Bob And Susan

After Susan got on Facebook, and a recent Woburn reunion, I have had the good fortune to be contacted from old friends from my high school days. I’m writing this blog to explain a bit of my history for those who have contacted me to read this blog instead of writing it individually. I hope it’s not taken as being lazy or pompous. I work all day on a computer, and am reluctant to get on it when I get home. I don’t even have a home email address anymore,but people can contact me through Susan’s.

OK, here we go.  This is not as easy as you think. I’ll miss more stuff than I’ll mention. After high school I worked in the recording industry in sales and promotion. I met stars, went to the Juno Awards, and travelled a lot. Too many lonely hotel rooms later  I quit as I wasn’t enjoying being a rat in the race. I grew my hair to my waist, got a backpack and travelled a lot. I’ve been across Canada several times, and been in all the US states except for 3. Back in 1979 living in a 1 room schoolhouse near Port Perry with a girl named Jackie Rae, we moved out to B.C. I had been here through my travels and a company was hiring people when in Ontario the economy was very slow. Go west young man, go west. The marriage to Jackie brought my two lovely daughters into the world. After out divorce I was able to be a constant parent, not just a weekend parent which I an forever grateful for as “The girls” remain my good friends still today. My wife Susan came into my life after both of us had divorced . Susan,  (ne. Susan Butt) and I have been friends since we were teenagers. We were even friends during our first marriages. When Susan moved back to Toronto from where she lived in Calgary we hooked up and the friendship turned into love. 20 years later we are still very much in love and I am very grateful as she is not only my best friend but……you get the picture. I have  a great deal of respect for her as being a step parent isn’t easy as many people know. Susan has been a wonderful parent and friend to the girls. When they phone I talk with them for 5 minutes, Susan, 20. Susan currently manages the cafeteria in Nelson’s college. She is an incredible chef!  We live on 12 acres of land near Nelson B.C. A day doesn’t go by that mother nature isn’t a part of our lives. We see dear, elk, and bears constantly. We’ve had to learn to live with them and that’s why our organic gardens are protected with a battery powered solar electric fence. When you wake up to 45 elk surronding your house, you realize a barking dog just won’t work so you learn how to live with them. We never take for granted the beauty of where we live, our property has a small forest out front with a field (4 acres) that I’m working on killing organically behind the house, that means driving around on my tractor which isn’t really so bad, no cell phone or computer on the tractor. There’s a few more acres past that which is forest at the bottom of a mountain with 3 creeks, one of which we get out water from (a spring). We love our home and are very fortunate. We will stay here until I retire ( 4 years) and will try and farm the field up until it’s a pain at which time we’ll move to Nelson and travel more with the good fortunes selling this property will bring. Susan and I love to travel. We sold a bit of land a few years ago and had the good fortune to take what could be considered a trip of a lifetime spending a month going from Rome, to Florence, to Venice then Pairs and London. Seeing the works of Michalangelo was a dream of mine, and it came true. We’ve had good fun in Orlando, Mexico, all over B.C. and Alberta, just did the Oregon coast, and I took the kids to Disneyland to name a few. I have been back to Toronto where my family is but it seems I’m there less often as the years pass. You have to understand that when you sit on your deck watching a bear and her cubs, that getting on to the 401 can be difficult. I have phoned home to my Mom & Dad every Saturday for 30 years.

“The girls”, Lindsay now 29, as a matter of fact, today Christmas eve is her birthday as I write this is my oldest and Rheanna (26) is the baby. I am so blessed to have these two friends. They are both living in Calgary which I’m happy about as they got out of the forest and are now city wise. They grew up on glacier fed rivers learning to swim out of the currents so I have no concerns when Rheanna says she was out tubing on the Bow river. Lindsay married a wonderful man last year named Jeff and they are both happy and also love to travel. It was a lovely wedding in Calgary and I was happy to have my sister, my parents and Susan’s parents all come out for it. I could go on a lot about my daughters but won’t because if they read this I’ll get an ear full from them. I hope my love for them was well noted as was my love for Susan.

So what else? I coached football for over 20 years. Ran a men’s flag league as well as a kids tackle league. I’ve coached, refereed, and been an executive volunteer and found it to be very rewarding. Now at age 54 I find chasing teenagers down the field for 3 games on a Sunday as a ref became a bit much so I’ve retired. Couldn’t walk properly until Wed. of the next week.  

I work as an expediter at Cominco in Trail. I throw money at problems and do paperwork for shipping dangerous goods around the world. It’s a good job and done us well. We live 8 hours drive from both Calgary and Vancouver. It makes travelling a chore though we are only 3 hours from Spokane Washington which get us to the States easily. I have a goal to get to every football stadium in north america and am doing pretty good so far, having been to many Canadian stadiums, including 6 Grey Cups, as well as NFL games in Seattle. Denver, Oakland, and San Fransisco. Next year we’re off to Chicago and after that to Green Bay in 2010. I usually go with the boys but Susan comes sometimes as well. I’m getting tired of typing so I want to wrap this up. Did I mention Joe Connelly ? My friend of 48 years, lives 10 minutes away. My friend Talis passed away. I stay in touch with my old friend Bob Black and his wife Jean who we went to Vegas and the grand canyon with us couple years ago. I hope this answers a bit of who I became. I will hopefully get back for a highschool reunion someday to see many who have contacted me. I hope this blog let’s you know that I’m very happy and very fortunate to have a wonderful family and friends.  Love Bob