As I look out over the marina, I cannot help noticing that there seems to be some mast envy going on. I’m sure there is a practical reason for this, but some masts are definitely much bigger than others. Not that it matters, right?
Author: Snowbird of Paradise
An Albertan who spends winters in California.
Good Morning
Nanaimo harbour, early morning 10 August 2022.
Figuring Out Deliveries
I had assumed that the security panel at the front gate could be linked to my phone so that I could buzz people in. When I asked my landlord about it, he confessed to not knowing how it worked and then chatted with another resident who happened to be nearby about outdated names on the […]
Parksville Sand Sculptures 2022
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.
Water Birding
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 […]
Hello, August
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 […]
Free Ideas
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, […]
Just Before Sunrise
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!
Thanks for Nothing, Ted Lasso
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
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. […]
Golden Sunrise
Just before 6:00 AM this morning I opened the window blinds to this lovely view.
Five O’Clock Boats
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 […]
Moving Day W(h)ine
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 […]
A Good Woman Saved My Move
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 […]
Thank You, Kind Stranger
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 […]
Let Me Move You
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 […]
When Religion Takes Over the State
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 […]
Snowbird of Paradise 