NO. 35, 36 AND 37

My trip down was beautiful.  The sun was shining, the traffic smooth and light,  right straight through to the kennel up the hill in North Van.

I thought maybe Tank would misbehave and wander around the highway, scaring the crap out of me.  But she didn't.  The only time she headed for the rhubarb was when I took my eyes off the road for a split second or relaxed my death grip on the steering wheel.  I took the old highway to Merritt.  I stopped along Nicola lake to use the outhouse and let Molly use the grassy knoll.  Unfortunately I had changed her food and if you own a dog you know what that does.  Eeegad!!!  by the time she was through, her hairy butt was covered.  God!!!  So I dunked her ass end in the cold cold lake and scrubbed with inadequate tp from the out house.  What a freaking mess!!!!

I dropped her off at the kennel and Aryn arrived right then to pick up Granddog.  It was so awesome to see both of them!!!  I hadn't seen Granddog since Mother's day.  I then headed over to April's.  She made a delightful dinner and we spent the evening listening to each others music.  I seem to do that a lot with my kids.  I am so lucky!

Today I met with Clare and Tish for lunch.  It was not only amazing and wonderful, it was so comforting.  I absolutely associate Bill with Clare more than anyone else on the planet.

Back when he first started to meet with the boys, Dave doesn't come anymore, I was so happy he had made friends.  Other than me and his kids, he wasn't involved with anyone else.  I tried to get him to call his family and others but he just wouldn't.  So when he started going to lunch with Clare every week I was so happy for him.  And he loved it. 

 Thursday would come and he would have a fresh spring in his step.  He would make sure that was shower day and he made sure he put clean pants on!  Then he would leave an hour too early and he would come home....happy.  He would settle in his chair and proceed to tell me all about the conversations they had had and how Dave was so bad! to both him and Clare.  Then, all stories told, would fall asleep in his chair and nap for an hour.  A perfect Thursday.

So when I see Clare its like seeing a little bit of Bill.  I want to come down more often, road conditions allowing, and have lunch with them more often.

Bill did NOT make friends easily, if ever, other than Clare and Dave.  I do know that way back, in Bamfield days and before me, for a few years he would take his brother out fishing with him.  He told me once that Frank was his all time fave person to take fishing.  Frank knew what to do on the boat, he was willing to drive it for hours and hours, (something we all balked at), knew how to net, bring up the down rigger in a hurry, and haul in a fish.  In other words, or rather Bill's words, ' he isn't a pain in the ass'.  Before that he fished with his brother in law, Uncle Jim.  He really liked fishing with him too, but Uncle Jim got his own boat.  Those two men were the closest to friends to Bill.  But later, thankfully he made friends with Clare, after the fishing days were over.  And I love seeing him and Tish.

Then, I went to the fat lady store.  (fast moving up my shovel list)  It was really good to see the ladies again and catch up on news.  We are facebook friends though so I do keep in touch.  They have some things in there that aren't in the Kamloops one.  So after visit time, I swung around the store a few times.  Always, I am on the lookout for jeans or pants where the crotch doesn't hang down to my knees, or the waist band isn't tucked under my bazooms.  One can get a somewhat panicky feeling when the only fat lady store in Canada does not have anything that fits you.  And this year the styles are painfully awful.  They are flimsy, cheap looking, ugly patterns, and way way too long.  I look like a walking table cloth in those stupid shirts.  I left with nothing.

And now its early evening, in my hotel room, watching the news, eating ravioli in a can...mmmm its so good.  Soon I am going to go over to April's.  If I can beat through the horrible horrible traffic.  I am putting three things I took pics of before I left on here.  Then there will be no more til I get home.  TTYL

NO ROOM FOR THIS ONE...IT WAS MY MOM'S I THINK

A CUTE LITTLE SUITCASE.  I MUST REMEMBER TO EMPTY IT.  ITS FULL OF PICS AND PUUA SHELLS

AN ABNORMALLY LONG RUNNER