After a spring and summer filled with shenanigans (hehehe!), I had 4 vacation days left to use before my end of year retirement and it only seemed right to use them for a quick trip back to Vancouver Island to see my daughter and her boyfriend, in their new abode in Ladysmith.
I’ve been back home for over a week already, and only getting around to this post now – apologies, especially to Donna and Erica (two lovely bloggers I went hiking with during my recent visit) who were able to post already on the fun time we shared here and here.
Sleep deprivation, staff vacations, Elton John (more about this later!), and my sister coming for a visit all contributed to lack of blogging, and after catching up on rest this past weekend I feel mostly human again, and capable of stringing a few words together.
However, I think I’ll let my photos (and captions) do most of the talking. Behold:
Spotted this rascal on a walk along the Nanaimo waterfront on my first day back on the Island. I still can’t believe how close he/she let us get. Herons in Ontario are less bold.Sunday found us doing some exploring via island hopping, since our planned whale-watching excursion got cancelled last minute due to “rough seas”. Uh huh. This photo was taken on Hornby Island – looking out towards Denman Island (with Vancouver Island in the distance). Note rough seas.Waiting for the ferry to Denman Island. I still can’t believe we dared to take all those ferries in these rough seas. View from the ferry, approaching Vancouver Island. Wait, are those actual waves?Went to do some forest-bathing with these two rascals. The wonderful Donna and Erica. It’s always a great day for a hike when you have such lovely ladies for company. We talked about all the important things like we’d known each other for years. Even blogging!Donna in her cute yellow rain jacket – being used here for scale!Beautiful Holland Creek TrailOn my last full day, we went to Victoria to do some exploring in the capitol of BC. Chinatown was fun (and delicious!), as always.This fine fellow greeted us as we entered Chinatown.Of course we had to shoot a selfie in Fan Tan Alley. After Chinatown, we walked through the city with the goal of getting to Fishermans’s Wharf. This is a statue of the artist, Emily Carr. That is a monkey on her back, that she is turning her attention to. I assume it was a pet – like her little dog, and not a statement about any struggles she may have been going through! The Empress Hotel is in the background. I enjoyed the high tea experience there, back in 2003. Fancy!Mizz J (and K) looking towards Fisherman’s Wharf – our objective – which was eventually reached – although everything was closed when we got there.We still had fun walking around and admiring the unique homes on Fisherman’s Wharf. Fisherman’s Wharf warning sign. Point (get it? 😉 ) taken.
The week just flew by and was over far too soon. The beauty and charm of Vancouver Island continues to astound me. I wonder if I will ever get used to it. I hope not!
How’s that for an click-baity enticing title, eh? Last weekend was planned several months ago, after coordination with another blogging buddy and IRL friend, Karen Hume. Joanne (aka trail name: Blaze) and I visited Karen last in the summer of 2018 and another visit was definitely overdue!
Joanne asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted to see on our little road trip (besides Karen, of course) and without much hesitation I said “Tweed, in Smiths Falls!” This was more than cool with our intrepid Joanne as well, so off we went on Friday morning to see what this facility that grows cannabis was all about. Joanne wrote about her observations on our tour here and she has some great pictures of pot production at “Ganga University” as I call it, because our tour guide kept referring to the facility as a “campus”.
So, without replicating Joanne’s photos…we were both snapping away so a lot are the same…here are some of mine, from our tour:
There was a bit of a museum at the beginning of the tour, along with a video presentation on the history of cannabis. Worth watching!These overhead lights are depicting the chemical structure of THC – the stuff in weed that gets you high.These vials were filled with cotton balls doused in the different terpenes found in weed (also found in other organic items such as lemons and pine) – the chemicals that contribute to the taste and scent of cannabis. So we sniffed away, and cleansed our nasal palates in between with coffee beans. Apparently there are people who smoke weed for the flavour so descriptions of cannabis products talk about this. Sorry highly informative and cute little tour guide: I have yet to talk to someone whose first concern is the flavour of the weed they are smoking despite you assuring me of the existence of such unicorns connoisseurs.Here is the source of one of Joanne’s disappointments : a chocolate room not making chocolate, even though it was supposed to be Day One of production. So clean! So shiny! So devoid of activity and chocolate! Sorry, Joanne! 🙁Smiling despite the lack of chocolate and free (or otherwise) cannabis to try.
