Cabin Repair – Part 2

August 30, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

In the last blog, I described the beginning of my long-neglected North Carolina cabin repair. One important decision not yet mentioned. What kind of roof would I install? Basically there are two choices: shingles, or metal. I looked closely at both, and was recommended to use asphalt shingles, similar to what was removed. However, my gut feeling urged me to use metal. I have always liked metal, so did some investigation, and decision-making. I found a roof fabrication store about 30 miles away, looked at their samples and prices, and decided on a heavy gauge, forest green roof.

However before the roof, an underlay is needed — part of which are waterproof adhesive 30” rolls in critical edge areas. Called “Ice and Water Shield”, it’s expensive but worth it. In fact, in a moment of budgetary madness, I decided to cover the entire roof with the Ice and Water. I was unsure of this decision, but now am glad that I did. Firstly, it completely waterproofed the roof. No more worries about those pesky rainstorms!  Also, it means that I have a double roof…the underlay and the metal. Hopefully between the two, leaks will be a thing of the past.

Next came installing slats, upon which to attack the metal. It was at this point that I made another major decision. I needed help!  I couldn’t handle these metal sheet by myself. The longest was 19 feet! And 3 feet wide. Through a friend, I was given the name of a handyman, and contacted him. Jose visited to look at the project and accepted. Busy, but was able to squeeze me in. He and his crew came mostly on Saturdays, and were fast and efficient. I helped where needed, but it was a pleasure to work with them. They had the expertise and right tools. No longer was I hanging off the side, or coming precariously close to a fall.

On the days when Jose’s crew weren’t around, I was working on interior rooms. Virtually every room needed work, and I had to prioritize. Most urgent were the rooms where the ceilings had fallen in. This included one bedroom, two bathrooms, and the living room. In general, I tore down existing ceiling and installed sheetrock – not a job for the faint at heart. It’s not my favorite task, especially lifting 4×8 pieces of sheetrock by myself. I did my best (with a little help from Jose on his last day.) and then plastered, sanded, plastered more, sanded again, and finally primed and painted. Quite the task.

In the bedroom and one backroom, I also sheetrocked and painted the walls. This included ‘cement board’ behind a bath and shower stall. Next came flooring as needed. In the living room, sanding and three coats of clear polyethylene on the wood floor; In one bathroom, new tiles; In the bedroom, wall-to-wall carpet. In the other rooms, I repainted the ceilings as necessary, and spot repaired areas, such as a rotten corner of the utility room.

While refurbishing both the exterior and interior, one observation kept reoccurring:  This cabin is Big! We aren’t speaking of a little ‘Lincoln Log Cabin’ with three rooms. To call it a cabin is a bit mis-describing. Rather, It is a house – with nine rooms and a deck. Three bedrooms, kitchen/dining, living room, office, two baths, and utility room. No wonder it’s taking more time — and money — than estimated!

But my attention now must refocus to returning to Canada – to bring back boxes of ‘stuff’ to make this cabin feel like a home. This is for the next blog.

Thanks for reading!  Be well.

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Cabin Repair – Part 1

July 22, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

After weeks of sorting, packing, and storing boxes in one of the farm shed, and cleaning out my apartment, I flew from Vancouver into Charlotte, NC. I am now at my cabin in the Mayberry-esqe mountain village of Saluda.   The trip was uneventful, but noteworthy that airports and planes are largely empty due to the WuFlu lockdown. All the talk of only ‘essential travel’ seemed irrelevant, since I wasn’t even asked my reason for flying.

This North Carolina mountain cabin needs work. I immediately made an assessment. Outside, the bushes have overtaken the 1 ½ acres, so this has been my first task. Cut bushes and branches. Also, check the house. Outside, the roof replacement is the priority and I am onto it now. See below.  Lots to fix with windows, doors, and siding, but this can wait.  The deck and porches need cleaning.

Inside, it’s a mess. Tony isn’t a real cleaner, but that’s ok. I can relate. It is a cabin. More importantly, ceilings have, at best, water marks from the leaky roof, and at worst tiles and sheetrock are falling (or ready to fall). But this will have to come only after the roof is repaired and proof of no more leaking!  So a new roof is the priority.

