#the last time i was ever in Ontario was when i was like 10

[yourplaceinaugust]

i am way too lazy to actually search for this but since mbav takes place in Ontario i wanna know whether they're closer to Ottawa or Toronto. bc Erica mentions flying into the city in 1x01 and yes there are several cities in Ontario, but it would also make sense that she's referring to Toronto or Ottawa bc those are the two main cities in Ontario (Ottawa being the capital of Canada and Toronto being the capital of Ontario). but mainly i wanna know this bc in 1x07 Ethan's dad gets hockey tickets for Ethan and Benny and then they trade them off to the guys who tried to attack them so it would make more sense that it's a major NHL game instead of just like a local game or something bc of the hype around the tickets. so i need to know if the game was a Toronto Maple Leafs game or an Ottawa Senators game

[fannyyann]

Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers’ goalie-goading throwback, delivers hits — and wins — when it counts

by Hailey Salvian and Jeremy Rutherford 

Matthew Tkachuk put his father in “timeout.”

That’s why Keith Tkachuk, an 18-year veteran of the NHL and one of the league’s best American-born players, wasn’t available to talk about his son’s remarkable run that has taken the Panthers from “biggest disappointment” to one win from the Eastern Conference finals.

On a Toronto radio station in March, the elder Tkachuk called the Panthers “soft.” By many accounts, that assessment was accurate at the time, and the words seemed to light a fire under the team — as did Paul Maurice’s tirade on the bench the same day during a game against the Maple Leafs.

Florida won its next six games and went 6-1-1 down the stretch to qualify for the playoffs.

Now, there’s no time for distractions, and Matthew wants to keep a lid on his pops, who informed The Athletic of his “timeout” via text.

After upsetting the 65-win Bruins in the first round, the Panthers are the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, leading 3-0 in their second-round series against Toronto with a chance at a sweep Wednesday at FLA Live Arena.

And the 25-year-old Tkachuk — in the midst of another career year that would have been MVP-worthy had it not been for Connor McDavid’s otherworldly season — has led the way, from scoring game-winning goals and delivering rousing speeches in the room, to delivering cross checks and goading goaltenders into fights.

He’s the player people love to hate, and he’s building a following of haters as he pushes the Panthers along in the postseason.

And even though the person who’s been most influential in Matthew’s career isn’t talking, others are. The Athletic spoke with a dozen people who for years have tracked Tkachuk’s brand of hockey — he’s a highly skilled agitator (a modest 6-2, 201 pounds) who opponents hate to play against.

Keith — known as ‘Walt,’ a nickname given to him by Winnipeg Jets teammate Eddie Olczyk because his surname was so similar to former Ranger Walter Tkaczuk — was traded to the Blues in 2001. Matthew, only 3 years old at the time, would start playing hockey with a youth program in St. Louis. Let’s just say he wasn’t a phenom.

Chantal Tkachuk, Matthew’s mom: They thought they were getting this ringer of a kid. We went to his first game and he was terrible. He was by far the worst player on the ice.

But that wouldn’t last long. Tkachuk improved steadily, adding a diverse skillset, and working through minor hockey, the U.S. national team program and the Ontario Hockey League.

Jimmy O’Brien, longtime family friend, owns OB Clark’s bar in St. Louis: They had a goal in their backyard, and 50 pucks would be lying in the driveway. Anytime you pulled up to the back of the house, you had to watch from running over the pucks because the driveway was littered with them.

Jon Benne, longtime family friend and strength trainer: I used to take wrist shots at him, and he’d knock them into the net. So when I see him tip a goal in now, I’ve seen that a million times.

Jordan Janes, St. Louis Junior Blues coach (2009-10): Matthew would do some of these between-the-legs (moves) before anybody was doing that. I would always look over at Keith and smile because in my mind I’m thinking, “Holy s— ,” like this is incredible that a 14-year-old is doing this. But you could tell that Keith, who was a “go to the net hard” type of guy, it drove him crazy.

O’Brien: His father told him, “If you ever do that stuff in a game and it doesn’t work, you won’t get off the bench.”

Taryn Tkachuk, sister: He’s not going to do that stuff just to do it. The through-the-legs goal against Nashville, he was like, “There was no way I could’ve shot that regularly.” He practiced that all growing up, so he knows he’s going to be able to do it.

Rob Simpson, assistant general manager of the London Knights: He would try new things all the time. It speaks to how smart a player he is. He was always trying to be creative in different ways to produce or make plays based on what he is seeing against defenders or what they’ve done against him before. He’s always been a creative, out-of-the-box thinker.

There are elements of Tkachuk’s game that can be traced back to the fact that he is Keith Tkachuk’s son.

Don Granato, Tkachuk’s coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program (2013-15): I think you can give some credit to — if not genetics, then just being around his father over the years.

Chantal Tkachuk: When Keith was still playing, they got to go down to the rink, skate after practice. Some of the players would play around with them.

O’Brien: He was a rink rat. He was always hanging around his dad, always going to his practices.

Barret Jackman, Blues defenseman (2002-15): I remember the coaches would have to come by and say, “Hey Walt, practice was supposed to start 10 minutes ago. Can you get Matthew off the ice?”

Benne: Matthew would be sitting on the bench the whole practice, and Keith would come over and say, “Watch T.J. Oshie. Watch how he goes into that corner and comes out.” Matthew would just be sitting there with a helmet on, just absorbing it all.

O’Brien: It’s hard to get a better education in the hockey world than sitting there with professionals and watching them at a young age.

Chantal Tkachuk: Every night, we always watched hockey. The boys would get up before school and the first thing they would do is turn on NHL Network.

Taryn Tkachuk: That was the only thing we really watched on TV. We never really watched other shows on Disney channel.

Chantal Tkachuk: Keith retired in 2010 and stepped away from his career and took almost five years off. In that time, he totally devoted all his time to youth hockey. That happened to align with the most important developmental years of the boys’ lives.

Janes: Keith knew what it took to get there. He demanded a work ethic out of his boys. Goals or not, assists or not, he just wanted to see you work. If you worked, Keith was happy. He knew if you did that, everything else would come.

O’Brien: One of Walt’s favorite things to say is, “Hey, you didn’t win? Play better!”

Taryn Tkachuk: Oh, he says it all the time. If someone didn’t play as well and maybe they’re complaining, like, “The ref did this or that,” or, “The other team wasn’t letting me do this,” my dad is just like, “Play better!” Nothing else. It’s just “Play better!”

Janes: That quote is the most Keith quote I’ve ever heard.

Growing up, Matthew was always competing with his brother Brady (23), and sister Taryn (20). Whether it was roller hockey, basketball or a made-up game they called “trampoline football.”

Benne: Matthew, Brady and Taryn would be on the trampoline, which was enclosed, and I would throw the football in the air as high as I could into the trampoline. It became an MMA wrestling match to see who got the football.

Taryn Tkachuk: I don’t even know how the game got made up. I just remember it being very physical. Literally whoever had the ball, you were about to get decked.

O’Brien: We were playing a two-on-two basketball game, and there were some of the most violent fouls you’ll ever see in your life. I had a bloody nose when we were done.

Taryn Tkachuk: If we were playing basketball, Matthew would never let me just go in for an easy layup. Of course he was going to foul me.

Jackman: I remember during one of the lockouts, Matthew was 15 at the time, and he skated with some of the NHL guys. I went into the corner with him, thinking I was going to play him hard. He tried to reverse hit me, and then he came out of the corner with the puck on his stick. He didn’t back down, even at 15, and I was in my early 30s.

Chantal Tkachuk: The most somebody hates to lose, that would be him.

Tkachuk committed to play at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program a few years before his first season there. But, at 16 years old, there was a learning curve playing with the national team and in the USHL, an under-20 league. In his first USHL season, he scored only 17 points in 33 games. He would double that production one year later in fewer games.

Granato: We knew of his talent, but in his first year, his production wasn’t there.

Nick Fohr, U.S. NTDP associate coach (2013-15): He wouldn’t shoot it. He literally wanted to show off those hands all the time.

