Just catching up on my posting transcriptions……….
Trillium Room, Whatshan Lake Retreat, February 08, 2016 1106 hours
I am at Whatshan Lake Retreat 645 Whatshan Lake Road. I arrived here with my friend Ron Ross. This time it is all about Ron Ross and his struggle with Cancer.
A year and half ago he underwent a major operation on his Pancreas. A pioneering effort by a Surgeon in Vancouver who believed that a three (3) month sentence for those with Pancreatic Cancer was not acceptable.
After eight (8) hours and multiple Surgeons, Ron was pronounced free of that Cancer but the prognosis for someone who has had Cancer is the same. It can come back!
It did!
Now Ron is taking Chemo Treatment for an aggressive Cancer in his Liver. It is difficult to predict what will happen but his professional advice is that the Chemo will just provide more time but will not be a cure.
So I made contact with our buddies from days of yore………….the time we all met while working in Prince Rupert in 1963 for Columbia Cellulose Co. Ltd, a Sulphite Pulp Mill.
You might say that the Recruiters that hired us from the four Western Provinces made a great choice. We immediately meshed as a team in all ways:
- Work
- Play
- Sports
- Just about everything was done together
This get-together was difficult, as one of us, Robert Miller, had lost contact with me and so Jim Holloway knew where to find him. A few emails later, and it was decided that we need to meet often and enjoy our collective company while we still could.
Everyone looked at their date books and it was determined that we would meet at the Whatshan Lake Retreat February 08 through 10, 2016.
Ron and I have been “warming up” the site, waiting for Bob and Jim to arrive this afternoon from the Airport in Kelowna.
The Whatshan Rental Coordinator, Nona, asked if Ron and I could check in ten (1) Heli Skiers for one night (last) and cook them breakfast at 0600 hours this morning.
So Ron and I undertook this task and were pleasantly rewarded in meeting some great gentlemen from Northern Amaerica:
- 2 Aerospace Engineers
- 2 Civil Engineers
- 1 Chemical Engineer
- Others were professionals in special fields
We cooked up like old times and completely satisfied them before Ron and I sat down to breakfast at 0700 hours.
Cell service was still “patchy” but we were able to get through to Nona that “all went well”.
We drove to the Edgewood Store to buy some supplies:
- Matches
- Sugar
- Playing cards
- More coffee
We found out after that ob closer observation, a sugar bowl was full of sugar, oh well…..
Ron went for a nap at 1500 hours and I made a salad and peeled potatoes to bake on the wood fired grille where we would cook the steaks.
It is now 1710 and we expect Bob and Jim anytime now.
I started the fire in the fire pit so that we could enjoy it later.
Bob and Jim arrived at 1720!
Left to right: Jim Holloway, Robert (Bob) Miller, Elmer Verigin, Ron Ross. Picture taken in front of Retreat fireplace, Whatshan Lake Retreat, February 08, 2016.
The reunion was joyful and we needed a bit of cheer. We noted that everyone had specific drinking preferences. Bob was a 30 year survivor of Cancer and only drank a certain type of beer. The conversation dwelt on these subjects:
- Global warming or ?
- Climate Change
- George Teslin and the AC Current
- Thomas Edison
- Elmer is “horizontal”
- Elmer is 360
- Mini Ice Age 2030
- Mars expedition and Pioneering 2030
- Muska
- Space X
- Electrician (I am not sure why I put this in)
- Civil War in the USA with still no resolution today
- Engineering experiences working at Columbia Cellulose Co. Ltd in Prince Rupert
- Being able to practice Engineering to the fullest for the first time
Then the meal of steak cooked on a wood fire (like old times), baked potatoes, everything salad and apple or lemon pie dessert.
Just talking with each other was entertainment enough for all of us. No games and a limited amount of alcohol. It seemed that all we needed was each other.
We started next morning with Jim’s (Ron’s son) bacon and eggs.
We went for a walk over the dam and out to Whatshan Campground. Bob was adventurous and continued over the dam and out to the logging road as he had an exercise regime that needed to be followed as part of his Cancer treatment.
Upon return we got into more discussion on previous topics over chips, smoked Oysters and Beer.
We were at the age when having a nap is important and so we checked in about 1400. I am writing this at 1525 and the rest are not back yet. We had set 1600 for pies and coffee. The pies are not even half eaten.
The post ends her and it was the next day that Jim and Bob left for their plan in Kelowna. After cleaning up, Ron and I left for the drive home.
It was a great experience with old friends and perhaps the last one with Ron.
Transcribed June 14, 2017 1950 hours by EWV (with a tear in my eye) as Ron passed away that Fall