20090130 Barn Door of the Day

Grayscaled and cropped. In Saint-François-du-Lac.

20090129 Snow Waves

A bit of cross-country skiing in Pierreville, QC, after about 25 cm of snow fell yesterday. Could'nt get very far as there are no groomed paths there and so I have to follow in snowmobile's or all-terrain-vehicle's paths. There were'nt many open so early after the storm. Found one but it did'nt even go one km. Better day for snow shoes until the weekend when paths will be opened. That's how outback cross-coutry skiing is: haphazard.
These snow drifts I saw were nice. Sort of waves on the ocean. Or the air acts on the snow field like water on sand.

1948 Northern Electric Bowling Team

Pic taken in Montreal. Under the print, written by Denise Bilodeau's hand:

Équipe de bowling de la Norther Electric. 1948
Denise & Flo

i.e. Northern Electric bowling team.
The "Flo" is certainly not DB's friend Florence Fillion Montreuil.
Denise Bilodeau is the young woman on the right. By birth, she is the most beautiful of the two there, but adding to her beauty is her disposition. Notice how the woman on the left just drops her legs on the floor. Now, compare DB's way of posing her legs on the floor in an aggeable fashion. This adds to the beauty of her image.

20090127 Sorel to Ste-Victoire

There are groomed cross-country skiing paths all over the place in southern Quebec. This is in another one. It starts in Sorel, goes south to Sainte-Victoire, and goes back north to Sorel, at least form where I was parked. Free of charge. Most of the time, when there are not two lanes, that means it's a one way path, but not always. Conditions today were very nice. The snow was very slippery, and that is the best. You do'nt want sticky snow. The above pic was taken at an unofficial stopping shack called Chez Julien in Sainte-Victoire where one can stop and sit while taking a coffee, hot chocolate or broth, all for a simple donation. The map says that I did 17kms today on skis. I can hardly beleave it! Must be some mistake!

20090125B Skating skier

Another pic from the 25th's day of skiing. This is the most artsy pic of the day. I shows a cross-country skiier applying the skating technique to his skiing. Taking pics with aa low sun is always stunning in the winter.

20090125A Piedmont to Sainte-Adèle on skis

The linear park called Le Parc Linéaire des Pays d'en Haut runs for 200km in all. It's an abandoned railway turned into a cycling path in summer and a cross-country skiing or skidoo path in winter. The snow is groomed and since it's an old railway, there are no hills to speak of for those who are weary of steep inclines. It runs for many kms along the Rivièred du Nord river, seen here on the left. Some sections run like rapids. Today was moderately cold, but not too much so. Tried new mitts and they kept us warm! A nice sunny winter day with perfect snow conditions for sport!

20090124 Loftboutiques Saint-Sauveur

This is phase 3 of Loftboutiques Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts in Piedmont. A swell place, brand new. I've been posting an ad for Ginette, posting it on free internet classified ad web sites. Here it is:

Loftboutiques Condo-Hotel Fantastic!

We loved Loftboutiques in St-Sauveur-des-Monts and Piedmont! Very luxurious! See their web site at http://www.loftboutiques.com/, but to book at a discount price, contact Ginette Guertin at 14506563008 . No toll free number, but you can e-mail her at erreipnitreug2000@hotmail.com leaving contact info, and she'll write or call you back.

Loftboutiques à Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts et Piedmont est fabuleux! Nous avons pris plusieurs nuitées aux Loftboutiques et avont été toujours bien servis. Endroit très luxueux. Voyez leur site web à http://www.loftboutiques.com/, mais pour réserver une suite à prix d'amis, téléphonez à Ginette Guertin à 14506563008 . Elle n'a pas de ligne sans frais, mais vous pouvez lui écrire à erreipnitreug2000@hotmail.com en lui laissant vos coordonées et elle vous rejoindra bientôt!

500 Chemin des Frênes
Piedmont (Québec) J0R 1K0

http://www.condos-a-louer.ca/loftboutiques_aildoux/


So that's my addition to my blog of this ad. Anyone interested?

20090123 Assorted chocolates

You may have noticed that I've added a few pop culture references below my web site title. It says:
Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.
Sometimes it's Savoy truffle, sometimes it's crunchy frog.

Well, I do'nt think I need to explain that the first line is famous for coming from the movie Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks as FG. He often said that in the movie, a line he picked up from his mother played by Sally Field.


The next line is not as well known, but still I think lots of us know it. Savoy truffle is a chocolate in a song by George Harrison played by The Beatles.
Here are the lyrics:

Creme tangerine and Montélimar
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert--yes you know it's good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.

Cool cherry cream, nice apple tart
I feel your taste all the time we're apart
Coconut fudge--really blows down those blues
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.

You might not feel it now
But when the pain cuts through
You're gonna know and how
The sweat is going to fill your head
When it becomes too much
You'll shout aloud

But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.

