things i didn't expect

i have returned! i know that this doesn't sound like a great achievement in one's life but really - if you keep reading, it just may be one of the greatest accomplishments for me this year. as most of you know i embarked on a trip to vancouver last sunday night (march 18th). the plan was to drive through the night on the transcanada (is there another option? well...) and arrive in van. on monday sometime around lunch. sounded pretty simple and straightforward...well - let's just see...for the rest of this blog (or until i get tired of writing in fragmented sentences) please start each "..." with "i didn't expect". i hope that you enjoy the ride...as much as kurtis and i did.

i didn't expect...

...highway 1 (and 93) to be closed from lake louise through to revelstoke because of avalanches.

...to stay at a mildly expensive hotel in lake louise.

...to hang out in L.L. until 11:30am waiting for the highways to open up, then be told that they wouldn't be open until 5pm that day and have to doubled back south on the 22 to the #3 so that we could continue our trip to vancouver.

...that bathrooms could be as disgusting as the one in longview. some of the stuff written on the walls could put a group of rugby players to shame.

...to be moved as much as i was by the beautiful scenery along highway 3.

...to learn what water ponding was.

...to get spat at by a toilet in cranbrook, bc...and i hadn't even used it yet!

...to hit a deer just outside of salmo, bc.

...to learn much about salmo.

...to be stuck in a place called salmo.

...to meet the lady who babysat MY stepmom when she was a little girl.

...to learn how gracious and helpful the residents of the bc interior are. here's to you Joe, Bob, Derek, the Po Po who stopped to help, and especially Stan & Mable.

...to be welcomed as warmly as we were into stan and mable's home for the night. their stories about where they grew up, how they met, and their lives.

...the learn about a ton of new musicians - thanks kurtis.

...that there could be moments of tranquility, awe, and peace amidst chaos & drama.

...the almost instant response from friends to pray or offer help.

...to rent a car in nelson so that we could continue our journey to vancouver.

...highway 1 at hope, bc to be close because of a mudslide.

...that from sunday 10pm to tuesday 4pm could feel like a week.

...that i could respect or appreciate kurtis more than i did before we left on this adventure. but i most definitely do.

...that 3 days with my grandparents could feel like a month.

...the starbucks barista to buy my coffee when their debit machine was broken and i didn't have any cash (i'm a plastic junkie).

...that the toilets at the richmond alliance church would have a flush option (maybe i'm just sheltered): small flush for liquids & big flush for solids...there was a sign.

...that after my longview and cranbrook bathroom experiences it could be much worse...however, the auto repair place which kurtis got his car fixed had an outhouse...featured here:

...10 days of holidays to feel like a month.

...that with everything that happened i would appreciate some of the experiences as much as i do.

so that would be my holiday. kurtis and i returned home on tuesday, march 20th after returning the rented car in nelson on monday and staying monday night with stan and mable again. kurtis and i even got to watch prison break with stan! stan is a pretty cool 80 year old. he works out 3 times a week and on the days that he doesn't work out at the gym he golfs or curls and then square dances with mable twice a week. mable has church meetings 2-3 times a week. stan, you put me to shame!

well, that's all from me right now. peace out and i'll talk to you later.

cort