Days of Noah Part 2

This is in the north half of the Central Fraser Valley called Matsqui Flats. Here too the snow melt and heavy rains flooded a lot of farmland.

When the pioneers settled here many years ago, I am sure they did think they would be classified as Lake Front Property. I think we could raise these people's taxes.

The water had receded somewhat by the time I got there but was still very high. There were no homes flooded here and it looks worse than it is. These lands are mainly for growing blueberries and for grazing dairy cattle. The water leaves a few days after the rains halt. This area is only a few kilometers from the Fraser River and it will drain quickly.

Back to Sumas Prairie, this is a roadside ditch full to overflowing. Only two days ago, these ditches were level with snow drifts and the visibility on the adjoining freeway was zero, with traffic stopped in both directions. True blizzard conditions to flooding in 48 hours.

The Fraser Glen golf course will not be seeing any golfers for some time, unless of course, they have scuba gear. Almost all 18 holes were under water.

Man the Life Boats

Our local Emergency Flood Center opened today. No wonder. Not only are the rains pelting down, but the warm wind and rains are melting the snow at unprecedented rates. Although our own property is saturated, it somehow seems to keep absorbing more, like those Bounty paper towels they advertise on TV. I can't believe that all the snow of the last three weeks is almost gone!

It was back to work today after a rather long period of rest. I call it rest, but it was unemployment. After the sore back of the day before, I awoke with so much pain in my lower back that I could not reach down to pull on my socks. So I went to work with no socks. Just kidding. I did get them on after walking for a few minutes to limber things up. I slept very little as every toss and turn brought a new twang of agony. However, it was a good decision to get working instead of babying the back. By noon I could almost walk upright and I stopped grunting like a chimpanzee. At 2 pm I was able to take the back brace off and actually bend and pick things up. (Mostly food)

I guess it is like a cold. It will run its course so you might as well just carry on. Resting just makes it stiff and even more sore when I do move, as I found out tonight watching the hockey game in almost one long stretch.

Oh, and we did win the game, but I was not able to do my little victory dance. Maybe next game, on Friday.

Change in Fortunes

I was feeling a little sorry for myself yesterday, but having just said that I would live one day at a time, I was contradicting myself. How quickly circumstances can change! After 10 rings, I finally got to my cell phone which I had inadvertently left off both Sunday and Monday. This is a bad thing when you are in business. It was Gerry's last attempt to reach me and he was about to hang up. Long story short, with the exception of 3 days next week, I am set for work for almost two months now. This is the good news.

Yesterday it was pouring rain, and naturally, the water was finding it difficult to drain with all the snow and ice around. I got home and found that my driveway was covered and the water was creeping toward my house. I got out the shovels and spades and chipped away at the ice in the gutter along the road until I came to the storm sewer and triumphantly watched as the water gushed away from my house. There was a price to pay. I was soaked to the skin, a temporary discomfort easily rectified, but was bent over and almost limping from a twisted back. Imagine after all the shovelling I have done over the last three weeks without injury, I hurt myself on the last swing of the shovel for the season. Now I am concerned about working tomorrow with a sore back. (Notice I am not giving myself any other option) :-)

Left Behind

We were talking about the series of books "Left Behind" the other evening when some friends were over for coffee and lemon pie. Today is a day when I feel left behind. The holiday period lasted a long time this year with so many of us house bound because of the snow and bad road conditions. Even today (Monday) the schools are closed and the wheels of commerce are still not in full motion, but according to the calendar, we are far enough into the year that we should all be up and running. I am not and will not be for another week. Add this to the very slow December that I had and I am getting a taste of retirement. I am now satisfied with just a taste, but somehow, I don't like the flavour. Of course, when I do actually retire, there will be a plan in place and the fact that I do not have work will not be wearing on me, but still, as much as I sometimes complain about work, it has been in my blood for so long that I feel anemic without it. I believe we were all born to be creative and to produce and when we are not, we are incomplete.

The photo: Amid all the overcast and snow, we caught a quick glimpse of the sun on Saturday. It really does exist!

