I placed a flurry of phone calls this morning to family to see if they had got off to a good start for their Whistler expedition. They were at Karen’s a few minutes ago picking up some of Ky’s things, but Kadir has been on his front porch waiting since 7 a.m.
Both boys sound totally pumped. I haven’t heard Kadir sound so happy in a couple of years. Family, there’s nothing like it, nothing that can replace it!
The weather is co-operating. It didn’t snow last night down here near the water so the highways should be relatively clear. Snow is supposed to start tomorrow. Nika and Jeremy are coming home tonight but the boys will stay overnight and come home on the bus.
I asked Kadir if he was taking a bag. “No, I’m going in a t-shirt and underwear,” he deadpanned.
I wanted to suggest he leave his iPhone in it while snowboarding. Leaving his iPhone behind is a no go.
“I need to listen to music, get in the zone,” he instructed, sounding suspiciously like a 1960's surfer dude. He said he will put it in a plastic bag to keep it dry.
I just called them and they are stopping for coffee in West Van having successfully crossed to the North Shore and everyone sounds happy. Ky is even getting a turn at the wheel.
Kadir sounded a bit subdued but it is no surprise with Nika and Ky both talking at full speed.
Even if Ky is not staying on for long it is great that he came home at this juncture for the holidays and to bond with his siblings. As the youngest family member Kadir especially needs this but so do the others.
When they come down from the mountain perhaps they will all remember once again that they are not alone in life, and are loved.
Hopefully this family bonding will continue on through the holidays at least, providing some healing to our splintered clan.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Return of KyQuixote
It is Friday morning and very cold and grey outside, but so far no snow to be seen. What a difference in energy from yesterday when I was up an hour early and not sure whether Ky would be here on time.
He rang my buzzer at a few minutes past 10 respectably prompt and I was greeted by a tenderly bearded young rabbinical student (he looks so very Jewish complete with pronounced nose) in black shirt and tie, carrying the usual computer case and Nikon camera.
His facial hair has got much darker as has the hair on his arms, and he is showing more signs of budding manliness.
We got right down to talking. He is planning on staying here for a few weeks, working at 49th Parallel over the busy holiday season and then heading on to New York to continue his learning and travel curve. He told me that staying here in Vancouver right now would seem like going backwards. I understand only too well what he means.
He said he visited many of the places in India where his mom and I visited with the girls and got a thrill at standing in the same spots he’d only seen in pictures.
Our visit was very brief as I was getting ready for work but he doesn't leave until early January so we have a lot more time to catch up.
Nika is taking him and his brother up to visit Chaya in Whistler this weekend where they will go snowboarding and all of the siblings will have a chance to bond again.
The weather is co-operating too as there is a new snowfall forecast for this weekend.
It should be a picture perfect Whistler pre-Olympic getaway!
He rang my buzzer at a few minutes past 10 respectably prompt and I was greeted by a tenderly bearded young rabbinical student (he looks so very Jewish complete with pronounced nose) in black shirt and tie, carrying the usual computer case and Nikon camera.
His facial hair has got much darker as has the hair on his arms, and he is showing more signs of budding manliness.
We got right down to talking. He is planning on staying here for a few weeks, working at 49th Parallel over the busy holiday season and then heading on to New York to continue his learning and travel curve. He told me that staying here in Vancouver right now would seem like going backwards. I understand only too well what he means.
He said he visited many of the places in India where his mom and I visited with the girls and got a thrill at standing in the same spots he’d only seen in pictures.
Our visit was very brief as I was getting ready for work but he doesn't leave until early January so we have a lot more time to catch up.
Nika is taking him and his brother up to visit Chaya in Whistler this weekend where they will go snowboarding and all of the siblings will have a chance to bond again.
The weather is co-operating too as there is a new snowfall forecast for this weekend.
It should be a picture perfect Whistler pre-Olympic getaway!
Monday, December 07, 2009
Another Gorgeous Sunny Morning
It is another gorgeous sunny morning and probably frosty cold as well though I have not left for work yet. The walk home last night with wind chill was truly wintery. The good news is that sun is forecast over the next few days, my days off.
I was awake and up just before 9 a.m. this morning after a night of very vivid dreams. None of them are blog worthy though as they were all fragmented (at least they are in so in memory).
It is already one week into December! How quickly this year has sped by!
