Having experience that surprised me!

I was floored when I found out that the guy that pulled into Arrowvale campground a few nights ago, was a friend of mines cousin! 

He stopped, looked at my sign, then after a bit of a yak, orders a sign from me with a saying he really liked on it. 

           I'll never forget Dave Bruner 

Said he'd pick it up in the morning on his way out. I made up the sign immediately that night, then lacquered it in the morning. He didn't show, so I thought, he forgot, or just didn't show. I thought then he'd maybe come back after his trip to Tofino, or maybe I'd just inherited a new sign to display at the market this weekend. 

He disapeared for a couple days, then he returned. I was surprised, as I thought he'd skipped out. So after some more yak, he had lot's of history on the Island, Port Hardy way, and logging history, so we had much to talk about.

      Dave showed me this carving done for his father, look closely, it's a logging setting, one his father and Dave both worked on. 

 Somehow we got to talking of native ways, and I told him of the carvings in the trees, and took him on a walk on the trail to see them. We walked and talked, I showed him the carvings in the trees, then we walked all the way to the bench at the end of the trail I built last year. 

We sat down and continued talking, learning a little more about each other as we talked. I heard him mention as he talked a last name I recognized, so I asked him his name, Bruner he said, I said I have a friend with that same last name, Danny Bruner, Dave says "That's my cousin"  WOW, I was surprised, shocked really, all this time we had been talking and I just find out like that he's Danny's cousin. Man was I shocked. 

Now we really had something to talk about, I shook my head, and said have you heard that saying 6 degrees of separation? And then we had more to talk about. Dave could talk me under the table I'm sure, he was full of beans, just so loving life, and exploring the island in his new to him truck and camper he bought after retirement and selling his place in Surrey. 

He stayed the night at Arrowvale, he said he really liked pigs as I was telling him about all the different animals here at Arrowvale. I talked to Ann, as she was going to look in on the pig's anyway, so took him for a look to check them out. He said the male pig was scary looking, big tusks. 

I'm still shaking my head thinking about how this sign thing connected us. I put out a sign saying "pick a blank, I'll make you a sign" and so far it's sold two signs here, but this story of meeting Dave, and his history, which I just couldn't write it all down here, just too much, was so coincidentall, so WOW. 

Sometimes I just put myself out there, and this is what happens. Although this was so cool, I'm still shaking my head, even as I write. 

Today I'll make a few more planters, getting ready for the market this weekend, I'm going to try something a little different, I have some paint that I added more thinner to, trying to create a stain that looks as I like.

See how that goes. Just a little different, not as dark black, and will show the grain in the wood. 

Still enjoying the woodworking, and seeing what I can do that'll be interesting. 

I have a bench that I've started yet to finish, the legs are my holdup for now. 

A fire 🔥 and smokies tonight with family, be really nice was to enjoy Friday night here. 🤗

Love our life ❤️