Rain!

I left Oliver BC on August 16th. Shortly after I passed Fort Nelson, on the way to Whitehorse, it started to rain. It has rained every day . . . it’s still raining. I feel like I already have webbed feet and I am now turning into a duck! Everybody I have talked to in Whitehorse says that this is the coldest summer they can remember . . . with the *most* rain!

Chetwynd Chainsaw Carvings 2008

Shortly before leaving Chetwynd BC, on my way to Yukon, I took some photos of the winning entries for the Chetwynd annual Chainsaw Wood Carving Competition for 2008. It was early in the morning so the lighting could have been much better. This is the third year in a row that I have put some of the winning carvings on this blog.

A Side Trip To Grande Prairie AB

It is still raining . . . but that’s okay; there is no such thing as bad weather . . . only different kinds of *good* weather.

While on my way to Whitehorse YT from Oliver BC, I took a side trip to Grande Prairie AB to visit my good friends Bill and Maureen Gowans. I had not seen them for about two years and it was really good to see them again. The second highlight of this visit was the fabulous barbecue at their beautiful new condominium. And of course it was accompanied by a very good bottle of red wine.

During my visit, after I mentioned one of the side effects of my chemotherapy (dry cracked feet), Maureen mentioned a brand of skin softener and conditioner that worked better than any other she had ever used. It was originally developed for horses to moisturize dry, cracked and brittle hooves. It is available at Walmart’s Pet Department.

I was already parked at Walmart . . . so I purchased some before I left in the morning. After only two days of using it on my feet, it worked orders of magnitude better than anything I have previously tried. No more dry skin!

A Great Chinese Restaurant

During my return to the Yukon from Oliver BC I stopped to visit with my friends, the Kaulbachs, in Chetwynd BC. For supper we went to the “Golden Dragon” restaurant. It was full and had a happy atmosphere.

I finally decided on a combination plate, and to further satisfy my food craving I asked the waitress if I could substitute “special fried rice” for “chow mein”. She politely said she would ask the owner. I was then told, by the owner, that the special fried rice dish was only available as a large order and not as a substitute on the combination plate. I jokingly replied “you’re mean”! She laughed and gave me a great big hug!

My combination plate was *very* plentiful and tasted *great*! Before I finished eating, the waitress placed a bag next to me on the table. On it was written “Special Fried Rice”. I had it for dinner the following day . . . it also tasted great!

Return To The Yukon

After spending 10 months in Oliver BC I am now back in the Yukon. Here is a short summary of my fuel costs for travel with my motorhome and a Sunfire toad; a trip from the hot desert to the cool (cold?) rain forests. It started to rain in Fort Nelson and has not yet stopped. The forecast . . . more rain.

Total Miles traveled: 1691 (2733 km)
Miles per gallon: 8.18
Total fuel cost: $1,344.
Highest fuel cost: $1.53/liter ($6.94 per gallon) at Fort Nelson BC
Lowest fuel cost: $1.37/liter ($6.19 per gallon) at Whitehorse YT

A Letter To Christ The King Parish – Oliver BC

Last October when I was passing through Oliver, on my way to Arizona for the winter, I had to visit Emergency in the Oliver hospital. I was immediately sent to Penticton where after tests I was diagnosed with cancer. Since then I have remained in Oliver while on treatment for my illness.

I had a very tough row to hoe, but with the unlimited support from parishioners of Christ the King Parish . . . and I feel, primarily because of the support of the parish . . . my prognosis is excellent and my treatment for cancer comes to and end on August 14th. Further tests for reaccurence are initially scheduled every three months and if all tests for cancer remain negative, further tests will then decrease in frequency.

From the first day upon arriving in Oliver I felt that I was home. Interaction with parishoners, and their support, very quickly confirmed that there was no other place I would rather be. It takes people to make a parish. It takes great people to make a great parish. Christ The King Parish is a great parish.

I am also very grateful to “Yukon Health” for their unfailing financial support for what turned out to be a very expensive event. I now have to return to Yukon and re-establish residence there . . . where summers are paradise and winters turn my focus to the south where there is another paradise in Oliver.

To Christ The King Parish, the Knights of Columbus and the CWL, I give my sincere and deepest thank you for your support, for your prayers, for your friendship, for your spiritual guidance . . . for giving me a place to belong. I sincerely hope to see you all again soon. May God greatly bless you all! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you . . .