Wishing you all very Merry Christmas!

We started off the year in Cranbrook, staying mostly at home – Deb’s curling was of course cancelled but her team started a weekly walk that continued throughout the year and adapted with the weather to include biking and kayaking. Pat and Sadie put on the miles walking in the community forest. We had a big heavy snowfall during the holiday season which resulted in some tree damage in the community forest but made for some pretty walks. Unfortunately it also resulted in a few problems with our “shed from hell” – remember from last year. The snow was so wet and heavy that it collapsed part of the roof of the shed – onto the kayaks and trailers. Although we were able to shovel it off, and monitor it throughout the rest of the winter – it wasn’t until spring that we were able to determine that nothing was seriously damaged.

In April we decided to move out to the cabin on a mostly full-time basis – leaving the house in town closed down – except for when Deb had an evening out with the girls or was working. Yes working – because although her official retirement date was May 2020, she continued working on a part-time / call in basis. She figured that since COVID would not let us travel, she might as well work and put money aside for her future scuba trips and supplement her retirement income.

Deb put the house on the rental list for locum medical staff and made arrangements to temporarily rent out our house to a visiting doctor and her family for June to test how that would work out. When it was just the doctor here, Deb would occasionally stay overnight in a basement bedroom. When the doctor’s family came to visit – Deb commuted back and forth to work from Moyie. It was an interesting experience but not really what Deb was hoping for as it seems that all of the arrangements are short term and so would not work out very well when we are away travelling.

Due to a staffing crisis in the social work department (not unlike many other places) Deb decided to accept the Professional Practice Lead position for a short term. She really enjoyed the challenge of being in a leadership and mentoring position. She was able to support the new employees and hire more including someone to take on the PPL position on a term basis. However, she did not like it so much that she wanted to give up her summer working and so she took her planned time for her annual kayak trip and her end date was just in time to go to Loon Lake in July.

This gave time for Pat to poke around the Moyie cabin and start completing some overdue tasks. First and foremost was trying do repair and reinforce the roof on the “Shed from Hell”. One day when Deb was at work he jacked it up on his own and she came home to see that it looked nearly new. He then moved on to integrating a kayak rack that also supports the roof structure, and suspending a large tarp that would hopefully take some of the snow load and allow it to slide off more easily. Other projects building terraced parking spots up the side of the cabin and gravelling the driveway. These activities were interspersed between Pat feeding many squirrels, chipmunks, nuthatches, wrens, and unfortunately also the gophers. He operates a series of up to a dozen feeders and at the peak can go through a 20 lb bag of seed in two weeks. In the morning if the feeders are empty – the racket is enough to wake the dead. However the antics of the critters competing for the food keep us amused when we sit down and relax.

For most of the summer – Scott and Kelly were out for the weekends and they encouraged us to stop for Happy Hour at 3:30, and evenings were included games and paralizers. Cross -Crib and a nastier version of Uno (introduced to us by Keelan and Josie) were the main staples. On other evenings, like many people we binge watched a number of shows – courtesy of our Roku and now having internet at the cabin. This included Justified; Money Heist; Peaky Blinders; Longmire; Game of Thrones; Foley’s War; Midsommer Murders, etc. (When you are not current in your streaming habits, you have many choices open to you).

The summer also saw the completion of the frame reconstruction on the Jeep – and the ability to get it on the road. Pat had not driven the jeep since it was bought – so this first road test gave him the opportunity. Keelan drove it down to the end of the lake road, and then gave it to Pat to drive back. Halfway back, the drivers front tire broke away from the jeep and rolled down the road ahead of us (one of us forgot to tighten lug nuts). Despite this set back, the Jeep started and ran well for sitting for two years – and was then transported to a friends shop for the remaining body work and paint. We will hopefully see it on the road by this coming summer.

In late March, Mick received notice from his landlord that his place was being sold. He had been reluctant to look at moving when we had visited just before the notice but now he had no choice. With the support of Arlene and Ross asking where would he like to live and then providing transportation to view housing, he widened his initial search in both price and location. He was lucky and found a townhouse type rental in trendy Kensington area. He negotiated with the land lady to keep some of the furniture and as it was empty was able to move in quickly. Deb returned to Calgary for two 4 day weekends to assist with packing and cleaning and he moved in within 3 weeks. His place is quite funky, has an open area upstairs that he has set up for his office, a spare bedroom (yay!) and a basement for his gaming systems. It has made a very positive change for him, he has found wonderful walking areas and has easily 30 little restaurants within walking distance, Safeway block away and if\when he returns to work in the office C-train right next door. The biggest challenge has been that they tore up and closed the sidewalk in front of his place so the postman cannot deliver the mail and he cannot find out where if anywhere it is going to. Luckily most things are online and he has been able to work around it.

In July, Keelan decided that the real estate market in Kimberley was booming and that he should put his house on the market. His difficulty was finding a place he could rent with their two cats. In chatting with Pat while working on the Jeep, Pat suggested he should talk to his mom about renting out our place. So on her way home from her annual Kayak trip, they chatted about the plan. It would provide Keelan and Josie with a place that allowed pets, Josie would not need to commute to Cranbrook for work, it would provide someone consistent in our house covering the costs and give us a place to stay for short periods of time when we could not be at the cabin or travelling. Keelan’s plan also hinged on his finding employment in Cranbrook, again Pat had heard that Rob our old neighbour who owns RiteWay RV was looking for employees. Keelan contacted him and met with both he and Dan (who he’d enjoyed working with at Dixon’s Service Centre), got the job and the plan moved forward. They moved into our house in August so they get themselves (and more importantly the cats) out of his house so they could set it up for showings. After a few days of cleaning, moving and staging, they house was on the market then next week. Although it took a little longer than he’d hoped, he received an offer in October with possession Nov 11. We quickly moved his furniture partially to the house and partially to the loft at the cabin along with some of our furniture. As he loves to cook and use his own equipment, he moved nearly all of Deb’s kitchen stuff out and put his in. Deb, to the amazement of Keelan, was able to pack it all up and stuff it under the stairs for storage rather than move it out to the loft for storage.

