Seaside Times February 2010 Edition by Seaside Magazine

WEST COAST CULTURE FEBRUARY 2010

Let the Games Begin !

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T his M onth February 2010

4 8 12 14

The First Word

Footprints

Sports and Recreation Past and Present

26 31 36 37 42 46

The Olympic Spirit

Sunny Side View

Best Places to Hold Hands on the Peninsula

Wrenderings

Splish Splash! Providing Water For Your Feathered Friends

Island Dish

Reservation For Two?

In-Room at:

What’s Happening

Arts & Entertainment Calendar

Sudoku

For all the addicts

Zais Astrology

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What do the stars say?

Smell The Coffee

A Sustainable Coffee World

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The Last Word The New Addition

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Seaside Times • www.seasidetimes.ca

Publisher, Advertising: Tim Flater • 250-686-1144 • sales@seasidetimes.ca • publisher@seasidetimes.ca Editor-in-Chief: Allison Smith • 250-544-4022 • editor@seasidetimes.ca

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher or editor. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the publisher and editor.

THE FIRST WO R D

The Olympic Spirit Let the games begin! On February 12 at 6 p.m., we begin our 17-day journey of hoping, cheering and celebrating the best athletes we as Canadians have to offer.

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We have had many great memories during the past Olympics and there is a high expectation that our athletes will do very well at these games. I’m sure the Canadian team feels the pressure to win because if they do, we will all get to feel the pride, especially as the host province. I can’t imagine how it would feel if my country expected me to win a medal or, more importantly, a GOLD medal, and I still had to try to stay focused on just doing the best I can. I guess that’s why I’m not an Olympic athlete! I love the slogan we have for this Olympics: ”Do You Believe.” It’s not an overconfident statement and it’s individual to each of us. It’s framed as a question and we are inspired to answer it with a resounding “Yes.” So the question is do I believe? I believe in the Olympic spirit and what it must take to achieve the athleticism required to get to that level. I believe we as a country and British Columbia as a province will do great. I believe we will be surprised and inspired by the effort and not by the medal count and I believe we will have snow … hmm, I guess that one is a lot of hoping too, not just believing. I can’t wait to watch the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Pierre de Coubertin, a French pedagogue and historian, founder of the International Olympic Committee and considered father of the modern Olympic games, once said: “The important thing is not to win, but to take part, and view athletes who try their best but finish last as epitomizing the ‘Olympic spirit.’”

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Agence France-Presse wrote: “True Olympic spirit is often found away from gold medalists with their agents and sponsorship deals – it is found in its purest sense in those that come last.” I believe that I will feel the Olympic spirit during the 17 days in February but I know I will see the Olympic spirit at the Paralympic Games that run from March 12 to 21st. Enjoy the games everyone.

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Tim Flater

Publisher

Estate Planning Should be on This Year’s To Do List As we welcome 2010, one of the items on your “to do” list should be evaluating your current situation and ensuring that appropriate estate planning measures are in place. A Power of Attorney authorizes someone else to make decisions for you regarding your assets and financial affairs. Many people sign an “enduring” Power of Attorney because it continues to be effective if, after you sign it, you become mentally incapable of managing your affairs. A Representation Agreement gives someone the authority to make personal and health care decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to make those decisions yourself. A Will is an essential part of estate planning because it ensures that your estate is distributed to your loved ones in accordance with your wishes. In British Columbia, if you pass away intestate (without a Will) the Court decides who will administer your estate and your

assets will be distributed in accordance with the Estate Administration Act which can lead to results that you may not have otherwise chosen. As a general rule of thumb, you should review your Will whenever there has been a material change in your affairs, such as a birth, death, marriage, or marital breakdown in your family, the death of an executor or trustee or a substantial change in your assets. Some people review their estate plans on a regularly scheduled basis which allows them to re-evaluate the choices that they made when their Will was signed and decide whether or not anything should be changed to reflect their current wishes.

to making a new Will, Power of Attorney or Representation Agreement, or whether or not an amendment is required to an existing document to deal with a particular circumstance, one of our experienced Henley & Walden lawyers would be pleased to meet with you at your convenience.

As a general rule of thumb, you should review your Will whenever there has been a material change in your affairs.

It is essential that any required changes be made either by Codicil or a new Will because amendments, corrections or deletions to an original Will may invalidate all or a portion of the Will. If you have any questions with respect

Henley & Walden has been serving the legal needs of the Saanich Peninsula for over 30 years providing professional services in Personal and Business Law including Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, Powers of Attorney, Representation Agreements, Executorships, Estate Administration and Litigation, Real Estate, Corporate and Family Law.

Henley & Walden is pleased to

Welcome

Dominique Alford to the firm as a Lawyer.

Dominique recently joined the team of lawyers at Henley & Walden. Her admirable credentials and accomplishments include admission to the bars of British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba. She has expertise in Corporate and Commercial transactions as well as Residential and Commercial Real Estate matters. She has a keen interest and extensive experience in Estate Administration and Estate Planning. Dominique is developing a thriving practice with Henley & Walden and continues to establish enduring relationships with clients and the Saanich Peninsula community in general.

Tel: (250) 656-7231 201-2377 Bevan ave. Sidney, B.C. v8L 4M9

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FEBRUARY 2010

Five Questions For The Ocean’s “Forbes and Marshall” Forbes & Marshall are the hosts of 98.5 The OCEAN’S popular morning show. They are one of the only married morning show teams in Canada and have two children, Noah and Adam. Join Forbes & Marshall weekday mornings from 5:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Lisa: I heard him on the radio first and liked his voice. He wasn’t anything like I imagined he’d look like though. I thought he would be a 50-year-old with a pot belly!

Who’s Forbes and Who’s Marshall? Lisa: When we first started at The OCEAN they wanted to call us just Michael and Lisa, but we were stubborn and wanted Forbes and Marshall because last name duos seemed to be all the rage. Marshall is my maiden name and because we were married, we thought it might be playful to keep people guessing. It worked too well and some people still think that there’s something going on between us and feel sorry for whoever we’re married to! In case you’re wondering, it’s Michael Forbes and Lisa Marshall. How did you two meet? Michael: We tell people that we were both were starving DJs that met in a grocery store and when we both reached for the same box of Kraft dinner, our eyes met and it was love at first sight. The truth is not far off though … we were starving DJs in Regina when Lisa got a gig at the same radio station and it was my job to show her the ropes. Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt like you’ve known them all your life? That’s how we felt. It was almost as if we were picking up where we left off. We really did start out as best friends and then it became something more.

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Most married couples say they couldn’t work together – how do you two do it? Michael: This by far is the number-one question we get asked almost on a daily basis because most married couples can’t imagine being stuck in a room and in a high-pressure situation and sound like they’re having fun. I’d say the one word to describe how we do it? Lisa. She is patient and usually very positive. It takes me five cups of coffee and a cold shower to get going in the morning but she’s trained herself to be pleasant from the moment she wakes up. Lisa: I’d be lying if I said we didn’t fight once in a while but we’ve learned to do it, hide the evidence and get it over with in a two-minute commercial break!

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What’s the best and worst celebrity interviews you ever did? Lisa: We have talked to a lot of people over the years from TV stars to astronauts. What a thrill it is to talk to Olympians, musicians, inventors, authors and just everyday people. Our favourite interview has to be Jann Arden … she is funny, generous and isn’t afraid to share something of herself … we always look forward to those times. Michael: I think the most difficult interview was a few years ago when Loretta Switt came into the studio. She was promoting a play of hers and it was quite obvious she was not a morning person. She felt it necessary to be a diva and refused to answer any questions about the show that made her famous! How can “Hot Lips Hoolihan” not talk about M*A*S*H?! She was definitely a candidate for a Section 8. Thankfully that day Lisa talked me out of dressing like Corporal Klinger! What is your most memorable moment at The OCEAN? Michael: People still ask us about the time that I walked naked on the Empress lawn. I lost an on-air bet and promised to walk naked. Sure enough on the morning of the big event, I kid you not, there were a couple hundred people waiting (including the police). At the appointed time, I stepped out of a van with a dog on a leash named “Naked.” I was booed! Lisa: They should have thanked him, it’s bad enough I have to see him naked.

Arts Centre at Tulista Park a Can’t-Miss For Locals Our move into the Tulista Arts Centre in Sidney has been a great step forward for the Communicty Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula (CACSP), and for the arts community. It represents the fulfillment of a vision that we have had since the CACSP was founded in 1991.

photo courtesy John Thorp

organized by the Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula (CACSP) every year. Another can’t-miss is “Artisans in the Summer” where some of the best artisans in the area exhibit and sell their work. September visitors enjoyed the very impressive First Nations Show that the Council hosted and is hoping to make an annual event.

photo courtesy John Thorp

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Centre (see map below for location) you’re missing out. January’s show, “Face of a Sister City: A Moment in Time,” was a big success. February weather sometimes gives us those special days when a walk by the sea is a treat – why not stop by to check the Centre out? Visitors will appreciate the access to information on upcoming shows and opportunities close to home and around the province.

Local artists may also be interested to know that the CACSP opens up the space to artists for classes or workshops, exhibits, displays and shows with sales. For more information phone 250-656-7400, email admin@cacsp.com or come by to receive further details.

The Centre is now on winter hours – open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. As you approach the entrance to the Centre, check out the “Gallery by the Sea” paintings that are mounted – a program

Visit us at our new Arts Centre at Tulista Park

Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula presents the following events:

Fall & Spring Studio Tours • Artisans Sidney SidneyFine FineArt ArtShow Show Plus other exciting events throughout the year showcasing the arts. CACSP Located Here!

ission is to Our m re enha nce ultu c com d munity through arts an life Join the CACSP and support community arts & culture through a collective voice!

250.656.7400 www.cacsp.com

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FEBRUARY 2010

Sports and Recreation – Past and Present by Valerie Green With the world spotlight on Canada’s Winter Olympics this month ,it is not surprising that the theme of this year’s B.C. Heritage Week (February 15 to 20th) is “sports and recreation.” It seems, therefore, a particularly good time to look back on the heritage of sport in our own area. It was in 1911 when Victoria originally became passionate about hockey. That was when the first artificial ice rink in Canada was built on the corner of Epworth Street and Cadboro Bay Road by a Nelson lumber magnate named Joseph Patrick, whose two sons, Lester and Frank, continued to popularize the sport for the next few years. The first professional hockey game was played on January 2nd, 1912, between the Victoria Aristocrats and the New Westminster Royals.

Although the Aristocrats lost (8-3), by the end of that first season the inaug-

claim to have started a roller-skating rink as far back as the 1860s on the site of the E & N Station in Victoria. Victoria’s continued interest in hockey was advanced by names such as Barney Olsen who converted the old Horse Show Building at the Willows Fair Grounds into an Arena during the Second World War.

uration of a world hockey series was in the works.

Through the years, the Gorge Waterway and Elk Lake have both also served as popular areas for sporting events and have encouraged an interest in rowing and swimming. In the early days, cricket was the “game of choice” among British settlers and Beacon Hill Park was the most popular venue for a match.

Although Joseph Patrick pioneered ice hockey, the First Nations people can

Soccer, track and field, tennis, golf, basketball and baseball have also all

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played their part in local sporting history.

