newhunterette
07-02-2008, 08:15 AM
Travelling to the cabin is always a great treat for me and I look forward to every little moment I am able to get up there. Unfortunately for many reason I do not get there as much as Peter does (grrrrrrrrrrrrr- dang no women allowed men's retreat rule hehehehe) as well as with my Mom living so close at 108 makes it rather hard to just turn at the canim lake road turn off and bypass a visit to her (never be forgiven and be written out of the will). This year especially has been a slow start for the cabin trips as I have been dealing with many personal family issues (no need to give the details although a few who know me, know what I am talking about), anyways this past weekend was my first trip up there and it was so amazing and so very much needed.
We left Friday morning at 6 am with dear friends of ours. We had the quad loaded and the new dirtbike loaded and Rob (our friend) had his boat (we left ours at home) and off we went. Clear sailing along the #1 and beautiful weather. When we pulled into the cabin, Mandy (friend) had the boat in the water and was ready for the first water ski (forget about unloading she said, lets get into that perfect water) so off they went. For me just walking into the cabin and taking in the smell of it and the freshness of the water so close to us and the surroundings of the mountains took away the all the stresses I had been harbouring for the past few months and this feeling of euphoria hit me (I am here, I am home) and then the screen door slammed and the first wave of coolers started coming in:wink:
Prior to us leaving the house, Mandy and I decided to split the meals between the 2 families and we also had another couple joining us very late Friday night, they were to be incharge of one breakfast for all of us. That was a nice break for me as I usually take on all the cooking tasks and this time I actually shared.
After settling in with 5 teenagers and 4 adults, I served us up a hearty meal of lasagne with buffalo meat (which went over extremely big) and the evening fishing started. As I mentioned we had another couple arriving late that night (they pulled in around midnight, very stealth as no one heard them sneak in).
Saturday morning was started off with a buzz, kids riding quad and dirt bike and tubing and fishing and then off to William's Lake for the 82nd annual Stampede. What a show. It had been years since I had been to a rodeao and watching the events in the grandstand was exhilirating. Brought me back to the days of listening to my Daddy talk about his rodeo days. I gave our HBC member (Srupp) a quick howdy do call but he and his lovely wife (Susan) were not home. Every one had a fantastic time with the festivities and when we returned to the truck (in the shade) was 45 degrees inside the truck (thank goodness for airconditioning) as outside registered 38 degrees in the Stampede bowl. We took a leasurely drive back to the cabin, checking in on my Mom's property and saying hello to a few friends. It was Rob and Mandy's turn to make dinner, and when we made it back to the cabin hehehehehehe they were back out on the water skiing. Dang it I was hungry and they were playing, hehehehehehe. The evening brought a fire works show that Peter and I set up to celebrate Canada Day with every one (a little early but hey in the cariboo time stands still). Do you know that no matter how old your kids get, they still love sparklers and writing their names in the air with them.
Sunday, brought in another beautiful day. It is so wonderful to have such independent kids. They make their own fun now and do not require much supervision. They take the boat out and go fishing on their own, they go quading and dirtbiking on their own, they go exploring on their own, they will nap on their own, they swim on their own but the one thing they don't do is feed themselves becasue I heard Mom what's for lunch, Mom what's for dinner oh wait that was Peter asking. Sunday's dinner was a seafood fest. Quite funny actually as everyone was swaping fish stories about how big thier laker was, or rainbow and even a kokanee and I walked out with 3 - 2 1/2 lb lobsters and said look what I caught. Good for a laugh but I suppose ya had to be there.
Monday, brought in another day of super weather and more fishing and water sports. Rob and Mandy and their 2 kids headed off to another of the lakes to do some fishing for the afternoon, leaving us with the big boat to take the kids out tubing. I sat back on shore watching the crashes, but it was so enlightening as Braydon (my son) has suffered a great fear of deep water and being on the tube for many years and he broke his fear and was a madman on that tube. He hasn't quite mastered the fear of deep water but he is at least trying to (never saw someone swim so fast to get to the boat or dock - I don't think he actually touches water).
Monday also brought a mishap :(. Braydon asked if he could take a little quad ride. He asked Breanne to go with him but she was otherwise engaged in activity and said maybe later. Peter gave Braydon the rules of staying to the right always and to not be crazy, wear his helmut and watch for other vehicle, stay on the FSR, no trails etc. We hear the quad returning and Braydon jumps off and is crying "Dad, I need you". A truck came around a curve (too fast) slamming his brakes on and Braydon slamming the quad brakes and the truck skidded and Braydon rammed into him flying off the quad. $2000.00 damage to the truck, quad has some damage. The guy waited at the top of the gate for Braydon to bring Peter back with him to discuss the accident. It is decided very gentlemanly (no details required). Just grateful Braydon was not seriously injured (he suffered scrapes and bruises and a sore knee and his back is a tad stiff).
Tuesday, the dredded pack up and go home day. We got news there is a forest fire near Jackass Mountain so we have to take an alternate route home through Merritt. We hit some pretty crazy weather on that drive, hail stones like golf balls coming down and rain drops like buckets. Back to reality.
I would have to say fishing was not so good as the lake was so warm but we did manage to bring in a few lakers. As for wildlife, we got our visit from "Canim" our resident fox and I saw 2 deer on the property. The moose has been bunking near the far cabin again but saw only his poop not him. The kids saw a little Cinnamon bear on the FSR while quading. And I was given a little tidbit of info on Elk moving into the area but didn't get a chance to see them.
