St. James Anglican Church , Hearing Aids, and Cactus Club Lunch with the God Kids.

Sunday morning is always made better by church attendance. It’s uplifting. It’s a time to get together and see people in a very special community way. I like that we’re there after week a week of work.  I’ve made the best of friends over time. I miss Alice. She was a wonder.  But I’d not have known her grace and presence were I not to have attended the church for years.

I like that we’re moving through Lent. I like Christmas and the Holy Week.  I especially liked Father Kevin’s sermon today.  He talked of Lazarus and the resurrection. It was enlightening in terms of his insights into the biblical passages but more importantly it’s placement before Jesus Easter resurrection will forever remind me that despite Jesus showing his disciples and us over and over again the miracle of life we still fear death.

Also the truth is,  I had my hearing aids on. I saw George the GP who sent me to Diamond the ENT who recommended Nexgen the hearing aid folk. And suddenly despite my vanity I was wearing hearing aids.  Laura said if I keep my hair long no one will know.  

For the last year or so I was becoming irritated with the acoustics and the mumblers in church.  I really hadn’t heard a complete sermons for months.  This time I heard Father Kevin’s and it was very good.  I  loved it.  I feel badly because my friend Kevin thought Father Kevin very learned.  Because I couldn’t hear his sermons I didn’t share his opinion. He seemed like a nice man but other than than I didn’t realize until today how much more I appreciated him when I could actually hear him.  He’s quite brilliant. 

There were three places I noticed that others had problem with hearing. When I watched tv last year with my brother and sister in law and nephews I thought they were weird because they kept the tv so low. I remember my father not wanting to waste and wondered if my brother had some twisted notion about saving money by keeping the volume low.  I actually went out and bought them an amplifier and insisted on having the television louder. I thought them ‘eastern’ and “soft”  and not exposed to ‘western’  and “tought’ like I was listening to hard rockl and riding motorcycles.  I considered their very liking the television low as somehow an Eastern characterological flaw..  

When I first wore the hearing aids and watched tv with Laura at her place I turned the volume right down and enjoyed it just fine.  The neighbours had been complaining about the blaring tv  to Laura when I was over. I’d got her an amplifier too.  I was that old guy. I was rather pissed when the lady next door banged on the wall and I had to  turn down a war movie which hadn’t been loud at all.  

I see that the dial which had been at 90 is now at 10.   I’m happy with that. Laura was very understanding.  I see that now. 

The same was  on the car and truck radio. Obviously there was a conspiracy and the volume meter on these had been switched after I got my hearing aids.  I’ve noticed people are actually shouting in the downtown eastside again. Laura, smiling with relief, says I’m talking quieter now. 

I was also having trouble with ’soft talking’ ladies in my office and ’shy people’ in the office. I was having to ask them to repeat themselves.  I was doing the same out a lot too and complaining to Laura that no one teaches the younger generation elocution and they don’t look at you when they talk. According to the hearing aid specialist I’d become quite adept  lip reader which explained my  frustration. when I couldn’t see the face.  Perhaps another reason I’m incensed by people wearing burgas.  I might be less offended now.

Finally, church. I really did think that the sound system in the church was going. I thought they should put money into it and actually thought of getting some rock band audio friend  to come to church with me and listen to the speakers which sounded increasingly muffled and  tinny.

They don’t sound that way any more.  Father Kevin’s sermon was great and I’m really looking forward to hearing more.  It resonated with spring renewal and the blooming cherry trees .

Gilbert loves St. James where he has a lot of friends, little and big. He was blessed by the Bishop one time.   It’s a great social outing for him.  He loves  the Peace best.  After his great church experience ,  he doesn’t mind being dropped off at Laura’s so we can go out for lunch. Laura always brings him back tid bits. 

Kevin and Anna and the god kids, Kendra, Alex and Izek joined us at the Cactus Club.