Snow on Top of Snow

Will it really all come to an end this week? We have been living in a Canadian reality for the last several weeks, a world of cold and snow. We can no longer be smug about our warm winter climate as we gloat in front of our friends in the rest of Canada. We are all in the same boat this year. At last some Canadian unity.
In the above photo we see the extent and depth of the snow. This is not drifting but the kind of snow that falls straight down and just accumulates, piling ever higher and deeper. One would think this were just another pile of snow if it were not for the antenna revealing that there might be something under there.
The transition from cold arctic air to warm Pacific moist air is always interesting, sometimes bringing with it freezing rain and last minute snow accumulations. We will know within hours of me writing this. By the time you read this we will either be digging out again, hearing the crashing of ice laden branches as they snap off the trees under the weight of the ice, or we will be scrambling to unblock the storm sewers to accommodate the runoff from the torrential warm rains.
This transition is timely as Monday is the official end of the Christmas/ New Year break. I will attempt to settle into a routine once again, hopefully a more productive one that what I have experienced in the last month. Fortunately, I have some projects and contracts lined up for January and part of February so we will be keeping the Recession Wolf away from the door for another period of time. The New Year has always brought with it an element of uncertainty, but this year I feel more at ease about it than ever before. In hind sight, I have realised that there was never anything to be anxious about, so why start into that thinking again. As I have posted previously, living one day at a time is a peaceful existence.

Sun Catcher?

Here is a shot of our Sun Catcher turned Snow Catcher. There has not been a lot of sun to catch lately, in fact the top of the shiny globe is taking on a dull rusty patina from all the moisture. Every time I have walked past it in the last two weeks, I have seen a reflection of an old guy with a snow scoop in his hands and this one time, I thought I would catch this image so in the heat of summer I could go back in time and remember how cold it was only a few months ago.

The one thing about living in the valley here is that the 4 seasons are not distinct, but rather meld, one into another. Not this winter. Having the ice and snow has been a sure fire closure on Autumn and when it finally goes away, if it ever does, it will seem like spring has arrived.

Today, Friday, (remember I pre-date some of my posts) we had a few more inches of snow so, more shovelling. My customer cancelled the job I was to do. It is a long story, but certainly weather related.

After cleaning a path to the street, I helped a neighbour clear two parking spots for his dinner guests tonight. After clearing one, I just told him he could use our driveway tonight. A few minutes later, I am informed by my social director that we are having friends in tonight. What to do. Things usually work themselves out and tonight was no exception. One hour before our friends were to arrive, they called and cancelled due to an on coming illness. No sooner had I put down the phone when I heard that familiar whizzing sound of tires spinning on ice. The Pizza delivery boy, who had no clue about snow and ice, got stuck on my neighbours driveway and was trying to burn and spin his way to the center of the earth where it is rumoured to be cozy and warm. He was well on his way until I was able to throw some sand under his now hot and bald tires and he was suddenly projected back onto the road, amid a haze of blue smoke and stench.

After all the excitement of the day, including a pleasant afternoon visit with some relatives from Calgary, I was finally able to settle down and watch my Vancouver Canucks get beat by the Atlanta Thrashers.

Just another day of winter in Canada. Hello ....... are you still awake?

More Snow and the Final Gathering

Yes, boys and girls, just when you think you might be putting the shovel away for the winter, along comes another six inches of snow. And not the light fluffy stuff of December, but what we usually get here, heavy, wet, and sticky, gut wrenching, muscle tearing, ligament stretching, hernia inducing, cardiac arresting slush. But, my carefully chosen Canadian Tire snow shovel stood the test, as did my aging body, and we both lived to tell the tale. There is a call for a mixed bag of weather for the next few days so my snow woes may not yet be over. One benefit of all this grunt work is that I am developing Arnold Schwarzenegger like shoulders. Now, if I only had his money, I would hire the kids up the street to do the work like they wanted to do a few days ago.