At about the same time the US border opened to non-essential vehicle travel so we decided to make a run for our cabin in Kentucky. Pat has not been down since the end of his retirement trip in 2019, and Deb has not seen it for several years prior to that. Purpose of the trip was to first off to see if the cabin was still standing and whether the mice, squirrels and/or snakes had taken over. Second goal was to see if Deb thought it was adequate to spend extended periods of time at (or if it should be sold). Third, if deemed as functional – what work needed to be done to it to make it more comfortable. So we closed down the cabin at Moyie, spent an overnight with Keelan and Josie and then headed off November 8. We had Deb’s vehicle, packed as full as possible with things for the cabin, the dog and the two of us. The trip went via Mick’s in Calgary, and to Pat’s aunt in Regina and then south to Kentucky. Although nervous about what hassles or delays we might hit at the border we crossed easily with no issues. Thankfully dog got more comfortable with car travel as the trip went on, stopped being carsick and started to understand staying in motels. When we got into Cadiz late on a Friday night – we got the last motel room in the town as hunting season opened the next morning and all the motels were full of hunters. We showed up at the cabin the next morning – and after clearing off the driveway from the tree limbs and two years work of oak and elm leaves, we were able to get in. We had a little difficulty getting the water turned on but by late afternoon, we had water, power and heat. The cabin, all things considered it was not that bad, with no evidence of snakes, and moderate sign of mice. We spent our three + weeks there – alternating between cleaning, organizing, and going on day hikes around the area. Sadie really enjoyed the hikes and was very helpful in finding the paths at times as they were covered by leaves and difficult to find at times. I think that Deb likes the area and cabin well enough – that we are planning on coming back in February for a couple of months (if allowed).

On the night of Dec 5, as we were going to bed we received a tornado warning for the area. It started in the evening and went on for 7 hours with the primary warning concern in our area being for 3 am. In an effort to prepare, before we went to bed, Deb had checked all the things to do – go to the basement (no basement), go to a root cellar (no cellar), go to an inner room with no windows (don’t have one), go to a closet (okay have one of those) which Deb cleared out so that we could fit. If needed, we would grab the mattress from the futon and put that in front of the closet door. True to the prediction we woke up about 3 am with severe wind and rain for about half an hour but luckily nothing more. When we got up the next morning, water was running over the culverts, and there were a few tree branches down – but we came through relatively unscathed. With a cold front coming in, we made the decision to pack up a day early and head for home. This proved to be a good decision as it was far more comfortable to drain the water system in sunny weather rather than the freezing temperatures the next day. We have since heard from neighbours in Kentucky that our cabin withstood the second round much larger tornadoes that caused numerous deaths and damage several days later.

In both Deb’s car and Pat’s Scion (which had been stored in Kentucky for the last few years) we headed for home. Deb was really not impressed with up to 7 lanes of traffic (in Kansas City) or getting off track due to construction in Sioux Falls but she toughed it out although she made it very clear to Pat that she did not enjoy driving the way that he did. We were lucky in skirting snow and storms throughout the 5 day trip. True to Boyle fashion we arrived ‘home’ earlier than expected including a last minute decision go come on Friday night and forgo our hotel room in Kalispell due to an impending storm.

We are learning to live with house mates as we stay in bedroom in the basement of our house, using the basement family room as our living space, and share supper meals with Keelan and Josie. We will pick Mick up to be home for Christmas here and are grateful that we can be together.

In this unusual year, we hope that everyone has been able to take care of themselves and those you love, and are able to spend time doing those things that are truly important.

Time to close off – wishing everyone a great holiday, and stay safe and healthy.

Love,

Deb, Pat and Sadie

…. So this year started out with a clear plan: Deb was going to work until Easter; vacation till the end of May and then retire; we would head south while on vacation to catch the end of crawfish season and gorge ourselves and then plan out the rest of our lives. Deb would have the chance to spend time at the cabin in Cadiz – and decide if she liked it as much as Pat does or if we should sell it and look at alternatives for the investment, but then Covid 19 happened and the world changed and we accomplished very little of our plan – but I am getting ahead of myself.

Pat came out of retirement to go to Smithers and take over operational management of the Human Services programs at the Office of the Wet’suwet’en for a period of three months starting in January. He stayed at a great AirBnB – coming home for Valentine’s weekend. Pat was fully involved in trying to keep the family support, justice and day care programs operating during a time of protests, road blocks, police intervention and government to government negotiations. His time ended with being one of the early implementers of the working from home protocols for the agency staff – and challenging them as to what they could do for children, families and elders while maintaining safety. He worked his last two weeks out of Cranbrook – supporting staff from a distance.

It is safe to say that Pat saw the request to come and help as a great honour – and has made some lasting friendships with staff and elders there. The trust that they placed in him to keep things operating while their leadership was fully engaged with everything else was both humbling and a huge responsibility. It was a great way to cap off his career – and his only disappointment is that although all his recommendations for the future direction of human service programs were accepted – COVID has significantly delayed their implementation – and may be less relevant with the passage of time and change in the dynamics of the work.

By mid March, it became clear that no one was going to be able to proceed with this year as planned. Deb’s eldest sister Gail and her husband Randy were in Mexico, Gail’s son Devon in South East Asia and Deb’s second sister Arlene and Ross were in Kuala Lumpur when everyone was advised to return home. Gail and Randy came through Cranbrook from Calgary and picked up some groceries they’d left and headed to their new-to-them home in Grand Forks to quarantine. They spent the rest of their summer with amazing renovations and gardening. Arlene had some medical challenges and they attempted a number of flight reservations and cancellations before finally arriving back in Canada in late March. They had rented out their house until the first of May so we opened up our cabin and they quarantined for two weeks and then stayed on and we were able to have some socially distanced visits with them before they returned to Okotoks. Ross cleared and chopped some wood for us while Arlene recovered and started to make homemade bread which she has since perfected.

The first of May we moved to the cabin – having made arrangements earlier for Josie (Keelan’s girlfriend) to stay at our place while we were planning to be in Kentucky-the cabin became our home until November. We had never spent more than a week or two at the cabin – and therefore many of the things that you accept or live with in the on weekends or vacation become things you want to address. So the “to – do “ list that we have had for years started to come into play. We began with purging clothing, camping gear and many other things, setting some aside to go to Kentucky and bundling up the rest for donations (once allowed), we reorganized what was left and put them on repurposed shelves in the loft. Deb sorted through the kitchen, organizing it to cook real meals (not just smokies and barbecue as was the norm on weekends). We moved around and replaced some furniture including gaining a leather look couch from the Moyie Mall (aka the dump).

