{emergency preparedness}

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No niin, paljon parempi olo jo. Ajatukset suunnattu hyviin asioihin...

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Some of you might remember that we had a fire scare in our house not very long ago. Our fire alarm went off in the middle of the night and scared us. It was a false alarm but I ended up having nightmares that night that the fire was real or that we were dying from carbon monoxide poisoning etc. I'm happy to report that Jay changed our fire alarms. They are brand new and also include carbon monoxide alarms.

After that night, I put our very insufficient 72 hour emergency kit in our living room (two big plastic containers) and decided that they are going to stay there until I get my butt in gear and finish this important project. Our church has been teaching forever now about being prepared and I'm ashamed to say that even though I have felt it's very important, so far I haven't done much to be prepared. We see in the news more and more reasons why every family should have a preparedness plan and emergency kits. Here in Canada, there's been much talk about floods lately as there have been major floodings as snow has melted. Many people had to be evacuated. Soon the summer forest fire season will start and once again we'll hear stories of people having to leave their homes quickly. Our world is a fragile place and it gives you much peace of mind if you are as prepared as you can be. I'm determined to finally heed my church leaders (and the government) and do my best to get prepared. How about you? What have you done so far and do you have any tips for the rest of us?

Here are some web sites that can get you started:

Get Prepared by Canadian Government (the Emergency Guide is great)

72 hour emergency kit info by lds.about.com

emergency preparedness info by LDS church (includes tips on storing water, etc)

prepare your home and family by Red Cross (lots of great info, they even have prepardness lessons for children in each age group)

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So - start now. Start with a container and slowly accumulate things to put in it. I got Jay the crank up radio/flashlight as a gift one year and Jay bought the other items for our family for a Christmas gift last year. Who needs more junk. Peace of mind is a lovely gift. I'll keep updating you on my progress and maybe it'll motivate some of you to get started too.

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"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their... supply of food... and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free."

President Thomas S. Monson, Church News, May 12, 2001

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{yksi parhaista paatoksistani}

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glorious treats flickr com

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hello naomi flickr com
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nick^D flickr com
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Laitetaan tanne vaikka tallaista vapun kunniaksi. Jotkut ne osaa tehda hianoja cupcakes. En kylla tieda tykkaisinko syoda moisia.

En muuten edes muistaisi etta on vappu ellen asiasta olisi saanut muistutusta netissa. Olen ollut kovin huono pitamaan ylla Suomen juhlapaivien traditioita. Pitaisi vihdoinkin etsia se suomalainen ystava jos sitten tulisi tehtya aina jotain. Tippaleipia en tietty tee Siennan vehnaallergian takia. Sama munkkien. Simaakaan ei raukka voi juoda kun on hiiva-allerginen myoskin. Itselle sima kylla maistuisi. Onneksi sita aina saa kerran vuodessa Heritage festarilla. Pitaisikohan joskus tehda ihan itselleni vaan...

Vapusta mulla on muutama hyva muisto mutta enimmakseen se tuo mulle huonoja muistoja, pakko myontaa. En ole halunnut tasta aiheesta aiemmin kirjoittaa silla tama liittyy muihinkin kuin minuun. Lyhyesti mainittakoon vaan etta minunkin perheessa on alkoholisteja kuten muidenkin suomalaisten. Itse en kesta enaa en tipan tippaa kannisten orinoita. Hauskan pitoa muka. Joo niin just. Inhoan viinaa yli kaiken. Se on samalla asteella mulle tupakan hajun kanssa. Niista tulee karseet muistot aina mieleen.

Itse olen alkoholia kayttanyt ehka yhteensa noin 10 kertaa (en muista tarkalleen). Humalassa olen ollut kuten muutkin. Kaikki tapahtui kun olin nuori (15 - 17v). Siita vaan alaikaisille viinoja. :( ALYTTOMIA asioita on tullut tehtya humalassa muutaman kerran. Viina vie aivot mennessaan.

