Beefs & Bouquets, March 16 – Nanaimo News Bulletin

BOUQUET To the person who left a gift bag full of snacks at the door of our new apartment. We don’t know where it came from but it was a nice welcome, so thank you.

BEEF To all the people in Nanaimo who still have Christmas decorations up in their yard halfway through February. Spring is on its way, so can we take a break? I don’t want to see reindeer and deflated Santas any more.

BOUQUET To whoever found my car keys on the trail and put them on the sign at Pipers Lagoon. You saved me hundreds of dollars and my sanity. Thank you so much.

BEEF To all the businesses and public sitting areas that only have one height of chair for everyone, like my new doctor’s office. Many tall people or those with health issues need taller chairs to sit on. When ordering chairs, get 10 per cent of them tall.

BOUQUET To the VIRL in Nanaimo for its seed library on the second floor. Great job Jonathon. Nice way to get/donate local seeds.

BEEF To the property management company. They implement rules, policies and procedures they don’t stand behind. However they are quick to go after you if they don’t like something or they have a beef with you. Numerous e-mails sent with no replies. Not impressed.

BOUQUET To all my fellow co-workers at the Harewood Quality Foods. I’d like to recognize the camaraderie and support we give one an other as teammates. We often refer to each other as our ‘work family’ and I find that to be rare to find in a work setting as big as ours. Thank you for providing great customer service, especially during these hard times for us as front-line workers.

BEEF Although the new dealerships will be built to meet corporate requirements, I find that often times these designs are outdated in that they don’t consider climate change. A roof full of greenery would be nice to see. What about what Nanaimo wants for design? Please take your time in deciding the design and take the time to incorporate our beautiful local landscapes.

BOUQUET To the real patriots and heroes in Ottawa – the police officers remaining calm and focused when confronted by mobs, the hospital workers who never stop doing their long shifts who have been harassed and insulted on their way to work and the people who live in Ottawa who have had their neighbourhoods and streets overrun. It takes much more than wrapping a Canadian flag around you and singing O Canada to be a real patriot and hero.

BEEF To the selfish unmasked and unvaccinated, you are the ones to blame for the restrictions and mandates so do not whine about it.

BOUQUET To all of my deli, kitchen, Perk Avenue Café and Upstairs Lounge team members at Country Grocer. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. I’m very proud to be part of a team that’s as strong as we are.

BEEF To the lady who screamed out her car window at someone for flying Canadian flags on hockey sticks at Olympic time. In Canada.

BOUQUET To NRGH emergency room staff. We were there on an extremely busy night with our infant son and truly appreciate the care we received. I was sorry to see some individuals in the waiting room treating staff with aggressive behaviour due to the wait time. A beef to the man who was in with his sister thinking their emergency was more pressing than everyone else’s and kept yelling ‘I want to speak to a manager.’

BEEF To the Nanaimo educator who plagiarized an article leading to a news story based on the newsletter. Parents and students deserve better than this.

BOUQUET To my friend Corrine M. You are a magnificent soul and truly an angel.

BEEF To the guardians of a flag-waving unmasked very young girl stating over news that she felt uncomfortable wearing a mask. Well little girl, at your age my mother was terrified entering bomb shelters. We survived injury and death.

BOUQUET To the person who found my CIBC debit card at Real Canadian Superstore gas station and turned it in to the office. I so appreciate you doing this. I was so upset when I realized I had lost it. Made my day.

BEEF To stickers on my fruits and vegetables.

BOUQUET To the mom and daughter in the silver Nissan SUV for returning my cellphone after I lost it in Maffeo Sutton Park. I greatly appreciate the trouble you went to to get in contact with me and my family. I’ve been having a difficult time lately and this kindness meant the world to me.

BEEF To everyone who thinks we need to keep building homes; no homes available means we’re full, move on. Overpopulation has ruined Nanaimo.

BOUQUET To the flagger on Lost Lake Road. Your cheerful dancing made my day. Keep spreading joy and know you make the world better by being you.

BEEF To the person who plastered every other post and pole in the Uplands area with lost dog posters. The amount of packing tape used on each pole is outrageous, and the posters are still up. Time to take the time to remove them and the mess they have made. Having said all that, I really hope you found your dog, it was such a cold time to be out lost.

BOUQUET To the excavation company and its employees that did such a neat and tidy job on Mart Road in Lantzville.

BEEF To the RDN for conducting yet another study, this time on dark skies. Man do I wish I had the time and funding to just study things continuously but work gets in the way.

BOUQUET Taking a cue from Trudeau and others I am now wearing more colourful socks. What fun and a first for me.

BEEF To the beefer complaining about continuing COVID hysteria. How convenient to mention ruined lives of students and businesses, without acknowledging the more than 25,000 deaths in Canada alone, or swamped hospitals, burned-out health care and front-line workers, as well as the long-term effects.

