Earthquake Preparedness

 

I am a Block Watch Coordinator.  I received this invitation and I thought it was worth sharing:

You are invited to the Block Watch Society of BC's next important and timely Block Talk:

• Earthquake Preparedness, Thursday, July 9th, 2026, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm via Microsoft Teams

 SHARING PERMISSIONS

• Block Watch Leads & Participants
• Open to the public (priority to BC residents)
• Approved for posting on your social media

If you wish to attend, please email blockwatch@blockwatch.com by July 8th.    

 This session will not be recorded.

A gift I didn’t know I’d rely on, but it ended up being exactly what the moment called for

 

We just came through a ten‑hour power failure, and let me tell you — one small gift made all the difference.

Yes, we have the usual flashlights tucked away, but a few months ago my nephew Brad surprised me with a rechargeable lamp. I charged it when I first got it, checked it again a couple of weeks ago, and topped it up. USB charging — simple, quick, and no fuss.

When the lights went out, this little lamp lit the entire room. Not a dim glow, not a corner light — the whole space. And while it was keeping us out of the dark, it was also charging my phone at the same time. I couldn’t believe how useful it turned out to be.

If you don’t have a reliable light source for power failures, get one. Truly. And if you’re hunting for a practical, thoughtful gift for someone, this is one they will genuinely appreciate.

Thank you, Brad, for giving us something that turned a long outage into a much easier night.

Tom Hanks’ WW2 Docuseries: A Powerful Tribute to Courage, Sacrifice, and the Stories That Shaped Our World

 

Some stories never fade. They echo across generations, carried by the voices of those who lived them and the artists who refuse to let us forget. Tom Hanks has long been one of those artists — a steward of memory, a guardian of history, and a storyteller who approaches the Second World War with deep respect and unwavering sincerity.

His WW2 docuseries, created with longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg, is more than a historical recounting. It’s a living memorial. A reminder of the extraordinary courage of ordinary people. And a testament to the belief that understanding our past is essential to shaping a better future.

A Legacy of Storytelling Rooted in Honour

Tom Hanks’ connection to World War II storytelling didn’t begin with this docuseries. It grew from the monumental success of Saving Private Ryan and the groundbreaking miniseries Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Each project revealed something deeper: Hanks wasn’t just producing entertainment — he was preserving history.

The docuseries continues that mission. Through archival footage, personal letters, interviews, and carefully researched narration, it brings to life the human experience of war:

• The fear and uncertainty

• The friendships forged in impossible circumstances

• The resilience of those who fought and those who waited at home

• The cost — in lives, in innocence, in the shape of the world that followed

Hanks approaches these stories with humility. He never sensationalizes. Instead, he shines a light on the quiet heroism that defined an entire generation.

Why This Series Matters Today

We’re living in a time when the last surviving veterans of the Second World War are in their nineties or older. Their memories — vivid, painful, courageous — are precious. And fragile.

This docuseries captures those memories before they slip beyond reach.

It reminds us that:

• Democracy is not guaranteed

• Peace is not permanent

• Freedom is not free

• And the world we know today was shaped by people who risked everything

For younger viewers, it’s an education. For older viewers, it’s a remembrance. For all of us, it’s a call to gratitude.

We have thoroughly enjoyed every episode. It's great to see this history for those who were too young to have parents that lived throught the war years. My parents taught us about what they went through. When we visited the UK, we heard the devastating stories about what our relatives experienced during the blitz. The story I will never forget is my aunt and her friend were in central London at midnight December 31, 1999 to watch all the festivities. When the fireworks started going off, they both thought it was 1941 all over again. Frightened and upset, they went right home. These horrible noises never leave you.

I have a friend whose mother was 16 when she was taken to Auschwitz. She was saved by working in the kitchen. Her job was to peel potatoes. When the war was over, she met a boy who survived the same camp. They got married and moved to Surrey, B.C. Her daughter said everyone who came over would watch her mom peel potatoes. She was so fast. They are both gone now, but I am sorry I never met her. I'm glad they lived a wonderful life together in Canada.