Granato: I would tease him a bit. I’d say, “Hey Matthew, do you like to score?” And he’d say, “Yeah.” And I’d say, “No, you like to stickhandle.” He was so good at it, but I needed him to see that he wasn’t going to be that up-and-down-the-rink player.

Fohr: He wanted to have that agitator piece to him because it was kind of ingrained into him at that point, but he wasn’t big enough or strong enough to do any of that stuff at 16 years old.

Chantal Tkachuk: It was the second year in the program. That was the point where we thought he could make it.

Fohr: He played most of his second year with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic, which was an unreal line. Auston was the marked man, and Matthew — after being around his dad — was like, well, “Auston is my center, nobody is touching him.” And he started to become that guy. Any little scrum, he was right in the middle of it to make sure that his teammates were taken care of.

Granato: By the midpoint of the second year, he was playing just like he plays in the NHL right now. He was great in the same areas of the ice, great in the same ways.

In the 2016 Memorial Cup Final, the London Knights were in overtime against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Tkachuk, in his first (and only) season in the OHL, took the puck up the left side, toe-dragged around a defender and scored the game-winning goal.

Aaron Berisha, London Knights teammate: At first, it looked like he was on a harmless rush.

Simpson: Matthew could always elevate at the right times.

Robert Thomas, Knights teammate (2015-16), and family friend: We always joked that Christian Dvorak actually tipped it, but obviously Matthew got all the credit for it. Just a big-time player making a big-time play.

Simpson: It’s not just by coincidence that he’s big in the right moments. He puts in the work.

Fohr: He’s in those moments because it’s just who he is. You saw it on the overtime goal against Boston. He knows somebody’s got to go in there and get the puck, somebody’s got to go screen the goalie.

Simpson: He wasn’t the one who shot it in the net, but if he didn’t have the sense and savvy to pop out and screen the goalie, it doesn’t go in.

Fohr: It’s no surprise that you see him do it in overtime in Game 7 because he does it every shift, every game.

Janes: The way Matthew was (growing up) and the way he is today, he will do what it takes for his team to win a hockey game. Period.

Because of his ability to stir up drama on the ice and (at times) cross the line, Tkachuk is one of the most polarizing players in the league.

Fohr: He’s that guy that everybody hates unless he’s on your team.

Benne: I don’t think Matthew came into the league fearing anybody. He just played with that edge, like, “I’m here, I’ve arrived, and look out!”

Granato: He could stoke a situation and get it stoked and get everybody’s emotions running on overdrive. And then, even in a highly emotional state that he stirred up, he will execute where many, many skilled players cannot.

Fohr: If he’s agitated somebody somehow, now a little bit of their focus is on Matthew and it takes just a little bit of focus off what they’re good at and impacts so much of the game.

Granato: It’s like a diversionary tactic, and a highly effective skill that he brings. He’s always ready to score the goal after he disrupts the situation, where other guys just want to take his head off. He never loses sight of, OK, while you’re trying to do that, I’m going to be scoring a goal.

Benne: He’s just going to play hard. He’s going to hit you, and he expects to get hit himself. If you watch that game against Toronto, he hammered two guys, and then he got hammered. Not whining, that’s the way the game goes. That’s the way he plays. He’s pretty fearless out there, but I think he plays right on the line. That’s where he wants to be.

Thomas: It was in full force in London. He’d always find himself mixing it up. He’s feisty and he’s got all the skill in the world. Some people just have it, and he definitely has it.

Berisha: It’s funny when people play against him and say, “Man, I hate playing against him, he seems terrible.” He’s actually one of the best guys ever.

Taryn Tkachuk: Matthew has this switch. Off the ice, he’s a completely different person: super nice, super fun. Once he steps on the ice, the switch just goes off and he puts on these different goggles and just has this compete level that you don’t even know how to explain.

The most common ways to describe Tkachuk: He’s a throwback. He’s a unicorn. He’s just like Keith … and maybe better.

Eddie Olczyk, TNT analyst, former teammate of Keith (1991-96): You see (Matthew) and it’s like turning back the clock 25, 30 years to when we played with each other in Winnipeg.

O’Brien: Walt played in an extremely physical era, and the way Matthew plays is refreshing because it’s a throwback to how it was all the time.

Janes: One thing Keith taught these boys at a young age was, if you want to score, you’ve got to be around the net. They got that right from Keith. They just took it a step further as far as their skillset goes.

Fohr: It’s just a place he’s not afraid to go to. Some players are. They don’t want to go there because it’s a hard area to play in because the D are big and strong. There’s an art to getting there and doing it the right way and Matthew has mastered it.

O’Brien: When Walt was playing, you’d see a big guy out there and you wouldn’t think a guy like that has deft hands. But Walt had sick hands, especially tipping pucks. And that’s one of Matthew’s strengths, too.

Olczyk: Matthew will make a play and you go, “Well, there’s Walt.” It’s eerie, but it’s not surprising that the boys are a chip off the old block.

Chantal Tkachuk: To this day, they tease me because skating has always been Matthew’s deficiency, so they make fun of the fact that I taught him how to skate. Keith will take credit for everything else.

Granato: Matthew plays the same kind of style as his dad. He just does it with more talent.

Fohr: To be a thorn in the side of the opponents and then have that elite ability on top of it, that’s pretty special.

Simpson: It’s very hard to find hockey sense that is that elite but also comes with the poise to make the play when it matters most.

Taryn Tkachuk: He’s literally doing every single aspect of what different players bring in a hockey game. It just makes him so unique.

Benne: Matthew doesn’t care what the media writes about him. Matthew doesn’t care if the fans boo him. Boston is going to hate him now, and Toronto is going to hate him after this series. But that’s what drives him. He wants to perform. He wants to put on a show. But more important than anything, he just wants to win.

[girlwithamissingpearl]

Here we go again. The criticism of SH’s Sassanach Gin tour is as expected. Not everyone has to like what he does. That’s fair. But that continuing narrative that he takes advantage of his fans? Sorry, but that’s a hard no for me.

Personally I don’t know how the actual fuck he does it. Ten years in and he is still gracious and accommodating to all his fans, even those that cross every line. How is unsolicited groping ever acceptable? I think he is far too affable. But the he’s taking advantage of his fans continues. If all he wanted to do was was an Outlander pump and dump cash grab, not only is he doing it all wrong, he’s working far to hard. Rather than invest his own money and produce a craft product, he could have purchased a house brand equivalent of whisky and gin, and concentrate on labels. Imagine limited edition pumpkin spice, thanksgiving, Christmas, new year’s, Valentine’s Day, shirtless-you get the idea- SH limited edition bottles. I think he’s looking beyond that and trying to build a brand.

There’s also been a lot written about the individual appearances and signings. I would never camp out at midnight to get a place in line, but a 6-8 hour wait? There are a small group of gals that I follow and Dm with, that I would gladly grab a lawn chair and sunscreen and happily take my place in line with. Not sure if they would be as keen, but @khccbc1745, @kiaora45, @harriethattie, @caldineens, @collectido, @ maryofboston, @ Stargazer74 , @andorra97 and many more, who take the time to not only comment, but call me out when I get things wrong(which I have been known to do) you know who you are- I’d wait in line, with any of these women, in a heartbeat. Even though we range in age-40-80- I don’t think we would have a single second of silence. With a group, you take turns getting coffee, snacks, lunch…quick SH selfie, hotel nap, dinner and drinks. I think that’s the part people don’t get when they see the long lines. It’s not for everyone, but it’s also for most a once in a lifetime thing. Go ahead and laugh, a couple of years ago I was the first to make fun of people like me, but scrolling through the fandom has become one of my favourite things to do, and something I don’t have to share with other family and friends that will never understand the joy of all things Outlander and SH😊. The other thing that most people don’t get is that, and I think I can speak not only for myself but the other amazing women in the fandom, we really don’t take each other that seriously. This is fun, and for me definitely a guilty pleasure bc🥸I’m so happy that I have these like minded people I can commiserate with because I just watched the last mid season episode of season 7. How dare they say…to be continued next year. Next year? Ffs.

