This and that

1. The big news is that I easily found a doctor here. At 83 years old, my Ottawa doctor, Jim Dickson, was not going to soldier on forever. Although, as a crusty scotsman, you never knew. He had been our family doctor for more than 35 years and a trusted friend -- even making house calls and giving me his personal pager number so I wouldn't have to go through his office. I simply loved the guy.

But getting another in Ottawa I knew would be next to impossible. Waiting with trepidation for my Alberta health card, I investigated on-line what the doctor deal is here. There is a process, but it appeared complicated. Trust B to cut through all that and find a brand new clinic accepting new patients. We went for a "meet and greet" appointment, set up mainly to ascertain whether one is healthy enough to be taken on. Asked to describe my health, I threw in the latest terminology. "I am a wellderly," I replied. That means elderly, but relatively healthy.

So, I now have -- for the first time in my life -- a young woman doctor. All is well.

2. Son-in-law, Colin, has taken up hunting and yesterday he bagged his first kill. Everyone hunts here -- which is why I can now wear my fur coat without fear of spray painting. Here he is, proudly showing off the doe he killed:

3. As to psychotic kids, the sad fact is it appears to be an industry. When I read there are 5,000 diagnosed in B.C. alone, I nearly flipped! How can there be that many? I picture crazy parents seizing on some quirk or other and wildly rushing their kid to a child psychiatrist (another profession I don't get, I mean, how can the average kid be nuts enough to need a shrink?). To justify the profession and make money, the doctor duly diagnoses psychosis. It's all very sad.