It was sad to see Dr. Keevil's health diminish. Some of his children would show up but most didn't visit. They only came when he died and the last will and testament was read. There were nurses on hand 24 hours a day to assist him. On sunny days a nurse would walk Dr. Keevil around the backyard for some exercise and fresh air, holding him up with her arm under his. During the last few weeks of his life I could not use any power equipment but had to use a push mower to keep the noise down. Just think of it an 18 inch wide manual push mower to cut 2.2 acres, what a workout! But what I had to endure was a picnic compared to the pain he was suffering.
Before Dr. Keevil died we found out that one of his son's who was in his early 40's also had cancer. His fate was going to be the same as his father's. It seemed as though a shadow had come over the family that resided at The Hollies. A shadow that was to cast itself over every owner.
The how to blog on successful blogging
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Dr. Keevil wins court case and dies. 1
DR. KEEVIL WINS COURT CASE AND DIES
While I worked for Dr. Keevil I saw a gentle side to the tough business man. He really enjoyed living at The Hollies. He was divorced twice with 10 grown children yet he lived alone in this huge mansion. I was told to be careful and discrete whenever I would come onto the property. The first thing I was to do was to peak around the west side of the swimming pool and check to see if Dr. Keevil was entertaining a "lady" in the pool or backyard. Skinny dipping was a pastime he liked to share with his companions. He drove a Cadilac Allante with a removable hardtop. Sometimes I'd be called upon to help remove the top. His eyes would light up when he could drive on a sunny day with the top down, and this wasn't often in our rainy Vancouver weather. During my first few months at The Hollies I didn't realize that he was fighting cancer. He seemed so healthy, vibrant and driven with purpose yet this nemesis haunted him.
Around this time Dr. Keevil was waiting for a ruling from the Supreme court of Canada that would give Teck Mining Group control over Cominco. Apparently it came down to the Court recognizing a "hand shake agreement" between Dr. Keevil and the plaintiff. Dr. Keevil was the victor. I still remember when Dr. Keevil drove home from the hearing, there were people waiting for him congratulating him. His smile could be seen from far away. I was standing at a distance marveling at how wonderful it must be to be rich. Yet no riches could bribe his nemesis to leave.
When hospital furniture started to arrive and Dr. Keevil's bedroom was moved from the second floor to the mainfloor music room it was clear that the cancer was growing stronger. His hair was getting thin from the chemotherapy. He wasn't going to the office much anymore but sat outside on the rear deck wrapped in a blanket making phone calls and conducting his business. Even Robert Friedland, another Canadian mining mogul, came to visit him and talk shop about mining ventures. Little did I know that I would meet Robert Friedland again some 15 years later involving an intriguing conversation with Prince Charles.
While I worked for Dr. Keevil I saw a gentle side to the tough business man. He really enjoyed living at The Hollies. He was divorced twice with 10 grown children yet he lived alone in this huge mansion. I was told to be careful and discrete whenever I would come onto the property. The first thing I was to do was to peak around the west side of the swimming pool and check to see if Dr. Keevil was entertaining a "lady" in the pool or backyard. Skinny dipping was a pastime he liked to share with his companions. He drove a Cadilac Allante with a removable hardtop. Sometimes I'd be called upon to help remove the top. His eyes would light up when he could drive on a sunny day with the top down, and this wasn't often in our rainy Vancouver weather. During my first few months at The Hollies I didn't realize that he was fighting cancer. He seemed so healthy, vibrant and driven with purpose yet this nemesis haunted him.
Around this time Dr. Keevil was waiting for a ruling from the Supreme court of Canada that would give Teck Mining Group control over Cominco. Apparently it came down to the Court recognizing a "hand shake agreement" between Dr. Keevil and the plaintiff. Dr. Keevil was the victor. I still remember when Dr. Keevil drove home from the hearing, there were people waiting for him congratulating him. His smile could be seen from far away. I was standing at a distance marveling at how wonderful it must be to be rich. Yet no riches could bribe his nemesis to leave.
