floppy fishy

Amy's first fish heads for the frying pan.

A Rare Sighting

Occasionally, when the elements are just right, a small group of Youngs will congregate together for the purpose of eating and playing cards. In late August just such an event was spotted on the north shore - local young Youngs renewed relations over take-out Thai and a physical game of Donkey on a surprisngly flimsy table. These pictures show the group of cousins frolicking after the shared meal and before the necessary ritual sacrifice of one of the Innocents.

Progress on Pirate's Island

In August we took a sojourn to Passage Island with our comrade TA to check out the nation-building over there. We drank and dined with locals and relations, met the goat and tented on the floor of the ever-rising house. The next day we took in a local beach on Bowen Island and burned in the sun.

The Prodigal Son

Of course, as no trip to the interior is fully complete without a visit to the old folks we spent several days in the bat cave on Tamarack. The little man even came down from Rumsfields oil-patch to say hi and I renewed relations with my companion Willy, who no doubt was put out by being unable to share the bed with Amy. We visited old and new friends, toured the old neighbourhood (podcast to follow?) and donated money to the local casino (wait, that was just me...).

During our summer holidays in July we travelled to Houston BC to visit the Halvorson clan there. Fun was had by all as we fished a local lake for trout. Amy successfully caught her first fish and then tried cleaning her first fish, not so successfully.

Cup Crazy!

After losing the WHL to Medicine Hat in game 7 we met them again in the Memorial Cup Final - ah, sweet revenge - the Giants sealed their first Cup title. A great ending to a awesome season!

Seabus to the Cinematheque

Just had a chance took catch the tail end of the DOXA documentary film fest downtown this weekend. We saw Quitters; about life in a UK residential treatment program. It was a good story; reminded me of the choas I work in. Would like to split a festival pass next year though, to watch more of the films during the week. At $12 a show its a bit pricey to soak them all in. A better plan would be to volunteer down there for a free pass and to meet some if the filmmakers. Mental note.

A Day at the Coliseum

Nothing says summer like watching playoff hockey! After watching the Vancouver Giants make it to the semi-final of last years Memorial Cup, and knowing they would be hosting this years tournament, we decided to get a few season tickets to partake in the fun. We took in a number of great games at the rink on Renfrew and watched the G-men win the BC Division and then lose in double OT of game 7 of the WHL final against the Medicine Hat Tigers. This past week the great hockey continued as the Memorial Cup began. This championship tournament sees the 3 CHL league winners (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) and a host team battle it out for Canadian junior hockey supremacy. After watching several of the round robin games this week I can honestly say that this the most exciting hockey around; goals, hits, great goal-tending, and personal appearances by Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Trevor Linden - and we haven't even had the final game yet! The Giants will seek revenge tomorrow in the final against the Tigers - hopefully pics of their win will follow.

Oh no we didn't!

We decided to get out of the big city for the holidays; we travelled by Cavalier to balmy Summerland, BC to meet up with an assorted collection of nuclear and extended family members. Much to our chagrin however the weather was quite cold and snowy. We had to forgoe our golf game for a trip to the local Legion where ate peanuts, drank cheap beer and tried to win frozen meat door prizes. Over the next few days we also continued various family holiday traditions such as over-eating chocolates, drinking in the morning, teaching bridge to people, and making fun of Nik's forehead. We were also able to squeeze ina quick trip to Squamish as well to meet up with the Norwegian cell of the family. Pickled garlic anyone?

Spying on Deep Cove

A recent warming of the weather brought my brother out from Onterrible for visit. Shown here on the right - B. enjoys playing floor hockey, wearing sun glasses and hanging with the gang. On this particular sunny day we hiked the east end of the Baden Powell and checked out the sleepy community of Deep Cove, originally named for the french (francais) term 'really expensive housing'.

The Sky is Falling!

