the coffee.)
Total bill, $41.00 before tip.
It’s independent, it’s comfortable, the food is good, and the neighbourhood is developing some atmosphere. A lot of people would say Marda Loop is already funky and pedestrian-friendly. Today was too cold to walk around, and I am not sure I would pick the Loop as my destination of choice for a stroll, but yes, it does have some interesting nooks and crannies.
I like The Loop Breakfast House for a casual weekday breakfast or brunch. Can’t say how it is on weekends; I don’t go out much then!
The Loop Breakfast House in Marda Loop, Calgary. Photo: Jill Browne. January 12, 2011.
403 – 802-2174
2015 – 33rd Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
11. Jan, 2011
Calgary cold snow for man, beast, cars
10. Jan, 2011
Grey again! How many days has it been?
Canola field under blue sky. Photo: Doug Bowman, CC License on Flickr.com
Monday, January 10, 2011.
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
It’s still winter. In fact I think winter is only beginning. It has its good side, winter does, but today I’m thinking of warmer things.
The cloud ceiling is still over us, and the temperature is down around -17 C.
Frost feathers starting to decorate our windows.
Makes me think back to the brilliant sunshine and the glow of the yellow canola fields.
I wrote Canola has a Glow of its Own back in those glory days of July.
09. Jan, 2011
Winter weather in Calgary turns scary overnight
The weather is only scary if you have to drive. The highway east of Calgary was shut down when I woke up this morning, and it sounds like people were stranded, cars in the ditch, people being put up in the little town of Bassano wherever they could find space. The RCMP said they would be getting out there to help people “at first light”, which I love the sound of.
Last night the wind was dramatic.
It’s grey and cloudy yet again today.
It’s actually not that bad outside now, but I’m glad I’m not going anywhere.
08. Jan, 2011
Ranger Julie
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
One of my good friends is Ranger Julie, who is a real park ranger. She got the nickname when stationed up high on a mountain in a hut, watching for avalanches and helping hikers along their way. She’s seen everything to do with hiking, I’m sure. The one story I remember is of a young Italian guy hiking in the Rockies with no food and no equipment, no tent, no sleeping bag, nothing. He didn’t realize that Canadian hiking is a little more rugged than going from hut to hut in the Alps. By the time he reached Julie’s hut he was pretty hungry!
Imagine having a job that sends you out alone on horseback with a pack horse or two, for the summer, to live alone with the hikers and the mountains. Sounds idyllic. Julie doesn’t do that now but in the past she has.
It’s bloody hard work.
She got to be a ranger by paying her dues. I think her first official parks job may have been on trail crew.
You know those trails and bridges you hike across? Trail crews go out and fix those. Sometimes when I’m crossing a bridge or walking up some impossible slope holding on to a cable, I think of the poor fearless workers who built it. Ranger Julie and her pals.
07. Jan, 2011
Lunch at Le’s Pho, Vietnamese noodles in big box store territory, Calgary
Friday, January 7, 2011
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Weather today: Around freezing and overcast all day. No sun.
There’s lots of choice for Vietnamese food in Calgary. It’s one of the cheaper lunches, and leaves you full for the rest of the day.
My friend was shopping at Best Buy and suggested we meet at the nearby Pho. It’s actually called Le’s Pho, 8180 – 11 Street SE, Calgary. Forget the address. Get to Heritage Meadows (between Deerfoot and Blackfoot, at the east end of Heritage Drive, down on the flats). The Best Buy is at the south end. Le’s Pho is across the parking lot.
I’m actually having trouble figuring out if it’s Le Pho, Le’s Pho, Le’Pho, but I know the location is right.
My friend had a big bowl of beef soup, I had the chicken on top of vermicelli. We shared an order of salad rolls. The total bill before tip was $24.05, and as far as I could tell it was a 50/50 split.
It’s one of those Vietnamese restaurants that you find all around Calgary. Though the outside is kind of featureless industrial, the inside has the unmistakable ambience of “let’s not spend a lot of money on the furniture and decor”, which is fine by me.
I’m not a connaisseur of this food. I like it once in a while, and I got what I came for. No complaints.
It was odd that the waiter didn’t want to give my friend a knife to cut the salad roll in half, though. He seemed to find the request a bit of an outrage but complied anyway.
If this map is ridiculously small, I believe you can enlarge it and it should show you where I mean. The little arrow may be on the back of the building, though. That’s just a Google Maps thing and I couldn’t change it.
jill