My reflections on King Charles' Message to Congress

As a Canadian and a committed monarchist, I listened closely when King Charles addressed the United States Congress.  I expected diplomacy, of course — but what I didn’t expect was how personally his message would resonate with people like me across the Commonwealth.

In his remarks, he reminded us that there are millions of Americans who still believe their fight is worthwhile.  Millions who want to rejoin a global community of nations that value peace, human rights, and human dignity.  Millions who want their country to stand firmly for democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and justice.  A United States grounded in those principles is not just a neighbour — it is a deeply valuable partner.

What struck me most was how universal his message felt.  Every country on earth is susceptible to the tactics that can divide people and bring out the worst in them.  We’ve seen examples of that in many places, including here in Canada.  No nation is immune.

But the United States overcoming these challenges — choosing decency, choosing community, choosing the better angels of its nature — would set a remarkable example for all of us.  It would show the world that even in difficult times, a country can pull itself back toward its highest ideals.

And that is why Americans who are fighting for decency deserve encouragement and support from their friends and allies. They are not alone in wanting a future built on respect, stability, and shared values.

King Charles helped me see that more clearly. His words were a reminder that hope is not naïve — it is necessary. And sometimes, it takes a steady voice from across the ocean to remind us what is still possible.

Going to North to Alaska?

This is the first year since cruising was shut down because of COVID 19, I am not going to Alaska.  We decided this year to stay away.  However, I will miss my friends at George Inlet Lodge!  If you love fresh crab, this is the place to go.  It's a 30 minute drive and the lodge is right on the inlet.  I always book direct with the lodge.  You can book through the cruise line but it's usually cheaper booking direct.

https://catchcrabs.com/

My favorite hoodie:

The truth about expiry dates

 

I see they mixed up cheese and pasta, but I thought this was handy.  When I was at the Honey Farm I asked them how long honey lasts, he said, "forever".   I started to go to the honey farm when my store bought honey went mouldy!  That's when I realized I wasn't buying pure honey.  It took about 45 years for me to figure that out.  Oh well, it's never to late to learn.   Does anyone know when sour cream expires?  

A picture is worth a thousand words

Was it staged?  I don't know.  If he wants his "secure" ballroom, why doesn't he address the gun problem.  A safe ballroom for him.  Children will still be afraid to go to school.  How about address the gun control problem?

What religion is your bra?

 

A man walked into the ladies department and shyly walked up to the woman behind the counter and said,

'I'd like to buy a bra for my wife.'

' What type of bra?' asked the clerk.

'Type?' inquires the man, 'There's more than one type?'

' Look around,' said the saleslady, as she showed a sea of bras in every shape, size, color and material imaginable.

'In fact, despite the abundance of options, there are essentially only four types of bras available to choose from.'

Relieved, the man asked about the types.

The saleslady replied:

'There are the Catholic, Salvation Army, Presbyterian, and the Baptist types.

Which one would you prefer?'

Now totally befuddled, the man asked about the differences between them.

The Saleslady responded, 'It is all really quite simple.'

The Catholic type supports the masses;

The Salvation Army type lifts the fallen;

The Presbyterian type keeps them staunch and upright;

The Baptist type makes mountains out of molehills.

Oh and have you ever wondered why A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, G, and H are the letters used to define bra sizes?

If you have wondered why, but couldn't figure out what the letters stood for, it is about time you became informed!

{A} Almost Boobs.

{B} Barely there.

{C} Can't Complain.

{D} Dang!

{DD} Double dang!

{E} Enormous!

{F} Fake.

{G} Get a Reduction.

{H} Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up!

oh They forgot the German bra.

Holtzemfromfloppen!!

Prince Philip

"His mother was institutionalized when he was nine. His father abandoned him for a mistress. His sisters married Nazis. When asked what language he spoke at home, he said: ""What do you mean—at home?""

Prince Philip was born on June 10, 1921, on a kitchen table in a villa on the Greek island of Corfu.  His family—Greek royalty by title, European refugees by circumstance—was already in crisis.  Eighteen months later, in 1922, Greece's revolutionary government forced the royal family into exile.  Philip's father, Prince Andrew of Greece, was nearly executed. The family fled the country.  Baby Philip was carried to safety in a makeshift cot fashioned from an orange crate.  He would never have a home again.

The family settled briefly in France, but there was no money, no stability, and no unity.  Prince Andrew, Philip's father, was a weak, selfish man.  He blamed everyone else for his failures.  He took up with a mistress and effectively abandoned his wife and children.  Philip's mother, Princess Alice, was the real tragedy.  Alice was deaf from birth.  She had learned to read lips in multiple languages and was intelligent, compassionate, and deeply religious.

