Cal'gry

After leaving Andrew's we stopped in Nelson. Our mission, to find me a hat. Jon tells me this is where he bought his hat years ago (which I live but is too big for my head). We stroll up and down the main drag, wandering in and out of stores. When we find the store his hat came from I'm disappointed to see its a men's clothing store and they have nothing suitable to perch upon my noggin. Cest la vie. We check out a recommended French bakery. The couple that owns it are lovely but the bread is lacking. We stop at the local co op and stock up for the road. We buy a new coffee, Oso Negro, saving our last pound of Yoka's for desperate times.

 Mostly uneventful traveling on the road. One of the mountain passes had 7 foot high snow banks on either side of the road. The summit was quite impressive. The van is acting weird, Jon is stressed by it. Struggling up the hills and not smooth gear shifting. He is appalled by the mileage we are getting.

We make it to Sparwood, it's raining. We had plans to stop at Kikomun Creek campground for the night, but it's closed. I led us to believe there was a Walmart parking lot in Sparwood we could sleep in, but alas wrong again. We agree to treat ourselves to a hotel on this cold rainy night. It's clean, and newly renovated and the boss gives us a room with two beds for the price of one. We take a much needed hot bath and hook my computer up to the flat screen and watch Game of Thrones and go to bed. In the morning we rise early to hit the road again. We have breakfast at the Coal Miner's Diner, large portions, decent food, friendly small town service.

The van is still acting miserable once we're on the highway again. Passing through the town of Frank is a point of interest. I describe the history to Jon as we go through. It's been a few years since I've driven through myself and I'm always amazed by the size of boulders. Driving through the foothills is painful. We pull over at one point, admitting something is wrong and try to call BCAA, but we're out of the cell service area. We flag someone down and she says her home phone has been disconnected because of the construction in the area so she can't help us. We're about 40km from Nanton, so we push on. We stop at the Flying J truck stop and Juni and I get a table at the Humpty's while Jon makes arrangements to have the truck towed. It's not the first time I've hunkered down in a Humpty's waiting to be rescued, so I know the drill. Unfortunately, it's 4:30 before the long weekend and there is no chance of getting the van into the mechanics until Monday. We fear it's the transmission. We finally arrange a tow but the driver can only take 2 people with him in his truck. Our BCAA has trip interruption insurance, so it covers tow, hotel and rental car if needed. Unfortunately all the rental places are minutes from closing, and none can accommodate our bike rack. We're exhausted and frustrated so we call it a day and get a hotel room. No small feat in Nanton Alberta. There are 2 options, $45 a night in a room above the local bar (sure to get rowdy on the kickoff to the long weekend) or The Double D Motel. We settle on the latter, not really a hard decision, but when we get inside our room I'm horrified. I'm by NO MEANS a high maintenance girl, but a room with mystery stains on the wall, hair in the sheets and a strange odour of burnt natural gas is too fucking much. Jon tells me we just have to make the best of it, it's all part of the adventure, "I slept under a bridge in Los Angeles with poopy underwear!", blah blah blah. I'm barely listening. As we're unpacking I keep thinking he is going to jump out and yell "JUST KIDDING! You didn't really think I was going to make you stay here, did you?! We're going to the Super 8 down the road!" But he doesn't, and there is no Super 8. I do a thorough scan for bed bugs, and a quick google search for reviews. Big mistake. The first result is "Body found in Nanton motel!" and "Murder Suicide in Double D Motel!" Shit. I quickly scan the mattress for blood stains. Time for the heavy artillery. We have two beds so I dress Juni and my bed with our own sheets and pillows. I smudge the room and ourselves and burn some incense to mask the gas smell, a perk to having your very own gas furnace in your room. Seriously, it looks like it barely made it through the 80's. There's a note tacked on the wall beside it instructing us to open the lower portion and turn the red knob counter clockwise half way for a temperature of 70 degrees. We open the door and there is no red knob. There's a black one, numbered 1-10, so we crank it to 10 for good measure. The room is freezing. I run a bath to warm our bones and discover another little perk of the Double D. The water is so chlorinated it's a lovely tinge of blue. It's like we have our own private hot tub!

All jokes aside we survived the night and I'm grateful we had 4 walls to protect us from the elements. The next day Jon rode into Calgary with the tow truck driver and came back with Eric's (our future host) Jeep.

