tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74028292012-01-27T13:45:07.231-04:00A journal of a "post-lingual acquired hearing loss in adulthood", or how I went deaf - and got a cochlear implant - at 39.ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.comBlogger9871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-66402486860294158742012-01-26T20:03:00.000-04:002012-01-26T20:03:20.496-04:00

ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-69200152950259651922012-01-19T21:25:00.001-04:002012-01-19T21:25:45.822-04:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-83277441390847893382012-01-17T19:27:00.002-04:002012-01-17T21:45:55.248-04:00

An email from dear M.E. reminded me I owe you an update on the Mojo sitch. I mentioned that he had an ultrasound; results weren't definitive. There is some thickening of his stomach lining which may have been causing his vomiting, which could possibly be cancer (!) or something else, according to the vet. She suggested a series of options, ranging from doing nothing, to doing a biopsy of the

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-22136387350823315612012-01-05T22:18:00.001-04:002012-01-05T22:20:08.633-04:00

I want to share with you a very interesting article from Havanatimes.org, a very unbiased source (overall) publishing from within Cuba. It really explains a lot about the Cuban reality through a rumination on the never-ending rumours about Fidel Castro's death that eminate - usually - from Miami's anti-Castro Cuban expatriate community. The last spate came on New Year's Eve, if I recall correctly

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-8565914786903560742012-01-01T20:01:00.001-04:002012-01-01T20:01:55.522-04:00

Some photos, with commentary, of our trip to Remedios and Santa Clara, Cuba. The most remarkable part was the trip to the Ché Guevera mausoleum and museum. All bags must be turned in at a check before entering. Absolutely no photos allowed. There is a lineup at the entrance. Tourists from all over the world. For some it's a stop on a guided tour. For some it's a pilgrimage. You tour the museum

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-54762685842154161812011-12-29T20:25:00.000-04:002012-01-01T17:11:39.129-04:00

I'm finally getting around to organizing some photos from our last trip to Cuba. In the meantime, here are a couple of videos I took on our tour of Remedios and Santa Clara. This is a pan around the Remedios town square.The large yellow church is Iglesia Mayor of San Juan Bautista, which contains 13 stunning gold altars inside (no inside photography, unfortunately). It is a feast for the eyes

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-704858311770298922011-12-28T22:17:00.001-04:002011-12-28T22:38:59.310-04:00

see more Meme Animals I should clarify that this is Condescending Literary Pun dog. Hence the condescending literary pun. Which made me laugh. ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-20000515928258954162011-12-24T19:40:00.002-04:002011-12-24T19:40:48.946-04:00

NORAD tracks Santa. I've written before about what this means to me. Enjoy. Merry Christmas. ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-29912830456531574692011-12-19T21:38:00.000-04:002011-12-19T22:12:12.186-04:00

Christmas has, as I posted on Twitter, not so much snuck up on me since returning from Cuba as it has snuck up on me in a dark alley, beaten me up and given me a wedgie. However, I will be taking the week between Christmas and New Year's off and expect to catch up on a LOT of online stuff then. Until then, enjoy this video Husband took last night as we were putting up the Christmas tree. He was

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-27658772922686651302011-12-09T19:55:00.001-04:002011-12-09T20:24:09.849-04:00

As some of you have surmised, we have been away for awhile (last week to be precise). This time we stayed on Cayo Ensenachos, part of the Jardins del Rey Archipelago which we have now visited three times. We noticed big, big changes to the region and the towns we visited and passed through on this visit. We also hired a car and spent some quality time in Remedios and - finally! - two years after

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-64031018155329425092011-12-02T21:54:00.000-04:002011-12-02T21:54:00.061-04:00

Oh boy. Just this: Classic album covers reimagined with kittens. The "London Calling" cover may become my new avatar, everywhere.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-13453466670993567802011-11-30T20:00:00.000-04:002011-11-30T20:00:03.690-04:00

Business Cat has a request.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-81066220218498916252011-11-28T22:19:00.001-04:002011-11-28T22:19:00.100-04:00

