Harrison’s Hot Spring Resort, March 4, post birthday

Yesterday was my birthday.  The first year of a decade of life completed with celebration.  I am at that age where the years in between each decade now count less. This year is a little one in the world of counting time.  Last year was a big one. Europe with Laura and Arizona and Mexico with Madigan. I enjoyed the work and the people immensely.  

I wrestled with God as Jacob did,  I played hide and seek and peekaboo with Jesus. I accepted each day was a miracle, complete and true.  I followed the idea of I and Thou.  According to Jung all the people were variations of the Shadow of self coming to life.  There is only one.  Jesus comes as a stranger.  Loving the enemy is all about forgiving yourself. 

Now today I’m here again at Harrison’s taking the sacred waters.  I loved sleeping last night beside Laura. The softness of her skin, the feel of her breast, the warmth of her body so blessed.  Madigan, the cockapoo has goat genes. He bounced about the bed and joined in kisses and cuddles.  He ‘s a very enthusiastic dog.  A Nutbar but our nutbar.

I struggled last year with what to do.  I felt some compulsion to decide whether to retire and travel and write or continue to work .  Laura is clear that she is working and her doctor is working and I’m rather content in our relationship.  It’s a known joy like chocolate or ice cream.  I’m happiest in her company.  Domesticated.  Alone I’m feral and a bit crazy.  

The work does that.  Scraping nails on window pane.  The time spent in the presence  of depression and fear.  It’s all the rage to rush in and rush out throwing out  the pills and platitudes in the space between.   That’s lucrative at best but if the other doesn’t agree then their’s euthanasia with a smile and a pat on the back.  

I’m old school.  Before the seduction of boundaries and labels. There but for grace go I. I wrestle with demons though no one understands psychiatric  exorcism anymore or walking a mile in the shoes.  Psychoeducatiion,psychoanalysis and hyponoss are beyond the realm of fast medicine and fast food.  I’m still pleased to see progresss, staying out of hospital, getting a job, marriage, university, laughter. All the old signs of good work. Being part of the process and knowing that without the salt the soup would still taste off.  Jesus says we ware the salt. Buddha made his position clear. Lao Tzu and Krishnamurti weighed in.  I practice the faith.  I cling to hope.  I follow my teachers.  My mentors were the grandest of men and women.  We bring light to darkness easing the burden. 

I didn’t have an avocation just the vocation. . The three legged stool of my life tottered.  My back from burden and betrayal ached so that exercise and work became torture. My sail boat was on land, my rifles rarely out and my motorcycle didn’t spend long on the highway. It was hard to escape the lethargy of pain. I struggled through that dearth of self pity and catastrophizing.  The isolation of covid continued like the waves after a hurricane. The winds died down but now I was paranoid of my neighbour. The constant fear mongering of the mad men of industry got under my skin.  When they said natural immunity didnn’t exist and other such lies like trust the science as if science was something other than doubt and skepticism I was mortified.  The greatest noccebos of all time perpetrated on the world and not once was a psychiatrist cosulted about the insanity of the situation.  

I survived crawling out of that space like the first fish flopping up on land .   I was happiest to see so many others waving back through the shit storms created by the men and women at the top with shit making machines. I loved that analalogy of Joan Baez in an old rolling stone magazine.  I watched the news and wanted a shower after the daily deluge of propaganda.  The war of right and wrong.  Morality and ethics kaleidoscoped..

I even questioned being alive, being a man.. The future didn’t look bright.  The arrogance and pride of all those who succeeded with theft and revolution ‘useful idiots’ smug and arrogant in their temporary gains were painful to be with as they knew no history and loved the Mao’s and Hitler’s of a different name. Wheels within wheels.

 I was too old  and the old were the object of  abuse. The victim dance cards were already all filled up. I became invisible overnight and struggled with identification with the aggressor , the young women screaming ‘toxic masculinity’ but only in the west made safe by the sacrifice of young men.

The young women screamed ‘toxic masuclinity’ and the mothers were afraid of their daughters sacrificing sons, husbands and brothers to the mob. 