We arrived in Calgary at our gracious host and hostess' home, Heather and Eric. They were recently married in August of 2013 and expecting their first baby in September! Heather is my good friend, we met in 2005 when I started working at Burnco in Calgary. She's always been a big supporter of me throughout the years and I'm so glad we get to spend a few day together. She is totally lovestruck by Juni. It's snowing!

We chat for a few hours and catch up, then have dinner and play a board game before bed.  The next day Eric and his dad are renovating the kitchen early morning and Heather is going to a shower (baby or wedding, I can't remember which). We decide to clear out and give them room to work so we hop in Eric's jeep and head downtown to Nellie Cosmic Cafe. 

The food is ok, the service is great. It seems like the entire restaurant is in love with Juniper. Afterwards we take a stroll down 17th, and stop in for a coffee as Cafe Beano, it's a happening place and the coffee is pretty good. We head back towards home base and stop and a whole foods store for some supplies. It's a great store but damn expensive and we quickly spend more than we should. We're making dinner tonight so when we get home Jon walks to the Co-op to get some meat. We BBQ some steaks and potatoes and I make a big kale salad. Jon grills some peppers and makes an AMAZING salsa.

After dinner we head to Jon's old old friend Bryson's place for a fire/jamboree. It's been 20 years since they've last seen each other but they fall back into it with ease. Bryson is a bluegrass/country musician and he invites some friends to play around the fire. We don't stay too long, Juni is teething and has had about enough festivities by 10:30. Bryson is very glad he got to see Jon, and I feel regretful that we can't stay longer.

The next day Heather invites us to Easter Dinner at her parents house, Barry and Noreen. I love Heather's family a lot. They've always been really good to me and I'm excited to introduce them to Juni. We go over around 1pm and are graced with some sunshine so we sit outside and catch up with everyone on the patio. Noreen is beaming when she meets Juniper, and I can tell she is excited to be a grandma. The other guests slowly start arriving, they are all old friends and it's great to see everyone. Juni is naturally the center of attention amongst the parents. Dinner is served and it's delicious! Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, yams, salads and all kinds of delicious desserts. Heather and Eric both had to leave at separate times, so Heathers brother Nick gives us a ride home. We kick back and watch a movie, enjoying having some time to ourselves after so much hustle and bustle.

The next day we don't do much. Jon takes the van into the shop. I went for a bike ride, a little scary not knowing what the laws are in Calgary or how used to cyclists drivers are. We mostly hang out and relax. Heather and Eric go to a birthday party after work and we relax in the back yard with Juni and Ty, their dog. We all watch Game of Thrones when they get home, and Heather and Eric fall asleep on the couch. Tuesday is much of the same but we all go for a walk and I find the See Ya Later Ranch wine at the liquor store. We go out for pho with Nick and our friends Lauren and Jess. We reminisce and laugh about old times. Most specifically the time Heather and I threw a rotten pumpkin out the door of a moving van on 17th ave. It smashed at the feet of some people waiting for a bus, and Heather and I were laughing so hard we almost fell out of the van. It's nice to see my old friends again, and we laugh so hard I have tears in my eyes all through dinner.

We pack up when we get home. Juni has a hard time falling asleep. Her gums are really hurting her. The next day we sleep in and miss Eric and Heather before they go to work. We're out the door and on the road by noon. Jon stops at Lee Valley to buy a carving axe. It's a sunny day.

Our time in Calgary was relaxing, but in all honesty I didn't miss that city at all. The people in it are very dear to my heart, but the city has just grown too large. There are so many cars, and it seems really unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists. I'm happy we had a chance to reconnect with old friends and Juni had a great time meeting everyone.

EDIT- I forgot I add this hilarious photo of Juni trying some of papa's smoothie. She loved it, to say the least. 

And of course, you didn't think I could write about Alberta and not have something nasty to say about the far sands and the oil industry, did you? We saw this beauty on our way to pho. 

In case you can't see, it's a dodge charger MAGNUM XL SUPER CHARGED DOUBLE EXTREME! The license plate reads HVY OIL and yes, those are 2 support our troops ribbons on the back.

Slocan Valley

I lost count of the days. Apparently the Slocan can do that to you. 

We left OK Falls mid-day. Spent some time bumming around the thrift store in Penticton. Found Juniper a sweet pair of kicks! 