You know that what you eat you are,
But what is sweet now, turns so sour--
We all know Obla-Di-Bla-Da
But can you show me, where you are?..

Creme tangerine and Montélimar
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert--yes you know its good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.
Yes, you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.

From http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=172 , where you can listen to the song: "This was inspired by Eric Clapton's love of chocolate. He and George Harrison were good friends. George Harrison got the lyrics for this from the inside lid of a box of chocolates. Montelimart, Ginger Sling, Cream Tangerine, and Coffee Dessert were names of candies in the Mackintosh "Good News" assortment."


Finding a recepie for Savoy truffle is not easy. The only really good one is at http://oggi-icandothat.blogspot.com/2007/03/george-harrisons-savoy-truffles.html, and that is where I took this picture. The comment of the blogger goes like this:

" I found Savoy truffle recipe but I'm not really sure if this is the one George wrote about, it looks more like the coconut fudge. (I tried to link the site but was not able to). Anyway, I made one recipe today, it's very easy to make. I like the subtle brandy taste although dried coconut is not one of my favorite things.

4 T butter
1 egg yolk
½ C icing sugar, sifted
½ C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T vanilla extract
1 T brandy
dessicated coconut

In a small saucepan, over very low heat, melt butter and whisk in the egg yolk until thick, add sugar and whisk until smooth. Add brandy and vanilla extract. Add the chocolate chips and stir with a rubber spatula until chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth and no longer glossy. Transfer to a glass container and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in coconut. Refrigerate leftovers."

Sounds good. I'll have to get some brandy.


Now, "Crunchy frog" is probably not well known to most of us. But fans of Monty Python's Flying Circus will know it. It's from one of their sketches, the one titled "Whizzo Chocolate Company". This is a transcript I copied from http://www.geocities.com/fang_club/crunchy_frog.html and pasted here (the whole thing is to be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oyCXhiwulk):

WHIZZO CHOCOLATE COMPANY

PRALINE: (J.C) Hello again. I am at present still on film, but in a few seconds I shall be appearing in the studio. Thank you.

(Cut to studio. A door opens. Inspector Praline looks round door. )

PRALINE: (to camera) Hello. (He walks in followed by Superintendent Parrot and goes to desk) Mr Milton? You are sole proprietor and owner of the Whizzo Chocolate Company?

MILTON: (T.J) I am.

PRALINE: Superintendent Parrot and I are from the hygiene squad. We want to have a word with you about your box of chocolates entitled The Whizzo Quality Assortment.



MILTON: Ah, yes.

PRALINE: (producing box of chocolates) If I may begin at the beginning. First there is the cherry fondue. This is extremely nasty… but we can’t prosecute you for that.

MILTON: Agreed.

PRALINE: Next we have number four - “crunchy frog”.

MILTON: Ah, yes.

PRALINE: Am I right in thinking there’s a real frog in here?

MILTON: Yes. A little one.

PRALINE: What sort of frog?

MILTON: A dead frog.

PRALINE: Is it cooked?

MILTON: No.

PRALINE: What, a raw frog?

(Superintendent Parrot looks increasingly queasy.)



MILTON: We use only the finest baby frogs, dew picked and flown from Iraq, cleansed in finest quality spring water, lightly killed, and then sealed in a succulent Swiss quintuple smooth treble cream milk chocolate envelope and lovingly frosted with glucose.

PRALINE: That’s as maybe, it’s still a frog.

MILTON: What else?

PRALINE: Well don’t you even take the bones out?

MILTON: If we took the bones out it wouldn’t be crunchy would it?

PRALINE: Superintendent Parrot ate one of those.

PARROT: (G.C) Excuse me a moment. (exits hurriedly)

MILTON: It says “crunchy frog” quite clearly.

PRALINE: Well, the superintendent thought it was an almond whirl. People won’t expect there to be a frog in there. They’re bound to think it’s some form of mock frog.

MILTON: (insulted) Mock frog? We use no artificial preservatives or additives of any kind!

PRALINE: Nevertheless, I must warn you that in future you should delete the words “crunchy frog”, and replace them with the legend “crunchy raw unboned real dead frog”, if you want to avoid prosecution.

MILTON: What about our sales?

PRALINE: I’m not interested in your sales, I have to protect the general public. Now how about this one. (Parrot enters) It was number five, wasn’t it? (Parrot nods) Number five, ram’s bladder cup. (Parrot exits) What kind of confection is this?

MILTON: We use choicest juicy chunks of fresh Cornish ram’s bladder, emptied, steamed, flavoured with sesame seeds whipped into a fondue and garnished with lark’s vomit.

PRALINE: Lark’s vomit?

MILTON: Correct.

PRALINE: Well it don’t say nothing about that here.

MILTON: Oh yes it does, on the bottom of the box, after monosodium glutamate.