The roofline on the cabin is unique. The original cabin is 75+ years old. It has had at least two additions, maybe three, with rooms added on both sides and onto the back. Only one major issue. The roofline was never raised so as rooms were built on both sides, the roof flattened. This is a major reason for the leaks. Water simply won’t shed quickly enough, and gets underneath the singles. Added to this is a startling discovery. This house has three, count them, three layers of shingles. Not only heavy but ineffective, especially in the valleys, where water is funneled. This is a location of the major leaks into the living room. So a heavy workload is looming.

I am dividing the work into four parts. 1) remove the existing shingles. 2) repair any rotten wood underneath. 3) put underlay before roofing material. 4) install new roof.  Sounds simple enough, but each part is laborious.

Removing the shingles are maybe the hardest. Shoveling seemingly tons of shingles with a flat shovel, and loading into a Dodge Ram diesel and trailer, fortunately borrowed from my sister Becky and her husband. Thanks Bec and Dave! Otherwise I couldn’t have done it.  This includes hauling to the Polk County landfill. Five trips total. Time consuming! 

Next came examining the roof, and making repairs, primarily with plywood. Several problem areas. But there was a bigger challenge: rain.  It has been a long time since I’ve been in the Carolinas in July and August. I forgot about afternoon showers. These pesty rainstorms caused havoc to doing roof work. I got caught in the first one, that came fast and furious. I didn’t have any plastic and almost cried. Water poured inside the cabin, causing more of a mess on ceilings and floors. 

I learned my lesson, and immediately purchased a large piece of clear plastic at Lowe’s. After that, my routine was as follows: as soon as I heard thunder, cover the roof with plastic and wait. I’m unsure which was more frustrating. Covering with plastic and then rain; or covering with plastic and no rain.  Either way, it delayed progress. Even my trusty, dusty radio called them, “Splash and Dash” storms.   An apt description, because most came and went quickly. Only long enough to interrupt the roof work. But slowly, progress! I measured wood, drove to the box store, bought wood, and repaired the areas.  This has taken weeks, as it’s a one-person job. Me.  Maybe this is against my better judgement.

I will continue in the next blog. Thanks for reading. Be well.

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A BIG MOVE

June 12, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

After several blogs on the Corona Virus and its dominance in 2020, I will take a break and discuss other happenings. After all, the world still keeps turning, regardless of the lead news stories.

A big decision in my life is unfolding. After decades of living in Canada, I am returning to the US. I knew it would eventually happen, but human nature is that we are never really prepared. Some of you know that I am a passport-carrying citizen of the US. I also have been a card-carrying Permanent Resident of Canada for almost two decades.  

Several factors confirm the move that seem to be converging. My children, Sheldon and Rachel, are now 21 and 20 respectively. They are both spreading their wings, and are “in my heart rather than in my hands”, as my dear Mother used to say. Secondly, I am 67 in a few months. Thirdly, my consulting for the BC provincial government in the area of ‘agricultural emergency management’ has almost dried up, partly because of budget chaos due to the CoV outbreak. At best, I am ‘semi-retired’ now.  Fourthly, I rent here in Victoria but own a cabin in North Carolina that is waiting for occupancy. My wonderful renter, Tony, recently left after four years. Lastly, the cabin has been neglected and needs repair and maintenance both inside and out, including a new roof. I am getting no younger, and it will take months to get the place back in order.  Honestly, I prefer to spend my energy on the cabin rather than volunteering here on Norrie’s berry and fruit farm.  Finally, during this weird WuFlu lockdown era, what better time to isolate myself with repairing a quiet cabin down a long, graveled road outside the small town of Saluda, NC.

Moving is no fun, especially after two decades here in Canada. I am beginning to pack boxes. I am trying to triage. Items to get toss; items to keep; items uncertain. Subcategories are 1) Tossed Items:  throw away or give away to Salvation Army.  2) Items to keep: I can’t take all this on one trip to NC because I am flying down, so I plan to box, store, and get on a future road trip. 3) Uncertain items: I admit to being a packrat. I have stuff from my 20 years in Canada, and 20 years before. Do I need all this? After 25-30 projects professionally, do I need all this paperwork? All these books? As a sentimentalist, all these knick-knacks that bring back memories from years of travel? Memories of raising Rachel and Sheldon?

This is all agonizing! But a necessary exercise for someone with my lifestyle. I vow to only do this one time, and only one last time! I am not moving again! I fully agree with Henry David Thoreau who quipped, “We are prisoners of our possessions.” No truer words! I have a life sentence of possessions.

