| 9/13/01
Goodbye Kirk, Bert and Sally. All driving now that the border has reopened. Last night we had a wonderful gathering right here at the Spa Motel. All the sculptors still here (Dan & Meredith, Henri and Baldrick, Amazin' Walter, Dunehead, Bill Dow, Leonard Miller and Greg Grady) along with Bob & Karen Bell as well as our host Ian. Salmon and veggies on the grill, peaches and cream corn on the cob. Lots of red wine and the tequila left behind by Bert and Sally. Several of us hope to fly out soon so in some ways it was a farewell (at last) meal. Right: Walter and Meredith, John Allen and our host Ian cooking up a feast
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Left: Ian uses a bottle of maple syrup to do his impression of a drunk Canadian Below: Baldrick, Dan, Greg, Henri, Dunehead and Jane |
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We spent most of the day on the beach working on a new sculpture... a "welcome to Harrisand 2001" piece right by the front gate. It serves as a small token of appreciation towards the people of Harrison who have continued to take such good care of us. We have not had to spend any money on food or lodging and this is so much better than camping out at the airport -- we are fortunate indeed. The sculpture has not been completed yet but those who will still be here for a few days can put on the finishing touches I presume..
Left and Below: a "Welcome to Harrisand 2001" sculpture starts to take shape near the entry gate |
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Sculpture Credits: Harrison town logo - Amazin' Walter; Team sign - Greg Grady; Solo sign - Dan Doubleday and Meredith Corson; "Welcom To" - Baldrick; Harrisand logo and Sand Sculpture Park signs - sandy feet; flanking towers - sandy feet and Amazin' Walter; "Whip the Sculpter (sic) $1.00" whip and sign - Dunehead. |
| 9/14/01 I was supposed to fly out of Vancouver this morning but last night a new rule was instituted - you cannot fly out of a different city than you flew into. Of the 3 of us from SPI, Walter's flight somehow managed to get confirmed ("illegally", according to the person I talked to at Continental), so he is still scheduled to fly out this morning. I think they are making up new rules as they go. So now Steve and I have to figure out a way to get to Seattle in time for a 3 PM flight to Houston on Sunday. This is the third itinerary Continental has given me in as many days and I am pretty anxious. How much we were able to take for granted just a few days ago! I am in beautiful surroundings but primitive. No phone line and as I type this I am trying to figure out the old style coffee percolator with which my room came equipped. Have not seen one of these in decades and hope I will get something resembling coffee out of it eventually... The Dutch guys are moving here to the Spa today from the Harrison, so my last chance to use their phone line will be later this morning. They talk of starting a "refugee" sculpture today (they are here until Tues.) which I would like to work on as well but think I better try to get some laptop work-like stuff done instead, though I may have to spend some time on the sculpture we started yesterday. We count ourselves lucky that the weather has continued to hold. Everyone who was here last year knows how very miserable the weather can be here this time of year. |
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| 7 PM My candle is lit and burning outside my room at the Spa. Walter's flight was cancelled this morning and I have to say that I was glad to still see him here this morning. We have just found out that our Sunday flight has been cancelled and now it will be Monday before we leave for home. If that flight doesn't cancel as well. I asked Karen today what kind of winter jobs might be available here. With a scanner I could set up a web site design business I reckon... I was only half joking. We added more to our new sculpture today. Drank some of Bradley's marinated fruit juice, yum. Went for a quick tour of Harrison with Ian after that. This is a lovely little town and I suppose I could learn to live here but I must keep believing that someday I will really get on a plane for home and my real life. Another Spa cookout tonight. This time it is Dunehead and Ian doing the honors - burgers, salad and corn. The Sandaholics are mixing up Caesers just the way Dan and Meredith taught them, and even Karen had some vodka with her. The tree planters who just checked in must really wonder about us. At an appropriate hour we all headed to the Conca D'Oro for a big Friday night out but we were pretty much the only ones there. 9/15 The big question this morning is Greg Grady. Did his flight somehow not get cancelled? Did he catch his airport shuttle? If one can get out, there is more hope for the rest of us. We have been joking about the parallels between our experience here in Harrison and the recent rash of reality TV shows like Survivor and Big Brother. If we could vote one of us out, who would it be? At the moment it looks like the Sandaholics will be the last ones here -- but with all the cancellations we have experienced, all bets are off. More unsettling news -- this time from home - the SPI causeway was hit by a barge and we hear that there is no traffic moving on or off the Island, no utilities. Hwy 100 closed at Laguna Vista. Holy shit. 9/16 With any luck Amazin' Walter is well on his way to Houston as I type this. Dunehead and I are still confirmed to fly out of Seattle tomorrow. My cell phone is not as powerful as his and so I have not been able to get through to anyone on the island today. The last report we got from Laurie is that water and electricity are back up though still no phone service. Some ferries are on the job but nothing that will carry vehicles. The Vancouver Sunday paper had a picture of our bridge in it today with a crumpled car hanging off the edge. I was relieved not to be able to recognize it. Postscript Amazin', Dunehead and I made it home as scheduled with no troubles - as did apparently the last remaining members of our little group of refugees. (Leonard Miller was the last man out - we haven't heard from him but are assuming he did finally get back to Savannah.) Henri of the Sandaholics got to celebrate his birthday in several time-zones on the way home and took the time to forward some pics of what got carved after we left. A big THANK YOU to Bob & Karen Bell, Ian at the Spa, Jorg and family, Bradley, John Allen and all the fine folks in Harrison Hot Springs for taking good care of us above and beyond the call of duty. You guys are the greatest! Below: the last cookout (from left - Baldrick, Bradley, Leonard, sandy feet and Jane)
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Above: My buddy Jane
Above: Amazin' Walter and sandy feet - carved by Baldrick -- Below: Refugees carved by Henri
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Leonard Miller's "Thank you Harrison" castle
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