New Day, Monday

It’s a new day.  Monday.  The clocks went back and we have light an hour early.  Yesterday we had our first early darkness in the afternoon,

I’m just happy to have another day after an enjoyable weekend.  I received my IPhone 16 S after a week of UPS losing it. I confess I was irritated and let that show. I wasn’t mindful at 4 am when I got the text saying it would be another day delayed. I remembered though that expectations are preformed resentments.I whined but didn’t lash out.  I stayed in my lane and showed more patience that I would have years ago.  

When it finally arrived so did Laura. She’d driven over in her Smart Car and we had delightful weekend together. The Vancouver Opera at Queen Elizabeth’e, Strauss’s Die Fleidermause was superbly performed and very funny.  

Laura on wakening took Madigan for a morning walk He loves Laura. I had the makings for chilli but we had sandwiches because we didn’t have time for preparation.  

I enjoyed getting the return for my iPhone and ordering the new equipment. Because it’s all for my work I’m able to have them as business expense.

Driving to the Opera Laura and I reflected that we were modestly stable for a rare time.  We’d both begun working at 12 and never stopped. I ‘d given blood to pay for books and stethoscope taking out loans and working 7 days a week. I seemed to always be working to pay for accommodation. I didn’t feel poor. It was normal when I bought my first house but was so disappointing when my ex wanted a bigger house and all that had happened was family and friends had bought bigger homes, I loved that home.  But then I’d bought another house with another wife and she’d sabotaged that. I tend to improve anything I have so new roofs, new septic systems, veranda’s and repairs. I put in three new hardwood floors in houses I lost in divorces. Laura worked 5 jobs to pay and wore the same blouse to work washing it each night when she had her young babies.  We lamented the struggles.  I’d had my ex take out a loan for our work but she’d just done it to give herself $50,000 along with racking up the credit cards. Laura’s ex was abusive too so there we were reminiscing about our days of struggle living week to week and fear of eviction and experiencing lies and abuse and betrayal all as we concluded that again we were okay.

Laura had gone through some health concerns this last month. I’ve got chronic pain and increasing disability but we both feel right with God. It was a trial for her to see her younger and much loved brother in law have a near death experience and heart failure.  Life is tenuous.  We can approach our struggles as adventure or punishment and persecution.

I’ve been paying thousands of dollars for the camper because of damage I did on a hunting trip. I found that sailing stopped giving me greater joy than the pain of repairs.  I’d had a house that required so much work that I gave up and went to renting. I realize I’d not have been able to travel and had the adventures I had if I hadn’t worked 12 hour days sevens days a week.  I look back on all the ‘service’ I did and the choice to work with poor and needy for free or little reward when I could have taken the high paid jobs for the rich.  I don’t know about these decisions.  Certainly raised Christian it has always been rewarded to be generous caring and kind.  I’ve done that in my work. I’ve known such rewards delivering babies helping return sanity and ending nightmares and helping brains to heal.  I have always studied and was in the top echelon of classes but now i still study.  Religion degrees and science, I read a dozen books this last summer in neurology, anthrolopology, genetics.  I feel up to date and continue to learn,

Laura’s children are grown and she’s a grandmother.  We enjoyed the opera together We’d been to the symphony the week before. I’m enjoying this having bought the tickets last spring. Planning and organizing and building.  I’m not doing all the physical labour I did to maintain my off shore ship. Every year a day bottom cleaning and bottom painting, bright work, diesel engine maintenance.  I’m a ships captain.  I’ve certification in dance, drama, writing, general medicine, public health, psychiatry, addiction, ships captain, navigation, religious studies.  I’m a trauma specialist among other things and now i just do diagnosis and psychopharmacology and walk the dog The hunting season is offer and I shot a dozen grouse and rode my ATV too much when as a more committed hunter or earlier days I’d be stalking and sitting in ambush,  Last year I could hardly walk with sciatica and back pain but this year I was more mobile , I really enjoyed our time at Beaverdam but overall I’m more looking forward to visiting art galleries.

I enjoy photography.  I enjoy blogging. I enjoyed discussions and Laura and I enjoy watching tv together,  I sometimes have to admit I’m growing old but I’m thankful that I’m grateful and not bitter. I’ve been sober along time and associate with sober spiritual people so am blessed to be among my own tribe of optimists.  

