The Subtlety of Racism

The next time you look at someone who does not match your own culture or background keep this short video in mind.  It shows us how we look at others and make assumptions that do not match reality. Click on the link below and open the video to full screen so you can see the minimal text.

wrong assumptions

nothing really new here

Now having been home for many months, I have discovered that moving back is a tad similar to moving to.  Just like being a foreigner in a new country, we return to find out that we have to make adjustments to what we thought was known.  The one thing I craved was to be alone.  Living in a country about the size of the island where I now call home but with a greater population than my whole country made me want solitude and quiet.  Landing in one of our country's largest cities and staying there for months did not address that need.  But eventually I got here and spent an incredible summer trying to figure out how to be a gardener.  If there are marks given for gardening I scored -F.  But it was fun, it was exercise, and it entertained me for quite some time.  The end result is several beds of dirt, picked clean by the bunnies and deer.  They are not all that bright either.  If they had any amount of patience they could have scored some mighty fine veggies instead of small 2 leaf plants that they constantly raided when the farmer went to bed.

No one understood that I did not want to drive a car.  No one here knew what kind of driving I had been doing for three years in an insane country as far as driving goes.  I certainly did not want to drive a car with my precious grandchildren in it. Never sure which way to look for traffic, never sure which side of the road I was supposed to be on; especially after making a turn; was not the time to take little people for a spin in a frantic paced city where they live.

Bliss - almost - was mine when I came home to the island. Not knowing what was in store for me with the dishonest, derelict, dumb** construction workers, I made my way to the island paradise to settle in and study for final exams.  Almost having an emotional breakdown as I witnessed their stupidity and realized I could do nothing about the situation, I also realized I had to stay there to possibly avoid even worse.  Just like the famous Beetles song - I get by with a little help from my friends - I survived the ordeal. I am sure they all wanted to change their phone numbers, but they kindly talked me through the days of hell.  Thank you friends!

Now as the summer sun drops further to the south, causing me to readjust my chair when I do crossword puzzles in the morning on the verandah, I look forward to another new experience. Fall leaves.  I have not seen fall leaves for four years.  It makes me recall describing this phenomena to my Asian friends who had never seen them. They honestly did not believe that leaves can turn into the brilliant array of a crayola crayon box each year.  Come to think of it, they don't even know what crayola is.  But I am sure I am going to be magically mesmerized as I watch this annual event occur over the next few months. Living in the tropics gave me thought to ponder. After the second year of living in my house, which was directly across a road from a jungle, I looked up from my keyboard and thought 'these trees looks exactly like they did last year, in fact exactly like they looked all year'.  After a google search I discovered that although they look exactly like deciduous trees, these guys do not go through a shedding of leaves and budding of new ones. The same leaves I had looked at last year are still exactly there for me to see this year.  Being a season person it really felt strange to think that leaves do not die.

It is strange knowing that whatever I might want from the grocery store, I can have.  When away I was always thinking I had won a lottery if I found an apple or a piece of beef that resembled a steak. This became so ingrained in me that shopping here brings out the same joy when I score a fresh peach or fall apple.  I have to admit though, I do miss the fabulous fruit that I gorged myself on and switched from one to another as the seasons presented the bounty.  I think I exaggerated.  There was never a piece of beef that resembled anything other than maybe some lumps of stewing meat.  Whenever I returned for a visit I begged my friends to not serve me chicken. Chicken was the only meat that I could get there, and if prepared for me, it was 'rare'.  Having never eaten rare chicken before that, I never acquired a taste for it then or since.  It took me a long, long, time to be able to eat chicken again.

Something that puzzles me now that I am back is the background required to teach English here.  I always felt that international experience is a bonus on the resume. What I have discovered is that people are working here in this field having never stepped out of the country.  How can they understand the cultural differences of those coming here trying to fit into ours?  I am having enough difficulty myself, and I am a native.  When I hear these teachers moan about the lack of enthusiasm in the class, and lack of participation from the students I don't bother to tell them that these people need to build a relationship before they begin to participate.  I hinted at that, and was told that if they are here they have to figure out how to fit in.  I don't agree. Ooops.

I am not sure that this blog will have a long life.  Somehow I think that I have assimilated back into home, and that could become rather dreary in reporting here.

I Can See Why People Keep Coming Back Here

I did a google check on the new blog and it seems to return you to this one. So, I guess I will plod along here as I see there are many followers.

Nothing much new here today. I am trying to figure out what size of beast is attacking my compost bin at night. I am thinking it is a bear, because removing the locked lid and tossing it a considerable distance is not something a smaller critter could do.  As long as he visits in the night when I am definitely not outdoors I guess we can co-exist.  Maybe I should just package him a snack before I go to bed and leave it on top of the bin lid.

Time to go

I have decided to sign off here. The readers are dwindling, and I really don't have a lot to say about the adventure any longer. Probably due to the fact I am not on that adventure any longer.

If you want to follow my new adventure you can find me at The Stubble Jumper Goes Home