On a final note, a fun fact. If we didn’t have tickets for tennis, I definitely would have gone to the Scottish festival in Fergus Ontario to see our very own hometown boy CV, and RR and for once be able to post some original pics. Not far from home, I’ve been to the festival in the past- definitely have Scots in the family tree including a competitive bagpiper- and its always fun. I’ve really enjoyed CV as WR in the first part of season 7 and really looking forward to watching his story unfold. But having to wait until next year to watch the second half of season 7, and who knows how long before season 8 airs. Don’t even get me started about DG, and the timeline for the release of book 10. Seriously considering a class action lawsuit for the cruel and unusual punishment inflicted by DG when she said Jamie’s ghost story would be revealed in the last page of book 10. Why DG? Why? On the other hand, I can take my time scrolling, commenting and posting about season 7. If I was a patient person, which I’m not. So for now I’ll make due with the ongoing commentary of how people around the world refer to the “pineapple swim trunks” SH sports in an upcoming episode of MIK 2. Something budgies….🦜🏊‍♂️🩲…

[pumpkajelly]

Get to Know Me Tag Game

@silverskulltula I love doing these thank u for think of me! 🦇

🍃 1. Are you named after anyone? All three of my middle names are after people! An aunt I've never met, my father, and my father's sister (also an aunt but I know her)

🍃 2. When was the last time you cried? Yesterday but it's been an emotional time in my life lately

🍃 3. Do you have kids? No, but I'd like to have two some day.

🍃 4. What sports do you play/have you played? Haven't ever been a huge sports person but I used to really enjoy dodge ball (if that can be included) and volley ball. The most I've ever enjoyed a sport was when I was doing fencing in university. I'm pretty decent at lunges actually!

🍃 5. Do you use sarcasm? It's been said

🍃 6. what’s the first thing you notice about someone? Clothing, maybe? I like to see the different ways people express themselves through their fashion!

🍃 7. Eye color? Hazel (the bluey-green kind)

🍃 8. Scary movies or happy endings? Lately I've been really enjoying psychological horror movies like The Menu, Cabin in the Woods and Nope! I used to really not be into horror but more recently I've really started appreciating the different ways themes are tackled in a movie that aims to scare/horrify/disturb! Cabin in the Woods said 'What if in a situation with literal axe-wielding redneck zombie murder family the real horror was systematic, government-ordained violence?' and I loved it for that.

🍃 9. Any talents? For drawing! There's always more room to grow but I'm happy with the art skills I do have. I'm also pretty decent at writing and telling stories, I'd say!

🍃 10. Where were you born? In Ontario! Oakville, if that contains any significance to anyone 👶

🍃 11. Hobbies? Video games, drawing, RP (whether it's written or TTRPG style), writing letters, and cooking! I also watch shows here and there and enjoy cooking / history youtubes.

🍃 12. Any pets? My beloved cat Cheshire! We usually call her Chess she's 13 and developed Cat Asthma this year

🍃 13. Height? 5'

🍃 14. Favorite school subject? English

🍃 15. Dream job? I really want to be a researcher. I have a bachelor's in psychology, and to be a psych teacher and researcher is pretty up there, but lately I've been considering what it might mean to take that research interest in other directions!

I'll throw some tags out here but if I miss you and you still wanna do it please do I love to read these thangs

@doeraymmie @clairric @nakimochiku @first-renegade @arandomeldritchbeing @yourpsychothicccgf @final-girl-lorde @kinryouku @cinnamintal @corosiaspara @interclouds @confettigraffiti @darkvampire111-blog @orionsvoid @justlikeloving

[czarcaustic]

~ 15 questions & 15 friends ~

tagged by @bobbyskid :)

1. Are you named after anyone?

No!

2. When was the last time you cried?

About a week ago because I've gone back to college and the first two weeks were overwhelming and I was like DO I EVEN WANT TO DO THIS? and had an existential crisis. I'm fine now.

3. Do you have kids?

No.

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

I played baseball for many years as a child and I used to cycle/trail bike ride regularly in high school and for a couple years after, but I moved to the city and people kept stealing bikes from my house :( I'd like to get back into it, it's just kind of a pain to try and keep a bike in the city

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Sometimes. I don't think much more than the average person.

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Aw geez, I dunno. Faces, I guess.

7. What's your eye color?

Green.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

I really enjoy scary movies but I have found since my mother died I prefer happy endings in most other media.

9. Any talents?

I'm good at art.

10. Where were you born?

Rural Ontario.

11. What are your hobbies?

Hiking, camping, canoeing, painting, making art, writing, playing the banjo uke, reading poetry.

12. Do you have any pets?

I have a dog (Digby) who is 13 years old... I've had her since I was 16 :') ... and we also have an aquarium snail named Speed Racer

13. How tall are you?

5'8" (and a half. I have to add the half because I'm childish)

14. Favorite subject in school?

In school at the moment, Ecology. In art school I liked Painting and Textile Arts, and in high school I enjoyed all of my assorted art classes, as well as Politics, which was probably the best class I ever took because the teacher was absolutely amazing and prompted us to deeply question and analyze the world around us.

15. Dream job?

I would love to just sell prints of my art, and occasionally sell originals or 3D art. Unfortunately I'm a disorganized person and have no head for business. Right now I'm back in school to hopefully get a job as an ecologist, which is certainly something I'm passionate about.

I tag @microsuedemouse, @trexila, @wewontbesleeping, @casfelldown, @jonathanrook, @melanchor, @irisparry, @samblerambles, @killersbabe, but ignore this if it does not SPARK JOY

[mywifeleftme]

322: Rival Boys // Animal Instincts

Animal Instincts Rival Boys 2014, Tiny Records (Bandcamp)

Rival Boys were an Ontario indie rock band active in Toronto from the late ‘00s to the mid ‘10s. They were a three-piece comprising sibling vocalists Lee and Graeme Rose (on bass/violin and guitar, respectively) and drummer Sam Sholdice, with a sound somewhat like Vancouverites Mother Mother on a blue day. (Whom, as an aside, I have discovered are now way more popular thanks to TikTok than they ever were at the time—they have 8.3 million listeners a month on Spotify, which is like… 38 times more than the New Pornographers.) Both Roses affect a mewl somewhere between Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano and Sarah McLachlan, with Lee’s more powerful bellow usually taking the lead. In conjunction with the cold mountain violin that periodically sweeps the floorboards, it gives their otherwise youthful affect a nostalgic somberness. They were emphatically a rock band though, capable of kicking up a surly crunch: they didn’t have the dance rhythms of the Metric/Land of Talk acolytes who were all over CBC Radio 2 (the national public alternative music station) at the time, preferring to lope along like the Pixies.

Rival Boys were no longer a going concern by the time I moved to Toronto in 2017; I discovered them when I found a CD of their 2009 EP Life of Worry in the basement of an Ottawa house I shared with a friend who’d known somebody in the band back in high school. It was the first time I can remember coming across a group remotely in my social radius that struck me as unequivocally good. I listened to that five-song EP to death for a few years, and I still think they really nailed their sound with it; as a result, I had kind of a chilly response to their 2014 farewell Animal Instincts when I found it at a punk flea market. They’d shed just a touch of the raw-boned vulnerability that had made their loose, imagistic lyrics cling like a thin flannel against a harsh wind; a bit less bite to the guitar; a hair less heedless urgency to the vocals. The serviceable cover of Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe in Anything” seemed on the nose; the new rendition of EP highlight “Construction Work” didn’t make my heart stagger around like the original.

But listening to it now, I think Animal Instincts’ real sin was just not being the record I’d fallen in love with. Life of Worry is special, but there’s plenty to like on the LP. Opener “Fortune” edges the hell out of the listener before finally giving us some of Lee in full thunder; “Young and Old” is a showcase for the close harmonies, wet-eyed violin, and martial drumming that were Rival Boys’ most distinctive element; “Don’t Bloom” gives us a little of everything Lee does well, flowing from a distracted, introverted croon to a high wail that arcs like a flaming arrow at a Viking funeral. On this listen anyway, even the new version of “Construction Work” is doing it for me. There’s a nice closure to the fact that it was both among the first and last things they cut: the original with its blazing, desolate frustration sweeping into a folk reel outro that feels like transcendence; the revision more brittle, reserved, like people on the cusp of leaving adolescence behind giving it one last go, the quieter outro never quite taking off but settling into a low, churchy organ drone. It feels like a dignified goodbye.