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The first baseball games were played as far back as 1862, but it was not until after the Second World War that local businesses started sponsoring youth teams.

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One particularly well-known team was called the DRCs. They played at Majestic Park and Lambrick Park and the team name was chosen to represent the particular floral businesses of the three sponsors – daffodils for the Vantreights, roses for the Creeds and carnations for the Orricos.

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Naturally, this area has produced many a sporting hero through the years - Doug Peden, Silken Laumann, Steve Nash, Simon Whitfield and David Calder - to name but a few. One particularly flamboyant and colourful sports hero who passed away in 1966 at age 71 was Jean Baptiste Paul (pictured at right), a hereditary chief of the Tsartlip Band and known always as “Chief Thunderbird.” He competed in many wrestling rings around the world and brought fame to the Saanich Peninsula which had previously only been known for its agricultural heritage. Born in 1895, “Bapti” had always wanted to be a professional athlete. At a First Nations college in Tacoma, Wash., he won many sporting awards and later won 27 of 32 professional boxing fights in which he had competed, breaking both his hands in the process. His wrestling career began as a dare at a carnival in Washington State where he was egged on by his companions. Later, under the management of August Sepp, “Chief Thunderbird” won many wrestling matches across America and throughout Europe. He also wrestled in the Phillippines, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia and was particularly adored by fans in London, England. In his day, he was treated like a celebrity, appearing many times on television during the 1950s.

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His athletic career, however, brought with it many injuries and very little financial reward. Most of the money Jean Baptiste Paul made went to supporting his large family of five sons and five daughters. A year after his death, work began on the carving of a thunderbird which was later erected at Central Saanich Municipal Hall in his memory. During Heritage Week this year, which also happens to coincide with the 2010 Winter Olympics, we should remember all our local sporting heroes, both past and present - who always gave of their best as they strove for the Gold! Photo captions, previous page: Boys playing hockey on Portage Inlet, 1929 (Saanich Archives 2007-053-031). This page: Chief Jean Baptiste Paul (Chief Thunderbird) awaiting the arrival of the King and Queen of England, Government Street, 1939 (Saanich Archives 1981-013-026). Valerie Green is a local author and historian and can be reached at valerie_ green@telus.net www.seasidetimes.ca

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Experience of a Lifetime – The House Dressing Company House Dressing Blog and much more. It started with the dream of owning a by Julie Cove small home accessories shop and perhaps So, what’s next you might wonder? Well spending each day behind a cash desk … my passion for design has ignited my original plans to perusing decorating magazines in between customers. expand the building that my husband and I created for the store Hmmm … after 18 years I have yet to and further develop it by adding have a moment to do that! The House additional upper stories. I hope Dressing Company took off and kept to do this in 2010 with the blessme more than busy, often seven days ing from the Town of Sidney! It’s a week between the hundreds of Maralways been a dream of mine to tha Stewart-type crafting classes that I design and construct a building enjoyed teaching over the first 10 years and I need to fulfill it. I believe along with running the accessory shop. that we all have dreams inside of This really put us on the map! us that need to be realized yet it Next up was a better place to sometimes requires enormous house this growing business which I courage to take steps towards was so lucky to design and build and making those dreams a reality. To finally enjoy the benefits of for the allow me to reach my next dream past eight years in business. Phew, I made the difficult decision to what an incredible journey! complete my retail journey by listing The House Dressing Company I’ve enjoyed every step of the way for sale this month. and have been as creative as one could be with a retail store: hostI realized that as fantastic as ing radio shows, Inspirational Evenit may seem to try to be super ings at the Charlie White Theatre, woman and do everything on Christmas Home Tours, Designing Show Suites, Shaw TV my list of dreams all at once, some parts of your life suffer decorating segments, Christmas Decorating contests, The when you try to do it all. Multi-tasking is my middle name but my ill health in 2008 was the breaking point that led me to recognize that without your health you can’t do a whole lot of anything.

This Could Be You!

To advertise in Seaside Times,

contact Tim Flater, Publisher at sales@seasidetimes.ca

Now healthy and feeling great, I’m ready to pass on a thriving business. My fantastic journey in retail has given me one of the most joyful rides of my life. It has afforded me the flexibility that a mother of three children requires and the pleasure of a wonderful team at the store to work with who are also passionate about what I have created. Whoever steps in, I know, will have the experience of

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to inspire you with our displays. It has made the journey so rich and rewarding, and you have no idea how grateful I am to you all. Any new owner will be lucky to have such a friendly and loyal community to embrace. I know you will warmly welcome the new owner and his or her creative contribution to Sidney in the future. What I look forward to is still being connected and supportive with the new owner as a landlord – helping them in achieving success as well as being an active property owner in Sidney while contributing to the building of our wonderful town. What I love about Sidney is how you can walk down the street and wave to the people that you meet.

a lifetime, especially in the wonderful town of Sidney.

Sidney is a warm, friendly community by the seaside that is still somewhat of a hidden gem. Those that haven’t discovered it yet have a treat in store because our little town just keeps getting better and better! Hurrah to all the businesses and parties involved and all of you that contribute to making it the best it can be. Here’s to many more years of success in Sidney!

“My fantastic journey in retail

To our loyal customers – you have been amazing with your support of my home accessory and furniture business by referring us and bringing your guests in to shop! I thank you for 18 years of your friendly faces appearing regularly in our shop admiring our efforts

has given me one of the most joyful rides of my life. ~ Julie Cove

”

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FEBRUARY 2010

Best Places to Hold Hands on the Peninsula by Sandy McElroy

“Do not try to get the jar off my head, because it hurts when you pull. Please simply sit next to me and hold my hand, and the jar will soon come off itself.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

young couples from Parkland to hold hands after school. Handholding and talking are still more foolproof methods for learning about someone than text messaging.

Often words fail me. My pallet of emotions encompasses an infinite range of feelings but my dictionary of words is limited. Sitting beside an elderly friend at the hospital, I don’t know what to say. During a tender moment at the movie, I don’t dare try to say what I am feeling to my wife. When my grandson comes for a walk with me the feelings that I have for him transcend the non-stop conversation. In each of these situations the simple act of holding hands comes to my rescue.

There is no finer place to watch the sun set than while walking hand-in-hand along the waterfront trail beside West Saanich Road near Mills Road. An added bonus is that while walking you can watch the planes approach and depart from the airport. While feeling close, and holding hands, it is fun to dream of the places that you could visit together.

What is the first thing that you think about when I say holding hands? Often the first response is a romantic love scene where young lovers are depicted walking hand-in-hand, perhaps along an exotic, sunny Mexican beach. Here on the Peninsula there is another scene that warms my heart. When I see an older couple walking down Beacon Avenue holding hands, I know that they have kept the spark of love alive in spite of the challenges that life inevitably puts in our path. We are lucky on the Peninsula to have many places that are perfect venues to practice the art of handholding. Try taking a youngster to the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Standing in front of the jellyfish exhibit is a perfect place to hold hands. The path through Blue Heron Park is the ideal spot for

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There are many seniors who crave touch. Loneliness can be suffocating with family and friends gone or far away. Next time you visit someone at a senior’s facility or at the hospital, reach out and hold his or her hand while talking. The warmth of touch is often savoured long after the words are forgotten. The best time to hold hands is when the mood strikes. The spontaneity of the act is what communicates sincerity. Reach out. Let the joy overcome your reserve or shyness. Anywhere is the perfect place to hold hands when you feel the urge. Go ahead, make time to explore the Peninsula hand-in-hand with someone you care for. There are trails and vistas waiting to share. Open the map and look for the many wonderful trails throughout the region. You won’t regret it. You can reach Sandy McElroy at mcelroy@pacrim.ca – he’d love to hear your suggestions or feedback.

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FEBRUARY 2010

Splish Splash! Providing Water for your Feathered Friends by Jennifer Hill

For most of us, a cool drink is only as far away as the refrigerator. However, for our feathered friends, a sip of fresh potable water may be miles away – especially here on the Peninsula where saltwater abounds. Birds require water daily to aid in the digestion of food, to promote healthy circulation and to allow for the excretion of body wastes. In addition, birds need a constant supply of water in order to clean their feathers. This is particularly important in cold weather because if their feathers are not clean, the birds are unable to “fluff” them up to keep them from becoming hypothermic. It is hoped that the following suggestions will prompt you to scour out that old grungy birdbath and fill it with water so you can provide a year-round oasis for your backyard visitors: Keep it shallow: Many people tell me they only have birds drinking at their bath – not bathing. The usual reason for this

February isn’t only for lovers… It’s also for the birds! Help celebrate National Bird Feeding Month by putting out food for our feathered friends!

is that the birdbath is too deep. Think of how short the legs of a typical backyard bird are – one to two inches of water is all that most of them can handle. If your bath is too deep, add some stones to make it shallower. When purchasing a birdbath, make sure that the sides have a gradual slope so that birds can wade to the depth they like. The bath should also be big enough for bathing. Anything less than a foot in diameter will typically only be used for drinking. A textured bottom ensures good footing. Maintain the correct temperature: Ideally in the wintertime the water should be tepid. If it is too cold, the birds will not bathe nor drink. Birdbath de-icers are available commercially to keep water from freezing. In the summer, if the water becomes too hot, the birds will move on. Ideally a bath should be shaded from noon to 4 p.m. A block of ice will keep it cool on really hot days. Birds also love to have a cold shower. Consider purchasing a mister (the bird equivalent to a shower nozzle) and hang it from a tree or trellis and sit back and watch the hummingbirds fly through the spray. Keep it clean: Water should be changed regularly and if grunge has been allowed to develop, the bath should be scoured with a stiff brush. Add birdbath protectorant weekly to prevent algae from redeveloping. If water has been fouled with fecal material, replace it immediately. Keep it filled: Once your bath becomes a favourite spot you may find that you have lots of visitors so make sure it’s refilled on a regular basis. If you place your bath under a tree, a bucket with a hole in its side (do not punch in the bottom as it will clog with debris before it empties) makes a simple dripper. The sound of dripping water will often entice reluctant visitors to your backyard. Keep it safe: Birds are at risk when their feathers are wet, so it’s important to place the bath where there is a nearby perch for preening (e.g. a tree or clothesline). If cats visit your yard, a birdbath should not be placed within 15 feet of heavy cover where a predator may hide.

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Keep big birds out! Finally, to keep the crows out, invert a tomato cage over the bath and trim off the “legs.” Fasten down with wire. Birds don’t like to have their wings touch metal, so big birds are kept out and little birds hop in with glee. Happy bird watching! Jennifer Hill owns The Victorian Bird House. She loves to hear from other avid bird feeders and can be reached at vbh@shaw.ca.

