It was a very cold morning in September, ice lined the shores of Ross River. Frozen gear from the day before piled and hung around the open morning fire trying to warm and thaw! It was hard to shake off the – 8C chills. Bob and Robert and I were using Drysuits and Water booties with long laces. Everything was frozen that morning.
I had woken an hour before and had the outside fire going to get the identical kettles boiling. One kettle was cowboy coffee and the other was just boiled water for tea or thermos. Bob was getting up and I knew both our hearings were very compromised. I knew he would have a cup of tea soon and told him which kettle was hot water.
Bob surveyed the scene of frozen gear and commented I have a trick for frozen booties. So in a clear voice, I cautioned Bob when he grabbed the coffee pot to pour onto his frozen booties. I said that one’s Coffee, he went on to pour the hot stuff on his booties. Much to his surprise, he exclaims “This Ones Coffee!”
He turned to see me holding the can of cream and Robert Kazik going for the bag of sugar quietly and waiting for some kind of remark. Of course, Bob settled in for a bit of ribbing, a nice cup of tea, and his first chuckle of the day with friends, it’s no wonder we often heard Bob say LIFE IS GOOD.
It’s moments like this; good friends grow a bit closer.