After a couple of hours spent gaining an education about ye olde electric lettuce, bhang, mary jane, dank, green goddess etc., we were off to meet up with Karen for some pub grub and plans for our Saturday together. Which included visiting:
The Brockville Farmer’s Market! Bursting with fall produce.
Joanne and Karen admiring the mineral deposits forming in the tunnel interior.Our tunnel experience included quite the light and music show! But you know what was missing though? Some Tweed product samples would have put the cherry on the icing on the cake of our railway tunnel visit, doncha think? 😉
While visiting with Karen, we stayed at a lovely little complex on the banks of the St. Lawrence River:
St. Lawrence sunrise, from the deck surrounding our rooms.Signs of a beautiful fall all around us.
And it really was lovely, except for the paper thin walls between the rooms. On Saturday night Joanne and I turned in early, in our respective but far apart rooms – we’d had a full day of catching up and touring the area with Karen, and had filled up on some delicious Chinese food for supper as well. We were both looking forward to relaxing with a good book and catching up on our (a-hem) beauty sleep.
Joanne was treated to a loudly battling father and son in the room next to hers while I was treated to something else entirely.
There I was, safely tucked into bed and enjoying a good book, when I heard the unmistakeable sounds of…er…knockin’ boots, from the other side of the wall behind my headboard. Which was not at all unusual I suppose, except that I was also treated to some loud and (I sincerely hope) playful slapping going on, besides! Talk about your “slap and tickle” – it was a veritable slap and tickle festival happening next door to me. Hah! Thankfully it was at a decent hour in the evening and the festivities um climaxed died down before they cut into my ability to sleep.
The next morning we shared our experiences at breakfast while I scanned the couples in the complex’s dining room to try and figure out who was the slapper and who was the slappee of the previous evening. I think I figured it out. Not only that, we ran into those same people at a highway rest stop on the way back to our respective homes later that morning! The woman seemed in quite a jolly mood so I inferred from this that apparently all that slapping was done in a loving and consensual manner.
Joanne asked me how long I had to listen to this symphony of slap-happy sex. I said long enough that I didn’t have to feel sorry for the female partner. 😉
Have you ever had your rest interrupted by a loud couple next door? Do tell, and…
On May 25th, 2018 I picked up my 3rd version of “Edward the Sparkly Prius“. This one is a plug-in Hybrid, meaning it can be charged via an electrical outlet and also uses gas as fuel.
The shiny new Edward the Third. Long may He reign.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that I love Priuses (Priuii?) and the (non) colour Blizzard White, and Toyota products in general. (Before my current Prius phase, I was a Matrix gal). I already benefited from good gas mileage with my other Edwards (I and II). With Edward II, I was refueling about every 10 days or so at an average cost of $90 per month (Canadian fuel prices were higher then: 2017/2018). Not bad, right?
Well, I hadn’t seen anything yet! My perception of “not bad” changed with Edward III (long may he reign!). Eddie came to me in May 2018 with a full tank of gas. My first fill up was at the end of July (!). Then the one after that wasn’t until November (!!!). Then I filled up again in December, then in February; and the most recent time I had cause to visit the pumps was back on March 30, over 8 weeks ago. I still have just over 1/2 tank of that fill. For a grand total of $155.47 for a year’s worth of fuel purchases. I drove a little over 13.5 thousand kilometres in that time span.
Mileage as of end of day, June 4 2019.
I couldn’t tell anyone what gas costs right now. I’m only aware of gas prices going up/down when I see long line-ups at the pumps. When Edward is down to 1/4 tank, I just go fill him up. The price of gas no longer holds sway over me.
I had to install an outdoor electrical outlet (just a regular one, not the more expensive, faster “charging station”), to feed Edward. That set me back a few hundred bucks, for an electrician. I haven’t seen a discernible difference in my electrical bills, although I was told at the dealership each full charge could cost $1. I program Eddie to only charge when the electricity is cheapest, so I can plug him in at 5 pm and know he won’t start drawing power until after 7 pm on a weekday. It takes 5.5 hours to fully charge Edward using the regular outlet.
