When my parents were in their mid-thirties, after selling their trailerpark in Penticton that they owned and ran during the summer months, they bought 2862 Caen Road in Sorrento, BC right on the banks of Shuswap Lake. That was 31 years ago - 1976. It's been 31 summers, glorious summers!
Being a professional educator (with 2 months off from school) my Dad spent his summers out there with the 3 of us. My Mom would go back and forth for weeks at a time from Edmonton to Sorrento (9 hour drive) because she had a private medical practice that couldn't be run without her for too long.
Although I spent 10 months of the year during school in Edmonton, most of my practicial, spiritual and efficiency skills and attitudes I have to attribute to those precious 2 months each year that I spent out in Sorrento. I learned so much in my 31 years out there (only to have missed one summer in 1994 when I was playing waterpolo over in Britain). Here's a short little novel of a list of some of the things I've become enlightened to from having had the opportunity of experiencing events and goings on down at the bottom of Caen Road.
- I learned I had to earn my own monnies to buy my comics and candy so I got my first entrepreneurial job - picking worms and selling them for $1.75/dozen to the local bait shop. I made a killing at first.
Actually it wasn't my idea to begin with. Mike Pickle was the one who showed me that I could make some money off of these worms growing in our yard down by the lake. You see, my Dad would water the lawn from 6-9pm and when it was dark (about 9-10 pm), Mike would come with his pail and flashlight for a few hours to hunt those fat overnourished long slimy things.
At first I was grossed out but not for long. Soon I realized that I too could have my little business. So like any ruthless but fair buisness person, I sent Mike, his pail and flashlight packing and claimed my turf; my OWN backyard (or maybe Mike just got married and moved away, who knows?)
For some time, the demand was exceeding the supply (I just couldn't stock the shelves fast enough) and then the bait shop closed down (like everything seems to have it's run in a small town of 3000) and I was out of work.
It wasn't long after that worm picking escapade that my sister and I began waking up in the early hours of Saturday morning, walking 1/4 mile East to the Maple Resort Cottages where Mrs. Campbell (the proprietor) put us to work cleaning vacation cabins. That was fun! It took a few summers of Saturday morning cleaning cabins until we reached 18 or so and then we decided that this just wasn't feasible with the lifestyle we were looking for as our Friday's were shot (we had to clock into work at 8am on Saturday morning).
So, I walked up the hill to the Little Frontier (greasy spoon restaurant) and told my sister Deb to tell her boss to hire me. They did. For awhile there I would work the shifts that Deb didn't. That wasn't cool because then we, as sisters didn't have time to hang out together. Well, there was always the camp fire escapades and fireworks extravaganza (that would send our Schnauzer Bobbi under the bed until morning) to take part in. Not to mention the neighbor next door's song, "Gimme me another beer and I'll play my gee-tar for you."
Now we play, "Gimme Some Colors and I'll Color Your World" and our Number one job is to make sure that we're having FUN!
I learned how to superski (an apparatus for young children to learn to ski), get up on two planks and then drop one and finally rise on only one (slalom). It wasn't long before I learned how to wakeboard, and finally tube ride like a bat out of hell.
Meet "Tube Drivin' Dynamite Dan"
Boat Operator For Mucho Tubing Height
I have participated in the sports on Shuwsap Lake for over 20 years (except for '94 playing waterpolo and '05 when I was pregnant with Zeke). On my list of 88 Things To Do Before I Die......one of them is to continue to participate until the year I'm 75 (if I make it). Showing Up is Half the Battle...........
Happy Go Lucky Miran Miran
Cut the Rug Jan
- I learned that sound carries over water....oh yes it does! Sound doesn't care whether you're trapped under a canoe or out in the middle of the lake creating milkshakes (swimming) from one side to the other.
Project Swim Shuswap Lake...........
- I learned that people really like their binoculars - it's like you're the movie star and they're living through your vivid, juicy and delicious life.
