A Day of Successes (aka) NANAIMO or BUST

19:59 hrs.
30 June 14

     Up with the birds, the day started slow with some fine coffee and an episode of HOUSE OF CARDS on Netflix. If you like political intrigue, especially the slimy back stabbing variety, there is nothing that compare to American politics. And Kevin Spacey is fantastic in his role.
By the time everyone else crawled out if bed Ivan was standing at the door. We had planned a road trip and to keep THING 1 happy we invited his pal to join us. Thing 2 didn't need any extra encouragement.  He likes to go on outings. The surliness gene hasn't raised its ugly head yet.

     While the BETTER HALF and I puttered at some yard stuff Things 1 & 2, along with Ivan's help, delivered the local TATTLER, the twice a week whiners rag. As soon as they were done it was off to the races. Within an hour we pulled up at our first stop in Nanaimo to do some minor shopping with the adults going one way and the Three Caballeros going 180° in the opposite direction. Naturally. Twenty minutes later we regrouped and headed to location #2 where we broke for lunch.

     Other than the minor but necessary shopping mission the second reason for the trip was to meet up with an old friend from back home. He and his family live at the south end of the ISLAND and we get to see each other a couple times a year. He too had his kids late in life. In fact, just today he was bemoaning the fact that "Freedom 55 will be more like Freedom 75 by the time they're done their schooling". How right he is.

     My buddy and kids are vacationing Mid-ISLAND so we decided to meet them at RIPTIDE LAGOON in Parksville. It has a double mini golf course. Two complete 18 hole courses to challenge your putting abilities. After the trouncing Ivan had leveled upon us during the previous mini golf match it was decided that his skills would be severely tested this time around. In the end my BETTER HALF and I shared first place with a score of four over par while Ivan was another eleven strokes back.

So There!!
    
     And another point. Does it make sense to go out on a hot day doing outside activities while wearing black?  My Darling Dearest referred to them as the Three Johnny Cash's. The Men (wannabees) in Black.

     Then, all the boys and My Darling Dearest decided to jump on the bumper cars. The cars are slow and more for younger kids whose head doesn't go above the seat back and thus reducing the likelihood of whiplash. This makes them good for old people too. Take a look at the following pics.

The Things we LIKE

17:28 hrs.
29 June 14

     Growing up there are things that everyone learns to love and things that they learn to hate. I'm not talking about learning to hate going to an Aunt's house because her boys are the BRATS FROM HELL.

     Well, I could be...but I'm not.

     I'm talking specifically about foods thst a person is raised on. Some people, due to where they were raised have an affinity for some items and a complete distaste towards others. Case in point: When I was in Germany, during the summer of 1981, I was on a patrol along side a German cornfield. I thought that this was a great opportunity to augment the rations we were eating by having a little corn boil. So I, and a couple of other NEOPHYTES, loaded up the map pockets of our combat pants with as much corn as we could carry. Took it back to the APC (armoured personnel carrier) and cooked it up.

     Funny thing was that when we offered the corn to the rest of the section they all declined. Fine! More for me and I do love a good corn boil!

     At the first bite I knew that something was wrong. The corn had certainly cooked long enough but it was still as hard as a rock. No wonder nobody wanted any. It was cattle corn. This where I learned that Germans, for the most part, do not eat corn. It is primarily grown as fodder for the livestock.

      Who here likes liver and onions?  My parents love the stuff. And as kids we ate it too or we had the option of having nothing. I don't think kids today haven't tried it. Unless Kelloggs has come out with a suger coated livet flavoured breakfast cereal. Mmmmm, just what every kid needs first thing in the morning is a large bowl of FROSTED LIVER O's!!

      But there are somethings that I grew up with that may sound utterly ludicrous to you but for me it was a luxury. My grandmother used to take left over bread (a couple of pieces per person) and tear it up into pieces. Scalding some milk and add some sugar to sweeten. Pour the milk over the bread and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

     THAT'S IT! POPPY SEED BREAKFAST.

      Other personal faves are BBQ ribs, pickeral (walleye), perogies, mom's home made tomato soup, my BETTER HALF's shortbread cookies, donuts from the Cumberland bakery and not the ones from the Quay in Port Alberni, the steak Fred cooked directly over a wood campfire, scallops done on a BBQ and the sticky buns from Roberts Lake (they're the size of a baby's head!).

     One thing that I and my family really love us a simple peasant dish called beet leaves and dough. That's all it is.

1) Take some beet greens. Wash them. Dry them and let them sit out overnight and wilt.

2) Take some bread dough and roll a small ball into a sausage shape. Then wrap a belt of wilted beet leaf around the dough sausage.

3) Place them into a buttered baking dish. Let them (the dough) rise and bake at 350°F until the dough just starts to brown.

4) Remove from the oven and toss in a couple three globs of butter and pour in a cup or so of table cream. Then pop it bsck into the oven for about ten minutes. 

THATS IT!!

    The object is to be the first of the family to make this dish and then phone the rest of the clan to say "GUESS WHAT I'M HAVING FIR SUPPER? THAT'S RIGHT! BEET LEAVES AND DOUGH!"

     At which point the person at the other end of the phone will tell you all about "Sex and Travel" and then hang up. My Li'l Sister beat me to the punch this year. Of course I didn't believe that she made them and said that she had probably purchased them from a Ukrainian Street Food Truck.

 

     Now they are supposed to be these nice little delicate sausage shapes about the size of your finger or a breakfast sausage and not the size of a KIELBASA. All kidding aside, looks like Li'l Sis did a pretty good first stab at it. Congrats

 

 

 

Storm Clouds a Brewin

15:25 hrs.
28 June 14

     I was out on my patrols for work and I realized that I hadn't been up to the end of the Forbidden Plateau Road in quite some time. Well, there was no time like the present.

     Forbidden Plateau used to be home of a nice little ski hill. The problem wss that it wasn't at a high enough elevation to ensure a sustainable snow pack. In the late 1970's Mount Washington was developed into a Mecca for winter sports. Unfortunately, this new ski hill was several thousand feet higher than Forbidden Plateau which, when coupled with the fact that was on a western slope, meant it often had lots of skiable snow late into the spring. There have been years when Mt. Washington has had well over 1000 cm. of snow and a five month season.
   
     The writing was on the wall. All it took was a couple of warmer winters and Forbidden Plateau was closed. They had tried the summer sightseeing chairlift gig but when the guys at Mt. Washington started doing it the final coffin nail struck home.

     The lodge is gone now. Literally gone. The concrete foundation is still there, coated in spray paint like a New York subway car. The rest of the structure was long turned to ash. Rumour has it that it was a successful arson job. There's no proof of course but in a small community everyone knows what really happened.

