TAKE 5 February 2011

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Letters Ladysmith Maritime Society dock fire The Ladysmith Maritime Society (LMS) would like to thank the many volunteers and members of the community who turned out to respond to the tragic emergency situation at the LMS Community Marina in the early hours of Thursday, January 6, and to the many who have subsequently offered their assistance. LMS is deeply appreciative of the members of the Ladysmith Fire Department, the B.C. Ambulance Service, Canadian Coast Guard, Marine Rescue Society and the R.C.M.P. for their thorough professionalism in responding to this emergency. In particular, LMS offers its heartfelt condolences to the family of our visitor from Revelstoke, who had been a guest at our marina and who passed away in hospital later that night.

- Dave Ehrismann, Executive Director, Ladysmith Maritime Society

Bottled Service Recently the South Wellington Elementary School PAC held a bottle drive.

Once again we were so impressed with the exceptional customer service of the Ladysmith Junction Bottle Depot that we just had to share it! With the busy holiday season I had forgotten to call ahead to arrange the pickup, and found myself calling just a week before the date we had already advertised to see if pick-up was possible. At that time there was already another pick-up scheduled, but they were willing to squeeze us in at the end of the day as well. Whew! When our day arrived, the other bottle drive ended up to be cancelled due to weather, so Mr. Kim and his helper Dave arrived a couple of hours early and stayed to help us sort the empties. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the hard work and cheerful disposition of Mr. and Mrs. Kim and all of the staff of the Ladysmith Junction Bottle Depot; Ladysmith and surrounding area is definitely lucky to have such a great place to take our refundable empties to! A big thank-you as well to all of the great people of South Wellington who stopped by to drop off some empties and have a quick chat! Krista Seggie, PAC chairperson South Wellington Elementary School

Proposed Replacement Fire Hall During the summer of 2008 the original fire hall replacement project to the tune of $2.5 million was firmly rejected by the taxpayers of North Oyster when the odious Alternative Approval Project was foisted on the community. Since that time, the North Oyster Volunteer Fire Department’s Ad Hoc Building Replacement Committee was established to review whether or not, quote, “the project proposed to and rejected by the public in the summer of 2008 could be or should be modified to reduce overall costs and to confirm that the building design and physi-

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cal site are appropriate for the long term objectives of the department.

Additionally the committee was to make recommendations regarding the taxation method and the public approval process”. (1) Also within that same letter, signed by all committee members, the committee stated, “the Coffin Point fire service issue was clearly stated as beyond the scope of this committee.”

With the progression of time, public meetings were held and, at the meeting of December 9, 2010, the general public in attendance were shocked to discover, not only finished architectural drawings for two fire halls (including one at Coffin Point for which the committee had in writing deemed beyond its scope), but taxpayer-funded costs had increased significantly from the original $2.5 million to $3.2 million.

Unfortunately, due to the tenure of that meeting, there were many unanswered questions. In particular how does a yearly call-out (2009) of 89, less 25 to attend to traffic accidents and only 6 structural fires, rationalize the construction of an almost 8,000 sq ft fire hall in this tiny community, a community whose Official Community Plan discourages expansion and increased development?

There are no employment opportunities in this area, with young people having to leave to find work, so where will volunteers be found to fill the quota required to man two fire halls?

Also, it should be clear how capital projects are arranged for from the initial step of defining the needs of a volunteer fire hall. This is the critical first step and one that has not been divulged.

All decisions, which will result in taxpayers paying significantly more, demand a full spectrum approach including accountability. How a fire hall (now two) would be funded should have been an integral part of the first step, not simply drawing up the plans then throwing the entire burden on residential taxpayers with the Chair of the committee demanding a vote on the spot. It is simply not good enough to say, ‘we need and want this’ and expect the taxpayers to, without question, pay.

Where is the independent feasibility study? Such an independent unbi-

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ased study would have answered all these questions and more.

Notwithstanding the undeniable fact that the existing fire hall is in need of major improvements and upgrading; perhaps even a completely new structure, is the other undeniable fact that a small portion of Area “H” within North Oyster, comprised of a little over 1,000 residential taxpayers, who face difficult economic times (current property taxes almost doubled in 2010), cannot afford the currently proposed $3,201,235.53 overall cost.

We all have to live within our means.

Understanding there are funds available from Terasen Gas for $100,000, UBCM for $300,000 and the Fire Department have $415,000 in their coffers, plus there are other funding sources available which may be pursued, the entire burden including interest on borrowed money, must not and should not be dumped on this tiny community for decades.

The Ad Hoc Building Replacement Committee has deviated from the only duly signed document I can find, wherein the original purpose for making modifications “to reduce overall costs” is outlined, and confidence in their ability has been lost. - Rita Dawson

Area H #1 Firehall Proposal Project.

The first proposal for renovating or replacing the North Oyster #1 Firehall was soundly defeated by the residents of Area H. The Alternative Approval Process and Costs were cited as the major issues at that time.

Public meetings in 2008 left the community again questioning the Project Costs of the (new) Proposal. The debt to taxpayers would have been well over $2 million. This cost was not acceptable.

An Ad Hoc Committee was formed (early 2009) by our Area H director. They were given a mandate to see if they could address the costs, and possible site relocation of the Firehall.

In March/April of 2010, two public meetings were held, community feedback was deemed critical to discuss specific issues (costs-tax method - Coffin Point area). The information at that time states that a Project brief will be updated to reflect this feedback. This information was then to become available on the website. I have been unable to find any information that was posted or given to the public following those meetings.

In December 2010, a meeting was scheduled by the Ad Hoc Committee, those in attendance discovered the architectural designs have now been completed, which include two new Firehalls at a cost of $3.2 million plus yearly interest (payable in total by the taxpayers of North Oyster) over 20 years. Taxation method most discussed was Parcel tax.

A new round of public information meetings are supposed to begin soon. Ideally, our area director will have the proposals posted well in advance of these meetings. This would then give Area H taxpayers time to look through the data, to make informed decisions, and allow critical feedback/questions prior to the meeting(s).

This would then be followed by a referendum sometime around June 2011.

It is your community and your tax dollars, please keep informed.

- Jerrilynn Harris, North Oyster

Bikes and buses

There are a couple of initiatives Ladysmith Town council is running with that I think we as taxpayers should be concerned about: the Bicycle Plan and the Trolley Service. Information about both of these can be found on the Town’s website. The plans were well intentioned but I think misguided.

If the Bicycle Plan is carried through to completion as shown, there will be a network of bicycle paths over a large part of our town with bike racks and shelters and even lock ups. What the total cost might be is hard to figure. There are costs set out in the plan but they are stated largely such as so many dollars per metre of construction. It’s not go-

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ing to be cheap if the costs for the one piece that Rob Johnson wrote about in November’s Take 5 is anything to go by: $78,000 for a stretch of Bayview.

What Rob was questioning up front then was the choice of Bayview. Like Rob I live on Bayview and I can vouch the number of cyclists using that road in a week can be counted on the fingers of one hand with fingers left over. So why start there?

The purpose for the Bicycle Plan, according to the mayor is many fold...but overall, to encourage/promote the safe use of the bicycle (and) about good health. I would suggest bicycle paths will have little to do with whether people ride bikes or not. Let’s face it, this is not a cycle friendly town from a topographical point of view and, as far as safety goes, we have maybe just a couple of streets where traffic could be regarded as “heavy.” I would be interested to know just how many accidents involving cars and bikes there have been over the past five years.

I suggested to the mayor that not only would we have a bus with no passengers, we would have the bike lanes with no cyclists.

He responded that our trolley bus carried 25 000 passengers last year which sounds impressive till it is broken down into smaller units. 25,000 a year works out as 10 pas-

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sengers an hour which means that at any one time there are unlikely to be more than two or three aboard which anybody can observe any day of the week.

This bus came with great expectations.

Look at the Downtown Business website at the trolley launch.

The Ladysmith Trolley Service meets several key goals for the Town. It supports sustainability by reducing greenhouse gases, provides increased mobility for young and old, residents and visitors alike, reduces parking congestion at the town’s two major shopping areas, and strengthens the local economy by enabling more people to access local businesses.

Does a diesel bus trundling around our streets ten hours a day carrying a total of 80 passengers meet these goals?

The trouble with the bus routes is much the same as with the bicycle routes: why would anybody use them? Bicycles go wherever they will, not on some set route unless you are going somewhere special with a lot of others.

The mayor wrote about the large number of cyclists using Montréal’s bike routes. Well, the same could be said about Vancouver and Victoria. But these are cities with large numbers of commuters, not a small town of 7000 with one main street.

As with our bike paths there is really little reason to ride our trolley unless it is to tour the town as Karen Girard wrote in a letter to last week’s Chronicle. If a person were to go shopping there are shopping bags to carry and possibly a couple of blocks of walking ahead which isn’t much value to the elderly or disabled. Better, as Paul Williams pointed out in December’s Take 5, would have been/ would be(?) a smaller bussette as the Auxiliary use and even have some sort of on-call door to door service. But then that would cut into the taxis’ business. Hmm. Maybe we need to stand back and reevaluate. A cliche it may be but sometimes the best change might be no change.

Sad to say,as it stands now, when time and convenience and even the environment are considered, the car wins out.

- Brian Bradshaw

Re: Rob Pinkerton’s WIldfile Wild life rabbits, rats and deer etc. are like relatives. You have to have them and they are nice, as long as they don’t bed down in my estate!

