Well, it's about time we try to get caught up on our blog! After unpacking and cleaning out the little trailer, we took it back to storage Sunday afternoon (August 9). All settled in for the winter...
Thursday morning (August 13), with both the truck and car filled to the hilt, we both headed south. Since our friends Rob and Nancy were spending a week in Parksville, we met up with them for lunch on our way down.
We arrived at Ray and Deb's at about 2:30, and unpacked the necessities for now. We will have a couple of days with them to get any last minute instructions before driving them down to their hotel near the Victoria airport. We'll unpack the rest of our stuff afterwards.
Time for one of Ray's famous margaritas! On the dock, of course!
Friday (August 14) we went out to a local sushi restaurant in Lake Cowichan. Steve and I have not really had much experience with sushi and have never gone by ourselves because we really don't know what to order. Ray and Deb gave us a good introduction and it was all delicious.
Saturday afternoon (August 15) Ray, Steve and I went out for ice cream. We sat on a bench with our cones watching the tubers head out for a float down the Cowichan River...
Sunday morning (August 16) with Ray and Deb's suitcases and backpacks in the car, we headed down to Sidney. It was a busy Sunday afternoon but we managed to find a parking spot a couple of blocks from our destination...Jacks on the Water where Ray and Deb treated us to lunch. Thanks guys!
After lunch we took the long way back to the car...this is the outside of the restaurant...
We walked along the waterfront to the Sidney Amphitheater where Fleetwood Magic was playing...quite the crowd gathered for the free concert. We saw them a few months ago in Courtenay and they are an excellent tribute band!
At the lake, Steve and I "took over" Ray and Deb's chairs on the deck and enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine. It's so weird being here by ourselves!
With the work done, it was dock time on this beautiful day. This is going to be a tough gig! 😂😂
And more dock time, along with a swim...
The day ended with a beautiful sunset...
Too bad clouds had rolled in but it was still warm and certainly didn't stop anyone from having some fun in the water, especially Bryce...he loves the water!
Conner out in the kayak...
An easy dinner of burgers tonight...
Bryce and Conner...Steve also got in some games with them too.
Chris, Angela and Isaac arrived at about 1:30 and within an hour everyone was down on the dock. Again, more clouds had rolled in but that wasn't keeping Chris, Bryce and Isaac from the water. Steve got a good action shot of Chris diving in...
Monday morning (August 17) was time for a little work...Steve mowed the lawn and I did some organizing of our "stuff" in the house. We also took the truck over to the boat launch across the lake and off-loaded the boat. Quite a job getting the motor and all the paraphernalia into it as the ramp was busy, so Steve manually rolled the boat down on it's wheels!
Another beautiful day Tuesday (August 18). Our 12' yacht is now tied up to the dock...
Wednesday (August 19) started off with a gorgeous sunrise...
We had an appointment to take the car into Isherwood Body and Fender in Duncan. I had backed into a post at the RV park while moving it when we got back from Cluxewe. I was so mad at myself that I didn't want to talk about it or post a photo, LOL.
The damage was assessed and they will call when parts come in. Thank goodness for insurance but we still have to pay the $500 deductible...ugh!
After that we went for lunch at Red Arrow Brewing and shared a delicious pizza, before taking care of some errands and grocery shopping...in preparation for our sons and their families arriving this weekend.
Fog on the lake Thursday morning (August 20)...
My view Friday morning (August 21) as I sit on the deck. Look how flat the lake is, not a ripple...
Our son, Rob, and his family arrived mid afternoon. After unloading their car, it was dock time! That's Bryce at the far end of the dock, then Rob, Steve, Angie and Conner...
Our other son, Chris, and his family from the mainland will be arriving Saturday afternoon (August 22). In the meantime, some cornhole games got underway...Bryce and Rob...
Angie and Rob also brought pulled pork and buns for dinner, which was served later to whomever had room after that appetizer!
Although Steve's birthday is not until tomorrow, we decided to celebrate it Sunday (August 23). Conner is leaving tomorrow on a camping trip so we'd like him here for grampa's celebration. We went out for lunch at Jake's at the Lake...Chris, Isaac, Rob, me, Steve, Conner and Angela (Angie and Bryce chose to stay home...I think Bryce was swimming)...
Happy 71st Birthday, Steve!
