Three weeks after the flood BC is burning. The province has declared the fire zone, mostly north and west of Kamloops and much of the southern interior, a provincial disaster area. The water on many of the lakes is not expected to recede to normal levels until mid August, boats are urged not to make wakes, the shores are still littered with debris from broken docks, etc. and yet the surrounding hills are crisp, brown and ready to burn. We've been doing all biking and hiking early in the morning so we're finished by noon. Jay was in charge of a fire restoration last week; he spent hours dehydrating in a hazmat suit and drinking litres of water during the breaks. This week they are going to start the work day at 6am and end at 2:30pm. The mornings and evenings are lovely and the nights cool enough so that by leaving all the windows open all night I haven't had to turn on the air conditioning yet; although I might have to today because I'm going to bake a belated birthday cake for May and again tomorrow because the gang is coming here for dinner and I'm going to make chicken the Tillie Pollock way, cut in pieces and broiled on the bottom shelf with rosemary. May is going to bring the rice and veg. I haven't seen the girls since they got home from Korea.
I spent the Canada Day long weekend with my oldest friend, Bert's mother-in-law Jean who is 98. She got shingles about a week before that and had spent time with her son and his wife in Summerland but wanted to return to her own home for the weekend. She phoned me to see if I'd join her. I was happy to because I've always admired her. She's no Pollyanna, but neither does she dwell on the dark side. She's bright and always determined to do and learn whatever she can. And she's funny. She uses old expressions that I haven't heard before and would like to keep in my mind but can't. Maybe they'll come back to me when I'm 98; although I don't know if I want to get there. My mom and dad's last years in their 90s were hard, and Jean is really struggling now. I hope her shingles don't become post herpetic neuralgia as mom's did because she's mentally but not physically strong enough to carry on with that.
Jean enjoying a break from the pain and a prune juice sundowner in her back yard on Canada Day
A Mariposa Lily on our last hike up Silver Star
A mariposa on a orchid on the hill at Silver Star
May and the girls at the Blue Ocean jimjilbong in Incheon
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