May 26

The morning remained rainy and foggy, the prospect of more pie and pool playing and of getting a tour of Doreen’s husband Gary’s museum made most of us want to lay over for a day, but Behr was eager to return to Vancouver and return to tending his mother.  After much discussion a vote was taken and Behr decided to head back on his own, upsetting Murray. 

The remaining crew of five agreed to rent one of Doreen’s cabins, a log house fitted out with beds, kitchen, bathroom, and red curtains, none of which was unappealing after our time in the woods. Steven and Murray dove into the cold lake.  Doreen joined us for Murray’s morning Pome reading. 

Gary reminisced about his history as a lineman and union official during the bitter conflicts with BC Hydro in the ‘50’s and then led us through his extensive museum of local antiquities, including his locked collection of electric line insulators, one of which he had sold for $11,000.   Among thousands of intriguing items was a portent of the future: an electric lamp whose current flowed through a meter informing the user of real time energy cost.

Despite living in Lund for nine years, Steven had never played pool, so the rest of the band, along with two lodge employees from Germany made it their mission to instruct him.  So successful were their efforts that he was condemned to winning game after game, required by the rules to face all challengers.

Late in the afternoon, a new group of cyclists came in out of the rain: eight young nurses.  Upon first appearance Lionel surmised they were of the “other persuasion,” but was soon disabused by their good looks and suggestive comments toward us boys, partially perhaps prompted by the quick consumption of several beers.  As we exchanged tales of conquering obstacles on the trail, the door opened again, and there appeared Robert smiling and healthy, and along with him the not long departed Peter.  Both were eagerly welcomed, along with the eighteen pack of Kokanee they carried.  Somehow they had made contact in Naramata, many miles down the trail, and agreed to travel together the next day to Vancouver in Peter’s car, leaving Robert’s vehicle to take the rest of us home from Princeton.  This miraculous reunion distracted from socializing with the nurses.  The rest of the evening was spent in our cabin, cooking vegetables and rice, Peter’s reading from a book about aging gracefully, and a somewhat dispirited game of cards.