But in 1930, when Philip was nine years old, Alice suffered a severe mental breakdown.  She was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia—though many historians now believe she was misdiagnosed, possibly for political convenience.  Her family wanted her out of the way.  Alice was forcibly committed to a Swiss sanatorium.  She was institutionalized against her will and subjected to experimental treatment, including a procedure developed by Sigmund Freud.

Philip was nine years old.  No one told him where his mother went.  She just disappeared.  He thought she had abandoned him.  Meanwhile, his father moved to Monte Carlo with his mistress and rarely contacted Philip.  Prince Andrew sent no money, no letters, no support.  Philip's four older sisters—Margarita, Theodora, Cecilie, and Sophie—married German princes and moved to Germany.  Three of their husbands were members of the Nazi Party.  Philip was alone.  Passed between relatives.  Sent to boarding schools.  No fixed address. No parent to claim him.

He spent school holidays with his British relatives—his maternal grandmother, Princess Victoria, and his uncle, George Mountbatten, the Marquess of Milford Haven.  They gave him structure, discipline, and a British identity.  But they couldn't give him a family.

Philip attended Cheam School in England, then Gordonstoun in Scotland—a harsh, austere school founded by Kurt Hahn, a Jewish educator who had fled Nazi Germany.  At Gordonstoun, Philip learned resilience, self-reliance, and emotional control.  He learned to bury feelings.  To never complain. To keep moving forward.

In 1937, when Philip was 16, his sister Cecilie died in a plane crash.  She, her husband (a Nazi officer), their two young sons, and her unborn baby were killed when their plane crashed into a factory chimney in Belgium.  They had been flying to a wedding—another Nazi wedding.  Philip was devastated.  But he wasn't allowed to attend the funeral.  The British royal family—his mother's relatives—forbade it. The optics were too risky.  A British prince attending a Nazi funeral in Germany in 1937, as war loomed?  Unthinkable.

So Philip mourned alone.

Just 2 years later, in 1939, World War II began.  Philip joined the Royal Navy and fought for Britain.  His brothers-in-law—his sisters' husbands—fought for Nazi Germany.  Philip's family was literally on opposite sides of the war.  He never talked about it.  He buried it.  He kept moving forward.

In 1947, Philip married Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen of England.  To do so, he gave up his Greek and Danish titles, converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and took his maternal grandfather's surname—Mountbatten.  He became Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, Royal Navy.  He had no country, no family name, no identity except what he built himself.

 

When Elizabeth became Queen in 1952, Philip's identity shrank further.  He was no longer a naval officer.  He was ""the Queen's husband."" The consort.  The man who walked two steps behind.  He gave up his career.  His independence.  His sense of self.  And he was never allowed to forget it.

Meanwhile, his mother reappeared.

In the 1960s, after spending years in a sanatorium, then in Athens, Princess Alice reemerged as a Greek Orthodox nun.  She had founded a nursing order.  She had survived the Nazi occupation of Greece, hiding Jewish families in her home.  She was a hero.  But Philip barely knew her.  They had an awkward, distant reunion. Too much time had passed. Too much had been left unsaid.

Alice moved to Buckingham Palace in her final years and died in 1969.  Philip mourned her—but the relationship had never been repaired.  Philip's father, Prince Andrew, had died in 1944 in Monte Carlo, still with his mistress, having never reconciled with his son.  Philip never forgave him.  And Philip became a father himself—but he didn't know how.  He and Elizabeth had 4 children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.

Philip was a distant, harsh father.  He expected discipline, toughness, resilience—the same things he'd learned at Gordonstoun.  He sent Charles to Gordonstoun, despite Charles hating it.  He mocked Charles for being sensitive.  He couldn't show affection.  Philip had never received affections.  He didn't know how to give it.  Charles has spoken about his difficult relationship with his father. Anne was tougher, more like Philip, and they got along better.

But the emotional distance Philip had learned as a child—the survival mechanism of never needing anyone—he passed down to his own children.  When asked once what language he spoke ""at home"" as a child, Philip replied: ""What do you mean—at home?""  It wasn't a joke.  It was the truth.  He had no home.  No language.  No place he belonged.

