VANCOUVER (CBC) - A rock slide closed the highway to Whistler for seven hours Thursday, just as officials of the International Olympic Committee were holding a news conference in Vancouver on preparations for the 2010 Winter Games.

It was the second time this week that a rock slide has closed Highway 99, a vital transportation link between Vancouver and Whistler that will be used by Olympic athletes, officials and spectators when the Games begin.

continued at http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/13092007/3/canada-highway-99-closure-raises-olympic-fears.html

This is suprising given the major work that is being done on this highway ….

Now what do I do?  Ella-dog is gone (before leaving Squamish, I went through the underbrush twice looking for E-dog’s marker and the dang bushes were so overgrown, I couldn’t find her burial site) and now I am living in Nanaimo.  The blog title seems a misnomer but for the time being I will keep everything as is and have added a category:  Nanaimo.

I left Squamish last Wednesday with my car full of belongings after a sweet and lovely last day at my workplace.  My immediate colleagues took me out for lunch, I received a card and a present, four of my ‘clients’ stopped in to say bye to me … all much appreciated. 

I managed to catch the 7:20 pm ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay in Nanaimo and was in awe.  The land/seascape from the ferry was so beautiful, only marred by the yellow haze that was apparent from a distance in the Vancouver area.  At around 9 pm, maybe 20 minutes before the ferry arrived in Nanaimo, a big orange full moon appeared in the eastern horizon.  It was incredible to see from the water and I took it to be an auspicious sign of my move to Nanaimo.

And then today, I heard from my cousin’s son that his mom (cousin Betty to me) died on August 31st.  I hope she was able to see that big, full harvest moon before she died.  She was a role model for me - she graduated from McGill University in 1944, was sent to Harvard thereafter for the female business program, married, had two kids, divorced in the mid-1960s, did an MA at OISE, worked at TVO, etc. afterwards … was always very keen about promoting women’s careers.  I didn’t know all this history until the mid-80s when I thought I was the family baa-baa black sheep (being a feminist in the mid-1980s).  But her mother, my grand-father’s sister, had graduated with a BA from the University of Winnipeg in the mid-1910s.  Hell, I didn’t even know my paternal grandfather was a lawyer, though he never practised law, until two years ago!  I did know that my father had wanted to go into law at some point in his life, I will likely have regrets for not pursuing law myself and I expect my neice thinks about going into law (my aspirations for her to be a periodontist seem to have come to naught!)  

I am so happy that R. and I attended Betty’s 80th birthday celebration in Collingwood and saw the old homestead in Duntroon (it is still there).  My paternal great-grandfather left Duntroon, first went to Kansas, then ended up in Tenttown (later known as Swan River, Manitoba).  All to say, thank-you cousin Betty for blazing a trail and providing me with a role model … too bad for me that I didn’t know your history when I was in my late teens and it is so sad that my neice will not get to meet you in this life as she is quite a trail-blazer herself.  Peace be with you.

This event took place this past weekend.  Here is an article about the event and its history that was in the Sea to Sky News at http://www.stsnews.ca/home.html

