by Pat Amsden
The air was cool today, warm and sunny, but definitely fall and not the last remnants of hot summer days.
Dogs played happily in the dog park and people were once again sitting inside and out at the local Starbucks. It was so good to sit back and bask in a sense of normalcy.
Yet local news stations seem to have given up on the annual back to school story focusing on what kids were going to be wearing, how crowded local malls are and how much average families were spending to send their kids back to school.
Strangely I miss them. Is it a good thing? We seem a little less consumed by the need to have the latest -whatever. Good.
We have on the other hand become weirdly focused on the weather. Where a few years ago we would have been focused on whether it was going to rain or not when we wanted to go on a hike or enjoy a last of the season camping trip, we now wait to see what floods, fires, locust outbreaks, high heat events, and oh yes snow have befallen people we know. Victoria, so far, seems to have avoided the worst of these. So far.
Yet, they no longer seem impossible. In fact, we won’t be surprised if we hear of these all hitting one small, or not so small area, in one day. And climate change is no longer an abstract concept. It is terrifyingly real.
I haven’t read the full report but as the ice cap melts the ocean waters are rising and will increasing lead to people being displaced. Desalination plants built by the Arabs twenty years ago now make a lot more sense.
Can Sea Water Desalination Save The World? – Bing video
I wondered when water had become a commodity and not a human right. Apparently that happened around the time of NAFTA but not just in North America.
Maude Barlow has written several books on this and I highly recommend reading one or three. However, this article will give you some idea of the scope of this project and hope that we can solve this.
Maude Barlow on Taking Back Our Right to Water | The Tyee
What I need now is not blind, misplaced optimism, but some hope. I think we all do. I find funny dog videos help as well.
🤣Funny Dog Videos 2020🤣 🐶 It’s time to LAUGH with Dog’s life – Bing video
Word by Word 
We had a strange weather thing a few years back–a three year drought. The reservoirs were horribly low. And the next year rain. And after, good rain. So I am al about rain.
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Yes, even here on the rain coast we had drought conditions all summer and in the interior a Lot of forest fires which sadly seems to have become the new norm.
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I think people are worryworts. If we don’t have something to stew over, we aren’t happy 🙂
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LOL! I hope you’re right.
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I watched the sea water desalination. I think it is a great idea. Right now it is pretty expensive, but hopefully will come down in price at the video indicated. We all need to think about these problems and climate change and come up with solutions before it is too late. It may already be. Everyone, individually, can help and not be apathetic to the world cause. After all, it is our home.
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I remember years ago when they were talking about it and I was so glad we lived over here because we would never need anything like that. Yeah, not so much anymore.
There are some amazing young people getting involved which I think may be our saving grace..
Thanks for stopping bye
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Hi Pat, after the summer drought, it is wonderful to experience rain. No matter the weather, funny dog videos are always welcome at our house. 🙂 Is that Fluffy? He’s adorable!
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It is although actually from last year but it had the autumn colours I may well do a rain dance outside in the rain tomorrow. I’m with you on the funny dog videos and I agree, he’s adorable.
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Hey, Pat. Such a great post. Thanks for all the links. My heart goes out to all who are suffering from climate change. It’s not in the future. It’s now. Just look at the extreme heat and fires in the west and and the torrential downpours from hurricanes. And here in Fort Worth, we had the crazy Arctic weather in February where so many folks lost power. No heat when it’s 2 degrees is not a good place to be. And listen, Pat, any time you want to put Fluffy’s pic here, please do. That pup can lift all our spirits. 🙂 I’ve shared.
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It’s now. I think sometimes it seems so impossible to deal with now, it’s just easier to forget about it. It doesn’t seem to be working.😏
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Hi Pat,
Great to see you on Word by Word. I’m with you on the water issue, and for sure it’s wise to determine if you are living high enough that rising water won’t touch your home. But I also like the thought of crazy dog videos and things that make you laugh. I’m all for that.
Best, Sylvie
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