By Evelyn von Almassy
I was listening to one of my favourite CBC radio shows — Ben Heppner’s “Behind the Stage” — and reflecting on my past week when I remembered an event that I had missed. Even in missing it, it was eventful. It wasn’t something that was planned. The event, I mean. I didn’t miss it on purpose, or by accident, because I didn’t know it would happen. No one did. But it did happen.
What did I miss? I missed taan in the driveway by amount 10 minutes. Molly and Malcolm saw the beautiful bear, but not me. Nope. Which is probably very lucky for Ewok and me, as stumbling from one’s car into a bear just after getting off a midnight shift is not recommended. Ursa and me will have to meet another day.
By now, we are all in agreement that last Sunday was an amazing beach day on Haida Gwaii. Whether you were in Masset or Sandspit, it was sunny. People were posting their beach phones online — sun glistening on the water, reflections in their sunglasses and huge smiles were the common denominators of all the shots. From Pure Lake to Rose Spit, everyone had their own corner of paradise. Let’s hope this is a positive omen for the months to come.
As Jana has written, Masset’s Harbour Days are coming up on May 18 to 20, on the Victoria Day weekend. It sounds as though food will be available all weekend. There has been a new food truck in Masset — the Charters food truck at 1650 Delkatla Road. Mike and Kaylene have been open since April, and the motto on their truck is: “Order. Eat. Repeat.” Their fabulous-looking, shiny black and white truck is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check their Facebook page, and the photograph of their home and restaurant may surprise you.
It is great to have a new place in town to meet people over food. The cosy seating area is very classy and by the time you read this, I will have had my first meal there. Hmm… I wonder if there will be tuna ahi tacos, my favourite meal at Charters Restaurant. I do know that prawn tacos are on the menu. Did you know there is also a grow room where Mike and Kaylene grow fresh produce? That’s where the watercress grows!
Speaking of food, one of my colleagues at work brought in some small harvested creatures from the ocean shores. What were they? Some small, beautiful dark chitons. I remembered a large orange chiton that Rosa Bell and I collected and cooked very early one morning at Tow Hill. Apparently we probably did not clean out its guts properly as it basically tasted like rubber. That was about 27 years ago, so perhaps the propane wasn’t working very well!
Please send me your news by May 18 to evonalmassy@haidagawii.ca or via Facebook. Enjoy your weekend and see you on the beach.