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Issue #984
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I’ve Heard From Russ

The Ontarion

Hi All,

Here’s something I didn’t want to talk about until it actually happened because given how badly BC has bungled the vaccination rollout, well, there was no way of knowing if it would in fact happen, or to be sure when it would happen. Well, it did, at least for me. I got my shot this past Tuesday, at the local old age centre. (Not sure how to take that:)

For most of the province and with the exception of the indigenous peoples, they are still working on vaccinating the 80 and up age group. However, some identifiable groups, and some areas, are being pushed a bit forward. The indigenous people were all done at the same time the care homes were being addressed, next came the 90 years and older group, then the 80 and older. Turned out that in the Sunshine Coast – Squamish – Whistler – Pemberton area the eligible age was reduced down to include the 70 and older residents. Reason, I have no idea but assume it has to do with the fact that our area is and has been inundated with the wild, rule ignoring party goers from the city who have been swarming all over us since the lockdowns began, bringing the virus with them. But who knows for sure. Interestingly, the information about the lower age eligibility was almost a secret. It did not appear on the new or in the newspapers. It was posted way down at the bottom of a page on the BC health web site. I guess they didn’t actually want us to know about it.

We found out when ‘The Wife’ was poking around on the web site looking of more info and stumbled across it. The posting was from a few days earlier. So, I figured what the heck, and tried calling the phone number. I didn’t actually expect to get through given the horror stories we are hearing about wait times of 3 hours only to then have your call dropped. I dialed the number and it rang perhaps half a dozen times, then a canned voice came on with the usual “press one for English”, which I did, then “press 2 to make an appointment”, which I did. The canned voice then advised me that all the operators were busy and I should sit on hold waiting for one to take my call. That voice barely got done yapping when a real live person picked up the line and interviewed me for my shot. Remember how I said it was almost a secret that we could make our appointments? Well, even though our area had been eligible for some days by then, I was the first person from Squamish she had talked to. Bureaucracy at its best. Anyway, a few minutes later my appointment was booked. As an aside, I had prepared for making the call by have in cup of water and the newspaper to read, fully expecting to sit on hold for possibly hours. As another aside, by about 3 weeks ago this province had already WAISTED over 97,000 doses of vaccine due to its inability to get the stuff out to the public. Thats not just incompetent, thats criminally concomitant. But thats our politically correct NDP government at its best. It would rather waist vaccine than see it go to someone who does not qualify under their rollout ideology.

The vaccination process was a bit chaotic but once in the room with the jabber, it was quick and easy. There was so much information that she had to inform me of that by the time she was done talking, she had given my my shot. I hadn’t even noticed. And thats pretty well it, almost anti-climactic. I had no side-effects, no sore arm, not headaches or anything. There is no way of knowing when the follow-up shot will be, probably early summer but who knows. I was told to keep an eye on the news reports to get that info.

Sorry kids, but this week’s video is another of my own original songs called ‘Squamish Winds’. In case you hadn’t guessed, its a song about the world famous winds that blow down the Squamish Valley and on out the Sound. Its the wind that attracts wind surfers and kite boarders. Its the wind that lets the granddaughters fly their kites. So, enjoy.

Squamish Winds

doug

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About Russ

I’ve heard from Russ and he is in good spirits and feeling much better. He is in a care home / recovery home in Ripley and is hoping to be released in a week or so. He regrets not being able to contribute to this letter as he doesn’t have his computer with him, and wishes some of the readers would step up and become more involved. Russ’s step-son Greg has had Russ’s phone number transferred to his room and therefore Russ can now be reached by phone. Just thought you’d like to know.

Doug

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The Ontarion

Hello everyone!

It’s another sunny day in Southern Ontario and I hope we are in for many more of the same in the coming month. (April)

I’m itching to get the MG out of the garage and onto the streets in the sunny weather of spring. When I do get it on the road, it’ll feel like I’ve been sprung from jail to be driving it in the fresh spring air!

Freedom at last! LOL!

With all the hours and days we’ve been locked into the house this latest lockdown will be the longest lasting a month. However I think the premiere has finally made the right move to have made it a whole month of incarceration for the province. He should have done this long ago and maybe we’d be in better shape by now. Oh well, at least We’ve had our first shot to get some protection into our systems. The second shot will come in July and then hopefully we’ll be protected for a good long time after that!

I’m hoping we don’t have to get these shots every year! IF so, the country will be financially stressed for many years to come! At least the government has smartened up now and is building a facility in Toronto to produce the vaccine in the future. They say it will be in working order by 2027. So, for six more years we’ll be depending on other countries to make the vaccine for our use!

I remember when we were kids back in the 50’s and we all had to have a polio vaccination. My friend Doug Watchorn had polio and had to have a brace on his one leg to enable him to walk. Luckily he was cured when the vaccine came out! He later became a doctor and practiced for 25 years before unfortunately passing away at an early age. I don’t know if his passing was related to his early battle with polio or not but one never knows what these diseases will cause many years on in life. Lets hope that this covid virus doesn’t cause problems for years into the future for those of us who have contracted it during this pandemic. Finger’s crossed, once it’s passed, it’ll be over with and we’ll not have to contend with it in the future.

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It’s that time of year once again where we have to change the tires on our vehicles from winter ones to summer ones. Thankfully I have Adam to do this task for me since I’m unable to lift the heavy tires and wheels not only out of the shed but also onto and off of the Jeep. They are quite heavy and take strength to do the installation of them each year.

Speaking of a new year and summer season, our grass is the greenest in the neighbourhood. I guess it’s due to the fact that we fertilize in the fall like you’re supposed to if you care about having a nice lawn in the spring! Three times a year is the recommended number of fertilizations for a good healthy lawn. Most people tend to only fertilize once a year in the spring and think they’ve got it covered for that year. Wrong! But who am I to say what anybody else does or should do. I’m just trying to pass along some good advice but if others don’t care what condition their lawns are in, Oh well! C’est la vie!

Did you send in your income tax yet? We have and have already received a refund from Revenue Canada! Nice to have that little bit come back each spring! Now we can afford to order a pizza one of these nights for supper! LOL! Just kidding!

I think that’s enough for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!

Bye for now…Greg!

PS : Something to Think About!
Wish everyone you can a Happy Easter!
And remember to be safe when you’re out and about during this Lock Down! Wear your mask and wash your hands often! Don’t forget to keep your distance from strangers outside your family bubble!

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