Churchill beat Hitler but Eva Braun surely put the boots to Mrs. Churchill while the Kardasians and Trudeau’s cheered.  Ultra chauvinism masked itself in words like Marxist feminism so far removed from women’s liberation, egalitarianism and international feminism.No one messed with China.  They aborted millions of girls while Iran shot mothers in the street.  The absurdity of Canada was captured by Rex Murphy and the soap opera was replaced by female mud wrestling.  How poignant that Elon Musk exposed the lies of the FBI releasing the twitter files confirming all the ‘conspiracy theories’ as true.  Even the insurrection which didn’t seem more than a protest was like the freedom convoy a hyperbole for totalitarianism. But no one agreed as before when Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin and Molotov murdered in the night. There was again silence on the night of the long knives as when the Dalai Lama fled when the Aetheist Communist Chinese attack claiming it was for peace. Misinformation and disinformation

All the colours of the rainbow.  The Seasons changed and I was just another social media addict watching Netflix and Prime in the evening after walking the dog and barbecuing steaks for us to enjoy. Weird times.

What difference would it be if I were retired.  I have no need of memoirs. I could sing of the praise of healings and high light the resilience of the human soul. I could celebrate the love of parents.  I revel in the joys of nephews and so admire my sister in law whose life is so touched by grace. 

 I meet regularly with men and women and study our insights and progress at being better humans.  Several times a week I sit in these gatherings virtual and in person.  Doctors and psychiatrists discuss how they are praying and meditating, handling health issues and family issues, overcoming challenges of politics and business.  I’m comforted to be a part of. So often I feel alone among my fellows while always I feel touched by God..  The wee small voice is there though I’ve even had to wear hearing aids.  The problem is never outside , never beyond the wire, always with me and my tendency to identify with the aggressor or my own choice of Satan versus good , lust versus love , happiness versus joy.  I’m ever asking myself, am I a spiritual being living a material life or a material being living a spiritual life. Obviously I know but I love to step in and out of Maya.  I take temporary pleasure and pay later. There is no free lunch.   The past pulls me back while the future seems daunting.

Yet here I am no longer angry with the inability to choose but accepting of the lack of need for choice.  Life is good.  Continue.  Muddle on. No need for outer change. We doh’t want a revolution.  Camping and simple routines are good enough.  This too will pass. Just do the next right thing and trust in God and the  process.  

It is good to be here at Harrison’s again with Madigan and Laura.  How blessed am I.  I will walk the dog now and pick up breakfast on the way back before planing on enterring the healing waters which balance amniotic fuid , heat, sulphur and time to give this wonderful feeling of pain free existence. I feel young again after taking the waters of Harrison and sitting giving thanks to God and mothers looking out at the mountains my father so enjoyed.  Life is good.  Gratitude is all.  

Thank you for another year and this day.  May I know you more and do your will as I accompany my friends home, looking forward to the great meeting in the sky.

Hallelujah ,I made 71 and then some. 

I am 29 and holding

I am having another birthday.  At my age it sounds a bit like a dental procedure. I strongly suggest if you don’t already, you really ought to get to know some older people.  I have a diminishing group.  No longer because I’ve said something deemed offensive, or pissed in their indoor potted plant, but rather because some of my best friends have become slackers.

I’m proud to say I’ve not and here I am having done another cycle of the hamster wheel.  Buck up, matey!

The earth keeps up its end, circling the sun which is itself circling about the galaxy in a mathematical predictable way. I met the remains of Lucy, 3.2 million years old so know that others have gone before me.  Despite my egomania with an inferiority complex, I am not unique. 

I don’t quite remember a year ago.  I was definitely more irritable. I was in yet another war with the despicable forces of evil within the government. Right now I’m having a rare reprieve from their penchant for self preening,  bullying and otherwise grossly deplorable behaviour.  I look back on my life and seen endless windmills thankfully broken up by  loving Dulcinea.  

The friends and family that remain are even more admired for their stalwart behaviour.  I truly loved the turkey feast of a family Christmas my sister in law, Adell, threw for all our benefits.  I’ve also been blessed to share a lot of activities with my friend Laura who shows great fortitude attending ballets and theater events as well as travelling and camping.  This last year I can attest that there were no grizzly bear warning signs over our tent.  The camper roof leaked  over her head though. Gilbert and George made it all worth it. 

Gilbert the cockapoo companion has been a blast all year. Unbelievably loyal, good natured and ready to play he sets a high standard. His buddy, the cat, George, has been equally enjoyable if only for the entertainment they give me with their strange furry interactions and rituals.  They do demonstrate to me the benefit of sleep and rest. I’m finding with age that I’m even less annoyed by down time.  

I really did not expect to live this long.  