My range, using electricity only, varies depending on the temperature. In the winter the lowest it dipped down to was 35 km on a full charge. As of this morning (June 5), I am up to 54 km per charge. Most days in the warm weather I can do all the running around to work and back, and any daily errands on a single overnight charge. In the winter I did find the gas engine had to kick in for the last few kilometres, in order to get me home every day. (I know; cue the world’s smallest, saddest violin…) I use the gas engine mostly only on extended, weekend drives.
Edward, in his royal benevolence, is teaching me to be a better more fuel efficient driver. Through positive reinforcement such as this;
He likes my driving. 🙂
And this:
Edward approves of not blasting the A/C in the summer time.
I am very happy with my new Edward. I do have to remember that he makes about as much noise as an electric golf cart when in EV (electric vehicle) mode (which is all the time, most days), and that pedestrians and cyclists won’t necessarily hear his approach. Or departure.
Last summer, at the KW Bluesfest, I surprised the slightly inebriated woman leaning on the vehicle parked beside me when Edward began to silently pull out of the parking spot. Her disorientation, double-take, and clutching of the vehicle behind her for support was priceless.
I think this type of vehicle (hybrid or all-electric) is the future. Until we can teleport ourselves à la Star Trek, that is. 😉
Well here I am with my Monday night Game of Thrones lack-of-sleep hangover, trying desperately to get my April post out before much more of May gets away from me…
In retrospect, April in Ontario was pretty meh with respect to the nicer aspects of spring. It remained cold and grey for most of the month. So it was a relief mid-month to head south to Augusta, Georgia for a few days of spring (and a couple of days of summer-like temps) before coming home to yet more chilly rain.
Here are some photos, that capture my month:
Start of Mandala painting Apr 4. Starved for colour and spring isn’t coming across with the goods!Apr 6 Attended the Lineup Reveal concert for August’s KW Bluesfest. Lucky Peterson performed.Apr 7 Still plenty of ice on the trail.
Apr 7 Sign of spring: fuzzy caterpillarApr 7 Another sign of spring: first frog sighting!Apr 10 Daffodils spotted in Pennsylvania. Enroute to Augusta.Apr 11 Tulips in Wytheville, VirginiaApr 12 Our home for the weekend, outside of Augusta. From spring to 30 degrees C!Apr 13 & 14 at the Masters. I didn’t take this picture as cameras weren’t allowed on tournament days. Someone snapped it on one of the practice days.Apr 21 Speed River flooding just off the trail I walk. Some areas of Ontario were very hard hit by flooding. Apr 21 Colt’s Foot blooming in dry areas.Apr 28 65th birthday party for my BIL at Lionhead Golf Course. It was a surprise party, and it was my job to get him to the course under pretext. I did a great job – he was completely stunned to find out it was his birthday party and that I actually didn’t need his help in planning a corporate golf tournament – but it tore me up inside. I don’t like deceiving people, even for happy reasons, I have discovered.Apr 28 My BIL (in blue) making the rounds of his party. Note the media screens. There were 4 in total. I gave a slideshow of our trip to Augusta.
Apr 30 Progress made on mandala painting
For some reason, WordPress is cutting off some of my photos. Or is it? On some devices I can see the entire photo, and on some they remain cut off. This is aggravating as I do spend some time cropping my photos to enhance them, and then to have them further cropped…well, colour me pissed. I don’t know what I am doing or not doing to cause this to happen. Argh!
Anywho, that was my April. The Changing Seasons is a monthly photo challenge hosted by the ever lovely Zimmerbitch. Please check out her blog and the other bloggers who participate!
When last I left off, gentle readers, I was planning to take a portion of my dead husband’s ashes down with me to Augusta, to scatter them on the hallowed grounds of the golf course there, during the 2019 Masters event.
Well, I am happy to report that my mission was accomplished with no drama. Kinda anticlimactic, really.
