Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: “Reggie on Probation!”

Here I was after two glorious weeks with Bob, Fay and their West Highland Terrier Dillie. I wake up every morning and say my prayers to Allah and I thank him for taking care of me and I express my gratitude for being alive. Dillie is puzzled by this as Fay and Bob raised and trained him since he was a pup. I think he has an attitude of taking his life and all its comforts for granted. He still is my best dog friend and it is not his fault he has lived with what humans call a “silver spoon in his mouth”. But my life was like his until my master Anwar was arrested and executed for writing articles critical of the Egyptian government and the “silver spoon” was yanked out my mouth as I was tossed into the mean streets of Cairo. But through this adversity and tough time I learnt just how lucky I am to be alive every day.

Little did I know while I was staying with Bob and Fay I was on probation. From the BBC documentaries I have seen probation is where a criminal is released from jail and stays out of jail if the criminal remains on good behaviour. I heard Fay say to Bob after my first week with them that I was on probation. But I am Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog and not a criminal! How can I be on probation? Is there some mistake?

Once I regained control of my racing mind I heard more.

Firstly I had to have a good temperament agreeable to Fay, Bob and Dillie. Despite my stupid mistake of nipping Bob on my first day all three of us are getting along wonderfully.

Secondly I had to get along with other humans and dogs. Although most humans mistreated me in Cairo and made me suspicious of them the staff at the animal hospital, the policeman that picked me after that big dog bit me and took me to the animal hospital and people that fed me scraps and gave me water showed me that some Egyptians cared about dogs. In Canada I quickly realized that most humans were kind-hearted and loved dogs so I began to trust them. As for other dogs I like smaller dogs like me and they like me. But as for big dogs like the Rottenwhiler that bit me in Cairo when I tried to take food from his bowl when I see a big dog I get frightened and angry at the same time and growl and lunge out but Bob or Fay hold me back and reassure me I am safe. Bob and Fay look at me and say that they will not let a big bad dog bite me. This makes me feel safe but the same things happen each time I see a big dog that looks like a Rottenwhiler. Does this mean I have broken my probation?

Bob says to me shortly after my two weeks with them that he must take me to an animal hospital to get a wellness check from a person called a vet. I think vets took care of me at the animal hospital in Cairo. Fay and Bob want to make sure they have a healthy dog and not a sick one with health problems. I don’t think this will be hard for me as the Canadian adoption agency made sure I had all sorts of sharp needles full of medicine before I came to Canada. Yes I was covered in fleas and had a few sores on me and an infected eye which were taken care of in Cairo. They also made me give blood for seeing if I had any “tropical diseases”. So the fact I made it to Canada proves I am well doesn’t it?

Bob gives me a bath which I love and he brushes me quickly looking for fleas of which he cannot find. Then off we all go to the animal hospital. I am very nervous as if my health is bad will I be thrown off the period called probation.

Dillie the West Highland Terrier tells me they are very nice at the animal hospital and Bob gives him liver treats even if he farts after eating them. So we park the car and enter the animal hospital where a Dr. Furby gives me a through examination after scanning my medical records the adoption agency gave Fay and Bob. He says I am “fit as a fiddle”. I have no idea what that means but as Fay and Bob are smiling I think it is good news. Fay and Bob cook Dillie and I the most delicious meal I have eaten with rice and ground beef and cooked sweet potato. Bob says this is a party for a dog who has found his forever home. I am not a howler but I give a big howl of happiness and thank Allah for his goodness. I never ever thought in my heart I would find a forever home.

Reggie The Egyptian Street Dog is the luckiest dog in the world!

Canada Announces Sanctions Against Belarus

Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations

Whereas the Governor in Council is of the opinion that gross and systematic human rights violations have been committed in Belarus;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, pursuant to subsections 4(1)^Footnotea, (1.1)^Footnoteb, (2) and (3) of the Special Economic Measures Act^Footnotec, makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations.

Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations

Amendments

1 The portion of section 2 of the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations^Footnote1 before paragraph (a) is amended by replacing “the schedule” with “Schedule 1”.

