The Canadian dollar is at $0.986 US today. Hey, 98.6, it’s good to have you back again.
I remember, as a child, the dollar used to be close to the US dollar. We would often seen ‘at par’ signs in Fargo and Grand Forks when on holidays. Comics used to be 25 cents, 30 cents, even ‘still only 35 cents’ and it didn’t matter which side of the border you were on.
Later, the dollar slipped, and comics would have two prices, a US price and, in tiny print, a higher Canadian one. In my early trips to Gencon, the dollar was firmly fixed in the .60s and you had to really work out whether it really was a good deal, especially since the weekend limit was only $50. It was like having metric money – with $1 US being worth $1.6 Canadian.
Last year, with the dollar in the upper .80s, the wife was buying books in the US on holidays as it was cheaper paying the regular US price than paying the higher Canadian price at home. This year, at almost par, the math becomes very easy on looking at the deals and with the limit raised to $200, it becomes dangerous.
I remember the last trip back from Gencon, and we were close to the limit, depending on how the dollar had done over the week. We pulled up to the border and the Custom’s officer asked us, “Just the four of you?”
It took me a second to realize that the kids also counted towards our limit. “Yes, yes indeed.”
A happy TLAP day to all of you scurvy dogs out there.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Fly like the Windstar
So, it’s become that time again. We need to buy a newer vehicle. We have two vehicles right now – a Ford Crown Victoria and a Mercury Grand Marquis. The Crown Vic has been out of service for a while now – some problem with the electrical system. The Grand Marquis is fading fast. Both are well over ten years old, we got them as hand-me-downs from our respective parents when our Taurus wagon passed on about five years ago.
My wife and I hate shopping for vehicles. I’m over 6 feet tall and she is just over 5 feet tall. Finding a vehicle that fits us both well can be a bit of a challenge. In looking around, my dad was trying to get us to pick up a Montana but, sitting in it, I couldn’t even see out of the window because the roof was too low.
We were impressed with the trunk space of the Taurus sedan but a 2000 Ford Windstar caught our eye. It was less than a decade old and the price was in our range. We test drove it and it handled well. We both fit in and it was decided that we would buy it.
Then the dance begins.
We finally settled on a price that was amenable to us and included some minor repairs – squeaky windows, stone chips, rust on the rocker panels. Then we had to talk to the guy to see if we wanted to add the extras. We definitely wanted undercoating and fabric protection and were intrigued by the ‘magic box’ that prevents rust. The science behind the rust inhibitor module is sound, whether it works in practice will be something about which we’ll have to let you know.
So, $1000 later, we’re getting the full package and they tell us to come and pick it last Friday.
We go to get it, and the rocker panels haven’t been done. The back windows still squeak. I test the fabric guard and the water does bead minimally, but mostly just soaks into the fabric – like someone did a halfhearted spray with a can of scotchgard. So they promise to get it done for this week, Monday or Tuesday. Both of which have now passed and we still don’t have the vehicle yet.
Birchwood Super Centre, the used car division of Birchwood Saturn, so far you haven’t impressed us.
My wife and I hate shopping for vehicles. I’m over 6 feet tall and she is just over 5 feet tall. Finding a vehicle that fits us both well can be a bit of a challenge. In looking around, my dad was trying to get us to pick up a Montana but, sitting in it, I couldn’t even see out of the window because the roof was too low.
We were impressed with the trunk space of the Taurus sedan but a 2000 Ford Windstar caught our eye. It was less than a decade old and the price was in our range. We test drove it and it handled well. We both fit in and it was decided that we would buy it.
Then the dance begins.
We finally settled on a price that was amenable to us and included some minor repairs – squeaky windows, stone chips, rust on the rocker panels. Then we had to talk to the guy to see if we wanted to add the extras. We definitely wanted undercoating and fabric protection and were intrigued by the ‘magic box’ that prevents rust. The science behind the rust inhibitor module is sound, whether it works in practice will be something about which we’ll have to let you know.
So, $1000 later, we’re getting the full package and they tell us to come and pick it last Friday.
We go to get it, and the rocker panels haven’t been done. The back windows still squeak. I test the fabric guard and the water does bead minimally, but mostly just soaks into the fabric – like someone did a halfhearted spray with a can of scotchgard. So they promise to get it done for this week, Monday or Tuesday. Both of which have now passed and we still don’t have the vehicle yet.
