Home again

On our last night of housesitting and looking after Teddy we decided to go for Vietnamese. Long time readers will likely know that Vietnamese is our favourite and we are always trying local restaurants wherever we go. Our favourite remains our old haunt back in our Saskatoon days some 15 years ago (restaurant sold to new owners and just isn't the same anymore).

A few selections, we enjoyed the lemongrass beef dish the best although it was all palatable (not always the case)

I have heard from Dad & Ann, they are off the cruise ship and touring around in the Florida Cays before heading home to Windsor mid week.

Our first experience with www.trustedhousessitters.com was a good one. Although we failed to inquire when exactly they would be returning, only knew that it was on the 8th (today), what none of us considered was that their flight arrived very late and we had plans to be home by supper out with friends on Salt Spring... so arrangements were made with the owners family that they would pick up Teddy for the evening so we could head home on schedule. 

Note to self: confirm the return date/time.... had we known we would be needed until the 9th, we would have made arrangements as per but as it was, expecting to be home today we made other plans... turned out okay though, I believe. 

Little Teddy sure is a delight. What a good doggie, he loved to cuddle with me specifically which Robbie was none too keen about but suffered the atrocity in disgusted silence time and again... poor little guy. We sure are going to miss little Teddy, just soo cute. It was a great place to be with some great sites to see but with all the bloody rain we just were not able to get out much and experience it particularly. 

We did get to Denman Island, but every other day we were there we'd wait until the rain stopped long enough to take the dogs for their daily walk and then the rain would start again... and not just a bit of rain - torrential downpours,    all   day   long  !! Which is why we wanted to do the sit in the first place, as an opportunity to get out from under the tick tick tick on the roof.

Funny enough today the sun came out and it is 'supposed' to be sunny for the next 5 days or more. Go figure.

It was a beach day

When Robbie was little and we lived in Alberta, we referred to the bath as the beach.... it has never changed.... the actual beach is referred to as the ocean so as not to confuse the poor guy. Robbie absolutely hates going to the beach but loves the ocean. After all the rain we've had both of these dogs stunk to high hell so yesterday was a beach day... 

Teddy was very scared at first not sure he's ever experience a self-doggie wash but he stopped shaking after about 5 min

Robbie isn't afraid of the beach, just hates it - he shakes for no one... LOL

Now both boys are sparkling clean and smell quite literally like roses, their coats are so soft I must say I am impressed with the shampoo they use at Bosley's. This product line has a shampoo specific for white dogs to brighten them I suppose, I used this on Teddy. Pretty impressive stuff.

Anyway, the rains are ebbing but not gone and we are awaiting a weather window for our next adventure. 

Today is massage day so Brad is heading back to Salt Spring for that and to check on our rig as the power went out in a storm 2 nights ago and some trees and a lot of branches came down around the island. Robbie will be going with him for the ride.

Teddy and I will stay here to await the fridge repair guy that we thought was coming last Tuesday.

Day on Denman Island

Yesterday we went to the Village of Cumberland for a Pickleball game. Nice crowd, not the same as my familiar SSI crowd but they were friendly enough to a stranger. Had 3 games and headed out.

Someone in town had built his entire fence out of skis. Picture worthy for sure.

This is what I have in mind for us, although this is on a lot and Brad wants a couple of acres. I like the small house - simple but not too much.

After walking the dogs for an hour today we went to Denman Island. We are close enough to the Denman ferry from this house sit that we decided to check it out.

Denman Ferry

No side walls to speak of so nice view all the way across (10 min) and this ferry runs on cables somehow...

Our first stop was for lunch. Google suggested a spot so we headed there right off the ferry. What an amazing find this place was. On a bit of land that has been in his family essentially for almost 200 years, he has a little chuck wagon set up beside the house where he cooks a variety of items and offers an incredible atmosphere you really need to experience. The food is delicious, definitely something to write home about- Brad's onion rings were the best I've ever had - I stole one off his plate... amazing. If you are ever on Denman Island - go here to eat. In bad weather, eat in the car - but go regardless.

Nearly 200 year old barn with a chandelier

Fantastic timberframe barn

Outdoor restaurant only

another barn

The original Chuck wagon his father built many years ago

Chuck Wagon now has an add on for the BBQ

You can't get lost here

Incredible views of the ocean and the mountains of Vancouver Island

The ambiance was incredible, old classics playing discreetly in the background and today's much needed sunshine after record breaking rains made for a very memorable experience.