Do the Math: What an Ocean Cruise Really Costs

Most people think the cost of a cruise starts with the deposit and ends with the final payment. I wish. The truth is, the real spending begins long before you ever step onboard — and it continues every single day of your sailing.

After booking our upcoming 23‑day cruise, I sat down and did the math. And wow… the numbers tell a very different story than the glossy brochures.

The Daily Packages: Worth It or Not?

Cruise lines love their “packages.” They bundle drinks, Wi‑Fi, tips, and a few extras and sell it at a daily rate. For our sailing, the Princess Plus package is:

US $70 per person per day × 23 days = US $1,610 per person = US $3,220 for two people

That’s before you’ve even had a sip of anything.

Now here’s the thing: I’m not drinking alcohol or pop. I’ll happily exchange the bar package for bottled water. I also get 50% off Wi‑Fi, which changes the math dramatically.

Wi‑Fi: The Hidden Budget Buster

Princess Plus only includes one device per person. That doesn’t work for us. We each use: one phone and one computer each = 4 devices

So I always buy the full package for four devices.

I paid:

CAD $746.45 / US $525.87 (for 4 devices, for the entire cruise that includes my 50% past passenger discount)

Worth it for peace of mind and not having to sign on and off like a circus act. For 23 days, I’m not playing that game.

Gratuities: Included… or Not?

Princess Plus includes tips, but I prefer to pay them myself.

US $18 per day × 23 days = US $414 per person = US $828 for two

Who Does the Package Work For?

If you:

• Drink 6 alcoholic drinks a day

• Like bottled water

• Enjoy fancy coffees

• Plan to use only one Wi‑Fi device

• Want casual dining included

…then yes, the package might be worth it.

But for people like me? Do the math. Every time.

I did and I saved US$1,866.13

Canadian Food Inventions

• Butter Tarts - Barrie 1900
• Nanaimo Bars - Nanaimo 1952
• Poutine - Montreal late 1950's
• Hawkins Cheezies - Belleville 1949
• Ginger Ale - Toronto 1907
• Canola Oil - Sask/Manitoba 1960's
• Pablum - Toronto 1930
• Instant Mashed Potatoes - Ottawa 1962
• Yukon Gold Potatoes - Guelph 1960's
• Peanut Butter - Montreal 1884
• California Rolls - Vancouver 1971
• Cuban Lunch - Winnipeg 1948
• The Caesar Drink - Calgary 1969
• Beaver Tails - Ottawa 1978
• Maple Syrup - Quebec Pre 17-1800's
• Hawaiian Pizza - Chatham 1962
• Ginger Beef - Calgary 1975
• Chewing Gum - Toronto 1860's

My favorite Canadian Food Invention is Nanaimo Bars.  Peanut Butter, Ginger Ale and Yukon Gold Potatoes are next.  I've never had a Beaver Tail.  We didn't have one when we were in Ottawa but there is a Beaver Tail pastry shop in White Rock a couple of doors east of Moby Dicks.  I was going to get one until I read this: 

BeaverTails pastries range from 385 to 640 calories depending on the flavor. Classic cinnamon-sugar and lemon options sit on the lower end, while heavily loaded, chocolate-drizzled, and candy-topped varieties push into the higher calorie spectrum.

I'd never heard of Cuban Lunch so I looked it up:

The Cuban Lunch is a nostalgic Canadian chocolate bar originally made in Winnipeg. Discontinued in 1991, this classic treat consists of a block of dark chocolate packed with crunchy peanuts, famously served in a distinct red frilly paper cup. It was successfully revived by an Alberta couple and is now manufactured in Delta, British Columbia. 

Honouring Vivian Jung: A Hidden Hero of Vancouver’s History

Every May, Asian Heritage Month brings a burst of celebrations across Canada — festivals, talks, performances, and community gatherings that honour the depth and diversity of pan‑Asian histories. I was born in Vancouver, yet it wasn’t until about five years ago that I first learned about the remarkable Vivian Jung.

