Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Quote of the Week
If you want to win this world to Christ, you are going to have to sit in the smoking section. That is where lost people are found, and if you make them put their cigarette out to hear the message they will be thinking about only one thing: "When can I get another cigarette?"
~ Neil Cole, Organic Church p.xxvii
Friday, September 15, 2006
A Sheepish Poem
Mary had a little lamb
And it was hers to keep
But then it joined the local church
And died from lack of sleep
Life is a blur
Life is a blur. Too often.
When I was a kid I remember sitting in class and watching in the second hand on the clock crawl. There seemed to be an eternity between the clicks. Those days are gone. Long gone.
I can’t believe September is half over.
I can’t believe 2006 is already in it’s fall season.
I can’t believe I’ve been married for 18 years.
I can’t believe I’m turning 39 (GASP!) next week.
I can’t believe both my kids are teenagers.
It’s the grind of daily living that seemingly accelerates life. There seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it, never mind having time to watch the seconds tick off the clock.
It has been pointed out that one of the hallmarks of this period of history is the unprecedented busyness of people’s lives. More responsibilities, distractions and opportunities bombard the typical person than anyone would have imagined just a few years ago. Busy, busy, busy. And overwhelmed.
One of the biggest life lessons we took away from our adventure in the urban jungle is that for the average family with both parents working full time and kids in school, one of the most precious and scarce commodities you have is time. By the time you keeping up with the everyday demands of work, household chores, and family responsibilities, you’ve hardly enough time left to recharge the batteries for the next attack. Fatigue and exhaustion are lingering companions. Quality time for self, family, God, or friends is preciously rare. And then as Christians we add church responsibilities to the mix of work, school, and family…to say nothing of connecting with our community or neighbors.
Maybe I’m overly sensitive to the time demands that the church often places on people and families, but I wonder if our church lifestyle is really part of the solution. Are we helping people get a grip on thier lives and lifestyle, or are we just adding more items to the 'to do' list? I'm not intending to be negative or critical - which is soooo easy. And I hate bringing stuff like this up when I don't have an answer. But I am looking for one.
Right now I’m in the 'gear up for fall' mode. Sunday last was “Round Up Sunday” and it was great. Really. We had our first Singing Christmas Tree practice last night. It was a hoot. Really. And we have our first Island Tehillah on Monday. I’m looking forward to it! Really! It’s all good, enjoyable stuff. But it takes time. Precious time.
When I was a kid I remember sitting in class and watching in the second hand on the clock crawl. There seemed to be an eternity between the clicks. Those days are gone. Long gone.
I can’t believe September is half over.
I can’t believe 2006 is already in it’s fall season.
I can’t believe I’ve been married for 18 years.
I can’t believe I’m turning 39 (GASP!) next week.
I can’t believe both my kids are teenagers.
It’s the grind of daily living that seemingly accelerates life. There seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it, never mind having time to watch the seconds tick off the clock.
It has been pointed out that one of the hallmarks of this period of history is the unprecedented busyness of people’s lives. More responsibilities, distractions and opportunities bombard the typical person than anyone would have imagined just a few years ago. Busy, busy, busy. And overwhelmed.
One of the biggest life lessons we took away from our adventure in the urban jungle is that for the average family with both parents working full time and kids in school, one of the most precious and scarce commodities you have is time. By the time you keeping up with the everyday demands of work, household chores, and family responsibilities, you’ve hardly enough time left to recharge the batteries for the next attack. Fatigue and exhaustion are lingering companions. Quality time for self, family, God, or friends is preciously rare. And then as Christians we add church responsibilities to the mix of work, school, and family…to say nothing of connecting with our community or neighbors.
Maybe I’m overly sensitive to the time demands that the church often places on people and families, but I wonder if our church lifestyle is really part of the solution. Are we helping people get a grip on thier lives and lifestyle, or are we just adding more items to the 'to do' list? I'm not intending to be negative or critical - which is soooo easy. And I hate bringing stuff like this up when I don't have an answer. But I am looking for one.
Right now I’m in the 'gear up for fall' mode. Sunday last was “Round Up Sunday” and it was great. Really. We had our first Singing Christmas Tree practice last night. It was a hoot. Really. And we have our first Island Tehillah on Monday. I’m looking forward to it! Really! It’s all good, enjoyable stuff. But it takes time. Precious time.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Worn-out on Church?