That pretty much took up my New Year"s Day morning and in the afternoon we slipped (literally) over to the rented hall at one of the local churches and had our Christmas/New Years family gathering on Lis's side. By noon, the snow had stopped falling and it was good that we did not cancel because almost everyone showed up! The food at these parties is always top notch and as to be expected, I over ate. But hey, I had just burned 8,641 calories that very morning! The church hall was just the right size and everything we needed was there, including a room to lock in all the rowdy little boys who were making Star Wars noises. We played some fun games and as usual, which is somewhat unusual, everybody got along famously.

Lis's parents, who are 79 and 80, were given an opportunity to recall an interesting Christmas from their past. We heard stories, again, from their young years during the war in Russia, Germany, and Poland, and it gave us a profound gratitude for our own circumstances today.

It never hurts to look back on a New Year's Day. Looking back before we look forward helps us do so with wisdom.

So, another year begins. What will it bring? More adventure, to be sure.

When Will it Quit?

The New Year brings us more snow. We have no control but we can still ask, "When will it quit?" We are breaking records from 1964, my first year in this beautiful province. I remember hiring myself out to clear the roof of many a house on my street. The fear of excess weight, as the snow accumulations soaked up the rain, was enough to allay the fears of any damage done by a couple of 15 year old kids with metal shovels on a fragile roof. I must admit that we tore off a few shingles in the process. As I recall, there were no roof collapses and it was just an exercise in stimulating the economy. My economy.
I was loathe to turn down a couple of boys that came to my door a few days ago, offering to clear my driveway, for remuneration, of course. I had two very good reasons to turn down their offer. Although it was snowing at the time, I had just cleared it and there was no more that a few inches, hardly worth anybodies effort. The other, more important reason, was my waistline. Instead of diminishing, the way I would like it too, it is expanding. A good workout with the shovel aids somewhat in reversing this turn of events. Somebody once told me that too much chocolate will do that, but as far as I am concerned, that is an unproven theory, propagated by envious people.
It looks like I will be doing more shovelling before the winter is done, but be assured that I will fortify myself with a supply of unwrapped Ferrero Rocher in my jacket pocket, ready to be administered with my gloved and frozen hand at a moments notice. How else can I look forward to this unwanted task?

First Day of '09

So what else is new??

You obviously survived all the revelry, indulgence, and frivolity, or you would not be logging on to 'terryography'. Well, I survived too. I guess it is not too risky going to bed early with a glass of warm milk. I am required to be in fine fettle for the in law gathering later today. Bags under the eyes (bigger than usual) and staring inattentively into the distance when being spoken to would not impress anyone. I will report on this event tomorrow. I know. You can hardly wait.

So here are my predictions for the New Year, first, on the serious matters mentioned yesterday.
1. Barak Obama will surprise everyone by proving that he too is only human. He will stumble and fumble almost as badly as the outgoing Bush, but with more style and decorum. His ethnic supporters will be disappointed that he will not give them the nation's wealth on a platter, not that he wouldn't want to, but because America is broke. Period. He will find that the system is too entrenched in the old ways and the change he wants to implement will not be easy, or even possible.
2. Mr. Harper will do all the right things to appear to be compromising including implementing all the huge bail outs that the Liberals and the media are crying out for. It will be the undoing of Canada. Until. Yes, until he sees that Ignatieff is falling in the polls, if indeed that will happen. If it does, he will start once again pushing buttons and then call an election. His craving for a majority is almost as powerful as my craving for chocolate. But certainly, the economic meltdown will predominate most debate in the legislature.
3. "We aint seen nothin' yet" in terms of economic woes. There will be a rally in the markets, like we saw on the 29th and 30th, and when that has run its course, possibly in the next few months, look out. Also, because we are inching toward deflation, the tinkering governments will find a great way to convince us to spend our money and thus stimulate the economy. They will force inflation. They will do this by printing more money and sending cheques to all of us to help us in our economic hard times. More money circulating translates to the dollar being worth less and we will want to spend our saving before they are worthless. This is long term disaster. I could go on, but do watch for foreclosures across the country, both business and personal. Why do I say this? I do not wish it, but statistically, the average family in all of North America is 3 pay cheques away from insolvency. When double digit unemployment hits this year, it follows that the debts will become due, but cannot be serviced. I am sorry for those with heavy debt, but it is a consequence of our societal pressure to appear to be rich when in fact we are all living on credit.
4. The Arab (Muslim)/Israeli conflict has its origins in Old Testament times and is in the DNA of both people groups. It will not go away. I repeat. It will not go away. Israel has its Biblical right to exist in its 'Promised Land' and the Muslims will never rest until every "Israeli dog" is dead. This all sounds primitive because it is. It is primal. It is in the genetic code of the world. It will eventually play itself out just as the Bible prophesies, in spite of attempts by the UN or Barak Obama, or by anybody else and it will result in the end of the world as we know it.
Points 1-3 are opinion, but this is fact.

