Dry

It’s been a quiet and dry BC long weekend.  I could have used a bit more action and a lot more liquid, water for the cedars and liquor for me.  I’m only joking about the liquor; although, I haven’t had much to drink in the last few weeks because I’ve had a mild case of vertigo and a few headaches, both of which seem to be less evident if I don’t drink alcohol.  But I have had the odd drink, mostly gin and tonic, and it really doesn’t seem to make much difference.  I’ve heard of a few other people with similar symptoms, one with much more serious vertigo; Mo says it might be a virus.  Viruses seem to be on the rise, or perhaps not.  I don’t follow medical trends too closely.  I did hear the other day that recent tests have shown that the strength of many antibiotics is being enhanced by the addition of minute amounts of silver, but that has nothing to do with viruses.  That’s the medical section of this blog. 

The cedars really could use more water.  Vernon has just experienced its driest July on record, and I was here for most of it.  Campfires were banned this long weekend, and people are talking a lot about the devastating fires of 2003.  I’ve been watering the cedars and some new plum and hazelnut trees that I bought this year, as well as the Ben Conan black current plants that Miriam’s husband gave me.  Some dark clouds have passed over town this weekend, but only a few drops have fallen from them, so I will water again this evening.

Jay and May are happily settled in their new apartment, not without a great deal of planning and one big, unexpected hitch.  But as long as a shock isn’t killing, it’s stimulating and being galvanized into action can make you bright, which was the case with them.  They solved the problem with some quick action and the help of friends.  My problem with the reluctant flusher was solved by Kirsten on Wednesday.

On Friday, I went to Marlin Travel with all my visa application material.  They will send it to the Chinese Embassy in Vancouver, and I should have the visa sometime next week.  I’ve almost finished Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler.  I got it in Victoria at Russell Books, a store Barbara recommended.  It’s a well-written fusion of his knowledge of Chinese history and experience as a freelance writer there between 1999 and 2005.  When I told Miriam about it, she gave me a set of dvds in the ‘Great Courses’ series that she and her husband bought.  This one is called, ‘From Yao to Mao: 5,000 Years of Chinese History.’  She told me that Professor Kenneth J. Hammond who presents the series is knowledgeable and that his changing ties provide a little visual interest.  He wears the same blue shirt and khaki pants all the time but changes ties for each lecture.  I have now watched 2 ties.  I hadn’t watched any dvds since I moved in so had to phone a Shaw service agent to help me switch the system before I could begin.  At least I will have  learned how to do that even if I remember little else. When you live alone, you have a lot of time alone, but my friends are certainly helping me fill it.  The problem is that my brain doesn’t have as much space as I have time; it can’t retain everything.  At least wonderful ideas are washing over it and that’s enjoyable to experience whether or not anything is being stored.

I don't have any photos this week, so I had to use a shot from the archives.