I am in the process of getting a few photos to share after they get all downloaded (we have 4 digitals cameras to sift through)
My next trip is coming fast (July 10), relatives from Denmark want to see our paradise up close and personal as they have only seen the pictures we share with them and they are in Canada for a month :)
Ali
We left Friday morning at 6 am with dear friends of ours. We had the quad loaded and the new dirtbike loaded and Rob (our friend) had his boat (we left ours at home) and off we went. Clear sailing along the #1 and beautiful weather. When we pulled into the cabin, Mandy (friend) had the boat in the water and was ready for the first water ski (forget about unloading she said, lets get into that perfect water) so off they went. For me just walking into the cabin and taking in the smell of it and the freshness of the water so close to us and the surroundings of the mountains took away the all the stresses I had been harbouring for the past few months and this feeling of euphoria hit me (I am here, I am home) and then the screen door slammed and the first wave of coolers started coming in:wink:
Prior to us leaving the house, Mandy and I decided to split the meals between the 2 families and we also had another couple joining us very late Friday night, they were to be incharge of one breakfast for all of us. That was a nice break for me as I usually take on all the cooking tasks and this time I actually shared.
After settling in with 5 teenagers and 4 adults, I served us up a hearty meal of lasagne with buffalo meat (which went over extremely big) and the evening fishing started. As I mentioned we had another couple arriving late that night (they pulled in around midnight, very stealth as no one heard them sneak in).
Saturday morning was started off with a buzz, kids riding quad and dirt bike and tubing and fishing and then off to William's Lake for the 82nd annual Stampede. What a show. It had been years since I had been to a rodeao and watching the events in the grandstand was exhilirating. Brought me back to the days of listening to my Daddy talk about his rodeo days. I gave our HBC member (Srupp) a quick howdy do call but he and his lovely wife (Susan) were not home. Every one had a fantastic time with the festivities and when we returned to the truck (in the shade) was 45 degrees inside the truck (thank goodness for airconditioning) as outside registered 38 degrees in the Stampede bowl. We took a leasurely drive back to the cabin, checking in on my Mom's property and saying hello to a few friends. It was Rob and Mandy's turn to make dinner, and when we made it back to the cabin hehehehehehe they were back out on the water skiing. Dang it I was hungry and they were playing, hehehehehehe. The evening brought a fire works show that Peter and I set up to celebrate Canada Day with every one (a little early but hey in the cariboo time stands still). Do you know that no matter how old your kids get, they still love sparklers and writing their names in the air with them.
Sunday, brought in another beautiful day. It is so wonderful to have such independent kids. They make their own fun now and do not require much supervision. They take the boat out and go fishing on their own, they go quading and dirtbiking on their own, they go exploring on their own, they will nap on their own, they swim on their own but the one thing they don't do is feed themselves becasue I heard Mom what's for lunch, Mom what's for dinner oh wait that was Peter asking. Sunday's dinner was a seafood fest. Quite funny actually as everyone was swaping fish stories about how big thier laker was, or rainbow and even a kokanee and I walked out with 3 - 2 1/2 lb lobsters and said look what I caught. Good for a laugh but I suppose ya had to be there.
Monday, brought in another day of super weather and more fishing and water sports. Rob and Mandy and their 2 kids headed off to another of the lakes to do some fishing for the afternoon, leaving us with the big boat to take the kids out tubing. I sat back on shore watching the crashes, but it was so enlightening as Braydon (my son) has suffered a great fear of deep water and being on the tube for many years and he broke his fear and was a madman on that tube. He hasn't quite mastered the fear of deep water but he is at least trying to (never saw someone swim so fast to get to the boat or dock - I don't think he actually touches water).
Monday also brought a mishap :(. Braydon asked if he could take a little quad ride. He asked Breanne to go with him but she was otherwise engaged in activity and said maybe later. Peter gave Braydon the rules of staying to the right always and to not be crazy, wear his helmut and watch for other vehicle, stay on the FSR, no trails etc. We hear the quad returning and Braydon jumps off and is crying "Dad, I need you". A truck came around a curve (too fast) slamming his brakes on and Braydon slamming the quad brakes and the truck skidded and Braydon rammed into him flying off the quad. $2000.00 damage to the truck, quad has some damage. The guy waited at the top of the gate for Braydon to bring Peter back with him to discuss the accident. It is decided very gentlemanly (no details required). Just grateful Braydon was not seriously injured (he suffered scrapes and bruises and a sore knee and his back is a tad stiff).
Tuesday, the dredded pack up and go home day. We got news there is a forest fire near Jackass Mountain so we have to take an alternate route home through Merritt. We hit some pretty crazy weather on that drive, hail stones like golf balls coming down and rain drops like buckets. Back to reality.
I would have to say fishing was not so good as the lake was so warm but we did manage to bring in a few lakers. As for wildlife, we got our visit from "Canim" our resident fox and I saw 2 deer on the property. The moose has been bunking near the far cabin again but saw only his poop not him. The kids saw a little Cinnamon bear on the FSR while quading. And I was given a little tidbit of info on Elk moving into the area but didn't get a chance to see them.
I am in the process of getting a few photos to share after they get all downloaded (we have 4 digitals cameras to sift through)
My next trip is coming fast (July 10), relatives from Denmark want to see our paradise up close and personal as they have only seen the pictures we share with them and they are in Canada for a month :)
Ali