From one year to the next

I haven't written a post since LAST YEAR !. For some reason me being in Vancouver does not seem very conducive to this blog.  I'm still not quite sure whether it is the absence of fun stuff to do here or the writer's block that hits me when I'm back here, or what that block could be caused by.  

Ominous skyline

This would be the last Sunday of 2014.  The night frost has left amazing patterns on the paintwork of cars that remind me of the patterns of couch upholstery.

Yes, it's cold

Cycling in winter, I finally have discovered a few new routes in North Vancouver (They even have bike routes that allow me to avoid UGLY Marine Drive for part of the journey to the Seabus).  And along this route, I discover a mural today:

Modern Native Art?

How the Grinch stole Christmas and my cell phone

I'm on my way to Commercial Drive for my haircut appointment with Fiona.  In the Seabus terminal, a combination of a diversion by an inept ticket checking person and a touch of senility cause me to leave my cell phone, which I was using to take THIS,

on the seat when I push the bicycle onto the Seabus.


A long story compressed:  I pick up the phone at the Translink Lost & Found a few days later. But I had to suspend service to the phone when it went missing, but at least Wind Mobile put me on a cheaper plan when I visit their store to have service resumed. And it was their suggestion. Eat that Shaw or Telus ! 



The New Year's Eve Variete show rehearsal on the 29th is free and hasn't improved much since last year (Don't laugh; it's not funny).  Things that have improved (or at least my appreciation of them) are the magician with the limes (Finally a comedian ;-) and the Carnival Band (The 'spritual leader' still can't sing, but they manage to produce some great animalistic sound.

Mount Baker visible without the usual brown haze! Stormy weather?

The 31st is the date of an escape to the Sunshine Coast by bicycle.  I fall asleep twice before midnight but find renewed energy in the new year to convince Eike and Hans to walk/stumble respectively down to the beach to launch some Chinese lanterns over the ocean. 1 imitates the Hindenburg on the ground; 1 becomes engulfed in flames about 10 meters up, but a final one soars into the dark night sky. NEED MORE!  No pictures were taken, so this lantern picture taken by Eike on Denise's birthday will have to set the mood.

Photo by Eike Marquardt

I'm sure there is a law against launching these things, but as even Chantal has found out in the mean time:  There seems to be a law against everyting around here, 

 The only things still legal seem to be consumer spending and Ignorance.

On my way to a free lunch in Gibsons on January 1st (Thank you Vallarta Hans), I see one of these;

The ferry ride is pretty uneventful, but on Marine Drive just before Eagle Harbour I run into this fairytale scene. The photograph does not quite capture it, but the moment has the finality and peacefulness of the closing scene of the Lord of the Rings trilogy when the Elves embark on ships to leave Middle Earth forever.
And believe me, if there had been a ship right there offering passage away from Vancouver to less crazy shores, I would not have hesitated to roll the bike onto the loading ramp.

... one day ... ;-)