Which the record in fact was, although it may not have been clear at the time. Graeme dropped out of the music scene altogether; Lee was quiet for a few years, but soldiers on with the very good Ace of Wands; I’m not sure what Sam’s up to these days. Time moves on—it’s 15 years since the EP, 10 now since the LP. I’m sure for the band members and their fans it feels like barely half that time, like finding a book you set down just the other day covered in dust and all your friends so old all the sudden! If ‘00s indie music can be said to have been about anything, it was surely about digging deeper into the experience of being alive, celebrating the wild joy of it while you can, making something of that. Rival Boys surely made something, and it’s nice to have something physical of it to keep.

322/365

[microsuedemouse]

~ 15 questions & 15 friends ~

tagged by my much beloved @czarcaustic <3

1. Are you named after anyone?

My grandfather!! Courtney was his middle name. (That spelling was originally the masculine form of the name, though it's pretty rare to see it used as such these days.) My middle name is also a family name :)

2. When was the last time you cried?

Uhh... oh it was a couple nights ago, when talking with my parents about my Nana. I still miss her a lot

3. Do you have kids?

Nope. At this stage of my life I can't say it feels super likely ever to happen, though I'd be lying if I said I don't feel a twinge of Something when I meet babies at work lol.

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

lmao I have never played any. I am extremely unathletic by nature, and also always struggled to get my brain around the rules of pretty much any of them when I was like, a kid in gym class

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Sure, but not a lot? Probably an average amount I figure

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Man, I dunno - probably their faces or their clothes, depending on context?

7. What's your eye color?

Brown!

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Big big fan of both! I'm not a big sad endings guy, though. Even when it feels right for the story, it's usually not my jam. (I guess sometimes sad endings can be good for scary movies, but that's like... sort of its own thing? because it's about The Horror.)

9. Any talents?

This is always a hard question for me to answer, bc I feel like most of the things I'm good at are more skills than talents - they're things I've practiced and developed over time, like with my writing and art. Although I guess it'd be fair, if unusual maybe, to say I've got a couple naturally strong interpersonal skills. I'm very good at communication, including figuring out what other people are trying to say, and I'm also pretty good at making people feel comfortable and understood.

10. Where were you born?

In southern Ontario, in the city where both of my parents did most of their growing up :)

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing (fiction prose, mostly) and the many kinds of thinking that go with it (worldbuilding, character development, etc). Arts and crafts (of many kinds; I'm often bouncing from one thing to another. Currently I'm having lots of fun learning to crochet). Taking in stories (reading books and comics, watching movies and TV, playing games, listening to podcasts - I love stories in all their forms). Goofing off with my family, especially my younger siblings.

12. Do you have any pets?

We have three cats - Neverland, Louie, and Smudge :)

13. How tall are you?

Uhh my ID says 165 cm, so that's... 5'5"-ish? I'm genuinely so incapable of remembering that on my own, for some reason.

14. Favorite subject in school?

It was usually English and art, growing up. In university it was always my courses that delved into genre fiction - science fiction, children's lit, the fairy tale... also that graphic novel seminar I took

15. Dream job?

Iiii. [sweats] I wanna be a novelist, but also, that's hard in its own way, and I think it's gonna take me a while yet to really Get There in terms of my own skills, disregarding the challenges of publishing. Beyond that... is something I've been struggling a lot with lately, because it's hard for me to imagine myself in a job where I'm both content and competent, let alone able to support myself. I've been wondering a lot again about library sciences, lately, but I just don't know. It's tough out here!

I definitely don't have 15 people to tag, but. @izupie @werewolfin @serenabeanie @womanaction @mana-sputachu perhaps, if you're feelin' it?

[fleurcareil]

Second month recap: July

Driving away from Sleeping Giant on 1st August means I've already completed two full months in the road!! Wow!! 🤩 And most amazingly, I still feel fantastic and am not ready yet to start going home by a long shot... 😁 in fact, I'm starting to get a bit concerned about everything that I still want to do in the remaining time, but I'm sure I'll figure it out!

I forgot to check the odometer but it was probably at around 67500 so that means I drove another 6,000 kilometers in the second month and slightly under 13,000 km in total. I still stick mostly with camping two nights in a row in a park (where I drive the absolute minimum), followed by a series of motels/inns/hotels when I drive larger distances, typically 3-4 hours a day interspersed with several breaks at viewpoints, small hikes, towns etc to get a feel of the area. I generally aim to arrive at my sleeping place by 6-7pm latest so that I have enough time to settle in before it gets dark (long summer hours help!) but once in a while I get there earlier around 3-4pm to get a lazy afternoon. And sometimes I only start at 10-11am taking it easy in the morning, especially when it's crappy weather 😅. The joy of absolute freedom to choose how I spend my days!! 🥰❤

I can hardly believe where I was at the end of the first month as that feels such a long time ago... in Matane in the Gaspesie, Québec. So last month, I did the entire Labrador loop which included a large section of unpaved road and more boreal trees than I ever imagined 😝. Got delayed on the cargo boat back to Québec so that resulted in some last minute changes to hotels and tours, then the ever-impressive sea along the Cote Nord all the way west to Québec City, several pretty national parks in central Quebec that were unfortunately impacted by flooding, a stay-over in Montreal and then along the Ottawa Valley via North Bay - Sudbury - Sault Ste Marie to the spectacular scenery of Lake Superior! 🎉 The diversity in the natural environment from maritime to boreal, from sea cliffs to inland canyons & massive lakes is so incredibly huge, and I'm only half way, as the Prairies and the Rockies are still ahead of me! 😍😍

What is constant though throughout is the friendliness of the people I meet, whether it's the staff at the visitor centres and in the parks, other campers or restaurant guests, or even if it's only a short "great day isn't it?" when you're passing each other on the trail or on the water. Canadians are rightly proud of their local area as well as their country, and are truly wanting to share that with others.

I've also come to realize I'm not alone in wanting to pursue my dreams as many have done so before me; from the scallops farmer in Québec to the inn owner in Ontario, several have shared with me their life trajectory often having moved away from the busy corporate/urban life to focus on what's important to them. No one has perhaps dared to tell me I'm crazy 😜 and it's surprising how many people can in some way relate to Chile 😅 so that makes me hopeful for the future!

Lastly, I wanted to share my reflection on the role that cross-country retailers like Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons and to some extent grocery stores and gas stations play in comforting travelers like me and unifying Canada as truly one country... as part of my job, I've ofcourse always known that CT has 507 stores across Canada but I've never felt what that means until now. When driving for 100-300kms in the middle of inhospitable forest without cell reception and literally only a handful of sideroads and buildings, it's comforting to know that at the end of it there will always be a place to e.g. buy a cup of tea & a donut or propane & kindling 😅. Typically, both CT and Tim Hortons will have signs 5-10km upon approach of a town (though mostly run down and overgrown 😉) and there's a real sense of relief & joy that I've been feeling seeing those signs; a combo of gladness that my car didn't break down or was hit by a moose/bear, and of happiness to be back in the familiar human realm (something like that, not sure how to explain). Secondly, it's also unifying to see the same brands in so many different places, as that creates a bond between all Canadians (in contrast, if you would drive equal distance in Europe you would likely have crossed a border with each country having its own brands/language etc). Having the same stores with the same products everywhere you go in Canada creates a commonality that clearly says: I am in Canada 🇨🇦 (actually, because CT stores are built on a standard proto design, I bought firestarters in exactly the same aisle in Pembroke as in Dryden 🤣)... I don't think this comforting & unifying aspect is apparent when you live in an urban area or only travel locally, but this roadtrip has increased my appreciation of both these Canadian brands (and I'm really not a big Tim Hortons fan although the branch in Marathon was phenomenal) .

I've rambled long enough now and need to light the fire 😃, so here's my top ten-ish of best experiences for the second month in chronological order. Scroll to my previous blogs for pictures!

