Is this going to be a catch-up story-telling elongated ramble or not?
Probably…
Just noticed that I have been away from the Epistle for a while now. Not exactly sure what the excuse should be, so perhaps I’ll dispense with one entirely.

I know that after the evening with the leaders of the Okanagan Symphony, I became aware of an aspect of my life — I am not always enamoured with those in high places. It is not that they aren’t nice people, it is not that they don’t throw nice parties; it is more that my introversion finds such moments rather unfulfilling — I don’t know enough about music to engage in that conversation, and I am not really interesting in “fund-raising” initiatives (I’ve had a life-time of trying to raise funds for schools, universities, students, etc. and I am pretty well burned out on that score). The only conversation that was truly interesting was one about “high performance driving schools” which, in the end, only interested two of us (and then, only until his wife came and rescued him — at least that is what she called it!!). And as there was no musical accompaniment it likely was inappropriate at that time. (Furthermore, that particular conversation only got started because I overheard someone talking about trying out new cars and wanting to see how high the seat could be adjusted — I then was compelled by those in that circle, to inform the conversants that the airbags in all new cars are designed for the seat to be in the lowest position, that people should not be trying to see the road right in front of the hood anyway, but rather should be looking quite a ways down the road. Probably not the type of chat that people vigorously and compassionately supporting symphonies really want intruding into their parties!!

After learned my lesson, the next day I re-adjusted my focus. Taking up my mantel as Treasurer of our “bare lot Strata” I met with representatives from the three major real estate firms in Penticton to discuss the possibilities around the selling of our own major asset — a large, very nice house that was originally the owner’s home when the site was an executive golf course in the previous century. Currently it is serving as our Strata’s ClubHouse but it really isn’t designed for such use and other than the shop that is set up in the garage, it is seldom used (and even the shop is fairly sparsely populated by keen “do-it-yourself’ers”). These meetings with realtors were interesting because I wasn’t trying to sell a house, but an asset. So the representatives were the ones that could outline the value as they see it, and I was the listener. No one was reluctant to be the agent, but the final selling price is going to depend on a number of factors that make it potentially a deal for a purchaser as well as hopefully for the Strata. I now have to prepare a proposal for Council to initiate a formal sale process — this could be interesting…

Monday evening I went to the local Okanagan College campus to listen to the new Dean. He has recently moved to the Okanagan from Nunavut where he was involved in the education programs there. The talk was focussed most on the Arctic and the experiences that he and his family enjoyed for the ten years or so he was there. It was an interesting evening; I learned a great deal. At the same time, when it was over, I was happy that I am living outside the land of the midnight sun — it requires a different approach to life, and a deeper commitment to inter-cultural understanding and practice than I may be capable of, at least at this point in my life.

I believe I have mentioned elsewhere that 2018 will be the final year at Concordia University of Edmonton for the “graduate certificate programs” in Public Health. That means that I am now in the process of wrapping up my main courses (PHLD 605 & 615) in Ethical Leadership in Public Health. The final t/conf on 605 was held on Tuesday. The two students involved are both very bright and devote considerable energy to their workloads. It is always interesting to talk with them and I myself learn from each conversation. I have one more course with them this semester (615) and then that aspect of my teaching load at CUE will be complete. (I do have two other courses I will teach in the autumn on planning and leadership — these I picked up when another colleague left the program a couple years ago.)

I attended another film festival night in Oliver: “The Other Side of Hope”. This is an intriguing Finnish film with a number of diverse stories than converge in interesting ways. At the same time, it is somewhat erratic in the unfolding of the story lines. If you are into foreign films — see it. I’d be interested in your take on it. From my perspective it raised more unanswered questions than it provided resolutions or reflections. However, it won’t cause me to cancel my membership — it wasn’t that bad, just uncertain!!

Thursday started off with some snow — but I was able to get to the gym and back without serious problems. The planes, on the other hand, were very much impacted by the low cloud and swirling snow; my flight to YVR (so I could connect to DEN) was outright cancelled. Air Canada worked very hard and found me a seat out of YLW than would allow me to catch my original flight. Even though driving conditions weren’t ideal I did make the flight and I eventually landed in Denver when I was supposed to and in time to meet my Grandson — Connor. I was slated to be his chaperone while he played in a 1-A Midget Tournament in Lone Tree Colorado.

The four days in Colorado were, to use a term from the sixties, “a hoot”. Hockey was the centre piece but it was not always joyful. Without going into each game, his team did make the semi-finals. They won two games in the round robin by shut-outs; they tied one game they probably should have won (it was almost like they were taking the team for granted) and they lost one game they definitely should have at least tied (while on the power play, a wandering goalie who did not handle the puck well left an open net for the opposition to score a short-handed goal which just sucked the air out of the room). The semi-final was close for the first two periods — in fact the Knights were ahead 2-1 and slowly taking control when again it seemed that over-confidence crept into their mind-sets. The game was tied up and then the opposition went ahead 3-2. After two hard-fought penalty kills, once again the goalie seemed to be somewhere else and a seemingly easy-to-see-and-thus-to-stop shot scored. At the end of the period, as the buzzer went, a Knight’s player scored but after the period ended, so it didn’t count. So it was now 4-2 instead of 3-3. The players never regained their momentum nor even their composure and things slipped away in the third — and after their goalie was crashed and held down while the other guys score with neither a penalty nor goal disallowance, the team visibly gave up… final score was 7-2… the solace — my grandson and two other kids kept trying right to the end and Connor did come out of the tournament with 1 goal and five assists over the five games. We had a small celebration at the nearby DQ!!

The rest of the time was “cool”. As we were staying at a Marriott (and I have Gold Status with that chain due to my previous standing at Delta Hotels) we were upgraded to the executive floor so we had access to the special lounge (which he thought was cool) and were given big, buffet breakfasts (good for hockey players). We dined well for dinners, including one evening where we decided (because he had scored that day) to have room service. We watched a great many episodes of Forensic Files in the evening. We also went once to Chick-fil-a, another time (with the team) to a pizzeria, and then to a great bbq house. And on the one free afternoon we went to a frozen lake in the foothills where he was able to play “pond hockey” with his team-mates. That was fun to watch as was listening to his comments as we drove through some canyons on very twisty roads getting there — he voted for a return via the freeway!! As his younger brother was playing north of Denver this same weekend and his tournament ended a day earlier, his mother and brother joined us for the semi-final as well as brekkie and Sunday evening dessert at the exec lounge. We all met at the airport for check-in and the PHX bound group left at 5:00 p.m. As my flight was not until early today, I checked in to the new Westin at the airport and crashed. It is a fine hotel: architecturally amazing, with a wonderful view from the gym and pool as well as the room. I’d go back there again…

And now I am on my way back to YYF. The only concluding comments I will make is that for the first three days it was between 10C & 15C — in fact the forest fire hazard was high when we drove into the foothills — and on the last day it had dropped suddenly to -5C with ice rain, etc. Reminded me so much of the years I lived in and near Calgary…