Summer is far, far too short. I think we can all agree on that.
It feels like Canada Day was just yesterday, and it’s as if I just blinked and three weeks and change had shot by. Where does the time go?
It has to go somewhere, I guess, and it flies by all too quickly while we’re all busy making memories out there and taking it all in while the pristine weather lasts. It’s that old adage, ‘Time flies when you’re having fun.’ No six words were ever so true in the human lexicon.
I was driving back from Cochin on Saturday night (see the related article in this week's issue) after spending the late afternoon and evening up there to see the infamous lighthouse. It’s gorgeous country up there, with its rolling hills and lush fields of green and yellow, the official color scheme of Saskatchewan.
I was thinking to myself, ‘Man, how’d I ever miss coming up to this part of the province?’, and then I realized that I’d actually been there before on a family summer vacation back in 2003.
The memories of it just came flooding back to me. That was the summer where we discovered that my dog, a black Lab cross named Bud, was in the early stages of cancer, so I had to make the heart-wrenching decision to put an end to his suffering before it truly began to take hold of him. From there, my parents decided to throw together a summer itinerary that took us out of the house and away from home for a little while.
I remember staying at a motel in Battleford (it was that or North Battleford, can’t pinpoint it exactly), and taking a guided tour of Fort Battleford, and ultimately, we found ourselves up at Lloydminster staying with my brother John and his family. Our targeted destination, as it were, was Edmonton, where we stayed at a hotel at the West Edmonton Mall.
It was a fun trip, despite the emotional circumstances, and I appreciated that my parents put the excursion together to try and lift everyone’s spirits in the wake of Bud passing away. I can’t imagine my dad had much of a blast as there wasn’t a race horse in sight and he wasn’t too keen on getting into any hotel pools – or any body of water, for that matter – but that’s just what dads do; when your kids are feeling down, you do what you can to make them feel better.
I got to thinking about other summer vacations through the years. Hey, it’s basically a three-hour drive back from Cochin, so I had a lot of time to think and reminisce.
Of course, Candle Lake immediately comes to mind. I honestly couldn’t tell you exactly how many times my family and I vacationed up there. I just remember it becoming this summer tradition at a very early age, and we went pretty much every summer until the year I was set to turn 15. Swimming, mini-golfing, drives around the country, checking out the local landfill to see the bears, all of that is burned right into my memories.
In recent years, I’ve come to appreciate a place like Candle Lake as an adult, and it was really cool that my family and I had Christmas up there last December.
When it wasn’t Candle Lake, then it was the city of Calgary that played a prominent role in family vacations. We have plenty of family in ‘Cowtown’, and there’s always something to do. We’ve done the Calgary Zoo, we’ve ‘Stampeded’, and enjoyed all of it. In recent years, I’ve enjoyed driving out there to further take in what the city offers, which is plenty. I’ve even cruised out to the historic Hart House, which was owned by the prominent Hart Family, a pro wrestling dynasty and royalty as far as the city of Calgary or even the province of Alberta is concerned.
Three years ago, I took my first of two back-to-back summer trips out to Victoria in British Columbia. I even stayed at the same hotel. They were magnificent trips that offered different viewpoints and perspectives because in 2016, I drove out to Victoria, whereas in 2017, I flew out there. To anyone who has ambitions of undertaking an epic road trip, I do recommend driving out to BC. Just take the time to stop and appreciate what’s around you.
It’s funny what memories can come flooding back to you when you’re just driving in the night. With my trip to the lighthouse at Cochin in the bag, I’m looking forward to making even more memories that one day I hope to look back on and smile.
For this week, that’s been the Ruttle Report.
