I stood at the top of my road and stared at the raging flames in the distance. A deep pit hung inside and I turned to my wife and friends that were sharing the apocalyptic view. “It’s like a warzone.” I’m not sure who made the comment, it may have been me. It didn’t matter, we all agreed, it was a war—a war against the rages of nature. A war until now our brave firefighters had been losing. But the Read more…
Winds continued to howl as the morning sun shone through the smokey haze. I stared out my window, hoping that the devastation from the previous night was some kind of nightmare. It was a nightmare, only far too real. The Okanagan was ablaze. Yet looking out my window the smoke in the distance was the only hint at the tragedy which was unfolding only a few kilometres away. The wind continued to push the fire northward. Like a hungry predator, the Read more…
I saw the smoke billowing above my beloved city. I deep ache pulsed through my body, and a tingling fear encircled my spine. The thing we all fear the most has come to our valley. Fire! Only a week after wildfires consumed parts of Hawaii and in the middle of the worst fire season on record a fire rages out of control. Only ten kilometres from my home. And I’m one of the lucky ones. The wind began around four Read more…
I sit and listen to the hold music. Anxiety and anger take turns surging through me. The hold music makes me want to scream or worse, throw my phone across the room. You have all been there I’m sure. Placing a call to a bank, phone company or the government often results in long waits on hold. Today it has been 1:55 minutes and counting. The longer it goes the more frustrated I feel. I have heard the canned message Read more…
The first explosion shattered the eerie calm as they sat in their car. Roberto could smell the smoke before he saw the fire. The flames moved fast like a snake engulfing its prey. At first, the smoke billowed around them, being pushed by the whipping winds. Then he saw a glow in the distance, it was as if the sun was rising again. Then came the thundering sound of explosions. “Daddy, what is going on?” His daughter Malina cried out, Read more…
The morning heat warmed the valley. Okanagan Lake had a slight chop and the breeze kept the temperatures from being unbearable. There couldn’t be a better way to spend the day than trolling the deep waters between Peachland and Rattlesnake Island. My guests arrived for their fishing tour a few minutes late. They were full of energy and excited to be on the water. Smiles all around we set out from the dock in front of the Blind Angler Restaurant. Read more…
The wind blew in steady gusts across the mountains and through the valley. White caps of water crested the lake. I spoke to the people sitting in Peachland watching the water and asked if they wanted to go on their tour or wait until another day. They’d wait for the next day and avoid the chance of a rough ride on the lake. The afternoon wound down and so did the wind. Captain Rob had a tour to Peachland for Read more…
Kaydee thought that her birthday celebration was fantastic. She and a group of her girlfriends went out on her husband Barrman’s boat for an evening cruise on her birthday. Her 60 years on planet Earth have gone so fast, now she was celebrating another milestone birthday with her mom. But don’t tell anyone that her mother was turning 90. All their lives they have celebrated their birthdays two days apart. Yet they have celebrated in completely different ways. Mom never Read more…
July 19, 1963, you entered the world. Brant and Dagmar Ducey celebrated the arrival of their first-born daughter, Krista. In July 2009 you entered my world. Time flies when you’re having fun. And what a fun ride it has been so far. When I look into your eyes, I see the little girl inside. It’s hard to believe that little girl is sixty years old today. I know, shhh… I’m not supposed to tell anyone that. But it is something to Read more…
The Bank of Canada hiked interest rates again. This is truly the definition of insanity. For the past year, they have increased the prime lending rate in Canada by over double what it was. And inflation keeps rising. Part of the inflation that has been rising is caused by interest rate hikes. Can someone please tell these elite bastards that the rate increases are only hurting the working people? There are so many people on a bubble of barely holding Read more…