Imagine

My First Labour Day and More Adventures

What I have learned since I returned to Canada is that much like an immigrant moving to a new country, and much like I felt going to Malaysia, I did't fit. I am not sure why this happened. I just know that it did. Three years away from what I knew left me looking from the outside in. I knew it all, but I was no longer a part of it all. I had to learn how to be here. Maybe it was because I had no home. That sounds dramatic, because my daughter wanted me to live in their home. They had a room for me with privacy, but in that room I had luggage full of tropical clothing.  All else was in storage on the island. I arrived in near winter. I was frozen. Not wanting to buy more winter clothing, I would traipse down to Fraser street and buy the odd fleece or sweater to wear over and over until I got back to my things on the island. Now what?  I had to do another semester of my master degree, so settled into writing the papers and completing the assignments. It was wonderful reacquainting myself with the grandchildren. But exhausting too. In Malaysia I loved all the little children, but I could go home after a day with them. Here, it was 24/7. Then my wonderful son surprised everyone and got married and bought a house on the island. Not intending to live there immediately, they asked me to stay there to keep an eye on the place. Now several months later, tons of construction, and now more construction, I still have not been able to deal with my own stuff. My things are out of storage, but still boxed up with nowhere to go. I am so fortunate to have children who want me. Many others do not have the same.
This labour day weekend was fantastic.  After a $ store trip gathering all sorts of trinkets and toys for the kids we had scavenger hunts, a trip to the Victoria petting zoo, movies, and $store shopping for the kids. We played games, we drew pictures, we ate birthday cake.  Seeing this island paradise through the eyes of children is a gift one appreciates. Although the trip is just across the Straits, I appreciate all the time and stress it takes to make it happen. Thank you Jennifer for making it happen.
Now I see that I need to realize I do belong here. I know I can drink the water from the tap. I know that I drive on the right side of the road. I know that we have seasons, and each one of them has its own beauty.
I also know that I better get my butt in gear and finish that thesis. No one is going to do it for me. Right now I will climb up on those bunkbeds and put the clean linen on, ready for the next journey back to see Nana.

But first, a delightful Canadiano from my red espresso that waited those three years for my return.

Be The Change....

Anyone who has received an e-mail from me knows this line.  For that reason, I think I have taken on a job that is right for me - at least at this moment it is.  As I arrived for my first day of working with international students at the school on the lake I was greeted by this sign outside the cafeteria.

Another bonus for this job is that it is a few km from where I live.  No more racing up and down the mountain.  Here is the view from the classroom where I teach. At the waterfront there are kayaks and canoes for the taking during classes.  Now all I have to do is get my knee to cooperate and bend adequately to fit inside those vessels.

Life is good.

Gone Fishin'

My family rented an RV and took off for places unknown (to me) for a fishing trip with the children. After Levi's teacher at school took the students fishing, he has had a hankering for doing it again.  So, somehow they found a place to camp in the RV and almost guaranteed catching trout.  So  I am guessing they will be dining on fresh trout for the couple of nights they are away.

As for myself, I am staying home on the island as I have taken on a new job once again.  I am teaching at the local international school here at the lake. How much better can life get?  A few km from home and I am at work! No more mountain journey to and from work.  Now that is what I call perfect.  I will be working on the holiday Monday.  After all, they cannot just lock up the international students in their rooms just because there is a provincial holiday here, right?  Besides, I am easing into this. Only working 3 days a week.

A couple of happy faces!

One for my Malaysian Friends

I know how much you all adore and worship your cats there. But here is a great video of how much tenderness and patience a dog has when teaching their offsprings.

Hope you enjoy

parenting and teaching in the animal world

My Little Munchkin Graduated

My granddaughter finally is in 'big kids' play school. She has waited for a long time to get there and finally the day arrived.  Here are a couple of pictures showing her pleasure in the new location. It was time for her to graduate. She is such a sweet caring little girl and somehow she ended up staying with the little toddlers too long because she was so kind to them all. Now it is her turn to have fun and be who she is.  A big girl!

  

Three Days of Work and Things are Getting Easier

Now that I am settling into a routine I am finding I have more energy and ability to even climb the nasty hill.  The campus is on the waterfront facing the Pacific Ocean, and the entire  road system and buildings are on the steepest hill you have ever seen.  There is a parking lot at the bottom right next to the shoreline, and then one on top near the entrance. I park in the top one.  Then down the hill I march, much like climbing down a wall, and then homeward, back up the hill, which is a killer.  But I recall all the years I belonged to a gym and used the stairclimber and paid to use it.  Here it is free - the only membership cost is stamina.  The first day I did it I thought, wow, I managed!  The second day anticipation had me trying to figure out how to avoid it.  I was considering contacting the campus maintenance people to give me a lift.  There are actually golf carts that take disabled people up and down the hill on a regular basis.  But, I won't buy into that.  I will not let myself think I am disabled.  Today, I climbed the hill and actually had a conversation with someone on the way up.  I  must be in better shape than I thought.  I was considering joining the gym at school, but why?  The drive home is confusing.  Friday and Tuesday were insane bottlenecks on the highway which had me sitting and crawling for about 25 minutes before I could actually drive. So today I anticipated the same, but somehow, today, like Monday, it was clear sailing. There is no logical explanation for the changes in traffic patterns so I don't know why it was easier today than yesterday. But I won't complain.
My students are doing great. They are surprised themselves over this.  When I teach, I don't tend to tell them anything. I make them find the answers.  Today was quite funny.  I wrote 8 sentences and then cut each into separate words. They had to work together and piece these words into 8 sentences again. And if you know anything about ESL learners, the, a, at, on, in, to show up in the craziest places in their written and spoken language.  I don't blame them. English is a  language that adds so many more words to a sentence than any other language. As a result they all learn about 'the' and 'to' and use it everywhere.  They even told me that there were not enough 'to's in the words I gave them.  But eventually they figured it all out and were beaming with their accomplishment.  Yay students!

To Garden or Not to Garden - that is the question

Living amid deer and rabbits is not a good recipe for gardening veggies.  I have the most pathetic little patch of wanna be plants you have ever seen.  Anything that is flourishing is not because of my intervention.  The former owners must have understood what to grow and why.  Lettuce, zucchini, carrots, beets, peppers, and a few others do not fit in that plan.

We have all seen a little old lady with a hairy mole on her face. yes?  Well that is what my carrot patch looks like. And about the same size.  Everything that tries to grow here is nibbled off by the midnight bandits and what I see in the morning is stems, or nothing. I have completely admitted defeat with the first little bed I planted.  Nothing survived and what has taken over is a bed of nasturtiums.  I like nasturtiums. Deer and rabbits don't appear to.  That is good.  The tomato plants appear to be unscathed. They are probably waiting for the actual tomatoes to grow. As for romaine, I won't be serving any caesar salad from this crop.

