Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Godkids and White Spot

Anna is the consumate mother. She manages the munchkins.  The munchkins are Gilbert's friends.  Kendra, Alex and Izik.  The Godkids.  Kevin is working 100 hours a week. Summer is the key season for the company to do it's work.  Laura and I like their company.  Church and lunch is a tradition.  We ask Momma bear where she wants to go. Which church depends on the level of chaos.  Good Shepherd is closer to their home and a really Christian Catholic Church. Jesus is present.
Kevin says the Sunday School teacher is the best, "She really talks about Jesus'.  They're worried in Canada about creeping propaganda masquerading as education.  Anna watches their physical diet and spiritual diet.  We're just happy to come along.

Polish sermon.  Great choir.  "Really good choir for catholics."  I say to Laura and Kevin.  I believe the Baptists have the best sermons, Anglicans the best music, United the best coffee and Catholics the best ritual.  Since all the rest of the church began in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Catholic I'm appreciative of their 'emotion' and 'spirituality'.  I loved studying at St. Mark's College on the UBC campus.  Right now I"m re reading Thomas Merton

It really was a lovely service. The building is so uplifting too.

The boys went to the Sunday School but Kendra somehow didn't follow staying at the front of the altar. Kevin ran to her rescue. He took her to join the others.  Later she returned. Apparently her brother had hit her. Anna comforted her.  The brothers were angels.  There's a lot of drama going on in church when the kids are there.  I noticed other parents with their children.  That's the beauty of the church.  Family centered.

We were so impressed too, to hear the news from Luke 15 recovery house.  I know so many who speak highly of it. some who say it saved their lives.

After church we moved on to the White Spot. I love their fish and chips.  Laura loves the legendary burger. Anna likes that they have healthy food for the kids.  Kevin lead the prayers and the god kids actually joined in holding hands. It's not uncommon for one to be a 'hold out'.

Great adult conversation about politics and work and stuff.  It was a sunny day.  God is good.  God is good all of the time.  Thank you Jesus.

The Godkids, Westminster Abbey and the Abbotsford Tulip Festival

Kevin and Anna and the kids were waiting patiently on the lawn having a little snack when I arrived at Westminster Abbey in Mission  They were  watching a monk in black robes play ball on the great lawn.    It was a perfect sunny day with fluffy white clouds and Kodachrome colour.  Gilbert had to stay in the truck. He had a brief visit with his little clan of favourite little people who showered him with hugs.  With the god kids we headed for the church. We were too late for services.  The church was locked.   Kevin loved the tall tower. It’s a truly lovely place.  Calm and spiritual. I imagine the ethereal world cleansed by the daily prayers.  Always a moving experience to be there on the grounds.
We walked through the woods.  Izick insisted on holding my hand skipping beside me to keep up with my long strides. I was reminded of walking with my father.  Anna had Kendra with her and Alex was with his dad.  One child to one adult, evening the odds.  The children would win,  of course,  but it would take them longer.  They had youth and stamina on their side.   We had wisdom and thick skins.  Regardless they’d try our patience eventually.  God’s little gifts to show just how much more spiritual development we had to go.  The kids are really are so well behaved.
The cattle were a treat. The view of the river was majestic.  Kevin, the photographer, was delighted. . I  love imagining such pristine valleys before  development.  Kevin and I talked of eras of life,   God meditation and prayer.
Anna always looks more beautiful outdoors.   She has her brood of little munchkins.   Kevins’ a great dad. God is good.
The next stop was the Abbotsford Tulip Festival.  Gilbert joins the kids.  He love the god kids.  Despite being blind he hangs with Izick.
“I don’t think Timothy Leary would have needed to drop acid if he’d just gone to a Tulip Festival.  It’s that psychedelic. Truly a visual high.” I especially loved watching the kids with Gilbert.  A wonderful day. A miracle of colour after a winter of grey. Heavenly. .

