Monday, August 6, 2018

Sunday breakfast, VOTE!, Canada - Day 2

Michael had waffles for breakfast several times on vacation, but he always says they never compare to mine, so Sunday morning (8/5) we decided to have a big fry up (as they say in our favorite show AS TIME GOES BY).  I made my overnight waffle batter Saturday night right before bed, and he made bacon and his yummy signature fried potatoes:








We had company for breakfast:  


Jan

Anne




and Anne, Jan and I sat and talked and talked while my sweetie cleaned up the kitchen.  I finally made it to my studio around 12:30 and got bobbins wound and kicked off the quilting on the Hunter’s Star (there was so much going on in this quilt that I just picked a simple stipple, but I am using varieagated rainbow thread):   















My Ethel baby was with me the entire time:




















I worked until 4 PM when Paula called me and we headed out to pick up flyers for the Volunteer Club and distribute them.  We only got one pod done before the rain started, so we headed back home and I went back to quilting.  While I was quilting I got a few HST’s done for the newest baby quilt.  I know I don’t have many, but please look at the pictures and vote for your favorite layout:


"A"

"B"

"C"

Michael and I had a late dinner of leftover pizza and watched TV together for just a bit while I trimmed more HST’s. 

 One of the blogs I read regularly is http://joythebaker.com, and she always has a thoughtful Sunday reflections entry.  I read this article with wonder: https://qz.com/1345631/why-lebron-james-is-opening-a-school-for-at-risk-kids/, and wondered why the current occupant of the White House feels the need to weigh in on this individual (at all) who apparently succeeded despite a very tough start.  I think maybe Lebron should be applauded for his efforts and where he is it putting his money, instead of being insulted and degraded.  What a sad commentary for the holder of the highest office in the land, who seems to think that big commercial buildings with his name on them are the only way to go.


Canada

Day 2 – Our day started with a visit to the Bill Reed Gallery (https://spiritsofthewestcoast.com/collections/bill-reid).  

The Raven and the First Men is a carving that depicts the story of human creation according to Haida legend.


Reid's bronze masterpiece, Mythic Messangers:



A full-scale totem pole carved by James Hart of Haida Gwaii, featuring the Wasgo, or Haida Sea-Wolf:


















Bill Reid also worked in precious stones and metal to create unique and beautiful jewelry.  This piece was worn by Pincess Diana on a visit to Canada:



There was a poster talking about Bill Reid at the museum and he had a quote that definitely struck a chord with me:  


Joy is a well-made object, equaled only by the joy of making it. (Bill Reid, 1998).  

That TOTALLY resonates we me about making and giving away my quilts.

You may not realize that I consider Canada a much more progressive country than we are in many, many ways....and a plaque/quote in the museum to me totally bears that out: 

We respectfully acknowledge the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh and all the indigenous people of the Northwest Coast, on whose traditional and unceded territories we live, work and play.  (emphasis mine)


After that we stopped at Stanley park  (https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/stanley-park.aspx) on the way to Granville Island….where Michael had to go thousands of miles away from home to find pierogis that he loved  :~).  Then we took a float plane to Victoria; interestingly enough our house sitter told us that she was definitely excited by that as she has her private pilot’s license!!!   The things you don’t know about people…..cool.

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Pat sews, last butterfly winner, bread, cookies, Hunter's Star loaded, Canada Day 1

I had 2 unexpected emails while I was traveling in Canada….Pat has been slaving over a hot sewing machine, and these are just some of the many beautiful things she made:   


















AND, Arizona Mary is finally home from her summer travels to find a surprise in her mail:  


Yep, she was the final winner of the butterflies….can’t wait to see what you guys all do with them, (obviously just looking at them and smiling counts!!)