We took the scenic route to Winlaw so we could take the Needles ferry. It's a small cable ferry and it was pretty fun. We saw an eagle land on a pole on our side if the lake before we boarded and it watched over our short journey to the other side. We were only about an hour and a half from Winlaw but we were tire so decided to camp at Burton Flats for the night. It was a beautiful campground overlooking, well... flats as the name suggests. Nestled in between the mountains we had a small fire from gathered dead fall and cooked some smokies for dinner and shared a bear then cozied in for the night. The best part is we didn't have to pay for the night because there were no envelopes for the deposit box and the park ranger never came by. When I woke up at dawn to pee there was a small herd of Elk grazing on the grass a few hundred meters from our van. 

When we first arrived we were greeted by Andrew and his many dogs, big and small. He showed us around his property, the clubhouse, the barn where we are staying and the yurt. He's a handy man for sure. The barn is absolutely beautiful. A small apartment hand built with lots of wood, a balcony and a wood burning stove. An outhouse and no hot water, but who cares! We nested down quickly and got it toasty warm and I never want to leave! 

We spend the first night in Winlaw at a cafe called Sleep is for Sissies, or just Sissies to the locals. There is an African drumming group and belly dancing. Apparently there is a large African dance scene in Winlaw. We meet Jen Green and her and Andrew's daughter Maya, who is 15, and Jen's partner Claude and have dinner. A local band is playing, some hippie chicks. Jen is ecstatic when she meets Juniper. She and Jon are old friends from Toronto, and she tells me about her love for Johanne and Earl Grey. I like her right away. She and Maya are going to be in Toronto mid May. I'm amazed by the amount of dreadlocks there are in this small town where everyone clearly knows everyone. Winlaw is a pretty freaky town, but I like a place where you're free to let your freak flag fly, so I won't say anything negative about the scene there. End of sentence, period. It's a good night and we rude home with Jen and Maya and Claude and snuggle down in our cozy apartment. 

The next day is like the first day of spring all over again. Andrew is cleaning up around the yard, Kathy his partner is arranging the patio and lawn furniture and Jon starts a fire in the pit near the main house. We're roasting one of Andrews chickens. It's seems Jon's destiny to cook on fires everywhere we go. We so end the day lounging on the grass and drinking a few beers. Andrew has 4 free roaming chickens, and it's pretty comical when they climb up on the deck and get shooed off again by Kathy. 

The next few days are kind of a blur. We do a lot of lounging, reading and building fires. We ride our bikes into Winlaw one day and have lunch and watch the Winlaw Theatre in front of Kaiyu's Cafe. Not really a theatre, just the goings on of the town and the locals. We check out the local thrift store, which is AWESOME! Probably the best second hand store I've ever been in. I find two items, both altered by the local designer and on consignment. We find a sun hat for Juni, and meet a puppy with a runny eye. We make home fry chicken poutine with the leftovers from Andrew's massive bird another day. 

On our second last day we do some laundry and meet Jen at her craft shop, Needle in the Haystack. It's adorable and super fun. Jen quickly sews our makeshift curtains together and we try and find a hat in her store to fit Juni's head. Amazingly and unfortunately they are all too small! (Juniper's was was in the lower percentile when she was born.) We part ways at the local grocer with plans to meet at Andrews for yet another roast chicken. Jon and Andrew get another fire going and Juni and I spend the remainder of the day in the barn napping. We have a fun and delicious dinner with everyone, and finish it off with some Coconut Dream dark chocolate ice cream! MMM! We hug and say goodbye with promises to see each other in a few weeks in Toronto. I insist they don't leave until we get there. Andrew builds a fire to keep warm for the night and We three retire to watch Game of Thrones before bed. 

We rise early the next day and pack the van and say goodbye to Andrew. He tells us he doesn't get many visitors and will miss us. Jon tells him he'll be back in June. As we drive away I realize I never considered how hard it would be to say goodbye to all our friends old and new along the way. We spend just enough time with people in their homes to really get comfortable and at ease with them and then it's farewell again. I am however very grateful we have people all the way across the country to receive us and wish us well on the next leg of our journey. 

Day 3 - A bad sleep, the beach and a long table dinner.

A rough night. We all sleep in until 10. I'm in a bad mood, but a hot shower quickly cures me. Jon makes coffee and breakfast. We eat while Felix paints. I'm watching he and Mel interact, she's a good mom. Felix is polite and kind, and it seems to come naturally to him. After breakfast Felix invites Juniper and I to jump on the trampoline with him, which really means dodging his attacks and laughing at his exaggerated crashes. Jon is practicing the banjo he bought as a going away present to himself. Today's song, Skip To My Loo.  