I have truly been blessed. I often feel close to a loving God. The game of peek or boo or hide and seek is well played now. I choose to call him ‘my Lord’  His other name is   “Jesus Christ”. Sometimes I say ‘Holy Spirit’, too.  For me spirituality is a gift of God.  Grace.   Religion is a man made celebration of grace.  I loved seeing the Cistine Chapel.  God was touching Adam. Adam was touching God. This was was spirituality and religion meeting for me.  This was the God man interface.  I love the places of worship and the record of relationship.   

I don’t know why I’m here. I am thankful to my parents for avoiding the abortion and later infanticides. From family lore I tried their patience particularly.  I do identify with the tv series, ‘young sheldon’, not so much for genius, as just that separation between my thoughts and feeling and those around me. As a child in school I was so often struck by the incongruences, hypocrisy and outright fear that permeated my world.  The Kennedy Missile Crisis had a profound impact on me simply because it was apparent so few understood the effects of radiation. Today I still have that sense of separateness, knowing something and wondering why I seem alone in such knowing. Vindication isn’t really much fun. 

I was indeed interested positively and negatively with chemistry at a young age.

Today I’m enjoying coffee. Just a couple of weeks ago I was drinking coffee at a monastery, made from the beans from a tree I was sitting under. It was the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.  

I’ve been truly blessed to have been able to study science and medicine. The biological sciences, neurochemistry and psychiatry have been truly fascinating. I’ve never been bored with these subjects. I’ve enjoyed history and religion as well.   

I regret some times that I didn’t take an alternative path. Others, including naked pole dancing, were offered to me but I chose academia instead.  I spend too much time at a desk . If I’d remained a lecturer or professor I could have at least worn off calories prancing about at the front of the class. 

 I used to say that I work in the complaints department of life but next life I plan to return as a casting coach so that people would show me their ‘best song and dance’ rather than their ‘worst’. It’s given me a somewhat jaded approach to humanity since I’ve seen so many on their worst days. I’ve learned immense optimism though because I’ve been blessed to see the amazing recovery that people make,
physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. One day i see someone tied down to a gurney so they don’t hurt themselves then a short while later  they’re  walking free,  independent and positive.

For some reason with all the raving about euthanasia I’ve reflected on a life of convincing literally hundreds if not thousands of people to continue living.  In an age of low cost euthanasia this skill I developed like any fine artisan is no longer appreciated.  Contrary to the mainstream view.  the medication isn’t what changes one’s idea of about living,  it’s the relationship and the ideas.  I’ve given hope as others have given me hope.  Medication helps with that but not alone.

Now I’ve a new slate ahead. Another run at knowing God better. I pray and meditate daily.  I’ve always prayed and meditated, sometimes much more formally, sometimes less so.  I experience life as richer with a relationship with another. The one became many and the many become one.  The mythical relationship. I’m always seeking God if only because I expect that the deeper the relationship with God the better the taste of chocolate or the fiercer the orgasmic intensity, or the more serene the peace. I see in my life and the life of friends that being a ‘god seeker’ leads to immense rewards.

I don’t fear death as I believe that consciousness continues. I look forward to meeting my mother ,father and brother, aunts, grand parents, relatives who have passed away, teachers and friends who have gone before me. It’s not that I have anything left unsaid. I just want to hug them and hold them. I hold to a Mark Twain sort of life after death vision.  I could enjoy pig farming in the hereafter.

In the meantime I’m thankful for this body, which St. Francis called ‘brother ass or brother donkey’.  I realize I take so much for granted and whine and complain far to readily without remembering that I have mobility. I’m relatively disease free. I have fresh running water in my home, hot and cold, the air is relatively clean, I have heat and air conditioning.  I’ve so much to be grateful for except my analytic brain, useful for other things, so often is seeking out the negatives, disease, looking for the wrong, doing the preventative analysis, as if this life was an astronaut’s journey. I’m always listening and looking for leaks in the suit. Life is much more robust than I give it credit for.  I’ve been alone in the middle of an ocean thousands of miles from a shore, alone in a hurricane, dependent on the workmanship of strangers, and survived.  Why so much doubt?  I liked learning that “Anxiety was a measure of my distance from God. “. It’s equally a measure of my humanity.  I do know to “ tether my camel” but then I must trust God.  I can’t anticipate the Vorgon. Acceptance is a good idea.  I would know serenity. 

