14 posts tagged “travel”
Last Friday we left home and this Friday we're still away from home. Here's a list of thirteen things about my last week, in no particular order.
1. I became an AUNTIE! James was born last Friday. We were passing through town and planned on stopping in to see my sister who was being induced. Turns out he was born while we were sitting in the parking lot while I nursed Peaches. All is well with everyone. We'll be staying with them in a couple of days!
2. I took 2 ferry rides.
3. I ate lavender shortbread and drank red wine (not necessarily together).
4. I spent very little time on the computer. We had limited dial-up so I all I really did was check email. As a result, I found I missed inter-web-land.
5. I enjoyed visits with old friends that were entirely too short and didn't manage to connect with some others.
6. I watched several float plans land and take off - the joys of staying right on the Harbour. Gus learned to say 'plane float on water' and watching them was his favourite thing to do, after playing cars with Grandpa. Here's a shout-out to my f.i.l. for hours of car-playing, goldbug-searching, plane-watching, dinner-making, grocery-getting, wine-pouring, and baby-carrying. My thanks. (And for those of you who know me in rl, my m.i.l. was in India at the time - now en route home- and, sadly, missed all that car-playing.)
7. I also watched a passenger train pass us by twice a day.
8. I wandered Chinatown and other cool shops sans Gus while Peaches slept in her wrap. In particular I perused cool baby/kid stores with beautiful things like handmade organic cotton sleepers for $70. I found myself wishing I could do the wandering thing more, but things like feedings and naps and life got in the way.
9.Since we've been gone, we know of three babies who have been born.
Since Thanksgiving the total is up to 6, mostly boys: Daniel, Liza,
Matthew, James, Lucas, & Maerk.
10. We took a little ride just out of town to see the salmon run. The air
was cool, the ground wet, the smell of rotting fish was strong, the
gulls were gorging. I am amazed at the strength of those fish as they
swim up stream, or flop about finding more water if they find
themselves in shallows. Gus spent much of his time there saying "[Gus]
see planes." Guess what he and Grandpa did when they got home?
11. Peaches continues to have periods of 5-6 hours of sleep. One night, she even did 7 hours, though that was preceded by a day of about 3 hours of cumulative sleep. She's a terrible day sleeper.
12. Both Chris and Gus had sore throats and strained voices. This was especially unfortunate for Chris since the whole purpose of our trip was work-related for him - he had to spend his days teaching his course! Surprisingly, I haven't succumbed to this round of colds. Yet.
13. There's still more trip to enjoy and since the work portion is finished, it's just all friends and all family all the time!
1. I'm at the in-law's place right now. We're en route to our provincial capital where C. has work for the week and so we're making it a working holiday, staying at the in-law's condo there. Looking forward to catching up with a couple of friends and enjoying the city of my alma mater. I'm not looking forward to limited computer use, thus the update.
2. I'm not so sick anymore.
3. Peaches has decided she can sleep up to 6 hours at a go a night from time to time. Since Gus was so not like that, I'm astounded. And thankful.
4. I've been making some stuff. Here's the pumpkin pie from scratch that turned out ok.
And here's an ATC I had to make for a swap with pieces sent by my swap partner: (the tricky part was getting the metal pieces to stay on well.)
Not pictured: Apple fruit leather (yum!), pumpking fruit leather (meh.), and yogurt fruit leather (yum!), and a dotee doll - picture to follow eventually.
And last, but certainly not least: I BECAME AN AUNTIE TODAY! By total fluke I ended up passing through the town where my sister had her kid just as she was delivering so I got to see him when he was very new! And she's great and I'm so proud of her!
Can't wait to pass on the "boob man" onesie!
Thirteen Places I Would Like to Visit. Soon.
1. Alberta: Particularly Calgary, Edmonton and Lloydminster (yes, the Alberta side) because we have many family and friends there. But while we're at it, I'd love to see the badlands and the Royal Tyrell Museum again.
2. Vancouver Island: Again, there are friends and family to be seen from Courtney down to Victoria. And of course there's all the beautiful beaches in between.
3. Vancouver. More family. More friends. So little time. Oh, and there's rollerblading the seawall, Main Street and Granville Island.