Bungalow Motel, Harrison Hot Springs

“I love Bungalow Motel”, says Laura when I tell her I’ve booked a weekend for us and the Godkid Family (Kevin, Anna, Kendra, Izek, and Alex).
“What it’s like,” Anna asked.
“It’s like a motel but the cabins are the quaintest, rustic, most incredible little spaces in a glorious piece of heaven called Harrison’s"
“But what do I need to bring."
“The kids."
“Yes, but do they have sheets and blankets and towels and running water?
“They have everything but indoor laundry.  There’s pickup pizza and Chinese. They’re right at the edge of the town of Harrion’s, the opposite end to the Spa.  The public hot springs is just a short walk away.   It’s right on the beach, right beside the boat launch.  I’ve been going for thirty years and Laura’s going for a dozen.  It’s her favourite place."
I love the owners too.  Incredible people. I always feel like I’m related, part of the big Bungalow Motel family of people who come back year after year.  They write about such places in New England.  It’s easy to forget we have our own uniquely west coast getaway so close to Vancouver. It’s only an hour and a half away from the city but once I’m here I feel like I’m in a different universe.  The Natives thought the springs sacred. The white cap mountains surrounding the little town are always starkly beautiful. The huge Harrison Lake is a pristine playground for sailor’s, fishermen and motorboat’s.
Throughout the years coming at different times I’ve enjoyed the events In Harrisons.  I first heard Glen Chatten, Vancouver singer/songwriter playing here.  Canadian geese were walking around the back of the stage at the time.  The Sand Castle event is truly a favourite.  But mostly I like walking the dog around the lake.  We’ve brought ATV’s and headed out into the back roads up into the mountains. In the fall I’ve come with a friend and used the cabins as a base camp for hunting upland game birds.
Laura likes walking into the little town and shopping at all the little tourist stores.  Little boutiques.
“They’re not touristy,” she says. “They’re little boutiques. Every one is unique. There’s a little book store with different types of books, Canadiana.  That beautiful glass store with beautiful china.  There’s an incense and chimes stores. Just a whole bunch of precious little shops. Then the great little store with candles and moccasins. There’s even a fabulous dress store that’s right out of New York. I love the pastry shop."
I told the kids I’d take them out for dinner if I didn’t pick up steaks for us to cook at the cabins. I love the German restaurant.  The fish and chips and burger places are great too.
We planned to arrive the first night at 5 pm. I’d finished my clinic at one.  Laura drove her little red smart car over to my place and we loaded my  white Ford F350 truck with the hitch so I could tow up my little boat. Kevin Anna and the kids have been having a great time on it enjoying the little lakes around Vancouver.  The trailer  lighting harness that they’d been using for towing it with their  work truck had to be changed out for a standard one that would fit my truck. Thank God for Canadian Tire. I got a little wire stripper and electrician bits for $11 and then was back reconnecting a new harness.  This takes time.  Back and forth to the store.  And rush hour traffic.  There was also  major Friday accident on the highway.  We stopped for groceries at Superstore on the way.
Well, as usual our 5 pm arrival ETA turned out to be 9 pm.
Laura said, “It’s beautiful here. And no tent. We don’t have to put up a tent.”.  She’s been with me twice, when I’ve headed out Friday night with a new tent.  Each time  it was the wee hours of Saturday morning that I gave her a place to lie down in after an hour or two trying to figure out a new tent in the headlights of my truck.
The cabins were perfect. All set up and waiting for us.  It was just so peaceful here with stars and moon visible above the snow capped mountains.  A June night, Laura comfortable in her U2 hoodie. I had my jacket on. Gilbert was running around as if he’d had the Red Bull in stead of me. In the country he has to sniff everything at once..
 Kevin had to work late so they arrived at 10, the kids in pj’s  in their car seats, having slept on the ride up.  I showed them their cabin and they were enchanted.
"This really is clamping," said Kevin.
“It’s so lovely.” Anna said. I was carrying sleepy little Bea from the car to the cabin while Kevin was hoisting out backpacks, two at a time. Laura was laughing.
Later  she told me.  “I heard  Anna telling the two boys to lie down in bed and not to move or she’d make them sleep on the couch."
“I told you.  So glad you love it. See you in the morning."
Now it’s morning. Laura has made me coffee. I’ve slept the sleep of Kings after watching a late night movie. They have cell service and wifi here.   I’ve just walked Gilbert who is in dog heaven.  It’s a hassle to get out of the city on a Friday but now we have all day Saturday and a half day of Sunday to relax and play.  I’m writing because I really like to write especially looking out at the lake where a whole family of Canadian geese have just passed by with their fluffy yellow goslings.
From this window I can see Anna and the kids walking on the beach too.  That didn’t take long. Laura is getting into the shower.  No doubt since I brought the boat Kevin will expect us to get it out on the water.  Young guys like to do that sort of thing. I could sit on the deck and read my novel . Having a boat and motor is a kind of summer guy styling anyway.   Right now I’m up for another cup of coffee. I”m feeling kind of decadent here at Bungalow Cabins.  Laura said she’d make me breakfast after her shower.  I’ll leave off on doing any physical virtue signally summer activities until after that.