Tecumseh Elementary School in East Vancouver held a special project celebrating Jung’s legacy. She taught at Tecumseh for 35 years. It was an opportunity not only to honour her achievements as the first Chinese Canadian teacher hired by the Vancouver School Board in 1950, but also to recognize her courageous role in challenging racial segregation at a local public pool — a chapter of our city’s history that far too few people know.

A 1941 Vancouver Sun clipping shows the stark reality of that era: public pool rules that explicitly segregated swimmers by race. While many of us are familiar with Jim Crow laws in the United States, fewer realize that British Columbia had its own mix of formal and informal segregation. It appeared in public pools, movie theatres, restaurants, hospitals, workplaces, and even in attempts to segregate schools. Social change didn’t arrive overnight — it came because ordinary people, including Jung, refused to accept discrimination as the status quo.

Born in Merritt, B.C., Jung faced barrier after barrier in her pursuit of becoming a teacher. In a 2012 interview with educator Bill Barazzuol, she spoke about her father arriving in Canada at just 16 years old to work on the railroad — a reminder of the sacrifices and resilience that shaped so many early Chinese Canadian families. Jung carried that resilience forward, using her voice and her presence to open doors for those who would follow.

Her story is a powerful reminder that history isn’t only made by headline figures. Sometimes it’s shaped by quiet courage — by people who simply insist on fairness, dignity, and the right to belong.

She passed away on March 30, 2014 at the age of 89.

Alaska Then and Now: Reflections From 40 Years on the Inside Passage

 

Two ships docked in Skagway in 1990

When I first sailed to Alaska in 1986, the journey felt like stepping into a private world. The ships were small — real small — and they travelled the true Inside Passage. We slipped north between Vancouver Island and the mainland. All the way up the coast, we saw islands on either side of the ship all the way to Juneau. We were sheltered by the islands, gliding through calm water that felt like a hidden marine highway known only to a lucky few.

Those early voyages were quiet, personal, and deeply connected to the coastline. You didn’t just see Alaska — you felt it. The ship hugged the shore, weaving through narrow channels where you could watch eagles perched on driftwood and fishing boats heading home at dusk. It was the kind of travel that made you slow down and breathe.

The Golden Age of Cruising — At Least, That’s How It Felt

Cruising in the 1980s had its own charm. There were no specialty restaurants charging US $60 per person. The dining room was the heart of the ship, and the food — well, it was genuinely excellent. Every meal felt like an occasion.

And people dressed for dinner. Formal night meant long gowns, sparkling jewellery, and men in tuxedos. The ship would hum with that special kind of excitement that comes from everyone putting in the effort. It wasn’t about being fancy — it was about honouring the moment.

Fast Forward to Today: The Era of the Mega Ship

Now Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world. Mega ships carry thousands of passengers, and the Inside Passage has become a highway of its own. Princess has 50% of their fleet in Alaska, sailing from San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver. Prices this year have jumped sharply — partly because so many sailings are sold out. Alaska isn’t a hidden gem anymore; it’s a global favourite.

Today’s ships are floating resorts: • Dozens of restaurants • Broadway‑style shows • Go‑kart tracks, zip lines, and multi‑storey atriums • Specialty dining that can cost more than a nice dinner out at home

It’s impressive, no question. But it’s different.

What Hasn’t Changed

Alaska still has a way of getting under your skin. The glaciers still crack like thunder. The whales still rise out of the water like they’re greeting you. The air still smells like cedar and salt and something ancient.

Whether you’re on a 200‑passenger ship or a 5,000‑passenger one, Alaska remains Alaska — wild, humbling, and unforgettable.

What I’ve Learned After Four Decades

Travel changes. Ships change. Trends come and go. But the magic of Alaska endures.

If anything, having seen both eras — the quiet, intimate Inside Passage of the 1980s and the bustling, high‑demand Alaska of today — makes me appreciate the journey even more. I’ve watched Alaska cruising grow from a niche adventure to a worldwide phenomenon, and I feel lucky to have experienced it from the beginning.