     Pepple still go up to Forbidden Plateau. Hikers, mountain bikers, picnickers and others. The buildings may not be there any more but the view is still there. It may not be as stunning as on Mt. Washington but IT'S FREE.

Sorry We're Late

23:49 hrs.
27 June 14

Yup its late.
Damn near the WITCHING HOUR!
You know that time of night when you're too tired to stay awake but you have to and your mind starts playing tricks on you?

The only thing that will compensate for that extreme tiredness, the point at which you're going to drive off the road is HUMOUR. Trust me when I say this because humour can do amazing things. Give you strength. Cure your ills. Least of all it will bring friends closer together. And if you can't laugh with your friends, at your friends or at yourself then you must be DEAD!

Case in point. WHILE OUT IN THE WEEDS; Jason, Jake and yours truly were coming back to basecamp at about 03:00 or so. We were all tired beyond belief. Even though I was only idling the truck up the narrow brush choked road there was still the potential for dropping into a ditch or over an embankment. Suddenly one of us, I can't remember who, starts talking about somebody that he met and that this guy was dumber than a CAN OF SMASHED ASSHOLES.

Pretty funny, I know.

But then Jason jumps in and says, "Hey! THOSE ASSHOLOES SHOULD BE JARRED BECAUSE THEY'LD STAY FRESHER LONGER!"

Man, I thought I was going to piss myself laughing. I had to stop the truck and put into park. For ten minutes the three of us just sat there laughing our heads off. Probably scared every critter for miles around too.

For the rest of the trip all it took was for one of us to say, "Hey! You'd better JAR that thing and keep it FRESH!" and we would walk away snickering to ourselves. Sure everyone else thought that we were crazy but we didn't care.

If they didn't want to PLAY with us, then they can STAY HOME!

Death by a THOUSAND CUTS

T13:05 hrs.
26 June 14

      Well the jig is up.
     
      It was announced today that the CBC will undergo another round of financial and personnel cuts. The CEO has put forward a plan to reduce the CBC the supper hour news coverage. The current 90 minute news will be slashed to an hour in some places and down to thirty minutes in others. At the same time digital media, the use of WIDGETS, will be increased. Only that the CBC only brings in about 3% of its revenue by this method.

       
       The loss of personnel is what is most disconcerting. The reduction of people who generate and produce the daily diet of information that allows us to make sense of the world we live in will only hurt us in the long run. Those of us who listen to the CBC know that we will still recieve the news but the content and the quality of that news will be exponentially diminished.

        I really like the CBC, as if you couldn't tell. It's not only the news its all of the programmes that make it distinctly CANADIAN. I have a sneaking suspicion that our IMPERIOUS LEADER in Ottawa wants to have the CBC, the people's network, brought more inline with the YOUALL SHLOCK NEWS NETWORKS that he admires so much.

        Another Federal Department is under the axe again. The Department of National Defence has obligated to complete the massive trimming demanded several years ago. The current Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is publicly questioning the rationale of these measures. If I were him I'd be careful or Sneaky Steve (SS) will demand his resignation too. Ole Steve prefers to be surrounded by YES MEN and the last CDS to stand up to him and get away with it was GENERAL HILLIER. But then again,  HILLIER was from Newfoundland and you really don't want to piss those guys off because they DO NOT back down from a scrap.

       The question remains before you: How long will the bleeding go on before our country's collective national defence strategy is reduced to the "The Mouse that Roared"?

       Another question is: What are you going to do about it? Are you willing to ask questions? Demand logical answers?
Follow through? OR, ARE YOU SHEEP?
      
       #1 SON is off to Ivan's place which will leave the OTHER at home. I plan on teaching him how to play cribbage. A good card game that has stood the test of time. In our family at least.

       Here's a picture of Tree Island (off the north end of Denman Island) at low tide.

Summer is definitely HERE

16:00 hrs.
25 June 14

          I have seen the signs and summer is definately here. And how do I know this? 

          Well, years ago the BC LIONS used to hold their spring training camp at Lewis Park in Courtenay (now they are in Kelowna,  I believe). And of course all the young ladies in town would be lining the field to ogle the ball players. As sure as God made little green apples I have no doubt that there were a number of football babies born the following spring.

           Lacking the BC LIONS, one has to look for other signs of summer. A positive sign is the large number of bikini clad sun worshipping young ladies who have placed themselves on the Puntledge River within viewing range of any male who happens drive over the bridge. The problem lays with the young males, who in their desire to spawn, tend to stop suddenly or park precariously to gain a better view of the ladies.

            Tubers floating down the river is another sure sign that summer is here. As is the annual migratory return of the Red and White plated vehicles from the PROVINCE TO THE RIGHT. Their arrival in the VALLEY is announced by the additional sound of revving engines, honking horns along with the distinctive odour of aggression and impatience as they try to adjust to our slower gentler lifestyle.

            Watching the eagles soar high above the trees behind our house is another sign. But not so much a sign of summer as they are always riding the air currents like big untethered kites.

             My BETTER HALF just pointed out yet another sign of summer here in the VALLEY.  You can eat a meal outside without fearing a single MOSQUITO.  Something that you simply could not do in Winnipeg or Saskatoon or any other town where we have relatives.

              So sorry for the rest of the RAT RACE but summer is best spent right here.

Now I'm miffed!

19:24 hrs.
24 June 14

You read it right.
I'm miffed!!!
I could just as easily say that I am F-ing pissed off.
I cannot believe that some lame ass judge in
Nova Scotia has handed down a two year sentence to JOHN LEONARD MACKEAN for his part in the sexual assault of a teen, who had been kidnapped and held as a hostage for the depraved toying of his captors.

This sentence is, in actual fact, two years less a day which means it will be served in a provincial facility and not in a federal institution. All that was needed was the judge to hand down a 731 day sentence. That's one day. A mere twenty four hours more than two complete years and that SICK child molesting BASTARD would have gone to a Federal Institution where the boys in general population would have looked after him.

Its quite obvious that this depraved sixty-five year old individual has been involved in this activity before.  No one suddenly says, "Hey! Today I'll try something new. I think I'll look for a boy who has been kidnapped by a couple of deviants and I'll RAPE him."

Sick Bastards all.
And of the two miscreants who first lured the boy in, one plead guilty to a host of charges ranging from kidnapping and forcible confinement while his partner died from exposure while on the run from the police.
Okay, that's enough negative crap.

The two couch monkeys and I had a pretty easy day. #1 Son worked on his DistEd English course. If he gets this done before next September he can take an extra computer graphics course. Kudos to him. #2 Son kicked back and worked on some of his own projects.

The official opening of the Royston Trail Park took place yesterday. There was a nice cover of the ceremony by the local rags but I noticed that there was no mention of the Rules of the Park. Rules such as NO BEACH FIRES, NO LOUD MUSIC AFTER 11PM and ALL DOGS MUST BE LEASHED.

