terryography

Fauna

2012-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

They are on T-shirts, pottery, and all manner of art work, but mostly they are crawling around the grounds of the Decameron Complex. They are harmless and in a perverted sort of way, quite beautiful. There is an Iguana viewing station by the tennis courts and every day the kitchen staff of one of the restaurants throws out leftover fruit for them to feed on. They show up by the dozens. The rest of the time they are hidden in the various trees around the property. The one above was directly over my head one day as I lay by the pool reading a book. Shortly after I took this photo, he crawled out to the end of a limb, chasing a female, when suddenly there was a rain of terror only inches from my lounge. Iguana poop is scary stuff. It splatters down out of the tree in what I can best describe as Seagull times ten. As I was gloating about the near miss, a bird did what the Iguana could not do. It plastered my knee with whitewash. I jumped into the pool, swam to the far end, and got out, not swimming again that day.

The feeding station.

The staff use air cannons to scare these prolific birds away from the outdoor restaurants as they fly right in and steal sugar packets and other delights right from the customers plates. They have a raucous call and remind me of our Blackbirds.

One of the delights of walking the beach is observing the grace and marvelous flying skills of the ungainly Pelicans. They usually fly in groups of three or more and almost always skim the tops of the breakers, riding the pressure ridge of the rising wave. They skim the water with inches to spare and when they spot a meal, they suddenly take a forward plunge into the water and come up with a fish that is sometimes obvious in the pouch beneath their long, rugged beak.

The Egrets are not as common but are as interesting to watch. They go after the little Hermit Crabs that scurry across the sand as the tide recedes.

Not sure what these are called but they resemble a Snipe or a Sandpiper. Some have straight beaks and others are longer and curved. They scurry in and out of the surf, always knowing exactly how far the wave will wash up onto the sandy beach.

These Frigate Birds are the most graceful fliers you will ever see. I have watched them until they are out of sight and never once do they flap their wings. They are masters at reading the convection currents. When they do feed, they drop from the sky like a rocket and make a tremendous splash when they hit the water. They probably kill their prey on impact.

This young lad was offering rides on his burro. Or maybe you could just get your photo taken while sitting on it.

I spotted this strange thing in the sand on the beach one day. It appears to be a northern foot revelling in the warmth. It could be a female of the species due to the colouration of the appendage.

Horseback riding on the beach is now prohibited, and well it should be. The gauchos were not always diligent about picking up after their steeds. Here we see a lone pony having a break in a quiet spot behind the hotel. Tomorrow we will go to the beach.

Mexican Flora

2012-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

We spent very little time in our room, but when we were there, this was the view from our patio, looking straight ahead.

And then looking a bit to our left.

Reflections on an evening when there was no sunset.

Bougainvillea and Banana leaves.

One of the many varieties of Palm trees.

Coconuts ready to fall on some one's head.

Three photos of Bougainvillea against different backdrops.

Tomorrow, Mexican Fauna.

The Colours of Decameron

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Why do we like it here so much? Surrounded by bright light and bright colour one cannot help but be happy and upbeat. It is so much the opposite of drab, which is the order of the day for winter back home. There are seven restaurants, six pools, six buildings, most of which consist of three wings of at least three floors each, and gardens everywhere. There are over 600 guest rooms and while we were there it was at capacity, the highest occupancy rate of any resort in Puerto Vallarta. Too many are discovering its charm and ambiance and there may be a day when the prices will go up and availability go down. Most people we talked to had been there multiple times.

I will let the photos do the talking.

Trip to the Sun

2012-01-26T15:12:00.000-08:00

It takes some kind of motivation to arise at 4 am, and then having done so, to look as perky as these three. It was a long wait at the Abbotsford Airport on Jan. 11 as our 'big yellow bird' was being prepped for a jaunt south to Mexico.

We were treated to a most spectacular sunrise as we boarded the 2nd generation Boeing 737 operated by Canjet. That big wing with the yellow tip was my constant companion for the next five hours.

The flight is not pleasant for me, only because of the lack of legroom in these sardine tins. But we got lucky. We were one of the first in line when we checked in so after requesting an 'exit row seat', we actually got one and I had more than enough leg room for a change. Of course, that meant I was the 'go to guy' in case of an emergency exit, but I was up to it. These new 737's are quite nice, more spacious in width and height and brighter. If only they could get that leg room thing right.

At the half way point I got out of my hoody, unzipped the legs from my cargo pants, and changed from socks and shoes to sandals. Bring it on!

Finally, there was the Mexican coastline and soon Bandaras Bay came into view, at the top of the photo.

We soon started our descent and we saw close-up the little farm plots in the hills north of Puerto Vallarta.

And then the lush agricultural fields where they grow the wonderful food we would be eating for the next two weeks. Our destination was at the top of the photo, just beyond the plume of smoke.

Our pilot was great (any pilot who gets the bird on the ground in one piece is great in my books) and we soon discovered why he hit the brakes and reversed engines as hard as he did. (And I mean hard!) He wanted to take a short cut to the terminal so he did not use very much of the runway. But that's OK. It meant more Mexico time and sooner. As it was, the lineup to get through customs was about an hour long. After sitting for more than five hours, I welcomed standing for the wait.

Heaven Has Palm Trees

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

By the time you read this, we will be here. Back in a few weeks.

Blog Break

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

We're leavin'

On a jet plane

Don't know

When we'll be back again

Maybe Peter, Paul, and Mary did not know when they were coming back but we do. It will be in two weeks. Just like the photo shows, we are heading for the sun. No more cold dark early mornings. No more layering of clothes. No more rain, well, probably not.

There will be plenty of sun, and heat, and beaches, and pools, and food, and reading, and beach combing, and talking, and food, and beaches, and swimming, and beaches, and food, and food, and cold drinks and food. Did I mention food? Fabulous sunrises at 6 am and even more spectacular sunsets at 6 pm while we dine in the open air only steps from the beach. And all that cool stuff to shop for but not buy. T-shirts, jewellery, blankets, metal work, leather belts and fake Iguanas. This will be our sixth trip to Puerto Vallarta and each time I look forward to it more.

Now, if only I can endure the 5 hours in that jet plane.

Can you see me in the window of the plane? I'm the one with the big grin on my face!

Cops and Kids

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

We hear many reports coming out of the US regarding the loss of civil rights since 9/11. First responders have taken on a more aggressive and belligerent stance in the face of unrest or even minor lawlessness. We have all witnessed the change in attitude at the airports and borders and it is a bit frightening even for those of us who have nothing to hide.

Last Saturday there was a disturbing incident in Charlton Mass. that drives this point home. A young girl was traumatized when the police came knocking at the door looking for her and her dad's overdue library books. This is not a joke, meaning yes, it is true, and meaning that this is just the most ludicrous police action one could possibly imagine and is no laughing matter.

It is impossible to know where to begin in denouncing this incident.

Looking into the situation regarding overdue library books, it is a problem everywhere. It can be chalked up to forgetfulness, sloppiness, or petty theft. There is a simple solution, or two. The library could charge a rental fee that could be refundable or carried over to the next lending of books. Or, there could be a charge to have a library card in the first place and every time a book is unrecoverable, the cost of it comes off the card fee. Once the fee is depleted, no more borrowing until the account is 'topped up' or the books are returned.

It is time to get innovative instead of sending the police to harass youngsters.

It feels like we are only one step away from doing jail time for eating our salad with the wrong fork.

Crisis

2012-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Crisis does not develop character, it displays it.

Boomer Trouble

2012-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know Autumn was over and done with many moons ago, but this photo represents what I was reading about the other day. The red tree is a Baby Boomer (a.k.a. aging parent) living among a younger and more energetic generation. We have all heard about the plight of many young people and young couples these days who get themselves into debt problems, then lose a job, and consequently move back home to live with their parents. Apparently, we ain't seen nothin' yet.

This from Thursday's Wall Street Journal:

More aging Americans are doing something they never would have imagined: turning to family for financial aid. Some are even asking their children for a place to live.

The problem has been building as more Americans 55 and older have lost jobs or run through savings faster than expected.

Thirty-nine percent of adults with parents 65 and older reported giving parents financial aid in the past year, according to a September Pew Research Center survey. Some parents may have trouble acknowledging it: 10% of parents 65 and older reported receiving aid.

So let me get this straight. The 'Boomers' who are doing well are supporting their kids, and the kids who are doing well, are supporting their 'Boomer' parents. It would follow that not that many people, over all, are doing well.

The 'Boomers' were doing OK until the credit bubble of 2008 when they took a hit on their retirement nest eggs invested in the markets. Since then they are still way down. It will not get any better because their old age security can no longer be regarded as 'safe' because it is the government who backs the pensions, and we all know they are in such a deep borrowing hole that there is no turning back.

Just thought I would give you a 'heads up' so you can clear out your basement and start building that suite down there.

Yes, those are American figures, but what goes around, comes around.

Rome

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

After not being able to put it down, I just read the last page of this book. Conn Iggulden is the author who wrote the series on the history of the Khan dynasties. I have read the first three of those and found them riveting. As soon as the price on the fourth comes down a bit, and they do with time, I will load it onto my Kindle. In the meanwhile, I have started the Emperor series and if book one is any indication, I will enjoy reading about the life of Julius Caesar as much as I did the adventures of Genghis Khan.

The Gates of Rome follows the exploits of two young Roman lads who grow up rather quickly and by the time they are in their mid teens, they have almost lived an entire lifetime in terms of experiences and exploits. It is an insight to Roman Culture prior to and following the transition from B.C. to A.D. There is action and adventure aplenty spiced with love, loyalty, friendship, and the ins and outs of Roman politics of the era. The depiction of the Roman soldier and his training, strength and dedication make it apparent why the Empire grew and thrived as it did. For a new young author, this was a great start to a successful career as a novelist.

I will soon start the second in the 4 part series and will get back to you for another review when I do.

Mysterious?

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am not one for making New Year's resolutions. They are difficult to keep and gives one permission to avoid resolutions the rest of the year. "I resolve to do" should be an on going process throughout the year. I do make goals and plans, but always keeping in mind that we know not what the future holds and our plans and schemes can be dashed in an instant.

What we can do quite safely is to assess the year that has just passed. It is history, it was played out, and it will never change, therefore, let us learn from it. Those things or ideas that worked should be repeated and those mistakes we made are not so bad, in retrospect, but are lessons on what not to do again.

Looking back, I can say that I have neither great successes, nor do I have great failures to ponder. In many ways, 2011 was a status quo year. However, there were some issues that will have to be resolved this year. There always are. I am optimistic about the future more than I am pessimistic. There is reason for both takes. If I were to make a resolution, it would be to go into these unresolved situations with confidence and preparation. I must be less passionate and more understanding of both sides of an issue, something that has always been a challenge for me.

I like to keep my posts as brief as possible so just before I hit the "Publish" button, I re-read what I have just written. After having done that, what this post sounds like to me is an elongated Chinese Fortune Cookie. Long on vagueness and completely open to interpretation. I guess I am also trying to be more mysterious this year. Like how does the moon get to that position behind Mt. Baker at this time of the year?

Hot and Cold

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Eastern moon rise. Dec. 2011

On Monday, busylizzy and I were walking in the park. It was a cold and windy afternoon and we were dressed in our warmest jackets and wearing gloves and hats. We noticed, off to our right, some mini whirlwinds that were swirling leaves and other debris into the air. They were getting closer and were soon upon us. We both exclaimed at the same time that the air in those little air funnels was like a blast from a hot air furnace. We were near a parking lot and my first thought was that a big truck was sitting there, idling, and a quirky breeze blew the hot exhaust our way. But, then it happened again, a few feet further down the trail. Soon it was warm everywhere with only a few pockets of cool air remaining in the most sheltered spots. I had never experienced anything like it. It was a warm moist weather front pushing back the cold dry air. The humidity increased along with the temperature and I was soon unzipping my jacket and taking my gloves off. Moments later, a light rain came down.

I was once in Alberta and experienced the wild temperature fluctuations of a Chinook wind. It was even more dramatic than this, the leading edge of what is known as 'the pineapple express'. We got a little wet, but certainly warmed up a lot too. We arrived at home and checked the thermometer and saw that the temperature had risen about 6 degrees in the short time we had been walking.

Gas Up

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is where I gas up. It is about 1 Km. from my house.

This is where I do not gas up. It is about 1/2 Km. from my house. Why? Glad you asked. Husky is big on Ethanol content in the fuel. Ethanol is all about reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Excuse me! Do they not realise that growing the corn, from which ethanol is derived, and then processing the corn into ethanol, a bigger 'carbon footprint' is produced than if you just burn straight petroleum? And why on earth are we burning our food?

Impossible!

