Since the beginning of January our school has been dealing with head lice. I know that it is not a disease but it is very contagious. I would know because we are still getting it from school now. This is not one or two students — we have an outbreak. It is time-consuming and hard on the kids to be doing their hair for two months. People don't want to come to your house in case they catch it. So now I am a tired and mad mom. I go to the school to say something and get handed a pamphlet on wet combing. I go to the school board and they tell me it is the policy and blame VIHA, so I go, "OK, thanks." Then I go right over to VIHA to say something and I get the same answer it is policy and they blame the school board. Laughing not. So then I do my own research, the schools are handing out only half the information on how to get rid of lice. I start thinking that maybe everyone should get off their policies and start educating the schools and parents, even themselves (school board and VIHA). I suggest the school board starts with their own current policy manual — Section 6-students #4 6015 and 6015MR1 — and read it. VIHA should also be at the schools and helping. Why is no one talking about head lice or getting the right information out to the schools or parents? The next school board meeting is Feb. 25. Parents, see you there. I am not going to go away. I must be like head lice.
How lucky we are in the Valley to have such wonderful volunteers who provide us with Elder College. Why should the kids have all the fun? And, I'm getting smarter, too! In discussion in class, I learned this week that Charity is a failure of Society. It only serves as an empty ego booster. This was written 160 years ago by a really smart guy. How come we haven't learned that lesson yet?
Last week was a frustrating one for me due to poor customer service in the Comox Valley. For some unknown reason my land-line phone stopped working for a few days. So I drove specifically to the cable office in town where I have my phone service. I was polite, tried to explain the problem and was interrupted several times and told that I should log onto a website to solve my problem. I said that wouldn't help me because I needed to talk to a "real person" because the problem was more complicated than that. I had to be assertive with the customer service person several times and said I wanted to talk to a technician on the phone and since my own phone wasn't working, I needed to use their phone. So, finally after 45 minutes on the phone with the technician, and after him asking me several questions about the phone, we managed to get the problem fixed. It turns out that the problem was much more complicated and it turns out it had something to do with the phone box. The next day, I went for lunch with some friends to a restaurant. When I arrived I noticed that the Winter Olympics were on a big-screen TV, however the sound was not on. Patrick Chan was just about to skate in the men's figure skating and, as I am a figure skating fan, I asked if I could turn the sound on just for his skate. The waitress seemed annoyed at this request and basically told me not to turn the sound on. When I persisted and said it's the Winter Olympics and I am requesting that the sound be on for only five minutes while he skates, she agreed to turn the sound on, but was very condescending and demanded that I not touch the dial and wait for her to do it. While the waitress continued to ignore me, I waited and waited. When she finally did come, Patrick Chan had already finished his skate. I was disappointed to miss the skate and I politely let the waitress know that. Well, the waitress was very rude to me (almost verbally abusive) to say, "They usually just play music here and keep the volume off of the TV." I said, "Yes, however this is the Winter Olympics." The waitress basically said that if I didn't like it I could leave! I went to the front counter to talk to the manager, who basically took the waitress' side and asked me to leave! I have never been treated so rudely for no reason in a restaurant in my 50 years! I worked as a waitress for five years and do have compassion for them. It is a very difficult job and you do encounter some difficult and rude customers, but this was certainly not the case! Nevertheless, I will never come back to the restaurant.
Legion guys and gals, you did it again! You delivered a chocolate bar and a banana to vets or families. What a nice thing to do; we really appreciate the treats. We know that way that you are remembering vets and all they did in the wars as well as keeping in touch after those world wars. So we say thank you so much again for taking the time to stop by, and bring the treat. You're the greatest!
A bucket of red roses to V.I. Fitness in Courtenay. As an older woman who was unfamiliar with fitness gyms (a pre-war baby), I am very impressed with the welcome I am receiving as a new member. Roses to the management for remembering heart health and to the wonderful staff (including Nancy) whose ongoing interest and encouragement is exemplary. Thank you.
Comox Valley Book Friends thank all their faithful donors for their donations of books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles and games for their annual book sale to be held April 25 to 27 at 260B Tsolum Rd. (the big yellow building behind Value Village). For this sale to be the biggest and best yet, Book Friends are having three Book Blitz days at the Tsolum Road address on the following Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Feb. 22, March 15 and April 5. Bring your books and other items down to the smiling faces waiting for you there or if you have bigger loads for pickup, please call Jim at 250-339-5350 or Sue at 250-338-5969.
Once again, the Under the Glacier cartoon is right on. As Edwin Grieve pointed out so well recently, "The times are a changin.' " Continual income growth is just not happening here, but continual CVRD spending is. We are blessed with a water resource that very few communities enjoy. My career was in an industry that had an economic edge in the global economy — low-cost power, based on low-cost, plentiful water. Good resource-based Canadian jobs. Fewer now. The Comox Valley water budget for 2014 is proposed to be some 61 per cent higher than the actual 2013 cost of delivering safe, bulk water to 40,000 customers. CVRD has accumulated a $14.7 million surplus by increasing bulk water rates. Comox Lake is the most valuable resource in the Comox Valley. Low-cost, plentiful water to benefit all Comox Valley residents — especially those who can't afford continual increases in fees and taxes — about 20,000 lower-income residents. In just one normal day, BC Hydro uses as much Comox Lake water as 40,000 Comox Valley water customer use in months. There is no water shortage here. No need for high bulk water rates. So, in March, CVRD directors will vote on 2014 CVRD budget costs. We will see if times are a changin' or if it's time to change directors.
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Do you have somebody to praise or something you have to get off your chest? Have your say by submitting to editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com. Please focus on people's ideas rather than speculating about their character. You can also get a written submission to 765 McPhee Ave., Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2Z7 or fax to 250-338-5568. If you wish to talk to the editor, phone Mark Allan at 250-338-7816, 2309.