Not only did I NOT get dragged off the course in ignominy, but my own people didn’t realize what I had done. Even though I made a point of making eye contact with them while I was doing it. I was amazed when I was asked – safely back at the hospitality suite – did I do what I set out to do? Perhaps I need to go into the spy business. I seem to be (too) good at covert operations.
I scattered some of JD at 2 different locations, during the 2 days we spent at the tournament. Saturday was at the Amen Corner; Sunday was near the pond on Hole 16 – another pretty spot. Do I feel guilty about doing so? Not one bit. I am sure I am not the first, nor will I be the last to do so. Plus, the tablespoon of cremains I deposited is nothing compared to the amount of cigar ash deposited on the grounds daily, based on my observations.
As I mentioned in my previous post, no electronics were allowed on the course during the final days of the tournament so I don’t have any pictures to share…yet! I did get sent some pictures taken by someone who was on the course on the practice round days, when photography was allowed. I’ll post those after first debuting them in a slideshow at a special event I will be attending next week.
These (and accompanying verbiage) will probably make up the most of my upcoming Changing Seasons post for April.
Tomorrow I am leaving for Augusta, Georgia, to attend the Masters Tournament being played there on the weekend.
Some of you may be wondering how I ended up in this delightful situation, not being a golfer (or rabid golf fan) and all that. Well, wonder no more! Get yourself comfortable as the Widow Badass tells all…
My late husband came from a family BIG on golf. I mean seriously addicted to the game. JD started golfing when he was 4 years old, with his dad, who LIVED for golf. Big Daddy D often held down multiple jobs at once to provide for his family but Sunday morning golf with his JD was sacred. Even when everyone else had packed it in for the season, Daddy D and JD would be out there, using coloured balls so they could be seen despite the snow dusting the course.
So golf was a big part of JD’s life and he became very good at it. So good, that at one point Daddy D’s golfing buddies asked him not to bring JD because they were tired of getting their asses severely beat by the young lad – every time. So Daddy D told his golfing buddies to take a hike. As one does…
Anywho, life happened to JD as it does to us all and instead of pursuing life as a golf prodigy, he went into accounting, got married, got divorced, blah blah blah.
Then we (former elementary and high school-mates) got reunited and JD introduced me to the enjoyable yet exasperating game of golf.
Long story short, JD came to an turning point in his career and I suggested he finally realize his golf dream and become a teaching pro. So he did – he was into his apprenticeship when he got lung cancer and passed away. I put away my golf gear – such as it was; I was more of a caddy for JD than an actual player myself. The game held too many memories and associated emotions for me, both good and bad. The onslaught of those while playing the game are still too much to bear.
Back to today: JD’s sister (B) and her husband (M) are also fans of the game and have been putting their names into a draw for spectator tickets to the Masters for about a decade now. Last summer their names were finally drawn and they purchased a package including 4 tickets for Saturday and Sunday. If JD were alive, he would have been the one going but since he is not, I was invited to take his place. So B, M, me and M Jr. are heading down to Augusta. B, M and me will be going by car; M Jr. is taking a plane, to minimize his days off work.
I have never been to a major tournament like this. It’s pretty damn rules-y, that much I can tell you. There is a dress code (no jeans, no short-shorts, basically dress as if you were playing); there will be no electronics allowed (cell phones, cameras, tablets, laptops, watches that can accept phone calls); there is absolutely no running allowed; no food or drink allowed; no noise at all when the volunteers hold up the Quiet sign; etc. etc. Happy Gilmore, it won’t be!
I’ve decided to pack a bit of JD, to bring along with me. So I opened up his urn (on my dresser still, along with the cremains of my dog Lucy and my mom – quite the collection!), and scooped a tablespoon of his ashes into a little plastic container. I plan to sprinkle him somewhere on the grounds. Not sure where yet. When I see it, I’ll know it. I didn’t read anywhere in the rules about “no sprinkling of human remains on the grounds of Augusta National” so I’m going for it. After all, it’s basically bone meal fertilizer, right? Wish me luck.
On my last full day on Vancouver Island, the three of us (Mizz J, K and I) got up early and hit the road to Tofino!
We stopped along the way at a picturesque mountain lake.
I think this is called Kennedy Lake.