The flowers are spectacular. No thanks to me. They were already here.  And each day there is a new burst of fragrance and vivid colours bursting open around the property.

This could all sound like some serious whining. But not so.  I have had fun thinking I am a gardener. It was a good thing I had no idea of what kind of work it required, or that after the work was done that there would be no reward at the end of the day.  Doesn't matter. I will likely do it all again next year, and see what happens then.  I will never forget the profound peace I experienced during that week of hard labour. I have no idea what happened that week, other than a great deal of weeding, planting, and dreaming. And all it cost me was time and a few bucks to buy some little wee seeds.

Now time to finish up the research project so that I can be ready to be a teacher again in just over a week.

Happy Canada Day

So nice to be back.

Retired Gardener

I think I have retired from gardening outdoors. The deer and the bunnies like everything I plant so have decided that this was an exercise not worth repeating. The stuff in the greenhouse is another story, The grapes have taken over - and I had to figure out how to hang them from various hooks around the structure so that they did not lay in a mound on the counter tops and floor.  Tomatoes are also doing very well in there. Maybe I will become a selective gardener. And buy the rest.

I am Now on Vacation

I have actually been on somewhat of a vacation for months. But never thought of it that way because I was preparing for exams, writing exams, and pondering what the heck I will do next. I cannot imagine not working. I think I am blessed with a career I love. For that reason, there is no reason I can think of to retire.  Many people I have worked with scratch their heads and think I am nutty.

I had a goal. To teach at the university where I do research. Nothing seemed to come to me, so I decided to consider other offers that keep pounding on my door. Just as I had resigned to the fact that this was the route I had to take - my university offered me the job I wanted. Of course I accepted. Of course I am elated.  So, that is the reason I am now on vacation. I do not start for 2 weeks - just enough time to have a vacation.

This all brings to mind a poem I used to write a paper for my philosophy course.  I was to wrote about one philosopher of education that I admired and to explain his vision of what an ideal educational system would look like.  I chose Rabindranath Tagore.  The poem he wrote went like this.

I slept and dreamt that life was joy

I woke and saw that life was service

I acted and behold

Service was joy

-Rabindranth Tagore

As  I have been given the gift of working exactly where I wanted, doing exactly what I wanted, I can clearly see the meaning of this poem.  Why would I quit working when I can feed my soul and be able to give to others at the same time?

I seems to me that many great sages are from India. Everyone knows Mahatma Gandhi.  He has also made me realize that I have a gift and that gift does not stay with me. I offer it to others so that they will be ready to do the same at some point.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

English

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.  If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.
- Nelson Mandela

Now for some humour.
I found a great resource for teaching idioms - if you have adults who have a sense of humour. It drives home how misinterpretations occur that we don't realize can happen.

party pooper

And another - for those teaching ESL to children and learning all the Christmas songs.

See if you can figure out this one.

Grapes are Growing

Another treat on this island retreat is grape vines.  I don't know what variety they are - still little green orbs at this point. But whatever they are, they are plentiful.  I don't even have to go outdoors to pick any of them, they are winding their way back into the greenhouse.

                                                                                             














Maybe I will try to make wine?

 

Or maybe just leave that to the professionals. 

Trying My Hand at Gardening

I am not sure anything will grow, but it has definitely been a good exercise in learning about the process.  I wrote little tags on each row so I can see what grew and what did not. So much for permanent markers. Some washed off in the watering process.  But I do know my romaine lettuce row.  I can hardly wait until the stuff becomes real food.  Next effort is going to the market and buying some lemongrass.  I have heard that if I buy a bundle and plant them into the soil, they will grow and produce more. Wish me luck.
For now, here is the romaine.

And when I am not digging in the soil, my perch on the verandah gives me this view.  

 Path from the driveway.

Dishonest People Live Everywhere

Now that the house renovations are at an end; at least for now; it is time to look at dishonest people and how they present themselves.  This slime ball came with a referral and announced he was an architect. That statement was so far from the truth that it does not even fit in the category of a lie. It is beyond a lie.  The referral unfortunately was in error.  The referrer did not know the person, but one of those things that gets watered down with people in the process, a very unsavoury person was hired and did more damage than repair.  Now of course all the people he hired under his title of contractor are asking for money because he did not pay anyone.  The nightmare is not over.  But you can bet your bippy that I will run that deadbeat of this island and beyond.  If I have any say, he will not have any work in the entire province.  Good bye deadbeat.  Your name will appear here very soon.  People have suggested that I post some of his lunacy on FaceBook. Maybe I will, and maybe I will not.  My warning to others is do your due diligence.

My Path Home after a Conference

After spending a day at a conference on TESL I thought I had to take pictures of the reason why my nose feels like it was in a chicken slaughter house and then the recipient of all the feathers plucked from the birds.  I have not been able to breath since the lilacs began to bloom.  However, this inconvenience is worth just that when we get to see the harmony of colour and fragrance during this cycle of nature.

rhododendron and clematis season

 

 
 

a hedge of wisteria

Soon Island Time Again

With 2 weeks of time in the busy city I am looking forward to the trek back to the island.  It is too bad that the entire family was not able to gather together while we were all on the same continent, but we did manage to have dinner together after I finished my exams.  That is better than we have managed for many years.  After exams I found my way down to the less hectic pace of White Rock and had a great visit with friends there. Once I recharged my batteries and was willing to face the big city again, I came back to end the visiting with a conference.  Two days of that and then back to the pace I like, where I will have one more day with the travellers before they head back across the sea.  Wish I could be with them all when the grand children have their first bonfire and s'mores and all else that goes with the magic of a home in a forest on an island.  Pictures will have to suffice.

