Kent and I were up at 6:30 Friday morning and heading to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal for a quick trip to Vancouver Island.
Our first stop was Sydney to have lunch with Auntie Nell and Jean. Rollie came home from work for a quick visit and Gaie, Glenn and Cooper dropped by as well. We all enjoyed soup, bunwiches and a rich chocolate brownie – yum. Here is a photo of Auntie Nell and me
and the rest of motley crew!
We headed 'up island' to Campbell River - a 3 ½ hour drive. The Inland Island Highway is beautiful with a 110 km speed limit (70 mph) and the conditions were great until we neared CR where the rain began. I napped on and off the entire way! We made a couple of stops for a few supplies and arrived at Jill and Jon's about 5:30.
Their daughter, Spencer (our great niece) was celebrating her second birthday. At 2, Spencer had more fun pulling the wrapping paper from her gifts than anything. We bought her a cute little Dora sleeping bag with an air mattress attached. Arrrrrgggg.... did I read the package – nope – and there were no batteries supplied, so we couldn't try it out.
Spencer's Grandma was there as well and cooked a lovely dinner for us all. We enjoyed a few drinks and snacks while waiting for Sean and Lee-Ann to arrive from Port McNeill. We never did get around to the cute 'Tinkerbell' birthday cake unfortunately as Spencer was rather hyper already without the added sugar. Of course we all stayed up too late, but had a great time catching up on family news.
This morning Sean, Jon and Kent transferred Sean's 'qaud' from Sean's truck to Jon's truck to Kent's truck (so it would face forward in the bed of the truck) then we loaded up our 'stuff' and the borrowed elephant gun and bullets Sean loaned to Kent and we all drove to the local gun store in CR for a few more supplies. Kent is going Buffalo hunting at Pink Mountain, in November with a friend and is getting prepared!
We said goodbye about noon and drove 'down island', stopping briefly at Miracle Beach. Kent had never been there and it's been 45 years since I've been there, so we parked, walked the short path to the beach and as Kent was reading the signs and looking out at the water I picked up a few pretty rocks, took a couple of photos (until my battery died) and remembered the last time I'd stood on the beach with my Auntie Alice. She loved to go to the beach to pick up smooth rounded rocks to make lamp bases and planters. She also hunted for interesting driftwood to make lamp bases and I reminisced with Kent about the time I spent visiting with her.
We then headed to Duke Point to catch the ferry for the 2 hour trip to Tsawwassen. The wind is blowing and the water looked awfully rough but we'll be heading in to the wind most of the way so I shouldn't be too seasick... It will be around 6 before we are home and are heading out again in the morning.
Pop has been staying (in his motorhome) at Graeme & Lise's in Vernon for the last two weeks. The moose meat has been butchered and packaged and is now ready for pickup so we are going to get it, and Pop. Graeme and Lise invited us for Thanksgiving turkey dinner, so they are preparing it for tomorrow afternoon – even though our Thanksgiving has come and gone. It will be our CANUSA Thanksgiving dinner!
Monday we will load the moose meat and drive Pop's motorhome and Kent's truck back home. Time is getting a bit tight, but we need to return the motorhome to Egmont, and bring Pop's truck down to our place. Something might have to give here, as I have a hair appointment on Wednesday and do not intend to miss it... hmmm... it might be a very quick trip!
Crystal and I leave Thursday afternoon for Las Vegas and will be home on Sunday the 11th and Kent will leave Monday the 12th for his elephant buffalo hunting trip – if not a day or 2 sooner. He will be gone 10 days to 2 weeks, depending on the buffalo and the weather. His friend Terry has a 'limited entry' for a buffalo (apparently there are 6 limited entries awarded each year, so it's a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to receive one (although this is Terry's second). He should be buying lottery tickets as well shouldn't he?
So, are you tired hearing all this? Me too! Life goes along so quietly and smoothly for months then bam, all hell breaks loose and we're busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. I need a nap... traveling makes me tired and cranky.
Not quite this cranky, but close! This was poor little Spencer this morning when I tried to put her princess crown on her head. She has a runny nose and cold and just wasn't up for my foolishness and photo session after a big birthday and night of partying!
