Wider is Better

First off, you may notice that the blog column size has been widened for enhanced reading pleasure, the result of a minor html code adjustment

OOOHHH Baby.... we've had it with this weather.... (this time last year we were packing for Mexico).... we had the Trip advisor out and were searching for a Mexican destination earlier this week..... It's just not going to work. Kari is busy through March and Ashley has school. Maybe next year.... but I'll post this picture to remind me of 80 cent Coronas at Andreas Cantina.

Our 5 acre lot purchase has been an off-again; on-again affair, as the (well) water source, and who should bear the cost of attaining it was in question.... At this time it's been sorted out, and all I can say is: thank-goodness we had it in writing! A well drilling will commence in due course.

Valentine's Day! As Ashley was attending her very first school dance on Wednesday evening, it gave Kari & I a chance to venture out to Courtenay for a nice (however, non-romantic) pub dinner and pleasant conversation. We have learned to cherish our adult time together. Ashley has been vibrating with excitement for the week prior to the dance. At times like these, she's always slow to report on the "goings-on" after the fact. However, car-pooling is a necessity here, and we also drove one of Ashley's friends home from the dance. Emily couldn't keep a secret in a paper bag, so all the dancing details were available on request.

After my (mini) rant last blog, (about how the island depends on volunteer efforts), it seems fitting to find a way to contribute. I've been asked to accept a nomination as "tresurer" of the Kir-Nel Water Society......and another opportunity arose when speaking to a local contractor about a septic field. He is also the local Fire Chief and the next thing I knew, I was invited to attend a few fire dept. practices to see if this a good fit for me. Kari also likes the idea, as the lumberjack / milkmaid thing was getting a little tired. I'll keep you updated.... (on the fire dept part...)

The weather has improved.... still rainy for the most part, (with Thursday being the only spectacular day), but much warmer (9-12c) during the day. I expect my forgotten, windblown, dear-eaten, winter rye will resume growing soon. The time between showers allowed for a quick foray down an old logging road near the 5 acres, which I had been wondering about for some time. There are dozens of such trails and roads that always lead somewhere interesting. This one led to yet another marsh with several unknown species of waterfowl, which Sienna promptly flushed. I may have to leave her at home on occasion if I want any decent photos.

Further to my comments last post regarding the development proposal for the northern part of the island.... things are heating up somewhat. The local paper is now twice the size as usual because of all the inserts submiited by residents expressing their opinion. The developer will be distributing a survey ballot to all the residents, so that they may state their preference of the three proposals put forth.... to date it seems that none of the options are acceptable by the most vocal on the subject.

Dave's (cheap) Wine Corner
Have you ever been in a supermarket checkout and bought something on the spur of the moment? Likely it was something you could do without and maybe you thought later..."man, that was clever marketing, to have that crap there right where I had to stare at it while I was in line." C'mon be honest now, you know you have. Perhaps it was a National Inquirer, pack of gum, comb or elastic bands.....But you bought it....Now; have you noticed the same marketing game at your local LCB? So, there I was, in line with my "proven" cheap wine, (DeBortoli-Petit Syrah... - more on that later) and off to my right, was a large stack of cases.... Hmmmm Auzzie Cabernet @ $7.99 " Can't go wrong, right? WRONG! "Bruce Murray" is the brand label. The nose was pure medicinal Benilyn cough syrup. Colour- Think Hawaiian Punch watermelon flavour. Ever heard the term "length"? It means the time the flavours linger on your pallet, doing little tap dances and pirouettes on your tongue. This wine needed a fast thumb on the stopwatch, as length could be measured in milliseconds. Be warned... Your day-old home made wine is better than this crap.
As Bruce was promptly refrigerated destined to become a spaghetti sauce additive, out came the good ol' Cono Merlot. Yup, I'm a Cono fan... pick one...., Cab (good), Merlot (great), the Vionier is heavenly... the Gewurtzraminer, 89 pointer ... say Gismondi: "If this were a Canadian Wine, it would be twice the price and sold out!" I know I'll be cheesed this summer when it's all sold out, (already S-O in Courtenay) and I'm sitting on the deck wishin' I'd bought more! Cono wines have to be the best value in the market @ $10.... Hands Down. It makes me want to visit Chile. Stock up while you can, it's going fast, but stay out of the Courtenay store eh.
DeBortoli - Peteit Sirah, now sports post market labels stating: Wine access-89 and Wine Spectator-88 points. It's flattering to see they read my review and decided it was worth a try, but it also likely means another sell-out.
BTW- if anyone would like to send a wine for my review, I'd be pleased to oblige, please package it well.
QOTD: Source: Vancouver Magazine
BIG YELLOW
Yellow Tail still rules. Last year we drank $10.6 million of the Shiraz, more than twice as much as its nearest competitor, the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz, and 11 percent more in dollar terms than we did the year before. And we drank another $7 million of the Yellow Tail Merlot and Chardonnay. After that our taste went from Down Under to generic Canadian wines, the big sellers being Jackson-Triggs Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc and Sawmill Creek Barrel Select Merlot and Barrel Select White.