The Covid virus hit me like a hammer in early spring. My immune system had not had a workout in a long time … no colds no flus so perhaps I was overdue, because the workout was intense! I laid low for the better part of a month. Chills, low grade fever, strange taste in my mouth, extreme fatigue and zero appetite … my only symptoms … lasted two solid weeks and a further two weeks to slowly recover my energy and appetite, which is still lagging way behind what it typically is. No worries there as I certainly needed to lose a kilo or ten 😂 but not a diet I recommend. After well over a year of all the fear mongering surrounding covid, it was, in an odd way, empowering to have lived through it. Not everyone did and my heart goes out to the families around the world who lost loved ones. Research is still ongoing whether I will have natural immunity after having had COVID, but for now, according to the blood analysis I had done in Calgary, I have a ton of antibodies floating around for at least eight months and possibly much longer. As the research and various studies are still fairly new … less than a year … it is too early to form definitive conclusions. I continue searching out reputable research sites for the latest information much as I have since this pandemic began.

After regaining my strength, I drove to Calgary in early May to help out with my grandchildren while their parents went to work. After so much isolation these past six or seven months, I cannot describe what a joy it was to share family patio dinners at both my children’s homes. Family has been what sustained me throughout this pandemic … 🙏! Thankful that we have been able to enjoy pockets of time together, in our own little bubble throughout this crazy year and four months! While Sarah worked in Victoria, I practiced my homeschooling skills with Aliana and Oliver in Calgary. I improved from last year when I took it far too seriously. I used goofy humour this time …. works wonders 😂!!

I started typing this post some days ago and in the midst of typing and almost finishing it, an unsettling tsunami of violence erupted in Washington DC yesterday, January 6th!! It is a vast understatement to say this has been the most unusual year of our lives for most of us if not all, given the relentless onslaught of the pandemic, racial equality protests around the globe particularly prevalent in America, the insanity surrounding the US election results!! The icing on this crazy cake, for lack of a better metaphor, surely would be the seditious revolt perpetrated by Trump supporters, storming the holy shrine of democracy, the Capitol Building in Washington DC.!! That the police were ill prepared for the revolt was hard to digest! Surreal to watch. It appears America is at a crossroads … it is my nature to remain hopeful and confident that positive changes are in the wind for the future. It will be interesting to observe in the weeks and months ahead as a new era for our Southern neighbours begins to emerge. We are moving into the ‘Age of Aquarius’ now after all 😊! If any country is resilient, it is America! They have been the beacon of democratic light in our world for the better part of the last century. I am confident they will prevail. Hopefully as a less divisive, less polarized, more inclusive America where equality for all is a genuine possibility.

Adios to this challenging and unsettling year. This year of the global pause. There is a certain symmetry to 2020, where both the focus on internal growth, and the new appreciation for a simpler existence based on slowing down, appreciating and valuing our communities, friends, family … hugging each other has been steadily growing. Surprisingly, through it all, I personally have begun to feel more peaceful and hopeful than I could ever possibly have imagined just a short nine months ago!! Throughout, the unbounded resiliency of everyone I know leaves me hopeful. As the year progressed, allowing for an abundance of quiet reflective time whether at home, on nature walks, sitting in cafes or in our back yards, it became apparent who and what matters most to us. It has been the unexpected gift of this insidious covid virus.

What we truly value, something we may only have paid lip service to in past years, became unequivocally crystal clear during covid. Simplicity rules, be it in the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the company we keep. Family matters. Friendships matter. Kindness and honesty matter. Compassion matters. Human touch and hugging matter. Generosity matters. Sharing matters. All tied together in rainbow ribbons of gratitude and love. Pretty basic.

What a beautiful Christmas and New Years week I had in Victoria with my daughter, son in law and my darling grandchildren who I cared for while Sarah and Rob worked. It was a soul soothing way to finish off this challenging year … breathing in our West coast ambiance in the company of those I love. Sadly, covid rules did not allow us to gather the whole family together. We enjoyed many seaside walks and meals in that beautiful city with its abundance of great dining options! Grateful to Sarah and Rob for making it all happen.

Over many years, the journey into living a more conscious life has been a long and winding one. Certainly this pandemic has allowed for much introspection of our inner selves. Who we are at our core, our centre. I am becoming less reactive, more accepting. We are all on our own journeys, with varying degrees of awareness and awakening to the miraculous beauty that life can be when we have eyes to see. “We are after all, just walking each other home”. Though we may be on vastly different junctions within the path … how wonderful if we just enjoyed walking it together respecting each other’s various paces and detours. Reach out with a helping hand of loving support when we see each other falter or fall. Human kindness. The Golden Rule … deeply ingrained in every world religion and culture … “Treat others as you would want to be treated”.

What surprised and delighted me this year were the relatively recent friendships that grew stronger roots. My neighbours Bev and Joan are a wonderful addition to my decades long friendships with a handful of very very dear friends. We created our own little social bubble in Kelowna and shared many laughs on our weekly ‘pub dates’, sharing and listening to each other’s stories. Laughter rarely far away. Surely a perfect antidote to and brief respite from the pandemic fear and paranoia imposed on us daily from our governments and news media!

Within the oftentimes noisy clatter of a life there are often large gaps of silence where the pace of life feels so at ease with itself. A daily mindfulness practice has been instrumental in connecting me with that stillness, those empty spaces between the words. Creating a fine balance. It is what very young children do naturally … they are rarely if ever thinking of yesterday or planning for tomorrow … they live ‘in the now’ … in the present. Little wonder, if given a choice, I have often preferred being in the company of children 😊, be it with my own children throughout their childhood or the decade of volunteering around the world in daycares or schools and currently enjoying precious time with my grandchildren. I have in many ways, learned more valuable lessons about life from children than I ever have from adults! They can be such beacons of brilliance and folk wisdom. The ease that children display daily, to live in the moment, never holding grudges, so openly honest, their innate ability to indulge in all manner of goofy fun, jumping in puddles, creating art of every description … the many moments of unbridled laughter … the list is endless! I hope there was some reciprocity involved but I do think I pulled the long straw on that front 😂!

So as 2021 unfurls its fresh wings, rather than wondering what this year will bring to us, how about … “What will we bring to this new year 2021?” What will I contribute, what can I share? No matter how small the gestures, they add up. In the wise words of Mother Teresa “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love”. My mantra for 2021. 🙏

I have heard that creativity has flourished for many during this time in our history. It has been my intention to create some sort of ongoing record of these historic 2020 moments but inspiration rarely surfaces in these days when malaise can so easily set in. It has been months since I opened my journal/blog. What little creativity I may possess, seems to be on a very long break indeed 😂!! Hoping words flow today.