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to see at least one movie during the holidays and I would say "Mission Accomplished", just like Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) said after his big adventure stopping the world from engaging in a nuclear war. If you have a milquetoast life but still like 'near death' experiences, and lots of them, then this is your movie. The plot and the antics are improbable, unlikely, impossible, outlandish, unbelievable, extravagant, hair brained, and highly technological which makes all things possible. If you like suspense, intrigue, action, eye candy, and lots of hi-tech gadgetry, you will enjoy this movie. I did.

Some Favourites From 2011

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favourite photos from 2011. There are few things I enjoy more than getting out for a 'photo shoot'. Sometimes I will deliberately leave many photos on my memory card without looking at them because then I get a double surprise when I finally open them on the computer. Once, when I actually shot the photo, and then again when I open it in 'Photoshop' and try to discover the best qualities in the image. We are created in God's image and there is no doubt that God is the author of beauty, especially as we see it in nature. That part of God's image in me, a desire to create something artistic and lovely, is merely an attempt to reflect God's created beauty in a lasting form. His natural beauty is indeed 'new every morning' and I feel it a privilege to capture that beauty in a moment in time.

October Frost

Star burst

Low Glow

Maple Delight

Palm Desert

Autumn Rays

Hanging Basket

Flaming Sumac

Forbidden Berries

Morning Glow

Morning Glory

Deep Purple

Sun in a Flower

Upside Down Reflection

View From The Top

2011-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

It was a sunny afternoon and the air was very clear. I was on the east end of town so decided to take a little detour and head up to Eagle Mountain.

The view is only as good as the air is pure. I noticed the air quality deteriorating the farther west I pointed my camera.

Mount Baker, as usual, was magnificent.

The late afternoon colours were warming up.

I always get a chuckle out of the fact that Mount Baker is on American soil, yet we Canadians get the best view of it, by far. It is not much to look at from the south, in Washington State.

And with the frosty roofs all lined up and the sun setting on the Sumas Prairie, I bid you adieu, 2011. You have been a good year but I am hoping your little offspring will outshine you.

And to all my readers, Happy New Year.

I've Been Kindled

2011-12-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

No, it's not anything to do with fire starting. It is an e reader for those of you who have been hiding under a rock during the unprecedented advancements in hand held electronic devices.

For the first time in many years, I could actually think of something other than a Corvette when my kids asked me if I wanted anything for Christmas. I am an avid reader and my eyesight is deteriorating so I thought one of these devices might kill two birds with one stone.

I have to say that it meets my expectations. The font is adjustable and the script is very clear and well defined. Because it is on a flat screen, my eyes are not doing the minute adjustment for distance like they do in a book with a curved surface as it sits in the hands. It is not back lit like a computer screen so there is no eye strain.

It can hold more books than I will read in the rest of my life and I can load them directly onto the Kindle because it is wi-fi. Imagine bringing a half dozen good books on a vacation all wrapped up in a wafer thin device with incredible re-chargeable battery life. I completed my first book, read from my Kindle, (The Hunger Games) and I am already convinced that I will not miss holding an actual book in my hands.

And the Corvette? They tell me I would have received one already had they been able to get it under the Christmas Tree. I believe them because I taught my children not to lie.

Couldn't Put it Down

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Some things stay green for Christmas. The trick is finding a bit of sunlight to illuminate them.

My spare time in the last few days has been taken up with a book I had a difficult time putting down. It is a fictional novel written for teens but anyone will enjoy this read. It is about a totalitarian government in the far distant future who rules twelve districts in the land and holds annual games where two young people from each district are chosen by lottery to compete in the 'Hunger Games'. It is a battle fought in a contrived and very large outdoor arena, with huge rewards going to the victor. The game: survival. It does not take many days for the last person standing to be crowned.

This is a page turner for sure.

Swimmin' in the Rain

2011-12-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

Mr. Mallard

Mrs. Mallard

Ms. Mud Hen

Exactly one year ago, we were spending every evening in the hot tub in Palm Desert. Last night we re-lived that wonderful memory when Keith and Rachel invited us to have a soak in their hot tub. I remember very well helping them move the beast from their old house to their new one just this last spring. It was not a priority project for him, but he finally, just recently, got it placed and hooked up. The setup is great. It was raining, but being submerged under the hot bubbling water is all the better then. I thought of these ducks who go in the water no matter what the weather brings, and was glad I was not one of them when it was time to get out. I had a towel and warm dry clothes.

Mistake!

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

We all have a space within which we are most comfortable. When someone 'gets in our face' we get uncomfortable, but for each one of us it is a bit different. Those who love crowds, for example, do not need much space. I like to keep a bit of distance.

My little trip to the Seven Oaks Mall on Boxing Day was a case in point. As I drove by the Alliance Church parking lot I was wondering what was going on there as the parking lot was full. Nothing, as it turned out, but it had become an overflow parking space for Boxing Day shoppers. The Mall parking lot holds thousands of cars so this was an indication of just how many people were there. I am not a mall shopper at the best of times. I found the masses of people were making me somewhat claustrophobic. It is the various smells of humanity that assault the senses that I find most delightful and most disturbing. As the sensual fragrance of a young ladies perfume makes me take a look around, I am suddenly brought back to reality with a whiff of curry and body odour, a bad combination even in the cold fresh air of a short December day. And there is the stale smell of tobacco on some one's breath, while his buddy counteracts that smell with the aroma of hot coffee wafting from the cup he is carrying. The overall atmosphere is humid and not really fresh as the air conditioning in the mall strains to keep up with all the exhaling.

"Let me out!" It is the silent scream within me about to burst forth upon the surrounding ear drums.

And then I remember my mission. I would not have come here without a purpose. I try to walk just a bit faster than the flow, but with there being no passing lane, all I accomplish is a harsh word from the weary shopper ahead of me as I step on his heel and his shoe comes right off. I mutter a not so Christian "Sorry" and rush on toward the avenue that will take me to "The Source", my destination. I notice on the way that some stores are letting customers in only a few at a time. These crowds encourage shop-lifting, probably a direct result of poor customer service and the confusion of too many bodies in a small space.

"The Source" is full of people and I need to make an enquiry of someone knowledgeable. All staff are manning the cash registers ... except for one lone individual who looks like he taking a breather from irritated and demanding shoppers. I take a direct route to him, nearly knocking over a display of cell phone covers. I see another customer with equal determination, heading his way from the other direction. I pick up the pace and head the other guy off, just soon enough to avoid a tackle. Yes. He seems to know the technical answer to my question and reaches down inside a shelf and pulls out the $30.00 solution to my problem. I then pull out something similar from my pocket, something I thought to bring from home, and ask if this would work as well. Yes, it will work just fine, says he and with a heartfelt "thank you", I turn around and head back up stream feeling much like a salmon at spawning time.

Mission accomplished. But at what price? I saved $30.00 and in the process endured my first ever Boxing Day at the mall.

There are some things in life that you only need to do once, like getting married and going to the mall on Boxing Day. Why would anybody in their right mind do that again?

Christmas Fun

2011-12-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

We always have a great time when we get together.

And, yes, we are a little bit crazy! Or, this is what too many chocolates and nuts will do.

Angels on My Tree

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

We have many angels of various shapes and sizes on our Christmas Tree. They are very significant in the Christmas story. It actually started when the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her what was going to happen. Later, when the Christ Child was born, it was a host of Angels who announced to the shepherds in the surrounding hills that a very special child, a saviour, was born.

In both cases, the angels had to calm the fears of the mere mortals who were receiving a direct message from God. Today, we see the pretty and innocuos representations hanging on our trees or sitting on our mantles, and we forget that these are awesome beings, God's holy messengers. We do them a disservice by reducing them to crystal figurines, and plastic dolls with protruding lights. If we were to see one tonight, we too, like the shepherds, would be falling on our faces, frightened half to death, perhaps feeling for a certainty that we were about to die.

Our God, who is beyond words, created these beings, and so we must only imagine what he himself must be like. And, to think that He came as a helpless new born baby, lying in a bed of straw, should humble us to the core. By coming as a harmless baby at that point in time, He was telling us, like the angels told Mary and the shepherds, "Do not be afraid". It was not an act of intimidation, but one of pure love.

Cold Duck

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Click on this photo for some good detail.

We sleep under a goose down* duvet so I fully understand the insulating qualities of the feathers on this duck's body. The feathers also repel water and when one is warm and dry, even the frigid waters of Mill Lake in December are not a problem. But here are two mysteries I do not understand. That leg dangling in the water has to be cold! He should be tucking it up under his body where it is warm and dry. But, the biggest mystery of all is why this bird has not flown south for the winter. Most of them do. Why would a healthy, sane duck stay here when he could be basking in the warm southern sun? It must have something to do with Homeland Security at the border.

* How do you get down off a horse? You don't. You get down off a goose.

It's Greek To Me

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Our business this year was down substantially, but being the President and Chief Executive Officer of my company, I decided that the down turn would not prevent me from treating those near and dear to me to a company dinner. Being a democratic boss, I let the underlings decide the venue and "spare no cost", said I.

It was a local popular Greek restaurant that was thusly graced with our appearance last evening.

Surrounded by Greek ambiance and excellent culinary fare, we did due diligence in regards to the Income Tax Act that states that an entertainment tax write off must concern business. To meet the requirements, there was much talk of business matters, both past, present and future, and the guests at the table were treated to a few speeches, regarding business, of course.

I, as president and CEO, gave an annual report on trends, goals, and some motivational pep talk. The chief financial officer (me) then gave a report which amounted to an excuse why nobody was getting a raise and that they should be grateful they got lamb chops. The chief estimator (me) then gave a report as to why he was not able to wrestle more business in tough economic times, which amounted to telling the audience why he is not inclined to excessive aggressiveness. The chief purchasing agent (me) then gave a litany of price increases on supplies and urged the CEO to build these into his prices so they could be passed on to the customers, to which the CEO replied that he could not do that in order to stay competitive. "Suck it up and just be more efficient" was becoming a theme. The bookkeeper (me) gave a detailed breakdown on where the money was going, and it became evident that the government was getting most of it, leaving very little for such things as Tim Horton's coffee and utility bills.

When the journeyman lead hand asked if he could procure a new paint brush, the Chief Financial officer handed him a roll of Duct Tape and told him to make it last one more year.

All in all, it was an exercise in 'belt tightening', until the President bought everyone a round of desert, whereupon we reached under our over sized bellies and actually loosened our belts. We left the restaurant feeling a little confused.

Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

More forbidden berries, but they suit Christmas.

Phase two is completely finished as of 3pm yesterday. We are doing a complete home makeover and in spite of the fact that some of the subs were late in coming, we finished our end of things in time for Christmas. Next spring or summer we will be back to complete the the third and final stage. Finished business feels good at the end of the year. I do not like loose ends.

I came home to wonderful smells of baking and cooking. busylizzy has been busy preparing all sorts of goodies for the festive season ahead, in spite of the fact that three of her kitchen appliances broke down in one day. They were no match for her enthusiasm and energy levels. She is a tough boss in the kitchen. ("Take that, you 20 year old Kitchen Aid. What, you don't like a 20 pound lump of sticky dough all at once?" Followed by popping, banging, wheezing, grinding, moaning and sighing as the machine died of sheer exhaustion in a vain attempt to keep up with its task master's impossibe demands.)

We decided to take an evening walk to the town square where there is a lovely creche and where there was supposed to be a time of Christmas Carol singing. It was all beautiful except the singing. Oh, and guy trying to play the saxaphone sounded exactly like the expiring Kitchen Aid. In a word, it was lame, so we kept on walking, trying to stay warm in the cold night breezes. We did walk for an hour and got our metabolisms revved up. It was not a lost cause after all. It gave me a legitimate excuse to have another cookie when I walked in the door, all rosie cheeked and ravishingly hungry.

How Much is too Much?

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Forbidden berries.

With the world wide 'Occupy Movement' still showing signs of life, you would think the ultra wealthy would lie low to shift some of the negative attention away from themselves. A recent survey shows American CEOs enjoyed pay hikes of up to 40% this last year, with one chief executive earning (sic) $145m. This comes as the latest government figures show that wages for the majority of Americans are failing to keep up with inflation.

Three of this year's top ten earners came from the American Health care system. And, losing your job in health is not too shabby either. Omnicare's Joel Gemunder retired last August and received cash severance of $16m, part of a final year pay package worth $98.28m.

I am a free enterpriser to the core, and absolutely believe that someone should be paid what they are worth, but nobody or their talents are worth that much money.

Is This The Way It Works?

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Fish skeletons, feathers, or grass?