1. Driving the Labrador loop including the expansive boreal forest and the Manic-5 hydro dam, QC/NL

2. Staying at Battle Harbour Island, NL

3. Seeing icebergs on the trails at Red Bay and L'Anse au Clair, NL

4 Taking the cargo boat from Blanc-Sablon to Kegashka, QC

5. Touring the Mingan archipelago (both west and east islands), QC

6. Whale watching at Cap de Bon-Désir & the Marine Discovery Centre, QC

7. Hiking the Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes at Grands-Jardins, QC

8. Meeting Nabil and spending the day in Vieux-Montreal, QC

9. SUPping at Barron Canyon & Restoule, ON

10. Hiking the pictographs trail at Lake Superior & the coastal trail at Pukaskwa parks, ON

11. Paddling on Lake Superior, ON

12. Guided PoW camp hike at Neys provincial park, ON

There's a few that I omitted such as the Manitou waterfall in eastern Québec, park La Mauricie and the Ouimet Canyon that are must-do's if you're in the area but I can't simply name everything that I did! 😉

I'll need to create better Gmaps next time I have internet on my laptop!

2nd month travel;

Total travel since 1st June;

[kimmysurveyblog]

46

　10 HOW’S

How did you get one of your scars? I have a scar on my ankle from shaving.

How did you celebrate your last birthday? I don't remember at all. Probably had a craft beer or 2, and we probably got pizza.

How are you feeling at this moment? I'm actually feeling super sad. I've been forced to think about my (deceased) mom this past week and I reeeeeally miss my parents. I hope this wave of sadness passes soon.

How did your night go last night? Fine. Didn't do anything interesting, went to bed early.

How did you do in high school? I went through some SHIT in high school so it was rough.

How did you get the shirt you’re wearing? I bought it from Old Navy.

How often do you see your best friend? We live together.

How much money did you spend last month? I'm not sure. A regular amount.

How old do you want to be when you get married? Now would be fine. He's been very clear about wanting to propose soon.

How old will you be at your next birthday? 33.

　9 WHAT’S

What is the most important part of your life? My daughter and boyfriend, my mental & physical health.

What did you do last weekend? It was Canada Day weekend! We spent some time with bf's dad, and relaxed mostly.

What did you last cry over? My mom being dead. I want to hug her so badly.

What are you worried about? Nothing serious or important lol.

What is your mother’s name? Debbie.

What always makes you feel better when you’re upset? Sleeping.

What would you rather be doing? Nothing.

What’s the most important thing you look for in a significant other? Kindness.

What did you have for breakfast? Cold brew.

　8 HAVE YOU’S

Have you ever done something outrageously dumb? Ohh yes.

Have you ever had sex on the beach? No. That sounds awful.

Have you ever been backstabbed by a friend? For sure.

Have you ever been out of the country? Yes, but only because I'm a 30 minute drive from the border.

Have you ever dated someone younger than you? Yes.

Have you ever liked someone who already had somebody? No.

Have you ever been brokenhearted? Yes!

Have you ever read an entire book in one day? Maybe in high school.

　7 WHO’S

Who is the last person you saw? My boyfriend.

Who is the last person that you texted? Therapist.

Who called you last? My uncle.

Who is the last person you hung out with? My online bestie and her husband. :)

Who did you hug last? Boyfriend.

Who is the last person that texted you? Therapist.

Who was the last person you said “I love you” to? Uncle.

　6 WHERE’S

Where does your best friend live? Ontario.

Where is your favorite place to be? In my house.

Where did you sleep last night? My bed.

Where did you last hang out? Park this morning with my family.

Where do/did you go to school? Not sharing. Somewhere in Ontario.

Where did you last adventure to? We go on adventures all the time. Sooo many beautiful adventure spots where I live.

　5 DO’S/DOES

Do you ever wish you were someone else? No.

Do you think anyone despises you? Nah.

Do you like someone right now? Love.

Does the future scare you? A little.

Do you have any secret powers? No.

　4 WHY’S

Why are you best friends with your best friend(s)? He is the sweetest, funniest, most intelligent person I've ever met. We're kindred souls. And we have a lot in common.

Why did your parents give you the name you have? They liked it.

Why did you get a MySpace? Peer pressure, most likely.

Why are you doing this survey? I need something to get my mind off of why I'm sad before bed.

　3 IF’S

If you could have one super power what would it be? Time travel.

If you could go back in time and change one thing, would you? Yes. There are so many things I'd want to say to and ask my parents.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Northern Ontario somewhere.

　2 WOULD-YOU-EVER’S

Would you ever shave your head to save someone you love? I guess?

Would you ever get back together with any of your exes if they asked you? No.

　LAST 1

Are you happy with how your life has turned out? I think so, yes. It could be better but that's on me to change. :)

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Claim They Saw Alleged Bank Robbers Without Masks," Windsor Star. October 21, 1943. Page 5 & 6. ---- Woman Says Men Carried Canvas Bag ---- Witness Claims He Kept Close Watch on Man; Hearing Is Continuing ----- First witnesses to appear at the preliminary hearing of Allen Baldwin, Franklin Smith, Leo Dubroy and Peter Devlin and Vernard Gates, of Windsor to point out some of the men as those they had seen in Wheatley, unmasked, on the morning of September 10 last when the Royal Bank there was held up and more than $34,000 taken, gave evidence in Chatham police court to day. They were Mrs. Dorothy Julian and William Williams, who said they saw men on Lake street soon after 9 a.m., at which time the bank vault was robbed of what is believed to be the largest sum ever robbed from an Ontario bank branch.

SEEN WITH MASKS All earlier witnesses, including the bank manager, and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. William Forshee who had been kept prisoners all night in their home by the five bandits, had seen the robbers only with masks. Even at that, five of them said they could identify Allen Baldwin; some identified Lea Dubroy and some Smith.

This morning Mr. Williams was the first at the hearing to identify Gates as one of the men in the prisoner's box whom he had seen near the bank on the morning of the robbery. So far no witness has pointed to Devlin as one of the men seen in Wheatley.

TELLS OF SEEING MEN Mrs. Julian had seen a two-door Ford car parked near her home en September 10 and had seen three strange men come down the street and enter it. After turning the car, they stopped and two more men got in. They had come on the run and one carried a canvas bag. None of the men was masked. One was a big man with a high forehead.

Later, in a Windsor police line-up she had pointed to Smith as one of the men she had seen and in police court here, she said she recognized Dubroy as another.

There was an interruption at this stage of the hearing. Crown Attorney A. D. Bell, K.C., protested that the prisoners were making remarks to police officers in the court. He said they should be quiet and Magistrate Ivan B. Craig ordered the men to keep silent.

MOST UNUSUAL Mr. Williams, who is 70, and has lived 40 years in Wheatley, said it was most unusual to see four men together on a village street at 9 o'clock in the morning. He had been walking on Lake street when he saw two men cross the street. A few minutes later he saw two more. They had come from behind a garage opposite Mrs. Julian's home.

"I watched them closely, Mr. Williams said and added that he wondered what was going on. Later he was told there had been a bank hold-up and it came to me in a flash that those were the men who had done the job." CARRIED PARCELS Two of the men carried colored parcels. Then came two more, one a large man, bald in front and weighing 180 to 200 pounds. Another with him was much smaller. These men, he recognized after seeing them with police, were Baldwin and Gates.

In cross-examination by James H. Clark, K.C, Mr. Williams said he didin't think he could be mistaken as to the men's identity because "I took a pretty careful look." The large man kept passing his right hand over his face as he crossed the street, Mr. Williams recalled.

Repeated questions failed to break his opinion the two men he saw hurrying after the first two on September 10 on Wheatley's quiet street were Baldwin and Gates.

Miss Shirley Mills, of Wheatley, told the court when she was called that she had seen a parked car as she went to work on September 10 and in it ashe had seen a blue blanket. In court she identified a blanket produced by police, and taken from a car they found after the robbery, as like that she had seen in the car.

The hearing is continuing this afternoon. Until adjournment at noon today right of the 16 witnesses to be called had been heard.

RECOGNIZED TWO Mrs. Forshee, who said she had recognized Dubroy and Baldwin in the police lineup at Windsor after the robbery, was closely cross-examined by Defence Counsel James H. Clark, K. C. on the Dubroy identification, but she could not be broken down and insisted she was "quite sure" Dubro had been one of those who held her up on the evening of September 9. Gordon L. Fraser, K.C., another of the defending counsel, cross-examined her as to Baldwin's identification but she failed to be shaken in her conviction.