I am still trying to balance packing boxes and cleaning out with necessary work on the farm. It is picking season and we have lots of families coming out for strawberries. I think most come for the outing and the experience of having their kids outside, expending energy from this ‘lockdown’. Picking berries is a secondary bonus. And we are willing to accommodate. Norrie, the owner, is wonderful with those who come through the gate. But I worry. He is 82 and slowing down also. The farm is very taxing for the two of us. It is almost undoable for one person.  As I leave for most of the summer, he will be on his own. I will pray for his health and wellbeing.

My plan now is to fly to N Carolina for the summer, do essential work on the cabin, and return in early Fall. I plan to borrow or buy a pickup and haul a trailer back to load up the boxes and other stuff and drive back down before the winter. Plans after this are unclear.  But what else is expected in the year 2020!

Thanks for reading. Stay well.

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The Lost Art of Food Preservation

May 27, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

 

As mentioned in an earlier blog, we had a blessed growing season on our little mixed farm in 2019. We did have some sub-par production, i.e. orchard fruit, potatoes, tomatoes, kale.  But the advantage of mixed farming is that other produce makes up the difference. No one starves, for sure!  Many 21st Century households can’t fathom this, because of today’s available “food basket”.  Look at the array of choices year around in the grocery store. Some from far-flung countries. Sometimes the prices reflect ‘off season’ produce, but seldom does a scarcity exist. This is yet another separation from local farm grown.

You may recall that in late summer 2018, I ‘lived off the farm’ for a week.  This means that everything that I ate was grown on our five acres. Frankly, I felt starved most of the week. I lived almost entirely from snap beans, spinach, and berries. But I learned a lot, especially added respect for our settler ancestors. As well as the blessing present within our grocery aisle and our available choices.

In late summer 2019, I took a different approach. With the bounty of the farm, I made vegetable soup. Everything I could find went into it. Admittedly, I added seasonings, some corn bought from a neighboring farm, and threw in most anything else in the kitchen.  I did this because of a love of soup, but also because I wanted to preserve this freshness from the farm.

I also thought about food preservation and this “dying art” – mostly because there is simply no need today. Maybe some of you recall growing up with canning food for preservation, at least jellies and jams, or maybe tomatoes and beans. For many homes, it was a necessity decades ago, but now it’s become more of a hobby.  Unlike in the last century, when prevention of food spoilage was literally a life or death matter.

Today’s choice of preservation seems to be freezing, perhaps because it’s easy and convenient. This is what I did with that vegetable soup! This is why most stores have extensive “frozen food” sections.  However, freezing assumes electricity or another power supply, which, as you know, may not be available in an severe emergency.

Canning is also common, as seen by the ‘canned food’ section in the grocery store. However these rows are factory-canned, and, as mentioned, home canning is increasingly rare. FYI, canned foods should be the core of a food supply buffer in case a major disaster hits.

Other common preservation methods, depending on the food, include pickling, salting, smoking, or drying. The salting of meat was very common. I grew up on a farm that had a small, old shed known as a ‘smoke house’ where bacon was salted and cured, thereby preserving it.  Pioneer families also were experts at minimal processing, or in essence, slowing down the spoilage by natural means, such as using root cellars or cold storage. This was all before a revolutionary new household appliance called a refrigerator.

This all may seem totally foreign for some or a distant memory for others, but food preservation was immeasurably important to our forefathers.  It was time-consuming and labor intensive. It was another chore that made for a hard life, but arguably a fulfilling life. Recalling it should make us grateful for the conveniences of today, with a 21st century abundance that should be used, rather than abused. As the adage goes, we should eat to live, not live to eat!  We might all be healthier for it.

Thanks for reading.

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2020 Coronavirus Pandemic – A Way Forward

April 28, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

In an earlier blog, I mentioned the H1N1 Spanish Flu of 1918-19. CoV has been compared to it. This comes from a lack of knowledge. H1N1 was by far the greatest killer pathogen in recorded history. It killed 1-3% of the world’s population, which today would be 80-240 million people.  The 1918 world population was 1.8 Billion, and H1N1 probably killed over 100 million. It entered the US in late Spring 2018, and by October, H1N1 had killed 200,000 Americans, and the life expectancy had dropped by 12 years. I could go on and on. Coronavirus isn’t even close.

