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British Columbia has over 200 some "ghost towns" that are known and on occasion some intrepid hikers/ explorers along the coastal waters or the interior mountains deep in forests discover another one as one town was only a few years ago . It had about a dozen buildings fairly intact . It was a fish canning town approachable only by boat lost in the trees and undergrowth with only vague shapes seen from the shoreline. All of any docks or piers had long vanished due to probable storms. The discovery was made by several members of a few families who upon their return to Vancouver reported the town to the proper department that it was "unknown". They decided to put in a land claim and some went back to live there. After a few years they obtained "squatter's rights and the town, with all it's contents was theirs. All the old machinery, the buildings became their property including a large company safe. The founding company was long gone and they had to hire someone with experience on the model and make of the safe to open it. It was empty save a single old penny.
I took some time this summer and went exploring along the coast of the mainland after renting a canoe and taking foods and various equipment stopping now and then to take some good close looks into the closely packed trees from the shoreline. I found several abandoned old homes and a few commercial buildings silently rotting away within the perpetual hazy gloom of the forests. A few remnants of canning factories were found along with offices and several homes all overgrown and some leaning up against each other as well as some that had collapsed in all stages of rot and decay...I love old abandoned buildings and homes, ever since childhood, from perhaps my earliest memories of being driven through the ruins of bombed out Berlin and so many other places and exploring them as I grew up. I especially loved all the overturned trains just lying in fields or in what was a train station. I could climb in and out all day and go through all the old luggage left behind.
As I wondered through through these old abandoned buildings along the BC coast, peering into or entering one collapsing building after another, the scattered remnants of family life...an old iron bed, a fallen kerosene light beside it, a small chest of drawers, an overturned bookcase , discarded toys or a mould encrusted doll,or a rotted mattress and pieces of rotting clothes amidst the piles of old whiskey bottles outside many of these cannery homes caused me to imagine , again and again, the people...the families that once called theses houses "home".
All families are microcosms of the complex world in which we live. Here is where we first experience the shock of the disgusting and the presence of possible evil, suffer from deprivation or overindulgence, have the chance to learn value of balancing completion with cooperation, and feel the love of imperfect beings around us. A family is a training ground for life.
Whenever I think of families long departed from these towns or homes and, indeed, of the very concept of family itself, it is children that always comes first, and vividly, to mind. Perhaps it is because our childhood stays with us until we die, in more ways than we know or care about to admit...
The mothers, usually caring and nurturing; the fathers, both caring and uncaring, how were they to their children in these isolated "towns"? Were they physical and emotionally there or absent long enough for the children to be strengthened or weakened by it...How was life for these people of a "company town"..? I don't imagine for a moment that it was as nice as any TV family of the 1950's ....

Old Age,Believe Me Is A Good And Pleasant Thing

Two nights in a row, we have a mini-winter with temperatures in the 50's
It was time to 'fire up' the heat and make the place toasty!


Mild winter is one good reason why I prefer to live in South Florida.

............. Let's see what today brings Me...……..

I don't understand why this virus is such a big deal. I admit it. Yes there's no effective treatment or cure yet. Fact remains the infection rate is low - the city it started in has 11 million inhabitants and no precautions were taken at first. Why didn't more of the 11 million get it

Fact remains the fatality rate is low - the 2018 flu killed nearly 70K in America alone, nearly killed me in another country for that matter, barely made it to the news. Uh?

Fact remains that for most people it is pretty mild. Pneumonia is no fun at all but only if you are old, or already having health difficulties, or have lung problems, or are overweight / diabetic, will the virus become a form of pneumonia there's no current cure for, but it does only affect a small percentage.

Fact - those not at high risk, or who are prepared to take the risk, are being frogmarched by the more fearful despite all the above.

So maybe there should be a declaration to opt out for anyone prepared to sign a pledge to protect those who are opting in. Swear to wear hi-vis t-shirts or hats clearly stating I OPTED OUT, perhaps, so they can recognise each other, and shake hands normally. A forehead tattoo saying OPTED OUT is complete peace of mind for everyone else.

A pledge, perhaps -

1. I will wear my hi-vis OO colours (lime with purple OO letters?) prominently at all times when in public
2. I will keep well clear of anyone not displaying OO colours
3. I will leave the bulk buying and panicking to the wusses
4. I willingly and voluntarily forgo medical investigation / treatment of any symptoms which remotely resemble this virus and in proof of this agree to having OO tattooed on my forehead. Now back off and let me get on with living my life my way since I am not risking or interfering in any way with yours.

Fair's fair.

April 20th is a 'sorta' celebration day for many who smoke weed. Taking a toke at 4:20 on 4/20 is a ritual that got started long ago... I think it was a meeting time after school for some teenage kids that caught on. Every day at 4:20 ritual.

I worked for a guy who in the interview asked if I was 420 friendly. I responded with "Huh?"
He said "Do you burn?" (by then I was catching on to his questioning) "burn what?" was my reply.

After Every Mistake…..

Heal yourself over time.

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have to live (for 6 months minimum) like the people they will be representing. I mean, how, otherwise, how could they understand what our struggles are? Let them understand that the tip they leave for a nice dinner, could be all some have to live on for a month. That some people can't afford to be sick. That living "paycheck to paycheck" is frustrating and challenging..... That a difficult decision is NOT whether to buy the $300.00 boots or the $1500.00 boots, but whether you can afford to buy boots at all....just sayin'...