I guess the sub-title says it all: “Worn-out on Church? Finding Vibrant Faith Beyond the Walls of the Sanctuary”. George Barna’s latest little offering is a rant called Revolution. Released last fall, I finally got around to seeing what the fuss was about. Not the fullest take on the issue, but it may rattle some cages if they are a Barna fan. Perhaps it can at least stir up some dialogue on a question that is lurking in the halls of many churches like a white elephant nobody dares talk about.
The issue Revolution tackels is the role the local church should play in the life of the believer. Barna says “Droves of committed believers are foregoing Sunday mornings to live a 24/7 faith unfettered by the clutter and bureaucracy within the church walls.” And it’s not just people embracing a “feel-good, invent-your-own spirituality” that prefer to worship at The Green Cathedral of the 18 Holes on Sunday morning. It’s passionate Christians with a vibrant faith who just don’t have time for the “same old, same old” churchianity and the artificial bubble of the Christian sub-culture. Barna predicts that by 2025 only about one-third of American Christians will rely upon a local congregation as the primary or exclusive means for experiencing and expressing their faith. The rest will be split between a) alternative forms of faith-based community and b) the media, arts, and other cultural institutions (p. 49). I'm not sure what the stats would be, but I'd guess that Canadians are already further along that path that those south of the 49th.
As a Pastor working in a traditional church setting this obviously has some significant ramifications for me. But it’s really nothing new. I remember having this discussion with a number of people that left the first church I was pastoring back in the early 90’s. At that time I thought they were uncommitted, wishy-washy (even back-sliding!) Christians who were going on strike because they didn’t want to tithe or support the vision (my vision?) of the church. Having been around the block a few times in the last 15 years, I’ve been chagrinned to realize that lately I’ve been articulating their side of the argument. I’d like to go back and have those conversations again. Maybe we could have seen something really dynamic released in our community.
Don't get me wrong. I love The Church, even the local small ‘c’ kind of church. But I’ve come to believe that what we mean by 'local church' needs redefining. We can no longer measure the success of a church by the A, B, C’s we have used for so long – Attendance, Buildings, and Cash-flow. The reality is that if only one-third of believers are going to show up on Sunday we won’t have enough resources to staff our programs or pay for our buildings to get the job done in the way that until now we think it should be done.
But from a Kingdom perspective, maybe, just maybe, that’s not a bad thing. Maybe some of the keys to impacting our community that all of us professional pastors are desperately scrambling for are not to be found in a better Sunday service or an improved variety of more elaborate programs. Maybe we should be looking towards releasing, enhancing, and facilitating alternative faith communities. (Like living room churches, perhaps?) But can we as leaders in a traditional local church even go there? How does that impact the local church we are trying to build? (insteresting how we phase that...) Or closer to home, how does this impact my pay cheque?
Or is the right question “How does that impact The Kingdom?”
Hmmmm... Just a thought. I’d like to hear yours…
The issue Revolution tackels is the role the local church should play in the life of the believer. Barna says “Droves of committed believers are foregoing Sunday mornings to live a 24/7 faith unfettered by the clutter and bureaucracy within the church walls.” And it’s not just people embracing a “feel-good, invent-your-own spirituality” that prefer to worship at The Green Cathedral of the 18 Holes on Sunday morning. It’s passionate Christians with a vibrant faith who just don’t have time for the “same old, same old” churchianity and the artificial bubble of the Christian sub-culture. Barna predicts that by 2025 only about one-third of American Christians will rely upon a local congregation as the primary or exclusive means for experiencing and expressing their faith. The rest will be split between a) alternative forms of faith-based community and b) the media, arts, and other cultural institutions (p. 49). I'm not sure what the stats would be, but I'd guess that Canadians are already further along that path that those south of the 49th.
As a Pastor working in a traditional church setting this obviously has some significant ramifications for me. But it’s really nothing new. I remember having this discussion with a number of people that left the first church I was pastoring back in the early 90’s. At that time I thought they were uncommitted, wishy-washy (even back-sliding!) Christians who were going on strike because they didn’t want to tithe or support the vision (my vision?) of the church. Having been around the block a few times in the last 15 years, I’ve been chagrinned to realize that lately I’ve been articulating their side of the argument. I’d like to go back and have those conversations again. Maybe we could have seen something really dynamic released in our community.