2 The Regulations are amended by adding the following after section 3:

Transferable securities and money market instruments

3.1 It is prohibited for any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada to, directly or indirectly, deal in transferable securities and money market instruments, including treasury bills, certificates of deposit and commercial papers but not including instruments of payment, issued by

(a) Belarus;

(b) Belarusbank, Belinvestbank, Belagroprombank or any other organization controlled by Belarus; or

(c) a person acting on behalf of or at the direction of an entity referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).

Debt financing — 90 days

3.2 It is prohibited for any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada to, directly or indirectly, transact in, provide financing for or otherwise deal in debt of longer than 90 days’ maturity, including bonds, loans, debentures, extensions of credit, loan guarantees, letters of credit, bank drafts, bankers’ acceptances, discount notes, treasury bills, commercial paper and other similar instruments in relation to

(a) Belarus;

(b) Belarusbank, Belinvestbank, Belagroprombank or any other organization controlled by Belarus; or

(c) a person acting on behalf of or at the direction of an entity referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).

Insurance and reinsurance

3.3 It is prohibited for any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada to, directly or indirectly, provide insurance or reinsurance to

(a) Belarus or an organization controlled by Belarus; or

(b) a person acting on behalf of or at the direction of an entity referred to in paragraph (a).

Petroleum products

3.4 It is prohibited for any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada

(a) to import, purchase, acquire, ship or otherwise deal in any good referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 2, wherever situated, that is exported from Belarus;

(b) to provide to Belarus or to any person in Belarus any financial, technical or other services related to any good referred to in paragraph (a); or

(c) to provide to Belarus or to any person in Belarus any insurance or reinsurance related to any good referred to in paragraph (a).

Potassium chloride

3.5 It is prohibited for any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada to import, purchase, acquire, ship or otherwise deal in any good referred to in Part 2 of Schedule 2, wherever situated, that is exported from Belarus.

3 The portion of section 4 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

(1) Sections 3 to 3.5 do not apply in respect of

4 Section 8 of the English version of the Regulations is amended by replacing “the schedule” with “Schedule 1”.

5 The schedule to the Regulations is numbered as Schedule 1.

6 The Regulations are amended by adding, after Schedule 1, the Schedule 2 set out in the schedule to these Regulations.

Transitional Provisions

7 Sections 3.1 to 3.3 of the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations, enacted by section 2, do not apply in respect of activities that were undertaken before the day on which this section comes into force.

8 Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations, enacted by section 2, do not apply to goods or services if a contract for the import, purchase, acquisition or shipment of or other dealing with the goods or for the provision of the services is entered into before the day on which this section comes into force.

Application Before Publication

9 For the purpose of paragraph 11(2)(a) of the Statutory Instruments Act, these Regulations apply according to their terms before they are published in the Canada Gazette.

Coming into Force

10 These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

SCHEDULE

(Section 4)

SCHEDULE 2

(Paragraph 3.4(a) and section 3.5)

PART 1

Petroleum Products

1 Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excluding crude oil); preparations containing at least 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, not elsewhere included or specified; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals

2 Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons

3 Petroleum jelly, paraffin wax, micro-crystalline petroleum wax, slack wax, ozokerite, lignite wax, peat wax, other mineral waxes, and similar products obtained by synthesis or by other processes, whether or not coloured

4 Petroleum coke, petroleum bitumen and other residues of petroleum oil or of oil obtained from bituminous minerals, not elsewhere included or specified.

