Who Really Knows?

The big Health Care Reform Bill was just passed in the USA. I have not followed the debate as closely as I should have, but now that it is a 'done deal', I thought I would do a bit of research on exactly what this all entails. Why can I not get to first base? One side says that this will ruin America and the other side says that is the greatest thing any president has ever done in the history of the country. There seems to be little if any of the reforms taking place in the immediate future, and just what those reforms are seem to be open to interpretations and debate. It does not appear, at least on the surface, to be a universal health care system like we have in Canada, but more like restrictions and rules being put on health care insurers to assure that all will be treated fairly and equitably by the system. One thing is agreed on and that is that it is expensive. Well, so is our system here in Canada. In our province, 82% of our budget goes to health care. If this same figure will eventually apply to the USA budget, it will be a disaster. The only way to sustain it then will be with massive tax increases and that is one thing the Americans do not take kindly to. Whatever it turns out to be, there will have to be a lot of education on healthy lifestyle or the system as well as the country will go bankrupt. Actually, they are going bankrupt with or without health care. There has probably been a billion dollars worth of blood pressure medication taken just during the debate.

Welcome to Canada

I caught a bit of CBC news last night after the hockey game and watched an interesting piece on Canadian identity and how it is evolving. University students and people on the street were asked what it meant to be Canadian. Apparently more and more, that definition includes the phrases "not like Americans" or "better that Americans". As usual, we see ourselves more as what we are not than what we are. But, why this fixation with, and dislike of, Americans? This moral superiority is offensive. There are many areas of life where they out-shine us and two come to mind immediately. Americans are the most generous people on the face of the earth and Canadian's charitable giving pales in comparison. Why would we not want to be more like them in that regard? The other area which for me is of great concern, is the area of free speech. We need only look at the incident, on Tuesday evening, in Ottawa, where Ann Coulter was not allowed to speak at the University of Ottawa. She was threatened by the University with a law suit if she said anything construed as hate. This letter prompted the leftists on campus to near riot as the time of Anne's speech approached and prompted the police to cancel the event.
When we disagree with someone, we should either ignore them or engage them in debate, not ban them from speaking. Interesting that one of the characteristics that "we Canadians" seem to be most proud of is our tolerance. In ten years of speaking, Ann claims, she has never once been muzzled. Welcome to Canada, Ann.

Paraphrase and Application

The Spring blooms are out in force and the next few blogs will have a sampling of what we find at Thunderbird park these days.

I am reading a book called "Stories For A Man's Heart". It is a collection of 100 short stories that are supposed to "motivate his soul". There is something in there for everyone, I suppose, because some leave me cold, while others make the tears well up in my eyes and I think of them as I try to sleep at night.
One of my favourites is the story of the little boy who sees a "Puppies for Sale" sign. He rings the door bell and asks the owner if he can see the puppies because he would like to by one. He informs the dog owner that he only has 35 cents. The man is compassionate and tells the boy that they cost more than that, but he can have look anyway. They walked to the back yard and the man calls out to Dolly, the mother dog, and as she comes out of the doghouse, tumbling and tripping after her are four of the cutest balls of fur the little boy has ever seen. As they came romping toward the man and the boy, another little puppy came struggling out of the dog house. He was smaller than the others and try as he might, he could not get his legs to work fast enough to keep up to the others. He was the obvious runt of the litter.
The boy's eyes got bright and he cried out,"That's the one I would buy."
The man knelt down to the boy's level and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He would never be able to run and play with you the way you would like."
With that, the boy reached down and slowly pulled up one leg of his trousers. In doing so, he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking up at the man, he said, "You see, sir, I don't run too well myself and he will need someone who will understand."
The story draws no conclusion or application, but as a Christian, I cannot help but immediately think of Jesus reaching down to me and drawing me out of my sinful and fallen state, because, like the puppy who is the runt of the litter, I need someone who understands.

Quote

I came across this quote today and thought it totally applied to me and my blog.

"I love writing about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." ~Oscar Wilde

Transform

The Tulips are poking their heads out of the cool spring soil but are not brave enough to open their petals. The lighting and colour was poor so I salvaged the photo with a bit of Photoshop fun.

It is always great to celebrate one of my grandson's birthdays and yesterday was no exception. It is also a great way of keeping in touch with Keith's family. We tend to see them about 4 times a year and that way we never become strangers.
I had a bit of an upset stomach before we went so I cannot blame anything I ate at the party for the terrible evening I had later in the day. (Sunday) There are times when it is an extremely good thing to be very near a bathroom for extended periods of time. This is not embarrassing to talk about because it happens to all of us. This was an exceptionally bad case of intoxication and I have no idea where it came from. It was the kind where my intestines had a will of their own and that was to exit my body. But, I survived, and now am very anxious about eating anything lest it trigger another 'event'.
It was suggested in church yesterday that we go on a fast this Easter. I think I will start early.

Concert

My wonderful daughter won 4 tickets to this concert and very generously gave them to me and the busy one. We called some friends of ours and they were willing to try it out, even though both of us were not very familiar with either artist, but had only heard their music over the years on the radio without taking special note.

The line up at the door of the Broadway church was a block long and fortunately the rain had not yet started and it was actually a balmy evening for standing around waiting for someone to open the doors. We had not been to the Broadway church before and found it to be very similar to the local Alliance church in both size and layout. It filled rather quickly and we were feeling good about having come a little early.

Point of Grace was on first (who's on second? ...... never mind) and was all I had hoped they would be. Gracious southern gals who had impeccable harmonies and very nice tunes. They had a down home folksy quality that was endearing and at times quite humorous. They verge on 'country' as far as style goes, without getting twangy. Actually, they were very easy on the ears. They are Christian artists and it came through in their comments as well as their music, but one had to listen carefully. They had never been to Canada before and that made for a few funny anecdotes, and altogether, an enjoyable time for them and us, the audience.

Many Christian groups these days are aligning themselves with Compassion or World Vision and these folks were on the band wagon. Their goal was to raise up 100 sponsors, for impoverished children around the world, at each concert on their tour. I cannot fault them for their efforts in this regard. Because their ticket prices were so reasonable, I cannot accuse these people of being in it for the money, as I have done with some groups in the past. Of course, we all need to make a living but when you profit excessively from 'ministry' I can have a bit of a challenge with that.

