It was a busy time for the May long weekend. The Friday and Saturday to start of the holiday were busy and I mean busy. Both days there were overloaded ferries and this doesn鈥檛 happen very often.

There were lineups with traffic past the store. Campers, boats, trailers, motor homes and lots of big trucks.

This has proved very popular. All the resorts were full. This was also the opening weekend for the Wagon Wheel drive-in and were they busy. On Saturday they served 97 milkshakes, almost a record.

There were also some beautiful big boats going across on the ferry.

We are all very fortunate to have so many beautiful lakes in our area for fishing and boating and of course picnicking. That鈥檚 why we must preserve and care for our lakes for our coming generation.

The Mayday holiday weekend has changed a great deal to what it used to be as I鈥檓 going to go back over 50 years. This was a great day for us here at the landing. Every year for many years we would have a big parade starting from the ferry dock and up the main road to the hall.

The R.C.M.P. would lead the parade. As a rule there would be a big float with the May Queen and her attendants and then there would be horses, cars all fixed up with flags etc., then everyone would meet at the hall. The queen and her attendants would go through the crowning and as a rule our member would do the honours.

Then move into the hall for the May pole dancing and as a rule there would be some entertainment on the stage. Every year there would be a new queen. Doris Jeffrey (Loveseth) was the first May queen. As it was the first celebration they used our buggy with our driving horse. I still have the picture with Neil Kelly leading the horse.

Folks came from all over, even as far a Forestdale.

Most of the May queens that took part are now moms and grandmothers but they are looking forward to see their young folks enjoy the great time they all enjoyed so much.

The good news is and this was brought up at the last rec. meeting, they are going to bring this all back, May queen, May pole dancing, and just a good old fashioned sports day.

This of course will be next year and of course folks are already look forward to it. Richard Cannon is spearheading the whole thing with help from the members.

Nice Surprise

It was a pleasant surprise last week to have my grandson Capt. Seth Hunter and his companion Sgt. Angela Steele. They are stationed in Prince George. The visit was short but sure nice to have them visit me.

Another pleasant surprise also dropped in last week. Steve and Sharon (McQueen) Carpenter from Merritt dropped in. Sharon, her sister Lois and her brother Bobby stayed with their grandparents Wally and Verna Jeffrey. They attended the Francois Lake school for three years. This was back in the 60s.

They were both Mayday queens for the sports day. Steve is Lucky Carpenters son and they ranched in Cheslatta from 1964 to 1972. Steve鈥檚 uncle was Herb Carpenter. Herb was also a very good friend of ours for many years.

We missed them when they left. Sharon left me her address if any of her old friends would care to contact her.

Birds

I still have my bird feeder out and there are lots of birds still coming in. One pair of pretty yellow birds and a pair of doves. They are gray in colour.

We had them on the prairie ad we called them mourning doves for want of a better name. One thing I have noticed all the little birds are afraid of them and keep away. I wonder why?

Celebration of life

On Wednesday afternoon there was a celebration of life for the late Bill Harrison held at the First Mennonite Church in 亚洲天堂 Lake with Donna Harrison officiation.

Many of Bill鈥檚 family were there and many of his friends and neighbours were also there to pay their last respects to Bill. If there ever was a man who was well known it was Bill Harrison.

Although he travelled a lot he always made the Lakes District his home. All the Harrison family are all a part of this well known pioneer family who made their home on Ootsa Lake for many many years. Yes Bill you will be missed.

Pinnacle Pellet

I will be waiting to see what Rebecca will come up with regarding this smoke issue that I wrote about last week. I think that Pinnacle Pellet is trying to pull our leg so to speak, trying to say it鈥檚 steam not smoke.

Missing phone

I always seem to have a problem with my portable phone. I keep losing it or should I say misplacing it. Today is one of those days. If and when I do locate it I think I will tie a string to it and tie it around my neck. I hope it hasn鈥檛 fallen out of my pocket.

Going back

This was in the mid 40s and I was just started in the taxi business.

Weekends were my busy times. I was driving by the old hotel before it burnt and I noticed quite a crowd and some music going on, in fact the fiddler was just tuning so I stopped to listen.

The fiddler was Champlaine and he was a teamster for some logging outfit west of town. Everyone called him Champlaine and he was no doubt French Canadian. There was a walkway into the hotel and folks were sitting on the rail listening to him and what a fiddler he was.

You name it he played it, outstanding music. Also taking part singing was a young First Nations man who was an albino and blind. He played his guitar backwards to the regular. He came from Ft. St. James.

He was wonderful how he could sing and play. These two kept the folks entertained all afternoon. I wonder how many remember them. They played outside the hotel on and off during the summer.

Remember God always loves you and so do I. I can鈥檛 find my phone, yet just gone and disappeared. I won鈥檛 miss it as it鈥檚 a nuisance most of the time.