5 Bituminous mastics, cutback bitumen and other bituminous mixtures based on natural asphalt, on natural bitumen, on petroleum bitumen, on mineral tar or on mineral tar pitch

PART 2

Potassium Chloride

1 Potassium chloride with a potassium content evaluated as K₂O, by weight not exceeding 40% on the dry anhydrous product

2 Potassium chloride with a potassium content evaluated as K₂O, by weight exceeding 62% on the dry anhydrous product

3 Mineral or chemical fertilizers containing the three fertilizing elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

4 Mineral or chemical fertilizers containing the two fertilizing elements phosphorus and potassium

5 Other fertilizers containing potassium chloride

Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog: “My New Life Begins with Bob and Fay and of Course Dillie the Westie! Evening Time”

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

Evening time is the time after our afternoon nap. Dillie stands by his bowl at exactly 4:30 p.m. waiting for his chicken kibble. Oh what a happy time of the day. Food in a shiny bowl I don’t have the beg or fight for like in the streets of Cairo! And that Canadian water is so sweet and clean! I have only been with Bob and Fay for a few days and I am treated like a pharaoh himself! In a way I feel the stress of simply having to survive from day to day is slowly melting away. I feel like a happy dog like I did with my master Anwar who was arrested for writing articles against the government and then executed and I found myself in the street. No easy task as I am only 18 pounds and small. So I had to be very clever to outsmart the big dogs which worked well until I was bitten by that Rottenwhiler dog trying to take dinner from his bowl.

After our dinner it is playtime with Bob and Fay. Dillie the Westie, Bob and Fay’s 13-year-old West Highland Terrier, has taught me how to play tug of war with an old towel. Humans playing with their dogs is new to me but I think Anwar played games with me but often I am so sad he is no longer with me I try and forget those days as it hurts me so badly.

There is also fetch with a tennis ball. Bob takes me and Dillie out to the park where he can throw the ball. Bob tells me that Dillie used to be a rocket and played until he was so tired he could not run anymore but now is a bit creaky and limps and can only take a few runs at the ball. I am just about two and I have so much energy but I told you I was a smart dog on the streets of Cairo and I am smart here too! So I ask Dillie if I can run after the ball while he rests and he says yes and that I should have fun! I really like Dillie so I must show him deference as a matter of the respect he deserves and not make him jealous.

Dillie is a bit creaky and has a slight limp. This happens to older dogs and it will happen to me so I have to show how much I care about my new friend by making sure I do not embarrass him in front of Bob and Fay. I always let him go first and never growl at him but I don’t have to do that as he is so good and accepting of me. In fact in my evening prayers to Allah he leaves the room to give me privacy. Dillie does not know who Allah is but he is wise enough to know I pray to Allah and that he matters to me. The street dogs in Cairo laughed at me for my praying saying if Allah cared about dogs animal control would not try to shoot or poison us. But somehow my prayers brought me to Canada so I know that Allah loves me.

After play time we go back with Bob and I go upstairs with Fay as she always watches the BBC World news every night just like Anwar did. But she watches ABC news after that. So my English is getting very good! After news there is a movie usually and a big treat for me is watching old Lassie movies, watching Lady and the Tramp. I feel like Tramp! There are so many movies with dogs on television as soon as I hear a bark on the television I race to it to see and hear dogs.

Bob spends the evening writing. In fact he has written books before and he told me one evening he is writing a book about me! Who could be interested in a scrappy 18-pound dog from the dirty mean streets of Cairo? Bob must be joking with me. Sometimes I become frightened that the army will take away Bob in the middle of the night like they did to Anwar. But this is not Egypt but Canada so I pray each night to Allah for the safety of Bob and Fay.

Before Dillie and I go to bed we get a walk with Bob in the summer evening. We meet other dogs and Bob often talks to their owners and we dogs, if we like each other, wag our tails and sniff each other. Dillie pees a lot and he tells me he is marking his territory. He can’t explain what that means but says his brain makes him do it. I think he means instinct. I begin to understand it as something wants to make me pee and mark my territory. And if we poop Bob picks it up in a green bag. These Canadians are so clean and polite! We get home and we both head to our beds. Although I think of Anwar each night I feel so safe here I rarely cry and whimper. There is so much love for me here in Canada but in Cairo it was mostly hate except for a few kind souls that gave me food and water and spoke to me softly. I pray to Allah each night thanking those people. My prayers to Allah are of gratitude. I see BBC news clips of angry people in Cairo and those wanting to use the name of Allah in many countries to do bad things. I think they are called terrorists.

