September, 2008 - Lorne & Drew Have News For You!

What is traditionally referred to as "Indian Summer" is turning out to be the best time of the year!

Technically, Indian Summer is not supposed to be here until we have had a frost. So far, in Nelson at least, there has been no frost. I was traveling further north last week, and some of the fall colours there were looking very spectacular. It gave me a preview of what to expect here in a few more weeks.

While there, we had the opportunity to visit an old fashioned threshing bee at a nearby farm. Here you see the horse-drawn trailer full of grain, being off-loaded onto a conveyor that will separate the seed grain from the straw. The grain goes into the white bin, while the straw is blown onto the large pile at the right. The whole thing is driven by a series of pulleys, driven by the old tractor on the left side of the photo, while Dorothy and I and are son, Dave (in the hat) look on.

Of course, a ride on the hay wagon would be in order!

Now, moving south and across the border into Alberta at the Crowsnest Pass, my eldest granddaughter has started kindergarten. The reports we are getting tell us that the best part of the day is the ride on the School Bus!

We will be going to the polls in another month, to elect a new federal government. The month after that is the municipal elections. I will tell you that I am not convinced of the need for a federal election. I'm also not impressed with the level of campaign mud-slinging that has begun. It seems to me that we would have a better system of government if we had some sort of proportional voting system, such as was proposed and very narrowly defeated in the last provincial election. However, we need to realize that we live in one of the best countries in the world and the stability that we enjoy should not be taken for granted. We have a variety of candidates to choose from and we need to exercise our right to choose when we have that opportunity. So, get out and vote when the time comes. (Vote early and vote often?!?!?)

Isn't it amazing what you can see in downtown Nelson? This was taken about 6:30 a.m. about 10 days ago. I was about to set off on a 2 day ride (more on that later) when they were setting up for the "Show & Shine" portion of the Queen City Cruise.

There was a lot going on that weekend in Nelson. Aside from the "Cruise", there was the annual motorcycle toy run, the Hill Garlic Festival (now held in New Denver because it has outgrown the available space at Hills) and the bicycle ride that I have been involved with called P.A.G.E. (Pedal Around a Glacier, Eh). This was the 14th year that our church has sponsored this event.

We had 54 riders register this year, shown here with some of our support crew.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the migration of the kokanee (land-locked sockeye salmon) into the spawning channels at this time of year.

On the 2nd day of the ride, we leave New Denver early in the morning and ride up the Silverton Hill, and then on through the Slocan Valley and back into Nelson. It's a 224 kilometre round trip. This next photo is a spectacular view from the lookout at the top of Silverton Hill.

I just don't get tired of this view.

*Market Conditions* The stockbroker's secretary answered his phone one morning. "I'm sorry," she said, "Mr. Bradford's on another line." "This is Mr. Ingram's office," the caller said. "We'd like to know if he's bullish or bearish right now." "He's talking to his wife," the secretary replied. "Right now I'd say he's sheepish." *Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!* http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

Did you know that today is National Talk Like A Pirate Today. Honest! I heard it on CBC Radio this morning. Aye, Matey.

With that news I must tell you my favourite pirate joke:

Where do pirates like to go to eat?

ARRRBY's!

If you are looking for some political punch line or jokes about the government, this isn’t it.

Someone is masquerading as the government. Scamming people out of personal information. Go to Canada revenue agency web site below

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/lrts/2008/l080818-eng.html

then click on the ‘PDF version of the letter’ link to see a copy of the letter.

You may not have fallen for it, but I can see how many would have.

Do You Know A Buyer For This Home?

3 bedrooms, 3 baths in an executive condominium development in Uphill Nelson. Double garage, gas fireplace, hard wood floors and a terrific view. Asking price $435,000 For further details, please check out:

REA Full Public

The Washington Post Mensa Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners. Read them carefully. Each is an artificial word with only one letter altered from a real word. Some are terrifically innovative:

1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people, that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The Bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

4. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

9. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido: All talk and no action

12. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out .

15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

And, the pick of the lot... 16. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an @$$hole.

BCREA News Release - Fewer Homes Being Added to the Market

Vancouver, BC – September 12, 2008. British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports residential sales dollar volume on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in BC declined 49 per cent to $2.2 billion in August, compared to August 2007. Residential unit sales were down 47 per cent to 5,175 units during the same period. The average MLS® residential price in the province was $421,685, down 4.1 per cent from August 2007.

“Fewer home sales and larger inventories have tilted most BC housing markets in favour of homebuyers,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “However, a significant decline in new listings last month may be a signal that potential home sellers are now taking a wait and see approach.”

New MLS® residential listings in August fell 22 per cent from July on a seasonally adjusted basis, the second largest month-over-month decline in 25 years.

Compared to July, nearly 2,000 fewer active MLS® residential listings were available in the province, a decline of 3 per cent. “Home seller fatigue is now a possibility, as slower demand and competition among sellers lessen the chance of a timely sale,” added Muir.

Year-to-date MLS® residential sales dollar volume in the province declined 22 per cent to $25.4 billion compared to the same period last year. Transactions declined 27 per cent to 54,635 units, while the average residential price increased 7 per cent to $465,132 over the same period.

Lorne's comments on the above article: We have not seen large price reductions on our listings. The number of sale transactions is definitely down, however it seems that our sellers are not in a panic situation where they are forced to sell within a short time. This is different from the U.S. where there are a lot of properties under foreclosure, and there is very real selling pressure, forcing homeowners to reduce their prices, sometimes drastically, or risk losing their homes. In Canada the situation is not nearly as serious. We do need to remember, though, that the real estate market is cyclical, and always has been. While we have more properties available on the market today than we have seen in the past 4 or 5 years, this is not an unusual situation when looked at in the long term. More recently we have, in fact, experienced a shortage of available properties being marketed, and this has caused the large price increases that have occurred over that time.

*Late Night Studying* My husband, Cal, grew increasingly displeased as our teenage daughter and her boyfriend studied in her room late one evening. Finally losing patience shortly after midnight, he knocked sharply on her door. Her boyfriend immediately opened it and asked if something was wrong. "I have to ask you to move your car," Cal told him. "Oh, sure. Is it in someone's way?" "No," Cal replied, "it's at the wrong address." *Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!* http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh



That will do for another month. Thank you for reading. Your comments are always welcome. Enjoy these last few days of summer.

Lorne & Drew