And every time I sail north, I’m reminded of that first trip in 1986, when the ship was small, the water was calm, and Alaska felt like a secret whispered just to me.

Azamara Pursuit

Yesterday I received an invitation to tour the Azamara Pursuit.  She was berthed at Canada Place and on it's way to Alaska.  Azamara is a high-end, upscale boutique cruise line.  It bridges the gap between premium lines like Celebrity and ultra-luxury brands like Seabourn or Silversea.  Azamara has four ships that carry no more than 702 passengers.  They are small and elegant.

This is the view from the aft of the ship.  The Disney Wonder was boarding yesterday also was the Oceania Riviera.  Canada Place was handling all the passengers well.  We didn't see any long lines.  They are now doing staggered boarding so everyone doesn't show up at 10:30.

An Oceanview Cabin

A Balcony Cabin

The nicest suite is a Spa Suite!

Bathroom with jacuzzi on the patio

A huge bedroom in a Bordeau Suite with plenty of cupboards, a sliding glass door to the balcony and another gorgeous bathroom.

One of the many bars

Dining Room

The Buffet.  I've never been on a ship with wine and water glasses on the buffet tables!

Your base cruise fare with Azamara includes:

• Beverages: Select spirits, international beers, and wines, plus bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees, and teas throughout the ship.
• Gratuities: Standard onboard gratuities for housekeeping, dining, and bar staff.
• Dining: All meals in the main dining room (Discoveries Restaurant), buffet (Windows Cafe), and daytime casual snacks.
• AzAmazing Evenings: One signature, immersive evening shore event per voyage (excluding Transatlantic/Transpacific sailings).
• Practical Perks: Self-service laundry, and shuttle service to and from port communities (where available). 

I was really impressed with this cruise line.  They were formerly owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.  In 2021 they were aquired by a New York Equity Fund.  They have more time in ports than any other cruise lines.  They also offer many overnight stays in ports.  This is a way to really see cities.  There is no casino but a lot of enrichment talks and a gorgeous library.  

Tipping

 This is an interesting view  I don't agree with it, but he does make his point.

My daughter worked for the IHOP through high school and university.  In those days people left cash on the table.  The waitress picked up the cash tip and they shared the tip with the kitchen staff, hostess and kept the rest.  

Now when you tip from your credit card, you don't know if the waitress is actually receiving the tip or if the employer is using the cash for payroll.  I liked the way it was.  I ordered food on the app, went to the store and picked it up and a tip came up when I checked out.  I wish they would include the tips in the price.  That way people would get a proper wage and wouldn't be reliant on their tips.  

When the service is excellent, I give the waitress a cash tip.  

I've been waiting and watching and it finally happened!

In the 1960's when I bought my first car, my dad told me, "buy new, keep it for 50,000 miles and then get another one".  I did that for many years.  My husband bought a Honda Pilot and I still had my Honda Civic.  Once I drove the Pilot I never wanted to drive the Civic.  The vision in the Pilot was great and it was so comfortable.  The Civic sat in the driveway for a few months and my neighbour asked if I would like to sell it.  A lady he worked with had a Civic and it was giving her problems.  She came to my house in a very old Civic and told me it had 400,000 miles on it!   She bought my Civic.

My friend Donna had a Honda Pilot but one year older than ours.  They sold theirs at 220,000 KMS!  I decided I would keep ours until it started to give us trouble.  We've only replaced the battery, tires and the timing belt.  We always get our servicing done at the Honda dealership.  We know they charge us more, but we also know their mechanics are qualified.

This happened yesterday as I was driving into my garage:

🤞🤞🤞

When a ship has problems.....

I was on a ship that lost power in port.  We returned from a visiting a port and all the people with walkers and wheel chairs were sitting near the entrance.  They told us to use the stairs as the elevators were not working.  It wasn't until we got onto another floor, we saw all power was lost.  We parked ourselves in a lounge and talked to other passengers.  No problem, it happens.  We were only without power for about 20 minutes but they said later the power was off for two hours.  Good thing we enjoyed our port day.  It was before sail away and the rest of the cruise was perfect.