This is Oskar, the blind kitty. (He was born without formed eyes.)This is Oskar, the blind kitty, playing with toys for the first time.http://youtu.be/lNpeTCEPrRkThe balls have bells in them.Watch that, and tell me it didn't move you.Oskar is learning to play.Oskar is a very lucky kitty."Ring the bells that still can ringForget your perfect offeringThere is a crack in everythingThat's how the

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-21675386646837977732011-11-15T21:03:00.005-04:002011-11-15T21:29:38.258-04:00

He's so present. He wakes us up at 6:30 a.m., not having gotten the memo about the time change. He does this on the weekends now, as well, having discovered that he needs hooman assistance to access teh wet food. Husband (who can go back to sleep after being awakened) heroically goes downstairs to feed him, knowing that I cannot go back to sleep after being awakened.He follows us everywhere. He

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-38491511299743742052011-11-14T12:37:00.000-04:002011-11-14T16:34:06.776-04:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-22975102865099107812011-11-05T19:43:00.002-03:002011-11-05T19:46:25.802-03:00

If cats could text message, this is exactly what they'd text like.Click through the episodes at the top to see what happens when Louis finally gets the hang of this thing. I LOL'd.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-30871196684828679382011-11-02T23:31:00.005-03:002011-11-03T19:11:53.932-03:00

Reformed skinhead endures agony to remove tattoos http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45095048/ns/today-today_health/t/reformed-skinhead-endures-agony-remove-tattoos/#.TrBaUlapokUDon't even know what to say except: there is hope for all of us. There really is, even the worst of us. I wish this family well.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-49558955641380540832011-11-02T21:32:00.003-03:002011-11-02T21:42:47.413-03:00

Enjoy this video courtesy of the Deaf Professional Arts Network, of adorable kids signing a White Stripes song. I've always said that, speaking English, with forays into French, Spanish and ASL, that ASL was by far the most expressive and enjoyable language I ever "spoke". This video shows a little bit of why.In case you're wondering, deaf people listen to music by putting speakers face-down on

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-84514736563878674142011-10-20T14:31:00.006-03:002011-10-20T22:18:51.239-03:00

I had my cataract surgery yesterday. I couldn't tell you about it because I have been kind of, well, vibrating. I have been experiencing anxiety about it for months now, escalating into sheer terror in the last couple of weeks. Everybody from my optometrist (who discovered the cataract) to the ophthalmologist (who would do the surgery) to everyone online who had experienced it described it as "a

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-33139600612670511242011-10-16T20:57:00.003-03:002011-10-16T21:04:39.564-03:00

Thanks to Brian Fies of The Fies Files who forwarded me this very moving video of a 29-year-old woman, deaf from birth, having her cochlear implant activated.When I got activated, everybody in the room cried, including the audiologist. She told me that everyone who does this keeps a box of tissues on their desk. In fact, that was one of the first full sentences I heard.Brian wondered how she

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-31155593702378576442011-10-13T20:49:00.003-03:002011-10-13T20:54:14.263-03:00

Borrowed from Timothy McSweeney's blog:Reasons to Fear Canada.BY Sean Carman- - - -Ninety percent of population is massed within 100 miles of northern American border.Seems not to mind that one of its provinces has turned almost entirely French.Excessive politeness only makes sense as cover for something truly sinister. But what?Citizens seem strangely impervious to cold.Decriminalization of

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-18177319022446208412011-10-12T18:30:00.001-03:002011-10-13T19:33:36.997-03:00

Husband is using an iPhone app called "Instagram" which allows users to apply filters to photographs to create striking effects, then post them online. He adjusted the photo above which I took and which was much drearier and more boring before he worked on it. Here's a couple more of his best Instagrammed photos:http://instagr.am/p/P6qHn/http://instagr.am/p/PR5KH/ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-18160671430717132002011-10-01T18:02:00.005-03:002011-10-13T21:40:14.452-03:00

Thank you to Mike, over at The Nellie Blog, who directed me to this hilarious video of some very bad lipreading. I told him this is why I never learned the skill.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-71578354099523285342011-09-27T21:33:00.000-03:002011-09-27T21:35:05.648-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-74897256498204535702011-09-18T16:31:00.001-03:002011-09-18T19:50:01.964-03:00

...of the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival. Fun being had by all!This was the Rebirth Brass Band.