We have another pair of guests coming to stay at Our Wayward Inn. A long time friend and her daughter are visiting the Left Coast for the very first time and during their short visit we will play tour guide. We'll hit the highlights. Coombs, Cathedral Grove, the Pier in Campbell River and, of course, Weenies on the Beach.
We have had many people stay at our place over the years and we rather enjoy having folks come to stay with us. It's like owning a B&B without being tied down to a business commitment. We gave our regulars. In-laws and other family members, friends on a golf sabbatical and some who just want get away from the Rat Race or maybe even Toronto.

SMILE!

There's Always a TRADE OFF...

17:20 hrs.
23 June 14

Hi Dee Ho Good Neighbour,

Just caught a news item on the CBC NEWS Network about the latest military equipment procurement. This happens to concern the long awaited replacements for the venerable CH-124 Sea King Helicopters. It appears the federal government has finally accepted the Sikorsky Superhawk ' commonly known as the "Cyclone". The notion of replacing the Seaking (aka the"SHIP BORNE FLYING PARTS BUCKET") has been around since the early 1980's when the Augusta-Westland EH-101 was given the nod to replace all the Search snd Rescue (SAR) helicopters (CH -113 Labrador and CH -113A Voyageur) and the Seakings in one fell swoop. The total number of aircraft was going to be fifty with fifteen going to SAR and thirty-five to ship-borne operations.

Enter the WORLD of CANADIAN POLITICS.

Brian Mulroney abdicated the mantle of PRIME MINISTERSHIP to Kim Campbell who was quickly eaten alive by Jean CHRETIEN's Liberal Machine. A major party platform was to cancel the EH-101 contract because the Canadian Military did not need the CADILLAC version. AND even though it was going to cost the tax payer a gazillion dollars in penalties, cancel it they did which great FANFARE complete with ruffles and flourishes.
Of course, this left the Canadian military without any new equipment for many years to come and when the SAR helicopters were finally replaced they looked a lot like the previous AUGUSTA-WESTLAND offering. In fact, the only difference was some of the avionics suites.In essence it was the EH-101. BUT NOT IF YOU WERE A LIBERAL MP, for them the aircraft will for ever be a "CORMORANT".

So now there is finally a replacement for the Sea Thing. THE CYCLONE, an aircraft that is supposed to be capable of maintaining flight for thirty minutes with no oils in the gear box. A civilian version, used to ferry workers out to oil platforms off the coast of Newfoundland, dropped out  forvyearof the sky for this very same reason killing all aboard save one. Now the Canadian military has stated that the Cyclone will be acceptable even though it does not meet this INDUSTRY SAFETY STANDARD.

I hope your not shocked by this. The Canadian government has been fucking the military over their equipment for years. Back in the early 19490's, when I was a private, Canada opted to purchase the latest American aircraft, the F-18 Hornet. First designed by Northrup, the plane was designated the YF-17 but when the company was bought up by McDonnell Douglas it became the F-18.

Don't get me wrong. The plane is a very capable fighter aircraft but was designed to be flown off an aircraft carrier something that Canada no longer has floating in its fleet. Yes, you are correct Neither does Australia or Spain and they bought Hornets too. But both of these countries are a hell of a lot smaller than Canada.

At the time Canada needed to replace her aging fleet of fighters - the CF-104 Starfighter, the CF-101 Voodoo and the CF-116 ( F-5) Freedom Fighter. The point is the Government's plan was to replace over 100 Starfighters, more than 60 Voodoo and another 100 or so Freedom Fighters with a grand total of 126 Hornets based out of only two locations. That's nearly 50% fewer planes to carry out three different task lines.

Who dreams up this shit!

Currently, due to a lack of pilots and the need to prolong their life expectency (the other Hornet operators have long since upgraded their fleets to the C/D versions or the E/F Super Hornet) the Canadian airforce is operating a total of sixty fighter aircraft with another sixty in rotational storage.

Bloody INSANITY!
Hey, I'm not saying we have to be as hawkish as the YouAlls but we should have more fighters available than Holland! Or Switzerland.

There's more to this story. The F-35. Another reduction in airframes. From 120 down to 65. And by the time we replace those we will only buy two planes with one in Cold Lake and the other Bagotville. How pathetic! We gad better grow some balls. Buy some bloody equipment and defend ourselves or else succumb to anyone who wants to walk in the the front door.

MAN UP OR SHUT UP@!!

Best Wishes of the Day

17:50 hrs.
22 June 14

Another perfect day in the VALLEY. Slightly cool in the morning with a clear sun filled sky in the afternoon. A great day to get some work done around the homestead. While the Better Half scooted downtown with SONs #1 & 2, I did as requested and washed down the walls surrounding the back deck. I also started a load of wash. On their return we played a family board game and the two older residents went back out to do some weeding while the younger two residents sought refuge from the bright glowing ball in the sky.

Today is a special day. It is my friends birthday. That's right. On this day, in 1949, the actress Meryl Streep was born. The problem is sge has never called me on my birthday so why should I call her. Instead, I gave a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout out to my other friend Petrovich. He and I grew up in the BC Interior and shared numerous parallels in our lives. Schooling, careers, etc. We have similar outlooks on life. Care for your family, care for your fellow man, enjoy life, enjoy a good laugh and occasionally a good WHISKEY.

Happy Birthday Petrovich! I raise my glass in your honor. I hope you enjoyed your day.

My Better Half and I had a game of SCRAMBLE this afternoon. Usually our scores are pretty close. But not this time. I was clearly ahead when she drew the "Q" as her final letter. It was clear that there was no spot on the board to place it and when the point value was finalized I was clearly the victor.

A point of discussion was method the release of water in the district is carried out. On occasion, when excess water must be released from the dam to facilitate maintenance practices. It was mentioned, by my Better Half I might add, that instead of just releasing water downstream to the point where the Valley is under a watering restrictions. It would be of a greater benefit to the area residents if we were allowed to water our lawns, wash the house, the car and everything else in sight.
It's a great idea and because it makes sense the District would never agree to it.

Just planted a bug with the Couch Monkeys. There will be NO ELECTRONICS UNTIL THE ROOMS ARE CLEAN. A great idea to be true. I'll just have to see how far it will go.

A Day at the Races

15:45 hrs.
21 June 14

For a day that started slow it has sure picked up speed.  With the Couch Monkey dropped off at Ivan's we then punted #2 Son out the door to karate then it was of to Cotsco for some quick Date Shopping. While enroute to drop off the perishable purchases we recieved a call from the Sensei. Our youngest had been injured. A possible sprained wrist. When we arrived he had ice already applied so we took him home where I stabilized and slung his injured wing. Along the way to get him we had rescued #1 Son and Ivan from a day of MONITOR INDUCED OPTIC RUINATION.

