The Squamidian Report - Nov. 23/02

Hi All,

Our week started off with civic elections last Saturday. That sure beats rushing home from work on a dark wet weeknight. This town takes its politics very seriously. Part of the population is stuck in the old recourse based thinking and doesn’t want anything to do with tourists or growth in the small business sector. They don't want big box stores or anything that might attract outsiders.

The rest of the population wants to move into the present. Encourage growth in business and tourism. They want to develop the waterfront. Get the town centre revitalized.

Voter turnout was over 62%. That's staggering for small town elections but it shows how much interest this election has. The 'good guys' won, including our neighbour Ray. He ran for council. They would like to see Squamish develop, the potential here is enormous.

Sue is on a top-secret audit this week. She and a couple of the 'big guys' from Toronto (including her old boss Connie) are the only ones that are in the loop. No one else was aloud to know where it is or even that it was going to happen.

Work is slowing down in Whistler as they wait for snow. So far I've not been sent home too often and I think they will be using me more of the winter than I wanted. Bummer.

A local woman walking her dog down by the golf course had it snatched by a cougar. All they found was a pile of fresh bones the next day. That would shake you up a little.

Between cougars, bears and eagles, small pets that are not on a leash are taking a chance. Cool.

Did you know that you can sit in the Tim Horton parking lot and watch a raging mountain river spill down the high slopes to he west as well as a water fall that has to be higher than the visible part of Shannon Falls. I'm so busy looking at the scenery that I tend to forget to drink my coffee. However, Yogi won't let me forget as he has decided he's like to try the stuff. He has been eyeing that little drinking hole in the lid. And he has a fast tongue for such a big lazy dog.

This rainy season stuff is interesting. We have been getting over 2 inches of rain a day on most days for the last couple of weeks. That's over a foot a week. But it just seems normal. It keeps the cars nice and clean, as long as you have a good rain hat it's not a problem. And of course it's nice clean rain, generated in the north Pacific and the Gulf of Alaska. Not that acidy dirty stuff that kills trees in the east. However, we are entering a stretch of warm, sunny summer like weather that is just great.

I've just finished the wiring up at Warren's. We had done the wiring for his upper house a while ago. Now we completed the wiring for his shop. It had been roughed in but that was it. Had to figure out what each wire was for and where it went. Talk about luxury and decadence, they even have out door lights now.

Sue flies to Toronto on Sunday for annual meetings. She will be in Kitchener sometime Thursday for a few days. Then she heads for the prairies somewhere. That means she will be away for two weeks. The dogs can't wait to sit back at the table again.

Have a good one.

the doug