It was good to see the for sale sign on the property of the old CN station that has sat idle on the corner of Ellis and Clement for so many years. I have driven by that spot for thirty years and must say I have imagined all types of businesses that could be there and of course a restaurant was always front and centre. A few years ago Don Crompton and his group of partners started a company that was going to supply legal services through the Internet. They were ahead of their time. They used the old station as their headquarters for their service operating in both Canada and United States. Nothing has been in there since I don’t believe. Canada Lands who owned all that railway land across the street and sold it for millions also own this piece. It should bring some serious money to the CNR till...

At 6:45 a.m. I received my first call of the day. This one offering me a almost a free holiday from their Holiday Centre in Florida. This is the twist on the same pitch you have been receiving for months on being selected because someone was in Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s and placed your name in the pot. You know the one, "you have been selected and if you want to know more of this holiday just press nine on the dial, if you don’t want to hear about it all press three." It is a prerecorded message and my advice to you is don’t press anything, hang up...

Finally, a Tim Hortons at the airport. Construction is just underway. It will mean a Tim fix before you get on the plane to the south and that winter holiday. The airport Tim Hortons will be in the location where the Skyway Restaurant was located, serving hungry travelers. With the introduction of White Spot and now Tim Hortons, food will not be a problem anymore at the international airport...

My old friend Wayne Wilson has done a new book and I can’t wait to see it. The Executive Director of the Kelowna Museums has compiled a book on old apple box labels. It’s time for such a look at an industry that had such colourful labels for all those years on the old handmade wooden apple boxes. I was in the business for many years and became a collector myself of the labels of the industry. I actually hit on a surprise source of B.C. labels one year when we were in Capistrano, Southern California in an old antique store. My wife loves those stores and I just kind of walk around and look at everything. I came upon a label collection of fruit labels from the U.S. and the collector happened to have collected a number of very hard to get Okanagan labels. It was a very good day. I don’t have a large collection but it is a fun one. Tom Edwards of RBC Securities who worked with me at B.C. Tree Fruits had an extensive collection, as did many
of the growers up and down the valley. What always fascinated me about some of these labels was that that original printing plates in many instances were carved out of hardwood by craftsmen from Europe. It was quite an art in those days. The new book contains over two dozen apple box labels and each label is postcard size and can be used that way. The book is published by the Museum and printed locally. It is on sale at the Okanagan Heritage Museum. What a great idea...

The 20th annual Apple Fair is scheduled for October 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Laurel Packinghouse. You really shouldn’t miss this event if you can pencil it on your family schedule...

There is a first report from the new world headquarters of Pacific Safety Products in Ottawa. The company has announced body Armour and soldier systems equipment orders from both Canadian and American customers. It will generate $10 million in 2009 with orders already running ahead of expectations...

Watch out for this one. The last time they hit your computer they were giving away Canadian Tire and Sears cards. The companies had nothing to do with the scam. This time it is just a $500 free grocery card. The email says you may be required to activate the card by making a purchase. Please stay away from this stuff. You could get yourself in a whole lot of trouble.