Another on the to do list was that of replacing the tarped storage shed that we had used for more than 15 years (and collapsed twice). So we bought an 11 x 19 metal shed and once the weather was warm enough we tackled assembly. Simple right??? not so much. We purchased about 30 used railway ties to use as a base for the frame and as framing for a patio. We had to dig out about six feet of the bank in order to have enough space for the shed and then try to level and square the ties. First wrinkle with the shed was that the dimensions on the shed were inside measurements not outside measurements – which was not discovered until it was part way built – thus making the foundation not correct. Secondly, the instructions were wet and stuck together which meant we were missing being able to read about 20%. Third, there was not a wall panel or roof panel, that we did not have to take apart and re-assemble – as the instructions that we could read were not clear. At one point when Deb was in town – Pat got temporarily wedged putting up the roof panels – obviously not designed for big guys to assemble. Remember the 6 foot hole we excavated at the back? Needless to say that there were times when we were trying to erect the flimsy walls on this structure by ourselves that we joked about one of our bodies fitting in back there. Once the shed was up, we built a patio outside the back door using the railroad ties as a frame and then ordered 4 cu meters of 3-5 inch rock and 6 cu meters of road crush to fill in the foundations of the shed and patio. All of it had to be carted over by wheelbarrow and then tamped. Despite many setbacks and 6 long weeks– the shed was finally complete – and works well to hold our trailers, canoe and kayaks but Deb still calls it the shed from hell. It also serves a bird, chipmunk and squirrel feeding station – as Pat has set up feeders from which we get hours of enjoyment watching the antics of the local tenants – including the deer trying to get in on the act.

With the patio finally built we worked on moving and setting up the hot tub. The hot tub had not been set up and running in over 10 years – but with Fix a leak and a plunger (don’t ask) Pat got it working – and it became a welcome rest most nights – and one of the things we miss when we moved back into town.

After unsuccessfully trying to secure a contractor (all busy) – Pat decided to tackle the other renovations on his own. This included framing in a second basement bedroom, adding a cold storage room and a very small half bath to the music/gaming room. Given that there were few (no) existing straight walls and ceiling – he did a not bad job. The bathroom reuses the old patio door (covered with write-on blackboard wall paper) and currently has a portapotty and hand sanitizer – not the gold standard but nevertheless a welcome facility according to Deb’s sibs in the middle of the night. The cold storage room necessitated boxing up all of the kids various gaming systems (plus recycling 4 old tube tv’s) and moving and reorganizing all of Pat’s music and their systems. The games have been replaced with Pat’s bourbon and mini-bottle collection and games waiting to be taken to Keelan’s home.

Deb escaped some of the renovations by continuing to work part time during the summer as her position was not filled. It was a nice blend of all the work we were doing while also having the opportunity to continue the work she enjoys (and part time is wonderful). The annual family reunion at Loon Lake was cancelled this year in consideration of the request to minimize out of province travel and especially to areas where hospital services are limited. However, we were able to all get together for a few days at the cabin at Moyie where we spent much of our time outside and used extra sanitation when inside.

In September, we had a quick trip to Regina to see Pat’s Aunt Wanda (and introduce her Chloe to our Sadie). We were able to have a walk at Regina Beach and at Wascana park and visit with Tara and Sam. We also went up to Smithers to return a computer to the Office of the Wet’suwet’en and had hoped to say goodbyes that he did not have when he left in early March due to Covid-19, Unfortunately, there was some covid spread in the community so he was not able to do as much as he had hoped. We visited with a couple of friends in Prince George and then returned via Jasper where we camped and hiked for a couple of days. It was absolutely gorgeous weather, the leaves were turning and the scenery amazing. We will certainly return another year.

Mick continues to live in Calgary and work with Hitachi Security. Ever since the outbreak – he has been working from home – and mostly enjoying that format. He has his groceries delivered, and and the time he saves without having to take transit allows him to get out on his bike to Fish Creek Park. At the end of last year it was discovered that the daily injections he was taking for his MS were not effective – and he was moved over to twice yearly infusions called Ocrevus. He handled the first infusion (in two parts) well and came home for a couple of days in between to rest and relax in late June. His next infusion is scheduled for the latter part of December or early January.

On July 1, having taken Mick back to Calgary – Pat returned to the cabin with a Sadie- a ten month old chihuahua/terrier cross – (or as Pat refers to her Mexican Terrorist). She was the runt of a litter and was sort of forgotten about by the breeder– and allowed to just hang around with the other pups (breeder has 4 different breeds). Therefore she had never been off the farm north of Calgary, never been on a leash, and was very timid. Pat has had his work cut out for him – but has now got to the point where they walk twice a day for a total of about 7 km – as well as a couple of longer hikes over the summer. She has overcome her timidness – and we are now working on her protective attitude. She is content to curl up and sleep in the crook of Pat’s legs at night – and is rarely out of his sight. She still needs to get better with other dogs and people – but it is slowly coming.

Keelan renovation plans for his house – have been a slow go – due to COVID and how busy the contractors are. He has had to overcome of few roadblocks – contractors having a hard time believing that a 23 year old was serious about doing the renovations; a non-load bearing wall becoming one; having to redesign his plans based on the unmovable wall; having to do remediation for some hazardous material; waiting on contractors – all of which are overbooked. His initial plan was to have everything finished by September – and then have a bit of time to get things organized before Josie moved out of our place and into his at the end of October and we returned home. Well Josie has moved in and in mid-November their cats (Mew and Tate) moved in with us – so they were out of the way of the contractors, and things have started. Having the cats at our place – means that we have split the house in half – with Sadie living upstairs and the cats living downstairs. Their ‘parents’ come over to visit and get and give the requisite snuggles as they are able. Hopefully they will have the renos completed before the new year and can begin to enjoy their new space.

Keelan continued to work at the GM dealership throughout this year being one of only two mechanics that worked through the early days of COVID while the company established the required adjustments for safe service. He has attended a couple of GM training sessions in Calgary – which has given him the opportunity to get visits and meals in with Arlene / Ross and Mick. Keelan and Josie outfitted his truck with a tent that fits in the box and we donated some of our extra gear and got a bit of travelling in. They took a trip and saw Keelan’s cousins in Edmonton and Calgary, Josie’s grandfather in Edmonton and then a loop around through Kamloops. We met Josie’s parents and other grandfather when they came and camped together at Moyie. We had a good visit, good food and Deb got out for a kayak with Josie’s grandfather. Keelan continues to enjoy going out and doing photography and he and Josie try to get out for a hike once a week.