“Mutantism on the March” :”Chapter 90 “The New Piracy”

Eno Ergot was a very frustrated individual these days because of his inability to locate his idol Bluebeard. He was beginning to believe the stories everyone was telling him that it was only an actor Richard Burton that played the role of Bluebeard. The real pirate, if there was ever one, had long ago gone to the worms. Ergot had done a marvellous job of establishing a reputation that Bluebeard could identify with, but Bluebeard, if he still lived, refused to be coaxed out of retirement. Eno while discouraged saw his crew was not as focussed as they smoked weed, drank cases of beer, took saunas and delighted in watching Japanese pornographic films. But they had not lost their sailing skills and few could rival them not bad for aliens!

Ergot was somewhat ashamed of their attempt to rob the luxury liner the King Larry. All went as planned but upon entering the ship and waving their weapons and announcing the stick-up the overweight passengers bloated by too many midnight buffets laughed and cheered these actors thinking this was nothing more than Disney entertainment like an extra added entertainment to titillate passengers. A group of bikers on board invited the crew to the “Pirates Bar” and ordered bottled Tequila service and mescaline was snorted galore. Instead of hitting the safety deposit boxes filled with jewels and cash his crew simply headed off to the Pirates Bar and got hammered drinking and snorting drugs into the early morning hours. They even porked out at the midnight chocolate buffet downing bottles of any liquor available. The crew was so hammered cranes had to be used to load the passed-out crew onto boats. It was a disgrace that no captain should have to bear.

The sad reality that piracy, except off the coast of Borneo, the Philippines and the Azores was nothing but a glorified sea myth. Instead of fleeing pirates people welcomed them in fits of nostalgia. Oh how times had changed. No longer was this mode of crime waged with cloak and dagger. Crime was so civilized and polite it was often difficult to detect who were the real pirates. The lusty pirates had fallen under the charge of the white shirted captains of industry. Why, modern piracy had become so legitimized and respected no one paid much attention to it except for stockholders and financial analysts who called piracy stockholder return. Piracy had become legitimized in the stock exchanges of the world where the clever manipulators were the financial Bluebeard wizards fleecing the deceived and innocent. While the old pirates stole from the rich these new corporate pirates stole from everyone that they could dupe. Ergot thought that this new piracy was called exploitation. Piracy of the old may have been messy at times but it was limited and cleaner. A few heads loped off instead of millions fleeced.

Eno remembered the promise he had made to Jiber which was a meeting on Earth and co-ordinate their mischief to orchestrate a galactical takeover. Where in the hell was Jiber? The Earth was a large place but eventually they would cross paths. Ergot assembled the grew and informed

Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog: “My New Life Begins with Bob and Fay and of Course Dillie the Westie! Mornings and Afternoons”

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

So you remember how I arrived In Canada from Cairo in Egypt. A big Rottenwhiler attacked me when I tried to steal the food in his bowl. That big guard dog ripped my leg open and I remember losing much blood and I understand a policeman picked me up and carried me an animal hospital where they sewed up my leg and saved my life.

Although I believe I have the ancient blood of the Pharaohs in me I also believe in a God called Allah. Anwar, my late master, prayed to Allah every day and I remember some of the words of his prayers. These words were kind and loving so I think Allah must be a great and loving God. But I will say I am angry this Allah did not protect Anwar from execution by the Egyptian government because he wrote newspaper articles critical of the government and they executed him because of that. I am also angry at Allah for letting that big guard dog attack and hurt me. All this confused me but I think that Allah works in many ways we don’t understand. If all these terrible things never happened I would never have ended up safe in Canada with people who have loved and cared for me. I pray to Allah each night and thank him for his graces. I think he may be so great and loving he has looked out for my well-being.