At this point in the concert, I was sorry I had not had the foresight to bring ear plugs. Oh my goodness! I have heard Mark Schultz often and have quite liked many of his ballads and praise and worship music, but in a live venue, my preconceptions of him were blown out of the water. This guy is high energy, as is his music, his band, and his light show. Why can't they turn down the pounding bass drum a few decibels? It became quite irritating after a short while as the vibrations in my chest cavity felt like a seismograph during a Chilean earthquake. I was having trouble with my pacemaker and I don't even have one. It was all I could endure, and I can usually take quite a bit and actually like my music loud. His voice, his keyboard, and every other noise making device on the stage was cranked to the limit, and I was actually wishing it was over soon, and very soon. However, we endured, until, that is, the encore. That is when we snuck out of our aisle and scurried out the door of the church, finding the busy traffic of Broadway Street rather quiet and calming.

I find myself saying "What?' and "Pardon me" quite a bit since last night, to say nothing of the splitting headache I woke up with this morning.

Mark had a very engaging personality and one cannot help but like him as a person. He has a heart for God, and is a compassionate and loving man. He is also a gifted song writer and at his quieter times was able to engage the listener with his sensitive lyrics. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the music, but then every artist has their die hard fans. I cannot fault him, really, because he was living out every single word of Psalm 150. I just need a good set of earplugs.

A Birthday Party

On March 18th my oldest grandson turned 12. Today is a party for him but it is not the first. It is not cool to have mom and dad, grandpa and grandma, nana and granddad, uncles and aunts AND your best friends all at the same party. Friday night Nate and his friends let their hair down at the bowling alley, and then later at a sleep over at his house with his buddies. Today he will be on his best behaviour with all the adults of the family there to wish him a happy and successful year. It is hard to believe he is the same little boy who came into our lives in 1998. He is now tall, handsome, smart, well mannered, kind hearted and always a delight to be with. Happy Birthday Nathan and I like that your birthday always brings blossoms.

Gus Lives Here

This pretty little barn belongs to a wonderful piece of property owned by a Supreme Court Judge who happens to also be one of our clients. Just behind the barn is a small apple orchard where a good friend of mine is buried. Well, sort of.
Gus was in his eighties and as vital and strong as a man half his age. He still worked, almost full time, as a master carpenter and 'jack of all trades'. He was befriended by the judge and used this barn and an adjoining workshop as his base of operations because he lived in a condo and needed space for his carpentry projects. Gus took ill one day, and several days later died in the hospital during surgery for a bowel obstruction. It was sudden and very sad.
He only had one daughter, and she cared little for her dad, so the judge took it upon himself to have Gus cremated and arranged a small memorial service on his acreage. Some of his neighbours at the condo were invited, as well as a few of the people who he called his friends, myself included.
Gus loved to pick the apples from the orchard in the late fall and certainly had his favourite tree. It was there that Gus would be laid to rest. We gathered round the small hole that had been prepared ahead of time and the judge and his wife said a few words and had a prayer. It was a very hot July day and all of us were trying desperately to crowd under the tree to stay in the shade. Just as the jar of ashes was tilted to put Gus in his final resting place, a sudden gust of swirling wind caught the ashes and spread them over all of us, and into those who could not hold their breath in time. It was an awkward moment as perhaps half of the ashes finally fell to the bottom of the hole, there to be immediately covered before the next gust came.
Gus loved that little orchard, but he also wanted to leave a little bit of himself with each of us, and he succeeded.

A Last Look at Lynden

Theme towns are very popular on both sides of the border, and often reflect the heritage of the majority of the population. When the theme is done well and consistently, it almost feels like one has been transported to a different time and place. There is no mistaking the Dutch heritage of this little town a few minutes south of the border. In the days when it was less of a hassle crossing the US/Canada border, we would regularly travel here for cheap gas, milk, cheese, and a good lunch or dinner at 'The Dutch Mother's' restaurant. That quaint but excellent eating establishment is still there, but is still closed on Sundays.

And then there is the Lynden Fair. We were there two years ago and may go back this summer. It is a typical summer county fair, complete with rides, junk food, farm displays, and grandstand shows. It is extremely well attended, but there is something that feels and appears quite unique about it. There is family friendly, wholesome, clean, and safe atmosphere about it. It totally reflects the character of the town and its inhabitants. Our city also has a large community of Dutch people and they are drawn to the fair, as are we of Mennonite descent, which in my case is a combination of Dutch and German.

It is heartening to see that this community has not been adversely effected by the poor economy in the USA. This is because it is a farm based economy. People still eat in times of recession. The tourist dollars are just a bonus for them and with our currencies now almost at par, more of us will be going down there to eat at 'Dutch Mother's'.

Having Your Cake And Eating It Too

Another Steeple in Lynden Wa.

We often hear the expression "God is good" when something wonderful is happening to us. We pray for a positive outcome, the best thing happens, and "God is good". But is God still good when our lives are falling apart? Is he only good when good things are happening? Throughout our lives we are either entering a time of trouble, we are in a time of trouble, or we are just coming out of a time of trouble. Trouble is intrinsic to the human condition. Anyone strongly rooted in the Christian faith can say that "God is good" in any circumstance. How can we say that?
I have been reading in the Psalms and innumerable times it talks about how God upholds the brokenhearted, the poor, the widow, etc. Where was he before poverty, before bereavement, and before disappointment? He was always there, supporting, uplifting, encouraging, loving, forgiving, and teaching. The bad things that happen are part of the human condition and we cannot escape them. But in the midst of the bad stuff, God is there. If you are a believer, you have felt this.
So, we can say with confidence that God sees the big picture of our lives and knows what he is doing, is not surprised, and will hold us in his hand, both in this life and the next. Because He is there in the good times and the bad times, it is like having our cake and eating it too.

