| Wednesday, April 23 Hello one and all and even you, Easter has come and gone and so have our most recent visitors. My family came over the weekend and we had a GREAT time! Details to follow... As my buddy and I drove the boat down river to pick up my dad, step-mom, sister and brother, we shot a duck on the way. Kinda like stopping by the grocery store on the way to the airport. When we picked them up, they were a little surprised to see our extra passenger. We barely made it back up-river to the village as the tide was down and we motored through about 8 inches of water. One night at dinner was "Wild Game Night." Some local people gave us some seal meat - and a seal brain. Not a typo, yes, brain. So along with some roast beef and duck, we had the option of seal..uh...parts. My dad, brother, Kristin, Nicole and I had some duck. Tasted like roast beef. My brother, Nicole and I had some seal meat. Tasted like roast beef. The bravest ones were my brother and Nicole. They ate the seal brain. Before slicing, the seal brain was about the size of a plastic Silly Putty egg. I cut each of them a piece about the size of a nickel. My brother said it was tasteless. What did the quotable Nicole say after her taste? "Is that all I get? Gimme some more!" So she consumed 95% of the brain. My dad thought it was incredibly amusing that someone would complain about not getting enough seal brain for dinner. Easter Sunday, we went across the river and hiked down to the abandoned homestead. The major excitement was getting across the river and back. A local guy said we could borrow his boat to paddle across and paddle back. We tried to make it to a spot across river where we could easily climb up the steep bank. We missed that spot. We made it close by in some bushes and a muddy 8-foot cliff to climb up. As we paddled across, these two crackpot dogs swam their way through the deep current to follow us and solidify my theory that they are mentally disturbed. On the way back across the river, we paddled merely to hit the village-side of the river, carrying the muddy dogs in the boat this time as to not incur their blood on our hands, should they drown from stupidity. We did an alright job, considering we were using one paddle, one 6-foot branch and the head of a broken shovel. All that through the British Columbia rain. Cap the weekend off with 3 late nights of intense indoor soccer for Nicole, my brother and I (as well as other youth) and all around, it was a great time. Check out some pictures by clicking on the main page, then latest stuff and then the family pictures. I get to go to Vancouver Thursday-Sunday for a conference. This is my first trip out since a little over a month ago. Plus I get to stay at the Hyatt Regency. With my own robe. And ironing board. I can't wait!!!!!!!! No oolichans yet. I'm starting to wonder if they're coming at all. I guess some years they just don't come. Please come the time we're here? Nicole and I went down with a local buddy to the flat delta area of the inlet to do some hunting on Monday. We didn't get anything (lucky for the seals, ducks and geese I am a terrible shot). But it was a nice bonding time and fun for Nicole to see what it's like in that beautiful part of the valley. As the three of us were walking around, I could picture the beginning of a great joke, "A white guy, a Native and a black girl are out hunting..." Peace. JohnKristinNicole |