Weather
Whether you like it or not, weather is the leading topic of most Canadians' conversations. And now it's expanded to climate and become one of the main concerns of the world. This old planet has seen many changes over its billions of years, but with all the wild fires, especially in Australia and California, the flooding of some Pacific islands and in Venice, I can't help but take the well informed word of most scientists today that since the industrial revolution man has exacerbated the problem to such an extent that it is now up to us to take drastic action. We are living in the Anthropocene which we brought on by thinking we could use the planet to satisfy our extravagant desires. Our children are going to live in the whirlwind of our excesses, so we better do the very best we can now to manage it to the extent possible.
All that to say that, climate aside, the weather is crap at the moment in Vernon, BC. As I look through the rain mottled window I still see white everywhere, but if I put on my glasses, the slush and dirt on the road are revealed. Two days ago we had a wonderful snowfall, all yesterday slush dropped down on it and I slowly shoveled the heavy mess. Now its raining.
On the bright side, I've been skiing twice. As always the snow at Silver Star and Sovereign can be counted on. Although even there the visibility has not been great all the time. But on Monday it was perfect and I went to the Star with Lynne and Priscilla. They stayed out longer than I did, but I was happy just being there. Writing these last two words reminds me of one of my favourite movies, "Being There,". I'd like to see it again. We went to Sovereign on Thursday and I made it to the Black Prince cabin and back. I'm glad about that because this year the young couple on my street that has invited me for Christmas Eve dinner the past two years is planning a ski lunch at the cabin instead, and I will be able to go. I've been doing physio exercises with a fervour that almost rivals Greta Thunberg's enthusiasm for the environment. My aging body, like our planet will never regain its bloom of youth, but with determined effort we both might at least have a chance of carrying on.
The painting is by Carl C. Rungius, a wonderful painter of wildlife who spent many summers in Banff. I first saw it two years ago when I was hiking there with the VOC. I stuck my copy in the snow and added a tiny old Santa I've had for years.
Jay, having been recently crowned King of Popcorn at his hagwon's Christmas party, attempts to extinguish a small fire in the popping machine. The photo was captured on the hagwon's CCTV. 