After biting Bob I felt so very ashamed. Although I may be grateful to Allah I have so much anger and confusion in me for what has happened in my life being thankful and angry at the same time make me confused. I relive Anwar’s arrest, me being thrown into the tough streets of Cairo and that horrible big dog attacking me I wake up in a panic some nights not knowing where I am or what I should do. I whimper and cry and Dillie, Bob and Fay’s West Highland Terrier, comes over and nuzzles me and tells me he will protect me. Bob comes downstairs hearing me cry and picks me up and gives me a gentle rock and a kiss on the head speaking calmly to me saying I will be OK and he and Fay will do everything they can to make me safe. Then suddenly I realize where I am and I stop crying and shaking. Bob then puts Dillie and I out in the dark backyard and we do our business. The sound of the crickets soothes me but Dillie reminds me to beware of the skunks! What are skunks? After coming back in Dillie and I go back to sleep. On the nights I feel scared Dillie lets me crawl into his bed and his snoring makes me feel sleepy and very safe.

Dillie is around 13 so his bladder is not as strong as mine and he barks early in the morning to go pee or as Bob says “widdle”. So we go out together and pee and then my favourite way to start the morning is to get carried up with Dillie to Fay and Bob’s bed where I can sleep beside Bob and Fay and of course with Dillie. Nothing can hurt me not even the bad dreams I have. I feel safe and loved which is important for all dogs!

Bob and Fay are retired lawyers and do not have to get up and leave the house to go to work so we can sleep in. When we all wake up both Dillie and I have a bowl of chicken kibble and a big drink of that cold and clean Canadian water I love so much. A delicious breakfast given to me, one which I do not have to go hunting for! Lucky me!

Bob has tea just like Anwar did! He reads big books. He tells me he is reading “Bleak House”” by Charles Dickens. Anwar used to read Dickens too! He loved Oliver Twist and we saw the film together several times. I always used to shiver when I saw that big bad dog Bill Sykes had. He then does something called yoga and meditates after that. Fay watches some political show called “The View” with women talking politics.

Bob then takes Dillie and I for a walk around the block and we meet dogs and their owners. Everyone asks how Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog is. I get many pats on the head and I sniff the other dogs trying my best not to growl and bark at the big dogs that trigger the bad memories I have of the dog attack I suffered.

Bob and Fay have their lunch and Dillie and I usually get a treat. I love bagels and chunks of feta cheese and so does Dillie. After our lunch we go for a big walk at parks and ravines. At Sherwood Park, where I met Bob and Fay when I was staying with Anthony and Susan, there is an “off leash trail” which Dillie can wander through without his leash but Fay and Bob keep me on my leash. I hear them talking saying they can’t trust me to go off leash yet.

After our walk we go home and of course Dillie and I have lots of that cold clean water and after we have a long nap we are so tired. I am so tired I have no bad dreams. But we wake up and there is dinner to look forward to!

RKS Wine: The Penniless Pensioner, Tuscan Wine and Bernie Madoff Golf Balls

When PP had dough he wasn’t shy on parting with it to purchase to classified Chiantis and the Super Tuscans. Despite their fantastic quality and high prices the Super Tuscan’s did not adhere to Italian appellation laws so they were categorized as ordinary table wine. While appellation rules protect quality they can stunt innovation. This wine is an IGT which a category above table wine. IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica.

How does this Comedìa from Bellini fare? PP sent me an e-mail saying it was rated by James Suckling as a 93. He asked could I review it and as a thanks sent me a box of corporate golf balls with Bernie Madoff’s picture and corporate logo embossed on them!

It has a compact and impressive nose of very deep-set black cherry, blackberry and creating a strong impression this is a likeable and winning wine. Easy on the tannins. The flavours are subtle and restrained. Red cherry, white pepper, cactus pear, cremini mushrooms but with a short finish. I advise PP of my appreciation for his golf balls as they are now collectors’ items and worth a couple of thousand dollars! I think he’ll like the wine but a 93 seems overly generous. I would say if it only had a more assertive taste it would deserve a 93 but it is short in that department.

I told PP this is best served a wee bit cool. Try it with some stirred fried broccoli you’ll put on the side and fry up some tofu marinated in ginger, sesame seed oil, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and Thai garlic chili paste which you will then add in the broccoli and serve over Jasmine Rice.