In the past half-century there have been far too many people involved in Loggers Sports to include in one newspaper article but on the eve of Loggers Sports 50th Anniversary Sea to Sky News talked with one of its founders Al McIntosh and one of its best ambassadors to audiences around the world Bryan Couture. Al McIntosh retired from emceeing the show two years ago but he was asked to come back for one last time for the 50th Anniversary, and so most appropriately he’ll be out at the grounds for the Sunday show once again. “I guess you could say I’ve been at it for long time, I’m the only one on the committee that’s been here since it started in ‘57. We actually did a little show in 1956 among ourselves, just local guys having fun, but one thing led to another and in 1957 Loggers Sports began,” said McIntosh. STS NEWS: What was it like back then? McIntosh: Well we were at the other grounds near the blind channel and we were there for 25 years. In ‘57 the highway hadn’t gone through yet and the train just been put through, so it was still mostly local. The log rolling was done in the Mamquam Blind Channel and we had to walk spectators over to it. STS NEWS: What events did you compete in back then? McIntosh: I started in the choker race and power saw. I didn’t climb trees, although I did do it for a living later on and I always liked doing it. Thor and Harold Halverson invented the obstacle pole dunking, in the old days we used to leave the limbs on and they’d have to cut the end off, we’d have six trees but we’d only have six competitors, but as we added more competitors we had to change that. STS NEWS: What’s changed among the competitors? McIntosh: We started out with 140 foot trees that was the highest tree climb in the world, then they standardized it at a 100 feet and now that they’re harder to get it’s at 80 feet. In the early days the climbers would spin around the pole on the way down, now they just cut loose and go straight down catching themselves maybe four times coming down. One of our local climbers can go up and down in about 35 seconds. Also there was this guy from Alaska moved the spurs from the side to the toe so he could almost run up the pole, on the face instead of the side. It’s unbelievable how they’ve changed stuff through the years, even the saws, the double bucksaws are almost as fast as chainsaws now. I’ve watched it all from the start, and I’m very happy to be coming back. STS NEWS: What was the inspiration for Loggers Sports? McIntosh: Well in the old days you couldn’t really get out of Squamish all that easily so we had to make our own entertainment. Now it’s the biggest two-day logging show in the world. I’ve been to a great many of them and there’s not one that has the grounds or facilities that even comes close to this. Competitors from all over the world, probably 150 will be here come Sunday competing for $50,000 in prize money this year. STS NEWS: Where do the competitors mainly come from? McIntosh: They come from Denmark, Norway, Germany, Holland, England, New Zealand and Australia are top competitors these days. It’s quite a cross section and we usually try to put a flag up for each country. Also there are a couple of lady events as well, in some cases against the men in the novice events. We have a woman’s double buck and a triple event for ladies; the choker race, axe throw and double buck or single buck, whoever gets the most points wins the triple. STS NEWS: And the spectators, they’re not just locals anymore? McIntosh: No, definitely not just locals anymore, a lot of people come from the Lower Mainland and of course the US. I know some people from Arizona who are coming up to watch the show this year. But you see it at the show; you say, ‘where’re you from?’ and they say New Zealand or Holland. STS NEWS: How much of an impact has Loggers Sports had on other events and competitions? McIntosh: The choker race started in Squamish, world championships, and Canadian championships started here. Gary Henderson and myself started the axe throwing; all these events are used all over the world now. STS NEWS: Who are the best Loggers? Couture: For tree climbing there’s a guy out of Grant’s Pass, Oregon Brian Borteau and Wade Stewart out of Canada. For log rolling and climbing it’s a lot of east coast guys like Darren Hudson and world champion Phil Scott from Nova Scotia. The choppers are mainly guys from New Zealand like Jason Winger and David Bolstead or from Australia, Mitch Hewitt, Dale Ryan; those are guys that travel the world competing all the time. STS NEWS: You (Bryan Couture) travel a lot as well where do you like to go? Couture: I like staying in Canada more these days because there’s a lot of history here, especially Western Canada. Even Eastern Canada doesn’t have lumberjack shows like this and the quality of Loggers Sports here is the same show we take on the road, same quality. STS NEWS: What’s the secret to being a good chainsaw carver? Couture: The secret to being a top chainsaw carver is speed, accuracy, having all your fingers (McIntosh – “don’t clown about that, that’s important”), knowing the chainsaw and how to file it properly so it cuts smooth. Being accurate with all your cuts, I like to meet all my cuts dead on even though they’re on angles and being exact, I’m pretty fussy about my chairs – that takes a lot of practice. STS NEWS: How much is a lot? Couture: I’m pretty fortunate I do lumberjack shows across Canada and around the world so I get to do lots of chairs. At a convention or show I probably carve 30-40 chairs over a weekend that’s easy practice so you can get really good at it, a lot of guys just get to do it when their competing – so their not finessed, I’ve been doing it now for 25 years at Loggers Sports plus competitions and travelling. When you’re going to do a chainsaw carving you