The one thing 9-year-old Cal Clifford wanted more than anything since he was a toddler was a pet octopus. The boy’s family in rural Edmond, Okla., humoured him with toy versions of an eight-legged mollusk, but as Cal got older it became clear that only the real thing would do. The child’s father, 36-year-old dentist Cameron Clifford, researched the possibility with a local aquarium store and before long Terrance the California two-spot octopus, also known as a bimac, was living in a watery enclosure at the family home southwest of Oklahoma City. “We really like to encourage our children’s interests,” said the older Clifford. “It’s magical to see a kid embrace their dreams and bring them to fruition. Cal has been infatuated with the natural world and with marine biology since he was very little.” A popular TikTok saga was launched with the father narrating the tale of Terrance the cephalopod, using a faux British accent generated by the social media app. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of people were following.  Within weeks, the tale took a surprise twist when it was learned Terrance was actually a female as it laid some 50 eggs that the family initially assumed were unfertilized. Several weeks after that, teeny near-transparent octopus babies began hatching and were given names like Rocket Larry, Squid Cudi, Swim Shady, Jay-Sea and Sea-Yoncé. Cal had burst into tears at the family dinner table when his father first announced that the local aquarium store had told him adopting an octopus would be possible. Father and son together researched what was needed, deciding on a saltwater tank and water cycling system and ensuring they would be able to source food for the soft-bodied sea creature. The family’s younger son, Lyle, and mom, Kari, also joined the project in their own ways. A family friend who is a reptile scientist has provided support and advice. While female octopuses usually die soon after laying their eggs, Clifford said Terrance remains alive four months later. Individual containers holding hatchlings from Terrance, the pet octopus, are seen in Edmond, Okla. (Cameron Clifford via AP) Clifford said the family has gained much from the experience. “Aside from the physical, financial and emotional requirements of owning a species such as a bimac, you will learn a lot about yourself in the process,” the Arizona-born Clifford told TikTok followers in his app-generated accent. “There’s always some valve or seal that’s not completely closed, and your storm resistant carpet isn’t rated for gallons and gallons of seawater. You’ll learn that seawater and electricity don’t always get along.” “You will learn new things and meet incredible people and will learn that wildlife is magnificent,” he added. “But most of all, you’ll learn to love a not-so-tiny octopus like Terrance.” The Clifford family, from left to right; Cameron, Cal, Lyle and Kari. (Cameron Clifford via AP)

A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high. He first started playing pinball when he was a teen. “I remember the local fish and chip shop had a pinball machine,” he said. “I would put 20 cents in and have a game.” He said it’s the randomness of the game that drew him in. “The ball has a mind of its own and you try to control it. I think that’s fascinating,” said Dave. For the past four or five years, Dave and his wife Kim, can often be found playing pinball machines at the Sherbrooke Pub. “It’s our thing. It might not be for everybody but it’s what we do,” said Kim Formenti. Kim & Dave Formenti play pinball at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) They were there on Easter weekend for a few games on the Foo Fighters pinball machine. “It’s fast. It’s a three flipper game with multiple ramps and a very interesting code to try and complete,” said Dave. “An extremely challenging game with a great soundtrack and lots of fun.” Foo Fighters pinball machine at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) It’s a machine Dave has played at least 100 times over the past year. Soon into that two-player game he earned an extra ball. “Originally it was like, ‘Oh man he’s got the extra ball. He’s just going to keep going. I’m on my phone for a bit. This is going to be awhile before I get my turn,'” Kim joked. She said 20 minutes later Dave was still playing. “I’m like, ‘OK, I’d better pay attention here.’ We’ve never been this far and sometimes he looks to me to kind of cue him,” said Kim. Foo Fighters pinball machine at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) “You have to be very strategic about your gameplay and accomplishing modes in order to progress within the game,” Dave said. “The big points come from the final battle. So if you can progress through the game and get to that final battle there’s massive points,” he added. Dave completed all of the modes required to finish the game – the display then rolling the end of game credits. “It shows all of the characters from the game as it rolls through. It runs across an old movie script in black and white that shows Jack Danger’s name as the credits are rolling through at the end of that game,” Dave said. “Then a little rewind icon pops up and the movie film zips back and everything resets back to the beginning and you start the game over again,” he added. “I said to my wife we want to watch this ’cause we will never see it again.” “We sat there in awe together. We were just kind of immersed in the moment and the excitement of it all,” said Kim. Foo Fighters pinball machine at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) Dave earned five extra balls during his game. He said he still had two left to play after the game reset. His entire game took about 40 minutes. “It generated a 6.2 billion point score which I had never achieved before, not even remotely close to that,” said Dave. “I’ve seen him do 1.4, 1.6 but I’ve never seen him go that high,” said Kim. Dave Formenti’s high score on the Foo Fighters pinball machine at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) “It’s extremely hard,” said Jason Zazula, another local pinball player. Zazula has played for more than a decade and competitively for about nine years. He bought his own Foo Fighters machine in August and plays it at least six times a day. “I haven’t even cracked one billion yet and Dave has done six billion,” he said. “Doing that on a game that’s not in your house, where you can just take off the glass and cheat is a huge feat,” he added. Zazula posted a photo of Dave’s high score on a social media page for fans and collectors of the machine. One of the comments came from a ‘Dead Flip Pinball Streaming’ – a page run by Jack Danger. “He’s the chief game designer for Foo Fighters. He acknowledged that that score was a big fat WTF, literally blown away,” Dave said proudly. It’s a shout-out Dave said made him feel special. Dave Formenti playing Foo Fighters pinball machine at Sherbrooke Pub. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) “It was a special game. It happened once, probably never happen again but I’m terribly grateful for people acknowledging that it’s something a little bit special,” he said.

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?