And now for a few inconsequential predictions for '09.
Oprah will continue to have body weight fluctuations, and will continue to know more than God.
Rick Mercer will continue to not be funny.
Mats Sundin will be one year older and not the man he once was.
Gordon Campbell will continue to believe in Global warming and carbon taxes even though the brass monkey's balls froze off this winter.
David Suzuki will be calling Al Gore to plan new strategies.
Chickens will remain in cages, at least until 2010.
The price of gas will be too high, no matter what the price of gas is.

If any of these predictions do not come to pass, you can call me on it, but do not expect me to pay any attention to you. :-)

Almost Done

A year end review is redundant. We were there, we know what happened, now lets move on. There were four major events of the last year that will have a huge impact on the immediate future and I would like to focus on that instead of simply repeating history. It is interesting that all four happened just very recently.

1. B. Obama became the president elect of the USA. A big story? Yes. But with the expectations so very, very high, it will be intriguing to see how it plays out. Will we really see the change that he promised and indeed was the cornerstone of his campaign? Or will his hands be tied by the cabinet he has chosen, the political realities of the day, and the economy he has inherited?

2. The attempted 'coup' in Ottawa in December. How will this flavour the politics of our land in the months to come? Will there be a conciliatory mood, or will there be pushing and shoving until another election is called? How will the new Liberal leader conduct himself. Will he become the leader the Liberals have been lacking for so long now, or will he also find disfavour and throw the party into even worse turmoil?

3. The continued spiralling downward of the world economy. We know it will get worse before it gets better, but how long and how deep will it infect our lives?

4. The recent air strikes against Gaza. Will world opinion continue to be against Israel? Will there ever be peace in that part of the world? Will Obama be able to use his influence to help those nations come to a lasting truce?

These are the four major history making events of the year. I would disappoint you readers if I did not have an opinion on each of these. Right? But that is for tomorrow.

Have a good time seeing in the New Year, but remember, all things in moderation. (except chocolate consumption)

Liam is Home

Liam came home this morning and is doing fine. He needs careful atention for 10 more days or so and then he can get back to playing hockey and discussing politics with his grand dad. (me)

Home Today?

We think Liam will be coming home today. Equipment will have to be rented and Liam will need treatments for 2 more weeks. We are so thankful that modern medicine and our payers have resulted in a little boy who is well on his way to recovery. Thanks again, everyone, for your encouraging comments and your prayers. Liam's two older brothers are missing him a bunch and it will be a happy reunion tomorrow.

Liam Update

Naturally, our thoughts and prayers have been toward our little grandson, Liam, in the last 24 hours. He is battling against pneumonia and needs Ventolin every few minutes to help him breathe. There has been a marked improvement in the last 24 hours for which we are very grateful. He is putting on a brave face and in spite of being in discomfort is smiling and seeming to charm everyone in the hospital who sees him. We miss him and want him back soon. Thanks to all who have called and emailed offering encouragement and prayers.