In many respects this unprecedented quiet time on our planet has been good for our spirits, allowing us to slow down and breathe deeply into life. Some of us may even have moved from struggle to grace during this challenging year. I don’t recall too many times in my life when I wasn’t rushing about, to and fro, getting caught up in the busyness. Perhaps one gift of the virus for many of us, is the shift into more peace and quiet … into the stillness within … being, over doing. Mixing it all up with good books, Netflix, varying kinds of meditations, a home yoga practice or walks along the lake for fresh air. All these both mindful and mindless distractions have helped bring texture and balance to life in this new viral environment.

I am a rebel by nature, so it comes as no surprise that at times, I am in conflict with some of what our government and health authorities are enforcing. Our freedoms appear to be slowly eroding as we are being told who and where we can interact with others, all for the sake of keeping everyone ‘safe’. The measures are contrary to my intuitive and common sense approach to life. However, I have had to shift my outlook many times during the last several months as I strive to understand the restrictions for the sake of the common good …. (these shifts in perspective coincide with the continuing stream of scientific contradictions that continue to surface as we learn more about the virus)! Throughout my life, I have often enjoyed, indeed been stimulated by and learned much from, ideological adversarial exchanges on important issues … exchanges there appears to be little room for in the current climate. Should one attempt to question the status quo on policies regarding covid online, we are either shut down by the media server or scolded and shamed by others. At times I shudder inwardly at the prevailing sanctimonious attitude of some. When did thinking through issues, doing our own research in addition to what we are spoon-fed through news networks and our governments become labeled as self centred, selfish??!! In a free society, thoughtful contemplation and introspection should be encouraged not shut down! We are not blind sheep. We have the right to question, reflect on, reason and ponder what we are told! Yes, I am well aware of the conspiracy theories that run rampant. A discerning cool head has to prevail when wading through the many podcasts that continue to pop up with ever increasing frequency. I try to keep an open mind when reading or watching some of the more credible ones.

There have, however, been days when it has been very hard to adhere blindly to whatever edict I am fed through the authorities. Although I am not a nurse, doctor or a scientist, I do possess a certain common sense intuitive approach to life, bolstered somewhat by extensive life experience on many fronts. I continue to learn and expand my knowledge base as much as possible. In many respects, the fear many are experiencing can be as insidiously damaging as the virus itself. From our very beginnings on this planet, we have been social beings. We needed to clump together for survival. That has not changed overly over thousands of years of human evolution. We still need each other! Many around our world have sadly lost loved ones to covid and more continue to become ill with this virus or complications from it. Many have passed from all manner of illness or old age during this pandemic. Often, because of the safety restrictions, they are left alone with no family allowed to comfort them as they pass on. This seems so wrong. British Columbia’s medical authority, Dr. Bonnie Henry wisely encourages us to lead lives of compassion, kindness, love and gratitude, as we navigate these unknown viral waters … spread the love far and wide particularly to everyone suffering. We try.

So … as we near our tenth month of isolation and imminent lockdowns, let’s remember that human contact can help keep us all mentally balanced. If we can’t assemble together in order to keep the vulnerable safe, we can still reach out, even if only via a smile of encouragement to those we pass by on our weekly jaunts to buy groceries. Our collective mental health can only benefit. Our eyes can still convey a smile even if we can’t share the full expression, muzzled as we are asked to be! Zoom, FaceTime, Texts, social media, phone calls are still allowed! Let’s all aim for some form of connection and share our love, compassion and kindness as best we can. When we falter, let’s pick each other up, not pick each other apart.

I have had the good fortune to enjoy some wonderful breaks from solo isolation in the last months within my family and friends social bubbles ❤️. Vancouver Island with a dear friend in September, family visits in both Calgary and Victoria in October and November. Soul food that continues to sustain me. I share pictures below.

September moments in time with Mickey, Madeline and Mickey’s grandchildren, Tiernan, Jay-Lynn and Georgia in Mill Bay and Victoria. Fresh air for the soul when we were still ‘allowed’ to share experiences in small groups. 🙏🏽

Early October I drive that old familiar highway between Kelowna and Calgary. The golden hues of fall soothe as I drive. Happy to be able to share a Canadian Thanksgiving with family. 🙏🏽

Loved my week with these two darlings and their mommy ❤️ … we managed to explore a bit of Victoria despite the rain which actually served to add to the overall coastal ambiance! The cabin at ‘Point No Point’ was a relaxing oceanside stay. West coast at its finest!

August 12th today as I start typing! … and just like that, summer is breezing by in the shadows of the pandemic! Somehow through it all, life goes on … our family still managed to enjoy some actual holiday time, including a celebration sailing day in and around Victoria for Brian’s 70th … a delayed birthday gift from our children that coincided with Aliana’s 9th birthday July 19. The birthday duo steered our boat admirably through mostly calm waters, the wind having gone into hiding. Made ‘no never mind’ to our enjoyment of the day 😊!! An oyster dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf followed …

It has been an extraordinary year on so many levels. On any given day, I have oscillated between happiness that we have somehow managed to squeeze in some quality family moments within the isolation and lockdown periods … and sadness about all the covid deaths, the covid everything, the racial protests, so necessary, but the violence and looting? … unacceptable! Certainly America appears to be taking centre stage in that regard with a relentless barrage of violent protests mixed in with the more subdued ones. Addressing racial injustice is long overdue whether in North America or globally … nothing changes unless changes are made! And sadly, changes rarely occur without ‘making a lot of noise’. If nothing else comes out of this covid year, equality for all should be a main priority.

We are all one … why do so many need to feel superior to anyone based on the colour of their skin, or their gender, or the country they come from … ‘or or or’?? Certainly my explorations and volunteering around the world have helped forge a more global perspective … less likely to fervently embrace nationalism and more likely to value each and everyone … even silly horrible old Trump! He must have had a really sad childhood, deprived of love and acceptance to have grown into such a nasty human being. I remind myself everyone was once a baby, a young child, just looking for love and acceptance from those entrusted with their care. I aim for compassion ….

