John Family Explosion Minus 1

Do you know how you can tell when you really like people?

When they come in and take over your little cottage and create chaos (in comparison to your regular sedate existence) and it doesn't matter because you're just happy to have them around, that's how.

Enter Chris. Mr. big and tall. Six foot five inch or whatever giant sized with a Teddy-bear heart having a bad hair day. (On his best days, at the right angle, he does look like George Clooney. Really he does!)

Then, there's Miss Catherine. She's 15 going on 25. Beautiful. Mature. Just cool. And Smart. Yes. Smart and beautiful is the best!

There's the Codester, a.k.a Cody, the Golden Retriever who LOVES truly LOVES unconditionally and loves sticks and loves running (especially in water) and more than anything else loves being where everyone else is all the time.

Then, of course, there's the glue that keeps it all together. The beautiful, happy, funny, easygoing, generous mom Peggy. She was born in a tiny place called Unity Saskatchewan. Look it up. A name that was just calling out to be included in a Margaret Laurence novel for sure. When you come from Unity, how could you not be the one that keeps it all together?

The Minus 1 in the blogpost above is referring to number 1 daugher Courtney away at the University of Alberta. Her absence is allowing Cathryn (or is it Catherine?) to lap up the luxury of living like an only child for a while. And lovin' it.

They came and we ate. We walked in Duck Creek. When the four of us got into the hot tub it sounded like a big stream of water lapping over the edges as if we were in a bathtub perched precariously and getting ready to topple over Niagara Falls.

They brought the most delectable chocolate cake from The Dutch Bakery in Victoria. Better than 95% of sex.

They didn't scream at me when in their much newer car than mine with the new tires, I directed Chris up and up and up through potholes and tire-sucking mud and the sawdust from evergreen blowdowns until we reached the top of Mount Maxwell. I hope the view was worth it to them.


Then, it was onward to Ruckle to show them one of my favorite places on the planet feeling all the while a little remorseful that they couldn't have seen it first, as I had, in August under golden light, fairy dust in the air, creating a love at first sight experience.

To RockSalt Cafe and a delicious Gumboot burger made of lentils and rice for me and Peg. Cathryn had Eggs Benny she couldn't stop raving about. Back into Ganges to explore the town, shopping, and home again for more food, more hot tub, pizza. I couldn't talk them into the Rumi night at the Salt Spring Center. Whirling Dervishes? What?

The Canucks are more their style. Peg even brought her jersey to prove it. Do you take that everywhere?


And when it came time for bed, I got on my PJs and my hiking boots and my coat, grabbed the flashlight and headed to my car to drive the 10 minutes to Karin's place to feed Tin Tin the cat and drop into her bed since she was off in Vancouver sleeping on someone else's couch. Musical houses. Happy visiting!