Roasted butternut squash with sage (from the “garden”), something with mushrooms, and apple not pumpkin, please not pumpkin, pie, all washed down with a small glass of beer. Or two.
Yup, it’s a long weekend ahead, and for us, a chance to reflect, acknowledge and give thanks for our great good fortune to be living where we are.
Our recent stop on Salt Spring was the calm start to a rushed road trip. We drove to Calgary and back in a matter of days. Why?! We wanted to see Junior – she has started a new education journey in Calgary, taking in psychology and linguistics amongst other things, and having not been in the same room with her for over a year, were excited about that. We also had some boring old “you have to be here in person to sign off” paperwork that allegedly couldn’t be done through any digital trickery. So off we went, ahead of the snow, but not ahead of every single road construction project in BC and AB. Actually, every single construction project in western Canada. No, North America. No, the world. The solar system. The universe. Since the dawn of time.
Anyway, there were a few hold ups along the way, but as it is thanksgiving, let’s put a positive spin on that, and say, isn’t western Canada beautiful? It really is. All the extra time spent staring at the same group of trees was great. Once we got our heads around this was going to happen frequently, it wasn’t so bad. Apart from the last straw, the new construction that meant the Trans Canada was closed from Golden to Banff. A two hours and some detour in the dark at the end of a long driving day was quite the bonus. Good thing I am a happy traveller.
All the stuff I wrote in the past couple of posts about disconnection and getting off the grid etc? I even managed that in Calgary! That’s what happens when you visit your daughter on the 22nd floor and admire the view from the balcony. I reeled back after taking the photo below, sitting down and placing my phone behind me. Placing it over the wide gap between the balcony floor and the wall. Then watching my phone fall through the gap. Yup, that’ll disconnect you.
Anyway, thankfully, my phone did not break – did I mention 22 floors up? – and isn’t that amazing? It didn’t drop all the way down, but landed on the balcony beneath. The resident below was on vacation, and the building managers couldn’t gain access without permission and notification, so the phone wasn’t recovered until after we set off for home. I’m happily reunited with it, although somewhat sadly despondent that when I didn’t have it, it was revealed just how reliant upon it I’ve become. I did manage without, but not so well. Yikes…
We were very happy to see Junior, and catch up in person. We’re hopeful she’ll be in one place for a little while (don’t know where she gets the moving about bug from…) and we even anticipate a winter break visit from her out to the island. Don’t tell her about the rain.
I’ll leave it there, that’s enough heartwarming and exciting thanksgiving/road trip tales for now. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! But no pumpkin pie – please, not that…
OldPlaidCamper 
Do you have an aversion to pumpkin pie Adam? So you went to Cow town,better you than me. I tried to recognize where she is? I did recognize a few buildings.
I bet you were glad to get back home and put all of this behind you!
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Very happy to be back! Her apartment is on 10th Ave, behind the Palisser. Cars and sirens, and the railway – ok if you’re young, I guess!
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I know the exact spot and agree!
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Glad you had a great road trip and visit, Adam. Your phone is obviously a sturdy traveler as well! 🙂
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Thanks, Jane! Very surprised to get it back, and unbroken – I thought I’d overpaid for the allegedly super strong phone case, but not this time.
I hope all is well with you!
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You know what they say, ain’t but two driving seasons: winter and construction. Glad you got your phone back and I myself have vowed to become a little less dependent on the digital world, and so far I’m failing miserably. A week long respiratory infection (not Covid) is not helping my resolve either. Regardless, a happy Thanksgiving to you Adam, Mrs. Plaid, Junior, Scout and the extended Plaid Camper family!
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A buddy set off this week, making the same trip – I gave him the construction heads up, but he wasn’t expecting the snow that fell, poor chap. He made it!
I think you get a free pass, digitally speaking, if you’re unwell – hope you’re on the mend and now kicking a Netflix habit. I’m too weak myself…
Appreciate the thanksgiving wishes, it was a good one.
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Oh yeah, I know the vertigo that comes from dropping something from a great height, but what a good bit of luck to get your phone back. When I first came out west I landed in Calgary and some of this does look familiar. Glad you got to visit with family and I will have a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie, please.
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A happy pumpkin-pie-free Thanksgiving to you & the family, Adam. May the Wild Rose brew becalm eternal construction projects & allow some sweet hours to enjoy that wondrous western Canadian world (and turn off that free-ranging phone for a while!).
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Thanks, Walt! We had a pleasant – quiet – and pumpkin pie-free weekend. Went so far as to have a second beer. Goodness, aren’t we wild?!
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Happy Thanksgiving and I know the perfect pumpkin cheesecake milkshake that could replace the dreaded pumpkin pie!! Absolutely love the Destination Calgary and High Harvest photos and how wonderful you guys were able to see Junior and have her back close to home!!! It sounds like two winter break visits will be necessary, one on the island and one in the city enjoying the wonderful snow and sharing winter road trip photos (Scout definitely misses the snow and I miss your winter scenery!!). Construction would have to be completed by then, right?!?! Glad you’ve been reunited with your phone and I’ve come to terms with that the fact, after all our power outages this year, that I cannot live without my phone, my favorite apps, the absolutely necessary sports updates and news notifications to swear at…
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Ha ha, I actually shuddered at the thought of a pumpkin cheesecake milkshake – that’s the evil side of autumn!
I wouldn’t mind a mountain winter break, but it’ll have to be when the construction is completed. So, not in the next year, then!
Here’s hoping the sports updates are good for Spurs, Roma, and, most importantly, Everton this coming weekend!
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I penned the following poem in consideration for the countless people for whom there’s nothing to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day—nor any other day of the year, for that matter—COVID-19 crisis or not.
GRACE: Pass me the holiday turkey, peas / and the delicious stuffing flanked / by buttered potatoes with gravy / since I’ve said grace with plenty ease / for the good food received I’ve thanked / my Maker who’s found me worthy. // It seems that unlike the many of those / in the unlucky Third World nation / I’ve been found by God deserving / to not have to endure the awful woes / and the stomach wrenching starvation / suffered by them with no dinner serving. // Therefore hand over to me the corn / the cranberry sauce, fresh baked bread / since for my grub I’ve praised the Lord / yet I need not hear about those born / whose meal I’ve been granted instead / as they receive / naught of the grand hoard.
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