Well, it is now the 12th of December and Deb is giving me a hard time for shaving off my “santa” beard this morning (wasn’t getting any job offers), and for not getting the annual christmas letter finished. So I had better wrap this up – the pictures below are the cabin backyard (shed from hell in the foreground), Deb beside a chinese oven used by the migrant workers building the railway, now part of out rails to trails system and Pat and Sadie.

In this unusual year – signing off in my usual way of – take care and stay healthy – just does not seem adequate. We all need to take care of each other – at the same time we keep our distance. We need to stay connected with each other – at the same time as we shouldn’t be in the same room. So maybe the best that I can hope is that somewhere in the next year we can start the process of moving back towards normal and hope that you all have founds ways to manage the current challenges…. in the words of Dr. Bonnie Henry: “Be kind, be calm and be safe”.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

Pat, Deb and Sadie

So we’ve come to that time of year again – when we put together our annual Christmas letter to give the updates on our family:

Mick continues to work for Hitachi ID in Calgary – and has been promoted to Team Lead. His work keeps him very busy – being over-worked and under staffed – but overall still seems to be enjoying things. Mick takes daily injections for his Multiple Sclerosis and thus far he has had not further episodes. He has started looking for a new place to live – it is time to move out of a basement suite. He is debating between buying or renting but with the economy in Calgary being a bit strained it is both a good time to buy but a bit scary as well when he is on his own.

Keelan continues to work at Chalet GM in Kimberley and officially completed his apprenticeship and is now a red seal auto tech. He has also completed his provincial vehicle inspection course and is working his way through the GM training programs. He had decided that he did not want to commute to Kimberley another winter and over the spring and early summer he looked for houses. He found one house on a private sale that he looked at carefully and put in an offer but the private seller signed another offer while Keelan was getting the sale terms done up by his lawyer. The seller still took Keelan’s offer and only later told him he actually had signed another. This was very disappointing but a valuable lesson that prompted him to engage the services of a real estate agent to assist him. He bought a better home in Kimberley in July for less money so all is good. He kept his enthusiasm in check until everything was finalized – and seems very happy with his purchase. There are a number of renovations that he wants to do – but decided to live in the place for awhile before deciding how to proceed. He and Mew officially moved to the new place in August and our the house in Cranbrook seems to be somewhat quiet and empty (but easier to clean and grocery bills are way down). Keelan has spent much of his spare time taking some amazing pictures – if you are interested he posts on Instagram: keelan.m.boyle.

Deb continues to work at inpatient psychiatry and in April used her well earned money to fulfill a life long dream of learning to scuba dive in Roatan. She was incredibly lucky and ended up having private lessons with Nico for her entire open water certification. And she fell in love,,,,, with scuba diving. What an incredible world it is underwater! After just a little reassurance around equalizing she was game for anything including a deep water dive. The only problem was that she seemed to forget to breathe, consistently coming back with more air in her tank than her co divers. Deb was also very lucky to be able to stay with Arlene and Ross (sister and brother in law) and enjoyed their hospitality, company and advice for two full weeks. One minor glitch with a tropical storm delayed her flight home by a day but really who can complain about another day in paradise even though most was spent at the airport.

Pat doesn’t continue to work and his last day with the BC government was May 17^th. He packed up his office and handed in his keys with a plan in hand. After two years of drying food, finding gear, creating what he could not find, Pat was ready to head on his post retirement trip down the Milk, Missouri and Mississippi rivers in a kayak. With kayak on the roof and the car loaded with food and gear, Deb drove him across the border through a snow storm and over mud roads, looking for a good place to launch. We stopped for the night in Malta – the farmer who checked us in to the motel had 2 inches of mud stuck to his boots which he had left outside (the mud should have been an omen). We asked him for a recommendation of where to put the kayak in and he suggested driving further past the last irrigation dam. So we took off the next morning and ended up having to go to where the Milk River joins the Missouri River. It took another half day of scouting the river to find a dry enough place to launch the kayak. A daily journal of Pat’s journey is posted on our web site http://spiritridge.info and is well worth the read – he met the challenges with creativity and humour but to briefly summarize – he made it to the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers (a place where Lewis and Clark camped 204 years earlier). After stopping for several days of thought and reflection he made the decision not to proceed any further. The sinking mud that he encountered loading and unloading the kayak had put a significant strain on his knees and with having had arthroscopic surgery just two weeks before leaving on the trip, he did not want to risk further damage. So Pat rented a car, and took the kayak down to the cabin in Kentucky where he spent a couple of weeks cleaning and repairing things that ten years of non-occupancy and squirrels had done to the cabin. The squirrels had chewed their way in and had used the cabin as a food storage facility and lavatory – read many days of cleaning. He discovered that the nearby State Park at Lake Barkley had a pool, hot tub and most importantly a shower which he made good use of as there was no water at the cabin. He caught the Amtrak back to Montana part of which followed the river route that he had kayaked.

Back for two weeks and Pat took off in his Smart Car for Regina to spend some time with his aunt, Wanda. He was able to assist in helping Wanda to clear back some trees at the beach and help sort through some of the stuff in the garage, as well as getting in a visit with his uncle Ray. Unfortunately, Ray passed away in September so Pat was happy to have seen him. Wanda, her daughter Tara and grandson Sam came to visit us later in the summer. It was great to spend some time with them, Sam had a couple of games of golf with Keelan and they all endured learning to play Canasta.

Pat has spent a lot of the summer at our cabin at Moyie – sorting through, organizing and purging many of the things that had accumulated in the garage and loft. Deb would often join him on the weekends whenever she could – and we both found the time very relaxing. We replaced the sliding door in the living room with a garden door – after struggling to get a fridge and stove up the stairs last summer and had a few more trees cut down. Gail and Randy stopped by for a weekend in May and did some amazing rock work – creating a flower bed (the deer are happy), a step and hiding the cabin footings with slate rocks that they gathered from around the cabin. Piece by piece it keeps coming together, although it looks less and less like our original Millennium recycling project.