***********************


I can’t believe he had the energy, but Michael left for golf by 8 AM on Saturday (8/4), while I got bread dough made before heading downstairs. I ran through my emails and one of the blogs I read (https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/) said that today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie day….so I had to mix up some of those as well!  Michael did a quick run to the grocery store in the morning, and I also got some yoghurt started in the crockpot for him (gotta get the fridge full again  :~):  



I had a long talk with Jan….her house went on the market last Saturday….and SOLD WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!!!  She is moving in 2 weeks (8/17)!!!!!!!!  Yikes….I knew it would be fast as her house is so light with all of the windows in her sun room, but that is incredible!!!  Pat stopped by for a visit and stayed for over an hour as we talked and talked.  Michael was home before NOON (he only played 9 holes) and left for his first rehearsal for TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE around 12:30...he got the email in Canada that he had been cast as the lead.  I finished up baking the bread and cookies:  















and  ran the extra 1/2 loaf over to our house sitter Anne before heading to my studio around 2:30 PM.  

I made backing for the Hunter’s Star quilt and got that loaded on Miss Scarlett and got the quilt top and batting loaded and basted as well:  















When Michael came home, we both spent time on our computers, looking at all of the pictures from both the camera and the IPAD.  I think our kitties really missed us while we were gone as they both came downstairs and slept on my cutting tables:





After that I got the pattern set up for my quilt on the computer, then we headed upstairs to grab a pizza for dinner and to snuggle and get a little caught up with our TV shows before bed.

CANADA


You remember we got up at o’dark hundred on Tuesday, July 24th and headed to the airport?  Michael surprised me with seats in first class….my first time and boy, was it an experience!  On the way to Minneapolis they gave us breakfast:  



I can’t believe how good it was...that egg sandwich was yummy!  We had a layover in Minneapolis…the airport was totally cool: 


and were finally headed to Vancouver.  They fed us lunch on that plane:  

Michael had the beef

I had the chicken/kale salad


and it was excellent…the tiramisu dessert was outstanding:  



Golly, I was stuffed before our tour even started.  

We were met by a Taulk driver at the airport and eventually met our fellow travelers:

Kevin & Kathy




Judy & Fred



Rick & Sharon















Doug & Sally

Donna, Anna (Jack's mom) & Jack

Wayne & Kathi



Suz & Mike




Roy & Carter


and our tour guide Tommie:



at our welcome dinner reception.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

lots of pics of furry babies


Friday, August 3 at 11 AM….we’re finally home!!!!!  

Yesterday was an incredibly long day….we were up at 6 AM, had a delay on our flight out of Calgary and another delay on our flight out of Minneapolis.  We finally reached the airport hotel (we had always planned to stay overnight there as we were supposed to get in just before mid-night) at 2 AM.  They booked us into a room that is literally as far away from the elevator as you can possibly get….and the key doesn’t work  :~(.  We finally make it to bed at 2:45 AM and I finally fall asleep sometime after 3:15 AM.  We got up around 9 AM and headed home and had a lovely talk with Anne and got in a lot of snuggling with our babies  :~).  

We got some laundry done, took a nap and had puffy things for dinner.  We decided to forgo the champagne as we were both so tired we thought it would put us to sleep by 8 PM!

So, those of you who know me well know that I really don’t like to go on vacations.  I miss my home and everything it in, but I especially miss my fur babies.  Well…this vacation was a bit different.  Anne: 


was our house/dog/cat sitter and I got stories and pictures and videos every single day:  

















And one very special picture of Ethel grooming Cookie:



It certainly made it very easy for me to not be worried about them…and I LOVED hearing about and seeing pictures of them while we were gone.

I'll start to include write-ups about Canada along with my regular daily log, but you should know right up front that we had a wonderful group of people to travel with and eat with and laugh with.  It was a terrfic trip!

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Tuesday morning...Lake Louise is absolutely fabulous...the color is so unusual...the weather is beautiful.  Dinner last night with Judy and Fred was lots of fun and the food was terrific.  Leaving today for a different lake.   I have finished one of my ebooks, so downloaded another for the plane trip home.