Viimeinen humalani tuli nopeasti ja haipyi yhta nopeasti. Olin kaverini kanssa lukion vanhojen paivaa juhlimassa. Alaikaisille annettiin kapakassa viinoja tottakai. :( En tieda mista johtui, mutta humala tuli muutaman drinkin jalkeen. Mutta sitten humala lahtikin nopeasti myos. Kun selvittiin oltiin tanssimassa/suutelemassa eraiden poitsujen kanssa jotka selvin pain ei meita kiinnostaisi ei yhtaan. Haippasimme nopeasti omille teillemme kotiin kun selvittiin. Koulussa sitten nama poitsut yritti jatkaa meidan kanssa ja me tehtiin kaikkemme etta heti tajuaisivat etta ei tule kuuloonkaan. Onneksi selvittiin tosi nopeasti tai ties mita olisi voinut tapahtua.

Koulussa sitten juteltiin valitunnilla asiasta mun kaverin kanssa. Meita aklotti meidan kaytos. Sitten alettiin miettimaan miksi juomme. Emme kumpikaan siita koskaan olleet ihmeemmin valittaneet. Olimme vaan juoneet "kun muutkin". Meilla molemmilla oli perheenjasenia joilla vakavat alkoholi ongelmat. Kaverini isa oli tosi ihana kun oli selva mutta kannissa orisi ja uhkasi ja muu perhe piti lahtea isaa pakoon sukulaisten luo. Isa joi hajuvedet ja kaikki seka pissasi sohvalle. Lopulta kuoli alkoholin takia nuorena. Mietimme etta jokaisella meidan ystavalla oli joku perheessa joka oli alkoholisti. Tajusimme miten alytonta juominen loppujen lopuksi on. Miten humalassa ei tieda mita tulee tehtya. Alysti traagisia tarinoita sita todistamassa. Yhdessa sina paivana paatimme ettemme juo enaa. Olimme 17-vuotiaita! Yksi parhaista paatoksista joita elamassani olen koskaan tehnyt. Juomista en ole kaivannut en tippaakaan. Mulle maistuu alkoholittomat juomat taysin (vesi kaikkein parhaiten) ja en tarvi edes pikku humalaa elamaa "piristamaan". Osaan juhlia ilman viinoja.
Voisin kertoa kamalia muistoja lapsuudestani. Mutten aio. Kylla te kaikki tiedatte miten lapsetkin karsii monissa perheissa.

Vakavaa puhetta vappuna mutten voi sille mitaan etta mulle tulee vapusta mieleen tallaiset jutut.
Mutta todellakin - inhoan viinaa kuin se olisi kuin rutto. Valtan sita yhta kiivaasti. Mua ei kiinnostaa mitkaan viinapuhelut tai edes pienet juomiset. Ei sit yhtaan. Just ja just jaksan esim sukuhaissa tms jos joku juo. Mutta heti kun ihmiset alkavat olemaan vahankin humalassa niin meika lahtee lapsimaan kotiin lujaa vauhtia.
Miten surulliseksi tulen kun mietin tuntemiani ihmisia jotka viina on pilannut. Miten ihania olisivat jos heilla ei olisi sita alkoholi ongelmaa. Miten surulliseksi tulen myos kun katson muita joihin myos jonkun viinanjuonti on vaikuttanut traumaattisesti.
Miten ihanaa ettei meidan perheessa juoda. Y

Vahan kauhulla odotan kun Siennasta tulee teinari ja vaikka kuinka opetan etta alkoholi on kamala juttu niin mitas jos han alkaakin juomaan. En kestaisi. Tiedan eraan henkilon jolle noin on kaynyt. Han lapsena karsi alkoholistin toimista (oma aiti) ja sitten hanen omalla lapsellaan on alkoholi ongelma. Voi mita surua tunnen hanen puolestaan. Itsesta tuntuu etta tulisin hulluksi jos viela pitaa kayda moista ruljanssia lapi. Ja viela oman lapsen kanssa.

Nyt on mun mieli kovin musta tasta kaikesta. En todellakaan ollut suunnitellut taman kirjoittamista. Se tuli taas ihan itsestaan. Pitaa yrittaa suunnata ajatukset positiivisiin juttuihin tanaan ettei nama ajatukset ja omat lapsuusmuistot paase tuhoamaan enaa yhtakaan minuuttia mun elamasta. Tarpeeksi tuhoa on tehty jo.
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{telepatiaa - j. karjalainen}

Me lovey.