On the news I hear a relentless campaign to keep a lockdown on society to ‘flatten the curve’ but it is based upon emotion and fear, not fact.  Fear such as the Spanish Flu comparison, rather than the fact that the CoV mortality rate is much less than earlier predicted. In the US, original death figures were estimated at 2.2 Million. In the last week of April, death toll is approx. 57,000. (inflated numbers…see my next blog.)   In my province of British Columbia, early death estimates were 22,000 and the premier spoke of the risk of 1% of the population (55,000) dying. On April 28, death toll is 103. I could give many examples.

There’s an emphasis on confirmed cases increasing in number and a lack of emphasis on death figures – and no comparison with rates of increase or decrease compared to previous years. I already acknowledge that CoV is contagious, as is any seasonal influenza. So it’s no surprise that raw numbers are still rising.

At what point will the government release the lockdown? When there are no new cases? This could be next year or 2022! And if the health authorities have their way, it will be!  I understand their passion, but not their rationale.

Is there no analysis as to the cost of this lockdown? First, the health cost. Health is measured in ways other than those contracting coronavirus. Negative health impacts of being house-bound include lack of exercise, missed medical appointments, ignoring of other ailments, poor diet, etc. Mental health from anxiety, depression, claustrophobia, lack of socialization, stress from unemployment and lack of funds, etc.

The other cost is economic. It is unchartered territory with trillions of USD and billions of Canadian dollars being handed out. The money will not be from increased taxes, or a government spending cuts. So it means the money will be printed; which means the national debt is increasing; which means there is an increase in dollars without an increase in productivity; which means inflation; which means an increase in lending cost for everything from large banks to small businesses to student loans; which means an erosion of public and business confidence; which means less private investment; which means a decreased access to capital for businesses; which means less productivity; which means less lower wages or increased unemployment and less taxes to the government; which means less public investment in a myriad of government activities and less of a societal safety net. Maybe you get the picture. It’s an economic tsunami from which I am afraid we will never recover.  At best, we will pass this on to our children, and apologize that our generation chose lower taxes and higher spending, so they will be forced to live with higher taxes and lower spending.

Unfortunately the above rationale will likely fall upon deaf ears from health officials. The goal is the stamp out of this pathogen at any cost – including the cost to our economy and by proxy, our lifestyle. It is ‘group-think’ and anyone in opposition is a pariah.  I am still looking for the strong leader who will courageously stand and declare ‘enough is enough’.

My suggestion: Disaggregate the data, as any good researcher would do. Find the locations, population segments, disease susceptibilities, etc. that need to be isolated. Quarantine them, focusing on reduction of their morbidity and mortality. Encourage those 70+ to remain vigilant in their social distancing, (including neighbors on three sides of me).  Meanwhile, treat the rest of the population as we do with the seasonal flu (such as my 21 year old strapping son who plays college basketball and fights wildfires every summer).  Lift restrictions on those with low probability and open up these arbitrary ‘non-essential’ businesses.  Allow restaurants and coffee shops to reopen. Allow low risk people to mingle. Continue to emphasize personal hygiene and social distancing. Monitor the results. Slowly and deliberately, move forward, including opening schools again.  Get the economy in motion again. Allow the pendulum to swing back to a balance of clinical health and economic health.  This can be done.  It has already cost a fortune in several dimensions of our lives, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune more.

Thanks for reading. Be well.

Monty

 

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2020 Coronavirus Pandemic – Action and Reaction

April 16, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

In the last blog, I explained how health care workers and therefore politicians had to do something at the onset of the CoV spread.  The health community had several “shots across the bow” from viral outbreaks in 2003, 2009, 2012, and 2014. Now was their moment.

The initial campaign for adaptive behavior – hand washing, remaining isolated at any flu sign, social distancing, self-isolation for travelers, no touching, etc. – was well founded….and still should be practiced. This is especially true when dealing with the group in which 90% of deaths occur – the elderly and those with weak immune or respiratory systems. These groups should be in complete lockdown.

The other directive is that non-essential businesses be closed. Not only is ‘non-essential’ ambiguous and subjective, but it, along with travel, tourism, and leisure, has immediately put the economies of Canada and the US (and Europe) in historic freefall.  This has definitely kept people at home! The result has been massive unemployment and historic billions of dollars in benefits (trillions in the US), which will take decades to recover, if ever. More on this later.

I humbly think this pendulum is now swinging too far.  The situation is in flux. Data is released daily, and the number of new cases is emphasized. Only mentioned as a footnote is the number of deaths. Could this be because the numbers are relatively small?  And that the morbidity and mortality numbers are overwhelmingly the elderly and those with weak immune or respiratory systems – those which could easily be quarantined and treated.