A Charming Letter Written to Mom

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms....

This is Too Good to Not Share

You have to remember Dean Martin and his crooning on television -  I can't recall the decade. But it was a long time ago.  Maybe in the 70's.  Maybe earlier.  In any case, he sang a song - That's Amore

Now, if you take that song, and recall the tune, this picture will cause you to sing that tune until your finally tell yourself to quit.

If you don't know the tune, google it and listen.

I Finally Warmed Up

After several months back in Canada I finally feel like I will not freeze.  I took off my UGG boots this afternoon and my turtleneck and fleece jacket.  Now with white linen and a fleece vest I am so happy to be able to shed all the clothing.  I even have sandals on. But will probably cover up again when the sun goes down. But it is a start. It is nice to be able to be cold, but not on a daily basis.  I guess I can find fault with the weather wherever I live.

Happy Easter Everyone!

I am spending a couple of days in Victoria with friends.  We will have a little Easter egg hunt shortly. Can't let the day pass without that.  Nothing outstanding - Lindt and Cadbury is all that the bunny bought this year. But no chocolate bunnies. Probably top it off with a g&t.

Rain Forests and Umbrellas

I live in a rain forest. I have a couple of cute little umbrellas that are big enough to keep the top of your head dry as long as there is no wind.  I am not sure how smart I am, even though the university decided I fit in the top level for marks.  However, I have left scattered around the globe umbrellas that could cover an entire community.  I had several golf umbrellas that were given out when I was in various tournaments, umbrellas of the same size that I bought when caught in a monsoon, and umbrellas given to me from the PPD - which is the acronym for the District office of the local school division in Malaysia.  Do I have any of these now? Of course not. I always seem to think I can get another.  But I don't.
Maybe the solution is to enter a local golf tournament to get another.  Yes, that is wise. Pay $200 entry fee and receive a $15 umbrella.  Now that is critical thinking skills not in action.

All A's

Finally.  I have received marks for the first four courses I took in my MEd degree. I wrote those exams the first week in January. For some reason it takes nearly 4 months to post the results. But I cannot complain. Straight A's so far.  Now I feel better going into the homestretch and writing the last 5 exams.  It has definitely given me incentive to keep the records at that level.  I have been studying and preparing, so can only hope I know the material.

It is a great feeling of being acknowledged for one's work.

Happy Birthday Jennifer

For those who follow me here, it is again Jennifer's birthday.  This one is a milestone for her. A Jack Benny birthday year.  I had to explain the concept to her. She is far too young to understand that one. For the rest of you youngsters you will have to google it to understand.

I find it amazing when I check the stats here. The most popular posts are always Happy Birthday Jennifer posts. I am not really sure why, but that is what is constantly read and reread.  Anyway, besides her birthday today, I am also contemplating some kind of work since I am back in my homeland.  What keeps coming across my desktop is constant job offers to teach online.  That is beginning to appeal to me. I can be all over the world with a click of my mousepad and never leave the house where I am living.  Intercultural experiences can be mine without having to take a jet across multiple time zones.  I have had a number of Skype interviews for various Skype teaching opportunities but each of them just does not feel quite right. I get close, then think that my time and skills are worthy of a better compensation.  I have discovered that online teaching - just like offshore English teaching is extremely underpaid.  I have come to the realization that we are not valued because firstly, the vetting of teachers is lax, and secondly, because of the poor vetting, they end up with less than adequate teachers doing the job which reflects in fairly insignificant changes in the learner's skills.  Some of us take this work seriously. Some of us do make a difference, but for the major part, young westerners take the job as an opportunity to travel the world and live in a constant vacation mode, showing up occasionally to work with a fake degree and little ability to do the job.  Many of them cannot even string a good sentence together themselves.  Anyway, I have had enough online job offers to now realize that I can do that job, and as each one comes to me I also realize which ones I want to do.  Pay does keep increasing, format keeps improving, and organizations offering the work keep getting more organized, professional, and supportive.  I think I have chosen the right one to work with.
While looking at these options, I received a job outline that I knew I could do. I scrutinized all the required skills and background and realized that I had every one of them.  It was made for me.  Only problem was the compensation.  If I was planning on becoming wealthy doing that job I was going to be rather disappointed.  But is money everything?  Take a look; I am sure many of you can also do this one with your eyes closed.

Can You Do This Job?

BTW: Happy Mother's Day May 11th

Statistics is Making Me Sad

As I continue to prepare for the 5 final exams left to write I get a knot in my stomach each time I open the statistics course.  I have yet to meet anyone who can help me with it. Those with PhD's can't even help. They tell me that they never understood it themselves and by the seat of their pants passed the course.  Why?  Why me?  I just really dislike this one.
Well, I guess it is time to go back to the trenches and pray that I will somehow pass this one and then file the information on a shelf like everyone else has.

YOU CAN BET THAT I WOULD NEVER SAY THIS!

Popcorn Again

I am probably the best consumer with regards to purchasing popcorn poppers worldwide.  I even left my mark in SE Asia by having Singapore bring in the electric magic machine that would work on that voltage.  Now back on home soil, and once again without a popper, I often checked appliance aisles to buy another popper.  Oddly, they are not as available as they were in the past.  I think Canadians are generally lazy and prefer the microwave bags over the pop your own variety.  I cannot tolerate those bagged ones - they are full of chemicals simulating butter flavours and loaded with salt.  There was one brand I formerly bought that was plain popcorn without the chemicals.  But I can no longer find it.  Interestingly, in the grand metropolis of Duncan I searched SuperStore looking for an electric popcorn popper.  None.  Just when I gave up, there was this little plastic bowl with an ill-fitting lid.  A banner wrapped around it told me that it was a microwave popcorn popper. Yay!  I took it home, read all about it, and learned that it is not made of BPA (some nasty chemical composition that will kill a mule in it's tracks), nor melamine, which I think does the same as the BPA.  For now, whatever the product composition is, I will believe it will not harm me.  And the thing makes incredible popcorn.  A tidy little bowlful, personal size.  At least I consider it personal size.  It was my lunch for the past two days in a row.  munch, chomp, crunch!

