Lucknow Sentinel, 2009-03-04, Page 5Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - Page 5
The "Joe" line should never be crossed
Most guys attack a new project with gusto and
proceed until they can go no further. We call this the
"Joe" line. Once you reach this line, it's time to call
in a friend who is an expert and who can get
your project moving again before you look like
a doofus. The friend is probably named Joe, but
he could also be a "Butch" or a "Mike."
Part way through my bathroom reno, I real-
ized I had reached my Joe line. It happened after
my wife peeked into the bathroom and noticed
that the floor was on a 45 -degree angle.
between the tub and the vanity.
And it wasn't moving.
"Maybe we should call Joe," shesug-
gested hopefully.
Rule #1 to having a Joe line is that you cannot let
your wife know about Joe.. Once she does, she will
immediately use him as the safety net for all house-
hold projects.
"Fixing the ceiling fan? Ummmm...I wonder if we
should call Joe..."
"The bathroom door won't shut right. Do you
know if Joe is busy?"
"I wonder if Joe has ever just "lived" at someone
else's house for a while..."
Be that as. it may, Joe showed up sdon afterward
with his big muscles and his van full of compressed
air.
"Just started, did you?" he asked when he came in.
"No, actually I've been at this since about seven
this morning."
"Oh. Good job" he replied. Joe is always careful
to encourage me. He is also careful to leave the room
when I'm using his nail gun so that his boot doesn't
get attached to the floor.
And that is the kind of work we did: teamwork.
Joe would measure the floor, cut the tiles and care-
fully fit athem into place. I would throw the
cardboard boxes into the recycling bin. Joe
would cut the floor trim on his table saw (that
he carries in his van!) and it was my job to
sweep up the sawdust. As the day wore on 1
realized that it was his job to make my
bathroom project end up looking good
and it was my job to stay out of his
way and look like I was doing some-
thing important when my wife
dropped by.
My Wife: "How's it going?"
Me "(Phew!).Well, we've gotten the old toilet out,
the sub -floor down and the- tile laid.. Now we just
have to make sure the trim fits, snugly. It's a pretty
.
tough job."
My Wife: "Wow! Good job, honey! And what is
Joe doing?"
Me: "U mm. I honestly couldn't tell you, but he
helps out wherever he can so don't say anything."
Finally the job was done and our bathroom was on
its way to being renewed. As is typical when men
work together, we exchanged our offers of help in
the future.
Joe:"
You need help with the lighting or painting,
just call."
Me: "Sure! And any time you need someone to
hold the piece of wood you're hammering, I'm your
man!
Mark Thrice is : our nationally syndicated ,humor:
columnist!
OFA objects to the relocation
Dear Editor, .
The ` Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
strongly objects to any suggestion that coyotes from
Toronto, or any other urban centre, be trapped and
relocated when they pose a nuisance to urban resi-
dents and/or their pets.
Firstly, it is •illegal to release nuisance wildlife
more than one kilometer from their point of capture.
To release them further poses a risk of disease trans-
fer to the resident wildlife population. It also upsets
the delicate balance between wildlife populations
and their sources of food. Many species of wildlife
are highly territorial, meaning that animals trapped in
one location and released far from their point of cap-
ture may well be viewed as invaders, and killed by
local wildlife.
Secondly, and perhaps - more important from the
perspective of farmers, rural and agricultural Ontario
already has large numbers of coyotes who prey on
livestock like calves and lambs. Losses suffered by
Ontario ;livestock .producers to wolves and coyotes
have exceeded $1,000;000 for -the previous two fiscal
years. To add more coyotes would simply exacerbate
the current problem O nt iio livestock producers
face.
Ontario -farmers and: rural residents have always
dealt with the realities of coyote predation on their
livestock, poultry and family pets. Expanding coyote
populations have now moved in to urban areas.
Urban residents cannot simply dump their problem
on rural Ontario by releasing trapped coyotes. It's
illegal, unfair and moreover, inhumane! Urban resi-
dents need to solve their own coyote problems, as we
in rural and agricultural Ontario have been doing for
years: Lobbying Ministry of Natural Resources for
comprehensive species. management strategies
would be a good start. Welcome to our world.
Bette Jean Crews
President
Huron county getting act• ive for in motion
any way, we need to do more than light activities on
a daily basis," says King, a Public Health Nurse at
the Huron County Health Unit.
"We all need to move more. We need to include
more activities where you break a sweat such as brisk
walking, aerobics, skiing, swimming, running," King.
explains. "Many residents are missing out on the
benefits of physical activity — from better health and
more energy to weight control and reduced stress."
In motion is a community initiative in Huron and
Perth Counties that encourages everyone to make
physical activity part of their daily lives.
In 2010, the in motion group will conduct a fol-
low-up survey to see whether physical activity levels
in the two counties have increased.
For more information about in motion go to
www.hpinmotion.ca
The in motion survey results are in for Huron
County. The good news is that about 70 per cent of
adults said they exercise regularly.
However, only 40 per 'cent of men and 21 per cent.
of women are exercising at an intensity to get heart
health benefits. •
From May to July 2008, .the Huron -Perth in motion
group conducted a survey of more than 700 adults
across the two counties about their physical activity
habits. The results give a baseline and will be used by
in motion to plan activities.
Huron County in motion co-ordinator. Marilyn
King says the results are important.
"The survey shows us where we are now. We need
to help Huron County adults increase the intensity of
their exercise . so they actually see health benefits.
This means, while it's good to be physically active in
Humphrey of _ -
ilce award for his 41 yfars from the t t o
.The ceremony took place at the Fal
York In Toronto on Feb. 22.25
Rating: * *
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8 2
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