The data that is emerging is showing that CoV has a high infection rate but a low mortality rate. For instance, you may recall the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where approx. 700 passengers contracted corona. It floated around for weeks in quarantine. End result was that 7 died, and this was an overwhelmingly elderly (65+) group. As importantly, only 50% of passengers showed any symptoms. This is noteworthy, because health authorities speak of the mortality rate at 3%, 5%, 10%….where do these numbers come from? From identified cases with symptoms? What about the 10’s of 1000’s who are asymptomatic? Wuhan, China has revised its mortality estimate from 3% to 1.4%, and more importantly says that only 15% of those testing positive had any symptoms, and only 2-3% of those passed on the disease. Maybe so; maybe not. (Disclaimer: I question all data coming from the Chinese government!)

The lack of virulence is also reflected in the mortality rates among countries. As of this writing, in Canada: 5,655 confirmed cases, 60 deaths….USA, 123, 750 cases, 2,227 deaths (2/3 in NYC alone). That is .01% and .017% respectively. And this is not taking into consideration the totality of asymptomatic carriers.  Once this is added to the denominator of the fraction (remember your 6th grade math!), the % will reduce even more. In fact, I estimate that it will be on par with the seasonal flu, which by the way, kills an average of 40-50,000 in the US annually. CoV has a long way to go to reach this number, but we will see.

Even confirmed mortality numbers are suspect. NY City has approx. 12,000 deaths per year from respiratory failure.  This was without a CoV outbreak. To date, approx. 1,200 have died from corona, virtually all from respiratory failure. But isn’t it possible that some of the 1,200 died from another cause, although testing positive for CoV? After all, in 2019, no one who died from respiratory failure did so from

CoV, since it did not exist. Or am I being too logical here! Again, with 6th grade math, numbers subtracted from the numerator of the fraction (deaths) and numbers added to the denominator as all cases (see above), would significantly decrease the mortality percentage from coronavirus.

I concede that, in some metro areas (New York City) and European countries, the pathogen is out of control.

Take Italy as an example. I haven’t lived there, but worked for FAO, an organ of the UN and travelled thru several times. I love Italy and Italians – one of the most elderly populations in Europe.  They are ‘touchy, feely’ — kissing on both cheeks upon greeting. They travel almost daily to the market for fresh bread, meat, fish, vegetables, all in open markets without wrappings. The lifestyle is rife for the spreading of germs. Most of us in Canada and the US do not live this way. Our food is wrapped in plastic, boxed and frozen, and we make a trip to the supermarket, say, once a week.   This less-than-wonderful lifestyle means less germs are transmitted, person to person.

I am unconvinced that Canada and the US need to make draconian decisions based upon CoV numbers coming from countries whose lifestyles are far from our own.  I will discuss these decisions in the next blog. Thanks for reading.

Be well.

Monty

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2020 Coronavirus Pandemic – a Bit of Background

March 29, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

This Coronavirus has hit and its impact has been severe! I am dumbfounded and staggered to see the speed with which it has moved, and the toll it has taken – physically, socially, economically.  There is so much to say, and you may know that I am opinionated, so here goes.

Along with a degree in Emergency Management and advanced degree in Agriculture, I somewhere along the line got a certification in ‘Animals in Disaster’. Why is this relevant?  Over the years, I’ve witnessed  livestock disasters from three primary sources: 1) floods, 2) fires/wildfires, and 3) diseases. Flooding and fires are sad and can be disastrous, but are usually localized. Diseases are different, and can be catastrophic, widespread, and a cost into the billions.  Why linger on animal diseases during a coronavirus discussion? Because 2/3 of all diseases are “zoonotic”, i.e. transmissible from animals to humans. This includes every major viral outbreak in the 20th and 21st century.

Pathogens are fascinating to study. Virus ‘sub-types’ cover the H-N complex of proteins that invade living cells, kill them, and then move on to the next. Ultimately the animal or human can die. Some viruses are more virulent than others. The four human pandemics in the past hundred years have been: H1N1 (1918-20), H2N2 (1957), H2N3 (1968), and H1N1 (2009).  The first, Spanish Flu, was stunningly lethal for all human age groups, with an estimated 500 million contracted and 100 million dead.  Its viral cousin 90 years later, nH1N1 was scary, but fortunately ‘low pathogenic’, and much less deadly, with approx. 12,500 deaths. The health community felt it had dodged a bullet. I was at a World Congress on Disasters and Emergency Medicine at the time of the outbreak. Many attendees were scurrying in and out for conference calls with worried looks of their faces. It was warranted.