I am eagerly awaiting the return of my son Ky, who has been overseas for nearly a year now. He is due back on Wednesday but so far has not advised me of the flight number or airline. My daughter Nika and her boyfriend will be meeting him at the airport and ferrying him to their new apartment on south Main where he will stay with them until he gets his bearings.
He has not advised me whether the job opportunity in New York is still open for him. I am secretly hoping he will stay here for a while and not leave again so soon. I miss his company and presence in my life.
My daughter Nika came to visit with me last week and we walked up to Denman together for breakfast. She is now starting to show and is in her first maternity clothes. She looked relaxed and was very upbeat. She is finishing her courses at Langara this week and will be continuing to work until later in her pregnancy.
Chaya has started a new job in Whistler as distribution manager in the Whistler Olympic Park. She took her sister Nika shopping last week and has been very much there for her. I have not had a chance to catch up with her in a while and am looking forward to a window in which we can meet.
Kadir is holding firm in his new place on Wellwyn Avenue in East Van. As a 16 year old now in semi-independent living he is showing remarkable stamina although he has been ill several times this winter. I talk to him several times a week via phone but we have not had a chance to get together for a few weeks now.
When I do talk to him, he is usually en route to a friends place and so subject matter is sparse. I ask him how he is doing at school and he asks me how I am doing at work. I look forward to our meetings when we usually delve into deeper topics...although the movie Zombieland was our last outing together.
Karen is holding firm in her new apartment in Marpole but has had difficulty finding and keeping work.
When we got married I envisioned us growing old together, surrounded by all our children. I guess it hasn't worked out in quite the way I imagined.
But we are still all living, in good health and in fairly frequent contact and for that I am thankful.
And so much for my open letter to everyone. Now I will set off for work.
I was awake and up just before 9 a.m. this morning after a night of very vivid dreams. None of them are blog worthy though as they were all fragmented (at least they are in so in memory).
It is already one week into December! How quickly this year has sped by!
I am eagerly awaiting the return of my son Ky, who has been overseas for nearly a year now. He is due back on Wednesday but so far has not advised me of the flight number or airline. My daughter Nika and her boyfriend will be meeting him at the airport and ferrying him to their new apartment on south Main where he will stay with them until he gets his bearings.
He has not advised me whether the job opportunity in New York is still open for him. I am secretly hoping he will stay here for a while and not leave again so soon. I miss his company and presence in my life.
My daughter Nika came to visit with me last week and we walked up to Denman together for breakfast. She is now starting to show and is in her first maternity clothes. She looked relaxed and was very upbeat. She is finishing her courses at Langara this week and will be continuing to work until later in her pregnancy.
Chaya has started a new job in Whistler as distribution manager in the Whistler Olympic Park. She took her sister Nika shopping last week and has been very much there for her. I have not had a chance to catch up with her in a while and am looking forward to a window in which we can meet.
Kadir is holding firm in his new place on Wellwyn Avenue in East Van. As a 16 year old now in semi-independent living he is showing remarkable stamina although he has been ill several times this winter. I talk to him several times a week via phone but we have not had a chance to get together for a few weeks now.
When I do talk to him, he is usually en route to a friends place and so subject matter is sparse. I ask him how he is doing at school and he asks me how I am doing at work. I look forward to our meetings when we usually delve into deeper topics...although the movie Zombieland was our last outing together.
Karen is holding firm in her new apartment in Marpole but has had difficulty finding and keeping work.
When we got married I envisioned us growing old together, surrounded by all our children. I guess it hasn't worked out in quite the way I imagined.
But we are still all living, in good health and in fairly frequent contact and for that I am thankful.
And so much for my open letter to everyone. Now I will set off for work.
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Gateless Gate
It is Friday morning and I am preparing for work.
There is blue sky and sun today, a wonderful window in what has been mostly a cold and rainy November.
I was doing some surfing this morning and came upon the following link to a Buddhist text by Ekai, called Mu-mon, translated by Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps circa 1934:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/index.htm
It is a translation of and commentary on 49 Zen Buddhist koans, originally published in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.
I read this book in my 20's while traveling and playing music in California and many years later met and studied with its author Paul Reps.
Both reading the book and meeting the author were life-changing experiences for me.
As I set off for the office I will be thinking about the young traveler meeting his teacher in the late 1970's and what a miracle in everyday guise that was.