Miss Jean Tait, teller of the bank. told how she had found the robbers waiting with Mr. and Mrs. Forshee and other staff members when she had arrived for work in the morning.

She was told to "throw" the combination of the vault, but was too nervous to do so and had called the combination out to Mr. Forshee, who did it for her. Then she opened the inner safe, using one combination as Mr. Forshee used another. She told how the money was withdrawn by the bandits, and described the men she saw.

Miss Tait explained to the court that she had checked the hills at the end of each business day and was able to identify her own markings. She never yet had seen any checkmark just like her own, she told Magistrate Ivan B. Craig, and was satisfied that those on two $10 notes shown to her as exhibits in the case were among those she had ticked. Under gruelling cross-examination by Gerald McHugh, K.C., one of the three defence counsel, she refused to be shaken in her opinion.

There was one discolored $20 bill which she said had come to her attention and was among the money stolen. Shown a discolored note by the Crown attorney. A. D. Bell, K.C.. she said that was the one she had recalled.

Later, attractive young Mrs. Kathleen McLean, a clerk in the bank, said the $20 note had come in a registered envelope with a deposit and she and Miss Elta McLellan, another clerk, had remarked on its condition. She was positive the one produced in court was the same.

TIED HER FINGERS Mrs. McLean told about "a big. slouchy man," who had tied her fingers behind her back. Like other witnesses, she said he wore a blue denim smock, and said it was the same type as one produced in court. The man wearing it she could positively identify as Baldwin and said she had pointed him out in a police lineup two days after the holdup.

She had studied him carefully as he tied her up and there was no doubt in her mind Baldwin was the man who had done it.

Mrs. McLean said she also recognized "the gentleman who is sleeping in the prisoners' box, as she pointed to Leo Dubroy who was caught napping during the examination. She had also recognized him in the police lineup.

As she mentioned "the sleeping gentleman," Dubroy quickly snapped out of his repose and was told to stand so that the witness could look him over.

In cross-examination by Mr. Fraser, Mrs. McLean had said the man who tied her up and whom she identified later as Baldwin, had ordinary hands, except that "they were hairy."

HAD BLUE EYES But as for his eyes, "I'll certainly never forget them. They were Copen blue. I'd say." When Mr. Fraser said he didn't know what Copen blue was, Mrs. McLean said he had obviously not done dress shopping. This he admitted, but added that in his day of dress shopping there wasn't that color. The magistrate said: "It's Copenhagen blue."

The situation was getting a little on the hilarious side and order had to be called when Mr. Fraser commented on the bright, blue eyes of the witness.

Then he got back to the bandit's eyes and asked if they came in a pair and were a good pair.

"I said that morning after the robbery that if ever I saw those eyes again I'd know them," Mrs. McLean went on, and she added that she had picked their owner out of a police lineup.

Baldwin was asked to stand in court and Mrs. McLean eyed him carefully, commented on his build and eyes.

"Is this the man who handied you without gloves?" Mr. Fraser asked. and she replied: "He's the man."

When her testimony was given the hearing was adjourned until this morning.

IDENTIFIED THREE Fifth witness to say she could positively identify Alvin Baldwin as one of the bank bandits, Miss Elta McLellan of the bank staff this morning also told the court she was able to identify Leroy Dubroy and Franklin Smith. Dubroy, she said, she picked out of a police lineup because of his "voice, walk and big brown eyes."

Miss McLellan also positively identified a $20 bill found by police in a raid on Smith's room in Windsor. She said the note had been a source of considerable amusement at the bank because of its badly soiled appearance. Like other members of the staff, she said particular attention had been drawn to it as it had come in a registered letter.

[loiswolf]

Day 52 July 22 White Lake Lodge - Wawa 121km

I’m not sure why I was worried about covering the distance today. I knew it was going to be flatter. Maybe because it took all day yesterday to ride 72kms and today was 50kms further.

Anyway, it was pretty easy. There was still a beautiful view from my cabin this morning, it’s a shame I had to leave!

I was ready to go at 7:30 heading off early for my second breakfast at White River.

It was another perfect day and the clouds reflected in this lake looked stunning.

At least there was a reasonable distance to cycle before White River. I’d covered 26kms before rolling up to Robin’s Donuts. My impression of Robin’s Donuts had been somewhat skewed from the motel/Pizza Hut/gas station/Robins Donuts back in Schreiber where there had just been a few sad looking donuts in a glass cabinet. The one in White River was great. It’s like a cheap imitation of Tim Hortons. I enjoyed a toasted cheese bagel and coffee, purchased a biscuit ( scone) and donut to go, and it was only $8. It would have been twice that in Tim Hortons.

I didn’t stay long….I had another 90+kms to conquer. The kilometre ticked by pretty easily with moderate hills and a good road with a shoulder. These signs proclaimed that section of the Trans-Canada Highway as a cycle route.

Amazing how as soon as the shoulder deteriorated 50kms up the road the signs disappeared. What’s that about? The cyclist are just supposed to drop in where it starts after White River then get beamed up when the shoulder is rubbish?

I had seen signs for a Midway Lodge about 46kms from White River but wasn’t too hopeful that it would be open. I’ve cycled by several derelict motels over the past few days.

The sign looked quite new when I reached the motel and the building was ok too. They had a chain halfway across the driveway indicating that it was shut. I cycled in anyway thinking I could sit on the bench outside to have my break.

Then I noticed there were vehicles around the back so I walked around and asked Trevor for a cup of coffee. No problem! Trevor and his friend were slightly rougher company than I am used to but the coffee was good and I had someone to talk to. They were there doing renovations on the motel. It’s good to know it will be opening again soon…although not too soon considering the rate at which those two were working. Or not working!

I probably stayed a bit longer than intended but I knew I was going to make it to Wawa with plenty of time to spare. I can’t tell you why I needed to be there before 5pm today…..you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. 😁

Next photo worthy sign was this one.

I’ve been noting these gradually increasing numbers since in entered Ontario 10 days ago. I’ve covered 1000kms of Ontario. It’s a much bigger province than all the others I’ve crossed.

The wind was blowing from the side and occasionally the front for the last 30kms so I was happy to see the turnoff for Wawa even though it was at the top of a hill. I don’t know what this big bird…duck….whatever signifies but there were a couple of others on the way into town.

I’d beaten my deadline by two and a half hours. Of course! Was there ever any doubt?

The motel check in wasn’t until 3:30 so I went back to the supermarket to get supplies. There is a music festival in town tonight so I don’t think it’s going to be a quiet one!

I’ve done the above map differently, marking the places I’ve stayed with a red squiggle so you can get a better idea of where I’ve been.

[fleurcareil]

North Ontario (3): Neys and Sleeping Giant provincial parks

After stocking up in Marathon, it was only a short drive to Neys provincial park, of which I had never heard of until I researched for this trip, although someone told me that this is the locals' favourite. Unfortunately the lakefront sites had already been booked so I sat a bit further back in the forest with less view but also less wind, which turned out to be of benefit as it was definitely not calm here!

In the morning, it wasnt much better so went for a paddle on Little Pic River instead, which had some pretty rock faces and two high bridges to cross under (I had already heard the train overnight as it passed by at 4am tooting the horn to scare wildlife off the tracks), but then it quickly became shallow and I couldn't proceed beyond some gravel banks.

This meant that I had plenty of time to show up at the visitor centre for a guided hike of the prisoner of war camp that had operated here during the 2nd World War, during which a total of 3,000 Nazis were held here, on request by the British government to keep them as far away as possible from the front line. The site was later also used as a Japanese-Canadian internment camp, of which I had already heard of during a visit to the Human Rights museum in Winnipeg (which made me realize I'll always only be seen part Canadian with my rights being able to taken away at any moment), but I wasn't aware that Canada had also kept 36,000 mostly German prisoners of war in detention or logging labour camps... under the Geneva convention, if prisoners would be treated well here, Canadian prisoners in Germany should be receiving the same conditions, so in some distorted way, the Nazis were treated exceptionally well here with good food, an ice rink, orchestra etc. The reason that the camp was built here, is that surrounded by a freezing lake and black bears 😝 it would be impossible to escape (which indeed no one did). Although there's hardly any remnants left, overgrown by the forest in the last 80 years, it was one of the most interesting guided hikes I've ever done!