Our members of parliament were pressed for time and could no longer change their own light bulbs. After much debate in the House of Commons, it was decided to form a parliamentary committee to look into the matter. A report was written a few months later and as a result of a private member's bill, a person was hired to actually change the light bulbs in each of the offices of all of the MPs. This man's salary was determined by fair wage policies put forth in previous legislation and was set at $56,000.00 per annum. The time of the parliamentarians was now freed up to do the work of government. The LBC (light bulb changer) was required to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees and then was required to be protected from job hazards, yet to be determined.

A safety committee was struck to look into such things as ladder heights, the toxicity of various types of light bulbs and the danger of light glare in the eyes. A permanent position was created to oversee the LBC's tasks in terms of safety because every situation was different and the LBC was not technically qualified to assess each situation. Because there was now a payroll for this job, an accountant was hired as well as a supervisor to oversee the LBC, the safety technician, and the accountant. The LCB was allowed, under his contract, three weeks paid vacation so a replacement had to be hired, but had to be trained first. The LCB then received a salary bonus as a specialty trainer. Together with a newly acquired secretary, the LCB drew up a draft for a training manual, and had it published in both official languages, after having had it edited for political correctness and gender bias. Of course, it stated quite clearly that the assistant LBC had to be a female of colour to meet the requirements of equal opportunity. With this many employees in the newly created LBC department, an oversight committee was formed, who were directly responsible to the under secretary of the assistant to the deputy minister in charge of maintenance of the Parliament Buildings.

And then came the downturn in the economy.
Every ministry and every department was required to cut costs in order to meet new budget requirements. Each and every department was required to report on exactly what they had done to keep expenses down, and indeed actually cut costs. The deputy minister in charge of Parliamentary building maintenance was absolutely proud as he announced that they had reduced their direct expenses by $56,000.00 for the fiscal year. They had fired the LBC.

The LBC department remained intact in order to lessen the impact on the job figures, but the MPs now change their own light bulbs. After all, they should suffer in a downturn like the rest of us Canadians.

Controversy

2011-12-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is what folks in New Zealand saw on a billboard recently. It is Mary, the future mother of Jesus, being aghast while holding a pregnancy tester in her hand. It has brought both controversy and condemnation, and praise. For those who are devout and venerate Mary, this would be blasphemous. For those who recognise that it is obviously meant to stir the pot on our attitudes towards unwed pregnancy, it is mildly amusing. I see it as misinformation, apart from the obvious fact that Mary did not have access to a pregnancy tester.

What it most certainly portrays, is that Mary was surprised, and that far away look in her eyes tells us that she is pondering her most uncertain future when she finds out she is with child. But, hold on just a moment. The fact that Mary was pregnant was no surprise to her.

An angel came to her and told her she was most honoured among women and that the Spirit of God would descend upon her and she would be with child. She knew in advance, and the Bible said that she pondered these things in her heart. When it was confirmed that she was pregnant, it was no surprise, but rather a confirmation that it was indeed as the Angel had said. She even knew that the baby's name would be Jesus and that he would be the son of the God most high!

That is vastly different than a woman being surprised after the fact.

Are these people not reading their Bibles?

Quotes

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

The glory days of Fall just before the heavy frosts hit.

I do a lot of reading and here are few choice quotes from the last few days.

1. In reading some great minds in the midst of their search for solutions for solving the world's economic woes, the word 'laissez-faire' comes up quite a bit these days. It originated in 1860 when then French finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert asked a merchant named M.Le Gendre what the state could do to promote industry. His reply, and the translation: "let it be". Good advice, I think.

2. "Bankrupt entities tend to go bankrupt. Greece will default, eventually" Eric Fry

3. Justin Trudeau in the House of Commons addressing our Minister of the Environment Peter Kent, "You are a piece of s**t"

Apparently, the acorn has not fallen far from the tree. I recall his father, then Prime Minister of Canada, travelling through Salmon Arm BC in his luxury coach giving some protesters the middle finger salute. Family traditions die hard.*More on this if you like, below.

4. Bill Bonner of the Daily Reckoning has a good definition of government: "Government is just a way for the insiders to take advantage of the outsiders."

5. My Grandson Liam (3) after losing the guitar pick inside the guitar, "Just forget about it"

*I'm not sure about you, but I have been amused watching the events unfold at the Durban climate change meetings - they are talking about global warming again, and what bad people we are as Canadians. The fallout from this reached into the House of Commons yesterday with an outburst from the Liberal's next great hope, Justin Trudeau, calling the federal Environment Minister a "piece of shit." You can read an article about that by clicking here.

To be clear, there is no doubt that Peter Kent could have been somewhat more eloquent in addressing this matter instead of sticking to talking points. Having said that, he is totally correct in my view to say that Kyoto is over and that Canada needs to move on.

I recently spoke to a group of University of Windsor law students. During the question and answer period, which lasted an hour (the future of this country will be very bright if all university students are this engaged with their thoughtful questions and rebuttals!), I was asked about Kyoto. When I responded that Canada emits 2% of the world's greenhouse gases they were surprised to hear that it is that low. When I told them that Alberta's oil sands contribute just 5% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions they were again surprised as they expected it would be a lot more.

Where is most of the media on this? Crickets. They want you to believe the sky is falling and that Canada's Conservative government are a bunch of red-neck dinosaurs when it comes to dealing with the environment. China gets a free pass even though they contribute over 20% of the world's greenhouse gases. The US never signed on to Kyoto and guess who was Vice President at that time - Al Gore, the 'do as I say, not as I do' hypocrite.

So, why are the Justin Trudeau's of the political left complaining so loudly when they did ZERO while they were in power? The Liberals know their own record on this file - they were all talk and no action as usual. They signed Kyoto and reaped the PR benefits of doing so without ever following through.

The federal Conservative party has rightly called their bluff, and have now said 'good riddance' to an expensive agreement that did nothing. That is the reality as to why the Liberals are so mad - they have been hoisted on their own petards and do not like the view.

Peter Coleman of the National Citizen's Coalition

Rewards

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I love my customers! When I work for someone for the first time, there is a period of time where I feel they are testing me, or at least trying to get to know me. I was recommended to them by a friend or neighbour, but they have to verify what was told them according to the way they see things. I tread lightly too and slowly discover what they are about, what their expectations are, and just how friendly they want to be.

One year ago, we did a large job for Dr. X and it went well. The previous painters had done an atrocious job so we knew they would be pleased with our work, but did not know if they would like us. This last week, we spent another three days in their home and it was like we were long lost friends. I love this about my job.

Today I went to get supplies for the next project and was told at the store that a customer of mine was in and wanting to know if I would be available in the New Year. The manager did not remember her name (he is my age, how can you tell?) but he did comment that she told him that we had become friends. I expect a call very soon from my "friend" whoever that may be.

Snowman Humour, or Not

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

The missing snowman was eventually found. He was at Safeway in the produce department, picking his nose.

One snowman to another, "You are right, it does smell like carrots!"

When Mr. Snowman put his entire paycheck in the snow bank, Mrs. Snowman gave him the cold shoulder.

Enough already. I can hear your groans from here!

Sinking Ship

2011-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

I met this fellow at Mill Lake one day. His ship was sinking, literally, so he brought it back to shore (it was motorized with a remote control) and knew exactly what the problem was and how to fix it.

I thought of this as I listened to a fascinating interview a few days ago, with the President of Iceland. After the world economic crash in 2008, his country was more or less written off and it was predicted that it would be the first to default its national debt, even before Greece. It would become the Cuba of the north. After going to a referendum with his citizens, he undertook a plan that went against all current so called wisdom in the world of economy. He presented it to his debtors, England, the Netherlands and a handful of other EU countries. Under threat of having their international assets frozen, as well as other severe sanctions, he went ahead and let the three major Icelandic banks go bankrupt.

Since that time, there has been a rapid recovery of their economy, the IMF has pulled out, and they are projecting 3% growth for 2012!

Since "going to school" on the subject, I am convinced that this is exactly the route other nations should have taken at the time. "Too big to let fail" is an excuse that flies in the face of a true market economy. Look at where it has brought us.

Less, not More

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

There are still a few folks around who do not realise the grave state of affairs in the world economy. It is easy to spot them. What is really scary is that many of them are politicians. How do you recognise one of them? Listen to them. Do they use the word "more"? Or, are they one of the few who are understanding the causes of our woes. Listen for them. They will use words such as "less" or "value for the money" or "better efficiency".

When governments of any stripe are in debt, anything they spend beyond a balanced budget comes from borrowing. That is called debt and there is interest to be paid. When you keep on spending more than you take in, your debt gets larger and larger. And thus, the woes we are in.

Next time you hear an advocate for teacher's unions, or more funding for health care, or more money for reducing carbon emissions, you will know that those calling for more need to be educated. These people should be held to account, and we should not be demanding more from our politicians either. Would it not be refreshing to elect the political party that made the fewest and least expensive promises? The party that promised less spending and more efficiency, and then actually delivered? Only then will we begin to recover.

Upside Down

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Through my many years of work, I have come to discover what normal is when it comes to availability of jobs. After some of the bills from Christmas are paid off and the excitement of New Year's parties has waned, my clients start to think about decorating once again. By spring, the wheels are turning and the phone is constantly ringing with people wanting to book our services. When summer comes, and the kids are out of school, holidays are on every one's minds and my work gets slow. Slow, but not halted. Then, in September, the kids go back to school and the homeowners start gearing up for the Fall makeover and making the home spiffy for Christmas. A week before Christmas, it dries up and there is little activity until the winter doldrums are once again over in late Jan. to early Feb.

This year was an aberration. Spring was the slowest, and beyond that, we were down 50% over the previous year. But now, we have jobs that will commit us to work right to Christmas Eve, between Christmas and New Year's, and well into January. I never complain about too much or too little work. If you do hear me complain about work, it will be about the timing. It is so out of our control, unless, of course, I turn down my loyal customers. I will do that when I deal with retirement.

Have You Said This?

2011-12-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you enlarge this photo, you will see that this fellow is not too happy that I took his picture.

The cover story on the latest National Geographic magazine features the King James Bible. I was surprised to see this kind of subject matter in a publication devoted to Darwinian Evolution and deep environmentalism. It is an interesting look at the history and evolution of the Holy Scriptures and concentrates more on its cultural influence than anything else. Something I found interesting was the number of phrases, that have their origin in the King James language and in the Bible, that are alive and well in our everyday usage. There are 240 popular phrases and here are a few of the top ones in order of frequency of use:

From time to time: Ezekiel 10:10

The root of the matter: Job 19:28

Stand in awe: Psalms 4:4

Suffer the little children: Luke 18:16

Get thee behind me: Luke 4:8

A thorn in the flesh: 2 Corinthians 12:7

As a lamb to the slaughter: Isaiah53:7

How are the mighty fallen: 2 Samuel 1:19

East of Eden: Genesis 4:16

Turned the world upside down: Acts 17:6

Unto the pure are all things pure: Titus 1:15

A man after his own heart: 1 Samuel 13:14

Know for a certainty: Joshua 23:13

Beat their swords into plowshares: Isaiah 2:4

To everything there is a season: Ecclesiastes 3:1

No small stir; Acts 12:18

Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven: Matthew 6:20

Much study is a weariness of the flesh: Ecclesiastes 12:12

The skin of my teeth: Job 19:20

Fell flat on his face: Numbers 22:31

Set thine house in order: Isaiah 38:1

Be horribly afraid: Jeremiah 2:12

Pour out your heart: Psalms 62:8

The next time you catch yourself using one of these phrases in everyday usage, be aware that you are quoting scripture. Be careful lest you be labeled a 'Bible thumper'.

Generosity

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

I warned you. I am extending Autumn well into winter.

The annual giving statistics for Canada were released this week and for the ninth year in a row, our community has ranked #1 in giving. In fact we are triple the national average! There is probably a good explanation for this 'feather in our hat'. We are, on average, a wealthy community and most of us can afford to give. But what I think is the biggest factor is the that we are a christian community. By that, I mean that we have a very high ratio of churches and above average church attendance. Christians, who are following the Biblical mandate will give 10% of their income without question. Not all do, but you can imagine that even if a small percentage of them do, it will boost the averages.

This begs an important question. If this giving is in large part as a result of Biblical principles, another principle from the same Bible must be considered. The words in the 'Good Book' are clear that when we give, it will be given back, running over and in great abundance. The question then is: Do we give because we are wealthy, or are we wealthy because we give? Not that getting should influence our giving, but something for those who are 'cheaping out' to consider.

