-- "rt i' ER ER rrr ermine Many people have a period of depression after the Holiday Season, usually made worse as the credit card bills arrive and the sun never seems to shine. I don't have depression really but during January I find that I think bad thoughts about things that annoy me and according to Valerie, tend to become more cranky, although she appreciates how difficult it is to recognize the increase. Well, let me tell you, I'm fed up to here with Global Warming. This has a depressing effect and a potentially dangerous one for our household. Buffy, our 12 Ib. Bichon Frise is addicted to morning walks as close to dawn as possible. This means that she and I take her walk at around 6.00 a.m. in Spring Summer and Fall, but around 7.00 am. in Winter due to the moming dark- ness. With this Global Warming phenomenon we are suffering from this year an element of risk overshadows our walks. We follow the same route every day and the danger is this. As Buffy stops at the spots where P-mail from her and other canines are exchanged she has to be extremely quick as she sends a P Mail lest she find that a very sensitive part of her anatomy is joined to the ground by an instant icicle. So far we've been lucky but we must remain vigilant. I read where scientists are worried about the polar bears and the impact on their habitat by this global warming. Who knows, they may have to ship them down to us for preser- vation! An article in the Star last week covered a 'safari' by the papers auto writers to the east side of James Bay to test the starting capabilities of the latest hybrid (gas and electric) automobile. They travelled 1,600 km (1,000 miles for us seniors) along a good but uninhabited road constructed for the hydro-electric projects in Quebec, through herds of migrating caribou to a native village where the tests were to be done. The lead tester remarked "The temperature was only minus 13 degrees, I could have done them in my driveway in Milton where it reached minus 27 degrees that same weekend." So much for global warming. Another thing that riles me is the way some people use the English language. The people that say 'you know' after every sentence - I went to Belleville yesterday, you know, I met Mildred, you know - Well if I know, stop telling me! Along the same line are the people who like my late cousin add 'you know what I'm saying' or 'you know what I mean' or 'you understand what I said?" Good grief, that's a pain isn't it? I' must admit that I do this sometimes to annoy Valerie. It works every time but the potential repercussions of anger- ing Valerie, or any wife, for the matter require it to be done seldom and preferably in a very jocular way. I was listening to the CBC on the car radio (I usually listen to CBC - no commercials and usually interesting and more adult intellectual programmes than local rock stations) the other day. The guest was the editor-in-chief of the Oxford Canadian Dictionary. People phoned in with words or phrases that they thought should be removed from the language and she commented. One was - by and large - what does it mean. Generally we use it to mean 'all things being considered'. Someone phoned in to say that it originated as a nautical term. For you sailors it meant when you were close hauled into a head wind with the jib as taut as possible then the mainsail eased off to make the steering easier - sailing by the wind with the mainsail off wind or large - who cares - the current meaning is the one we like, Another expression discussed was 'falling through the cracks'. This resulted in a lively and informative exchange. There are many, many more that demonstrate the living nature of English and why it is now the world language. But stop this © you know' etc nonsense. Continued on page 10 Country Shears Family Hairstyling a A Bla "TN le 4 2058 COUNTY ROAD 17 Led 1/2 KM. FROM MILFORD -- = 8 <! By appointment only. Coll Linda at 476-2170 CLOSED TUESDAY & SUNDAY hs