When hospital furniture started to arrive and Dr. Keevil's bedroom was moved from the second floor to the mainfloor music room it was clear that the cancer was growing stronger. His hair was getting thin from the chemotherapy. He wasn't going to the office much anymore but sat outside on the rear deck wrapped in a blanket making phone calls and conducting his business. Even Robert Friedland, another Canadian mining mogul, came to visit him and talk shop about mining ventures. Little did I know that I would meet Robert Friedland again some 15 years later involving an intriguing conversation with Prince Charles.
Friday, February 11, 2011
How did she ever get involved? 3
Years later when I renovated that room I found an axe deeply embedded in a timber hidden behind a false wall. Weird or what? Once Carmen started working at Teck she didn't have much time to come and help me with gardening at The Hollies. Carmen's abilities were soon realized and in a very short time she moved from the mailroom to being a personal assistant to Mrs. Karen Dunfee, Land Officer of Teck. Most days if I finished early enough I'd come by the Teck office in downtown Vancouver to pick her up from work. Here I was dressed in dirty gardening work clothes smelling like grass, dirt and sweat picking up my beautiful wife wearing a pink and white dress, taupe nylons and heals looking sexy as ever, quite a dichotomy. Life was good, we both had jobs and had lots of hope for the future. Yet somehow both our livelihoods ended up being tied back to The Hollies. Unbeknownst to us this house was drawing us closer and closer to itself a little bit at a time.
How did she ever get involved? 2
At one of these parties I met a son of Dr. Keevil at the bar. Since drinks were flowing without reserve he was liquored up enough to share some of his stories of The Hollies. Realizing I was Dr. Keevil's home gardener at The Hollies, the son felt I should know some things.
"Have you been in the bedroom with the weird bathroom?" he asked.
I knew right away which room he meant. It was south facing overlooking the rear yard on the third floor. The bathroom was weird because it had a toilet situated right in the middle of the floor. It literally felt like you were sitting on a throne. This bedroom was his when he stayed with his father. However he said it was hard to get much sleep at night and you certainly wouldn't want to get up at night to use the bathroom. My curiosity was aroused so I took the bait and asked, "Why not get up at night?". The answer he gave I would not truly appreciate until a year or so later.
He said, "An apparition of a little six year old girl would appear at the foot of my bed and really freak me out. In the early 1920's a young daughter of the then current owner got sick and died in that bedroom. I don't know why she would come and visit me at night. She wouldn't say anything, she'd just stare with these ominous eyes and eventually disappear."
"Have you been in the bedroom with the weird bathroom?" he asked.
I knew right away which room he meant. It was south facing overlooking the rear yard on the third floor. The bathroom was weird because it had a toilet situated right in the middle of the floor. It literally felt like you were sitting on a throne. This bedroom was his when he stayed with his father. However he said it was hard to get much sleep at night and you certainly wouldn't want to get up at night to use the bathroom. My curiosity was aroused so I took the bait and asked, "Why not get up at night?". The answer he gave I would not truly appreciate until a year or so later.
He said, "An apparition of a little six year old girl would appear at the foot of my bed and really freak me out. In the early 1920's a young daughter of the then current owner got sick and died in that bedroom. I don't know why she would come and visit me at night. She wouldn't say anything, she'd just stare with these ominous eyes and eventually disappear."
Thursday, February 10, 2011
How did she ever get involved? 1
CARMEN WORKS FOR TECK THROUGH WENDY WEDGE
After Carmen and I were married I started my landscaping business. It made sense that Carmen would come along and help me when she had time. Carmen often helped me at The Hollies and as my business clientele grew she would assist me with those places as well. Carmen had finished her college education at Northwest and graduated with a diploma. She was on the lookout for a job but was still out of luck. Little did we know that one day while Carmen was helping me at a client's home...things would change, she would be drawn in even closer to the house known as The Hollies.
My client's home belonged to Wendy Wedge who was Dr. Keevil's niece. She worked at Teck Mining Group which was Dr. Keevil's company. Wendy saw Carmen working in her garden and figured Carmen could do better than being a gardener's helper. Carmen applied and soon had an entry level job with Teck in the mailroom.