People on the tour were very friendly so we hung around afterwards for quite a while to share tips where to go next, why they loved it so much here (many being repeat visitors since 10-20 years), inquiring about my moving plans etc 😃

Feeling lazy, I sat a bit on the beach for lunch & reading, but the hard wind wasn't pleasant, so I went on another short hike to see logging boats that had been used by the PoW labour camps and just chill on the rocks. ��� I followed a group of Canada Geese that were battling the waves to get to a calmer spot and although I don't like them, I was impressed with their swimming capabilities!

It was dreary the next morning, so packed up the tent and went to a viewpoint of the lake... Aware of how quiet I am on a hike, especially compared to a group with children 😝, when there's no other cars parked/ people on the trail, I say the following verse out loud; "Hi hi, I'm a human. If you're a bear, please go away. I know I'm in your home but prefer not to see you today." 🤣🤣 I did hear at some point a loud cracking sound but it could very well have been a squirrel as those also can make a racket!

After a shower & in between rain bouts, I finally also hiked a small dune trail which showed a clear contrast between the planted pine trees in the 60's where the PoW camp had been (left pic) versus the original boreal forest with its shaggy trees and moss undergrowth in open areas (right pic).

On the way further west, I made several pit stops to break up the drive; first up were the Aguasabon falls near Terrace Bay, then a pebble beach at Schreiber (where I tried to use my thermos as a selfie statif with mixed success 😉), followed by a viewing tower at Nipigon (where both the LCBO and beer store were closed on a Sunday so I would be dry for the next few days, not a disaster 😅), and last but not least the majestic Ouimet Canyon. I had heard about the canyon before, and although it's not entirely the Grand Canyon as someone described it to me 😁, it's impressive to see and to realize that the valley bottom is an Artic ecosystem with ice under the moss & rocks that never melts!

At the canyon, I already heard thundering from far, so luckily I managed to set up my tent at Sleeping Giant provincial park before the rain started. It then rained for the rest of the evening so instead of experimenting with a roasted pork tenderloin on the fire, I ate chips in the car until I went to bed 🤨.

Despite the rain all night, next day the sky was very smokey with an orangy bleak sun if it came at all, so I forewent the famous 22k hike up the Giant (which I had already done in 2012 when I was here and although beautiful, wrecked my legs with shin splits from over-exertion). Instead I hiked easily to the Sea Lion arch with the giant as the backdrop (the head is to the right, then the body and completely left are the toes or knees I believe).

It felt good to be on the move so I did another hike after that to a secluded bay where the water was incredibly calm but cold so brought my bikini for nothing and instead really got into my book - thanks Navneet for giving it to me a long time ago as I really liked it! 😍

Back at the campground and after having read some more over a cup of mint tea, my body was up for even more exercise 🙃 so went for a 1.5hr paddle on Marie Louise lake; easy going along the shore to minimize fighting the wind and with the giant in sight. Although I'm definitely fitter than when I was sitting behind a desk all day, it does not translate into a thin body due to too much chips & beer 😜 but hey, I take it as it is!

The wood logs were wet of the rain & were hard to catch fire so I gave up and dove into bed early. In the morning, it was foggy so perfect excuse to finish reading the book in bed until 9am.

Today is 1st August so that means I've been on the road now for two months already! 🎉🎉 Time to leave stunning Lake Superior behind and get myself to the Prairies and the west.

Wildlife: 3 deer at Sleeping Giant

SUPS: one at Neys & one at Sleeping Giant

Hikes: four at Neys & two at Sleeping Giant

Distance driven this week: 759 km

[gongyussy]

men listen to hayley wickenheiser challenge. from the athletic:

A little more than a year ago, T.J. Oshie read a story about a young boy who was cut in the neck by a skate blade during a youth hockey game. Almost instinctively, Oshie reached for his phone and contacted his partners at Warroad, the hockey apparel company he helped found six years ago. What started as a way to create undershirts that weren’t itchy and irritating had developed into a safety-conscious business that helped develop new, cut-resistant fabrics to protect players’ wrists and Achilles tendons.

Now, Oshie wanted turtlenecks to protect the most dangerously exposed part of a hockey player’s body — their neck, and the carotid artery within. Sure enough, Warroad came up with a sleek turtleneck with its “tilo” design, which includes cut-resistant panels built into the fabric.

It worked. And Oshie still didn’t wear them.

In fact, he doesn’t believe a single player in the NHL wears anything of the sort. None of the bulky neck guards that are mandatory in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League (but not the Western Hockey League). None of the Kevlar-style fabric turtlenecks that are becoming more readily available all the time, from companies such as Warroad, AYCANE, and Cut-Tex Pro.

Players have their reasons. Oshie said NHL rinks are “hotter” than ever, with guys sweating through several undershirts a game, and the thought of wearing a turtleneck in such a warm environment is unappealing. Players are superstitious, wearing the same shoulder pads they used in juniors, using the same brand of skate they’ve worn since they were kids, using the same tape job and knob style they’ve used forever. And, well, turtlenecks and neck guards don’t look cool. Heck, only Wayne Gretzky and Tomas Plekanec ever really pulled off the look.

“It’s not a cool look having neck guards on,” Oshie said. “For whatever reason, it’s just not something that’s sleek and looks great.”

But then Oshie learned about Adam Johnson’s death on Saturday night. Johnson, a former player for the Pittsburgh Penguins, was cut in the neck by a skate blade during a game in England and died, shaking the hockey community to its core. Players and coaches from around the league expressed their heartbreak over the tragedy. But Oshie did more than that.

He ordered five Tilo turtlenecks from his company. One for him and four for some of his teammates to try. They’ll arrive on Monday. And he’s going to try playing in them. Because Johnson’s death did more than devastate the hockey world. It opened the hockey world’s eyes to an inherent — and possibly preventable — life-threatening risk that comes with playing the game.

At any level.

“I just wish these things never had to be made, and injuries like this would never happen, because it’s so sad,” Oshie said on his way to the Capitals’ game against the Sharks on Sunday evening. “It hits me pretty hard, just thinking about my kids. I could take one to the neck tonight. And for them to not have a father — it’s just so sad and it makes me think twice about protecting myself and my neck out there. Whether it looks cool or not.”

…Jason Dickinson’s heart went out to Johnson’s family on Sunday, but he also spared a thought for the player whose skate caught Johnson in the neck.

“I feel for (him) as well,” Dickinson said. “He’s on the other end of that and he’s going to have some stuff to work through, because that’s heavy stuff. I guarantee he feels guilty right now, even though it’s a freak accident.”

That’s a word you hear a lot when it comes to skate-cut injuries, whether it’s Pat Maroon’s skate slicing through Evander Kane’s wrist last season or Matt Cooke’s skate tearing Erik Karlsson’s Achilles tendon 10 years ago. A “freak” accident. A “freak” play. But is it? After all, this is a game played by people moving at exceptional speeds with exceptional force wearing exceptionally dangerous weapons on their feet. If anything, it’s shocking that skate cuts don’t happen more often.

Hayley Wickenheiser, a Team Canada legend, assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs and emergency physician, bristled at the depiction of such incidents as “freak” occurrences.

“I don’t think this is a freak thing, I think it happens quite a lot,” she said. “It’s just the injuries are superficial, or the players are lucky. This isn’t something that doesn’t happen; it happens a lot in hockey. Sticks come up, skates come up, and the neck is very susceptible. So whatever we can do to make (neck protection) more mainstream and just part of the equipment, the better for the future of the game. It just makes sense to me.”

…Dickinson said the NHL provided a video at the beginning of the season highlighting the benefits of cut-resistant sleeves to protect the wrists and Achilles tendons, and those have become quite popular around the league. But neck protection remains ignored by everyone other than goaltenders.

Johnson’s death surely opened some eyes around the hockey world to the risk of skate cuts to the neck, and it appeared that several Providence Bruins, in the AHL, wore neck guards on Sunday. That’s a start.

