ALL WILL BE REVEALED

This blog started in August 2007.  At that point I had realized I needed more than a seat on that particular Council to make a difference. I have been out now for nine months and looking for a new path for the blog.

Social media is a revolution in the way information is received. I think the power is not yet fully appreciated.  I am still in awe and I don't even use a cell phone camera. 

The written word is more powerful. There may be fewer readers but they circulate  the message. The printed word has gravitas. 

 

But the difference with social media is greater than that.  

Maintaining  public confidence in governing  institutions has always been an imperative.

Lawyers do not publicly criticize other lawyers. The Association is more than the individual. Public confidence in the profession  is essential for survival.

Doctors don't criticize doctors for the same reason. Within the profession, in relative secrecy, discipline is exercised. A doctor or lawyer occasionally loses the licence to practice. It's a reckless lawyer who disregards  professional obligation. 

A lawyer employed by a municipality is first and always, an officer of the court with professional obligation to uphold the law. 

Police do not maintain law and order.  No army  even with navy auxiliary and whirly- bird air arm to keep tabs on stray bears, could ever  be large enough. 

Community respect for law and order is the root of peace and security. 

Months of disorder in Ferguson, Missouri is an example of the tenuous hold and breakdown and difficulty of restoring public confidence in their institution of government. 

The hurly-burly of politics may be less discreet than other institutions The free -for-all easily mistaken for lack of discipline. No guild protection exists at the municipal level. 

But....It is an egregious error to deny the basic rule of common decency. 

Political engagement is not normally a lifetime commitment. RIsk is involved  and there's no financial security in Aurora at least ...except for the Mayor. 

A term or two in office may be little more than a means to another end for most. 

A reputation for skill and integrity takes years to acquire. It's lonely and hard-earned. The road less travelled . The price is high but value is commensurate and not willingly surrendered. 

Six years  have passed since I had to decide to defend my reputation. 

The fight has been costly, financially and otherwise. 

Debt has been incurred and the incredible twists and turns were not anticipated. Not least  has been the time taken. 

Throughout, the support of my family, friends and people I don't know, has sustained me. 

I am as sure to-day as I ever was the decision was the right one. 

We will see it through.

The story will be told with all its secret angles and hideaways illuminated. 

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE THE LESS THEY ARE THE SAME...IT'S TOO BAD

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "THE GAME IS UP": 

18:06
If that is the same bunch that rejected a tennis bubble, phooey on them .
This is Aurora. We can deal with parking issues. 
Sp what if they have to walk a bit further to exercise. It's better for their knees, 

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Yes it's the same. But just a minute. 

John Gallo, tennis player, was on Council at the time and potential candidate for the office of Mayor. They had plans for the Hydro Reserve Fund. They were the ultimate entitlement bunch. 

They have exclusive use of the tennis courts at Mcmahon Park. The club house, built by the Aurora Lions, is shared with the Lawn Bowling Club. They pay hydro bills. 

The tennis club gets the courts at no cost because they operate the tennis program and provide lessons for beginners.

The lawn bowling club used to maintain the bowling green. They don't  any more and they don't pay user fees either. 

It's  still not all you need to know. 

Klaus Wwehrenberger, demanding  to use part of the park for a community garden, lives in the neighbourhood. He has a garden. Why does he not grow vegetables in his own garden?  Why should the town turn over,no pun intended , part of the park for community garden?

The town already has a community garden for green thumbs to grow things. I've always thought of them as people not having a garden of their own. 

Gardening is a therapeutic occupation. It's good for the soul. 

If the town has property not being used for anything else and it doesn't cost anything , there's no reason why it should not be gardened. Jim Tree's people help with turning over the soil. It may take a couple of hours in a season. And the food bank might benefit as well.  

But McMahon Park is used for something else. It's a park. The determination was made years ago. 

Just because Klaus wants someplace handy to grow vegetables doesn't mean a slice of the park should be fenced off and handed over. 

