Happy 90th birthday! How are things in Lancashire? I hope you are having better weather over there than we are having here in B.C. We celebrated the first day of summer under industrial-strength umbrellas, and since then, the rain pretty well hasn't let up.
As you know, rain is not unusual for Vancouver, but it's beginning to feel like November. One of the local ski hills will be open on Canada Day for the first time in its history. That's probably the only benefit to a bout of unusual weather which has us all vexed and most thoroughly perplexed, not to mention rather cranky. We BCers need all the vitamin D we can get.
But hang the weather. What really has us most upset these days is that the big bad corporation which cuts down and sells our province's trees, recently sold out to an even worse big bad corporation – an American one. For some reason, Auntie Doris, the government thinks it's a terrific move. They say it'll get us out of debt (because we are a bad, overspending province).
You might ask, "What does it matter who runs the corporation? Those trees will be cut down regardless." Well, Auntie Doris, it feels a bit as though Scotland has charged into England itself and seized all its good green hills – albeit, the England of this metaphor has handed over the hills quite eagerly. Between this and the way Canada is exporting its water to the U.S., I wonder how long our country's trademark natural resources will last.
I'd meant to get out into the neighbourhood this month, Auntie D., but between the weather and all the overtime I'm working to pay back my student loans, I haven't had much chance. By the way, thanks again for the Christmas money you sent. Did I mention my birthday's coming up?
Anyway, other than the corporate forestry takeover, the conviction of one of our politicians in a scandal known as "Bingogate," and a well-known convict-turned-writer's return to crime, there's not too much to report from this end. Best wishes to you, and give my love to Uncle George.
x x o o,
K.
Vancouver, BC
ear Auntie Doris,
PS – one small request – although you know I love your fruit cake, I must ask you to stop sending any more for the time being – I just can't keep up!
Kathy Sinclair is our B.C. correspondent.
comments about this article? give us feedback