E- Early Summer fun

Summer. There's too much to do to get the time to blog. As it is I am typing this out in our Co-op's courtyard while the girls play in the kiddie pool and Lucas is sleeping next door at home.

The first two weeks of July have been beautiful and we've been taking full advantage. The summer really started for us on July 1st. I got off my last night shift and decided there was too much fun to be had to waste it sleeping. We headed off to Maple Beach for one of the lowest tides of the year. After walking for about half an hour over the warm sands and through the little tide pools, the girls and I gave up trying to make it to the water's edge and decided to rejoin Lucas and Les who had made the same decision much earlier. At around noon we headed for a big Canada Day celebration at Diefenbaker park in Tsawassen where we had hotdogs and drinks but were too late for the free Canada Day cake. After the kids tore around in the playground for a couple of hours we went to the McKnight's for more food and play until the sun set at 9:15pm. Because their place faces west and the sun sets over the ocean instead of Vancouver Island at this time of year, they get the warm evening sun for a really long time.

For the next 8 days Les and the kids hung around Point Roberts, playing in the yard, going in the pool and sprinkler, getting books and videos from the library (Les also got a Netflix subscription for the summer), going to various beaches and having dinner at her parents. I was in and out of their activities depending on my work schedule. I did manage to be around for the fourth of July and the "big" Point Roberts parade. I thought that it was ironic when told that the parade was smaller this year because the 4th fell on a weekday and therefore not nearly as many Canadians could make it down.

Work continues to go well and I am now starting my fourth month on the job. I started to ride to work a couple of times a week while the days are long and the weather is good. I like the workout but can't yet imagine getting into it enough to ride on a rainy November morning. Whether I am coming from Vancouver or Point Roberts, the ride is about 33 kilometers and takes me just over an hour. However I don't particularly enjoy the ride into Vancouver over the Alex Fraser bridge where I have to ride on a narrow sidewalk with railings that are lower than my seat because there are tractor trailers coming towards me at 100km/hr on one side and a 300 foot drop on the other. I'd feel better about it with slightly taller railings..... or a shorter bike.

I've also started to get used to the routine around the fire hall, which I'd summarize as unpredictable. For instance yesterday we went the whole day where all we had were minor medical calls. The evening crew who replaced us however had 3 seperate fires. The first two were relatively minor, at least compared to the last one. When the Engine showed up, the house was completely engulfed in flame and had ignited fires on the homes on either side. It took the guys hours to put it out and thankfully no one was hurt. You just never no what to expect or when the big one can hit.

After my next set at work was done it was once again time to forgo sleep for a family adventure. We caught an early ferry to the Sunshine Coast and drove up to the Hall's cabin on Sakinaw Lake. My Mom and Mandy and Hannah were the first 24 hours and Jaquie, Jim and Patricia for the last 24. In between it was just the five of us. The weather was spectacular and the lake a pretty comfortable 76 degrees.




On a day we had some winds good enough to whip up some white caps I took the Hobbie Cat out for a sail. I manage to convince Molly and Fin to come out with me which they were pretty cool with.....however, I couldn't convince them that flying on one pontoon was actually safe and that I had total control of the boat....mind you it was gusty enough that I wasn't totally convinced myself.

We spent lots of time in the water and on the dock, mostly just lounging around.


On the last afternoon however, Jim pulled out the "learn to ski" piece of plywood for the girls. Finny jumped at the chance to go on, even though I am sure she has never seen anybody pulled behind a boat before. Within seconds she was doing laps around the bay, very nonchalantly sitting on her bum and waving at all of us.