Birchwood Super Centre, the used car division of Birchwood Saturn, so far you haven’t impressed us.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Wincon 2007 - post game
All in all, Wincon seemed to go okay this year. We didn’t get badges done, and ended up not running Fairy Meat, but everything else that had been scheduled ran. We did have people bring in extra, uninvited guests beyond the extra guests they had already brought. We had 18 people (including 3 extra guests I knew about) plus kids plus a further 3 tag-alongs that I didn’t know were coming. I had been trying to keep the numbers low due to the limited number of games scheduled. There was also a mix up with the pizza we ordered resulting in them getting the order wrong twice before we were able to clear it up.
The Canvas Eagles went over well. We had 6 people playing – no one had read the rules beforehand. They were a bit front end heavy but once we started it went pretty easily. The planes and the stands worked out very well. We’ll definitely be playing this one again and I’ll keep an eye out for planes while in the states. We didn’t start until a bit later so we ran a bit long. I took a few photos so we’ll see how they turn out.
We didn’t upsize RoboRally after all but had the regular version played.
The RaceDay was as brutal as it usually is. We ran the basic rules on the expanded map and one car won through attrition about a round before the lead car would have finished their fifth lap. The next time we’ll probably try the expanded rules.
We skipped the Fairy Meat during the supper period. I had gotten picked up three sets of the Disney Fairies and repainted two of them, one in alternate colors and one as Goths. I also picked up plastic grapes for the counters: green for live, red for meat, and yellow for twinkle. It looks quite nice – we’ll be playing this soon.
We finished the scheduled events with a Circus Imperium game. I had finally painted my decade-old “temporary” beasts that I had made out of hacked-up plastic goats. The cardboard chariots are still holding up okay considering the use they have gotten. I will need to rebase and paint the drivers at some point.
Unscheduled games, we also had Scrabble, Descent, and both Settlers of Catan and the two player Setters of Catan played, as well as some Apples to Apples that we played at the end of the night.
The Canvas Eagles went over well. We had 6 people playing – no one had read the rules beforehand. They were a bit front end heavy but once we started it went pretty easily. The planes and the stands worked out very well. We’ll definitely be playing this one again and I’ll keep an eye out for planes while in the states. We didn’t start until a bit later so we ran a bit long. I took a few photos so we’ll see how they turn out.
We didn’t upsize RoboRally after all but had the regular version played.
The RaceDay was as brutal as it usually is. We ran the basic rules on the expanded map and one car won through attrition about a round before the lead car would have finished their fifth lap. The next time we’ll probably try the expanded rules.
We skipped the Fairy Meat during the supper period. I had gotten picked up three sets of the Disney Fairies and repainted two of them, one in alternate colors and one as Goths. I also picked up plastic grapes for the counters: green for live, red for meat, and yellow for twinkle. It looks quite nice – we’ll be playing this soon.
We finished the scheduled events with a Circus Imperium game. I had finally painted my decade-old “temporary” beasts that I had made out of hacked-up plastic goats. The cardboard chariots are still holding up okay considering the use they have gotten. I will need to rebase and paint the drivers at some point.
Unscheduled games, we also had Scrabble, Descent, and both Settlers of Catan and the two player Setters of Catan played, as well as some Apples to Apples that we played at the end of the night.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Wincon 2007 - pregame
I stayed up early this morning working away, getting ready for tomorrow. I didn’t have time to upsize the RoboRally after all – which is okay, as I don’t really have the space to keep it anyways.
I did finish making enough planes to use but didn’t get to paint them all. I still have a few fairies to paint as well. And after about 10 years, I am finally giving my temporary Circus Imperium beasties a coat of paint.
I’m not doing badges this year. I had 11 people actually let me know that they were coming and only 2 badge requests. I did have three of those people invite along another 6 extra people. So we may end up having more people than games. We’ll see how it ends up.
David
I did finish making enough planes to use but didn’t get to paint them all. I still have a few fairies to paint as well. And after about 10 years, I am finally giving my temporary Circus Imperium beasties a coat of paint.
I’m not doing badges this year. I had 11 people actually let me know that they were coming and only 2 badge requests. I did have three of those people invite along another 6 extra people. So we may end up having more people than games. We’ll see how it ends up.
David
death of a Princess
Yesterday the news mentioned that it was the tenth anniversary of Princess Diana’s tragic death. I remember the day she died. I had been at home when the news came over the TV - I had called the wife at work to break the news. We were freshly married at the time – still not quite a year.
