#betterback

I live in Deep Cove, South Vancouver Island and my hero lives in Port McNeill, North Vancouver Island.

Last weekend, I drove up the island to hop on the Christmas Train with him. He worked as a doctor and wanted to take me on a hike, show me his favorite man store (Home Depot), and go for a ride on the Christmas Train. He bought us hot chocolate and train tickets. **Note: For all the single ladies reading this blog, you do not look for Mr. Right or Equal at a hardware store. Instead, you look for him in your social circle and go to the hardware store with him. If not, grow your social circle until you find him.**

After we took our seats, he put his arm around me and told me that he rode the Christmas Train a few years ago. It was around the same time that I decided to quit my job firing guns, robbing banks, and hopping on and off trains for entertainment purposes. He was amused when I told him that I was a retired gunfighter entertainer. I even had a small acting role on "Hell on Wheels", a famous Western TV show.

When the train slowed down and came to a full stop, he was sitting there smiling at me, and I looked back at him and said, “It was about time we took the Christmas Train together.” He recited the most beautiful poem, he wrote himself. I was in a semi-shocked-stage-fright-kind of stupor. I heard the poem, but didn’t REALLY hear it. I did grasp those magic words; “Will you be my..." To be continued.

Friday the 13th at Butchart Gardens Ice Rink. Exactly 10 years ago, I was driving my SUV in a snow blizzard on the Trans-Canada Highway from Red Deer, AB to Cochrane, AB, Canada.

I promised my boss that I would attend his 2009 Staff Xmas party and there was no turning back. My cellphone needed to be recharged and I was suffering from a major headache. So, my communication and concentration abilities were highly diminished. It was hard to not notice the high volume of vehicles stuck in the snow banks.

I knew that I could have easily turned around and notify my boss that I was not going to make it. Instead, I kept driving. I wanted to keep a promise that I made no matter how bad the road conditions were. I felt obligated and thought it was my duty to at least show up. I ignored the negative feelings that I was experiencing at the time. Well, I almost died.

While driving, I slipped acrossed the median and crossed over to the otherside. I saw two oncoming semis heading in my direction. My body literally froze. The SUV slipped back into the median and stopped in 6 feet of snow. My heart was pounding like bongo drums.

I remember letting go of the wheel and shifting from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive. Miraculously, the SUV climbed out of 6 feet of snow. I carried on driving on the highway towards Cochrane, AB.

Five hours later, I was at my boss's doorstep. The party was cancelled and there was only one out-of-town guest. It was my ex-boyfriend. I felt numb and emotionless. I wanted to go home and forget the whole thing ever happened.

Fast forward to December Friday the 13th, 2019. I went to another Staff Xmas party. Instead of driving, I decided to carpool. There was a full moon and the stars were out. Everyone showed up at local restaurant, participated a gift exchange, and checked out the holiday lights at Butchart Gardens. It was amazing! No blizzard, no ex-boyfriend and no near-death driving experience.

For the first time in 10 years, I felt lucky. I made it to a Staff Xmas party and checked off another item from my LIFE bucket list. That is, to skate in one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

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