I love the Peppercorn Steak.  It’s great talking to Anna and Kevin.  Also the kids are a going concern. It’s really wonderful to see how loved and cared for they are. I’m not around kids so it’s a real treat for me that Anna and Kevin share theirs with us.  I admit I’m glad it’s a limited dose. They’re a 24/7 going concern and we are exhausted after a few hours.  Much more intense than Gilbert. In fact they’re like Gilbert with a ball fixation but they’re not just fixated on a ball, they’re fixated on everything.  Amazing to watch Wondermother Anna juggling the competing communications.  Kevin is a great dad too but I like to talk vehicles and travel with him distracting him from his parenting. This gets him in trouble with Anna.  We’re all getting together for a camping weekend so I might have to leave the hearing aids at home. 

Church and after church hanging out is just the Christian thing to do.  Christian friends.  Love of Jesus.  Sharing and caring.  We all hold hands before the meal and Kevin says grace. He’s the dad.  I’m the old guy so I’m just glad to pick up the cheque. Anna and Laura were talking crafts.  Later Laura told me that Izek said her nails were really pretty.  “Isn’t that the sweetest thing.”said Laura. She has a young admirer.

 

Church, Prayers, and my brother Ron

I was in Napanee at Hay Bay with my brother Ron and his family, Adell, Graeme, Andrew, Alan.  Tanya, Andrew’s wife has been there and Alan brought his friend Meagan.  Eva and Pepper the cockapoos are the going concern always.  Gilbert came out on my trip at the end of September when we took the SV Giri sailing. I was able to ride the Yamaha 250 motorcycle around the backwoods.  Ron had been in Kingston Hospital where his doctor, Dr. Tomiak has provided such thoughtful, loving care.  We’d been able to get him back home after that last visit.  His wife Adell is a real trooper.
Ron loves Hay Bay.  It’s so reminiscent for me of their home on the Red River by the University of Manitoba. He was to my mind so happy there and again so at Hay Bay   Beautiful wife. Proud father. University graduate. Hard worker. Haybay to me is just more acres and more square feet. There’s  something so similar for me in these homes. Ron acknowledged the similarities himself.  Getting home was so important to him. He’s planted so many flowers this last year. It’s been a while since he could kayak or bicycle. We did plant fruit trees together.  He has his salt water aquarium and guitars.  The wood burning fireplace created such a lovely fragrance at night. Adell is such a remarkable cooks. The dogs and boys are always on the go.
This last time though he wasn’t able to stand.  Adell had to take him in to the Napanee palliative care unit where "Dr. Tom” was caring and kind. The nurses were terrific too.  Ron hadn’t wanted to stay.  But his cancer had progressed. We considered options. Acceptance comes.  It was so sad to watch him wanting his body, and willing his body to move but seeing that no matter, the message was no longer getting through. His mind was fine and he was alert for long times, fully compis mantis and able to be with family. He enjoyed the company.  He didn’t want to go. Not afraid of dying but somehow not quite willing to leave the party.  Like a child yawning.
Always his family was there. Graeme sat by him all night, or Alan or Andrew. Adell was with him most of the time, day and night, a wonderful love story. . Days and nights I'd come by and find them holding hands.  I came and went  too.  My brother and I  talked of childhood and family.  I felt  a bit like the one with the watch.  Time ticking.   .  
Sunday Adell and I went to church. I took her to the St. Mary Magdalene Anglican church in Napanee. I’m now Anglican. We’d all begun as Baptists. Ron and Adell courted in the Trinity Baptist Church in Winnipeg. Adell and I have been to the Baptist church and the United Church in Napanee and enjoyed them.  I’d passed St. Mary Magdalene on the way to the Napanee Hospital.  I’d brought egg mcmuffins and coffee from McDonalds for our breakfasts.  Ron was able to enjoy a bite but I drank his coffee and mine.  He did like the red bull I brought him. It counteracted the morphine.
