Heaven Has Palm Trees

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

Blog Break

We're leavin'

On a jet plane

Don't know

When we'll be back again

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

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

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

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

Cops and Kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crisis

Crisis does not develop character, it displays it.

Boomer Trouble

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

This from Thursday's Wall Street Journal:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rome

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

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

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

Mysterious?

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

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

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

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

Hot and Cold

Eastern moon rise. Dec. 2011

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

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

Gas Up

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

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

Impossible!

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

Some Favourites From 2011

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

October Frost

Star burst

Low Glow

Maple Delight

Palm Desert

Autumn Rays

Hanging Basket

Flaming Sumac

Forbidden Berries

Morning Glow

Morning Glory

Deep Purple

Sun in a Flower

Upside Down Reflection

View From The Top

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

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

Mount Baker, as usual, was magnificent.

The late afternoon colours were warming up.

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

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

And to all my readers, Happy New Year.  

I've Been Kindled

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

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

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

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

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

Couldn't Put it Down

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

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

This is a page turner for sure.

Swimmin' in the Rain

Mr. Mallard

Mrs. Mallard

Ms. Mud Hen

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

Mistake!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christmas Fun

We always have a great time when we get together.

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

Angels on My Tree

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

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

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

Cold Duck

Click on this photo for some good detail.

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

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

It's Greek To Me

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

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

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

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

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

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