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FEBRUARY 2010

camosun Camosun Peninsula

250-655-0608

#14-2510 Bevan Ave., Sidney remaxsidney@vreb.bc.ca

Jim Allan

jimaallan@shaw.ca

Jack Barker

lornabarker@shaw.ca

Your Peninsula Realtors With Connections to Buyers Around the World

Don Bellamy

info@donaldbellamy.com

William Bird

wm.d.bird@shaw.ca

Rene Blais

reneblais@yahoo.ca

Roy Coburn

roy@victoriaacreages.com

Lisa Dighton

ldighton@shaw.ca

Ongoing RE/MAX support for the following programs: • Children’s Miracle Network • First Night on the Peninsula • Sidney Fine Art Show • Raise a Reader

• Sooke Fine Art Show • Dragon Boat Festival • Re/MAx Victoria Idol • Food Bank

• Highland Games • Habitat for Humanity • Re/MAx Tents for Charity events

Economic Forecasts are PositivE for 2010.

if you’re thinking of selling or buying, call one of our professionals NoW!

Karen Dinnie-Smyth

kdinnie-smyth@shaw.ca

Deborah Gray

gray@island.net

Gay Helmsing

ghelmsing@shaw.ca

Beverley McIvor

bevmcivor@shaw.ca

Gaye Phillips

gayesoffice@shaw.ca

Ross Shortreed

ross@rossshortreed.com

Craig Walters

craig@craigwalters.net

New Year’s Renovations Start With Connie McInnis Interiors by Arlene Antonik Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to get going on those long-talked about home improvements? Need help to get started? This is where an interior designer can help turn resolutions into renovations. Connie McInnis of Connie McInnis Designs explained how she gets the process underway: “I sit down with new clients for a chat about their renovation or building plans and ask them to show me three or four things in their home that make them comfortable and some things that make them uncomfortable. By the time I leave, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going to work.” Connie noted that it’s important that our homes reflect our personalities. Are you traditional, creative, adventurous or

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ph 250.652.5584 cell 250.920.6580

conniemcinnisdesigns@shaw.ca • www.conniemcinnis.com 16

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even flamboyant? What if husband and wife aren’t the same personality type? “This is where I really listen to what they both want and how we might find a compromise.” Connie speaks with many years of experience in the interior design business. She knew early on that she wanted to be a designer and, after graduating from the University of Victoria and the Sheffield School of Interior Design, began her career by assisting her husband Greg put the finishing touches on projects built by his construction company, GM Contracting. About 10 years ago she decided to establish her own business and Connie McInnis Designs was born. These days, Connie’s time is split between new building projects and home renovations – a major one at the moment being her own newly-acquired home in Brentwood Bay, which includes her office. Other projects involve safe-proofing homes for seniors, enabling them to stay in their homes longer, and decorating and staging homes for re-sale. She has a team of local journeymen tradespeople to call upon and uses only Canadian suppliers and products. Connie pointed out that freshening up our homes doesn’t have to be a major undertaking. Painting the walls a different colour, possibly with a feature wall in a contrasting but complementary colour, changes the look of any room. Throw cushions and fresh or silk flowers can make a room pop with bright colours. Scatter rugs and new window dressings, such as drapes and blinds, perk up a room by adding patterns and texture. Even re-framing photos or pictures can add a dramatic new look to mantels, bookcases and walls. “It’s fun to add one new thing to a room when the seasons change,” Connie suggested. Southern Vancouver Island has been home to Connie all her life and she has raised her two daughters on the Peninsula. She enjoys “giving back” by assisting at fundraising events including fashion shows at Stelly’s Secondary School and the Sidney Business Association. She has assisted the Canadian Cancer Society and the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts for years as an event co-ordinator and decorator. To get your New Year’s resolutions and renovations underway, take that first step and call Connie at 250-652-5584 or on her cell at 250-920-6580. You may discover you’re more flamboyant than you think!

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St. Valentine’s Day Buzz

PENINSULA

by Linda M. Langwith

The one bright light in the month of February is St. Valentine’s Day, which this year shares the limelight with Chinese New Year – the Year of the Tiger. St. Valentine’s Day goes back a long way. According to legend, Claudius II, a Roman emperor of the third century, insisted that his soldiers not be allowed to marry. Apparently this didn’t sit well with Bishop Valentine, a true romantic at heart, who went behind his back and married soldiers and their sweethearts. St. Valentine paid the ultimate price for his matchmaking by being executed on February 14th. Before he died he sent a love note to his jailor’s daughter, signed “From your Valentine.” Perhaps that’s where the whole crazy card thing started! Recognizing a good thing when he saw it, Pope Galasius declared February 14 to be Saint Valentine’s Day in 496. Valentine’s Day is not for cynics! Never mind if your favourite florist doubles the price on roses, and don’t even think of giving your beloved that discounted box of Christmas chocolates. There’s no need to max out the credit cards but you don’t have to be Scrooge either. Romance doesn’t have to come in a box: floral, chocolate or otherwise. If an expensive restaurant meal with your significant other just isn’t possible this year, why not make some sandwiches and head down to Tod Inlet on one of the easy walking trails off Wallace Drive. What could be more romantic than sitting at one of the picnic tables, hand in hand, watching the mist rise off the water while enjoying a midwinter picnic with your beloved? Warm up afterwards with lattés and cookies at your favourite bistro. If the outdoors leaves you cold at this time of year, surprise the special person in your life with an easy-to-prepare lunch. Head to your local Thrifty’s, choose a bag of

baby organic greens, a fresh baguette and some lox from the fish counter. In the bakery section select something divinely decadent like cheesecake. Make a simple dressing of 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Toss the greens in the dressing, add the lox, slice and butter the baguette and serve it with your favourite white wine or champagne. Why not go over the top and use your best dishes, a posh tablecloth, candles and background music? For the finale watch your favourite romantic movie together – maybe The Way We Were or Love Actually. St. Valentine would be proud of you!

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FEBRUARY 2010

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Citizens on Patrol

In 2008-2009, the Town of Sidney’s Police Advisory Committee (now the Protective Services Committee) developed a Citizens on Patrol (COP) program for the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP Detachment area. Sidney residents are fortunate to live in a very safe community that has a low crime rate. However, the COP program gets the community involved in supporting the police and working in partnership with them to improve safety and prevent crime. Under the direction of the police, COP volunteers patrol in vehicles in pairs and report any suspicious or criminal activity to which the police can prioritize and respond. The volunteers have no enforcement authority and do not leave their vehicles unless requested to do so by the police. Volunteers are interviewed, given police background checks and trained before they go on patrol. They use their own vehicles; however, they are reimbursed for the cost of gas. Volunteers are asked to commit to one four-hour shift per month. If they do not drive, they are paired with a driver or assisted in administering the program. In December, 2009 the COP program was incorporated as the “Sidney/North Saanich Citizens on Patrol Society” to better administer the program. This was enabled by the generous assistance given to the Committee by the following organizations: the Town of Sidney gives ongoing financial support and recognition of the volunteers, the Sidney Lions Club and Sidney Rotary Club funded car kits, the Shoal Centre provides office space, ICBC provided technical assistance and funding and the Peninsula CO-OP generously shares the fuel expenses with the Society. We also thank the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP Detachment for their ongoing support and advice. The COP program could not exist without the contributions of these groups, and we are very grateful to them. Anyone interested in volunteering for COP can contact Carol Quartermain at 250-655-4690 for more information. Let professional tradesmen experienced in all aspects of construction give you the home of your dreams Renovations & Additions • Kitchens & Bathrooms Decks & Patios • Basement Suites • Project Management

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FEBRUARY 2010

Calling All Musicians Who Care About Community ! by Jocelyn Chambers The Sidney Lions Food Bank is an essential part of our community. Just like in the famous Dickens novel where Oliver stands before the gentlemen of the orphanage asking “Please Sir, may I have some more,” the sad fact is 37 percent of the people using local food banks are children. The Sidney Lions Food Bank on the Saanich Peninsula works hard to provide much-needed support to families and has seen an increase in demand of over 20 percent in the past year. The Sidney Acoustic Series, sponsored by the Seaside Times and Fresh Cup, is proud to announce the audition dates for “Feed The

Soul – Season 2.” Every Thursday night at Fresh Cup Sidney, the Open Mic runs from 6-9 p.m. Last year a group of local musicians from the Saanich Peninsula banded together on this fun community music project, creating some of the best local music the community has seen in years, for the benefit of the Sidney Lion’s Food Bank. To date, the group has raised over $5,000, selling over 500 copies of the CD in the first six months. “The community responded very well to the concept and the weekly Open Mic is a great platform to listen and get to know the musicians,” notes Feed The Soul Producer Jim Townley.

‘Feed The Soul’ – Auditions ! • Up to 8 Musicians Selected • All Ages Welcome • Original Songs Required

Audition Dates : Feb. 25th • March 4th March 11th

Location : Fresh Cup Sidney 2360 Beacon Ave.

Proceeds:

Audition Forms : www.freshcup.ca 20

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“Our goal was to bring the great local music and the needs of the Sidney Lions Food Bank to the attention of the community and I think we did both very well.” Auditions for Season 2, referred to as the “Second Helping,” will be held on Thursdays during the regular Open Mic starting on February 25 and running March 4 and 11th. The format for the auditions is simple with forms available at www. freshcup.ca. Musicians who would like to audition must fill out the form and drop it off to Fresh Cup in Sidney (Attention: Jim Townley) no later than February 25 or e-mail a completed copy to freshcupsidney@telus.net. Each musician will be given the opportunity to sing three songs during the audition process, with at least two of the three songs being original material. “We are looking for cool and original songs,” says Townley. “The whole idea is to feature musicians within the community and record their best songs on the CD for the purpose of raising money for the Food Bank.” There is no age limit to audition for “Feed The Soul.” Last year’s musi-

cians ranged in age from 23 to 53 and possessed a varying amount of musical talent and experience. “All too often with these projects age limitations are put in place,” comments Jim, “We invite diversity to the project and, based on last year’s results, I anticipate the same high quality this year.” Check out the Web site www. feedthesoul.ca to get a glimpse into last season’s songs and the musicians who brought more than just a song to the table – they brought their time and support for this great cause. The image for “Season 2” of the guitar inside the exclamation mark symbolizes the “urgency” of our continued support for the Food Bank and the music in our community, but more important is the connection of the two images and the fact that the musicians want to help out for a second time … a second helping if you will.

