In the words of a former board colleague, “I have a few points to ponder.”
Or in other words, I have thoughts on a variety of topics and will spend a few paragraphs sorting and pondering.
• • •
As we move into the tourist season, in my humble opinion, it is important for tourist attractions and business outlets to match their hours of operation to what is said on their websites and Facebook pages.
There is nothing more disgruntling and disappointing to plan one’s travels based on information on social media platforms only to discover upon arrival that reality does not meet up with published information.
Just recently we made a trip to a community with the expectation of having lunch at a favourite restaurant. We double checked the hours of operation prior to the start of our voyage and arrived just moments after the listed hour of opening. The parking lot was empty, which should have been our first hint. But no, a red neon sign in the window indicated the establishment was open and so we tried the door to find it locked. We peered indoors at the empty tables. We learned it was partially open around the side, with ice cream being the only offering.
Our disappointment carried over to the second choice for lunch and while the food there was OK, the excitement of our afternoon out was diminished by confusing details on a website.
Will we take our chances and return another time? Yes, indeed, but we will use the old-fashioned telephone to call ahead to verify the hours and days of operation.
• • •
The wild geese are gradually returning to this area and on a recent drive many were seen sitting near ponds and on fields, usually in pairs, which led to a conversation about their mating habits.
I said it was nice that geese mated for life. Housemate suggested my theory of monogamy was incorrect, that he had seen research somewhere that disabused such a scientific fact. We argued good naturally about which of us knew the most about the mating habits of these majestic birds.
He attempted to find details on his phone by asking that woman to check his facts. He ultimately gave up the quest when she couldn’t understand what he wanted to know.
At home I asked my pal Google about the topic and learned that wild geese do indeed mate for life, while domestic geese do not. In fact, I learned that domestic ganders can be quite randy and flit from nest to nest. Shame on them.
Housemate is still searching for the proof that wild ganders do play around a bit.
• • •
The official barbecue season is here and already on a cool evening, the fragrance of grilled meat wafts through the air.
A catalogue in the mailbox the other day offered an astonishing array of grills and outdoor kitchens that would rival the wishes of any indoor homemaker. The price tags were just as astonishing, making me wonder if food tastes better when grilled on the $2,000 machine as opposed to the $500 no-frills variety.
Our household does not have an official barbecue grill that anyone would envy. But somewhere in a shed, in a bag, we have a single side hibachi, big enough for two hamburger patties or one steak — run not with propane or electricity but by coals. Housemate keeps threatening to drag it out, clean it and cook our supper. So far that hasn’t happened.
A trip to the Cabin in the park is as close as we’ve gotten lately to having Sunday supper prepared on a grill.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
