BOUQUET To Barry, pharmacist at Country Club Save-On-Foods. Over the course of many years, Barry has always gone out of his way to be helpful. From getting short-notice prescriptions ready for me with a smile, and answering my questions about said prescriptions even when he’s clearly busy, to checking for gluten in meds for a celiac family member and providing me with a wealth of helpful information besides. This man is a huge asset to his employer and to the community.
BEEF Please tell me what your intentions are on the road. Most of you drive with the thought that I am going to know what you are going to do. Please use indicators appropriately, not late or not at all. Thank you.
BOUQUET To Securco Services, Longwood Brewery, Mrs. Riches, She’s Krafty, A and K Digital Designs, Mosaic IT, City of Nanaimo, Pattison Media and Nanaimo News Bulletin for supporting the RCAF 100th anniversary. Your support meant so much to our Veterans and current RCAF members.
BEEF To the off-duty officer who felt he needed to flash his badge and threaten me to look on the road for him when he was on duty. A simple honk by myself as he almost backed into me. I thought he was turning the corner when he stopped to back into a spot. I could possibly have been 50/50 at fault but no need to flash your badge.
BOUQUET Love to all the school teachers for all their hard work. So much appreciated. Keep up the good work.
BEEF To the person who tagged one of the new benches installed by the City of Nanaimo workers recently, along the Queen Elizabeth II Promenade. Consider this: if someone did this to your property, you would likely be upset.
BOUQUET To three employees at Walmart who went out of their way to help me: Samuel, Sid and one other associate who was off shift and stopped to help me anyway. They went above and beyond to help me find what I needed and help at the self-checkout with a non-scanning item. They made the unpleasant chore of bathing suit shopping much less painful.
BEEF To the provincial and federal governments. Am I correct they want this 79-year-old apartment dweller to ride a bike, use public transport or buy an electric vehicle?
BOUQUET To the person with the woodpecker problem, put a toy or rubber snake on the roof next to the chimney. Peace and quiet restored.
BEEF To mainstream media outlets and government. Please stop talking about ‘cracking down’ on short-term rentals. Most of us are hard-working Canadians trying to survive in a world that has been created by total mismanagement of our government. We are not criminals.
BOUQUET To our favourite server Jo at our favourite watering hole, the Oxy Pub, after a little adventure. Thank you for not using one of Bogie’s best lines after our little escapade the other day: “you dirty rat!”
BEEF To the column promoting World Economic Forum-inspired 15-minute cities. Bouquet to those who fight for our freedoms.
BOUQUET To the little whale calf that could. Once again nature has proven how useless man’s interference is. The more we do, the more damage is done.
BEEF To the store that has been closing for what seems like years now. Nothing in the store is 70 per cent off as the signs claim.
BOUQUET To the nice fellow who was sitting with his buddy at Gina’s Mexican Restaurant. Thank you for the nice lunch. It was very lovely of you to pay our bill with dessert included. I will definitely pay it forward.
BEEF In my 50 years of driving on Vancouver Island I have never seen such bad drivers. Yes, our population is growing but that is no excuse. On the highway the right lane consistently goes faster than the left, vehicles zip in and out of lanes for no purpose at all. My No. 1 pet peeve is tail-gating, which will get you to your destination seconds sooner, while travelling the whole way in an unnecessary, more dangerous way. Please, people, stop tail-gating.
BOUQUET To Turley’s Florist for the amazing bouquet gifted to me through the Nanaimo Bulletin. Thank you.
BEEF To our entitled driving culture. Our hedonistic rat race is bad enough without 2,000 deaths and 160,000 critical injuries due to automobiles every year. Bike lanes function for all sorts of wonderful new electric-assist modes of transportation. Imagine being so short-sighted so as to begrudge their development. Sell your vehicle and do something good for someone if you’re anxious about our community.
BOUQUET To Kelly, who bought my groceries at the Longwood Thrifty’s, thank you so much. I cannot put into words my gratitude, I was blown away by your kindness. The world is brighter by having people like you.
BEEF To the fast food restaurant. How about taking care of your drive-thru lane that is in dire need of a serious repaving job. That huge pothole at the end of the drive-thru/entrance to the parking lot is an accident waiting to happen.