don’t know it’s a chair until it’s turned up. But when I do turn it up I always say this is the best seat in the house when you come to see Loggers Sports. STS NEWS: What makes a good chopper? Couture: The axe, a very sharp axe, your technique, your strength and knowledge of different types of wood. Our wood is soft wood and the guys from Australia and New Zealand call it butter, they chop hard woods and that gives them an advantage obviously. Plus they chop a lot of different types of wood and are very knowledgeable on that. Here we chop alder, cottonwood, back east and on the prairies we chop poplar. In the US it’s pretty much the same. STS NEWS: What about the time Michael Palin (he of the lumberjack song fame) visited Loggers Sports? McIntosh: He was a great sport, he tried every thing we asked him to and then he fell in the log rolling pool so I had to lend him my pants, and about a month later they came back to me in the mail. He didn’t sing the entire lumberjack song when he was here, he sort of kibitzed around it but we sang it to him. We’ve had other dignitaries as well, they include all sorts of politicians and a few football players like Lefty Hendrickson – who’ll be here this year, he was born in Squamish and he was just put on the wall of fame with the BC Lions. There’s been all sorts of people from all walks of life that snowboarder fellow…uh Ross Regabliati and lots of others. We always start the show off with a bang, have a visiting dignitary shoot the top of a tree off, and we have a big name this year. I can’t tell you who it is but it’s not a politician, I think people will get a kick out of it. STS NEWS: You mentioned Lefty Hendrickson, who are some of the other old timers coming back for the Loggers Sports 50th? McIntosh: A lot will be here who were from the early days. I’m hoping the Halverson boys (Harold, Thor and Norm) will come and Ron Hartell from New Zealand, who was seven times world champion, Also local guys like Jim Whittaker; Bruce Carson unfortunately won’t be here this year, he used to be one of our top choppers there were a few guys like that who were the backbone of Loggers Sports in getting it started. Gordy Hart him and his son Greg were a one two punch at Loggers Sports for many years. So a lot of the old timers have been invited and we know a lot of them are coming. We’re looking forward to that because there will be a private get together for the old timers after the show, sort of a reunion after the Sunday show. STS NEWS: Is it true it rains every year as some people say? McIntosh: I would say about 50/50 but not both days, and only once did it pour the whole weekend, but I was amazed how many people stayed in the stands under umbrellas and watched the show because the guys still had to do their deal. The heat has actually been a bigger problem on a few occasions, because they have to wear all their gear and they’re in a lot of events but the show goes on. STS NEWS: What are some of the jobs you’ve had over the years for Loggers Sports? McIntosh: 32 years ago Bryan came to me and said he wanted to be involved in the show and since then he’s been a lot of positions. Couture: Within the committee we go through president, vice president just not treasurer, we don’t handle that, we just make the money for them. McIntosh: When I retired John Hurford took over and Bryan’s been grounds chairman he makes sure everything’s right with that and that’s a lot of hard work. STS NEWS: And after all these years what are you best memories? Couture: For me winning an event, being Canadian champ that’s a heck of a thrill and I’ve been very fortunate to win a few Canadian championships, in double hand bucking with Ian Morretti, I think we won it two years in a row actually. I’ve won lots of other events at the local level but for a lot of guys it’s just being out here competing and they still love the sport. And it’s a family too, if someone gets hurt or passes away everyone knows about it. We had a friend, Jack Brownjohn one of our best axe throwers was injured in a mining accident up in Williams Lake last month and everyone’s emailing him and calling him. McIntosh: There’s a lot of camaraderie that’s a big part of this sport. Couture: We’ve done a lot of commercials and TV. We did the Kellogg’s Raisin Bran commercial; Sturdy Dan McGee goes up his 49th tree. Also the movie The Legend of Natty Gann. McIntosh: I had a speaking part in that movie, one of my lines was, “We’re finished on this mountain right?” Twenty years later I still get residuals from that. Couture: I guess one of the highlights I remember is going with all the guys in a caravan from event to event. About 15 of us, Al would be emcee, the clowns lived here, all the top competitors lived here, log rollers, tree climbers, choppers, and we would keep in touch on our CBs as we went to the next show. It was so perfect and afterwards on our way home we’d circle the RVs and have a potluck dinner together, it was awesome, we don’t have times like that anymore. McIntosh: Sittin’ in the stands watching trees fall - it’s a thrill to watch, and you can’t match background scenery looking up at Garibaldi and the other mountains, I’ve enjoyed it all through the years. But I guess the best memory for me was when they surprised me about eight years ago. They made this big banner and in the middle of the show they interrupted me and someone grabbed the mic out of my hands, I can’t remember who it was, and next thing I know they’re putting that banner up in the trees. I tell you what when I saw what it said – Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds – it was a long time before I could speak, it choked me up that day I can tell you. That’s quite an honour to have a park named after you, it’s not too many people who get that. I will have to watch The Legend of Natty Gann.