Too Stupid for Words

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Is there any hope that we will one day arise out of the abyss of utter and abject stupidity? I keep thinking that we have hit bottom, like when the school buses in Ontario are ordered to remove all Christmas decorations from the bus. Or when the instructions on a curling iron caution the user that it may get hot. But the above photo may show that we have hit bottom. The seventeen year old girl pictured was not allowed on a US domestic airline flight because the metal applique on her purse was a replica handgun. OK, I get it that replica handguns can be dangerous, not because they are dangerous, but because they can cause panic among the paranoid, but calling this a replica handgun is beyond stupid. The whole idea behind TSA security is to protect, and to avoid any situation or potential situation where anyone would be put at risk. Well, good on the inpsector who saved all those on the flight from the dangers of a purse in the hands of a seventeen year old girl whose mother was panicking that she was not on the flight. I am sure they will be forever grateful.

The Same, But Not

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Every year at this time I start getting that feeling that I want to escape. No, it is not the weather, the cold, damp, dark days that push me into thinking that 'south' is the place to be. That is a different kind of escape. I am talking about escaping from Christmas.

Fast forward just a bit and I am sure you can relate to the way I feel when Christmas Eve finally arrives. The shopping, planning, banquets and all the periphery stuff is finally out of the way. You take a deep breath and if you are in church, like I always am on Christmas Eve, you are suddenly hit by the significance of it all. It is a combination of relief that you survived the mall, or the Internet shopping, and hearing the carols with a listening ear for the first time, even though they have been blaring all of December. You are humbled by the fact, if by nothing else, that this story has endured for 2012 years and is going strong. You are confronted with what is the most significant thing in your life, and that is your connection with God, through Jesus, and here you are, remembering and celebrating with millions of others around the globe.

These three 'same but not' photos, are like the Christmases that come, one after another through the years. The subject matter is identical year after year, but somehow we see them a little differently each year. Getting back to my desire to escape, I must clarify. It is not the heart of the matter that makes me cringe and want to hide, but the incessant frills, bells, and whistles that are a prelude to the significant moment, that hits me every year.

Now, as a grandfather, I see Christmas through my grandsons eyes. I try to remember what it was like for me at that age, and perhaps try to make it just a bit more significant for them. More rewarding than the food, the fun, the laughter, or the presents, is the one comment from a child-like heart, that shows me that one of them has made a connection to the Christ Child. I can easily escape all else, but would not miss a moment like that for all the world.

History: The Great Teacher, or Not

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Summit Point at the Lake

The following is a small excerpt from a recent article in the Vancouver Sun written by Frank Giustra, a Vancouver business executive involved in the mining and the film making industries and a noted philanthropist.

To get a proper understanding of the current situation, we should start by ignoring all the noise propagated by the experts, media and elected officials.

Our global financial system is based on the very simple and fragile concept of confidence. So you can’t really blame the policy-makers and politicians for not telling the public the “entire” truth; feeding us constant reassurances, peppered with a little mendacity. And to make things worse, it’s just human nature for us, the recipients of this information, to reject the idea that the worst can happen, hence our willingness to find reassurance in the misinformation we are fed. But folks, the worst CAN happen.

I doubt the citizens of Imperial Rome ever considered that their empire, which stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, would eventually collapse on itself from the sheer weight of effort and resources needed to maintain it, or that 16th-century Spaniards ever thought their high standard of living, sustained by the plundered riches of the New World, would disintegrate once the supply of gold dwindled.

Or that the upper-class 19th-century Brits leading up to 1918 ever fathomed that the sun could cease to set on lands ruled by the British Empire. History has shown that when great nations mature and over-extend themselves, they revert to the paths of least resistance: borrow and/or print money. They all did it and they all failed; this time will be no different.

If Einstein’s definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results — holds true, we should move to have all of America’s and European policy-makers locked up in padded cells.

This hubris — holding on to time-worn ideas about what made a nation great in the first place, but ignoring the hard sacrifice that went with it — has prevailed throughout history and is as relevant today as it was for every great nation that came before America and the European Union.

Getting Our Share of Fun

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Christmas busyness begins.

Friday night was the "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" starring (well, sort of) my grandson Nathan.

Then, Saturday night was a dinner at our home for some extended family.

Sunday morning was the children's Christmas production at church, "The Christmas Spelling Bee" starring (well, sort of) my grandson Chad. His character was a contestant who misspelled a word and was eliminated from the competition and relegated to duty as a Wise Man in the Christmas pageant.

Chad, the Wise Man on the left, right in front of the Angel.

Prior to the musical, all the two and three year olds were trooped onto the stage. I knew my grandson Liam was up there but they had cleverly disguised him as a donkey and it took me forever to scan the rows of cherub faces and finally spot my Liam.

Donkey eared Liam is the 4th from the right, beside the sleeping boy.

He was 'into it', singing and doing the actions, when suddenly he just disappeared from view. He had taken a step backwards and vanished below the 18 in. riser he had been standing on. A 'helper' was right there, got him back on his feet, and he never missed a beat, as he just kept on singing and doing the actions. They tell stage performers to "break a leg" as they prepare for the production, so I guess Liam was just trying to do what he was told. Good thing he failed.

Then it was off to a wonderful lunch at a friend's home with our Care Group friends. Our sweet gals did a cookie exchange and we are now supplied with a wonderful variety of goodies for the next little while.

We went for a long walk in the late afternoon, in the pink glow of the sunset, and met some old friends on the hiking trail. We were having such a good time with them that we almost ended up walking home in the dark.

I ended the day on a bright note, not that the whole day was not bright, but my hockey team, with me cheering them on, defeated the Calgary Flames.

Back to work today.

Signs of Aging

2011-12-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

The last winter rose.

Absent: not present. It follows that something lost is absent, because it is not present.

I only ponder this because I cannot determine if I am absent minded, or if I have lost my mind.

On Friday, I posted about "Glitches" but on that day, my mind glitched too. It may not seem like a big deal, but to me it was. You see, I got out of my daily routine, and that has its own set of dangers. I was off to the chiropractor's first thing in the morning, not to work. I rushed home, changed into work clothes, and raced off to my job, a 25 Km. commute that day. I no sooner got out of my vehicle, and I realised that I had not brought my special work glasses, glasses that are single vision for a close up focal point. Being late already, and having an agenda to keep, I decided the trip home was too time consuming, so I plugged away with my progressives.

To say the least, I struggled all day, craning my neck into a position where I could see my work with some clarity, all the while tempted to drive home and back. Being the stubborn person that I am, I endured and got through the day, but not without paying a price. Having strained my neck in a backward position all day, my neck was so sore I developed a cracking headache.

Conclusion: Is saving the time and gas to correct a vision problem worth more than wasting a chiropractor's fee and then having to go back to him for another correction? Of course, having lost my mind, I cannot even answer that question.

I think I am ready for a "Man Purse", something that will store everything I might need every time I venture out of my house. I will have several of them, each one stocked with identical items, in case I lose one. Everything will be labeled and identified, with an explanation of why it is in the 'purse'. Covering the bases is becoming a survival skill.

ACT

2011-12-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

This is the cast for the Abbotsford Children's Theater's winter production, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". We went to see it last night and it was excellent. The story is funny and even heart warming toward the end. It is about a church Christmas Pageant that gets hi-jacked by a family of bullies and disreputable kids who are mean and intimidating to everyone they come in contact with. Through sheer intimidation, they take over as the main characters of the pageant and things turns out quite differently than everyone expects. We were extremely proud of our Grandson, Nathan, who was one of the main characters. I am not sure how he came to love the stage, as it does not run in the family at all. He is the good looking guy in the back row, in the burgundy shirt, second left from the center rail.

Glitches

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Looking north at the top of my street, there was a row of these beauties. They are now bare.

Yesterday the blogger spell check was not working. You may have noticed. Or not. I cannot believe how dependant I have become on spell check. I never was a great speller, but I have become lazy with all the help I get on the computer.

Spell check was not the only thing that went wrong. Two full days of work was down the drain when we discovered that we were using defective material on the job. It only became evident as time passed. We managed to get it all corrected today and the supplier has informed us that they will be good for the labour and materials that it took to rectify the situation. So far, those are just words. I suspect there will first be an investigation, then an inquiry, then an adjudication, a judgement, and then finally, after the required 90 day waiting period, a check. Maybe. Just in time for my ninetieth birthday. More than likely, I will simply get a credit for more product. That way, it costs them less than half of a cash payout.

What's Going On?

2011-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

We shared this apple last week, the one and only apple we harvested from our two Red Delicious trees. Let's say it was anti-climactic.

Yesterday the markets shot upward dramatically. Do you know why? Do you care? You should because what is happening, with greater speed each and every day, will determine your immediate future.

We all know about the crisis in Euro country, and what happened yesterday, boosted the confidence of the markets because the perception is that a solution is afoot. The world's most stable currency and economy, that of the USA has intervened.* They are going to print a ton of money to help stabalize the Euro crisis. Of course, they do not call it what it is, printing money, the call it 'swapping', or 'easing', or 'recapitalizing' or 'saving us from the abyss' or 'bolstering financial markets'.

A bit of background is in order here. After the second world war, a prominent economist, John Maynard Keynes, proposed a global paper currency regulated by a central bank. Sound almost biblical, does it not? His plan did not fly, but out of the idea there arose the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. These institutions became nothing more than administrators of welfare payments to impoverished nations. But, the dream did not die.

The economies of the nations have long been lead by Keynesians, those who believe that the market by itself cannot create stability in the economy, but things such as interest rates and money supply, and inflation and deflation, manipulated by government, bring about a sound economy. The goals and dream of Keynes lives on and the creation of the Euro and its central bank were a step in that direction. This 'dream' has not yet been instituted because there has not, to this point, been a financial crisis of great enough proprotion to warrant such a thing.

Ben Bernanke, the head of the US Fed, is a dyed in the wool Keynsian and has unlimited faith in the magical powers of the US paper currency. The US has been interventionist, militarily, throughout the world, and now they feel it is in everyone's best interest that they interfere monetarily. And Ben has no qualms about fighting a debt crisis with more debt. If this latest move creates rampant global inflation, there is your crisis that will push us to a world currency.

This whole scenario is playing out very rapidly. Only two days ago, the markets fell dramatically because it was widely known that credit was drying up in Europe. Now a huge turnaround with the influx of US dollars. Mr. Bernanke has become the loans manager for the entire world. This is scarey because he does not know what he is doing. Or does he?

*Actually, the USA is, in some ways, in much more serious trouble than its European counterparts. It is the blind leading the blind.

Oil

2011-11-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

Removing overburden at the Athabasca Oil Sands operation.

Further to yesterday's post, there was some good news regarding the opposition to Canada's oil sands operation. As you may know, there is a large movement in Europe to declare this oil 'dirty' and encourage a Europe wide ban on its import. Our good friends in the UK, Netherlands, Spain and Poland are supporting us because they recognize the hypocrisy for what it is. I get the feeling the powerful environmental lobby is trying to punish Canada for its stand on Kyoto. (see yesterday's post)

Ooze!

Apart from the misinformation out there about the oil sands, I see the whole situation in a different light.

Imagine for a moment, that there was a large oil tanker truck travelling the roads north of Edmonton, and it left the road, tipped over, split open and spewed its contents into the ditch. There would be a haz-mat team there in an instant and there would be no cost prohibition, nor stone unturned to make certain that every last drop of oil was mopped up and no damage done to the environment.

The photo above is natural bitumen oozing out of the bank on the Athabasca River. The ditches along the highways look very similar to this. There is oil oozing everywhere in that country.

So, let's look at the oil sands as the most ambitious reclamation, or oil cleanup in the history of mankind. They are taking dirty, oily, gooey sand and cleaning it up, removing all traces of oil, and returning it to nature as clean sand. This, to me, is something the environmentalists should be embracing.

Down town Ft. McMurray Alberta

Why do I even care about this? Because I own property in Ft. McMurray (a chunk of the high rises on the right hand side of the above photo) and as an owner, I have been there. I have seen what goes on there, and I keep myself informed about the situation. I have what you call a vested interest. When I hear that the USA is bowing down to the environmentalists to delay building a pipeline, that would bring them a non-stop supply of oil, from a friendly neighbour, as opposed to some middle eastern quasi enemy, I get more than irritated.

It's About Time

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

There is a climate conference in Durban next month and Canada will announce that it is pulling out of the very out-dated Kyoto Protocol. The previous governments never put a viable plan in place to meet emission goals so it is now impossible to meet the deadline on carbon emissions. There are other countries on-side with us. Our biggest objection will be that some very large 'developing' nations are not required to come on board and all the responsibility will fall on the richest nations of the world. These developing nations are China, India, and Brazil, three of the largest power houses in the world economy today.