Don't get me wrong. I love The Church, even the local small ‘c’ kind of church. But I’ve come to believe that what we mean by 'local church' needs redefining. We can no longer measure the success of a church by the A, B, C’s we have used for so long – Attendance, Buildings, and Cash-flow. The reality is that if only one-third of believers are going to show up on Sunday we won’t have enough resources to staff our programs or pay for our buildings to get the job done in the way that until now we think it should be done.
But from a Kingdom perspective, maybe, just maybe, that’s not a bad thing. Maybe some of the keys to impacting our community that all of us professional pastors are desperately scrambling for are not to be found in a better Sunday service or an improved variety of more elaborate programs. Maybe we should be looking towards releasing, enhancing, and facilitating alternative faith communities. (Like living room churches, perhaps?) But can we as leaders in a traditional local church even go there? How does that impact the local church we are trying to build? (insteresting how we phase that...) Or closer to home, how does this impact my pay cheque?
Or is the right question “How does that impact The Kingdom?”
Hmmmm... Just a thought. I’d like to hear yours…
Monday, September 04, 2006
Uncle Sam Comes for a Visit
Coming across on BC Ferries we looked down the Straight of Georgia to a very large and ominous looking vessel heading our direction. I doubt the Canadian Navy has anything this large or this shape, so that kind of limits the options as to whom it may be. I guess even the US Navy likes to vacation in beautiful British Columbia. This is one time I wish I had a camera with a better lense!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Wasn't that a Party!
Congratulations to my Mom and Dad who celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary this weekend. October 1 is the actual date, but when something is this exciting, who can wait?I have a wonderful family. When we gather together for events like these it is awesome to see the impact that godly parents and grandparents can have on the following generations. The influence is profound!
Monday, August 28, 2006
Wild Engineering
Driving out to cow country through the Kicking Horse Canyon we came around one of the many sharp corners and were shocked to see some massive towers strung across the valley. Aperanty the steep and winding goat trail through the bottom of the canyon is going to be replaced by the high road. You really can't get an idea of the scope of this bridge to be from the picture, but it is impressive. Makes you wonder how many people are going to have their acrophobia triggered going across this thing when it is done! Our tax dollars at work...
Sunday, August 13, 2006
WE WON!!!
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How can you tell we're living in a smaller community? Let me tell ya.Aileen was reading the local paper, the Nanaimo News Bulletin, last week and noticed the birthday and anniversary section of the classifieds. It said that not only would the paper publish all names provided, but - and I quote - "1 LUCKY PERSON each week (picked by draw) will be awarded a complimentary Dinner for Two at SWISS CHALET, a complimentary 8" DAIRY QUEEN Ice Cream Cake, a gift from GROWER DIRECT and a Portrait from SEARS PORTRAIT STUDIO."
So Aileen saw that and couldn't resist, because today, August 13th is our 18th wedding anniversary. Daleena rolled her eyes and said "Your not REALLY gonna do THAT are you?" But if you know Aileen, you know that she DID do that. And whad'yu know... Thursday night we come home and have a phone message saying that WE HAD WON!
Whoo-hoo!!!
We picked up our marvelous prize package from the palatal offices of the Nanaimo News Bulletin, and if you want to come over for ice cream cake tonight, come and get it while it's hot...er, cold!
I guess we should 'a went out and got a ticket for the big 6-49 draw yesterday...we're on a roll! (Ah, for you religious people out there, the the 6-49 thing is a joke...)
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Reality Check for Churchaholics
I picked up this link from my buddy Paul. I don't really know Rob Petkau, but I think his story is worth hearing... Check it out here.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
What you've been missing
Here a picture just to remind you what you are missing. AUGH! The attack of the boxes!!!
They said it wouldn't all fit in the truck, but we managed to get it all in. Barely. Kind of weird having all your earthly possessions in the back of a truck rolling down the highway with you.
The best part of moving is driving the truck!!! Only this trip, the drive was kind of short. BC Ferries did most the work.
Actually, driving the truck is the second best part. The best part of moving is hanging around with your kids!
They said it wouldn't all fit in the truck, but we managed to get it all in. Barely. Kind of weird having all your earthly possessions in the back of a truck rolling down the highway with you.
The best part of moving is driving the truck!!! Only this trip, the drive was kind of short. BC Ferries did most the work.
Actually, driving the truck is the second best part. The best part of moving is hanging around with your kids!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
We have AWESOME friends!
Well, the deed is done. The Siggelkow family is safely tucked into their new home in the beautiful neighborhood of Cinnabar Valley in beautiful Nanaimo. Life is, er, beautiful.
