Pineapple Express

Walking an overheated Dog this evening and came across a neighbour tending his garden. We said hi and did a bit of small talk about local gossip and the weather. Neighbour, being a local boy, knows all the little climatic quirks of our little patch of paradise, including a phenomenon he called the 'Pineapple Express'. Apparently this is a feature that occurs in mainly El Nino years, which raises temperatures and rainfall in the depths of winter, often raising the temperature to ten or eleven degrees. I recounted a few occasions when I had noted the wind direction has changed the local weather within a few hours, which, neighbour assured me was consistent with the aforesaid weather system. This particular wind comes from the South East, and things get pretty stormy, even in the comparative haven of the Narrows. Snow comes from almost due west during Winter, and calmer but very much colder weather from the North West.

Neighbour recounted meeting a couple of Environmentalists who had berated him about the large paper bag he had been carrying, virtually accusing him of being a 'tree murderer'. He had, like any good Canadian does, spoke his mind and told them about plant respiration. They apparently obeyed the Leninist maxim 'Advance with bayonet fixed, if you meet mush, continue, if you meet steel, withdraw.' Which in itself was very telling.
"They should read their damn History books." He remarked sharply. "All this fool talk about global warming. The Vikings had farms in Greenland a thousand years ago. Then a few hundred years later it got cooler again, and hundreds of thousands of people froze to death all over Europe."
"Yeah, they don't understand much about High School physics either." I agreed. "Or geology." Well, it seems to be true. We groused a bit about the two point four cents on every litre of gas as of Tuesday, and how pointless it all was.
"The weather all tracks the sunspot cycles." Neighbour opined, and for myself I agreed that in England at least,every 20-22 years we get a colder and snowier Winter with damp and miserable summers either side, which is what we're having now. Not so much every 10-11 years like in the basic sunspot cycle but certainly his postulation seems to fit the profile which suggests (At least in the current climate cycles) that there are weather cycles that fit in with a basic 10-11, 20-22, 63-66 year sunspot pattern. Despite it being the first day when temperatures ascended to the 29 degree celsius marker, according to neighbour it's been a cooler and wetter year than usual on Vancouver Island this year. He's expecting similar next year. Maybe a bit warmer the year after, and I'd take his word over ten million David Suzuki's, Al Gore's and James Hansen's. The man is a gardener, what we used to call on rural England 'old country' and in my half century on this planet I have found that kind of person appears to know more about the climate than anyone else.

I see Eagles

Dropped Wife off to do her voluntary work, did the recycling and returned a few books to the Library before returning to walk Dog. Landladies gardening chap was busy chopping back the apple tree that has left so much fodder for the local Deer population. Stopped to pass a word or two in greeting and as I looked up saw one of the local Eagles lazily swoop down to the top of a precariously leaning Douglas Fir upslope from the waters edge.

"You know, it still knocks me out to see that." I remarked.
"Oh yeah, the Eagles, they're back again, eh?"
"Yeah, where I come from all you hear is sirens all hours of the day and night. This place just bowls me over."
"Great, isn't it?" He grinned back.
"Yes." Another two of the big birds, probably it's mate, wheeled around unconcerned in the sky while a pair of crows challedged it's casual mastery.

Not much of a day news wise, but after yesterday, I'm feeling pretty relaxed, and for a change have very few earthly cares. My home country seems to be sliding downhill rapidly from a socio-economic point of view. That no longer bothers me overmuch. The finger waggers and critics have won and much good may it do them. To quote a couple of people I've come across recently; "England isn't England any more."

Glad I'm out of there.

Bears, Cougars and Seals

Chatting to neighbour while walking dog. There was a Seal or sea lion in the Strait being dive bombed for it's catch of Salmon by gulls. It didn't seemed to mind, it just ploughed up and down the tidal flow hunting.

Oh yes, didn't get any 'trick or treaters' last night, which was a trifle disappointing. However, there's definitely a Cougar in the area, and a young Black Bear which came snuffling round our back yard for the apples on the tree at the back last night, so maybe that's why the kids didn't come our way.

Oh yes, and 'wet' snow has been forecast for Tuesday according to neighbour, yet I've just checked the long range Weather and it's going to rain allegedly. I shan't say anything. Let it come as a surprise, or rather not.