In many respects, I feel we are witnessing the unravelling of a once global super power. When all the dust has settled, America’s hold on that distinction will have eroded substantially. China is patiently waiting in the wings to take over the power strings from this once great nation. My husband and I had many discussions over the years about how power circles the globe looking for it’s next host! We always felt China could eventually resurface as a world power because of their economic might. Ironically, this economic might has surfaced in no small measure, thanks to the materialistic zeal of America where shopping is a national pastime for too many and most of the products they buy are made in guess where?? … China!!! Hmmm 🙄

Of course we all prefer a democracy no matter how messed up it may seem at the moment, to the socialist authoritarian style of governing in China!! Well … let’s wait and see what materializes out of this global reshuffling! My own country is experiencing its own struggles, politically and economically. Who knows what the landscape of Canada will look like when this infamous year comes to a close?? Or America or any country for that matter??! It is an understatement to say we are living in interesting times.

Glen Lake was a delight as usual. Our third year enjoying the quiet little lake not far from Victoria. It is as close to the idyllic Northern Ontario cottage life of my childhood as I have found anywhere in the West. Most build big houses on lakefront, not cottages … so beyond happy my daughter discovered tiny Glen Lake for us!

We enjoyed a week in Kelowna at my place prior to the island … both of my kids under the same roof once again … hardly an every day occurrence! Tim’s new puppy Wilma joined us 😊

Early in July, we had our fourth annual family picnic … a small group of us gathered at Reiswig Regional Park on the shores of Woods Lake

… a few were not comfortable to attend with covid in the air and health compromised people within their ‘bubbles’. Smaller group but a good fun day … very windy and cooler than last year!

Summer 2020 .. more fun moments

They arranged a delightful gallery of their paintings and clay sculptures in my wee yard 😊

A quick stopover to visit Mickey in Surrey/White Rock area, who is in the midst of transitioning from life in the big house to a smaller condo, all without her precious Gordon. We have been friends for almost five decades and travelled extensively together for much of the last twenty years. Yes, the three musketeers as we called ourselves, now down to two 😢!

Almost three months have passed since I last felt inclined or inspired to write down any thoughts on this global pause, this global pandemic, this global fear that appears to have taken hold of even the most logical, most rational of us. Fear can be the most insidious obstacle to peace, happiness or progress as we navigate our way through this time on our planet. That fear can certainly test our faith … so crucial to stay focused on positives as we move forward.

I choose to remain calm, positive and hopeful. Some days certainly test that resolve 🙄!

After three weeks of solo isolation in my own home in Kelowna, my daughter suggested I come to Calgary to ride out the rest of the lockdown period with her family … in her bubble, as it were 😊! I realize, because of my age, I am in one of the high risk groups. We discussed this at length … I told them I have been fortunate to have lived a most extraordinary life, full of adventures, experiences, global travels, volunteer postings, resulting in oh so very many beautiful moments over many decades, that simply took my breath away … (surely the birth of my children tops that long and winding list!!) … that should I be taken by this virus, there would be no regrets on my part. I would want to be surrounded by family, not hiding out from the virus in isolation. If they were willing to take the risk, then I was totally on board. So, in early April, I packed up the car and hit the highway, ready to ride out this storm around family. No problem social distancing 🙄 … pretty much everything along the way, including all washrooms were closed!! The highways, virtually empty! I made it to Calgary in a record breaking six and a half hours 😊

I knew that decision would elicit disdain and disapproval from some … I opted for moving forward with realistic optimism!

I have experienced and lived through tough times, many times in my life … times that challenged me to the core. Who of us has not experienced something similar?? This lockdown has in many respects been a breeze compared to some of those times. However, the economic impact of shutting down global economies does concern me. I pray we will bear up, dig deep for inner strength … our ‘sisu’ guiding our way. The world is in a state of chaos with riots and protests dominating our news for most of June. Racial inequality and injustice has been bubbling in the background for many years. It is time to repair, heal, and move forward with a new commitment to work towards creating a world where there is equality for all. How can we even consider anything less?!

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By all appearances, our world is in the process of undergoing a major paradigm shift, a long overdue transformation. If nothing else, this pandemic, via isolating in our homes, is allowing for quiet reflective time.

One day, while watching talk show hosts on their various programs, now filming from their homes, it became obvious they are applying their own makeup or not at all and dressing in comfy sweats some days like the rest of us mortals and wow … they even look like the rest of us 😂!!! No razzmatazz available to pump up their image building. It occurs, and not for the first time, that women in particular sure devote a lot of time to their external packaging!! … the list is endless … hair dyes, pedicures, manicures, Botox, facials, cosmetic surgeries, applied cosmetics of every ilk, endless workouts to sculpt that perfect body, weekly shopping missions … can’t miss out on the latest styles! …. yikes … that external packaging sure takes a lot of time, money and effort … seems a bit shallow in many respects. So … it all ground to a halt for four months!! The only thing I missed were pedicures and massages😂! Quiet time moved in and all the above had to go on hiatus. So what IS important in our lives? For me it is pretty simple. Connecting with my family or with good friends, health, a meditation and yoga practice, nutritious food, a safe place to call home, some money to keep it all in balance, all washed down with a nice glass of Pinot Noir 😊. All the rest is a bonus. In the last months, I have noticed in my own yoga routines, that I have slowed down considerably, taking time to breathe deeply into a stretch … and wow … I am actually and surprisingly enjoying them immensely. No more rushing for me! A new appreciation has set in. For far too many years, workouts were just something I wanted to get done … ‘get on with that fitness business and get in shape’ 😂🙄! Yes, this covid pandemic has presented us with a precious gift … quiet times to appreciate and evaluate what we truly value.

I feel we are all being challenged to move beyond outdated limiting beliefs, prejudices, judgments, behaviours … to evolve into kinder, more compassionate, more accepting, more loving versions of ourselves. It is time.

At Sarah and Rob’s for most of April and May, I was able to enjoy so many beautiful moments, be it celebrating birthdays, Sunday dinners with extended family, playing with my grandchildren or savouring something as simple as sitting on the patio in the early morning sun, a cup of steaming coffee in hand! As the weather improved, we moved extended family dinners in the garage to outdoor spaces in the back yard … both spaces allowing for social distancing … who of us is not tired of that term by now??!! …. despite recognizing the need for it 😝! This whole concept of distancing to protect each other has certainly challenged my personal boundaries … I am all about touching, hugging, showing affection … !!). Aaahhh … I remind myself, this too shall pass.

May we move forward to more auspicious times in the second half of 2020🙏

Back in Kelowna, connecting with the other side of my family … pool party in Tim and Angela’s lovely yard (resort 😊) with the Whites and Cuddies.