We decide to take a walk to the beach. Juniper is ready for a nap so I throw on the snuggly. I forget we're in the dessert and wear too many layers. I sweat the whole way but it feels good to be warm. We walk into town first because we forgot water and my throat is already feeling like its full of sand. I take a gander around the convenience/liquor store, keeping an eye out for the delicious wine from the night before. No such luck. Jon says the winery is just down the road so we should go straight to the source. We do spy an IPA that looks rather tasty. Full Nelson Organic IPA. We'll be back for that one. 

When we get to the beach I immediately kick of my shoes and head for the water. The warm air is deceiving and I'm quickly reminded that winter has just barely left. The water is cold! Jon says since I didn't get in the ocean I have to get in every body of water we encounter along the way. I promise to jump in the ocean next time we're in Victoria.

Jon keeps remarking how nice it is here, and how good the warm air feels on his knees. He reminds me that we may just find somewhere we like better than Toronto and decide to live there.

 We sit down at a picnic table for some time and talk. He tells me a few facts and statistics from the baseball book he is currently reading. I'm barely listening. We talk about the Slowcan Valley and going to Costa Rica with Chantal and the kids this winter. 

Jon gets a text from Jeff, he'll be here in 45 minutes to take him to Oliver. Jeff's restaurant is having a long table dinner tonight and Jeff has asked Jon to roast the suckling pig, a task that is right up his alley. We walk back to the house and make a quick lunch. Juniper wakes up and has a quick visit with Papa before he's off. Mel and Felix are going to pick up Ronin from school and then to Penticton for groceries. I consider going with but would rather relax on the patio. So we do just that. Juni plays on a blanket with Felix's puzzles and I surf the net and download some movies. The family dog Winston cuddles up beside Juni and she buries her face in his shaggy fur. I get a message from Jon saying that Sonny, the lady next door, wants to lend me her car so I can go to the dinner in Oliver tonight. She gets home at 5 o clock, about the same time Mel and the kids get back from Penticton. I share a Stella with Mel while we get ready and chat with Sonny and Derrick about the farm and the winery. They have a 17 month old daughter named Ruby Mae! Juni is delighted by her. Sonny invites us to check out the farm where Derrick works tomorrow. I check my watch and realize we're cutting it pretty close to make it for dinner so we throw ourselves in the car and head out. It's 25 minutes on the highway, and a beautiful drive. The road hugs the lake for the first half then dark, looming cliffs pop up in front of us. Juniper falls asleep just as we are pulling into Oliver and it's about 5 more minutes to the restaurant and winery. I'm nervous. I feel like I'm underdressed and won't fit in with the high brow crowd of the valley. 

