Dear friends,
Tomorrow morning David is leaving by bus for Vancouver. From there he will fly to the north of British Columbia, the Pacific Ocean bordering province where Ben and I and our three daughters live with their families. David's eldest son lives in the north with his wife and little two year old grand-son.
When David came back to our house from Ontario and his daughter's wedding he was very tired. However, he told us about the family members and other people he met. He also satisfied my interest about places we both loved when we lived in Ontario where we were both born. Our little home town of Thorold which had only 7,000 people when we lived there as children is growing so quickly that David was surprised. When he enquired about all the large and beautiful new homes being build he was told that land in Toronto is so expensive the people are willing to commute by car two hours twice a day, so that their families can live in such fine houses.
Recently somebody asked me about what I thought "enough" was. Now you see, here's a material choice that involves having "enough." What would you do? Would you prefer to live in a smaller, older home, and be able to come home quickly and have more time at home, or in a large and very beautiful new home, and drive four hours per day? I would take health and the time available for me, my husband and our children and the rest of our family into consideration in making this choice, and I would choose on that basis. What about you? What do you think about this?
Well, to continue: the wedding was in the garden of the home where the happy couple will live. The marriage was performed by a lady minister. She spoke about the "Covenant" that the young couple were entering with each other, before God at least six times during her talk. David talked with her later and she said that she takes a great deal of interest in the people she marries. She feels responsible for them because she joins them, so she always wants to help them to get off to a good and healthy start. David liked and respected her very much from the way she looked and spoke. David's and my other brother, was invited to this small wedding of about forty people. He also felt the same way about the wedding which he said was one of the lovliest and most moving he had ever attended in his life. David and his brother both feel that David's daughter made an excellent choice of husband.
After the wedding they whole gathering went to the city of Niagara Falls, where there was a festive dinner for each in an historic old stone restaurant. There there were toasts to the happiness of the couple, and so on. All the family members and friends met and mingled happily together. Everyone was very impressed that David had travelled a distance equal to 3/4 of the way around the world for his daughter's wedding and they all said how much he loves his daughter and sons. The little two year old grand-son, David said, is very intelligent and charming, but because of so many new people around, he remained a little wary of everyone. David is very much looking forward to being with the little one and his family for several days where the little boy will be relaxed and at ease. David likes little children a lot, and never intrudes on them. He approaches them in a way that they are comfortable with, and I think he'll have a wonderful time up north.
David told us how his youngest son drove him around to see many people and places in his new truck. David was very pleased to see how big and strong his two youngest sons have become and what thoughtful and able young men. The one who drove him around would like to study at college to enter in law enforcement to work for the protection of animals and nature, as his eldest brother does. David was able to give his eldest son some excellent advice he had gleaned from a professional in the same field. This advice had helped him very much and gave him the "edge" that helped him to transfer to the best school to graduate from. So now this son got the good position he has in the north. That makes three in our family now, who are in police work, and who are considered outstanding in their respective positions. :-) David told his youngest son to talk with his eldest brother and to take the advice he would give to him.
David and his former wife visited amicably together and David had a good reunion with her mother and the rest of the family. David also met the fiance of our brother's daughter. It seems that she also has become engaged to a person everybody agrees is a good man, and they will marry next year.
David also stayed with Ben's and my eldest son and his wife, and our son helped him to get a new lap-top, and get it all set up just the way he wants it. David says he encouraged them to come to China to teach English, as our son is agifted teacher but didn't want to teach university here because you must "publish or perish." He didn't want to be under that burden all the time. There are also a lot of internal "politics" in university settings and he doesn't like that, either. So he has been working for industry.