PRALINE: (looking) Well I hardly think this is good enough. I think it would be more appropriate if the box bore a large red label warning lark’s vomit.

MILTON: Our sales would plummet.

PRALINE: Well why don’t you move into more conventional areas of confectionery, like praline or lime cream; a very popular flavour I’m led to understand. (Parrot enters) I mean look at this one, “cockroach cluster”, (Parrot exits) “anthrax ripple”. What’s this one, “spring surprise”?

MILTON: Ah - now, that’s our speciality - covered with darkest creamy chocolate. When you pop it in your mouth steel bolts spring out and plunge straight through-both cheeks.

PRALINE: Well where’s the pleasure in that? If people place a nice chocky in their mouth, they don’t want their cheeks pierced. In any case this is an inadequate description of the sweetmeat. I shall have to ask you to accompany me to the station.

MILTON: (getting up from desk and being led away) It’s a fair cop.

PRALINE: Stop talking to the camera.

MILTON: I’m sorry.

(Superintendent Parrot enters the room as Inspector Praline and Milton leave, and addresses the camera.)

PARROT: If only the general public would take more care when buying its sweeties, it would reduce the number of man-hours lost to the nation and they would spend less time having their stomachs pumped and sitting around in public lavatories.



So, there you go. Imagine a box of chocolates with Savoy Truffle and with Crunchy Frog. A song and a sketch all in one box. The good and the not so good. That's what life is all about, all in one box.

20090122 Airplane at dusk

In the back fields of Saint-Françoios-du-Lac, I was doing some solo cross-country skiing, like I usually do, and looking out for photo ops. Took pix of deer, a cute bird's nest with some snow on top like whipped cream on some dessert, stunning deep blue clouds, a lookout tower with snow rising from the fields due to strong winds. At day's end I was hoping for a good sunset to capture on my memory card. Did'nt get one but then an airplane came up from the left, it's the sun's dusky light reflecting off it's trail to create a sweet pink to orange line across the sky. As soon as I saw it appear, I knew it had potential. In my opinion, that made today's best shot.
More shots of this day at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=214829&l=4c5b4&id=739480474

20090121 Old skis in Sepia

Requested by Micheline: a sepia version of the old skis pic I posted 2 days ago. Looks even older. Probably how a pic of these skis would have looked if taken at the time they were made.

20090120 Fox tracks

While backcountry cross-country skiing in Saint-François-du-Lac, I spotted these tracks. Looked like dog tracks but alone and so far out in the middle of nowhere it's more likely these are fox tracks.

20090119 Old skis in b & w

A greyscaled pic of old skis in a spa in the Laurentians used as decoration there. Looks like they were hand made! The color version of this pic I posted on Facebook last summer at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3558326&l=34a90&id=739480474

20090118 Cross-country skiing class

In Longueuil's Parc Régional, there was all sorts of swell activities happening in every corner of the park: Downhill sliding, skating in frozen ponds, cross-country skiing, on your own or in a course given in this small 6 people class seen above, snow shoes walking or just regular walking. A nice not too cold day after the frigid weather we've been having lately. Click on the pic to see it fullsize.



A prune or cherry tree affected by the mushroom Apiosporina morbosa is growing there right next to the skiing path and communal gardens of the park. People on the left, skiing or on snow shoes, just saw some deer in the woods.



An amazing sight later in mid-afternnon: a 4-pointer buck deer making it's appearance right where people were doing their sunday nature walks and skiing!



He walked right into the cross-country skiing path, right behind the class!



Seeing no interest from the people about him, he turned back to the woods and his group of females farther on hiding in the woods. I approached and called out to him and he stopped in his tracks and began to turn back and walk slowly towards me!



Very tame, he approached right up to me! Click on the pic to see it fullsize.



It even came up to a child offering a carrot and actually ate it right out of it's hand! I got to touch it a bit too. I guess he expects handouts on a regular basis in this park, making him unafraid of people altogether! Actually, an unarmed human shoud be more afaid of him and his antlers than him of humans!

20090117 Darling the cat

Darling is Nicole Dubuc's cat. She used to have more cats but this is the only one she has now. I had a cat called Mitsou. She died as they do commonly by crossing the road and being hit by a car. Next came Mimi. She died rather uncommonly because she decided to get surreptitiously in the clothes dryer. That was a deadly mistake. Next came Tonki for a very short stay until it died hit by a car also. Finally, I had Charlie and had him put to sleep yesterday.