4. San Francisco. More family. It was the destination of big family road trips growing up. It's been 7 years and I'd love to return.
5. Hawaii.
6. Peru. Chris has friends who live there, a couple he worked with in Germany who are now working at a mission established by her parents.
7. Madeira. I watched "A Love Affair" years ago (the 1939 version). Madeira was a stop-over where the two love-birds connected and for some reason it captured my fancy. I doubt I'll ever get there, but still, I can dream.
8. Quebec. Especially Quebec City - the oldest (only?) walled city north of Mexico. I'd also like to drop by Capernwray Quebec. I have some old friends from my Bible school days who now work there.
9. France. To continue this linguistic theme. I've spent 6 hours in Strasbourg. I'd like to spend much longer there or anywhere in that counrty... Besides, how else am I going to reach my life goal of becoming bilingual?
10. Charlotte, NC,
11. Germany and
12. Norway. - More friends. New places.
and finally
13. The Fort. My first home sweet home. Maybe you can't go home again, but you can try.
Last weekend C. and I "got away." It was lovely to be able to sleep in and make plans without reference to Gus for a couple days. He thoroughly enjoyed his time with Grandma and Grandpa and had plenty of attention and activities: helping Grandpa clean the deck, making muffins with Grandma, going for walks and to the beach. What more could a toddler want?
C. and I have had some stuff going on (yes, I know, it's a vague term, but I'm just leaving it at that for now) so we decided to take the weekend as a time of focused prayer and thought set aside to see what God might be teaching us, to help make clear the directions in which we should proceed since there seems to be no 'right' or 'wrong' in most situations in life. And we had a wonderful backdrop in which to do all this: sunny ferry rides, a quiet condo with a great view, rocky points watching the tide come in, a city harbour with kayaks, float planes and sailboats sharing the water and cruise ships in the background. There was lots of sun but the cool ocean breeze made it simply enjoyable and not exhausting for me.
We've been taking this week to think about, summarise, examine those things we'd noticed that weekend, things we felt God teaching us and I wanted to share a particular verse. It's from Peterson's The Message, which is the Bible in contemporary language: (While I wouldn't recommend one stake their spiritual sustenance solely on it, for someone like me who has read and studied the Bible for much of her life, the variation helps me hear it in a different way.)
On a good day, enjoy yourself;
On a bad day, examine your conscience.
God arranges for both kinds of days
So that we won't take anything for granted.-Ecclesiastes 7:1
What I find this verse is not saying is that bad things happen because you're bad, but you should check your heart and life all the same. After all, we live in a world affected by sin; who is to say it's not one's own in particular instances? But still, no health, wealth and prosperity gospel here. But know that bad days can happen and we should know that God is in that, too. (The life of Job, anyone?) And the last tidbit I took away from this little gem - "On a good day, enjoy yourself." No Tryph, don't go looking for the negative when there is plenty to be glad of, to enjoy. Just praise God, thank him, and get on with living. After all, those 'other' days will come eventually, so just be present and enjoy it.
You too: on this good day, enjoy yourself.
And in about 3 days they'll be boarding a plane to Thailand, where they'll spend a month and then head out to Australia where they'll be for the next several months.
*sigh*
I'm jealous, but very happy for these adventurers who have been planning this trip for, well, probably for as long as they've been together. Now I have cool postcards and gifts to look forward to from Down Under.
But I'll still miss my sister.
Our holidays are finally upon us! I should be packing and tidying right now, actually. We aren't traveling anywhere new or intriguing. In fact, most of the ground we're covering we've trodden before. But we'll get to see people and that is what tends to drive most of our holidays.
We'll see my sister and brother -in-law briefly at the river rafting ranch they are working at this summer as we try and get to the border. (We're going to cross the border on a Friday of a long weekend- what were we thinking when we scheduled this leg of the trip?? :) Then we visit some friends, newly married, who live just north of Seattle for the weekend before we backtrack, wave at Canada customs and head to the in-laws for the week. Their place is a relaxing spot for us (usually) and I'm looking forward to using it as a home base for day trips into the city and to get in other visits with friends. Then next weekend we'll catch a ferry to Victoria where another friend is getting married.
And then - home again, home again, jiggity jig.
