The Squamidian Report - Nov. 2/02

Hi All.

Well, as you know, Sue's parents are out here this week. She has the week off work. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been much sense in them coming out this week. Fortunately, I have to work.

We got some much needed rain on Sunday. There is fresh snow in the high country again. Now it's back to clear and sunny. A bit on the chilly side but it is quite late in the year.

I've been working on a job site where we are blasting out a spot to place a house. It's just a 'normal' building lot in Whistler but the price for the lot is 1.5 million. The 'average' house that will go on it will cost 4 million. And this lot is on the shady side of a ridge so the sun never once shone on it while I was there. Personally, I think everyone in Whistler is nuts.

I was also a tourist attraction one day. I did a small job in a courtyard area with all the fancy shops around it. The place is crawling with smiling, wide eyed tourists taking pictures of everything. Including me. The best part was parking all day in a pedestrian only area and not getting a ticket.

It's funny watching the tourists. Having been one at one time, I sort of know what they are thinking as they walk around. They are in 'Whistler', all the expensive shops, mountain views, fancy home and building. Everything is spectacular and mysterious. They are somewhere special.

Now it's a boring, rip-off place riddled with incompetence and greed. Boy, am I ever getting cynical in my old age. You have probably guessed that I don't have much use for the 'Whistler' experience. On the other hand, you should see all the pre season snow bunnies walking around. That can be quite inspiring. Or at least until you realize you are old enough to be their parents.

My bike insurance expires today. Its nice enough out to go for a ride but there just doesn't seem to be enough time. I'm sort of expected to do stuff with Sue and her parents this weekend. They fly back on Monday.

Alf wanted to rend a shredder so he could grind up all the sticks and branches he cut off our shrubs this week. Luckily, the only rental place here that has one couldn't get it to start. He had entertained the poor girl at the desk with endless stories of all his shredding experiences. She may have sabotaged the machine just to get rid of us. You never know. Of course, now I'm stuck with a huge pile of brush.

Halloween is a big deal here. They have fire works and half the people take the day off just to decorate etc. There was a community display at the end of our street. We could watch from our front balcony. There was another one just a block away, we could watch it from the back deck. We had only about 50 kids come to our door. Didn't know how many to expect, but there might have been more if I'd turned the front lights on. Just kidding. Sue made sure they were on.

Both dogs got quite excited about the whole thing. I think they would have gone out trick or treat ing if we'd have taken them. They were like little kids. They do seem to like it here.

Have a good one.

the doug