Any person that has an IQ better than their eyesight (20-20) would know that rabbits and rats can breed faster than you can write a story. So now all your neighbours are going to be inundated with all the destructive creatures that you let loose.

If I were you I would not tell anybody that I caught and released a rat. It is manly to catch

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and release a fish, but not a rat. Get out of BC and go to Alberta if you don’t want to show your girly side. - Al Cutting

Dear Santa Thank you for coming to our Pancake Breakfast again this year at Cedar Community Hall. We had such a good time doing the crafts, decorating cookies, and getting our nails and faces painted! But, the highlight, of course, was that you made the time to visit, get pictures taken with us, and ask us what we would like for Christmas!

The NOAH (North Oyster and Area Historical Society) elves were busy, too, getting the decorations done, cooking a yummy breakfast, and helping us with our Christmas bags. We were excited to hear the winners of the raffle, including Ron Lambert, John Neil, Inga Cooper, Joshua Lewis, Ann Marie Horne, Sally Steeves, George McKinley, and Barb Argue.

Again, many thanks to you, Santa, and all of the businesses who so generously support this annual tradition. We couldn’t do it without you!! From all of the kids and parents in our Area.

- Sue Benoit, Secretary NOAH

Cedar co-op Thanks for the article regarding Cedar Opportunities Co-operative in the Dec/Jan Take 5. We really appreciate you fitting us in. We have had some good feedback already about it. We are signing our lease this week and hoping to take possession of our space in January. We’ll have some more news to pass on to you in the coming months.

- Sandra Marquis, President, Cedar Opportunities Co-operative

As I see it, Town’s top earners Rob Johnson’s column As I see it, (Dec/10) Town’s top earners is bang on . It seems that the Town councillors cannot stand up to the senior Staff and the salaries and increases of Administrators are running completely out of proportion to the increases the other municipal employees are getting and what the public can afford.

Unless the elected officials start to bring some control and reality to the wages of the Managers, the town will both go broke and have a taxpayers revolution on its hands.

I have a copy of a “fact sheet, cost of community services studies” from the American Farmland Trust ~ Farmland information center. It shows that for every $1 paid in taxes by residential properties, it takes $1.16 to provide community services. For every farm or open land, for every dollar collected, it takes 36 cents to provide the lesser community services they ask for.

I am getting really tired of the councils and

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regional board Directors wringing their hands piously and stating that despite their best efforts at budget time, the taxes have to go up.

- Keith Wyndlow

RE: Dec ’10 Edition of Take 5 ‘As I See it’ I read Rob Johnson’s latest article on the Town’s top earners, comparing the top salaried staff to those of other municipalities with great interest. Rob’s article raises some very interesting questions. Case in point, perhaps Rob’s lead-in sentence should be, ‘How much is a reasonable cost to administer our Town?”

I was floored when I read our City Manager earns $171,531 plus benefits, more importantly, how did Town Council rationalize a wage increase of 65.11% since 2005? What decision-making process did the Town Council use to grant administration wage increases of 53.71% over the last four years, and why do we need a new position for Manager of Administration Services? How does Town Council justify these wage increases? Is this type of administration cost in-line with providing high quality services at the lowest possible cost to our tax payers?

How much were services and residential and industrial taxes raised to help cover the cost of the administration costs? Were taxpayers consulted with the rationale for such a steep raise in administration costs?

I, too, believe in paying our senior staff a fair wage, but to be completely out of line with other municipalities, such as View Royal, with a similar population of Ladysmith, which pays their City Manager $125,467, is ridiculous. Inflation generally runs 2-3% per year, so the unionized employees agreement at 3-3.5 per cent is reasonable.

Mr. Johnson’s two previous articles on the pros and cons of the trolley bus program and the proposed bike path for Bayview (at a cost of approximately $70,000) make me question Town Council’s decisionmaking process on how it decides how tax payers funds be spent to provide high quality services at the lowest possible cost...I rode my bike to and from work along Bayview eight months of the year for eight years, and I never once passed another cyclist.Perhaps Mr. Johnson is correct in suggesting the Town direct the proposed bike path funds to providing solar energy for the Recreation centre as part of the ‘Go Green’ concept?

In February 2002, I presented Town Council with a consulting project I prepared for the Town (‘gratis’) in order to complete my MBA. The report was entitled, “Developing a Municipal Business Planning Process for the Town of Ladysmith – A Road Map for Continued Success”. The report outlined suggestions for the Town to improve the budgeting process and tie-in accountability and performance management objectives for Town Council and each department to reinforce the concept of accountability for strategic planning issues such as land use planning, service delivery, physical infrastructure – i.e. roads, and economic development.

Perhaps the Town will consider the use of newsletters, ‘town hall’ meetings, newspapers, flyers, or Citizen Satisfaction Surveys on the types of services they want in order to answer two key questions - Is the Town delivering the services our citizens want?, and is the service being delivered at a reasonable/good price?

Perhaps Town Council and senior staff need to review the concept of accountability and fiscal restraint as part of cost effective service delivery for our taxpayers.

- Garth Buck

Town’s Top Earners Bravo for bringing the Towns Top Earners to our attention. A great follow up article would be, the qualifications these people have to earn this kind of money which is outrageous.

Secondly, I wonder if the Citizens of our Community are aware of how high the tax rate is for people who own Commercial Buildings in this Town. In these tough Economic Times, there is no money left over for renovations and upkeep. The amount a land-

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lord can rent his Commercial Spaces out does not justify the Taxes due. A good example is Brian Marshall’s building on First Avenue which is nearly $26,000 annually. It doesn’t pay to have a beautifully built or renovated building as your taxes just keep climbing.

It would seem prudent for the Town to gives some Tax Incentives to businesses locally. We need to attract more to this Town.

- Barbara Bezeau

Town’s top earners Thanks for the great article on the Town’s remuneration. It’s great to see that we have some investigative reporting in town. -Paul Williams

Town’s top earners Thanks for your excellent article re. the Town’s top earners, and I must admit, I was shocked. How is it possible for the Town Councilors to approve such outrageous salaries for a small town like Ladysmith?

Did they not do their homework or was pressure put upon them with the often used phrase, we have to pay that much to keep good people?

Which of course is nonsense.

More and more people come to the Food Bank, many people are still unemployed or work for low wages and still their taxes go to pay for those top salaries + benefits + expense accounts, it is outrageous!

At the next Municipal election, perhaps we need to vote for people, who will freeze those salaries for the next five years; what else can we possible do about it? - Lis Farrell

Staff salaries, Kay Grouhel I agree with Rob Johnson’s comments on salaries for staff at city hall. I do hope that the Mayor and his council show some prudence in this matter as it soon will get way out of control. The taxpayers wages and pensions do not escalate at this rate of increase. As for Kay Grouhel, she was an outstanding mayor and deserves to have a special recognition for what she had done for this Town or City.

- Frank Crucil

Top earners Thank you for your article. I haven’t waited to reply now out of no interest, but rather what can we do? The taxpayer apparently has little to say in determining salary ranges . If there is something that could be done, please share it with us and I for one would be willing to try to change the status quo.

- William Verstraete

Town’s top earners article is misinformed I am writing to correct some misinformation originally written in the Take 5 magazine and subsequently presented in other media.

The Town of Ladysmith City Manager’s regular annual salary for 2009 was $134,847, not the $171,000 as reported.

The writer of the original article may not have been aware that the City Manager’s salary, as reported, included a payout of several years’ accumulated unused holidays.

The compensation levels of senior staff are established with the assistance of an independent external review. The last such independent salary review took place some four years ago during the 2006-2009 Term of Office.

-Rob Hutchins, Mayor, Town of Ladysmith

Letters to the Editor are welcome but subject to space and editing. Write TAKE 5, PO Box 59, Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A1, fax 250-245-7099 or editor@take5.ca

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Results from a national survey revealed that nearly 80 per cent of Canadians feel that sex is an important part of their life.

Not surprising when you consider how many articles and songs are written about love. Love inspires us to create and do better than we have done in the past.

This Valentine’s Day you don’t need to feel guilty about indulging in chocolates, wine and fine dining, because being intimate with your partner is good for your health.

Take 5 Ways a Romantic Interlude can improve your Health

BY ROB JOHNSON February is traditionally the month for expressing your love for your partner, and it is also a month that we focus on our health and well being. Are you aware that you can combine both of these in a single activity? A robust love life offers numerous heath benefits as well improving you emotional heath.

1 INCREASED EXERCISE Sexual activity burns up a lot of calories. Some studies esti-

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mate that you can burn up to 500 calories per session. For the average person in reasonable heath it could be the equivalent of 15 minutes on a treadmill.

2 REDUCED HEART ATTACK RISK British researchers found that in a study of 900 middle age men who had sex twice a week or more reduced their risk of heart attacks by 10 % compared to their counterparts who were less intimate. In women, regular sex increases the level of female hormone, which in women, reduces their risk of heart disease. Regular sex improves cholesterol levels and increases circulation and improves the immune system as well.

3 REDUCES ACHES Studies have shown that sex reduces headaches and joint pain. In medical terms immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This in turn releases endorphin, which alleviates pain from everything, headache to arthritis to even migraine.

4 HEALTHIER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL SKIN Sex can also contribute to healthier skin because estrogen in women is released and that causes shiny skin and hair.

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5 REDUCE STRESS A recent survey revealed that people who have more sex reported that they felt more at ease, happier and learned how to handle stress better. People who enjoy a regular dose of sex convey that they sleep much better during the night and feel alive and refreshed throughout the day. So, one of the health benefits of sex is a better nights sleep, which allows you to handle day-to-day stress much more efficiently.

