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Times-Advocate, 1986-05-07, Page 4in»s-11dirocoN. May 7, 19116 Imes -fid Published Each Wednesday Morriss at Exeter, Ontario, NOM ISO Second Class Mai Residsatios Member 113116- r�� Phone 519-23S-1331 elA LORD ®Y Mt BATTEN Fleisher Mew JIM Sfa mTT HARRY DENIES Advertising Manager Composition Maw SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' vocate �.�1873 . ROSS HAUGH Assistant Mar DIM IONGIOND Ihniness Mammon Need careful planning A plan to re -develop MacNaughton Park has justifiably received an en- thusiastic response from some quarters, but it is a proposal that requires a great deal of consideration from many aspects before it is undertaken. Obviously, there is room for im- provement and approaches that would make the park a greater attraction for the community, but it must also be remembered that it is currently a very functional facility and one that already provides a great deal of pride for local citizens and praise from visitors. Details of the development concept are very sketchy, but already there has been mention made of a skating rink, miniature golf course and elaborate lighting and walkways. As this community has already learned, the maintenance and operation of parks and recreation facilities are often more burdensome than envisioned and take a greater commitment than the actual construction costs involved. Self sufficiency is almost a necessity in con- sidering future projects in view of the currdfit ..:vel of expense on parks and recreation facilities, for both the direct and indirect bill payers. While the park is expansive and would appear to be suitable to meet its current role as well as providing new at- tractions, it must be noted that a large portion lies in the floodplain and is suitable only for limited development in keeping with standard high water marks. Parks, of course, are different things to different people. So it is with Mac- Naughton Park. For some it is a spot to gather with the family clan on a summer Sunday afternoon and enjoy a game of = ball, kick -the -slipper and a hearty potluck dinner in the pavilion or under one of the massive trees. For others, it's a place to take an ear- ly evening stroll and to sit along the river bank and dangle feet in the stream or listen to the birds and squirrels in a mo- ment or two of solitude from the cares of. the world. - For a few, unfortunately, it's a plate to go and create a bit of havoc and destruction by dumping tables into the river or pulling out new plantings to pro- ve their stupidity. Some obviously see MacNaughton Park as an area falling far short of its potential; others see it as having already reached that potential.. Any development should consider carefully the �reguii{ements of those divergent views and needsto ensure as. much as possible that one person's gain is not another's loss. Proposals for any development should also be presented for public scrutiny before they are undertaken. It does work Although they may well have been unaware of it, some Exeter residents`ap- parently have their neighbors to thank for the fact they were riot victimized by crime during the past year. Rather than starting a search for those from whom they have benefitted so they can convey their appreciation, the recipients should understand that all that is required of them is to act in kind. Statistics revealed in the annual police department report tabled recent- ly by Chief Larry Hardy give credence to the suggestion that vigilant citizens play an important role in curtailing criminal activities. Chief Hardy correctly speculated that the reduction in criminal offences during the.past year was in direct rela- tion to the increase in the number of calls police received from citizens regarding unusual circumstances or individuals in their neighborhoods. Some communities have initiated "Neighborhood Watch" programs, and while there is merit in organizing such a venture, it basically only puts a formal tag on something that citizens should be doing for their own protections, as well as that of their neighbors. Hopefully the message that is con- tained in the police statistics will con- vince everyone of the need to become in- volved in combatting criminal activities. It's a message that has a snowball ef- fect and is one that soon reaches the perpetrators of crime. They gamble on the odds of being spotted by the two eyes of a policeman patrolling and entire com- munity,but know they have little chance when all the eyes of the community could be watching for them. Flexing the muscles With the recent American at- tack on Libya there have been countless news stories on whether President Meagan of the United States has been right in acting harshly in retaliation for a variety of terrorist attacks around the world. The president is convinced that Khadafy, dic- tator of Libya, is responsible for many of these attacks and that only by displaying military strength in that part of the world will the terrorism diminish. i guess what has surprised me for the last number of years is the admirable restraint that the Americans have maintained con- sidering the aggravation which they have had, starting with the hostage crisis in Iran not that many years ago. in that case you had a small country tugging I viciously at the beard of Uncle Sam who was seemingly powerless to do anything about the issue other than send in a By the Way by Fletcher weak rescue force which blundered around until it ended in failure. . Compare that with Margaret Thatcher's response to the Falkland issue wherein Argen- tina tried to nip at the heels of the 4 British bulldog. in that case Argentina was quickly convinced that discretion was the better part of valour. Compare it with Israel's response when they are attacked by terrorists. Do they roll over and play dead? Far from it. They immediately send planes or com- mando forces to attack known terrorist headquarters. Now, it is indeed unfortunate that Khadafy's child was killed. it is just as unfortunate and sad for the child who was sucked out of the side of the airplane when a bomb exploded under one of its seats as it prepared'to land. If Libya's leaders intend to fight with the American giant they had best be prepared when the giant decides to flex its muse -"Thought it'd speed things up thru security.. Will soon find I don't know yet whether this is going to be a good blackly season or not. It could be good for the blackflies or good for me. We'll soon find out. I am not knowledgeable when it comes to entomology. My con- tact with the world of insects is on an emotional, not a scientific level. There are bsw I " can tolerate and there are that drive me crazy. I have learned to live with chaster flies. Wasps and hornets can be a nuisance at times. And I have a fairly low opi- nion of mosquitoes. But blackflies, so help