BOUQUET To the Cimorellis for being the best band on YouTube.
BEEF To transit allowing an ‘inform not refuse’ policy on buses. I’ve been paying for monthly passes for years and years. Please explain why the average working-class citizen should pay when so many don’t. I guess from now on I will go to the mainland office and ask for my free pass each month.
BOUQUET To Lantzville council for pushing back against housing density. Just look at how Nanaimo is being ruined by it.
BEEF To the government for backpedalling on open drug use. Anyone who supported this ridiculous experiment should be voted out and never be allowed to hold office again.
BOUQUET With only a small group of volunteers, we brought the Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival back to our elementary schools and libraries. We would like to thank the following organizations: Canada Council for the Arts, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10, Rotary Club of Ladysmith, Daybreak Rotary Club, Windowseat Books, Altrusa International, Raise a Reader Victoria, Best Western Dorchester Hotel, Nanaimo Museum, Vancouver Island Regional Library and Thrifty Foods.
BEEF To the non-profit for traumatic service denial to a disabled Indigenous woman fleeing domestic violence. Three humiliating failed attempts pleading for safe shelter, outreach support and to report discrimination complaints, but was devastatingly victim shamed, blamed and gaslit.
BOUQUET To the orca calf for swimming to freedom. She knows best and swam out at 2:30 a.m. at high tide after a full moon which produces the highest tides. Very intelligent behaviour.
BEEF To those complaining about Metral Drive and its improvements. This was meant to slow motorists down, give cyclists and pedestrians a safe avenue. Slow down. The limit is 50km/h and stop at the stop signs before you have an accident. It’s not the highway.
BOUQUET To my cat for letting me get proper sleep this past week.
BEEF To the mall owner for such horrible washrooms. Some stalls have no lock, it looks disgraceful. The walls need paint. Do better.
BOUQUET To my compassionate husband who is kind to those struggling with addictions and other challenges. One very grateful young man we helped tonight became an addict after taking drugs for a serious injury. These people that you may see laying around should be treated as humans who are struggling. Even just asking if they’re OK goes a long way.
BEEF To the smokers and vapers who treat our roads, sidewalks, bus stops and trails as their cigarette butt and garbage receptacles. Aside from the fact that you are littering, your toxic waste washes into our creeks and streams and ultimately into the ocean. Please dispose of your smoking materials properly.
BOUQUET To my spouse. I admire your determination and diligence to work the afternoon shift at NRGH when so many refuse to due to the danger. I am sorry the staff parking lot was full once again. Sorry the city has created a dangerous situation by not allowing staff to continue to park on the streets beside the hospital. This forces staff to walk for blocks late at night to get to their vehicles.
BEEF When does personal and individual responsibility end and taxpayer responsibility begin? We now pay for drugs, feminine supplies and soon contraceptives. How are seniors and people on a fixed income supposed to absorb these financial stresses and increases to cost of living and stay in their homes? What’s next?
BOUQUET Thank you to Twin Peaks Plumbing and Heating for the immediate help to fix our outdoor tap that had a leak. They are always friendly und reliable whenever we needed them in the past. They are always professional and punctual and we can recommend their services any time.
BEEF To TV scheduling. Eight continuous hours of the same presenter. Full-frontal nudity at 8 p.m. not suitable for youngsters, then shows at 9 p.m. suitable for all the family. In the U.K., more adult programs and adverts start at 9 p.m.
BOUQUET To the person collecting on Lost Lake Road for B.C. Cancer. We make it a habit not to give at the door but after I explained that to her and that I would donate online, I thought better of it and felt I should have made an exception for her. She was such a kind young lady. Rest assured, we did donate online.
BEEF I have 27 options on my washing machine – 12 on the dial, 15 more on the control panel, and music. Remember the good old days? Hot warm cold, small medium large, start. The dryer has 27 options as well. What is going on? How did this happen?
BOUQUET To democracy and free speech which is important as it allows people to expose themselves as the dimbulbs too many are. Otherwise you will be suppressed forever. Think for yourselves.
BEEF To hospital parking. Imagine being told that you must pay $10 per month to park in a parkade so that hospital staff can park in front of your residence for free.
To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.