Today Camille’s family played games, soaked in the hot tub, and then walked around Emerald Lake. They had earned a rest day after their major hike on the Lake Agnes trail yesterday.
I
drove the Flindts (Lisa, Spencer and Naomi, Bryce and Alyssa) the ninety miles to Banff in our rental SUV, with
Mike and Heidi leading the way in their own smaller car. “I’m a cruise ship and they’re my tug
boat,” I said. I am not used to driving huge cars, and it was good to have a guide traveling in front of me. Early this morning, Dave and Jonny took Henry to visit Morraine Lake, and then joined us at Cow's.
Cow's had
many intriguing flavors, such as “Wowie Cowie” and “Messie Bessie.”
We
then soaked in the Banff Hot Springs.
The springs were clean and sweet-scented, instead of the muddy,
sulphurous places I associate with “hot springs.” Mike, Spencer, Naomi, Alyssa, Bryce, and I
luxuriated in the pool for an hour or so, chatting, people-watching, and moving
into and out of pool as we got too hot and then too chilly. The rain pattered down around us. We speculated as to why Banff was so crowded
this July. Mike suggested that it was
because a major city, Calgary, is just one hour from the resort. A Canadian we spoke with said that it is
because Banff is known, throughout Canada, as a spectacularly beautiful place
that everyone wants to visit.
On our way back to Golden, we drove past Bow Lake and
stopped at Peyto Lake. Peyto Lake was as
dreamily beautiful as I remembered from twenty years ago, when Dave and I
vacationed in Banff with Jonny and Michael.
For our Independence Day dinner, Lisa and I fixed barbecued
ribs, Lisa’s delicious potato salad (with apples and bacon), fresh corn, and,
for dessert, ice cream with apricot sauce. After
dinner, we sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and had each family member tell what
they loved about America. There were
lots of answers, from freedom of religion and freedom of speech to a culture
that encourages and rewards entrepreneurs.
I mentioned how much I enjoy living in a country with so many
immigrants, that bring their foods, customs, clothing, and unique points of
view with them. I recalled the Bulgarian
immigrant at my community garden who told me I had a “Russian face!”
The auction was as fun as usual. One difference, this year, was that we had
only “new stuff,” rather than the second hand and antique items that have
populated the auction in times past.
Camille said she was perfectly happy with her acquisitions—an apron from
Williams Sonoma and a heavy duty flashlight.
“The flashlight even floats,” Camille said. Naomi got the perfume set from Costco by
immediately bidding her entire $1000 in paper money for it.
Steve bid his entire $1000 for a package of candy—“Sour Patch
Kids.” Mike was the accountant, shouting
out how many points each family member still had, and Jonny was a very witty
auctioneer.
Henry did a victory dance when he won an auction item. He stuck his round little bottom in the air and waved it. "Jonny, who did he learn that from?" we asked.
Bryce bid for a shower cap and Ezra bid for a yo-yo. I'm not sure the shower cap was a serious acquisition!
And, at last, it was time for a family photo. Jonny and Jenny leave tomorrow morning, although the rest of us will stay another day.
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