It's an understatement to say that Aileen and I were overwhelmed by incredible effort so many people put in getting all our stuff on and off the truck. Your kindness is soooooo appreciated! If a person's wealth is measured by his friends, we may well be the richest people on earth!
Step 1: Loading the truck. If you've ever moved in or out of an apartment tower you'll appreciate the unique challenges this affords. First you have to get everything out of your apartment - in this case our 5th floor townhouse - and get it out the door, down the hall, around the corner, and then packed into an elevator that you have to reserve a head of time and have a limited amount of time to use. Then you run the elevator down to the main floor, unload it, and pack everything down the hall, out through 2 more doors and into the loading bay area where you can finally put in onto the truck. The bottleneck is the elevator. You can only put so much into it, the door is not big enough to make it easy, and then if you accidentally bump the wrong button you take the scenic route to the 27th floor...
Thank you Doug, Paul & Wanda, Matt & Jo-Deane, Megan & Katlyn, Chris & Shannon, Vernon & Louise, and Micah & Jen for all your hard work. We weren't sure we were going to get it all to fit in the truck, but we did! And it only took 4-1/2 hours! You are all truly amazing friends - family, really - to show up at the end of an already long day and then work like slaves. You have blessed us profoundly. Now all you have to do is come visit us, okay? Soon, please? We'll feed you and give you a nice warm place to stay a night or two . . . and we won't make you lift anything!
Step 2: Off-Loading. Compared to the load, getting stuff off a truck is relatively simple for two main reasons. Firstly, gravity is working with you this time. Secondly, you don't have to play Tetris with the boxes to make it all fit. Having said that, it is still a whole lot of hard work! Especially when you have to carry a piano(!) and a bunch of very heavy wall units down a dangerous goat path to get in the basement patio door. I couldn't believe how fast the truck was emptied - an hour and 15 minutes and it was all in the house! And the only thing damaged was a glass lamp shade that I broke trying to get it out of the top of the truck. Thanks to all our new Island friends Kevin, Jamie, Matt, Duncan & Vivian, and Jason & Sheila for welcoming us to the neighborhood in a practical way. (And to the guys like Alistair that wanted / planned / went into special weight training to be there and help lift and then didn't get a phone call (oops...) to tell you when and where to show up, my sincere apologies.) Once we get a few boxes unpacked and have found a plate or two, come on over and well fire up the BBQ!
It's an understatement to say that Aileen and I were overwhelmed by incredible effort so many people put in getting all our stuff on and off the truck. Your kindness is soooooo appreciated! If a person's wealth is measured by his friends, we may well be the richest people on earth!
Step 1: Loading the truck. If you've ever moved in or out of an apartment tower you'll appreciate the unique challenges this affords. First you have to get everything out of your apartment - in this case our 5th floor townhouse - and get it out the door, down the hall, around the corner, and then packed into an elevator that you have to reserve a head of time and have a limited amount of time to use. Then you run the elevator down to the main floor, unload it, and pack everything down the hall, out through 2 more doors and into the loading bay area where you can finally put in onto the truck. The bottleneck is the elevator. You can only put so much into it, the door is not big enough to make it easy, and then if you accidentally bump the wrong button you take the scenic route to the 27th floor...
Thank you Doug, Paul & Wanda, Matt & Jo-Deane, Megan & Katlyn, Chris & Shannon, Vernon & Louise, and Micah & Jen for all your hard work. We weren't sure we were going to get it all to fit in the truck, but we did! And it only took 4-1/2 hours! You are all truly amazing friends - family, really - to show up at the end of an already long day and then work like slaves. You have blessed us profoundly. Now all you have to do is come visit us, okay? Soon, please? We'll feed you and give you a nice warm place to stay a night or two . . . and we won't make you lift anything!
Step 2: Off-Loading. Compared to the load, getting stuff off a truck is relatively simple for two main reasons. Firstly, gravity is working with you this time. Secondly, you don't have to play Tetris with the boxes to make it all fit. Having said that, it is still a whole lot of hard work! Especially when you have to carry a piano(!) and a bunch of very heavy wall units down a dangerous goat path to get in the basement patio door. I couldn't believe how fast the truck was emptied - an hour and 15 minutes and it was all in the house! And the only thing damaged was a glass lamp shade that I broke trying to get it out of the top of the truck. Thanks to all our new Island friends Kevin, Jamie, Matt, Duncan & Vivian, and Jason & Sheila for welcoming us to the neighborhood in a practical way. (And to the guys like Alistair that wanted / planned / went into special weight training to be there and help lift and then didn't get a phone call (oops...) to tell you when and where to show up, my sincere apologies.) Once we get a few boxes unpacked and have found a plate or two, come on over and well fire up the BBQ!
