In the morning, Bailey and I take a little walk along the Fraser River. There are lots of ducks, Canada geese, eagles, herons – just what you’d expect along a river near the coast, of course.
Today, was very bright, and the river was very calm. Standing on a log, this Great Blue Heron was amazingly well camouflaged. As soon as I turned on the camera, it started to move, and the sun was so bright, I really couldn’t figure out where it was in the view finder. When I got home and viewed the film, I see I managed to capture the bird grabbing breakfast!
Pam and I went to the Vancouver Canucks – Nashville Predators hockey game on Saturday night. One of her work buddies has season’s tickets and couldn’t go so off we went to Roger’s Arena. It’s been a while since we’ve been to a game so it was fun to be there.
The Canucks won 4-2, which was good. Our seats were quite high, behind the Preds goal for the first and third periods. The Canucks played very well the first period outshooting the Preds 14-4 , so lots of the action was in our end of the rink.
We thought we might see the new Russian Tank, the basketball player sized defenceman Nikita Tryamkin. He took the pre-game skate, got some advice from Henrik Sedin, and didn’t play! Rats.
First time seeing Jake Virtanen play live was impressive. He looked pretty good, a little wild still, and sometimes seemed not quite lost, but needs to find out where he is on the ice sometimes. I don’t think he’s really comfortable out there all the time, quite yet, but you really notice him out there. He certainly looks like the real deal.
The beer was 8 bucks or 8.75 for premium, quite normal for beer in a bar-type setting and I wasn’t outraged, just resigned. I also wanted a hot dog, $5.75 which I figured was reasonable. I ordered “A hot dog and a beer please.”
The hot dog arrives and I get my beer and she says “That will be 21 bucks.” I ain’t the best dude at math, but that seemed a tad out of whack, so I said “uh that’s a pack of taxes on that 15 buck bill eh?” She said, “oh no I gave you the double, saves you money!”
First off, I didn’t order a double, second off, it’s not even on the menu, ok? What scam is this? My other complaint about the place was how many people are drunk! I don’t mean fun to be around good times dudes, who have had a couple, but flat out, barely able to stand, bright red-nosed, drunk. And no wonder. Young guys are thinking they are getting one beer, pounding back 4 or 5 and actually having consumed 8 or 10. Who functions well with 10 beers in them?
Last little complaint – I’m sure this is associated with the over serving of alcohol – the three young men behind us, used the f-word every third or fourth word, sprinkled liberally with the c-word, and then they’d throw in the odd n-word for good effect. Seated beside me was a young family, three young girls, and a boy 5 to 11ish – all dressed in Canuck hats and stuff. I turned to the dudes and said, “c’mon eh, young kids don’t need to hear that constantly.” Two guys apologized, and one said, “f-off, it’s a hockey game.” sigh
I look at the blog and see that I’ve really neglected it. We’ve been in the process of repairing flood damage and getting a new kitchen installed since November of last year. It just sucks the life out of you having no kitchen – no place to cook, no plumbing, no walls – it’s a bitch doing the dishes in the bathroom sink, believe me!
Dishes and pots and pans and cutlery and appliances are stacked everywhere – in the spare bedroom, the living room, the dining room, the bathroom! – since there are no cabinets, not even walls!
But it’s been worth it in the long run. It’s almost complete now, and we’re really happy with how things turned out. Every contractor we hired, or were hired by the restoration company, were first rate pros. I’ve got some painting and tiling above the back splash to do, and then we’re finished. I’ve already got the back splash done on the left side – we’re leaving the right clear for now, for the electrician to do his work.
If you look at the four pictures of the kitchen, the top two are obviously the before pics, and the bottom ones are roughly the same view with the new cabinets and floors.
Bailey on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care about those kind of things. So long as there is a bowl of food and a toilet is open to drink from, she’s happy!
You can see her rolling her eyes at us as we try to take her picture.
And here is a little movie of her having a splash in Everett Crowley park, just a block from where we live.
It’s been a tough transition to the cool climes of Canada after the warm temperatures in the Caribbean! We’ve been treated to a couple spectacular days of fog here though, so that’s been interesting.
Bailey didn’t seem to mind our being away too much. She has easily settled right back into her normal routine of sticking her nose into my face at 7:30 am, just to let me know that she’s available to go for a walk if I want to get up.
With the loss of my father this year, it’s difficult to be upbeat as the year closes. But the weeks in the south were very nice, with wonderful experiences in and out of the ocean. But I have to admit it’s been a very difficult time.
I wish you all the best in 2016. I’ve been running a lot that last few months, so in the spirit of that sport I offer you this toast: May you be half way to the hot tub, before the barking dogs know you’ve run by their yards!
At this time of year, despite the upheaval and chaos around the world in so many places, Pam and I wish you all the very best of the Christmas spirit. I hope you wake to joy and peace and are surrounded by people you care for, and who care for you….
There is so much wrong in the world, but there is also a lot right. .