Allow me to backtrack to 2003 when SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) hit. It was considered an epidemic, reaching 24 countries, infecting 8000, and killing 775.  Not earthshaking but important because it was the first ‘novel’ (new) coronavirus strain. Coronavirus is a well-known family of viruses, two of which are the common cold.  Epidemiologists saw nSARS-CoV as a shot aimed directly at them that missed.  Then came the novel H1N1 in 2009, as mentioned above, which also missed.

MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) erupted in 2012 but garnished little Western press, because it was centered in Saudi Arabia. MERS infected approx. 2500 and killed 858, so was a virulent strain. As importantly, it was yet another novel coronavirus. And epidemiologists knew they needed to create a plan of attack.

From 2014-16, Ebola hit and hit hard. Mainly centered in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone), it reached at least a dozen countries, with 28,600 reported cases, and 11,325 deaths – a notably lethal virus. Thankfully, an unusual characteristic of Ebola is that it dies out by itself – it kills its ‘host’ too fast and therefore doesn’t spread very far.  Epidemiologists and virologists know that if the proteins in the Ebola virus ‘reassort’ (i.e. mutate) to where it does not kill its host as quickly, look out!  It could make CoV look like a sore thumb in comparison.

The above sequence of viral outbreaks has been instrumental in the response to the coronavirus which began in Wuhan, China in December and January. Sadly, China knew of this CoV outbreak and tried to cover it up. Had the information been shared early, this pathogen could have been contained, or at least the spread reduced. By the time of China’s acknowledgement, the spread was international and uncontainable.  The WHO should have pressured China, instead of diddling around (during critical days of the spread) to find a ‘politically-correct’ name that would offend no one.  But, having worked in the past for the UN, I will stay away from politics!

Only after the pathogen had firmly anchored itself in numerous countries did health professionals and then politicians call for adaptive behavior from its citizens – social distancing, hand washing, etc.  But this was too late for some countries, esp. cultures that differ from our own (i.e. Italy, Spain, Iran), and some large cities already with overburdened health care systems (New York, New Orleans).

The adaptive behavior has taken several forms. My daughter Rachel and I visited family in the US for a few weeks, returned March 16, and have been in a 14 day self-quarantine. I thought this was unique until realizing that most of Canada seems to be in a lockdown. You may know that borders are largely closed,  ‘non-essential’ travel is banned, and most ‘non-essential’ businesses have closed. Had Rachel and I delayed a week, we probably would not have been allowed to travel.

My personal opinion (yes, I am opinionated!) is that the pendulum which started its movement too slowly at first, became appropriate for some days (i.e. shutdowns and personal adaptive behaviors), has now swung too far and is now causing more harm than help at this time.

I will explain more in the next blog. Thanks for reading.

Be well.

Monty

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My Long Canadian Winter Evenings

February 26, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

Many of you may know that I spent 50% of my career overseas. Much of this time was with unpaid or relatively low paying humanitarian work, which was very fulfilling. The compensation was irrelevant. But I did have a number of years with agencies that paid pretty well, such as the US Government, the UN, and consultancies with big firms, including an arm of the World Bank. As I look back, the higher wage was necessary because, in general, this work with high-profile agencies was much less rewarding, much less fulfilling.

I have always lived frugally, arguably too frugally, even single and with ready cash on hand. Unsure where this came from, but I seldom splurged. I am sure to have missed many opportunities, many memories. But maybe I have made a few as well, having worked in 12+ countries on 6 continents, and visited 40+ more.

I didn’t necessarily set out to save money. It just happened. Now in my mid-60s, I have this little nestegg of funds. But it has not been necessarily been cared for. I invested some of it wisely by buying a ‘retirement’ cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. But most went into the stock market, to ride the ups and downs of the market. The jury is out on whether this was wise. Some did well, some did poorly, and sadly, some I don’t know. Herein lies the problem. Managed even conservatively and appropriately, my little nestegg could have tripled what it is now. For years, I just ignored it. Out of sight. Out of mind.