The church service was lovely. The church itself so British.  The people so friendly. Adell liked the music. I love her voice. She is a soprano and I’ve always loved the heavenly sound she makes when she sings. Ron and her sang together.  The Anglican music is more traditional. I listen to Praise music on the radio and love it. But this music just worked for me. The kind of Christian songs my mother and aunt sung years ago. The newer songs haven’t the same history, even though I so enjoy them.  I liked the priest.  I missed communion though. . Holy Communion service was early at 8 am.  I like those services.
We went back to the palliative care unit.  I talked more with Ron.  We have had a lot of conversations this last year, mostly about family and childhood.  I think of the songline, “there’s never enough time to say all the things you want to."
I like churches. I like worship in community. I pray.
Back home this last week Tom called. He was on his way to the Chinese Anglican Church, the Anglican Network of the Good Shepherd, near Ontario and 11th Avenue.  He said it was the opening of synod and there were celebrating Eucharist. The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of North America was there presiding. I liked the Chinese church immediately. It had what my friends in the Christian Medical and Dental Society  called  ‘bible based’  feeling.  So many of the Chinese like the Orthodox Russians I met in Moscow and St. Petersburg were persecuted for their faith and now take religion very very seriously.  It’s not an accoutrement but the centre of their lives.  Miracles happen in these places. The Gospel is truly the good news.
The joy was palpable.
I told Tom I’d been to St. Mary’s Magdalene in Napanee but missed eucharist so was glad he called.
The North American Anglican Synod was different from the Canadian Anglican Synod.  When Bishop Michael had been here the Anglican church split with the traditional congregations losing their churches and leaving the more modern Diocese of New Westminster, to which I belong. The Bishop divorced too.    I didn’t like that the diocese took the Christians to court but in the end the split created two churches, something going on since Martin Luther and certainly well established in Anglican tradition by Good King Henry.
I like eucharist. I believe in the body of Christ and the Blood of Christ. I believe in Jesus. I believe in Christ in the very fabric of existence which is essentially energy and matter is slow energy. The idea of Christ and the Holy Spirit and the historical Jesus and soul are all central for my life.  I struggle with the faith and courage and congregation but God has always been with me.  I like churches because I know that the majority of people there are spiritual seekers and somehow the meaning of that and the feeling of that lingers in this space for me. I feel edgy where wars have taken place though in general I like graveyards. I used to lunch in graveyards when I worked in Toronto and there was no other nearby green spaces.   I like hockey rinks,  playgrounds,  nature,  mountains, oceans and forests but I also like churches and temples and holy places of worship.
Now I’ve just come from St. James Anglican Church where I’ve attended for years since I left Christ Church Cathedral because of their anti dog policy.  Gilbert’s a therapy dog and was blessed by Dean Peter Elliott and Bishop Michael but he has other dog friends at St. James and he likes the kids there. His god brothers and sister are there and they all have group hugs.  I like the people too.  We missed Kevin and Anna today but expect the unexpected sunshine and heat of this day had them out with the kids. Laura said she expected Kevin would put up his incredible pictures of their morning with nature.
I say I’m a ‘winter Christian’. When the weather is good I’m so often out sailing or hiking or hunting, I miss a lot of days at church then. When winter comes I’m more likely to be in church because we’re in town on the weekend.
I’ve been praying for my brother, praying for his comfort, praying for peace. I’m praying for my family too.