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-70681111745883115162011-09-17T16:33:00.000-03:002011-09-17T17:13:36.854-03:00

Next we're going to see Taj Mahal at the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival!

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-45741673375945461692011-09-10T19:41:00.001-03:002011-09-10T19:50:40.636-03:00

This itty-bitty chopper carries 4 people!For more photos from today's Helifest at Fredericton airport, check out my twitter feed from today, or this video of one of the choppers taking off. That's a Sea King it disappears behind temporarily. I'll post some photos to flikr, tomorrow prolly. Fun day!ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-24428419209906459682011-09-07T22:23:00.000-03:002011-09-07T22:25:17.669-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-17391518143846588592011-09-05T18:32:00.005-03:002011-09-05T22:31:12.727-03:00

Thanks to Mike of The Nellie Blog for passing along a link to this excellent article and short film about the changes to Cuba's economy from Al Jazeera, of all places.Couple of observations:Everybody - and I mean everybody, including kids - always had some kind of a sideline going. I don't think I've ever met a Cuban who wasn't giving informal tours, running an illegal taxi service, selling

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-79372163405580629632011-09-05T13:37:00.000-03:002011-09-05T14:47:44.092-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-79342297752587688642011-08-06T15:04:00.000-03:002011-08-06T15:51:19.728-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-20656486886108053232011-08-01T19:23:00.009-03:002011-08-01T19:59:00.177-03:00

Today was New Brunswick Day, a civic holiday (every province and territory has some version of this).The day started off with an anti-fracking protest at the legislature. Fracking is a huge issue here right now, with gas companies moving in and doing seismic testing, the broke province eyeing the gas companies' fat chequebooks, and citizens freaking out over the stories they're hearing from

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-16244275456398064252011-07-31T15:00:00.000-03:002011-07-31T15:01:11.806-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-81151126254702964632011-07-31T14:42:00.000-03:002011-07-31T15:00:00.440-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-74483776357243610192011-07-28T13:11:00.002-03:002011-07-28T19:58:53.844-03:00

Thanks for playing. I was in Florenceville-Bristol (used to be Florenceville; they just amalgamated with the village over), NB, named for Florence Nightingale (srsly), French Fry Capital of the World and the world headquarters of McCain Foods, inventors and purveyors of frozen french fries (among thousands of other foodstuffs around the world). If you've eaten a McDonald's fry, you've eaten a

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-89312077981627926202011-07-27T21:46:00.003-03:002011-07-27T22:10:19.928-03:00

I'm sorry for neglecting my blog for so long. It's summer, y'know, and things slip by. You spend many more evenings on patios than on the laptop. I mean, it's Canada! We only get summer for 5 minutes!But things have happened. Mojo lost a few ounces of weight during his weekly weigh-ins when he gets sub-q fluid, so we have doubled-down on trying to feed him several meals a day. (He throws up one

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-74942095895705294452011-07-15T17:59:00.001-03:002011-07-15T18:01:54.467-03:00

DJ Pussycat layin' down the beats...ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-15026042683005773112011-07-12T21:54:00.005-03:002011-07-13T21:42:26.073-03:00

For the benefit of Mojo's fans, a video.He's acting sprightly for a sick kitty. He's having some problems (he needs to be fed very small meals repeatedly throughout the day and is having weekly sub-q fluid injections). But you'd hardly know it from his overall demeanour.He's also blogged about it himself. He's coming back to blogging after the loss of his sister and getting sick himself. Slowly.

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-81612907417757347472011-07-10T23:14:00.003-03:002011-07-10T23:18:16.346-03:00

In honour of the last space shuttle flight, let us all remember:ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-23937989430188286452011-07-08T22:37:00.003-03:002011-07-08T22:41:44.451-03:00

The interior of the Discovery Shuttle cockpit. In panoramic surround-view.There ya go. Look around. Make yourselves comfortable.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-76267885011387436102011-06-19T20:47:00.003-03:002011-06-19T20:51:42.159-03:00

