Saturday, January 26, 2008

Right to Dry?

"The clothesline, a simple line of either rope, wire or something similar that is string like. The clotheslines can either be the traditional wire and pulley or in the 'tree format.'" - Michael Suddard, June 17, 2007.

Just under a year ago I wrote about the ongoing push for the right to dry your laundry outside. Whoever thought a battle would have to occur in order for a homeowner to simply install a pully and some wire to hang ones laundry outside.

"I find it ironic that in 2008, we have to ask for legislative change to ask us to put up a line and two hooks in someone’s back yard,”- Phyllis Morris, Mayor of Aurora in the Era-Banner January 23, 2008.

Before the turn of the 20th century nobody would have thought of any other way to dry one's cotton, wool, linen or polyester garments. However, with advent of electricity and the electric clothes dryer thinks have changed. Hoady toadies who wish to live in sprawling suburbs, drive Hummers and the like, complain they don't want to see their neighbour's laundry in the breeze. If that is the case, then there is a simple solution. Put in a nice high hedge or a fence would solve this problem because if you can't stand your neighbour's laundry blowing in the breeze, chances are you can't stand your neighbour!

"Some might scoff and say the provincial government has to study the issue." - Michael Suddard, June 16, 2007.

Well the government, a year later after this issue was brought forth by Aurora's Mayor Phyllis Morris and further illumnated by the press, the province is finally studying the issue of, HORRORS, letting people dry their laundry outdoors.

The province of Ontario has started to look into the issue:

"The long-promised move got one step closer today when [Energy Minister Gerry] Phillips announced a 60-day consultation period to determine how best to proceed." -- Toronto Star, January 21, 2008.

Philips goes onto note that a mere laundry drier may consume up to six percent of the average household's annual power budget. Imagine the savings of merely hanging out your laundry outside. Add to this a conversion, wherever possible, of your lighting to CFL bulbs and electrical savings only increases further!

But lets backtrack here a bit to last summer. In true government form, a good idea takes forever to come to fruition. Last summer, the Mayor of Aurora met up with Ontario's chief conservation officer. Ms. Morris laid out the argument for the right to put out a clothes line and the legal problems one might face in doing so.

Almost a year later, the provincial government is finally ready to seek public comment. There was not a peep since last summer form the provincial government on this issue. This despite there being a provincial election in October 2007 and the environment being a key concern to many in Ontario. Instead, during the last provincial election all voters heard politicians arguing about was whether a Muslim, Catholic or Jewish child was able to have the right to go to a publicly funded denominational school! Environmental issues were merely swept to the sidelines despite their being a big worry of global warming.

The Liberal government should be ashamed to let this issue drag on without a peep. Something like "the Ministry of Energy is currently researching the issue and will be bringing forth something in the new year for public comment and fine tuning" would have sufficed. Even better would have been a date when something was expeted to b released. Instead, the public heard nothing except crickets on this issue from both the politicians and the provincial bureaucrats.

What's even more of a shame is the province has dragged its feet on enviromental issues that have laws blocking simple common sense like being able to dry one's clothes outside for far too long. Issues like removing simple rules that block positive conservation efforts and reduce the amount of electricty required should be simple no brainer items. But of course that would be common sense, and of course as we all know, the words common sense, bureaucrats and government should never be used in the same sentence.

Finally some more common sense:

"Residents should be encouraged to use their clothes dryers less and their clotheslines more. Clotheslines reduce the amount of electricity consumed and, thus, greenhouse gases and other pollutants emanating from fossil fueled generating stations. Besides the most obvious positives for the environment, will the governments think of the children? All children should enjoy being a little mischievous by being able to run threw the drying laundry on the line. About the only downside of this issue is the mother's blood pressure when they see some muddy hand prints in the freshly laundered bed sheets. But a little high blood pressure is so little a sacrifice in comparison to saving the environment."
-Michael Suddard, June 16, 2007.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Free Stuff?

Well maybe not totally not all free stuff. My girlfriend is a coupon clipper and found smartcanucks.ca. We have experienced everything from free paper towels to discount coupons for cereal and other handy coupons.

So for the next few months we will be enjoying free paper towels that really only cost us $0.39 a piece (unfortunately, the sales tax must be paid by the customer...but still...a two pack of paper towels for $0.39????).

She continues to scour thie internet for deals. In fact on this blog she found on sale an IPOD at Winners for a discounted price on boxing day only. She was all geared up to go until Christmas Day. Let's just say that Christmas Day was a real present to me for not having to wake up BEFORE the crack of dawn to go out to our local Winners store to beat the crowds for a heavily discounted IPOD.