20090116 RIP Charlie

One of the saddest time that can be is when one has to resolutly take a good companion of daily life and have it put to sleep forever. Charlie was one such companion, but to a fault. Don't get me wrong. I love cats. But what I like about them is that they are, contrary to dogs, independent. They and us go each to our own business, and once in a while we meet and are affectionate to each other. In good measure. But this cat was just too affectionatly dependent. Just too much like glue to humans. Never an outdoor cat, he was totally dependent on people. Contrary to an indoor-outdoor cat, this one did not find much enjoyment in going out and about the grounds. Besides, he was declawed, so climbing trees was out of the question. A shame since all the other cats I had could do that and I really liked it. Another bad caracter trait of this cat is that he ate much more than he needed. Lastly, he had bad cat box habits, not doing his thing well in there but along the edges ans sometimes going out of the edges. That's what banished him from the house last spring. Things were not too bad for him, spring, summer, fall. I fed him outside. But then when winter came, that was just to unbearable for him, and for me to see also. He just looked like he might just freeze to death. Still, he looked like he was holding up anyway even in -30C tempatures, but I dint want to see him start to freeze at the extremities. So having him put to sleep was a preventative mesure. Also, I'm out of the house for days often and did'nt want to ask the neighbors to feed him again. They said he looked miserable in the cold autumn rain and were encouraging me to have him put to sleep or get rid of him one way or another.
I got this cat from people who had 3 cats. Charlie was one cat too many. He's not my ideal of a cat. That would be a classic short haired tabby. But, we had just lost ours and I wanted to get one quickly. I saw at a cat grooming shop a note on paper pinned to a wall about a cat to be given away for adoption. Declawed, neutered, vaccined. Looked good. But I do'nt think I've ever had such an insecure cat.

So there he is after having had a shot to render him unconscious. The vet is giving him the shot of death. Goodbye Charlie. This had to be.

20090115 Hip 1948 chick

Continuing with the scans of prints.
This young lady, Denise Bilodeau, fresh in her 18 years of age, looks like she's liking it on the motorcycle! Well, at least to pose, probably in Montreal, like a glamourous woman, because I'm not sure if she ever rode this bike, or any bike for that matter. But she was a passenger behind her best girlfriend, so that's something for the times!

19791027 Kathakali show, Montreal

Again a scan from a print.
In 1979, an indian dance show was held at the UQAM university in Montreal. Performed by the Groupe Téâtram dance company, it featured Richard Tremblay, seen here sitting on the floor as Bhîma. I first went on the 26th of October show. I liked it so much, I went back the following day on the 27th to see it again! This time I took a roll of film with me to take pictures.
From the program: "Le Centre Socio-Culturel de l'UQAM en collaboration avec le groupe Teatram présente: "L'Histoire d'une Fleur" de Kathakali. Cette pièce de Kathakali est extraite du Kalina Saugandhikam (Actes 10, 11 et 16) de l'Indien Kottayuthu Trampuram."
It was a pretty deliciously exotic experience. I loved it!
More pics at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=232829&id=739480474&l=0ea2f
Link: http://www.silentculture.org/creation/english.asp?page=onglets/filer.asp

20090113 Mycena elegantula, Sherbrooke, QC

Continuing to scan prints.
Back in 1982, I was in the middle of a very big phase of wanting to identify wild mushroooms. To aid me in that, I used books but also I took pics. They were of just whatever I could find around home. This I believed to be Mycena elegantula, but who knows, I could be wrong, but it sure looks like that. Maybe someone out there on the web could confirm of not this name on this mushroom.

20090112 Physical therapist -slash- musician!

There is a physical therapist in the town of Yamaska. He sets up shop under the banner of Clinique de Physiothérapie Martin Ménard. A serious chap full of bona fide diplomas on the wall. But the funny thing is he's got a lighter side to him. After finding him on Google Maps, I searched more to see if and where else he might be on the web and found him on YouTube. He actually sings while playing acoustic guitar! His home page is under the name of Beemagie. Bee (abeille) is his nickname since he was young because friends used to say he was busybody. Magie is the nickname of his wife. He's pretty good as an amateur musician, and professionnally as a physiotherapist!

20090111 Bob Dylan 19800424 Montréal

On the 22nd day of april 1980, I happened to be in front of the Théâtre St-Denis in Montréal just before the Bob Dylan show was about to begin. A man had a spair ticket (seat J-44) to get rid of, a ticket of $15 he was willing to let go for $10! So I, being alone, bought it from him and went inside. The place was pretty booked. Dylan had just turned evangelical or some sort of Christian thing. People rose up to heckle him! I guess the man just likes to shake things a bit in other people. Setlist at http://www.bobdylan.com/#/node/3734
This is a scan of a print I have of the show that took place two days later, the 24th, at the same venue. I don't remember how I got that print. It's an old 3 1/2 X 5 inches print. I've had it since the year of the show I guess. I managed to make decent jpg images from the old scanner I've got, a simple cheap Canon model CanoScan LiDE 25. The best thing for show images because of the very dark background is to raise the contrast level so that the background gets dark and uniform. Also, I found that creating a Bitmap image first and then converting that to a jpg image with another software (irfanview, photoshop, etc) gets better quality jpg images rather than creating a jpg image straight from the scanner.