One of the funniest LOLcats I've ever seen. Probably just me. We didn't have call-and-response in the evangelical fundamentalist church I was raised in, and I always liked that part of the ritual while attending Anglican services for baptisms or weddings or whatall with Husband's family. I found it absolutely hilarious that the logical LOLcat "response" would be "srsly".ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-74499001578633448702011-06-17T14:53:00.001-03:002011-06-17T14:53:16.015-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-46252176056951425532011-06-15T21:41:00.005-03:002011-06-16T20:57:25.188-03:00

Mojo had his first administration of sub-cutaneous fluid yesterday, to relieve the symptoms of his CRF.It couldn't possibly have gone better. The vet tech used an enormous, absolutely terrifying syringe instead of using an IV line, which meant that the process took a few minutes as opposed to the 20 minutes or so that a small needle and an IV bag take.Mojo didn't blink, didn't flinch, didn't

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-27126193325089036052011-06-15T19:51:00.004-03:002011-06-15T19:59:08.202-03:00

Sherwood? Sherwood Harrington, is that YOU in the Daquiri Bar at the Gran Caribe Playa Blanca hotel in Cuba?Tricksy thing! You trimmed your beard but I still recognized you!I've posted a few more photos from the trip to flickr:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronniecat/sets/72157626971251724/Photos of this trip seem to be dripping out like a leaky faucet but I guess we've posted about all that's new

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-17086289987004741952011-06-11T20:58:00.003-03:002011-06-11T21:09:49.289-03:00

Still playing with the new video cams. This is just a little video of me and Mojo noodling around the back yard on a sunny Saturday after watching Husband put some tomato plants in containers.As you can see, I tried to discourage him from eating grass, which he managed to do anyway, so he threw up 10 seconds after going inside. Ah well, it was worth it to see him continuing to enjoy life. He's

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-49587837389867234532011-06-08T21:56:00.001-03:002011-06-09T01:00:25.648-03:00

I tell you truly, I've seen stores selling these weird animal face hats in Winnipeg, Regina, Toronto (Pearson), Montreal (Trudeau), and Ottawa airports recently. What is up with it? Travelers from warmer climes, arriving in winter, especially immigrants, I could understand. You're going to need headgear to go out into that. But why not a shop selling hearty old toques? What are these hats with

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-7392951164299321822011-06-07T18:53:00.001-03:002011-06-07T18:53:47.883-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-24583492886712134292011-06-02T19:47:00.002-03:002011-06-02T19:53:54.357-03:00

Photographed and explained better than I ever could, the awesome iguanas of Cayo Largo.Iguanas are adorable, except when they're not, and they hiss! at you.I always defer to them. Just like the cucarachas and the snakes, they were there first.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-2705269318238927282011-05-31T17:09:00.001-03:002011-05-31T17:09:39.477-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-3556672914780172982011-05-21T18:54:00.003-03:002011-05-21T21:41:19.926-03:00

Mojo the cat runs up the stairs faster than any cat has ever done. EverI should let any readers of this blog who don't know that Mojo blogs - sporadically, and with very poor spelling - at http://iam-mojo.livejournal.com/ . I should also mention that thanks to the late Raul, The Black Freighter, that he is suffering under the delusion that he is the Commandante en Jefe of Cuba.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-12046581828762783162011-05-20T20:56:00.003-03:002011-05-20T21:19:45.895-03:00

It's been a week now since I got the new processor. And it's been challenging.Just hearing has been harder. I managed to navigate Halifax, but didn't have to have a lot of interactions with people. I couldn't make out the car radio on the drive home Saturday, no matter how loud I turned it up. When I got home, I had trouble understanding Husband. When I got to work on Monday, I had trouble

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-8634848805510463012011-05-16T19:44:00.006-03:002011-05-16T22:19:38.182-03:00

I could write a lengthy blog post about my reaction when I read this post by a blogger who is grieving the loss of a member of her online community, but I don't think I need to, because I suspect all of you will have exactly the same reactions and feelings I did upon reading it.The saddest part of the story is what this fine man kept private about his circumstances; and the wrenching sadness of

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-32464198154678016342011-05-13T18:57:00.003-03:002011-05-13T19:12:23.351-03:00

