This morning is starting cloudy, but the weather forecast is still calling for a decent weekend. This is our Nanaimo River District Camp - with a 'CSI CHALLENGE' theme. We only have 5 Guides from our Unit going, so will put all 5 in one tent...Gillian, Heather and I in a tent of Gillian's. As of now Heather might have to work this evening, if so we will have two vehicles at camp - tho she's going to try and see if she can switch with someone....or something....! I started doing a bit of organizing/packing last night. I sewed two sleeping-pad straps on my sleeping bag, and found compression bag that fit the sleeping bag with the liner already inside! I then managed to find a stuff bag that fit both of the thermorests...rolled together and strapped, with one fleece blanket around. So the hard part of the packing is done...I just need to make sure the small tarp which I've had out on the clothesline is dry (may put it in the dryer).
Today I will be finishing the costumes - Heather came up with the idea of doing Scrub tops, I got one for each of the 3 of us, and her first idea was to write with indelible felt a sort of wanted poster...I've adapted that idea and am going to put: 'Property of RCMP - GRC' on the back, and 'RCMP-GRC' on the front, in smaller letters. This way it will be faster for me to do, and also we can be whatever we want: suspect, victim, or police.
I'm taking my camera, so hope to get some good photos at Camp...of nature, camp in general, and our girls. I'll try and post something from Camp here, as long as it is not a photo which could ID any particular girls, and will post info/photos on the Guiding Blog for sure - along with slowly updating the CR Guides Blog going back right to the beginning.
Time is marching on - 8:30 now, and I still have lots to do. I want to leave the kitchen fairly tidy, also our bedroom - to lessen the mess to clean up on Sunday. Maybe if I remind Grant that it is Mother's Day on Sunday we can eat out or have take-out...??
Friday, May 8, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Saltspring Getaway - etc!
Monday morning, and my body - and the house - are still recovering from our Saltspring Getaway! Friday was an absolutely gorgeous day...we were at Ruckle Prov. Park in plenty of time to pick a nice campsite. While starting supper we discovered that neither of us had packed something truly essential: something to start the stove with! How had we done that? Luckily I had a box of matches in my pockety that I'd picked up off the counter in the morning...but lo and behold it just had 3 matches in it! Heather managed to get the stove going with two matches, leaving us just 1 for the next morning. We had pasta and spag. sauce from home, then after cleaning up we went for a walk along a trail to the southwest. At least I think it was southwest! Anyhow we were looking off towards Swartz Bay and the ferry terminal there. I took some pictures which I hope turned out. (I just uploaded them now so will pick a few and add to this posting.}
Overnight Friday it sprinkled a bit, and did that off-and-on all day Sat. In the morning we made breakfast of scrambled eggs, toasted buns and turkey-bacon before heading into Ganges. Saturday mornings in Ganges appear to be Parking - Hell! It took forever to get a parking place...Heather did a very good job of navigating the narrow and crowded roads, and after driving around (and around and around) eventually got a good parking spot. We hit the Saturday Market, which was packed with vendors and visitors, even for May. Lots of gorgeous jewelry, pottery, plants. Some very unique stands. Prices for food was quite high (ie baked goods), but it did look good. We looked thru a few shops, including Mouatt's which I had read about. We then had lunch at a waterfront, outdoor bar...tho the outdoor part was more a restaurant. The menu looked good, and the food was ok, but not very much. I ordered Oysters...after asking the waitress about how many oysters. She said two, but said they were very big. Well, sorry, but they were the smallest, thinnest restaurant oysters I've EVER had. For $14 I definitely did not get my money's worth. We shared a Strawberry Shortcake, which was fine, but a bit steep at $7! After lunch (which was late) we wandered around some more, and I got a l/s T-shirt. Back at the car we drove north to the other 'mall', but didn't see a reason to stop. On the way back thru Ganges we did see an Outdoor store we would have liked to stop at, but by that time we were getting tired, so kept going back to camp. When we got back, and started cooking supper (we'd gotten matches in town!), it was raining enough that we had to take our chairs and sit under the tree to keep mostly dry..with a tarp over us. It started to rain harder, so we tidied up, and decided to go to bed early...very early, around 8 I think...which gave us time to tidy up the tent and reposition things a big. Heather had to move her sleeping bag because there was some water coming in the tent, se we piled things more in the middle and I moved my bag further from the tent wall. I settled in to read, just about the same time the storm settled in around us. Earlier on, before we actually got ready for bed, I suggested maybe packing up and sleeping in the car...H. said no, we'd be fine. When the storm hit it was she who then questioned whether we should head to the car. It was windy enough I really did not want to leave the tent, as I figured without our 275 or so pounds that we might lose the tent. so we each made sure we had a flashlight attached to us, and H. put her car-keys around her neck, and we tried to sleep. In the worst of the storm the top of the tent was just above my face. We were both sure that one of the poles had broken and that maybe the fly might have come off, so in the morning we were very surprised to look up and find the tent looking just fine. Outside everything on the table was just fine...we just had some wet stuff to pack from inside the tent. It had stopped raining sometime overnight, and it was a beautiful sunny morning packing up - which I suppose is better than packing in a downpour! We left camp around 10ish, and stopped in Ganges to eat. Heather had seen a restaurant the day before that said it was open for breakfast, so we headed there. I seem to rember it being called the Ganges Inn...heritage bldg from the '30s, very nicely renovated, and we got a really excellent breakfast. Just thinking of it this morning makes my mouth water. After that we headed for the ferry at Vesuvius, which we got at 1240 - we were the first in line, and had about a 1/2 hour wait. From the ferry straight home, as Rod phoned while we were on the ferry and said that pickup time for his Scout Camp changed from 4pm to 3pm.