The blog portion of this site also provides interesting tidbits and other funny information on stores in Canada or other interesting things Canadians on the web might be interested in. For example, it provides a brief description of how Ikea names different pieces of its furniture and then links to the original wikipedia article on the topic. Other things Canadians might be interested in includes how badly Drew Carey is at hosting Plinko on the Price is Right.

The forum section allows posters to post their own links to deals or coupons to site. Also, this lets others to comment on whether the deal is a fraud, confirm a good deal or if the corporation offering the deal has changed or modified the deal at all. In this section we have gleaned items like two free movies and deals on popcorn as well!

All in all, this blog has what a lot of Canadians are looking for: something that entertains and saves you some sheckels as well.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Babies are nauseated by brand new shirts

"Did you know babies are nauseated by the smell of a clean shirt?" - Jeff Foxworthy

Yestereday, Yvonne and I headed out birthday present shopping for my mother. While at Winners in Aurora I saw a nice new blue shirt and tie combination. The shirt was part polyester and cotton. I've learend, in my "I'm a slacker at laundry" mindset, that adding a little polyester to material with cotton reduces the chances of wrinkles. Lack of wrinkles, in turn, leads to less ironing!

Well this morning at church, I was helping out in the sunday school. I was asked to watch a newborn boy who was in his carseat. I thought to myself, "poor guy sitting there in his carseat, we should get him out of there so he can observe the other children playing from a nice perch laying on my shoulder."

I, wearing my new shirt and tie, carefully undid the seatbelts of the carseat and lifted him up to my shoulder. I remembered to properly cradle his head as the little guy had poor neck control. However, I forgot to remember the most important things about babies of this age, a blanket or towel is a must! Sure enough, after about two minutes of gently rubbing his back the little guy burped. I quickly handed off the little guy, after noticing the blanket on top of the bookcase next to his carseat, and ran to the washroom.

In the aftermath of removing baby grossness from said new shirt, I've learned something else: baby barf easily comes out of polyester and cotton shirts quite easily. And thus:

"Every day you learn something new." - Dennis Brown

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Party Hardy with Lord Stanley!

Last night was unbelievable! Yvonne and I were invited, along with the rest of my family, for a surprise birthday party for one of my cousins.

We partied from 7 P.M. to shortly after midnight at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Downtown Toronto. The birthday girl was to show up around 8 P.M.

The birthday girl, my cousin thought she was being taken out for a university student fun trip around Toronto. She thought, according to a message on my other cousin's Blackberry, that she was going to have dinner at a sports bar in Toronto somewhere and wouldn't be home until late. Little did she know it was "THE SPORTS BAR" of any hockey fan in Toronto. When my cousin arrived blindfolded at the "THE SPORTS BAR", everyone fell silent. The DJ hit the Hockey Night in Canada Theme and an eruption of "SURPRISE!" ensued. My cousin was totally surprised at having a birthday party start in the Great Hall with the Stanley Cup at her side.

From there the party had dinner, dancing and Hockey Hall of Fame activities including hockey shootouts, and much more. Here are some pictures from what happenned:

The Stanley Cup


The Stanley Cup, another view


Michael & the Stanley Cup


Peter Suddard & Alice at the party


Alice getting up close and personal with Lord Stanley


Peter Suddard & Dad let their lips get aquainted with Lord Stanley


The original Stanley Cup in the old bank vault


Peter Suddard trying the shootout game in a Quebec Nordiques jersey.



Thanks Uncle Bob (right) for a great evening of dinner and entertainment!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Happy New Year at Jersey's? NOT!

Last night my girlfriend and I stopped into Jersey's (located at 14987 Yonge Street, Aurora) at 5:30 P.M. and waited for five minutes for service. A family of three, the next table over arrived at the same time we did.

The waitress eventually arrived and both tables were told the kitchen had just closed for the evening and the only thing being served was beer or alchohol from the bar.

Close your kitchen at 5:30 P.M. on New Years? Hello! What kind of operation is this?

My girlfriend and I had been to Jersey's in the summer and were not impressed as the waitress was slow with orders and bringing the bill.

After being dissapointed with Jersey's on New Years Eve, my girlfriend and I headed over to the Filly & Firkin where we were graciously greeted and said we could sit anywhere except for a large table in the back corner that had been reserved. Service was speedy and courteous at "The Firkin." Too bad Jersey's can't seem to understand this. We may not be back for a long while again to them.

Popular Posts