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FEBRUARY 2010

Reservation For Two? by Jennifer Bowles

True story, picture it: February 14 at 2:00 p.m. I am manup and pretend to have one instead! aging the hostess desk at a high-end restaurant in Victoria. It doesn’t work. With a brief explanation to him about our Tonight, there is no room for error and no room for another fastidious reservation procedure and a slim-to-none chance soul. We’ve been booked solid for well that we could have “missed” his resover a month and the people on the ervation, I call his bluff. waiting list will be chicken nugget dipChampagne Twist pin’ at McDonald’s, because nobody is Mr. X and I had a polite stare down pulling a “no show” tonight! and no further words were necessary. *** I think I only counted four times that Lobster Cocktail The phone rings, and on the other Mrs. X belted him with her purse on end is a gentleman frantically plead*** the way out the door, but one thing ing me for one “tiny little” reservation Lamb Pops with was for sure – you won’t find her for two. After explaining to him he’s Rosemary Dipping Jus words to him in your typical Valena tad late and there’s no chance, he tine’s Day card. pulls out his magic hat – “$50? $100? *** Asparagus Spears What would you like? I told my wife we Stay home and make a little room would be coming to you and I HAVE for Mr. X this Valentine’s. Stoke the *** to be there! You don’t understand, fire, throw on Ella Fitzgerald and I will Frites please!!“ show you how to make a gorgeous, *** easy, three-course dinner for your There was no way I was going to Chocolate Cherry Cakes with mate that leaves the kitchen intact move anyone off my reservation book, and your pocket book still in the French Vanilla Ice Cream but taking pity on him, and with my black. connections, I took his number and started making fast inquiries. Dead Champagne end. I couldn’t even get a 10:00 p.m. seating at a casual Sugar rim flute place. I called the gentleman and said I was sorry. He hung up … hard. Drop in maraschino cherry 7:00pm and the restaurant is flowing beautifully. No issues, no hiccups, food looks beautiful, everyone is gushing. At the door my 7:00 p.m. seating starts to glide in. First couple approaches me: ”Mr. & Mrs. X – 7:00pm,” says the man smiling. Frantically searching the book, my heart beating faster, I don’t see his name. “Sorry, what was the name sir?” Mr. X! he says sharply. Now, I’m thinking to myself … why does Mr. X sound sooo familiar to me? … (gasp!) You have got to be kidding! It’s Mr.X! Wife in tow and dressed to the nines! We had literally just spoken, but knowing he had no reservation he decided to just show

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FEBRUARY 2010

Home Alone? Driving Miss Daisy® At Your Service! by Arlene Antonik The New Year is well upon us and many of us look forward to bettering ourselves in some shape or form. Maybe our choice is to get out and meet more people, get more involved in the community or just increase our activity level at the local recreation centre. This is easy for many of us, but for the elderly, these types of resolutions can actually include many roadblocks.

report by the provincial government notes that social isolation and exclusion are linked with increased chance of premature death, more depression and more disability from chronic disease, poor mental and physical health, increased use of health and support services and a general reduced quality of life. But which seniors are at risk of social isolation? Many circumstances and situations can play a part, but they generally involve personal and social factors. The most vulnerable are seniors without transportation for shopping, routine errands, appointments and social outings. They also tend to have low emotional support, reduced physical leisure activities and often live alone.

These roadblocks for seniors come in the form of reduced physical mobility issues and often lack of access to safe, reliable and timely transportation. This can often lead to social isolation, loneliness and/or depression. As humans, we are social creatures and we naturally need healthy interaction with others to maintain our mental well-being and physical health. This is even more important after retirement, when social contact is reduced due to a lack of workforce interaction. A variety of research has shown that social isolation can lead to many negative outcomes such as poor health, loneliness and other emotional distress. The Working Together for Seniors

Mobility-restricted seniors can improve health and well being by: • Good nutrition, exercise and maintaining close consultation with their doctor; • Keeping or widening the circle of friends and family; • Becoming a mentor to others by volunteering in organizations or community centres; and

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SEASIDE TIMES

The pitfalls of social isolation can be bypassed with many of the above goals being addressed by a seniors’ accompaniment service called Driving Miss Daisy®. Heather (pictured) and Gordon Thurston are the Sidney to Cadboro Bay Driving Miss Daisy® franchise owners with Heather being the principal operator.

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With a background in geriatric care administration, care home nursing and a Certified Senior Advisor certification, Heather brings extensive experience in caring for seniors and a positive, compassionate approach to meeting the challenges of aging. She enjoys taking the time to learn about her clients as individuals who have a lifetime of stories, insight and wisdom to share. This simple camaraderie can have a really positive impact on the emotional and mental health of an individual facing the prospects of social isolation. With one-to-one service meant to help elderly people retain their independence, Heather can assist with more

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than just transportation. By providing individualized and personal service and taking the time to listen carefully to the challenges the elderly face, Driving Miss Daisy® helps seniors with activities including appointments, errands, shopping, visiting relatives and friends and attending church, thus enabling the clients to maintain an active role in their community. Services provided by Driving Miss Daisy® also go above and beyond – as in attending seniors during medical appointments or hospital tests, being a second set of ears and communicating to family members or caregivers.

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FEBRUARY 2010

Throughout February

what’s happening | february 2010

Sidney Fine Art Show Master Craig Benson Sculpture Display 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday Tulista Arts Centre, corner of 5th and Weiler 250-656-7400, www.cacsp.com

February 10-28 Sidney Shutterbugs Presents A Gallery of Photographs

until the end of March…

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday Tulista Arts Centre, corner of 5th and Weiler 250-656-7400, www.cacsp.com

5th Annual Lego Exhibit Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sidney Museum Corner of Beacon and Fourth 250-655-6355, www.sidneymuseum.ca A very popular family exhibit with over 250 Lego models from pirates to Star Wars and cranes to castles.

February 7

A Beachy Winter (Guided Walk) Island View Beach Regional Park, 1-2:30 p.m. 250-478-3344, www.crd.bc.ca/parks Even though it’s winter time, don’t forget about the beach! Join the discovery with a CRD Regional Parks naturalist as we dig in the sand, peek under rocks and look at the seaweed for what the winter waves have left us. Be prepared to get your feet wet. Meet at the picnic shelter off Homathko Road, off Island View Road. All ages.

February 7

Chocolate & Wine Pairing Muse Winery, 11195 Chalet Rd., North Saanich 250-656-2552, www.musewinery.ca We start with a ‘bubbly” reception and then go through a series of five different Muse Wines carefully paired with delightful selections from Rogers Chocolates. If you’d like to extend the evening to include dinner, StoneStreet will be offering a buffet-style selection for an additional $19 per person. Reservations required. Presented by The Rotary Club of Saanich in support of Scholarships & Community Projects.

February 20 Horth Hill Highlights (Guided Walk) Horth Hill Regional Park, North Saanich 1-2:30 p.m. 250-478-3344, www.crd.bc.ca/parks Stroll along with a CRD Regional Parks interpreter and check out this delightful park at the tip of the Saanich Peninsula. Discover the plants at your feet, the birds over your head and great views from the top. Wear sturdy hiking shoes. Meet at the information kiosk in the parking lot off Tatlow Road. Ages 8+.

February 20 Peninsula Young Performers Ninth Annual Dance Extravaganza Mary Winspear Centre, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. 250-656-0275, www.marywinspear.ca Presented by the Allegro Performing Arts Centre. Silent auction, concession and 50/50 draws. Tickets $15 at the box office.

February 23

Canadian Federation of Women Presentation Mary Winspear Centre, 7 p.m. 250-656-7010, salliearthur@shaw.ca The Saanich Peninsula branch is presenting “Sailing Away,” a sailing adventure around Vancouver Island by the Sidney Sailing Chicks: Cathy Harris and Alison Kershaw. Potential members and guests welcome.

The Oooh Ahhh Factor by Jesse Williamson

Sometimes it takes a newcomer to the Island to remind us how awesome our community really is. When we live here long enough our island paradise can be taken for granted and we can all too easily forget the “Oooh Ahhh factor;” you know, like when were kids at the fireworks and we would look up and collectively go Oooh, Ahhh. Is this taken-for-granted phenomenon wrapped up in our familiarity or are we simply too busy to stop and appreciate our surroundings? I’ve been here for 28 years and I really don’t understand the cabin fever type comments of having to get off the island once in a while. It must be the Welsh in me, the homebody instinct, but I love it as much as I ever did. I must admit though, I had forgotten just how good we have it. As I take a step back to reflect on my own Oooh Ahhh factor I take in the expansive view from atop the Malahat: Oooh … Ahhh! The scent of an arbutus tree in flower after a May rainfall and taking photographs with my husband as the summer sun rises over Fisherman’s Wharf in Sidney’s harbour both result in the Oooh Ahhh factor. I took my revelry a step farther and started asking colleges and friends what brought them here and what was their Oooh Ahhh factor. Here is what Wilf Krahé, a proud Canadian citizen whose origins are in Germany, said.

of their lives, only to find out they had left their friends and family behind. They had stopped looking at their particular paradise and, after much debating, wringing of hands and financial losses, they moved back to their original community, which had its own Oooh Ahhh factor. Taking our cue from their experience, we came to a place we wished to retire and here we are still. We have been able to make the dream a reality: having raised our kids we will be moving on into retirement, maybe not with with ease but we’re still afloat and will be here for the duration. Thanks to newcomers, I now take longer looks at that summer sunrise that we photographed and hung on our wall; a welcome to all you newcomers. To the readers: are you, like me, taking our incredible community for granted? Do you remember why you came to the island? Or, if you’re from here, do you appreciate what we have? What’s your Oooh Ahhh factor? Email editor@seasidetimes.ca if you’d like to share. Photo by Jim Gardener.

Wilf’s first experience of this area came in 1975 when he was asked by a friend to travel with him to an uncle’s home in Canada. The result was a lifelong love affair with this Peninsula we inhabit. In time the trip led to his immigration and desire to take out Canadian citizenship. Wilf’s Oooh Ahhh factor is the sense of space, the feeling of freedom and the friendly people. He still loves the slow pace and the fact that there is a space in the world with a park-like setting and few fences. Another long-time resident, Kim Erb, was fortunate enough to be brought here because of her husband’s work. Like Wilf, Kim loves the slow unhurried pace and the fact that geography saves us from urban sprawl. We will never suffer from the fungus of metropolis mushroom. What she loves most of all, her Oooh Ahhh factor, is that old country sense of community; the fact that when Kim is out and about she will meet and be greeted by the many people she has come to know as part of her paradise. To quote her on contentment: “We have made our little nest here and we are cozy and comfortable.”

Lester Quitzau Trio Friday, March 26th – 8 p.m. Adults $25, Seniors $22 Students $18

The Music of This Masterful Trio is Magic and Not to be Missed!

People still laugh when I tell them my husband and I came out here to retire, because at the time we were in our 20s and newly married. We had been watching our parents’ friends retire, move to their dream home away from all they had known most SEASIDE TIMES

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Mary Winspear Centre 250-656-0275 www.marywinspear.ca FEBRUARY 2010

New Beginnings For a New Decade by Kristine Cater, Owner, Knickerbocker’s Colour trends for home decorating are “not conjured up using a crystal ball,” according to The Pantone Color Institute. “They are the result of much observation of our surrounding natural world as well as the influences that will impact our world in the future.” Those influences are socioeconomic, technological, lifestyle, play style, diversionary and entertainment issues as well as the needs, moods, fantasies and aspirations of the consumers. The colour trends for home decorating in 2010 (and even 2011) have already been decided by the “powers that be” (Pantone as well as the U.S.-based Color Marketing Group). It will come as no

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surprise that the number one trend for colour in home décor this year is green … make that vibrant green. The most economic yet dramatic and effective home makeovers begin with paint, but you can’t paint your entire house green, so let’s take a peek at the overall 2010 palette. Now, just to complicate the issue, the aforementioned powers that be don’t necessarily always agree on the exact shades of colour trends. For example, Pantone has specified their Turquoise (15-5519) as the “it” colour for 2010 because it combines the “serene qualities of blue with the invigorating aspects of green and evokes thoughts of soothing tropical waters, a languorous effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well-being.” Well, one can see that the psychology of colour

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Fresh Perspective represents real colours found organically in nature, everything from green to yellow, browns, creams and taupes. It is the colour of sand, air, flowers, moss, grass, roots and riverbeds with blasts of colour extracted from fruits and vegetables. Try August Morning (2156-40) combined with Thunder (AF-685) and a dash

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However, for as long as I’ve been involved in the world of Interior Design, Benjamin Moore has been my paint of choice. For new beginnings in a new decade, Benjamin Moore has decreed 18 colours plus one metallic colour and separated them into three colour trend groupings: Fresh Perspective, Simple Indulgences and Alternative View.