Lynden

Here is another of the many beautiful churches of Lynden. The little town of Lynden has always had a great appeal for me. It is a quiet, clean, and well organised town, revealing the character of its mainly Dutch residents. We have, on several occasions, cruised through the tree lined streets on a warm summer Sunday evening, and the sound of pipe organs and hymns in four part harmony drift on the warm breezes as we pass the many churches in a ten block area of town. The old fashioned idea of closing all the businesses on Sunday has managed somehow to stay intact and indeed, when we were there on Sunday, we only saw one coffee shop open in the whole downtown area, and it was not well patronized. For me, it hearkens back to a time when I was a boy in a small prairie town, who's dad owned a retail business. He, along with every other business in town, was closed on Sunday. It made the day special and nobody had an excuse to miss church. I see Lynden as Americana at its finest, displaying both the flag in a very patriotic manner, and a respect for the Christian heritage on which the country was founded. If we could somehow import Lynden into Canada, I would move there in a heartbeat.

Progress

I made some progress on several fronts today. I did not work, as in earning an income, and the old axiom held true, that when one does not work, one only spends money. It started at the dentist where I was soaked for a mere cleaning and fluoride treatment. If I charged rates like that I would be a failure in my business. At least I had a hygienist, this time, who was not trained by the KGB. The experience was about as pleasant as a dentist visit could be. Of course, the dentist found more pot holes to fill so my return visit will be at the end of this month. I better have won the lottery by then.
The home inspector was here today to check on all my energy up-grades to see if I qualify for the government rebates that were put there as an incentive to make our homes more energy efficient. My 'Energy Star' rating has jumped from a 51 to a 66. This bodes well and the cheque, apparently, is in the mail. Just to remind me that I am still living in an older home, the most efficient rating is around 81. We have felt the improvement in a more comfortable home as well as a less draughty home. I think 81 would be too airtight and we would choke on our own fumes.
So, what's with the church photo? We took a swing through Lynden Wa. on our way home from Bellingham on Sunday. You can't help but admire this beauty on Front Street.

Black

Black birds, in particular Ravens and Crows, are often used as bad omens in certain literary and artistic endeavours. The Blackbird does not usually have this reputation, but as I saw these two birds yesterday they represented for me, two black clouds that have been hanging over my head for a while now. The first one is the year long project of up-grading my home for energy efficiency. First there was the research, then the inspection, then the acquiring of estimates and contractors to do the major jobs, and finally, the inspection that will qualify me for the grants and rebates that were offered. Tomorrow, the final inspection takes place and I will see how successful I have been in increasing the energy efficiency of our home. I will get back to you on that.

The other black cloud is the annual agony of tax time. Today I finished my part. I chip away at it all year, but in March I have to actually sit down and document, itemize, and file all the information so my accountant can make sense of it all. The cloud is not really lifted until my accountant's computer spits out the 'bottom line', but at least I can say there is now a silver lining around this dark cloud and it is beginning to thin a bit.

Oh, and a third cloud, but not as dark as the others, and that is a dental appointment first thing in the morning. As usual, the pain will be in the wallet and not so much in the mouth. I am ready for some clear skies for a change.

The Verdict Is In

A short while back I was writing about my blood pressure which had seemed to go up a few notches as of late. I also mentioned that I was using the treadmill on a regular basis since then and was going to see, by my blood pressure readings, if it was worthwhile. I have either been walking long distances or using the treadmill at least 4 times a week on average, if not more. The results are in. I am back in 'Optimal' territory. Perhaps the health gurus are correct. Either that, or I have simply rid my life of some stress. I would guess a bit of both.
We took another trip to Bellingham today. The fabric store was beckoning the quilter in the family and with all the money we saved, again, it was certainly worth the trip. It is always nice to get out of town for a few hours also, and this time the line-ups at the border were tolerable, which also contributed to my lowered blood pressure, I am sure.
I took the above photo on Ross Road earlier this week. Although I like the composition, it is not my favourite time of year to do photography.

Working

During the two hour ferry ride across Georgia Straight, I was doing some people watching and making general observations. Travelling the ferries is not cheap so the people on board are either well off or are travelling out of some necessity. But as I observe the people around me in the seating area, I see mostly young people, student types. They appear to be 20 something and most of them have a laptop, cell phone, ipod, and a backpack full of books and papers. They might be 'walk ons' but the car decks are full of vehicles.

As I see the employment figures today, I wonder where all these people are working or will work. Unemployment is down slightly in the latest report, but when one looks closely at the numbers, it is evident that the gains are almost all in civil service jobs, at a time when governments are threatening to cut jobs in the civil service. When there is high unemployment, there are fewer people paying income tax and because they are not working, they are not consuming so they are not paying sales taxes either. The government can only pay the salaries of these civil servants with our tax dollars or borrowed money, therefore this does not bode well. I look south of the border and see the massive increase in their civil service and shudder. This has to come to an end. These types of jobs are typically not productive, in that they do not produce goods or wealth, but drain money from government revenues which are now almost all coming from the lenders. We hear reports of an improving economy, and for Canada it is a half truth. For the USA it is a falsehood.

Victoria Etc.

We thought the timing was perfect. The weather was warm and we had the time so off we went to Vancouver Island last Sunday afternoon. Since when do we believe weather forecasts? The ferry trip was blustery and wet, but that is not unusual, no matter what time of year we take the trip. We arrived in Duncan in time for a lovely dinner that my sister had prepared for us. We used to live only blocks away from each other but now it takes a bit more of an effort to get together. They put us up, or I should say, put up with us, for two nights and they were the coldest days we have had since last November. I was looking forward to long walks in the balmy spring freshness of the the Island, but instead bundled up and still almost froze my ears. We had snow on both mornings.

On Tuesday, we spent the afternoon in Victoria. It had been at least 10 years since we were last there. We resolved to come back in warmer weather and do some exploring on foot. We did stop at one place right on the water and caught this Seagull bracing itself against the cold wind. I was very happy for a warm vehicle and a hot drink just down the road.

After a wonderful dinner at Christa's new house (our niece), to celebrate my sister's birthday, we headed back to the ferry that took us back to Tswassen and home.

We will go back soon, but next time I will watch the weather forecast and perhaps believe it.