He built a life anyway. He served the Queen for 73 years.  He performed tens of thousands of public engagement. He supported over 800 charities.  He was sharp, funny, occasionally offensive, and utterly unsentimental.  He refused to dwell. He refused to complain.  He refused to show vulnerability.  Because vulnerability, in his childhood, had meant abandonment.

Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99.

Queen Elizabeth died 17 month later, on September 8, 2022.  They had been married for 73 years.

Philip's life was extraordinary.  He survived exile, war, and loss.  He rebuilt himself from nothing.  But he never fully healed.  The boy who had no home became a man who couldn't create one emotionally—not even for his own children.  His mother was taken when he was nine.  His father abandoned him.  His sisters married Nazis.  He fought a war against his own family.  He gave up everything to marry the Queen.  And he spent 99 years never looking back.  Because looking back meant remembering he never had a home."

King Charles III visit to the USA April 27 - 30

 

When I first heard that this visit might actually happen, I was genuinely appalled. After all the harsh things the U.S. President has said about Britain, the idea of a state visit felt jarring and deeply disappointing. It didn’t sit right with me at all.

Then I learned something important: this wasn’t the King’s decision. The request came from the UK Parliament. That shifted my perspective. It made me pause, step back, and think about what might really be happening behind the scenes.

Once I had a moment to reflect, I began to see another possibility. Perhaps the King intends to use this visit as an opportunity to mend strained relationships. He has always been someone who values diplomacy, dialogue, and stability. Maybe this is his chance to help ease tensions and encourage a more respectful tone between nation

What I truly hope is that he also stands up for the rest of the Commonwealth — especially Canada and Australia. We have our own identities, our own values, and our own place in the world. We have no desire to become the “51st state,” and it’s unsettling when the U.S. President casually refers to our Prime Minister as a “Governor.” Comments like that may be meant as jokes, but they carry an undertone that many of us find dismissive.

So while my initial reaction was frustration, I’m choosing to hope that something constructive might come from this visit. If the King can help steer the conversation toward respect, understanding, and genuine partnership, then perhaps this moment — uncomfortable as it is — could lead to something better.

Mark Carney, what has he done in the last few months?

You may not like Mark Carney because he's a Liberal.  Cool.  I don't care, I'm non-partisan.  But I keep hearing "he's done nothing" from people who can't name a single policy he's passed.  So I'm going to list some of what the man has actually done in 12 months, just to clear a few things up.

1) He killed the carbon tax.

Gone. Day one. The thing you've been posting about for five years. He ended it. You're welcome.

2) He scrapped the EV mandate.

No more government forcing you to buy an electric car. Replaced it with a $5,000 rebate if you want one. Your choice.

3) He reversed the capital gains tax hike.

The one that had every doctor, investor, and small business owner looking at the exit door. Reversed.

4) He passed the One Canadian Economy Act.

Tore down interprovincial trade barriers that have been strangling this country since Confederation. Passed with Conservative support by the way. Nobody talks about that part. CMHC says this alone could unlock 30,000 new housing starts a year.

5) He launched Build Canada Homes.

Not a press conference. An actual federal agency building 45,000+ homes on government land across six cities.

6) He dropped $51 billion on real infrastructure.

The Build Communities Strong Fund. Hospitals. Bridges. Water systems. Transit. Universities. Stuff you can walk into and touch.

7) He cut 40,000 government jobs.

Trimmed the federal machine and committed to balancing operational spending by 2029. With a plan. On paper.

8 ) He slashed temporary resident admissions.

From 673,000 down to 385,000. Because he understood what the last government refused to accept: you can't add people without adding capacity.

9) He hit the NATO 2% defense target.

Something every PM has dodged for decades.  Canada just made the biggest defense spending jump in generations.  Over $63 billion.  Then at the NATO summit he committed to 3.5% of GDP by 2035.  The Americans aren't laughing anymore.

10) He flew to the UAE and came back with $70 billion.

A $70 billion investment pledge into Canadian infrastructure. Not a handshake. A signed agreement.

11) He went to China and played hardball.

Got tariffs on Canadian canola dropped from 85% to 15%. Cut EV tariffs from 100% to 6.1%.  That's not weakness.  That's someone who knows what leverage looks like.

12) He signed Canada's first bilateral free trade deal with an ASEAN country.

Indonesia. New market. New money. New doors.

13) He took the federal tax off gasoline and disel.

Now gasoline in Vancouer starts with a $1!

14) PM Carney announced the Advisory Committee for the US/Canada Free Trade Agreement.  He didn't chose people who were "loyal" or Liberal.  Look at the qualifications and political affiliations!

• Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
• Darryl White, CEO of the Bank of Montreal.
• Lisa Raitt, former Conservative cabinet minister.
• Tracy Robinson, president and CEO of the Canadian National Railway.
• Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers'​ Association. 
• Ron Bedard, president and CEO of steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal Dofasco.
• Ken Seitz, president and CEO of fertilizer giant Nutrien.
• Dennis Darby, president and CEO at Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
• Lana Payne, national president of Unifor.
• François Poirier, president and CEO of Calgary-based TC Energy.
• Émile Cordeau, CEO of Agropur, the largest dairy co-operative in Canada.
• Luc Thériault, CEO of Pulp and Wood Products, and president of Domtar Canada.
• Magali Picard, president of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec.
• Jonathan Price, president and CEO at Teck Resources Ltd., a mining and resource company based in B.C. 
• Susan Yurkovich, president and CEO of Canfor, a large forest products company based in B.C. 
• Michael Harvey, executive director of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.
• Tabatha Bull, president and CEO of Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.
• Cameron Bailey, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival.
• Valérie Beaudoin, expert in U.S. policy and politics at the University of Quebec.
• Erin O’Toole, former federal Conservative leader.
• Jean Charest, former Progressive Conservative leader and Liberal premier of Quebec.
• P.J. Akeeagok, former premier of Nunavut.
• Ralph Goodale, former Liberal finance minister and high commissioner to the U.K.

He's made 26 international trips in one year.

Building trade relationships, signing deals, and putting Canada back in rooms we got quietly removed from (yes by Trudeau ... enough about Trudeau, he is NOT Trudeau).

Read that list again.

Carbon tax gone. EV mandate gone.  Capital gains hike gone.  Immigration reduced. Defense spending up. Government jobs cut.  Trade barriers removed. Foreign investment pouring in.

Again, not Trudeau, enough about Trudeau, he is not Trudeau, he is Mark Carney after barely a year leading our country!

A Liberal made all these things actually happen.

And that's what's really eating some people alive.  It's not that they disagree with the results. It's that the wrong team delivered them.  So instead of saying "good, keep going" they say "he's done nothing" because their brain won't let them give credit to someone wearing the wrong jersey.

You don't have to like Carney.  You don't have to vote for him.  But if you're going to yell he's done nothing after reading that list, just say what you actually mean:

"I don't care what he does. I decided I was against him before he started."

At least that would be honest.

Sweet Caroline

Most people know that Neil Diamond wrote "Sweet Caroline," but almost no one knew the real story behind the song for nearly four decades.  In 1969, Neil Diamond was sitting with a photograph of a little girl riding a pony, her face glowing with pure, unbothered joy, and something about the image stopped him completely.  That little girl was Caroline Kennedy, captured on the White House grounds with her pony Macaroni, and the photo moved him so deeply that he sat down and wrote what would become one of the most beloved pop songs in American history.  He never told a soul.  Not his record label, not his closest friends, not even Caroline herself.  He carried the secret quietly through the decades, watching the song become a cultural institution, hearing it played at stadiums and ballparks and birthday parties across the country, and still he said nothing. 

It was not until 2007, when Diamond performed the song at Caroline's 50th birthday celebration, that he finally told her the truth.  She was the inspiration.  She had always been the inspiration.  Think about that for a momen photograph of a small, unsuspecting child at the most powerful address in the world quietly gave the world a song that has been sung billions of times.  Caroline never knew.  The song outlived her father, outlived her brother, outlived her mother, became embedded in the soundtrack of American life, and at the center of it all was that one innocent photograph of a little girl and her pony on a sunlit lawn, frozen in time, turned into music that will never stop playing.  That is one of the most quietly beautiful stories in the history of American culture, and it belongs entirely to Caroline Kennedy.

Troy Van Vliet for Mayor of Surrey

 

South Surrey's Troy Van Vliet Founder of Saint John Paul II Academy

Last month I went to a function and sat beside Troy.  I knew he planned on running for mayor but until it was public, I would not say anything.  He spoke about his wife and two daughters.  His oldest daughter has a learning disability.  Trying to get her the help she needed the Surrey Schools let him down.  He was so upset about the way these children were being neglected, he built a school!  He said "now children will get the education they deserve".  His daughter has graduated, but other children with learning disabilities will have a better education.