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of Sundance (2022-50). Opaline (OC-33) will help you stay rooted in earth tones with Carob (AF-160) or Fairview Taupe (HC-85). Simple Indulgences emphasizes values over wealth, luxury, sophistication, harmony, romance, passion and deep rich colour hues. In this grouping you’ll find deep dark Caponata (AF-650) and combined with dreamy Blueberry (206330) you’ll achieve real drama. Rich purple implies luxury in Amorous (AF-600) and Violetta (AF-615). The neutrals in this palette are Slip (AF-605 and Calm (OC-22). For instant “attainable luxury” you could indulge your senses by painting a ceiling in luscious metallic Fool’s Gold (PT-250) Alternative View is indulgent colour with unexpected jolts as focal points, sportiness and playfulness. This palette is artistic and intellectual, daring, entertaining and flamboyant, youthful in spirit and vitality. This is where Cedar Green (2034-40) meets Midnight Navy (2067-10) or gets calmed down with Pale Celery (OC-116) or Guilford Green (HC-116). Try a dramatic focal wall in Claret Rose (2008-20) and bump it up against Meditation (AF395). Benjamin Moore has declared Cedar Green from this palette as the Colour of the Year for its “sense of hope and renewal, ushering in this era.” It is a colour that is “modern, spring-like, eco-complimentary … versatile and fresh.” All of the 18 colours in this new palette are presently available, but have been combined in innovative ways for 2010 and none of the above implies that one must rush to redo an entire house. Try just one room to start – a bedroom or a bathroom – and see how the new trends suit your taste and personality.

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FEBRUARY 2010

O SO CIETY

INSUL

EBRATI

L CE

N PE

2009 Was a Great Year Because of YOU! Peninsula Celebrations Society would like to thank all our Sponsors, Community Partners and Contributors for their generosity towards the successful line-up of 2009 events:

Easter Egg Hunt • Build a Boat • Family Day on Canada Day Canada Day Parade • Summer Sounds • Santa Breakfast Santa Parade • SailPast • First Night • Polar Bear Swim

We Couldn’t Have done it WitHout all of You – tHank You! Major Sponsors:

Thrifty Foods in Sidney • Town of Sidney • District of North Saanich • Marker Developments • Canadian Heritage • Slegg Lumber • Marv Holland 98.5 The Ocean 100.3 the Q The Island’s Rock A.J. Finlayson Architect Ltd. A Touch of Salt Spring All Bay Marine Beacon Books Beacon Auto Parts Best Western Emerald Isle Motor Inn Boater’s Exchange Brown’s the Florist Canoe Cove Marina Christine Laurent Jewellers Ltd. Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula Curran Consulting Ltd. Dean Park Pet Hospital Delta Marine District of Central Saanich Dockside Grill Fish on Fifth Focus Tax & Accounting Fresh Cup Roastery G&E Equipment Rentals Ltd. Holmes Realty (Michele Holmes & Barbara Erickson) Gordon Hulme Realty Island Blue Print Co. Ltd. Jensen Marine Supply

Knights of Pythias Leitch and McBride Sails Lighthouse Brewery LiveYoung Medical Services Malcolm Electric Mark’s Work Wearhouse Mary’s Bleue Moon Café McTavish Store Mineral World and Scratchpatch MVP Crest & Trophy Products North Saanich Marina Panorama Recreation Centre Peninsula Co-Op Peninsula News Review PROW (Property Rights on Waterfront) Peninsula Track & Field Club Pharmasave Philbrook’s Boatyard Port Sidney Marina Re/Max Camosun Richlock Rentals Rogers’ Chocolates Rumrunner Pub Salon J Hairstudios Salvador Davis & Co. Scotiabank in Sidney Scotty Marine & Fishing Products Seaside Times Magazine

Sherwood Marine Centre SHOAL Centre Shopper’s Drug Mart Sidney Business Association Sidney by the Sea Rotary Club Sidney Cleaners Sidney Kiwanis Club Sidney Lions Club Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa Sidney Rotary Club Sidney Transmissions Sidney Waterfront Inn & Spa Smitty’s Restaurant South Island Marine Sparling Real Estate Stonehouse Pub Stonestreet Café & Catering Tanner’s Books and the Children’s Bookshop Triangle RV Van Isle Marina Vector Yacht Services VI Fitness Centres Video Express Waypoint Marine West Marine Westport Marina Yachttech

We are looking forward to your continued support in 2010. Please contact 250-656-4365 to participate in making 2010 a great year!

Sudoku Puzzles

Middle of the Road

February 2010 Keep Your Brain Healthy

The Alzheimer’s Association recommends doing puzzles like Sudoku to strengthen brain cells and the connections between them.

Instructions

Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

* Sudoku Solutions can be found on page 39.

7 9 2

1 5

6 2 1 5 8 9 5 7 8 4 4 9 6 8 5 2 2 8 7 5 1 4

Puzzle by websudoku.com

7 6 5

6 5 7

5 1 8 3

5 2 4

Puzzle by websudoku.com

• 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day • About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets • Cupid, another symbol of Valentine’s Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Exceedingly Evil

5 8

5 8 2 SEASIDE TIMES

6 4 9

Hardly Simple

www.seasidetimes.ca

3 9 2 2 6 5 4 1 3 6 9 2 3 4

3 7 1

Puzzle by websudoku.com FEBRUARY 2010

Sidney’s MEDIchair – Making a Difference by Arlene Antonik

Tucked away behind Capital Iron in Sidney Centre is a store that makes a big difference in people’s lives. Accidents, aging or health challenges can result in major changes to a person’s mobility and independence.

both stores (pictured right) , noted the advantages of being part of the Canadian-owned chain which has over 65 stores from coast to coast: “Our buying power allows us to offer highly competitive pricing on a wide range of dependable products from the most trusted suppliers in the country. We want our clients to be properly fitted with the product that’s right for them and to be safe and comfortable.”

Daily activities such as getting dressed, taking a bath or going to the grocery store can become difficult if not seemingly impossible. On the Peninsula we are fortunate to have help at hand: MEDIchair, with stores in Victoria and Sidney, has provided home medical equipment to this area for over 20 years. David Coulter, general manager of

The Sidney store displays an extensive array of products for those facing physical challenges including walkers, wheelchairs and scooters. David demonstrated the agility of the Go-Go Elite

SCOOTER tune-up It’s time to start thinking about getting back outdoors again. Get ready to experience all the colours of the season with a scooter tuned up by the specialists at MEDIchair.

Our factory-trained technicians will do a complete maintenance checkup and repair on your scooter so you can spend more time thinking about your next special ing adventure and less time worrying pr only about how you’ll get there. *hurry...this offer expires March 31, 2010

8999

Victoria 1856 Quadra Street (250) 384-8000 Sidney 7-9764 Fifth Street (250) 656-6228 victoria.medichair.com 1-800-528-9553

SEASIDE TIMES

www.seasidetimes.ca

Traveller Plus, a smart little red scooter that manoeuvred easily around the store. “This particular model comes apart easily,” he explained as he twisted off the seat and soon had four pieces on the floor. “Those wishing to travel or take cruises find it lightweight and convenient to transport. It has a rechargeable battery pack too.” Power wheelchairs have been updated with programmable controls that enable the user to set their own speed and power, and the responsiveness of the joystick can be “dampened down” to accommodate those with hand tremors for straighter driving. A small video screen displays the settings and battery charge and, if uploaded by the owner, a picture of family members or a beloved pet may appear there. Lift chairs are available with extra cushioning, foldable trays, storage com-

scooterswalkerswheelchairslift chairs vehicle liftsvehicle modificationsramps inclined platform liftsporch liftscanes

partments, heat and massage controls, and recline into several different positions. Their main function, however, is to raise a person with mobility issues into a standing position and, in reverse, into a sitting position. Aids for daily living displayed in the store include needle threaders, key turners, jar openers, button hooks, elastic shoe laces and extra-long shoe horns. MEDIchair carries a wide variety of items made from washable Australian sheepskin including seat covers, bed pads and slippers which provide pressure relief from lying or sitting for long periods of time. Also available are lifts and safety devices for the bathroom – a room that provides many challenges for those with physical challenges. Seniors need to take extra care to avoid falls and potential hip fractures. SAFEHIP hip protectors have proven effective in reducing fractures from falls by dispersing the energy away from the hip bone and into the surrounding soft tissue. They come in styles for both men and women. Questions about any of the products in the Sidney store are ably answered by Manager Roland Ledoyan (pictured opposite page left) and Sales Associates Shirley Gambles and Gaby Standfest-Krahé. Manufacturers’ sales representatives are constantly coming by the stores to introduce and demonstrate their latest products to the staff and to train them in their use. Roland has a small workshop on site where he can make

minor repairs and provide regular equipment maintenance. The main service department is at the Victoria store, located at the corner of Quadra and Caledonia. Pick-up and delivery are available and, if needed, staff members even make house calls! “We like to visit the care homes and residential facilities,” Roland said. “We show the residents and therapists some of our new products and how to operate the equipment safely. I’ve often heard people say ‘I wish I’d known this or that product was available, it would have made my mother’s or my father’s life so much easier.’ ” Making life easier for people is what David and Roland and the rest of the staff at MEDIchair are all about.

Natural Energy

The Perfect Match

when you need it most!

CALL ME! Maria E. Kirley Mortgage & Leasing Expert Sidney Mortgage Experts, Ltd. 2393 Beacon Ave., Sidney, B.C. 250-656-2222 www.mariakirley.ca

Independently Owned & Operated

A perfect partnership: A home to call your own and a mortgage to fit all of your needs!

Dominion Lending Centres Sidney Mortgage Experts, Ltd. www.seasidetimes.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

BC Residents Rate Book now and pick our best room (including suites) for only $139*! This special rate is a limited time offer and is valid for all room types, Friday through Sunday until February 7, 2010 for BC residents only. Also available 7 days a week starting February 15 to 28!

Call now to book as room categories are on a first come first serve basis. *based on double occupancy and does not include taxes. Black out dates for this rate are February 12 - 14.

139*

For information call 250 655 9445 or toll free 1 866 659 9445 9805 Seaport Place, Sidney www.sidneypier.com

Indulge your senses

all month at Haven Spa

Haro’s Early Bird Dinner Specials

15.95

5:00 - 6:00 pm Monday to Friday

Mondays Oceanwise ‘Catch of the Day’ Tuesdays Cowichan Valley Chicken

Join us any time during the month of February for

Wednesdays Flat Iron Steak Sandwich

indulgent treats. We have menu items you’ll love:

Thursdays Curry of the Day

Wine and Roses Facial, Chocolate Truffle Body Wrap,

Fridays Chef’s Choice

and Luxe Chocolate Hair Masque.

