Political life is beginning to heat up in
this part of the Canadian world. Our Provincial Premier is hinting that there
may be a spring election. Whether he needs an election or not is an open
question. He isn’t required to hold one for over a year. He has a commanding
majority in the Legislature, recently enlarged by the movement of 9 members of
the opposition Wild Rose party across the floor to join the government. The
many people who voted fir the Wild Rose party in the last election are enraged
that their representatives changed party affiliation without consulting, or
even informing, them! The rules of Westminster democratic legislatures requires
a member to resign his party and seat, join the other party, and then run in a
by-election, in order to change sides. Of course, this rule has been honoured
in the breach for some decades now.
All of this has impacted me directly in
only one small way. A frequent coffee companion is planning on running for the
ruling Conservatives, and is looking for new party members to support his
cause. Because I don’t support his party, and am a member of another party, I
turned down his request. This being Alberta – a very conservative, and Conservative province – everyone else at the
table gave him $10 to become a member of the Provincial Conservative Party! The
next day, I took a moment to explain that my refusal was nit personal, but
political.
This coming Monday, I travel to Edmonton
for an MRI (diagnostic test) to see if the vertebrae in my back have
deteriorated since I had surgery 12 years ago. Any change might be the cause of
my periodic back pain episodes.
I’m feeling quite proud of myself
athletically. This morning, for the third swimming morning in a row, I swam one
kilometer, 40 lengths. Granted, I had to pause after each pair of lengths to
catch my breath. But I kept plugging away until I had done that! In aid of
this, I accompanied Beatrix to St Albert (suburb of Edmonton) and purchased my
very own pair of swim fins! No more borrowing from the junior swim team!
Our helpful neighbours assisted me in housing
some bags of salt last week, for our water softener. I am forbidden medically,
from lifting anything so heavy. Six bags Jeff lugged in and downstairs for me.
On top of that, they gave us a couple of containers of a “pansit” – a Filipino
dish – from their food bar at the arena. It was terrific. We ill buy some more
of that soon, I think.
The excessively warm weather has gone, and
it is 10 degrees below zero C…and snowing. I will wash all the mud off the car
and look half decent again. The advantage of a slightly heated garage is that
we can do this in mid winter, without freezing all the doors shut! Mire next
time, perhaps something more earth shaking than winter gossip!