It’s another year. The New Year for the world is Jan 1.  For me,  it’s this day.  My own personal beginning of a new year.  Thank you. Thank you all who have shared it with me and will continue to share it.  Less slacking please. Yes, I’m thankful for all the joy of association and the shared pleasures.  I am thankful still for the learning. 

Thank you. 

My Birthday (older than the hills)

I remember my mother at Christmas would save up purchases we needed but would wrap them up and give them at Christmas. Things like tooth brushes, socks and pyjamas.  They are ‘gifts’ technically but we’d have got them  anyway. As kids a gift was a toy. But looking back we appreciated the unwrapping and it filled out the gifts under the tree.  I noticed my sister in law Adell gave the boys 'nail clippers' at Christmas. It's a family thing. Touching.
I needed a new mattress. . Even if it was placebo I ordered a Sealy Posturpedic Mattress from the Bay . It arrived before my birthday.  I love it.
I think my parents died because they just became tired.  A new mattress can stave off fatigue. Extend life.  The flowers of spring also were kind enough to appear with renewal of hope and increased faith despite a last ditch dowsing with snow.
 I also have the capacity to ‘write off’ as a business expense new technology I use predominantly for work. So this year I upgraded my iPhone 7s to the iPhone X with faster processing and more data space. Having closed my office where the computer was the principal tech I’m working out of three clinics,  carrying much more about, and depending more on my iPhone.  Laura gets my hand me down phone.
 Friday we were at one of my favourite places, Apple Centre . Pacific Centre.  I now have a new phone.  Laura  had my iPhone 6 and now has my iPhone 7s.  Nonetheless I really like the iPhone X and Laura loves the iPhone 7s mostly because it’s rose gold (ie pink).
At the BC Sportsman Show I bought the real "toy", the adult 'boy toy".   Porta Bote folding boat which I’ll be able to attach to the side of my RV to free up storage. My kevlar canoe is in consignment and will pay half the new boat. I love the ‘trading up’ capacity which comes with aging acquisition, being able to have something to ‘trade’. I remember the raw expenses of younger years.
Laura bought us Han’s Chinese take out and we had terrific time watching Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock at home. Gilbert and George were delighted with the company and the treats.
Sunday morning was special. My friend Barry plays organ at the All Saints Anglican Church. I’d missed his organ concert at Christ Church so was pleased to be able to hear him play piano and organ in church.
Laura and I met Kevin and Anna and the God kids there. We all enjoyed the service. The minister is a godly man. He reminds me of Dr. Lam the EMAS colleague who was always so kindly and caring.  I love Christians for reminding me of ‘my utmost for his highest’.  There’s a humbling aspect to their presence.
It was all round a positive experience. Even better was coffee after and meeting Barry’s psychiatrist mother in her 90’s and a friend of Dr. Willi Gutowski, my admired Christian psychiatrist mentor.  We had cake and coffee chatting while the kids crayoned.  Everyone  was terrific.  Jesus was happy there.
After it was a great time with the god kids at Swiss Chalet at Lougheed and Boundary. The restaurant and staff were welcoming of the little munchkins.  Kendra is so sweet.  Alex and Isaac and Kendra were listening to their mother which made for a good  time for us adults. We could chat about plans and futures. Kevin’s father is dying.  Hee had been back to the maritimes and would be returning in the coming week with Anna.  We talked of family,  death,  God, photography and our choice in cars. A regular mutual appreciation society.
Laura and I spent the afternoon at home. I walked Gilbert along the trails. Later she walked him on the cement walk. We watched more movies on tv and read books.  I”m enjoying Orphan X and a Jordan Peterson book I ordered from Amazon.
Laura liked my new mattress.
She gave me chocolates too.
On Monday night Dave, Mack,  Shane and I took the sky train to BC Place. I”d got tickets for the Canucks versus the New York Islanders at the Simon Frazer Pipe Band Robbie Burns Dinner gala and fund raiser.  I love supporting these incredible young people.  We were all delighted with the seats behind the goal.
It was 4 to 3 with the Canucks winning in overtime.  We got to see that goal up close , along with other.  Markstrom is a great goalie.
Mack had got me a foot long hot dog.  Dave had got us white spot chips.  It was great game night with a feast included. I loved the Zamboni machine.  The anthems and hostess and music and wave were all fun.  I was reminded of the days as a kid in Winnipeg shovelling the snow off the rink in 40 below before playing a game out doors. Several of us had known that experience between 6 and 12 years old. I played pick up til 16 or 18 and ‘old timers league’ in my late 30’s.  I actually skated last a few years back.   That night I dreamed of scoring the winning goal, stealing Liepsic’s glory, a legend in my own mind.  I also fell in love with the young ladies who skate on the ice pushing shovels.  Somehow in my dream I was a young guy again and they were admiring me as I drove a big zamboni machine.  I can't remember a dream like that in years but it really was something to see that overtime play off and watch that incredible score.
I know the guys through our dogs.  Gilbert’s friends.  Emory is Dave’s dog. Max is Mack’s and Hank is Shane’s.  Mack had been driving the snow plow the week before. Shane drove a truck starting work at the ungodly hour of 5 am. Dave works heavy machinery. But we all like the Zamboni.  What a wonderful machine.
All that was missing at the Hockey game, our best friends.
I like the sky train too having never taken the new Burnaby line.It really was impressive. No sense taking a car down town for concerts and shows and games.  The sky train was perfect.
At Royal Columbia clinic Dr. Waterson, Belinda and Karen gave me a fruit cake and at Docside Clinic , Dr. Horvath, Mari lou, Judith and Jerry gave me a chocolate cake.
My nephews and sister in law sent cards and phoned me to wish me well. I got great emails from so many friends.  I felt loved.