In the fall, Pat and Deb took a two week holiday driving out to, and touring around, Vancouver Island. We spent the vast majority of our time camping in our old combi-camp tent trailer – and despite the fact that this was one of the wettest September’s on record in Nanaimo (it rained every day but one)– we were able to keep mostly dry and do the hikes and exploring we wanted. We got out of the rain by hitting second hand and thrift stores when needed and we each found some great deals. We were able to get some great visits in with some of Pat’s old work colleagues including a wonderful evening with Lori and Tracey, lunch at a quaint club with Steve and coffee and fresh cookies with Michele. We even had time to tip a couple of pints with Marcus and Jennifer. (all of these were people that Pat had often talked about but this was the first opportunity that Deb got to meet them). We also lucked into a tour and an afternoon on the beach at Tofino with a retired colleague of Deb’s who was just about to head home the next day.

Deb continues to enjoy curling (maybe just bonspieling) This year they were able to use bunny onseys in two Bonspiel – the first they became team “Little Bunny Foo Foo” to fit a nursery rhyme theme and for the Cranbrook Shades of Green, they met the theme of “It’s Only Make Believe” by dressing up the bunny onseys with lingerie to become playboy bunnies. Deb had to use a pair of Keelan’s snow boarding socks to assist her to ‘flesh’ out her chest. They had a fantastic time and hosted a very fun filled Bonspiel. This fall they dressed up as characters from M*A*S*H – Deb was Radar.

Deb joined her family at Loon Lake again this summer for a week of Hand and Foot Canasta, food, bad golf, food, fishing and did we mention good food?! Two fresh fish fries and Deb was even successful at catching all the kinds of fish that are part of her history in fishing – a perch, a couple pickerel and a few jackfish! What a great day.

Twice this summer Deb got out for kayaking weekends with the girls. They went east this year and camped on Lake Koocanusa which was a new place to explore. Kootenay Lake remains Deb’s favorite especially being able to find private beaches but Koocanusa was a pleasant change and there is something to be said for staying put and having the luxury of a tent trailer (Thanks Lisa!)

For Thanksgiving – Deb and Pat drove to Calgary and took over Arlene and Ross’s house to prepare and share turkey dinner with Mick and do some condo hunting. Arlene and Ross left Saturday to Edmonton to go to Cam and Lara’s and to spend time with the newest member of the Breadner clan – ‘Magnolia’, she truly is as beautiful as the flower! Keelan went camping in the snow with Josie (official girlfriend since Sept) and her family up near Golden where they had a lot of fun keeping warm around the fire, driving their cars in the mud bog that was created as the weather warmed and it began to rain, and enjoying many holiday treats including deep fried turkey, home made donuts, cinnamon buns and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They returned for dinner on Monday for turkey left overs (and Deb’s stuffing).

Two weeks later Pat, flew back down to Kentucky – to move the Scion down to the cabin (to eliminate the storage charges in Cincinnati) and to do more renovations / repairs to the cabin. When he arrived, he believed that the cabin was relatively rodent and squirrel free and that his work earlier in the year had been successful. However after he unpacked and was settling down to watch a DVD, he was startled to find a 3 foot snake skin shed underneath the television. After a couple of light nights sleep – he concluded that after taking care of whatever rodents there were, the snake had shed and left. Nearest he could determine the snake was a hognose – not one of the several poisonous snakes that live in the area. After finding and sealing up several rodent / snake entry points, Pat was able to get lights, heater and refrigerator working, renovate the kitchen to make it usable, and with brother-in-law Al’s help repair a host of plumbing leaks. The cabin is now all ready for Deb’s post-retirement trip in April of 2020. Pat and Al were able to do a several day tour of the Bowling Green, Chattanooga and Nashville area – complete with a trip to the Grand Ole Opry. The weather was not as cooperative as it could have been as once again we hit an early cold snap – and had to scrape several inches of snow and ice off the car in Bowling Green.

In our last bit of news we need to go back a year, towards the end of last year, Pat was asked to become the Project Manager to support the Office of the Wet’suwet’en and the tri-parte agreement that was signed with the Federal and Provincial Governments (Pat’s name was put forward by his buddy Shane ). Despite the fact that Pat tried to get them to find someone else and that he could only work on the project until mid-May – – they continued to request his involvement and the work was intriguing. The work turned out to be extremely rewarding and enjoyable for Pat and he was asked to come up and support the staff and chief’s Strategic Planning days. They gave Pat a gift of dried salmon to take on his trip – which he cherished and enjoyed. Jump to the present, at the end of November, a representative from the Office of the Wet’suwet’en contacted Pat by e-mail to see if he would be willing to come up and do some work for them. Although Pat had made it clear that he did not want to return to work (failing at retirement as he has put it) and he had turned down other opportunities – he is currently contemplating this one – because of his experience there and his commitment to what they are trying to accomplish. However he has made it clear that whatever help he might be able to provide – has to end by April so that the two of us can go south to Cadiz and beyond (in time for Crawfish season) when Deb retires to sort out how we are going to spend the next years of our life.

Thank you for once again indulging us by reading our letter and we hope that you enjoy it as much as we love hearing from you. We hope this season finds you with friends and family enjoying each other’s company and sharing memories. Wishing to health and happiness in the New Year!

Merry Christmas and best wishes to all!

Deb and Pat.

Merry Christmas 2018

Last winter was another record year for snowfall in the East Kootenays. Not too cold and generally enjoyable. However, late winter, on a trip out to the cabin, we discovered that our heavy duty tarp garage shelter which we have had for nearly 10 years, under the weight of the snow (and the three kayaks and one canoe hanging from the frame) had collapsed to half it’s height. We had to wait another 2 months for the snow to melt enough to get inside. Luckily the only significant damage was an old fiberglass canoe smashed beyond repair. (We had just given the canoe to our neighbors – so talk about being really inconsiderate). Deb’s kayak was very bent but came back to form given relief from the weight of the snow. Our cedar strip canoe which we had only recently retrieved from a friend who fixed some damage on that was unscathed. That gave Deb a project for the summer: sanding and patiently putting on six coats of marine varnish. It looks marvelous – but unfortunately did not get a chance to get it in the water this year.

A good portion of this summer was spent out at the cabin. Pat was busy setting up his kayak for his post (or maybe pre) retirement kayak trip. He has had a dream to travel from the Milk river to the Missouri and then the Mississippi. He worked on setting up a sail system, redoing the kayak cover to work for one person instead of three, checking out ways to mount a small motor and going through our collections of cooking gear, stoves, dry bags, sleeping systems etc to see what would work best.