Liam in the Hospital

This is Liam on Christmas Eve, a picture of health and about as happy and contented as a 3 month old baby can be. And then the phone call early this morning. Liam had picked up a bit of a cough from his older brothers who naturally caught it at school. We saw him on Saturday night and his chest congestion was worse, but he was happy and eating well. That night at 4 am or so, he got admitted to the hospital. As those of you familiar with our health care system know, you have to be in a bad way before you are admitted. After various x-rays and tests it was determined that he has pneumonia, not good for someone so young. He has been getting treatments all day and as I write this (Sunday evening) there is an improvement in his condition. We and many others have been praying for him and continue to do so. It is amazing how much love and concern there is for someone who has only been in this world for three months. We are so endeared to him and love him so much already that we would gladly take his place in a heartbeat. For those who are reading this and say a prayer for Liam, may God bless you richly for doing so, and we thank you.

Soon Back to Normal

After last night's lovely extravaganza, there are only 3 more gatherings with accompanying over indulgences before we are back to our normal fare of soup and sandwiches. Our son-in-law's parents invited us to their Christmas/New Year open house. We met many new people, ate a lot of good food, and had a good time. We had been house bound for a few days, having many people in, but not getting out much so it was good to see the outside world once again. I discovered that there is not as much snow in the rest of our city as there is in our neighbourhood. This is not surprising as we have noticed this before. We seem to have our own little micro climate determined by the lie of the land. On a hot day in summer, it is just a bit cooler, on a windy day, just a bit calmer, and like the last few days, when it snows, we get just a bit more. But, the streets are draining, the snow is melting, our roof has stopped groaning, the basement is still dry, the power is on, and our bellies are full of chocolate. The year is ending in fine style.

And Then the Rains Came

I have lived on this street long enough to know what happens when there is heavy snow and then the rains come. With that in mind, I got out there early this morning and began to dig a channel along the curb so that as the rain and melted snow accumulated, it had a place to go. The storm drain is two houses down from me and my neighbour and I had it done in about an hour. He is new to the street so I was telling about the potential flooding and how the snow plow could come and ruin all our work and cause a big problem. Wouldn't you know it. The plow came storming around the corner up the street and fortunately was on the other side of the street. I knew he would be back, pushing all the road slush into our little man made channel. I have seen the street fill to a depth of 12 inches when this happens. By this time I was soaked from the rain and exhausted from pushing the heavy snow/slush. I simply stood in the path of the plow. He had to stop or commit a criminal act. He stopped. As he opened the cab door and turned off his stereo, a gush of warm dry air came spilling out and I thought he would not care about my plight. I explained the situation, he mildly protested but sensed my resolve, and when he put his massive machine back into gear, he carefully skirted my handiwork and saved the day for me. I am so grateful.
As I write this, my outer wear is drying by the fireplace, my belly is full of coffee laced with plenty of eggnog, and I know my street will not flood. But wait! What is that I hear. My roof is groaning under the weight of rain laden snow. I will have to get back to you later.

Tree Angel

This little beauty adorns our tree every year, as well as a few others like her. What is not to like, but is it not interesting how we look upon her differently from one day to the next? In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, and then Christmas Day, she represents the messenger of things to come, instilling in us a sense of anticipation. She reminds us of the angels who heralded the coming of the baby Jesus. Christmas is so much about anticipation because the Saviour was greatly anticipated by the Nation of Israel. Finally the day comes. All is so wonderful. Then the day fades, as does the wonderment and the waiting. And on Boxing Day and the days that follow, the little angel, as well as the other ornaments and adornments of Christmas, just becomes another thing to clean up so we can 'get on with it'.

So, was the whole thing pointless? No! There are many things in our lives that happen on a regular basis that we anticipate, either with joy or with dread, and when the event passes, we carry on, knowing that it will happen again. These events are reminders, and we need them to keep our lives in perspective. We know we cannot celebrate birthdays or anniversaries every day of the year, and yet they come and go, reminding us of the passage of time and give us opportunity to assess our lives and what we are doing with the passage of time. Christmas is a reminder that our Saviour has come, Easter a reminder that he is alive, and time in between is for living out this reality, not just looking forward to the next reminder.

Open Letter to God

Dear God: After hearing the songs of your people since the last week of November (I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas), we thank you for answering our prayers and dreams. The hills and side streets are laden with snow from your bounteous storehouses and we thank you.

