Clubhouse Almost Finished

Our Village is building a clubhouse for the use of the residents and a facility to accommodate the many activities and clubs presently operating in homes or rented facilities. It is a beautiful structure with all the modern amenities expected by our residents. I am on the club management team and the seven members have the responsibility of overseeing the total activities which will use our facilities.

My main responsibility will be in the development and managing the pool hall and games room situated in the basement of this clubhouse. There will be an elevator to the lower section and with a room about 40 by 90 there will be adequate space for many activities. Many of the pieces of equipment have been donated and our biggest  challenge will be painting  the floor and providing a proper wall covering. I am really excited about this project and have a good team of volunteers to help make everything work.

New Railings for the Front Steps

Our front steps were not constructed exactly to code. I complained to the management and as a result a crew managed to make the necessary changes. I felt unsafe using the steps when there was snow or ice present so we had new handrails installed. I now have renewed confidence and they look good as well.

Birthdays

Th1s year I declared loud and clear that I was not going to celebrate my special day. My reasoning was that it was too close to Xmas and we just had wonderful family sharing of time. I wished to make point the point that next year will be my 80th and I wanted a party . Well the proclamation did impress my family and friends and I receive the greatest amount of happy B'days ever and actually I loved it.

I had no control about others felt and like the Tories during the last election I misread the manner in which we as a family celebrate special events. I thought that people looked at my most recent pictures and they felt they should make a statement now because maybe I won't be around to celebrate next year. At any rate I just wish to thank everyone for making my no party B'day one of the best ever.

I shall never again interfere with the natural order of things when it comes to family and friends traditions.

World Junior Hockey Tournament

What a wonderful viewing we received when we watched the best young players in the world compete to be crowned World Champions. It is not that Canada must win gold every time they compete but to see our great Canadian game becoming a great World game. The game of hockey has swelled way above the years when Canada dominated the world tournaments.

Today there are many countries even smaller than Canada that field wonderful teams. Many countries use our junior leagues to help advance the skill level of their young, budding stars. How different to see the juniors play and several hours later the NHL. Most of us would watch the juniors instead of the pro leagues because of the excitement generated when young, dedicated players play for their country.

Our Canadian boys did well but on the day they were defeated by a better team. Because we came sixth in this tournament it just makes the challenge so much better for the next tournament to be held right here, next year in Toronto and Montreal.

2016

Every year we look ahead and with enthusiasm forecast possible events and changing conditions. This year I will keep to a few of my favourite concerns. For years I have been concerned about living conditions in the high Arctic with both climate change and global warming. Most of the high Arctic is rock with a layer of tundra on top of perma frost. Perma frost freezes the area of the tundra to a depth of hundreds of feet in some cases. The very thin surface  allows a variety of vegetation to survive and this sustains life in the form of animals and birds as well as a variety of bugs and insects.

With rising temperatures and warmer and longer summers the perma frost melts to a greater depth each year and the result is catastrophic . The tundra no longer is able to accept travel in many areas and as time passes there will be huge areas of the North uninhibited. The thousands of ponds will disappear and the birds who depend on these will disappear as well. This is only a small peak at the results of global warming and climate change in one area of this planet.

My hope for this year is that every country, every industry, every person who has a concern for life on this planet for their children and grand children support the plans for a greener and healthier environment . This wish was stated by the Paris Convention and signed on by over two hundred countries to keep our carbon emissions below a level acceptable to the health of our planet. We must do our part if we are to survive.