Friends

Meeting friends was one of the joys of being on Vancouver Island. I grew up there, so had a base of people from which to draw. We met new people, too!

Myrtle and Bentley opened the gate for us at the camp 

Marilyn, friend since Grade Four 

 Marilyn treated me to the play Pride and Predjudice at the theatre in Chemainus. We also had dinner at Arlene and Nelson's from Port Alberni school days, but I forgot to take a picture.

Peter and Marion, from Camp Columbia and UVIC days

Jerry & Tricia from Fort Nelson teaching days

We had an awesome lunch at the Rocking Horse Pub in Nanoose Bay with Peter and Marion, and a lovely day with Tricia and Jerry at their seaside home in Campbell River, plus a walk around Buttertub Marsh, Nanaimo, and lunch another day.

Ted from Fort Nelson teaching days. 90 years old today!

Lana from New Denver days. 

Ted was happy that we came to celebrate with him on the way home. It was good to stay a couple of days with Lana and Rob near Kelowna.
On the way down we had a long overdue visit with Joan in New Denver.  Again, I forgot to take a picture of this dear friend.

Goddaughter Rachael with sons Kyle and Cody in Nanaimo

My brother, Ed, and his wife, Heather, had a new summer home built by the ocean in Chemainus. We're looking forward to spending more time there in the future.

Dianne, niece of our former doctor in New Denver

New friends, Wally and Julia from Saskatchewan

Ed and Heather, taken last year

So fun to "randomly" meet Mary-Ann, who contacted us after seeing me on the street. We didn't know she lived on the Island, but we had fun catching up.

Our student, Mary-Ann, some 40+ years later

One sad note: I spoke on the phone with Tom, the husband of my first neighbour and playmate in Port Alberni. He explained that Colleen had died nine years ago!
Friends, new and old, made up for the loneliness of being the only SOWERs on this Canadian project.