Parking is limited. It almost always is. 

Just because  the tennis club has earned itself a reputation for utterly selfish endeavor doesn't mean some other outfit ,equally selfish. should get a favourable nod. 

 Klaus  Wehrenberger is as capable as the tennis club of coming up with unrealistic demands. 

The Lions Club demand for free space in the old library is likely a different kettle of fish. 

The nifty piece of extortion  at the last Council meeting could easily have been invited by a member of Council. 

We've seen that happen. 

It's how the museum got siphoned out from Church Street School. 

It's how the Hydro Reserve fund  came close to being sucked dry for a crazy heritage park. 

A photograph of former Mayor Dick Iliingworth receiving a cheque was misleading Dick was not Mayor in 1978. He was co-chair, with former Councillor Betty Pedersen of a fund-raising  committee for Aurora  library. The woman in the photo was not Betty. 

The Lions Club of the day did not demand freebies from the town. Payback would never have been contemplated. 

Quite the opposite.They saw a need and went to work to meet the need to benefit the community without burdening the taxpayer. 

It was the purpose of a service club. 

I heard  some time ago ,the Club was thinking about folding when they sold hall at the corner of Mosely and Metcalfe . Then they held a recruitment. Who ever heard of recruitment for a service club. 

A Lions Club that comes to Council to make demands on the basis of past service to the community 

Is not the same Aurora Lions Club. 

Fie upon them . Shame ....Shame

The town is "forcing" anyone  to pay $5 for Ribfest. Last year's entertainment was paid for with a grant from the Provincial government. 

$5 admission charge may keep the event of the tax bill. I believe the cost. Was $12 thousand in previous  years. I never thought taxpayers should pay for that. 

THE GAME IS UP

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WHAT CONFLICT ? WHOSE INTEREST?": 

From the dearth of comments from blog readers I would interpret that as a request to move on.

We are all tired of living in the past.

Posted by Anonymous to  Our Town and Its Business at 12 August 2015 at 11:11

*****************************************'.

Comments are moderated. Not all received are published. I do the moderating.. Me,myself alone.

 I write and publish the blog. 

I am no longer a Councillor. Nothing I have to say is governed by the over-riding responsibility to the community I serve. 

I am free, white and twenty-one. There's  a blast from the past which might offend in these days of political correctness. Undoubtedly it will be fastened upon.

But it has the right tone of nonchalance and I can't claim to be black or brown. Everyone knows I'm white.  

I am the author of the blog. 

I write what I judge to be relevant.  I make the judgement about comments published. 

 I appreciate the sentiment of many that I don't publish. 

The blog is powerful. Maybe too much so. 

If the anonymous. comment is too strong, it may not be published  on the blog under my name. 

Like it or lump it or mark it with B

Or click on the switch Jack and watch your T.V. 

I have cut and copied the above comment to make the point .....once more with feeling. 

I write the blog. I check the stats. Numbers spike with contentious town  issues.

 As do the squeals of protest ,dismissal and  name-calling.

They tell me when my lance has found its mark and pierced the epidermis. 

These  moments are sweet. 

My grand-daughter Robyn has just arrived. I haven't seen her since she came back from a wedding in Warsaw,Poland and a week in London and environs. 

I need to hear all she has to tell me  and know if she saw anything that made her want to live there.

PRO BONO PUBLICO........NOT

I will not publish comments harmful to the reputation of a lawyer.  Any lawyer.

Defamation must be published to meet the criteria. 

We have seen in Aurora, if the party making the comment is unknown, the party  publishing  can  be sued. 

The complaint was political. It was published in a blog. The suit was not successful but it was costly for taxpayers and defendants alike.  

I'm not taking that responsibility.

HEY HO.....THE MERRY OH

I wentmto Google for an update and found reference to a figure of $3million cost for Hamilton's legal  battle with the Federal government. It's not clear  the issue is only about the Bylaw requiring the Feds to obtain a permit  at $200. for each mail box location. Apparently there are 400 immediate locations. 