When provincial parks were finally opened, I drove out one day to visit my sister Maija and her Otto at their campsite on Mable Lake. Maija fed raw peanuts to the squirrels who skittered and munched away at our feet! Yes, another beautiful Okanagan lakeside day to enjoy and savour the simple pleasures that are everywhere if we just slow down enough to see them. Perhaps that is the hidden message, the hidden blessing of this virus … ❤️.

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Viral curve flattening, allowing for more family gatherings … introducing Penelope to her cousins … celebrating Sarah’s 38th birthday at Auntie Marg’s❤️

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Sarah, Aliana and Oliver arrive in Kelowna in mid June … Sarah continued on to Victoria for work, leaving me with little people to play with 😊. Aliana and Oliver had fun mini golfing with my friend Jane’s three grandchildren and swimming and splashing around in their pool. So wonderful to listen to children having fun, giggling, hanging out together, being kids!! They have missed having their friends around these past three months!

Otto and Maija surprise and thrill the kids with their arrival on Otto’s cool motorbike … so ok maybe not Maija, who opted to follow in her car 😂!

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Gable craft ladies meet up for first Bookclub since January … thankfully we have a great neighbourhood Central Park that we put to good use .. not sure how we will gather after the summer. Hopefully we will be able resume the meetings in our homes once again!

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Whenever I start a new blog entry, my mind is often blank for many long minutes. The very act feels self indulgent, self centred, egotistical. It has, however, grown to be a source of comfort to me over the years, much like the diary I used to write in occasionally as a child. Initially I started my blog ten years ago to record and trace my travels and experiences of a year long solo trip around the world and share those moments with my family and a handful of friends. I see now that it has shifted more into the realm of a record, a personal peek into me and where I am at on this life journey, as much as it is a travel log .. blog. I read between my own lines lol 🙄 for clarity of thought. In many ways, I feel I have returned to the diary of my youth.

So … the Coronavirus …. I don’t even like capitalizing that pesky germ riddled word!! Yes, I am most definitely feeling testy on day eleven in the midst of solo isolation! That tiny highly contagious little germ has taken our planet Earth captive in a way no one could have predicted just one short month ago! The impact of that continues to ruminate around in my head … yes, lots of time for thinking now. Invariably, it is a gift in disguise, one that we can all learn from. Not quite there yet, but working on it 🙄!

Surprisingly, despite having eerily realistic dreams most nights, I have been sleeping better than I have in years. A welcome by-product and yes, a small gift during this global pause. What I deeply and intensely dislike about the uninvited, the unwelcome coronavirus guest bringing to our table however, is this distancing from family, from friends. At a time when we all need each other for human comfort, we are told to stay apart. A grandmother … that would be me and millions of others, advised by our government that we should not see our grandchildren, healthy as we all might be. How can we possibly be infecting each other, all sequestered in a house, away from the masses, away from public places?? Paranoia Patty seems to be taking over the global mind! So many seem riddled with fear, common sense appearing to have jumped ship altogether! Stay tuned … rumination eventually turns into words … see what day twelve brings in revisions to this blog entry.

“If you can’t go outward, go inward” …. on that note, my yoga, meditation and chanting routine beckons … keeps me sane in a world seemingly gone insane.

A few years ago I had heard through a good friend in San Miguel about Amistad Canada and the good work they support in this area of Mexico. Health and the well being of the disadvantaged children and their families in the rural communities is the focus of five projects out of the fifteen they support in Mexico. Amistad is a Canadian endeavour and continues to be for the most part, started up by a few Canadian retirees over ten years ago. Responding to the vitality and warmth of San Miguel’s community life and the very evident need of the local population for more social support, many people in the expatriate community become active in supporting social agencies that provide services to those in need. Their reach has extended to a dozen or so projects today in Guanajuato, Oaxaca and Jalisco.

Bev and I, together with our friends Anne and Rick, fifteen other Canadians and Americans and the Patronato Pro Ninos staff head to the campo (countryside) to a small community where the mobile units were stationed for the week. We learn and see first hand what this amazing little company has been up to. As well as a Central Health Centre, it operates a fleet of mobile medical and dental vans, the newest ones, being funded by Amistad Canada. The programs give financial support to sick children and dental and medical care to those who have no means or access to either without the help of the Pro Ninos program.

It is amazing what can be accomplished when people gather together, sharing their organizational talents, passion and desire to help those less fortunate in our world. San Miguel is not just a winter haven for retirees. There are committed people wanting to lend a helping hand. Fundraising is a constant to keep the programs running smoothly. Many San Miguel residents have been very generous over the years. To move these vital programs forward, the goal of Patronato Pro Ninos is to include corporate fundraising in the future.

I am humbled totally. This enthusiastic organization blows me away. There is much good in our world.

Discovering yet another layer of San Miguel de Allende.

March 12, 2020, Amistad hosts a 10th Anniversary Party at Instituto Allende, inviting all Canadians living in San Miguel to the festivities. Bev and I volunteer with a handful of others, helping set up for the afternoon party.

Bev and I form part of the backstage ‘security detail’ along with local staff 😊

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Hard to believe I started working on this post just ten brief days ago … how the world, yes literally the world, has changed since then! We learned shortly after that Amistad party on March 12th, that as Canadians, we would have to make our way back to Canada as soon as possible!! I waited another week and just managed to squeak in prior to border closings and the cancellation of many flights back to Canada. I rarely jump into a situation at first blush … I tend to wait for the furor to die down and as such, despite being borderline crazy to leave booking a flight to the last moment, it was pleasant to arrive at all connecting flights and airports with hardly a person around … have never in all my many years of travel, been in such empty airports! It was beyond a surreal experience. I breezed through Queretaro Airport in Mexico, same through Houston and Vancouver, disinfectant handy wipes in hand. Kelowna upon arrival was a total ghost town. Surreal indeed.

To think on March 16th, Bev and I hosted a small going away dinner party for our friends before we all dispersed on various flights to our homes in Canada. It was before “social distancing” became the new normal in our human interactions for the next several weeks if not months!! A few stayed on in San Miguel to weather this coronavirus pandemic here in the comfort of their homes.

How much has changed since this wonderful night together with good friends. Was it really just a week ago today??!! We now live with the reality of a viral pandemic that is already changing our lives forever. Stay tuned as I sit here in the midst of a 14 day solo isolation period in Kelowna, British Columbia as this global virus situation evolves. It is heartbreaking to be away from family at a time like this.

