Two Week Hiatus

Bloody wonderful, frankly.
Ignoring stuff, both the earth-shattering and yawn-producing stuff.

Following the tedious annual six-hour irrigation line blow-out at the golf course on Monday October 6th and the clubhouse shutdown, where chairs and tables inexplicably seem to become heavier each year, I had a new incentive to get finished...spending lots of time with our only grandchild, five-month old Theron.

Theron Bryce

   
Delightful lad, always cheerful and happy.
Kinda like his grandma before maddening, infuriating stuff occurred, thanks to government (partially) and bureaucrats (mostly).

Oh yes, the maddening stuff.
Back to that, now that my two-week break is over and the golf course is closed until Spring.

My year-long (yup, it's been one year!) attempt to achieve a semblance of procedural fairness from Greater Vernon Water's discriminatory practices on private fire hydrant billing was again brought to the fore when I ran into old friend Dave Lowry the other day while shopping. 

After the heartfelt hug and exchanged assurances on good health, Dave asked "what happened with your private fire hydrant issue?"

Apart from the (too-early, in my view) resurrection of the maddening stuff, Dave's baritone voice had piqued the attention of several shoppers in that checkout line, obvious from the turning of their heads having heard Dave's question, first to Dave, then to me.

Waiting to hear the answer.

So I replied, attempting to match the timbre of Dave's voice so that listeners could clearly hear.  

"Initially I was encouraged by GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham's comment at my September 'delegation' at RDNO when she summed up 'I think we (directors) all agree the rate for your private fire hydrant is exorbitant'.  No director opposed her summation."

Dave's wry smile told me he knew what I was up to.
After all, how often does one get a captive audience such as these few folks waiting to pay for their purchases at the cashier?

So I continued, knowing I had to immediately gain empathy by making a connection with them.

"Just like water rates--where it's not at all about conservation of water but it is about gaining as much revenue as possible--bureaucrats are running the show.  They muddy the waters with four-page reports, time after time, to directors which achieve the intended goal of glazing over directors' eyes.  Directors waffle--rather than direct--and bureaucrats get off the hook with their spurious billing practices.  The word 'exorbitant' was suddenly, somehow lost."


A furtive glance at listeners behind Dave indicated wholehearted agreement.
One even nodded slightly, not at all embarrassed at having listened.

One more sentence, and my gentle tirade would be finished:  "And the new master water plan's referendum this Fall must fail."

Another nod from the same man in the line.

The line started to move again, my minute-and-a-half sermon was over, and Dave and I said our good-byes, promising to stay in touch.

"Who'd have thought a checkout line would become an effective soapbox?" asks Kia.

Yeah, when the topic applies to everyone such as water billing.

Thank you to a Trainee cashier.