In the meantime:
- pack - me, baby and food
- clean house for guests staying here while we're gone
- arrange for mail pick up
- finish laundry
- organize boxes and random piles of junk so guests don't trip on stuff
- make dinner
- make some phone calls
My trip north:
Jonas traveled very well. I found some great places to stop and while on the road, perfected the backseat-cracker-pass. We had some bits of crankiness and he hardly breastfed at all - anywhere we went was too interesting that he just kept looking around, even the side-of-the-road rest stop. I figured that just trees would be boring enough for him, but instead he whipped his head up every time he heard a semi roar by.
My time in town went well. Not having my husband with
us meant that I felt a bit freer with my time - usually it's more difficult
simply because he's spending a lot of time with people he doesn't always know
really well, and he's also the kind of guy who needs his time and space. This time, I was just limited by Jonas's naps! My sister and brother-in-law
were also visiting that week; their last trip before heading to Australia for a year. Being there that same week meant bonus visiting time with them - Jonas enjoyed a couple of hours with
his auntie and uncle while mom had a much needed nap. It also meant that
a BBQ had been planned - their best shot at seeing a lot of people in a short amount of time. Conequently, the same principle worked for me, too! And I was very glad for it. I dislike feeling
disconnected with my hometown, and yet that is simply the reality; after
all, I haven't really lived there in 10 years. I forget names,
connections, who works where and who is married to who. I don't recognize those teenagers because last I saw them
they were 6. I know I've mentioned it before, but there is something so
unnerving about a place that is simultaneously familiar and alien.
I guess that has mostly to do with the people. But the place, the place
remains the same: the lake, the river, the creek, the beach, the hills, the
smell of water and cottonwood. The only striking difference is the sea of red timber that is replacing the traditional and healthy sea of
green. (Go google pine beetle British Columbia
to hear about crazy devastation of forests.) The lake was still rising
when I left, and was already quite high considering that high water doesn't
usually peak until about 2-3 weeks later. I spent some time at the
government wharf; I used to sit with my friends at the end of the rocks that
form the breakwater, eating snacks like popcorn and watched stray kernels get
nibbled at by fish as they drifted away. There was no climbing of the
grad rock (a cement block leftover from when a mill existed on the lake shore
back in the day, now serves as the canvas of choice for the latests grad year
to leave their spray-painted mark) for it was surrounded in water. I did
manage to get a neat shot of the setting sun through the stained-glass windows
of one of the oldest Catholic churches in the province.
The visit was a treat. I don't expect that I'll be back for awhile now, at least a year, so I am glad I took the opportunity
As we go, I look forward to this particular scene as we move through the mountain pass. This whole area is a common avalanche area. There are many gullies where no trees have manged to grow tall because they get knocked down on a regular basis. And this is the most stark example of that - a sheet of rock that sheds it's snow regularly.
I also just wanted to show off this shot - I took it our of the driver side of my car - while driving. I was surprised it turned out so well.
I tried to get some shots of the small evergreens on the sides of the highway but the shots were just too blurry. I wanted to catch how they rarely get a chance to grow properly because they are often pushed aside by the plows and shovels that must consistently push the snow farther and farther off the highway.
Snow: light, fluffy and able to decimate tree stands in a single roll.
But on to warmer things (though this shot was taken in May!)... my garden is sprouting. Stay tuned.
Well, now that I've recovered from my fifteen minutes of vox-fame, (hee hee) I can return unbadgered to the vox world. ;)
Now, onto my books. I've been reading a lot lately and have enjoyed another foray into the world of YA Fiction. First, my number came up at our public library and Forever in Blue came my way. (I love the holds systems that libraries have.)
I really like these books. My criticism for them is quite limited (if only my 3 high school friends and I could head off the Greece at the drop of a hat!). I like all the characters and I believe them (even the pants!). Sometimes Bee rubs me the wrong way, but I've loved the person she's grown into in this last one. Sometimes the plots are predictable, (girl-makes-poor-decision-but-learns-about-herself-and-all-ends-well) but I enjoy finding out how she gets there.