As there are many ways that sex can keep you a healthier person inside and out, the important thing is that it is shared with someone that you are emotionally involved with. Sex is a beautiful thing to share between people who are in love and respect each other. Ultimately, the act of love making, or sex, is a beautiful thing that is healthy for you from head to foot and all the bits in between. Enjoy your Valentine!

Single? The Cotton Club is holding a speed dating night Friday, Feb 11 at 8pm. 250-245-5157 for more information.

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Ladysmith Maritime Society dock fire On Jan. 6 at midnight a fire broke out at Ladysmith Maritime Society docks. The fire spread to other boathouses destroying seven boathouses and five vessels, 100 feet of dock. Decking was scorched on another 100 feet of main dock and on one finger.

During the evacuation a man collapsed on the deck of his boat and later died after having been taken to hospital by ambulance. Damage is estimated at approximately $2 million making this one of the costliest fires in the town’s history. Cause of the fire is still under investigation. Rob Pinkerton was there and here is his account of that terrible night.

BY ROB PINKERTON The phone rang just before one in the morning. There is always that feeling of unease and dread as you stumble out of bed to answer at that hour. A friend told me that the Ladysmith Maritime Society docks were on fire and I should see to my boat. As I approached the Expo Legacy building, I could make out dense smoke and flames coming from the seaward end of the docks. I wove my way through three ladder and pumper trucks and smaller vehicles all with emergency lights rotating and flashing. A couple of firefighters standing in the heavy rain watched me go by. Parking my truck, I made my way down the dark stairway to the lower parking lot. Groups of firefighters dressed in full gear stood quietly together among three more trucks. Ladysmith’s Fire Chief Ray Delcourt and a lieutenant stood at the head of the ramp talking on radios with those on the docks. A hose from the hydrant in the upper lot snaked down the bank and attached to a pumper truck. From the truck, a charged hose continued down the docks to a portable hydrant and then split; one hose to the center dock and the other to the north dock where the fire was burning. At the far end of the middle LMS dock, the stream from the hose arched up and over to the wall of flame on the northern dock.

Toxic smoke billowed and rolled away to the south and fire, higher at times than the

boathouse roofs, showed the marina in a weird flickering light.

Four firefighters were given instructions. I watched them recheck their gear and start down the dock. Soon only their headlamps could be seen as the made their way towards the northern area where the boathouses were on fire. I wondered what thoughts had gone through their minds as they waited in the pouring rain for their turn to come. About ten minutes later, the headlamps of the crew that was relieved appeared. They said little when they arrived, struggling out of breathing apparatus and other gear. Alarms jangled on their regulators signifying that they were almost out of air and were shut off.

Some shed their heavy coats and steam rose from their overheated bodies. Water and energy drinks were gulped and paramedics checked their heart rates. I tried to imagine the situation they had just left. They would be in the small space between the rows of boathouses, facing a wall of fire. They could not see around the end of the burning houses and could not see what was happening beyond their immediate area. They all knew that besides fuel tanks of gasoline, diesel and flaming fiberglass, propane bottles, aerosol cans, paint cans and other unknowns were certainly there. As boats inside burned, the aluminum boathouse walls melted beside them. A firefighter on the nozzle would have his partner directly behind him, feeding him slack and taking the weight of the hose. Behind them another of the team would be watching for dangers and assessing the attack.

Another would be helping to change air bottles and fueling the hot generator that ran a seawater pump that could not be shut down as it may not start again. The roar and crackling of the fire, popping as unknown things exploded, the poison smoke rolling away with smoldering emAfter the fire. Photo: Rob Johnson

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bers in it. I would think heart rates might be somewhat elevated.

They are trained to keep their breathing at a steady rate as you go through your air bottle very fast if you get excited.

In the parking lot, the firefighters talked among themselves and put fresh air bottles in their breathing apparatus. The rain was steady and hard and was probably extinguishing those flying cinders. The trucks shined wet in the pulsing lights. Another team was sent to relieve the crew on the hose on the middle dock and they soon arrived, tense and quiet.

It had been about an hour since I had arrived. The fire was being beaten down and suddenly was out. Now those guys on the front lines were in the dark except for headlamps. I was wet and getting cold so decided to go home. With a dull “whump�, a ball of fire shot up, twice as high as the boathouses, illuminating the towering smoke. A fuel tank full of gasoline? As I climbed up the hill, the flames slowly died down as they were cooled by the firefighters.

Arriving on the scene at around midnight, they worked until seven in the morning and then had to clean and service their gear back at the station. Twenty-six firefighters from Ladysmith, eight from Chemainus and six from North Oyster fire department responded. I have heard it said that this fire was the largest and most dangerous that many of these men have faced.

Watching their team work and skills impressed me greatly and I think they did a magnificent job.

Fire engulfs a boat house at Ladysmith Maritime Society docks.

Photos: Stephanie Irvine

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A United Stand Against Bullying

Bullying is an ongoing issue in our society; one that negatively impacts our youth. Millie Stirling, branch manager of the local Ladysmith Vancouver Island InsuranceCentre, hopes all students in the Ladysmith school catchment area will wear, en masse, pink tee shirts which read, “Respect the right to be different.” take a stand against bullying on February 23. Close to 2,000 tee shirts in our community are a gift from VIIC. Millie points out, “VIIC is an Island owned company staffed with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers who believe that by working together in our communities we can make a difference through keeping the anti-bullying message visible. The impact on the victims’ confidence is huge. Kids are taking their lives.”

A Wear Pink Day campaign is occurring in other communities throughout BC and Canada. This year, VIIC is distributing over 11,000 tee shirts in Vancouver Island communities.

Students at Ladysmith Secondary School in drama, dance, music and social justice clubs are collaborating to put

Ladysmith InsuranceCentre supports the anti-bullying campaign. Wearing the pink t-shirts are: Back row, l-r: Millie Stirling, Katrina Stirling, Charlene Kong, Carolyn Bradbury, Front row, i-r: Cassidy Kong, Liam Vegh, Sarah Stirling, Sarina Stirling, Peyton Kong Photo: Marina Sacht

on a performance event for intermediate and elementary school-age children that aims to end to bullying: February 14, 1010:30, St. Joseph’s Elementary School, Davis Road Elementary School, and North Oyster Elementary School, grade 5-7 students will attend at LSS. February 15, 2:00- 2:30, at Ladysmith Primary School, February 16, 9:15-9:45, at Lady-

smith Intermediate School.

Student dancer Cassidy Stachow believes many students will identify with the performance message of acceptance and respect, “I often struggled with classes and social life, wondering I was doing this or that right so that people would accept me.”

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China keeps mill busy

Thirty-five sawmill workers back on the job is a perfect example of how B.C.’s coastal forest sector is enjoying increased lumber demand from China, Forests, Mines and Lands Minister Pat Bell announced today while touring the Western Forest Products sawmill last month in Ladysmith.

“With four straight positive quarters, Western has clearly turned the corner from the very tough market of recent years,” said Western vice chair Lee Doney.

Western-Ladysmith was forced to close its doors in April 2008 due to the collapse of the U.S. housing market. They restarted in September 2010 after re-tooling the facility to produce metric-sized hemlock/fir lumber specifically for the China market. With an annual production capacity of 40 million board feet on a one-shift basis, Western-Ladysmith now exports 100 per cent of its output to China.

Cancer Society needs canvassers for Cedar

We urgently need volunteers to canvass the Cedar area. We are looking for one area captain and 25 canvassers who can provide approximately a three hour time commitment for fundraising door-to-door. Contact Bill McCullough at Nanaimo Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society at 250-741-8180.

MISSI Meeting

At the Cedar Heritage Centre, 1644 MacMillan Road, Cedar - Thurs Feb 24th, 7-8pm - ‘RDN/CVRD - Cross Boundary Water Challenges - Local Aquifers & Groundwater’ with the MISSI AGM at 8pm-to provide residents with a chance to discuss present and future demands on local water supplies, so that informed comments and decisions can be made as the Area A OCP, and proposals for the RDN Airport Accord are considered. The meeting takes place the night before the RDN deadline to submit comments on the ‘RDN Drinking Water & Watershed Protection Report’.

Dr. Gilles Wendling, author of many groundwater and aquifer studies for the area and region is the speaker.

Members of Yellow Point Drama Group rehearsing for their “Don’t Shoot, We’re Still British”

this time with a whole new evening of familiar British comedy sketches, a film parody of “The Avengers”, and another episode of “Fawlty Towers”. It sold out last time, so don’t be disappointed and reserve tickets early. Preview is March 3, with other shows on March 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19. Tickets are $10.00 for preview and $15.00 for regular. ($10.00 for children under 12). Reserve at 722-3067.

Torch Song

Vancouver Island Players present Torch Song - Widows and Children First. A very personal story of a memorable character Arnold Beckoff that is both funny and poignant by Tony award winning actor playwright, Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song chronicles a New Yorker’s search for love, respect and tradition in a world that seems not especially made for him. Widows and Children First, finds Arnold armed with a keenly developed sense of humor as he continues to test the commonly accepted terms of endearment ~ and endurance ~ in a universally affect-

Don’t Shoot We’re Still British” presented

by YPDG

Yellow Point Drama Group presents the sequel to their successful run of “Don’t Shoot We’re British” two seasons ago,

The $1000 donation to the Cedar Skate Park Association is through CIBC’s Employee as Ambassador Program, which recognizes the difference CIBC employees make in their community by volunteering their time and expertise for good causes. FSR II, Jan Stephens has been involved with the program as a volunteer for past two years.