(Bellini Comedìa Rosso Toscano IGT 2016, Cantine Bellini, Pelago, Italy, $15.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 19293, 13%, 750 mL, A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

“Mutantism on the March” Chapter 89: “Quebec’s Swine and Swindle Rhetoric”

In New York the United Mutations were hot on the trail of the Hecklevesque ethnocentric rants. In conjunction with the fledging CDQ they jointly published a small pamphlet entitled “The Swine That Swindle”. Comments such as the following could be seen in the pamphlet, “Beware of the nationalistic swindle that certain politicians are mounting gaining support amongst the frustrated and desperate. Just imagine what might happen when the golden age of separation dawns on the poor oppressed souls of Quebec. Most likely their American friends will become even more “friendly” and create a stronger satellite. Once that is done watch the patriots squabble with themselves and the Americans over who gets the largest slice of the pie. Mutants and the remainder of the population will gain nothing from the proposed separation of Quebec. We have everything to lose and the only thing we can count on is increased repression. For the foreseeable future we will be subject to American domination. All we get are slightly different masters and most likely they will be worse than previous ones. Fanaticism is the hardest slave driver especially when it is “for the good of the nation”. Right now the biggest swindler is René Hecklevesque. Stay clear of him with his scheming and dreaming. He’ll promise you gold and be bad you’ll get lead in the head. Mutants must remain united and prevent distractions in the ranks. Ask yourself who gains the most. Ask yourselves are these nationalists addressing the real problems we face. Verbally attack these nationalist swindler perpetuators. Their game is not new.”

Montenez and his newly formed CDQ met with little interest or popularity. The fact his name was Spanish sounding made him but a foreigner in Quebec. His heroic role in foiling the Orange Lodge hijacking was quickly forgotten by most. Neither did his association with mutants help. If you even knew a mutant you were now suspect in Quebec. If a mutant moved into your neighborhood real estate prices would plummet. There were but 80 people in the CDQ but what could one expect from a small political force? Their undertakings consisted of monitoring speeches of nationalists and emphasize what they could gain from an independent Quebec. They published their findings in a small newsletter with a paltry circulation of 896.

For a time a queasy peace set in Quebec leaving Hecklevesque (aka Jiber) depressed but with every political crisis manufactured and manipulated by Hecklevesque his popularity increased. Many of his supporters were poised to gain profits as a result of contracts controlled by Droolpoop, the mayor of Montreal, for Expo 67. The Mafia was busy making horsemeat hot dogs and hamburgers for the chain of restaurants they had contracts for at Expo 67. Perhaps once Expo 67 was finished at the end of the summer and their bank accounts were full Hecklevesque supporters would surge in popularity. Rumours were abundant that Droolpoop was getting ready to bid on the 1976 Olympics for Montreal and if successful Droolpoop would be handing out a bonanza of contracts that would make Expo 67 look like child’s play.

Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog: Hurt Yet Again But I am Tough

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

OK so Anthony and Susan have left. Will I ever see them again? I felt safe with them and feeling safe is important for a dog and I bet for humans as well. I am not frightened because I have Fay and Bob by my side and I have met them and their dog Dillie before. But can I trust them?

I am or was a street dog in a very tough city called Cairo in Egypt. I am tough but that does not mean my heart can’t break. It has been broken before.

I am confused about being placed in another home. I am also ANGRY! I understand as a dog I am to be a companion and a friend to humans and Fay and Bob are nice so why am I so angry. It might because I have had paradise with Anwar and that disappeared then again with Anthony and Susan. I am so confused. What have I done wrong?

Dillie the dog comes to sniff me but I growl like the tough street dog I am (or think I am) and he moves away looking puzzled and sad. Then Bob comes and speaks to me softly saying how he understands I am confused but I am now in my forever home. He puts his hand carefully under my chin knowing many dogs do not like their heads touched by people they do not know. Then I BITE him.

Oh I AM STUPID! I am going to be thrown out in the streets again for being so STUPID. Oh the gods of the Pharaohs please forgive me for being so stupid.

