Author: Mike Jennings

When this Covid-19 thing came along and it was suggested that we should self-isolate most members of Coquitlam Men’s Shed had no problem embracing the concept of staying at home, sleeping in, eating sandwiches, watching TV etc. This was something we couldn’t screw up.

Except for Doug 2. I can only assume that he was inspired by the scientists and Doctors across the world who are doing everything they can to come up with a vaccine or therapy to combat the virus.

After weeks of brainstorming, design and development we can finally unveil the Coquitlam Men’s Shed Social Distancing Tool (CMSSDT for short).

Thanks to the Government of CANADA for their generous grant.

We are expecting an order for several million from the US any day now. At the rate of 2 per month we are going to be busy for a while.

Some of my fans have suggested that reporting on the inactivity that happens in the Shed may place the Shedders in a bad light (some wives have been sold the line that the Shedders are doing good works) so this report is intended to accentuate the positive (wish me luck).

In this photo Doug 2 (the deaf guy with the hearing protection) and Dan are setting up a router to make a mobile base for a big plant pot that happens to be the home of some small plants.

That is me in the background taking notes.

It is amazing what you can do with a sheet of plywood. Before they had finished they had also made a stack of Frisbees.

Looks great eh!

Any suggestions for a stack of plywood discs of varying diameters.

How to use this computer.

Situation 1) When having a trying conversation.

• Hand the Kiwi MEWE to the other person and ask them to set it to the word
  they believe best describes your focus.
• Take the MEWE back and rotate the first letter 180° (turn the first letter upside
  down).
• Continue the conversation from the new perspective. (It may also help to give
  the other person a hug).

Situation 2) To decide who will do a nasty task.

• Set the MEWE to your preference and pass it to the other person.
• If the other person does not reset the MEWE, it shows the decision.
• If the other person does change the MEWE, it shows the decision.

(It may also help to give the other person a hug).

History- Used by the Maori for millennia the first outsider to see the MEWE was
Captain James Cook. Being a bit of an authoritarian he didn’t realize the MEWEs
potential. 250 years later a wayfarer from Hamilton Community Men’s Shed
landed on the western Canadian shore bearing a MEWE. After many adventures he
finally found Coquitlam Men’s Shed. The MEWE had directed the wayfarer to the
place on earth where it was most needed. Now Coquitlam Men’s Sheds decisions
are made harmoniously by the president.

Following these directions has been proved to-

• Prevent arguments.
• Save marriages.
• Improve and extend sex life.
• Get children to eat vegetables.
• Take dogs for a walk.
• Do nothing for cats.
• Streamline speed dating.
• Save lives.
• Remove wrinkles.
• Reduce weight.

For a small donation you can have this powerful device working for you.

Powered by a wood chips.

You may observe other effects, if so please send report to <coquitalmmensshed.ca>

A product of Coquitlam Men’s Shed Society under licence (dog).
Some of the facts stated above may be of the alternative variety.

Two models to choose from.

Desktop Model.

Tablet version.

We did a lot of talking last week. Alice Wong the Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre came to visit us.

This was brought about by Doug Mackie who, when he isn’t carving diamond willow walking sticks at the Woodhaven Men’s Shed, carries Men’s Sheds Canada.

Doug has been trying to attract some attention in Ottawa for years but seems to have been put on ignore so he contacted Alice Wong MP, former Minister of State for Seniors and Seniors critic.

Alice responded but Alice lives on the west coast and Doug is located in Winnipeg which is right in the middle between Ottawa and Richmond. So Doug suggested that she contact us, Coquitlam Men’s Shed and meet some real men. What can we say? Alice showed up and we were able to regale her with our stories all afternoon.

Alice clearly understood the purpose, value of and need for Men’s Sheds. She asked many questions and stayed long passed the time it would have been prudent to leave to avoid the afternoon traffic.

Thank you Alice, we enjoyed sharing our story and your company for the afternoon.

We hope that you will keep in touch with Coquitlam Men’s Shed and Men’s Shed Canada when you are Minister of State for Seniors again.