Imagine waking up on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean… to find the lights off, the air conditioning silent, and the ship completely drifting in the open sea.

That's exactly what happened to 3,140 guests aboard Caribbean Princess on the early morning of June 5, 2026. The ship lost ALL main power TWICE in the Caribbean heat — and the situation drew immediate comparisons to Carnival's infamous 2013 "Poop Cruise."

Here's exactly what happened:

🔹 Date: Early morning of June 5, 2026

🔹 Location: Caribbean Sea, en route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Port Canaveral, Florida

🔹 Ship: Caribbean Princess (3,142 max passengers, 23 years old, 112,894 gross tons)

🔹 Power outages: TWO complete blackouts, separated by about 15 minutes

🔹 Duration: Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes of disrupted power

🔹 Impact: Loss of propulsion, air conditioning, lighting, and most onboard systems

🔹 Speed: Ship limped along at just 2 knots during the crisis

What the passengers experienced:

🔹 Total darkness in the early morning hours

🔹 No air conditioning in sweltering Caribbean heat

🔹 Sudden silence as engines went dark

🔹 The ship literally drifting in open water for a period

🔹 One passenger sitting on their balcony described the ship suddenly going quiet

🔹 Another said: "Just floating around again and the ship is going to hit some winds on the starboard side"

🔹 Family members on land briefly connected with worried passengers

How the crew handled the situation:

🔹 Captain immediately addressed passengers over the public address system

🔹 Engineers worked around the clock to restore power

🔹 First outage was resolved within about 15 minutes

🔹 A second total blackout occurred shortly after

🔹 Full power was restored after the extended outage

🔹 The captain still made it to a pre-scheduled "Coffee with the Captain" Q&A

🔹 One Reddit commenter praised the captain's communication: "He made it to the scheduled Coffee with the Captain Q&A and answered questions in a way everyone could understand. Well done."

Why this draws comparisons to the 2013 Carnival "Poop Cruise":

🔹 The Carnival Triumph incident in 2013 left 4,200 passengers without working bathrooms for days

🔹 Power outages create the worst possible conditions for cruise ship operations

🔹 No AC + no working systems + tropical heat = a quickly deteriorating situation

🔹 Caribbean Princess passengers were extremely lucky power was restored quickly

🔹 If the outage had lasted longer, sanitation, food preservation, and safety could have all been affected

The good news for Caribbean Princess passengers:

🔹 Power was fully restored after about 1 hour 15 minutes

🔹 The visit to San Juan on June 4 was the final port stop — no further ports to miss

🔹 The ship continued to Port Canaveral with no further issues

🔹 Disembarkation on June 7 happened on schedule

🔹 The next embarkation day (June 7) was NOT impacted

🔹 No one was injured

What this incident reveals about the cruise industry:

🔹 Even 20+ year old cruise ships can experience major system failures

🔹 Modern cruise ships are remarkably complex floating cities

🔹 Power redundancy is built in, but rare cascading failures CAN happen

🔹 Crew training for emergency situations is generally excellent

🔹 Most cruise ship incidents are resolved much faster than headlines suggest

🔹 Communication during incidents is critical — and Caribbean Princess's captain did this well

Lessons for cruisers:

🔹 Bring a small battery-powered fan in your luggage (just in case)

🔹 Have a flashlight or headlamp accessible in your cabin

🔹 Keep cell phones charged in case of an emergency

🔹 Know where the emergency stairwells are

🔹 Pack basic supplies — water bottles, snacks — that could last hours if needed

🔹 Travel insurance with trip interruption coverage is always smart

The reality is that most major cruise lines have outstanding safety records. Caribbean Princess has been sailing for over two decades without major incidents. The June 5 power outage was unusual, scary for those onboard, but resolved without injury or extended disruption.

Still, the incident is a sobering reminder that being out at sea on a giant ship means relying entirely on that ship's systems working. When they don't, even briefly, the consequences can be very real.

