Victoria Farm Life - farmers downsizing - tools for sale · Monday August 11, 2014 by colin newell
A colleague of mine is downsizing from her and her husbands farm for the time being.
And they have some great tools that need a warm new home – in the right hands, tools produce great things.
If any of these items appeal to you, send some e-mail to the address provided.
I have my eye on the compressor and nail gun… and I blame you Paul LaFrance and your endless patio/deck rebuilds!
e-mail tglserv@gmail.com
Stihl MS200T limbing chainsaw – $400
Near new Stihl MS230 chainsaw $350
Sold — Craftsman compound mitre saw – $70
Rivet gun – $10
Dewalt 4.5” angle grinder – $40
2 Porter cable nail guns, with nails, two sets of hoses, and compressor – $200
Dewalt orbital sanders – $25 and $40
Sold — Rigid belt sander, used once – $125
Dewalt cordless reciprocating saw – $40
Dewalt cordless skillsaw – $90
Dewalt cordless jigsaw – $80
Interested in any of these items: e-mail tglserv@gmail.com

Summer Food Fun and Drink 2009 Chapter 6 B.C. Transit to suspend Charter Rights for one day · Monday June 30, 2014 by colin newell
Heading to a garden party across town on Canada Day? A blog reboot from 2009!
Arborbrook Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select 2006 at $67 a bottle (U.S.) is a remarkable grape. Any party host would welcome you with open arms.
This huge wine hits you harder than a jilted bride with bigger-than-Rita McNeil style – and flavors: fat, voluptuous with powerful fruit seasoned with ungodly quantities of exotically spicy new oak.
And if you are thinking about doing the right thing and leaving your car at home on Canada Day – I mean, doing the Legally right thing… by not drinking and driving – by taking the Bus (with this great Wine in your Man-Bag…) well think again Cowboys and Cowgirls!
B.C. Transit will have a ZERO alcohol policy on Canada Day – regardless of whether or not you are sober, wearing priestly garb or doing an emergency delivery to your favorite grape fan.
Even if you have this sealed Wine double paper bagged and sealed in your ruck sack, the folks at B.C. Transit will be taking it from you – after they illegally search you… violating your Charter Rights.
And sure, you can avoid the shake down by not taking the bus…
But that is not the point.
You have the right to ride the bus and you have the right not to be searched without probable cause.
So. Buy yourself a big fat bottle a grape and find an alternate form of transport… because you will not be riding the bus on Canada Day if you have any sober and peaceful plans to attend a civilized social somewhere!
This blog re-boot from 2009 is made available to you from the good people at the CoffeeCrew blog.

If you can read this, thank your teacher - chapter 1 · Wednesday June 18, 2014 by colin newell
Had coffee with some of my work buddies this AM – and so clueless about what the life of teachers is like…
Nothing like a totally one sided discussion to get ones java boiling in the mug!
Anyway, I felt like sending them back to Elementary school… maybe Grade 1 even.
During the various rants various myths emerged – with my factual responses attached…
MYTH a.) Teachers work 180 days a year and get paid for 365 days a year.
FACT: They get paid for the days worked and the time in – Yes, they get a pay cheque year around for days worked – and consequently, their pay packets are about equal to 10 months work or more.
MYTH b.) Teachers get every summer off.
FACT: Many teachers work part time through the summer getting ready for the coming year.
MYTH c.) Teachers DON’T need to work in the summer because they have one set of lesson plans that they can use for their entire career.
FACT: Lesson plans and curricula change year by year depending on the needs of the students and the evolution of education.
MYTH d.) Teachers are overpaid!
FACT: No, bankers are overpaid… and even that is a bit of a stretch. Bankers make investors money (like you and I) which we appreciate.
MYTH e.) You cannot fire incompetent teachers because of the Union.
FACT: Progressive discipline is in effect in most unions and professional organizations. Bad teachers that break the law or, at the other end of the extreme, don’t do their jobs simply don’t survive.
Hey, if you can read this post and understand it (you might not agree with it…) Thank your teachers.
Colin Newell is a writer, technical analyst and engineering technologist at a local University that often gets asked… “Hey. Colin. What do you do on your summers off from working at a University?

Buying a house in Victoria B.C. Canada - the series · Tuesday May 27, 2014 by colin newell
Andrea and I, after over a decade of searching for the perfect place…
Have found a new home. And we will be taking possession and moving in later on in July.
This is a culmination of over a decades worth of effort. And I know what some of you are thinking…
“What took you so long? Ten years!? Your realtor must have died of shock or exhaustion. Think of all your lost time…”
And so on.
Picture – Standing in front of the house that Colin (and Andrea) bought!
Truth be told, we have been in a really nice suite in a great neighborhood with great water views and high above everything… but a kitchen the size of a large cardboard box – a galley kitchen… and this is what has been dragging us down for quite a few years. Lack of a decent kitchen and a guest ready 2nd bedroom has curtailed our life in ways that, yea, we will never get back… but now is a time for celebration and moving forward…
And a great opportunity to kick this blog back into gear and get some readers back.
So there it is – I will be talking about the joys of the search. The upside and downside of house hunting in some of the richest neighborhoods in North America (with a limited budget…) and
the necessity of buckling down and spending over 20 years saving for the house of our dreams…
Coming up. On the Coffeecrew blog.
Comment [3]