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ing story that confirms that happiness is well worth carrying a torch for. Directed

by John Fox. The show runs to Feb 13, Ladysmith Little Theatre ladysmiththeatre.com Box Office: 250-924-0658

Transit Open House

The Cowichan Transit is having an Open House on Saturday, Feb.5 from 2 - 4 pm at Aggie Hall in Ladysmith. BC Transit is working with the Cowichan Valley Regional District to develop a transit master plan for the next 25 years.

Visit www.bctransit.com, click Transit Future and use the online survey to send us your comments.

New Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce board

The Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce has elected its new board. Returning are Bill Eller, Rhonda Shirley, Paul Nettleton, Nita Grant, and new Rod MacNeil, Simon Warne, Michael Furlot, Kathy Holmes, Cyndi Beaulieu, Linda Donohue.

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Mary Fox at Pottery Store

The Pottery Store in Chemainus is pleased to announce that they will be selling the functional tableware and unique fine-art creations of the internationally renowned Ladysmith potter Mary Fox “Mary Fox is in the top echelon of Vancouver Island artists and we receive frequent requests for her work” said Peggy Grigor, co-owner of The Pottery Store. Mary’s works have been exhibited internationally and have won numerous awards.

RDN to host Livestock Carcass Disposal Exercise

Learn to plan for the safe disposal of killed livestock in the event of a transportation accident. On February 9 the RDN will host a tabletop farmed animal mass carcass disposal exercise in the RDN Board Chambers in Nanaimo. A wide range of stakeholder groups will also participate in the exercise, including the Justice Institute of BC, the BC Milk Producers Association, the BC Cattlemen’s Association, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, Emergency Management BC, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Investment Agriculture Association of BC (IAFBC), the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the Ministry of Transportation and Highways, EMCON, RCMP, local cattle haulers, composting service providers, incineration equipment suppliers, meat processing/rendering companies, and insurance providers. For details call RDN Emergency Program Coordinator Jani Drew at 250-390-6526, or jdrew@rdn.bc.ca.

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Ladysmith Mayor Report Building a Community Vision, Tenacity, Hard Work, Compassion, and Grants When I reflect on 2010, I salute with admiration the citizens of our community who have worked so tirelessly to help build some exciting new facilities in our Town. Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins Lot 108 At the north end of 4th Avenue you will find, near completion, the first phase ($3.2 million) of a multi-purpose sports park. The vision for such a facility, at that location, was first shared some 17 years ago. A boundary expansion, withdrawal from the Forest Land Reserve, land negotiations and acquisition, and rezoning of the 23 acre parcel took some seven years to complete. In 2002, plans were then developed: “The Field of Dreams” they were called, as the accompanying price tag at that time was in excess of $7 million. As BC was in the midst of an economic recession, the plans had to be put on hold until the right ingredients were in place to allow us to proceed.

A catalyst for change and (finally) development on Lot 108 came in two forms - a nearby housing development (shared cost of infrastructure) and most importantly in the form of a “Sad News/Good News Story.”

In early 2009, the residents (38 families) of Ivy Green Mobile Home Park received eviction notices. That set into place a series of events that would see The Town of Ladysmith become (it is my understanding) the first community in North America to help facilitate the collective move of such homes.

The question was, “Would we give up a portion of our ‘Field of Dreams’ to provide a site for the construction of a new mobile home park?” Although the sacrifice was some 11 acres of parkland at Lot 108, the members of Town Council, Town staff, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Field Users Group, the Executive of the Ladysmith Golf Course, and those citizens who took part in the public hearing on the rezoning of the parkland unanimously agreed that it was the right thing to do. No one was to be left homeless.

In early 2010, we were fortunate and we are so grateful that David Stalker, Jag Basi, and Chris Kaelble were willing to step forward and take on the challenge of creating the new mobile home park.

But the first phase of the sports fields at Lot 108 was still underfunded. The Provincial Government agreed to allow the Town to redirect our “Towns for Tomorrow Grant” of $375,000 for Aggie Field to the new site at Lot 108. The Federal Government, through the advocacy of Island Government representatives who recognized the multi-faceted benefits of our vision, generously agreed to provide a $1 million grant.

2011 will be a year of celebration. Behind the celebration are years of hard work, tenacity, compassion, and generosity. We do live in a most wonderful place.

Next Month – A new Community Service Building on High Street.

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Finding “Life In Adventure” Years ago I recall reading something about families making mission statements. Creating a few words to several paragraphs that set the philosophical basis and direction of the family. I did not have children at the time and dismissed the idea thinking it was goofy. Who has time for that? Fast forward to life with kids and apparently I have the time. For the past two years I have come up with a mission statement of sorts. A few words that I use as inspiration for things we do as a family. With outdoor adventure taking up most of our family time, the

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mission statements have been created specifically for that.

In 2009 it was “Adventures in BC.” The children were turning 4 and 2 years old.

Any where we went was an adventure. I remember walking through Hemer Park with a 2 year old screaming 10 yards behind us. How were we ever going to hike any great distance with crying children? Adventures in BC kept us going… it was an adventure and we were in BC. Over time the crying decreased and the distances travelled grew. That year we tried new things like surfing, canoeing, and biking. That’s when I thought there was something to this mission statement idea after all.

2010 was inspired in part by the Olympics, “Spirit of Adventure.” I wanted to capture the children’s spirit and our passion for adventure. Like the athletes competing for gold, we started every outing with a goal and did our best to achieve it. We surfed some more, snow shoed for the first time and canoed on a cold wet afternoon. And this was just the January activities! Our spirits kept us going in all kinds of weather and

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situations. We had our first family bear encounter, backpacked our first multi day hiking trip, and got caught in rain one too many times. I really believe if I did not have these three words to reflect upon, we would never have done half of the things we did.

So here we are…2011, time for a new mission statement. I struggled with this one, mostly due to the fact I was not ready to let go of 2010. The children will be turning 6 and 4 years old this year.

They are full of curiosity and life. That’s when I came up with “finding LIFE in ADVENTURE”. The phrase has many meanings. Life itself is an adventure or adventure can bring new life and find perspective. For us it will be finding five living creatures on every adventure. To seek out and learn about organisms such as animals, plants, fungus, or micro-organisms. The only rule I will enforce is not picking the first five plants or trees we see and never the same living creature twice. Ok, that is two rules. There needs to be some adventure to it.

Before 2011 was official, I tested our mission out just to be sure it could be

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done. With family in tow, we hiked local trails like Jack Point and Hemer Park. I drove everybody nuts by constantly reminding them of the mission. I was sceptical thinking that the children would not be interested let alone find anything exciting in mid December.

My motherly rants were quickly muted.

Living creatures were among us everywhere. It was fun and easy to find and identify five living creatures. Some living creatures required a bit of research afterwards in order to identify, like the pipefish. Others were easy to identify,

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like the giant earthworm slithering under our feet while we were having a snack.

What I found was the children were captivated and interested in the finds no matter how common or rare. Mission accomplished.

Being a list type of person, I have started recording all our finds. Where we were and what we found. It also helps reinforce the no creature twice rule. What I did not expect was how difficult it is to identify organisms. A tree is not just a tree. Nor is a fish just a fish. What I am now faced with is hours of research-

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ing the exact species of tree or fish. The more I investigate the more species I uncover. I definitely do not have the time for that. So now I am researching a backpack for the dog so he can carry the dozen or so books I require to identify the living creatures we find.

To read On The Beaten Path’s monthly blog and adventure stories, join the Facebook fan page “On The Beaten Path” or visit www.wix.com/onthebeatenpath/ on-the-beaten-path

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250-245-7134

Club 250-245-5157

Feb 7, Med-Small Non-Pleasure Vessel Safety (formerly MED A3), Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455

Feb 12, 8pm, Bob Marley Birthday Bash, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 7, 7:30pm, Andre LaPlante, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 7, 8pm, Laura Mann & the Fairly Odd Folk/Naomi Middlemiss, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 1-13, Torch Song, Ladysmith Little Theatre 250-924-0658 Feb 1, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Resume 101, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 1-19, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820 Feb 2, 9:30 am, Employment Navigators Workshop Internet and Email Job Search in the 21st Century, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 7-14, Navigational Safety-Level 1, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Feb 8, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Computer Basics for Beginners, 710 1st Ave. 250-2457134 Feb 8, 6pm, A Living Library of Spirituality & Faith, Ladysmith Library 250-753-6911 Feb 8, 7:30pm, Elvis, Elvis, Elvis, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 2, 7:30pm, Broadway to BC, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 8, 8pm, Blues Tuesday, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Feb 2-19, 8pm, Barefoot in the Park, Bailey Studio, Nanaimo 250-758-7224

Feb 9, 9:30am, Employment Navigators Workshop MS Word - Basics & Beyond , 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 3, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Crafting your Cover Letter, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 9, 1pm, Livestock Carcass Disposal Exercise, RDN Board Chamber 250-390-6526

Feb 3-27, 12pm, Architecture Interior, Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery 610 Oyster Bay Dr. 250-245-1252

Feb 9, 8pm, Mobadass, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Feb 4-5, 7:30pm, Curtains, The Cowichan Theatre 250-748-7529

Feb 10, 8pm, Snowed In Comedy Tour, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 4, 9am, CPR C Full, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418