I've heard about his platform from others but I will go to his launch to find out from him.  Troy isn't a career politician.  He's a builder, a father, and a community member who believes Surrey deserves better.  With five other people running for mayor this will be an interesting race.

https://surreynow.ca/priorities

There is an interesting article in the Surrey Now Leader:

Surrey Now Leader

Canada Just ENDED 15 Years of Dependency — And What Rolled Out in Winnipeg Changes Everything

Canada’s manufacturing future may have just shifted — but not in the way many expected.   In Winnipeg this week, something quietly rolled off the line for the first time in over a decade… and it didn’t cross the border to be finished.

For years, Canadian-built buses were only partially completed before being sent to the United States for final assembly. That long-standing pattern has now been broken.

New Flyer has expanded its facility to design, engineer, and fully assemble hybrid electric buses entirely in Canada — a move backed by a $38 million investment and thousands of jobs tied to it.  But this isn’t just about transit.

It signals something much bigger: a shift away from cross-border dependence at a time when global trade is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

After 15 years, “Made in Canada” is no longer partial — it’s complete again from start to finish… and the implications are only beginning to unfold as the internet is exploding.

Strait of Hormuz - closed again!

Five cruise ships were able to sail through the Strait of Hormoz before it was closed yesterday.  I am not sure if there are still any cruise ships being detained.  All passengers have departed and only the crew needed to sail are on board.  I know one more Celestyal ship was able to leave the strait that's not on this map.

I did a search and found this:

1. At least 14 ships stopped by Iran (India‑bound)

A PTI‑sourced report states that 14 India‑bound ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz were stopped by Iran, with one vessel hit by gunfire.

2. More than 20 ships turned back by the U.S. blockade

NBC News reports that the U.S. military says 21 ships have been turned back to Iran since the blockade began. These are vessels prevented from exiting Iranian ports or proceeding through the strait.

3. Some tankers forced to turn around after being fired upon

TankerTrackers.com reported that vessels—including an Indian‑flagged supertanker—were forced to turn around after Iranian gunboats opened fire.

4. A few tankers have transited despite the blockade

CBS News confirms that at least several tankers, including the crude oil tanker Alicia, successfully transited the strait overnight, even under blockade conditions.

Letters to the Editor

In October, Surrey, BC will have a civil election for Mayor.  To date, five people have declared they will run.  I know of one more candidate that isn't going to announce until August.  Some are good, others are opportunists who need a job and then there is the 82 year old former Mayor who lost in the last election and had a disaster of failures in his last stint as Mayor.  He's had two strokes since his Mayor days.

I've met Ivan who wrote this letter and I must say he's right on!

Letter to the Editor                                      14 April 2026

“Why Stop at Zero?”

Dear Editor,

82 year-old former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum has again entered the Surrey Mayoral race of 2026 after previously failing badly in the 2022 election. If it wasn’t so sad, it would be quite funny. Actually, it is humorous – and he is entering with the same failed, familiar political offerings: including a ridiculous promise of a zero percent tax increase for four years!

Why stop there?

·         Why not promise an immediate four percent tax reduction — with no increases for ten years?

·         Why not give two (or three) police helicopters instead of the unnecessary one he is offering?

·         Why not 400 additional officers to match Vancouver?

·         Why not rather declare Surrey a “world-class city” overnight?

·         Why not promise honesty; integrity; honor;  truthfulness; virtuousness; uprightness of character; morality?

Because at some point, words collide with reality.

McCallum promises expanded policing, new infrastructure, accelerated development, and “opportunity zones for growth.” - impressive phrases. But they are, at present, nothing more than that — just phrases. He has promised it before and failed.

A city does not run on slogans – especially McCallum’s slogans. It runs on arithmetic.

Every "promise" he makes has a cost. Every expansion requires funding. Every delay in revenue must be compensated somewhere — through reduced services, increased debt, or deferred responsibility. There is no escaping this.

So the question is: are these ideas logical and do they make fiscal and common sense, and are they credible, costed, and achievable? The answer, in my opinion is – definitely no! McCallum is just trying to bribe his way in – he cares nothing for Surrey as a City. As before, he cares only to satisfy his own ego.

Surrey is not a campaign stage for aspirational language. It is a complex, growing city that demands disciplined thinking and honest accounting.

Residents deserve to be treated as adults — capable of understanding trade-offs, not simply being handed imaginary and comforting numbers and Words. Words. Meaningless Words.

Definitely not McCallum for mayor, we have far too much to lose.

“Zero” is not a plan.

Christina Onassis

Christina Onassis inherited the most famous private fortune in the world at twenty-four years old. She ran it competently, expanded it strategically, and proved that her father had been right to train her as his successor.  None of that saved her.

