What a day in Vancouver…Blessed sunshine and very warm for a heavy blazer and snug regimental tie. Over to the Vancouver Club for a slap up breakfast with no suggestion of a dry martini. I was asked to make a speech as usual and I had prepared a humdinger going by its reception.
One of my great joys in this life is to take the ferry from Victoria to the mainland, for it’s views are second to none. If as we hear, life started four and half billion years ago, how many of my ape like relations saw what I am seeing, although I have a tea in my hand?
It is always poignant if not almost melancholy, to watch home videos when your children were young and so were you. To see again the shadows of those long ago years playing before your somewhat disbelieving eyes brings about a turmoil of joy and sadness. The wonder of your babies brought back to you and for the great majority, the disappointment of what was not accomplished in the interim. That is life I am afraid. I suppose that we should just be happy that we can revisit those images for think of how many past generations could not.
For me I am very proud of my children, for they have all turned out to be good citizens.
I have tried to be a mild man who sees only good in his fellow chaps. However the female side of life, which I seem not to understand, tortures me at whim. I have discussed this subject with my fellow club male members, who have shocking stories of the appalling actions of wives, sisters and maiden aunts.
I think it is interesting that at the battle of Vienna in 1683, the Turkish commander Kara Mustapha having lost the battle and preparing to escape, could not leave behind the two things he loved the most. Therefore he beheaded his favourite wife and an ostrich.
He was later strangled in the approved manner by a silk scarf operated by several men on orders of his Turkish masters.
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