- I learned that there are boundaries......they may not be physically present, but they're there. And so what if people in and around your space cross over into your space every once in awhile. We're all family here.
- I learned that building a 'guest house' was a great thought but I didn't expect that my family would win the "Taking Forever to Move In" Award. It is a beautiful building designed and built by the Daniel & Alan Rusler Architecture Duo. Dan being the architect. Alan being the investor. Teehee! It is an awesome piece of artwork though!
Dan's Awesome Piece
- I learned that trampolines have many uses other than jumping on. For instance, to lie on at night and look at the stars, to slip and slide on (with soap and water of course), and my personal favorite to practice successfully making sure at dusk that the sledge hammer hits the 2x4 when disassembling the sides so as not to drive the 2x4 through your lower lip!!!!
Ahh! Shall I tell you what I learned about hospitals? Well, I'll tell you one thing the Salmon Arm Hospital would give any big city hospital a run for it's money and quality of service. To date, I have a tiny, tiny scar. But I did learn that if you invite friends out to the cabin (with their children and yours), hurt yourself so that you and your girlfriend can actually have some quality time at the hospital waiting to get stitched up. Thanks Care!
This is Carolyn with Zeke (at 6 months) and her little guy Logan. Care and I are oldest friends. We've known one another since 1993. She's a pretty special au natural effervescent Momma! And, always seems to be there when catastrophe strikes.
This picture is of Carolyn's kids, Ellen, Josh, and Logan and of course Pack Daddy.
This Cape Cod chair Care made for me two summers ago. Yellow's my favorite color, of course! King Zeke now claims this chair, as you can see!
- I learned that even when you think things have rotted through......they may be a little unstable at time but they still have a long way to erode to where they are unusable. Things and people are more durable than we think.
- I learned what 'to become unplugged' really meant. I experienced camp fires of the finest caliber equipped with some serious talented guitar music, fireworks galore, and screaming neighbors who weren't in favor. So then because the fireworks were banned, I learned how to toilet paper certain Anglican church buses and roll sitting logs on church beaches into the water to set sail (I learned many other things, but I'm bound by a code and can't share). Let's just say it rolls to the tune of "I KNOW what you did last summer!" Talk to Dan about outhouse toilets - he and his friends take the brown cake there!
Speaking of cakes, Grandpa Al-Trick (AKA. Buhmpa Big Boat or Buhmpa Big Car) made sure that his first grandbaby celebrated his 1.5 years on the 25 of June. Zeke went after the cake. "Mmm, cake!"
- I learned that Father Sky has much in store if you sit on the dock at dusk and then move yourself to laying on the trampoline and looking up at the black sky with jewels in it. I also learned that boat cruises could happen at all hours of the day, even when the moon came up. This is in fact how Jason proposed on August 21, 1998 and we were married exactly a year later.
Shuswap Sunset Over the Hills - Extraordinary!
- I learned that a lake wasn't a really a top-notch lake unless it had an island that one could hike up and around and jump off of (and soon to swim to).
- I learned what closeness was when it came to the extensions outside my nuclear growing up. And I also learned to never take that for granted because just as it is present, because of our own realities, it can be taken away without warning or explanation when family codes are broken......up in smoke.....poof! That's when I really began investing in my friends account. I learned that we are unable to choose our families, but we can our friends and sometimes when we're really fortunate we can have family become friends. When the tide swings the other way, I've learned much is lost and many are affected.
- I learned that if you really wanted to get one with nature, you don't have to look to far and you'd find your very own "Enchanted Forest".
- I learned how to prune trees, cut large amounts of grass so it wouldn't dry out, and reposition the sprinkler for maximum water coverage. I learned what ditch cutting was all about and how to keep old runners on hand to do this job. And if I desired green runners like no one else, I just had to cut LOTS of grass and my runners would miraculously be stained the color of nature.