Word on the Street and the Canadian Authors Association

This morning I attended St. James Anglican Church with Gilbert. It was too long since we’d seen our favourite people including Alice, Father Mathew, Karen,  Kevin, AJ and the kids.
After I picked up Laura for the opera, leaving Gilbert at her place, we had time for coffee at Starbucks where the bull of finance stands then took a quick tour of "Word on the Street".  This is one of Vancouver’s premiere writer’s events with everyone who is anyone there.  I’ve enjoyed previous years, listening to the readings and music.
Were it not for the opera I’d also be manning the Canadian Author’s Table alongside Bernice Lever and Margot Bates.    It was great just to see them.   They’re two of the most inspiring women and wonderful writers.   They’ve both got new books out . As usual they are ‘Writers helping writers’.  Bernice just finished editing my new book, Addiction and Psychiatry, now at the printers.  She’s also  been hard at work editing Al Cool’s latest. We would have liked to have stayed. Sometimes too many good things are happening all at once on the same day.  I loved the Vancouver Library venue with its  incredibly creative  architecture.  A favourite Vancouver place for me.

Vancouver summer -sailing, boat work and church

Sailing really is a part of Vancouver Summer. If not sailing then the glorious beaches.  It’s a port city and English Bay is one of the greatest protected harbours in the world.  The great freighters anchor there all the time.  Coal Harbour and False Creek are even more protected but many is the night I’ve anchored out in English Bay.
This Friday I was sailing there with a group of guys.  With all the boat repairs these last few years I’ve rarely felt comfortable with more than one or two all the boat.  Those who’d come out with me were no strangers to boat world and the finicky issues of scows and breakdowns.  But now that the hull and rudder, masts and rigging are restored, I’ve a new engine and a new genoa, I feel the boat is no longer one surprise after another.  The damage the boat took in ocean crossing and heavy wear is all repaired.
With the old engine on a couple of occasions the exhaust system failed and filled the cabin with smoke.  Not a pleasant experience for guests at all.  My sailboat is once again reliable. For me it’s always been safe and seaworthy but as a solo captain I could be fully engaged in such issues as roller furling jams or starter motor failures or bilge pump issues. Now I can actually trust the boat to not need me.  It was a delight to enjoy the ride and the company.   Fun to show people facts of nautical life and associate these with daily life. What’s true north and magnetic north?   Why two people winch better tailing than one alone.  The boat is a marvellous thing for seamanship but also extraordinarily experientially.  The sea and sky and mountains are all so inspiring and calming.
The Volvo Engine remains a joy.  Silent and clean running.  I love my Volvo D2 -40.  The Ray Marine autopilot got practically no use at all.  Jeffrey and John were more than capable helmsmen.  Then sailing, Carter and Tom with their small boat racing experiences got the maximum knots possible with the lightest of winds.  With my knot meter being replaced, Jeffrey found an Android app that gave the speed and heading off gps.  Next we were ‘racing’ in my old cruising vessel. The SV GIRI, old lady she is, was quite surprised with all the attention her tell tales were receiving, after my rather lazy sailing: point, set up the sails, put on the autopilot, drink coffee and correct course hours or days later.  Not these guys.  4.6 knots and finally 5 knots with only 12 knots of wind from the SE.  My boat doesn’t fly in light winds. It’s 13 tons with a full keel. But the new North Sail Genoa and the bottom freshly painted and all the attention to detail, well,  the GIRI  really  outperformed herself.
I’d got this magnificent lemon tart from East Vancouver Bakery on Hastings on the way to the boat.  It was devoured along with the ginger cookies and raspberry cookies.  I should have brought sandwiches but I was late and glad the bakery had the pie.  So soft drinks and carbs were all the crew were fed.  Together we suffered on tart, feared scurvy but somehow managed to survive.  There were no pirates and we lacked cannon subdue West Vancouver.  We did fish but only caught kelp.  I’d forgotten the fishing line but John heard the spool zinging out so we didn’t loose the tackle and did see we’d caught kelp.   No one was left behind. No one needed to walk the plank.  The cat of nine tails didn’t come out.  Gilbert utilized every crew member at some point to toss the tennis ball.  The sun was hot.   Vancouver is awesome for sailing.
We motored back under Lion’s Gate Bridge and across Coal harbour, stopping at Lonsdale to let folk off  before finally docking.
Tom stayed the night. Pizza is a terrific food requiring little preparation except making the request. Gilbert went back and forth between our beds not wanting to short change either of us on his doggie company.
Next day we worked together on the fine tuning boat electricals.  Rather Tom worked on  fixing the wind speed indicator and later the electrical outlet and radio.  I read Patrick O Brien.  Gilbert got Tom or I to toss the tennis ball. When a tool or extra hand was needed I shone.  The glyph was solved.   Tom had sorted through my offshore spare box and claimed all the new Yanmar parts for the old engine,  starters, alternators, water pumps, injectors, impellers and a mess of other parts I had as necessary back up. With the new Volvo and no plan to go offshore this year I certainly don’t need spare engine parts for another engine.  What was lacking through this process was music.  That did occasion my shaving and going out. The radio was dead.  Ralf’s Radio had a newer Clarion model which could be fit into the existing harness.