Monday, July 24, 2006
"T" minus 48 hours
You're not going to believe this, but I'm actually going to update my blog. Not that anyone is going to read it because things have been quiet sooooooooo long that nobody is checking things anymore. Can't blame you.
But things have been a little crazy. Moving will do that to you. I've been in Nanaimo for the past 6 weeks, and finally we get to move over as a family. It's about time. I've been going nuts being away from my wife and kids. I can't believe people who have to live that lifestyle long term!
We've almost got the townhouse packed up. Tomorrow we'll finish up, and then Wednesday we'll load the truck. We head for Nanaimo on Thursday, and then Friday we'll get to unload at our new place. Not like it takes a day to drive to Nanaimo...
Then it's a whole new world. Literally. The top picture is life as we know it, taken a few floors above us. What a beautiful city! Below is where we'll be Friday. A bit of a change, but another beautiful city. I haven't mown a lawn in 7 years. But as Aileen is quick to point out, by the look of the yard, I still won't have to.
Happy trails.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Aileen Celebrates a Significant (ahem...) B.D.
Along with all the life altering events we have been processing these past few weeks (see 'Siggy Urbanite Is Moving to the Island'), we have also be planning a major celebration. My lovely wife has reached a mile-stone birthday which called for something special. Her sister Ardis decided she was going to come out from Calgary, as she has been known to do, and spend a week with us during this time, which was special. We also planned a big party for Saturday night, which was SO much fun - thanks, everybody, for coming! Aileen really enjoyed the evening and all the '40' stuff she got!
But the big surprise was today. We decided to go out for lunch ('spontaneously', of course), and when we got to the restaurant there were Aileen's other two sisters from Edmonton, Ang and Pam, with Pam's little 3 month old baby boy Clayton, who Aileen has just been dying to see! You should have seen the look on Aileen's face once she realized what was happening! She was shocked, and everybody was blubbering - they blame that on the Meier side of the family tree...
So we are having a very memorable, special couple of days! It's been in the planning stage for about 10 months, and we managed to pull the surprise off with great effect - which is amazing because we don't do 'surprises' real well. Aileen is thrilled! Ah, what FUN!
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Ode to a Neglected Blog
The beauty of the web is forgotten upon thy cyber places: how are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in MacWorld, publish it not in the streets of Microsoft;
Ye digital mountains of blogspot, let there be no hits, neither let there be links upon you, nor posts from inquiring minds: for the thoughtless ramblings of a half-baked souls are vilely cast away.
My blog was lovely and pleasant in its prime, and in its youth it was updated profusely.
But the creative juices of the keyboard hath grown dim, the careless wit of the senseless rhyme is exhausted.
I am distressed for thee, my blog of blogs. Thou hast been my muse and solace. Yet the tyranny of the urgent hast siezed thy throat.
Pray that thou shalt not be forever forsaken. Soon, yea with the coming of summer, may yet thy fortunes be restored.
Tell it not in MacWorld, publish it not in the streets of Microsoft;
Ye digital mountains of blogspot, let there be no hits, neither let there be links upon you, nor posts from inquiring minds: for the thoughtless ramblings of a half-baked souls are vilely cast away.
My blog was lovely and pleasant in its prime, and in its youth it was updated profusely.
But the creative juices of the keyboard hath grown dim, the careless wit of the senseless rhyme is exhausted.
I am distressed for thee, my blog of blogs. Thou hast been my muse and solace. Yet the tyranny of the urgent hast siezed thy throat.
Pray that thou shalt not be forever forsaken. Soon, yea with the coming of summer, may yet thy fortunes be restored.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Red tape snarls hiring of ER nurses
Aileen's organization made the front page of the Vancouver Sun this week! Oops...not a good thing. You can check out the entire article here, but just remember that there is always more than one side to the story.
Maybe it's a good time to be finished with the ol' job and move on to Nanaimo!
Maybe it's a good time to be finished with the ol' job and move on to Nanaimo!
Siggy Urbanite Is Moving to the Island
I’ve got BIG news. I have accepted an invitation to join the pastoral team ET Family Church in Nanaimo, BC. Our family will be relocating to beautiful Vancouver Island sometime in the next couple of months.