Feb 10, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Resume 101, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 4, 4pm, CPR C Recert, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418

Feb 10, 7pm, Nanaimo-Cedar Farmers’ Institute meeting, Cedar United Church Hall,

Feb 5, 1pm, The Big Sneeze, Malaspina Theatre 250754-7587

1644 Cedar Rd 250-722-3397

Feb 4, 7:30pm, Gryphon’s Trio, The Port Theatre 250754-8550 Feb 5, 10am, E & S Heating Grand Opening, 428 First Ave. 250-924-0114 Feb 5, 2pm, BC Transit Open House, Aggie Hall 250746-1004 Feb 5, Hockey for Life Canuck Alumni vs. NRGH Hockey Team at Frank Crane Arena 250-729-1662 Feb 5, 7pm, Opening Ceremony - Architecture Interior, Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery 610 Oyster Bay Dr. 250-245-1252 Feb 5, 7:30pm, Dance Odyssey 2011, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 5, 8pm, Parker Schmidt, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

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Feb 10, 8pm, Trevor Davis Band, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 11-12, 7:30pm, Curtains, The Cowichan Theatre 250-748-7529 Feb 11, 7pm, Jazzfest 2011, The Port Theatre 250754-8550 Feb 11, 9am, Emergency First Aid, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418 Feb 11, 8pm, Midnight Hours/Chris Mapstone & Rootsystem, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 11, 8pm, Speed Dating, The Cotton Club 250-2455157 Feb 12, 7pm, Dance, Chemainus Seniors Drop In Center 250-246-2111 Feb 12, 7pm, Dinner, Comedy, Dancing, The Cotton

Feb 12, 8pm, David Vest Combo, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050 Feb 12, 8pm, Performance Works 1218 Cartwright Street (Granville Island) 604-719-7423 Feb 12, 8pm, Bob Kemmis/Wyckham Porteous, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 13, 2pm, Bobbi Schram, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 14, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Job Search Support Group, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 14, 7:30pm, Spring Breakup, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 14, Valentine’s Day Four Course menu, Mahle House Restaurant 250-722-3621 Feb 14, Valentine’s Day Four Course menu, Page Point Bistro 250-924-1110 Feb 14, 5pm, Valentine’s Day dinner & music, The Cotton Club 250-245-5157 Feb 15, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Resume 101, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 15, Boat Pro Course, Mount Brenton Power & Sail Squadron 250-245-6424 Feb 15-27, General Ship Knowledge Level 3, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Feb 15-17, Med-Basic Safety (formerly MED A1) Med-Small Passenger Vessel Safety (formerly MED A2) Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Feb 15-19, MED STCW Basic Safety Training, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Feb 15- Mar 3, Ship Construction & Stability Level 4 Upgrade, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Feb 16, 9:30 am, Employment Navigators Workshop Internet and Email Job Search in the 21st Century, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 16, 11:30am, Soup & Sandwich Lunch, Chemainus Seniors Drop In Center 250-246-2111 Feb 16, 7:30pm, H’SAO, The Port Theatre 250-7548550 Feb 16-19, 7:30pm, The Children’s Hour, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246 Feb 17, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Crafting your Cover Letter, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 6, 7:30pm, Bombay Bellywood, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 17, Boat Pro Course, Mount Brenton Power & Sail Squadron 250-245-6424

Feb 5, 7pm, Open Mic Nite, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050

Feb 18-21, Small Vessel Operator, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-2454455

Feb 6, 2pm, Curtains, The Cowichan Theatre 250-7487529

Feb 18, 9am, CPR C Full, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418

Feb 6, 2pm, Hope King, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Feb 18, 4pm, CPR C Recert, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418

Feb 7, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Job Search Support Group, 710 1st Ave.

Feb 19, Pruning Workshop, $60+HST 250-756-8892

Feb 12, 8pm, Performance Works

Feb 19, 8pm, Shelly Dubois, Dancing Bean Café, 9752

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Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050

Associates 250-245-4455

The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 19, 7:30pm, Vancouver Island Symphony, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 24, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Resume 101, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 28, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Job Search Support Group, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134

Feb 20, 8:30am, Nanaimo Fish & Game Hunting & Fishing collectables display & sale.

Feb 24-26, Restricted Operator Certificate: Maritime Commercial, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455

Feb 29-Mar 3, Simulated Electronic Navigation Ltd. (SEN Ltd), Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455

Feb 24, 7pm, MISSI’s Drinking Water & Watershed Protection meeting, Cedar Heritage Centre

March

Nanaimo Fish & Game Club, 1325 Nanaimo Lakes Road. Jim 250-754-9967 Feb 20, 7:30pm, Peter & the Wolves, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 21, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Job Search Support Group, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 21, 1pm, Employment Navigators Preparing for an Interview, 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 21-24, MED – Survival Craft, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-2454455 Feb 22, 9am, Employment Navigators Workshop Computer Basics for Beginners, 710 1st Ave. 250-2457134 Feb 22, Boat Pro Course, Mount Brenton Power & Sail Squadron 250-245-6424 Feb 22-23, 8am, Standard First Aid, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418 Feb 22, 7:30pm, Pteros Tactics, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 23, 9:30am, Employment Navigators Workshop MS Word - Basics & Beyond , 710 1st Ave. 250-245-7134 Feb 23-Mar 9, Meteorology Level 1 (formerly 072), Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education

Feb 24, 7:30pm, Mother, Mother, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Mar 1-4, MED – Advanced Fire Fighting, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455

Feb 24, 8pm, John Cohen/Northcote, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Mar 1, 7:30pm, Paul Mercs Concerts- Curtains, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550

Feb 25, 9am, Emergency First Aid, EFAS, Ladysmith First United Church 250-893-3418

Mar 2-3, 8pm, Martyn Joseph, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Feb 25, 5pm, Used book/toy/game sale South Wellington Elementary School PAC 250-245-0440

Mar 4-Apr 9, The 49 Steps, Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820

Feb 25-28, 7:30pm, The Children’s Hour, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

Mar 4-5, Marine Basic First Aid, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates

Feb 26, 9am, Used book/toy/game sale South Wellington Elementary School PAC 250-245-0440

250-245-4455

Feb 26, 7pm, Dance, Chemainus Seniors Drop In Center 250-246-2111 Feb 26, 7pm, Open Mic Night, United Church 232 High St. 250-245-2183 Feb 26, 7:30pm, South Island Music Society - Curtains, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Feb 26, 8pm, David Essig, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050 Feb 27, 2pm, South Island Music Society - Curtains,

Mar 4-14, Cargo Level 2, Western Maritime Institute & Maritime Education Associates 250-245-4455 Mar 5, 7:30pm, Vancouver Island Symphony –Airs d’Espagne, The Port Theatre 250-754-8550 Mar 5, 8pm, Jeff Martin 777, Duncan Garage Showroom 250-748-7246

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“If you don’t got nothin’ to say, don’t say it ...don’t even think it.”

- me, during one of those moments.

Love, & An Old Saw.

.. Almost blew it the other day. Opportunity knocked when a trail-blazing horse-riding invitation arrived and, not one to pass up a good thing, I grabbed it.

Oh mercy, mercy me. An old friend and a promise ...a ride through the mountains in June, with the old trail boss and legendary back-country riders, renown for breath-taking campfire tales and five-star bean-baking culinary skills.

One of the riders had just dropped out, and there was a chance for someone to take their place - mebbe a couple could be squeezed in at the last minute, if I acted fast? I always talk about the glories of the trail, was I in or out, yay or neighhhh? Dusty, saddle-sore, sweaty days and bone weary, damp and cold, starry mountain nights, Jackie’d be thrilled, and bonus - she’d take her niece too!

So I wrote back. Yahh pardner, sounds grrreat. J the rider will pony up, with wild rellie in tow. Me though, darn, I’ll haf’ta tend to the hay and the planting in June, can’t go, sorry! Poor me. Shucks.

And I marched out to the corral, all proud like, finding Jackie mucking out

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the stalls. Sauntering suavely into the yard, whilst holding my nose as a particularly hot wet one wafted by, I oh so casually mentioned the great ride to come.

And awaited J’s squeal of joy.

“That’s the best you’ve got?” J’s snort wasn’t as fired up keen as I’d hoped.

“You’ve been looking to keep my ‘little demon-seed niece’ as you call her, away for months now.” A coupl’a more dollops landed squarely in the wheelbarrow, backsplash encouraging me to move a step or three away.

“Y’know I’m just thinking what a great time auntie and wee niece could have ...horsing around on the range. Y’know, where the deer and antelope...” “..spread the sh** deep and wide?” J bridled, like I’d put a burr under her saddle. “Too bad the wee niece’s already busy, handling details ‘n all for our 35th anniversary party ...about that time.”

Silence fell, as they say, most palpable.

Whoooa Nellie, my self-admiring reverie ended with a five alarm bell. Danger, danger, danger ... dim recesses of rarely used brain cells fired up. I kept eye contact, backing away slowly, buying time, waiting for a really good thought to come my way.

A large squishing sound reminded me I shouldn’t be out in the stall with my good sneakers. J smirked, and looked expectant, well?

“Oh darn,” I said, scraping something quite nasty off my foot and onto the stall rail. “And here I thought I could fool you.” Ha, ha. “And you’d be all surprised like, at the big surprise party I was going to surprise you with, for you, and me, and like your niece, when you got back, from the ride and all.” I flashed a little smile, took another step back.

