Incidentally, at this early point I retract the wicked step mother statement on health grounds........
The boys are have distinctly different characters but who wants two identical peas out of the pod. They both make their father very proud and sharing their company was hilarious fun. Even Tommy Cooper got an extended outing during the first couple of days as we exhausted the "I went to a sea food disco and pulled a muscle" repertoire and wept uncontrollably.....I love the Franklin sense of humour but also realise it might be an acquired taste.........Don't care anyway.
We enjoyed our hot tub on day one and shared a few beers together. Nine months apart is a long time and plenty of catching up to do. Next few days involved target shooting; fire pit; plenty of good food and all leading up to an extended weekend at Hi Hium in the British Columbian interior.
Two pick ups in convoy left Mission at 5 in the morning and arrived in Cache Creek at 8.30 for breakfast at Chums. Chums is just breakfast no the place will do. 9.30 and on the road again driving uphill continuously to about 4400 feet and above the snow line. Off tarmac for the last 30 kilometres or so and we entered a new world....One without power except between 6pm and 7 pm each night and no drinking water. The main purpose of the trip was rainbow trout fishing and two boats spent most of the daylight hours trolling Hi Hium lake. The ranklin fish count was impressive but only if your name was Marcus. Nine Rainbow Trout all together.....Dad (Zero) Reece (Zero) Marcus (the other nine). I won't get into the language that rippled across the water; suffice to say it was a bit ripe.....Bit like the ripe that was the great unwashed after four days.....The shower at home after the trip among the best. We had the best time and without breaking too many laws!!!
The last week was a little quieter but still punctuated with events....Poor old Chas called it quits on the Tuesday. He had a fantastic weekend at Hi Hium; one of his favourite places but he had been progressively switching off for a few days and took a serious turn for the worse while away. He persevered but could not eat; nor could he poop. Tests showed a catalogue of ills and we had little choice but to let the old boy sleep and he sits in the picture above where he always sat in our family.....Where you had to step over him. I have no doubt he now sits right in the middle of rainbow bridge.....
For the boys the remaining time involved a shopping trip at Coquitlam and a trip across the border into the US and a trip to Mount Baker and a lukewarm chilli burger. Could so easily have been special if the microwave had been left on for another minute!!! Marcus and Dad watched RED at the cinema....well worth a watch for anyone interested....
We wrapped up our time together with a fantastic Steak meal at Mr Mikes Steak restaurant. No veg on the menu; hack off the horns and wipe its behind and bring a sizeable beer along to boot.....Nice finish to our time together; no questions over drinking age and fun all round. Tough waving the guys off at Vancouver Airport but we part with a different and more special relationship. We are buddies without Dad becoming Mike; we shared hugs and voiced our affections and this all through the stay. It was special but like all things special; its time to go home and home becomes attractive.
Standing on little glacial deposit with Mount Baker Washington State USA in the background. My lads Reece and Marcus. Signing off now as I'm watching England versus the All Blacks on Setanta. See you soon. Tarraaaa.