Our former Steveston neighbours were on a cruise from Tahiti to Hawaii and lost the air conditioning.  Everyone slept on the deck.  She said the crew were wonderful.  They didn't get air conditioning for most of their cruise.  They got 100% future cruise credit for their inconvenience. 

Robert Bateman

Cec and I went to Victoria in May 2013 to see the new Robert Bateman Gallery.  To our surprise, he was there.  We purchased his book, which he autographed and let us take a picture with him.  We've always loved his art work.  He's a very talented Canadian.

Robert Bateman is one of Canada’s most extraordinary wildlife painters. He also happens to live in Saanich-Gulf Islands!  He recently celebrated his 96th birthday and still paints daily.

Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament for Saanich Gulf Islands presented a petition calling on the government to speak with the National Gallery and encourage them to showcase the lifetime work of Robert Bateman.

The mandate of the National Gallery is to showcase artists who contribute significantly to Canadian culture and identity. Mr. Bateman’s work meets this standard in every way, yet it has never been exhibited at the National Gallery.

If you want to see his work in the National Gallery, please sign this petition:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7456

Robert Bateman Honours and awards

• Life Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
• Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, 1977
• Officer of the Order of Canada, 1984
• Member of Honour Award, World Wildlife Fund, 1985 (presented by the Prince Philip)
• Society of Animal Artists Award of Excellence 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1990, 2008; Lifetime Achievement 2010
• Lescarbot Award presented by the Canadian Government, 1992
• Rachel Carson Award presented by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Washington D.C., 1996
• Order of British Columbia, 2001
• Rungius Medal presented by the National Museum of Wildlife Art, 2001
• Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002
• Roland Michener Conservation Award presented by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, 2003
• Ideas for Life Award, Canadian Environment Awards, 2006
• Human Rights Defender Award presented by Amnesty International, 2007
• Niagara Escarpment Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009
• Royal Canadian Geographical Society Gold Medal, 2013

Legends

 

I rarely watch thriller movies or series. They’re usually too dark, too frantic, or simply not my style. But every now and then, something keeps popping up in reviews, in conversations, in those little corners of the internet where people whisper, “You have to watch this.” That’s exactly how I ended up pressing play on Legends — and I’m so glad I did.

Legends is a British crime‑thriller series written and created by Neil Forsyth and produced by his Tannadice Pictures company. What sets it apart is that it isn’t just another fictional drama about undercover agents. It’s a dramatization of a true story — one that unfolded quietly behind the scenes in the early 1990s, when Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise was losing its battle against drug smuggling across Britain’s borders.

Faced with a crisis, a small, hand‑picked team of customs employees was given new identities and sent deep undercover to infiltrate some of the most dangerous drug gangs operating in the country. No glamour. No Hollywood gloss. Just ordinary people stepping into extraordinary danger because someone had to.

The cast is exceptional: Steve Coogan, Tom Burke, Hayley Squires, and Aml Ameen bring a grounded, human realism to the story. Their performances make you feel the tension, the fear, the moral weight, and the strange loneliness of living a life that isn’t yours.

And here’s the part that surprised me most: It was one of the best series I’ve seen in a long time.

The writing is sharp, the pacing is tight, and the story never drifts into sensationalism. Instead, it honours the real people who took enormous risks to protect their country — people most of us have never heard of.

For someone like me, who rarely dips into thrillers, Legends was a reminder that sometimes stepping outside your usual viewing habits leads you straight to something remarkable. If you’re looking for a series that’s gripping, intelligent, and rooted in true events, this one is absolutely worth your time.

A wonderful lunch with high school friends

Yesterday was one of those simple, good-for-the-soul days. Cec and I headed over to Victoria with my friend Donna for a long‑overdue visit with Janice and Jim. The four of us—Donna, Janice, Jim, and I—went to school together many years ago, and no matter how much time passes, there’s something comforting about slipping back into those old friendships. Seeing them again felt like opening a window to a familiar breeze.

