Have you been waiting long?

29 Jul 17
21:45 hrs

     I was informed that people (meaning you Dear Readers) have actually been missing by blogs. I know that I have been remiss, again. I promise to keep you up to date more often.

     The Travelling Wayward Inn has had a power remake. As mentioned, or maybe not, my friend from Over the Hump drove like a madman to assist me in desnagging the power issue. I will not tell you the solution as I should have been on top of it. The next step is to redo part of the floor  and maybe build some shelves.

     Our Japanese guests are here. Atsumi and Goto. The former is the teacher and the latter is the travel agent. They're still trying desperately to get ahead of the jet lag and failing miserably.  It doesn't help when we want to play tour guide and drag them all over Hell's half acre. Chef Blaine and Sous Irene are trying to impress. Tonight's fare included vegetable stir fry,  garlic and mushroom beef and a ramen soup. Not complaints. Mind you, they couldn't say much while stuffing their faces.

     The paving of the roads in the Valley has continued and they are fantastic. But please watch your speed. My Lobster said she was on Ryan and looked down to see she was doing 110.

30 Jul 17
14:15 hrs

     My Lobster is off with our guests to River City. I cannot attend as I am on call for work.  Instead I have been slaving away on The Project - rebuilding the roof of the gazebo over the Flame Pit. The first portion is now complete. I wore of portions of my epidermis using the tin snips. If anyone asks I tell them I have a touch of leprosy. That usually stops the enquiring minds.

Day Three and IT'S A MIRACLE!

16 Jul 17
10:15 hrs

     Well, it is Day Three of the Vancouver Island Musicfest.

     Did you know that Rita Coolidge is of First Nations heritage? I didn't. I also didn't know that she is from one of the five tribes forced on the Trail of Tears March. Her tribes national anthem is Saving Grace but I bet you've never heard it sung in Cherokee. Yes, it's an old fashioned gospel revival in the main concert bowl. The closing number is rocking like Jake Blue's epiphany.

12:45 hrs

     Foods from everywhere too. We try to have foods from different vendors. My Lobster favours the Dragon Bowl. Rice, veggies and chopped kale. Additions include tofu or chicken. $8... $9 with the additions. I had the tapas selection from Farm Gate foods. A little pricier but sooooo good. Three skewers of chicken, a three of corn fritters and a pair of pulled pork croquettes (bigger than a golf ball) for $14.50.

18:15 hrs

     Did you know that you always get what you pay for? And a twenty minute massage for $20 is just that! So, don't be surprised when there are no bonuses.

     There was word that the town of Williams Lake in the Cariboo was evacuated yesterday.  Our hopes and prayers go out to them for rains and cooler weather. The RCMP are being diligent at snagging the looters. They have nailed eight assholes so far in 100 Mile House. I say give the bastards a shovel and put them to work fighting the fires.

     Back to the Show!
     The 1500 volunteers who put the show together. Working in various crews it all spins up and winds down in a week and a half. The actual planning starts about nine months in advance. Security, construction, vendors, artists, stage crew...each group has their own dance to follow. Miraculously, they pull it off every year.

19:45 hrs

     My Lobster and I just had some Pad Thai from the Kinaree vendor. It sucked and this was due to the sheer volume of product they are cranking out. But, using sliced canned mushrooms? Really? There were no flavours at all. None. Not impressed.

22:35 hrs

     The Bare Naked Ladies just finished. Impressive to say the least. Just one more act for the end...Enter the Haggis!
A report to follow tomorrow.

    

It's FESTIVAL TIME

13 Jul 17
19:45 hrs

     Yes, it's Festival Time. Specifically, The Vancouver Island Musicfest. Are you going? I bloody well hope so.

     The three main headliners are: The Bare Naked Ladies, Bruce Cockburn and someone else. There will be a score of minor acts, food and craft vendors and loads of people to watch, which is just as much fun as the musical acts. My Lobster is currently volunteering with the vendor crew and they were quite impressed with her marshaling skills. It stands to reason as she marshalls the Travelling Wayward Inn and is so good at it I would put her out on a flight line any day.

     The paving in the Valley is still on going. Anderton and now Ryan Road. The work on the bridge over the Tsolum River is accelerating. I don't know when the spans will go in but it should be soon. Of course the approaches will have to be done too. And it looks as if it will be much wider.

