SMF

To be fair - the Raptors|76ers was quite the series -- didn't watch game 7 as I don't do TV on Sundays -- but did read the various write-ups. I expect the Bucks to win in 6 or 7 though. It would be nice if the Raps could get to the finals ----- I think it would be good for the league.

Gary -- it's the noise that gets you going though. Everyone I know who has gone to the F1 in Montreal always wears good sound protection.

Ottawa water is actually quite soft. We lived in an area before moving here 30+ years ago where we needed a water softener and when I said to my cousin's husband we needed one he just smiled and said quietly "This is Ottawa, save your money" When we travel, I often find the water much hard...

The UK National Railway Museum has some excellent steam specimens including the Mallard (steam rail speed record), The Flying Scot (it was actually moving when we were there - very cool to see it under power) and others. Possibly the best day I have ever spent in a museum -- and it's free to boot. A...

It's quite a fair rule. I wonder why all organizations don't have the same setup. You get one trophy and if you win another event, whether it's Olympics, pro sports including golf, stock car racing, horse racing (today's the Kentucky Derby by the way - Maximum Security won but a challenge was lodge...

I used to quite enjoy NASCAR as a lad, but eventually moved on to F1 just because the race courses are so much more interesting and the noise more robust.

Somehow I knew that this community would have a shadow fountain pen sub-group.

I do not plan to build a large collection, but do aspire to a Visconti Rembrandt Dark Forest or Van Gogh Starry, Starry Night. Both beyond belief gorgeous.

That’s good to hear Wendell and it’s very commendable of you to be involved in the relief effort. It’s all very sad especially for the people in Gatineau, who were also struck by the tornado a short while ago. I lived in Ottawa for 10 years, moving to Hog Town in 1980, but I don’t remember experien...

I have a modest collection of pens - and love all of them (although some more than others). The Safari is a model I have long lusted after - they are so affordable I really should try one - especially now that my airplane days are behind me. I like a thinner line of ink myself - so a Fine or even E...

PS How are you making out with the flooding in the Ottawa area? None of our family is affected (thank goodness). This is something that happens every year we have heavy snow or high amounts of freezing rain as the ground get over saturated (mostly clay in Ottawa), and can't hold the water so water ...

As a teen in high school more than 45 years ago, I tried all sorts of things to try to improve my handwriting, including fountain pens. They were not very leftie friendly to use, and while I loved the feel in my hand, my writing style dragged my hand along parallel to the lines on the paper and - yo...

I know this is a reading post, but I have to say how disappointed I was with the BBC production of Watership Down. They took far too much liberty with the story line in the last 2 episodes. It could have been so much better. Now - back to what I am reading. I picked up my wife's copy of Becoming by ...

Murray - With regard to carry-on items, my experience is that TSA agents sometimes do what their own website says -- and other times they don't. The travelling public has no power and no recourse to such capricious and inconsistent acts other than to complain (at a later time). Example: there was a...

And the size of the bag is prescribed as well. They usually have extra "bags" right before security -- at least all the airports in Canada and Europe where I have flown do that. I can't recall beyond the NYC airports which also offer the free bag before security service.

Throwing in my 2 cents here -- seeing as I am the resident Wool fat evangelist ...... Hard water or soft, you can get good lather from MWF. However, you have to be patient and cautious about the water-to-soap mixture. Hard water can quickly degrade the quality of lather when you add it. The upside-d...

I've owned a Kobo in one form or another ever since they were introduced. I still have my favourite physical books, but as some of my well worn paper backs die, I am finding that I am replacing them on my Kobo. My current read is Watership Down -- a long-time favourite that gets read every year or t...

So long as the integrity of the performance of the lather is unscathed, they could use egg white for all I care. However - don't mess with my WoolFat -- that concoction has been around for 120 years.

Certainly the thought of being with a Semogue for soap doesn't bear thinking.

I will be replenishing my supply of Skin Food sometime in the next few weeks, so may invest in a replacement. My wife keeps asking why I need another shaving brush ----- I just grin/smile.

Well - today after many years of wonderful service, my 1305 fell apart. The knot has split in two and fell out of the handle. I'll need to replace some day, probable in the not too distant future. Will I invest in another 1305? Possibly not (pun unintended). Any suggestions on other Semogues? Perhap...

Death in Holy Orders - check Winter Solstice - check Mistletoe Murders, a Collection of Short Stories - check I picked up a small selection of Observer books in November on our trip to North Yorkshire -- and am perusing the Cathedrals volume at the moment. My current nightly "serious reading&qu...