Friday night, after we finished erecting our log house, we all went home and got cleaned up, then went back to James’ house for dinner and a tour. Naomi made focaccia bread, lasagna, caesar salad, and a couple apple rhubarb pies. It was the first home cooked meal I’d had in a while, and I ate more than I ever thought I could. I also surprised myself and drank 3 glasses of wine. It wasn’t very good, but it was free.

James’ house was amazing. We got the full tour, and it gave me a million ideas for a home I’d like to build. I asked James if he’d mind me bringing Holly to show her the house, so she can see what I like about it, and I can see what her reaction is to it. Hopefully she loves it, and then tells me to build her one.

After the tour, we all sat and listened while James said some nice words about us as a group, and then he said a little something about each person individually as he handed out the course completion certificates. Out of all 9 of us who were there, I was the only guy who didn’t get any sort of ovation. Everyone else got clapping, and nice comments (even the Croatian who made everyone’s life a little harder the whole month, and who wasn’t even there because he left earlier in the day). I got nothing, but that’s ok. I get to be James’ personal draftsman while I’m here, and that makes me proud, even if it doesn’t earn me any cheers from the others.

After dinner, we all gathered around the new pool table James bought for the student residence, and watched as he cleaned house. After winning a half dozen games in a row, he passed his cue to Alex, and then just disappeared. I attempted to play my first game of pool in years (we had a table for years when I was a kid, and I was actually fairly decent at pool once) against Ryan, and lost by scratching on the 8-ball. Shortly after that I took everyone out to smoke a joint and then we all headed home.

My plan for Saturday was to get to Nanaimo to meet Dave, then come hang out in Victoria with him for a few days. After a whole lot of confusion and a couple missed ferries by each of us, we finally got to Victoria late Saturday night. We went to see the latest person Dave’s sister is living with, that he wants to kill (seems like there’s always at least one), and pick up Honey. Then I got some Sarpino’s!!!  I love their pizza, and I love the old Italian people who run that place.

So now the plan is to move Dave back to the mainland on Wednesday or Thursday. Until then, he and I both have a shit load of work to get done. I need to finish these first two sections of James’ book, and then the patent application drawings for the jig I’m helping them design, and Dave has a ton of aerial photographs he has to interpret before he goes out in the field next month.

It should be a good time, but all I’m really looking forward to right now, is getting to hang out with Holly all next week. Come on Saturday!