     I'm sure you are aware of the forest fire situation here on the Left Coast. Last week the Nicola  and Cariboo regions exploded. There are currently some 200 fires with 14,000 people evacuated north and south of the fire zone to two major cities. I am pretty sure that all of these fires are natural in their cause. Lightening started well over 150 of them. But just yesterday there was a brush fire alongside the Sooke highway. By the time it was extinguished a house was lost. The owners had lived there for forty years and carried no insurance.

     What can I say?

     Now that fire was probably caused by a butt Tossed out a window. It's an offence to do so and it was reported today that another moron did the very same thing in front of a constable. The result? A $567 fine. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

     I can see that the grounds for the new FWSAR training building has been mapped out. It's either that or the craziest croquet field I've ever seen.

15 Jul 17
15:25 hrs

     It's Day Two of Musicfest and those in attendance reminds me of an old Cher song: Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. It's as if every whackadoo in the Valley and beyond has decide to camp out at Musicfest. Mind you if ypu are a people watcher put on your shades and have at it. Surely, living in the Comox Valley is like living in a bowl of Granola.  What ain't fruits and nuts are flakes!

     Tonight is Bruce Cockburn followed by some Scottish act, The Haggis Tribe or something like that.

18:00 hrs

     Rita Coolidge is on stage. She was saying she attended Florida State University when folk music came out. That makes her older than the hills. My Lobster says she wouldn't be too old for me to date. I think that was a dig at my long distant past.

     As I had said before there are as many different people at Musicfest as there are people and in all states of dress or undress as it were. Hats, no hats, kilts, skirts, shirts that make statements and shirts that do not leave much to the imagination. You can see it all. But do yourself a favour and... wear sunglasses for obvious reasons.

     More tomorrow.

The WASPS!

05 Jul 17
04:50 hrs

     Maybe you have them to?
     Wasps!

     Not the insect. Although they can be quite the nuisance. The Sages once had a yellow jacket nest inside a canvas tarp that covered the top of a home made camper. And, I'm not talking about White Anglo Saxon Protestants (although they could be).

     I am talking about the neighbours at the Wayward Inn. Their actions remind me of wasps. They hover on the perimeter, buzzing within earshot. If you swat at them you may get stung but you will certainly get more buzzing, louder buzzing. Its their attitude as well. They know they can sting you and they know their presence is an annoyance to you so they keep pushing that envelope.

     And, where do they come from?

     Our WASPS came from Alberta. I know it's not indicitave of all Prairie Rose residents but it certainly is of those who move to the Island. Maybe it's our slower pace. Maybe it's our love of quiet space. Whatever it is that makes life on the Left Coast idyllic they don't like. They're loud, pushy, invasive and aggressive. They fly in and out. Sometimes they are home and sometimes they're not. But you know when they are home because you can hear their buzzing from behind the fence. Your harmony disturbed you retreat into your home.

     What to do?
     Fenceline peace talks?
     Direct retaliation?

     Well, talking to a wasp is a waste of time. They have their mind made up that they are in the right and they can do what they wish, how they wish and when they wish and to hell with anyone who does not want to participate in their wasp-ish lifestyle or who opposes their wasp-ish lifestyle. If you do achieve a backyard detente be rest assured that it will be short lived.

     Fight back? This course of action, although could be devishly enjoyable and  those of you who really know me know full and well that I would rather let the authorities handle the situation.

06 Jul 17
20:05 hrs

     I had a call from a former squadron member  saying that he was in the Valley. He has accommodations so he will not be staying at the Wayward Inn but I have applied for a leave pass to go out this weekend to reminisce, tell lies and drink a set of Ale. Not necessarily in that order. So if by chance you see a couple if raucous fools in some pub laughing their holes off at the legitimacy of the Thermal Trade Conversion Scale you have two choices. Either look away or join us. Heaven help you if you join us.

     Musicfest is fast approaching. Next week in fact and the Mobile Wayward Inn will be in attendance. With my partner in crime taking over a few day on patrol for me I have managed to finally get the time to go. Now if only I can figure some way of keeping drinks cold in my thermos.