Missing Plane

The outcome from the missing plane appears to be very sad news for families that boarded that flight.  What happened may never be known, but what is known is that many people will not be going home, and for that, it is a difficult time for their families.  For those of us who were not immediately affected, empathy is difficult. And may we never have the situation ourselves to know true empathy for those who lost family members.

Whenever You Find Yourself in a Heated Argument…

Here are some true words to live by.  You know how difficult it is to get family members to take some advice from one who has been around the block a few times?  Do they take it? Not likely. Do they listen? Maybe.

If you want a message heard and heeded, try this.

"Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected” Mahatma Gandhi

How Does This Happen?

Flight manifest identifies two Canadians on missing Malaysia Airlines flight

NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE AND EILEEN NG

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA and XI’AN, CHINA — The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Mar. 07 2014, 8:06 PM EST

Last updated Saturday, Mar. 08 2014, 9:32 AM EST

How does an entire aircraft and all onboard disappear?  Did it fall into the China Sea?  Why?  What a horrid event for those involved and related to those involved.  This looks a bit like the Bermuda Triangle.

This is all I could find relating to this terrible event.


News coverage at this time

update
most recent report

TGIF - not that it matters

When you live in a rural location and do not go to an office to work, does it really matter whether or not it is TGIF?  Sort of like 'if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there, does it make a sound'?  Well, for me it does matter to some degree.  The lamebrain construction guy will likely not be here - either at all today, or leaving early if he does show up. That means a great deal to me. He has destroyed so many things around here, helped himself to whatever he wants, and then takes over any relaxation area in the house at the end of the day so he can use my wifi while he surfs God knows what on a laptop he does not know how to use.  Other than that, TGIF does not really apply to me. Oh, yes, and he burns an inferno in the fireplace, whatever he can lay his grubby hands on. He has managed to burn through a cord of wood plus the trash he burns in a few months. This amount of wood should take at least 1/2 a year to burn. Last night I found some metal structure in the fireplace that was clearly not 'proper' firewood.  After all, if he burns the trash he removes from the house during renovation, he won't have to haul it to the dump.  There, I am finished on that topic now.
The snow is almost all gone now, thanks to a heavy rain.  That rain also took out a massive tree on the property perimeter two nights ago. I was aware of something wrong when I saw a hydo truck in our lane way blocking the driveway exit.  Going out to check on things, I learned that one of our trees toppled during the night and took out the neighbour's power line.  Oops, sorry about that.  Not really a great way to get to know your neighbours.  The hydo man kindly cut up some of the tree into big logs and tossed them into the wooded area from whence it came.  The rest of the tree now dangles suspended in the forest, supported by it's healthier neighbouring trees that remained tall and proud.  Now I am feeling a bit like a bushman who goes after roadkill, fighting over it with others.  I surveyed the damage, and realized that I would be a soaked person if I were to go after those logs at this time. They would be handy for the fire pit but I will take my chances to see if they are still there when the area dries up a bit.
My little hummingbirds still come to the house.  I went out about 7 am to see what kind of day was shaping up and again, overhead, the familiar buzzing.  I looked up to see the little bird likely asking me when I was planning on putting out nectar for him.  I do know the pattern of that. If you begin, you have to do this daily. Otherwise they will die, coming to get nectar, and when none there, not enough strength to go foraging on their own. Besides, I don't really know where to get the stuff anyway.  But the ritual is amusing.  I think this little guy has trained himself to come to the kitchen window every morning, do a fly over, and then hover while looking inside to see if anyone is preparing breakfast for him.  I too have a regular pattern, and 7 am tends to be my time by the kitchen window, and each morning at that time, he peers in at me.
My TGIF is starting off on the right foot.  Now almost 10 am and no construction workers here. That does not mean they are not coming - when they stay over they don't get up until this time. I am guessing that is their pattern wherever they are.  But jeepers, they will have to actually provide their own breakfast, since they did not spend the night here last night.  Or maybe they will just build up a healthy appetite that will inhale whatever I have not hidden or nailed down in the fridge.  In any case, right now it is peaceful and quiet.  And that is a good thing.

Snow is Melting

After another dump of the white stuff it is finally beginning to melt.  I went to the woodpile this morning to gear up for splitting a log.  I can only manage splitting one a day as I tend to miss the mark about 40 times before the splitter actually hits the bloody thing and then actually splits it.  Good exercise no doubt.  While I was out there I heard a whirring overhead.

I looked up, and there above me was a wee tiny humming bird. How on earth did he survive this cold spell?  How on earth does he survive winters here anyway?  He certainly showed me the power of determination.  There must be something here that blooms all year.  These little critters need to eat. I checked, and the species that winters over here are called Annas.

Snow Again Tomorrow - Ha!

Nice for the warning that snow is again forecast.  Not so nice to see the white stuff falling today - Saturday.  Still no firewood delivery.  Too much snow to get the wood to the woodshed here.  I am beginning to feel a bit like a pioneer.  But then, I don't think they had dishwashers and indoor plumbing in those days.

I abandoned this post yesterday in hopes of writing something a bit more positive regarding the weather.  Not gonna happen. I awoke to more snow, had to shovel the path, and then decided that a fire was a good idea.  Split some more wood, lit a fire, and intend to sit here and mull over life and keep warm. A vision of me splitting wood would give you a laugh.  I find a huge log, stand it upright, then bring the big maul over my head and swing at the log furiously, only to miss it entirely several times. By the time I am ready to say enough blasphemies to attract every priest in the world, I finally hit the log dead centre.  Shoot. That means probably 2 more strikes are necessary in order to burn the bloody thing. Splitting one log is all I can do in a day.  Good thing I don't do this for a living. Right now I am trying to bring back the feeling of sweating every day and wanting a cool breeze that was not provided by an air conditioner.  OK, I have experienced that, now I am ready to be warm again, due to the weather.  If I was God I think I would find a 2x4 and swak me on the head. I change my mind faster than the weather changes here.  No one can keep up with 'what I want' -  even me.