Over the past few weeks we have had a bit of an exisential crisis; we have seen the future of the world without oil, without democracy and fried by global warming. It wasn't a pretty sight. First, we attended a lecture on Lonsdale by David Hughes, a geologist with the Geological Surevy of Canada, then we watched an Inconvienant Truth by Al Gore, and also watched The American Ruling Class by Lewis Lapham. These men represent scenarios of tremendous environmental and societal change that are backed by empirical observation and confirmed by global events every day. To put it bluntly we have run out of oil and have triggered global evironmental collpase through global warming. Although America, the world super power, has played a significant role in these processes it continues to downplay their existence; worse, its' continued dogged pursuit of material gain and consumption through corporate capitalism and military expansionism ensures that they will not be a benevolent force as this end game plays out. Where then does that leave us if the world as we know it now is set to disappear in the next 2 decades? Check out this link to see what happens to the world if sea levels rise only 7 M. Global warming isn't an theoretical scenario - we're already living it. Google ice pack melting in Greenland and Antartica. The recent drastic changes in temperature, storms, rain fall - it's all happening now. The only question for debate is what will get us first, evironmental or economic collapse? We are already experiencing the effects of decreased oil production. When I started driving only 15 years ago the price for a litre of gas was $.50, now it's over $1. My generation will not reach old age before our world changes. How will this play out and how will we respond? The information is out there, we need to put it all together.

its a winter wonderland!

In the midst of a boil water advisory (courtesy of recent Pacific rainstorm) the rain turned to big juicy snowflakes and covered the city. It was almost enough to remind me of home; although back in PG it was -36 C. at the same time. So although we are surrounded, covered and pelted with water in various forms we unable to drink any of it. Stores have been continually sold out of bottled water and I refuse to begin drinking my urine. We've been getting fresh water from the farm in Squamish - trucked right to our door by family. I am eagerly anticipating the traffic chaos to ensue tomorrow and hope to observe the famously bad winter drivers of the lower mainland, but dont ask me yet if I have winters on my new used Corolla (pics of my old subie are forthcoming).

I'm King of the World!

This is the view from the top of Mt. Seymour - one of the many peaks on the North Shore, only a 3 hr trip from home. In the immediate foreground is the ski hill, then there's North Van and Burrard Inlet and Vancouver in the background. It was a bright crisp day, and Raven guarding the summit really scared the hell out of me. Being from the North I had no idea that Raven was so huge and creepy-like. Yikes!

Please welcome to the stage...

awesome - Oct. 18 we checked out one of my fav bands from the 90's, Sloan, at the Commodore Ballroom downtown on Granville - great venue BTW - they played mostly new tunes, but had some old stuff from Navy Blues, One Chord to Another, etc.

Wedding #3

We attended the wedding of my American cosuin, Satchiko Young to Jim Young (no relation) in sunny Olympia Wasington. In an evening chock full of neat Americanisms such as an online-ordained 'minister', alcohol-inspired bravado and hand guns we witnessed Jim and his family 'gitter done'. As the requisite family picture can attest, quite a few of the Canadian Youngs were able to attend- notables include Cliff and Jean and our newest cousin Kelly. Much to our surprise (disappointment?) we were granted entry into the USA for the weekend despite (inspite?) of yelling 'Allah ahkbar!' as we drove up to the border waving cans of shaving cream.

July 7 harbour crusin'

All these summer weddings must have rubbed off - I found myself securing a ring and proposing to Amy on a local dinner cruise around Vancouver. To my great joy and surprise she said that she would 'get back to me on that'. In the meantime I entered into negotiations with her father on the subject of a dowry - I suggested a healthy hereford, but he quickly dismissed that and countered with an offering of a lame chicken. We've agreed to table the issue for now.

Wedding #2

Wedding #2 was my cousin's wedding on Kalamalka Lake, outisde of Kelowna. Although I emcee'd the reception I was able to imbibe spirits with the 180 Pound Club; a process the peaked with a flaming pyramid of tequila. It was great to have the Hoffarth clan together again and I was able to spend a few nights with Willy the Whippet whom my mother brought down for the occasion. You're my boy Will!

My first sweat lodge!

In August I attended my first sweat lodge ceremony - another traditional aboriginal cleansing and prayer ceremony. The ceremony was led by the Semiahoo band chief - it was very hot and I left quite energized. Doing this regularly would be of great phyiscal and spiritual benefit.

Wedding #1

This was the first of our 3 weddings this summer. We attended Amy's cousins ceremony in Sun Peaks near Kelowna; luckily the hotel had great central air conditioning as the temperature that weekend reached 40 degrees in the area. We stopped in a sudden rain shower on the Coquihalia highway and cooled off on the side of the road.

Cheap Fun!

how does a couple entertain themselves on a muggy summer night in North Van?

a tube of facial mask? $10
a shared can of Kokanee? $2
a under-used digital camera? $150
losing all self-respect? priceless....