03-14-21 small town BC is amazing
Had a delicious sleep in the ultimate guest room. Awoke refreshed and ready to get on with the day. Of course Pam made a full spread breakfast following The best coffee thanks to Al! They also introduced me to hash browns in a carton from Costco and sent me home with a case. So easy and sooooo delicious! It was hard to say good bye but off I went with a plan to to Trail via Nance Greene Provincial Park and Rossland to use more gas along the way. I remember always being so thrilled to drive through Rossland on the way to Kimberley as a kid because they used to have cross country skis crossed on the streetlamp poles. I though it was soooo cool.
Did my gas stop review in Waneta, on the outskirts of Trail. The lady there was so happy when I told her she was the first one to do all the right things. I love making people happy! From there I had only a short drive into Fruitvale to my client’s house where I stopped to trade paperwork. It was lovely to see his home and meet his wife and one of his children.
Next was Salmo where I was fortunate to have enough room to purchase the requisite fuel. When I was done I went to the attached Subway and got lunch. The young man there was lovely and we talked about how to lose weight when our work lives seem to fight against it. It is possible to make small connections if we look for them.
I worried the whole time driving to Creston that I had no room to put first 10 and then 5 dollars of gas in my tank. I pulled up to the pump and a woman pulled up on the other side. There was a rather awkward moment as I asked if I could but her $10 of gas, no strings, pay it forward if she felt like it. I don’t think she believed me but I went in and paid for her and when I came out she said I made her day. that was all it took.. ten dollars… I may just do that more often.
As I drove I kept asking Siri to make list to remind me of my thoughts. I randomly stopped and took pictures and all of that is randomly below..
Part of the fun was paying attention to signs for interesting, clever and or amusing business names such as.. Sleep is for Sissies Café, A Man and His Dolly Moving Company, 2 Scoop Steve’s and 2 Pump Paul’s.
I once again listened to my own music collection all day and I am still blown away by the variety and the breath of genres and levels of popularity and greatness. Music just makes me so happy and touches so many memories.
Interestingly, I noted in a few places the last three days that behind the roadside row of trees there was what looked like a Christmas tree farm all properly laid out. I realize now it was probably clear cut and then deforested by tree planters. Beautiful in its own way.
I passed through so many beautiful little towns on this three day loop. Many of them I would be interested in living in. If I knew I could make a circle os support and friends I would live anywhere this gorgeous province has to offer. I have always thought we were being a bit pretentious saying we are the most beautiful place on earth.. but maybe we are pretty close.
Animals, I didn’t see many but when I did! The first was a herd of Turkeys along Kootenay Lake. Oh I know it is a rafter or a flock but these were so big they were definitely a herd. Unfortunately there was no place to pull over to take a picture that first day on the road. Today as I was pacing Moyie bluffs I spotted a herd of Elk. I did pull over to take a couple pictures but was baffled that there were no antlers so I reached out to my hunter kids to ask. Seems they lose their antlers each year! Fancy that.
Finally made it home, before dark.. thanks to the time change. The weird part is last night going to bed to tonight settling at home there is a two hour difference due to the time zone change and the Spring Ahead part. Not sure if I am tired or not! Watching the Grammies and winding down as I wait for my cat to come in. She was seemingly happy to see me, came in and ate, had a snuggle and then cried to to go out and hasn’t come back in yet.
As I reflect on the weekend I once again have to be grateful that somewhere along the way I have been the kind of friend to earn the kind of friends I have. To live my life mostly as an open book and to have people who hold their privacy as sacrosanct share delightful memories and photos, stories of their pasts and welcome me into their inner circle is something I will always hold dear and respect and be grateful for.
Today I saw a Facebook post alluding to another death on Salt Spring Island. I started receiving personal messages from various people letting me know who it was. This kind and wonderful soul, Thomas Brainerd is no longer with us. I believe he is just turned 40. Far too young and leaving a young family behind, such a sad sad loss.
triumphgal 