It's been raining all day and I don't mean it rained and stop then started again. Nope, it literally rained all day and it's pouring as I write this. In fact it's not only pouring but it's very windy.

It is so windy I am sitting here wondering if the windy is going to knock the glass out. I am enjoying it though, but then I have always loved a good storm. Not that I consider this to be a storm. This is relatively mild compare to some of the stuff we see in the Caribbean.

Reminds me of the day I first landed in Canada, 6 /1/2 years ago and a day very much like today. It was also a Saturday. It was raining, overcast and looked somewhat bleak and depressing, much like today.

The only difference is that back then I was new to the country and knew almost next to no one. So it wasn't so much fun as it is now. To make it worst it  was in April and  it was foggy for quite a bit, the day after and I wasn't use to seen everything around looking so dead and lifeless.

Being from the Caribbean even on stormy days, it doesn't look so depressing. In fact it's quite exciting, may be scary for some, but never depressing. Here it's different. It can look very depressing, I guess because all I see around me are buildings and streets and yes a few trees.

In the Caribbean specifically Jamaica you see the mountains all around you, trees and yes building but it doesn't look so much like a concrete jungle. Even in Barbados which is quite flat its beautiful to watch, listen and even feel the storm's energy.

Anyway, as I was saying before I went off into wonderland...it's been raining and very windy here all day. Nevertheless I decided to brave the elements and walk to the library which isn't too far away, about a 8 minutes leisurely walk.

Why I always do these crazy things is beyond me. Reminds me of when I tried walking in a snow storm to the library but that's a different story. So I merrily walked to the library with my backpack, skipping over puddles and hanging on to my umbrella with both hands so as not to lose it.

I got to the library ok, returned some books and collected the CDs and books I had on hold. I even found a new Stuart Wood,  Stone Barrington book which I also borrowed.  I didn't stayed too long or browse which I would normally do, but only because I already had several books at home and another 7 I was checking out. I didn't want to be tempted.

Even though I had to struggle against the wind, I almost got home in perfectly good shape when it happened. I was a few feet away from the door of my condo building when a heavy gust of wind flipped my brolly over with such a force the darn thing hit me in the face, on my nose. For a minute I thought it was broken.

You should have seen me with my face all scrunched up and checking to see if it was broken, but I am very happy to say it's ok. Just a tad bit sore and of course it aggravated the headache I have been having since yesterday.

All in all though, my rainy adventure to the library went well and I gotta say it was quite fun to walk in the rain, day dreaming about all sorts of wonderful things. No I am not going to write about my day dreams and don't ask because I won't tell either:)

I wonder what mischief I will get up to next? Until next time...

I finally figured out what is wrong with my fish, they have ich. I didn't realized it before because the symptoms were not clear. This morning I discovered they are now covered in white spots, the 3 that's left of the 6 that is.

Yep I lost 3 fish and I doubt the others will survive. In any event I decided to raise the temperature in the tank before I decide to use the ich treatment which I do have. It's just that I hate to use chemicals in my tank. So I will watch to see what happens in the next couple of days.

What's also unfortunate about this whole thing is that I had recently bought some White Cloud Minnows and added them to the tank. Will see if they survive too.

If I lose all my Goldfish, I think I will switch to warm water tropical fish. That way I can have a variety of species in the tank and more plants. Also I think they may be easier to are for. Will see how it goes in the next couple of days.

So there folks, another depressing tale of aquarium life. Hopefully my next writing will be something more positive.

Ciao for now.

Are there days when you felt like you were jinxed, when everything seems to go wrong? Well this week sure feels that way.

On Tuesday, I noticed that my almost brand new vacuum (a few months) old was not working as it should. I checked it only to realized that it didn't have the power it was suppose to. I checked the hose and it isn't blocked.

Ok so that's one thing, I figured what the heck I will have to buy another no big deal or rather it's not that big a deal. As I like to say, it could be worse.

So I am going along merrily and watching my fish swim around which as I mentioned before gives me a lot of peace. Only I noticed, only 2 of them are swimming and not so good either. Once again, my fish appears to be sick and I have no clue what it is, except it appears to be a swim bladder problem.

Only it's hard to believe that they could all be suffering from swim bladder. I did a 10% water change to be on the safe side on Tuesday and  I did the same on Wednesday. I also stop feeling them.

Today when I came home, one of the Calico Fantail was dead which I expected given that he was really sick. One of the Gold fantail is well on his way to dying and 2 are not far behind. So far I have 2 that seems to be recovering and swimming around.

Yesterday I introduced into the tank, a school of 10 White Cloud Mountain Minnows that I had bought on Tuesday. I didn't want to but I couldn't keep them in the bowl for too long since they need space. The good news is that they seem to be doing well.

In fact I notice that there is a pair that behaves really weird in a funny way...they keep racing each other from one end of the tank to the other and back and seems to be trying to out do each other. Very funny to sit and watch:)

Anyway, so having dealt with a problem vacuum and dying fish, I thought ok that's it, all I have to do is buy a new vacuum and some fish. Oh no, that wasn't just it.

Today at lunch time I decide to go shopping to buy a birthday gift for a friend and I figured I would take my iPod (60Gb) and listen to some music while I try and figure out what to get her, a stressful task since I hate shopping.

So I turned on my iPod and I couldn't believe my eyes, I got the sad smiley iPod face that tells you something is wrong. The darn thing wouldn't boot up. So I figured ok when I get home I would connect it to my PC and hope for the best. I got home and did just that, only to have the darn thing die completely.

So now I will  need to a new music player, on top of the vacuum and the fish. I still say it could be worse right? Although I jokingly told my colleagues not to let me touch them, since of late everything I touch seem to die:)

I will now have to figure out what kind of vacuum to buy since I am not buying back the one I have now (Dirt Devil Breeze) and also if I want to buy an iPod or a Zune. The music player is easier to figure out than the vacuum especially because I like shopping for gadgets, just about the only thing I like to shop for.

I must confess that I am really leaning towards the Zune for several reasons:

1. It has a much bigger screen
2. It has FM Radio
3. It has wireless which I am hoping Microsoft will open some day to allow us to connect to the Internet.
4. I am very disappointed that my iPod died only after 3 years of owning it.

Anyway, so there it is folks, the story of my week so far. Let's hope it gets better and that nothing else dies. I am just happy tomorrow is Friday and I can relax on the weekend.

Have a good weekend and walk good!

This last  week has been sad, I lost a very dear and good friend to pancreatic cancer. After 2 years fighting the disease, and believe me she put on a darn good fight, she finally gave up on Oct 31.

During the last 2 years she was so strong and very cheerful. I remember a group of us went to visit her in August and she was so happy to see us.  Her only concern was that she couldn't cook for us, to which we told her not to worry we were just happy to be with her.

The last thing she said to me via email was "Doing good. It was good seeing you guys. Come again." We had planned to go back and cook for her but it just wasn't to be.

So, yesterday we celebrated her life and said good bye. What a celebration it was too. The service was packed to overflowing, which only speaks of how many who knew her loved her. She was such a wonderful person, full of life and joy, but most of all just a really good person to those who crossed her path.

So it is with sadness I say goodbye, I will miss you, but I am happy that you are no longer suffering. I will remember the good times, the walks we use to go for during lunch time, our lunch time conversations and just sitting having a meal together. 

"Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you
Until we meet again!"
~Author Unknown

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
  a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.