Last Fall, coupled with Canada’s early darkness and cool weather, I decided that enough was enough. I call my November 1 birthday “Black Friday”, because I sold a whack of ‘underperforming’ stocks. And slowly began buying others, with hopefully better track records. I have done this for weeks since then…readjusting companies I own. At my age, financial advisors recommend ‘conservative’ investments – mostly bonds and CDs that ‘preserve capital’…and that pay 2-3% yield. Sorry, but this doesn’t work for me. I like businesses.

My interest in companies is deep rooted. I love entrepreneurship, and learning the history of successful business people – how they and their companies thrive. Some stepped in via wealthy families, but most  from having a vision, hard work, creativity, and wise marketing.  And yes, sadly, some by greed and corruption.  But all are risk-takers. This is a far cry from today. I live near outside the capital of British Columbia, with its thousands of government workers. Virtually all are fairly well paid, with job security and a lifelong pension. Where is the risk? In a union and job security, there is very, very little! What a shame, because so many would be innovators if forced to. The results would be astonishing!  It is no coincidence that my best friends either own small businesses, or are recently retired.  We are like-minded.

Readjusting my business ‘stock portfolio’ has been a process. And for the most part, an enjoyable one.  An important aspect of stock investing is learning about the company, called the ‘fundamentals’. But this takes time – a lot of winter evenings. And there are 1000s of businesses out there. They go far beyond the scope of an Amazon, Microsoft, McDonalds, Fed Ex, General Electric, etc. Again, I enjoy learning about businesses.

I am not a day-trader, but an investor. But unlike years past, I might be considered an ‘active investor.’   The basic strategy is to buy a ‘stock’ at a low price, and sell at a higher price. Sounds simple, but don’t be fooled. I have a Master’s degree in buying high and selling low, as shown when I looked at my portfolio last Fall!  The other decision is the timeframe. My children have many decades for stock prices to increase, and can invest in solid, stable companies for gains over time.  I have maybe 10 years, so have to be more selective. Through study and comments in investment ‘chat rooms’, I try to buy very select stocks for short-term gain, sell them, and move on. This requires not only fundamental but “technical” analysis and is very risky — not for the faint at heart.

But I have always been a bit of a risk taker. I would not recommend this for anyone. I both lose and gain – and only hope the gains outweigh the losses. Time will tell. It is using my own money, and the buck starts and stops here. I heard a trader say that 66% of stocks will go down, not up…and this is about right. The goal is to reduce risk, and this takes research. It is possible to eliminate risk in a 3% bond, but it is not possible in stocks.

Presently, I have about 20 stocks, diversified into 7-8 sectors of the US economy. I am adjusting for 14-15 long term ‘growth’ businesses, 4-5 shorter term ‘value’ businesses, and 1-2 very short term buys with the hopes of quick returns…to be reinvested almost immediately. But all of them are reviewed monthly with a critical eye — to keep or to sell.  Sentiment must be set aside, but it’s a struggle. It’s a constant battle with emotions of ‘greed’ (stock value rising) and ‘fear’ (stock value falling).

So this is the way I spend my Canadian winter evenings. It sure beats Netflix or hitting the bottle! Yes, it’s a far cry from fruit trees and rows of berries presently dormant on the farm.  Soon warmer weather will be upon us, and I look forward to spending more time outside.  This will offer sunshine, exercise, and a necessary balance to my life.  May you enjoy the same.

 

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Agony and Ecstasy of Winter Evenings in Canada

January 26, 2020 | Author: Monty Crisp

Despite the stunning beauty of much of British Columbia, one mild shock of moving to Canada from South Carolina has been the shorter daylight during the winter. You can blame my move north of the 49th parallel on a brunette Canadian lassie I met overseas…and blame what keeps me here on two sassy kids — 20ish but going on 40ish. Such is today’s generation.

When I visited Canada during a summer trip while in college (the only time before moving here 20 years ago), I couldn’t help but notice the alcohol consumption, complete with early mornings at the pubs, even drinking at 9AM. A different culture, for sure.  After 20 years of winters, with cold, rain, snow, and short daylight, one theory is that there’s little else to do – unless one is deliberate about it.  I find it sad that too many sit down, put on a Netflix movie, and seem to start drinking. Of course, there are millions who work, but honestly, there are millions here who don’t. If only we were all so lucky. But, if you follow my posts, I am pretty adamant that they are not “lucky” at all. Those of us who have a reason to wake up in the morning, with meaning and purpose in life, are the ‘lucky’ ones. This can be fulfilled through paid work, volunteering or just connecting with others in supportive relationships.