Small Towns and How They View Outsiders

I just spent three months in Vancouver and needed to use the library.  It was simple.  I took my Victoria library card into one of the branches, and they gave me a OneBC library card which they told me was usable all over the province for any library services offered.  I could also login any library branch in the province to reserve books or material.  Wrong.  Not this little community.  My OneBC card was not recognized.  I called the library.  No answer.  I wrote to the local information person and explained my dilemma.  She kindly responded and said I must attend the library I mentioned, and produce this OneBC card, and then they will activate it in their system.  OK, I can do that.  On the bus, to the library, and asked the question.  Oh no, you can only borrow one book at a time with that card - ever.  You are not local.  Hmm.  I actually wanted to rent a dvd, but discovered that is not EVER possible with this card.  Hmm.  How about if I get one of your local cards?  Oh no, you must live here.  I responded that I do live here.  Then show us ID that indicates this.  I don't have any with me because that was not explained as a requisite in the mail I received.  Why don't you check my Victoria or One BC card - they have both been validated.  Oh, no, we need only local people.  I am local, I am living here.  Finally the little clerk best the librarian when she realized that I am rather disturbed about this whole thing.  Librarian does her problem solving.  She is foxy, she says she will mail my new card to my address, and then when I receive it - if I really live at that address - I will have a card as a local.  Good.  Now to the dvd's.  Nope.  The ones I wanted are not available at this branch.  Ever.  Even though, online it indicates they are.  Holy smokes, I found a dvd to entertain myself, checked it out - ONE ONLY, and then was told by miss efficiency, that I must bring that card in PLUS some id that indicates I live at that address.  Why?  If I received the mail, I must live at that address - right?  Oh, no, many people steal mail. I should have advised her that she was defaming me, but thought that might just be too much for her to deal with.  Besides, at this point, I actually wanted a dvd, and any further irritation and I would be going home empty handed.

Holy smokes, this library is the size of a broom closet.  They have almost no material, and almost no brains in the people who work there.  That was my afternoon.

Here is a fitting picture.

No snow - sunshine

I guess we will survive this one. The massive clumps of snow continue to fall out of the towering trees. Fortunately, none have broken from the weight.  Here is a day that rain would be welcome. Rain would speed up the melting process.  With the trees lining the perimeter of the property, the sun has a difficult time reaching the various paths to different areas. Namely, the path to the woodshed for the firewood.  I guess we will have to count on warmer temperatures rather than direct sunshine to get that stuff outta here soon.

Today I will return to the school books and study for my next set of exams that will be scheduled 'sometime' in May.  It never ceases to amaze me that a university cannot offer an exact exam date and that it cannot mark and post written exams until 3 months after the exams were written.  Good grief, that timeframe may no longer be currently correct in the field of science.  I guess that is just one more cultural difference between where I am, and where I was.

As for snow, here is what the path looks like to where the firewood will be stored.  Not anywhere near accessible at this time.  No visible path here.

fourth day of snow - no end in sight

Holy crow, we lost power last night, but now back and running.  Some whole cities on the island are without power, so I cannot complain.  Knocking the power line into the property with a tennis ball was clearly a very wise move.  I check it regularly and aim at the line when I see too much snow accumulating on it.  I have to have a good aim, because losing that ball in a snowbank means no more throwing.  Snow keeps falling, covering the trees, the roads, and anything it lands on.  It is really very beautiful to look at, but when you lose your conveniences that you have learned to expect, you tend to be a tad inconvenienced.  Such as it is right now.  I am not trying to be a fashionable country girl these days. Just layers of sweaters, of which I have many, and UGGs on my feet.

Soon I will be able to light a fire. I still cannot burn all day, the firewood delivery will not happen for about a week now.  So, the few logs remaining get to be burned very purposefully - one at a time.

Snow and More Snow

Holy Crow, yesterday I had a firewood delivery scheduled and they called to cancel due to the weather. It had snowed all morning and he was concerned about the men having to climb a granite rock to stack the wood for me.  I understood.  He said they would be here bright and early today.  Oops, this morning I woke to even more snow. It is still falling, and accumulating on the massive trees here as well as everywhere else.  Forecast is for the snow to continue all day until at least 9 pm tonight.  Now I ponder what I will do if the power fails. The snow is building up on power lines as well, and if they get too heavy, they will snap.  Without power here, one has no water, heat, lights and everything else.  As far as I can see, there is no backup generator to take over.  I cross my fingers, hope I have enough logs to keep warm until the new delivery arrives, and that the power will not fail.  Yay for pioneering spirit.  Maybe the heat and monsoons of Malaysia are now looking pretty easy.  I gotta say, I am pretty proud of my accomplishments here.  My son told me upon leaving, that there was an axe at the woodshed, but it was pretty dull.  I discovered this device and figured out it is not at all an axe.  It is a log splitter.  Shaped much like an axe, it has a rounded dull surface where an axe is fine and sharp.  You drive this splitter into a log making a wedge to split it into smaller pieces. If you tried this with an axe, the axe would get stuck between the two pieces you were trying to create, and you would end up having to burn the whole thing - axe and all because it will not release.  How is that for a pioneering nature?

chop wood and carry water would have been easy in comparison to today

I can barely type this message after what I did today.  The renovation guy here at the house tends to be a bit of a sloth in regard to work and clean up behind himself. I cannot bear it any longer, so decided to start cleaning up myself.  He dumped a pile of 2x4s of tongue and groove fir boards on the front of the house verandah that piled higher than the kitchen window.  I was fearing that rats might decide to call that home, so I found a hand saw and began cutting these damaged boards into fire pit lengths.  They cannot be burned in the fireplace - the wood has been lacquered.  So, there I stood all day, cutting each board into 5 pieces and then snapping the cut lines with my foot, piling them into a bin and taking them up to the fire pit.  By 5 pm I realized I had a right arm that looked much like I had recently had a stroke. I could not lift it above my hip, and knew it was time to stop.  I did manage to saw 2/3 of the pile by that time, but yuck - I have to go back to it again to finish.  I will.  Anyone who knows me also knows just how stubborn I am, and if I have to use my left hand to make my right hand work, I will.

