Staceys coming, Staceys coming!!!

Our Staceygirl is coming to visit. We will be driving in to Edmonton (YEG) to pick her up.. She is heading out East (by plane this time) to do some things for her Mum and gracing us with her presence for a few days on the way.

Robbie is super duper excited, he loves Stacey! She brings him toys and treats! He has been counting the sleeps for a couple of weeks already.

Some pics you may have seen already from the trip she and I took across the country in 2021... and then we moved away from Gabriola Island :( ..... and now we miss her lots and lots.

PS She's gonna kill me for posting these pics! HaHaHaHaHa

Been a busy time

Obviously its been a crazy busy time around here. I haven't written a post since Aug 3rd!! And with my memory I can only write about that which I have pictures of to recall. 

I have been unpacking and finding places and rearranging to fit all of our belongings that I brought back with me on my trip. A feat in and of itself, I assure you.

Regular use jar stand

Found this wine bottle stand (at GIRO, the local re-store) which fits my 'former spaghetti sauce' jars. The proper canning jars are too big but fortunately the spag sauce once which we have a lot of do fit very well.

We went for supper at a place in Cedar, just outside Nanaimo and it was fantastic! So reminded us of a pub in England just down the road from Brad's brother.

Crow & Gate Pub

Beautiful outdoor (s)eating garden also. 

There are benches to sit and chat over a glass of wine, picnic tables for meals and just an all around fabulous atmosphere. The staff were amazing, such a vast difference from our current island that I cannot even begin to explain.

Tudor building to boot

Such a warm and welcoming environment

One happy dude

On a different topic -- the garden. We are still harvesting, processing, freeze drying, etc. 

1 of our zucchini

So far Betty is managing to keep up with the garden harvest but the tomatoes haven't 'really' begun coming ripe yet. We get the odd tomatoe here and there which we're mostly using for our fresh salads, I also made Picco de Gallo (Bruschetta) the other day and shared a bit with the people who were staying that day in the guest house next door (which is now a B&B, apparently until fall).

My 'Good Son' is coming for a night or two, he hopes (ferry scheduling issues with his work schedule) at the end of the month so I have been rearranging all kinds of stuff which was in Betty's room (which is the guest room) so that if/when guests stay we can just pull Betty out for the duration of their stay.

To be clear, I say 'my good son' because they are both my good sons. Its a family joke, I've always told them both they are the good son or favourite or whatever. And yes, they are both well aware that they both get the same blah blah from Mum. (also, remember the movie 'The Good Son?... jus sayin'.)

This particular 'good son' is my Army brat. Who is stationed in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) literally just north of us - and yet something like 18 hours away. I will warn you now though, he does not like his picture taken nevermind posted online.

Seeing the sights

We've been going around the island seeing all the sights.

Top of Mt. Maxwell

Fulford valley below

Resting after the long drive up the mountain

St. Mary's Lake

We visited Lavender & Black lavender farm

Remember my Uncle Tom and his wife Bea?... they came across from Duncan to see Dad and Meg and we had a BBQ before they had to run off to Victoria for the weekend. Had such a good time we forgot to get any pictures.

The old fogies catching up on the iPhones at the end of the day, my how times have changed.

Today we are going down to the market..... it will be mayhem down there... wish me luck.

Guests and the new Sitting Room

Anyone remember this?

We've spent a lot of time fixing this room so that it could be a nice added space for us as an outdoor sitting room. Brad's mum Meg arrived last night with my Dad on a float plane. It just so happened that they were on the same flight from Saskatoon (Dad was visiting my brother there), so they were able to travel together all the way here - including the sea plane.

Our new Sitting Room

Spruced up the little deck as well.

Incoming...

They made it... really small sea plane... not sure I'd like this tiny thing much but I guess I'll get used to it.

Dad, Meg and Brad

Two's company

Time is ticking away and we have so much to do, with nothing having been done to the sunroom since we boarded it, it now needs to be finished completely in 12 days - the Mother-in-Law is coming...

Brad's mum called with some date options for her summer visit and they correlated with my Dad's visit which is probably a great idea since we are technically working - with them both here at the same time they will be able to go touring around together when we are busy around the campground.

However, this now means that the sunroom must be completed - and fast.

Robbie watching over his kingdom

Brad picked up the wood for the window trims and ceiling/floor trim.

I found a guy who sells cedar slabs 8ft for $50.... so coffee, end tables and sofa tables are coming soon. I found a dresser online locally for $20 which I will make pretty.

The flower pots are blooming nicely

My little veggie garden is holding its own-

tomatoes, peppers, garlic and the 2 little ones are lemon trees which can take up to 2 months to hatch --- its the hatching I have the most trouble with.

Now to keep the rain off so we can get some wood cut! In a drought out here so can't exactly wish for no rain.... night time rain works....

12 days to Dad/Meg...