me, I could do without. Why God created them, 1 fail to unders- tand. You could easily persuade me to sign a petition for their _total eradication. Swap the lot of . Let the insectivores among birds be satisfied With what eise is on the menu. ma they'd devour more mosquitoes if blackflies became extinct. Where I live, there are about 37 different species of blackflies. While they all look the same to me, they differ in their methods of warfare. Strategically and tac- tically, they use different approaches. I'm not going to compete here with the learned naturalists who have studied blackflies for years. They have their own explana- tions. Even Agriculture Canada 'has published a booklet about the -subject. From me, you're getting the practical story, as told from the victim's, the cotmmmee's side. Since I'm the one that's being eaten, I am entitled to have my saBelieve me, there are 37 dif- ferent species. One of them flies into my hair, twirls around until .vif finds my scalp, and - wham! in goes the proboscis (the organ 'they sting and suck with). If I nib, this only tickles therm and stimulates them into further ac- tion. Another species goes behind the ears. It doesn't sting right away, but waits till I have both hands full and can't defend myself. Then it slowly and deliberately sinks its proboscis auto my skin which happens to be particularly thin in that region. Another species crawls bet- ween my wrists and sleeves, The Peter Hesse! Column ascends up to .just below the elbow where it finds juicy pasture. Yet mother species specializes in the lower limbs, entering between socks and trouser legs; it never proceeds above the knee. The area bet- ween knee and belt is reserved for its sister species which finds entrance to that crucial part of my body between shirt and trousers, no matter how tight my belt is. There is a species for the hairline and a species for behind my glasses, a species for the neckand a species for facial cavities. I have heard - although I cannot prove it in court - that there are species of blackflies that will attack only women over 40, and those that must have the tender skin of infants. One thing all blackflies have in a out common: They love swiftly`` - ung water. I didn't now that wt*f we bought the house. I thought being close to a creek was an asset.. Well, it is during most the year. But not in bla season. I know nothing about the blackfly's life cycle, but somewhere between late and early June several billion them come floating down creek. One of them sights house; sounds the bugle, and i D -Day. The blackfly in begins. You can actually see black clouds descencfing from water. Our resident groundhog =WV first to get bit, but J bla leave it alone as r. as they spy the fast human ' love us more dearly than other warm-blooded anim We're just debcious. Peados cream. What can I do? I have of moving the entire family to city for a month or -building air -tight plastic bubble over out property. I could ask the township to divert the creek. Dor we could invest in diving sun complete with helmet and vi Nothing shat of that will keep blackflies away from our skin.! But nothing drastic is evf done. We endure and sra scratch and complain. And finally, the blackfly season over, and we are treated to e Changing of the Guard: The jestic mosquito has arrrived. Ah, give me mosquitos arty time. At least you can see and hear them approach. Tbeil are fair - enemies, doin* chivalrous battle. It is either them or us. 1 But maybe this is going to.h! bad blackfly season. Ett►. virnnmentalists notwithstanding. I wish them a plague o'both their houses, all 37 species of them. �.Rit Milking the emotions Either life is becoming more complicated as I grow older, or I am losing my ability to cope. Simple little tasks more and more often turn into tangled Gor- dian knots, and straight paths suddenly veer off into swamps filled with quicksand. Take last week, for example. Our neighbour offered to pick up a fridge from a nearby town, deliver it to our kitchen, and remove our old appliance. Quite straightforward, right? Wrong. On transition day, i spent two hours running between the kit- chen and the cool basement, cleaning out the contents of the old fridge. i can only explain the astounding amount of food by confessing the light has not work- ed since the day five years ago our son assured us he could repair its 'erratic blinking. (He didn't tell us he was going to reorder it permanently blind. ) When I came to two full pails plus one half -full pitcher of milk, i decided I'd had enough exercise for awhile; I would leave the milk in the old fridge, take it out at the last moment, and swiftly transfer it to its new home. At the appointed time, in came our helpful neighbour. in came his tall, muscular young son. in came our new fridge, riding in style on a dolly rented from a local appliance dealer. Off with the restraining straps, a quick tilt to the upright position, a bit of gentle manoeuvering, and the new fridge was in place. The procedure was reversed for the old one. On with the restraining straps, onto the dolly, a tilt backward, and a quick and Reynold's Rap by Yvonne Reynolds uneventful departure from the kitchen. Everything went according to the script until just before the kit- chen doorway, when husky young son anntuiced that the old fridge was leaving a trail of milk. That's when the coin dropped, the light went d , and the terrible truth dawnUp went the fridge. Off came the straps. into the interior went my husband's hand. Out came a full pail of milk, held in a hand that is some years older than mine. Advancing age must be af- fecting hubby also. He dropped the pail. Husband and wife stood like two statues, too stunned to move Our quick -thinking neighboti: knew just what to do. He called= in our dog, the canine vacuum; cleaner. Astra bounded in froth the back porch, and landed in the middle of the giant white puddlei. Our faithful dog stood milk up to her dewclaws, and gave us a look which said as do,. quentl ji►as words, "You've asked me to do some pretty degrading:, and idiotic things in my day -; heel, shake a paw, roll over - but this takes the booby prize fol- stupidity." olstupidity." With that, she strode with what dignity she had left through the kitchen and into the dining room, leaving behind a trail of wet, doggy footprints. "Our Shep would have lapped that up in two minutes", our neighbour said in disgust. I must admit our new fridge does look doubly nice, its mirror image reflecting back from the freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. ", . i did muddle through this time. However, i have a horrible feel- ing the future holds more hidden landmines in store. 1 empathize with the last verse of a poem i heard recently: "i love my new bifocals. My dentures fit me fine i can live with my arthritis But how i miss my mind."