Istanbul's blog

**Posted:** Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:52 pm

So I decided to go for a stroll in the park. I have a long elongated park running near my place. It is mostly well kept lawn with the odd flower bed and trees planted nicely in a row. Two sides are bordered by long strips of MacAdam. The other two have much shorter borders and usually are quite noisy. Not where you would want to spend a sunny afternoon.
It is weird the park people do not provide benches or picnic tables. I sometimes took my own blanket when I was wooing Emmy Lou.

After awhile I was plumb tuckered out. I must have trekked a half mile and decided to rest on a post that had a flashing amber light. Emmy used to call that spot a Zebra crossing. I would giggle good naturedly as I knew there wasn't a Donkey never mind a zebra within a hundred miles. There are quite a few Median type parks around the city. Very thoughtful of the civic environmentalists I must say. But why biuld them so narrow? 10 or 12 feet width can be problematic when Emmy brings her extended family to a BBQ. Sometimes I think strangers get into the block long lineup for hotdogs. Must think it's a soup kitchen or something!

Anyway two things were on my mind. Three if you count Emmy Lou. The first was how does the "Yellow Bag Program in Toronto work? Emmy Lou lived in Toronto for awhile so I figured I'd call her on my cell, get the skinny and chew the fat.
She must have been in the shower as her answering machine kicked in with the following message:

"Istanbul Honeybunch, commercial businesses that opt for City Yellow Bag collection can purchase bags for their garbage at a cost of $3.00 each from any Hardware store in TO and Constantinople. A base level of recycling and organics collection will be provided at no charge."

Wow! Thoughtful girl. Anticipating my question and loading it before hopping into the shower.

The second question I had on my mind was how do frogs differ from toads?
I wasn't going to Call Emmy Lou with that one as long distance rates are too steep. A wizened old guy pushing a beer can loaded shopping cart stopped by to rest so I asked him.

"Frogs are related to toads but differ from them in several ways." he said.
"The first frogs appeared on earth about 180 million years ago. About 3,800 species of frogs and toads have developed from these early ancestors. Some species spend their entire life in or near water. Others live mainly on land and come to the water only to mate. Still other species never enter the water, not even to mate. Many kinds are climbers that dwell in trees. Others are burrowers that live underground."

"Got a joint to spare?" He enquired. I just shook my head in dismay.

"Also toads differ from frogs in that toads do not have teeth. Frogs have small teeth. Toads do not have ribs. Toads have short hind legs, not longies like frogs".
"I have to mosey along now," he muttered. "The Yellow Bag store closes in a half hour".

Just when I was getting hooked on frogs and toads.
Oh well, Vive La Différence!