Less you think that most everyone hits the bottle here, nothing could be further from the truth. I have also seen amazing results from Canadian that stem from these long nights indoors – in the sewing room, craft nook, or garage. At Christmas craft fairs, I stand dumbfounded and ask, ‘Where does all of this lovely, creative stuff come from?’  The owner of our farm is an immediate example. Norrie is 80 years, and besides endless tasks in the barn, shed, or garage, he has built amazing model train displays complete with accessories that cover a large room. It is worth 10’s of $1,000s.    If this weren’t enough with which to occupy long winter evenings, he also has not one, not two, but three early classic automobiles. He loves 1932 Fords, and has a flatbed truck, a pickup, and a cabriolet (convertible). All are restored, running, and admired by others, but the ’32 Model A cabriolet “deuce” is a show-stopper. It is fully and originally restored.  There may only be a couple of others in western Canada in such good shape.

All of the above take time but is worth the effort.  With a bit of initiative, industriousness, patience, and humor, we make it through the winter. The longer sunny and warm Spring days beginning in March make the wait all the sweeter. You might ask how I pass the long evenings, being unmarried and an empty nester – with my kids living outside the house. My evenings fill up, but I presently spend considerable time readjusting my retirement portfolio. Because I don’t have a company pension and am not the heir to a small fortune, I basically have to save for retirement, or at least preserve the meager money I made during my fulltime working years. Don’t get me wrong – I am still working but the farm pays so little that it is basically considered volunteering. Maybe I only do it for health and sanity – which are reasons enough.

In my next blog, I will tell you more about my Canadian winter evenings.

Thanks for reading.

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The 2019 Report Card on the Farm

December 24, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

This is my second full year of living on our 5-acre mixed farm on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia. As you know, we are primarily a fruit and berry farm, with several varieties of each. The owner, Norrie, is a former schoolteacher and now in his 80’s. He’s still amazingly active on the farm.

The farm is located on Agricultural Land Reserve land in BC. The purpose is to preserve limited fertile land in the province for farming, as opposed to residential or industrial uses. To qualify for ALR status, and advantages such as lower property taxes, a threshold of $2,500 farm income must be met in our district, i.e. county. We are able to reach this, although with little margin to spare.  In short, our little enterprise makes no money. This is no surprise in today’s farming world.

There have been changes to the farm. Before I arrived, we had chickens, but sadly, no more. Norrie says varmints got them. We have no livestock, unless we include a family of deer that regularly walk through the front gate.   This is a far cry from my upbringing on a dairy in South Carolina.

Our concentration is growing tree fruit and berries. The soil is fertile, and berries come every year, but in 2019 the blackberries and raspberries came and went quickly, as well as the Rainier variety of strawberries. The Tribute strawberry variety held on surprisingly long – even into October.  Our other ‘specialty’ varieties are cousins of blackberry, including tayberry, marion berry, logan berry, and cascade berry, came and went quickly.

Interestingly, our 2018 tree fruit season was bountiful. I had to prop the limbs of apple, pear, peach, etc. to keep them from breaking due to the heavy fruit load. We bottled apple cider with all the extra fruit.  However, 2019 was polar opposite — almost a dormant year.  I propped a total of three small apple tree limbs against possible breakage.  The year saw almost no plums, cherries, peaches, or pears. I could almost count every apple on the farm — approximately 40 trees of 10 varieties. It was head-shaking, but this is farm life.

Along with the fruit and berries that are for sale, in all of our extra time (lol), we play around with a small garden. This year, we successfully grew tomatoes, onions, broccoli, greens, and cucumber, and snap beans. These bush beans are amazingly productive. Less than successful in 2019 were kale and spinach, and the potatoes. I seem to recall planting more potatoes than were harvested. which make it a lost cause. We tried to plant corn the last two years, but this year I gave up. We buy it down the road.

But our previous generations of pioneer settlers didn’t have that luxury.  I can appreciate why our ancestors diversified their growing of produce. Their garden was a mixed garden. Their farm was a mixed farm. They quickly understood that one year will be better for various fruits and vegetables, and another year worse, for a variety of reasons. For them, this could literally be a life or death matter. Or at least a nutritious, balanced diet.

For most of us, getting the food basket is only an inconvenience. The hassle of traveling to the grocer and choosing from the cornucopia of fruit and vegetables – often brought in from other regions or countries. I will discuss this luxury in another blog.

May you have a meaningful Merry Christmas. We all  have much for which to be thankful.

Monty

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