Jeannie Kamins, Realtor

I was married in 1962, and when I married I thought it was forever. I was pre-the baby boomers. I believed it was ok to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen… well, not exactly. But I did believe that I would marry a man who would take care of me and bring in a good income. I would stay home with the babies and cook and clean my house.

We lasted 10 years, had 2 children and then we went our separate ways. About a year later I found Henri and we started to cohabit - but I was ruined for marriage. I didn’t believe anymore. I no longer believed in “forever and ever”.

Henri and I lived together for 17 years before we “tied the knot”. And that was only because we were living in Quebec and they would have taken our inheritance away as we had to prove that we were “as-good-ahs” married. Actually Frank, my son proposed, but that is another story.

The point of this ramble is that I went to a same-sex wedding and I had an epiphany. Marriage is relatively unimportant to me. “Been there, done that”.

But that was not true for Sam and Alijandro.

They were ecstatic. Their joy was contagious. Alejandros mother and brother flew up from Southern Mexico for the wedding and it was a dream come true. They could stand in the church. That edifice of sanctification of our mores and prove to the world that they were more than “as-good-ahs”. It also was a way to protect themselves from the vagaries of the state.

Here are a few photos.

They say their vows

Hitched

The family

The Happy Couple

Jim is selling his place. Jim is an artist and his home is amazing. Check out these pictures!

The home is called the Ellis Residence and is now on the Market. It was designed by Bob Lewis in the late 1950’s. This Meticulously maintained home showcases west coast living at its best.

The Bright open plan with windows to the south allows spacious views of the entire harbour and the Vancouver inlet.

The home has three bedrooms and two fireplaces.

Master bedroom. Note the closets hidden in the walls.  The two other bedrooms follow, one is used as an office.

There are five skylights and cedar paneling throughout.

The family room is yet another office.

Approach up the Country cobblestone drive to the house nestled among gardens and cedars.

Spend your summers bar-b-queing on your two patios.

The Patio seen from two angles.

Jim has a great studio over the two car garage.

First open house June 8th from 2-4 PM. Check out more details on the internet www.realtylink.org. The MLS number is V710577

Every year we are called upon to do our taxes. And every year we are doing them at the last minute. This year was no exception. But there is a ritual that we join with others of our ilk. Those who also only get them done by the skin of our teeth.

Here we are joining the parade of last minute entrants between 11 and 11:59 pm turning in our tax forms. We got to the site at about 11:15 so we had time to meet the Posties outside the post office. Every year these same people stand with a truck ready to take only tax forms down to Surrey for processing.

Here I am with Postie Friendly turning in my tax form while Postie Pete stamps the date on my envelope so I don’t get a penalty.

The time I met Groucho I was at the Beverly Hills Hotel with my mother who was there for an AGM of the League of Women Voters. I sat through the meeting as one woman after another got up and described the good work they were doing. Political actions all over the world - helping orphans, resisting racism, job programs, homes for battered women, blankets for the homeless, Korean war orphans, etc. My mother was a homebody and not the kind of person who was an organizer or usually went to this kind of event. I was mesmerized. I wanted to be just like them.

Then the meeting was over and we poured from the room. It was crowded in the hall as we exited. I looked up and there he was! I was about 13 and had always loved Groucho. As he walked by us he put his hands in his armpits and flapped his arms like a chicken saying cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck… I was outraged. Here was this asshole ridiculing our good work because we were women. As if women did nothing but stand around and gossip.

This became one of the significant moments in my life (before I came out as a women’s libber) when I became aware of male chauvinism. I have never felt the same about Groucho and have never enjoyed his cruel sense of humour since.

“I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.”

My life has been transformed. I have been reading about plant protein verses animal protein. The book is called The China Study by Colin Campbell. I wont go into the details, but he says that by eating a whole food, plant protein diet most of the diseases of affluence can be avoided and/or cured. This includes heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc. Over the past few weeks I have gotten my blood suger to be normal and have reduced my medications. Give me a call if you are interested in the details. I have become a Vegan.

Here are a couple of recipe for Indian food without milk or meat.

Aloo Gobi (potato’s and cauliflower)

Cauliflower
Potatoes
Onion
Ginger, Garlic
Turmeric 1/2 Tsp.
Cumin Powder 2 Tsp.
Coriander Powder 2 Tsp.
Red Chili Powder 2 tsp.
Garam Masala 1 Tsp.
Cilantro Few sprigs for Garnishing.
Oil 1 Tbsp.

Wash & drain cauliflower florets. Dice potatoes.Heat Oil,
add Onions & fry till translucent. Add ginger, garlic, stir,
Mix in Potatoes , cover to cook.When the Potatoes are half
done , add the florets, turmeric. Cover to Cook. Open
after a few minutes, add all the dry powders & mix.
Garnish with Cilantro leaves and salt to taste.

Sag Paneer

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
pinch of cumin seed
2 cardamom seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
2 or 3 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon each fresh ginger and garlic
1 small fresh tomato, sliced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound fresh spinach, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
fresh cilantro leaves
Diced firm tofu.

Heat oil in saucepan and saute chopped onion until light
brown. Add cumin seed, cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay
leaves, cloves, ginger, garlic, sliced tomato and black
pepper and saute about 30 seconds. Add chopped spinach
stirring until it begins to change color. When it goes dark
green add salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander powder and
garam masala. Mix well with spinach. cilantro and tofu
cubes. Cook it well, stirring so it doesn’t scorch.

Serve above with rice mixed with peas.

Ah, the Christmas season - too much to eat and too many presents to give to people who don’t want anything. The eating I have under control now that I am a vegan. It isn’t a big deal, but if you don’t eat deserts or candy and stick to vegetables you are bound to keep your weight down.

The presents are another story. Everyone expects a present but nobody in our society of affluence needs anything – so everyone wants money. To avoid the crassness of cash, the push is to give gift cards.

I was thinking it was a good idea until I heard this review on the CBC. The person there talked about the billions of dollars tied up in gift cards and how people could loose the cards, needed to get them verified, etc. The National Retail Federation estimates that gift card sales this year will be nearly $80 billion. About 10 percent of that amount — $8 billion — will stay right in retailers’ pockets, thanks to fees, loopholes and consumer forgetfulness. The man on the CBC suggested we go back to the Government of Canada Gift Card… MONEY. It made sense to me so my family was delighted with their presents.

But now I am trying to figure out a way to eliminate personalized gifts all together (except for the kids of course).

My great grandson says “say cheese, truck.”

I think if we need nothing we should get nothing – after all, I have been spending weeks trying to cut down on my stuff.

Some people should use a shovel to clear out their stuff

We could give to those who do need it. I have my charities as I assume you do too, so let us consider these. Or if you know someone or some third world organization or one of the many organizations that are having trouble due to government cut backs, consider giving to them in your overweight, over stuffed family members name. I know they want the bucks, but it is time for us to cut through the consumer madness created by the ad men in our throw away society.

Henri and I gave each other just what we wanted. We wanted nothing so we got nothing. (We did have a romantic afternoon when the family went to the movies though!)