Mimosa Champagne Manicure Call today and book a treatment

LOCATED AT

2538 Beacon Avenue, Sidney 250-655-9700 www.sidneypier.com/haros

SEASIDE TIMES

for you or someone you love. In the Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa 9805 Seaport Place, Sidney T: 250-655-9797 www.sidneypier.com/haven Open Monday through Saturday and Sunday February 14th www.seasidetimes.ca

A Beautiful Friendship

Great Shirts For Guitar Gods

by Pene Beavan Horton When we lived in the Queen Charlotte Islands, we had Tweetie Bird, a yellow-green love bird in a cage, and a fluffy charcoal and white kitten named Charlotte. Tweetie and Charlotte became great friends. We put Tweetie’s cage on the carpet and Charlotte would lie up against the bars and watch Tweetie hanging upside down from his little bar, swinging back and forth as close to Charlotte as he could reach. Finally we opened Tweetie’s cage door and let him out. He would strut around the room, always ending up on the carpet beside Charlotte. Charlotte could go in and out of Tweetie’s cage whenever she felt like it. They sat side by side for hours and our family ooohed and aaahed because it was such a sweet, if unusual, friendship. Then one day Charlotte moved out of kittenhood into kitty adolescence … we noticed she was looking at Tweetie in a very strange way, and in a second Charlotte’s jaws started clicking uncontrollably. We swooped, grabbed Charlotte’s trembling body away from the unsuspecting bird, and locked Tweetie in his cage. We then hung the cage on a ceiling hook. Charlotte’s natural instincts had kicked in and from then on she would sit and stare at Tweetie, occasionally flicking her tail. Tweetie continued to climb around inside his cage, hanging upside down, obviously searching for Charlotte. All of us, except Tweetie, knew their beautiful friendship was over. For a little while, however, we had caught a glimpse of what it would be like when the lion and the lamb … or for that matter, Charlotte and Tweetie Bird, would lie down together – predators freed from their natural instinct to rend and devour. Eventually, through countless successions of global friendships, perhaps even we humans will lose the desire to harm one another. If a charcoal and white kitten called Charlotte and a yellow-green Love Bird called Tweetie could do it, even just for a while, maybe we can too.

d.g. bremner & co. MENSWEAR AND ACCESSORIES

Two locations to serve you:

Sidney 2449 Beacon Avenue 250-654-0534

Broadmead Village 440-777 Royal Oak Dr. 250-744-5791

It was so sweet while it lasted. www.seasidetimes.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

Zais Astrology – February 2010 by Heather Zais (heather_zais@telus.net)

Aries march 21 - april 19 You look at the bigger picture now. Plans are large and far-reaching. Locations – temporary or permanent – will be decided. The sun is shining on your hopes and wishes and you will show your generous side as abundance flows. Positions change.

Libra september 23 - october 22 You take relationships seriously. This can mean commitment or ending an outworn situation. Either way, it’s time to take decisive action. Do what your intuition tells you. Enjoy special events or entertainments. Theatrical activity captures your imagination.

Taurus april 20 - may 20 Positive action in your career will let you know you are headed in the right direction. Important talks take place with those who can help or back you. The past will come up for review. Make sure all information is correct. Be cooperative.

Scorpio october 23 - november 21 You need to take care of outstanding matters or health issues affecting yourself or family. Some of this may be tedious but will give you a new sense of freedom when it’s over. Avoid complications that would make it worse.

Gemini may 21 - june 20 You have great hopes for the future and the know-how to make it come true. Stick to your guns no matter how much negative flack you get from those without ambitions of their own. Work away from them when you can.

Sagittarius november 22 - december 21 You shine in your community or in the eyes of family. Your way with words makes others feel better. You have a restlessness about you that leads you to think about travel or other locations. Watch spending or investing.

Cancer june 21 - july 22 You may have to sell or sever ties from people or situations that have passed their usefulness. You need a shift with your duties or responsibilities. You can benefit from the past in unexpected ways. You have special travel ahead.

Capricorn december 22 - january 19 New jobs or income sources make you feel better about the future. Don’t be afraid to venture into new territory. Experience comes with common sense action. You have what it takes to reinvent yourself. Your status or reputation grows.

Leo july 23 - august 22 You need to wait just at the time that you want to move forward. Your patience and leadership qualities will be tested. In any case, delays will work out to your advantage in the long run. Financial benefits come through others.

Aquarius january 20 - february 18 This is a powerful month for you. Your image changes or improves with ease. Others respond to you in unexpected ways. Jupiter is opening up financial channels for you and it will be joined by Venus adding additional income, gifts or bonuses.

Virgo august 23 - september 22 There are some issues with energy now – pace yourself to compensate for it. You have what it takes to get the job done – others are counting on you. You have more power in your position than may appear. Stay the course. Delegate.

Pisces february 19 - march 20 Your spontaneous action could include merging or getting married. A presentation or promotion goes well – dress the part. Changes you make now will have beneficial effects on your long term future. You can turn a negative into a positive.

SEASIDE TIMES

www.seasidetimes.ca

A Sustainable Coffee World

by Steve Sheppard “Go Canada Go!” is the theme for Canadians across the country this month; however, in this edition we’re going to bring clarity to terms commonly used in the coffee industry that pertain to “sustainability.” As Canadians, we’re fairly aware of how we impact the rest of the world and for that I am proud. The challenge is that many coffee companies present their approach to buying coffee in a fair manner as the only option, and that I have a problem with. A sustainable coffee industry relies on you, the consumer, to first care about the origin of your favourite daily coffee beverage and the people who harvest it. Coffee roasters will adapt their business practices once you express yourself or they’ll lose you as a customer so you make more of a difference than you know. 1) Fair Trade – conceptually this started out as a good idea but other alternatives do exist. In order to use the Fair Trade logo, coffee roasters pay in the neighbourhood of 20 cents per pound to the green buyer, who then passes it along to the grower in the region that it was grown. The challenge with this process is that the coffee roaster is also required to pay the same amount to a company in Ottawa called Trans Fair to use the little logo showing that the coffee is being fairly purchased. This double payment can be onerous to the roasters, and Trans Fair requires quarterly payments in advance on forecasted volumes sold for the year by the roaster. 2) Farmer Friendly – The other method

being used more and more by small roasting companies is through a process referred to as “Farmer Friendly” within the industry. Buying direct from the farmer run co-ops is becoming easier, so many coffee roasting companies are going direct because they want to see their industry evolve in terms of the socioeconomic impacts it has in the countries of origin. It also ensures access to the coffee for the future, another upside to the roaster. No one company has attempted to trademark the phrase Farmer Friendly, unlike the folks at Trans Fair who have locked up

only Certified Organic green coffee from the farmer run co-ops in the various countries of origin. Certified Organic coffee fetches about 35 to 40 percent more for the farmers who participate than the standard world coffee price would suggest. Farmers who go this route must have certification performed on their land including water and soil sampling. This investment is worthwhile as their return for such designation helps to bolster the oldest law know to man; “Supply and demand.” Currently, Certified Organic coffee is in higher demand and will likely remain that way for some time. This is the way of the future and will help farmers achieve financial and crop sustainability. In the end, consumers must stop making unconcious choices when buying their daily cup.

the “Fair Trade” reference and charge a fee for roasters to use it. 3) Certified Organic – The other alternative to ensuring a sustainable coffee industry is for roasters to buy

I recommend that everyone wakes up, “Smells The Coffee” and supports those coffee houses that provide “Farmer Friendly, Certified Organic Coffee,” unlike the coffee that is being sold at some of the large coffee chains in Canada … which is likely stale as well (I couldn’t resist). Go Canada Go !

MONTESSORI EDUCARE e Hous Open 4th Feb. 1 m. p. 2-4

Beautiful learning environment

5, 3 and 2 day Preschool All-Day Kindergarten • Summer Play Program 7925 East Saanich Rd., Saanichton • 250-881-8666 montessorieducare@shaw.ca • www.montessorieducare.com www.seasidetimes.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

Convenience in Saanichton is Spelled Spelt’s! run business in “downtown” Saanichton. In 1971, Jake Spelt, who had immigrated to Saskatchewan from Holland as a newly-married young man, bought the Chevron service station next to the Post Office on East Saanich Road from Fire Chief Don Facey and ran it as a gas station and car repair shop. His children: Cory, Ron, David and Angelee, helped out after school. “I was 13 when we moved to Saanichton and I started cleaning the station and pumping gas after school and on weekends,” Ron Spelt (opposite photo centre) reminisced. “A mechanic told me he got paid for the work he did. Working for pay was a revelation to me as I’d been working for free.

by Arlene Antonik Just going over to Spelt’s to pick up the paper and some milk. We’re low on gas – we’d better fill up at Spelt’s before heading into town. Meet me at Spelt’s for a coffee … Around Saanichton, these are familiar phrases and we’ve been hearing them for a long time. For nearly 40 years, the Spelt family has been providing local residents with everyday conveniences at their family-

A Saanichton Institution Looking for a friendly place to stop in Saanichton? How about trying Spelt’s Shell and Coffee Shop? You might not have been to Spelt’s lately (a fixture in Saanichton for 38 years), but things keep changing there! The family-run Spelt’s is so much more than a clean and convenient Shell gas station and fully-stocked convenience store; there is also a great coffee shop on the south side of the building with friendly staff (and some second- and third-generation Spelts) ready to serve you with whatever you hunger for. They happily pour “Direct Fair Trade” coffee that directly helps the coffee pickers and their families – and it’s roasted right in Saanichton! Looking for good old-fashioned friendly service to go with some big fresh donuts? Well, they have them at Spelt’s and they’re baked fresh daily. But Spelt’s Coffee Shop is more than coffee and donuts; they also have great food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Did I mention the big muffins, creamy soft ice cream and pie? at the corner of Wallace Drive & East Saanich Rd.

SEASIDE TIMES

So why don’t you come on in and see what everyone is talking about and what’s new since you were here last – you’ll be glad you did!

“I had to get up the courage to talk to my Dad – I think he knew this was coming – and he gave me $20 on the spot and agreed to pay me 25 cents an hour from that point on.” In the late 1980s, Ron – who had been training to become a teacher – decided to return to the family business, this time as joint owner with his father. Soon after, the corner property across the street was put up for sale by the municipal- Jake Spelt with his granddaughter Melody. This was ity because the probably taken in the mid- ’80s when Jake used to fish Central Saan- two or three times a week. ich Police Station and the Fire Hall had moved from this site to their new location at the corner of Mt. Newton X Road and Wallace Drive. Ron saw an opportunity to expand the business, presented a proposal to Central Saanich Council and was successful in acquiring the triangular lot. In 1990, the new incarnation of Spelt’s opened at 7856 East Saanich Road with Chevron gas pumps, a used car lot and a convenience store. Installed underground were three double-walled fibreglass fuel tanks, the first of this type in Western Canada. A few years later, a video store was added and then replaced

www.seasidetimes.ca

in 1996 by Robin’s Donuts. That same year it was decided to close the car repair shop which had continued at the site across the street and had been a major part of the business for 25 years. In 2000, the gas pumps changed to Shell self-serve and in 2007, Spelt’s Coffee Shop replaced Robin’s. “I wasn’t too sure at first if the coffee shop was such a good idea,” Ron confided. “But it’s turned into a community gathering place. Regulars come in for morning coffee and now that we offer breakfast, lunch and dinner the shop can be busy right up to closing time at 10 p.m.” As Saanichton has grown and changed over the years, so has Spelt’s Enterprises, while remaining family owned and operated. Since 1995, Ron has owned the business outright, David (opposite page right) manages the convenience store and gas pumps and Angelee (opposite page left) manages the coffee shop.