Armed with that, back at the boat, Tom installed the new radio.  I got the Chinese Food. Eating dinner we listened to Handel’s water music.  The boat hasn’t had tunes for over a year.  I don’t even know what I did to short out the old radio but the new one is spectacular.  It works. I have a wealth of songs on my I phone so we checked out the stereo with symphony, opera, Third Day, Steven Bell, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mack, the Animals, Garth Brooks, Cohen, Lightfoot, Phish, Old Blind Dog,  Pink Floyd, just about anything that seemed like it would be a ‘test’ of the sound system.  The radio passed with flying colours.  I’d met our neighbours while I was putting together the Canadian Tire Deck Box and installing it by the boat.  When midnight came and we were still playing music loud on the new radio, I don’t know they were thinking as fondly of meeting me.
Meanwhile Joan Baez was singing at the Vancouver Folk Festival.  A friends wedding was going on in Surrey.  I’d wanted to go but Tom was able to work on the boat with me now. It’s not always possible to have a day where we can work together and with all the Yanmar parts , he was glad to solve electrical problems for me. I haven’t a clue when it comes to ‘instruments’  and electrical.  Too many moving parts!  Tom’s quite happy to go through the system with the voltmeter checking resistance and voltage. I quickly get confused and only do this in a pinch. It’s not something I feel comfortable with either, knowing I can blow an instrument worth hundreds of a dollars or a thousand or more not knowing what I’m doing.  Out in the ocean with no one but myself and a ham radio or phone I’ll do the work with an expert on the other end but at dock I’m really glad when someone like Tom knows his way around electrical systems.  Getting the main components of the  electrical systems working last week myself was  a real joy. I’d found a short and a breaker disconnected but I’d also been lucky.  Tom’s approach is more systematic and knowledgeable.
I’d actually planned to be sailing to Nanaimo for the weekend but with the rain and Tom’s offer to help first with getting rid of the Yanmar parts and with doing the electrical work in exchange, well, it was a done deal. I was tired too in the morning too. I’d not been winching sails or living on the lean for sometime and all the use of the unused muscle groups had me happy to do little but assist.  I couldn’t believe Tom when monkey like he ran up the mast. I really don’t like climbing up my mast, but pilot that he is, he thought nothing of it.  Fixing the antennae off the Oregon Coast after a hurricane  solo sailing has somehow put me off to being at the top of the mast. I’ll do it. I’ve done it, more times than I remember, but it’s not something I would have done that day. But Tom had to check out the wind indicator and I downloaded the specs off the Raymarine website and that’s how he found that a wire had been misplaced.  Voila! The wind speed indicator suddenly sprang to life.
Today we made it to church. I say I’m pretty much a winter and spring Christian because in the summer I’m sailing any weekend I can and in the fall I’m away hunting any weekend I can.  Father Mark Greenaway Robbins was happy to see me.  Knowing I’d been out sailing, he says, he’s sure I know what I’m doing but “I pray for Gilbert.’     Gilbert is much loved at the church and everyone was glad to see him. I missed the church family and was glad to see everyone. AJ and Kevin and the kids look so great.   There’s now at least a a dozen or more folk  I feel close to just coming to church, going for coffee and visiting.
There’s a church picnic next week.  If I wasn’t planning on sailing I’d love to go to that.  It’s at the Sea Farer Mission and I love the work they do.  Father Mathew works with the men in the Down Town Eastside around St. James. The Sea Farer Mission works with all the Christians, mostly men,  that usually come to Vancouver on the working boats.  A lot of men away from home for long periods. I was given a prayer poster  with a picture of a young man at helm when I attended the Sea Farer Mission years ago. It accompanied my ocean crossings and was dear to me. In the back ground there’s a picture of rough seas and Jesus.  I just had it framed as it was getting so torn and worn. Tom put it up on the wall in the boat this weekend. Nothing is coincidence.
I did reports last weekend and answered emergency calls all weekend. This weekend I decided against doing reports and only had a few emergency calls.  With Mabel in the office, the anxiety of changing staff is mostly over.  Summer usually is a less demanding time of work though it’s never easy.  Early spring is the roughest time and compared to that this is light duty. The sun makes all the difference. Everyone is outside and exercising more and there’s just less gloom.
I’ve come from a swim and hot tub.  Mida fixed up the boat and my home. She put out pillows with sparkling bling on them. They brightened up the cabin and were a great choice. All the guys and me were thankful for the ‘woman’s touch’ but this was a particularly ‘eastern’ touch.  It really gave the boat a touch of the exotic.  A poll concluded that none of the guys would have thought to buy pillows with sparkling bling on them but all of us enjoyed the effect.
They’re fighting in the Ukraine and Middle East.  Gilbert thinks someone should introduce them to yellow tennis balls.  I think that life is just too full and precious with surviving and maintenance and getting along that I certainly wouldn’t want to have to deal with missiles falling in the backyard or planes being knocked out of the sky.  Two Malaysian airplanes down and whose to say it was the Ukrainians and Russians and not some group that has it out for the Malaysian airline.  Having just been flying around the world back from Russia I’m glad to be alive.  I was in Kuala Lampur last year and it’s not some ‘third world place’.  It’s as modern as New York. A great modern city so what’s happened to the air craft could happen here to Air Canada. There but for the Grace of God go I.
A weekend to be thankful for.  I’m truly blessed,  I just have to hold that thought. I’m looking forward to getting the guys out sailing again.  I’m planning on taking others out who want to go sailing too.  I’ll balance it with solo sailing since given my work and life it’s sometimes just necessary to be alone. Solo sailing is then at times like medicine.  This though was about camaraderie and sharing the joy of sailing together in the glorious English Bay on a sunny summer day.