We walk into the restaurant and the server directs us to the table, where they already have a high chair for Juni. There are 10 other guests, and they all appear to be wealthy retiree's. I start to sweat. Here I am, fussy baby, blue jeans and holes in my cardigan. They in their designer glasses, boutique outfits and heavy jewellery. This was a mistake. I awkwardly sit down and Juniper becomes instantly restless. For the first time I'm afraid to nurse in front of a group of people. She's the kind of baby that still needs to nurse down for a nap and this will be a nightmare if I can't. I feel like we will just be an inconvenience to their evening. The lady beside me smiles and introduces herself and the woman seated next to her. They are retirees who just moved from Edmonton to Summerland. They all know each other. I'm the odd one out. She asks if I live in the valley and I tell her our story, in transit from Victoria to Toronto to live with our family. I tell her my partner is friends with Jeff the chef and has cooked the suckling pig we will be devouring tonight. They seem impressed and call me their guest of honour. They are all goo goo over Juni, and she plays into their cooing by showing them her gummy smile and clapping. Ok, this isn't so bad. I begin to think I may have  misjudged them. Jon emerges from the kitchen looking very humble. I noticed there isn't a plase set for him and I ask him if he'll be able to join us for dinner. It doesn't appear that way and I get anxious again. I feel as if I'll be intruding on their fancy dinner if I whip my boob out and feed my baby in front of them. Another couple joins the table, closer to my age and I learn they are on a blind date. I'm relieved to not be the most awkward person at the table anymore. Jon senses my anxiety and returns to the kitchen to ask Jeff if he will be able to join me for dinner. When he doesn't immediately return I prepare to bite the bullet and fend for myself. The conversation at the table turns to the respective colors of the retirees convertibles and golf club memberships. I tune into the conversation the young couple are having and they seem to be hitting it off. They both ride motorcycles and are well-traveled. Jeff emerges from the kitchen to welcome us to his restaurant and tell us about the meal we will be sharing tonight. As an appetizer bacalao fritters and foraged Watercress, The main course Portuguese style suckling roasted pig. I order a glass of wine, Cabernet Franc as suggested by our server. The appetizer is served. I look around trepidatiously at my fellow guests wondering if there's something of a ceremony to happen before we all begin eating, as no one has touched their plates yet. Finally we all tuck in to our cod fritters. They're quite delicious. One of the servers brings round aNother place setting and sets it up beside me. I ask her if Jon will be joining us now and she smiles and tells me he will. I beem inside and the second he sits down I immediately put Juni to my breast. After they clear away out plates they start serving the fingerling potatoes and kale, and the roast pig arrives as well. The pig is very tender and juicy but the cracklings are what really shines through for me. Chewy and crunchy both the same time and packed full of flavor. Jon is pleased with his work and so are the other guests. They begin to ask him about his food truck and his experience as a chef. They all share their experiences of street food in the different places they've been in their lives. Redfish Bluefish is mentioned in we're asked if we have ever been, Jon smiles and says of course. After the dessert is served Jeff comes out of the kitchen again and introduces Jon, myself and Juniper and tells them a little bit about our journey across Canada and thanks Jon for his contribution to the dinner tonight. Jon excuses himself and goes back to the kitchen to hang out with the boys for a few minutes before we leave. I strike up a conversation with the ladies next to me about food trucks, mainly the bylaws in Victoria and Vancouver. They're very interested and  friendly, and I feel a bit foolish for my initial snap judgment. Coffee is served and we excuse ourselves and thank them for their company tonight. They wish us well and congratulate us on our new ventures and baby. 

 As we step outside the restaurant doors we're both amazed at how warm the night air is. John takes the drivers seat and we head back OK Falls. I wish the sun was still up so we could see the cliff faces again. When we get back to the house smell is reading aloud to Ronin on the couch. The Order of the Phoenix. Ronin is very excited to see Juniper and asks her to come sit beside him on the couch. We hang out in the living room for a little while before we all decide it's time to go to bed. 

As I crawl into bed beside my beloved, I recognize again that I am grateful for the life and and experience I share with Jon. For all the people I know and can now call family, and all the cool things we have done together. Grazi Cosmos.

Day 2 - Penticton, deer venison, home brew cider and the best damn wine I've ever had.

We're greeted by Mel and Felix in their pajama's. It's 10am. Felix is 2 and looking a little shy in his Mama's arms. Juni is asleep in mine so Mel heads in the house with Jon to start on breakfast. Jon comes back out after a while and says breakfast is ready. The smile on his face tells me it's going to be good. We go in and find the table set. Bacon, egg sandwiches on English muffins and COFFEE! I'm nervous at first (coffee snob) but my first sip tells me they aren't folgers drinkers. It seems Mel has picked up a few tricks on cooking from the big Chef Jeff in their time together. Jeff is in Kelowna shopping for a fishing rod for his approaching trip to Cuba, and Ronin is 7 and in school, so it's just the 5 of us for breakfast. Felix takes to Juni right away, helping me with her toys and stroking her head while I change her diaper. Juni is also pretty amazed by this big kid who can walk and talk and eat on his own. Alas, she is quickly forgotten in favour of puzzles and a miniature lawn mower. Mel changes the record and points to an end table in the corner, "You guys see this antler table?" We look over and I tell her sure, it's pretty cool. She says nothing and I ask what she thinks of it. "Friggin hideous." Jeff brought it home one day, completely enamored with it. Mel says she'd like it better if it lived in Jeff's workshop. 

Doc

After breakfast we hang out with Felix as he works on his puzzle. Juni says it's time for a real sleep, and the brim on Jon's hat is getting suspiciously lower and lower over his eyes. We retire to the van for a nap and are surprised by how warm it is outside. It's still a grey day, but as we're dozing the sun peeks out here and there, warming the van quickly.  We hear a truck driving up the shared driveway and Jon says it's Jeff. He hops out to say hello, Juni and I stay put and catch some Z's. 