We thank you for the beauty that now surrounds us and for the health and strength to pile it high beside the driveway. The crisp clean air is invigorating as we praise you for causing the cars and trucks to cease their driving and polluting, even if it means we too can no longer travel.

And as we think of tomorrow, even though you have advised us that we need not worry about tomorrow, we would ask, nay, beseech you Lord, that you would see fit to send the snow elsewhere.

We get it Lord. You have showed us in a very clear way that you are in control, that we, mere mortals, are not capable of changing the weather. If we were, would we have dumped all this snow on ourselves? So I ask, Lord, for the sake of my sore back, and my arthritic hip, that you would send no more snow to shower down upon us. It is falling on the just and the unjust and that does not seem to be fair. And one more thing. Thank you for my neighbour whom you chose to be blessed with a Bobcat, and furthermore, that you chose to bestow upon him a generous and compassionate heart, for he has cleared the road in front of my house once again. I am sure he has prevented a cardiac event in this humble servant of yours. Bless him and his family.

Amen

Christmas Day

It is Christmas Day, and if you have taken the time to peek into my blog, I thank you. It may be early in the day, and you are anticipating the activity to come, or it may be later, after all the excitement has died down. Either way, I wish for all my readers the joy and peace that we all talk about at Christmas. My hope for each of you is that when the day is done, there will not be a diminishing of your spirit, but may the glow of giving, goodwill, and generosity that was so exemplified by our loving God, extend to the days ahead. Blessings to all of you on this most special of days. Terry

Christmas

So what do we do with Christmas? It is not exactly like Valentine's Day which was invented by the Greeting Card industry, but it feels a lot like a contrived commercial endeavor. There is something in it for everyone, from toy manufacturers to credit card companies. I look forward to that aspect of Christmas less every year and I actually contemplate 'running away' in late November and returning sometime in early January.

As a Christian, I find myself searching, with great difficulty at times, for some meaning and profundity amidst all the flash and glitter. The fact that the Bible does not even suggest that we remember Christ's birth, makes it an even greater challenge. Should we even be doing this?

There is no doubt that Christ's birth was an incredible event, profusely and profoundly predicted, miraculously accomplished, and wonderfully told. Christ's life, His teachings, His death and His resurrection are the elements that define true Christianity. But in the light of Jesus' humble beginnings, there are some some incredible lessons.

The God of the universe came to Mary, a humble 12 year old girl of no special account other than that she was well versed in the scriptures and as a result had a sense that God knew what he was doing. Consequently, she was obedient and willing. Jesus' earthly father was a humble carpenter, a man who was probably deeply scorned because his betrothed was pregnant. Jesus was born in a stable, on a road trip, hardly what you would expect for someone of such great importance. Why the humble beginnings?

It is probably because God wanted to show mankind that he came for everyone, and each one of us has felt marginalized at one time or another. He did not identify with any power groups, the 'in' crowd, or people of influence. There was no agenda of concentrating power or privilege. This idea leads one to think that ' a saviour for mankind', and 'peace on earth and goodwill toward all men', is not in the collective sense, but more focused on the individual. I believe that God is in the business of dealing with us as individuals, more so than nations, peoples, and churches or denominations.

If this is truly God's intent, then we can rise above the madness of our modern day Christmas, see it for what it is and what it is not, and get down to the business of relating to this Saviour on an individual basis. Good will and peace starts with one on one.

If we really believe that God sent His son as a baby, to not only relate to us miserable humans, but to be a sacrifice for our wrongdoings, if we really believe that God is good, if we really believe that God loves us, if we really believe that God cares for us, it will impact our lives. For me, it will be the ability to rise above the worldly Christmas chatter, and meet God, through his son, face to face.

May each one of you have a very personal Christmas experience this year. May it happen while you are listening to a Christmas Carol, hearing or reading the Christmas story, watching your children or grandchildren taking in the wonders, or even in a quiet moment before or after the dinners and gift openings. May there be a point in time when you can say that you connected to the Saviour of the world, when you truly believed in Him and when you said to yourself that you totally trusted him.