Before I hit that job I had to clean up the wood (shed) because there were just a few logs left from the recent order of a cord and I have a new cord arriving on the weekend.  I scavenged all the bark for kindling, and stacked what was left of the cord(about 12 logs) to allow room for the new cord.  I am not a complete fool.  I have advised the delivery man to have the order stacked as well as delivered. It is worth every cent that I will pay.   You can also be sure that I will either put a meter on the wood pile for the construction guys to pay in order to burn the bloody stuff, or a rottweiler to bite their hand off if they try to take it without paying.  They are the clowns who burned through a full cord in about 6 weeks.  A cord should last 6 months if it is the sole source of heat for a dwelling.  This is not the sole source, so you get the picture.  I am not at all as nice as my son who accepts this kind of squandering of resources by others who are not paying the bill.

If I have the strength, I will take a picture of the stack of fire pit wood I cut (with a hand saw - powered by ME) and show you just how much work I did.  Now gotta turn this machine off and ice the arm.

Thanks a Lot

One of my peeves is when native speakers write thanks a lot as 'thanks alot'.  There is no such word as alot.  There is a word 'allot'.  But that means to 'give' or 'apportion' something.  A lot, which is really not grammatically correct, means a great deal.  My mentees in Malaysia learned this grammar rule and applied it perfectly in the plaque they gave me in thanks for the teacher professional development courses we held regularly.

anyone notice the typo in the plaque?

The Power of Radio

Yesterday I listened to my favourite radio station  - CBC

A story was being told about the invention of the newest smart phone - called the smart disc.  Without the gift of imagination, this story falls on deaf ears.  That got me thinking about the newest generation of smart phone users and how they probably missed the whole point of the story.  The story teller explained this new smart phone is in the shape of a wheel, with numerals around the disc.  The beauty of this new device means no more clumsy thumbsy in texting your friends, because it automatically converts your voice message you speak into the device into a text message to your friend, whose phone then converts that text message into an audio message to them to listen to. Just think; no one will have to be able to read any longer!  For example, you speak 'hello' into this smart disc, and that message ends up at your friend's disc as the audio message 'hello'; to which they reply 'wow dude, this sounds exactly like your own voice', which is sent back to your smart disc.  The story teller goes on to say that there are no further typing errors with the smart disc because they have incorporated a series of numerals from 1 - 0 around the edge of this smart disc. One finger dialling is all that is required. Just dial your friend's number, speak your message into your microphone and it transmits to them as an audio message on their phone. No thumbs!  Just place your index finger into the slot for the numbers you want to call. Here is a cheat sheet for those under age of 50.

Of course this new smart disc would be a round device, not the rectangular one in this picture.  There was much more information imparted in the story being told on the radio.  We were advised that these new phones are ready and also assured that all those who text each other will be fighting to be the first buyers when they are available to the public.  A whole new way of communicating. Right?  

Happy Valentine's Day All

I took my trusty bus to the shopping centre because I forgot to post the valentines for my little grandchildren. Better late than never, right?  Anyway, I took the wrong bus, so did a convoluted trip from one shopping centre to another, and then waited for a return bus.  As I waited for the bus I spied all the men going into the grocer and a few minutes later emerging with a bouquet of red roses.  Hmm. I still had another 45 minutes to wait for the bus. I trundled back to the grocer and bought myself some bacon and eggs and came home to make myself a bacon and egg brunch/lunch/linner or whatever it might be called. I didn't see anyone lining up to do this for me - so took it upon myself as my valentine gesture to myself.

It was worth it.  Just consumed the delight and will now light a fire and enjoy the sunset which will shortly be upon us here.

Something I Have Learned

When you live in a forest - look upward if you want to know what a sound is, or what the weather is.  Not at the sky. But at the three tops.  I made myself some coffee and went out to the front verandah to take in the scenery.  I heard what sounded like a mountain waterfall.  I don't live on a mountain.  It kept rushing.  What was it?  Trying to figure out this sound, I listened intently.  Then I decided it was heavy traffic on the road below.  But that was not it either.  No traffic was going by.  What else could it be?  I thought again.  It sounds like a river rushing. There is no river near me; I am at a lake. All around me was peace and serenity; tiny birds flitting from branch to branch, everything standing still; yet this roaring sound kept my attention.  The massive cedars and fir trees stood quietly tall all around me.  Then I looked upward as I saw an eagle fly past.  There, at the top of the trees, swaying and swirling.  The sound I heard was the wind in a forest.  Being a stubble jumper, unaccustomed to a forest, this sound was foreign to me.  So now I know - when I hear that sound again, I can be sure it is windy. Lucky for the little birds and myself, that wind does not reach us down here on the ground in our forest.

Look What Happened!

We do not get snow here. Right.

But even though this happened overnight, it is now raining so will all be gone soon.  I had to take photos; I wish I had children here to build a snowman. They would love it.

This is the path to the driveway. 

You can see the solar lights to the left that mark the path (under the snow)

This is the fire pit for bonfires. Guess I won't be lighting it today.

This is the pathway to the fire pit and our private forest behind. 