There is blue sky and sun today, a wonderful window in what has been mostly a cold and rainy November.
I was doing some surfing this morning and came upon the following link to a Buddhist text by Ekai, called Mu-mon, translated by Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps circa 1934:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/glg/index.htm
It is a translation of and commentary on 49 Zen Buddhist koans, originally published in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.
I read this book in my 20's while traveling and playing music in California and many years later met and studied with its author Paul Reps.
Both reading the book and meeting the author were life-changing experiences for me.
As I set off for the office I will be thinking about the young traveler meeting his teacher in the late 1970's and what a miracle in everyday guise that was.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
...more or less ready for another week.
It is Tuesday morning and we are getting glimpses of blue sky and sun though it is sure to be a narrow window in among the rainy waves of wet weather.
I received a phone message from Karen this morning. She was calling from a rooftop in Kerrisdale where she is working today (roofing) to tell me about a police standoff which happened near her apartment in South Vancouver last night. Apparently it lasted nearly 4 hours and ended with a huge boom which was the sound of some kind of weapon used to take the gunman out.
I have been calling Kadir nearly every day, something I was not able to do when he did not have a phone and it is great to be in constant contact with him. The other day I called him from work on my dinner break and he was in Kits with his school friends, waiting for a haircut!
There was a time when I couldn't pay him to get a haircut. How times change!
I did things sort of ass-backwards this morning…starting off with my meds and then a few phone calls including one to the dentist to settle my bill.
I followed this with prayers and exercises and then I grabbed the window of sunlight to take out my trash and go shopping at Safeway. I made a pit-stop at Great Clips and got my hair cut thus killing 2 birds with one stone.
The lady who cut my hair is a long time employee there of middle eastern origin but I haven’t seen her in over a year and so we picked up lost time by discussing last night’s 6.6 earthquake which I slept through but which Danny tweeted this morning.
She launched into a story about a big quake here in the early part of this decade which shook her West End apartment badly throwing a good scare into her and her husband. I couldn’t understand a lot of what she imparted as it was done in rapid-fire high speed with a strong accent but the gist of it was that she was aware that we live in a quake zone and she can’t understand why they are building so high in an area of such great risk.
Meanwhile the scissors and clippers flew and buzzed around my scalp as both of her hands gesticulated wildly describing her experience. In the mirror it almost looked like she was juggling. By the time she finished she was breathless but produced a mirror to show her handiwork which looked pretty good to me, against all odds.
I breathed a sigh of relief and thanks as I said goodbye and headed to Safeway.
The good thing about kicking off shopping early in a week day is that there were no lineups so I was in and out of there in a flash, and walked home with 2 bags of groceries. I used my canvas ones as I am careful these days about bringing home more plastic.
Once home, I put in my first load of laundry and then headed to the shower.
My chores almost done, I am more or less ready for another week.
I received a phone message from Karen this morning. She was calling from a rooftop in Kerrisdale where she is working today (roofing) to tell me about a police standoff which happened near her apartment in South Vancouver last night. Apparently it lasted nearly 4 hours and ended with a huge boom which was the sound of some kind of weapon used to take the gunman out.
I have been calling Kadir nearly every day, something I was not able to do when he did not have a phone and it is great to be in constant contact with him. The other day I called him from work on my dinner break and he was in Kits with his school friends, waiting for a haircut!
There was a time when I couldn't pay him to get a haircut. How times change!
I did things sort of ass-backwards this morning…starting off with my meds and then a few phone calls including one to the dentist to settle my bill.
I followed this with prayers and exercises and then I grabbed the window of sunlight to take out my trash and go shopping at Safeway. I made a pit-stop at Great Clips and got my hair cut thus killing 2 birds with one stone.
The lady who cut my hair is a long time employee there of middle eastern origin but I haven’t seen her in over a year and so we picked up lost time by discussing last night’s 6.6 earthquake which I slept through but which Danny tweeted this morning.
She launched into a story about a big quake here in the early part of this decade which shook her West End apartment badly throwing a good scare into her and her husband. I couldn’t understand a lot of what she imparted as it was done in rapid-fire high speed with a strong accent but the gist of it was that she was aware that we live in a quake zone and she can’t understand why they are building so high in an area of such great risk.
