Christmas 2019

A few years ago I decided that cooking a Christmas dinner was in my past. This decision meant that younger generations could take over as future hosts. However, this year we rose to the challenge and hosted a dinner for nine guests...family and friends. Our diverse group, ranging in age from 19-86 years, gathered to share a turkey dinner (slightly overcooked) complete with all the trimmings ...delicious!

Adrian and Marika arrived around 3:00pm

to share our new tradition of a book gift exchange.

Wearing their new Canucks toques...

we toasted each other with a traditional "Nusty Rail".

Morning coffee

I love the simplicity of making a single cup of coffee

Watching the slow drip through a paper filter

Inhaling the aroma of dark roast with a hint of cinnamon

A relaxed anticipation of the flavour

Settling finally with cup and book in hand

On a grey winter morning. 

A question

While painting all of these locks...this question came to me. 

Is it better to be locked in or locked out?

On the one hand being "locked in" indicates some level of security...safety from the outside world. On the other hand being "locked out" implies expulsion...removal from the inner world. Either can denote danger. Locked in against your will...locked out as punishment or retribution.

In everyday life we use locks to serve two purposes...to safeguard our possessions inside and to ensure that potential thieves or predators are kept out.

Locks also provide an emotional roadblock...keeping your feelings safely locked inside and ensuring that psychological harm is locked out.

A glimpse of sun

A glimpse of sun today

between dreary days.

Who...or what escaped?!

Finally...someone or something escaped!

Hidden...

Hidden from prying eyes!

We are continuing to enjoy sunny days...after windblown and rainy nights. It is perfect walking weather so this morning we explored a new area...Derek Doubleday Arboretum on Fraser Highway.

Within the Arboretum grounds there is a Demonstration Garden that was created in 1992 to educate about eco friendly gardening. A new Rotary Interpretive Centre is housed in an impressive log and beam structure. There is also a unique outdoor area with large blackboards dedicated to literacy. Bring your own chalk! The gravel perimeter walk, about one km, is lined with trees and benches. About halfway around there is a memorial to Canadian lives that were lost in Afghanistan.

Tomorrow we will return with a camera!

Waiting to be released...

Waiting to be released

when the key is discovered.

Campbell Valley again...maybe the last visit in 2019

The weather report didn't look too promising for the next few days or weeks so we decided to take advantage of today's sunshine and walk through Campbell Valley park. The air was so fresh and cool. Most of the tree limbs are bare, exposing mossy trunks to the sunlight. Our visits to the park are about a combination of experiences. The exercise is good but the laughter that we share is uplifting too when a nervous squirrel accepts a peanut from John after rejecting one from me. The fleeting feeling of tiny chickadee claws clinging to our fingers while they peck seeds from our hands. Sometimes three or four vie over the sunflower seeds at the same time. Other times one little bird has time to pick through the seeds in search of the prime piece! 

The latest lock...

...conceals aging whispers.

Honouring Langley's veterans

The City of Langley honours its veterans

with a display of red street banners.

A vivid reminder of the local lives 

that were lost during warfare.       

Halloween walk

An afternoon walk on October 31st introduced me to several of Langley City's inhabitants. 

My first stop was at Penny Pincher Thrift store to examine the volunteers' costumes.

They were entertaining each other while sorting through

the huge mounds of donated clothing.

As I carried on down the sidewalk I greeted Mike, our resident street artist. He began quizzing me about Christmas with questions like "Do you celebrate Christmas?" and "Do you put up decorations?" I replied that we "sort of" celebrated Christmas and that we do not put up decorations anymore. He seemed distressed with this news and handed me one of his paintings to decorate our home!

"You guys are always so supportive!" he exclaimed..."I want you to have one of my paintings."

I was not sure what happened to the elf in the painting and didn't want to ask Mike in case he told me that Santa had killed the elf!

As I was leaving he said that I should pop in to see Crazy Bob because he was wearing a skirt today!

So...I wandered into Crazy Bob's to discover that he was indeed wearing a crinoline over his pants and he was happy to pose for a photo. 

While we chatted about his renewed interest in drawing he showed me a recently completed colored sketch that he decided was homo-erotic! Hmmmh!

I love this town!