I know that will come as a shock to a lot of people. Join the club. It is still a pretty big shock to us, never mind anyone else! But we cannot deny God’s hand in all of this, so we take the step forward with boldness and joy.
If you live in Nanaimo and have some how discovered this obscure corner of cyberspace called Siggy Urbanite, let me say that we are very excited about the next chapter of our lives. We haven’t spent a whole lot of time exploring Nanaimo, but it is an amazingly beautiful place. ET Family Church has a great leadership team that we are honored to join, and being part of Island Tehillah has got me pumped! So please jump into the conversation and introduce yourself. Post a comment or send me an email. We want to get to know you!
As excited as we are about Nanaimo, we are really going to miss Vancouver, especially our precious friends that we have journeyed with over these past couple of years. Our ‘living room church’ family has been so dear to us we feel like a huge part of our heart is being ripped from us. To say this has been a difficult decision is an enormous understatement. We love where we live, we love our church family, we are passionate about the challenge and energized about the potential of ministry downtown, and we have made such great friends among our neighbors. But for some inexplicable reason, we know our time downtown has come to an end.
I guess this is the primary reason why this blog has been pretty much dead the past couple of months or so. We have needed to work through a lot of deep issues. We dreamed so long, worked so hard, and (seemingly) sacrificed so much to get downtown, and now only 24 months later we are moving on. Something of that doesn’t make sense to me, yet I have no doubt it is the right thing.
We have no regrets, and we would not have traded this experience for the world. We feel like we have changed, grown, and matured in so many ways. It has been so much more than a ‘stepping stone’ to the next chapter in our lives, but we do feel like it has uniquely prepared us for that next chapter.
So stay tuned. I never thought I’d live on Vancouver Island, but here we go!
I know that will come as a shock to a lot of people. Join the club. It is still a pretty big shock to us, never mind anyone else! But we cannot deny God’s hand in all of this, so we take the step forward with boldness and joy.
If you live in Nanaimo and have some how discovered this obscure corner of cyberspace called Siggy Urbanite, let me say that we are very excited about the next chapter of our lives. We haven’t spent a whole lot of time exploring Nanaimo, but it is an amazingly beautiful place. ET Family Church has a great leadership team that we are honored to join, and being part of Island Tehillah has got me pumped! So please jump into the conversation and introduce yourself. Post a comment or send me an email. We want to get to know you!
As excited as we are about Nanaimo, we are really going to miss Vancouver, especially our precious friends that we have journeyed with over these past couple of years. Our ‘living room church’ family has been so dear to us we feel like a huge part of our heart is being ripped from us. To say this has been a difficult decision is an enormous understatement. We love where we live, we love our church family, we are passionate about the challenge and energized about the potential of ministry downtown, and we have made such great friends among our neighbors. But for some inexplicable reason, we know our time downtown has come to an end.
I guess this is the primary reason why this blog has been pretty much dead the past couple of months or so. We have needed to work through a lot of deep issues. We dreamed so long, worked so hard, and (seemingly) sacrificed so much to get downtown, and now only 24 months later we are moving on. Something of that doesn’t make sense to me, yet I have no doubt it is the right thing.
We have no regrets, and we would not have traded this experience for the world. We feel like we have changed, grown, and matured in so many ways. It has been so much more than a ‘stepping stone’ to the next chapter in our lives, but we do feel like it has uniquely prepared us for that next chapter.
So stay tuned. I never thought I’d live on Vancouver Island, but here we go!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
This'll floor ya
Just a quick blurb to let all you cyber junkies know I'm still kicking, at least feebly! It has been a crazy few weeks, but what week isn't? I don't like boring you (or me) with deeply personal stuff like what I had for breakfast or what colour my socks are today and how I made the decision, so if I don't have something mildly interesting or news worthy like major building floods to blog on the best bet is to post zippo. So zippo has been the theme the last few weeks.
But tonight I do have big news. We got our new hardwood floor in the lower level installed this weekend. Got the transition trim down just tonight. Now all we got left is to finish the quarter round molding in a few spots and get felt pads on the furniture. Speaking of furniture, a DIY tip for all you handy people: when laying flooring, do it BEFORE you fill the room with furniture. It's a @%!(*& of a lot less work! Hmmmm. Note to self...