Go Figure

If you are like me, you have often wondered what happens to the human brain when it is attached to a politician who gets elected to, or appointed to, a position of influence and leadership. I suspect that the powers of reason are nullified by the privilege and attitude of entitlement, to the point that common sense and reason take a back seat to a photo op. One's importance takes precedence to all other considerations.
Take our Minister of Finance for example. After his shenanigans on Friday, he gives one pause to think that he is not capable of running a lemonade stand let alone a country. He flew from Ottawa to London Ontario where he was photographed lunching in a Tim Horton's and discussing budget cuts with the local coffee drinkers. That, in itself, is a good opportunity to identify with the common man and show that you care. (Ya, right!) But how did he get there. He flew, of course. But not on any ordinary airline. He was not at all concerned about saving tax dollars so he took a corporate jet at a cost of $9000.00. Think about that the next time you drive to your local Tim Horton's where you want to save a dollar on gas so you go to the nearest one instead of your favourite one.
I think the average Tim Horton's patron could do a better job running our country's finances.

When Will it End?

First, an addendum to yesterday's post about our National Anthem. My friend Ray says that what the aboriginals would like to see is one very slight change that would reflect what they see as reality. Change the 'and ' to 'on' and what you have is "Oh Canada, our home on native land".

Having just read commentaries ad nauseam about the new Federal Budget and how there will be cuts in government spending, here is a 'no brainer' that I can work a rant up against at the drop of a hat. It is our long gun registry enacted by Bill C-68 that was brought in by Jean Chretien's Liberal government in 1995. Remember the promised cost to set that up? For only $2 million we could eliminate gun crime in Canada. The idea as well as the proposed cost was flawed from the start. And, like all new initiatives, this became a sink hole with no bottom.

In 2002 and again in 2006 the auditor general Sheila Fraser, could not find where all the money was going and the costs were now $2 Billion! The Canadian Tax Payer's Federation presented a 28,000 signature petition to the government to do away with the registry and re-allocate funds to 'front line' police work to reduce crime. The gun registry only criminalized law abiding gun owners and never had any effect on the number of gun related crimes committed in Canada.

Now, a private member's bill C-391 is on the long road to being enacted. But don't think that those who are profiting from all the money going into the program will take this sitting down. In fact, nobody even knows who is getting the money so those who oppose this bill will be the first suspects. An Angus Reid poll released in November shows that 78% of us think that the long gun registry has been a failure. But this country is run mostly by special interest groups and lobbyists so it does not even matter much what the majority think.

If parliament is serious about cutting waste and doing the right thing, this bill will pass.

It All Comes Clear

Does our government ever 'waffle'? Of course they do. In order to govern by popular opinion instead of true leadership, they will float an idea and then see what happens. Yesterday's poll on MSN.ca regarding changes to the wording of our national anthem showed that 80% of us do not want changes. So, naturally, next comes a waffle. There will now be no changes because "Canadians have spoken".
But just a minute here. How did this hair brained idea start in the first place? It seems we have a politically correct Conservative caucus who knuckled under pressure from one of their own, one Senator Nancy Ruth. And what was her agenda? She is a gay feminist. 'Nuff said.

Politically Correct

And here I thought it was the Liberals who were always pushing political correctness. There is a movement afoot in our National Parliament to change the lyrics of 'Oh Canada'. We should have known that sooner or later somebody would feel left out and it appears that "in all our sons command" leaves out the girls in the land. This is just not right, of course, and something MUST be done. How could this have been overlooked for all these many years, throughout our history?
When you closely examine the lyrics of our anthem, there is room for much politically incorrect interpretation. Even "with glowing hearts" seems to have been usurped by the Olympic committee and can we now even use it in our anthem without treading on copyright laws?
I suggest that if this proposed change takes place, then nothing is sacred and our famous Tim Horton's will become Kim Horton's.

Genes

My Dad's side of the family is blessed with good genes. They tend to live to ripe old ages, and many of them are still going strong in their nineties. My Uncle Jack, who is almost 90 himself, came over the other day with documentation that showed that he, (therefore my father and me also) was related to Canada's oldest living person, one Elizabeth Unger Driedger, who turned 111 years old on Feb 8, 2010. She is related on my father's mother's side. Did any of this trickle down to me? Only time will tell.

Deceit

Maybe our provincial government is hoping that in the afterglow of the Olympic Games we will not notice that as things get back to business as usual, that they are telling us a big fat lie. The announcement on the morning news today (March 3) is that BC Hydro, our electrical utility here in BC, is applying to the utilities commission for a 9% increase in rates. The news release states that the additional revenue is required for 'infrastructure'. What a coincidence that our provincial government tabled a budget just yesterday with zero tax increases. I heard a government 'insider' say on the radio this morning that BC Hydro was called by the minister in charge and asked to increase its revenues to the general budget of the province by $250,000,000.00. Not only that, but the expected increase for next year will be 10%! So, my friends, when you pay your hydro bills in the future, you are not just paying for the electricity you use, you are paying a huge hidden tax.
There is only one source of revenue for any government, and that is you and me. Why can they not be honest and just call it a tax? It is a lie on top of a deceit.

Have You Noticed?

As spring approaches, we notice every morning how the days are lengthening. Actually, the days are not getting any longer, only the amount of daylight changes for the better. But just one minute. It has been calculated by NASA that the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile has actually shifted the axis of the earth enough to shorten our days. You will now have less time to shop, nap, work, eat, go out for coffee, or whatever else you do every day. Have you not noticed? I am not surprised if you have not, because our days now are only 1.2 microseconds shorter. By the way, a microsecond is one millionth of a second. You don't have to rush after all.