Ferry trips

We have been busy! On October 18th we hopped on a ferry to Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast for two days of the "Art Crawl"...an annual event where artists open their studios to the public. It was a fun, interesting and totally wet weekend. We didn't let the constant downpour stop us...visiting 15 diverse locations in Gibsons and Roberts Creek. On both nights we shared delicious homemade meals at my sister-in-law's home that overlooks Howe Sound and were introduced to Ringo, her new puppy.

On the following Wednesday we hopped on a different ferry to Vancouver Island for a five day visit in Comox with Heather and August. Our son-in-law was in New Hampshire performing in a 25 year reunion gig with his band that was hugely successful.

The weather was undecided on Thursday morning but soon turned to cold sunny days after some strong winds tore most of the leaves from every tree in their yard. We were busy raking on Saturday and woke up to frost on Sunday.

Beautiful bark on a tree in Marina Park

Heather, August and John at Filberg Park

Filberg Park is one of our favorite spots to walk around in Comox. The trees are gorgeous, no dogs are allowed, the grounds are pristine and this time we wandered through Filberg Heritage Lodge. The rooms reflect a time of opulence when the residents shared meals that included many courses served on fine china. Most of the china and glassware on display has been donated and is available for sale. There are even some items left outside the entry that are free to anyone!

It was a great visit that included delicious food, trivia contests and UNO competitions!

Autumn days

It was such a beautiful day yesterday that we decided to stroll through Campbell Valley Park again with our pockets stuffed...sunflower seeds for the chickadees and peanuts for the squirrels. They were all very hungry!

Did he have a question or is he just saying thank you!

The colors are so vivid

as nature releases her hold

in time for a winter rest.

The third lock

whatever is locked inside

remains a secret

I am happy to report that a friend of our son has translated the symbols on the first lock. Apparently the Mandarin characters mean "Main Force" and probably mean that the lock has the power to protect what is locked away.

Locks...and more locks

Locks...locks...locks!

This is the second in my new series.

It is minus one degree this morning as I contemplate whether to sit in the studio with a paint brush in my hand or venture outside for a chilly morning walk. The sun is shining...the leaves are turning red and the birds are shivering on the rooftop next door. Time to begin my quest for 10,000 steps!

What is written on the lock?

An image of a door with peeling paint was sent to me by a friend.

I thought that I would see what it looked like painted on a black canvas.

The lock intrigued me!

Researching eateries

In an effort to support the local economy, since moving to Langley, we have experimented with meals at a wide variety of cafes, pubs and restaurants. There are favorites that have warranted return visits and others that we have decided are not worthy of a Maxwell return!

For the first meal of the day we often drive up to Joy of Coffee in Murrayville where Ron and/or Brooke serve us our "usual" order of coffee/tea and scones. Sometimes we are joined by a couple of acquaintances from Greece... giving us the opportunity to greet them in Greek and exchange a few pleasantries.

To give equal opportunity to all cafes we have also visited seven others for our morning ritual...but Joy of Coffee keeps calling us back with a variety of delicious freshly baked scones and good strong coffee!

On rare occasions we opt for a full breakfast at Brogan's Diner. Walking through the door is a step back into the 1950's with Marilyn Monroe and Elvis featured on the walls. There is a small stage for karaoke at the back, booths from yesteryear and a breakfast menu that even features pirogies!

There is a wide variety of lunch options that we have enjoyed. For Thai food there is no equivalent to Ban Chok Dee...it consistently wins awards for top notch cuisine! More traditional lunches are served at Red Velvet cafe with fresh ingredients in their homemade soups and delicious paninis...also all cakes, scones, muffins, cookies are baked onsite! Viva Mexico never disappoints with tostadas, burritos, guacamole, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and more. Food by Fanta is a new place that is operated by the owner of Ban Chok Dee. They are currently serving unusual (delicious) lunches and she is offering cooking classes in the fall at this new location.

We have enjoyed Greek dinners at Poseidon, Adrian's and Andreas. Poseidon definitely provides the best ambience and good food. For Italian we ventured into Olivo, a newly opened small eatery that offers a choice of pastas and toppings...nothing special. Sushi has been repeatedly tasty from Samba's with very fresh fish. Sometimes we have chosen to eat at local pubs...Sam's and Original Joe's have both offered good food in the midst of noise and TV screens.

Annora Restaurant offers West Coast cuisine and a prix fixe meal option with three courses...all under the creative eye of chef Aaron Turkstra. The dishes are beautifully presented and the venue allows for an intimate feeling. The Happy Hour...until 6:00pm...advertises affordable appetizers and wine.