In the argument, the city's lawyer points out the City of Oakville receives  a payment of $50. From the Feds for each location. it's not identified as a permit fee. We didn't hear about Oakville spending $3 million on a court battle with another  level of government . The story seems to suggest the arrangement was made by agreement. Which suggests these things can be worked out without court action. 

Of course the $3 million could have been paid from city insurance . Hamilton's bylaw was 

challenged by the Federal government. 

As we have seen in Aurora, extraordinary payouts for litigation resulted in premium increase the following year. 

Premiums are part of a municipality's operating budget. Therefore taxes must be collected enough to pay the premiums. 

$3 million dollars may be a drop in the bucket for Hamilton.  It would be unlikely to cost less 

to challenge an Aurora Bylaw. 

If $850,000  in litigation fees resulted in 41% increase in premiums, $3 million would mean the  increase would be three  and a half times that amount. 

It's kind of fun tossing figures about as if they are not actually real.

We spent $2. 470 million for 6 acres of land we don't actually have a use for. The need was not identified in any economic forecast. It came out of a reserve set up by bylaw for a specific purpose. 

But...what the hell... why worry about the pesky details? People aren't paying any attention anyway.

WHAT CONFLICT ? WHOSE INTEREST?

It's acknowledged ....Jon Stewart was never a journalist. I picked up the information somewhere. It may not be best that young people get their politics from comedians.Then again, it may be better than nothing. Lord knows adults can't be credited. What else would explain Donald Trump's claim to fame.

A small headline, never repeated,said if Trump gets the Republican nod,Letterman will come out of retirement. He might find it hard to resist. 

Headlines about Lawyer Rust D'Eye being "dogged" by allegations of conflict reminded me of information I received from him.

He conducted a workshop at the 2003 orientation meeting of Aurora Council on Conflict of Interest and stressed  the severity and risk entailed in new provincial legislation.

Next time we met, Mor of Mormac brought him around the council table to advise me that when Council retired behind closed doors to discuss a secret the Mayor refused to reveal, I should stay away. 

He asked had I retained a solicitor and suggested if the matter proceeded to litigation I might hear something to my financial advantage. As a consequence,I would be in a Conflict of Interest. 

I  attended the meeting. At this point,I had not been informed even why he was there. 

Mr. Rust D'Eye's advice eventually failed to satisfy the Motley Mormac Crew as well and lawyer John 

Mascarin replaced him as court favorite. 

The new lawyer gave similar advice  when I attended the closed meeting where the gangs' plans for my political demise  approached finality. Former Councilor Wilson observed discussion was awkward   while I was  listening. As a councillor, I had the same right as the rest to be there. The inappropriateness of the discussion entirely escaped all including the lawyer. 

 Instead, Mr.Mascarin intoned I should not be there because I might hear something to my pecuniary advantage should the matter proceed to litigation. 

Litigation was much in their minds it seemed. 

I stayed.

 Rust D'Eye had been top legal counsel for Metro Toronto before the city,boroughs and Metro were amalgamated into a single unit. Six massive administrations were collapsed into one. Many former public employees were left scrambling for available employment. A glut of Consultant outfits sprang up like fungi. 

Mascarin was introduced to Aurora by former clerk Bob Paniza, previously an associate when both were employed by the Town of Markham.

My experience as a Councillor went back to the days when experts in municipal law were scarcer than hen's teeth. Doug Lucas, legal advisor to York County was considered foremost municipal expert in Canada and he was not on any payroll. 

Few municipalities  had legal departments. There  wasn't a living to be made in private practice from municipal expertise before the days. 

I have known impressively intelligent lawyers  and others.

A long time ago, I learned I could not dispense with my own judgement. 

In this instance, Conflict of Interest meant the rascals were in it up to their necks. 

The town's interest was certainly not the one being served. 

