End of July

29 July --- 1 August 2012

Now Noni and I must attend to our hair as we are looking a little shaggy. Well I am – Noni looks beautiful always ..

Planning on going to Vancouver Monday to eat Dim Sum – authentic Chinese food – at our favorite Chines restaurant. At this time we are thinking about bringing our bikes to pedal the Stanley Park Seawall. Tuesday I am thinking I would like to go kayaking at Porteau Cove Provincial Park – I understand there are some “painting' on the cliffs 20 minutes from Squamish going south towards Vancouver. However there is danger because in the afternoons the winds pick up and the tide comes in. We live at the end of Howe Sound – this begins in Vancouver and has mountains on both sides so we get a funnel effect with the winds off the Pacific Ocean. But still the view will be awesome. I am getting old – concern about safety now – in the past I would just do it – but now the tide and wind and distance has me concern – because if we do this – we will be on our own out on the ocean in isolation. There are still some hikes I would like to do also before it becomes cold and wet again – So many options – decisions because I live an a very beautiful area. I must keep in mind also that next week we will be very busy again 167 people for two weeks – and because of my accident I do have physical limitations not to mention I am 51 and not 25 years old. But I am not yet ready for the nursing homes... Some of the places I want to go – well I know are beyond my ability now – but still we have easier areas to explore and discover – limitless.......

Well here it is the 1^st of August 012. (30 July012) Noni and I did travel to Vancouver with the bikes attached to the back of our car and ate Dim Sum at our favorite restaurant (Tung Sing Chin Seafood Restaurant) We ordered 9 different menu choices. One of my favorite dishes is the squid in curry and most favorite is the shrimp dumpling. I need the menu to tell or describe the other dishes – but they are all so good – well may be not – One time I order tripe and I did not like that. Chicken feet or web duck feet I have tried – enjoyed – but not to be ordered often..

After eating excess amounts almost on the gluttony side of things we headed out the door to Russell Food Equipment supply store. Noni wants a piping bag that is lined with plastic. We tried ordering one from Sysco but they sent the wrong type so I returned them. So since we are off and in Vancouver on a work day we made a stop and purchased the piping bags and of course took a good look at other merchandise.

Then it was time to enjoy biking at Stanley Park. We parked the car near the aquarium and gardens. The roses are still in bloom and other plants are so colorful. We did not go very fast – taking pictures and more pictures. I can feel the stress leave this old soul.

Not sure where we were heading or where we were exactly we just kept riding. Ah I smell the salt air and see the water. There it is the famous seawall. We bike on over to this and begin a delightful pedal in the park for four hours. There is a portion of the path for walking and a portion for roller blades and bikes. At first I was on the walking path – was thinking we were on the wrong spot when we were advise to move before we get a ticket so we got ourselves situated on the right path keeping to the left so others could pass. It was quite busy and we heard bells – and people saying behind us “passing”. This was a happy afternoon of cycling – something I have wanted to do for awhile. Leaving the seawall we biked up a very steep hill. I was able to pedal all the way to the top – Oh how far I have come – just 4 years ago I could not climb even the smallest incline of a hill. It is the little things like this that seem to jump out to show the progress my body has recovered from that accident. So Noni and I have been cycling and just enjoying ourselves on this one way track. OK – how do we return to our car. WE are now off the seawall on gravel path in the park. Eventually we come to the paved road – but once again it is one way and not in the direction I want to go. Well I am “lost” and I know I must go the wrong direction to get back to the car and so I did so. We have traveled far, much further than expected but still we must get back to the car. On the way to our car Noni gets to see her first raccoon. I had my camera ready and got a couple good pictures before it disappeared into the bushes. We get back to our car before we get a parking ticket and head back to camp for the night.

(31 August 012) had a very good night sleep after our cycling event yesterday. But it is our second day off and so we must make the most of it. We have our paychecks so off to the bank to deposit and then to the provincial park (Porteau Cove) We had our kayaks on the ocean by 11 am and enjoyed 2.5 hours of sun and waves. I did not get to see any Indian paintings on the cliffs, but I did see a kingfisher, bald eagle, blue heron, seal and several other types of birds. It was a little windy by the time we began but not too bad, but by the time we decided to stop – well Noni was scared and I was happy to be going with the wind and not fighting it head on. It was like surfing on our return to the car. I got very wet. Waves soaked me right to my skin. This is one reason you should use a skirt on the kayak, which I decided to leave at home because it is a pain to put on. The water was cool – but who cares I was enjoying myself and was a little sad that we were stopping. Later in the afternoon Noni and I did get a hair cut. Thinking about it – in July it has cost me just under 100 dollars for three hair cuts – Dalhouise – Noni and me.

We picked up our laundry – yesterday we dropped three comforters into the laundry and picked up today. Normally we would wash large items ourselves at the Laundromat – our condo washing machine is too small for our comforters – and because time is precious to us right now I did not want to waste an afternoon doing laundry. We stopped in and had a short visit with mom and then back to the condo and then camp for the night.

This brings us to 1 August my half day off. I cooked breakfast and prepared supper for staff. Noni and I are off again to Brohm Lake Provincial park to hike another trail we have not yet done. Perfect day for a hike – a little sun – a little cloud – a little breeze. Not too crowded and not alone. Always have concern about meeting a cougar or bear on the paths. Once again I do not have a map – and off we go not quite sure where we are heading. We wanted to go to Tantalus Look out and as we hiked we came to cross roads – they posted a map but it was not very helpful to me. I am not sure if we actually ended up where we wanted to go or not – it was not a very good look out – but the hike was fun and we did not meet any wildlife. We did the loop and ended the hike tired but happy.