When the Kyoto agreement was first proposed it was said then that the author, Maurice Strong (sad to say a Canadian) had one goal in mind with the whole global warming movement, and that was to redistribute the wealth of the world. That, my friend, is called world socialism, the last thing we need. Apart from that, the idea of anthropogenic climate change is being seriously challenged these days. The media is slow to pick up on it, but the movement among scientists is growing. Why throw billions at a dubious theory when there are much more pressing issues in the world.

Grey Cup Sunday

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Grey Cup Sunday in Canada. I played some football as a youngster and learned the game at an early age. I saw my first CFL game when I moved to BC in 1964. The Lions played in the old Empire stadium at that time and it was a thrill for me, even though our last minute tickets were for seats behind a rather large supporting pillar. Today, our Lions, who started the season with 5 straight losses, dominated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and we are the champs. Both Wally Buono, the coach, and Travis Lulay, the quarterback and MVP for the game, are professing Christians, which for me, makes it even more satisfying. By all accounts, the newly refurbished and re-roofed BC Place Stadium was a huge hit.

As for the half time show, well, let's just say that had I been there, I would have wanted my Nickelback.

Composing a Photo

2011-11-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

I came across this photo and loved it so much I had to post it. I have no idea who to give credit, but it is not mine for sure. We have all done this, assume weird postures while composing a shot. The point here is that composition is important to a good photograph and sometimes leaning back or to the side will help to eliminate a hydro pole, a garbage can, or Aunt Gertie's ugly hat. We do what we have to do.

Disgusting

2011-11-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

I caught this image beside our driveway earlier in the summer and just now 'found' it. It is much prettier than the following story.

How much income did you earn last year, how much tax did you pay, and how long (pages) was your tax return?

I am just asking so you have a reference point from which to judge the General Electric numbers.

Profit generated: $US14 Billion

Taxes paid: $US 0 (Zero)

Length of tax return in pages: 57,000

To give a little more perspective, five years ago, the length of the return was less than half. It leads one to think that the more rules and regulations regarding tax law, the more loopholes and the more tax accountants it takes to avoid paying any taxes.

The Old General Store

2011-11-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have been working with gradients in Adobe Photoshop and I discovered how to make these cool B/W photos that look like they have been sitting in the attic for 100 years. This photo was taken only weeks ago.

The Clayburn Village General Store was built at the turn of the century and when you walk into this building, it looks and feels like it. Actually, it reminds me of my father's store in Lanigan, Saskatchewan that was built about the same time, but was only 1 1/2 stories tall. The ceilings are very high, the shelves very tall, and the floor crooked. The owners live above the store and I did some work for them a number of years ago, and it is just as old upstairs as down. It may be a sound structure, but it does not feel that way.

It is a popular spot for a mid-morning bowl of their famous home-made soup or afternoon tea. The proprietors are friendly and personable and the place certainly does have atmosphere. When you are done in the small eating area, you can wander over to the amazing candy counters where you can purchase the most exotic candies and almost everything is imported from Britain. Candy canes, bubble gum of all sizes, jaw breakers, hard candy, and lolly pops are all available. It is an experience walking into this store.

And, of course, it is constructed of the obligatory red Clayburn brick. They still look good after all these years. The one thing I could never figure out about this village is that it is a long ways from the actual mine and brick factory. It is a long and winding road across the bottom of Sumas Mountain between the two locations.

Clayburn Village Living

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

I like this welcoming banner, but strangely enough, it can only be seen on a side street.

I have driven down this street countless times over the years, on my way to work in the Clayburn Hills subdivisions and at Cedar Springs, the premium townhouse development in town. I have always wanted to pause a moment and photograph some of these homes, but it is a very busy street and there is no shoulder on which to pull over and take a photo.

One day in October, I just decided to do it, but I think I caused a bit of road rage as I stopped at will.

Each home has a unique flare and the thing they all have in common is their age and the fact that each one is constructed of Clayburn Brick.

Some are pretty much original,

and others have been nicely renovated.

They show best in Autumn when the red leaves blend in with the reddish orange bricks.

Tomorrow, the store.

A Local Attraction

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Many people here think they have seen Clayburn Village because they have driven through on Clayburn Road, but off on the side streets, there a few little treasures. This is an historic little place, once the home of the employees of the Clayburn Brick Company.

The old school house has been preserved, but not exactly refurbished. I was asked to quote on doing some extensive work here a few years ago, but my bid was rejected, as were the bids of several other contractors. The society had no idea of the costs involved and were probably just testing the waters. But it was my opportunity to see the interesting nooks and crannies of this old school house, not unlike the school of my boyhood years.

Across the street is a fine old church, constructed of Clayburn Brick, naturally.

It is still used as a church. I have not been inside this building,

But would love to see what is on the other side of those doors.

Tomorrow, some of the homes and the old country store of Clayburn village.

Musicality

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Jesus loves me

This I know

For the Bible

Tells me so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak

But He is

Strong

Liam Michael W. Smith ...uh....er...maybe some day.

A Frosty Saturday Morning

2011-11-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

It was a bright but very chilly morning yesterday. As I was watching the Chickadees pick the seeds out of our peanut butter and bird seed laden pine cones hanging above our deck, I noticed the sunlight glinting off of the frosty edges on the leaves.

I temporarily abandoned by hot cup of coffee and thick slab of Starbuck's pumpkin loaf, slathered with butter, and ran for my Nikon. I'll let my shutter do the talking. Click on the photos to make them larger.

There is so much beauty all around us if we only take the time to look for it.

And it looks like 'Old Man Winter' is getting a choke hold on Autumn, but not before he sprinkles everything with a dusting of icing sugar. Beware of those who tempt you with sweet things.

WF Wrestling

2011-11-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we awoke to a blanket of snow covering everything, at least everything outside. Driving to work, I was pleased to see the coloured leaves covered with snow. It is quite early for our first snow fall as the leaves have not yet all turned and the ones that have are still clinging for dear life to the branches. It is like Winter and Fall, wrestling to see who will prevail. Historically, Fall does not win this battle.

There are other battles being waged this weekend. Tonight we find out how the water referendum was received (or not) by our city's citizens, as well as getting election results for Mayor, Councilors, and School Board members.

On the sport front, the western final is being played for a CFL (Canadian Football League) berth in the up-coming Grey Cup match being played next weekend in the newly refurbished BC Place Stadium. With all this early cold winter weather, I will be following both contests in the warm confines of my home.

Questionable Fall Fruit

2011-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Fall harvest is done and gone, but in the forest there are still edible things growing. Or not. If even the birds do not eat those delicious look alike blueberries, maybe we should not either. On the other hand, if they are one of the 30 species of Elderberry, we could sample them without the resulting pain and stomach pumping that arises from ingesting the more poisonous berries. I am not one to experiment with things growing wild.

I have eaten wild mushrooms, but have made very certain they are of the edible variety. I think these were Shaggy Mane mushrooms in their early stage, and that would have made them quite delicious and safe, but there are several species and these did not look quite right on top. It may be the soil conditions, but again, I am not one to experiment. These may have been lovely on a burger, but may have been the last burger I ever ate.

Saturday Vote

2011-11-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Blue berries come from Red bushes.

We are having an election here this Saturday to chose new local government officials. Funny how a local governing body effects us so much, and yet we seem to know so little about the candidates. I must admit that I know more about federal and provincial politics than I do about local government. I live here, drive here, work here, pay huge taxes here, and yet feel so powerless when it comes to choosing the people who make the important decisions. Over riding all other issues, is something called P3 water supply. P3 stands for Public Private Partnership. The present mayor and council are spending our tax dollars to convince us that we will run out of water by 2016 if we do not go along with the agenda of tapping the waters of Stave Lake, a fair distance away, but at huge cost. I will not get into all the issues but leave it to say that I am convinced that there is a rotten fish smelling up the water issue, so I will not be voting for it. Come 2016, I may regret that decision, but I highly doubt it. There are viable alternatives at fractions of the cost. What we really need is a new mayor who is not agenda driven at all costs. Too bad there are no serious contenders.

We voted last night in the advance poll. We did not like the prospect of fighting the crowds on Sat. Turns out we fought the crowds tonight. I guess there were a lot of folks thinking like us. Then we get home and I am informed that there was cougar sighting in our neighbourhood yesterday. It was only a block or less from our house. We have no bush anywhere near us, so this is rather baffling. I hope he was after my neighbour's dog.

Fountain of Youth?

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Reflections in Fish Trap Creek

By the time this post is published, I expect to be back at work. The last few days have been a drag and although I should feel rested and rejuvenated from a bit of time off, I am feeling rather punk. I do not know if it is psychological or physical, but I am finding it difficult to drum up any energy at all. I am trying out a new miracle herbal remedy that is supposed to make me feel energetic and allow me to sleep more soundly at night. I am giving it the recommended three month trial, but after reading various testimonials, I was expecting some results by now (one week).

I look in the mirror in the morning expecting to see a twenty year old, any day now. I want the sagging skin to tighten up a bit, the hair to darken, and the urine to flow like Niagara Falls. I was hoping that the aches and pains in the joints would disappear, and that my chest would rise up out of my drawers. I fully expect to toss the progressive lenses, and maybe even grow new teeth. (Take that, you dentists!) But, instead, what do I see? Actually, not much, because my eyes are failing. What's that you say? Speak up, I'm getting hard of hearing.

A Stream Bed

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Wandering around, deep in a forest, the light is not great so the quest is to find something interesting. The bright glare of the early morning sun was blinding in the darkness of the canopy, as it found a path between the giant Cedars and Maples, and reflected like diamonds off the water. It could be any time of year, but for the dried Maple Leaf hung up on the rocks.

As I looked upward, I saw the shaft of light directed through what remained of the morning fog, like smoke from a camp fire.

I played with the light temperature settings and made it look like a warm sunny day, and not the cold November morning that it was. The solitude on this quiet little walk through the woods made me want to stay there longer, but my fingers were freezing. A photo can be deceiving.

A Cool Spot

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

In Spring this little stream is overflowing its banks and floods the plain just below it. The road to this park is underwater and the little community downstream is flooded. Later, in summer, this is a very cool spot on a hot day with all the tall trees, shade, and rippling water. In Fall, salmon come up this waterway to spawn. This photo, taken in late Fall, shows how beautiful it is when the water is at a reasonable level. The downside is that this is a popular dog walk and one has to watch one's step when wandering through here. Not all dog owners are responsible.

Shedding Cedars

2011-11-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

While looking for Fall colours in Willband Creek Park, I came across these Western Red Cedars that seem to be displaying coloured leaves, but actually this is a phenomena called 'flagging'. I was relieved to see it here because our own
Cedar in our garden is doing the same thing. It is a random happening where the tree sheds some of its excess foliage. It is hit and miss throughout the tree and when these brown leaves fall off, the tree is once again healthy looking and green. The cedars love the cool wet conditions here in the valley and are very prolific.

All three grandsons are here for the whole weekend. Lots of fun and lots of action. Liam (three years old) is down for a nap, as I write, so we all get a little breather.

The Hills are Alive

2011-11-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

I drove through the southern edge of Matsqui Flats to catch the red fires of the Blueberry bushes in all their Autumn glory. Those are the shrubs in the foreground. I saw some nice light developing in the background to I swung my camera slightly to the right and zoomed in. I half expected to see an Angel come floating down from the sky.

Remembering

2011-11-11T10:22:00.001-08:00

I often have several posts waiting in the wings, scheduled to be automatically viewed on selected dates, so I overlooked the fact that today is Remembrance Day and my post for today is not appropriate for such an important occasion.

Over the years, I have worked for many war veterans and heard many heroic and not so heroic stories, but the one person I always think of on this day is a fellow I got to know when I was only a kid. I blogged about him once before, but it is worth repeating. http://terryography.blogspot.com/2009/09/pumping-gas.html

He was just a young man when he went to war, and it scarred him forever. What will happen when his generation passes on? Will his grandchildren and great grandchildren forget what he did and why he did it? History repeats itself because we do not learn from it. Either we are ignorant of it or we think we are too advanced to make the same mistakes again. We should think again.

Can I Say That?

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sedum (Autumn Joy)

This afternoon was a glorious, warm, and sunny Indian Summer day. Ooops! Am I allowed to use that term? OK. It was an Aboriginal Summer day. A Sto"-Lo Haida gwaii kind of day. The Sedum, or Autumn Joy as is it commonly known as, gets to be a richer and deeper red as the days cool down. Our lawn has never been so green, so lush, and so healthy as it is this fall. We cut it for the last time this week and now we will let it rest for the winter. One of the most amazing things to me, as a teenager who moved to this land from the prairie provinces, was that many plants and grasses stayed green throughout the winter. There is little 'winter kill' here, and that fact certainly makes winter more bearable. But not totally bearable. I was at a travel agency today, confirming a little trip that we planned quite some time ago. I wonder if they will have Sedum where we are going.

