Planning started Tuesday evening when we read an email from Laura telling us that her dad had passed away. He had been dealing with cancer for a few years now.
I said to my husband, we have got to stop putting off visiting people.
I first met Fred and Joan in 1970. Fred and my first husband Walter, worked together. There was a core group that worked together at Wood Fibre in Squamish.and went on hunting trips together. Fred, Owen, Ron and Walter.
While in Squamish, Fred and Joan had a baby girl named Laura. They asked Walter and I to be the god parents.
Fred and Joan moved to Quesnel then Surrey then Secelt. They left the home they built and moved to Agassiz about 3 or 4 years ago so Fred would be closer to medical care. We had good intentions but never got around to visiting them yet.
Ron and Natasha moved to Wasa Lake, Owen moved to Vancouver Island and Walter and I moved to Port Alice. We kept in touch and got together for hunting trips. In Port Alice we met Dan and Joyce.
Walter and I lasted 2 years. My journey took me to Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. Joyce and Dan, now living in Quesnel, phoned to ask if a co worker that was coming to Toronto for a Crisis Line Conference could stay with me.
That is how I met Alan.
I went back to Calgary to visit mom, dad, family and friends and to be a bridesmaid at a friends wedding. Mom and dad were going on a trip to the Yukon and Alaska in their camper, did I want to come! On the way back they dropped me off in Quesnel. Alan was living with his sister and her family and I immediately fell in love with them all. His family was the reason I stayed for 13 years. We followed Bob and Brenda and all the kids to Surrey. There Alan and I lived in a basement suite at Pete and Dorothy's. Pete was a step dad to Alan and his 2 brothers and 2 sisters growing up.
It was in Quesnel that I introduced Alan to Fred and Joan and their kids.
We also visited Ron and Natasha in Wasa over the years. Walter also stayed friends with them all and we would cross paths every once in awhile.
Back to Tuesday planning. I researched flights, greyhound bus, road driving conditions and combinations of plane and bus. Winter storm next 5 days, lots of snow warnings. Wednesday we settled on taking the Greyhound bus from Pacific Central, the old train station, on Terminal ave at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov 16.
Up at 4:00 a.m. to catch the transit system bus, sky train to Vancouver.
And the healing begins.
Ralph shares that when he was 4 - 7 years old he went to Alexander Fresh Air Summer Camp in White Rock with his mom on the steam train from the train station that now houses the Greyhound Bus Depot.
As the bus pulls into the Langley bus depot, I am reminded of the last time I was there. Alan and I had been on a trip and when he stopped for gas at Keremeos. I refused to get back in. The next morning I caught the Greyhound to Langley. The car was in the parking lot and Alan was no where to be seen. I jumped into the car and took off stopping at the house to grab a few things before he could get back.
And that was the end of Alan and I. I stayed in touch with his sister Brenda and eventually introduced them to my current hubby, Ralph. We would often cross paths with Alan. Even ran into him at the casino in Kamloops where he was dealing blackjack. So many stories within these stories.
Fred and Joan, Ron and Natasha also made the transition with me. Me and Walter, me and Alan, now me and Ralph. I learned from them all that they liked Ralph much better than Alan.
Owen passed away many years ago.
Ron passed away last fall. He made Natasha promise not to have a memorial for him during hunting season. We all got together May long weekend this year at Cranbrook. We came from far and near. Some of us camped in our RV's on the front lawn of their ranch house. Walter got up and spoke at the open mike. Sure glad he did, as I would never have recognized him. We chatted a bit and I told him mom was now in long term care in Calgary and had said that she would love to see him.
Now we are headed to Grand Forks to send off dearest Fred to the hunting ground in the sky. Walter is the only one left
So far, at 9:45a.m., just east of Hope, we blinked and then we were in a snowy winter wonderland. 10:30 now and it's beautiful blue sky and sunshine and the roads are clear.
We are now travelling the road to Kelowna from Merritt. Never travelled this way before but always said 'next time'. Thank you universe for such a lovely gift. Went through another snowy winter wonderland and fog banks. Back to dry clear roads and beautiful vistas.
As I sit here formulating sentences in my head, I am delightfully distracted by a little one that got on at Kelowna. I notice the tension I didn't even know I had drain off and a blissful relaxation soothed over me. I wonder if anyone has ever recorded a child's chatter as a relaxation tool!
Yes, there are many gaping holes in this story, details untold. All memories flooding back, full of ah, ha moments, all lifting and lightening my load.
Many blessings all
I love you
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