{take that!}

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trays by ibride
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Have a history teacher explain this if he/she can.

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost a child while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southeners.

Both were succeeded by Southeners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.

Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theatre named 'Kennedy'.

Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln'.

Booth ran from the theatre and was caught in a warehouse.

Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theatre.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe. *This one is not true, I guess, but pretty cool if most of this stuff is true.*
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Abraham Lincoln struggled with bouts of depression and used humor as therapy. His ability to laugh at himself was revealed during a political debate in which his opponent called him "two-faced". Lincoln replied, "I leave it to my audience. If I had another face, do you think I'd wear this one?"

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To be big, you shouldn't belittle.

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Some time ago I was a passanger on an airplane that was coming in for a landing. As we neared the airport, the other passangers and I started to realize that we were traveling much faster than normal. I could feel the anxiety level in the plane start to rise. Suddenly the airplane hit the ground with great force and then began taxiing down the runaway. Shaken, we passangers sat in stunned silence until the captain's voice came over the sound system: "Take that, you bad, bad runaway!" We all erupted in laughter. With a humorous viewpoint and a shared laugh, an uncomfortable situation had become bearable."

(Brad Wilcox, Ensign, March 2000, page 27)

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{georg ots}

En voi uskoa etta tykkaan tasta vanhanaikaisesta laulusta. Mutta tykkaan. Syy? Mummoni kuunteli tata levylta aikanaan ja lauloi itsekin tata laulua kauniilla altto aanellaan. Mulle tuli ihan itku kurkkuun kun tata kuuntelin. Ikava mummoani joka on jo 85v ja hanella alzheimers.

ps. Ignore the video!

{johanna kurkela - imagine}

Finnish singer Johanna Kurkela's version of the John Lennon song Imagine.
I don't like the words "no heaven... no religion". To me that would suck! But I love the song otherwise.

{comic & entertainment expo}

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So good to have Jay back home. He spent the weekend at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment EXPO. He was there with "the other Jay" from Happy Harbor Comics (our ex business partner and he bought our business from us). They were selling collectable toys etc but also had time to enjoy the expo. I can't remember for the life of me who was the comic artist who did this picture of Sienna and "who was this character again?". :) Jay always gets personalized art done for Sienna when he goes to these expos. These expos are fun. People dress up as movie/comic/tv show characters. There are celebrities (I would have loved to go and chat with Ray Park who played Darth Maul in Star Wars) and comic book artists. Jay said Sergio Aragones (who does the comic Groo, which I love!) was a really fun guy. Their hotel's fire alarm went off at around 1am and everyone had to go outside and wait when the fire department searched the hotel. I guess Sergio was taking tons of pictures for his blog and joking around. Someone had used the fire distinguisher (no fire though) and that had set the alarm off. When Sienna gets older, we'll have to go to the San Diego EXPO together. In California, these expos are huge. Fun, if you don't take things too seriously. Personally, I'd love to dress up in fun costumes and just be silly. :) This reminds me of the night when Star Wars Episode I came out and we got to go to a special screening with our 501st Legion friends (www.501st.com, check out the off duty photo gallery! :)). They are a group who dress up in totally real looking Star Wars outfits. They got a permission from George Lucas himself and he approves their costumes. They do volunteer work. Robin was in heaven when a stormtrooper "arrested" him at one of our store's yearly VIP Party. Fun, fun.

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I printed these new clip arts for yesterday's scenary thingy. Such a simple idea and Sienna loves it.