Mick has had a memorable year. He was the project lead for his Capstone project-the year long group project which completes their engineering degree. They designed, developed and built a ‘Just-In-Time Compiler for Web Assembly’ for IBM. We don’t really understand what it does or how it works but it impressed both IBM and the Engineering school as they received second place out of all the engineering projects – and two of his group are now working for IBM. In March he received his Professional Engineering ring in a ‘secret’ ring ceremony – it is quite serious and talks about the ethics and obligations of a professional engineer. It really was touching. Deb felt her dad was also watching with pride. Graduation later in June and Mick started full time employment in July with Hitachi ID (software security). In late February Mick suddenly noted his left eye went dark. He spent a couple weeks going to optometrist, ophthalmologist and for an MRI, while his eye situation slowly resolved itself. However, follow – ups with the neurologist in June and October have confirmed that Mick has relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis. So far other than the initial eye issues he has only had minor numbness in his face but he is pursuing medication options.

In January, Keelan stepped up to become the secretary of the Cranbrook Archery club in addition to his duties of helping to coach in the youth program. His work with the club paid off as it through connections there that he heard that Chalet GM in Marysville seeking an apprentice. He went in and talked to the owner a day later and was immediately offererd the position. In addition to a raise and a signing bonus he now has benefits and perhaps best of all he no longer has to take out the garbage! He’s been looking for a place to live either in Kimberley or Marysville but rentals are rare and expensive. He’d like to buy but has not yet found anything that works in his price range. In addition to work, Keelan has been exploring his creative side through photography. He has a keen eye for lighting and perspective and has spent some time with his uncle Ross getting feedback long distance in addition to a day together at Thanksgiving ‘making pictures’. Check out his pictures on Instagram: Keelan.M.Boyle.

Pat took a February trip to Cuba with Keith where they spent several hours each day walking from the canal end to the far end of downtown Varadero. That assisted the healing of Pat’s knee from his surgery a year and a half ago. Keith and Pat were welcomed back at the old resort (Camp Kawama) – with many of the staff recognizing them from the previous year and ensuring that they had their favorite libations. Ivan, the bartender at the main bar, came over and apologized to Pat when they were checking in that he had not whisky in stock – but proudly showed off 4 different varieties the next morning. The Cuban government keeps trying to close the resort and rebuild it as it is the oldest continually operating resort in Varadero (over 75) but it is the staff that keeps people coming back and the resort operating.

In January, Pat got an opportunity to get a slightly bigger space at the storage lot near the Cincinnati airport. This would allow us to move our tent trailer up from the cabin and park it with the Scion – so we could leave more directly from there. To Pat – this of course meant: Road Trip! He and his friend Shane took a week in March to move the trailer about 150 miles. The trip involved several days of bourbon tasting, and trips into Nashville and down the north part of the Natchez Trace (part that Shane had not experienced two years earlier).

In early May after helping Mick find a new apartment, Pat and Deb took off for a camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. We started with great weather for that time of year and even hit the Hoh Rain forest basking in sunshine. We wandered on beaches, and were amazed by moss 14 inches deep on top of the possibly the last outside public phone in the US. When the weather got tough the tough went shopping at second hand shops and Deb picked up a whole new wardrobe – seriously… shorts, capri’s, sleeveless and short sleeved shirts, light jacket, and two pair of shoes all for @$150 US. Good quality and name brand items.

Deb and her Kayak crew struck out for new territory this year and went to the Arrow Lakes to paddle for an extended weekend. Lisa’s daughter Teandra joined us and was a wonderful addition to our group. Going in September it was a bit cooler than usual but it was quiet and great to see a new area. The water was very calm but we’ve heard that the height can vary a lot so the lovely beaches we had this year are not necessarily the norm. Deb also went up to Loon Lake for her annual family reunion and as usual had a great time: cards, fishing, swimming, a game of golf, great food and lots of time catching up.

In November we went on a trip to the Gulf coast (Redneck Rivera) with Deb’s brother Al and wife Joan. We stayed near Biloxi in a time share right on a golf course. Although we did not golf it was a great location to get to into New Orleans and the gulf coast with over 25 miles of continuous beach to walk from Biloxi to Pass Christian. We spent 2 days in New Orleans – touring the French Market, Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, Frenchman street and sampling various creole dishes. We checked out the casino’s in Biloxi and had great entertainment watching a couple of little old ladies filling their bags with food from the buffet. Joan had to go back three times to get a piece of fried chicken as these sweet old ladies got there first. Unfortunately, the second week that we were there the temperature plummeted and we broke record low temperatures for day time highs which put a damper on some of our plans – like walking the 25 mile beach. We took at trip into Louisiana and headed to a cabin at Natchez state park however as it was getting dark, we plugged the address into our GPS and ended up going down a very windy road where the houses got farther apart, more run down, the road narrowed and the darkness descended. Pat had been at the park before but none of this was looking familiar for about 10 miles and suddenly the GPS said we were there but we were in the middle of nowhere. With little choice we continued on the road and finally found the park and the cabin in the dark and the rain. A look at the map the next day showed that there was another park entrance where the GPS had led us but it was locked up and unsigned this time of year. The next day we celebrated Pat’s 60th birthday: dining at a favourite restaurant (Prejeans), stopped at Don’s Specialty Meats to pick up boudin and cracklin (another favorite) and then stayed in Bayou Cabins in Breaux Bridge. These authentic cajun houses have been dressed and painted up and moved into a little common area. The cabin had one bed in the living area, a bathroom with antique deep tub, an open kitchen (open to the bayou and just screen in the windows) and a second bedroom. We got the cabin heated up but whenever anyone went out to get a drink from the fridge we would lose the heat out through the kitchen. It is a really unique place to stay and we would recommend it (although maybe not in November with record low temperatures).

