08 May - 100 Mile House BC

Nights have generally been cold. We continue to learn how to manage that chill. Our bodies generate heat (125 watts for an adult) and we do have window covers with reflective surfaces which also help keep our 250 watts of heat INSIDE the van. We are learning that sleeping with more clothes -- long johns, long sleeve t-shirts and socks -- actually makes a difference. And since we've figured out the remote start feature of our Sienna, we use that periodically during the night to warm up our glass and steel "tent". The bigger challenge is crawling out of bed, opening the doors and relieving our bladders....so drinking less in the evening does make a difference!

We've now entered BC and the driving certainly does live up to the motto on their license plates -- "beautiful British Columbia". We continue to be awed by the snow capped mountains, the fresh spring green of the trees, the horses, cattle and other grazing animals. 

Mary Lou was the first to see a deer running full blast at a diagonal to the road but definitely aiming to cross it. As she reached the road and saw us she gave an adrenaline rush, we slowed and she blasted across the road in front of us. Amazing speed and confidence! I would have loved to photograph that beautiful animal.

We've also seen herds of elk who look up interestingly as we pass. And we've seen "road kill" as well.

The really thrilling event of this day was to meet up with David and Brenda Cooper at the Red Rock Grill, 100 Mile House. 45 years ago David was a builder in Meadow Lake. One day he called my Dad and invited him to come work for him part time as a carpenter. My Dad was not available but he suggested that David consider his son, me. 

I forgot to take document the requisite image of our visit with Cooper so stole this one from  David's Facebook page.

David agreed to pay what I asked for -- $4/hour at a time when minimum wage in Saskatchewan was $2.80/hour. At the end of my first week with him David gave me a cheque. When I did the math I noted he had paid me $4.50/hour and I protested to David that he had overpaid me. He told me had not made a mistake and said I was worth the extra to him because of the way I worked. I have taken this fantastic lesson with me for the rest of my days when I've employed people -- paying them well when they clearly deserved it. It's really amazing how effective that strategy is! This is but one of the many things I learned from this good man.

We met David and his wife, Brenda in the parking lot of the Red Rock Grill. David's bushy beard and hair were exactly the same except they had been dyed grey/white. Brenda used the same hair coloring. As we  chatted over supper it was so much fun just to see the same facial expressions and ways of telling stories that I fondly remember. 

We had arranged with David to park our vehicle on their property for the night. They live in a small "cottage" while they are building their small house. David is 74, has issues with both knees and is finding that he can't physically work like he used to. Retirement is not something he feels he can really consider since he still has a small mortgage. Their two children are in their 40s, single,  educated and working at well paid jobs in Vancouver. As many of us at our age, there is a desire to see members of the next generation, but of course, also respect for their children's choices. They do have two cats which seem to have an elevated status in their house (including a tiny trap door to the outside). 

They listened politely to our stories of our varied international lives, which we can become over animated to explain. We enjoyed listening to their renditions of the range of jobs and businesses they've been part of over the last 45 years.