Blogger went into lockdown - sorry, "read-only"- mode yesterday, having lost a bunch of posts and a bunch of related comments. This was distressing to me, as I had not been able to read the 3 comments that had been left on my last significant blog post (the one about my trip to Halifax and my related nerves) - the list of websites blocked at work is mysterious and random, and I can see my blog

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-17748530895962884952011-05-13T18:45:00.001-03:002011-05-13T18:45:35.029-03:00

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-30321332341830623752011-05-11T20:37:00.000-03:002011-05-13T17:37:44.654-03:00

I've already told you that Mojo is doing well, and thank Bast for that.I'll be heading to Halifax on Friday to get my new CI processor programmed. This was supposed to also be a getaway weekend for Husband and me; with Mojo so recently coming out of a bad spell and a diagnosis of kidney disease, it's going to be a solo trip for me while Husband keeps a close eye on The Boy. Too nervous still with

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-40952410177038168812011-05-05T19:41:00.005-03:002011-05-07T20:10:31.800-03:00

The weather here is shite today, cold and pouring, and I conducted a focus group which did not go at all well, which made it all the more apropos that an eye examination revealed that I have a posterior subcapsular cataract in my bad eye and will need surgery (while I'm awake, for chrissakes) to remove it, and Mojo, who we took to the vet last week because he was out of sorts, is probably in the

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-69149173702001702512011-04-30T22:15:00.005-03:002011-04-30T22:23:54.816-03:00

As we head Monday into our third federal election in five years, this video from the UK (where they're about to have a referendum on Alternative Voting) is fodder for thought in Catnada.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-79138398117457540032011-04-23T22:30:00.001-03:002011-04-23T22:31:56.375-03:00

While I sort out my Cuba photos...see more Political Pictures

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-70828971942459836122011-04-18T18:44:00.004-03:002011-04-18T20:59:04.810-03:00

Mike Peterson, who knows I don't follow American football news much - or, in fact, ever - alerted me to this great article about NFL players donating their time to work with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide hearing aids for Rwandans. (I almost forgot - check out Mike's Comic Strip of the Day website, with insightful commentary on current comic strips and panels. You won't be disappointed

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-48415570244205561222011-04-17T19:09:00.004-03:002011-04-18T20:19:13.062-03:00

Flew in last night via Montréal - the First Officer came on over the intercom to tell us that the Canadiens had beaten the rival Bruins in their second playoff game, to general applause - and on to Fredericton this morning. How can two weeks of doing nothing leave you so tired? If I was any tireder, I'd have to be twins.Sleep now, details later (now! with more iguanas!)ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-7555491305358580662011-03-28T19:49:00.005-03:002011-03-28T22:28:33.603-03:00

So that's it. All the research and legwork done and paperwork secured and financing arranged and it's ordered from Global Hearing Aid Clinic as of 4:30 pm today.A bit of a shock when I called up: the person I had initially spoken to had transposed two numbers in the price. The kit isn't $6850. It's $8650. I know that for once the error was hers, not mine: "six thousand" sounds NOTHING like "eight

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-84813244611157091532011-03-25T22:23:00.002-03:002011-03-25T22:27:53.450-03:00

Brent McKee reminds me that, as the Canadian gov'mint once again falls on a vote of non-confidence, that Mojo should watch himself. Because you never know when a gov'mint can fall on a poor kitty's haid.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-1264934900745458502011-03-25T22:10:00.002-03:002011-03-25T22:16:50.518-03:00

I did not know this lady well. I heard her speak many times at conferences, as her field of study and my professional track crossed many times in our small province, and our small Atlantic region. I believe I may have also heard her speak at national conferences. So respected was her research.I spoke to her directly once or perhaps twice, after one of those presentations, thanking her for sharing

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-26733847853628751732011-03-23T19:33:00.003-03:002011-03-23T19:55:38.156-03:00

A tweet alerted me to this wonderful blog post by a woman whose husband became a Canadian Citizen yesterday.I've attended a lot of citizenship ceremonies and she captures the experience nicely. The only part she left out is that there is always a Mountie in full red serge in attendance, and everyone - everyone - insists on having their picture taken with the Mountie. It's very sweet, too.And that