The restaurant that has won our hearts...and that we return to monthly is Venetis which is family owned and operated since 1982. The staff remember us and provide humor along with excellent service while we enjoy a wonderful steak and prawn dinner. Included with our meal is the salad bar...a simple offering of veggies to share with wine while waiting for dinner to be served.

So...we have sampled a total of 22 eateries. There are still more to research...so keep posted!

Life is good

Our lives have resumed some degree of normalcy as John's platelet count continues to improve. 

He is visiting the gym regularly now and I have enrolled in fitness classes 

to supplement my daily walks. Life is good. 

I have also managed to complete five new paintings...

...maybe not totally complete because they are not signed yet!

The name for my next exhibition will be "Signs and Portals".

End of day

End of day

on studio wall

Too much driving and revisiting Mike

We just had two consecutive days of travel into the big city...I have had enough of this driving...at least until next month! Tuesday morning took us to UBC for an appointment with Dr. Chin, an Orthopedic surgeon, to see about John's chronically dislocated shoulder. He explained that surgery would be a possibility ...but...should not be considered until after John's other health issues have stabilized.

Yesterday morning's drive took us in to 41st Avenue and Cambie for an appointment with John's GP for a "Health Review"...or so we thought. It turned out to be a standard appointment that was very similar to the one we had last week ...nothing new!...WTF!

We left the car at Oakridge and took the Canada Line downtown to visit with Fetiye, our young Turkish friend, at Breka Cafe. She is an assistant manager at the Cafe and planning a trip to Turkey in September. Of course she offered to take us along in her luggage ...and we were tempted!

From there we walked down to my hairdresser where I enjoyed a long overdue haircut while John sat in the sun and observed a variety of local driving techniques. After all this excitement we hopped back on the Canada Line to relocate our vehicle and endured a lengthy drive back to Langley with a short stop at my sister's home to water the plants.

Whew!...enough driving!

On my walk this morning I was greeted enthusiastically by Mike, our local street artist...pumping my hand and thanking me for contacting the newspaper about his stolen art supplies. I was so upset when I heard about the theft that I contacted the newspaper and suggested that the community might want to support him with funds to replenish his supplies of paint and brushes. Apparently the police managed to locate the wagon that he uses to carry his supplies in. So...the newspaper is advertising a fund raising opportunity for him! How wonderful is that!!! Mike is a recovered alcoholic who paints every day as part of his therapy to help maintain mental stability.

Whew...wonderful news!

Whew! What a week of wonderful news! The Hematologist told us that there was no sign of cancer in John's bone marrow biopsy and the protein in his blood (that triggered her alarm) had disappeared! She feels that the respiratory virus he contracted at the end of June probably caused his episode of ITP. So...he will continue to decrease the dosages of prednisone over the next weeks and/or months and she will continue to monitor his health.

His strength has not returned to normal but the relief of receiving this news has had a very positive effect. Prednisone continues to interrupt our sleep patterns...but CBD oil before bedtime is helping.
John is optimistic about returning to his gym visits. Let's see what happens next week!

Biopsy, new iPad, street art and a Greek visitor

It was a busy few days this week. The bone marrow biopsy went smoothly enough on a rainy day. I was able to sit with John through the procedure and watch the contortions on the Hematopathologist's face as he put a hole in John's hip.

The next day, on Thursday morning, John discovered that his iPad would not work so we drove over to the Apple store at Guildford Mall to see if they could resolve the problem. After meeting with a "genius" ...she told us that the one year warranty had expired 13 days earlier and she was going to contact Apple about extending the warranty. Then she disappeared! Forty five minutes later, when she had not re-appeared, we had to leave because I had a doctor's appointment. Enroute to the doctor she called to say that we could pick up a new iPad...at no expense. So...after the doctor we returned to the Apple store to receive a new iPad!

Most mornings we enjoy a walk through town, stopping to chat with several locals including Mike, Langley's street artist. He is found in the same location every morning...always working on a new masterpiece.

This is one of his larger pieces.

On Friday morning we drove into Vancouver to meet with Niovi, 

a dear friend from Athens who was visiting with her aunt.

It was wonderful to visit with her and catch up on details of her life in Athens.

Good news!