Our day started at Tsawwassen, boarding the ferry for the beautiful crossing to Swartz Bay. No matter how many times I take that route, the scenery never gets old—the islands, the light on the water, the quiet hum of the ship. From Swartz Bay, we hopped onto the 72 Double Decker bus, riding like tourists and enjoying the view all the way into Sidney.

It was just a day trip, but it carried that lovely feeling of reconnecting—with friends, with memories, and with the easy rhythm of Vancouver Island life. Sometimes the best days are the ones that unfold simply: a ferry ride, a bus ride, and a table shared with people who knew you when you were young.

We walked the waterfront to Jack's on the Water.

Lunch with old friends always feels like slipping into a favourite sweater—comfortable, familiar, and full of good memories. The five of us settled in and ordered a mix of dishes that turned out to be as delightful as the company. Janice, Jim, and Cec all chose the halibut fish and chips, perfectly golden and crisp. Donna went for the fish tacos, and I had the salmon, which was cooked beautifully. Every entrée was excellent, and the service matched it—friendly, attentive, and relaxed, just the way a long lunch with friends should be.

After we finished catching up over our plates, Jim kindly drove us back to the ferry terminal. The sailing home was wonderfully calm, the kind of smooth crossing that lets you just sit back and enjoy the view. We didn’t spot any whales this time, but I did see a fish leap out of the water—a tiny moment, but it made me smile. Two elegant sailboats glided past as well, their white sails bright against the blue. It was the perfect quiet ending to a day filled with connection and nostalgia.

Some days don’t need anything extraordinary to make them special. Good friends, good food, and a peaceful trip home can be more than enough.

Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Edward turned down a dukedom on his wedding day — and then waited twenty-four years to receive the one he actually wanted.  When he married in 1999, the convention was clear: sons of the monarch become dukes upon marriage.  His brothers had become Duke of York and (later) Duke of Cambridge would follow for William.  Edward instead took the lesser rank of earl, choosing a territorial name reportedly inspired by a character in the film "Shakespeare in Love."

Behind the modest choice sat a remarkable promise.  Buckingham Palace announced that he would eventually be granted the Duke of Edinburgh title — his father's — but only after Prince Philip's death and only when the title reverted to the Crown. It was, in effect, an inheritance announced decades in advance, dependent on the decisions of a future monarch who was not yet on the throne.

Philip died in 2021.  The title passed first, by law, to Charles as his eldest son.  When Charles became King in 2022, the question became live: would he honour a promise made by his mother a quarter of a century earlier?

On March 10, 2023 — Edward's 59th birthday — the answer came.  The King conferred the dukedom on his youngest brother, for Edward's lifetime only. Sophie became Duchess of Edinburgh.

The man who took the smallest title in 1999 now carries the one most closely associated with his father, awarded as a birthday present by his brother.  Patience, in this family, is occasionally rewarded — it just takes a generation.

From Liquid Paper to MTV!

A divorced single mom got fired from her bank secretary job in 1958.  Twenty-one years later she sold her side hustle for $47.5 million — and her teenage helper went on to invent MTV.

Her name was Bette Nesmith Graham.

Born in Dallas in 1924, Bette was a high school dropout. She married a soldier named Warren Nesmith at 19, gave birth to a son named Michael in 1942, and watched her marriage collapse when her husband came back from World War II.  By 1946 she was a 22-year-old single mother with no diploma, no career, and no plan.

She earned her GED in night school.  She took a typing job.  By 1951, she was the executive secretary to the chairman of the board of the Texas Bank and Trust in Dallas, earning about $300 a month.  She was good at her job.  She was also a terrible typist.

The Texas Bank had just installed brand new IBM electric typewriters.  The keys were sensitive.  Carbon-film ribbons left ink that could not be erased cleanly. A single typo could mean retyping an entire page from scratch.  Her son Michael later remembered watching his mother sit at the kitchen table in the evenings, trying to fix mistakes, sometimes bursting into "tears of panic" over the fear of being fired.

Bette had one side hustle that saved her: she earned extra money painting holiday window displays at the bank.

