Departure Day

Sunday! My day! It was another awesome day!

I was up early and had a spa before I set to watering the garden. It was a thorough watering because today we go to Courtenay together where we’ll meet Marsha for brunch and then Beth will catch a bus to Campbell River where she’ll catch a ferry to Quadra Island to visit friends.

Beth took this photo of me watering in my garden.

I watered forever and then Beth and I took Her Highness for a walk, and then we all went to Silva Bay for fish tacos. Kris was there when we arrived, Steve came shortly after (he'd walked), and Sue and Bonnie and their daughter, Darcy, came shortly after that, and we had a truly lovely time chatting together. 

The musical guests of the day were fabulous. When the gentleman singing sang a Stan Rogers song (acapella) that was quintessentially Canadian, everything in the park stopped. Everyone stopped what they were doing and paid strict attention to the singer and when he finished the song, we all erupted in joyous applause. It was magical.

Then I took Beth to see the grave of our friend, Patsy, and then we came home and Beth had a nap while I hung up laundry and worked on this post. While Beth slept, I walked Sheba, and then, when Beth was back on her feet, we ordered a pizza from Woodfire, fetched it and some wine at the liquor store, and we came home to eat and watch a movie.

A tree growing through a rock at Sandwell Beach..

When I was ready for bed, I went into the bedroom to see Fred clinging to the wire mesh bug screen on the open window by my bed. I soon discovered why, there were at least three bats flying back and forth in the front yard, very close to the house, and poor Freddy was mad with desire to catch one. And while all this was happening, a big, beautiful buck and doe were walking around my front yard looking with envy at my Apple tree.

We’re catching the 8:45 ferry to Nanaimo this morning, and then we go to Courtenay to meet Marsha. I’ll be driving home with Her Highness on the coast road and not the highway. Adventure!

Fun Day with Beth

Saturday was a great, great day! I was up early watering and having a spa. When Beth rose, I made her coffee and went back to watering until we and Sheba went for a forest walk. Beth loves our walks, and so do I, but my left foot hates walking.

Just before 10:00 we went into the village to go to the Farmers; Market. It was a brilliant day. I saw lots of people I know at the market, and Beth bought us donuts and I bought a wooden bowl made by my friend Claire and her hubby, Mark. Then we went to North Road Sports and Beth bought some pants.

We came home to drop Sheba off, and we went back to The Surf to have another lunch on the lawn in the sunshine. Again, it was just fabulous being served as we reclined in very comfortable chairs in the sunshine eating delicious sushi. It was a spectacular lunch.

Back at home, we both went to our rooms to nap. I was down for a mere fifteen minutes, and then I got up and thought Beth was still sleeping so I started watering. When I discovered Beth in the back garden, we decided to go to Sandwell beach. It’s the beach closest to me and I think it is the best beach on the island. 

There were lots of people at the beach, and a lot of them were in the water. We walked to the far end where Sheba and I could sit in the shade, and Beth could catch some sun. It is spectacular there. The view is across Georgia Straight to the Sunshine Coast, just north of Vancouver. There is an absolutely brutal hill to climb when one leaves Sandwell, but I did not do badly. I hadn’t been to Sandwell for three years because of my low lung capacity and the f’ing hill, but now that I’m on Tezspire, I was able to do the climb quite easily.

When we came home, we had leftovers for dinner, we watched a movie and we both went to bed early. It was a great, great day. Beth has had a very good visit. She has expressed real joy over our lunches on the lawn and eating in the garden here and seeing all the birds and trees.

Today we go to Silva Bay for fish tacos, to visit our friend Patsy’s grave, and who knows what else. Tonight, of course, dinner and a movie.

Beth has a Great Day!

Fred (left) and Ethel who once wanted to kill each other.

I was out watering just past 5:30. It was perfect timing as I was just winding up at 7:39 when I head Sheba barking in the house. I knew that meant Beth was up, so I came in to make her coffee and tell her where to find the things she needed for breakfast, and I went out to finish up with the hose.

We walked with my friends, and Sheba was walking as she normally does. I haven’t seen her so keen to walk, so strong and happy on a walk in a long time. Beth really enjoyed the walk, as did I of course, and then we came home to chill for a while before leaving to have lunch at The Surf. Beth loved having lunch on the lawn overlooking the sea. It was silent and fabulous. Then we went into the village where she bought some pants, and I got things for dinner.

When we got home, Beth took to her room to go online, and I went to bed for a nap. I was beat! I only rested briefly and then Her Highness and I went for a walk and, on both walks, she was walking energetically and looking completely herself. I was overjoyed to see her prancing ahead as she has always done in the past, but which she stopped doing several weeks ago.

I took her for an afternoon walk, did some watering to get a head start on today’s watering duties, and then I made a pasta sauce loaded with veggies for our dinner. After eating, we watched a very strange film and then Beth went to bed to do things on her computer. I watched a bit of TV and then I hit the sack.

Today is Farmers’ Market day. We might go by François and Eoin’s so Beth can see their view and their ducks and we may return to The Surf for lunch because Beth loved yesterday’s lunch on the lawn so much.