21:30 hrs.

Fast forward about six hours. We had met my BETTER HALF's cousin (and brood) at the Saratoga Speedboat for a little fun on the go-carts. Not a bad price really, $12 for ten laps of the 1/3 mile oval track. This is the same track where they host a CRASH TO PASS BOAT RACE. Pretty crazy shit. They towed a wooden or fibreglass boat behind a race car and in order for one car to pass the other it must hit the boat being towed up ahead. Imagine the cars and boats sliding around an oval track soaked with hundreds of gallons of water.
Next was mini-golf. A good game was had by all. Ivan won with 8 over par while yours truly came in third.
And later, after whacking our balls through 18 holes, everyone gathered at our domicile for burgers done on the FLAME PIT.
Everyone is gone now. The mess has been cleaned up and we are now relaxing. What lays ahead for tomorrow is anyone's guess.

Another little tidbit cropped up that maybe of interest. My favourite steak house, Monte Christo's on the River, is shutting down soon and will become a CRAFT BREWERY restaurant. There was a craft brewery in Comox but despite a rousing success the owners suddenly closed up shop because they were bored. Another place that made some great suds was the LEEWARD Pub. Years ago the pub had a thriving brewery and a great pub restaurant. Its all closed down too. So how this new place is going to do only time will tell.

A twinge if Nostalgia

14:08 hrs.
20 June 14

I had several tasks to accomplish on my day off.  Recycling and a dump run. Neither Loin Fruit was interested in assisting so I was on my own. I was on my way back home from the first mission when I spotted something that really tugged at my heart. Now I know thst some of you are going to laugh but I almost shed a tear.
It was an AMC GREMLIN X, with big wide tires, a blower sticking out of the hood and sporting a great black on yellow paint job. Kinda lookin like an angry bumble bee.
For those of you who don't know I was the owner of a GREMLIN X. It was my first car. Big wide bias ply tires, three speed on the floor and a loud stereo. My first car. A buddy of mine called it "BLU BYU". Once my favourite Aunt was visiting me in Comox, back in '83, and I was showing her around the Valley. I was in Back Road heading from Courtenay to Comox. The road was wet and I was behaving myself when Aunt S. asked if the car went any faster.  So, I opened it up. I came over the last hill before the hair pin at about 70 kmh and the executed a perfect wet road drift around the hair pin before snapping the car back to the left. At which time my Aunt S. said that was enough for the day.

My Better Half now has some competition in the kitchen. Last night #2 SON wanted to bake something. Sounds good but not at 22:00. So today he made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Three and a half dozen of the best cookies I have ever had. The kind where it has a slight crunch but the centre is still moist and chewy. I am thoroughly impressed with his skills and I told him so.

The other MAN CHILD, #1 SON,  is at his Ortho appointment. He and his merry band of Venture Scouts are going to hike PARADISE MEADOWS out to Lake Helen Mackenzie and other points behind Mt. Washington. There is a constant drizzle coming down in the Valley right now but who knows what its doing at the 4000 foot level.

It seems as though our weekend has been SHANGHAIED. An unforseen set of circumstances have come up blowing my tenative plans out of the water. The new plans are still interesting but not what I was envisioning. I know, I know... just go with the flow.

22:10 hrs.

So with the eldest Couch Monkey gone on his hike up the mountain and the youngest at home with us, we had a delightful dinner and watched the first of the PIRATES movies. The scene where Jack Sparrow first makes landfall in Port Royal is PRICELESS. On his return, his ROYAL SULLENESS said he had a great time on his hike.

So another bit of nostalgia came back to me the other day. A dab of A535 in the wrong spot reminded me of Grade 8 Initiation Day that involved an entire bottle of HEAT linoment. There is a special place in HELL reserved for Kim KEEHN,  Jim RHODES, and Bob NUTALL.

Tomorrow we are off to the races, Saratoga that is. There is an oval track where they race stock cars and have crash to pass races. Its a fun place. If you've never seen these crazies on the track its worth taking a look.

A sign from ABOVE

20:25 hrs.
1in June 14

I just picked up Loin Fruit #2 from karate and when got home there was this gorgeous double rainbow behind our house. I don't know if the second arc is visible in the picture but the colours were just incredible. Take a look.

Something else popped up on the news radar this morning that I feel that I must comment on.This pertains the the excellent job the RCMP has done in nabbing the latest child porn ring. More importantly is the fact that five children, two of which are in BC, gave been rescued. I don't care what anyone says this is a sickness from which there is no cure. These people always re-offend as it is a matter of control and manipulation they have over the victims. There is a couple of options.

OPTION #1 - Once their trial is over have them all transfered to GENERAL POPULATION. Hardened prisoners know just what to do with child molesters.

OPTION 2 - (In the words of the late George Carlin) You take the guy, dip him in a vat of rich brown gravy and then lock him in a room with a WOLVERINE that's high on ANGEL DUST!

Employed correctly these options will not deter these crimes but they will feed our desire for revenge of the innocent. Is that a bad thing?

I had placed a "Warning - Politically Incorrect Zone" notice on the head of my blog page. It was meant as a joke and some of you may have read it. It was removed as there was some confusion as to its true meaning. I suppose I don't need to put up the warning notice. If you have read any of my blogs you will know that I am definitely NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT.

A Blustery Day

11:15 hrs.
19 June 14

Its a bit of a blustery day here in the Valley. The clouds are scudding along pushed by a southern wind. I'm parked at a local walking trail trying to educate people to have their dogs on a leash, for various reasons. The least of which is the fact that a small dog is a nice light snack for an eagle and we have plenty of those. Along the Komoux First Nations Reserve it is reported that there are thirteen nesting pairs of eagles. Another thing we seem to have an abundance of is cougars. Of both the four legged and two legged variety. My BETTER HALF said that there had been a couple of new sightings of the four legged ones near Willimar and Lake Trail roads (the two legged ones tend to cruise the Legions). There is a greenway there with plenty of deer residing nearby. There is also a school there too. Good thing its closed due to the strike.

Speaking of the school strike. If I was a teacher I would be questioning what happened to the Strike Pay Coffers. It was reported in the news that striking teachers are taking up collections to cover the grocery costs for some of its members. One couple in particular are both teachers in Vancouver, earning 70 k per annum each, and they cannot afford groceries for their family. First off, if your bringing in a six figure family income you should have some sort of savings set aside and secondly how much money was in the BCTF strike fund?  It sounds like pretty poor planning on the unions part to launch a full blown strike when there is only three days worth of funding in the war chest.

In the words of Jerry Maguire, "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"
Enquiring MINDS want to know!

