Easter Weekend is always special with the activities of Holy Week, NSRU, and a long weekend away from increasingly treacherous work. Laura and I loved the inspirational speaker at the NSRU Pan Pacific Friday night. So many of the people we know on Facebook but rarely see were there. It's an old home week shaking hands, hugging smiling, catching up. I especially loved seeing Bill and Archie from Whitecliff and Vivian and her son Steven. So many friendly smiling faces. The countdown is always inspiring.
Then Saturday we didn’t make it out during the day. We’d had all manner of plans but read books instead. I walked Gilbert. Laura made meals. We lounged till early Saturday evening. The rain letting up, we then drove to the Pan Pacific with the Miata top down. Another great inspirational speaker and more friends.
Sunday morning we got ready early for Easter mass enjoying the celebration of Risen Christ at Christ Church Cathedral.
After we made arrangements with Kevin and Anna to drive out to the Bloom Festival in Abbotsford. They’d been staying at the Pan Pacific so had to pick up their children after their weekend ‘date’. Gilbert and I headed back to Burnaby in the Miata leaving Laura to catch up in her little red Smart Car. The plan was to transfer to my new white Ford F350 2017 Lariat truck. I love my truck. It was a great ride out to the country listening to my iPhone music played through the Ford Sync 3 system with the sun roof open. Great views of Mount Baker. Sunshine and blue sky. Synchronistically with divine timing we hooked up with Anna and Kevin and the kids on the highway..
Parking at the Bloom, the late winter had delayed the tulips. The daffodils were out but instead of fields and fields of spectacular coloured tulips there were only a few patches. But walking with dog and the kids was it’s own entertainment. We doubt they missed the tulips since the mud was so much more interesting.
After we enjoyed an early dinner at the Abbotsford Cactus Club. While the adults had peppercorn steaks the kids had little hamburgers and fries. Service was great. Finishing before the adults the children began to explore the restaurant with their parents retrieving squirmy bodies between the discussions of Dean Peter’s sermon and the inspirational speakers. Kendra was definitely in Christopher Columbus mode. Somehow we didn’t lose any children.
Walking about the Bloom, Alex had decided that day that he wanted to hold my hand while Kendra informed Laura that she wanted to be carried. They really are the best family. Anna, the consumate mother had delightful tete a tete's with Laura, a grandmother several times over with another grand child due any day.
I admired Kevin’s calm. He shared that the Buddha had left his family to seek enlightenment. I shared that Paramahansa Yoganada’s said that one could meditate on a mountain but the real trick was to bring the mountain into one’s heart and meditate in the world. Kevin had very much enjoyed Dean Peter’s sermon quotes from Thomas Merton and St. Francis.
Gilbert who’d had to wait in the truck was barkingly delighted to be re united with his little hairless buddies. He didn’t mind the bits of steak I’d brought back wrapped in napkin in my jacket pocket. It took him no time to find that. We all hugged good byes and headed back to Vancouver our separate ways.
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