When is a Barn not a Barn?

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

I mentioned the other day that I was contemplating a new Blog project this winter featuring some of the architecture of my little city in the country. One of the structures I had in mind was our agricultural research center. We are primarily a farm driven economy here so it makes sense that we have research facilities at hand. This hi-tech project is housed in barn style buildings with a unique flare and the Autumn colours enhance the style and colour of the various structures. These buildings are easily spotted from the Trans Canada Highway but these photos were taken from the 'back side'.

Down in the Mouth

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

As seen from Old Yale Rd. West

I cannot remember when I have hurt so much after a dentist appointment. The tooth being worked on was in a tough spot, upper left and next to the wisdom tooth, so I was almost stood on my head for the good Dr. to get a handle on it. There was so much stuff hanging out of my mouth, and stuck in my mouth, that I am sure it resembled an autopsy more than a dental procedure.

I find these episodes requiring more endurance as I get older. The pain is not in the tooth, not at all. It is in my neck and in my jaw. Also my gums and cheeks were so chewed up I could barely eat my lunch and dinner today. I was also informed that because the new crown is opposite a gold tooth, it also has to be metal so the less expensive ceramic tooth has been cancelled and a gold one is on order. And you know the price of gold these days. But what is one more source of pain?

It must be awful to have a career for your whole life where everyone you see does not want to see you. I have known many dentists through the years, who have been my clients, and I have liked everyone of them, and have enjoyed working in their homes and getting to know them. I just never want to see them in their office.

Buy Now, Pay Later

2011-11-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

As of today (Nov. 8) Greek bonds are yielding 200%. That is a good return if you can stand the risk. The quote on my photo, by Ambrose Bierce, is an indication of what has been going on there for far too long. But before we point a finger, we (Canada) do this too, but on a smaller scale. We trust our governments to borrow enough money to fulfill all their election promises, and they do. No problem. Our grandchildren, who do not even know what is going on, will pay it back. Why? Because they will have no choice. They will remember us fondly.

How to Get Gas Prices Down

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

More back yard beauty.

I have long believed that there had to be a solution to the lack of competition in the gas prices in our neck of the woods. The prices rarely correlate to the world price of oil, or our fluctuating dollar. We feel helpless, but I think the answer is to boycott one of the major gas companies until they are hurting and then they will lower the price. That could start a competition going, not only to get back customer loyalty, but prevent a further boycott. But how does one get an operation like that up and running? Most people have heard of such an idea and would be willing to participate, but getting the consumer organized seems to be an insurmountable task ... until now.

In the last few days, there has arisen a movement spawned by the spirit of the 'Occupy' movement that proves my theory. Through social media and networking, a groundswell of anger against the big banks has translated to a massive movement away from them and into Credit Unions all across the USA. The numbers impressed me so much just that I am convinced it could work here with the gas price problem. In a matter of a week to ten days, 650,000 customers have transferred $4.5 Billion worth of business from the banks to the non-profit Credit Unions. And it is just starting. The Banks, in response, have already dropped a proposed $5 per month transaction fee for ATM withdrawals.

It works!

Go Figure

2011-11-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Our Maple tree just outside our kitchen window.

Don't you love the suspense? Now you can read about the reason for my groin injury, when I should have been at work, where, perhaps I could have fallen off a ladder and killed myself, but with a healthy groin intact.

A local building company called to let me know that their client had their wallpaper in hand and they were ready to have us come and install it. The homeowner was looking after everything so the builder was only a source of contact for a sub-trade, otherwise, I would have asked pertinent questions and saved myself a trip. We unloaded the tools and brought in the long ladder (I had heard the ceilings for the feature wall were 12' high). I asked for the paper and she brought me three rolls. I asked her where the rest of it was. She said that is all there was, and she knew it was not enough. My blood starts to simmer when this happens.

"Why did you call for us when you knew it was not enough?"

"I thought you might somehow come up with a solution"

"Like what did you have in mind"

"Just paper from the corner to the window .. maybe?"

"And then what?"

"I will order more."

"And when the new roll comes and it is a different dye lot, what happens?"

"Will you notice it?"

"Oh, you will notice it, in colour, texture, sheen, and pattern match . And then you will pay us to take down all the paper we hung, and then you will order a whole new lot of paper (at $100.00 per roll) and then we will come a third time and hang it the way it should have been done in the first place."

"But, it is a Swedish design and made in Denmark."

"So?"

"It will take months."

"You should have thought of that when you ordered the first time. What were you thinking?"

"I thought the ceilings were 9' tall, not 12'"

So, we packed up all the tools and went home, the day shot. What do you when your plans go awry? You could always go out and pull your groin muscle.

The Fall

2011-11-05T05:30:00.001-07:00

I learned that there is a reason for naming this season 'The Fall'. I was out and about enjoying the leaves and a bit of sunshine through the early morning fog. The trails are a bit treacherous with all the slippery decaying leaves, but especially on the board walks on Discovery trail. The wooden walkway under the leaves is wet and mossy, making it slick. I had just let the cyclist pass, when right on the spot marked by an 'X', I slipped. I would have fallen, but I corrected my stance with a jerk, mostly to protect my camera. My camera is fine, but my groin is not. I hobbled a few hundred yards to the main road and called for transportation. It was at least another 4 Km. home and I knew I would not make it. The irony is that I would have been at work, where, apparently it is much safer, had it not been for ........ well, I will save that for the next post. I need to take another anti-inflammatory right now.

To Wash, or Not to Wash

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Cool blues and warm yellows, a combination that only works in nature.

You know the routine. The vehicles are dirty, the weather is nice, you have a certain amount of pride, so you wash them .... both of them. The hose gets tangled, your hands get dirty and ice cold, you kick over the soapy bucket of water, and you almost slice your finger on the licence plate. You dry them off, you stand back and admire your work, touch up the spots you missed and then put everything away. Then you winterize the outdoor taps because with the heavy frost coming, you do not need a frozen faucet.

And then, you drive your vehicle one time, park it, and it begins to rain. It will be nice to know that tomorrow as I am commuting to work in the rain, that I will have the cleanest truck on the road. It is but a fleeting moment in time. As usual.

Four Years Old

2011-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is a busylizzy inspired contribution.

In a few more days I will have been blogging for four years. It started out as a lark, but as time progressed, I enjoyed it more and more. I have, to date, published 1434 posts, most with my own photography attached. I have never once considered packing it in, but there have been a few times when I was going 'dry'. Some days I feel very creative, other days I am so distracted by issues in my life that I struggle to put two words together. During those times, I kept on going because it has helped me to focus. I suppose we all need constants in our lives, and this blog spot has become that for me.

I am amazed that I have had almost 35,000 visitors and a good number of 'Followers', viewers who look in regularly because they have requested notifications on their computer or mobile device. If nobody ever read or even looked at my blog, I doubt I would continue. Who enjoys talking to a brick wall, other than those devout Jews at the old Temple Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I am still keen on photography and words and am a story teller so I am expecting a few more years of terryography. A BIG thank you to all my readers.

Autumn Flames

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

This shrub is known as a Flaming Sumac Tree, and the reason is apparent. At least the 'flaming' part is.

They are among the most brilliant of the fall foliage, but this year they are extraordinary. I think they turned very quickly because they are in very good condition even though the colour is a sign of decay.

They are the colour and shape of flames, but turned downward. I do not think that leaves could be more beautiful.

Annual Halloween Assessment

2011-11-01T05:00:00.001-07:00

As I write this, the last of the ghosts and goblins have vacated the streets and all is quiet except for the rowdies and their illegal fireworks. Last year we had more that 100 kids come to the door so this year I was prepared. I purchased 2 bags of 120 treats each, hoping it would be enough, with some left over for the biggest trick or treater of all, me. Let's see now. 240 treats, less what is left over, around 40, less what I ate before, during and after the onslaught of beggars .... wow! We had more than 150 come to the door tonight. It is a new record. But what is also a new record is the number of teenagers who unabashedly held out their bags, and their hands, for a freebie. One very large fellow and his friends came trudging straight through our flower beds and when it was his turn, simply held out his hands. I asked where his costume, or mask, or loot bag was and grunted that he had none of this things. I told him quite bluntly that when he did have the required items, he could come back for a treat. He did not take it well so I am half expecting some trouble from him later tonight.

One fellow was almost 7 feet tall and as he was walking away, down the driveway, another older kid asked him if he was nineteen. "Only seventeen", was his reply. Do these kids have no pride? This night is for the little ones, dressed in their princess outfits, or Star Wars costumes. There were way too many teen aged girls, and many of them dressed like sluts. (Pardon my English, but that was their intent)

My favourite little visitor, looking like a mini Spider Man, said, as I placed a small box of smarties in his bag, "I'm not allowed to have Smarties." Off in the shadows, down the driveway, a playful adult voice said,"But his dad is allowed." I gave him the Smarties and a Kit Kat.

It's always fun if I don't let the big kids spoil it for me.

Lingering

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just love walking in the Fall. I am the guy with the Nikon and the camera bag hanging off my shoulder. Today I had a fellow stop and look over my shoulder to see what was so interesting that I was focusing and composing a photograph. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away. He obviously did not see nor did he appreciate that there is beauty all around and it is in the eye of the beholder. These two photos are not great at all but simply represent our walk last Sunday. Each day that goes by brings more intensity in the colours, but also brings fewer leaves. I already mourn their loss. What follows is drab, colourless gray for the next few months. The red and orange foliage will decay and bring nutrients to next years growth. As in other years, I will continue to post Autumn photos well into winter. It is a little like lingering over a cup of coffee after a wonderful meal with your best friends.

The Beginning of the End?

2011-10-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

How can you not love Fall?

A commonly held Christian view is that the world will culminate in some catastrophic events. These will be precluded by some events that will occur that are prophesied in the Bible, such a one world government, a world leader, one currency ("the mark of the beast") and a unified religion.

Never in my lifetime have I seen the time so ripe for these events. We now have a world wide problem that is gaining momentum and an awareness coupled with anxiety that is unprecedented via social media. (Occupy Wall Street comes to mind) There seems to be no solution, and indeed, the solutions that are being brought forward are just exacerbating the problem. There is underlying fear as the ordinary person is losing wealth, jobs, savings, and confidence in the future. I could quote figures from the Wall Street Journal only this week but I digress. The great leader, Obama, who was to bring about change and hope, has done the opposite.

Who do we turn to? Someone will come along with a solution, a great idea. Part of his solution will be a world wide economic community with a common currency and an agreed upon set of regulations that will prevent the economic 'bubbles' that are so troublesome. Nations will no longer vie for trade positions, but there will be fairness and equity all around. This man (or woman) will have a charisma that will make us all place our trust in the new one world government and a single currency. Peace and prosperity will be the fulfilled dream, just like in John Lennon's song "Imagine". Nation's debts will be forgiven and we will all get a fresh start. And then it starts getting tricky. Go read your Bible and see if you can figure out the rest for yourself. I only know that I will be OK.

Greek Delight

2011-10-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

The rains came today, but not before I caught this.

"The world is unfolding as it should". I do not who said this, but the phrase is familiar. It should read 'unravelling'. Do you feel the heaviness and sense of gloom in the world? Or do you bury your head in distractions because you do not want to hear the 'bad news'? The story of the Greek bailout is supposed to be good news, but I believe that ordinary people are finally catching on to what is going on here. There is a great uneasiness in Europe these days as the wealthy nations of France and Germany took a 50% hit on Greek bonds and every other Euro backed nation borrowed more money to prop up the failing Greek economy. What we are all catching on to is that you cannot solve a debt problem with more debt.

Think about it. You are maxed out on your credit, your bills are piling up, and your car is about to get re-possessed. How do you solve the problem? You go out and borrow more money. Well, actually, you would not be able to. But, if you are a nation, you can. Your citizens will pay it back and if they cannot, their children and their children's children will. Or......you go bankrupt and start over again. You see, the problem is quite simple. The reason the people in leadership do not 'get it' is because they are, for the most part, very wealthy people who have never had to run a small business or a household budget. Money is never in short supply and if you are in trouble you just call your accountant and then your lawyer. They sell a few assets, juggle the books, make a few phone calls, and the problem goes away.

Only this time it will not go away. Greek default is INEVITABLE. It is only being delayed and when it happens it will take other nations with it, Italy being the first.

Pensioners in Greece took a 20% reduction in their pension cheques last month. This month another 20%. Do think the riots are around the corner? And that tends to make my Christian world view kick in. More tomorrow.

Paying for the Mouth Through the Nose

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

I painted those garage doors in the background, but God painted the tree in the foreground. I would say,"No contest!"