I had watched part of the wedding back when – big into the pomp and circumstance thing. It was a real fairy tale wedding for me. Too bad about the way it all ended up. I always thought she was a sweet bird.
I had watched part of the wedding back when – big into the pomp and circumstance thing. It was a real fairy tale wedding for me. Too bad about the way it all ended up. I always thought she was a sweet bird.
Monday, August 27, 2007
life
We were at my cousin’s wedding out past Gimli on Saturday. It went well and the kids had fun. The wedding was at 1 and the dinner wasn’t until 6:30 so we were going to pop over to Gimli to kill some time betwixt. We found out that they had planned family photos and my mom brought some social food so we ended up going to my uncle’s place in between and then popped into a craft place in Arborg that was having a sale.
The hall in Riverton was lovely and the food was really quite good. There were no bad speeches and they gave out matches and candles. I could see the gleam in my son’s eye as he was almost lighting the little candle from the centerpiece candle.
My daughter was dancing the whole night and I got to expose both kids to the Butterfly – this is a dance when three people link up and dance along slowly and occasionally break into a flurry where the two people on the wings take turns spinning the center person between them. I learned early on as a child to be sure to be on the wing and not in the center.
Sunday, we spent a great deal of time raking up the crabapples and then mowing the lawn. Then we did groceries and I popped over to my folks to see if they needed help moving furniture as they are redoing their kitchen floor but my brother had already finished by the time I got there.
Tonight we’re going to pop out to a few places to look for a newer car.
I got a few small packages from ebay last week – a few more Heroclix figs from some of the older sets. I painted some more fairies and worked on the planes. I drilled the bases to hold the magentic pickups and worked on the smoke and flame trails.
The hall in Riverton was lovely and the food was really quite good. There were no bad speeches and they gave out matches and candles. I could see the gleam in my son’s eye as he was almost lighting the little candle from the centerpiece candle.
My daughter was dancing the whole night and I got to expose both kids to the Butterfly – this is a dance when three people link up and dance along slowly and occasionally break into a flurry where the two people on the wings take turns spinning the center person between them. I learned early on as a child to be sure to be on the wing and not in the center.
Sunday, we spent a great deal of time raking up the crabapples and then mowing the lawn. Then we did groceries and I popped over to my folks to see if they needed help moving furniture as they are redoing their kitchen floor but my brother had already finished by the time I got there.
Tonight we’re going to pop out to a few places to look for a newer car.
I got a few small packages from ebay last week – a few more Heroclix figs from some of the older sets. I painted some more fairies and worked on the planes. I drilled the bases to hold the magentic pickups and worked on the smoke and flame trails.
Monday, August 20, 2007
summer chores - done!
This weekend my brother came over and helped me change the front fascia on the roof. It was in a bit of rough shape. We’ve been putting off a few repairs as we hope to be able to expand the house in the next few years and this will necessitate getting a new roof.
Since I had to get paint anyways, for the fascia, I picked enough to paint the trim as well. That’s the last two summer chores I had left on my list. I still need to finish the trim and touch up the fence, but I’m backdating that until after Wincon.
I’m at that crux point for Wincon. Time-wise, I’m in a good spot for the games. I like to do something big and impressive each year. This year we have a lot of little improvements that are pretty impressive but no real accessible show-stopper. The Canvas Eagles will be pretty impressive but it’s a bit over the curve for some and the Fairy Meat will be impressive but not as visual as I would like. The live action Devil Bunny Needs a Ham would be a show-stopper, but we’ve already done it before years ago.
I had hoped to upsize RoboRally but may not be able to do so in the time left. I’m still borderline about attempting it. It would eat up more of my time and make a few more late nights, but it would certainly be worth it. To me anyways.
Since I had to get paint anyways, for the fascia, I picked enough to paint the trim as well. That’s the last two summer chores I had left on my list. I still need to finish the trim and touch up the fence, but I’m backdating that until after Wincon.
I’m at that crux point for Wincon. Time-wise, I’m in a good spot for the games. I like to do something big and impressive each year. This year we have a lot of little improvements that are pretty impressive but no real accessible show-stopper. The Canvas Eagles will be pretty impressive but it’s a bit over the curve for some and the Fairy Meat will be impressive but not as visual as I would like. The live action Devil Bunny Needs a Ham would be a show-stopper, but we’ve already done it before years ago.
I had hoped to upsize RoboRally but may not be able to do so in the time left. I’m still borderline about attempting it. It would eat up more of my time and make a few more late nights, but it would certainly be worth it. To me anyways.
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