We have been looking forward to the Lee family reunion all summer. Sam and I had a goal to take the oil car the whole way. So we packed up four 15 gallon barrels of oil and were on our way. We had a wonderful surprise for my dad and sisters who had gone to Calgary a week earlier and were meeting us in Salmon Arm, B.C., where the reunion was being held. My mother had planned to go with them to Calgary to attended her parents 60th wedding anniversary party, but discovered her passport had expired in March. She sadly waved good-bye as the trio left for Alberta. On Monday morning she found out that she could enter Canada with the expired passport, if she had three forms of I.D. So we brought her with us to surprise dad and the girls!
After an hour of finding every hotel in Missoula full, we found vacancy at the classy Bel Aire motel downtown. With the neon pink lights burning all night, cigarette burned sheets and pink toilet, I can assure you our stay was a delight.
Grand Coulee was a fun stop. We ate at the TeePee Drive-in and sadly did not roll a Yahtzee for a free meal. Although we had a lovely lunch with the Christian Motorcycle Association Bikers.
We arrived in Enderby, the small town we were staying in just south of Salmon Arm, and were received with great enthusiasm. All rejoiced that mom had been able to come. We celebrated with delicious fish and chips.
The next morning, as it was sunny and beautiful, we rented a boat to ride on the Lake. Sam was a great caption. While Sam and I were tubing we crashed into each other and my nose smashed his hand. Luckily I had little bruising, but poor Sam had a swollen finger. Dad got up on skis and showed us all his moves.
The reunion was fantastic. We had so much fun playing games at the church, eating, playing volleyball, swimming, and of course it would not be a Lee event without lots and lots of talking!
We drove tandem on the way home and every time they stopped for gas, we would fill up with oil. It is a really great feeling to be at a gas station and not pay a thing! In Dillon my mom spotted a Taco Bus and we had a delightful lunch.
