Well, we are only 4 months or so behind on our blog now. Hope you're enjoying our adventures as much as we did. Same drill as before. Oldest events at the bottom, most recent at the top so scroll to the bottom and work your way up. Captions are below the pictures.
Melanie, Clayton and the kids were unable to make it and Dylan was away for the weekend, but the rest of us were there. Back row: Jordan, Marisa, Brian, Shelly, Chris Y., Denille, Murray, Teresa. Front row: Chris S., Jodie, Joyce, Cheryl, Ted
November 12 - Time for our annual Chinese Xmas gift exchange at Joyce's. We had it really early this year because we weren't going south until the end of November (after Ted and Chris got back from their hunting-without-a-gun trip) and were not coming home for Christmas. Well, Brian didn't get candles this year but he did get a cute pair of Santa slippers that were too small for him!
Years and years ago (at least 20 or more) my mom (who passed away in 2001) gave me this pink sweater and bonnet and asked me to save it for my first granddaughter. I kept it in a drawer for years and then when we sold our home and went RVing, I took it with me. You never know where you might be when your kids start their families. It travelled with us all over eastern Canada and the U.S. and then when we bought our home in 2009, back into the dresser drawer it went. Now I finally had the wonderful occasion to give it to my beautiful granddaughter at her baptism. I know Mom must be smiling.
Our family was together to celebrate a very special day in Annika's life.
Clayton, Mel, Hunter and Annika after her baptism
November 6 - Reverend Brian baptizing Annika. Clayton and Mel are laughing because he didn't want to give her back to her parents. If she were crying, I'm sure he'd have handed her over in a second!
Papa, Nana, Annika and Hunter
October 24 - Happy to be home again and to have Melanie and the kids come to visit. Annika has grown so much since we left for Toronto 2 1/2 weeks ago!
October 15 - Ted and Elvin joined us for a group photo. Kim and I met Elvin and Ted at Wapta Lodge so the summer of 74 was probably one of the most important summers of our lives.
Kim had made a timeline where we could fill in all the important dates and events - births, deaths, jobs, holidays, etc. - in our lives. Kathy and Jan are checking out the information in our timelines.
October 15 - We arrived back home on the 13th and on the 14th we drove all the way to Yorkton, SK where we took part in a mini Wapta Reunion. Kathy, Lynn, Kim, Jan and I all met at Wapta Lodge (just a few miles west of Lake Louise) during the summer of 1974 when we had summer jobs there. Kathy, Jan, Kim and I see each other regularly, but I had not seen Lynn since our wedding in 1976. We're hoping to track down more people who worked there that summer and have a 40-year reunion in 2014. Forty years - how the heck did that happen? Seems like yesterday.
October 11 - We also visited Jodie's family at their home in London. L-R: Nancy, John, Jodie, Krista and Colton. After we left London, we drove back to Toronto and spent a couple of days with Don and Nancy before flying home on the 13th.
Chris decided to go swimming. The temperature may have been really warm, but apparently the water wasn't!
October 10 - Thanksgiving Monday and the temperature is +28. Their cottage is on Lake Huron so John took us out on his boat yesterday and today. Yesterday Nancy went with us and we went all the way to Grand Bend. Today was a little windier so we stuck closer to shore. What incredible weather!
Jodie's sister, Krista, and her husband, Chris
Jodie's dad, John, playing with Jodie's nephew, Colton.
October 9 - Jodie is from Ontario so we took advantage of being in Toronto for the wedding to drive to Port Franks to meet her family at their cottage. This is Corry and Jessica, Jodie's brother and his girlfriend.
Jodie and Chris enjoying the reception and dance.
Ted and I with Don and Nancy
Nancy and Don, proud parents of the bride.
What a happy couple!
You may now kiss the bride!
Dolores' sister, Mariliz, was her maid of honour.
Dolores and Darrin exchange their vows.
After spending a few days helping Mel with the kids, Ted and I (and Chris and Jodie) flew to Toronto to attend the wedding of his niece, Dolores. Ted's brother, Don, escorted his lovely daughter down the aisle. The wedding was held outdoors at the Boiler House Restaurant in the Distillery District while the reception and dance were held indoors - a wonderful venue for a wedding.
Papa and Hunter were having a staring contest (or a meeting of the minds) while Papa held Annika.
Chris and Jodie came to meet the newest member of the family.
He loves being a big brother.
September 20 - The next day Melanie and Clayton brought home a new playmate for Hunter, a darling little girl. Annika Woolford Smith was born at 8:27 on September 19th, weighing 6 lbs. 1 oz and 18 1/2 inches long. I'm not sure what Hunter's expression means!
September 19 - Doesn't Hunter look cool with his leather jacket, sunglasses and one hand on the wheel of his "smart" car?
September 3 - One day late for my brother Allan's 80th birthday, but the celebrations were continuing so we didn't miss too much. All four of his children and their spouses were there so we had a great time catching up and exchanging hilarious stories. L-R: Robert, Shannon, Janet, Brent and Allan. Unfortunately my sister-in-law Anna was too ill to be in the picture. We wish her a speedy recovery.
