The theme for this year’s Parksville Sand Sculpture competition is The Roaring Twenties (or Twentys perhaps), and each visitor is given a token with which to make their selection for the People’s Choice Award. All the sculptures are well designed and well-executed so it is a hard choice.
I heard the gaggle of Canada Geese before I saw them. A goose’s call is very distinctive, and when there are many of them is it impossible to ignore. I saw the splashes as they landed in the channel beside the marina and then I watched as they paddled towards the shore between the docked […]
As I walk alongside the harbour, I greet other walkers at least a couple of dozen times in my 2k walk. I have been interested in the differences between “Hi,” “Morning,” “Good Morning,” and “Hello,” each said with varying inflections. I have also noticed that only people who make eye contact will greet me, and […]
Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes they are in the boxes sold as kits by the Little Free Library organization. Sometimes they are in repurposed newspaper vending boxes. And sometimes people just leave books lying around for strangers to pick up. I have seen them in airport lounges, on garden walls, […]
It has been too hot to walk during the day this week, so this morning I set out as soon as it was light but before the sun came up. What a delight!
When I moved in here on 10th, I thought I was being clever in arranging for the cable company to hook me up with TV and internet on the same day. I wasn’t clever enough, however, to realize that the technician would need access to the condo complex’s mechanical room. That requires a key that […]
Today I called 911 for the first time in my life. At least, I think it was the first time. I called because I came across a woman who had fallen and couldn’t get up. Yes, just like the ads for emergency pendants. Actually, this is all down to Ark, a reader of this blog. […]
Just before 6:00 AM this morning I opened the window blinds to this lovely view.
You know what it is like when you visit a different country or culture, even if you speak the same language, there is so much you don’t understand? It is a moment, or a month, of realization that you are an outsider. When I first immigrated to Canada, I was bewildered by much that was […]
White wine has helped to soften the rough edges of moving from Edmonton, Alberta to Nanaimo, British Columbia. It was one heck of a two-day journey. Actually to be fair, the scenery was magnificent, and the vehicles (a U-Haul truck and my aging car) performed brilliantly. The trouble we had was entirely down to Rogers […]
For the second time in a week, I am thankful for the kindness of strangers. A few days ago, I wrote about the good person at Jiffy Lube who checked the oil in my car, the fluid levels, and the tire pressures and who assured me that I didn’t need his services. In addition, he […]
I can’t remember the last time I changed the oil in my car, but then again I haven’t driven it much lately. My biggest concern has been keeping the battery charged. A combination of Covid isolation, long winters, and increasing agoraphobia have meant that my car hasn’t been put through its paces for a very […]
We thought Roe v Wade was fixed in stone, but we were wrong. Clearly, it was only pencilled in. Today, though, I discovered something that does seem to be eternally fixed, and I doubt that even the US Supreme Court can change it. The Google logo and search bar are deliberately placed just slightly above […]
To this outsider, the recent decision by the US Supreme Court that makes it possible for states to declare abortions illegal does not appear to have been decided based on law. Instead, the majority opinion began from personal and religious convictions and then extended to legal justifications. I say “justifications” because that’s what happens when […]
Today, I went through a time warp. I was reminded of an event about fifty years ago and was suddenly thrust into a subservient role that did not sit well with me. To an outsider, it might not have seemed like much at all. I had hired a plumber to come to the house and […]
This video was created by James and Tiffany Duggar of Eleven Films for the children who have been killed by assault weapons in America. It is very moving. Source: The Independent.
Who would steal a Pride flag? And, why? I suppose some people steal things just because they can, or because they need something they can’t afford, or because they want something removed from sight. The last of these is probably the reason my Pride flag was stolen on Sunday night. Edmonton is quite supportive of […]
Snowbird of Paradise 