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get around to this, the problem is that there has been very little inactivity this month so I will have to report all the things that got in our way.

Some time ago someone mused about building a small community garden at Sunrise Terrace, the development that hosts our shed. Someone else thought that that was a good idea and asked the local Rotary Club if they would like to pay for the materials. The Rotary Club came up with the darn cash and before we could have a cup of tea a truck arrived with a load of wood.

The wood was long and our Shed is small so we enlisted some help to chop it up.

Then we moved the wood into the shop and that was when we had a bit of luck.

We stacked the wood in front of all the tools. So we had a cup of tea.

Then, disaster. The dirt (sometimes referred to as soil) arrived.

Progress was slow.

Until school was out.

Now we are making progress.

Then a bunch of Rotarians showed up and got stuck in (more or less).

A few finishing touches applied (Doug 2 was in charge of quality control).

Finally the job was done, so we had a cup of tea.

Next year we plan to plant something.

As if that wasn’t enough, we got a call from VanCity Credit Union to say they want to give us $2,500 so we can upgrade out tools. We are going to have a cup of tea and argue over consult about how we are going to spend it.

Already there is a hint that there is a kayak coming in for repair, will it never end? I sure hope not.

THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS DAY STUNT.

5 cubic yards of soil being delivered to the homeless shelter, to be moved into the garden by a bunch of Coquitlam Men’s Shed volunteers and an iffy weather forecast. What can possibly go wrong?

“You are 9 minutes late” was the first thing I heard as I approached the pile of soil. There were doughnuts and coffee on hand provided by a thoughtful member but everyone was hard at work and they were being ignored, so I had one.

In this photo Doug 2 is driving the wheelbarrow. Clearly Ian and Duncan are experienced shovel operators, Dan is supervising and the apprentice, Ted, is trying to pick up pointers from Duncan and Ian.

In this photo Doug 2 (recently demoted from wheelbarrow operator) is receiving training from Ian and Paul. By the end of the day he had been demoted from this position as well.

David 1 timed it perfectly arriving just as the cleanup was finished. He grabbed a doughnut and sought out a shady spot. If anyone should tell you that I observed all this from an arm chair in the middle of the lawn, I deny it.

I have to admit that it was exceedingly heartening to see Coquitlam Men’s Shed in action. Great job done efficiently and with the best of spirit (don’t get the wrong idea). WELL DONE EVERYONE.

Doug 2 consults with Russel Mitchell of the Okanagan Men’s Shed. Russel came by for a visit on his way through Coquitlam. We learned a lot, thanks Russ, we look forward to more visits.

New member Ted checking things out while Doug 2 and Ian try and figure out what this machine is supposed to do.

Doug 2 (who always seems to be in these photos) making sure that the world is still flat while Paul works on his new tool box.

Doug 2 (yes him again) with more treasure.

Thanks to David 3, Jack, Robert and Ted the painting of the amenities room is progressing (sorry, no photos yet. Thanks to Ian, David Q, David 2, Doug (you guessed it) 2 work on two town houses is complete.

Now we are going to need your help with filling the new raised bed gardens at 3030 Gordon Ave. with soil, building and filling the raised beds at Sunrise Terrace (better get into training). Contact us if you would like to be a part of this dynamic (all things are relative) team.

Now we have done it. Or should I say we haven’t done it yet.

Last week Sunrise Rotary Club gave us $600 to purchase materials so we can build a community garden at Sunrise Terrace. What the heck we already have the Shed.

However, that means WE are going to have to do the work. Going to have to hide the tea and cookies.

There will be up to six raised beds according to how many residents sign up.

The BIG day for the installation is the 27^th. of April 2019 (yes this year) starting at 10am. On that day the members of the Rotary Club (who seem about as energetic as us) will be on site to assist (the word they used was supervise).

Question for the executive, should we make this a fund raiser? We could erect bleachers, sell tickets and run a book on who collapses first, CMS or SRC.

More to come (I hope).