After the $26 million settlement with Jackie, Christina took control of the Onassis shipping empire. By most accounts she was sharp, decisive, and serious about the business.  She relocated the company's operations, managed a fleet that spanned continents, and navigated the volatile shipping markets of the late 1970s and 1980s with the instincts her father had spent years building in her.

But the business was the only part of her life that held.

She married four times. Every marriage failed. Her first husband was an American real estate developer twenty-seven years her senior — her father cut off her trust fund in protest and pressured her until the marriage collapsed after nine months.  Her second was a Greek shipping heir, married shortly after Aristotle's death, gone within fourteen months.  Her third was Sergei Kauzov, a Soviet shipping agent whose background was unusual enough that Western intelligence services flagged the relationship.  That marriage lasted roughly two years. Her fourth husband was a French businessman named Thierry Roussel.  He fathered two children with his long-term mistress during the marriage.  He didn't stop when Christina found out.

She was diagnosed with clinical depression at thirty.  Her doctors prescribed barbiturates, amphetamines, and sleeping pills.  She became dependent on all of them.  She was hospitalized for overdose at least once during the 1970s. She went on crash diets that stripped weight rapidly, then regained it when the depression returned.  She paid friends as much as thirty thousand dollars a month simply to clear their schedules and spend time with her.

By 1988 she had one thing she had wanted her entire life — a daughter, Athina, born in 1985 from her marriage to Roussel.  She was trying to build something around that.  She was in Argentina, staying with friends outside Buenos Aires, reportedly considering starting over there.

On November 19th, her maid found her unresponsive in the bathtub of the Dodero family home in Tortuguitas. The official cause of death was pulmonary edema — fluid in the lungs, heart failure.  The Argentine judge handling the case stated publicly that he could not rule out the role of barbiturates or amphetamines.  Greek press reporting from December 1988, drawing on autopsy results, confirmed large quantities of barbiturates in her system.

She was thirty-seven years old.

Her body was flown to Skorpios.  She was buried in the family plot beside her father and her brother — the two people she had spent her entire adult life grieving.  Her $250 million fortune passed to Athina, who was three years old.

Jackie Kennedy was fifty-nine and living in her Fifth Avenue apartment. She would live another six years, working as a book editor, attending cultural events, remaining one of the most recognized women in the world.

She outlived Christina Onassis by six years.

Jackie walked into the Onassis family in 1968 with nothing but leverage and walked out in 1975 with $26 million, a famous name, and her life intact.  Christina was born into that family and it consumed everything she had.

The Red Hat Society is 28 this month

 

For the last four years, Mulburry Parc Retirement Living in Burnaby has invited us to celebrate Red Hat's Birthday.  They roll out the "red" carpet for us.  This year they served  afternoon tea!  It was delicious.  The chef came and explained about all the sandwiches and desserts.  He explained to those with Celiac or have a nut allergy what they could or shouldn't eat. They gave containers for those who live alone to take leftovers home.  Very thoughtful!

The plant is on the left along with a nice glass of champagne as we entered!

The scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam were delicious

This year we lost three members.  Our Queen displayed a memorial with their pictures and Red Hats!

Elizabeth, one of our long time members had a lot of red hat regalia.  Before she passed, she donated it all to us.  In January we had our lunch and displayed all of her red hat regalia for anyone to take.  No money was exchanged, just remember Elizabeth when you wear it.  Vicki, our of our members was the same size as Elizabeth and she wore Elizabeth's clothes to our lunch yesterday!

Vicki in her finest Red Hat attire!

On May 3rd our late member Janet's family is having a Celebration of Life.  We will go in our Red Hat regalia and celebrate her life.  It's a wonderful organization!

The Red Hat Society has spread to other countries in the world.  As of 2011, besides the thousands of chapters in the U.S., there were local chapters of the Society in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Ecuador, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guam, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Namibia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Wales.  They didn't publish how many members they have so I asked AI and AI said 50,000 world wide.  

When I went to England a few years ago, I emailed a Red Hat group in London and joined them on a trip to a small museum and lunch!  They were a hoot!  We went to a pub for lunch and left at 4:30!!!  No one drove, they all took the train.

The Madison

 

Taylor Sheridan who wrote Yellowstone has written another wonderful series, The Madison.  It's on Paramount + and it's wonderful.  I don't want to spoil the plot but the Kurt Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer are the stars.  It caught Cec's attention when Kurt was fly fishing on the Madison River in Montana.  The first series is only six episodes and we binge watched it as we enjoyed it so much.  It's been renewed for a second and third season!  Taylor wrote and was the Executive Producer of this series.

