Impending Arrivals

As I sit contemplating my navel, which isn't easy after a lifetime of ale and general debauchery, I find myself 'bouyed'.  Or even perhaps bouyant which better describes my frontal expansion and abdominal flotation device.  I have just taken a call from Reece, who just to be safe has already arrived at Gatwick Airport at 0315am GMT.  With him Marcus, and both set fair for travel with their flight leaving at 1010am with check in probably around 0710am.  Like impetuous kids we try to wait patiently for their arrival and barely succeed.  Kim has just trotted off to Abbotsford General Hospital for a night shift in the tertiary ward (mix of palliative and medical patients).  New casual role and where the greatest potential for a permanent position lies going forward.  Challenging environment and right at the sharp end of medicine.  Gregory House old buddy...watch out, because despite your attempts to hide your 101 Dalmations cockney accent, and the fact that for many a year you were the butt of Edmund Blackadder's taunts, I know you chunter a rare old Oxfordshire accent....

So having digressed back on subject.  The boys arrive midday tomorrow and will enjoy a 32 hour Friday; they will be knackered but will rally in the sunshine as midday replaces 2000 hours in the evening.  When will the day ever end?  Well not until there's a reasonable dent in the beer fridge I venture to suggest.  But, we'll play it by ear.

So what do we have planned?  The highlight will be the four days in the wilderness at Hi Hium.  The boys both fished there five years ago but it will be an entirely different proposition this time around.  We have booked two cabins and they are 'basic'.  No water or electricity; forty kilometres from a tarmac road and at 5000' on the bank of a rainbow trout fishing lake, we could see some snow.  For certain it will be 'long john cold'.  Not to be confused with 'long john baldry', as the latter may take offence at being held personally responsible for keeping your meat and two veg warm.....

We also plan to visit the United States, mainly because the palava at the border with the US Border Officials is as testing as the demoralisation training in received in the RAF at Hereford.  These guys are just spoiling for a fight and instant deportation.  Polite, yes sir, no sir, responses, are the only option if you want to spend a 'Greenback' in Washington State.  We will visit the US City of Bellingham and also Mount Baker.  Mount Baker I see every day as I go about my business, domestic or otherwise.  Its a fairly large mountain at about 13,000' that makes it a third of the height of Everest....At just 30 kilometres from Mission it's time to go visit.  I like Dee Baker have a mountain fixation.  It's too hard to explain.

Our final formal/informal plan is to do a southern BC circuit that takes in Whistler (2010 Olympics), and the Sea to Sky highway.....The views are reported to be spectacular, particularly across to Vancouver Island....(being so busy haven't got to see this yet, so new experience for boys and father).  On the Father front, Moriarty sailed from Portsmouth seven months ago and plans to meet us for a Shandy in Pemberton.  Extraordinary insight as the trip was only planned two months back; perhaps a divine intervention.  I hear he dropped in on Guernsey for an ale or two with King Richard en route and that held him up by three weeks.  For those less well versed in the strong family attachment to Father Moriarty it is perhaps easiest to describe him as the crutch that has allowed the Franklin family males and latterly females to imbibe of alcoholic beverage with spiritual sanction.  Amen.  Dominum Vobiscum et cum spirito to tuo.  Roughly translated, three pints of your best landlord and don't spare the horses!!

So, halloween preparations are in full flow here and believe it or not there is a school of thought that says it will only be a matter of a few years before this becomes more popular than Christmas....My sincere apologies Moriarty, it was never my intention to cause you to spill your double Laphroaig, what was I thinking of?  The fact that Michael Myers sits young children on his knee and gives away body parts in the local toy store is perhaps a testament* to change.  (*not to be confused with either the old or new testaments already existing in literary works).

So again to get back off track even further...the great Billy Connolly arrives in Vancouver November 25th and 26th and is doing two shows.  We hope that Michael 'job secured' permitting we can get to see this truly great man in the flesh.  On the job front a move in the right direction today...I think?  Call from security company I applied to and instand cold interview on the phone......Passed muster I believe and Kim approved but 'Oh my Gourd'...Incidentally here's a shot of our Halloween gourds and a passing small pumpkin, which, incidentally cannot hold a candle to our home grown monster going bananas and on the right.

Well 2045 now and just about to sign off and go down into the basement and watch Iron Man 2...A glass of Paddy Whack* in hand. (Rather pleasant organic brew from Nelson BC which at 6.5% is more about quality than quantity).  Last evening Kim and I watched the Karate Kid with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan....No, they did not share the couch, they were in it!  This we did in the loft....You must come visit. our home is your home, and tomorrow it is home for Reece and Marcus, and the basement becomes theirs with just one parental access right...Yes you've guessed it..the beer fridge!

Much love and movie beckons xxx