What is bringing you joy these days? For us it is a surprise visit from a dear friend who lives overseas. On Friday I received a text from a UK number asking if I wanted to go for poutine. Needless to say we were jumping for joy when we realized it was from our friend, Brian, who stopped in Vancouver for the weekend on his way to training in California. Just the week before I had said to Roger that I missed Brian and then all of sudden he was here!
Brian is originally from Vancouver and after we saw him I started to think about how long I’ve known him. I realized that Brian was my first friend here when I moved to Vancouver from Toronto 12 years ago. I met Brian on my first day of work at St. Paul’s Hospital in the respiratory therapy department (in my previous career). I was shadowing Brian for the day, trying to learn the ropes of how things were done at St. Paul’s. Brian was hilarious that day taking me for a tour up Davie St on our lunch break “Here is a great falafel place and this record store is pretty good.” and introducing me to so many people in various departments at the hospital. When Brian moved to Singapore I said to myself, I’m going to go visit him and in 2004 I did. Brian filled my belly with the incredibly delicious food to be had in Singapore before we took off for a fabulous week in Bali. Then when Brian moved to London, you guessed it, I wanted to visit him there too. Roger and I stopped in London on our way to my sister’s wedding in Italy and it was a treat to get see a non-touristy side of London with Brian. He said that I was nearing stalker levels by having visited him in both places he has lived. On Saturday we went with Brian to our neighbourhood pub, the Charlatan, to have some poutine. I brought along a camera to grab some pics in the short visit we were lucky enough to have with Brian. I’m so glad Roger caught these pics of Brian and I. One of the things that I love the most about Brian, is his fantastic sense of humour. He always has me in stitches.
Thanks so much for stopping by on your whirlwind visit, Brian. Hopefully we’ll get to see you again soon.
Holly & Roger
Roger and Brian looking serious.
Brian and I in a calm moment before the giggle storm.
Then Brian starts to talk…
… and I burst out laughing.
And then we all start to laugh. Miss you, Brian!