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Lame, lame. The brain, not been informed of any such party, had resorted to Plan B, aiming me for the nearest exit.

Danger, danger, talking, walking, a quick two-step to avoid another steamer. And then, profound revelation, the reason I think so highly of my brain. “Remember back when we first met,” I gushed, an old saw that never failed me. “I saw you across a crowded room...”

“When you were going out with Tammi, you mean?” J leaned on the pitchfork, all ears.

“Well, technically I’d broken up with her, after I met that redhead who made the silver jewelry.” That darn bell started ringing again, but I pressed on. “Y’know, she made that pinky ring I gave you, on our 3rd date...”

Something in J’s eyes made me pause then, or it may have been the way her nostrils flared, ever so slightly, but in that definitive way she has that I’ve come to dread. Plan C, brain, where’s Plan C when you need it.

The train-wreck of my slack-jawed mumblings were laid bare for all to see.

And mebbe a beautiful-in-a-sad-way, death-do-us-part-ending very, very close. I had to think fast. But nothing. I had nothing, a blank nothingness raced across my mind. I think I might have twitched a little too. Then that wonderful, wonderful Palomino of hers gave a snort and a prance, dancing around the corral so our heads turned in unison. A wild spirit kicking up her heels, a happy life in celebration.

And my brain saddled up, and I put my arm around my wee beauty, pulled her close and whispered sweet nothings in her ear, “So, we’ll have pony rides for the kids, walks thru the back woods, and a big BBQ down by the pond, for our 35th, eh. And your beautiful niece’ll meet all kinds of young fellers, and we’ll sing all those old songs you like, and it’ll be like ..wonderful!”

To which she agreed. And I got a big kiss too! And the horse got a carrot.

Laurie Gourlay has worked with environmental groups for thirty years, farms 20 acres organically on Vancouver Island with life-partner Jackie Moad, and occasionally rides Thistle Consulting Services into the sunset whilst actively seeking local solutions to global challenges.

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RDN - Area A Update Area ‘A’ Official Community Plan Review The updated draft of the revised Official Community Plan is scheduled to be considered for 1st. and 2nd. Reading at the Feb. 22. RDN regular Board Meeting. The OCP project website has been updated to include the latest version of the draft. To view the updated plan click on www.asharedcommunityvision.ca After receiving 1st. and 2nd. Reading the updated plan will proceed to a Public Information Meeting then to a Public Hearing.

Preparing for Earth Quakes Did you know that our risk of a Cascadia Subduction 9.0 magnitude earth quake is rated only as moderate? We could be subjected to even a greater magnitude. Do you know what to do in an earthquake? You simply Drop Cover And Hold On.

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On Jan. 26 the RDN staff and elected officials joined thousands of British Columbians in the annual provincial-wide earthquake drill, the largest earthquake drill in BC history.

All local residents, businesses, organizations and schools were invited to participate in The Great British Columbia Shakeout. The RDN has approximately 250 full time staff including transit drivers.

At 9:59 am staff with a desk and a computer saw a notification on their screen for the Shake-Out. Pre-selected emergency wardens announced the drill at 10am at which time all staff practiced the Drop Cover and Hold On protocol, dropping to the ground, taking cover and holding onto a fixed surface as if a major earthquake were happening, staying down for at least 60 seconds. During the drill participants were to consider the effects of an earthquake on surrounding objects and whether hazards may be created. Local

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busses also participated in this BC Shake Out. At 10am Regional Transit busses that were in service stopped for one minute, then the busses continued on to the next scheduled stop where the bus drivers provided earthquake preparedness information to passengers. In the event of a major earthquake local government staff needs to respond quickly to ensure the RDN key operations such as water/ sewer service, fire protection and transit can continue. It is expected that practicing these few simple steps Drop Cover and Hold On will make participants more ready to respond in the event of an earthquake and could save lives. All RDN residents are encouraged to get prepared for earthquakes by: -“ do a hazard hunt” for items that might fall during earthquakes and secure them. –create a personal or family disaster Plan. –organize or refresh your emergency supply kits. After an earthquake you may need to remain in place for at least 72 hours or up to one week. For more information

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please visit www.shakeoutbc.ca or contact Jani Drew, RDN Emergency Program Co-ordinator at 250-390-6526 or email: jdrew@rdn.bc.ca .

Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission Area ‘A’ has a Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission (PR&C) that provides recommendations and advice to RDN staff and the RDN Board regarding community parks and trails and recreation and culture services in Electoral Area ‘A’. The Commission consists of nine members. The members are appointed for a one or two year term. On Dec. 31, 2010, four of the Commissioners terms were up and one incumbent Commissioner had submitted their resignation, for personal reasons, making a total of five positions to be filled. The RDN placed an advertisement in the local papers to inform Area ‘A’ residents of the opportunity to apply to be a member on the PR&C Commission. Only two of the previous Commissioners reapplied and they have been reappointed to the PR&C Commission. There are still three vacancies to be filled. The RDN will be advertising again to fill these positions. If you are a resident of Area ‘A’ who would like to play a leadership role in this important function in our community by: -participating in the acquisition and development of parks and trails. –provide input into planning and implementing recreation and culture programs, I strongly encourage you to submit an application for a position on the PR&C Commission. For further information please contact me at the phone # or email address below.

Joe Burnett, (250) 722-2656; email: quaillanding@shaw.ca

CVRD - Area H Proposed North Oyster Fire Hall Building Project: I would like to thank all of you who attended the public information meetings on Nov. 22 and Dec. 9, 2010. Public input is very important when considering the future of fire protection services in North Oyster.

Unfortunately, the information presented to the public was not as complete as we hoped it would be. The information that we were able to provide indicated that the projected costs were much higher than anticipated. Obviously this was a great disappointment to everyone present. After a great deal of discussion, the question was asked “Do you want to proceed to referendum or stop the project tonight”. The answer from the majority of the attendees was “proceed to referendum”.

The CVRD began working toward a referendum. It was established that it was feasible to hold a referendum in late spring or early summer. Some cost savings could be achieved by holding the referendum on the same date as the Kerry Park referendum.

It was determined that June 4, 2011 worked for all involved.

Since that time, both the Citizens Committee and I have continued to receive comments and concerns from members of the public. Some of the feedback has been supportive of the proposal, while some has not.

It has become apparent that some community members still have questions that they would like answered prior to the referendum. Because the goal is not to sell the project to you, but to obtain your feedback and provide you with the information that you need to make an informed decision, I have decided to

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delay the referendum.

This will give those involved with the project additional time to further investigate potential ways to reduce costs. Although much work has been done in researching applicable grants and corporate sponsors, alternative means of funding the proposed project will continue to be explored.

The delay will also allow for additional neighbourhood meetings to obtain feedback and provide information. If you are interested in hosting a small group of neighbours in your home, garage or back yard, please send an email to me – marym@ island.net.

Canada for repair. It ended up moored off the Saltair shore.

Hopefully by the time you read this column the ship will be gone and taken care of by Transport Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Board. We frequently have ships moored off Saltair when the Vancouver port is overloaded but never one with a radioactive cargo. This raises a lot of important questions.

Are we adequately prepared for an event like this? Under what legislation and policies are decisions about hazardous waste like this made? What are the procedures to notify local people so they can avoid this area? The CVRD will be working with senior governments to answer these questions. At the CVRD contact Kate Miller for further info.

CVRD - Area G

Saltair Ratepayers Annual General Meeting March 24 I will be at the Ratepayers AGM to answer general questions and bring you up to date on Saltair activities and plans for the future. Hopefully we will have one of the CVRD engineers there to answer questions on the Saltair Water System too. We can have a Saltair Parks Commission report as well. The meeting is at the Chemainus United Church March 24th at 7 pm.

I will report on a number of issues in this month’s column to try to get you up to speed on what’s happening in Saltair and the CVRD. Regional Recreation The CVRD has hired a contractor to do a study of the number of users of each of the regional recreation facilities. After the study is completed in May there will be discussions about who will pay how much for recreation. This has been an issue for 20 years. Last year the CVRD tried to get electoral areas to buy into the so called YELLOW PLAN which was one of the many plans that they tried to float without success. The YELLOW PLAN would call for an increase of Saltair taxes by about $60/$100,000 of property evaluation. That would mean if you had a home worth $500,000 you would be paying $300 more in taxes per year. This money would go mainly to Ladysmith and North Cowichan. There will be a new plan put forward in June with I hope a lot of public discussion and consultation. If you have any questions call Jacob Ellis at the CVRD 250-746-2500 or toll free 1-800-669-3955 or myself 250-245-2116 Uranium Ship Moored Off Saltair A ship on the way to China with radioactive uranium developed leaks in some of its containers and had to return to

Email List I have an email list of Saltair residents that I send emails to letting them know of things that may be interested in and occasionally asking for volunteers. If you would like to be on this list then email me your email address and I will include you on my list. Hopefully in the future we can have a website for Saltair and include historical items as well as CVRD info.

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Pan- Blackened House After we decided to get in the restaurant business, but before we opened, I enrolled myself in a self-taught, crash course in cooking. This involved reading a lot of cookbooks and trying a lot of recipes. Being forced to eat your own mistakes, I figured, was probably as good a way to learn as anything.

The two prominent cookbooks of that era were Chez Panisse by Alice Waters and the Cajun cookbook of Paul Prudhomme, the inventor of pan-blackened food. Both books took vastly different approaches, the Chez Panisse book being somewhat elitist while Prudhomme’s book seemed more like something a guy from my side of the tracks could be comfortable with.