Monday morning (August 24) Chris, Angela, Isaac and I went for a walk through the campground that is next to this subdivision. We also found the playground that is in a new subdivision behind us that isn't open (streets and lots marked out but no homes yet, just this playground...I believe there is some financial problems?)
Anyway, it's a very nice playground...
Even mom got into the action... 
Then it was time for Grampa to take Isaac and Chris out fishing in the boat...
A 1:03 minute video of Isaac reeling in his first ever trout after only 20 minutes of fishing...
Rob has always wanted to try smoking something on a Traeger grill, so when Deb said he could use theirs, he was in his glory researching recipes for Pork Belly Burnt Ends. All prepared and into the Traeger they go...
A gorgeous evening out on the deck...no heaters needed tonight!
The wind really came up in the afternoon so we all retreated up to the house. Steve spotted what he thought was an overturned boat but it was a couple on a Sea-doo. One of the neighbours hopped onto his jet ski to lend a hand getting it up-righted. A few minutes later it was upside down again. The rescuer returned again to give them a hand then left. We could see the couple just sitting there and it appeared he was trying to start it. The rescuer returned a third time then took off to the nearby marina and returned with something...another key perhaps? The couple then managed to get their machine going and took off to the marina...
Indoors playing a word game called Bananagrams...similar to scrabble...
Although still quite windy out, the hedge in the yard breaks the wind fairly well, so Bryce and Chris played cornhole...
A beautiful sunset...
Sitting out on the deck playing Angie's trivia game...
Standing on top of the fish ladder...
Chris has to lift Isaac up to get him in the picture...
Fish ladders...
Tuesday (August 25) was another beautiful day except it was quite smokey from wildfires in BC and Washington State...
Wednesday morning (August 26) Rob, Angie and Bryce (Conner was picked up by friends Monday) had the car all packed up and after big hugs, headed off back home. So glad Rob was able to take a few extra days off to extend our family gathering.
After they had gone, the rest of us piled into our truck and went sightseeing to Skutz Falls. As we were leaving, Steve noticed a low right rear tire warning on the dash display, so we stopped at a station to fill it...$2.50...our first time ever paying for air in Canada! Okay, seems good...for now.
Skutz Falls...the river is low!
A 54 second video of Skutz Falls...
We were going to continue to do a little more sightseeing and then go to Youbou for lunch at the pub but as we were leaving, the truck tire was low again, so Steve dropped us off back home and went to "All N All" Mechanical. They quickly repaired the leak and Steve was back in no time, so we headed off for lunch in Youbou. We were hoping to see some elk for Isaac but...no luck!
This shop was formally owned by a school friend of Steve's who recently retired so we'll have to look him up while we're staying here...
No dock time today...it was just too windy...so we set up the chairs on the lawn with the hedge as a windbreak...
These are always interesting...
Views as we travel along the narrow gauge tracks...
Crossing Somenos Lake...
Model Train Museum...
33 second video of model trains...
Pretty pink sky Thursday morning (August 27)...
We dropped the car off at Isherwood Bumper and Fender in Duncan for repair at 9:30, they gave us a courtesy car, and we ran a couple of errands before heading back to the lake.
The rest of the day was pretty chill...Angela, Chris and Isaac have been working on a puzzle up in the loft. Ray loves his puzzles and they found one, so have been busy off and on working on it up there.
Friday (August 28) we went into Duncan to the BC Forest Discovery Centre...
33 second video of old vehicles on display...
All aboard for the gas train ride. Unfortunately the steam train only runs on weekends...
Detailed displays of logging over the years...
Heli logging...
School House, Bunk Houses, Cook House, Blacksmith, Post Office, Trains and much more along here...
22 second video of the gas train that we rode on passing by...
Old Hand Saws and Chain Saws. The ones on the right are a two person chainsaws...
Train Engineer Isaac...
Isaac checking out the log loader...
Replica Fire Lookout Tower...
We spent over 2 hours there and were ready for lunch by the time we finished, so off to the Red Arrow Brewery. We started outside on the patio but the wind really came up, so we retreated to a table inside...
That night we played Rummikub...
Well, the week was up so Saturday morning (August 29) we said goodbye to Chris, Angela and Isaac. It was so nice having you here for the week!
We really want to thank Ray and Deb for giving us the opportunity to have our family all together in their beautiful lakefront home. It was an especially nice way to celebrate Steve's birthday!