We have also seen some changes to the auto pool. Late last year– Pat and Keelan picked up a 1993 Jeep YJ. The plan was for it to be used to get into the back country to do some hiking and photography. Unfortunately, a closer inspection revealed a crack frame on the driver side (relatively common problem) and so Keelan and Pat have spent many hours dividing the jeep into in multiple pieces and in spring the welding and re-assembly will start. Keelan has been doing the vast majority of the work – with Dad being his somewhat clumsy assistant. This summer, Keelan also sold his speedy little Right Hand Drive Subaru B4 – and picked up a newer Mazda 3. He has spent the rest of the year updating and improving the car and adding his own personal touches (new wing, fog lights, and amp, sub and speakers where his spare tire used to be. And then at the end of November – Pat went through his second mid-life crisis and picked up a bright yellow convertible – okay its a Smart Car. The plan is to sell his Mustang powered Ford Ranger 4×4 which Keelan says tends to bring out your inner jerk when you drive it. When the Jeep gets on the road in the spring – the Ranger becomes redundant, and besides Pat will save a small fortune on gas.

With the help of our neighbour, James, we were able to check off one of the major to do’s on list for at home. The front deck needed to be resurfaced. Luckily the stringers etc. were all fine and so with some creativity with vinyl plank flooring and some new plywood – we have a wonderful new deck. We will see how it holds up to the weather – but so far it has been great.

Mew – the cat – continues to dominate the house – assigning different servant roles to each of us. Although still always watching and listening to her boy – each of us serves a purpose – whether it be getting water from the sink tap, or laying on mom’s clothes as she is trying to get dressed, or sleeping on Pat’s arm and shoulder as he works on the computer. She lives up to her name often talking when she is receiving or thinks she should be receiving attention. Her latest play toy is Deb’s refresh tears bottle.

From our family to yours, we wish all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year!

I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book,
And every year at Christmas time, I go and take a look.

For that is when I realize that these names are now a part,
Not of the book they are written in, but of my heart.

For each name stands for someone, who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they’ve become the rhythm of the
rhyme.

And while it sounds fantastic, for me to make this claim,
I really feel I am composed of each remembered name.

Even if you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has shaped my life, far more than you
might think.

For once you’ve met somebody, the years cannot erase,
The memories of a pleasant word, or a friendly face.

So never think of my Christmas greetings as just a mere routine,
Of names upon a Christmas list, forgotten in between.

For when I send a Christmas card, that is addressed to you,
It’s because you’re on that list of folks, I am indebted to.

For I am but a total of the many folks I’ve met,
And you are also one of them I prefer not to forget.

And whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some ways you have had a part in shaping things I do.

And every year when Christmas comes. I realize anew,
The best gift that life can give is meeting folks like you.

So may the spirit of Christmas that for e’re and e’er endures
Leave its richest blessings in the hearts of you and yours.

Merry Christmas 2017

So, it has come to that time of year where we pause to reflect on all that has happened over the last year and prepare our annual holiday letter.

We will start off with the sad news first – with this year seeing the loss of two of our long-term companions. Merlin, our polydactyl cat, started exhibiting digestive difficulties in February and after trying some medical procedures and specialized diets (including kangaroo and goose), just two weeks later, he had to be put down as we noticed a leak of fluid from his abdomen indicating an abscess. Keelan suggested our next cat not be black as all the cats he remembers have been all or mostly black and all have had relatively short lives.  Mom told him that she would not be getting a new cat of any kind and if he wanted one he could get any color he wanted as long as he remembered it was his (little did she know how quickly he would follow through).

On the morning of May 4, Daman went outside as usual, suddenly started to yelp in pain, and was unable to move. We called the emergency vet service and the three of us took him to the vet.  The vet recognized immediately that there was nothing to be done and within the hour, he was put down. Keelan drove Deb and himself home while Pat walked home in honour of Daman.  For many days, we were all lost as many of our routines included his twice a day walks and frequent cuddles.  Pat is missing his walking companion immensely – and his weight and waist line show it.

On a much lighter note, Deb was wondering what kind of new years resolution to make and decided to see if she could declutter 17 items every day for a month.  The first couple weeks were easy with 17 items of clothing, winter clothing, kitchen items, reading glasses, books etc. and donated them to Salvation Army, small toiletries to her work, and a few better sporting goods to the second-hand store.  The crunch hit the last week where she resorted to 17 recipes that she doesn’t use thrown away and then 1.7 mm of old paperwork shredded a day for a total of over 10 cm.  It was a bit of a challenge at times, but a good way to start the year.

Last winter was the snowiest winter on record in our area.  At one point the snow banks were nearly 7 feet high on either side as you tried to walk down the sidewalk. Pat had difficulty with Daman finding a place where he could do his outdoor duties as the snow was so deep except on the shoveled paths.  Deb continued to walk to work and at one point was walking on a path through the field that was about 2 feet above the ground with the unpacked snow around her another 2-3 feet higher.  It was lots of work but really quite beautiful.

Pat began the year being hobbled up with surgery just prior to Christmas on his left knee. It has continued to get stronger – and better over the year – with the lateral strength and stability back. However, there is some arthritis in the knee (probably from a childhood injury and dislocation of his knee cap), and he still hobbles the first couple of steps until it loosens up and he gets moving.

By the time March came around, he was well enough to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the warmth and walking around Veradero with Lisa and Keith – our friends from Creston. We had two weeks at Club Kawama (one of the older original resorts in the town of Veradero) – with a side trip to the Bay of Pigs and into Havana – with Roly – the tour guide we had used on our last trip.  The girls tried their skills at scuba diving in the Bay (Deb is hooked) while the guys enjoyed the local museum.  Had a great prepared lunch waiting for us at a private restaurant in the rural area of Playa Larga and then travelled on to Havana.  Roly had arranged for a wonderful Casa in a non-tourist area followed by a late supper at a private restaurant/club belonging to someone from the revolutionary days.  The next day was a tour of Havana and Mantanzas before returning to our resort.  Pat and Keith developed a good relationship with the Fernando – at the Cuban Beach bar close to where the girls took in the sun.  Pat also seemed to have arranged to have a Mojito waiting and ice-cold bottle of water waiting for him every day coming back from his walk at a little sidewalk stand off the resort.  Great trip – great time, great friends.

In May – Keelan found a kitten of his own– Mew – another polydactyl kitten. He has taken full responsibility that it is his cat – and Mew has responded accordingly. She tolerates us – and will occasionally grace us with her presence or kitty attack – but will run to Keelan at the snap of his fingers. Being an insatiably curious cat – she is constantly looking for new things to explore and consider her play ground – right up to the top of the closet walking on the hangers, sitting on the side of the tub while one showers, playing with the water in the sink, and getting into every cupboard or drawer left open as soon as your back is turned.

