What I did on my summer vacation

Ah. I think that back-to-school will bring a bit of order to this household. So, let's wrap up the summer and start afresh!

We went to BC for the last two weeks of August.

Postcard shot showing why real estate prices are so high -- I'd pay a lot to have that as my daily view!

The first week was the most picturesque -- we went here and stayed in a very nice cabin, complete with fun fireplace and hot tub -- and since you don't need to see (very many) pictures of my niece or in-laws, you can see (lots of) scenery and pretty colours.


Oh, okay, just one cute picture of Arthur and cousin Su trying to see who is taller!




It was certainly the Wet Coast lifestyle.

Much layered clothing (Auntie Nancy and Elaine are here waiting for the boat at the dock, in sweatshirts!) and the towels used at the pool one day were still damp the next morning, despite hanging out "to dry."

I must say that this was perfectly fine, recalling damp summers of my childhood and somehow making it all more of an adventure.



And best of all, every day it cleared up marvellously in the afternoon and we had fine weather for boating, climbing hills, hanging out at the pool and playing "who's that baby?" with the old family snaps.

This mostly meant paper pictures of the Arthur-and-Elaine generation, and slides of Xmas 1962, or was it '63? (We had slides, a projector and a tray, but the guys had to rig up a cord, which involved handy-dandy tools and stuff!)

There were also a few gems from the black-and-white era, including Stephen with Fish....

and this Boy and Dog pic, which is clearly of someone related to Arthur, non? It is Stephen's father's brother, Uncle Gord, with his dad in the background, and a dog who couldn't stay still!

Stephen's sister and her husband are coastal environment experts, so we not only had every bay and islet named, but we had morning intertidal inspections, with starfish, barnacles and crabs and every different kind of weed and grass identified. Sometimes we all got very excited about something or other off the side of the dock, giving new meaning to the term "beach bums."

We also saw pretty green moss.

And beaches covered with fire-broken rock and clam shells, indicating that people lived and ate clams here long long ago.

The arbutus tree is one of the most lovely in the universe, I think.


Here is the reddy-brown bark and the soft greenish wood.

The pirate flag in action, with Captain John and Matey Elaine.

Perhaps we'll end for today with another gorgeous view!


Tomorrow, we leave the Gulf Islands for the mainland -- I think this is more than enough pictures for now!