Mission accomplished...

Monday, January 25. Cloudy and Robbie Burns Day.

We came here to relax, albeit briefly, and we have accomplished that, we can go home knowing that at least we did that while we were here, if nothing else.

Today was to be the 'last' of many things: the last sunrise swim, the last breakfast, the last shave and the last of everything before we head for home and the Great Gray of January in Vancouver.

While we were at the beach I got an email from good friend Gerald Tottman who is vacationing up the road eight miles with wife Karen and her parents. We settled that they would come for a visit after lunch. Gerald and Karen stayed with us here in 2009, so I was told today. The date I could not recall, I blame it on so much happening in the intervening years that my shrinking brain cells cannot put it all in order any more.

I do remember that we had many an interesting talk on long walks covering every conceivable subject. Gerald and Karen come here on a sort of regular basis, at the invite of Karen's dad, who lives in Calgary. Gerald was very helpful in Canada Ticket's formative  years and guided me through the minefield of the parking industry. To this day Wally has an excellent rapport with Gerald. They life on Salt Spring Island and have three children. Great afternoon with them.

Fellette did two loads of wash, and dryer, we packed the cases in the locker and it is ready for the next visitor in the family, whoever and whenever that is. Fellette does the packing, always has, and performs miracles in getting everything in with no wasted space.

Off to return the rental car at 8:00 tonight, [10:00 Vancouver time] and start all the proceedings for settling in for the six hour night flight to home. We have reading material, snacks, and iPads to entertain us. I hope to get a couple of hours sleep tonight, although that is one thing I have never been good at: sleeping on a plane at night.

When you are doing what you are doing tomorrow at 7:30 am Vancouver time, think of us going through customs and immigration and then driving home in rush hour traffic. Such is the price of 12 days in paradise.

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I may or may not publish a travel blog tomorrow folks. If I don't, I hope some of you read snippets of it, at least I like to think so anyway. See you next trip, whenever that is.

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A lady from Michagin took this picture for us this morning, without being asked, 

she just volunteered.

My younger wife returning from the swim.

The budgie family in the roof tiles above our balcony entertain us at mealtime.

Th family locker.

The family chest.

This is for everybody to use, plus two more chairs.

The sitting area, facing the garden view.

The guest bedroom, unused this time.

Our bedroom, full of packing stuff.

Karen and Gerald with Fellette. Gerald used to stay with us sometimes, at Autumwood, when he moved to Salt Spring and came to Vancouver on business trips. 1996/7?