One thing that I have noticed about my position is how much of a deterent I can be to the Ne'er Do Wells in my district. While OUT IN THE WEEDS, Jake YoungBlood spotted some HOODLUMS in Cowichan. And believe me I have no qualms in forwarding a report of mischief to the proper authorities. Cooperation between all departments is essential.

I spotted the Dog Handlers from the local constabulary out with their charges yesterday. From personal experience, during a training session in WinterPeg, I can attest that I would rather face an officer with a gun than an officer with a dog.

A nod's as good as a wink...to a blind bat

15:38
18 June 14

First thing this AM my #1Son was having his standard breakfast. Mini-Wheat's in an bowl overflowing with milk
 I'm not complaining mind you, as we are all milk lovers in our family. He was up early as he gad a provincial math test to write.  He wanted to walk to school too. But as he ate his bowl of soggy cereal he was eyeing the TUBE. It was some very classic Bugs Bunny. The un-edited Bugs Bunny. Bugs and Daffy were driving Elmer crazy.
Rabbit season!
Duck season!
Rabbit season!
Rabbit season!
Duck season! FIRE!
BOOM!!!
And then Daffy's bill flies off.

Great stuff.
Does anyone remember when the right wing moral majority assholes started to have cartoons edited for content and violence. Immediately all cross dressing cartoon characters were gone as were any acts of violence. It was left to our collective imaginations. Sure, Wile E. still fell off the cliff but the poor bugger never hit bottom! Maybe he landed on a field of daisies. Or was he held aloft by the desert winds?
Pure Bullshit!
Everyone knows that if you fall from a high cliff you are going to SPLAT! and if you hang onto that ACME grenade just a little too long your going to go BOOM!
I am glad that reality has been returned to Bugs and his pals.

I love it when people give it their all. I just delivered Loin Fruit #2 to the Ortho -TAKEOUT A SECOND MORTGAGE - dentist. There is a kid, maybe fourteen years of age, standing on the corner of 17th and Cliffs shaking a sign for Little Caesar's Pizza. He is all over the place shaking it like his life depended on it. I know he attracts a lot of attention and rumour has it he gets tips just for his energy. A big two thumbs up.

Back to #1 Son. I called home around 11:00 and found that he was home. He was slated to write the online version of the exam which is not available until next Wednesday. Thanks for the walk.

There is dark storm cloud ganging over the VALLEY. We're expecting s storm tonight or tomorrow, which should be good as there have been watering restrictions in place for the past week. It's not so much concern for the lawns as grass will go dormant during times of drought. My concern is for the surrounding forest. Its only mid June and the fire hazard rating is already Medium to High.

I'm still waiting for the IRS to give me my ITIN or Individual Taxation Identifying Number. Canada and the YOU-ALL'S have a taxation treaty applied to copyrights and royalties. Its supposed to take six to eight weeks. If I don't have this number then there will be a 30% withholding tax applied to my book royalties. In other words, I need this number even though I am not a US citizen. Just one of the hoops.
Li'l Sis suggested that I form a company and write a lot of expenses off against the costs of getting it out there. Sage advice to say the least.

This is one busy day fir all of us. More so for the BETTER HALF and myself Off to work for the both of us. Take #2 Son to Ortho then rush home so we can all get a meeting at 17:00. After that its time to FEED & WATER the MASSES before I head for my routine Wednesday meeting. I'll get home sometime before 22:00 hrs.

And another thing...

20:22 hrs.
17 June 14

Why is it that when a man informs his spouse that "Yes, I went to the doctors office, but no, I did not get to see him as the place was full" the following question will be asked several hours later "Did you see the doctor today?"

Is it just me or does this happen to any of you, too? I know the reverse cannot be true because if you, a male, neglects to hang on her every word then you might as well move in with the dog because that's who your going to be snuggling with for the foreseeable future.

I swear that I am going to start recording all conversations between me and my family. Its not that no one is listening. I know they are. It's just that nothing sticks inside. Information just filters through and oozes onto the floor where it lays until someone slips on the goo. Maybe, if I write the shit down on a post-it note and stick it to their forehead they'll remember what I have said.

We did a bit of a tidy after supper. My better half tackled the garage while I assaulted the truck. We both had stuff to clean and put away after our respective escapades. There was one task I had to do when I came home from BEING OUT IN THE WEEDS and that was get into the home safe. It seems that LOIN FRUIT #1 is applying to go to ITALY next year on a school exchange and he needed his passport information.


Maybe he'll have a chance to visit Poggi (pronounced poe-gee).

Now, I know the combination and I have been into the safe many times before but this nut just would not crack. Three times past zero to the right-stop at the number. All the way to the left past the number once and then stop at it. Turn to the right and stop on the third number. Turn the handle and 'VIOLA' it opens.

Not this time.

Well, where there's a will there's a way. And with the help of a one pound ball peen, a wrecking bar and a crow bar the door was successfully pried from the strong box with only a minor gouge to my leg. A new double lock safe with key pad and tumbler key set is next on my purchase list.

Sun Sunny Days

10:30 hrs.
17 June 14

Hola!
What a gorgeous day in the Valley. The sun is shining. The birds are chirping and the teachers are on strike.
Class size and composition seems to be the sticking point. Certainly can't be the 8% increase over five years plus the 5K signing bonus. I haven't quite figured it out but this increase would be on top of the 70K the average teacher makes already.
HOLY CRAP!

I see that BC FERRIES has finally begun construction of the cable ferry from Buckley Bay on  Vancouver Island to nearby Denman Island. This being done to save monies by reducing personnel. A retired ferry captain, who has a marine engineering degree, has reviewed the new vessel for this route and has determined that this will be an accident in the making. For more info on the planned changes go to the BC Ferries website. But also look for a website called http://www.sendintheclowns.info/  It contains the view of the former ferries captain.

I heard that the USS NIMITZ, the oldest nuclear powered aircraft carrier in the US Navy Fleet is positioned at CFB NANOOSE BAY. Don't know how long she'll be there so if you have a chance to go for a drive south from the Valley go take a look. http://www.nimitz.navy.mil/.

I am going to try to have my #1 Son assist me in modifying the Blog Page. I want to add some permanent Links and maybe some advertising as well.

Comox Valley Things that "That Get My Goat"

18:25 hrs.
16 June 14

You know there are just something's that are out of your control but need to be addressed.
Things like:

1) The rattling air conditioners atop the Florence Filberg Centre. If I lived in the apartments next door I would be after someone to fix them.

2) The individuals who live in the apartments behind the Timmies in Comox must be tired of the constant stream of vehicle noise and exhaust. But then again the Timmies was there before the apartment block so tenants kinda have to put up with it. This is the same for the DOLTS who move into a house near the airport and then complain about the sound of the air cadet tow planes. JESUS CHRIST! Where were you in 1982? At that time there were 15 CF-101 all weather fighters launching around the clock spewing flames from their afterburner and efficiently turning JP-4 jet fuel into noise not to mention the four sub-hunting Auroras, the search and rescue squadron and the utility squadron flying twin radial engine Trackers. Grow the F*** UP and GET A BRAIN! If you live by an airport there will be noise.