This picture (Firehall 1965) shows what is now the Spelt’s property. The photo is taken from the east (probably above what was Grieve Motors). In the background you can see the Calpine Motel to the left of the property (Shoppers/Home Hardware is now there), across Wallace drive (to the right of the photo, behind the fire/police hall) you can see the field where Thrifty’s/Coast Capital is now. In the background you can see the municipal hall all by itself. This photo was provided by the Central Saanich Fire Department.

There are 20 employees including three “third generation” Spelts who work part-time while pursuing further education. Hundreds of young people in the area have been given their first jobs at Spelt’s and learned the importance of punctuality, customer service and even how to use a broom! The business has sponsored many local sports teams over the years and the team photographs are proudly on display. “Dads bring their kids in here and point to their picture on the wall from when they were a kid,” Ron noted with a laugh. “It’s very cool to think we’ve been around that long.”

Sudoku Solutions Hardly Simple

Middle of the Road 3 9 5 8 1 4 2 7 6

8 6 7 3 9 2 1 4 5

4 1 2 6 5 7 3 9 8

9 5 3 4 8 6 7 2 1

1 2 6 9 7 5 8 3 4

7 8 4 2 3 1 6 5 9

2 4 9 7 6 8 5 1 3

6 3 1 5 2 9 4 8 7

4 1 9 8 5 3 6 2 7

5 7 8 1 4 3 9 6 2

Puzzle by websudoku.com

2 5 3 4 6 7 8 9 1

Exceedingly Evil

Jake Spelt, long retired from the day-to-day business operations, likes to drop by for coffee and a visit with his kids and grandkids. In a quiet moment, he can look back 40 years to a time when Saanichton and his family business were both young and know that their histories are intertwined forever.

6 9 4 7 3 5 8 1 2

For more Saanichton photos, past and present, see www. saanichtonvillage.ca.

1 2 8 4 6 9 7 3 5

5 7 3 2 8 1 4 9 6

8 5 9 3 4 6 1 2 7

4 3 2 9 1 7 6 5 8

7 6 1 8 5 2 9 4 3

9 1 5 6 7 3 2 8 4

2 4 6 5 9 8 3 7 1

7 8 6 2 1 9 4 5 3

6 9 7 1 4 2 5 3 8

3 2 8 5 9 6 7 1 4

1 4 5 3 7 8 9 6 2

8 7 1 9 3 5 2 4 6

9 6 4 7 2 1 3 8 5

5 3 2 6 8 4 1 7 9

Puzzle by websudoku.com

3 8 7 1 2 4 5 6 9

Puzzle by websudoku.com

Jim Laing – 250-652-2923

Neil Laing – 250-656-2919

A family owned and operated community business with more than 40 years of service

Specializing in: • Residential, Commercial, Strata & Condo Security • ABLOY high security locks & keys • Bell lock postal lock upgrade keys

www.seasidetimes.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

Day of the Dolphin by Chris Genovali, Executive Director, Raincoast Conservation Foundation The ocean water was absolutely freezing as I plunged through the surface feet first. The intense cold was primarily due to the fact that I was wearing a partial wetsuit. It was all that was left on board, but there was no way I was going to miss out on a chance to snorkel with the pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins that had been following our boat.

some quality time with these amazing dolphins.

We were sailing across Johnstone Straight, headed for Bond Sound on B.C.’s central coast where we would eventually set up a Raincoast research camp. Even though we were on a tight schedule, we could not resist stopping to spend

After I got over the initial shock of immersing myself in the bone-chilling water, it was easy to ignore the cold and marvel at being in such close proximity to the dolphins. Beneath the surface, I was stunned at the size, speed and agility of these creatures. Dolphin after dolphin would swim straight up to me at significant speed, only to suddenly avert my outstretched hands in what had clearly become a game of underwater tag. They seemed to revel in coming as close as they could before quickly manoeuvring away in order to dodge my touch. I

soon became aware that I was simply a source of amusement for the dolphins – a role I embraced with no shame! Pacific white-sided dolphins are one of the species Raincoast has been surveying as part of a research project to help identify important areas for marine mammals on the central and north coasts. We will soon be publishing the results of this initiative. The findings are the result of six years of at-sea systematic surveys with a team of scientists aboard our research vessel Achiever. To date, Raincoast has surveyed over 14,000 kilometres of ocean and recorded over 2,300 sightings of marine mammals.

Did You Know? Dolphins have been declared the world’s second most intelligent creatures after humans, with scientists suggesting they are so bright that they should be treated as “non-human persons.” Studies into dolphin behaviour have highlighted how similar their communications are to those of humans. In the entire North Pacific, there are an estimated 900,000 Pacific whitesided dolphins. In B.C., Pacific whitesided dolphins are usually encountered in groups of 10 to 100 animals, although some groups have been seen with 2,000 or more individuals. Photos courtesy Nathan deBruyn.

Rick Shumka Realtor, Victoria, BC

• Born and raised on the Island, Rick Shumka served as a firefighter for 32 years and is now serving you as a realtor on the Saanich Peninsula and in Victoria • Selling your home is an important decision and Rick’s goal is to make the transition as smooth and worry-free as possible

For current property listings visit rickshumka.com #150 - 805 Cloverdale Ave., Victoria • 250-384-8124 • lfshumka@telus.net 40

SEASIDE TIMES

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Romance Remembered by Wendy Hacking It started with two fountain pens. Mine was green and gold, his silver and black. Our mutual fondness for old-fashioned writing instruments became a conversational prompt for two people introducing themselves for the first time. As we sat next to each other around a boardroom table, we began a conversation that never stopped. The man with the pen would, in time, become my husband. Ah, romance. From the perspective of someone marrying late in life, the experience of romance is conditional on time and space, person and place. Fountain pens romantic? Not to you, perhaps. But I cannot look at a fountain pen, any fountain pen, without feeling quite mushy and adopting a vacant stare, thinking of that fateful day and the seat I happened to choose around that big boardroom table. And have I mentioned red wine gums? I’ll get to those in a moment. Romance, Valentine’s Day and February are seasonally and culturally linked in North America. In Canada, the month of February has little else to recommend it so why not indulge in a little chocolate, a reward for the abstemious six weeks following New Year’s Eve final excesses? Perhaps you’re one of those people who rail against Valentine’s Day as being just a time of marketing heaven for greeting card companies, tele-florists and gourmet chocolatières.

card at the table. During the meeting, as I would slide a wine gum into my mouth and glance at him across the table, he would risk a wink. Do your teeth hurt from this saccharine tale? There’s more. Months later, as my new husband recovered from a health crisis, a jelly jar of red wine gums was perched by his bedside. It came with an Rx from me for a one-a-day treat to remind him of my love for him while he rested and healed. Time and space, person and place. Red wine gums and fountain pens are our metaphors for love and romance. MidFebruary you might notice that the

bulk bins of wine gums at our local market are oddly missing the crimson ones and we have a stash of Script ink

for our Valentine’s love letters. This year, why not treat your own Valentine to a romantic remembrance?

Beacon Cat Hospital Dr. Ellen Guttormson

The only strictly feline hospital serving the Saanich Peninsula

You’re not going to succumb to their entreaties to buy their products as a crass demonstration of your love. But I’ll bet the love of your life is expecting a little something, even if she or he too has clucked at the commercial interests surrounding Valentine’s Day. Have you thought about red wine gums as a gift for your love? As my husand-yet-to-be and I continued meeting regularly around that boardroom table, our mutual indulgence in red wine gums sealed our romantic fate. Surreptitiously, before I arrived for a meeting, he would leave a red wine gum or three by my place

Purrrrrfect Care

9711 A - 5th St., Sidney, British Columbia 250-656-5568 • www.beaconcatvet.infovet.ca www.seasidetimes.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

Get Out! – McKenzie Bight by Frank Gee The Get Out series is aimed at reminding us how lucky we are to live on southern Vancouver Island – one of the most diverse and livable places on earth! All my adventures are from the basis of a family with pre-teen kids. Get out and enjoy! McKenzie Bight, in Gowland Tod Provincial Park, is one of those locations I return to over and over, no matter what the weather is like. Even the tide isn’t a concern because the access routes are in the woods and the views can be enjoyed at any tide level. Shrouded in clouds and light rain, we have been watched by seals as we sipped hot chocolate, sheltered under a giant cedar. We swim there on an incoming tide as the water warms over the gravel beach and the sun arches west over the Malahat. What I really love about McKenzie Bight is the grove of ancient Arbutus trees just back of the water’s edge. I always take time to explore them, examining their contorted shapes, unique colouration and tenacious grip on the rocky landscape. The tidal rocks are rich with sea stars, the beach with clams,

Ladies’ Day! February 11th Spoil Yourself & Be Your Own Valentine!

SALE!

Locally made silver jewellery, Massage Lotions and Candles … ALL ON SALE!

Savour a handmade blackberry truffle while sipping a glass of bubbly!

12-6 p.m. Open Monday - Friday 9:30-5:00 Saturdays 10:30-4:30 9774 Third St., Sidney, B.C. V8L 3A4 (behind the Bank of Montreal)

250-655-9558 • www.smashinfashin.ca 42

SEASIDE TIMES

the rocky shoreline with stonecrop. Everything that grows here is adapted to extremes. Despite the coastal reputation for rain, the arbutus and Douglas fir are deep rooted and drought resistant; the mosses and stonecrop turn crispy as they exhaust their stored water in August; the tidal area relies on similar strategies. Children popping the little seaweed bubbles are actually compromising the plant’s survival, but it is fun. Sea stars, barnacles and limpits hang on tight, waiting for the next incoming tide to bring them moisture and food. The same goes for the clams, crabs, and many tiny or microscopic creatures that inhabit the sand and gravel bottom. Be gentle to these survivors. Boaters come in, but access seems to be generally from land. I haven’t seen kayakers here, although it isn’t a long paddle from Brentwood Bay – maybe an hour. Scuba divers enjoy the Saanich Inlet waters from near the Mark Lane trailhead. Apparently, at about 10 metres the marine plant life is quite exceptional. If you have arrived when a tide is starting to rise (Goggle “Pacific Tide Charts,” then click your way to Patricia Bay) and it is a hot day, you may enjoy a relatively warm swim. Directions: For the largest parking area, but the trail with the most elevation gain, from Brentwood Bay take Wallace Drive (south), then Willis Point Road to the well-marked trailhead on your left, just past the Durrance Lake turnoff. The trail starts just across the road. A smaller parking area (of sorts) and a mostly level walk exists at the south end of Mark Lane (further out on Willis Point Road). Be very careful to leave enough room for others to get turned around and don’t block the roadway. The trail is actually a graded continuation of Mark Lane. Both trails take about 30 minutes to reach Mckenzie Bight.