We received good news this morning! John's platelet count has continued to improve and the Hematologist is recommending a gradual decrease in his prednisone dosage. Tomorrow's bone marrow biopsy results should give us more information about what is happening in his body and the doctor will meet with us to discuss a plan for the future.

During our discussion this morning we wondered about how much of our time has been consumed with John's health issues since the beginning of March. I consulted with the calendar and the myehealth website to come up with the following figures: 17 doctor appointments, 23 lab visits, 5 surgical procedures, 1 overnight transfusion in hospital and 12 additional nights in hospitals. Needless to say this has been exhausting for both of us! John has been amazing!...this was a lot to endure at 82 years.

Hoping for a steady flow of good news!

Arts Alive Festival

Today my sister and I toured the Arts Alive festival in Langley. The main street was closed and lined with artists and vendors selling everything from baked goods to paintings to handcrafted jewelry in interesting displays. Food trucks were collected at the end of the street to offer delicious foods. Music was ongoing at McBurney Plaza where we had the pleasure of hearing "Cross Parallel".

We decided to visit "Food by Fanta" for lunch...a new restaurant that is operated by the owner of Ban Chok Dee Thai Restaurant.

We shared two of the lunch items...chicken rolls and avocado/shrimp toast. They were both delicious!

The owner, Fanta, spent time with us...explaining about the cooking classes that she is offering in September and October...we are definitely booking for one of her classes!

prednisone and life

Well...Monday’s platelet count was elevated which is reassuring...but sleep is definitely the most concerning side effect of prednisone. We are trying different remedies including an attempt to take the medication between 2-4 am. This isn’t usually a problem because we are both awake due to restless sleep. Another side effect is increased blood sugar levels which now require insulin injections three times each day before meals. Life has become a constant challenge...trying to increase his physical activity, decrease his blood sugar and include naps...for both of us!

Although the Hematologist diagnosed ITP...we are still uncertain about the cause and about the future treatment plan. John was contacted by two pharmaceutical companies which offer very expensive drug plans that are not covered by our extended health plan. More blood tests were done on Monday and we are waiting for the bone marrow biopsy to be scheduled.

Meanwhile we are entertaining ourselves with short walks and endless backgammon competitions!

What a day!

What a day we had yesterday. The Hematologist was concerned about John's platelet count(15) and wanted to ensure that the count was boosted before he is scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy. She directed him to Langley Memorial hospital for a transfusion of IVIg and suggested that he take along a book because he could be there for 3-4 hours.

We arrived at 11:20am and registered at the ER as instructed. The nurse said that a request had come in for a platelet transfusion and I told her that it was an IVIg transfusion. "Oh...well there is a fax from the doctor that will explain it". So...we sat...and waited. A lab tech took blood samples...and we sat...and waited. At 3:00pm we were escorted, along with four other people to an airless, unlit space with a dozen chairs and told that we would be called. At 5:00pm a Doctor called us into an empty room and explained that there was some confusion. Apparently the original request mentioned "platelets" and the fax stated "IVIg". I informed him that the transfusion was for IVIg and asked if it had been ordered yet!...Apparently not...and they didn't have a space for John to sit during the transfusion because he required monitoring during the process. When I told him that we had already been there for 5 1/2 hours...he disappeared and returned with a request to follow him. It only took him 10 minutes to find an appropriate spot for John.

At that point I left...phoned the Hematologist and left a concerned message regarding the length of time that this process was taking in comparison to her suggested 3-4 hours!

When I returned at 8:30pm John had just finished receiving the first of four bottles of IVIg (the first one didn't start until 7:00pm) and the expectation was that he would not be finished until between 3-4am!!!!!!!

I went home and tried to sleep...waiting for the phone call to pick him up. At 3:20am the hospital called to say that he was finished!...16 hours later! We fell into bed at 4:00am and are trying to recover today!

Campbell Valley Regional Park

Yesterday was a special opportunity to enjoy a "Forest walk" 

with my sisters at Campbell Valley Regional Park. 

My youngest sister has three more radiation treatments this week before she returns to Campbell River to reunite with her spouse and their two critters. She has been staying with our sister in Surrey since the end of June while undergoing both chemo and radiation treatments.

The quiet trails and canopies of trees provide a cool, relaxing option on hot days and the area is alive with chipmunks, squirrels and birds rushing around in search of delicacies.

There was a secret stash of treasures in this rotting trunk.

Visit with seeds and nuts

Sit on a bench

They will come to you

On four small feet

Or a flutter of wings

Just sit and breathe!