HAVE A GREAT SUNDAY

Bob McRoberts has an Aurora commemorative pin. Nothing indicates the event. It has a crown on top.The  leaves on the town crest are dark red instead of green. It looks commemorative of a coronation. 

Queen Elizabeth's coronation was in 1953. I slept out on the sidewalk in Hyde Park near the Marble Arch the night before and  saw the whole procession. The golden coach they roll out for very special Royal occasions wobbles clumsily and noisily on wooden wheels.

Queen Salote of Tonga refused to have her carriage hood raised though it poured with rain throughout. She sat straight and tall with a great wide smile and greeted the crowds with a magnificent wave. Her royal head-dress was a tall feather that curled over at the end. Her beautiful face and brown shoulders glistened In the rain. 

The small man in an admiral's outfit who shared the carriage looked utterly miserable on the opposite seat. Winston Churchill was in the procession with every royal personage and dignitary in the known world. All the carriages but one had the hoods up. Like babies in their prams. 

King George's coronation was ,I think ,in 1935. So the pin could have commemorated either. It's very nice. 

The Empire Exhibition was in Glasgow in 1936. The Jubilee and the  Coronation were before.  I remember, on different occasions, a penny and a chocolate bar  being distributed because I was in school to receive both. So that was between 1932 and 36

The Royal Jubilee was within the period.  Every school child  in the  U.K. received a shiny new  penny  for the Coronation bearing  a profile of the new King's head. We spent it of course. 

For the Jubilee, we went to the pictures and watched the event and received a bar of chocolate with a dark red label . Now that I think of it ,two royal profiles with letters and numbers in gold between. That would have been King George V  and Queen Mary. Never knew she was German. Nobody thought much about that I guess. It was before the war. 

So Bob has a pin. He would like to know the history. 

Whatever the occasion , it was before 1960. If anyone out there has any recollection of the pin he would like to hear about it. Great- Grandmothers and great-Grand- dads are most likely the vintage If they are still around. 

Have a great Sunday.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

I have no milk in the frig and I should go shopping. 

But the word concupiscence is much more interesting. 

My  use of words has come mainly from reading context. The word does relate to the baser human appetites and that understanding probably came from catholic reading but that's where I separate from the theological.

I think sensuous, sexuality and lust are natural  human instincts necessary for the survival of the species. They  are not base. 

On the other hand. craven indulgence in pursuit of ultimate beyond attainable sexual experience is not normal 

Torture,cruelty, greed, depravity, jealousy, malice and deceit all take their place on any list of unacceptable behavior. 

Concupiscence covers them all. 

I love a word that captures both multiple and precise meaning. 

The homosexual community has  co-opted words like rainbow and gay.

Who said they could ? 

Nobody . They just did. 

Now, if these words are used in their original meaning, confusion arises. 

Despite all the pomp and ceremony, I don't believe the homosexual lifestyle is merry and bright and incredibly gay. 

I think that's a determined and forced facade. It's a lie I tell you. 

If any child of mine came to me and confided he or she was "gay " ! would love them no less. 

But it would not be good news. 

Life is tough enough without adding to its complexity. Society's acceptance does not make it easier. 

Now I really need to go out and get milk and oranges. 

I already have tea. 

WORDS ARE COIN OF EXCHANGE

It isn't often that The Globe and Mail devotes an entire editorial comment to one person, in today's paper to Jon Stewart, the star of a television program for 16 years, who "made journalism better." If you haven't seen episodes of "The Daily Show" you will have missed a bright mind skewering many of the deadbeats who proliferate in American politics and public life, and the recent Republican debate is a prime example of these puffballs. I think that the man under the wig would make more sense if he let the wig do the talking. I, for one, feel very comfortable in having watched Mr. Stewart at work, although I have never felt charming as a result. Charmed more than charming. As members of the same species we are inevitably subjected to the faults and foibles of our fellows. It's good to see "concupiscence" used in a sentence, but I question the appropriateness considering its common meaning. on AM SO CHARMING.......I SAID SO.

