Stopping the world in Vancouver

Hello everyone,
When is the last time you sat on a patio and had a few beers with good friends and watched the world go by. Probably too long ago and then it was not long enough. Well, Pat and I got to do that with Chris DiSalle. Chris and I have known each for over 15 years from the Financial Life days. Some of you reading this will remember Financial Life, others of you reading this have a Financial Life policy. It still sounds funny to me when I say that I have friends in the business that I have known for 15 years. I don't think of myself that old. I guess I am though. Or should I say Chris is. I had a great time catching up with Chris and how his girls are doing in hockey and how he loves Vancouver. If you ever need a good restaurant in Vancouver call Chris...Shore Club superb! and the other one he recommended we could not even get into they were so booked. Thanks for the beers Chris, I really enjoyed it.
Then there are people you just meet from business who you just love to tease mercilessly and that would be Rob Hollingsworth and his wife Lucy. We went out for a quiet early dinner on Friday night before our next walk and ended getting home at 12:30 am! We started out at Earls and ended up with two night caps in some Irish bar on Robson. So much for a quiet early night but boy did we have a lot of fun. They have just moved to Vancouver from Toronto and we all agreed that there is something called "Vancouver Time". This "time" is similiar to "Island time" or "Mexican time". We are so driven by the clock here in Toronto and no other city in the country is like this. We have it so screwed up here. Don't get me wrong I love Toronto but we are wound too tight here. Here is the story we told Rob and Lucy...Pat and I were taking a tour of the Burrard Inlet by paddleboat and the boat was suppose to arrive at 1:45 pm for loading and leave at 2. So Pat and I arrive at 1:40 waiting for the boat. At 1:50 I go in to where we buy the tickets and ask where the boat is...they look out the window and say "it will be here shortly"...but I think to myself "but the sign says loading at 1:45 leaving at 2 and it is not even here yet. Hey, I am on vacation I have no where to go after this but the sign SAYS loading at 1:45 LEAVING at 2 and it is not here yet! People you are not on time here...and you are not concerned about this at all. C'mon...how do you run your business like this?" So the boat strolls in around 2 and Pat and I are the first ones down the dock to get a seat up stairs outside. The captain is at the end of the dock and holds up his hands and says "Sorry we are not ready for you yet"....not ready for us but it is now AFTER 2 and your sign says leaving at 2...where are you going to make up the time for being late leaving??? I am on holidays here...I have no where to go after this...but you are not on time and this is not bothering you? I am completely stressed about this and I am on holidays! That is when I realized there is "Vancouver Time". It reminded me of the East Coast and how relaxed they are there too. Not like us in Toronto at all. I don't think it will take Rob and Lucy long to adapt to this new time schedule. After a while it feels good.
So to Chris, Rob and Lucy..." A day spent with friends is never long enough" Thanks for everything and taking the time to stop the world with Pat and I. We really enjoyed ourselves.
With love and thanks,
M.J.