Mid-aft Sunday - Grant, H. and our two Japanese summer ESL students are out fishing - Nanaimo Lakes I think. Earlier this week we cruised the online classifieds and found an aluminum boat that appeared to be just what we wanted. Turned out it is: a 14' aluminum boat, trailer and 9.9hp motor - all in really good condition. We managed to get it for a good price. It seems to be about the same age - or a bit newer - than our old boat which we sold in Lethbridge before moving here. Thing is this boat has been stored - complete - in a barn for years. Yesterday morn/aft Grant etc went to Duncan to the new Cdn. Tire/Walmart/Rona and got boat seats, a new life jacket for me, and some plywood to finish off the garage.
On Jun 26 H. and I picked up our first Japanese boy - Yoshio, 16 - at the Victoria airport, and the next day we picked up Akiya, 17, also at the Victoria airport. I'm driving them to and from Queen Margaret School in Duncan each morning and afternoon. They will be with us til the end of July. Then on August 3rd we go to QM and pick up two Japanese girls who will be with us for 6 days, after which we switch to another two for another 6 days. Those girls have a really busy schedule.
I had a job interview for Habitat for Humanity on Friday: the job sounds very interesting, and I'm sure I would enjoy it. They want to make sure that whoever takes the position can become competent with MS Access - I downloaded a trial copy of MS Office Pro which is the only way to get Access, and spent a while yesterday trying to figure it out. Some of it is easy, but it is a very in-depth programme. I was just about to take a break when the phone rang - it was Fran W., on the board of the Nanaimo Telephone Visiting Society. I had had an interview back in April or May for the Coordinator position, but they hired someone else. That person just left the position due to personal reasons, and the board felt that since the interviews were only about 2 months ago, it would make sense to offer the position to the next in line - me! I was very surprised, but most pleasantly so. I got a lot of info, and told Fran that I would call her back last night. I did [after we got back from Rathtrevor & dinner at Joey's Only in Parksville with the boys] - and she will be calling me back probably today to set a time Mon - Wed for me to go in for a few hours to be introduced to the job/office etc., hopefully by the previous/previous (??) Coordinator, who is now on the Board. The position is 20 hrs a week, and I will be starting next Monday, July 13th. I told Fran that I have the commitment of driving our Japanese students to/from QM until August 15th, and then the need to be ultra flexible especially when Kasia has her puppies - and that seems to be ok. I'm really looking forward to this job: there will be a lot of learning, but it has variety and will definitely put to good use a lot of the skills I have, both from paid and volunteer (and home!) positions. I was telling Grant yesterday that I think I will check out the VIU calendar to see what relevant courses/workshops/seminars there are.
This week - actually starting tomorrow - is Grant's first holiday week. We were going to go camping this weekend, but I just did not get organized in time. Looking back on the past few days, it is probably fortuitous that we didn't, and therefore I was at home for Fran's phone call yesterday! Anyhow, the plan now is for Grant and I to drive out to Beaver Lake Campsite nr Lake Cowichan [it is owned by Dawnette Humphries, our Area Commissioner for Guides], check it out, and reserve for this coming weekend. We figure it is just about the same distance to QM School from there as from home, and since it has showers/flush toilets it will be a gentle introduction to camping for the boys. I'm hoping we can head out there on Wednesday, picking the boys up from school and taking them to camp, and then coming home on Sunday afternoon. We will have the new alum. boat with us.
If I understand Grant's schedule properly, he will be working Saturday the 18th, and therefore will have Friday the 24th off. Since the boys really seemed to enjoy the beach, we might try going to a beach campsite - but we will see what happens after this coming weekend.
