Cal's Journal

It was Father’s Day today. I was sitting at a picnic table beside the river in Kettle River Provincial Park. The sound of the water gurgling by, and the birds singing in the surrounding trees brought a sense of calm to my soul. The incessant mosquitos gave my body fits. I had to put a long sleeve shirt and long pants on to be able to sit in comfort at a table on the banks of a very full Kettle Read more

The last few days off the grid feel like they passed by in a haze. A paddle on the river was my highlight. Connecting with my brother and his family was a rewarding experience. Living in his chaos was difficult and gave me a desire to do something to help. I know that nothing can help a person in chaos except themselves. He spoke of cleaning, organizing, and creating a better space for his family. I understand that sometimes we Read more

Nelson BC is a beautiful town nestled on a mountainside at the west end of Kootenay Lake. Perched on the edge of the Selkirk mountains, it is scenic and welcoming. Nelson is coping well with the pandemic. Much better than its little neighbour Rossland. I had a very productive day and drove thirty minutes east to the village of Winlaw. As I went up the Slocan Valley I drove into the past. My brother Lucas lives in simplicity on a Read more

I am still on the grid. In my life plans can change, often. I am sitting at a desk in my room at the beautiful Hume hotel in downtown Nelson. It works better for me to end up in Nelson tonight, tomorrow I will land at my brothers. I worked in Rossland today, when I stopped for lunch I knew I would be done early. Nelson seemed like the place to go, I needed a place to sit and have Read more

Three months ago they closed Big White Ski Resort. Three months of lockdown, time has flown slowly by and the world has changed. Our lives and the way we live them may never be the same again. March 16, 2020 will be a day that will live on in many of our minds. It was the last time I had skis on my feet and freedom in my heart. It has been ninety-two days of living with Covid19, living in Read more

We saw a double rainbow this evening. It was an amazing sight indeed. It filled the sky, it filled our eyes, and it filled our souls. The colours were bright and the rays of the sun lit up the evening to illuminate with reds, blues, and yellows above the valley below. Krista and I walked to the top of the hill to get the full view. I wanted to yell to the world “look at the rainbow!” I pointed at Read more

I was woken up by a strange alarm sound this morning. I didn’t recognize the odd noise, I just knew it had to be an alarm. My daughter’s phone was making strange sounds. I resisted the urge to throw it out the window and merely turned off the alarm… the second time it went off. 6 am was way too early for my liking, but my daughter was determined to make the first ferry. In a moment of weakness, I Read more

We began our day packing up and readying ourselves to vacate our peaceful haven by the river and the sea. It was time to make our way south to Victoria and Sidney. Tomorrow we will return to the mainland and our lives at home. In the meantime, we have another day to enjoy Vancouver Island. Krista has an aunt and uncle in Qualicum Beach. It was on the way to Victoria. A stop seemed like a good idea. In the Read more

I awoke to the gentle drumming of raindrops on a tin roof. A sound that has a double edge effect. While pleasant sounding, it’s usually not very pleasant outside. I opened the patio door and was greeted by the fresh aroma of morning rain. The smell was invigorating and cleansing and I chose to step outside and embrace the moment. Until I started to get wet. I ducked back inside and headed for the coffee pot. I always think of Read more