One day, watching herself paint over a mistake on a window — calmly, with a little brush, no eraser needed — she had a thought.

"An artist never corrects by erasing," she said later.  "They paint over the error."

That night she went to the public library, looked up a recipe for tempera paint, and went home to her kitchen blender.  She mixed up a thin white liquid. She poured it into an empty nail polish bottle.  She tinted it to match her bank's stationery.  She brought it to work the next morning with a small watercolor brush.

When she made a typo, she dabbed a little white paint over it, let it dry, and typed right over the spot.

Her boss never noticed.  For five years.

But her fellow secretaries did.  They asked her for some.  Then their friends asked.  Then strangers from other offices started showing up.  By 1956 she was making batches in her kitchen and selling them out of nail polish bottles.  She called it Mistake Out.  Her son Michael — by then 14 years old — and his friends filled the bottles in the garage for a dollar an hour.

In 1958, she got fired.

She had absent-mindedly typed her own company's name — Mistake Out Co. — onto a letter for her boss.  He sent her packing.

It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her.

She renamed the product Liquid Paper, patented it, and devoted herself to it full time.  A 1958 mention in a trade magazine called The Office brought in 500 inquiries from across the country.  General Electric placed an order for 400 bottles in three colors — four times her entire monthly production.  By 1968 she was selling a million bottles a year. By the mid-1970s, 25 million bottles a year.

She built her headquarters in Dallas and ran it the way she wished her old bosses had run things.  The Liquid Paper Corporation had an on-site library.  An on-site child care center for her employees' kids.  She filled management with women.  She integrated her staff. She hired employees with disabilities, including blind workers and wheelchair users.  She drew her org chart as a circle, not a pyramid.  She paid for 75% of any employee's continuing education.  She let employee committees vote on company decisions.

It was the late 1970s. Most of corporate America was decades behind her.

Then in 1975, her second husband, Robert Graham — whom she had married in 1962 and brought into the business — divorced her and tried to push her out of her own company.  He changed her formula.  He cut off her royalties.  Bette, sick and exhausted, fought back and held onto a 49% stake.

In 1979, with her health failing, Bette sold Liquid Paper to Gillette for $47.5 million in stock — about $173 million in today's money — plus a royalty on every single bottle sold for the next twenty years.

Six months later, on May 12, 1980, she had a stroke and died.  She was 56 years old.

Half of her fortune went to two foundations she had built to support women in business and women in the arts.  The other half went to her son.

That son had spent his teenage years filling Liquid Paper bottles in her garage.  By the time of his mother's death, he was already famous — but for something else entirely. His name was Michael Nesmith.  He was the wool-cap-wearing guitarist of The Monkees, one of the biggest pop groups of the 1960s.

What happened next is the part nobody tells.

Michael took his Liquid Paper royalties and used them to fund a small experimental TV show he had dreamed up — a show that played short promotional films set to popular songs.  He called it PopClips.  It aired in 1980 and 1981 on a cable network called Nickelodeon.

PopClips was the direct prototype for MTV, which launched in August 1981.  Industry historians credit Michael Nesmith's work with helping invent the modern music video format that would transform pop music for the next thirty years.

So the next time you see an old Liquid Paper bottle in a desk drawer, remember:

A divorced single mother who got fired from her secretary job for being a bad typist invented a kitchen-blender solution, built one of the most progressive workplaces in 1970s America, sold her company for nearly fifty million dollars — and her son used the money to help invent MTV.

Bette Graham proved something her old boss had failed to notice for five years.

The mistakes weren't the problem. They were the opportunity.

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FIFA Vancouver 2026

 

The 2026 FIFA games in Vancouver have started.  The first game was last night.  We heard downtown was very busy but we never went near it.  I loved seeing all the Australians who flew to Vancouver to watch their team they call the Socceroos!  There are also a lot of Turkiye fans.

Let's hope there is no problems and all the fans have a great time.  

There are watch parties for those who didn't get tickets in many areas around Vancouver.  We went to a pub for dinner and it was busy!  It's great for all the restaurants and bars!