It is early morning. The familiar sunrise ‘song’ of a nearby rooster, our reliable San Miguel alarm clock wakes me up. The rooster is an early bird … getting rather randy at 3:00 am on many mornings 🙄!! Bev and I return for our seventh year, to share a home in this charming cobbly colonial small town in Central Mexico … a town that never ceases to awaken the senses. We settle in, comfy in both our friendship and our home!

Travelling with friends has always added a totally different dynamic to my adventures! It is a definite departure from travel with my husband or children and grandchildren or my more frequent typical solo excursions. I welcome the diversity and remain grateful for both family and friends, so willing to share the experience of opening ourselves to different cultures, countries, experiences.

Many years ago, on our first adventure together, Bev and I were delighted to have the opportunity to soak in the warmth of the San Miguel ambiance in lieu of a wintry Calgary. We committed to a month initially, now stretched to two 😊. We get along, despite the odd mild spat once in a blue moon … how cool is that to say after all these years??!!

I was not always much of a ‘girlfriend’ throughout most of my childhood or even in the decades that followed. I grew up with five sisters, most of us barely a year apart in age … that seemed about as much female company as I needed or wanted.

Times have changed and I have grown to value my women friends over the years … more then I ever thought I would. Despite that, I do so relish a daily dose of quiet solo time, be it walking a nature path in the mountains, parks, beaches or walking the streets of San Miguel … I have heard this yearning for quiet moments in solitude could well be a Finnish trait 🙄. One of my all time favourite ‘activities’ is still laying down in a sauna, in total silence 😌! My Finnish roots run deep. The sauna available at the Rosewood Hotel remains a main draw every year as I sign up for the monthly membership! The gym and pool are peripheral benefits 😂!

A year or so ago when I stayed at the Osho Ashram in Pune, India, what delighted me no end was when I discovered a true Finnish sauna, tucked away in their tiny spa!! Needless to say, I rarely missed a sauna day 😂! I was often the sole occupant! Though my passport is Canadian … and despite that I love and value my country dearly, a substantial part of my soul remains Finnish to the core!

But … onward and forward to this charming city of San Miguel where life moves along at a leisurely pace. We walk these familiar cobblestone streets where an interesting array of entertainment offerings are available daily … talks and documentaries at the Biblioteca, musical concerts at Paprika, Bellas Artes, Instituto Allende, plays at Santa Ana, movies at Mercado Sano, dinners in or out with friends, yoga with maestro Antonio, or sometimes opting to just stay put, have a nap, read or enjoy an evening of Netflix, wine and leftovers 😊.

Sunday mornings find Bev and I bathing in community at the Unitarian Universalist Church, where joys and sorrows, music and stories are shared in a deeply spiritual accepting atmosphere of love and respect for all, where every one is welcome … inclusivity permeates the atmosphere!

San Miguel can be as busy or relaxing as one wishes. It is said there are many layers to this magical little city. After living here for a part of all these winters, we continue to peel away layers, always discovering something that stirs and stokes the intellect, warms the heart, connects us to what ultimately sings to our souls …

On my own once again. Linda left for the comforts of home last week, leaving me with a bit of quiet time before my next leg of travel to San Miguel de Allende.

I head off for an afternoon stroll to explore the markets, the street side cafes, the graffiti art along the side streets, the Pochutla produce market … all capture the brilliant textures and vibrant colours of this coastal region of Oaxaca, home of the Indigenous peoples of Mexico … undoubtedly the earliest inhabitants!

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Given the past few years have been somewhat emotionally charged ones, losing my sister, brother in law and a dear close friend, it has been pure ‘comfort food’ to start off a new year, a new decade in the company of a friend who knows me so well … someone I can just hang with, be myself around, who accepts me despite my many quirks. Good soul infused companionship! Sometimes I even make Linda laugh out loud 😂!

It’s been a pleasant month. Leisurely mornings, sipping coffee on our patio, listening to the waves, the ocean view so soothing. Often we strolled into town for a late breakfast of fresh papaya juice, toast and beans or an omelet at either Posada San Cristobal, Nice Place on the Beach or Buda-Mar next door.

Zipolite has a unique small town vibe with an eclectic mix of accommodations. There are tents perched on the beach, mixed in with thatch roofed huts, small boutique hotels, all manner of little casitas with rooms to rent dotting the hillsides and main streets. Not a five star luxury place within a hundred kms of Zipolite … some sort of building ordinance I would think? The town consists of a handful of streets along the stunningly beautiful Zipolite beach …. normally these bits of real estate are nabbed by the big chain hotels that dot tropical coastal regions around the world. The population is somewhere in the range of a thousand people. It is an interesting mix of various indigenous Mexicans, tourists from everywhere … Americans, Canadians, Italians, French, Germans, Austrians, Finns, Scandinavians! Many are young backpackers who often come for a week and decide to stay for months or years … seekers of every persuasion, artists, musicians, surfers. Some seem lost in a different era … the sixties perhaps 🙄. Lots of alternative lifestyle sorts are drawn to Zipolite … the eclectic extends beyond the accommodations 🙄 … we are definitely an interesting assortment. As a local homeowner told us “there is no place anywhere quite like Zipolite” 😌

My favourite part of living here is enjoying a daily glass of freshly pressed papaya juice every morning! A simple pleasure 😊.

Since Linda left, I have walked the beach to welcome sunrise every morning, sans clothing as many here choose to do. Very natural and freeing. “When in Rome” …….. 😊! I sense this may well be a main draw for many ….. the only legally sanctioned nude beach in all of Mexico. It has become a rather pleasant side benefit this week. I opt for early mornings just before sunrise … fewer if any people around 🙄!! The play of morning light on the water mesmerizes … the gentle ocean breeze on my bare skin … perfecto!

After too many years of a rather haphazard “on again, off again meditation practice”, a meditation routine of sorts is slowly taking shape. I am learning to apply a meditative attitude wherever I am, whatever I am doing. My emotionally turbulent self of old, rarely surfaces … still I do honour that too … it was a chapter in my life … ok maybe too many chapters 😂 … all part of my journey. Today, thankfully, I feel at peace more often than not.