3) Then there are the morons who think the secondary roads in the Valley are an extension of the Daytona 500. These are also the guys who drive the jacked up 4x4 penis extension on wheels that purposely take up two parking spots just so their Precious Baby doesn't get scratched. I say let's park within a foot of these jerks just to piss them off. Hey pal, if you feel the need to drive an oversized vehicle then do everyone a favour and park it out of the way from those with normal sized cars.

4) For heaven's sake take pride in your home. I'm not saying your house has to be the bloody Taj Mahal nor do you have to keep up with the Jones but at least pick up the trash and cut your lawn before the rats start multiplying.

On another note, I found out that we will be hosting two Japanese students this summer plus our two teens and #2 Son's friend. That will be a total of five sullen grumpy opinionated males in the house....besides me.

Happy Days

And Now For Something Completely Different...

23:23 hrs.
15 June14

I heard the other day that some one has proposed to spend money on an indoor tennis court in the Comox Valley. You've got to be fucking shorting me. SPEND PUBLIC MONIES FOR A BUNCH OF TENNIS SNOBS TO PLAY INDOORS!
Especially when we still have homeless people outside in the elements.
Bullshit!

I suggest that any councillor who agrees to put up funds for this project should be made to live out on the streets for a week or two.

Back on patrol tomorrow. Hopefully I won't piss too many people off. At shift change my partner said we have a whole new crop of problem children to deal with.
Yeah! Can't wait.

And yes the bloody teachers are on strike. I can't recall what their last wage demand position was but obviously it was more than what I make. Must be nice.

Ho hum. Time to crash.
Tomorrow's another day.

Musings for Happy Father's Day .....

07:39 hrs.
15 June 14

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY whether you are one or not.

Just to catch up on a couple of items.
As you know, I have been out in the weeds in pursuit of an elusive large hairy primate. I had lots of fun. Met some new people. Laughed it up with some old friends. And I came away with a sore back. Did I have any sightings? No. But we did have a vocalizations return and a possible approach into the camp. Its pretty cool when you hear heavy footfall thst coincide with ground vibrations and a large silhouette blocks the moonlight on your tent at 04:00 hrs. The expedition is officially over today but I had to come home early to review a case for work this coming week. Hopefully its nothing serious and doesn't involve livestock.

Coming home was a real joy. It took me an hour to reach pavement from basecamp. A quick refuel in Duncan, point the truck north and set the cruise control. All was good until I hit Nanoose. Sure enough some dick head had a pile up by the PetroCan station at the bottom of the hill. WAKE UP ASSHOLE! It's only 60 kph. through there so there is no need for an accident. But people have been dying at that intersection for as far as I can remember. More cops, more speed traps and bigger fines may slow some these morons down. Doubtful really, but make them pay for their stupidity. This little feeder bender had two fire rescue, an ambulance, several Mounties Thad had the northbound traffic reduced to a crawl all the way back to Lantzville only to divert us onto a secondary country road that came out at Parksville. That'll cool your jets.

On to some new stuff.

I heard from my darling dearest that the "Walk for the Cure" was a huge success. She and our sons volunteered and participated. I'm sorry that I missed it as both my parents are cancer survivors and its important to be vigilant against the disease.

So, 98.9 JET FM is no more. Long live the GOAT!
The GOAT? I hate goats. Especially in my job. They are nasty, smelly, they have those weird eyes and a boat load of attitude....but, I digress. It appears or rather sounds as if this revamped radio station, 98.9 "The GOAT" is harder, edgier than the previous Jet FM, which used to play the same Nickleback tunes ad infinitum until a person would want to run screaming into traffic or would be looking for a sharp object to open a vein. With the limited FM choices here in the Valley "THE GOAT" is widening the gap between the only local rival station "THE EAGLE" and its sonabulistic melodies.
Edgy is good. EDGY is BETTER. EDGY KEEPS YOU AWAKE!

The GOAT is part of the VISTA radio network that reaches across the country. They have a free app that allows you to listen to any of their stations on your smart phone. The BEAR; the WOLF, the MOOSE or even the GOAT. Look for Vista Radio on your android device. I'm sure there is one for you Apple Users as well.

Something else I was made aware of was during my sojourn OUT IN THE WEEDS the Esso station on the corner of Ryan and Anderson is now a PetroCan station. Great news as I no longer have to go downtown to fuel the work truck (fleet card). And its about bloody time too Esso always had the price at that station set to the gouge level and yet there were a consistent parade of idiots who would consistently fuel up at that location because they were earning POINTS. Points for what? The afterlife? A free trip to Outer Slobobia? Just save the POINTS and the prizes and give me my gas cheap.

As a father on FATHER'S DAY, I want to remind you to give you father a call just say hi. And, if he is no longer in your life then sit back and reflect on the things that he may have done for you. If you can't do that then at least be grateful to some male mentor who has guided you on your Life's Path. I'm going to get a hold of my dad tomorrow as he is out at a fishing derby (according to my sister). Wish I was there with him. I have no idea if my family has anything planned for me today. I have to unload the truck of my gear and other than that the day is free.

If you are reading this series of observationns, rants and vents (now there's a title if I ever saw one) feel free to add a comment on a particular blog. I welcome the interaction

Still 'Squatchin

18:56 hrs.
11 June 14

Hello All

Had to come in to Cowichan to restock our supplies.
Young Jake and I are grabbing a bite at a place called...Jake's on the Lake. Nice pub good service too. Check it out.

Last night we were out with the R2D2 unit. Its a XP 5000 Thermal Eye (Worth about 30 k new) and was mounted on my truck. We spotted a huge elk with a rack wider than the truck.

More later.

It's Packed

21:45
05 June 14

The basis of the Aviation Life Support Equipment trade is being able to stuff 50 pounds of shit in a ten pound box. For example, inside the seat pack of the CT-114 Tutor (the plane flown by the Snowbirds) there is a single man inflatable raft, an arctic sleeping bag, a hatchet, an emergency radio, rations and a bunch of other crap. Pretty amazing.

I have transferred that skill to pack everything. I drive a Ford Sportrac. You know, the truck that never grew up. I am leaving tomorrow morning for nine days out in the weeds. To ensure I had enough equipment I have had to Tetris camp boxes, two tents, a screen room, two sleeping bags, a folding cot, a bionic ear and other assorted electronic devices, axe, shovel, pack saw, ten gallons of water, an extra five gallons of gas, clothes and food for a week, three camp chairs and a pile of assorted crap. As for people...it will fit me and until its unpacked it will only fit me.