*************************************

I was part of Jon Stewart's audience. His journalist background gave edge to his humour.. By the same token, humour blunted his journalistic point. His skill was unique. It can't be copied and is unlikely to be replaced. Any more than Letterman. 

The silly stuff included  in Letterman's program to hold his audience was always tedious. It seemed it become increasingly hard to hide his own distaste for the meaningless discourse.

Jon Stewart generated  noise and histrionics for the same purpose as Letteman's nonsense. 

The channel often had to be changed for a break from the noise. 

I think they have both withdrawn  from the scene because U.S. politics can no longer be the stuff of laughter.

The two have been a comfort. Their contribution will be missed. 

*********************************

Concupiscence is a word not commonly used.  So it has no common meaning. 

The language of religion can and is commonly co-opted. 

I know the precise meaning.  I claim the word nevertheless .  It may be wide but it suits my purpose. 

AM SO CHARMING.......I SAID SO.

Anyone who reads this blog and doesn't feel comfortable and charming should speak for him or herself and let the rest feel comfortable and charming doing what we like best .

From earliest memory I have never been comfortable reading,hearing or being presented with false or foolish statements that didn't come close to common sense as I perceive it or straightforward intelligence or simple integrity or anything but a bunch of bafflegab to insult my intelligence. 

Sometimes it  makes people think I am less than charming. 

A propensity for challenging stupidity and concupiscence has made my life interesting ....and comfortable with all its twists and turns. 

One's inner self becomes still and calm by being true to oneself. 

Trying to be charming must at times be very trying. The risk of being outed is distinctly risky. 

A controversy in Brampton is  being reported in the Toronto Star.  A reader has provided the link to the story in COMMENTS. A lawyer whose name is familiar in Aurora is at the epi-centre of the eruption. 

The Star has  been requesting Freedom of Information and filed successful appeals against refusals. 

Mayor Linda Jeffreys has asked the Province to conduct a public inquiry. It's one way for the municipality to avoid multi-million dollar costs and throw The Star off the scent. But not likely. 

Mississauga had a Judicial Inquiry into the Mayor's conduct. Cost millions. Presiding Judge said with regret the Mayor's  conduct was at fault. 

A complaint was filed and another Judge said it was not. 

Nobody said anything about the Municipal Clerk falsifying the record.

We should keep track of events in Brampton. 

WHAT WAS .

I'm still reflecting on Norm Weller's Life Celebration  and lost in admiration for family members who can speak with composure of a parent and grandparent who gave such meaning to their lives. 

Pat Barber,Lou Gloin ,Rita Martin,Dick Illingworth and others were people who raised children in Aurora and gave them values and happy memories. Like Norm's their happy memories made the occasion  a real celebration.

An Irish Wake is a bit similar. Comical events are remembered and we laugh and cry and laugh some more and all the while we drown our sorrow. 

My mother's was the last funeral I attended in Scotland. Catholic ritual calls for remains to rest 

before the altar overnight. A short service happens with the congregation  in attendance.

I had not been in the church for many years. The priest offered confession to anyone who wished to take communion at mass next  morning.

For my mother I felt compelled but confession was more awkward than I remembered. 

I didn't ask for a blessing for having sinned. I simply said I couldn't remember how long since my last confession and I had probably committed every sin in the book except the biggies ; murder, adultery,stealing and destroying my neighbour's character. 

We got stuck in traffic the next morning and arrived at the church a few minutes late. Mass was

already started.  After a few generic references common to any person born in 1902 who died in 1992,

The Mass took up not a second more than needed. 

No time to linger at the church to exchange greetings with old acquaintances before speeding off to the cemetery. 

It was Saturday. I suspect the priest had a foursome waiting at the golf course.

Later, Cousins gathered at my Cousin Eileen's house and the rest of the unreal day passed In fond reminiscence. 

It was what  it was. 