It is perched atop a rocky crop of granite.  

Job at the FBI

This is the funniest e-mail I have ever received

Job at the FBI

The FBI had an opening for an assassin.

After all the background checks, interviews and testing were done,

there were 3 finalists; Two men and a woman.

For the final test, the FBI agents took one of the men to a large metal

door and handed him a gun. 'We must know that you will follow your

Instructions no matter what the circumstances.   Inside the room

you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Kill her!!'

The man said, 'You can't be serious. I could  Never shoot my wife.'

The agent said, 'Then you're not the right man for this job. 

Take your wife and go home.'

The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun

and went into the room. All was quiet for about 5 minutes.

The man came out with tears in his eyes, 'I tried, But I can't kill my wife.'

The agent said, 'You don't have what it Takes. Take your wife and go home.'

Finally, it was the woman's turn.  She was given the same instructions, to kill

her husband.  She took the gun and went into the room.  Shots were heard,

one after another.  They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls..

After a few minutes, all was quiet.  The door opened slowly and there

stood the woman, wiping the sweat from her brow.

'This gun is loaded with blanks' she said. 'I had to kill him with the chair!!!!

My Carbon Footprint - Am I really here?

Since returning to Canada, I have made a conscious choice to reduce my carbon footprint.  I am not the most disciplined person in the universe, so I know that I need to give myself as few options to waste resource as I possibly can.  First option was to not drive a car.  Easy task you may say when you live in a city.  Rapid transit, cabs, and buses get you everywhere. That is how city planners make a city efficient.  However, I am in the country.  But, being in the country is a good place for me to practice this new pattern too.  No car, no shopping trips when I am bored.  No car, efficient purchasing of food, because I take a small cart with me, and I know that when that is full, I come home.  I am thinking this plan might also be very good for the waistline.  No treats in that cart unless all food essentials are there first.  And because it is a bother to get a bus here and then take it back home, I tend to try to do a shopping trip once a week only.  Now comes the real test.  Figure out how to get from this tranquil paradise to Royal Roads University (in the city) somehow, in order to supplement my income with research work.  I think I have figured it out.

I was always aware that there is a commuter bus service available from here to there. I also knew that there were actually two scheduled runs of this bus route each morning to the city and each evening back home.  I need to be at the university around 9:30 tomorrow morning.  I looked at the schedule for the last bus to the city and saw that it runs by the stop near my home around 6:56 am.  The poser is that in order to get to that stop I have to climb a very steep hill and walk about 2 km - in the dark. If I don't do the climb, my other option is to catch a local bus in front of my home, in the dark at 6:07 am, ride about 2 km, and then get off and wait at the designated stop for the express commuter bus; and then wait at least 45 minutes in the dark for that bus. Hmmm.  I also know that this same bus travels past my own home before it goes to that designated bus stop.  I also know that drivers of these efficient 'express' commuter buses tend to take the express far to seriously and will ignore random pick up requests along the way if they are not at the couple of designated stops only.  But, my location is as perfect as it can be to plead my case.  I am at a corner where there is a local bus stop. I am at a corner where the bus has to stop and then turn right up the steep hill, on its journey to that designated stop.  I called the bus service people and explained my situation.  I asked if I could flag down the bus as it comes to a stop in order to make the turn to go up the hill.  They said I could.  They understood that the other option was rather silly, and because I am not expecting the bus to stop at a non dedicated bus stop anyway, I should have no problem.  Now all I have to do is test this tomorrow and see if the nice driver will stop for me.

As for the carbon footprint, I am very proud of myself.  We have a recycling program in place where the pick up is twice a month.  Everything is not acceptable, but better than no program.  I sort everything in the bins and then drag the big bin to the roadside for pickup.  Trash is a bit more difficult. You have to contact the authorities to pick up your trash, and being a rural spot, they charge you for the task, rather than assess on your taxes. The amount of trash I generate is not worthy of this fee.  Frugal by nature, I have been testing to see how I can reduce my trash to zero or as close to zero as I can.  I am doing a great job.  I watch what I buy. Excessive packaging that is not recyclable has to be something I really need. Even have figured out that only meat or poultry without bones comes to this house.  I will have to make the odd exception when I think I cannot live without chicken soup.  Maybe I will make that when I have a friend come out for a visit and then give them some soup in exchange for them taking the bones back their own trash bin. All other food wastes goes into the composter to enrich the soil.  Right now, because the house is under construction, I tend to go to bed early.  I have a lamp in my bedroom but the living room beside the fireplace is unlit. Tons of pot lights that are not yet activated make this a dark spot to sit in the evening. But a cosy bed with my Big Bang Theory dvd's (Christmas present from Ry) is my evening electrical consumption before lights out.

So, I am thinking that I have done a great job in regard to my carbon footprint.  Some might not even know I am here.  Firewood?  Well, I do draw a line.  But I burn when I need it, which is probably more often than just for ambiance. But then, there are no fossil fuels being burned on my behalf either.

Now lets see how I manage with that commuter bus tomorrow.

more chop wood. more carry water…..

Island life can be very simple.  I think that is what I like about it.  I had a call from a friend in Victoria who has invited me to stay over when I go to RRU this week.  That is something I really should be appreciative about.  I am.  However, all I seem to be able to think is - how can I maximize my time in Victoria and still make it back on the commuter bus to the lake in one day.  Maybe I really am a hermit.

Chop Wood Carry Water

I have been trying to do nothing for months. Today, I finally accomplished the task.  Well, I did have to build a fire in the fireplace, and make some coffee, and then tea to sip while is sat there and read a bit and watched the forest do as much as I was doing.  It was delightful. It is not an easy thing to do.  But I have now mastered 'doing nothing'.  Maybe I am now a Buddhist. You know - chop water, carry water.  (I did carry a glass of water to the chair by the fireplace)  That counts, right?