Tomorrow is D-Day.
I will unable to write on this blog unless I have to go into town, a 45 minute drive one way, from what I have been told.

Please bear with me.
I'll write if I can. But expect a lot of stuff when I get back.

Till then,

Me

The Last Day

08:50 hrs.
05 June 14

This is the "LAST" day.

My "LAST" day of work before going on the expedition.
And it was, seventy years ago, the "LAST" day of calm before thousands and thousands of Allied troops headed for the beaches of Normandy.

In my opinion, "LAST"s should not be look upon with sadness but with a sense of closure and hope for what lies ahead.

Some "LAST"s are abrupt, a sudden end as a result of inaction and inattention.

Yesterday was the "LAST" day for a young longboarder who neglected to wear his helmet. All it took was just one time. He fell from his board, struck his head and, as a result of his error, has expired. I have no love for those who race down our open public roads on vehicles without a braking system while traffic is actively operating. Most of these individuals participating in this sport are young adults who should know better so when a young person dies from something that was preventable it is a sad day. But hopefully his death will remind others to wear their safety equipment.

There is the "LAST" of a line too.

Just for shits and giggles, I Googled a boyhood friend from Saskatoon only to find an obit column for his father, Glen. Glen was born in the 1930's and passed away in November of 2012. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, his wife and his son (my childhood friend). The only relatives left alive are his sister-in-law and her family. Glen was the "LAST" of his line. It is sad but I still remember him clearly. Tall, thin, strong and sporting a perfect flat top haircut. Memorable.

There also "LAST"s due to forces beyond one's control. Mother nature is big on that.

Hopefully, today will also be the "LAST" day for the whackadoo who has been terrorizing the city of Moncton. Three RCMP officers have been killed and two more wounded. Something tells me that if the perpetrator is found dead it might be a case of "SUICIDE BY COP".
'That's right your Honor. The Subject Male fell out of a ten storey window and loaded on fourteen bullets that just happened to be standing vertical on the sidewalk below. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!'

And a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

17:25 hrs.
04 June 14

That's right, its my day!
Well, not just my day but my buddy up in Pt. Hardy shares the day.
As does the Queen of Bhutan. Funny thing though, Bob phone to wish me well but she didn't. Maybe we should call her?

In Germany, birthdays are celebrated just as anywhere else but they also have another celebration called "Name's Day". Just imagine if all of the Bobs (and by extension all Roberts), Debbies, Ralphs or whatever your name is, gets together with all those with same name on a specific day to have a party. A party for your name. Names days were selected after church figures or feast days. Often, people born on or close to a names day were named after that day. It is still popular through Europe and Latin America. To check our your own names day go to www.mynameday.com.

I spent some time tracking down and clarifying rumours of some ne'er do wells. This took me to the northern limit of my jurisdiction only to find no one was at home and the house was empty. The rumour was therefore quashed.

My attempt to have at least half the load packed into the truck has failed miserably. This means the pressure will be on to have it all loaded by nightfall tomorrow. I'll probably help yhe boys on Friday with their newspapers as that will be the last I'll see of them for almost two weeks. Well, two weekends anyways.

Speaking of weekends, I invite all those with nothing to do on Saturday night to come down to the Vanier running track to watch or take part in the Walk for the Cure (Cancer Walk). We have done this as a family for a number of years. Both of my parents are cancer survivors and I know that any support is better than no support. If it wasn't for my expedition I would be putting up a tent and cranking up the portable Flame Pit. I'd sleep over night too. Kinda plusses me off that the CFB doesn't have an organized representative team. Yes, each individual unit may be sending a team of track walkers but you would think that THE BASE would support a team made up of volunteer members.
No such luck.

Like I said, if your not tired and your bored of watching NETFLIX,  get off your duff and participate in something useful. Take a friend and make it a social event. Get involved!

My better half just reminded me to pack some white gold , which is something I have forgotten up until now. Four rolls of the good stuff shoud be enough
What do you think?

All in a Days Work

22:29 hrs.
03 June 14

What started as a slack day wound up being a slack day. Which is not a bad thing really. I got to touch base with a lot of individuals. Call it customer service by making a public appearance I am able to gain compliance easier than coming across heavy handed.

First thing was to drop an interesting artifact off to a friend and chat about just stuff in general. Then it was off to making my rounds. One the way out to Seal Bay Park some guy calls me up asking if I could sort out his problem. Hey I love to solve others problems. Can't solve my own but I'll help everyone else. When I ask for his address it turns out he's out of my jurisdiction and not just by a block or two either. Not only is he in another town he's in half way to Victoria from here. Sorry pal, you are out of luck.

The day was slack enough I even had time to wash the work truck before heading to Goose Spit Park for lunch. On route I had the shock. There was #1 Son with his buddy on their bikes. He had made a picnic lunch of cold burgers while Ivan had a whole jar of pickles, a block of cheddar cheese, a half bag of chippits and a can of spray whipped cream. Al of which was used as toppings on his burger.
He's young. His colon will forgive him.

I also saw the better half exercising with a friend. Lots of people walk the road or climb yhe stairs. A good cardio work out for sure.

As the day drew to a close I ended up searing pig parts on the Flame Pit while my life partner made the sides. I even got some of my packing done for the Island Expedition. Those in the know just call it the Island EXPED. You'd have be there and some day I wish you could. Having a grumpy monkey scream a throw rock's at you at night is pretty intense. Sybilla Irwin, an investigator from Texas, coined the phrase : It's always fun and games until the sun goes down.

How right she is.

So the truck is a third packed but everything else is ready to load in the next day or so. Then its refuel and hit the road. Probably take me six hours to get to the general area. A radio call will bring me in to camp. The all will be good.

More about this later.

With a dinner for 3 you get a free eggroll. ..

2300 hrs
02 June 14

Well today started of with a bang. My #1 Son had a case of the grumps this morning and that was after had asked for a ride to school.
Uhm....no. I don't appreciate being yelled at (who does) especially by my son so prepare yourself to walk to school. And he left.

The discussion about supper started around noon. There was still left overs in the fridge ir a pork tenderloin to be subjected to the Flame Pit. Or, option C was to go out for my birthday supper. We knew that #2 Son would be up the adventure but would his older brother want to go too? Of course that would be dependant on the location and the availability of french fries. We asked and he declined, opting to forage instead.

Off to the extensive dining experiance that thrives in the metropolis of the Comox Valley. Actually there are some really good restaurants in town and some that I would consider only for specific plates.  A friend of mine approaches a new pub or diner with a simple request.  Make a Club House sandwich. That's all. A simple enough task to be sure but if the chef fails in his task why bother trying anything else!