Cheeseburger and fries, delicious.

Burger and onion rings, try the onion rings - fantastic.

Shack n Wagon on Denman Island folks

Be sure to try this, it gets my vote!!

Drove all around the island checking things out. Not a lot on the go here but some really beautiful properties and reasonably sized housing (important to me anyway). Comparatively reasonable real estate pricing also. 

Ferry leaves Buckley bay every hour on the hour and leaves Denman island every hour on the 40 min, only 20 minutes to a walmart from Buckley Bay.

The rains have turned creeks into raging rivers here also

Local real estate office

View of Vancouver Island mountains from the ferry heading back

All around it was an amazing day, we saw some fantastic sights, experienced the incredible Shack n Wagon and finally got out of the house for more than an hours walk with the dogs.

Settling in

Today we heard from my Dad and his fiance. They are on a cruise through Panama to Florida and I assume this was the 1st stop perhaps Panama but in typical male fashion he didn't say so I'm not sure.

Everyone: meet Ann

Ann

We arrived Friday mid afternoon for our house sit on Vancouver Island. They asked us to come up a day early- likely to make sure we were 'okay', but that works both ways... apparently we are - 'okay' because they left Saturday 9am. Meanwhile we stayed in the guest suite downstairs. It had been a long day so we just settled in - he with the iPad and I with the laptop.

My men

Everyone: Teddy the Westie Terrier

\

Of course, you all know Robbie

Beautiful shoreline very close to the house

You can see the ferry to Denman Island from the shore

There is a lovely path and Robbie led the way

followed closely by Teddy

Recent rains made for fantastic waterfalls at the runoff drains

I thought (at first) perhaps woodpeckers but very close to the path and very probably waaaay too big for woodpecker holes... I saw my very first live woodpecker a few days prior while checking on a friends home for her. I've heard them many times but could never find where they were before, that particular one I could see and it was a nice treat to see it in action.

All 3 men waiting while I took the picture above

Brad got this shot of me - a rarity - at the pavilion where Teddy decided we had gone far enough. He would not go much past this point and we thought perhaps he didn't trust us enough to stray to far from familiarity - that was the sense we both got from it anyway.... so we turned around and headed home, but his little legs were tiring out so I carried him the last 50 yards or so and he finished it off coming up the driveway himself.

A lot of runoff

In the afternoon we decided to take a drive up Campbell river way to try to find an old church that was significant to Brad in his youth - and we did. Well, the church was gone but we found the site and that will have to do. 

These trees coming out of the fog were truly beautiful

 A beautiful lake

It was a great first day although I realize now that I didn't take any pictures of the house for you. I try not to put identifying pics online but I will see what I can do today, although the sun hasn't risen it sounds like the wind is blowing a gale and there may even be rain- yes, there is rain hitting the --- oh my, what are they called -- the daylight windows in the roof....... Oh man this age thing sucks.... it'll come to me.....  .....  .... SKYLIGHT. I knew it was there somewhere.

A few days away

Virginia and Thomas (Relief hosts) were having company come so they traded us a couple of days so they would have time off to visit their family.

This meant we had 4 whole days!

We get a lot of campers from Parksville and they have told me how great it is there so that's where we went. TO THE BEACH!

I tried to book a hotel with a deep dish bathtub but the rate was $550/nt ( deep dish is only in the suites), so a stupid regular bathtub was in my future - Damn it.

Anyway, we got a great hotel, Bayside Resort. It has a regular hotel bathtub (better than no bathtub) but with our military discount it was only $138/nt... much better. And - right on the beach.

Yup, this is the life

Robbie liked the view

Lots of people enjoying the seaside at low tide

Same view at high tide

A flock of seagulls doing yoga on the beach

With Tim's (coffee) in hand we wandered around the beach

Great playground for the kids and even a free workout area for everyone just out of frame.

This woman has been dragged through a bush, me thinks...

Our hotel from the water side

Decided to check out Qualicum Beach but wasn't much there so we kept driving... through Comox Valley all the way to Campbell River before deciding we best turn back. Thinking we were only 50Km from our hotel we were shocked to have Google Maps tell us we were 1 hr 20 min from the hotel.... Whaa..?

We stayed in Parksville for 2 nights on the waterfront and it was great to be back on the ocean again.