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{spring, summer, fall, winter}

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What do you do with a kid all day when she can't walk and playing with same old toys isn't fun enough? This is what I did today. First I printed the bare tree picture on blue paper, then made the various grounds, tree leaves, weather pictures, etc. I laminated everything for durability. Sienna had so much fun changing the season. The most fun part was raking leaves into a pile (with a pretend rake - a doll's plastic fork). I'm going to keep adding things to this project - bunnies, other animals, people skiing... The sky is the limit. You can make different scenaries too (a beach, a park...). Fun way to talk about different seasons and what you do in what weather.
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I did these long time ago. I keep my family history scarpbooking real simple.
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{great idea for kids}

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Great idea:

Use an underbed storage box with a lid to make a sandbox for kids. For an added bonus, hide little trinkets and pretty rocks in the sand. Kids can dig for treasure! :) Sienna would be entertained for a long time.

I found the idea from: www.ohdeedoh.com.

Someone who left a comment claimed that sand can be toxic for kids so check to be safe. ??? I don't know about that. Kids play with sand on the beach and everywhere. What's wrong with sand? Maybe there are different types of sand or something. So be mindful if you plan to do this, I guess. ???

Later: I saw Toys R Us advertise play sand in their flyer.

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{olkalaukku}

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Sain jotain aikaiseksi eilen illalla. Melkeen valmis. Kangas Ikeasta. Linkki kaavaan loytyy aiemmasta postauksesta (ei kovin kauaa sitten).

I got something done last night. Almost finished. The material is from Ikea. I shared the link to this pattern in a previous posting not too long ago.

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{ihkut tulppaanit}

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Happy Friday everyone!

Enko loytanytkin ihanat tulppaanit? Etupihalla niita kasvaa jo mutten jaksanut odottaa kunnes kukkivat. Pakko oli jo saada.

Jay lahti viikonloppureissuun ja Robinkin menee kaverin luo. Twilight leffa taitaa pitaa mulle seuraa tana iltana. Voisi olla pahemminkin. :) En koskaan pysty menemaan nukkumaan ajoissa kun Jay on poissa. Kukun ja kukun valveilla kunnes tuntuu etta simahdan pystyyn. Joka kerta sama juttu. Hoh.

Koti karseessa kunnossa mutten millaan loyda energiaa siivoamiseen. Olen ollut tosi vasy viime aikoina. Imurin sentaan otin esille eilen mutta tuo uutena kehuttu imuri on jo sellainen ettei meinaa imea mitaan. Vaikka kuinka puhdistelen. Murr! Pussiton imuri on muuten alyton juttu. Poly lentaa kun on aika puhdistaa osat. Onko sitten muka mitaan eroa jos on hepa filtteri. *silmienpyoritysta*

Lunta oli maassa pikkasen tana aamuna. Lisaa luvattu. Kahdessa paivassa +21C:sta lumeen! Sellaista tama meidan kevat on.

Tyhjia juttuja kun aivot on toot vasymyksesta. Taidan lopetella etten tuhlaa lisaa kenenkaan aikaa. :)

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English friends: You didn't miss anything, trust me. :) Just admire my new tulips. :)

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{crochet jewellery}

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gsakowskidesigns etsy com

Vahan liikaa noita lehtikoynnoksia mutta erilaisena (simppelimpi)/erivarisena tykkaisin.

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madame ulani flickr com

Tallaiset mustana, ruskeana ja valkoisena mulle. :)
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hedda vatter flickr com

Vahan liian vanhanajan royheloista mulle.
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ixela etsy com

Taman haluan. Valkoisena ja mustanakin. :)
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{voi kun paastais kakulle ja halimaan}

Miljoonat synttarihalit!

Olet ihananihana!

Halit ja pusut!

Y

{my goal for this summer}

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Me lovey nature. Me lovey butterflies.

(all images via google image search)

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Mina olen pieni tytto,

kesakarpasen kokoinen.

Ja - ikavaa, mutta totta,

ihan karpasen nakoinen.

On pieni sydameni

nyt kovin kuumeinen,

se paisuu kuin hiivasieni.

Syy?

Ritariperhonen.

Mina onneton liikaa tahdon,

olen aina yksinainen.

Tie uljaan ritariperhon

ei kay luokse karpasen.

Kukat kuuluu perhoselle,

kesa, tuoksut, aurinko.

Lukinseitti karpaselle

on sopiva kohtalo.

