We took Em and Brian into Campbell River, shopped and came back.  With the two-ferry waits and the 30 degree Celsius temps, it was a long day but we were looking forward to some down time and headed back with relaxation in mind.  Mind you, even that had to wait until Ginny’s cocktail party was over so as soon as we unloaded and fed the dogs, we went over to see her house, ferry the Jensens and eat more hummus.  It was good.  Ginny and her crew are doing an excellent job on the house.

By 7:00, I was ready for bed.  Couldn’t keep my eyes open.  Sal was much the same.  So we said our goodbyes and headed back across the bay with the Jensens.  I was advised by the passengers that there was a small inflatable dead ahead on a collision course.  Naturally, I gunned it.  But, of course, we averted the collision and said hello to the couple in the little boat.  “Hi.  Anyone in your group by the name of Sally Davies?”  “Well, yes.  That would be me”, said Sally.  ‘I’m Arno and this is Suzanne.  Your dad, Peter, told us to drop by when we met him at Telegraph Cove.” “Oh.  Gee.  That’s great.  Uh, we are just heading home.  Why not come to the dock?” As we headed to the dock ahead of them. Alva burst out laughing. “More guests?” “Thanks for your understanding, Alva,” I said.

Suzanne and Arno came back to the house.  Sally fed them wine, Spanikopitas and fresh salad and they left at 9:30.  I think.  I was asleep by then.  We fell into bed and wondered how this was all possible.  What had we done?  How is the Karma thing working here?

Don’t get me wrong: Arno and Suzanne were very nice.  But it was just a bit too much of a good thing, if you know what I mean.  Too many, too much, too long.  We had people in our lives like bedbugs in Morocco.  Just a little crazy.

I used to be a people person…………you know, gregarious, social, even a bit needy, perhaps.  I was, as a younger person, uncomfortable with just my own company.  Doing things by myself felt weird.  Not so anymore.  In fact, I prefer my own company second overall to having Sally with me.  After her, I am #2 on my own hit parade.  It is not so much that I have come to dislike people (though there is plenty to work with on that).  It is more like the ‘people greeting and visiting’ thing is a bit rote-like, a bit routine.  People come, we all chat and sit and eat and drink and then we hug good bye.  Nice.  But I have a funicular to build.  A tower to erect, a deck to finish.  And a number of other chores to get accomplished.  Even though relationships are way more important than chores, there comes a time when the chore list is looming and so is winter.  I really have to get on with some of it. 

Some of my friends are really very good.  They understand and some even offer to assist.  But then, I am my own worst enemy……….I usually decline their kind offer.  It just seems to me that ‘working’ my friends is kind of exploitative.  I, too, subscribe to the chat, eat, drink, hug-goodbye school of hospitality and so we all remain trapped in some kind of social inertia in the name of being ‘nice’.  Gawd, people are weird, eh?

Anyway, today was earlier declared an official ‘down’ day.  Nothing.  Nada.  Sal is supposed to sit and eat bon-bons.  Mind you, while I slept in, she tended the garden, helped a neighbour move their camp and took down our own tent while generally cleaning up.  She stripped the beds, put away linens and things, fed the dogs and walked them and then, as I got up, ran down to the beach to receive the six lengths of fire hose we just got delivered.  My first words: “So, sweetie, what would you like for breakfast?  I’m doing everything today.  You just sit.  How am I doing so far?” She just looked at me and her eyes told the story.  Looks like a long day.