It is back side of one and the Scottish relatives are on their way home after a journey I hope they would describe as brilliant.
My wife’s aunt and uncle, who hail from Arbroath, a small fishing town on Scotland’s east coast, have spent the last month with us experiencing the best of Alberta.
They have only been gone a few hours but I miss them already.
It will be strangely quiet when I go home tonight to make tea and they are not there to tell their latest adventure.
There were many during their four weeks in Alberta.
They came to Canada specifically to celebrate the Calgary Stampede’s centennial and we made sure to give them the full meal deal.
They loved their first rodeo and their eyes were like oat cakes when they saw their first chuckwagon races.
We took them to meet the cowboys and chuckwagon drivers behind the barns, the artists at the Western Art Auction and even dressed them up in some western duds for a Saturday night at Ranchman’s — now that was a culture shock.
After Stampede they did not sit still as they tried to fit in as much of our province as they could.
They journeyed across Alberta taking in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, the Bar U Ranch and loved it all.
Closer to home we picked berries at the Saskatoon Farm, cheered on the Dawgs, toured the local museums and sampled the local fare.
They certainly have some foothills favourites including Big Dipper ice cream, fish and chips at The New Mr. Spuds, Traditional beer and The Longview Steakhouse (although my uncle traveled from Scotland to go to one of Alberta’s best steakhouses and ordered halibut — what a numpty).
However, I think what they will cherish the most — besides spending time with their favourite nephew — is the friends they made.
My aunt and uncle are two of the nicest people one could meet and they certainly charmed the locals whether it was my neighbours, fans at the Dawgs game of the “Vodka Boys” at the Bull Pen.
As my uncle, who is a talented storyteller, visited with people I heard many of them say, “I could listen to him talk all day.”
So could I and we will miss them. Having them visit Okotoks was lovely, just lovely.
