At the drop of a ski hat, literally, he can go skiing at Cypress anytime the mood takes him, and it often does, since he lives in Vancouver. For that matter at any season of the year he can take himself off in any direction to access the ocean, the mountains, the rivers that offer recreational pleasure and eye-catching beauty. He can take his choice of mountain hiking, kayaking, canoeing, or skiing virtually at his doorstep.



In moderate-atmosphere Vancouver, there is now deep snow in the Coastal mountains, the siren song for outdoor winter-enthusiasts. Here in the snow-and-ice-belt that is Ottawa, where we should normally be deep in snow, there is not one scintilla of the stuff to be seen anywhere. Lots of rain, though, morning, noon and night of various densities, all of which should have fallen as snow, but not with above-zero temperatures prevailing as they have been throughout November and December.



Today's high is to be ten degrees in Ottawa, tomorrow's an incredible seventeen degrees. No snow in the near forecast. He'll be visiting with us for a week before setting off for a conference in Newfoundland. We've got plenty of ski gear stored in the basement, but it doesn't look as though this year it will get much use, if any at all.



This week he went along with some of his graduate students to a secluded portion of Wreck Beach on a dark winter night, and they had a bonfire, and a jolly good time, before the holidays kick in and people depart for other places around the country to be with family.

Little wonder he decided to stay in Vancouver once he achieved his doctorate, to live there the kind of life that so appeals to him.