Working Out

As I do several times a year, I hauled out my blood pressure monitoring kit a few weeks back to see if I was still alive. Yes, I have blood pressure, and it is still very good. All last year it was in the optimal range. It crept up into the low normal range this time and I thought I would do a little experiment. I have been on the treadmill every day for the last two weeks with the exception of yesterday. I walk at 3 mph for twenty minutes (1 mile) and it leaves me with an elevated heart rate and a revved up metabolism. I find walking on the treadmill is more of a workout that just walking down the road. I do not hold onto the bars as they are too low for me so I watch TV and walk. Maintaining a pace and position that keeps me from falling off the back, as well as the extra balancing that is required, warms me up pretty good.
Yesterday I put on my pedometer in the morning to see how many steps I walked. The benchmark for good health is 10,000 steps a day. In the morning, we did our shift at church, running around in the kitchen making sure 250 folks got their coffee and bagels in the 'drop in' center. Then, after the hockey game, busylizzy and I went for a good long walk. At the end of the day, my total steps were 10,750. Now that was a work out. I do not think I could do that every day without a deliberate attempt. I will test a normal work day to see where that brings me. I might be surprised. In another week or two, I will again test my blood pressure and see if the regular exercise will make a difference to my blood pressure, which is already good. If it does not make any difference at all, I will have to find a really good excuse to keep on exercising, apart from work. :)

In Retrospect

I am writing this just after having watched the closing ceremonies. Maybe I am suffering from Olympic burnout (this is a logical consequence of too much Olympic fever) but I did not enjoy the closing production as much the opening or the games themselves. For me, the highlight of the finale was the opening scene where the failure of the torch in the opening ceremonies was made fun of. I thought it was a brilliant strategy, and well done.
The theme was an attempt to poke fun at all the Canadian stereotypes, you know, the red serge of the RCMP, the beaver, the birch bark canoe, the maple leaf, etc. I thought that it only reinforced the stereotypes. The comedic routines fell flat (I was hoping somebody would beam up Captain Kirk) except for one snippet of brilliance when it was explained how the Canadians are polite and are always apologizing. The background graphic showed a Canadian athlete on the podium receiving a Gold Medal and saying, "I'm sorry. I will have it bronzed."
The staging for the various musical artists (I use the term loosely) was brilliant, but not so the bands themselves. Maybe it was just not my style. And did I mention that I am totally done with all those commercials that kept interrupting the proceedings?
Brian, the CTV host through most of the two weeks, had a good editorial after the last bit of fireworks signaled the end of everything. He went on about the unifying effect of these games on all of Canada. If what we saw on TV was any indication, he is right and it may be a historical turning point in our nation's history. It occurred to me that if it is true, it is in great part due to the flavour of the coverage that CTV gave the games and everything surrounding them. They definitely emphasised the positive aspects of everything and did not dwell on or make stories of anything negative. How easily the mood of the nation could have been influenced if the network poobahs had decided to give these games and Vancouver, and BC a rough ride. And they could have. It was not all roses, but putting a positive spin on almost everything elevated the mood of the nation and what resulted was an outpouring of patriotism that had not been seen in this country in my lifetime.
Before the Olympics, I made comments on my blog that I was neutral to these games, not a booster, nor a protester. I have changed my take on that. I suppose I have been caught up in the excitement, the drama, the pride, and the patriotism. I also now have a brighter outlook for the future of my country. May the effects of these games linger on and become a focal point for what we can do together.

A Golden Moment

I was beginning to think that this Hockey final was being over-hyped. After all the talk and anticipation, would it be a let-down? There was so much riding on the outcome that I was feeling sorry for both teams because of all the pressure being put on them, all the expectations, almost all the hopes and dreams of both their respective nations. But there would be a winner and there would be a loser.
I am sure you watched it or have heard all about it already so I will not recap it. Suffice to say that it was probably the best hockey game I have seen in recent times. It had plenty of drama, excellent play, and emotion enough for the most stoic of viewers.
This was the perfect finish for a near perfect Olympic games. Canada not only did well, but they exceeded previous records and in the process unified the country like nothing in recent memory. Maybe it was this significance that prompted busylizzy to watch it with me. Yes, you read that correctly. She actually watched the whole game with me. I still can't believe it! But true to a woman's perspective, that is, one who is not a sports fan in the least, her comment as the Canadians lined up for their gold medals was, "When they line up like that with their red and white uniforms, they all look like Campbell's Soup tins." It kind of stole the Golden Moment.

Olympic Curling

I was just a kid. After hockey practice, I would climb up onto the bleachers and if I stood on my tip toes, I could watch the curling match through the open vents between the curling rink and the hockey arena. I found it fascinating and eventually I did get to play a bit. Then, in grade 10, I got to play in a few bonspiels, which is curling talk for tournaments. It is a game that is a perfect marriage between strategy and skill.
I caught most of the Olympic Gold Medal Women's final on Friday. The match hinged on a critical shot, time and time again, but on the last shot, our gal missed her rock and we ended up with Silver. Saturday is the men's final. After watching both men's and women's, I find that the big difference is that the skill level is so high with the men, that it all boils down to strategy. It is a fascinating sport to both watch and play. We are guaranteed a medal so it should be fun.
But, of course, the big finale is the Canada/USA hockey match on Sunday. It was a real nail-biter watching the Slovakians almost overtake Canada in the third period on Friday night, but it is only right that the final should be USA and Canada. It has always been the classic battle. The women's hockey team won Gold. Can the men match that? It will be one of the most watched events in Canadian television history. You may hear me yelling from your place!

Tilikum The Killer Whale

This giant mammal is really living up to its name these days. Tilikum has killed again. It has taken another trainer into the water and snuffed out her life. This is the third time! Why is it that a dog is put down for attacking a human, yet this Orca Whale is given yet another chance? Why not put this bully out into the open ocean and let it fend for itself. Nature will take its course. These animals are majestic, yes, but they are not endangered. Whale trainers are.

Olympic Fever

I cannot remember when I have spent so much time in front of the TV. I only watch hockey and Survivor, as a rule, but lately I have been spending too much time with the Winter Olympics. Apart from the athletic competitions, there have been some interesting aspects to these games. Take the above photo for example. How many millions of photographs have been taken through this chin link fence? What a sad comment about our modern society that we build an icon such as this and shield it from the very people who are paying for it. No doubt, without the fence, it would have been vandalized by now. But why not build it on a pedestal with unscalable walls. Or put it out on a mini island with a moat around it. Or dedicate some of the $ Billion in security funding to protecting this cauldron? And how did that person get on the other side of that fence? Privilege or stealth?

There is much talk about the cost of the games. By most standards, it has already been deemed a huge success. The figure of $8 Billion has been bandied about, but that would include the cost of most of the infrastructure that will remain long after the Olympians go home. The actual cost of putting on the games apart from infrastructure is said to be less than $2 Billion although that is difficult to believe when the security bill alone is half of that. But, if one is to extend that $8 Billion into the future as an ongoing debt, then it is only fair to incorporate into the numbers all the future revenues that will be drawn from the infrastructure. Only time will tell if the books will be balanced in that regard.

