Happy Canada Day! We've traditionally spent our Independence Days near the grill, before tailgating at the local fireworks show. This year, we are setting sail to a couple of Mexican ports with two teen children and a 3-year-old grandson in tow. It should be interesting, to say the least. I learned a long time ago that, although cruise lines serve lobster, steak, etc., it's usually just mediocre. They are, after all, cooking for 2,000 people. My goal, other than to relax and get plenty of photos of the kids, is to beat my wife at Cribbage at least half a dozen times; not lose at the craps table; and come up with at least 3-4 good food-related topics for my blog. I think I'm just as excited about my Sunday lunch plans. It seems there is an Alfie's Fish 'n Chips still operating near Houston. This chain went bye bye long ago. It won't be 5-star fare ... or even 2-star. But I'll get to revisit one of my (young) childhood faves and write a Yelp! review to boot. Have a safe and happy Fourth, everyone!

Hope my fellow Canadians are having a great time this Canada Day celebration. My sister was with the City of Gardens Chorus from Victoria, B.C. singing at the Canada Day celebration in London's Trafalgar Square this morning before the group headed out to Stonehenge and a singing tour to Wales. So she will have some great stories to tell when she gets back. Raising my glass of cold bubbly water (too late at night here for any other kind of drink) to my compatriots. SharonCb

Annie, I haven't tried the soap thing to discourage the deer. Daughter has some hanging in her yard and says it seems to work as long as the soap in within a few feet of what she wants to protect. Liquid Fence works well for me if I am diligent about timing and consider any rain washing it off in the equation. I should hang the soap to help take up any slack. You say Ivory, I have always heard Irish Spring. Joanmn, my memories of Bison is a herd of them walking within 10 feet of the road we were riding on in N.D. Too close for comfort when on a motorcycle. Love your pics of these magnificent beasts.

Thank you for your good wishes, folks. Our thoughts are with the folks of southern Manitoba, where a major storm, including snow and high winds, so serious and widespread that the premier has called a state of emergency, necessitating calling in skilled help from neighbouring provinces and Minnesota to help clear snow and downed trees and power lines: tens of thousands without power, they report. People were advised to avoid travel. ----------------- I'm extra thankful, for I was having trouble with words reduplicating, was dragged back to the head of the thread 3 or 4 times, then to Google offering several links twice, couldn't get back, started the story again, then to be told that I was going incognito. I decided that I must write one sentence, then post and come back to edit. Then I hit the button to show all that I had open, found the latest edition of my story, opened it, came back ... hit "Submit" ... and here I am ... ... editing! ole joyful