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Passionate Activist: A Profile of Belsonia Paul by Margaret Boyes

“I hope to sustain and support the livability of Victoria through encouraging social and artistic endeavors in our community,” says senior Belsonia Paul, (known as Bel to her friends).

She has established a fund at the Victoria Foundation. As a long-time supporter of Pacific Coast Public Television Association she suggested that the Victoria Foundation would be a good fit for their Vancouver Island supporters. In 1995 and 1996 Bel was nominated for the YM/YWCA of Greater Victoria Women of Distinction Awards

Fifteen years ago, when I met this vivacious woman in a restaurant on Douglas Street, I had no idea she was a community activist. I was new to Victoria and she invited me to the Unitarian Church and gave me a part-time job.

Recently, Bel suffered a traumatic injury to the optic nerve causing loss of vision in her right eye, and the last time I saw her she’d been to a Low Vision group. This has slowed her down a bit but she is still a dedicated advocate for social responsibility within community. “I believe deeply in human rights and in the responsibilities that come with them,” Bel says.

Since then Bel and I have stayed in touch. I often see her elegant figure walking near her home in James Bay where she’s actively involved in the community. Bel knows everyone and everyone knows Bel. She’s been part of the Prime Time Women’s Project, the James Bay Community School Centre, the James Bay Multilevel Care Society and the Long term Care Citizens Association.

Whenever I visit Bel in her Parry Street home, her friends phone constantly. We are all blessed to know this passionate activist.

In 1985 she was enthusiastically elected to the board of the James Bay Community Project (a community health center which provides primary health care, family services and community and volunteer services) and served for 12 years. At an AGM, their newly renovated board room was named the Belsonia Bogatin Paul & Frank Paul Foundation Board Room in honour of “Bel’s volunteer work in community health, housing, education and social issues, and her equally long support of the James Bay Community Project.”

Margaret Boyes is a holistic health care marketer. She writes advertising, sales letters, web pages, direct mail packages, e-mails, landing pages, brochures, white papers and other communications. Margaret can be reached at 250-370-1573, margboyes@shaw.ca and www.cariboucommunications.ca.

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After visualizing a collaborative approach to helping seniors, Bel helped start the Elder Friendly Services Network. In 1981 she was a founding board member of Seniors Serving Seniors. Bel and her husband Frank moved to Victoria in 1977. Before retirement, Bel earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of California then spent 23 years with the L.A. County Health Services. There she ran a community peer group encouraging young people to “spread the word, not the disease.” Later she was the director of Health, Education and Community Outreach for the San Fernando Valley. Bel has also worked in New York, Colorado, Missouri and New Zealand where she did community outreach for a Pacific-based NGO active in local communities across Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) called Corso. Bel has traveled widely. In Sweden, she took part in a Youth Leaders Work Study Program. She participated in the International Conference on Health Education in Paris in 1973 and the U.N. Conference on World Population in Bucharest in 1974. Bel also supports the Greater Victoria Arts community including the Pacific Opera, the Belfry and the Victoria Philharmonic Choir.

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FEBRUARY 2010

Business in Sidney – The Game is Changing by Grant Rogers Two things I have learned about through my experiences as a businessman and entrepreneur are luck and sports. First – it’s always great to have luck. No matter how street-smart you are, how many business principles you follow, how many good people you hire and how many brilliant marketing campaigns you deploy, good luck is a great thing to have. To think of it another way: you can have all of the wonderful assets just described and bad luck can make it all for nought. Luck exists. Without it, the cashier at the grocery does not pick the winning numbers for Lotto 6/49. Without it, the person who fell ill and is not able to go to work is part of the train derailment. Luck is great, but I don’t know where to find it, buy it or how to attract it. It’s not something we can control, so let’s move on to sports.

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I love hockey. I’m not good at it but it’s a microcosm of how the world of business operates. Have you ever wondered, while watching the Canucks, why some guys score so many more goals than others? Interestingly, they shoot the puck … at the net! Sometimes not even at the net but at the place the goalie isn’t! Boy, it works well but where did they learn it? We, as couch coaches, take it for granted that at the NHL level, the players are gifted athletes born with eyes in the back of their heads and legs like tree trunks. Not true. They are great students. At the earliest level most of these kids learn to play their team position – they learn to pass to their teammates as it’s more effective than a solo end-to-end rush. They learn to shoot when close in and they learn not to shoot at the goalie but at the holes around him. They also learn that they need to work as a team, they need to practice and they need to travel on team buses before team planes. After they have all the tools, they are also told that if you’re standing in front of the net you may eventually get lucky and deflect a shot into the goal. How does this relate to business in Sidney? Sidney is on a journey to the big leagues. As a group of individual businesses sometimes operating on our own (making the solo end-to-end rush) and sometimes coming together and putting on great collective successes such as the Thursday night markets and parades, Sidney has come a long way. Our town’s success creates the need to be open for the next step. Continued growth of our businesses depends upon continued change, but more importantly it depends

upon reinforcing why people already love us. We are competing at a higher level now. Our businesses need and crave foot traffic. We need to position ourselves front and centre as Sidney in the minds of everyone in Victoria. It’s important for us to compete not just as individuals but also as a team. It is naive to think that each of our individual, superhuman efforts or a low-budget single ad in a local newspaper will propel the continued growth of our commercial core. Our competition today isn’t similar

“Sidney’s success creates the need to be open for the next step. ~ Grant Rogers

”

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businesses in Victoria, but the other businesses’ core areas and malls. Individual businesses are successfully banding together to become forefront in the minds of our potential customers … or even worse, our existing customers! At the level we’re now playing as a town, we need to add some skills and positions to our team. Promoting Sidney is now a job that requires a single coordinated message created by professionals and it requires funding. If we ask ourselves why we go to Langford to shop, what we do not conciously realize is that they tell us repeatedly, subtly and consistently. Is the individual sale flyer for Home Depot more effective than the overall message: “If you are making a ‘BIG’ purchase, or ‘LOTS OF’ purchases, go to Langford?” That, more often than not, will push us over the edge when making decisions about which destinations to go to when making a particular purchase. Of course, we are not Langford nor should we try to be … but what are we? Are we not “authentic” and “casual?” Do we not have great

little stores with “unique” merchandise that you “cannot find in a mall?” Do we not have “easy” parking and walking with “great coffee shops, restaurants, services and attractions?” Are we not a “great place to putter?” One of our potential competitors for consumer mind-space is the new Town and Country Mall. They will spend smartly coordinated money trying to convince everyone that they have a main street – which we already have – and ours is a real one! Sidney must tell the consumer who doesn’t know us what we are and what we are not. We need to ask our current customers why they are here … and then repeat it back to them in a professional, pedantic fashion so that neither of us forgets (also known as marketing). Success is a responsibility that each of our businesses have to each other. As our businesses grow and succeed our rents go up, our taxes get collected and that’s natural (it would be naive to think that landlords and the Town of Sidney would just sit and watch without collecting)! We also demand that we receive more support in our success. Sidney is a better place, the streets are cleaner, the buildings are renovated, the services newer and the flowers are more colourful. But let there be no mistake – in success, there is not a “let’s take it easy for a shift” option. The goals of any business improvement organization include looking forward toward what our businesses now need to be truly successful and what we owe to each other as a team. Are there costs and risks? Of course! None of our individual businesses have gotten anywhere without them. Can we make it without a coordinated effort and professionals helping us? Maybe, but I’m pretty sure that the Canucks aren’t telling the players to just take lots of shots from the centre line at the opposing goal. It may work for a game or two, but I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t make the playoffs! Putting Sidney in a position to attract and create success requires coordinated teamwork – if we’re not willing to be a part of that team we might as well just rely on luck and go buy a lottery ticket!

Life’s Precious Moments by Patricia Zimmel

Life’s precious moments just happen. There is no warning, no planning and no decisions to be made; it all just happens. One such moment occurred for our family on Thanksgiving Day. We had not planned a big day; just a gathering of everyone. There are 10 of us now, with an addition to our son’s family who arrived in early November to make eleven. Our family has been prolific and embraced that lifestyle. Our small condo takes two comfortably, eleven is a stretch; but crowd in we did!

of special needs; he is autistic. Diagnosed at an early age, Owen started in the program “Little Steps” through the Ministry of Child and Family Development of British Columbia. His mother, a nurse, and father, a chiropractor, bring different perspectives on the disease. Nutrition is high on the list, coupled with a chiropractor’s insight. Everyone works towards an improvement in the life of this small child from the grandparents to the aunts and uncles on both sides of the family.

The meal was modest. It started with a butternut squash soup, made simply with squash, onions and vegetable stock flavoured with herbs. Vegetables from the garden: beets, carrots, cucumbers and onions – Walla Walla, no less – adorned the table. A ninepound turkey was the centre of attention with mashed potatoes and gravy as the garland and pumpkin pie with ice cream was served for the finale.

His dad gave Owen a five-minute adjustment. While everyone else got ready to go. Just a short week ago, mom, dad and Owen took a trip to Toronto to explore chiropractic treatment for him. Dad took instruction while Owen was the recipient. Difficulty in interacting with others and impairments in social communication are just two of the oblivious afflictions suffered by autistic individuals.

After a short walk to the bay and back with our four grandchildren, we sat for a while and chatted. Then it was time to say our goodbyes. This was the moment. Each child hugged and said goodbye to grandpa and grandma. The youngest of the four is a child

After tender moments with each of the other children, Owen was given a kiss, and an “I love you.” He turned and very clearly spoke these words: “I love you.” Not his first words, but they were powerful and so hopeful. This day was indeed a day for thanks!

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FEBRUARY 2010

THE LAST WO R D

The New Addition

Last night I brought home a new member of the Smith family – a tiny black kitten that I named Lily. The name might change but the kitten is in my life to stay (for 12 or so years anyway). I admit it – I’m an animal person. Throughout my entire life my family has had animals; mostly cats and dogs but occasionally something a little less ordinary like a turtle named Rocky. Which, by the way, everyone expected to be, shall we say, a somewhat temporary pet and die after a couple of months, but instead lived for 11 YEARS! When I moved to Vancouver in 2001 I quickly adopted a cat from the SPCA, glad that I finally had a pet that I could claim as all my own, and she kept me company through my years in Vancouver. Unfortunately though, I think “Baby” was never meant to be a one-woman cat, and she started disappearing for days at a time, coming home smelling of some other woman’s perfume and just having a quick bite to eat before leaving again.

her then-boyfriend adopted a cute Manx kitten they named Gus. Well, jealousy reared its ugly head and I quickly adopted Leo, a fluffy orange and white kitten who filled the space that Baby often left in my house when she was out on the prowl. When I moved back to the island just over a year ago, Baby and Leo came with me, but Baby was soon back to her old ways and decided she preferred my neighbour Lorraine’s company to me. I have to say it stung a bit – aren’t pets supposed to be loyal? This time when I moved apartments I decided that Lorraine should adopt Baby permanently, which she was thrilled to do. The fact that she didn’t want to seem to spend time with me coupled with the requirement of becoming an indoor cat in the new place told me I was making the right choice. Leo, in the meantime, has made the transition to being an inside cat, but he seems bored, which is where Lily, who I’m hoping will become Leo’s best friend, comes in. Keep your fingers crossed!

I missed having a cat and, around that time, my sister and

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