oh, the tub in the field goes ’round and ’round

For the past four springs Jude and I have hosted  a party for the geology students and their

teachers from Vancouver Island University.  They come to Quadra for an annual field trip to

poke around the nearby mine, karsts, sinkholes and such.  No rock escapes their scrutiny.

Last year they came in drenched, ending up in the TV room watching the Canucks lose a

playoff game as they and their gear dried by the woodstove.

This year they got drenched and hailed on early in their visit, but we had splendid weather

for the party.  Tim, one of the instructors, made enough lasagna for the Italian army.  As he

was setting it out, I told the students that we have a tradition in our native land of California

of moving a hot tub before a pasta feed.  Coincidentally, we had one we wanted to move.

I don’t think they believed me for a nanosecond, but they were gracious enough to play along.

Jude and I had scavenged the tub last year.  We put it by the pond, thinking we could fill it with

a pump and let the sun heat it.  Regrettably, we had a cool, rainy summer and that plan was

abandoned.

So we thought we’d put it beside the house to catch rainwater for some nearby mini-gardens.

We craftily bided our time until we had an influx of strong men with backs younger than ours.

Here they are surveying the situation.

First they had to empty out the rainwater that had gotten under the cover.

Then it was an easy roll through the back yard . . .

. . . and a careful placement by the house, with Slinkee supervising . . .

. . . then back to the party.

Jude and I really enjoy the energy these folks brings to the farm.  And they left enough lasagna

to feed us well into our golden years.