Looking forward to Saturday and Wife's return. Missed her terribly. It's my turn at the end of November, and I am emphatically not looking forward to going back to England.

Talking about Orca's

Ran into one of my Californian neighbours while walking the dog this morning.
"Hi, did you hear about the Orca's yesterday?" She greeted me.
"No, didn't know they came through this way until January." I responded.
"I was real disappointed. Got a call from Terry who said they were in the channel, but by the time I got my binoculars they were gone."
"Oh."
"Could hear them blowing out in the channel. Pity we missed them."

We talked a little more about the Herring run when a whole pod of Killer whales would follow the Seals and Sea Lions feeding off the Salmon which were in turn feeding off the Herrings around February time.
"Apparently the sea round here turns red with 'em." She said enthusiastically.
"Really?" This has quite piqued my interest, and I shall be carrying a camera at all times.

Other news; we have an offer on our house in England, and hopefully a backup buyer if things go wrong. Didn't get the price we were hoping for, and Wife sounded really frazzled on the phone when we discussed it at 5am Pacific Time this morning. I shall be happy to get her back on Saturday evening. Hot chocolate, Cookies, Cuddles, and a good nights few sleep are my prescription. Everything is laid on, all she has to do is get on the right plane home.

That's funny; I'm already calling this place home.

Love this place

Another blue sky day. Wife is having a time of it in England trying to negotiate a sale on the house. The market there has gone so flat it's reminiscent of a pancake that's really got so depressed it truly couldn't give a toss.

This side of the pond is splendid,and I'm drinking it all in. Dog is spooking at every unfamiliar sight, smell and sound, but then that's nothing new. Off to see friends with a invitation for supper tonight (Taking Dog as they think he's super - if only they knew). The above photo was taken with my phone camera which has no zoom function, but it's really a phone so who cares? Just gives a flavour of the view from our apartment which is absolutely superb.

Landlady dropped by to give me the rundown on what the plumber did. Rent is due tomorrow, but that's all covered. Call from the Canadian equivalent of a Job centre, Supporting Employment Transitions. They had a message for wife, who is now okay to work over here without a work permit. Do they have a job for her? I hope so. I'd like it if they had a job for me, but then I need sponsorship to go down the 9 to 5 again. Not many people willing to do that at present. I live in hope.

Point scoring

Getting to know neighbours and getting on their right side has to be one of the key objectives in a new country. This evening I managed a little with the help of a bowl of candy and a glove puppet found perched on a rock near a place called Revelstoke.

This isn't to say that there's anything calculating or cynical about what I say and do. I truly like our new neighbours. They are so refreshingly open and up front. Besides, I also like children, and look forward to the day when stepdaughters decide they want to raise the next generation. In which case I intend to be the most disreputable Grandfather figure possible, carrying them on my shoulders through the woods and frightening the wildlife. Taking them for rides on Motorbikes, hunting and fishing; stuff like that.

To enlarge; Californian neighbours were bringing small child trick or treating. We'd arranged this a couple of days ago, and I said I'd do something amusing. So a bowl filled with assorted candy was set aside by the back door with the glove puppet, and when the little girl arrived with two female bodyguards in tow, I went into the routine as follows;

Knock on door. I put on the glove puppet and poked it's head so it could be seen by the child (Who was wearing a kind of crocodile costume) into the glass pane of the rear door. Then I made it duck down before bringing it back into view, apparently shivering with fright. Then I opened the door slightly and made it look as if the puppet was answering the door. At the magic words "Trick or treat" the bowl of candy was proffered, a handful was taken and there was a little 'nk you' . I caught my neighbours eye through the part open dorway. She was obviously impressed that an Englishman had so quickly gotten into the spirit of things. Dix points I think.

Besides. I like the people round here, and such little touches are well worth the effort, even if it might look a little like a cynical and needlessly ingratiating point scoring exercise to an outsider. That little girl came to a strangers door and went away having been amused. Such things count for a lot with small children. A good friendly environment promotes good behaviour in future. Well that's the theory. It's better than locking the door and hiding with the lights out.