UNTIL THE OUTLOOK CHANGES NOTHING ELSE WILL

Toronto Deputy-Police Chief Peter Sloly gave a media interview today in response to  the latest shooting  deaths  and injuries in Toronto. He gave an outline of the department's extensive plans to deal with the willingness of ever- younger individuals to use firearms. 

Mayor John Tory said he had spoken to Police Chief Saunders this afternoon and declared violence  is unacceptable in Toronto's safe neighborhoods.

"They should be put away where they belong " he said. 

The Chief and Deputy Chief are Canadians, born in Jamaica . 

I listen for a hint that  they understand the heart of the problem. 

The silence is deafening.

I attended a panel discussion once on cost of policing at the Federation of Municipalities. I have referred to it  previously in this Blog. 

Three Police Chiefs and a staff member of  Kitchener-Waterloo Social Services Department made up the panel ; three men,one woman. The woman was the last to speak. 

None of the chiefly comments stuck except for defensive tone and support for continued Increases in police numbers and spending. 

The research provided by the  Social Director was indisputable. 

Numbers in detention and similarity of backgrounds provide a factual base of evidence.

By Grade 5, ten years old, the likelihood of incarceration is predictable.

Written off by the school system because they cannot read or write ,the most significant lesson learned is their own worthlessness. 

The facts are clear. The fraction it would cost to provide kids with help they need to learn versus the cost to maintain them as adults behind bars. 

Cost  and commitment to teaching versus cost of policing, custodial detention and the  immeasurable cost of tragedy. 

Full and productive lives for disadvantaged kids as opposed to lives spent locked up with armies of police and custodial guards costing billions to keep them "where they belong" as the Mayor says.,

Last week a rally cry went up in Toronto :  "Black lives matter "

Do they matter enough with all the other ten year olds,to rally to demand the help they need  in school before they slide down the  proven path of inevitability? 

The research has been done. Over and over. Facts speak for themselves. 

Who will speak for the least among us ? The kid who isn't making it in school who learns the most important lesson we have to teach is how little his or anyone else's life counts? 

Politicians troop in their thousands to annual conferences. At great expense evidence is compiled and presented in pleasing and sumptuous surroundings. 

Hearing and listening are not the same thing. 

I didn't see anyone I knew in that workshop.

A NON-ITEM ON ANY AGENDA

Had a short exchange with Councillor  Mrakas on Facebook .Thought  I'd share. Like many stories, it has a beginning, not necessarily an end. 

A recent call to the town took twelve or fifteen rings before an answer, then placed on hold for a further ten minutes. Customer Service attendant was attending to a customer at the desk.

I was not aware of town retail sales initiative. 

The 2015 budget included two additional staff  for  C.S. Department. Council had understood  the program would not require additional personnel. 

Newmarket and Whitchurch-Stouffville were doing it. 

The new facility took forever to build with a new manager's office at the rear. The job of a twenty-six year employee was snatched out from under. Apart from ethics,

the severance would be expensive. 

Purpose of re-organization was to facilitate  access to appropriate town departments. 

A manager permanently appointed from a contract position in charge of accessibility initiative gave the first lie to the statement there would be no additional staff. 

Her  replacement was youth co-ordinator in recreation. Without experience but increased salary.

My first experience with C.S  was a parking problem.. A resident asked for a meeting  after weeks of involvement with the Mayor's office and  C.S.  At the meeting, we learned C.S.manager  had tried personally, earnestly and unsuccessfully to resolve the problem with repeated contact with regional police. She was not aware the town had a traffic engineering division. 

The Russian resident was not fluent in English.  An interpreter was retained at town expense,got stuck in traffic and arrived too late. 

Two weeks before last, reading to the end of Brock Weir's column in The Auroran, I learned the town iis in the retail business of  selling souvenirs at the Customer Service desk in the Town Hall. 

Now to the exchange on Facebook with Councillor Mrakas. 