September 1 - On our last night on the Island we went out for supper with the entire family. Only Dave was unable to make it. On the far left is Jo's son, Nick.
Dave & Jody's daughter, Caitlyn, had spent the summer on a student exchange in Spain and then a few days in Germany visiting a friend. After being awake for almost an entire day, she arrived at the airport where the entire family was on hand to welcome her home. L-R: Lisa, Caitlyn, Dave, Daniel and Jody
Ted's niece, Lisa, relaxing by the pool.
August 31 - Dave and Jody's beautiful new home. What a view!
Sir Eustace Hornswoggle, a man with a very wooden personality, watches the port where his Tea Clippers used to dock in the 1850s.
August 30 - We drove to Port Alberni to visit our friends, John and Irene, who winter across the street from us in Yuma. They own a restaurant called Turtle Island Fish and Chips which has the best clam chowder and fish & chips we have ever tasted.
Ted had a kayak all to himself. No one to steer him wrong but himself!
August 29 - Another item off my bucket list! Jody and Dave (Ted's niece and husband) took us kayaking in Nanoose Bay. I learned I shouldn't be in the back; I steer the way I back up - not very well!
My favourite mural! This mural entitled "Native Heritage" was painted by Paul Ygartua in 1983.
August 27 - Chemainus, BC. This town of approximately 3,900 people is best known for its fabulous murals which are painted on buildings throughout the town. The murals tell the stories of the people that built Chemainus. Flowers in bloom, a beautiful mural and a waterwheel make Waterwheel Park a wonderful place to visit.
Because we stopped at the Spruce Tree, we were about 5 minutes too late to get through a part of the road that was being torn up to replace a culvert. We asked how long it would take before we could get through and they told us 1-2 hours. We debated turning around but it would take us at least 2-3 hours to get to Sooke from where we were so we settled in for the wait. Fortunately it was only a little over an hour so we did a quick tour of the harbour at Port Renfrew with its welcoming totem pole before we hurried on to meet our friends in Sooke!
August 26 - We were invited to have lunch with Bruce and Rhonda, a former co-worker of Ted's in Sooke so we decided to take the scenic route via Port Renfrew. We stopped at the Harris Creek Spruce Tree, a giant Sitka spruce tree that towers above the surrounding second growth forest. It stands over 80 metres high and is over 200 years old.
August 25 - We drove to Nanaimo to have a delicious lunch with Ted's nephew, Jonathan, and his girlfriend, Jo.
Only the very rich could afford the magnificent stained glass windows, intricate woodwork and lavish Victorian furnishings.
Craigdarroch Castle - At one time, coal baron Robert Dunsmuir was the wealthiest man in BC. He died in 1889 just prior to the completion of his castle and left the entire estate to his wife, Joan, who lived in it until her death in 1908. This was the lifestyle of the rich and famous at the end of the 19th century.
One of the beautiful totem poles at the Legislative Building.
Meet Plasterman, that statue guy! Clark M. Clark has been reinventing his plasterman character since 2000. He has several costume changes and dance moves and performs at fairs, festivals, sporting events, charity events and even on television, but he spends a lot of time at Victoria's Inner Harbour. These statue guys never fail to scare the crap out of me when they move!!
The beautiful Empress Hotel. Unfortunately its tea and crumpets have become too expensive, but we did enjoy an ice cream at the Inner Harbour across the street.
August 24 - After spending a few more days at Ainsworth and a night at Hope, we took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Departure Bay in Nanaimo. We camped at Chemainus and drove down to Victoria for the day. The flowers were in full bloom which provided a beautiful foreground for the Legislative Building.
We had a close encounter a brown bear.
On our return trip, we had a great view of Sandon from above. When you see how small it is now, it is hard to believe it once housed 5,000 people and thriving businesses.
Here you can see the narrow, winding road we drove.
Once you reach the top of the road, you can hike to the old fire lookout. We didn't have the proper shoes so we had to pass. We did have wonderful views of small lakes in the valley below.
From Sandon we drove 12 kilometres up a narrow, steep road known as the Idaho Peak Forestry Road where we had a great view of the Valhallas and Slocan Lake.
August 20 - After a bowl of borscht at the Treehouse Cafe in Kaslo, we drove to the ghost town of Sandon known as the "Monte Carlo of North America" in the 1890s. After silver was discovered in 1891, Sandon's 5000 residents enjoyed 29 hotels, 28 saloons, 3 breweries, a thriving red light district, theatres, opera houses, and much, much more including an aerial tramline. The Slocan Mercantile Block has been restored and now houses the Museum and Visitor's Centre.
Ted and Steve caught up on all the CP Rail gossip.
August 19 - Our trip to British Columbia began with a stay at Ainsworth Hot Springs. Using it as a base, we drove to Castlegar to visit Ted's Aunt Laura and then on to Trail where Danielle, the daughter of our friends, Steve and Cindy from Nelson, was taking part in a horse jumping competition. She's new to the sport and did very well. I can't wait to see her in a few years!
