linniemax

Friday, July 2, 2021

Visiting family on Vancouver Island

I returned from Vancouver Island on June 29th at the end of the hottest days on record in BC. It was the first time in one year that I was able to visit with family in Comox and Campbell River. The first two days were wonderful as temperatures were warm but not overwhelming.

A lovely stroll through Filberg Gardens with Heather and Chris

Filberg flower stall was inviting

During my visit we enjoyed delicious meals and many rounds of Trivial Pursuit with August who was soon to turn 12 years of age. He has a phenomenal memory and he was able to answer most of the questions in fierce competition with the adults...regardless of the category! Very impressive!

After two days in Comox I drove to Campbell River for a visit with my sister Tara. That was when the heat really hit. Fortunately they have air conditioning in their house so we were comfortable during the day and enjoyed good sleeps.

We drove into the city to see their contribution to the local Banner Project.

It brought back memories of the Salmon Arm Banner Project!

It was supposed to be a two night visit but Heather suggested that it was too hot at their home in Comox so I should stay an extra night in Campbell River. I was very thankful and did not hesitate to enjoy a third night at my sister's.

June 28th was my grandson's 12th birthday so I headed back to Comox for one night to share in his celebration. Of course it was the hottest day on record...and their bedrooms are upstairs in a two level home! My son-in-law took me for a swim/float that afternoon which was heavenly. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, black forest cake and gift opening.

Despite the heat (around 40 degrees) August had to test drive his new electric scooter!

We all struggled to catch a few hours of sleep that night. There was no air movement at all which is unusual for Comox. The next morning I headed for the ferry at Duke Point and, since I had a reservation, my car was on the top deck where there was a breeze!

The next few days, as temperatures moderated, I spent in recovery. It was my first solo trip in years and traveling to visit family without John was emotionally challenging.

I discovered yesterday that I will be making another trip to the island next week. Tara will be going to Victoria for an angioplasty and possible stent. The hospital suggested that she stay in Victoria for the night before and the night after the procedure...so...I will join her in Victoria for the two nights and then drive her home to Campbell River.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Colonoscopy and vaccine

This month has been dedicated to a colonoscopy, my second one in three months, and the second jab of Pfizer vaccine. This second colonoscopy was to remove a polyp that the first Gastroenterologist could not access. Of course this involved the dreaded pre-procedure purge again and a chauffeured trip to VGH with my sister. The Doctor called the next day to say that there was no sign of cancer in the biopsies!!

The second jab has not had any unusual side effects so far although my arm was very sore for the first 24 hours. Langley Event Centre was very well organized to handle the Sunday morning flow of customers.

On Monday we learned that travel restrictions were relaxed so I immediately made a ferry booking to visit family on Vancouver Island. It has been almost one year since I spent time with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson. This will be a special trip...my first without John.

I spotted this lovely pink dogwood tree on my morning walk.

The latest painting

Friday, June 4, 2021

Overnight release

Finally!...a chance to feel semi-normal! My sister bought tickets to take me to the Vincent Van Gogh exhibit in downtown Vancouver on June 2nd. We drove into the city feeling liberated! After depositing our overnight bags in our friends' condo we walked over to Breka Cafe for a visit with Fikriye, a young woman who has relocated to Vancouver from her home in Antalya Turkey. Unfortunately we discovered that she is now managing a new Breka location on Main Street. We decided to visit her the next day.

Enroute to the Convention Centre we stopped at the Art Gallery to view the display of childrens' shoes on the front steps in honor of the 215 children whose buried remains were discovered at the site of a Residential School in BC. Visitors were respectful. Some were crying, others were praying. We stood quietly for a few minutes.

It was a very interesting way to view Van Gogh's work. Huge screens with continually changing images allowed a close up look at his application of paint and the cracks of time. There were several occasions when vertigo was a problem as the images slid up or down on both the screens and on the floor. Our expectation was to move from room to room but the entire exhibit takes place in one large high ceilinged room that holds quite a few people. This results in standing on a hard floor for 45-50 minutes which could be a challenge for some older people...like myself! Also, the classical music is extremely loud. Unfortunately our grandson, who is autistic, would never be able to enjoy this large spectacle.

Screens showed portions of images on a four sided structure in the centre of the room.

It was a full immersion experience!

That night we enjoyed dinner at Moxie's on Davie Street...sitting inside a restaurant for the first time in months! Later we sat on the rooftop pool deck of the condo building and watched the sky change colours while our energy levels ebbed. Time for bed!

The next morning we thoroughly enjoyed a long walk around English Bay and through the West End of Vancouver. Several stops along the way allowed us to spot some fun creations.