With the renovations completed at the cabin – and having a smaller place to maintain in town – we were successful in spending much more time out at Moyie. We got back to really appreciating the break that the cabin provides, usually one night each weekend– it is well worth it as stress relief. We can play games, walk in the campground and trails or just visit.  Being there, having the time and space – we started to sort through all the things that we have accumulated over the years, with the moves that we’ve made we found that we had many repeats of things when we finally got them all together in one spot. The local Salvation Army felt that they hit the jackpot when Deb brought in over a dozen sleeping bags (and we still have 8 at the cabin) a tent or two, or three etc. There is still much to go through but we got a good start this year

The garage at the cabin (which Keelan has claimed as his shop) is really starting to take shape-it has been the location of a few repairs on vehicles and other things. More recently it has become home to a 1993 Jeep YJ that has become a shared project with Keelan as mechanic and Pat as grunt/muscle. Although it drove into the garage under its own power – there are several things that need to be fixed or upgraded and the plan is for it to be on the road next summer.  It will never be pretty, but was bought to have something to comfortably do some back road exploring without worrying about scratches or breaking down.

Deb and Keelan continue to be active in the local Archery club – with Pat only coming out to shoot for the 3D shoots. Arlene, Ross and Devon came to visit and brought Mick on the weekend of the summer shoot.  It is very frustrating to all of us when Mick can pick up his bow once a year and maintains enough of his accuracy that he is able to beat both Pat and Deb.  Devon picked up a club bow and showed that he remembered his shooting from his childhood, Ross shot with his camera and Arlene enjoyed the walk and experience.  During practice times at the outdoor range, Pat uses the opportunity to get a ride out and then hike over the back side of the community forest into Cranbrook. As the old maps have not considered the private property that has been purchased up in the area – he’s had to do some circumnavigating around ranches and farms to get out and only once had to be rescued by Deb at dusk. He now knows the area well and has several different routes that he has mapped out. Most of the time he goes by himself – but has taken Deb, Lisa and Keith up for a stroll on a Saturday morning.

Deb enjoyed her annual family reunion up at Loon Lake, the weather was great, we stumbled our way through a game of golf and fishing produced a nice fresh feed and a little to take home.  We had an advance celebration of Cam and Lara’s upcoming wedding in October with a few funny gifts and a little razzing.  In July, she also went on her annual girls kayaking weekend – given the earlier height of the water level due to all the snow, they decided to go to a provincial campground rather than risk no beaches remote camping.  It was a beautiful place and they paddled upstream one day to find a family of coyotes calling to each other.  Deb got a brief look as one came to the water as we started to retreat.  It was however a little smoky due to the wildfires mostly up north at that time but that was soon to change.

Our summer at the cabin was cut short when one of many of the BC Wildfires resulted in the cabin being placed under an evacuation order for three weeks.  Once again, we are grateful for the fire fighters who did a fantastic job of fighting the fire with no damage to anyone’s property. It was somewhat ironic for the fires to hit our area at that time as about a week and a half earlier, Pat had volunteered to be part of the Provincial Wildfire response for the Ministry and was on call 24/7 days a week for about a month. Despite the work involved in coordinating all the provincial responses and the long hours – Pat seemed to be in his glory – doing something that he felt was worthwhile.  The only break that he had was for Mick and him to take a pre-planned 4-day trip to Vegas to give Mick a break before returning to school.  This is the second trip to Vegas for the two of them – and they concentrate on food, music and exhibitions.  Among the highlights this year were the Bellagio Gallery Muhammad Ali exhibit, and the Body exhibits at the Luxor and Bailey’s.  The break was great for both of them.

In the fall, we headed South for another holiday.  Pat and Scott headed out at the beginning of October, picked up the car in Cincinnati and went to Washington where Scott got his fill of Smithsonian Museums and civil war history.  Kelly and Deb joined them in Charlotte and we took a 2-week tour through Georgia, Florida and touched on Alabama.  The Keys were still recovering from Hurricane Irma, with about 70% of the businesses open and every business had help wanted signs.  We talked to a trucker who thought they would be on the Keys hauling away the hurricane damaged property until at least Christmas.   It was kind of strange being there vacationing in all the damage, but the businesses were happy to have people returning so that they could get back on top.  As is usual for us, we packed the days full with places to go and things to see.  We had lots of laughs and a great time sharing an area we love with Kelly and Scott.  Besides, Pat says it was a slow and relaxing holiday – only involved two oil changes … After dropping us off in Atlanta to fly home – Pat had a week by himself to slowly work the car back to Cincinnati.  He really enjoys his time exploring and hiking on his own – at a far less hectic pace.

Mick continued with his internship at Hitachi ID until the end of August.  He really enjoyed being able to just focus on one thing and not 5 classes.  He seemed to like the work and the feedback he received was very positive.  They had previously had computer science interns as opposed to Software engineers and they seemed to see a difference in approach – enough so that Mick was orienting two new interns to take his place before he left.  He is now into his final year which includes a ‘Capstone project’.  They must get an industry sponsor and complete a project start to finish and then present it.  The project that they are doing – is different enough that they had to do outside the facility to get an academic advisor – who could knowledgeable assist them.  Mick is working in a group that includes two of the guys who were part of his fab four in third year and a new recruit.  They are building some kind of new compiler for IBM. Mick has been put in the position of project manager, not really something he would have sought, but will be great experience.  While we still don’t fully (or really at all Deb says) understand what he does, he seems to… and he likes it.  He has one fun course this year – the history of Jazz which has been an enjoyable change of pace.  The professor quickly learned of Mick’s knowledge in jazz and was surprised to hear he was an engineer.

Keelan is continuing in his work toward automotive technician. He completed second year in April and does his third-year training starting in January. He continues to work at Dixon’s Service Centre but unfortunately, times have been tough and they had to lay him off last winter and he just heard today that they were laying him off again. Although he has liked in the smaller shop and the ability to do more things than in a dealership offers, he also understands that the opportunities there will be limited and has been keeping his eyes open for new opportunities.

At the beginning of November, Pat got the opportunity to take Deb to Victoria and a dinner at the Government House and a presentation. This was to acknowledge Pat’s 25 years of service with the BC government. The reception and the meal were wonderful – and one of the few times that you see Pat in a tie and dancing …

We wish you health and happiness in the new year and a Christmas season shared with friends and family.