After we wake we go in, meet Jeff and shower up. Mel takes the dog to the park and Jeff gets busy on some yard work. We learn we are having Shephards Pie made with deer venison Jeff hunted himself. We'll contribute some of Cory's bacon we picked up at Fry's on the way out of town. Jon hangs out on the porch yakking over the fence to Derrick, Jeff's long time neighbor and also a Chef. They tell him about the cider they have been brewing, and are planning to go in to business together. We will sample said cider tonight! It's like the first day of spring here, everyone is bustling about in their yards, raking and tidying up from the long winter. 

We debate riding our bikes into town, but Jeff warns us that there isn't much to see or do. We decide to drive to Penticton, about 15 min away. He gives us directions to the nearest health food store. It's a beautiful drive along the lake. One there We buy some road snacks for ourselves and food for Juni. We've recently discovered "tube food". Essentially organic fruit and vegetable purée in a squeeze pouch. She likes them and they're a great distraction for the road, and this store had a huge selection. After a shop it's time for mama and papa to eat. We take a spin down the main drag and find nothing interesting, we're craving Mexican and all we see is Taco Bell and Taco Time. Not Mexican at all. Pass. We go all the way to the end and figure we'll try Carl's Jr. It's pretty good as far as fast good burgers go. Beats Dairy Queen that's for damn sure! All in all Penticton is pretty underwhelming.  We grab some food for dinner and head back to OK Falls. 

Oh, and did I mention it's flipping beautiful outside!? Sunshine and nearly 20 degrees! So, we're driving down the lakeside road with the windows open and we see some horses. I realize I've never ridden a horse. I make a mental note to myself to put the word out on Facebook to friends that I want to ride a horse on this journey.

When we get back to the house Mel and Jeff and the kids are sitting on the back deck. Jeff pours us some of his cider, and tells us a little about it. They're still in the experimental stages, so it's humble, but good for what it is. Jon and Jeff move to the kitchen and start preparing dinner. They drink some more cider, we crack a beer, our favourite Red Racer IPA. It is damn good. I wish we'd stocked up on more before we left. Juniper and I are playing on the floor with Felix when Mel catches Juni's eye and swoops in to take her on their trampoline in the back yard. I seize the moment of having 2 free hands and bring in our bags. Supper is soon ready, and naturally it is delicious. Prepared by 2 chefs. Venison and beef shepherds pie with steamed yams and a spinach, pear and goat cheese salad. Another guest, Carol arrives. A friend of Mel and Jeff's, and as it turns out her partner owns Thai on the Fly food truck. Small world. She lives in Oliver, just south of where we are and is an event coordinator for the town. She's here to pitch an idea to Jeff and his neighbour Derrick. Of course, being in wine country there are two bottles on the table and they are both out of this world. My favourite of the night is See Ya Later. Very rich and fruity, and actually one of the best wines I've had in a long time. 

It's a good thing we decided to dine inside tonight, aside from the rapidly setting sun there are SWARMS of Mosquitos. Alright, not literally swarms, but in the short time that the back door was open the house has become a battle ground. Our background dinner noise in between the conversation consists of slapping and cursing and plenty of spilled glasses in vein attempts at swatting the tiny bloodsuckers. I'm pretty sure I haven't had one mosquito bite since moving to Vancouver Island and tonight I've sustained at least 3. 

When all the food is gone we push our plates away and try to get down to the real business of drinking wine and catching up, but are quickly reminded that Carol is here with an agenda. Derrick can't be pulled away from his domestic duties, so it's just Jeff in the hotseat. We tune in and out of the conversation, Mel retires to begin the boys bedtime rituals, Juni busy's herself with Felix's puzzles and we send a birthday greeting to Jon's niece Sasha in Toronto. Turning 7 today. Happy Birthday Sasha! 

I spill another glass of wine and tell Jeff a little about my time in San Francisco with Fakir, and I'm surprised to find he knows about him. But not really because I suppose it's his generation that grew up reading about him in Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Juni becomes increasingly more irritated at my flailing attempts to keep her entertained. It's nearly 10 so I make the call to send us both to bed. Ronin is kind enough to sacrifice his room to us tonight. I've got a pretty nasty case of heartburn from all the rich food and wine, a small price to pay. Juni and I bed down while Jon and Jeff clean up and have some bro time. I'm already dreaming about tomorrow's breakfast.