Meanwhile the scissors and clippers flew and buzzed around my scalp as both of her hands gesticulated wildly describing her experience. In the mirror it almost looked like she was juggling. By the time she finished she was breathless but produced a mirror to show her handiwork which looked pretty good to me, against all odds.
I breathed a sigh of relief and thanks as I said goodbye and headed to Safeway.
The good thing about kicking off shopping early in a week day is that there were no lineups so I was in and out of there in a flash, and walked home with 2 bags of groceries. I used my canvas ones as I am careful these days about bringing home more plastic.
Once home, I put in my first load of laundry and then headed to the shower.
My chores almost done, I am more or less ready for another week.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Dancing Peak to Peak
It is just after 9 a.m. on Sunday morning and although I rose at 8:30 it was nothing compared to 5 a.m. yesterday. I couldn’t believe how lonely the streets felt at 7 a.m. when I left for the office.
Yesterday we made our staff trip to Whistler.
Although I came to BC in 1972 I had only made the attempt once before in a Volkswagen bug, I can’t even remember the year. I do remember I made it to Squamish and Shannon Falls before the car began to overheat and stall, causing me to abort the trip.
But yesterday I was vaulted out of my comfort zone here in town in a rented newer model Dodge minivan driven by my friend and co-worker Danny and in two groups in two vans our party made the trek to Whistler.
Although this year was one of the hottest on records and there had been no snow on the nearby mountaintops all summer, we were greeted by newly dusted white caps on the surrounding peaks.
There was no snow in the village but the Sales Manager of the new Coast Blackcomb Suites Brandi took us on a tour I won’t soon forget. After a brief tour of the hotel we hiked down the ski slope at the rear of the property into the village.
From there we took a gondola up the mountain side to a second lift where we could access the Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride the largest unsupported gondola ride in the world. At its highest point we were 4 ½ km above the valley floor and the cars were big enough to hold 20 people.
The ride goes from Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain which are two side by side peaks separated by a deep valley. The view from up there is stunning in its magnificence and if a person had any doubts that we live in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, this ride would cure them at a stroke.
The air up there is so pure that all the senses seem to open at once, making the colors more vibrant and the eyes more clear and the breathing easier. It was cold up there though, and I was glad I heeded the advice to dress warmly wearing my winter coat and a wool toque. A couple of staff members had not listened and suffered and shivered accordingly.
After a brief stop at The Rendezvous, a mountaintop restaurant and pit stop we took the trip back down which seemed to take forever, to the much milder climate of the village and then a shuttle bus back to the hotel where Brandi our tour manager had arranged and now personally prepared for us a hamburger barbeque. She cooked and served which after her tour duty with us was above and beyond the call. She was also an avid raconteur and regaled us with stories of her 5 years in Whistler and beyond.
On the homeward journey I felt I had been awake and traveling for 2 days although we were back in Vancouver by 5 p.m.
I had expected the usual hotel tour which although informative are rarely spectacular. Anyone who takes this tour is sure to tell all their friends and to return to visit this amazing place.
Yesterday we made our staff trip to Whistler.
Although I came to BC in 1972 I had only made the attempt once before in a Volkswagen bug, I can’t even remember the year. I do remember I made it to Squamish and Shannon Falls before the car began to overheat and stall, causing me to abort the trip.
But yesterday I was vaulted out of my comfort zone here in town in a rented newer model Dodge minivan driven by my friend and co-worker Danny and in two groups in two vans our party made the trek to Whistler.
Although this year was one of the hottest on records and there had been no snow on the nearby mountaintops all summer, we were greeted by newly dusted white caps on the surrounding peaks.
There was no snow in the village but the Sales Manager of the new Coast Blackcomb Suites Brandi took us on a tour I won’t soon forget. After a brief tour of the hotel we hiked down the ski slope at the rear of the property into the village.
From there we took a gondola up the mountain side to a second lift where we could access the Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride the largest unsupported gondola ride in the world. At its highest point we were 4 ½ km above the valley floor and the cars were big enough to hold 20 people.
The ride goes from Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain which are two side by side peaks separated by a deep valley. The view from up there is stunning in its magnificence and if a person had any doubts that we live in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, this ride would cure them at a stroke.
The air up there is so pure that all the senses seem to open at once, making the colors more vibrant and the eyes more clear and the breathing easier. It was cold up there though, and I was glad I heeded the advice to dress warmly wearing my winter coat and a wool toque. A couple of staff members had not listened and suffered and shivered accordingly.
