There's No Place Like Home

There's no place like home and like my own bed at 3 a.m. which is what time we got home last night.  Our flight was delayed in Vancouver as we waited for two passengers who were on a late plane from Kelowna.  Time at the Vancouver airport passed quickly as Myrt & Kim Thorson, who had been visiting their daughter in Whitehorse, were waiting to catch the same plane.

Elizabeth drove us to Mill Bay early in the morning to catch the little ferry to Brentwood Bay.

This boat is not the little ferry.

This boat is.

Bob was a overdressed for the weather.

We watched the clouds break up and the blue sky appear.

Holly was growing like a weed... maybe it IS a weed in BC.

Here's my sea glass plunder from Chemainus.

What a blessed Christmas we had ... safe travels, lovely setting, dear daughter, great cousin-a-few-times removed, wonderful food, games, show, teas, and so much more.

What's next?  A birthday for Nathan.  A trip to Stratford and NYC with Elizabeth. A new baby to adore in February  (Hurray!  Hurray!)  We never forget to appreciate our blessings and to be thankful for them every day.  

Photoshop Goat onto Roof

Elizabeth was feeling better today - not good enough for a long drive to Tofino but well enough to do some touring around.

Before we met up with her, I did some more walking in Chemainus.

Here's the mural of the man who created the Hermit's Trail.  If I lived here, I could walk the trail every day instead of Walking the Stacks at the Weyburn Public Library as I do now.

Here's a door I would love to go through.

And I wouldn't say no to living in half of this duplex.

I have no idea what this plant is, but it has more berries than leaves.

Here's a gate I would love to go through.  A fellow was just coming through it and walked down the street with me talking real estate, good island life, and the time he worked in Kamsack in the late 70s.

The water and beaches here are incredibly clean.  I haven't seen any trash at all except for an abandoned plastic soldier which I salvaged for one of Elizabeth's friends.  Oh, and there were a couple of pieces of glass which I threw back into the water as they need to be wave battered for another 100 years before they become sea glass.

This miniature house is the cutest ever and you can see the topiary rabbit.  There were other topiaries on the property as well.

The grocery store had bulk nuts which I didn't see in the Weyburn stores this year.

We hiked in Cathedral Grove and I couldn't quit taking pictures as it was all so beautiful.  At times we were out of range of any other people and it was so quiet.  It's so primeval that I felt as if I would turn a corner and meet a dinosaur.

My hands were tucked up into my sleeves the whole time as it was chilly.  Signs warned that we were to leave the grove if winds came up.  The tree behind suggests why.

Yes, we were law breakers as we crossed this line.

Here we are at the oldest Douglas Fir in the grove.  It was around 300 years before Columbus discovered America!

The cars give you the scale of the trees.

Forests regenerate.  Here you can see a new tree growing from the old stump.

Then we went to the market at Coombs which has the gimmick of goats on the roof.  The goats had Boxing Day off though so were in a pen behind the market.

Feel free to photoshop this goat onto the roof to get the real effect.

Barb, Leah, after not knowing about stem ginger until we saw BCL recipes, I now know where to buy the ingredient.

The three of us had to share a Nanaimo bar and a three inch yule log.

We saw the movie "Imitation Game" in Nanaimo and we all recommend it.

Tomorrow Elizabeth will take us to the little ferry that runs between Mill Bay and Joan will pick us up at Brentwood Bay on the other end.  Later in the day we fly home from this wonderful time.

Many Photos, Few Words

I hope your Christmas Day was as merry as mine.

It started with stockings and a Skype with our Saskatoon Kings.

We walked the Breakwater in Victoria along with many, many people who were using up calories BEFORE their Christmas meals and enjoying the beautiful day.

We saw some sea animals jumping out of the water but we're prairie people so we have no idea what they were:  perch?  jackfish?  orcas?  We don't know.

We had a quick look at the Belfry Theatre which was once a church.

This interesting hanging planter was on the building across the street.  I picture how good it looks in summer.

I got to hunt more sea glass on the Sidney shoreline.  Paddle boarders were out and Elizabeth was saying that you can take paddle board yoga in BC.

Elizabeth asked if I saw the Sidney Opera House.  Here is is.  I like the Sydney Opera House more.  Okay, okay, the Sidneysiders don't really call this their opera house, but we couldn't resist.

Finn and I look something like this when we're out for a walk.

We had a magnificent Christmas supper at Joan's.  Unfortunately Elizabeth wasn't feeling well so opted out but the rest of us dug right in.

Thanks, Joan, for all the hard work of preparing this wonderful meal.  And, yes, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas crackers and the hats which are in them.

More games tonight!

Where's today's door, you ask?  It's actually yesterday's door and I'm ashamed to say we never walked through it for the Christmas Eve Service.  This is the door to St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Chemainus.  

I hope you are ready for bed.  We are.