A visitor from Salmon Arm

Yesterday I had the pleasure...and fun...of sharing the afternoon with my friend Diana from Salmon Arm. She arrived with fresh local strawberries for John and pastries for the two of us. After coffee and a visit with John we did a walking tour of downtown Langley City and visited Food by Fanta...a new culinary experience offered by the owner and chef of Ban Choc Dee. This new facility offers a unique breakfast and lunch menu and is also home to the BCD Culinary Academy. Cooking classes are offered and take place on a long table that is positioned under chandeliers created with hanging cutlery. We decided to add this to our bucket list!

From there we stopped at Penny Pincher Thrift store where Diana decided to buy a painting for John. It cost $3.50 and featured a brightly painted frog in yoga position, wearing headphones and grasping a martini in one hand.

The easiest route to Ban Chok Dee for our lunch of Thai food was through the back door of the local launderette. Our lunch was delicious...as usual! I chose Pad Thai and Diana had a dish that included fresh green beans, beef and tons of other veggies.

Following lunch we returned to the main street (ie) Fraser Highway and continued our adventures at Crazy Bob's Music Emporium. We followed the request to place our bags and other items in a bin before browsing...depositing the "frog" painting and a bag of purchased books in the bin. Within two minutes we heard Crazy Bob (and he is crazy) yelling "Is this your painting?" Diana nodded and he yelled "I'll give you $10 for it!" We looked at each other and the next thing we knew ...Krazy Bob gave her a $10 bill and the gift that was intended for John... ended up on Crazy Bob's wall! Diana is the only person that I have shopped with who ends up with more money in her wallet than she started with!! What a hoot! If you are ever in Langley City...look for the frog on Crazy Bob's wall. He must have 500,000 LP's and 100,000 cd's...amazing!!!...and fun place!!!

We did a quick tour of the community centre before crossing over to Opus Art Supplies where our encounters with interesting people continued. A young clerk...newly hired at Opus... joined us for a philosophical discussion of art and the never ending challenges for artists.

It was a great day! I have missed my friends in Salmon Arm very much and I am very grateful that Diana included us in her plans.

John is home

Yesterday was a big day!...John came home from the hospital!

He is still bloated and bruised..

...but very happy to be home!

The bruising is from his battle with low platelet counts and the swelling is tied to ongoing treatments with prednisone. The steroids raise his blood sugar levels so insulin injections are sometimes required. As a result my nursing skills are always expanding!

The first night at home was punctuated with trips to the bathroom and frequent wake-ups to make sure that he was okay. This morning we picked up a walker from the Red Cross medical equipment loaning facility in Langley. It is just a two wheeler for stability in the condo while he regains strength.

It has been a harrowing two weeks with uncertainty about the outcome but it feels good to see him making progress. I am certain that he will return to the gym by the end of the month!

Ridin' dirty

Most of my clothing...other than shoes and underwear...is discovered in Thrift stores. Sometimes it is the colour that catches my eye, other times it is the style or an indescribable connection. The shirt that I was wearing today embodied all of these qualities. Impossible to remember where I found it!

I didn't pay attention to the two written words underneath "some girls aren't meant to be tamed" until

this morning. I was in line to buy a coffee at our favorite cafe which is across the street from the RCMP detachment. Ahead of me in line was a female officer. She turned and said "I like the words on your shirt". I thanked her. A couple of minutes later she turned again and asked me if I knew what the two written words meant. I shook my head! "It means riding a motorbike while under the influence of drugs or alcohol". I mumbled something about not owning a motorbike but I would definitely be more careful about the selection of my t-shirts in Thrift stores!

Hospital

John came home from Peace Arch hospital on Tuesday July 9th and has been back in the hospital since Monday July 15th. He had no strength and was unable to get out of bed. The lab results showed that his platelets were almost non-existent so the doctors in Emergency decided to give him platelet transfusions on Monday night. This treatment did not work so they attempted it again on Tuesday night along with a massive dose of IVIg. After further consultations with a Hematologist they started Dexamethasone and his platelet count finally started to rise on Wednesday. Their final diagnosis was ITP resulting from the RS virus that was attacking his body.

He had no appetite for several day before going back to hospital and has just started to show an interest in food over the last 24 hours. Of course he is still very weak and prefers to be in bed but today he stood and moved into a chair for his breakfast and again for his lunch. The platelet count continues to go up. We will deal with the subsequent gradual weaning from steroids after his platelet count has stabilized and he is released from hospital.

