Finishing Some Preparations & a Day at the Fair

Preparations continue here for earthquake preparedness.

If you wish to read more to this story you can click here. 

I went to the Pacific National Exhibition today and was so pleased to find a booth there selling supplies for earthquake and emergency preparedness.

This is the first time I've ever seen this type of booth at the fair.

I was able to buy the food and the water I needed without ordering on line (and waiting for delivery) or without having to run around and check various far away stores. 

In addition to food and water supplies  I purchased a small multi-purpose tool (with knife and can opener and so on).  I also managed to purchase a small hand cranked radio and flashlight combo.

I already have a radio but prefer one that won't need batteries and this fit the bill.

On top of it all I got 20% off all the prices because it was the last day of the fair.

Food and water supplies will be good for 5 years then they will need to be replaced.

I haven't been to the fair in 3 years but yesterday I had this feeling I should attend and go once more to the Home Pavilion.  I was in need of a change of pace and a bit of relaxation and fun.

Wouldn't you know it that is where I found the supplies I need.

I think it was divine intervention because I had such a strong need and desire to finish my earthquake kit preparations.

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Now here are some images of the fair.

There were so many people attending that it was a bit hard to find something to eat without standing in long line ups (which I always do my best to avoid) or to even use the ladies room.

After 3 hours I made my purchases and came home.

It was a good way to wind up the summer.

Here are some images for you.

I tried to get images of the various food booths and the large crowd.

This was one of several swans that graced a stretch of lawn near the outdoor concert venue.

Look closely & you can see a very long sea of people into the area where you see tents and rides (background).

Maybe this photo gives a better view.

I managed to take in a bee exhibit. I was fascinated to watch the bees enter the hive through a clear tube connecting the outdoors to the hive indoors.  Dead bees that were lying in the tube were eventually picked up and moved somewhere by undertaker bees. This was very fascinating to me.

I didn't capture an undertaker bee in action but I did watch one.

Honey was also for sale.

 I didn't spend a lot of time in the barns but I did check out a few cows, goats and gerbils.

 

Vietnamese Food

Besides food and animals there is entertainment at the fair. There is a playground with all kinds of rides. I didn't go there.  There are also various shows and concerts.

I managed to catch a show I've never seen before, jousting (a medieval sport where two opponents on horseback fight with lances). It was very interesting. I don't have a photo of the most dramatic part of the show where one of the jousters from the USA was knocked right off of his horse. The impact was very loud and terrifying and I believe the lances were shattered in pieces. Amazingly the young man, aged 22, who fell, rose off the ground and walked off the "stage" relatively unscathed.  I'm sure his body will be sore from the impact.

Narrator for the joust competition. He was very funny.

The jousters move so quickly.

 Last but not least are the beautiful Clydesdale horses that grace the PNE every year.

My photo of the horses isn't very clear. I was going to upload a video but it takes too long and I've had a stop and start and kind of week.

Thank you for stopping by!

A Change is Coming

The last few days there has been a definite change in the temperature of the air. While it is still generally warm, there is now a distinct chill and I need to have a shawl or a light jacket when I go out. It seems to me that the chill has arrived somewhat early this year and rather abruptly. We don't usually notice the shift until the day after Labour Day (the first Monday of September).  This year Labour Day is on September 4, 2018.

The sky was looking quite cloudy when I came home from an appointment around 4 p.m. on Thursday.  There is no rain in the 14 day forecast but the temperatures are anywhere from 6-10 degrees cooler each day than they have been for months.  I don't mind because the Fall or Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. I do not do well in intense heat.  I far prefer the chill of autumn when it isn't yet cold and one can wear cosy sweaters and scarves. In some years the Fall season can go on for some time. Those are special times.

After I finished my errands I stopped for this breakfast/lunch. It isn't my favourite place to dine but it was handy and I enjoyed the omelette and sourdough toast.

The next few photos were taken on Wednesday. You might notice that the light of the day is not a intense as the past few months.

The photo below was taken at 7 p.m. It was still quite bright out but now the daylight hours are shortened by 1-2 hours each day.

I'm reading my 45th book of the year.

 

It is very interesting.
 I haven't gotten to the sad part yet but it will come.

Here is a synopsis of the book taken from the internet.

On July 12, 1969, Ruth Davis, a young American volunteer at Dr. Jane Goodall’s famous chimpanzee research camp in the Gombe Stream National Park of Tanzania, East Africa, walked out of camp to follow a chimpanzee into the forest. Six days later, her body was found floating in a pool at the base of a high waterfall. With careful detail, The Ghosts of Gombe reveals for the first time the full story of day-to-day life in Goodall’s wilderness camp—the people and the animals, the stresses and excitements, the social conflicts and cultural alignments, and the astonishing friendships that developed between three of the researchers and some of the chimpanzees—during the months preceding that tragic event. Was Ruth’s death an accident? Did she jump? Was she pushed? In an extended act of literary forensics, Goodall biographer Dale Peterson examines how Ruth’s death might have happened and explores some of the painful sequelae that haunted two of the survivors for the rest of their lives.

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I watched the much hyped first episode of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime Video. If you have a chance to watch it I would recommend it. It is very well done and quite riveting. 

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I managed to get my documents photocopied yesterday to add to my earthquake kit.

If you missed my post on earthquake preparedness you can find it here.

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I've always loved zebras. They are so beautiful and these ones are from Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya. I'll never forget my safari there.
I'm sharing them for Saturday's Critters with Eileen.

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Last but not least, I am remembering my mom today.
She would have been 82 on Friday.

 These photos are from the last celebration of her birthday and were taken a few days after her stroke.
We were surprised to arrive and see her driving her wheelchair. She couldn't swallow yet so she she couldn't eat the cake that's why we only bought a small one. We usually bought her a chicken, seafood or Chinese dinner but this day we didn't want to eat in front of her so we only bought a cake to mark her day.


I always liked to treat her on her birthday.
 She loved her roses, her cake and balloon.

I remember wanting to wait until she was able to eat with us to celebrate. My youngest brother insisted we celebrate on her day. I'm so glad he did because it was the last time we were able to do so and see her smile.

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 That's all for now.
Wishing you all a wonderful and safe weekend.

Joining with

Skywatch Friday

Friday Foto Friends

and

Saturday's Critters