Aaah these rambling reflections rumble around in my head, competing for space with the zenny more mindful moments 🙄

Aiming this year for more calm, less doing, more being, less having, more sharing, less judgement, more kindness, more compassion, more love ❤️

And so a new year, indeed a new decade begins. Hola 2020! January 1st, Linda and I meet at the airport, catch an early morning flight – Calgary to Huatalco, Oaxaca … and onward via an hour long cab ride to Zipolite! Linda had never travelled to Mexico and was keen to stay at a condo offered to us by a friend of hers … so onward ho to our second global adventure together! Monarca, an 18 suite condo project smack in the middle of the only ‘legal’ nude beach in all of Mexico! A nude beach in this Catholic country ??? 🙄. Say what??!!

It was not tucked away discreetly in a remote part of the beach area, as we had thought, but ran the entire almost two kilometres of beach! Took a few days to become accustomed to bare bums and various other body parts, fully displayed in all their free flying glory!

So after a few days of visual adjustment, the sleepy, zen like ambiance of Zipolite took hold of both Linda and I. There is a relaxing bohemian vibe to this wee Oaxaca town, drawing both young and not so young from all over the world. On daily walks through this primarily one street town, cannabis smoke wafts through the air.

Oaxaca is, by and large, the most ethnically complex of Mexico’s thirty-one states. Oaxaca is the historic home of the indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec peoples.

At least half of the population of Oaxaca still speaks an indigenous dialect! Sixteen different groups have been formally registered as indigenous communities, defined through dialect, customs, food habits, clothing, artistic beadwork, embroidery, rituals. By all accounts, most are gentle, helpful and kind to all of us foreigners invading their turf. Of course as tourism helps keep most everyone employed it becomes a circle of reciprocity. The history of this state intrigues .. onward with some research!

No surprise running into two Finlanders one evening. Seems wherever I travel, I run into someone who is from Finland!! Be it in such far flung unusual places as Pune, Dubai, Quito, Ulaanbaatar, or parts in between throughout Europe and Asia, Finns are out there exploring the world! So why not add tiny town Zipolite into the mix??! I imagine my own gypsy tendencies could well be a cultural heritage 😂

Sunrise to sunset …. papaya juices to margaritas, Linda and I indulge ❤️

Morning view from our patio ❤️

December 10th, I close my Kelowna home down for the winter, head to the airport and arrive shortly after to a rather … hmmm … minus Celsius double digit wintry Calgary just in time to celebrate Oliver’s 5th Birthday. I doubt there is a sweeter more dear five year old anywhere. He is a kind, thoughtful, giving, sensitive, compassionate little soul. He is also a little rascal trickster at times, delighting my heart no end! I love him so dearly.

It was a busy month with many family dinners, skating and skiing outings, Christmas gift exchanges and of course, Sarah, Rob and Rob’s brother Jackson’s annual Christmas Eve party! New this year was sharing Christmas Day at Rob’s sister Lisa’s home with the James and Overmann families and Lisa’s partner Rick and his mom Janet. (Drats … totally forgot to take pictures at Lisa’s!!!). Delicious dinners all with many love filled moments sharing them. Pictures tell the story 😊

These last weeks are reflective ones … it was a year of both sadness and celebration. Family members and a dear friend passed on to the other side.

When we lose those we love, it reminds us to savour the moments … they are after all, transitory … nothing lasts forever.

I love the Ram Dass quote …. “We are all just walking each other home”. How love filled is that?? What if we collectively made sharing moments of kindness, compassion, love and hugs all around, our daily acts of creativity, of grace? What if we make it a goal to live in the moment, every single day as the wisdom traditions and sages suggest. What if …..

No doubt about it … my grandchildren epitomize living in the moment ❤️. Probably why I so enjoy being around them 😂 … they ground me to the exquisite beauty of life.

And so ends 2019 ❤️.

Mickey and I decided early this spring, shortly after Gordon’s passing, to return to La Quinta for our first trip together sans Gordon. A quiet kind of tribute journey … the three musketeers reduced to two. Our time here is short and although poignancy may hang in the air, we are still both buoyant with humour as we revive memories of our early years of friendship and the many global travels we shared over the decades. An early morning sunrise walk in the peaceful Santa Rosa Mountains soothes our souls … There are so many precious memories to savour as we reminisce when walking along these well worn trails or hopping around the boulders of Joshua Tree National Park. Mickey never ceases to crack me up … her sense of humour remains contagious 😂. We sip Gordon’s favourite Sauvignon Blanc at the various desert happy hours in La Quinta, Joshua Tree or Palm Desert. The desert has long been our Webb family favourite for golf getaways or short winter breaks at the PGA Residence Club villa … many memorable holidays were enjoyed over the years with extended family and friends often invited to join us. The desert ambiance is comfortable, familiar, soothing.  A great spot for some quality time with Mickey 😊. 

Returning to a country for the third time has been an experience tinged in nostalgia. Memories resurface of a twenty four year old me, motoring throughout Austria with my boyfriend Brian (we married a year or so later) and his parents, Norm and Edith … Brian had long wanted to treat his parents to a cultural tour of Austria, home to all the various famous composers, Beethoven, Strauss, Haydn, Mozart. Norm knew every piece of music they had ever written … he was a virtual virtuoso …. his extensive knowledge of classical music and his collection of albums was legendary in Brian’s family. I was a total classical music neophyte. We coached along throughout the bucolic Austrian countryside in 1975, visiting the former homes, now museums, of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn … Norm was often moved to tears, as we walked through the homes, viewed the pianos and violins once instrumental in creating the music he so deeply loved … music that sustained him his whole adult life. I think it may have been his only ‘hobby’ and he excelled at it! It was a magical trip for me too … I well remember the me of decades past, a young woman so full of wonder and hope, so in love with travelling, exploring … new adventures around every corner. I like to think I have retained some of that youthful verve 😙! The body may be showing its age but the attitude remains reasonably fresh 😊.

Flashing forward to my mid fifties, I was again exploring Vienna but this time with a group of friends … I toured the palaces, museums, music halls with my good friends Mickey and Gordon and the rest of the Springbank Travel Troops. It was in many respects, a two week long party throughout Austria and into the Czech Republic. Lots of happy hours where local delicacies were consumed by us all … from the ubiquitous wiener schnitzel and street side stalls serving grilled wurst of every variety or the myriad of pastries such as apfelstrudel, palatschinken, sacher tortes …. washed down with frothy cappuccinos or tasty local white wines. The cafe culture has always been central to life in Vienna and we certainly tried many out after full days of exploring the historical sights … certainly a different experience and perspective from that of my first visit … diversity always welcome in my world.