I wait for Bob to smack me or kick me. BUT WHAT? He comes again with blood dripping from his bruised hand asking me to forgive him? A human asking for my forgiveness from Reggie the street dog? Suddenly I feel I can trust Bob and shivering with embarrassment I let him pat my head and rub my jowls. Then he asks if I want a belly rub. Of course I do. Then Dillie comes over and he wants a belly rub too so Bob gives us both a belly rub.

I don’t understand how I can be so angry one minute and happy the next. My life in the past months has been a blur. Being tossed into the street in Cairo, bitten by a nasty big dog, placed in an animal hospital, being flown on a big airplane to Toronto, being taken care of by Anthony and Susan and now finding myself with Fay and Bob with Bob telling me I am in a forever home which I understand the meaning of.

Fay and Bob show me to my bed close to Dillie’s bed. I have my own bowl for food and water. My I love the clean Canadian water and the wonderful chicken kibble.

Dillie is an older dog, a brave West Highland Terrier who hunted foxes in Scotland, but we have previously met and are good with each other. He is older than me so I know I must treat him with respect. And he treats me with respect at least for the time being. A brave warrior is my friend!

Fay gives me the liver treats I love. How did she know I love them? Dillie gets another treat as I hear Fay tells me Dillie farts if he eats liver treats.

Fay and Bob take Dillie and I for a long walk at Sherwood Park where I first met Fay, Bob and Dillie with Anthony and Susan. Are they giving me back to Anthony and Susan? No I think not but both Dillie and I know the park and go off on the off leash trail. So many great smells and we both pee and poo. Dillie is slower than I but smarter and more sophisticated! I can learn much from him about what it is like to be a dog in Canada.

We all have a long walk at Sherwood Park and we go home in Fay and Bob’s automobile and Dillie and I have long drinks of that cold and clean Canadian water and a big bowl of chicken kibble. Then Fay takes me upstairs with Dillie to watch a British television series called “Coronation Street”. I love to hear that British accent. And then Fay watches the BBC NEWS!!! Oh my! My dearest BBC!!!!

Both Dillie and I fall asleep beside Fay before Bob takes us out for an evening walk around the street they live in. So many people with dogs! I hear many people ask who this new dog is you have. Bob says my name Reggie and I let them pat my head.

It is time to go to bed. And Dillie and I go to our beds and both of us fall asleep. I dream of Anwar and hope he is safe in heaven. I dream of Anthony and Susan and thank them. I dream of my new life with Fay and Bob and hope this is my forever home.

I hear crickets outside and fall asleep beginning to feel like Reggie the lucky dog.

RKS Wine: Did I Hear The Penniless Pensioner Snicker? A White from Languedoc

I could swear I heard PP snicker when I suggested we try a white wine from Languedoc in Southern France. I started getting a lecture about how this area was a huge wine lake providing wine for the working class of Paris and most likely even cheapened by the addition of Algerian wine but PP did mention the wineries there have really upped their game so he suggested a willingness to try a Château Belles Eaux Les Coteaux Grenache Blanc 2020. PP likes Grenache Banc and Rousanne which are part of the blend. PP says these grapes can give a very special quality to wines. Of course his eyes went off like a slot machine with 3 cherries when he heard it was $14.95. After that costly Madoff criminal litigation he was involved with the days of packing his wine cellar with trophy wines are long gone.

There is Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Vermentino and Rousanne in the blend. PP also noted that the soil the grapes are cultivated in includes stone, red clay and alluvial deposits. Alluvial deposits often impart some mouth smacking scratchiness to the palate. Really unique PP says.

The wine has a light gold if not platinum colour. The Grenache Blanc and Rousanne are evident on the nose! On the nose apricot, tangerine, guava, mango and pineapple. On the palate there is that scratchiness that gives the wine some traction and durability. And you get on the palate exactly what you get on the nose with a little anis tucked away in the back palate. The finish is quite long leaving a “heavy impression”. No the wine is not elegant or sleek but in your face and not apologizing for its delicious gruffness. The Vintages catalogue says pair with smoked goat cheese or a grilled-crab salad with ginger and dried orange peel and I can agree with that. I would add a grilled shrimp linguine with pesto!