The legacy of the games are many faceted. We will have use of an up-graded Sea to Sky Highway, we have a new Trade and Convention Centre, we have huge Sky Train up-grades, newly developed Real Estate at the Olympic Village, and probably most important, we have the goodwill and amazing advertising of our city and our province as images were broadcast around the world every day for two weeks. One of the biggest and most unexpected bonuses has been the sense of pride, unity, and patriotism that risen up during these games. You cannot put a price on that but it will have long term positive spin offs.

I suppose I sense these games are a bit of historical turning point for our province, much like what Expo '86 did for us almost 25 years ago. I guess that is why I am watching so much TV.

My Neck

Just a quick up-date on my hip problems which were actually neck problems. I am very happy to report that I am almost completely better. My adjustments (treatments) are few and far between these days and the hip continues to improve. I am able to drive long distances now, something I have not done for a few years now. I am back walking and have even taken to a treadmill daily.
Today I am mailing a number of letters I have written to several of the seven therapists I went to and was treated by in my quest for a solution. They are not nasty letters, but merely to inform the various doctors and practitioners that there are limits to their knowledge, understanding, and capabilities of their particular discipline. It is in their best interest, I went on to say, that they should admit when they do not know and they should be open to new ideas and realise that there are people out there who know more than they do. How many patients are 'barking up the wrong tree', who are given false hope and who are paying money they cannot afford for treatments that are not doing them any good, and in some cases doing more harm? Of the seven, only one admitted, after two treatments, that I should seek other options as he did not know what my root problem was. I suppose it is a conflict for them to send a patient away, knowing they could earn hundreds of dollars by giving them hope and getting them to come back time after time. It is unethical for them to do that. In the long run, being honest is always the best policy and it would give them more credibility, which is good advertising, which results in more patients, which results in more income. Being greedy is always shortsighted.

Up Close and Personal

We were extended an invitation to a 'House Concert' on Sunday afternoon. Our friends, Ian and Mona, have a vested interest in a band by the name of "House of Doc". The band's newest member is soon to be their son-in-law. When Ian told me the genre was Blue Grass/Gospel, I was in. I checked out their tunes here and liked what I heard, but we were in for a real treat hearing them in person, up close and personal. These are 4 inter-related people with Menno backgrounds and a vast array of musical talents. Between the four of them they played 14 different instruments, all with skill and verve. But their finest instruments were their voices. They have improved since their album releases and since Ian's future son-in-law has joined the team. The vocal harmonies sent chills down my spine, and they do plenty of that. Their music is lively, at times soulful, and always toe tapping. They had just come back from playing at two different Olympic venues. We were a small group for an audience, maybe forty five of us, but they did a full blown concert! They certainly made a fan out of me.

A Rare Goal

Ryan Miller, the USA goal tender, letting in a rare goal tonight.

The Canadians are choking in the games. Never before has there been so much hype about "owning the podium". The Canadian Olympic programs have received infusions of cash and the athletes have contended well on the world stage prior to the Olympics, but when it comes to 'crunch time', the results are just not there. Tonight we saw another example in the Men's Hockey as Canada fell to the USA. Let's face it. Ryan Miller was outstanding. Normally, with the way Canada played, and with the amount of shots they put on Miller, they should have won. But, some rather untimely penalties and some poor puck handling by our own goal tender made the difference and we now have to go the more difficult route to get to the medal round. We are down but are not out.
The expectations on our athletes are huge and many of them are taking their losses very personally. We are hearing things like, "I feel I have let down my country". That is a heavy burden. Instead we should be celebrating our athletes for even qualifying to be there in the first place! When the top ten competitors are only hundredths of a second apart, being fifth or sixth holds no shame. What I am most proud of is the way we as Canadians are wrapping ourselves in a patriotism that actually out performs the Americans. I have never seen anything like it and this new feeling of pride and of country bodes well for our future. Nations become great when all the citizens pull together and have common goals. A sense of unity will bring us much farther than dissension and strife. When the people of this country, of all stripes, wear the Maple Leaf, we become strong and will be able to accomplish great things.
Sure, it is disappointing for the athlete and the fan when we do not win, but, if in the process we can become unified, we have won much more than a piece of metal to hang around our neck, we have won a great future for our country.

Olympics

Forget the Blog. I'm into Olympics! Go Canada, go! Curling rocks! (Get it?)

Careful Now

I like the move our Government took today when they announced that they would be tightening up the qualifications for mortgages, especially for first time buyers. The buyer will now have to be able to show that they can sustain a 5 year mortgage at current rates as opposed to three years. Also the amount of equity a home owner will be able to withdraw from their home is decreasing. It is nice to see that someone is learning from the huge mistakes that were made south of the border. It is said that a large number of first time buyer are one paycheck away from being in default with their mortgage lender. It used to be three months.

So beware. This is a huge indicator that the government is more or less admitting that there is big time inflation in our near future. This is actually a no brainer because inflation always follows a recession and government deficit spending. And of course, inflation guarantees that the interest rates will go up. How nice for those with a big bank account when the interest rate rise, as opposed to those with debt. Unfortunately, most are on the debt side of the equation.

A Good Read

Modern day Mongolian horsemen

A number of months ago, I picked up a book that I thought might be interesting. I was completely unfamiliar with the author, Conn Iggulden, but was intrigued with the cover's synopsis. I have been a Wilbur Smith fan for many years and really enjoy reading about history disguised as fiction. Or is it the other way around? If I can learn some history while reading a ripping good story, it comes alive for me and I can remember and understand the history part of it much easier.

The book to which I am referring happened to be the second in a series of three books depicting the story of Genghis Khan. Then, just before Christmas, when my kids asked me what was on my Christmas list, I suggested the two books of the series which I had not yet read. My Mexico 'beach read' was the first in the series, "Wolf of the Plains". It traces the great Mongol leader's early years and tells the fascinating story of how Genghis united the warring Mongol tribes when he was yet a very young man. His very difficult childhood fashioned him for the job, but he was always driven by who he was, the son of a great Khan who met an untimely death.

