Vernon, Kalamalka Lake, Kelowna and the operation

Well today is July 4th, and tomorrow is D-Day. I go in in the morning I guess...I will phone to find out exact times later on this morning. They will do their thing - I will stay in the hospital overnight and then (ideally) be released on Thursday.

I've decided to keep a bit of a journal here on my progress.

Now - that being said, I have no idea how the course of this procedure will go.... I mean I know what's going to happen, but not exactly how much pain I will be in etc. I've heard varying reports because, frankly, everyone is different. Some people breeze through - others not so lucky. As well, some recover very fast and others ??? Well...

The reason I tell you this, is just in case I really don't feel up to reporting in on here.
I WANT to keep a journal...but may not have the where-with-all to do so.

Today will be my day to amass all of the things for me to eat. I have a book on 'smoothies' and I will also eat a lot of 'Ensure' and soups. Sucking through a straw is not an option. The sucking can loosen the sutures. Therefore, I will possibly have to eat with a big syringe. But, once again, it depends on how my recovery is. It's possibly I will have movement almost right away, meaning I may be able to eat a little more naturally...we'll see.

I have myself booked for a boat cruise the Friday after next so I'm optimistic. It's not a singing gig - I'm just playing bass...

This past weekend I played with Atlantic Crossing in Vernon for the 'Funtastic Festival'. It was the best show we have had with the show to date. I took the opportunity to visit my friends there as well. Pete Langtry has been my best friend for years, and unfortunately he lives a fair distance away from me now. He used to live in Whistler so I used to be able to see him much more at that time. His career as a chef made him pack up and move, so he and Sheila (his wife) moved to Vernon. I see them infrequently these days, but friends are friends...we will be thick as theives for life.
The day after the show, Pete had to work so I grabbed Sheila and their two kids, Tyler and Jessica to join me on Kalamalka Lake to visit my friends from Saskatoon Jim and Holly Mitzel.
Jim Mitzel is a guy that goes way back to the Shama days with me. One of the wonderful fringe benefits of playing with Randy Bachman has been getting back in touch with family and old friends.

Back to the story... Jim had told me a while ago that he, Holly and the girls would be at their spot on the lake this summer and that I should make a point of dropping by when I'm in Vernon for the show. Wanting to make sure I also had my Pete and Sheila time, I combined the two. Sheila and the kids joined me in the morning, we picked up Pete via Jim's boat later in the day.

Anyway - it was a fantastic time - Jim and Holly's girls are beautiful and an absolute delight. They've done a terrific job as parents...and everyone got along wonderfully.

Later on, I found out that Holly does stone massage and she was kind enough to give me one...UNBELIEVABLE!!!











After my massage, I departed to Kelowna and my friend Ken's place (KAMP KEN as some of us call it)
Ken has a beautiful place right on the beach in Kelowna and had also invited me to his place as I was passing through. Our friend from Maui, Steve Gatchell was also there at the same time so it was perfect timing. I hadn't seen Steve in a long time. When I got there, there was a 5 alarm party going on. Ken had mentioned something about a barbeque....I had thought he had meant with Steve, him and me...forgetting that whatever Ken does, is on a big scale. Regardless it was a wonderful time and the night ended with Scott Theilman (a brilliant musician friend of mine from Kelowna) and myself trading the guitar back and forth doing silly songs entertaining the guests around the gas firepit on Ken's deck.

Here's one final picture of me and Steve Gatchell from Maui at Ken's Place on Saturday night. In the background you'll see Scott Theilman as well.










Well that's all for now... like I said, I will try to report back in here...maybe even with pictures....AGH!

Take care...