Food, friends and family

Sunday, August 19, 2007
CHILLIWACK, B.C. — A beautiful breakfast of fresh-baked cranberry-almond scones, hot coffee, cereal and golden-fried slices of ham awaited us in the warm, inviting kitchen of our hosts, Linda and Ken Byrt this morning. When we weren’t chomping appreciatively, our chins were wagging in conversation about every topic under the sun.
The Byrts have covered considerably more miles in North America with their truck and fifth-wheel trailer than we have, so they have a wealth of wisdom, experience and tidbits to pass on, which we gratefully absorbed.
I absented myself from the group for the Sunday service at St. John’s Anglican Church nearby — and returned wonderfully restored from singing favourite hymns, participating in sacred rituals, and contemplating the mysteries of life in the spirit.
When I got back, Ken and Linda took us to see their new trailer, which was parked in a compound at the Pacific Regional Training Centre, a large campus owned by the RCMP where members can go for in-service training in a wide range of areas. It was great to see the Centre, which we had read quite a bit about, as well as to look at all the well-designed features of the Byrts’ new home on wheels.
Back at the house, on this somewhat grey and drizzly day, Linda’s homemade beef and barley soup and warm buns were a welcome treat as the conversation continued around interesting travels, eccentric characters one meets along the way, and the many adventures of nomadic life.
Before we knew it, it was time for Val and me to head toward Vancouver to meet my brother John, my nephew Spencer and his girlfriend Laurie. We had realized, when talking to John on the phone, that to drive all the way in to his place in Vancouver West from Chilliwack would eat up a large portion of the afternoon, so we arranged to meet at a halfway point, the historic town of Fort Langley. Laurie suggested a little coffee house for our rendez-vous, which was not at all hard to find, thanks to our GPS and Streets and Trips program.
It was a delight to see them, and to collect big bear hugs from John and Spence. We whiled away several hours, catching up on everyone’s news, getting acquainted with Laurie, and enjoying the coffee house fare. We also strolled around the main street of Fort Langley, which had quaint little shops and an old-fashioned look about it that was very appealing.
After a very pleasant afternoon, we parted ways. Our route back to Chilliwack took us along Highway 1 through an interesting mixture of suburbia and farmland, where we went past Walmarts and car dealerships and cornfields and cow pastures in quick succession. The beautiful backdrop was the dark, rolling hills on the horizon and equally dark, rolling clouds in the heavy sky above them.
Time for more food! The four of us headed for the Greek Isles restaurant for a delicious meal of Mediterranean salad, rack of lamb, moussaka and chocolate truffle dessert. We were in complete agreement with local residents, who had chosen this establishment repeatedly as the best ethnic eatery, according to the string of awards posted above the entrance to the restaurant. More lively and varied conversation ensued at our booth, in the car on the way home and in the living room until past midnight, and a good time was had by all.