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Taman hurjan melankolisen mutta jotenkin ihanan runon aikoinaan opettelin ulkoa. Tietaako kukaan kuka sen on kirjoittanut? Nuorena en tajunnut kirjoittaa runoilijan nimea ylos. Eiko olekin juuri sopiva runo jos on ihastunut teinarina johonkin joka ei edes huomaa sinua? Voi sita sydansurua. :)

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Tasta tulikin mieleen hauska lapsuusmuisto. Kuudennella luokalla olin aivan ihastunut eraaseen luokkatoveriini. Tiesin missa han asui. Kotiini meni kaksi bussia, joko pikabussi tai sitten sellainen joka kierteli sielta taalta. Aina valitsin sen hitaamman siina toivossa etta nakisin pilkahdukselta taman pojan omakotitalopihallaan. Voi miten ihanaa olikin kun satuin nakemaan pilkahduksen hanesta. :) Ja hauskaa oli myos jos han ampui pinniritsalla minua koulussa. :)

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Fun childhood memory: I was about 11 or 12 and I was smitten by a boy in my class. I knew where he lived. There were two buses that went to where I lived: a direct/fast one and a slow one that took a long route. I always chose the bus that took the long route in hopes of seeing this boy in his front yard. Oh the joy if I happened to catch a glimpse of him. :)

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My goal for this summer: lots of nature exploration.

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{adam lambert - mad world}

Me lovey! I hope Adam wins. He's original. He's got star power. He's artsy. I don't like all of his songs but the ones I like, I really like.

{a peek at a typical Canadian neighborhood}

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I was still being weighed down by the topic of the previous posting today. I needed to snap out of it and get on with life. What better way to do it than to go for a lovely spring walk. Today was +21C with a gentle breeze. Perfect. Any warmer than this and it'll be too hot for me. I don't do well in heat.

I brought my camera with me so I can show you what a typical neighborhood looks like over here. I've lived here for so long that it's hard for me to notice all the differences between Finland and Canada, for example. Will you please let me know how you find my neighborhood different from yours and if you see anything that sticks out to you.

Eli kertokaapa jos meidan naapurustossa jokin nayttaa ihan erilaiselta kuin Suomessa. Olen asunut taalla jo niin kauan etta kaikki tuntuu normaalilta ja kaikkeen olen tottunut. Yksi juttu mika minusta on erilaista on miten taalla on kaikkialla siististi leikattua nurmikkoa. Kun ajaa autolla niin tien varretkin on tamannakoista. Joskus kaipaan vahan villimpaa ja steriilittomampaa luontoa tien varsilla. Siistiahan tama kylla on.
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Sienna ei edelleenkaan pysty kavelemaan joten tyonsin Siennaa rattaissa ja sain hyvaa liikuntaa kun luontopolulla oli kivoja makia.
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These kind of ravines are typical here where we live. They are close to housing but it's still nice and peaceful.
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I took lots of pictures of houses for ya. The lots cost lots of money so houses are typically built close together (older neighborhoods have more space between houses). Backyards are quite big though. I'd prefer the garage to be at the back of the house. Porches are much more welcoming and make you feel like you want to visit with your neighbors.
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No back alley behind these houses so when it's garbage day, people leave their garbage bags/cans in the front for the garbage truck.
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Some people even have their very own little lake. Manmade. All the new areas seem to have little manmade lakes in them. Many of them are for everyone's use, with a walkway around them. Like a park. Fun to go feed ducks and other birds.

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There are many East Indians in Canada. Sikh temples, men with turbans... I asked this old lady if I could take a picture of her. She didn't speak English but when she saw my camera she posed for me. Canada is a cultural melting pot. People from all over the world here.

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So there. Let me know if you'd like to see more pictures of housing etc. Or was this boring?

The houses in these pictures are about 20 years old. I'll show you pictures of some of the newer neighborhoods too, if you'd like. And of acreages (massive houses on huge lots). Many farmhouses around too. :) Let me know if you're interested.

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Kiva paiva oli muutenkin. Kaytiin ystavilla syomassa tacoja. Sienna sai leikkia heidan lasten kanssa. Hei, ne oli buffalo tacoja eli tehty buffalo jauhelihasta! :)

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