Waters’ approach was to use the best of everything. Not a Costco shopper this girl or one you’d expect to see at Fat Albert’s corner market picking up a head of lettuce. Instead she’d be off to Shangri-la Farms where lettuce was ten times as expensive but grown without fertilizer by a dedicated group of left leaning college graduates, who, this being Berkley, were all playing Led Zeppelin backwards at the time.

Once the lettuce got home, it was scrupulously sorted with only the top ten leaves surviving. The rest was composted along

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with any concern this degree of fussiness would cost her patrons a bundle. Choosing meat was a similar process. She’d start with a side of beef, discard the bones, and then proceed to chop the beef into chunks small enough to fit in the stockpot. Only the tenderloin would be used and even it would be trimmed within an ounce of its life. Alice would then very critically examine this remaining eight ounces of centre cut tenderloin, sometimes shaking her head sadly before throwing it in the garbage. “Not good enough,” She’d say.

“Get me another cow.” Meanwhile, every rabbit in the neighbourhood was rummaging through her compost marveling at the bounty.

Prudhomme’s method was all about seasoning and his outrageous cooking method. Everything was so highly seasoned; he didn’t have to rely on the finest of ingredients. Like deep-frying, this level of seasoning can cover a lot of faults. Don’t know what to do with that old sock? Dredge it in this and throw it in some hot oil.

Instead of using fresh herbs like Waters, (Who would search for the plumpest rosemary bush in a 200 mile radius, pick maybe two twigs, then bring the rest of plant home for the rabbits who are now so fat they travel back and forth between lettuce leaves on golf carts.) he used everything in dried and powdered versions; garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, basil, etc. All of which seemed innocent enough until you factored in the cooking method, pan-blackening. (Ominous drum roll reserved for moments like Godzilla climbing out of Tokyo Harbour, King Kong scaling the Empire State Building, or Dick Cheney crawling out of bed.)

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Let’s run through the method for pan-blackened fish. Trot to the store for a piece of white fish, Fat Albert’s will do fine, thank you. Dump a whole pile of the above mentioned herbs and spices onto a plate, melt some butter and dredge the fish in it, then in seasoning mix. Put in fridge so butter hardens up.

Here’s where the fire department’s ears perk up. Turn burner on high, gas or electric, doesn’t matter. Place cast iron frying pan on burner. Go read a book, maybe one on safe cooking practices. Wait a full ten minutes, every five seconds of which you will be looking at your watch feeling sorry for the frying pan and wondering nervously if there are any laws governing such treatment of a cooking implement.

Drop buttered, seasoned fish into pan. That’s the last you’ll see of it for quite some time as the column of smoke rising from the pan will make the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki look like a bonfire. At this point in time you’ll become fully and painfully aware that cayenne pepper brought to this temperature is as lethal a cooking ingredient as mustard gas.

Scramble to open all windows and doors, before chain sawing a hole in roof. Be prepared for neighbourhood commotion.

“Holy cow, the Smith’s place is on fire.”

Oh, oh. The phone. “Hello. It’s who, the Space Challenger.

You’re orbiting how many hundred miles above the earth? Do we have a problem? The smoke? No, it’s just a little cooking experiment. Thanks for the call.”

Quickly prepare story for emergency vehicles that will soon be arriving in mass. Fire engines, the toxic chemical truck, and of course an ambulance for the frying pan.

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Oddly enough, the fish will be pretty darn good. The house, not so good. The caustic smoke will render it totally uninhabitable except by firemen who will be using it for hazardous materials training exercises for at least a month. The one, and only one, time I tried this cooking method, I ended up, because it was raining, eating in the doghouse on the deck. Alice Waters, I’m sure, is still laughing.

Cayenne pepper can wreak havoc on wine so you’ll want something cheap and white. The current batch of Cono Sur (tocornal) chardonnay is a spectacular bargain at $15.99 for a large bottle. Hope you have better luck than I did with the smoke.

Delbert Horrocks is co-proprietor at the Mahle House restaurant in Cedar.

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Mid-Island photographers prove the arts are alive and well These stunnimg images are the winning entries in the Mid Island Photo Expo held this winter. Hosted by the the Ladysmith Camera Club with support from the community the show was a success. Ellen McCluskey, Dirk Heydemann, and Cim MacDonald were the judges who selected the top 60 images to be exhibited during November in the Ladysmith Waterfront Art

Gallery. From these images, the judges assigned six award winners and a public ballot determined the People’s Choice Award winner.

And the winners were… Taking top prize was Sean Sherstone of Ladysmith with his image “Medusa’s Metamorphoses”. Bruce Whittington of Ladysmith took second place with Clockwise:1st: Sean Sherstone “Medusa’s Metamorphoses”, 2nd: Bruce Whittington “Tracy Arm”, 3rd Brad Grigor for “Pollenation.”

People’s Choice Award: Ann Stefanson “Bouquet in the Window”.

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Clockwise: Honourable Mentions went to “Hagia Sophia” by Lisa Parrish, “Capitol Iron Stuff” by Neil Newton, and “break/ water triptych” by ML Leidl of Ladysmith.

“Tracy Arm” and third place was awarded to Brad Grigor of Saltair for “Pollenation.” Honourable Mentions went to the images “Capitol Iron Stuff” by Neil Newton of Chemainus; “Hagia Sophia” by Lisa Parrish of Nanaimo, and “break/ water triptych” by ML Leidl of Ladysmith. Ann Stefanson of Nanaimo won the People’s Choice Award for her image “Bouquet in the Window”.

The Ladysmith Camera Club meets in Hardwick Hall on High St. at 3rd Ave., in Ladysmith on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7 pm. On Feb 22 the club will feature “Art or Vandalism?

Photographing Street Art, Graffiti, Posters and Stencils”, a presentation by well-travelled photographer Marshall Soules. 7pm, in Hardwick Hall, High Street at 3rd Avenue in Ladysmith. Public welcome. Non-members $5 drop-in fee. LCC invites new members, novice to pro. info@LadysmithCameraClub.com

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Bird Watching in Mexico Years ago the long haired one and I met a couple in the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula who were avid bird watchers.

I distrust that word, “avid”. It has a whiff of obsession about it and obsession usually means that other things are neglected.

We had lunch with these nice people in a small Mayan village where no one that we met spoke Spanish, only Mayan.

These bird watchers had been out at dawn, walking the jungle roads, as that is the time to see birds. They had binoculars, spotting scopes, stacks of books and spoke of lists and numbers of birds identified. They were having a ball.

Now, I don’t get up before dawn unless I am very well paid for it or have a very good reason. I have two pairs of small binoculars, a Peterson field guide to Mexican birds and a different philosophy. The birds must come to me. This is not because I am an egotistical nut bar that expects wild parrots to land on my shoulder. I just observe and enjoy what goes on around me, be it birds, animals, insects or people and I thoroughly enjoy them all.

The Mexican beach is a wonderful place to see creatures. Melodious blackbirds raid palapa restaurants. Yellow and black flycatchers scoop crabs that stray too far from their holes. Herons and egrets patrol the surf edge nabbing small fish and crabs.

Pelicans and boobies fold their wings, plunge into the sea and rise up with fish. Frigate birds, aerial wizards, snatch any fish that are dropped or even hang out the side of the pelicans’ bills.

Vultures soar overhead. We were very excited to find a boatbilled heron, quietly standing on the beach. The book said that it was found only in Mexico and Central America. It is a nocturnal bird so we considered ourselves fortunate.

A couple of days later, I was standing at the water’s edge, not far from the beer

A Green Heron in Mexico. Below: Pelicans Photos: Rob Pinkerton

cooler and noticed a lot of bird droppings on the rocks under a overhanging tree. The tree was full of sleeping boat-billed herons. If you tire of birds, there are beach dogs behaving badly, Mexican kids excavating vast holes in the sand, young men playing very skillful soccer and of course, pretty girls.

We stay in a delightful second floor room with a covered outdoor kitchen surrounded by trees, overlooking the bay. Now here is civilized morning of bird watching. A yellow-winged cacique hollows out the bottom of a papaya as it hangs on the tree in the vacant lot next to us while crows fight about who should have done this. A lineated woodpecker tears a rotten tree apart. These guys are even cooler than our pileated woodpeckers. Vireos, manakins, masked tityras, rufous collared robins and doves all work the trees for bugs as I sip my coffee and munch on my own sliced papaya. We were very excited to see some strange black birds that hid in the branches. We finally identified them as the grooved-billed ani. Later, at the fish store, a pair of them perched on and pecked at the gut bucket at my feet. Very rare birds.

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Dave, a friend of ours, lives on the edge of a small hill village, surrounded by jungle and orchards. This is bird watching at its best. We sit under his palapa, philosophizing and drinking beer all day. Blue hummingbirds visit the bougainvillea. The always present vultures come very low and have a look at us. Blackthroated magpie jays with wonderful crests and tails longer than their bodies pose on a branch against the sky. Anis (here they are again) scratch and rustle under the trees and watch us unafraid. A beautiful yellow bird swoops by that Dave calls a “turko”. He knows these birds by their Mexican names and tells us of their habits. I didn’t bring our book or the binoculars so couldn’t look it up. The nearby trees and brush are always noisy with birds but they will not show themselves if you go looking.

So, crack another beer.