But why does it have to be a years-long process? Why can’t it happen sooner? Why do players have to be grandfathered in to avoid any mandates whenever a new equipment mandate is instituted?

“Because they’re stubborn,” said one NHL equipment manager, who was granted anonymity so he could speak freely. “It’s a monkey-see, monkey-do league. All it would take is one guy to wear it. Then two days to get used to it.

Wickenheiser has a similarly simple solution to getting players past all their superstitions and habits, to get them to embrace what seems like such an obvious solution to a terrifying problem.

“You just put one on,” she said. “I wore one for 20 years with the national team, it didn’t interfere with anything I did. … It’s just like anything else, when one player does it, everyone sees it and it becomes normal. I can’t even remember hockey without visors now, and I grew up watching the world of hockey without visors. I can’t even imagine not playing with a visor with how fast the game is.”

As an emergency physician and all-time hockey great, Wickenheiser is perhaps uniquely qualified to weigh in on the subject. She knows how well-stocked NHL arenas are in terms of medical care. She also knows it’s not nearly enough if, God forbid, a situation similar to what happened to Johnson happens in an NHL game. The thought has frequently crossed her mind that if there were an incident at a practice, she might be the most qualified person in the rink that day. She runs the scenarios in her mind constantly, and “it truly horrifies me.”

“You know how little time and resources you have to save a life in that moment,” she said. “The deck is entirely stacked against you as a physician. In the NHL buildings, there would be qualified physicians, there’s (emergency medical services) in the building. You have every resource at your fingertips. But what you don’t have is time. You need a surgeon and you need blood and you need time, and there’s none of those things in that moment. It’s just such a devastating injury. It freaks me out, for sure.”

If Johnson’s tragic and shocking death doesn’t prove to be enough to open eyes and open minds, then what will?

“There are options out there, and it’s not a bad idea at all,” Dickinson said. “It’s about awareness. And events like (Saturday) night, events like Kane’s, like Karlsson’s — those really make guys think and get them worried. It’s definitely something I’d consider now. I mean, who cares what it looks like? Looking lame and living is a lot better than the opposite.”

good

[sonyadance]

Travels and Dancing 18

What a year.  What a fucking year.  This note contains the summary of all the good things that happened through travels and my crazy life, as always.  I’m not ready to write about the bad.  So when you read this, whoever you are, don’t compare yourself or imagine how great of a life I have… this is only one side of it, how I am ready to shed light on it or how I prefer to recall it so I can trick my own mind into thinking I have an amazing life.  Only amazing.

 I ended last time with the trip to Guatemala and my flight to Toronto.  I found dance again there.  Canada zouk congress and all its amazing people, the Toronto wcs community that welcomed me with open arms, some creative projects, a great circus school where I met sweet people to train with, a somatic school I was finishing a certification with.  Again, over and over, I still end up with beautiful people around me.

 I think this is going to be the shortest Travels and Dancing I’ve ever done… I kind of just want to get it over with and forget about that year, I’m just not managing to not write a text.  So here it is:

-A nice road trip to Montreal for one of my best friend’s birthday, crazy late night karaoke and fun

-A freediving trip to a quarry close to Ottawa with sweet guitar and singing by the fire

-Being reunited with my two best friends for a week after 10 years apart

-Teaching workshops and privates in Toronto

-A cozy retreat close in Ontario’s countryside

-The best event of the year: Rock the Barn.  Northern Sweden, the sun never sets, kind people

-A three weeks road trip through Québec and a music show on the edge of a cliff

-Visiting my best friend’s new place in British Columbia and spending time with her family

-Going to choreo camp in Seattle and reconnecting with dance and community once again

-Being welcomed in the Victoria wcs community like it was family, having a blast with wonderful people, teaching so many workshops and privates

-Doing a road trip around Vancouver island and discovering one of the most beautiful place in Canada

-A nice Christmas and New Year in Toronto

-Visiting friends I met at an aerial retreat in Mexico two years ago in New Orleans

-Being part of the best dance cruise on the circuit and seeing Jamaica, Mexico and Grand Caiman

-Exploring Medellin, an exciting, vibrant, contrasting, interesting city

-A weekend in Guatape and a crazy motorcycle ride

-Taguanga and its national park, an insane boat ride, crazy taxi drivers and freediving in the ocean

-Falling in love with Cartagena.  I want to live in the walled city for a month and just walk around

-An insane two days flight back to Toronto

-An emergency exit towards Montreal and…

 And we’ll see for the rest.  I’ll I can tell you, is that it’s off to a great start.

[college-girl199328]

Melissa Chatzimanolakis’ brother Anthony died while awaiting trial at an Ontario jail late last month, marking one of the latest amongst an increasing number of inmate deaths in recent years – but Melissa says she’s refusing to let him become “a sad statistic.”

“We did everything together,” Melissa told CTV News Toronto in an interview over the phone Thursday. “He was a happy, loving, caring person.”

Anthony Chatzimanolakis, 30, died at Toronto South Detention Centre in Etobicoke on March 25, the Ministry of the Solicitor General confirmed Thursday. He was awaiting trial at the bail hearing scheduled for April 14 – "just two weeks from when he died," Melissa said.

Paramedics were called to the jail that day after staff found an inmate unresponsive and in medical distress to provide further details as “several investigations are underway.”

The family has said that initial investigations and autopsies performed on Anthony suggest he may have died of a drug overdose, including a coroner’s report and toxicology results, which could still be up to nine months away.

Growing up, Melissa said she and Anthony were inseparable. “We were only 10 months apart,” Melissa said. “My brother and I have been side-by-side our whole lives.” That changed last September when Anthony was arrested after being accused of vehicle theft, carrying an unlicensed, loaded firearm, and harassment. The charges had not been proven in court, and he had not been convicted.

“Although my brother made some bad decisions, he had a good heart,” Melissa said. “He would take the shirt off to give it to somebody in need in his pocket for you to go eat.”

Since Anthony was jailed, Melissa said she’d at least once a week. Although she physically travelled to the jail for the visitations, her time with Anthony was still required to be conducted virtually.

He often spoke of the pain he was in, suffering complications from a 2019 motorcycle crash was scheduled to receive surgery in November 2022 procedure was cancelled, and the family was not provided with a clear plan for Anthony’s healthcare past that point, she said.

“He felt like he was being ignored.” Now, what exactly happened to her brother. “We have no answers,” Melissa said here with a million things running through our heads, and we happened to him.”

Melissa said because “unfortunately, [it] is not unique. This happens a lot – more than people even know – and not spoken about,” said. A report released in January by the coroner’s office said deaths in Ontario jails have “risen dramatically” in recent years.

From 2014 to 2021, 186 people died in custody, with 19 deaths in 2014, 25 in 2019 and 46 in 2021. By far, the most common cause of death is accidental overdose, according to the data. The report found that illicit drugs are currently making their way into correctional facilities at an “alarming pace,” brought in by people being brought into custody, visitors, lawyers, drones and said.

“There needs to be more accountability,” Melissa said. “To ensure that proper checks are being done to prevent illicit drugs from being available inside these facilities.”

The report also specifically identified the number of individuals incarcerated on remand – a term for inmates awaiting trial, sentencing or other proceedings – contributing to the rising number of inmate deaths.

Anthony’s death pushed for “swift action” on bail reform meant to keep “violent offenders off the streets.” Several recent high-profile violent crimes committed by offenders were released on undertakings.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that people are now dying because of the failures of our justice system,” Premier Doug Ford said at Queen’s Park Monday. Two days later, the province tabled a motion calling the federal government to take immediate action on “meaningful” bail reform.

Almost 70 percent of people jailed in Ontario are on remand. That is “ever-increasing,” the province says, and experts have cautioned against measures that continue to balloon it.

To die in a Canadian correctional facility is “unlawful and unjust,” Melissa said, but far from unheard of. “Many men and women die in correctional facilities in Ontario – however, they don’t have families to mourn them and to question their deaths – they just simply disappear and become a sad statistic,” she said.

“Anthony is not that,” she said, and to prove it, she said she’ll continue sharing her brother’s story and seeking justice. “I could have been prevented if things had been done differently.”