Saturday, August 17:
I crashed and burned on the couch Friday night after a long day at the office in Sechelt. I didn't even have the energy to make it to my bed. I wanted to get up early to get to Kamloops on time, but the only thing that woke me up was a phone call from Adrian on Saturday saying there was an earthquake in Kamloops! I thought he was JOKING, pulling one of his usual tricks!?! But, I turned on the news and what do you know, he wasn't ...
Shellie showed up a little late with her stuff, and I was moving at the speed of molasses, so I left Vancouver really late, around 11:00, to get to Kamloops for 3pm. Then I got *stuck in traffic*. I was starting to get a bit worried when it took nearly an hour to get out of Vancouver proper, because I knew it was 4 hours to get to Lac-le-Jeune, and Kamloops was a good half an hour past there. I didn't want to be late for the party, but I didn't want to get a ticket, either. I stopped for gas after Chilliwack, and ended up picking up these two young hitchiking lads. I thought there was only one, but his friend was asleep in the grass and I couldn't see him.
These two were 21 years old and hitchiking novices. They didn't even have a map! The one who was awake was Soren, and his friend just lay down in the back and went to sleep. They were trying to get from Victoria to Nelson for a weekend party, but took the last ferry to Tsawwassen and wandered around the Port Coquitlam/New Westminster area trying to find the freeway! That took them all night and they spent all morning just trying to get out of the Lower Mainland. I dropped them off at the turnoff for the Crowsnest Highway where it diverges from the TransCanada Highway, and wished them better luck.
I made up some time once I got onto the Coquihalla Highway -- I figured I had better get to Kamloops on time, otherwise I wouldn't be able to find the property where we were supposed to meet and then I'd be wandering aimlessly in the Interior. Can't have that...
So I booted it as fast as I could along the Coquihalla, passing cars on the highway that had broken down and crossing my fingers that wouldn't happen to me.
I called Sherri from the Lac-le-Jeune exit, but my signal was toast... I ended up having to turn down Don & Molly's road and hoped against hope they wouldn't cross my path on their way to somewhere. I made it to Sherri's on time, and we drove to Don Blair's property... don't ask me how we got there, because it was REALLY FAR.
Don's place
When Sherri told me Muggs and Molly were being flown in by HELICOPTER, I was really impressed ... what a production this surprise birthday party was turning out to be! Just orchestrating any kind of gathering on a large scale took some serious planning, but to keep it a secret within a family as tightly-knit as this one took great care.
The helicopter was late, but when it finally came in, we were all waiting in anticipation. I took it upon myself to take as many photos as I could.
a helicopter filled with suprised ladies
The ladies were VERY SURPRISED. There were stories flying around about how close they were to finding out, or at least getting suspicious. There were people there from out of town, myself included, who could NOT be spotted anywhere near Kamloops without raising suspicion!
some of the crowd
late-night tubbing, too
Kelly & Sherri, the next morning.