It seems the item never came before Council. There was no discussion or approval of the enterprise. No reference to the initiative during budget and no indication of cost or anticipated revenues. 

Yesterday I visited the town web site to access street maps. Found no maps. But did find sales promotion of dishes  bearing town logo and such. 

So questions arise:

Whose office did the sales rep visit?

Who was responsibile for making the executive decision to launch into retail  enterprise? 

Who assigned responsibility to Customer Service? 

Who ordered inventory and created accommodation? 

Who directed Communications to promote sales?

What's going on? 

Does Aurora Council accept their phoney- baloney decorative role in the  grand scheme of things? 

I hear during Council meetings the Mayor busies himself with his blackberry when a speaker is of no interest.  Lap tops in front of  Councillor Abel and various Directors are open at pages unrelated to  Council matters  being discussed. 

Time off in-lieu is provided for time spent by dIrectors at meetings. 

LIFE IS FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES

I did write as a child, mostly letters; for want of a penny, not always mailed .

Family members had me write letters but nothing was made of it. My childhood was not the norm for the times. It's the one I know best so I am in no position to judge. 

Writing about my life would mean re-living all of it. I have no inclination. I often reflect, If people knew what was ahead, they wouldn't go. That's idle thinking. "Gather ye  rosebuds where ye may" to make life palatable. 

A homily posted on Facebook yesterday notes one doesn't have to attend every argument 

invited. It's true. Many are not worth the breeze to blow them away. 

But life is chock- a -block with foolishness. Only three options exist for an individual to maintain equilibrium. Complete withdrawal, abject acquiescence or fight the good fight. 

The first two hold no appeal. I choose to stand and fight. I regret only the ones I let get away. 

Chritsmas before last ,Theresa gave me a  hundred dollar gift voucher at a new spa in town.

Despite the  hard sales pitch launched immediately into the session I enjoyed the pampering. 

After  it was over I did pick up a magic potion before leaving. No price tag. The cashier rang up $65.45. It was a shock. I wasn't sure about sales tax. I asked for details. Price was immediately dropped by $20. without explanation. 

I always regret not making an issue of the deliberate overcharge. It probably happens regularly 

and not just with elderly clients. It was never repeated with me.

**********************

The first in camera meeting of the 2010/14 Council was another invitation I let slip by.

Councillor Gaertner had earlier indulged in offensive  defence of the defeated alliance. 

Mayor Dawe in closed session, in accordance with no procedure rule ever heard of, ripped into the Councillor and threatened her if she ever did that again.  

O.M.G. I thought...what have we here? 

The Councillor had allies at the table but no reaction ensued to gratuitous belligerence from the presiding member.

I owed Councillor Gaertner nothing.  But I regret not taking up the cudgels to defend the dignity of the  office won fair and square in the  recent election. 

It may not have made a difference. 

But that's not the point of taking a stand on principle. 

So, yes .....every invitation to an argument doesn't need to be taken up. But split second decisions sometimes let the right ones slip away. 

The ones one remembers with regret. 

FAREWELL TO A FRIEND

My old friend Norm Weller took his leave last night. He was in hospital  a week while they tried to put a stent in his heart. I'm not sure that's the correct medical term but it doesn't matter because it wasn't successful. 

Our sympathy is with Shirley and their family. Norm was eighty-five.They were married for sixty-three 

years. He was a giant of a man with unbounded energy. Except for the last ten years. 

He had surgery and a tumor the size of a tennis ball taken out of his gut. It didn't get rid of the cancer.  The drug that killed the cancer, came close to killing him and left him with severe sight and mobility problems that took away much of his enjoyment of life.

His family, particularly grandchildren, gave light to his days.

So now it's done. He has said many times over he would welcome it when it came. 

He lived a long, productive, happy life and achieved his goals. 

So Bon Voyage  Norm. If there is a place beyond, you will have as many friends there as you leave behind. May you continue to enjoy the Divine Comedy.