I have now learned about his life from childhood to the invasion of China. These books are very well written and hard to put down, right from the first page. I am looking forward to the third and final book of the series. I do not have to go looking for it. It is right here on my shelf. Yes!

The Guide

We took a trip to Bellingham on Saturday. It seems that fabric is hugely less expensive in that city than anywhere near here. Lizzy is into quilting these days so, of course, we had to make the journey. For any of you who have ever driven there from the Canadian border, you know what a slow and agonizing trip that can be. Like the freeway that leads north of Puerto Vallarta, the Guide Meridian (what a cool name for a road) has been under construction since the days of Julius Caesar. I am happy to report that the up-grade is almost completed. There are five or six roundabouts which makes it a trip free from traffic lights. It is wide and smooth and there are only a few little bumps and irregularities that need fixing and it will be a done deal.

I had the brilliant foresight to take a book with me while 'the busy one' was shopping for just the right pattern and shade for her next quilt. As I scanned the parking lot at Joanne's House of Fabric, I saw that I was not the only guy who refused to enter that establishment. I had the car window rolled down an inch and a couple was walking past. There were very few couples going into the store, but mostly women on a mission who wisely left their men at home or in the vehicle. I overheard the whiny voice of the man say,"Please don't be mad at me" as he followed his little woman by ten paces. He had probably made a very reasonable request to stay home and watch the Winter Olympics. Before you, my dear readers, jump to any conclusions, I will tell you that I went voluntarily. Actually, I had an ulterior motive. We happened to turn into the Costco Parking lot on the way home, happened to walk into Costco, and happened, of all things, to stumble upon those delectable Macadamia Nut Clusters Enrobed in Milk Chocolate. There happened to be such an immense pile of them that I felt sorry for the order clerk, who obviously overstocked on that item, so I relieved him of some of them. I may have saved his job.
I try to do at least one good deed every day.

Fixated

It stared with what was to be just a bit of Women's Hockey. After enjoying the 18 to 0 drubbing the Canadian girls gave the Slovakian women, I watched some speed skating. I got a bit hooked and then the women's moguls came on and by the time I witnessed Jennifer Heil win a silver medal, I had spent several hours in front of the TV.
I realised that for the very first time, I was able to watch an Olympic event in my own time zone. This has some good advantages. I also saw what a fantastic turnout the venues are getting and it makes me proud and happy that we do not have to populate the stands with zombies the way the Chinese did in the summer Olympics. Of course, we as polite Canadians are being good hosts by cheering all the athletes, in the spirit of good sportsmanship and hospitality. And, in spite of the warm rains, Cypress bowl is still able to have some snow, even though it came from Manning Park.
I keep thinking about that torch run at the end of the opening ceremonies last night. It has to be one of the lamest finishes, to what was a fantastic program, that I have ever seen. I thought the Olympics was about athleticism. Here we have a 'has been' hockey player riding in the back of a pickup truck, in the rain, trying to keep the torch burning. It looked like a bit of a red-neck idea to me. And didn't riding in the back of a pick-up result in Rick Hansen's spinal cord injury? After all the fantastic artistry and showmanship of the ceremonies, I guess they just ran out of ideas. Let's hope they do better when they close shop in a few weeks.

The Ceremony

I sat in front of my TV for 3 1/2 hours on Friday night watching the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. How could I not after all the hype? A few observations.

It was spectacular and very well done. It made me proud to be a Canadian on a certain level. Being in our back yard made it even more meaningful. I have not been a big fan of the Olympics, but neither have I been a protester. There are two Olympic worlds, the politics and money, and the sport. The sport I have no problem with and the ceremony celebrated the athletes, and in part, the events that will take place in the following days.

For the uninitiated, it would appear that Canada is a French country full of Aboriginals. This has not been my experience in the 61 years that I have lived here. Why portray our culture so heavily leaning to the Native Indian culture? That was our beginning, but none of us live in that century any longer and Canada can be defined by some of our modern day attributes more accurately. I suppose it is political correctness.

Why do we have to listen the embarrassment of Alberta, KD Lang. Again, for the uninitiated, it was probably impossible to tell its gender.

When will we put Wayne Gretsky out to pasture? In my opinion he was a manufactured hockey player and was not that great except for his very early years. Gambling scandals and a dismal coaching career (when we all learned his limited and profane vocabulary by lip reading his rants) have turned me against him as a sports icon.

Other than those beefs, I thought the event was very well done and I must say that I had a moment or two of pride that I was a Canadian. But then I have always felt that way and I do not need a multi-billion dollar event to boost my pride.

The photo above was the one moment when things did not go well. That empty hole on the left was supposed to be a fourth pillar of fire, but alas, the hydraulics did not function and it was a blemish on an otherwise perfectly executed ceremony.

Tomorrow the events begin. The weather is a concern for many of the outdoor sports, but somehow they will manage to get the medals awarded. They always do.

After the Big Blow

I make decisions and then try to have no regrets, but this time, my decision to be unencumbered with my camera, on a trip to a place I have many photos of already, was a dumb move. One never knows when photo opportunities arise. Lizzy had her camera but does not see things the way I do so the record of events is minimal, to say the least. I would have been keen to record all the destruction the following morning, but I cannot tell another person what to do with their camera.
The complex was littered with a blanket of plant debris, most of which looked like it had gone through a food processor. There were many larger limbs down also, and a few larger trees snapped off or uprooted. The staff had already been working through the night to clean up the mess. It was unbelievable how in 48 hours there was not a stitch of evidence that there had been a hurricane. We heard many stories about that night, making us grateful that we were in our rooms when it hit. Those near the beach had to take shelter on the lea side of pillars and walls as the sandblast from the beach was brutal. Anything loose, such as a young man's papers, as I overheard the next day, simply vanished. The rooms facing the ocean, about 100 yards off the beach, had their patio windows blown inward and the guests had to take shelter in their bathrooms from the driving sand and broken glass. The clay tile, a common form of roofing, littered the ground and there was not a tile roof anywhere unscathed. A large thatch roof on a building near the beach was demolished. Poolside umbrellas and lounges were scattered. Rows of low shrubs were simply uprooted and lying on their sides where once they stood erect. Fifteen foot palm fronds were hanging down, their backs broken. One building nearest the ocean had a lot of its paint blown off and it was lying in the grass in large pieces. It was a mess.
We decided to walk to the little village of Bucerius while the clean up was taking place. There we saw the largest tree in the middle of the town Flea Market completely uprooted and fallen across the main power lines. The power was out and crews were working to restore it, with chain saws buzzing and men up on the power poles. It began to rain again and soon we were darting from overhang to tree, trying to prevent a good soaking. We were grateful it was not cold. Soon the water was running down the streets once again and we took shelter in the big open doorway of the Catholic Church in the town square. A big tour bus pulled up and a wedding party dashed out of the bus and into the dry confines of the church. It was the wedding that was supposed to be on the beach that day. We made our way back through the streets of Bucerias, no longer caring about being wet and wading through water up to our ankles.
We got back to our rooms, had a refreshing hot shower and changed into dry clothes. We looked at one another and wondered how we could have picked the worst week of the year in which to have a vacation.