Easter Sunday at St. James Anglican Church

Gilbert loves St. James Anglican Church and all the people there who love him. Like Christmas, Easter Sunday, is always an uplifting ‘fun’ time of the church year.  Jesus is Risen!  Hallelujah!.  Death is conquered.
It’s always good to go early to church on Easter Sunday because the seats fill up.
Gilbert and I had to check out the flowers outside the church as well. I just bought the new Nikon Coolpix S9700 so I don’t have to take my big nikon camera on my upcoming travels.  So while Gilbert was sniffing the dog walk beside the church, meeting with the pastors dogs, I was taking pictures of the church and flowers in the outside garden.
Easter Sunday is always white lilies.  I remember going to church as a child with my mom and her sisters, Hannah and Sadie.  Easter Sunday was  the time for the church Ladies to don their favourite spring easter hats.  My mother and her sisters loved their flowered 'bonnets'.  There was some fashion in the church today but mostly people were Vancouver drab. Only some of the folk got into the festivities. The clergy were very well attired in the golden robes. I actually wore a tie myself but know if Mom and her sisters were about, poor Gilbert would have been bathed,  likely sporting a colourful easter ribbon.  
I love the horns.  Lots of trumpets and trombones and horns are brought out to accompany Easter music.  Our choir was particularly inspiring.
All round the service was moving beginning as it did with the Rite of Sprinkling of Holy Water.   Father Mark Greenaway Robbins preached on the cross and taught me that the big life sized cross hanging from the ceiling is called the Rood Cross.  Rood is an old English word meaning cross.  Father Mark has been preaching all week on meditations of the 17th century Anglican priest, Thomas Traherne who saw the Cross as the centre of desire.  Today Father Mark, preached on Traherne’s description of the cross as the “place of sorrow; it is the root of happiness, and the gate of Heaven". What a joyous gate it is too.   It was particularly inspiring for this remarkable day.
After the Lord’s Prayer,the Nicene Creed, Confession and the actual mass of shared body and blood of Jesus, we sang together that great hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today.
Then it was over.  In a way another new year had begun.
I had coffee with Karen until someone took her chair while she was up.  I didn’t think to confront them with sword or pistols in the Bishops room.  She took that as a cue to gather up her awesome son and depart leaving me talk cats with one of the clergy. Gilbert was mostly interested in he pastor's dogs and the cake nearby on the table. Talk of cats doesn't much interest him.
When Gilbert and I left there was  down pouring rain.  As usual Father Mathew, without any thought of the rain, was listening on the street..  Father Matthew is distinguished by his total absorption in the person he is listening to.  Today that was so evident as the rain was the size of cats but he was not to be distracted.   Meanwhile,  I was rushing to my car and trying to get Gilbert inside out of the rain as quick as possible.