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-15593974310197093882011-03-19T20:06:00.006-03:002011-03-19T22:01:36.555-03:00

This is supposed to be a blog about hearing loss and cochlear implants, isn't it? I nearly forgot.I've had my CI processor for just a month under 6 years now, and it's starting to show serious signs of wear.A small piece of plastic chipped off the spot where the headpiece wire goes into the processor proper; and now the wire slips and I have to push it back in once or twice a day. When that

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-56169718964577708732011-03-15T19:07:00.000-03:002011-03-15T22:14:07.602-03:00

We searched all over the internet for the "right" place for Veronica's remains. We found what we were looking for at a company in Minnesota, of all places, which doesn't normally ship to Canada, but who will if you phone them up and make special arrangements. And the customer service lady will call you "hon" all the way through the phone conversation, just like she did with Husband.We wanted

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-75243540901573662962011-03-05T21:00:00.003-04:002011-03-05T21:16:12.575-04:00

Thanks to Mike, who alerted me to this addition to the always-entertaining Medium Large blog through his (Mike's) much-worth-following Comic Strip of the Day blog.There are several takes on this at Medium Large - check the links at the end - but this one struck me as the funniest.I don't know what I think of Charlie Sheen's prolonged and very public meltdown. At first I thought it was drugs (

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-69815218746757966392011-03-03T21:51:00.001-04:002011-03-03T21:53:48.929-04:00

It's only a matter of time.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-20030296380931824272011-03-01T20:07:00.003-04:002011-03-01T20:09:12.788-04:00

Maybe I should tell him I have the laser pointer...ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-85676991813514609842011-02-26T19:50:00.008-04:002011-02-26T20:25:50.219-04:00

Sorry for not posting lately. It has been a very hard couple of months.Of course there was losing Veronica, which affected both of us in ways we didn't expect and which still leaves a constant sadness in our hearts which flares up into surprising pain unexpectedly now and then.Workloads have been heavier than usual for both of us. And both of our workplaces are undergoing change and upheaval in

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-41313808398853845672011-02-16T22:56:00.000-04:002011-02-16T22:57:43.907-04:00

getting there,ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-44146626808668919672011-02-08T20:41:00.005-04:002011-02-08T20:57:14.690-04:00

On the same day I shot the video in the last post, a particularly close friend :) was also filming much better footage, and created this poignant short film. Which I hope is nominated for a Gemini, and an Oscar, and anything else they care to throw at it.It's been that kind of winter.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-7300448343638540342011-02-02T20:50:00.003-04:002011-02-02T20:52:20.592-04:00

Walking home in Fredericton's 4th snowstorm in as many weeks... Blizzardy! It was snowing really hard when I took this but it was a fine snow and you can't really see it in this grainy cellphone video. Ah well, Husband requested snowy video so here it is!

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-35997100455281971582011-01-31T19:48:00.003-04:002011-01-31T19:55:22.805-04:00

I think we could all use a little distraction. Desperately, actually.The United Kingdom (and other bits and bobs) explained.The United Kingdom Explained from Colin Grey on Vimeo.Everyone clear?ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-6011327542080900442011-01-24T19:27:00.007-04:002011-01-24T19:35:06.354-04:00

Photo above: the best place in the world.Those of you in the previous post's comment thread who said she would let us know when it was time were right. She declined rapidly over Saturday night and Sunday.We took her to the vet today at 1:00. The staff were gentle and professional and caring and made it as easy as such a terrible thing can be. She was very quiet and peaceful, and the last words

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-69503583631229897322011-01-22T21:53:00.001-04:002011-01-22T22:14:44.694-04:00

Veronica is coming to the end of her life. I am not going to catalogue the myriad symptoms - it's too depressing and sad, and a majority of my small group of readers have gone through the process before and know them all by heart anyway. Disinterest in food, etc. etc.We took her to the vet last Friday - a week and a day ago - and she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. The vet gave us

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-33907541434880320202011-01-17T20:19:00.008-04:002011-01-17T21:29:06.599-04:00

Sometimes, the sheer gasping stupidity of people just stops me dead in my tracks and words fail me. So if this post doesn't seem terribly clever or coherent, forgive.Some people have been critical of the President's speech at a Memorial Service for the victims of the Tucson shooting last week. Apparently (I didn't watch the speech) there was cheering on the part of University of Arizona students,