A dozen or so years later, I am back with my dear friend Linda Mackid. It has been a more sedate trip in some respects … thoroughly enjoyable in its own way. Linda had two back to back knee replacement surgeries in the last few years, resulting in painful sciatica issues as a side effect. Although it curtailed how much exploring we could do, we adapted and explored differently. Linda is a world class trooper with a healthy attitude despite the lack of mobility. Hop On/Hop Off buses and cabs came in handy. Deva Premal’s concert was a highlight for both of us … Sanskrit chant satsangs are by far our favourite kind of concert these days! We did enjoy more classical fare as well, Vivaldi in the beautiful Karlskirche church and Mozart in the stunningly beautiful Musikverein Concert Hall.

Enjoyed lots of great food wherever we stopped. Linda’s favourite .. wiener schnitzel, mine .. gulasch. Surprisingly, we did not consume too many of Austria’s famous pastries. A favourite stop was at an ‘heurigen’ wine garden where we tasted a variety of Austrian white wines that are rarely exported outside the country. On another day, Belvedere Castle to view Gustav Klimt’s famous ‘The Kiss’ … followed by yet another great lunch stop at the palace cafe.

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Our Airbnb apartment in central Vienna was simply lovely … shabby chic elegance throughout … a warm home to savour both our morning coffee or enjoy a glass of local wine in the evenings and some days, crash in our comfy beds for a most welcome nap 🙂

There is no denying the aging process and remembering the verve of a youthful me at 24 , the still somewhat me in denial about the aging process at 55 to the reality at age 67 that time ticks on and muscles, joints and energy may not always be what we wish them to be! But what does remain unchanged, is my intense nomadic tendency to savour and relish walking the cities and towns of whatever country I am in, endlessly exploring, chatting with locals, learning about our differences but more importantly, celebrating what unites us … I hope I never lose my sense of wonder and awe, captivated as I can sometimes be, walking through nature trails or gazing at an amazing piece of art or wandering the hallways of churches, castles and palaces, steeped in the history of bygone days. My gypsy spirit is alive and well … travel continues its hold on my senses, still a strong gateway for exploring both my inner and outer landscapes.

Lovely view from our living room window … will surely miss this.

On the last few days, Linda and I finally stopped to enjoy a food stand wurst sandwich … Austria’s idea of fast food 😊 … delicious! Before heading to the airport, we stopped for cappuccinos, eggs benny and a green smoothie at Cafe Schwarzenberg, one of, if not the oldest cafe in Vienna. A most fitting final Austrian meal 😊.

Auf wiedersehen Austria, tschuss Linda’s Austrian family (love them like my own❤️) … til we meet again.

Linda and I have been friends for most of our adult lives. Our mutual travel experiences included a long ago Alberta camping weekend with our husbands, a few blissful Kingfisher spa weekend getaways on Vancouver Island and several jaunts to our little bit of heaven in the desert city of La Quinta in the Santa Rosa Mountains of California. Austria is our first venture together to Europe.

Exploring Linda’s birth country of Austria together is new territory for our friendship. Despite having undergone two major surgeries in recent history, Linda is a trooper so onward and upward .. we charged forward, hopping a train to Kapfenberg a few days after our Vienna arrival (ok, a more accurate description might be that we scrambled aboard, hoping we got in before the doors closed behind us 😂😂!!) Linda was born in this charming little town of Kapfenberg. Sharing the experience with her and meeting her extended family has been a delightfully heart warming joy I had not anticipated. What a fun weekend getting to know her first and second cousins and their families … Gerti, Erwin, Olivia, Christian, Felix, Rudolf, Elizabeth, Larissa, Vanessa and of course her Auntie Martha!

Felix shows us an edible seed reminiscent of a sesame seed, inside a local flower.

At Rudolf and Elizabeth’s home we were introduced to some local treats … tasty liver pates and bacon fat spreads on my favourite kinds of breads … wholesome dark, seed heavy Austrian bread, (surprisingly delicious spread, despite my first rather reticent reaction to a spread made with bacon fat!!), roasted chestnuts wrapped in newsprint to keep them warm, making for easier peeling … so delicious, as was sampling the local sturm wine! For a very brief period, from the end of September to mid October it is Sturmzeit in Austria. This is the only time of year the drink called Sturm is consumed throughout the country. Because of rapid fermentation (which could cause the bottle to explode if corked), Sturm cannot be stored and must be consumed within a few days of purchase.

Sturm is a young wine that is basically fermented freshly pressed grape juice. And that’s exactly what it tastes and feels like you are drinking … carbonated grape juice 😊!

After a rather hair pin curvy drive up a narrow mountainside road, we arrived at the Burg Oberkapfenberg (Castle) to enjoy a tasty lunch of the ubiquitous Wiener schnitzel … certainly Linda’s favourite, goulash, tafelspitz, spaetzle, warm potato salads, fresh horseradish salad … it was quite the luncheon the eight of us savoured … all in a cozy castlesque cafe overlooking the town of Kapfenberg below …

A short drive up the same mountain and an even shorter walk later through an idyllic farming landscape, most of us somehow still had tummy room for an assortment of typical Austrian desserts at a nearby historical old house in the hills … apple strudel of course, palatschinke or palacsinta (a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake) a torte or two … while sipping cappuccinos. A bit of a surreal experience was discovering an Elvis impersonator entertaining a private party inside the log house when I stepped inside to use the WC 😊

Altogether too soon, and after exchanging heartfelt hugs at the train station, we were back on the train heading for Vienna … Auf Wiedersehen my new friends ❤️

Seemed a very long journey indeed to get from Calgary to Vienna …. I had somehow forgotten 🤪 that Linda would require extra help, having gone through two knee replacements in one year!!!! We spent a good bit of time searching out wheelchair accessible assistance in Calgary, London and Vienna!!! All staff in all cities were so kindly helpful and went way beyond!! … however, it left no time at all for airport shopping in London, despite a five hour connection time 😂 … perhaps a good thing 😗. Wish I had captured some of our moments navigating it all, some of it quite hilarious, but alas, we were dealing with just getting through the process and iphones were left tucked in our bags 😊. We had some memorable moments to be sure!!! Such a relief however, to finally arrive in Vienna, check into our airport hotel and fall asleep around midnight!!! An early morning natural wake up at 10:35 am stunned us both!!! We had missed both our breakfast, and early check in with our Airbnb host in old town Vienna at 11:00 am … jet lag and travel insanity to blame 😂!! We forgot to set an alarm 😗!!