The Vintages description describes the wine as “Light and Crisp”. No way! This wine is a heavy hitter and a great sipper.

Drink until the end of 2023.

(Château Belles Eaux Les Coteaux Grenache Blanc 2020, Languedoc AOP, $14.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 18665, Château Belles Eaux, Landiras, France, 14%, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 91/100).

“Mutantism on the March” Chapter 88 “The Toronto Insult”

Closing time at Farwin’s on Stanley Street in Montreal drove the gang to Jillie’s a lesbian bar up the street but the straight gang tired quickly of the novelty and headed for some Metaxa brandy and Greek coffee at Squid’s mountain retreat in his hollowed home in Mount Royal. The party broke up in the early morning hours with Montenez spending the night in the guest suite. After a refreshing repose Montenez and Squid shared an exquisite breakfast of sausages, eggs, milk and griddle cakes. Montenez remarked that the hijacking incident had made a deep impression on him and he would like to stay awhile in Montreal to see if he could help the population of the province. After Squid had a long talk with him over the dangers of nationalism Montenez was resolved to create some political grouping to monitor the utterances of nationalist leaders. Montenez’s only experience with nationalism had been in Romania where communist charlatans had ruled the country through clever manipulation of nationalism. He saw no reason why the same type of nationalism could not thrive in Quebec. The conditions for its flourishing were growing.

The new organization contemplated by Montenez would attempt to fight destructive nationalism and its big swindle and it was to called Quebecois Contre Déception (CDQ). It would establish its own media centre and warn the street of the scalping antics of nationalists. Nationalism could be beneficial to a degree when it cleaned the parasitical filth from the nation but when it extended its boundaries it could lead to a new class of internal bloodsuckers. The Russian experience, amongst many others, served as a prime example.

The hijacking antics experienced by Montenez soon became known as the “Toronto Insult” and it inflamed the population of Quebec. Several homes in the Montreal Anglo enclave of Westmount were vandalized. Thousands boycotted Ontario controlled businesses doing business in Quebec. Police forces stood by doing nothing. When residents of Ontario were threatened and property belonging to them was destroyed such as automobiles bearing Ontario license plates the federal government led by Liberal Pester Mommyboy threatened dire reaction such as sending the Canadian army in to “restore peace and order”. He swore that the hijackers would receive swift justice and so far that was not encouraging as after a ten minute hearing they received suspended sentences for “disturbing the peace”. Mommyboy promised Quebecers this wasn’t enough and promised the hijacking decision would be sent to a higher court for appeal assuming of course the hijackers could be located. But they were so busy campaigning on behalf of The Conservative Party they couldn’t be found. The head of The Conservative Party, Johnny Difenfarter, praised the hijackers as national heroes. The premier of the province of Quebec Robert Poorassa getting caught up in the political turmoil suffered a heart attack while touring a hydro electric plant in Northern Quebec. Jiber, aka René Hecklevesque, was propelled forward by the political hotplate. His credibility skyrocketed with his vague nationalistic statements. Hostile encirclement by Canada was an undeniable fact. He cast himself in the role of a great saviour who would defend the virginity of the Province of Quebec harping on the injured feelings of the crowd. At one of his numerous public appearances, he summed up his theories and made it quite clear to the CDQ and mutants how lethal he could be if unchecked. He said, “We must fight to the death all those who are fighting to eradicate the Quebec nation. We face a strong and hostile federal government that is ready to oppress our sacred nation and they are bolstered by Quebec fifth columnists in their ranks fearful of losing their Parliamentarian pensions. We must labour to clear these fleas from our body politic. They should have no say in the matters that concern the province of Quebec. Those who must be listened to in this conflict are strong, native and honest Quebecers like myself. We can only build a free and independent Quebec with our own sweat and blood. This means my friends we must do it without the fetters that Canada imposes upon us and dominates our culture and economic development. I stress culture for without our own spirit we will never be free and this is one of the first steps required to cleanse and build. Let not foreigners and their alien culture dominate us. They are job stealing backstabbers full of Anglos. Beware of the enemy within.”