Our girl

I just walked past Finny's classroom. I noticed the artwork on the wall. It was about hands and what the kids want their hands to do when they are working adults. There were lots of jobs listed: artist, soccer player, vet, police officer. Seven artists, actually.

Then I saw our girl's rainbow fingers. When she grows up, she wants to be a "psychologist" and she'd use her hands "to comfort people".

You Tramp!

We woke up from our night of *sleep* on the trampoline...

...and headed into Tsawwassen for the annual BC Day parade. It is one of my favourite things. And not one of Eric's...

Observe his patient face:

I get all excited about the veterans.

And the pipe band (I am a Scot, after all...).

The only thing I DON'T find cool? Super creepy Ronald McDonald. I would be pooping myself if I were that kid. What genius devised this costume?

Right on Roche

Ever since we bought the boat with my Dad, Roche Harbor is one of the places we have wanted to visit. 

No wonder this is one of the most popular destinations in the Pacific Northwest. We loved it from first glance.

There was a great little store on site, a beautiful historic hotel (with wifi in the lobby), a plethora of paths and roads to explore, and...a pool (that even provided towels and sold ice cream sandwiches). It was just about as close to perfect as you get.

And if you got bored during Hour Three in the pool, there were always the planes landing right above our heads. The landing strip was directly behind the building.

We anchored outside of the marina for the first night, which was great. We pulled in the next day at noon and got to witness an impressive display of marina organization when approximately fifty boats all descended en masse to get the first-come-first-serve non-member slips. It was incredible to see.

We docked our little Albin in amongst the megaliths of the yachting world. We were nestled in between boats worth millions. And then there was us. There went the neighbourhood. Sorry gabillionaires...

The kids enjoyed a good time with Omi.

We got to explore a few boats for sale. One was available for $7.8 million. We are still thinking about that one. Frankly, I am not sure the eighth bathroom is large enough to justify the expense. And the espresso station was a little cheap looking.

President Teddy Roosevelt stayed in the hotel, an impressive detail which might explain the resort's extreme adherence to patriotic marine ritual. Every evening at dusk, they lower the flags with tremendous fanfare. There is marching and songs. Pomp and circumstance.

The kids were entranced.

The best part...? At the end, all the boats blow their horns. Since our fancy boat has a removable horn (or it might possibly be broken...whatever), Lukey was our appointed horn blower. He took it very seriously.

Do you see how red his little face is...? He blew it many times. Many. Times.

We loved it. All I could think about was how much my dad would love this spot. We will have to get back there with him soon.

We pulled out of Roche for the slow trip home in the sunshine.

...and because we are gluttons for an uncomfortable night sleep (what was I thinking...? I mean, couldn't we spend one night in our own beds...?!), we spend that night sleeping on the trampoline. Cozy and tight like sardines.

Flower Girl

Finny is entrepreneurial. Pretty well everyone who has met this kid know this about her. It sort of oozes out. 

One of our neighbours runs a garden and she had some extra flowers after a weekend market got rained out. She came over and asked if Finny would be interested in setting up a stand on the corner. 

Would she...? WOULD SHE...?

She went gangbusters.

Molly and Lukey came and went, but Finny spent a solid three hours outside in the drizzle. She was yelling up and down the street and employing some very tough sales techniques.

She and Jess (our neighbour) sold out. Finny split the profit with Jess, then paid out her siblings and Jess' son. She came home with over $60.

Was she thrilled...? Um, YES!

Watch out world. Today it is flowers. Tomorrow...? Who knows.