After a brief stop at The Rendezvous, a mountaintop restaurant and pit stop we took the trip back down which seemed to take forever, to the much milder climate of the village and then a shuttle bus back to the hotel where Brandi our tour manager had arranged and now personally prepared for us a hamburger barbeque. She cooked and served which after her tour duty with us was above and beyond the call. She was also an avid raconteur and regaled us with stories of her 5 years in Whistler and beyond.
On the homeward journey I felt I had been awake and traveling for 2 days although we were back in Vancouver by 5 p.m.
I had expected the usual hotel tour which although informative are rarely spectacular. Anyone who takes this tour is sure to tell all their friends and to return to visit this amazing place.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
The Big 16
This month Kadir will turn 16 and yesterday I gave him his gift.
At just about 4 p.m. sharp yesterday my door buzzer rang. It was Kadir arriving early from school…apparently his social worker had canceled due to being sick.
We talked for a few minutes and he downed a glass of juice. He bought up the subject of a phone…I guess Karen had mentioned something to him about my decision to get him a cell phone. So we walked over to Rogers, as it was pretty clear he preferred that over FIDO.
We looked at a few phones briefly and then waited in line to speak to an agent…there were only two agents and both were busy. While waiting in line I noticed Kadir eyeing the iPhone display and there and then I decided I was going to spring for the extra $100+ to get him one.
Once the agent demonstrated the power of this phone, I knew I had made the right choice. I could almost hear Kadir humming with happiness. Now he has what many of his school mates already have, and it is the power of new technology at his fingertips. It’s a phone that doubles as an mp3 player, a camera, and a computer enabling him to browse the internet. It has the virtual touch screen so there are no sliding keyboard appendages making it hard to manage.
The monthly fee will be around $65 dollars with the extras package but with his allowance that should be do-able. And he will now be able to shop for a job after school. He was supposed to meet with the person he will be moving in with last night but it sounded like this might be delayed due to the other person being too busy.
I guess I will know more in a few days. At least I know I can call Kadir now, and he can call me at no extra charge any time of day or night on the My5(+ 5) Plan.
The agent who signed us up was very helpful and convinced us that we had the best deal…he said there would be new packages available next month but none as rich as the one we got.
We walked down to Vera’s Burger Shack and I bought him a huge burger which he demolished with joy and then walked him to the MacDonald Bus. He kissed me on the lips again before leaving…that shy butterfly “I love you dad” kiss that means the world to me.
When the bus pulled away he was talking on his phone and smiling at me, giving me a big thumbs up.
At just about 4 p.m. sharp yesterday my door buzzer rang. It was Kadir arriving early from school…apparently his social worker had canceled due to being sick.
We talked for a few minutes and he downed a glass of juice. He bought up the subject of a phone…I guess Karen had mentioned something to him about my decision to get him a cell phone. So we walked over to Rogers, as it was pretty clear he preferred that over FIDO.
We looked at a few phones briefly and then waited in line to speak to an agent…there were only two agents and both were busy. While waiting in line I noticed Kadir eyeing the iPhone display and there and then I decided I was going to spring for the extra $100+ to get him one.
Once the agent demonstrated the power of this phone, I knew I had made the right choice. I could almost hear Kadir humming with happiness. Now he has what many of his school mates already have, and it is the power of new technology at his fingertips. It’s a phone that doubles as an mp3 player, a camera, and a computer enabling him to browse the internet. It has the virtual touch screen so there are no sliding keyboard appendages making it hard to manage.
The monthly fee will be around $65 dollars with the extras package but with his allowance that should be do-able. And he will now be able to shop for a job after school. He was supposed to meet with the person he will be moving in with last night but it sounded like this might be delayed due to the other person being too busy.
I guess I will know more in a few days. At least I know I can call Kadir now, and he can call me at no extra charge any time of day or night on the My5(+ 5) Plan.
The agent who signed us up was very helpful and convinced us that we had the best deal…he said there would be new packages available next month but none as rich as the one we got.
We walked down to Vera’s Burger Shack and I bought him a huge burger which he demolished with joy and then walked him to the MacDonald Bus. He kissed me on the lips again before leaving…that shy butterfly “I love you dad” kiss that means the world to me.
When the bus pulled away he was talking on his phone and smiling at me, giving me a big thumbs up.
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