Kodi (December 24, 1990 - July 11, 2007), another old dog, is memorialized by his family in this week’s Squamish Chief.  They included the following lovely tribute:

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.  There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.  Their bright eyes are intent; their eager body quivers.  Suddenly they begin to run from the group, flying over the green grass; their legs carrying them faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.  The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

Author unknown

Was very sad to read that three bears were killed in Whistler area last week Juniper (January 2004 - July 2007); Beari, her cub (January 2007 - July 2007) and Millie (January 1987 - July 2007).

For more information about bear conservation see http://www.bearsmart.com/, a site that offers lots of information about keeping bears safe and being safe around bears.

from August 10th to the 20th.  Geez, I have a lot to do between now and then!  Looking forward to visiting with friends I have missed so much in the last year.

I have thought of almost every single person I know that has died this week.  Death is so weird like that.  

Also a review of e-dog’s life: her squirrel thing (killing - how many did she kill?); she nailed a baby muskrat one time, much to my disgust; her fear around loud noises:  firecrackers, bridges, thunder (which at one point morphed into a fear of rain); how she got lost during a thunder storm at Browns Lake and D., her dog M. (deceased 8 years ago) and I were up at Browns Lake the next morning looking for her at 6 am, we put up notices all over Wakefield and the area and I received a phone call that she was at a house on Ring Road; how she took off on D. one cold, winter day at the Ottawa River and managed to cross the parkway and find her way home, exhausted; how she ‘ate’ the couch on Irving St.; how she saved the 80+ year old woman next door on Irving by barking when her place was being broken into; how she was charged with ‘assault’ on another dog (a specious claim and the charges were dropped); how she jumped up when a pup and accidentally scratched my eyeball; how she used to sit with me and put her head under my chin; how she used to lie on her back, legs splayed on the couch asleep; how she ate half the pumpkin I had carved for Halloween one year; also a 5 lb. box of chocolates; how she was ’skunked’ three times; how she turned ‘grey’ overnight after her porcupine incident; how LB and DH looked after her when I went on holiday; how she liked to eat almost anything but especially stuff that was orange (oranges, squash, carrots, etc); her special friends, MC, DH, LB, and RB, as well as LC (who used to take her with him when he went bike riding); RK (who took her for long walks in the winter); PZ (who was a good pal); and RB (who took her out to the woods at 4 am). 

I have also been thinking of the day I first saw her in the humane society pound, how I went in and sat with her, how that night we discussed powerful female names for a black dog and RW suggested the name of Ella, how I knew it was a good match:  Ella and me.  Such a life of adventure; so much love, loyalty, fun and companionship that she received and gave (even if she was an opportunist, always looking out for the next treat or walk!) 

I have been crying all week even though I know that this was the best possible decision.  I watched an adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ last night on the telly and cried throughout even though it is more a movie about women and class.  I cried when we took e-dog for her last walk this morning at the beach, when I gave her steak, when R. gave her chocolate, throughout the procedure today even though the vet. (who was very kind) confirmed that her old ticker was failing, in addition to her other multiple health concerns.  I cried burying her even though I know she is at peace and will now be able to chase squirrels again in the big sky or whatever place dog spirits go.  She will be very missed.  And I know that ella was just a ‘dog,’ but she has been, was, such a big part of my life for the last 16 years. 

I really appreciate all the kind words and thoughts about e-dog.  She is buried in a lovely spot, surrounded by forest, wind and mountains, near where the ocean meets the river and bald eagles fly.  Rest in peace, dear e-dog.

for all your kind words and tributes to ella.  It is a comfort to know how well loved she is. xxoo