A Fog Lifter Morning
Waking up in Vancouver. I have one full day here before I head to the Okanagan. I grew up adoring this city; could not wait until I was done school and able to leave the burbs. It was an hour away by bus, but to me it was a glamorous destination. When I was 16 one of my brothers gave me a car. A Volkswagen Beatle. He was already living on the West Side, had a real job and a great rental in a heritage house with a couple of roomies. He went to trade the bug in on a more appropriate ride for his new status. There he discovered it was only valued at $500. It was September, my birthday, and time to start my final year of high school. 'This is not a birthday present' he said to me. 'I just don't want you to grow up here'. Where we lived was fine, but he, and by extension I, wanted something we thought was more happening. I loved that bug, I drove to his house to spend every weekend he'd let me on the pullout, and the minute I graduated he had me lined up with a job in a brokerage firm in the heart of the city.
I do still like Vancouver. Now though, freshly returned from more tropical climes, I see every building as damp and shadowed. I imagine wet building materials; damp drywall, soggy silicon on wet window sills. Maybe I'll fall back in love with it. Two of our three kids live here, and of course my grand baby is solid bait to want to spend time here. But this morning true to form it's raining. I've found my way to this cool cafe, Foglifter, right around the corner from my bonus boy's house. I'm sheathed in a cheap rain coverup, my glasses are fogging as I breathe, but the coffee is good and the setting is perfect. There's a very cool vibe here on Main Street, and I have plans for lunch and dinner with family and my old college buddies. Ya, I could probably fall back in love with this place
But we've got some miles to put on over the next few months. I'm bopping back and forth, getting projects cleaned up and every thing set, then we're off to travel the world. I promised you 50 countries, and I'll deliver, but first we have a few local stops. BC in the fall; I'll keep that cheap raincoat handy, but tomorrow looks promising. We're off to the Sunny Okanagan.
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