Another wonderfully lazy way to bird watch is to go on a boat tour through the mangroves. If you get the first boat in the morning (yes, I had to get up before dawn), you see birds everywhere as well as crocodiles up to ten feet, iguanas, snakes and raccoons, as a young man slowly navigates the channels and points out and names the many species.

I went fishing with Dave and four Mexican guys. The fish were not biting but we saw humpback whales performing, turtles, flying fish and schools of small manta rays. A large white duck with a comical long tail that curved upward from its rump and back down to the water flew away as we approached. Everybody laughed at it but no one had seen one before.

Oh well. Who cares. Cervesa anyone?

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ISLAND PRUNING - Pruning, tree care, fruit trees, vines, ornamental trees, shrubs and hedges. Chainsaw work and small and large clean-up. Darcy 250245-1260

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FOR SALE: Stove, fridge, dishwasher white. All in good condition. $250 for all or sold separate. Ph: 250-245-0499 AJ’S PLUMBING AND GASFITTING - Licensed - Bonded - Insured, Journeyman with over ten years experience. New construction, renovations, repairs and installs. Seniors rates, no travel charges. Call Aeron Jensen for a free estimate. 250-802-7123 LIGHTWORKS WINDOW WASHING and gutter cleaning. Careful & considerate. Call David 250-722-3599 BOWEN TECHNIQUE is a gentle soft tissue remedial therapy that resets the body to heal itself. Useful for joint, back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, asthma, chronic fatigue and many other problems. For information and appointments call 250-245-7738. Lilja Hardy FMBAC in practice since 1994. www. bowtech.com GOT GRANITE? Have your Granite and Marble Countertops professionally sealed and buffed. Kitchens starting at $75. We do tile as well! SealTech Specialties. Call Stuart at 250-734-2681 www.sealtechspecialties.com PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE: leash em & walk em with Marlena. Insured & bonded. Animal First Aid and CPR. Service for all pets including dog walking, home care visits, overnight with pet in your home and much more.

As my love is yours! 250-246-3394.

HOME BUDDIES PET & HOUSE CARE since 1994. Licensed, Bonded,

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Insured. Professional, kindhearted, experienced & reliable care for all pets.

Pet First Aid and CPR Certified. Certified Security Professional through Westguard Security. When loving care & security are essential, Peggy Wildsmith 250-245-0151 BOBBY S MINIHOE & CLEANUP Landscaping, lot clearing, debris removal, excavating, small deliveries with dump trailer, mulch, lawn soil, garden soil, driveway chip, serving Nanaimo, Cedar, Ladysmith & area call Bobby 250-713-4970 OFFICE SPACES -Downtown Ladysmith, modern, ac, renovated, wired, reasonable rent or lease. 250-245-3395 OUR TOWN CLEANING SERVICES - Thorough cleaning for both residential and commercial clients. Respectful of your privacy and treasures. Veteran Affairs Cards now accepted. Call Jacquie at 250-245-2455 THE HAPPY GARDENER, weeding, digging, racking, etc. Cheerful and conscientious. Call David 250-722-3599 EMERGENCY FIRST AID SERVICES is Ladysmith owned and operated.

Red Cross First Aid and Worksafe BC first aid courses available. Check out our February schedules at www.efas.ca or call 250-893-3418 EFFICIENT, friendly, non smoking female is available for all your house & window cleaning needs. Excellent references available. Call Janet 250245-5437

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THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOME? Perhaps ready for a fresher look in your existing home? The affordable design services provided by Rooms n Blooms can help. Call Shar at 250-2450548 or email shar@roomsnblooms.ca “I’LL SEAL MY DECK IN THE SPRING” Why? It’s the winter weather that will cause the damage. It’s not too late protect your beautiful wood. Technology is what we do. Contact Seicoat 250-816-5002 www.seicoat.com CEDAR HERITAGE BRIDGE GROUP WILL CONTINUE the Duplicate lesson/play every Tuesday @ 1:30 pm.-4:30 pm.with Rosemary Spratt. On Thursday lessons @ 1:30 pm with Brian Atkinson (Audrey Grant Method). Join us at Cedar Heritage Centre, for tea/ coffee/laughs/lessons & fun 1644 MacMillan Road, Cedar. 250-722-2656; 250-722-2692; 250-722-2813 MULTI FAMILY GARAGE SALE NOW A SWAP MEET Saturdays, Campers Corner RV Park from 8am.

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Loads of quality used estate items. Tables $10. 250-245-3829 AQUTEC BATHTUB CHAIR, rechargeable battery operated clean and in good condition $700 obo. Original price $1500. 250-245-8340 Qigong Meditation and Movement Class, (Beginner level) Saturdays, 9-10 a.m. Drop in fee $12, pre-registration fee $10- Curious? call Kareen at Sunny Saltair Acupressure, 250-245-1074 “PARTY SHOES” new to mid-Island.”

Host a Party” and receive $100.00 in shoe credit plus 10% of sales from your party! Contact Theresa at 250-245-4506 e-mail theresa@partyshoes.ca or visit www.partyshoes.ca FREE RANGE BROWN EGGS. Veggie diet. Farm gate sales: 3026 Hill Road (off Cedar Road) LYNN’S SENIORS CARE HOME: High Quality Personalized Care. Warm caring environment, Great food & snacks, Family events, Couples & Pets

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welcomed, Ocean views, Gardens. North of Ladysmith. 250-245-3391 www. lynnsseniorcare.com SEMI RETIRED MASSAGE THERAPIST working in Cedar By The Sea $60 an hour session. 8am to 3pm Wednesday to Saturday. 250-722-2669 LEARN A LANGUAGE : sign up now for classes in French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese and Mandarin. Other languages available upon request. Small classes. Wentworth Court Language Centre, downtown Nanaimo. 250-7161603 LARGE PINE ISLAND/BREAKFAST NOOK for sale. Fits 3 stools comfortably $75.00. Small portable chopping block $45.00. Call 250-245-5847 KAREN’S INDUSTRIAL SEWING alterations and repairs, from Grad and Wedding to heavy work clothes and accessories. Can also do manufacturing and prototypes. 2nd Ave. Ladysmith for appt. call Karen 250-245-7945

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ARE YOU CONCERNED? Hot flashes, sweats. Arthritis, colitis, bursitis, migraines, constipation, blood pressure, shingles, gout & tumors? Over 90% of diseases originate in our colons. Call Mavis for information re: Canaid & Yuccan 250-245-3054 mavis.clark14@gmail.com ACCLAIMED PIANIST - ANDRE LAPLANTE - performs Liszt, Bach, Schubert and Chopin at the Port Theatre on Monday February 7, 7:30 pm. Tickets are adults $30, students $20, available at the Port box office 250 754 8550. Presented by the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music. Also watch for information on the upcoming 1st Annual Vancouver Island Chamber Music Festival at St. Paul’s Church, downtown Nanaimo, February 25 & 26. Information for both these events at the Conservatory office 250-754 4611 or the NCM website www.ncmusic.ca 12’ FG BOAT with TRAILER, needs work, great project. $450. 250-756-8892 for details and photos.

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Remember September Happy 2011, dear reader, we are overjoyed you have joined us here on the Other Side, once again. We trust that each and every one of you had a happy Christmas, a merry New Year’s, and have made it through the first month of 2011 relatively unscathed. Now, if you’re a regular reader of this column (Hi Mom! Hi Grandma!) you will probably know what the subject of this year’s first column will be about. If you’re a rookie reader, though, let’s bring you up to speed.

What’s the worst thing about this time of year? Yes, the Christmas credit card bills that are now coming due suck.

Okay, the weather really blows, too. And believe us, we fully share your pain that

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the NFL season is nearing completion.

But do you know what’s worse than all of those complaints combined? It’s the enduring, agonizingly painful stretch of working days between stat holidays.

This year’s Mongolian Death March, for example, is 111 days. Read that again. One hundred and eleven days.

Now, 111 days between wins for the Toronto Maple Leafs is perfectly understandable and acceptable, but 111 days between stat holidays? Are you freaking kidding us? But this is NOT the year, dear reader, that we will write an entire column on the inhumanity of not having a stat holiday between New Year’s and Easter. See, someone from (okay, okay) someone nearing the upper echelons of power is finally taking notice. Future Liberal leader Christy Clark has made a pledge to declare the third Monday of February as Family Day if she’s elected premier. N ow, we realize that this is not an original idea (Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan all have Family Day on that same Monday). Nor, is it out of the realm of possibility that a politician may make a promise and not keep it. But we don’t give a Stephen Harper about any of that.

The point here is that

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this issue is finally being given the attention it deserves. Of course, the boo-birds have already risen (Hello there, Business Council of B.C.), predicting all sorts of economic mayhem if a stat holiday is implemented.

We here on the Other Side, though, prefer to follow the logic of Helmut Pastrick, chief economist with Central One Credit Union. “There are more than 200 working days in a year, and we’re talking one day, so it would be less than half a per cent,” Pastrick said. “I don’t think there’s any economic significance to it.”

Atta boy, Helmut, and congratulations on winning the Economist’s Coolest First Name award, by the way.

We agree with your informed opinion 100 per cent. We agree 1,000,000 per cent. Dang, Helmut, we agree SO much that we’d even be tempted to vote Liberal on this issue alone. Yeah, yeah, we realize that if we did vote Liberal our vote was bought by a populist, crowdpleasing idea, but what the heck. If any bozo is going to get in there, it may as well be a bozo with a stat holiday in their back pocket. (On top of that, Christy would put B.C. as the favourite in the Province with the Cutest Premier contest. We haven’t fared very well there