Taylor's next production: Dutton Ranch is scheduled to be released on May 15th.  The nine episode series follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cold Hauser) from Yellowstone as they start a new chapter in Texas, facing a ruthless river ranch.  I loved these characters in Yellowstone and I am really looking forward to this series.

Ride your Horse to a Bar Day. Who knew?

I've never heard of "Ride your Horse to a Bar Day"!   I don't have a horse, but I love a bar.  My cousin Laurie's daughter-in-law Simone Stich is on the right horse!   I loved this story and thought I would share it.  It was on the front page of this week's Surrey Now Leader.  I am now following them on Instagram.  I saw Simone last month at the shower she threw for her new sister-in-law.  We've been on a cruise together and she took advantage of the alcohol package!  She's a wonderful daughter-in-law!

Happy horse riders took to Surrey streets on Thursday (April 2), dubbed National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day.  Friends Heather Kennedy, Simone Stich and Kristyn Ward rode horses Tommy, Wazabi and Phoenix from the East Guildford Park and Ride on 103 Avenue to The Barn country bar, on an adventure that’s quite familiar to Kennedy and Stich, aka the “Wild Trails Cowgirls” on Instagram.  They often ride their horses in urban settings across Metro Vancouver, raising eyebrows and making people smile along the way.

Held annually on April 2, National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day was created in 2021 by Dale Garwood, according to a post on nationaldayarchives.com. “The day highlights the long history of ‘coaching inns’ or saloons that historically provided stables and rest for horses while travelers had a drink,” the website notes.  Kennedy saw word of the Day on Facebook and with Stich planned a two-kilometre, 30-minute ride to the popular Barn bar on 102A Ave., near Guildford Town Centre.  “We ride for the fun of it and also the challenge, and to do something different than riding in an arena or just on the regular trails,” Kennedy told the Now-Leader.

“We find somewhere fun to go and just make it work. We’ve ridden in Vancouver, down streets and along Southwest Marine Drive. We’ve been in Surrey before, and just recently we rode on the closing day of Pattullo Bridge, took the horses across there. We did some research about it and, of course, back in the early days of the bridge there was horse crossing, so we brought them back that day.”  Kennedy says horses are legally allowed on city streets, per the Motor Vehicle Act. “They’ve never changed it since the days of horse and buggy. But the highway, you have to do 60K (kilometres per hours), so we’re not allowed there. But these roads, we’re allowed.”  According to Stich, horses are allowed in Surrey parks, too, as long as they’re under control and riders clean up after them. “We have a pooper-scooper and will use it when necessary,” she said.

How you can get robbed at the airport luggage carousel and how to stop it from happening

Airports feel like controlled, secure environments. Cameras everywhere, staff everywhere, crowds everywhere. It seems like the last place a thief would take a chance. But the luggage carousel is one of the easiest places for someone to walk off with your belongings — and it happens far more often than people realize.

The problem is simple: once your bag leaves the aircraft and slides onto that conveyor belt, it’s in a public space. Anyone can grab it. And unless someone physically sees the theft happen, it’s almost impossible to prove who took what.

Here’s how it happens — and how you can protect yourself.

1. The “Oops, Wrong Bag” Trick

This is the most common tactic. A thief simply picks up a suitcase that looks expensive or easy to resell and walks away with it, pretending it’s theirs. If anyone questions them, they shrug and say, “Oh, sorry, I thought it was mine.”

By the time you realize your bag isn’t coming, they’re already in a taxi.

Why it works:

Most luggage looks similar. Black roller bags dominate every carousel. Thieves rely on confusion and the fact that no one wants to accuse a stranger of stealing.

2. The “Grab and Go Before You Arrive” Move

Some thieves don’t even wait for passengers. They position themselves at the carousel before the flight’s passengers reach the area. Bags start coming out, and they simply take one and leave.  That rarely happens at the airports I visit!  I'm always waiting at the carousel for my luggage.

Why it works:

Airports rarely check baggage claim areas for boarding passes. Anyone can walk in.

3. The “Distract and Lift” Team

This is less common in Canada but more common in busy international hubs. One person creates a distraction — asking a question, bumping into someone, dropping something — while their partner quietly lifts a bag and disappears.

Why it works:

People focus on the distraction, not the carousel.