BOUQUET To the people who helped carry me down the Notch trail, thank you so very much. I would never have made it out without your help. Thank you Tyson, Alyssa, Bob, Owen and Dave for your kindness. People like you make the world a sweeter place. Nothing is broken but it looks like I have torn a ligament. Time will take care of the healing.

BEEF This protest was about the truckers to begin with, supposedly, and they had a valid point. What it turned into was a manipulated event by a few people with political aspirations and deep pockets. No Canadian got anything from this protest, and it was turned into a great divide. Hopefully we can reunite for the better.

BOUQUET To Leah at the local shelter. She is always there making sure people are looked after. She is always working so hard and deserves a nice, long vacation. Thanks for everything you do in our community for the most vulnerable people.

BEEF To the beefer who complained about paying it forward, suggesting money should be given to employees instead. You must be a negative person to make a negative comment on a good deed no matter who the recipient is.

BOUQUET Thank you to the man driving the garbage truck down Webster today. I was taking my horses out for a walk and he graciously pulled over and cut his engine so we could pass. Thank you for being so considerate and patient.

BEEF To the thief who kept my misdirected grinder/sharpener, please know that it is a federal offence to open someone else’s mail even when the post office delivers it incorrectly to you. There are consequences.

BOUQUET To Dave and his staff at Tim’s Auto on Bowen Road. Always honest, fixing it right the first time. I appreciate all they do.

BEEF To the company making it extremely difficult to get sick days paid. Perhaps you could burn just a little less fuel in your yacht and not eat caviar. God forbid.

BOUQUET To the very small number of people who declared they would not return to our business because we enforced the COVID restrictions. Thank you for no longer gracing us with your annoying theories. You are not missed.

BEEF To the trucker freedom riders for holding the rest of Canada hostage for weeks in Ontario. We want our flag back.

BOUQUET To Quality Foods in Harewood for the generous lunch you provided to us. The sushi plates were very much enjoyed by all and the meat, cheese and veggie platters made our lunch break incredible. We would highly recommend your deli for any group functions, especially staff get-togethers. It was a fabulous surprise.

BEEF To the person complaining about people paying it forward at restaurants. We stopped giving big tips to employees pouring coffee or placing a meal on our table because only about five per cent ever say thank you. And our income is on par with the average barista salary.

BOUQUET To the committee members exploring green burial options on Gabriola. A wonderful option for people wanting to avoid the wasted resources involved in standard burials.

BEEF People have the explicit legal right to refuse medical treatment under federal and provincial legislation. The government is not facilitating that right when it punishes people who refuse vaccinations. Ruining people’s lives when they don’t capitulate to government control is abusive and makes a mockery of existing human rights legislation.

BOUQUET To Roger and the wonderful, caring staff at Purradise Deluxe Lodging for Cats. Your clean premises and quiet country surroundings are the best for our cats. Now that we can travel a bit more, we’ll be using your services more often.

BEEF To the family who yelled horrifically at my daughter who was serving you at the restaurant because your child’s chicken strips were 20 minutes late. Really? My daughter was crying and you still didn’t stop yelling. Is this what we’ve come to as a society? Even when the manager took care of your bill, my daughter still had to put up with you and your drink orders. And a beef to all the patrons who heard this and didn’t say anything. When you hear someone getting abused, speak up.

BOUQUET to the beefer who believes that the mask mandate is a beefable offence. This has gone on long enough.

BEEF To those people who support forced vaccinations. Apparently the legal concept that a person has the right to control their own bodily integrity didn’t sink in. Governmental overreach and abuse needs to be consistently opposed.

BOUQUET To the young ladies who treated two old but young folks at the Lantzville Village Pub restaurant. Strangers, but we shared laughs, though divided by the plexi-screens as we watched curling.

BEEF To the beefer who took issue with a car flying a Canadian flag upside-down. The meaning of our proud Canadian flag being flown upside-down is a sign of international distress. It may also be a sign of displeasure with the Canadian government. As our rights and freedoms are being dismantled, I would most respectfully suggest that as Canadians we are in distress.

BOUQUET To the kind gentleman who bought the $50 Tim Hortons gift card at the north Nanaimo location and bought all our coffees. Thank you, my coffee tasted delicious.

BEEF To people who fly their drones at night near downtown. What could you possibly be doing other than peering in apartment windows? You are sick. Someone will catch you, or it one day.

BOUQUET To Meghan at LifeLabs in north Nanaimo. Your cheerful disposition and sunny attitude brightened my day. Keep making people happy in a stressful situation.

BEEF To everyone who has politicized the Canadian flag. Shame on you.

To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.

Beefs and bouquets