Today I’m blessed and too frequently I don’t keep my head in the same room as my ass. I lose my joy to resentments about past or worries about the future. I’ve one step in the future and one step in the past and i’m pissing on my day. I keep fighting this and am thankful for friends and birthdays to get my head our of my ass. I really felt loved and felt that I wasn’t alone and that it was going to be  alright. It’s good to be a year older.
Thank you Lord.

Bellwether Hotel, Bellingham and My Birthday

My birthday this year is really special to me. It’s a culmination of a life time of work. I’ve always looked forward to this time with anticipation.  I never really thought to retire but I thought that this year would mean I’d really done my duty.  I felt when I became a physician I had a responsibility to use my training. I’d taken a limited space and felt that I had made a covenant with my community to serve.  Now I feel like I still want to serve, at least another five years or so but it’s a different sort of relationship.  I’ve done my time.  

I’ve always been self employed. I regret now in some ways that I didn’t work for the money or focus more on my self.  I could now be having more options but I’d not feel the way I have, that feeling of being  of service. I wanted to be a missionary doctor but I also wanted to pay my way.  I took Dr. Jack Hildes suggestion to work in the areas of ‘greatest need’. 

I’d bought myself a 2017 Ford F350 Lariat edition 4x4 crew cab and long box white truck, trading in my 2007 Ford F350 Harley Davidson edition. It was a gift to myself and served to anchor me. I wanted to just keep on working and this would keep me working to pay off the debt.  An anchor of sorts.  So often dealing with the bureaucracy I really want to run away to sea again.  In a few years but not right now. Gilbert loves the truck and a trip down to Bellingham would give Laura a chance not only to see it but to also appreciate it’s spectacularly smooth rise.  The sound system with Hillsong and Amy Grant is spectacular.  

Bellwether Hotel was another gift to myself.  Laura and I had not seen each other for a couple of weekends. She’s been working weekends as I have been.  We both live in tiny places and a weekend at a hotel gives us the reprieve from our own claustrophobic quarters.  

A Bellwether Hotel weekend was an oasis to work towards.  I’ve been literally exhausted each night falling asleep sometimes at 7 and other times waking with nightmares in the wee hours of the night.  I’ve needed the breaks to just survive the stress of work right now..

Laura and I enjoyed the drive down to the States with the magnificent little one eyed pirate of a dog.. Gilbert.   He seems to be adjusting better to his loss of sight and need to sit still three times a day while I give him drops for his glaucoma’

We had no difficulties crossing the border.  The American’s were inviting. Probably after all the nonsense of Canadian leftist liberals being stopped after arrogantly telling the American border crossing guards that they  want to go to the US to protest their president and start riots they were glad to have us.

"Where are you going?"

"The Bellwether Hotel in Bellingham."

“What is the purpose of your visit"

“We’re going down for the weekend to celebrate my birthday”.

“Well, have a great birthday."

“Thank you sir.” 

The Navigation System on the truck was awesome. it was dark and raining and we really would have missed a turn were it not for the clear directions. The navigation actually shows up not just on the central screen but also on the dash view directly in front of me where speed and gas usage are recorded. This is so incredibly safe.  I didn’t have to look away from the road once.