Just Like on CNN

After thoroughly checking out the bruised jaw and determining that it was not a serious issue, we got into some holiday attire and set out for out first dinner. It was everything we had remembered but better. We noticed throughout the week that there were many improvements to the resort since our last visit there three years ago.
After dinner we decided to attend the evening show. Because of the constant threat of showers, the event was held inside the disco which is immediately behind the outdoor bowl theater where it usually takes place. It was crowded and humid in the somewhat confined space, but the show was great and we were really getting into the mood of a Mexican vacation.
We had been up since 4 am that morning so we decided to call it a day and headed back to our room which luckily adjoined the room of our travelling companions. We stood out on the back balcony watching the lightening in the distance and marveling at the balmy air in spite of the rain. We bid each other good night and stepped into our rooms where only a minute later we heard a sudden roar as a violent wind hit the resort. It went from dead calm to hurricane force in the blink of an eye. We did not dare step out for fear of being blown off the third floor balcony, so we watched through the patio window. Almost immediately, the lights went out and our view toward the village of Bucerias became devoid of even the smallest flicker of light. The lightening was now coming at rapid intervals, each time illuminating the violent scene unfolding before our eyes. It was like watching CNN coverage of Hurricane Katrina or Andrew as the palm branches were splayed at a horizontal angle and the torrential rain was flying by without falling ground ward. We began to hear popping and cracking noises and knew that trees were being ripped apart and probably many being uprooted. It was scary but I must say that never once did we feel insecure in our concrete constructed building. There was never a shudder, creak or groan in the building itself.
Within an hour, it had blown itself out and we went to bed, wondering what we would see the next morning. Just before we drifted off to sleep, the distant roar of generators was evident and the lights came on. I fumbled for the switch and fell into a deep sleep.

Not What We Expected

For a week before we left, we kept an eye on the Puerto Vallarta weather forecast. Each and every day we looked at it, the rain was supposed to come the next day and then nothing but sun.
There was a delayed system hovering over the Bay of Banderas and sure enough, we landed there in a torrential downpour. It was a warm tropical rain, but water was running everywhere and it was obvious that the streets were not engineered for good drainage. The airport runway was a river and our baggage was soaked and dirty just from the transfer from plane to terminal.
Once again we survived the gauntlet of time share sales people in Arrivals, but our travelling companions were almost not so lucky. They were being sucked into the vortex of slick salesmen disguised as our tour guides and were only rescued when we grabbed them by their arms and heaved them away to the waiting bus that was our escape.

We were following the porter on the way to our rooms, weaving in and out of the rain and the dryer corridors. There were "Slippery when Wet" signs everywhere, but when you fall, you fall. Lizzy did a face plant right on the tile floor in the Tropical Lobby and when I looked back, there she was, lying spread eagled, flat on her face, and not moving a whole lot. I rushed to her side and she started to turn over, working her jaw back and forth. She had taken the impact on her jaw and it was a miracle that it was not broken or cut. No teeth or tongue missing either! We thought that would be enough trauma for one night, but we were only starting!

There Are No Photos That Represent The Way I Feel

I pulled my thick winter socks over my tanned feet this morning, and it hit me. I'm Back! It feels rather odd to being wearing long pants, but I do it today for survival. As I shaved my haggard face, the colour in it was the only redeeming quality. Because part of the tan is burn, it will no doubt peel away in a day or two. I stood on the scale and noticed, not to my surprise, that I had gained five pounds. That too will go away, hopefully as quickly as the tan. Our new luggage is battered and dirty for reasons I shall reveal later, and the clothes in it, which still smelled like tropical Mexico, are now in the laundry.
What did I come home to? What some might call mild weather, phone messages, a mountain of mail, and 95 emails, the most of which required some response or action. I know from experience not to schedule work for the day after a vacation and in this case, I may need more than that just to catch up. I will decide tonight. Having known before hand that there were critical issues to deal with once I was home, I was still able to shut it all out and bask in the pure joy of an all inclusive vacation in a beautiful Mexican resort. I soaked it all up, drank it all in, absorbed it into my sub-conscious, there to retrieve at will when I am cold, miserable, tired, hungry, or discouraged.
In the next couple of posts, I will talk a bit about our little getaway, and how it got off to a most astounding and unexpected start.

Wish You Were Here

Picollo's Specialty Italian Restaurant in the newly constructed area of the Royal Decameron.

We had a 'close call' and we had not even left home yet. Late Sunday night I was looking at our flight tickets and noticed that my name was spelled wrong. This kind of slip up was never a problem before the world became paranoid about safety. Apparently the name on the flight information had to match, exactly, the name on the passport. I hustled over to the travel agent first thing Monday and she informed that yes, it was a good thing I had noticed. The information they took from me was accurately recorded in their files, but the airline issued the ticket in a revised spelling, the way somebody thought it should be spelled. Had our flight been to the USA, there is no doubt that I would not be permitted on board the plane with a discrepancy such as that. Going to Mexico is a lightly different story, but still ugly and complicated.

It is no wonder that some people are too nervous about travelling to get up off their easy chair. Anyway, wish you were here, or at least that is what people almost always say when they communicate with those unlucky enough to not travel with them.

Gone At Last

This is exactly where we will be if you are reading this at 3 pm this afternoon. No more blog posts until we return.

OOps! This got posted a day early. Do not read until Feb. 2