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-61058732604133270332011-01-17T19:18:00.005-04:002011-01-17T19:57:42.192-04:00

Any guesses?This was filmed in Yellowknife, in the far north, but -30 is by no means unheard of in lower Canada. We'll get a dozen or so -30 days each winter, and four or five -40, for that matter. Perhaps we'll try this next time. Perhaps we'll cower inside instead.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-68373759144594631402011-01-07T20:19:00.003-04:002011-01-07T20:40:38.490-04:00

Well, then there was Christmas (which was wonderful), and then there was Boxing Day, and then there was New Year's (both nice), and then there was the crushingly depressing arrival of true winter with pitch-black mornings and double-digit-below-zero temperatures (not so much). So I've been away from blogging for a little while.I'll be back, but in the meantime, I've discovered a really wonderful

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-63011822052684581262010-12-23T21:16:00.002-04:002010-12-23T21:46:02.984-04:00

I don't believe I can improve on the post I made 5 years ago about NORAD tracking, and reporting on, Santa's flight for 55 years now. I willl suggest to all of you to share the amazing experience of tracking Santa live online with whatever littles are in your survey on Christmas Eve. Or, dammit, just follow him yourself. Be good, for goodness' sake.One significant change I've noticed: When I was

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-81762199939412619042010-12-16T20:50:00.006-04:002010-12-16T21:06:39.885-04:00

On his journal, Roger Ebert (worth reading any time in any form - his reviews, journal or twitter feed) has a wonderful post in response to an email sent to him by a man who, like Ebert, has lost his ability to speak.When I went deaf, the most unexpected, profound and painful side effect was the isolation and the resulting frustration. It's unintentional on the part of your coworkers, family,

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-9238655280191405042010-12-11T20:22:00.004-04:002010-12-11T20:38:10.346-04:00

Purity is a venerable old Newfoundland company. They make various types of biscuits and crackers (including hard tack), cookies, and also lots of delicious candies. (As an aside, when I was working at the immigrant-serving agency, I would bring in Jam-Jams to share. For some reason, people from China just loved the Jam-Jams. Just loved them.) Newfoundlanders living away crave their Purity

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-75071151057308040222010-12-07T21:08:00.006-04:002010-12-07T21:27:38.956-04:00

We got a perfect picture of both of the cats on Santa's lap at the Fredericton SPCA's "Pet Photos with Santa" fundraiser.That was about, oh, five years ago.Since then it's been a bit of a stickier wicket. They're older, bigger, crankier. They still treat the event with complete aplomb, ignoring great slobbering dogs and wriggling ferrets. But familiarity breeds contempt. They will not settle down

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-10670043563189777212010-12-01T21:24:00.006-04:002010-12-01T22:19:02.688-04:00

Yup. No American investment in Cuba. Verboten!This photo was taken at the duty-free store at the airport in Varadero.We also saw Red Bull everywhere this time. "Heche en Austria" of all places!The work-around is always that the product is actually manufactured in a third country. Coca-cola is "heche en Mexico". Jesse Helms is dead. Does Dan Burton know about this?Because Blogger makes posting

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-12639833524741757942010-11-21T16:51:00.016-04:002010-11-25T22:04:03.226-04:00

We took a scooter tour of Santa Cruz del Norte, a town about 1/2 hour from the resort. There were five or six of us plus our guide.Santa Cruz del Norte is a fishing community situated on a river; it's also home to the country's largest rum distillery, about which more later.This is the monument to Cuba's greatest cultural, social and political hero, José Martí.He was critical to shaping Fidel

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-77572379468783394982010-11-19T20:43:00.002-04:002010-11-19T20:52:42.422-04:00

This day the rat was the windshield. Viewing a very surprised clowder of cats.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-27703400556397253752010-11-15T21:02:00.003-04:002010-11-15T21:08:59.126-04:00