(insert some experiences Carmen had at Teck)
During December the Teck Mining corporation would host an annual elaborate and elegant Christmas party, held at the Four Seasons hotel, no expense was spared. I personally enjoyed the large prawns served on ice and people watching. Carmen knew a few of the attendees but generally we kept to ourselves. Everyone was dressed to the nines. There was the formal six course meal, unlimited drinks, dancing and the usual obligatory short report of the well being of the company.
After Carmen and I were married I started my landscaping business. It made sense that Carmen would come along and help me when she had time. Carmen often helped me at The Hollies and as my business clientele grew she would assist me with those places as well. Carmen had finished her college education at Northwest and graduated with a diploma. She was on the lookout for a job but was still out of luck. Little did we know that one day while Carmen was helping me at a client's home...things would change, she would be drawn in even closer to the house known as The Hollies.
My client's home belonged to Wendy Wedge who was Dr. Keevil's niece. She worked at Teck Mining Group which was Dr. Keevil's company. Wendy saw Carmen working in her garden and figured Carmen could do better than being a gardener's helper. Carmen applied and soon had an entry level job with Teck in the mailroom.
(insert some experiences Carmen had at Teck)
During December the Teck Mining corporation would host an annual elaborate and elegant Christmas party, held at the Four Seasons hotel, no expense was spared. I personally enjoyed the large prawns served on ice and people watching. Carmen knew a few of the attendees but generally we kept to ourselves. Everyone was dressed to the nines. There was the formal six course meal, unlimited drinks, dancing and the usual obligatory short report of the well being of the company.
TOPIC - Doctor Keevil
Doctor Keevil
- Trimmed tree at Wendy Wedges place
- Dr. Keevil dies in music room
- I was hired by House keeper of Dr. Keevil
- Picture over fireplace in main hallway changes with light
- I handed out flyers to neighbourhood…Cornelia Oberlander
- Coach house was dilapidated and used by hookers
- Carmen works for Teck thru Wendy Wedge
- We are invited to Teck for Christmas parties
- At these parties I met 1 son of Dr. Keevil who tells me about the
6 year old ghost in top bedroom
TOPIC - Movie Shoots
The Movie Shoots
- Marbles dropping on front stairs…scaring evening security
- Marbles dropping was with “Man with a Gun”
- Gary Busey was high on drugs and disappeared from movie set
- Little Women movie shoot…Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon
- Winona Ryder needed a safe home
- Jumanji
- Things we lost in the Fire…Psych
- Early movie with Chris Williams scared of gay guy
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
TOPIC - Fred and Sawako - Jake Itakura
Fred and Sawako Cheng
- Emma Pillar scared of noises in house
- Fred brings in feng shui master who chases out ghosts 4am
- Sawako cheats on Fred. Mutoki, Manuel and I get kids back, Sheraton 500
- I work with P-Eye to install phone recording and surveillance system
- Set up Ikea furniture and Harry doesn’t trust Sawako
- Coach house totally renovated
- Herb builds tree house
- Music room torn down
- Chris Williams gets scared in master bath tub
- Garage sale in pool
- Golf green installed
- Front tree cut down because Fred is superstitious
- Elaborate Christmas parties
- Herb meets ghost on servants stairway
- Fred always was changing his mind during renovations
- He screwed Harbourview electrical out of $160,000
- Axe in room on top floor
- Hangman’s noose in attic space
- Broken mirrors in coachhouse because fred and sawako argued.
- I woke up kids and drove them to school
- Fred & The Greeks
- Manuel cheats on Daisy with young girlfriend on tennis court and inside house
Guido and Jake Itakura
- Alarm goes off while Chris and I are working and 3 BMW 850’s pull up
- I pick up money from downtown office and 2 Italian guys with guns are there
- I was always paid in cash
- Italian and Japanese mafia connections
- They planned to have a heliport in the backyard
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