During a summer road trip to the Okanagan ­Valley in British Columbia a couple of years ago, a lone traveller stopped for a night at a small inn. There, on an old oak desk in room ten, she found a guest book.

Thank you thank you thank you. I feel relaxed and revitalized. This is my last holiday for a while. I’m expecting twins in two months.
—Rachel and Jordan and ? and ?, Red Deer

We grew up around here. This place was overgrown and falling down. An eyesore. The old mansion was haunted. We’re so glad you restored it. What did you do with the ghosts?

—Norm and Stella, Enderby

The rooms are undersized for the oversized price. The floors creak. Where’s the hot tub?

—John Doe

Why don’t you have room service? You have a restaurant so I know you have food.

—Shelley, Trail

Please move the taps to the long side of the bathtub so that there’s more room for two.

—Kate, North Bay

A charming and elegant place to spend our 10th wedding anniversary. But we had a big fight last night so I don’t know if we’ll have an 11th.

—Sandra, Regina

Girl weekend! Peals of laughter from rooms eight, nine, and ten.

—Shawna and her buds, Okotoks

Utter peace and quiet. Well, except for all those girls from Alberta.

—Jerome and Jenny, Toronto

Best bed ever. I love you, Ryan. I’ll never forget you.

—Anonymous

This weekend is my birthday present. Just after we checked in we got bad news. Our youngest daughter was in a car accident. We shed tears of fear. Now we hear that she will survive. We willed it so in this room.

—Naomi, Minneapolis

If I was getting married, I would do it in a place like this. But I’m not.

—Nina and Andrew, Abbotsford

No, she’s not.

—Andrew, probably moving away from Abbotsford

We have come through a year of radiation and chemo. We came here to celebrate a life spared.

—Luke and Mary, Edmonton

tranquilité, tranquilité, et encore tranquilité.

—Pierre, de Paris

merci pour un séjour formidable.

—Aimée (avec Pierre)

We came for my best friend’s wedding. The groom didn’t show up. We used up all your Kleenex. Sorry.

—Marylou, Grand Forks (the Canadian one)

I heard thumping on the roof last night. Was that the ghost? Is it friendly?

—Wendy, Lacombe

Terrorized the town. Danced up a storm until 2 am. Thumped up the stairs shortly afterwards. Please extend our apologies to rooms eight and nine.

—Terry and Terri, Medicine Hat

I love love and I love to connect and be open and to feel the open free exuberance in my heart and I love to share tender loving care and I love nourishment and I feel like I’m flying through the sky.

—Harmony, Nelson

To this list she added her own entry:

I brought my own ghosts. We thank you for your hospitality.

—Yvonne, Medicine Hat