Tofino straddles the tip of a peninsula on the west coast of the Island. One side is quiet inlet.
Calm waters of the inlet
Tofino Totem Pole
And the other side is a paradise for surfers.
The surf at Chesterman Beach. Yes, there were many surfers in the water (2 in this photo) on Groundhog Day, February 2.
Admiring the view and soaking up the sun.
One of the many pretty shells to be found on the beach.
Both sides of Tofino are beautiful and cool.
We drove downtown and parked near this place as we just had to see what it was all about.
A large gallery featuring the works of native artist Roy Henry Vickers. Loved his stuff. Someday I will be back and buy a print or twelve… 🙂
Inside the gallery.
We also visited a series of stores, surf-related shops, and restaurants inside and just outside of the downtown. And there were flowers blooming outside! On Groundhog Day!!!
Crocuses blooming already!
I loved the signage of this coffee shop:
I had a London Fog here and it was so. damn. good.
The wildlife at the Wildfire Grill were very assertive. The restaurant had signs up, warning people of crow thievery. They just came for us. With their buddies. (OK, so we encouraged them. Because of the novelty. We’re just the kind of people that like birds landing on our picnic table and staring at us.) Like a scene from The Birds. 🙂
We also did a short walk on the Tonquin Trail, that led to another beach.
Sign at entrance to trail.
As the day drew to a close we visited another beach – Long Beach.
Beautiful Long Beach scenery.
And so ended our last day together (for a while). It was a glorious one, filled with sun, surf, art and togetherness.
It was tough to get a good shot of the many birds housed there (including eagles, hawks, and ravens) through the wire mesh of their enclosures. So here’s a resident turkey, for your viewing pleasure. 🙂
There was also a garden area, showcasing native (and some non-native) plants to be found on the Island. Seen here: oregon grape, heather, and kinnick-kinnick.
After a delightful visit, it was on to the next: Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Parksville.
We were delighted to come across many bunnies on our way to the beach. They let us get quite close.
Beach view. Overcast but still lovely.
As with most places on the Island, we were in awe of the beautiful, giant trees.
After such an attraction-packed day, it was time to head back to Mizz J’s for a well-deserved soak in the hot tub.
In the summer, I like to hit the road. Whether for a few hours, a day, or a weekend – the long, temperate days and good driving conditions make it a joy to range further afield.
I have plans for taking much longer road trips, once I am retired. I wrote about that here (during last year’s A-Z Challenge), and also here.
I am still thinking about this almost daily and flip-flopping between a trailer to pull behind me or a small RV (when I am not calculating how many nights’ stay in motel rooms would come close to the cost of either of these options – even second-hand). 😉
I am fortunate that my home is zoned commercial/residential, which means I can park a trailer or RV year-round on my property, even though I am in town – I checked with the by-law officer a few years ago.
My fantasy rig has me road tripping in full-on glamping style:
Like this.
Or this.
And the exterior looks something like this, on my fantasy trailer.
And then there’s the fantasy RV.
Fantasy RV interior.
So far my pros and cons list for each type looks something like this:
Small trailer Pros
Roomier
Can leave at campsite while using vehicle to explore surrounding area
Better for extended stays somewhere
Small trailer Cons
Have to learn to tow
Entering/leaving my driveway will be difficult (incline, and on busy street)
Need bigger vehicle than I currently own, in order to tow even the tiniest trailer
Camping Van Pros
Can fit in regular parking space
Easier to drive and manoeuvre
Better for trips in which only planning to stay 1-2 nights max in each place
Can rent one to try out before I buy
Camping Van Cons
Now I have to own and maintain 2 motor vehicles
Have to pack up the campsite every time I need to go to town or do some local exploring
Less space to move around in
I’m currently leaning towards the camping van, as I envision my first few years of road trips will be more driving around than staying in one place. Perhaps I could pack a bike or an electric scooter, for local exploring.
No matter what I decide upon, once I am retired I can chase summer year-round….Canadian road-tripping in the summer, and heading south of the border in the winter.
What about you? Is road-tripping your thing too? Any thoughts or advice to share? What would you choose – a trailer or an RV?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
