Month: December 2013

Reporting in from the Flying Pony Café: Andrew Horne, proprietor, just added a copy of Catch-22 to the reading pile on his public table.
Having reread it (first read in his 20s and enjoyed then), he declares the book to be better than ever. Book of the Month.
“More life experience since the first reading?”, I suggest. “Exactly”, Andrew replies.

The British Library has released over a million images into the wild, free of copyright restrictions.

A cautionary note, based on personal experience. You may become absorbed for a prolonged period of time.
I am including one more here, just because it made me laugh.

So bad, it’s good? The mystery is, what was the artist thinking, with that insane, illegible lettering? And what was the author thinking when he made up that title?

New sidewalks poured this summer…

… hacked and patched before the year is out.

Danica always does a great decorating job, but this year the tree is in a new location and fits better than larger, previous trees have done. The glowing gift is a household tradition. My brother-in-law Paul made it some years back, painstakingly drilling into a glass block to insert the lights. Sister-in-law Kathy designed and trimmed the piece. We like.

Yen holds the certificate that about 15 of us gathered to present this evening. The couple are closing their Beach Hill convenience store and taking up retirement. Their customers are happy that they will stay put… they like living here… but the store will become Guang’s studio. Who knew? Our man behind the counter is an artist, working with Chinese brush. He has been an art teacher, too. Now it’s time to get back to painting. Absolutely!
Yen and Guang are a well-liked, hardworking couple who have served their community steadily for many decades. Long hours, rising costs and stick-up punks could not deter them.

The crowd and the Good Luck cards
Guang carved the sign above his head (top photo) out of styrofoam. Beautifully crafted, isn’t it? It thanks us for 30 years of business. We thank you, Chern, for your boundless good humour and your long service. Good luck and best wishes for many happy, productive, well-deserved years of retirement.

I enjoyed a great, if chilly, walk yesterday, exploring the huge construction site known as West Don Lands. People are already living in some of the new builds and you know, they are pioneers in what will surely become a fabulous new part of town.
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When the dust clears, probably by 2015, in time for the Pan Am Games, the neighbourhood will be an exciting mix of residential spaces, shops, restaurants, parks and streets. During the Games, some of the new buildings will house visiting athletes, then go onto the market. A percentage of residences are supposed to become subsidized “social” housing.
It’s as if someone said “Go play in traffic” and some creative developers took up the challenge. Undersides of the Gardiner Expressway ramps have become basketball courts, jungle gyms and playgrounds. Large parklands are being developed to provide greenery and oxygen. Little walkways between buildings of varying heights, age and style provide interest and the riverside location is splendid. Imagine when everything is alive again in Spring. This will become a destination worth visiting and a great, urbane living space.
Of course, I had to go see if the famous “cubes” had survived all the changes. Yes. Number 1 Sumach Street still has its green icons,

I sawed off a slice, as one does, before bringing it in the house and standing it in water. We forgot to ask where it came from (Nova Scotia?) but we know it’s a Fraser Fir. Now can we find out how old it was when it went to market?
Things get a little iffy around the middle.

And he has good news. He and Penny have vacationed with friends on the Baja Peninsula in past years, but this year they seem to have bought into the Agua Viva neighborhood in the development south of Loreto town in Nopolo Bay. There’s paperwork still but closing is not too far off.
First, his snapshots…

Penny has the same colouring as the Emporio! Yes, that’s the Hotel California from the Eagles song.

Now, at Jack’s suggestion, I’m off to Google the area. Here’s another link. Looks like Danica’s cup of tequila!

I just received this email message from my sister Joni:

dec 6 women against violence (Salmo, B.C.)
Each year there is a tribute to the Montreal women gunned down.
This year the elder could not make it and they had me lead the closing tribute. I sang the strong woman song with great drums backing me up…. making women strong.
here is my practice recording…