The washer/dryer have been busy, with more to do. Rod still has to unpack, do his laundry and tidy his room...today after school since he was too tired to do it yesterday.
Back the 'normal' for the week: Heather worked last evening after we got home, and is at work now. I followed Grant in this morning , and we dropped the Van at Steve Marshall to see why it is dying when being driven. Tomorrow night the boys have Scouts at at 5:30 for paddling at Quennel, and we are taking Guides to see the movie 'Earth' at Woodgrove. Wednesday evening I have a Job Interview for the LaFFs Admin Asst position, then Thursday we will need to be ready to pack (or Friday morning). Also need to make some Dr appointments, and H. thinks I need to get my hair cut for the Job Interview...
Overnight Friday it sprinkled a bit, and did that off-and-on all day Sat. In the morning we made breakfast of scrambled eggs, toasted buns and turkey-bacon before heading into Ganges. Saturday mornings in Ganges appear to be Parking - Hell! It took forever to get a parking place...Heather did a very good job of navigating the narrow and crowded roads, and after driving around (and around and around) eventually got a good parking spot. We hit the Saturday Market, which was packed with vendors and visitors, even for May. Lots of gorgeous jewelry, pottery, plants. Some very unique stands. Prices for food was quite high (ie baked goods), but it did look good. We looked thru a few shops, including Mouatt's which I had read about. We then had lunch at a waterfront, outdoor bar...tho the outdoor part was more a restaurant. The menu looked good, and the food was ok, but not very much. I ordered Oysters...after asking the waitress about how many oysters. She said two, but said they were very big. Well, sorry, but they were the smallest, thinnest restaurant oysters I've EVER had. For $14 I definitely did not get my money's worth. We shared a Strawberry Shortcake, which was fine, but a bit steep at $7! After lunch (which was late) we wandered around some more, and I got a l/s T-shirt. Back at the car we drove north to the other 'mall', but didn't see a reason to stop. On the way back thru Ganges we did see an Outdoor store we would have liked to stop at, but by that time we were getting tired, so kept going back to camp. When we got back, and started cooking supper (we'd gotten matches in town!), it was raining enough that we had to take our chairs and sit under the tree to keep mostly dry..with a tarp over us. It started to rain harder, so we tidied up, and decided to go to bed early...very early, around 8 I think...which gave us time to tidy up the tent and reposition things a big. Heather had to move her sleeping bag because there was some water coming in the tent, se we piled things more in the middle and I moved my bag further from the tent wall. I settled in to read, just about the same time the storm settled in around us. Earlier on, before we actually got ready for bed, I suggested maybe packing up and sleeping in the car...H. said no, we'd be fine. When the storm hit it was she who then questioned whether we should head to the car. It was windy enough I really did not want to leave the tent, as I figured without our 275 or so pounds that we might lose the tent. so we each made sure we had a flashlight attached to us, and H. put her car-keys around her neck, and we tried to sleep. In the worst of the storm the top of the tent was just above my face. We were both sure that one of the poles had broken and that maybe the fly might have come off, so in the morning we were very surprised to look up and find the tent looking just fine. Outside everything on the table was just fine...we just had some wet stuff to pack from inside the tent. It had stopped raining sometime overnight, and it was a beautiful sunny morning packing up - which I suppose is better than packing in a downpour! We left camp around 10ish, and stopped in Ganges to eat. Heather had seen a restaurant the day before that said it was open for breakfast, so we headed there. I seem to rember it being called the Ganges Inn...heritage bldg from the '30s, very nicely renovated, and we got a really excellent breakfast. Just thinking of it this morning makes my mouth water. After that we headed for the ferry at Vesuvius, which we got at 1240 - we were the first in line, and had about a 1/2 hour wait. From the ferry straight home, as Rod phoned while we were on the ferry and said that pickup time for his Scout Camp changed from 4pm to 3pm.
The washer/dryer have been busy, with more to do. Rod still has to unpack, do his laundry and tidy his room...today after school since he was too tired to do it yesterday.
Back the 'normal' for the week: Heather worked last evening after we got home, and is at work now. I followed Grant in this morning , and we dropped the Van at Steve Marshall to see why it is dying when being driven. Tomorrow night the boys have Scouts at at 5:30 for paddling at Quennel, and we are taking Guides to see the movie 'Earth' at Woodgrove. Wednesday evening I have a Job Interview for the LaFFs Admin Asst position, then Thursday we will need to be ready to pack (or Friday morning). Also need to make some Dr appointments, and H. thinks I need to get my hair cut for the Job Interview...
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