The staff at Bellwether were delighted to see us.  Lovely ladies. I left Laura and Gilbert and the luggage in the lobby  to drive off and park the monster truck. They have free underground parking but my truck is too big for that. .  There was parking nearby though and no problems all weekend.

The rooms were fabulous. So elegant. Spring and autumn colours.  Subdured. Luxurious. A balcony looking over the marina.  A fireplace.  Huge tv and huge king sized bed.  The whirlpub tub put Laurain heaven. I like a shower myself.  But we’d use every bit of the room by the time the weekend was done. I had reports to write and papers to read, a half dozen hours of work which I did either at the desk on my lap top or sitting on the balcony or in the soft lounging chair where I read.  They had a mat set out for Gilbert and food and water bowls.  He loved his stay.

We had room service dinner from their extraordinary kitchen. I can’t recall how long it’s been since I had such an awesome filet mignon. it literally melted in my mouth.  We loved everything about the meal.   It was a Mel Gibson weekend.  We love Mel Gibson.  These were the ones where he plays a cop with Glover.  The next day we had a delicious turkey bacon sandwiches with perfect fries for lunch.

Each day I walked Gilbert around the sea wall. It’s a great walk. Gilbert loved the lawns and bushes. Heather was already blooming.  A friend told us they loved Anthony’s restaurant nearby. I saw it but we were happy eating in the hotel room with Gilbert.  I really  enjoy the decadence of room service.  Giuseppe’s was another restaurant I saw.. There were several others all within walking distance. The area is  it’s a popular uptown sea side place. a bit like Granville Island,  right inside Bellingham on Bellington Bay..  

Laura had a cold too, cough and sniffles, so she really enjoyed the down time.

We did get out for a drive in my new Ford F350 Lariat Edition Truck. The sun had come out on the Saturday.  Lovely cloud formations but lots of blue sky.  We drove the Chuckunut Road , winding along the coast.  In the truck I thought how our drives in the Miata and on the Harley had been more suited to the narrow lane. With the sun roof drawn back, Gordon Lightfoot playing on the sound system,   it still was a delightful drive with the most beautiful views of forest and sea.   Laura got to enjoy them more because I really did have to pay attention to the road.  The daffodils in the fields beyond hadn’t blossomed but in weeks they and the tulips will be shouting spring.  I took the highway back as sleet began.  We were listening to the latest Paul Simon on the highway.  New York sounds that reminded us of our recent trip there. .  Back in the room se actually ordered a pizza which was perfect too.   A  pizza was what I really wanted and it was my birthday. .

I really felt that this weekend was just what the doctor ordered.  A special day and a reprieve from the excessive stress of office moves,January and February psychiatry. and the  fentanyl overdose deaths. It’s all  taking it’s  toll.  I feel like I’m working on the ‘front’.  The sad part is the enemy is oneself, and the drug dealer. 

Sunday morning I was up early and walked Gilbert. They had delicious coffee each morning in the lobby and in the afternoon ice cold lemon water.  There were all these thoughtful details at the Bellwether and the staff were always so caring.   

Laura is a beautiful companion too.. Even with her cold I enjoyed her presence.  Gilbert and I think the world of her.  We chat about the most inconsequential matters.  It’s just comfortable to be together. She spoils Gilbert with doggie massages and treats. 

All too soon we were packing up and on our way.  A snowstorm had hit the north while we were enjoying balmy weather by the sea.  Stopping at Gilbert’s favourite restaurant we got cheese burgers to eat on the ride north.

 I actually thought of not writing about Bellwether because it really is the sort of perfect little place you want to keep a secret.  It really is  like a great little fishing hole. Such a place for catch after catch after catch!

The staff at Bellwether made my birthday weekend unforgettable.  Laura and I had a wonderful time. Gilbert was so happy but he’s always so happy and especially happy when Laura and I are together.

At the border the agent was vigilant.  Justin Trudeau is encouraging terrorists to see Canada as their new safe house so I rather liked that the custom’s agent at least  was alert.

I dropped Laura off at her place, big fluffy snow flakes adding to the inch or so of snow already on the ground. Gilbert and I were sad to leave her.  Now we can’t wait till we get back together again.  

Thank you Jesus for this birthday and such a lovely hotel as the Bellwether.