Gabriola
13 July 2012 | BC, Canada
Jules
We finally made it over to Gabriola, after spending some time with Jess and having a day out in Stanley park getting lost at Beaver Lake and seeing my very first raccoon.
The weather finally cleared and it's been sunny and warm for the last week or so which is great, and bizarre for us because you can actually go out in it over here; we might even go back with a sun-tan if it keeps up as expected. We were here for Canada Day on July 1st which was really good, and Mike managed to find his old potato gun and take part in the local potato canon derby. He didn't win but did reasonably well considering his technology was 20 years old, and he didn't have his own hairspray.
The gulf islands are absolutely beautiful and it's been wonderful visiting all Mike's old haunts and friends and seeing all the log houses he's built over the years. We had to take Ted's truck back to Salt Spring and now we've borrowed a friend's old MGB so we've been round the island with the top down looking like real tourists, and trying hard to avoid the deer which are all over.
We've also, unfortunately, run into a couple of little snags over here to do with some of Mike's property that he left here in safe-keeping so we've had to stay around longer than anticipated, but at least it's given Mike time to be treated like the home-coming celebrity which a lot of people over here obviously feel he is. As usual hes' been working hard and helping out where he can with roof cleaning, log chopping, electrical wiring and various other assorted projects that people are up to.
One of the great things for me has been to be welcomed into the community and to meet lots of people who have apparently been following the blog for quite some time ... you never know it might even mean we start getting a few more comments now - well, I can hope.
We're in contact with James on a regular basis and alls well back on the Buzzard. In fact I just got an email from Phil over on Hog and James had been telling him that he gets more work done when we're not around so is quite enjoying it. As far as we know he's already prepped and painted the top deck and the galley and is now working on the main companion-way. I keep thinking if we stay away long enough then maybe it'll be finished by the time we get back!
The internet and mobile connections are pretty poor here so I don't get on-line much but will update when I can and let you know when tickets have been booked and we're back on our way.
In the meantime ... Love to all ...