Editor’s note: In the Sept. 19 installment of Valley Connections, Tony L’Orsa was identified as the driving force behind the improvements going on at the old Driftwood School House. It was actually his son Andrew L’Orsa who secured the required grant and drove the project. The Interior News apologizes for the error.
I was in town, getting ready to gas up and head off to the Cluculz Lake Jamboree for the weekend when I got a fun tip from Ingo Oevermann.
“On your way by the RV park at the old par three there are rabbits, maybe a couple hundred rabbits,” he said.
I was running late and someone was holding a seat for me so I couldn’t stop then.
I did when I was driving into town alongside a beautiful rainbow and my heart told me to go see the bunnies. I couldn’t stay long so I didn’t see the couple hundred that Ingo did but I counted thirty.
It's like a brain-teaser game. I just kept seeing more white, black and black-and-white bunnies.
At the Cluculz Lake Jamboree the bands were playing all types of music and, on the dance floor made up of mostly seniors, the dancing started with the first song of the day. Couples, and groups of ladies, continued dancing on a packed floor until the final note of the night.
Silver hair and pretty shoes complemented the two-step. At this jamboree, age didn’t bar the twist, cha cha, polka, chartreuse nor line dancing.
I am not a very good dancer, but I got to teach an eleven-year-old girl how to jive.
The following day as soon as I sat down she got me up. When the bagpipe showed up, the thrilled 11-year-old from Vanderhoof got up and did the highland fling.
Tommy Mesick goes to all the festivals and told the keeper of the parking area that I was from Smithers. Ray Abel came to chat with the lady from Smithers! He has a host of connections here.
In around 1964/65 Ray did the construction for the Goodacre shopping mall and also built the Sandman Hotel. He had so many friends that my friend, Elsa Abott knew as well, I couldn’t keep up. She and her husband Murray had a business installing fire protection sprinklers in businesses in B.C. and Alberta.
But I had my connections. The music community! I was able to chat with fiddle player, Andy Goulet, who has connections with the Valley Youth Fiddlers and has also jammed with my son and daughter.
Andy lives in Prince Rupert. I gave a phone call to Larry and Andy is stopping by to jam. Driftwood Canyon will be filled with a musical evening of fiddle tunes.
News from the first column of Valley Connections. Ryan Oevermann’s book Chronicles of a Parky is now available on Amazon. I googled the book and it is already rated #4 for medical humour.
If you have ideas or tips for this column please email sonja.lester.b.c@gmail.com or call 250-847-4414.
