Happy shoes

Every time I go shoe shopping with John...

...I end up with a pair of "happy" shoes!!

HOME AGAIN!

Farewell to Frannie!

WE'RE HOME AGAIN!

The guys are back

The guys are back!

Bearing gifts!

This box of locum (Turkish Delight) looks more like sushi

than the sweet delight that is in every piece!

Our final morning walk took us up to "Zucchini Junction".

Some clever soul placed these zucchini on the Fat Dog 120 Endurance route.

From there we hiked up Butterfly Lane to find a bench

that two local residents had constructed and placed in a meadow.

A place of solitude and meditation.

A broken ankle!

Last Sunday, before my sisters left for home, Dorothy decided to visit the outhouse. Enroute she slipped and broke her ankle in three places....cursed flip-flops on her feet! She was forced to "bum-walk" back up the hill...backwards. The ankle had started to swell before she reached the house.

That's her on the ground and two of us watching while feeling useless!

Back in Burnaby, exhausted and in pain, she refused to go to the hospital right away. The next morning her friend Eileen drove her to Burnaby General where x-rays showed the three breaks. Around 9:00pm the surgeon finally operated, installing screws and a plate. She is not allowed to put any weight on that leg for at least 6 weeks when she will begin physiotherapy and laser treatments. Meanwhile the leg is wrapped in a splint. This will be replaced with a boot after the incision staples are removed in 10 days.

I drove into Burnaby from Manning Park on Friday morning to check on her. She was comfortably ensconced on the loveseat in her living room(on the phone) with her leg elevated and everything she could possibly need beside her. Her mother-in-law's walker has proven to be a great asset. She kneels on it with the injured leg and propels herself by hopping on the good leg...much better than crutches!

Cat sitting

Cat sitting is an uneventful activity until the cat disappears. On Monday evening, around 8:00pm, we began the process of calling and pleading with Fran to come inside. This continued until after midnight with walks up the road, flashlight in hand. Finally we climbed upstairs to a restless, sleepless night in bed. At intervals one of us would clamber downstairs and check for him at the door. I had the terrible feeling that he wouldn't return and imagined a variety of beasts that could have carried him away.

Just before 7:00am I woke up as John was going downstairs again to check for him. He returned with Fran in his arms, unscathed and playful. It was as though Fran had been out on the town, a young single male cat having fun! Little buggar!!!

Do you think that the full moon played a part in his escapade??

Wired Kitty

Is Frannie wired or did he catch a mouse??

A sisterly visit

My sisters visited this weekend.

We shared kayaking time on Lightning Lakes...

...drank a lot of coffee...

challenged each other at card games and Mexican Train...

and learned a new expression...

"There's a hole in his/her marble bag!"

A&A return visit

Had another great visit with Adrian and Ashley.

Mornings were spent with coffees and good books.

Ashley kept trying to get cell phone reception...

...or maybe she's taking a photo of our stunning surroundings!

They enjoyed their canoe trip on Lightning Lakes and cooked us a delicious dinner of pasta and freshly caught salmon. The girls kicked butt at Baganole this time but the guys triumphed with Mexican Train.

Augie's many talents

Augie has many talents at the age of 5 years.

Yesterday he serenaded me while I was preparing dinner.

This morning he helped to make blueberry muffins.

He also entertained Papa with funny stories!

It was a very fun weekend!!!

Augie comes for a visit

Augie came for a visit this weekend with his parents. 

It was his first experience with "cat friendship" and they love each other.

Meanwhile the men mastered the barbeque.

Steak, corn on the cob and foil wrapped potatoes...yummh!

This morning the trio were launched in a 2 seater kayak on the Lightning Lakes.

A beautiful vista!

Augie could not be convinced to go any further!