20090110 Sunset of the day

Nice sunset in the back fields of Saint-François-du-Lac, QC. I like to go cross-country skiing in outback areas. The problem is finding access to these. Once there, you just can't just go anywhere in the now, at least I don't. I try to find a all-terrain vehicle's open path and go into that. Going in the untrod snow is just too deep most of the time. But, like here where a snowmobile has passed, It's very fine and I can go many kms very enjoyably. Following these paths leads one to surprise areas. But you do need outback poles with big rings and preferably larger skis than the narrow ones for groomed paths.

20090109 Antennaria in b & w

A black an white version of a macro pic of an Antennaria in the Odanak indian reserve, QC, of a pic taken last spring. It's so easy to be Artsy, there is no merit to it. The important thing in photography is how to be technically correct, how to frame correctly, and how to capture the moment by seeing the opportunity. There is a lot of beauty in reality, one does not need to change it. And I'm sorry but if you think that pics of urban settings is more artistic than nature settings, well you are wrong. Art is in whatever you see. The art is in the rendering of what you see. The art of photography is whatever you do before you press click on your camera.

20090108 HP Scanjet G4050 image

I was looking for a good scanner to digitalize my old slides and some negatives. Searching on the web, I first stumbled on a YouTube video imbedded on a tigerdirect.ca web page at http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3073326&Sku=H28-L1957A%20CA that was very complementary of the HP Scanjet G4050 model. Marked a bit expensive at over $200, I found it at amazon.ca's http://www.amazon.ca/HP-Scanjet-G4050-Scanner-L1957A/dp/B000LZIGIC web page at under $80 cut down from nearly $300! So I jumped on it. Too fast it seems. After ordering it, I continued my search on this model only to read all types of negative reviews! Next thing you know, I try to install the software and I get a couple of error warnings during istallation and when when I'm done the software does not dectect the presence of the machine even if Windows does and can used with it's simple scanning utility! I reasearch the web for a solution only to find that there is not a single simple one.

Next, I manage to get on an on-line chat with an HP support employee. The chat was a nice and very supportive experience. For the record, here's the transcript (scroll down to jump this and go to my conclusion):

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:00 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Hello Pierre,thank you for contacting HP and for your interest in our Active Chat online support. My name is Rebecca and I see you have a question regarding your HP Scanjet G4050 Photo Scanner. I'm going to take a few moments to review your information and will message you back very soon.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:00 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:00 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Thank you.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:02 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
As I understand when you launch HP Solution center you receive an error message "No hp devices have been detected. HP solution center will close now". Is that correct?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:02 PM] -- Pierre says:
yes

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:03 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
May I know the operating system and Service Pack version installed in your computer?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:03 PM] -- Pierre says:
Windows XP and I'm not sure about the SP.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:04 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please press "Windows" + "Pause/Break" key on your keyboard. A window pops up, check the Service pack version under System option.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:06 PM] -- Pierre says:
SP3

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:06 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:06 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Is there any other USB devices (For Example: Printer) connected to the computer besides the mouse and the keyboard?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:07 PM] -- Pierre says:
I have a printer but it's not on now.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:08 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
May I know the model of the Printer?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:09 PM] -- Pierre says:
It's an old Canon S400

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:10 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:10 PM] -- Pierre says:
I'm blocking some pop-ups now. I hope that's not a problem.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:10 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
May I know if you have added/modified any hardware/software before the issue occurred?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:11 PM] -- Pierre says:
Not lately.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:12 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Is the scanner connected directly to the USB port at the back of the computer or through the USB hub?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:14 PM] -- Pierre says:
Back of the computer. Whindows has detected it. It's in the control panel under Scanners and Cameras and I can use the simple Windows utility to create an image with it but the HP software won't detect it.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:14 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:14 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
What other HP software is installed in your computer? To check the software installed in your computer, follow the below steps:

a. Click “Start” and then “Control Panel”.
b. Double-click “Add or Remove programs”. This opens up the Add/Remove program window where we can find all the software installed.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:15 PM] -- Pierre says:
done

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:15 PM] -- Pierre says:
the only HP listed is HP Scanjet G4000 series 8.0

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:16 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:16 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Thank you for the information.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:17 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
In order to troubleshoot the issue let us power cycle the scanner and check for the result.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:17 PM] -- Pierre says:
how do we do that?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:18 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Follow the steps below to power cycle the scanner, this will clear any communication error:

1. While the scanner is turned on, unplug the Power cord.
2. Disconnect the communication cable between the computer and the scanner.
3. Wait for thirty seconds.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:19 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
4. Re-plug the Power cord and turn the scanner on.
5. Reconnect the communication cable to the scanner end first, and then to the computer. Check if the scanner gets recognized on the computer (you should receive a Found new hardware message) and try scanning.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:20 PM] -- Pierre says:
during step 3 I guess I should swith the power button to 0?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:21 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Yes, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:25 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok, i followed the instructions to the letter. I did not get a Found new hardware message. The simple windows scanner utility still works with it and I still get the message that HP can't detect it.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:25 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:26 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Let us try scanning from HPQSCNVW.EXE file and check for the result.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:27 PM] -- Pierre says:
is that in the hp program files?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:28 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please follow the steps below:

1. Go to “Start” and the select “Run”
2. Type “C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqscnvw.exe” without quotes and click on “OK” .
3. This will Launch Preview window.
4. Click on “Scan” and then select “Original from Glass”.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:30 PM] -- Pierre says:
That file is not there.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:30 PM] -- Pierre says:
"Windows cannot find..."

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:31 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:32 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Manually cheek if the hpqscnvw.exe file id listed:

1. Double click on “My Computer”.
2. Double click on “C” drive.
3. Double click on “Program Files”.
4. Double click on “HP”.
5. Double Click on “Digital Imaging”.
6. Double click on “Bin”.
7. Search for “hpqscnvw.exe”

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:33 PM] -- Pierre says:
I've looked and also did a search but it's just not there.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:33 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:35 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please check in the following path :C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqscnvw.exe.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:36 PM] -- Pierre says:
there is no Digital Imaging folder in that Hewlett-Packard folder.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:37 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Fine, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:37 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
This indicates the scanner software is not installed correctly.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:38 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Let us uninstall and reinstall the scanner software.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:39 PM] -- Pierre says:
Ok, I've done that before and rebooted many times, but let me do it again with you. Who knows. Do you use a Crossloop type of software?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:39 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Pierre, we are also experiencing an issue with the SP3 since it has many security features and we are working on it. However let us uninstall and reinstall the scanner software and check for the result.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:40 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Let us install the latest version 9.0 scanner software.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:41 PM] -- Pierre says:
Before uninstalling the old version?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:42 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Let us uninstall the old version (complete uninstallation) and reinstall the latest scanner software version 9.0.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:43 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok where do I get that?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:44 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
I will provide you a like to download and install the scanner software.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:44 PM] -- Pierre says:
a link, ok.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:45 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
First let us uninstall the scanner software. Please follow the steps below:

1. Click Start, and then Control Panel.
2. Click Add/Remove Programs. The Add/Remove Programs window opens.
3. Click the HP Photo & Imaging software, and then click Change (or Add/Remove), depending on the version of Windows.
4. Click Remove and then follow the instructions on the computer screen.



[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:46 PM] -- Pierre says:
seems like the 8.0 version is uninstalled yet it's still in the Add or Remove Programs list. There is no "HP Photo & Imaging" in that list. All I have is "HP Scanjet G400 series 8.0".

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:48 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Not a problem.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:49 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Now let us perform Level 1 to Level 4 uninstallation

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:50 PM] -- Pierre says:
okay

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:50 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please follow the steps below:

1. Insert the Scanner software CD into the disk drive of your computer.
2. If the Auto installation program launches, click Cancel or Exit to stop the installation process.
3. Browse to the Starter CD and navigate to the following folder: util\ccc\.
4. Please run all four utilities: ”Uninstall_L1.bat” through “Uninstall_L4.bat” to scrub the software completely from your computer.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:50 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:52 PM] -- Pierre says:
L1 & 2 done. Doing L3.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:52 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Fine, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:52 PM] -- Pierre says:
No simple solution, eh?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:53 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
If you receive a message to restart the computer, please ignore it.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:53 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:53 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
I apologize for the inconvenience caused.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:54 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok, at least we're trying.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:55 PM] -- Pierre says:
L3 is long.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:55 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Since there is SP3 installed in your computer, it is recommended to perform complete uninstallation.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:56 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
That's right, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:56 PM] -- Pierre says:
L3 done. Doing L4.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:57 PM] -- Pierre says:
L4 done.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:58 PM] -- Pierre says:
I still have some HP stuff on my computer.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:58 PM] -- Pierre says:
HP Photosmart Essential icon on my desktop.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:58 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Fine, now let us install the windows clean up utility.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:58 PM] -- Pierre says:
HP Scanjet G4000 Series 8.0 on my add/remove list.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:59 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Not to worry. Please click on the link below to run “Windows Installer clean up utility”.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

Note:
By using this link you are leaving the Hewlett-Packard Website. HP assumes no responsibility for information outside of the HP Website.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:59 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Once you click on the link, select the option “Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility package now“,
Click on “Save” and save it on the Desktop.
Click on Run – Next – Select “I Accept” – Next – Finish.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:01 PM] -- Pierre says:
I did that earlyer today but havent used it yet.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:01 PM] -- Pierre says:
there is one HP in that list

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:02 PM] -- Pierre says:
should I clik on it and click on Remove?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:02 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Click on “Start” – All Programs – Select “Windows Install Clean up”.