Thank you Jesus.  I’m looking forward to the election tomorrow,  The future could be bright or dim in my opinion,  I long for the days when Trudeau is gone and I’m sorry I’ve been the victim of communism and mediocrity most of my life when meritocracy was once rewarded and I excelled. Now Laura and I look back on our sacrifices and labour and see that scoundrels are being rewarded for corruption and deceit.  It’s hard to focus on God in the cacophony of aetheist selfishness,  Narcisssim and antisocial behaviour abound but then I realize that the media distorts. IF it bleeds it leads .  So many like Laura and I are thriving more than surviving.  The housing crisis and cost of living created mainly here by Trudeau with this pseudoscience is difficulty But life is good.,  I’m really blessed,  An attitude of Gratutide is the way to go. Thank you Jesus. I must resist self pity and catastrophising. I’m hopeful.  

I like Elon Musk and imagine that he will guide Trump in the further and we will see Mars travel and the ‘radical abundance’ promised by science and nanotechnology will continue.  Trump didn’t start any wars in his time in office and continues to promise no more profit driven wars like Ukraine.  Zelensky said less that 30% of a if given is not reaching Ukraine.  Tradeaus , the coward is say wee should bomb Russia. Meanwhile China is the major thr3at.  But it’s all out there and here it’s okay. I’m blessed and thankful and old.  It’s been a good life,  

Laura and I have surmounted set backs and terrible times and I must continue to forgive and work to forgive those who were the abusers andd the terrorists.   I’m doing my best and am a better man than I was yesterday, I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the greats, my parents, family , friends nd mentors .  Thank you Jesus. 

Vancouver Opera, Die Fledermause, Johan Strauss,Queen Elizabeth Theatre

What a thorough delight!!!  The Vancouver Opera out did itself with incredible song and symphony, dance and humor.  

The Vancouver Opera Orchestra conducted by Jacques Lacombe opened with the  uplifting  party music of the 1870’s  backdropping a  Bat Man costumed carouser (Dr. Falke)left by his drinking buddy (Eisenstein) on a park bench in the middle of Vienna.  The musi was exquisitely synchronized with the passing baker, dog walker , street cleaner, school children, baby stroller, an immensely entertaining squirrel, hilarious judgemental nuns, and officious bankers. Wakening, surrounded ,this De Fledermause, Dr. Bat,  the new scandal and laughter of the city escaped with a walk of shame that quickly  turned to run.  A wonderful opening to the brilliantly written 1960’s adaptation by Mark Crawford.

The play then shifted to  the home of the Eisenstein, played by John Chest of immense vocal and acting range, the beautiful and extraordinary vocal wife Rosalinda, played by Lara Ciekiswicz and immensely funny and talented maid Adele, played by Clair de Sevigne,.  Alfred , byplayed Owen McCausland was trying to seduce Rosalinde . Mr. Eisenstein is enticed by Dr. Falke playe by Peter Barret to attend a party with Hollywood theme at the Cinema of Count Orlofsky played by Mirella Lebel. Their lawyer, Dr. Blind a three stooges type was played by Lyndon Ladeur . The duets and solos were spectacular renditions.  The set wsas terrific. The wit and humor was reminiscent of the Pink Panther with dialogue that John Cleese would enjoy.  Strauss was never better served.

The next act at the Cinema took me back to high school. Such frivolity and chaos with all the confusion of costume balls and mismatched lovers.  I so enjoyed the diverse characters from Star Trek, to Marilyn Monroe and no surprise the ultimate first champagne commercial.  The first time I attended Die Fleidernause I was negatively struck by this drunken promotion and performance but tonight it was just a part of a truly wonderful hilarity. I suspect  Director Ashlie Corcoran’s immense skill with choreographer Shelly Stewart Hunt’s light touch ensured this performance took the high ground of hilarious satire and didn’t descend into debauchery.  The chorus and songs were performed so joyfully and upliftingly. The audience was laughing. 

Of course the final act was in the Prison with Frosch, the jailer sharing humorous dialogue,  the likes of  which would have George Carlin and Voltaire  chortling.  Frank, played by Giles Tomkins, the jail director, dressed as Napoleon,was hilarious as well, The solo by Adelle on the life of an actress was rivetting funny,  The duet by the Eisensteins lifted the roof while the chorus crescendoed with the music. Conductor Jacques Lacombe had us all join in with synchronized hand clapping audience participation. It was such a Queen like moment with Elton John costuming I almost expected women’s underwear to fall from the ceiling like an Alice Cooper event. It was that sort of fabulous opera.  We could all have lit lighters and performed the wave .  It was that outrageous and uplifting. With standing ovations and laughter we celebrated this superb performance . We all left the theatre feeling just a little bit like teen agers again .  Such a fabulous show.  Well done Vancouver Opera,