I know you are all waiting with bated breath to hear how my tooth repair came down. You're not? OK then, just go back to that game you were playing. For those of you who care and are concerned enough to send donations, I had to get a temporary filling and in about 10 days will go back for a crown. Apparently when I bit down on the piece of broken tooth, I did catastrophic damage to what remained of the broken tooth. By the time all is said and done, that will be $1200.00, thank you very much. I accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Pay Pal, personal cheques, and money orders, however, I am going to turn down all those offers and only accept cash. I would hate to enter retirement only being able to suck the chocolate off the peanuts.

Give Me a Break

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

North Townline Road at sunrise.

The morning air is telling us something. Today I was hoping it would be a bit warmer because we were working in a new, unheated building. It was 10C in there when we set up our tools, and we could see our breath. The space is so large and ceiling so high that the little space heater we brought did not budge the temperature even after our four hours there was up. My hands were numb because they had to be in water a lot, and when I got home, I held my cup of coffee close, just to warm up.

After lunch I ate a handful of trail mix to fill the tiny gap that was left after the soup and sandwich, and almost broke my tooth on what I thought was a rock. I have had raisins before that had grit in them, and so I thought that is what it was once again. I spit it out into the waste basket beside my desk. A while later, I happened to notice my tongue catch a sharp spot on my back tooth and discovered that it was broken. (Not my tongue, silly) I immediately dug through the garbage can that fortunately, I had just emptied a day ago. I found the 'rock' and after close examination, saw that it was a piece of tooth enamel about the size of a grain of rice, with a bit of filling attached. I phoned my dentist and am scheduled for a repair in the morning. There goes my weeks earnings.

At The Cellular Level

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

All this new technology is driving me nuts. I could have said "No" but the offer was too good to turn down. I have had my LG cell phone for three years and I still am not able to text with it nor download photos. I have never been on the Internet with it and have just used it as a business phone. I got a call from my service provider wanting to sell me data packages etc. etc. etc. Not interested. Then they offered me a free up-grade as well as grandfathering my very old and very economical plan if I signed on for another three years. I have never been dissatisfied with the network and actually find that it works rather well. I have no plans to change providers so a free phone was a no brainer. I am now the proud (?) owner of a Samsung C414 flip phone. I struggled all evening getting the settings right and trying to figure out how to get my SIM card out of the old phone and into the new one.

Like all new 'stuff', there is a learning curve. I just hope I do not miss any important calls because I have the phone on silent mode by mistake, or have the darn thing play Beethoven's 5th in the middle of church because I thought I had it on silent mode. No guarantees though because I have already taken a goofy photo by mistake. Good thing I do not know how to download it to this blog. It is not very flattering.

Ducks Unlimited

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

I shot some ducks on Sunday.

They were all in a row.

Now isn't that just ducky?

The Big Birthday Bash

2011-10-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday, we had a late celebration of busylizzy's birthday. On the actual day, she was out of town, but what is one week when you have lived as long as she has?

Our daughter, Rachel, made an awesome Greek dinner, dairy free of course, and Keith BBQ'd the skewered chicken. The Angel Food cake with whipped topping and blackberry sauce was over the top!

And then it was time to open the cards and gifts, something at which Liam is an expert, just having had a birthday himself.

We all chipped in and got her a new laptop computer, and none too soon. Just that day her beloved Sony Vaio gasped its last breath. Fortunately, our techie, Andrew, was able to extract a confession out of the old computer, and it revealed all, to be recorded on the new laptop, which was then promptly put back in its original packaging before the birthday. So she never missed a beat and is already loving the speed and the Windows 8 operating system. In the above photo she is going over a card from her grandsons that offered up 60 things that they liked about their Nana. (She is 60) I was amazed at how well they know her as all 60 items were 'bang on'. She has invested a lot of time in their lives and it shows when they plainly reveal how well they known her. It warmed her heart for sure.

She is an absolutely wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother to her little family, who all love her very much. If she looks like the cat who swallowed the canary, it is the dark chocolate she stuffed in her mouth and that is her 'innocent' look.

Blood Veins

2011-10-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

The Spice of Life

2011-10-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Vineyards and Estate Wineries - new to our valley.

I have had a lot of variety in my work this past week and it reminds me of why I like my business so much. My clients this week were: a retired Japanese teacher who never married because she dedicated most of her life to caring for her aging parents, a dairy farmer who has siblings farming is the same community as my cousins in Saskatchewan, a dentist whose office is empty for a few weeks while he and his wife are golfing in Palm Springs, and a wealthy businessman who lives a half block from the dentist and is also in Palm Springs with his wife, golfing for a few weeks. I even popped in on a Supreme Court judge's wife who got us to do some prep work for an upcoming contract. Next week brings us to a retired banker's home and also to do a small job for one of busylizzy's clients. After that, it will get repetitive as we are starting a rather large project in a home we have completely re-decorated once before. Probably, our only break from there will be to complete the banquet hall wallpaper we started last week. I think that going to the same job in the same place day after day would really mess me up. I need a constant flow of new people and new challenges to keep me from mortal boredom.

Living in the Real World

2011-10-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered where the wealthiest metropolitan area in the USA is? If you would have guessed 'The Silicone Valley' of San Jose California you would have been right, a few years ago. We read so much about the steady increases in not only the size of government, but also in government salaries as compared to the private sector. A raise in the private world has to come from an increase in business activity and profits, whereas increases in a bureaucrats salary come from an administration out of touch with reality. The Washington DC metro area is now the leader in average salaries in the whole country at $84,523.00, $34,000.00 above the average for the whole country. Within the area, federal workers averaged $126,369.00 up more than $4,000.00 from just last year alone. Last year, Washington also had more lawyers per capita at one for every 12 residents. In New York state the figure was one out of every 123 residents while in California, it was one in 243.

This is the kind of thing that OWS (Occupy Wall Street) proponents read and it adds fuel to their fire. The governments of the world are either in debt or on the the brink of bankruptcy, and yet they keep giving themselves raises. There is not even a hint of austerity measures that are so badly needed to get the economy back on track.

PS Did you know that a life guard on the beach in sunny California has a salary of over $100,000.00 before any overtime?

Diffusion

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Golden rays filtered by trees and fog.

Perhaps today was the last day to catch this kind of light for while. The clouds, and then showers are coming to town, unwelcome guests, I might add. I am pulled between work and pleasure. Do I forego a lucrative opportunity to work, or do I pursue one of my passions? We have only a three day window to do a commercial contract without empolyees getting in our way, so I opted for the work. Surely there will be more great photography in the days ahead. I have been wondering what to photograph in the winter months, the dull and monotone days of Nov. to Feb. I think I will cruise around town and catch some of the diverse architecture in my community. You might call it the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am trying to come up with a creative way to photograph without getting my camera wet. I need an assitant to hold the umbrella.

Fraser Valley Fog

2011-10-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

I dragged myself out of bed a bit early on Sunday morning, knowing the light would be great after a cold night, followed by a sunny morning. We get these wonderful fogs (if you don't have to commute in them) here in the Autumn that are a photographer's dream. The window of opportunity is very small. Too soon and the fog is too heavy, a few minutes later and the mist is burned away by the warmth of the sun. I knew where I wanted to go, a spot I have gone to before, with little traffic and great views to the east. I was hoping the light would not be cold and on the blue/gray side, and I was rewarded with this warm glow penetrating through the fog banks. I was rushing from one photo op to the next, so oblivious to time that I was almost late for church. I only made it in time because the light was getting too strong for good photos, and I was only a few kilometers away. On my next sunny day without work, I will be out again, camera in hand, only this time, looking for the magic light as well as the colour in the leaves that is just now starting to splash on.

Beating the Odds

2011-10-17T17:59:00.000-07:00

This year's Angel Trumpets

I was reading about cancer rates the other day, in particular, prostate cancer. A thought occurred to me, and I am sure it is not original. The article stated that the blood test to check the PSA level in men is going to be eliminated because there were too many false positives. A false positive is an elevated PSA where there is no cancer, and, apparently, men are being treated or are given biopsies as a result, which themselves can spread the cancer.

So, here is my thought. It is well known that we all get cancer numerous times in our lives without even knowing it. Our immune systems knock it down before it becomes a problem. Then, one day, it gets the better of us when we are stressed, lacking sleep, malnourished, or have some other illness that sends our immune system for a loop. It is also known that a full blown cancer can go into remission on its own. It is also known that early detection is very prevalent these days and is deemed a good thing as it gives a better survival rate.

But, consider this. These early cancers may have gone into remission on their own. Could this be the reason for increased cancer rates these days? We only seem to be getting more cancers because we can detect them, but if left on their own, could many go into remission? Just asking.

And, this leads to a dilemma. When we are diagnosed, do we go for the radiation and the chemo? If we do, and we ever get cancer again, we are toast because we have no immune system to speak of. If we don't and just give ourselves a fighting chance with some healthy living, will it go away on its own? But then life has always been a big gamble, hasn't it? I suppose I know too many people who have beat cancer without the aid of modern medical cancer fighting, which just about kills the patient. I hope I never have to make that decision.

Juicy

2011-10-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

Every year at exactly the same time, I take almost exactly the same photo at exactly the same spot and then say the same thing. Why should I change my routine? We harvested the last of our 'patio tomatoes' the other day. I cannot ever remember enjoying them so much as this year. The Cherry tomatoes were so sweet and flavourful this year, even thought they were a bit late in starting. We had three different varieties and each one had a different flavour, texture, shape, and size. The few things we grow in our garden every year are worth the effort, but a wee bit expensive. I discovered this week that our water bill, which is now separated from our annual tax bill, is on average twice as high as our friends, all of whom do not have a garden. Maybe we will just stop taking showers next summers, set up the sprinklers in the garden, and have our pricey water do double duty.

Choke Warning!

2011-10-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Don't eat these, you may choke on them too.

First off, my apologies for the black font on black background on my last post. For some reason, I discovered it late, and then try as I might, I could not change it.

The 27 nation EU (European Union) has moved closer to Nanny State status today. They have decreed that the age one can blow up a balloon is 14. Anytime before that is an illegal activity. In fact, if you are under 8, you are not even allowed to handle a balloon. This is only one of many news laws and regulations governing toy safety that toy stores and parents will have to keep in mind as they try to educate and entertain the wee ones. Yes, my friends, there is no area of life that is immune to rules and regulations. What with inspections, labelling, enforcement, and re-manufacturing, the cost of entertaining small children just became more stressful and more costly. Perhaps an underground balloon trafficking network will rear its ugly head in a neighbourhood near you, similar to the fireworks situation. (Hey, balloons blow up too!) Birthday parties will never be the same. No doubt, in the future, one will be required to purchase a birthday party permit and have at least one toy nazi on hand to keep all the kiddies alive. And forget those water balloon fights next summer when you and the kids are trying to keep cool. No doubt we would all be dead already if we didn't have the government to take care of our every need. ("Nobody told me one of these things could make you wet!")

You know what happens to children when the parents make every single decision and hover over the kids 'for their own good'. The poor kid never learns to think, and when they finally do make a decision without parental supervision, they make huge blunders. We are almost there as a society.

Good Work, Guys

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Amaranth grain, native to South Africa, but somehow growing in our garden.

First, a quick up-date on yesterday's post. Last week the Occupy movement had moved to 640 cities world wide. Today, that number has risen to 1200 and on Saturday 20 Canadian cities will see Occupy rallies. Because we have a relatively healthy economy, I would suggest that the rallies, at least here in Canada, will attract a myriad of groups of activists with a myriad of causes. Protest for protest's sake.

But today we hear about two fellows who have been working for years in the field of economics. They have developed economic models to determine the effectiveness of government fiscal policies. Finance ministers, banks, and universities all over the world have been using their models.

“Central to research the two conducted separately in the 1970s were efforts to model and quantify cause and effect in economies,” explained the wire story, “including the complex interplay of state and central bank policy with the expectations of people and businesses.”

“One of the main tasks of macroeconomic research is to comprehend how both shocks and systematic policy shifts affect macroeconomic variables in the short and long run,” the Nobel Academy waffled on in a typically lofty statement. “Sargent’s and Sims’s awarded research contributions have been indispensable to this work.”

This not a joke. These two have had a hand in the biggest world wide economic disaster of the last century, and their recognition and reward? They have been awarded the Noble Economic Prize!
Reminds me a bit of a few years ago when Yaser Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Occupy

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Morning Glories just do their thing every morning, oblivious to sit-ins, marches and occupiers.