Now select the HP scanner software and click on “Remove”.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:02 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Which is the HP scanner software listed?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:02 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok done

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:03 PM] -- Pierre says:
too late, it's gone.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:03 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
No issues.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:03 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please save the chat in the Favorites.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:04 PM] -- Pierre says:
done.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:04 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Let us restart the computer, once you restart the computer, go to Favorites and resume the chat session.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:04 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
I will stand by while you restart the computer.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:04 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok, we will rehook Rebecca?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:05 PM] -- Pierre says:
brb then

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:06 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:10 PM] -- Pierre says:
Well this works well. I'm back.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:10 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Welcome back, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:11 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Now let us install the scanner software.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:11 PM] -- Pierre says:
The two items I mentioned above are still there. Not a problem I presume.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:11 PM] -- Pierre says:
?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:12 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Fine, Pierre, it should not be a problem.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:13 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please make sure the scanner is disconnected and also disable the Anti Virus and Firewall.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:13 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Once the installation is completed, we can enable the Anti Virus and Firewall.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:14 PM] -- Pierre says:
I'm working on it.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:15 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please let me know once you have disabled the Anti Virus and Firewall.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:16 PM] -- Pierre says:
I've got AVG and whatever Windows has by default.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:17 PM] -- Pierre says:
can you tell me where the Windows firewall is?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:17 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Sure, Please follow the steps below:

1. Go to "Start" and then "Run".
2. Type "Firewall.cpl" (without quotes) and click on OK.
3. Select “OFF (not recommended) and click on OK.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:20 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please let me know once you have performed the above steps.



[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:22 PM] -- Pierre says:
Hello Rebecca?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:23 PM] -- Pierre says:
To be sure, I've uninstalled a free version of Norton and AVG and that rebooted me without propting. Sorry.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:23 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
No issue.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:24 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok so now I'm totally vulnerable, no anti-virus, no firewall. Let's do this quick.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:24 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Now let us download and install the scanner software.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:24 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please click on the link below to download and install the scanner software:

Note: Once you click on the link select "Save" and save it on your desktop.

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software8/COL17370/sj-50004-1/setup_full_G4000.exe


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:25 PM] -- Pierre says:
Downloading. ETA 10 minutes or less.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:26 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:30 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please let me know if you are experiencing any issue while downloading.


[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:31 PM] -- Pierre says:
Doing fine for now. 335KB/Sec.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:32 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:33 PM] -- Pierre says:
I presume you're doing more than one chat at once?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:34 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
At this time I have only one chat.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:34 PM] -- Pierre says:
ok not too busy then. I like this type of client service.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:35 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
That's right and thank you, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:35 PM] -- Pierre says:
Download done.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:36 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Great!

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:36 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Now double click on the downloaded file.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:36 PM] -- Pierre says:
I'll run it now.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:36 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:38 PM] -- Pierre says:
I chose the custom install will check everyting except HP Update.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:40 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:40 PM] -- Pierre says:
You doing phone work too?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:41 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
No, Pierre. We handle only chats.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:42 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
We do have a HP Customer care for phone support.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:43 PM] -- Pierre says:
I see. Ok then, installation is complete and I dint get a "HP need to close installation now" or something like that like I did with the disc version. The icon is diffrent. I'll plug in the scanner now.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:44 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Okay.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:44 PM] -- Pierre says:
I did not get a propting to plug in the scanner as in the disc version.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:44 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Once the scanner software is installed, just connect the scanner and try scanning.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:44 PM] -- Pierre says:
"found new hardware" bubble.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:46 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Fine, now launch HP solution center and try scanning.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:46 PM] -- Pierre says:
It wants to.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:47 PM] -- Pierre says:
It scanned!

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:47 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Great! Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:47 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Please try scanning once again and check if everything works fine.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:48 PM] -- Pierre says:
Well thank you. I at least want to give it a shot! Can I check back here if there is anything else?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:49 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
You are welcome.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:49 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
Sure, Pierre.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:49 PM] -- Pierre says:
Thanks Rebecca. Bye for now.

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:51 PM] -- Rebecca R says:
You are welcome and is there anything else I may assist you with at this point of time?

[Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:52 PM] -- Pierre says:
I'll explore the software and hardware and will get back if nessesary. Thanks.


So anyway, this two hours chat got the HP software to recognize the presence of the scanner in my computer's preriferals. Finally, I get a chance to try it and see what all the negative reviews are all about. There was a lot of talk about the unreliable software, now is time to check on the hardware. Well, the result you see above, a cropped detail of the 300dpi jpg image, is as good as it gets with a slide. On a print, things are not too bad. But for a slide at least (I dint even try a negative after this), the results are very bad, full of black or white dots or lots of "noise" as we say (as all images on Blogger, click on it to enlage it more or less depending on the pic). Same on jpg, gif or any other format created by the G4050 from slides. So I'm sending it back. What a waste of time. But at least from the looks of it, amazon.ca will refund me fully and return shipping is even prepaid! Just on the basis of that and the fact that I could save on gas shopping costs for the car, I may do business with them again for another scanner, one that I'd have read at least some of the reviews before buying it!