In the past I have offered you a video by Sean Quigley, and I unashamedly do so again. This is my favorite Christmas song – one that I know my father also very much enjoyed. He probably wouldn’t appreciate this version, mind you!
I’m including this next song, even though it is a real tear jerker… it’s probably not a Christmas song in the traditional sense, but it’s really a remarkable thing. It makes Pam cry every time she hears it.
So I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. And remember to hug everyone who is around you – it will make you all feel better.
PS: I miss my dog. Merry Christmas Bailey. We’ll be home soon – woof woof!
I have been surprised by how few people there are here. When we’ve been in the Caribbean for Christmas in the past, it’s been very busy. This year I’d call it dead! One day there was only ONE person laying on “the point,” a normally very busy section of the resort that has bar service. Is it the economy? Fear of ISIS, as one restauranteur insisted? I don’t really know, but it is concerning.
In the casinos, most of the people used to be visitors, having a bit of fun on a night out. There is precious little night life here on Bonaire (one of the things we like and dislike) and the casinos are a nice diversion. The other night, we were in the casino, and there was only one other vacationer – all the rest were locals. Used to be us tourists injecting the cash! That can’t bode well can it?
But what keeps people coming back, of course, are the diving and snorkeling opportunities. If there is no dock, entry into the ocean is often very difficult here, due to the mostly rocky coastline. But somehow Bonaire has allowed it’s best coastline to be gobbled up by individuals who restrict access to the sea, as if it is their private playground. On Bari Beach, some one has constructed a rock wall barrier right on the beach to block people from using the only sandy entry point to the bay. They have even put up No Trespassing signs!
It is unconscionable that this is allowed to go on. For the most part, Bonaireans don’t seem to care that this is the case. And people like Pam and I are wondering why bother coming back? If you’re going to go the route of Aruba and lose your soul for the all mighty dollar, then you deserve your fate. And maybe empty hotels, bars, and beaches will impress upon them the need to change. But I’m not holding my breath…
Do I want something for free? Not at all! Do I mind paying to enter the ocean if someone has constructed a dock? Absolutely NOT – I’ll gladly help pay for any infrastructure.
We pay fees at a lot of the bays in Curacao – Jan Thiel, Blue Bay, and others have parking fees, as well as beach chair fees. Not a problem. You’ve created something for which you should be paid.
Places like Captain Don’s resort say they have a fee for snorkelers to use their facilities, but every time we try to pay it, they tell us to go ahead and jump in. As a result, we grab our lunch in their restaurant after our snorkel – it is a win-win situation. They get way more of our money, and we get an easy entry into the ocean.
Here’s a brief movie just to put the focus back on the ocean, which is why we come here!
I have been surprised by how few people there are here. When we’ve been in the Caribbean for Christmas in the past, it’s been very busy. This year I’d call it dead! One day there was only ONE person laying on “the point,” a normally very busy section of the resort that has bar service. Is it the economy? Fear of ISIS, as one restauranteur insisted? I don’t really know, but it is concerning.
In the casinos, most of the people used to be visitors, having a bit of fun on a night out. There is precious little night life here on Bonaire (one of the things we like and dislike) and the casinos are a nice diversion. The other night, we were in the casino, and there was only one other vacationer – all the rest were locals. Used to be us tourists injecting the cash! That can’t bode well can it?
But what keeps people coming back, of course, are the diving and snorkeling opportunities. If there is no dock, entry into the ocean is often very difficult here, due to the mostly rocky coastline. But somehow Bonaire has allowed it’s best coastline to be gobbled up by individuals who restrict access to the sea, as if it is their private playground. On Bari Beach, some one has constructed a rock wall barrier right on the beach to block people from using the only sandy entry point to the bay. They have even put up No Trespassing signs!
It is unconscionable that this is allowed to go on. For the most part, Bonaireans don’t seem to care that this is the case. And people like Pam and I are wondering why bother coming back? If you’re going to go the route of Aruba and lose your soul for the all mighty dollar, then you deserve your fate. And maybe empty hotels, bars, and beaches will impress upon them the need to change. But I’m not holding my breath…
Do I want something for free? Not at all! Do I mind paying to enter the ocean if someone has constructed a dock? Absolutely NOT – I’ll gladly help pay for any infrastructure.
We pay fees at a lot of the bays in Curacao – Jan Thiel, Blue Bay, and others have parking fees, as well as beach chair fees. Not a problem. You’ve created something for which you should be paid.
Places like Captain Don’s resort say they have a fee for snorkelers to use their facilities, but every time we try to pay it, they tell us to go ahead and jump in. As a result, we grab our lunch in their restaurant after our snorkel – it is a win-win situation. They get way more of our money, and we get an easy entry into the ocean.
Here’s a brief movie just to put the focus back on the ocean, which is why we come here!
Today, was very bright, and the river was very calm. Standing on a log, this Great Blue Heron was amazingly well camouflaged. As soon as I turned on the camera, it started to move, and the sun was so bright, I really couldn’t figure out where it was in the view finder. When I got home and viewed the film, I see I managed to capture the bird grabbing breakfast!