"There's something happening here,

What it is ain't exactly clear" from "For What It's Worth" by Jefferson Airplane. (1969)

The 'Occupy' movement is growing and is moving to Vancouver this weekend. If you are not aware of what this is, I would advise you to get acquainted with it. The economic crash of 2008 laid bare the corruption in our system, and anybody who is feeling hard done by is joining the movement or is very sympathetic toward it. There is a feeling 'out there' that the rich are to blame, but that is painting too many with the same brush. "More equity, tax the rich" is one of the mantras. This has the odour of revolution behind it, if you know anything of history.

There has been no overt violence so far, but there is an attempt to start a dialogue on how to fix the system. Of course, anyone who has an education and plenty of student loans with no job prospect will want to change the system. The three criteria for revolution as taught to us by the history books are: huge discrepancy between rich and poor, a disappearing middle class, and a lot of people with a grudge.

The US fits each of these criteria. And then some others the spooks hadn’t thought about. The U6 broad measure of unemployment is going up...with 16.5% of the population without work. There are 6.2 million people who have been looking for a job for more than 6 months.

Americans are $7 trillion poorer, according to David Rosenberg, than they were 4 years ago — and property prices are still going down.
More than 45 million are on food stamps. (From "The Daily Reckoning")

If you don't think this protest will have legs, think again. But, sadly, few of them will do the homework to connect the dots that lead back to the source of the problem. Yes, Wall Street got rich, the rest of us got poorer, but can you blame the banks and brokers? They were handed trillions when they should have been left to the ravages of bankruptcy. The blame lies in the ignorant economic policies of the big governments of the world. And all governments are self serving. It is only power that they are after and they will give their voters anything they want, whether it is good for them or not, and they will borrow from future generations to do that. Well, the leading edge of that future generation are out on the streets right now, occupying. It will be fascinating to see where this will lead.

Most Delicious

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I should have brought out my camera much sooner, but I did catch the dessert. busylizzy made a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner for us and it just gave us one more thing to be thankful for. I have to hand it to her. She has some serious food intolerance's and yet she prepares our favourites even though she cannot eat everything. This incredible pumpkin cheesecake was made by my son-in-law. If you think it looks good, you should have tasted it. I say that in the past tense because it is no more. As you can see below, Liam and I are on the same page when it comes to cheesecake.

Narrow is the Way

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Early morning fishing on Mill Lake

Our usual routine on Sunday is to attend the early morning service at our church, but that did not work out last Sunday so we attended the 'new' service which is a Sunday evening start time. We now have seven services on the weekends to meet the huge demand, and it is very convenient to have options.

Although I have always enjoyed the worship time and take great delight is singing in spite of a croaky old voice, I am going more and more for the meat of the message. Connecting with friends and like minded people is vital in life, but beyond that, we need input and learning in our lives also. What I am getting lately is a confirmation of what I have sensed and known for a long time, and that is the fact that it is becoming more difficult as times goes by, to live and profess the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is very counter-culture. It was not always that way in Canada.

The current message series is the letters to the seven churches from the book of Revelations. There are commendations and reproof for each church, and a common thread is the difficulty of preserving a pure gospel of Jesus in a pagan culture. Of course, the culture at that time was much more severe in its condemnation of Christianity, but in many ways, we are getting close to what it was then. We are being overtly and sometimes subtly influenced by a godless culture and we often inadvertently buy into it. It creeps up on us. Instead of drawing sharp boundaries around our faith, we keep moving the borders outward to include more and more in our faith. Our culture screams at us that tolerance and inclusivity are necessary to keep from offending anyone. Nobody is wrong so do not make them feel bad by telling them they are wrong. So we accept and condone to keep from rocking the boat, and soon we have strayed from the gospel. Jesus said the way would be narrow and difficult, and few would find it, but we are to persevere. We hear the exact opposite today. "Everyone is on a spiritual journey and all roads lead to the same destination. Just be sure you are on a path." When we follow Christ who says that he is the only way, we are asking for trouble for ourselves and the church we represent. So, we have to be narrow and intolerant in order to be true, and that, my friends, is very counter-culture.

Giving Thanks

2011-10-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Not sure how the lowly turkey gets so much attention at Thanksgiving. Something to do with the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock perhaps, but it has become an enduring symbol of family, food, harvest, and giving thanks. Offering up a prayer at a Thanksgiving meal is a bit of a challenge. Dare one begin a list of things to be thankful for? As a Christian, I know the source of all good gifts and I know who I am thanking, but a list means that we just might forget something or someone. Besides, the list, even though complete, would result in cold food, and one very impatient grandson who not only is anxious to chow down, but wants to do the praying himself.

Gratitude is an attitude and you either are or you are not thankful. I have posted before how I lay my head down on the pillow at night and begin to be grateful. It is a great stress reliever, and an attitude adjuster. When in a truly thankful mode, one finds it incredible just how much there is to be thankful for. And it goes way beyond the physical things in life. Actually, those are the least significant of all things to give thanks for, but nevertheless, important.

This weekend I am particularly thankful that we had an opportunity to spend a day with my nephew and his two small children after they took wife and mother to the airport where she flew to Italy for a few days. Why am I thankful for this? It was not that long ago that 'M' was given a death sentence with a deadly strain of cancer that was coursing through his body. Today he is as healthy a specimen as you will ever see, having beaten the cancer in spite of the doctors and the health care system. With a lot of prayer and a change in diet, he beat it, and he just informed us that his dad, whose cancer prognosis also was grave, has recently been given a clean bill of health, again without the aid of doctor's chemo or radiation. As I sat visiting with him, his two beautiful children at his side, I could not help but be grateful for life itself, and for healing. What are you grateful for today?

I Must Confess

2011-10-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

Because I do not anxiously await every new John Grisham novel, I would not say I am a huge fan. Having said that, I have read almost every one of his novels. Although his forte is the legal novel, my favourite of everything he has written is "The Painted House", a very well written novel that has nothing at all to do with lawyers and courtroom scenes.

"The Confession" is a story of justice gone bad, an innocent man sent to the death chamber in Texas for a crime he did not commit. At the last minute, the true killer, about to die of cancer, decides to do the right thing and confess. But how do you stop the wheels of justice after nine long years of appeals and last minute reprieves that have drained the patience of all involved. It is gripping and suspenseful, and when you think the story could not go any further, there are still more than 100 pages left in the novel. It goes further and gets more interesting. I have said many times that you can recognize a Grisham novel from a mile away. He has a terse style that moves the story along quickly. Only the plot changes from book to book.

He usually gets on a hobby horse, and in this book it is the death penalty. He chooses a safe ground from which to argue his logic, an innocent man being put to death. Of course we would agree that this is an atrocity. The circumstances surrounding this particular miscarriage of justice makes the blood boil and one wonders how close to the truth it comes in real life. After putting the book down tonight, I was kind of glad I do not live in Texas.

Tooth Decay

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I went for my six month dental check-up on Monday and was surprised to hear that my dentist, not the usual hygienist, was going to clean my teeth. Are dentists falling on hard times and doing the grunt work now too?

I have had the hands and the tools of many hygienists in my mouth over the years and I must say that I got the most thorough cleaning I have ever had. Goes to show that when you have talent in an area, you move on to better things.

Then came the check-up. I have been slated for my last two crowns for the last 2 years but have been postponing them. They are over $1000.00 each and with work slow, and my teeth not bothering me at all, I have put the crowns on the back burner. But what's this? I now have three cavities! With all the work I have had done on my mouth in the last 5 years, and the flossing and brushing I do religiously twice a day, I thought I was done with cavities.

I had no work for Tuesday and booked the work for the following morning. (getting an appointment that soon must mean things are slow at the office for sure)

Two tiny fillings not even requiring freezing and one larger one that involved a failed silver amalgam got done in 45 minutes and I was out $1000.00 for the two appointments. Somebody is making too much money and maybe that is why things are slow at the office.

Complain, Complain

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

We often stay for dinner when we go to Bellingham. Billy McHale's restaurant was recommended to us so we thought we would try it, even though it was a busy Saturday night and the place was packed. We got a table right away, and found the service to be very good. What I had a complaint about was the food. I ordered the Coconut Shrimp entree and was looking forward to something I would never get at home, but loved. The menu stated that I would get 5 jumbo coconut shrimp with steamed vegetables, cheese bread, and a twice baked potato. Our food came very quickly but I was immediately disappointed when I saw the "Jumbo Shrimp". Maybe baby shrimp, or son of jumbo shrimp, but jumbo they were not. One small bite each was all there was. I guess 'Jumbo' is a relative term, say compared to popcorn shrimp, or perhaps microscopic shrimp or shrimp embryos. Not to ponder too long over semantics, I will say that they were tasty, but rather inadequate. The steamed vegetables were on the verge of overcooked, but edible. The cheese bread was dried out, the size of a credit card, and had no taste. The twice baked potato had been baked more than twice by the look of it. It was dried out, pasty, and the penny sized chunk of bacon on the top was only slightly less tough and chewy than a penny.

Due to a lingering hunger as result of not enough shrimp, I went out of character and ordered a restaurant dessert, Rusty's Butterscotch Brownie Sundae. The brownie was vastly under baked and was basically a butterscotch cookie dough with a bit of baked crispiness around the far edge. It turned me off a bit, but I ate it. (Sweet tooth, you know)

The top photo is a depiction of a larger version of my shrimp. The lower photo is more like what I thought I would get, but was hoping for even larger.

Because this place gets pretty good revues on trip advisor, I should not be too hasty and say I will never go back. But, if I do, I will not order anything with Jumbo as a prefix.

Take a Chance?

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

What was your first reaction when you opened this page and saw the 649 Lotto Logo? Was there a little rush of adrenalin? Was there a tinge of disgust? Did a smidgen of guilt hit you? Or, was there just indifference? The logo is plastered everywhere these days and apparently the advertising is very effective. Do you remember when the only Lotto available in Canada was the Irish Sweepstakes? Those tickets were near impossible to get and only a very rare few ever played that foreign lottery. But, the foot was in the door and fast forward to today where gambling is an ever present fact of life. In fact, it is probably the only hope for release from financial pressures for the majority of people in North America. I voted on an online poll yesterday (more than 20,000 responses) and found that as a non player, I am in the small minority of Canadians (14%) who never buy lotto tickets.

I am only in modest opposition to gambling because I believe we all gamble on different things in our lives all the time. To single out a lottery is not fair. I am opposed to purchasing those tickets simply because of the odds. Do the math, and you too will find better use for those 'volunteer taxation' dollars.

A retailer friend of mine once asked me why I was always in his store but had never bought a lottery ticket. There were various 'scratch and wins' displayed under glass right in front of us, and so I said to him,"This is why" as I selected a ticket at random and gave it to him along with my $2. He scratched it and before he discovered what I had won, I had already turned around to walk out of his store. "It says try again!" he said, as I called out over my shoulder, "That's why."

Fat Tax

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Denmark has introduced what is believed to be the world's first tax on foods containing saturated fat.

The Danish government is applying a surcharge to foods with more than 2.3 per cent saturated fats, in a bid to combat obesity and heart disease.
The new tax will be levied on food such as butter, milk, cheese, pizza, oils and meat. It means customers will be paying about $3 more per kilogram of saturated fats in a product.

Prices rose Saturday in many grocery stores as the tax came into force, while some customers cleared out shelves earlier in the week to stock up on fatty favourites.
Food industry managers have complained that the tax will be a bureaucratic nightmare.
in 2004, Denmark declared war on trans fats, making it illegal for any food to have more than two per cent of the artery-clogging oils. Austria has a similar law. In July 2010, Denmark imposed a tax on sugary junk food.
About 10 per cent of Danes are considered obese. Britain is the fattest nation in Europe; one third of children and nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese.

What is your first reaction when you read this news item? Are you dismayed that again, government intrudes into our lives with yet another regulation and another tax? Or are you happy that someone is controlling, or at least trying to control those who have no control and the days of us healthy people subsidizing those who chose unhealthy lifestyles is coming to an end? No doubt, this type of taxation will spread to other socialistic countries such as Canada.

I have always been in favour of consumption taxes as it gives the consumer the choice whether or not he pays the tax. Taxing unheatlthy consumer goods is a way of making risk takers pay for the consequences of their risk.
What I do not like is government treating us all like children in a manner that says that they know what is good for us and what is bad for us and they will try to control our behaviour. It is one thing to tell us what we can and cannot eat, but what comes next is much more dangerous. Will they tell us what we can and cannot believe? Will they tell us who we can or cannot associtate with? Will they tell us what we can or cannot read or write? The foot is already in the door on all of these issues.

So, I am bit torn on my initial question. What I would think would be more appropriate is to educate people on healthy lifestyle choices. You might say that has already been tried and yet the rates for obesity are going up. Maybe the answer really lies in the pocket book. I don't know.