Monday, July 30, 2018

Sunday the 29th...Michael here....my exploits on the golf course today....a beautiful, pristine, mountainous setting here in Canada. Background to each shot was a 10,000 foot mountain covered (unfortunately) in thousands of beetle ravaged pines, all brown and dead, but still spectacular! My score wasn’t but who cares? Anyway, wildlife abounded. We saw gophers,  geese, and a Grizzly Bear! It was lumbering down the cart path as we were trying to reach the green. Two groundskeepers and a ranger kept him away from all players as they shooed him away. On the next hole we heard a gunshot— as the ranger tried to scare him back into the woods! Golf in Canada can be areal adventure!

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Sunday morning...Michael and I both had the best night of sleep since this vacation started...a soft fluffy bed...large squishy pillows and a cool room...heaven!  It’s been way warmer than I had hoped so far, although the mornings are cool and crisp.  Michael is going golfing today and I will water walk, then have breakfast then knit, read, visit, maybe nap...whatever!  The scenery is beautiful here.  Dinner tonight with two other couples (we’re trying to make sure we get to eat with everyone at least once), then off to lake Louise tomorrow.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

What day is it?????  Oh yeah...dinner time on Saturday....I have bad news and worse news....bad news....scale in ladies locker rooms today....worse news...I got on it!!!!!!!

Last night was overnight on train....can,t wait to tell people in person...quite an experience....I took top bunk...net on side to keep me secure...teeny tiny ladder....laughing spell with people in next room...laughed so hard for so long couldn’t get to sleep for an hour....today pool water walking and couples massage...heaven.

One of the only reasons I can enjoy this vacation so much is that everyday I get stories and pictures from Anne...dog...kitty...house sitter.  Certainly makes it easier to relax and not worry.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Thursday. Day 3

Thursday 7/26 - another heavy day for walking...Burchart gardens....so very beautiful...the sunken garden was outstanding....used to be quarry pit...visible from the house...wife got tired that was what house guests saw and started planting flowers....now acres and acres of everything you could imagine...rose garden three times size of Elizabeth Park.....then back to Empress Hotel for high tea...omg!!!  So very fabulous....high point of trip so far...then to imax theatre for 3D film on pandas...made me miss Lucy and Ethel so much!   Finally back in room to collapse...early day tomorrow...luggage being picked up at 5:45 am.

Day 2 Vancouver to Victoria

Wednesday 7/25. They ran us around like crazy today...I had 3,000 steps over my goal...and they stuffed us full of food and sent us to bed.  The biggest adventure today was the float plane ride from Vancouver to Victoria island...WILD.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Day 1 Vancouver

So...because I know a tiny bit more about my blog and how to sign in from other than my desktop I should be able to post a bit from the road (as it were)...but you really need to appreciate every single word because at home on my desktop with a full keyboard I am a wicked fast typist.  Here I’m typing everything with one index finger!!!  And definitely no pictures will be included because I have no clue how to do that!


We were up at o’dark hundred Tuesday morning (7/24) and were on the road to the airport by 5:15.  The drive was absolutely horrendous as there was torrential rain all the way...fortunately we arrived without incident.  We split a Cinnabon before boarding...yum!  I told several people before this vacation that everything would be a surprise as Michael plans all of our trips and that started as we boarded the plane right to FIRST CLASS SEATS!!!!! My honey is just the best!!!  Our flight to Minneapolis was uneventful, but was filled with breakfast and mimosas!!  We had a delay for just a bit in Minneapolis as they had an oversold situation and were not very successful in getting people to opt out.  But eventually we were in our new seats again with more mimosas in hand. We were served lunch on that flight (it’s been a food filled day already and we’re not even in Canada yet!  I did get on the scale this morning so I’ll know how bad it is once I get back.&). We arrived in Vancouver, got through customs (where I swear they searched the world over to find cameras that take the ugliest pictures ever)!!!  We were picked up in one of those black SUV’s that looked like it came straight from the FBI and delivered to the FOUR SEASONS in Vancouver.  We settled in, took a little nap and joined our fellow travelers for dinner.  It was FABULOUS!!!  Truly a four star meal.  We have a group of 19 people traveling together...it’s going to be fun getting to know everyone.  By the time dinner was over, it was midnight in South Carolina and we were beat.  After a tiny bit of TV, we were asleep.