Check in to our elegant shabby chic charming apartment in old town Vienna followed, a bit of exploring, savouring Austrian cuisine and local wines and we were set for our Austrian adventure!!! Perfecto!!!

A whiff of fall was in the air yesterday, despite the warmth of a Kelowna September day. The flowers are still blooming, and with tourist season pretty much finished, the beaches are reclaimed by locals enjoying the quiet once again.

August found me relaxing at the Mackid lake house in the Kootenays … always a pleasure to visit my dear old friends Linda and Court … such a joy to sit together, enjoying the stunningly beautiful lake view, be it at sunrise, sunset or plunging in for an afternoon swim!

At the Yasodhara Ashram for our afternoon chant and meditationThere is something so comforting as being with long time friends … that feeling of complete comfort that just spills over into everything … much like the feeling one gets, when pulling on a pair of comfy sweats, pouring a cup of steaming coffee to just sit awhile …. savour and absorb life’s many gifts …. the warm accepting ambiance of friendship is undeniably one of those gifts …. Om Namah Shivaya 🙏❤️

Back in Kelowna, a few quiet weeks followed … a simple life with daily walks along the shoreline of Lake Okanagan, work outs at a gym, a morning wake-up yoga stretch routine, curling up in the evening with a good book, sometimes accompanied by a glass of local rose 😊. A few visits with neighbours, a bookclub get-together, a dinner out with friends here and there … all good, all pleasant ways to round out another Okanagan summer.

It occurred to me recently that I rarely call Kelowna my home, even though I feel at home when I am here 🤔 … I do not say “I am going home” … but rather “I am going to Kelowna” …. strange fact, that 🤔!!

Being on the road so much both in Canada and outside these last several years undoubtedly has something to do with that peculiarity 🤔. I do have a tendency to adjust reasonably well to new circumstances, new places … wherever I am, I make it my home! … perhaps I have had many lifetimes as a nomad and it continues to seep into the present one😂! I have friends who can hardly wait to get home from a vacation. I suppose I did too once upon a time, when I had a family to care for, children to raise, a home to keep, but life has changed … those days, those priorities have shifted. Still figuring it all out as I muddle along, adjusting and exploring these new internal and external landscapes that are my life …. home has become wherever in the world I happen to be. When I connect with my children, grandchildren, family or friends … I am home! When I fly to a new country, a new city, town or village, or hang out in Kelowna, I am home! Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea but it is mine 😊.

I have always been a rolling stone at heart and am only now coming to terms with it and accepting it. Something to ponder as the summer days grow shorter, and fall patiently waits to blow in. Hmmm so yes … a rolling stone … 🤔

I tune into the final Grand Slam US Open Tennis to watch crowd favourite Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal defeat the amazingly talented, calm natured young Russian, Daniil Medvedev (my current favourite when Roger Federer is out of the running 😊).

Yesterday, nineteen year old Canadian tennis whiz, Bianca Andreescu made history, winning the women’s final against the incomparable American juggernaut, Serena Williams who has dominated women’s tennis for over two decades! Andreescu is the first Canadian woman ever to win the US Open! Move over Serena, there’s a new girl in town 😊 … the inevitable changing of the guard …

Scenes from my daily walks, the foliage still bursting with colour ….

I wave goodbye to my daughter Sarah and grandchildren Aliana and Oliver … Sarah now faces the long drive to Calgary from Kelowna. Seven solid hours of driving plus the many park, bathroom and meal stops necessary when travelling with young children. Poignantly, I well remember making this same journey many many times with Sarah and Tim to visit my mother …. my father having passed away when Sarah was just a toddler. How those years have flown. Feeling more than a little sad, more than a little nostalgic but the overriding feeling is still one of immeasurable gratitude. Gratitude that I have such a good, kind, loving family in my life ❤️

We celebrated Aliana’s birthday after everyone arrived on July 19 (her actual birthdate) … Aliana’s party with friends had been held earlier in Calgary … hard to believe my little beauty is 8!!!

Family Picnic 2019 was held at Reiswig Regional Park at Wood Lake … just a super fabulous fun day with everyone!!! ‘Uncle Otto’, was in fine form …. his big kid self fully engaged while gathering together his posse of young folk! The water pistols were loaded in record time … no one escaped some form of getting soaked 😂! He was joined by Tim Cuddie orchestrating his own bevy of tricksters … ie raft floaters getting dumped unceremoniously, sputtering into the lake! Love my growing extended family!

The highlight of the day was surely my niece Jennifer and husband Steve sharing their wonderful news … they are expecting their first child in January!!! Hooray!!! … can hardly wait!!! A new life to celebrate, cherish and welcome into the family fold ❤️

A hike to a waterfall on the Naramata Bench followed by a picnic lunch and wine tour of some of the smaller vineyards that dot the area … another totally delightful family day ❤️

Summer fun continued on Mission Golf Course … Oliver’s first time swinging a club other than a mini golf putter!

Onward ho to Glen Lake on Vancouver Island where we embrace the beauty and serenity of simple cottage life … quickly turning into our favourite Vancouver Island holiday spot!

A stopover in Qualicum Beach for a few rounds of mini golf and a sand dollar search …. we did find a live one, left for the waves to wash back to sea. By chance, we discovered a pleasant tea spot within a short walk through the woods … the Milner Garden and Woodland. Made for a most pleasant morning!

On the road, we stop off in White Rock for the night where Michelle has put on a delicious bbq dinner for us at the ‘Gibson Resort’ … what I have always called Mickey and Gordon’s home!! The kids enjoy Mickey’s swim lessons in the pool! Always a joy to spend time with the Gibsons and Cavanaughs … they are so like my second family and I love them all dearly!

What do kids end up doing at artist Mickey’s home?? Creating costumes of course 🤪!!

Fun at Auntie Marg’s pool, and a lakeside dinner out with Marg and Jennifer finishes off a wonderful week.

Enerplex energy burner was a hit with both Aliana and Oliver this year!! Aliana can do chin-ups!!!!

Lovely also to enjoy visiting my friends Jane and Bob at their son Grant and Mary’s home where they have recently finished construction on their pool … Chloe, Tristan, Aerie, Aliana and Oliver have great fun enjoying all the water toys together!!

So ends a lovely lively visit … summer fun moments creating more memories with the precious people I am lucky to call family ❤️

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Off to the airport. Some family pictures before I leave to view when I get lonesome for family while off in Romania and India over the next two months.