Visitors and staff are required to wear gown and mask 

because he is still considered to be contagious from the virus.

Adrian and his friend Blair visited yesterday afternoon.

Our balcony

We have a small balcony with room 

for a round table and two chairs.

Our garden sits in one corner

with two flowering baskets

and a cherry tomato plant

to provide visual pleasure

and tasty treats!

Today's crop of delicious little tomatoes!

Two shaved heads

My sister Tara is undergoing treatments at the Cancer Clinic in Surrey. She and John agreed months ago that they would have their heads shaved together when she started to lose her hair after chemo treatments. This morning her hair started to fall out so she came over and they both donned masks to protect her from John's bug.

 I shaved Tara's head first. 

Tara has a beautifully shaped head

and John has a large, intelligent Maxwell dome!

It was a special occasion for them to share.

Whidbey Island

Last Friday we drove down to Whidbey Island in Washington for a small reunion with John's cousins, offspring of his father's cousin. We arrived at the cabins in late afternoon and were greeted with hugs and much excitement.

Craig, Patty(Craig's wife), Mary, John and Ian

John's sister and Mary painted the design on the shed doors when they were youngsters. This was our first trip to the cabin since 1984. Most of the evening was spent with reminiscing and making feeble attempts to rectify a family tree! It was a very special time.

On Saturday morning we visited Mary's house and gorgeous garden.

Mary is also an artist with unusual creations made of mussel shells.

It is very difficult to capture the mysterious beauty of these pieces

because they rely on light to transform them.

We enjoyed lunch and ice cream cones in Coupeville before returning to the cabin for an afternoon siesta. When it was time to get ready for dinner at Ian's...John was feverish and not feeling well. I decided that it would be a good idea to get him back to Canada and to a hospital so we headed north.

By 8:30pm we arrived at Peace Arch Hospital and soon after that John was seen in Emergency. After viewing a chest x-ray and vitals the doctor decided to keep him overnight. When I returned on Sunday morning he was in a room on the "geriatric" floor...and not feeling any better...still feverish.

The lab results came back on Sunday night and they scurried to transfer John into isolation. Apparently he had contracted RSV...a respiratory virus and they did not want to risk contaminating other elderly patients. His "isolation" room was the ward's activity room filled with equipment, chairs and miscellaneous physiotherapy equipment. Although it offered him privacy...it was also lonely.

On Monday morning I arrived to find another gentleman in his bed and the nurse explained why they had isolated John. She took me to his new room and showed me the gear that I was supposed to wear while visiting him.

Adrian and Marika visited on Monday afternoon.

This morning we waited until almost 11:00am for the doctor to visit. He explained that there was nothing more that could be done for him in the hospital and that he would probably be more comfortable at home. We agreed. So I loaded him into the car and brought him home. It will take time for him to feel totally stable again...he is still a bit wobbly...but happy to be on his own couch and in his own bed!

Our visit to Whidbey was too short and we hope to return soon!

Trip to Telegraph Cove

We just returned from a wonderful trip with our daughter, son-in-law 

and grandson to the northern end of Vancouver Island. 

For four nights we stayed in the Ogawa House at Telegraph Cove.

The Ogawa House was built in 1901

Telegraph Cove General Store

Accommodation is available in old buildings around the Cove

which is frequented by fishermen, kayakers and whale watching groups.

Tackling the wobbly, sloped docks was very taxing

for the senior members of our family group!

The Whale Interpretive Centre, at the end of the dock in Telegraph Cove

displays several large whale skeletons.

The purpose of the Centre is to educate and inform the public

about the biology of marine mammals and the threat to their habitat.

We also made a day trip to Sointula (place of harmony) on Malcolm Island

and visited the Museum to learn about the Finnish immigrants

who established a Utopian community on the island in the early 1900's.

Another day trip took us to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island.

Burial grounds at Alert Bay.

The U'Mista Cultural Centre at Alert Bay displays many of the potlatch items

that were taken from the First Nations people in 1922 following

enactment of a law that forbade potlatches.

While many items have been returned to the Cultural Centre,

there is an ongoing search for the remaining lost pieces.

There was a challenge waiting for Papa back in Telegraph Cove!

It was such a treat to share this experience with our family!!