If I wanted a steak I would go to Monte Christo on the River. They haven't failed me yet. No, I haven't eaten at Prime Hothouse. One mortgage is enough. For the absolute best burgers in town I go to the Lunch Box on Mission Hill. Great fries too, but don't order the onion rings. Yes, they are hand made but there is an oily after taste. I think the fryer temp is too low so onion rings just sit in the basket absorbing the oil instead of cooking in it. Of course.,an all round great place is the Black Fin Pub. But even with the new legislated pub admission rules for family dining this place refuses to change who it allows to let in. Too bad as I would like to let my boys experience such a nice place.

Speaking of nice, try the Avenue. Just go for the appies Everything is great but I really like the Beef Carpaccio. Fantastic.

For supper tonight the three of us went to Fluid. I like Fluid especially not on a weekend when all the Fort Mac Fly In boys are burning through their cash. Tonight we were treated to a male server who was really on the ball.Good on ya, Cory Most places in town have these vapid girls waiting tables.

My meal was a Calamari appy with a medium rare steak sandwich and a Greek salad on the side Excellent all around.

I liked it so much I didn't even tell them about the tiny spider on his web hanging in the lighting above our table.

The Countdown has begun!

7:50 hrs.
01 Jun 14

Once again I am the only one up at the moment. (Maybe not, I just heard someone cough.)

But I was the first one awake so I crept up to the perch and began to work on the month end paperwork. I have to take the day off from duty, unless there is an official call out, as I am working a double shift and the BC Labor Law states that an individual cannot work more than so many days in a row without a break and if he does then all the hours worked during that pay period are to be paid as time and a half.

Its my own damn fault anyways. I needed the time off in June for the BFRO expeditions on the Island. There are two this year and they are running back to back. In order to attend one and then stay out in the bush until the completion of the second I needed to free up some time without taking any holidays. By simply swapping shifts with my partner, THANK YOU VERY MUCH JAMES, I will be able to depart on the 06 June and I won't be seeing civilization until the 15th. Of course I will have to be ready to go on shift on the 16th. It will be a bag drive for sure but it will be worth it.

A fellow BFRO investigator from Texas came up with this term. Trust me when I say the term is applicable to most hard core enthusiasts.

 

 

But, do I care what others think about my hobby, my passion? No, I don't. I do have to temper my cravings for al things 'squatchy with a hefty dose of family reality. Otherwise I would probably be gone into the bush on a far more regular basis. Hey, some people like to go to the bar, drink beer and throw darts while I like to camp out in the forest and let some 600+ pound primate try to scare the crap out of me.

 

I had mentioned earlier that I would give you a teaser from my book, Wood Knocks and Tossed Rocks. So here is an excerpt from the 2005 BFRO Expedition on the Sunshine Coast.

 

Over the next hour or so Matt positioned the vehicles where he wanted them and this simple activity was getting the attendees pretty hyped up. Everyone was now stretched out along the roadway and even the “Guys from New York” had appeared for the gathering.

Now, almost every good story that I ever heard almost always started with the catch phrase: “So, there we were…”

All lined up…

On the road…

Everyone’s vehicles were parked so each group was just out of sight from the next group. It was postulated that in this manner each group of expeditionaries would appear to be alone but they would be secure in the knowledge that help, if it were needed, was just around the corner. Of course the whole intention of this scheme was to make us appear to be just a group of campers hanging out in the woods.

Imagine for a minute that you are a sasquatch just walking through the woods, minding your own business and then off in the distance you hear a wood knock or a vocalization. What was that? You wonder who is in your territory so you reply back. A little while later and maybe from a different location you hear another response. Well, being the inquisitive sort, you just have to check this guy out and see what the hell he is up to. And so, off you go. 

Quietly. 

Cautiously.

As you approach the area from which the sounds had emanated, you see a small group of those hairless ‘squatches. No big deal. There are only two or three of them, standing about or sitting near their metal rolling boxes. You can see them but they can’t see you because you know that, shrouded by the forest in the blackness of the night, you are safe from their primitive spying eyes.

And what’s this? There’s another knot of these creatures just around the corner. Well then, you think to yourself, I might as well just stay a while, and just in case one of those beams of light stabs through the darkness in my direction, I will watch them from behind this screen of trees.

So we sat through the night discussing the prevailing theories of cars, politics, our jobs and of course bigfoot, occasionally taking note of the sudden sound of a branch being broken in our immediate area. Fred and I had parked our trucks tailgate to tailgate. I was facing downhill with Fred facing the other way. The trucks were separated by about ten or twenty feet and this gave us enough room to sit off of the road in relative security.  John, Philip and Mike had set up their camp about a hundred yards or so down the road from us.  Going a hundred yards in the other direction and around the corner were Aaron and Roger. Beyond them were the “Guys from New York” holding down the fort at the uppermost end of the line. 

On a lower road, directly below John’s group, were a young couple from Washington State in one tent and a solo expeditionary in his own. Due to the terrain their camping spot was extremely tight and as a result the tents ended up being only a few feet apart. This group had arrived late, after a long road trip that had taken them through the heavy bustling traffic of BC’s lower mainland, and then up along the coast to Sechelt. The sun had not dropped over the horizon for long when the couple radioed to the rest of the group that they were going to crash for the night. I believe the solo member must have felt that there was no reason for him to sit up by himself because he soon crawled into his own sleeping bag too.

All was quiet. Too quiet!  

Even the damn crickets had stopped their occasional chirping.

“Is anyone listening?” It was Sarah from Washington State.

“Go ahead Sarah.” 

John had an ear bud microphone on his radio and with it he could hear someone calling and reply in a much softer voice than the rest of us. After seeing John use it over the weekend I knew that I would be looking to pick up something similar for my radios. 

“We have a visitor!”

Everybody was suddenly all ears.

“Whereabouts?”

“Oh, about ten feet directly behind our tent!”

 

Does this sound interesting? Does it sound exciting?

 

I am sure that you have probably heard of the TV show "Finding Bigfoot".

Well, that's what we do. Only we don't host town hall meetings and we do not have cameras strapped all over our bodies. Too awkward and to cumbersome.

We do have some really cool toys though. The R2D2 is a $30k thermal unit that magnetically mounts on a vehicle. It can pan, tilt and rotate almost 360 degrees. We have handheld L3 Thermal Eye viewers and Gen3 infrared night vision. Some members have bought their own devices as well. Audio recorders, Bionic ear listening devices and some night optics as well.

 

It will be a fun time for all.

 

Yesterday #2 Son attended a dance for bee awareness, or something like that. He was invited by a girl from his class. It was held at the Comox Little Red Church. We dressed him up in a  funky Bee costume. He was dropped off home by her parents, who were also dressed as Bee's.

 

It was pretty funny.

 

#1 Son was supposed to stay overnight at Ivan's place but for some reason he decided that he wanted to come home.

 

Well there is lots of work to do around the ranch today so I hope they're ready for it.