Special thanks to Reuben Jakob for supplying some cool tools and working like a madman and keeping me company for a weekend of blood, sweat, and tears. Okay, so maybe there weren't any tears, but sweat and blood definitely (my hands look like I've been arm wrestling with barb wire). I'll post a pic when I get a chance (0f the floor, not my hands)... but .... right ...... now .......... I'm ............ too ............... tired ............ to ............... type ............ another .....................
But tonight I do have big news. We got our new hardwood floor in the lower level installed this weekend. Got the transition trim down just tonight. Now all we got left is to finish the quarter round molding in a few spots and get felt pads on the furniture. Speaking of furniture, a DIY tip for all you handy people: when laying flooring, do it BEFORE you fill the room with furniture. It's a @%!(*& of a lot less work! Hmmmm. Note to self...
Special thanks to Reuben Jakob for supplying some cool tools and working like a madman and keeping me company for a weekend of blood, sweat, and tears. Okay, so maybe there weren't any tears, but sweat and blood definitely (my hands look like I've been arm wrestling with barb wire). I'll post a pic when I get a chance (0f the floor, not my hands)... but .... right ...... now .......... I'm ............ too ............... tired ............ to ............... type ............ another .....................
Sunday, April 02, 2006
The Flood of '06
Early morning phone calls and never good, and it seems like lately I’ve had my share.
Friday morning the phone rings about 5:40 AM. It’s our property management saying they had received a call that there was a major flood in progress in the building lobby.
A major flood in the lobby? You’ve got to be kidding.
So I get dressed and scramble to the lobby, checking the pool on the way down. Water is still in the pool. This is good.
I get to the lobby, and it was a scene from Noah and the Ark. It was like a tropical thunderstorm, only without the thunder. A hot, steamy, jungle rainstorm, INSIDE THE BUILDING! A quick inspection showed that most of the foyer was flooded at least and inch deep, with water dripping from most of the lights. Mail area also had water pouring from ceiling, and the office carpet was soaked, as most water from the mail room was running like a river in that direction. I call the property management and confirm that there is hot water was pouring from the ceiling of the lobby. She says she will call the company that handles our mechanical, to get them to shut off the water.
Security from the Mall arrived at that point, informing me that large amounts of hot water was leaking into the parkade. Did we have problem? I show him the lobby. Houston, we have a problem.
At that point we noticed steam billowing from an open widow on the second floor. It was so thick it looked like smoke. We went to the 2cd floor and found the carpet in the hallway soaked and we could hear water running in the suite. I pounded on the door ‘til my knuckles were red, but did not receive a response. I then went and banged on the apartment next door. They come quickly to the door and in their groggy state of mind they were surprised to see large amounts of water seeping into their suite. I said “This is nothing. You should see the lobby.”
I call the property management again and say we needed to get into the suite with the leak. She said she was calling a locksmith. The neighbor who was getting flooded said “I’m phoning the fire department.” Smart man. I wasn’t associating a flood with firefighters.
The mechanical company arrives and we bang again on the apartment door. Nothing. I’m beginning to think the apartment is empty or the resident is dead in the bathtub.
Seeing as we couldn’t get into the suspected source of the problem determined we should turn off the water for the whole building. I had grabbed the master keys from the office, so we spent what seemed like an eternity running to a half-dozen mechanical rooms between P2, and the penthouse level shut off pumps and closing valves.
Back in the lobby I was concerned that whole ceiling was going to come down as you could see water pooling in the drywall. People leaving for work would come out of the elevator and put up their umbrellas to walk through the lobby. I guess that’s one advantage living in Vancouver – you always have an umbrella handy. I know it rains a lot here, but indoor rain is ridiculous.
The Fire Dept arrived on site and after much more banging on the door they determine they should forceably enter the suite. I call the property management to find that the ETA on the locksmith is 60 - 90 minutes! The Fire captain looks at me: “Do we enter the suite?” and I’m thinking “Why are you looking at me? I’m just a dumb strata council guy!” But thinking that there may be a medical emergency on the other side of the door, I said “You’re the Fireman.” The Firefighter with the fire axe looked excited.
The Capitan called Police to be there for the forced entry. When police arrived they entered suite. It was a literal steam bath! Wet, steamy, and about 35°C! They quickly determined that the hot water supply line for the kitchen sink had burst, causing a flood. I still can’t believe that so much water can come from such a small pipe! All we needed to do to fix the problem was shut the valve off under the sink.
But here’s the strangest part. The resident was in the apartment safe and sound, fast asleep! The apartment was so humid and hot I cannot believe they did not wake up!