4. The “Unzip and Dip” Theft

Sometimes the thief doesn’t take the whole suitcase. They unzip it on the carousel or just after grabbing it, remove valuables, and toss the bag somewhere else in the terminal.

Why it works:

Most people don’t notice a missing item until they reach their hotel.

5. The “Swap and Steal”

A thief takes your bag and leaves behind a similar one — often empty or filled with junk. You think your bag is delayed or missing, but the thief is already gone with the real one.

Why it works:

People assume the airline lost their luggage, not that someone swapped it.

How to Protect Yourself

These are simple, practical steps that dramatically reduce your risk.

1. Get to the carousel quickly

Don’t stop for the washroom or coffee until after you have your bag. The longer your luggage spins unattended, the more vulnerable it is.

2. Make your bag unmistakably yours

Add:

• A bright luggage strap

• A colourful tag

• A patterned handle wrap - we use fluorescent wool

• Stickers or decals

Thieves avoid bags that stand out.

3. Use a luggage tracker

Air Tags, Tile, and Samsung SmartTags can show you exactly where your bag is — even if someone walks off with it.  When I'm at home, I put one air tag my air tag in my car and the other one on my key chain!

4. Lock your zippers

A simple TSA‑approved lock prevents “unzip and dip” theft.

5. Stand close to the chute

Thieves prefer bags that have already made a few loops. Standing near the point where bags first appear reduces opportunity.

6. Don’t get distracted

Keep your eyes on the carousel, not your phone.

7. Check your bag immediately

Before leaving the airport, make sure:

• The zippers are intact

• Nothing feels unusually light

• Your name tag is still attached

If something is wrong, report it before exiting the secure area.

Luggage theft isn’t just about losing clothes. It’s about losing medications, passports, electronics, sentimental items, and sometimes the only things you packed for a long‑awaited trip. And because baggage claim is a public area, airlines often won’t compensate for theft — only for lost bags.

Understanding how thieves operate gives you the power to stop them.

That's how the fight started.....

My wife and I were watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed.

I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have Sex?'

'No,' she answered.

I then said, 'Is that your final answer?'

... She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, 'Yes..'

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And that's when the fight started...

________________________________

I took my wife to a restaurant.

The waiter, for some reason, took my order first.

"I'll have the rump steak, rare, please."

He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?"

"Nah, she can order for herself."

And that's when the fight started.....

_____________________________

My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school

reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his

drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.

I asked her, "Do you know him?"

"Yes", she sighed,

"He's my old boyfriend. I understand he took to drinking

right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he

hasn't been sober since."

"My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on

celebrating that long?"

And then the fight started...

________________________________

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed.

But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the boat,

making beer.. Always something more important to me.

Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.

When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing

scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into

the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again

I handed her a toothbrush.

I said, "When you finish cutting the

grass, you might as well sweep the driveway."

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.

_____________________________

My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.

She asked, "What's on TV?"

I said, "Dust."

And then the fight started...

________________________________

Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the

boat up to the van and proceeded to back out into a torrential 

downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather

would be bad all day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back;

now with a different anticipation,

and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 5 years replied, "And, can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"

And that's how the fight started...

_______________________________

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.

She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds."

I bought her a bathroom scale.

And then the fight started......

______________________________

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply

for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me 

for my driver's License to verify my age. I looked in my pockets 

and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that 

I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'.

So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair.

She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she processed my Social Security application.

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office.

She said, 'You should have dropped

your pants. You might have gotten disability too.'

And then the fight started...

________________________________

My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror.

She was not happy with what she saw and said to me,

"I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you

to pay me a compliment.'

I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect."

And then the fight started........

________________________________

I rear-ended a car this morning...the start of a REALLY bad day!

The driver got out of the other car, and he was a DWARF!!

He looked up at me and said 'I am NOT Happy!'

So I said, 'Well, which one ARE you then?'

That's how the fight started.

________________________________

One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot

as a Christmas gift...

The next year, I didn't buy her a gift.

When she asked me why, I replied,

"Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!"

____________________

A husband and wife are shopping in their local Wal-Mart. The husband picks up a case of Miller Lite and puts it in their cart.

'What do you think you're doing?' asks the wife. 'They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans', he replies. 'Put them back, it's a waste of money', demands the wife, and so he does and they carry on shopping.

A few aisles further on along, the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream and puts it in the basket.

What do you think you're doing?' asks the husband... "It's my face cream. It makes me look beautiful,' replies the wife.

Her husband retorts: 'So does 24 cans of Miller Lite and it's half the price....'

And that's how the fight started.