Hey Stu!

So last night Tofu and I were taking our evening stroll. As we travelled by the RV’s in Northland RV Park, which is a small place just South Prince George, I was looking at license plates. I’ve only seen one other Oregon plate on our entire journey and that was in a snowstorm. I saw two California plates, but the were from Germany. Then I saw another set of California plates, and a woman standing beside the rig. I asked her about California, and she said she and her husband are from Visalia. So we talked Central California a bit and she asked where I was from. I told her Corvallis, Oregon. She said “0h my daughter and son-in-law are from Grants Pass.” Whereupon I said, “Oh I lived in Grants Pass almost 9 years. We lived a block from the high school on Baker Drive.” “when?” I gave her dates.

I should add that there were two men seated and two women standing during this encounter. The other woman piped up, “Did you know Dale and Ellen Eastman?”. After a few moments I said “Yes. Also we lived next door to Betty and Lou Lewis.” This other woman says, “Did you know Grant and Lillian Cole.” I said, “Yes I was his successor at First Christian Church.” “Did you know Judy Putnam? ” “Yes. She was my secretary, and is my friend and recently wrote me a letter.” The woman says, “My name is Shirley Ely” (At least I think that’s what she said.) ” I was Judy’s best friend in high school. So you’re from Corvallis. Do you know Stu Eide? “Sure do. He ‘s a dear friend, and he’s been playing a mean 12 string guitar and banjo with the Church’s Folk group since 1975.” Then this old guy sitting there said , “I didn’t know Stu played guitar. I think he played trumpet or trombone in high school.” Shirley says “That’s my husband Merle. He and Stu grew up across the street from each other.” Merle says “we liked to walk on stilts. Stu was brilliant and I was Dumb. He became a nuclear Physicist and I drove a Cat. Stu told me once that someday we would use our walls for our TV sets. He was right wasn’t he?” I said, “yep Stu is a brilliant guy and a great friend. Did you have fun as a cat skinner.” “My, yes” he said. I replied, “It takes a lot of smarts to drive a Cat., and you had fun doing it.Sounds to me like you’re pretty brilliant yourself.”

This conversation went on a long time, with a question, which got asked more than once, “Do you think God brought us together to have this conversation?” An hour later Tofu was ready for bed. “God bless you’s were passed all around.” So Stu, we all acknowledge that you are brilliant and a great guy. Was it just an accident, or was it providential or what?

Here’s some pictures from today’s travels.

A gathering of log houses at Mile 108. Take note of dandelions, steadily increasing since Fort Nelson. Just outside of Kamloops tonight. It’s big.Very step hillside, the downtown you can’t even see from where I took the picture. Our campground is in a Canyon, by receding flood waters. In order to get juice to write this blog we had to travel to the top of a hill. It’s hot and humid here. I’m taking Tofu to the shade. I’ll catch you up tomorrow on the sights of today. Six raven, no other wildlife, but plenty of signs.

Goodnight and Love. Going to Oregon tomorrow!