- I learned that getting to know people in the neighborhood who also had cabins, really took minimal effort. All it required was that you ceased listening to all the gossip and judgement and begin deriving your own conclusions about others. I learned early on to take a walk, meet and greet and I have always been pleasantly surprised......and never disappointed........the big bad wolf wasn't so scary afterall and nor was the lady with the big wart on her nose.
- I learned that usually only boys or the eldest girl could use the riding mower. Girls who had real girl power had to use the tiny push mower to trim (must have had something to do with my fender bender joy ride into the back of a city bus when I was 14 that restrictred me from ever being able to use the riding mower).
- Ironically, I learned that in order to have the cabin surroudings looking clean, it took a lot of work. It was fun work though. On the flip side I learned what slowing down to the speed of life really looked like. I slept in my first hammock strung between a willow tree and another tree (not sure which kind). I learned here that some trees like people just continue to weep while others reach for the sun.
- I learned that having a trailer out back (for extra accom) and sleeping in it afforded you the luxury of 'sneaking out' when the parents went to bed. I learned that it's better to sneak out with shoes on rather then run across the rocks whispering, "Ow ow."
- I learned that when you see your 1970's furniture, dishes and cutlery from the city house surfacing out at the cabin, then this is when you can call it a cabin. Encompased in this concept, I learned that make shift closests outside of bedrooms, orange shag carpet, cutlery that doesn't match, bowls and cups with chips, cob webs when you first arrive and splatter this and splatter that all over the 6 massive windows out front are all OK. This is what cabin living is about.
- I learned that it was OK to have bright pink girlie curtains and to share a room with your sister with two uncomftable single beds while your brother got his own room with a queen but it was NOT OK to wear a pink bunny suit unless you were wearing underwear and a bra (it wasn't me in the pink bunny suit).
- I learned that sensory overload was a good thing as long as the QUALITY of overload was there. The ability to smell fresh air, feel the crisp cool water between your fingers and toes as you dive off the back of the boat, throw a campfire together and watch as the sun sets over the hills. I have since learned that my own son experiences the very same QUALITY of overload that I do too!
- I learned that a first kiss out at the Shuswaps isn't a bad thing at all (not telling who....it's between me and the kisseeeee).
Here it is.....the warm and friendly orange shag. Zeke in 2006 bouncing on its plushness.
- The best learning experience took place every summer in late August in the morning when all was packed up and we were ready to roll out - the summer was over. The family would assemble on the three front steps my Dad built and we would take a year end picture. Without even realizing it until leaving this past summer, that was the spot that most of our family pictures were taken.
Auntie Deb, Dominic, Uncle Dan, Grandpa Alan, Ezekiel, and Janis
- The VERY best thing I learned and I continue to learn is that without all of these experiences out at the cabin, I wouldn't be the person I am today. They have helped to shape me. No matter where I am living in the world, I KNOW that when I see the outskirts of this small place of 3000 called Sorrento and then turn off the Trans Canada and take the swirly road down the hill to the bottom of Caen Road.....I KNOW I'VE MADE IT HOME.
The approach is 'sweet' as I run INTO the house to check to see what's happening and who my new roommates (spiders) will be. The departure is 'bitter' as I run AROUND the house looking to see if I've put everything back in it's place until next year and taken the things I need to bring along for the 9 hour trek back to Edmonton.
The moral of these writings:
Life is 'BITTER-SWEET'. So, when the bitter comes always take time to remember and savor the sweet. It will come again, but never in the same form.
Zeke enjoys the lifestyle out there because it's similar to the one he lives in Grand Cayman. This is BEAUTIFUL country and no matter where I go in the world, I always find that I still crave more of the British Columbia and the peaceful, serence, mountainous tanquility it offers!
Our wish for the future (beginning next summer), will be to afford Ezekiel the opportunity to spend most of the summer out at lake like we used to when we were kids ourselves. So if you'll be wishing to visit with us, you'll have to book at room at the Rusler Retreat. And we'd love to have you!
Connect. Grow. Inspire. Empower.