I have heard that this is the last book in the series and Brashares ties up some loose ends pretty nicely - especially regarding the pants. It would have made sense to have ended with all the girls heading off to college, (with book no. 3) but this last coming-together deals with the "where is home" question that the nomadic student deals with.
For those of you who have read these 4, how do you like the wrap-up?
My next book was
I've always wanted to travel around France, (at this point my husband likes to say, "But you've already been to France" which is true. He took me there on his day off when I was visiting him during the year he worked in Germany; but it was only for 6 hours! There's more to the country than Strasbourg!) so I enjoyed the smatterings of French and the descriptions of Paris. The rest of the story was ok - I think Westminster Abby is my running favourite though...
And finally (though actually I read it before the two books above) - The Golden Compass (the British title is Northern Lights). This is the first book in His Dark Materials trilogy. While LOTR and Harry Potter are some of my favourite works, I'm not one who generally leans to science fiction or fantasy. However, this book has come highly recommended from several different sources so I decided to give it a go.
And I loved it.
This is a fully realized alternate world and I loved the variety. It took me time to wrap my mind around these new parametres but it was worth it. I especially loved the idea of daemons: (the ae is actually combined letter, but I don't know how to do that here!)animals who are a complicated soul/companion of humans, each with their own names and personalities. Each human has their own daemon and to be without one's daemon, one looks mutilated, disgusting. As children, daemons change at will, but as one moves into adulthood, their daemon eventually settles into one form. A daemon means that one never knows complete and utter loneliness.
The main character, Lyra, is a spunky girl who sees many adventures and is carried along by fate and her own determination. We learn that Lyra is destined to save their world (and others) but she must do so without her own knowledge of the fact.
As a girl who grew up where northern lights were a lovely but not uncommon occurrence, I loved their descriptions and the role they play in the plot. There is much more to this book, by the way, but I won't mention it all here. Go read it yourself! :)
I am looking forward to reading the remaining books but I needed a break. (Which is why Forever in Blue and Pardon My French were lovely brain/emotion breaks) Some parts of the novel are tragic and make me feel so sad and upset that I feel uncomfortable and need to take time to recover from it. I suppose it is a good thing that an author can elicit such violent emotions, but sometimes it is too much for me.
Is it possible for one to feel too much?
It is way too late, or way too early, which every way you look at it. I should be in bed, sound asleep. But alas! It just
But I don't know what to do - besides lay awake for hours... so I get up at some point. I realized that I had forgotten to turn off the computer since we're leaving town in the morning, so I got up to do that and decided that I could post, too.
I could explain in detail why I haven't posted lately, but I don't think it would interest any but myself. Suffice to say that I'm a mom with a clingy baby and haven't mastered the art of baby-on-hip-while-mom-types yet.
Today is Good Friday.
I don't feel prepared for this Easter season. I even observed Lent this year (I don't come from a liturgical tradition so I usually go these things alone) but still haven't devoted enough time (any?) to prayer and proverbial fasting (can't really fast because I breastfeed and the kid is important too!) but Good Friday has snuck up on me. And today will be full: I am helping with the Good Friday breakfast and then we hit the road after the service. After the 4 hour trip to my in-laws place, it is family dinner time and then off to bed (since I'll be beat, seeing as how I'm posting right now.) All these things are good - but won't leave me much time to absorb. While I will be attending the service, I hope and pray that my mind and heart will be reflective of the reason for this season.
One thing I am looking forward to as my kidlet gets bigger is ways in incorporating some type of family tradition around the Christian 'seasons'. For example, I know one family who uses the advent candles around Christmas and turns off the lights as a way of emphasizing to their kids how the light of the world came to us. I'd love to use the Seder supper (Passover) as a way of teaching about Jewish history (The Exodus) and Christ's death and resurrection. This friend of a friend writes about some more Easter ideas here.
But I was thinking: why should be waiting for my kids to grow a bit to experience these things? I know that I would benefit greatly from having tradition and routine in my life around the Christian calendar and would cause me to pause and reflect and not have things like Good Friday come and go without the days apparently having made nary a dint on my spiritual life. Which is something I think would have/could still happen.
I some ways, I think I would need this sort of thing even more than my kid.
God - grant me strength and ability to see and hear and respond to the life and death of your Son and what that all means, because it's why there's a point to all this.
