The Whalley Legion (Branch 229)

With my brother already passing out last evening as of 7:40 p.m., I got to bed especially early after abandoning him to his own unpalatable inebriated company in the living room.

I was into bed by 8:45 p.m., but it was so darned warm!

My wife eventually came home and was in and out of the bedroom a few times, leaving the bedside lamp on ─ I wear a makeshift blindfold, so the light is not really bothersome at all.

But because of the heat ─ even with the ceiling fan on ─ over the next four or so hours since I got to bed, I was in an out of sleep as if I was in some fever. Sweat would run down my face, alongside my nose; and my area of the bedding was dampened.

That afternoon, I had made a four-mile round trip hike to the government liquor store to buy a 1.75-litre bottle of Scotch for my brother's upcoming birthday, and I also bought myself a dozen cans of beer.

I had been sweating by the time I arrived at the liquor store ─ bearing that load the two miles home very much taxed me.

I have no doubt that my exertion in the heat that afternoon was behind some threatened calf cramping during those four hours in bed; and I even experienced some cramping of a muscle that runs alongside one of my shins ─ specifically, it was the outer side of my left leg's shin.

That was rather strange to experience.

It was a little more than four hours after I first got to bed that my wife finally came to bed. I waited until maybe 1:15 a.m., and then I rose in order to get to work on the day's content assignment on the post I have in development at one of my six hosted websites ─ this has become an almost nightly ritual for me.

At least I had gotten lots of bedrest, if not actual sleep.

My wife seemed to stir in awareness when I rose, and I could not help but wonder if she had hoped to talk with me concerning financial matters ─ we had not spoken since she was last home in the latter morning of Friday, and even then it was little more than a good-bye as she left to go to work at her friend's Thai restaurant. 

She supposedly knows that tomorrow the annual property taxes are due, and I am unable to cope with both those and the monthly mortgage that will be due around the 22nd of July. My next pension direct deposit does not arrive until the week after the mortgage becomes due, so she and one or both of her two sons have to step up.

Whatever the case, we were not to have any conversation before she again left for work this morning. (She spends her weekends somewhere in Vancouver, so as a rule she does not come home after work on Fridays.) 

My youngest stepson was still up when I rose. And even when I had approximately half-completed that website content assignment, he had still not retired.

I had wanted to take a break halfway through the work and perform a plank, but I had to postpone it until my work was perhaps ¾ finished.

As I have been doing since June 24, I planked for 5½ minutes. Actually, it was five minutes and 40 seconds, and I even considered holding out for six minutes like I did three or so mornings ago.. However, in due time ─ I will get there in sensible stages.

I still have no idea where I plan to take these daily planking sessions ─ am I actually going to build myself up until I can eventually do a daily 10-minute plank?

For now, I can but wait and see what becomes of it all.

When at last my content assignment was complete for today, it was 5:00 a.m. by the time I was back into bed. And I was to remain there until just after 9:00 a.m.

My brother was downstairs watching T.V., but I don't tend to go downstairs until toward 10:00 a.m. ─ that's early enough for me where T.V. is concerned.

So I sat here at my computer that is kept in a small room next to my bedroom.

By the way, it was 'dead' at the time. The power cord that attaches to the back of the modem has never fitted securely, and there is in fact only the narrowest of positions for it to be affixed for the electrical current to be able to flow into the machine.

Somehow, the power cord's insert had 'drifted,' for I dare not even slightly jostle my computer nor the shaky small desk it is situated on, else the power gets disconnected.

It always takes some doing, but I finally got the connection re-established. Nevertheless, what is painful about the process is that it always requires some exploration that will of course result in the power surging into the computer a number of times before I finally manage to get the connection stabilized ─ so tentatively vulnerable is the power connection.

But this sort of exploration is most unhealthy for the computer! However, what else can I do?

My wife normally rises around 10:00 a.m. to ready herself for her workday, but she rose around 9:50 a.m. at very latest and went downstairs to do something in the kitchen before she came back upstairs and began freshening up in the bathroom.

As is often the case, our only communication was the mutually shared farewell to my brother and I when she left just after 10:30 a.m. for her drive to the restaurant and her 11:00 a.m. start there.

I want to break here and post three photos that I took yesterday as I was returning from my hike to the government liquor store in Whalley.

This is for anyone who is acquainted with Whalley, but has not been in these parts in years. And it specifically concerns the Whalley Legion Branch 229 ─ at present, that webpage displays the brand new Legion building and location.

I think its old location existed before I was even old enough to legally drink alcohol (I am now 69 years old), but demolition began on the building on (I think) June 11, and the entire site is now razed.

That old lot was located on property that spanned from City Parkway to 135-A Street, and fronted 106th Avenue ─ as you look at this Google map, it was along the 'upper' side of 106th Avenue. 

Well, last afternoon I stood on the far side of City Parkway and took these three photos of the fenced-off lot. The first photo is from the farthest left, and then I faced more and more toward 106th Avenue:

I have yet to lay eyes upon the new building. To be honest, I cannot even envision it by looking at the photo at the Legion website and then at the map on that webpage.

If you look at this Google map, you can see the supposed new address ─ and how near it is to the liquor store I visited. There are no buildings ─ certainly no rather high ones! ─ where the new Legion is supposed to be.

Heck, when I left the liquor store, I crossed through the spacious parking lot and made my way to the corner of 135-A Street & 108th Avenue, and then I followed 108th Avenue to City Parkway where I turned left and headed the two or so miles home.

So something is not at all right as to where the Legion is supposed to be located. Truly, that photo almost looks more like the Gateway SkyTrain Station, and where there currently is a Shoppers Drug Mart.

Oh, Lord! I had no idea that it was already this late ─ it is alrready after 7:30 p.m.

I must call a halt to my post for today.