Our seventh trip.This photo was taken in Santa Cruz del Norte. Yes, this was our seventh trip, but this time we saw things we had never seen before, and really got a glimpse of the real lives of Cubans. Unfortunately I came back to a very intense work situation that will eat up pretty much all of my time, including evenings, for the next several days - but much more to come later.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-80807646953973871082010-11-14T16:18:00.004-04:002010-11-14T16:25:52.387-04:00

An 8-month old deaf baby reacts to having his cochlear implant activated.Such a look on his face! Thanks to Mary Ellen for sharing.(I had no idea they did them that young - they must lose the bits and pieces constantly.)ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-86242584092209690282010-11-01T22:28:00.001-03:002010-11-01T22:29:59.634-03:00

see more Failbookronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-72170703614966627702010-10-28T20:09:00.003-03:002010-10-28T20:13:57.066-03:00

see more Oddly SpecificKeep calm and carry on.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-33947051717325255942010-10-28T19:26:00.002-03:002010-10-28T19:34:24.594-03:00

Juan Williams gets nervous when he sees people on an airplane wearing "Muslim garb".If you do, too, here is a handy blog that posts pictures of Muslim people wearing things.Forewarned is forearmed. You're welcome.ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-29731792006979895912010-10-16T21:39:00.001-03:002010-10-16T21:41:00.344-03:00

see more Oddly Specificronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-2765396143843463092010-10-15T20:06:00.004-03:002010-10-15T20:24:34.387-03:00

Dan Savage, with his boyfriend, has initiated the "It Gets Better" video channel. It's a campaign to have lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual people post videos explaining to LGTB and just plain bullied youth that school bullying doesn't last forever, and it does get better - if you can just stick it out. It's in response to a sad spate of bullied teenagers recently committing suicide rather

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-51364466448750230332010-10-14T19:59:00.002-03:002010-10-14T20:02:56.280-03:00

Good ol' Aislin :)ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-22461940000489756282010-10-12T21:09:00.004-03:002010-10-14T20:02:03.497-03:00

They're starting the Chilean miner rescue.I'm astonished at how well the whole thing has been handled since they managed to reach the trapped miners. Really, the Chileans and their international partners have done everything so, so, so well. Especially tending to the psychological well-being of the miners. Anyone who's been following the story in the media will know what I mean.I was astonished

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-46559009751650585762010-10-11T22:04:00.002-03:002010-10-11T22:13:20.707-03:00

To say the least! So much so that even after now with my CI, Husband and I text about 90% more often than we actually call. Email didn't hurt, either. A friend said to me once that I was so lucky to have gone deaf when I did. That was true. I only had to use a clumsy TTY device twice or three times while completely deaf. Text messaging and email have opened so, so many doors for the deaf. Video

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-14318499405552382452010-10-10T21:14:00.003-03:002010-10-10T21:29:13.036-03:00

So much to be thankful for.Just had a wonderful meal at the Beaverbrook Crowne Plaza with Mom O, Husband, brother-in-law, and a niece (from Ontario, attending University in NB) and a nephew (little guy, brother-in-law's son, one of my favourites). A collection of odds and sods; families evolve. The food was exquisite. Nephew had the turkey dinner. I opted for the New World Coquilles St. Jacques.

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-17115336509938114412010-10-09T22:06:00.004-03:002010-10-09T22:11:51.061-03:00

Found this in my local paper this morning. Alan Able is a dual US/Canadian citizen and well known journalist in this country who writes a weekly column on the view from Washington D.C.Most disconcerting to read over the scrambled eggs and sausage. Between the recent rise in Islamophobia and this, what is going on down there?worriedly,ronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-24535281556304433662010-10-05T20:00:00.000-03:002010-10-05T20:01:45.427-03:00

see more Oddly Specificronnie

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7402829.post-49738824846913318632010-09-30T18:24:00.006-03:002010-09-30T21:51:57.114-03:00

Or, as I call it, Heaven. Score 1 new Habs t-shirt for ronniecat.Curious - while they had a whole bank of ladies' tees with players' names on the back, the one name I wanted - Halak - has been expunged completely. I'm about 3 months late for that one. Even a joke about finding one in a back room got only a terse twitch of the lips. As you can see, it was pouring apocalyptically. Always seems to

ronniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044863062652781155noreply@blogger.com2