March was much cooler than usually – the snow was not gone as it usually is at the beginning of the month, and the golf courses did not open until the end of March, rather than the beginning.  We took a short break to fly to Victoria to enjoy the cherry blossoms, a concert, and visits with several cousins and my aunt.  Gave a lecture on government at the University, and found a brochure for the seminar on NK earlier in the month.

Continued work on the front closet, installing maple gable/sliding door stop, and a tall shoe cabinet for Mizuho.  Next will be a cabinet on top of the lower closet cabinet, then sliding doors (still thinking about how to make and install).

Installed some maple/cherry drawer fronts in the kitchen, and Coop installed some undercabinet lights.  Unfortunately, the latest set of drawer fronts did not finish the same as the first set (13 coincidentally).  So, after everything else is done, I will redo the first set and hopefully use them elsewhere.  Building the house certainly has been a learning experience 🙂

And Mizuho set up the Ohinasama dolls. These are over 80 years old (given to her mother when she was 3 years old) and are used to mark Children’s Day in early March but M likes to put them out in early April when spring is here.  Stereo and car update next month, along with some more house progress.

March started out with more snow – we are enjoying one of the snowiest winters on record.  We had 2 feet on the ground at the start of the month.  This is the ice-encrusted downspout chain.

And this is the fog in the valley!

Had a Global National TV interview and then a local CBC radio interview about North Korea.  I am working with UBCO to try to connect it better with the community, and we did a one-day seminar on the issue.  Great fun, interesting, and about 200 in the audience.  The UNI asked me to do some promo so the local CBC radio station interviewed me.  Not sure if link will work but give it a try if you are interested – it starts at 1:22:33  http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/daybreak-south/episode/15523798

Former neighbors and all-time friends Cam and Elizabeth came out for a week of skiing – I think it is their 4th time out here.  They are really good skiers!  We joined them for a day, and let them loose for 2 more, at Silverstar and Big White.  Great snow and sunny days.  But Mizuho had a spill and sprained her knee.

We 4 went to the Santana concert (I saw him last about 40 years ago in Winnipeg).  Cam also dove in to help design, build and install the closets in the front hall (#1 on Mizuho’s list) and gave me great guidance on the other few dozen items on the to-do-list.  These will have a top and sliding doors soonish, and some maple/fir trim to make them look like furniture.

These are the remaining cabinets in the front entrance which will have maple doors trimmed with fir.

Another 3 sets of kitchen drawer fronts being oiled and waxed and likely installed later this month.

Have been listening to a lot of music these past few weeks – most of which never makes the radio and much of which never made it to CD.  Spent about 6 hours in a audio store listening to speakers.  About 40 years ago I heard some electrostatic speakers in Winnipeg that amazed me. Finally bought a pair this month.  Update at the end of the month.  Wow!