20090107 Claude, Micheline & Pierre, 1954

Claude & his sister Micheline with their nephew Pierre.




It does'nt look like it but it's snowing abundantly in this pic. The great thing about winter is that you can do outdoor sports even if snow is falling from the sky. In summer, we stay indoors when it's raining, but in winter the falling snow does not go through our clothing (most of the time, or to a lesser degree than rain), so can go out then. Cross-country skiing again in SFdL, with a friendly neighbor.

20090106 Denise Bilodeau in 1934

Denise Bilodeau in 1934. Lucien & Maximilienne's oldest child. Pic taken in the St-Henri disctrict of Montreal.



Setting sun through a big bush in the fields behind SFdL.

20090105 Mariage de Maximilienne Valiquette et Lucien Bilodeau

A 1926 wedding picture of Maximilienne Valiquette and Lucien Bilodeau.

NOTES:

Infos glanés de Denise Bilodeau, avant son décès (fille aux époux):

La photo de mariage de Lucien Bilodeau et Maximilienne Valiquette, le 16 Septembre 1925.

Les adultes, de gauche à droite, sur le trottoir,
le deuxième homme est probablement un des frères à Lucien.
Ensuite il y a Ferdinand Bilodeau, le père à Lucien.
Lucien Bilodeau.
Maximillienne Valiquette.
Jean Charlebois, le deuxième mari à Anna.
Anna Deslauriers, la mère à Maximillienne.
Mathilde Lefèbvre, mère à Anna.
Trois inconnus.
Euclide Corbeil, mari à Germaine.
Une inconnue, probablement l'épouse du suivant.
Jean Charlebois Jr.?

Dans les marches à droite, de gauche à droite:
Roméo, mari à Thérèse.
Une inconnue.
Germaine Valiquette, soeur à Maximillienne.
Thérèse Valiquette, soeur à Maximillenne.

Les 4 enfants devant, de gauche à droite:
Rolland Corbeil?, l'ainé de Germaine.
Thérèse Corbeil, fille de Germaine.
Une inconnue.
Rollande Deslauriers, fille à Anna et Jean, qu'on avait vu exposé au salon funéraire en 1996.


Some of this information is subject to change. For example, Lucien's father is said to be Josephat Bilodeau, while on the Bilodeau genealogy web site mentioned above, he is called Ferdinand Bilodeau (Fardina on Lucien's birth certificate).




There are some mechanically groomed cross-country skiing paths in the Tracy sector of Sorel-Tracy. The paths start here in the Parc de Plein Air Sorel-Tracy and goes all the way to the next town of Contrecoeur right near the St-Lawrence river's south shore at a place called the Colonie des Grèves. The grooves are a bit deep but one gets used to that. Or if one likes, there are other paths for skating skiiers. To and from in as staight a line as possible is an about 10 km ride, but if one does practically all the pahts one can do about 25 km in all I guess.

20090104 Filles à Anna & Hector Valiquette

Thérèse, Maximilienne & Germaine Valiquette. Detail of a 1904 picture.



The #4 cross-country skiing path of the Centre de Plein Air in Brossard, QC. Skiing conditions were so-so: We had a thawing about a week ago and only a sprinking of snow since then. Last winter was much better at the same date in the calendar.

20090103 Anna Deslauriers & Hector Valiquette

Another 1898 photo, this time showing both Anna Deslauriers AND Hector Valiquette. Again taken in Montreal.




Went to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts... FINALLY! You know how it is: an exhibit you want to see starts and you say "no hurry, we've got plenty of time, it shows for months still" and then next thing you know, it's over! We, I dint want to miss this one. One particularity of this exhibit is that usually exhibits are kept in silent rooms while this one has musica in each and every room. Music and associations with musicians was a major part of Warhol's artwork. We loved it!

20090102 Hector Valiquette

This is Hector Valiquette. He married Anna Deslauriers. Picture taken circa 1898 in Montréal. Again, a scan of the original print.

Une dinde, dinde, dinde. Tu l'auras sur l'estomac longtemp! Avec ses pattes enveloppées de bacon! Yum!

20090101 Anna Deslauriers

This is Anna Deslauriers. She married Hector Valiquette. The pic was taken in about 1898 in Montréal and this is a scan of the original print. They begat Maximilienne Valiquette, among other children. See the Bilodeau genealogy web site at http://www.bilodeau.org/tree/family.php?famid=F10123





Deux belles courges pour faire de la soupe! Yum!