So now all that is left is the clean up. It will take weeks. A flood restoration company was on site within an hour, cutting holes in walls, sucking up water, and bringing in fans. Our lobby stinks like a wet dog. Paint is peeled, drywall is wrecked, carpet is stained, and the fire alarm system won’t reset because the detectors in the lobby are wet. Now we have had to hire a security company to provide a 24 hour fire watch.
The moral of the story is replace the plastic water supply lines in your home with the flexible metal ones as soon as possible, or at least wake up when you hear water gushing in your suite!
And don’t call me in the middle of the night.
Friday morning the phone rings about 5:40 AM. It’s our property management saying they had received a call that there was a major flood in progress in the building lobby.
A major flood in the lobby? You’ve got to be kidding.
So I get dressed and scramble to the lobby, checking the pool on the way down. Water is still in the pool. This is good.
I get to the lobby, and it was a scene from Noah and the Ark. It was like a tropical thunderstorm, only without the thunder. A hot, steamy, jungle rainstorm, INSIDE THE BUILDING! A quick inspection showed that most of the foyer was flooded at least and inch deep, with water dripping from most of the lights. Mail area also had water pouring from ceiling, and the office carpet was soaked, as most water from the mail room was running like a river in that direction. I call the property management and confirm that there is hot water was pouring from the ceiling of the lobby. She says she will call the company that handles our mechanical, to get them to shut off the water.
Security from the Mall arrived at that point, informing me that large amounts of hot water was leaking into the parkade. Did we have problem? I show him the lobby. Houston, we have a problem.
At that point we noticed steam billowing from an open widow on the second floor. It was so thick it looked like smoke. We went to the 2cd floor and found the carpet in the hallway soaked and we could hear water running in the suite. I pounded on the door ‘til my knuckles were red, but did not receive a response. I then went and banged on the apartment next door. They come quickly to the door and in their groggy state of mind they were surprised to see large amounts of water seeping into their suite. I said “This is nothing. You should see the lobby.”
I call the property management again and say we needed to get into the suite with the leak. She said she was calling a locksmith. The neighbor who was getting flooded said “I’m phoning the fire department.” Smart man. I wasn’t associating a flood with firefighters.
The mechanical company arrives and we bang again on the apartment door. Nothing. I’m beginning to think the apartment is empty or the resident is dead in the bathtub.
Seeing as we couldn’t get into the suspected source of the problem determined we should turn off the water for the whole building. I had grabbed the master keys from the office, so we spent what seemed like an eternity running to a half-dozen mechanical rooms between P2, and the penthouse level shut off pumps and closing valves.
Back in the lobby I was concerned that whole ceiling was going to come down as you could see water pooling in the drywall. People leaving for work would come out of the elevator and put up their umbrellas to walk through the lobby. I guess that’s one advantage living in Vancouver – you always have an umbrella handy. I know it rains a lot here, but indoor rain is ridiculous.
The Fire Dept arrived on site and after much more banging on the door they determine they should forceably enter the suite. I call the property management to find that the ETA on the locksmith is 60 - 90 minutes! The Fire captain looks at me: “Do we enter the suite?” and I’m thinking “Why are you looking at me? I’m just a dumb strata council guy!” But thinking that there may be a medical emergency on the other side of the door, I said “You’re the Fireman.” The Firefighter with the fire axe looked excited.
The Capitan called Police to be there for the forced entry. When police arrived they entered suite. It was a literal steam bath! Wet, steamy, and about 35°C! They quickly determined that the hot water supply line for the kitchen sink had burst, causing a flood. I still can’t believe that so much water can come from such a small pipe! All we needed to do to fix the problem was shut the valve off under the sink.
But here’s the strangest part. The resident was in the apartment safe and sound, fast asleep! The apartment was so humid and hot I cannot believe they did not wake up!
So now all that is left is the clean up. It will take weeks. A flood restoration company was on site within an hour, cutting holes in walls, sucking up water, and bringing in fans. Our lobby stinks like a wet dog. Paint is peeled, drywall is wrecked, carpet is stained, and the fire alarm system won’t reset because the detectors in the lobby are wet. Now we have had to hire a security company to provide a 24 hour fire watch.
The moral of the story is replace the plastic water supply lines in your home with the flexible metal ones as soon as possible, or at least wake up when you hear water gushing in your suite!
And don’t call me in the middle of the night.
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