Today David has been busy finishing up a few appointments that were still outstanding here. He went through a stringent driving examination, and passed it. So now he has his Canadian Driver's license again. This license lets him drive various kinds of equipment, including motorcycles. David has had a motorcycle since he was young. Right now its up north with his eldest son, so maybe he'll take it out for a spin. :-) In any event, next time he comes back to Canada for a visit he'll be able to take his car and drive anywhere he pleases, by himself. He had let his license lapse for four years because he doesn't need it in China. He didn't realize that it would take quite some effort to become relicensed. The rules have changed a lot, and become much more strict since he was first licensed. He passed the written examination when he was here before the wedding. Now he passed the hour long driving examination.
The examiner puts a mirror where he can see your eyes as you drive. You are marked strictly on whether you see all possible dangers, whether you check by looking over your shoulder for every lane change and all turns. You must check over both shoulders. Your eyes must continually sweep back and forth from side to side to see any possible hazards, such as a child in a yard who might run into the street, or a person on a bicycle, or someone following too close behind you who might hit you if you slowed too fast. You must tell about all possible hazards you see. All the signals and parts of your vehicle must be in working order, including the horn.
There are about six categories of things they look for and test you for. There are lists in each category. For instance, it is not allowed to enter an intersection if the stoplight has begun to turn yellow. If a pedestrian is waiting to cross at a cross-walk you must stop for them. It is never allowed to enter an emergency lane which is for emergency vehicles, unless you are entering a driveway. You must never cross a solid white line anywhere. Only dotted lines. You must keep both hands on the wheel except if you are changing gears. You must not let the wheel slide through your hands as you turn a corner. And so it goes, on and on.
Yesterday I took him out to dinner at Coyotes', a restaurant on the second floor, on the lakeside waterfront. Today after the driving examination we picked up Ben at his office and went for lunch at the El Dorado, an historic old hotel, where we sat outside on a patio beside the lake. Our waiter was from Austria, and told us how much where we were looked to him like a wonderful place in Austria that is world famous. Actually the valley in which we have chosen to live is one of the most beautiful places in the world, according to many estimates. So we sat in the sunshine and talked of many things, even including this forum. :-)
There was a professional photographer and his two assistants there. They were in from Vancouver, taking photographs for a very widely distributed tourist brochure about good places in Kelowna to go. So I told them about five or six places, and they wrote them all down with directions about how to reach there. Today was sunny so they took outdoor shots. Tomorrow is expected to be cloudy or to rain, so as some of mine were indoors, they expect to go there. I sent them to an excellent Greek restaurant, a small winery with a good restaurant, a small, restored heritage church from when this valley was first settled a hundred years ago. (I know. To you it sounds like yesterday. To me it almost does too, because Ontario is much older. But to you with your 3,000++ years of history it sounds like a tiny drop of time. Anyway, the tiny old church is very charming.) There is a big old barn which is run by one of the original families. It's called Casorso Farm and they have many interesting things for sale and unusual things to eat. I remembered another place called "The Laughing Moon Cafe" which has been awarded best place to eat for many years. Then there is Coyote's, and some more places.
Then Ben went back to the office, and later to swim at a spa, and sit in the sun on a lounge chair with a friend and drink a long non-alcoholic cocktail called a "Virgin Chichi." It has pineapple juice and coconut milk in it, among other things and is chilled and very delicious.
David brought me home, and went on to visit Harry, an old friend of Ben and I, and now also David, since he lived here with us. They have gone on an afternoon hike in the mountains, and I expect they'll catch up on lots of topics of conversation while they trek along, because they are both men who stay informed, and Harry is a guy who likes to talk.
Soon we'll all have dinner here at our house together, and then tomorrow David will take the bus to Vancouver and then fly onward. After he returns from the north to Vancouver he'll sleep overnight one night and fly out the next morning for Beijing.
The guest room bed with just be changed when on Saturday I expect our eldest daughter and her husband to arrive with their eldest daughter and eldest son and that son's Japanest girlfriend. I know you're wary of Japanese for good historic reasons, but this girl is gentle and quiet, and likes to laugh. She is a sweet girl.
So, that's my version of what David has been doing since he last wrote to you all here with his "Message from Canada."
Affectionately, Mary
