After 6 weeks on Vancouver Island
(North Saanich, 30 kms/20 miles north of Victoria), we are heading back to the
mainland to continue our travels. Our
time back home was full of appointments and catching up with friends and
family. We want to give special thanks
our son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Angela, for their hospitality as they
shared their home with us. It was really
great spending time with you!
As usual, I’m going to give a
quick recap of our time on the Island (remember, just click on picture to enlarge)...
My brother and sister-in-law (Dennis and Suzanne) had arrived the day before we did, so we had some really nice family gatherings during that first week. Rob had just had a brand new barbeque delivered so Sunday he was going to initiate it by cooking a pork roast. Here he is getting it ready for the rotisserie...
It was a little chilly sitting out on the deck that afternoon but we had a fire to keep us warm...(left to right)...Suzanne, Dennis, me, Angie and Rob...
Rob (and Angie) with his special barbequing apron on...it even has a bottle opener on it...
My brother and sister-in-law (Dennis and Suzanne) had arrived the day before we did, so we had some really nice family gatherings during that first week. Rob had just had a brand new barbeque delivered so Sunday he was going to initiate it by cooking a pork roast. Here he is getting it ready for the rotisserie...
It was a little chilly sitting out on the deck that afternoon but we had a fire to keep us warm...(left to right)...Suzanne, Dennis, me, Angie and Rob...
Rob (and Angie) with his special barbequing apron on...it even has a bottle opener on it...
Suzanne and Angie preparing asparagus wrapped in prosciutto for grilling (yum)...
Dennis and Rob taking the roast off the barbeque...looking pretty darned yummy!...
Monday we were having another family gathering...another brother and sister-in-law (Dwight and Helen) were coming out for dinner and luck would have it that all 3 of their kids were available along with their significant others. Also Dennis' daughter, Melanie, and her family; and son, Brian, and his family were coming out too...in all there were 22 of us for dinner. I kept dinner simple...3 trays of lazagne, chicken wings, caesar salad and garlic toast. Everyone was spread out wherever they could find a place to sit...we had a full house! It was really great seeing everyone!
The rest of our first week was filled with all sorts of appointments and spending time with family. We even managed a visit with my nephew, Matt and his wife, Bonnie (Matt is my brother, Don's son...yes, yet another brother...I have four of them). Matt and Bonnie have 2 kids, Logan and Gwennie...
The next week started with lunch with "my girls", fellow retirees that I had worked with for many, many years...
Friday evening we had a wonderful surprise as our son, Chris, pulled up the driveway. He had come over from Vancouver for a visit...a very nice Mother's Day weekend surprise!!
Mother's Day dinner on Saturday...
Mother's Day breakfast... Rob made waffles while Chris helped out (nice face, Chris!). Waffles were served with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and real maple syrup...YUMMY! Thanks, Angie, Rob and Chris!!
Chris headed out just after 2pm to catch the ferry back to the mainland and Rob, Angie, Steve and I went to wine tasting at a couple of local wineries. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The first winery was Starling Lane Winery. 
Steve knows the owners... Sue and Ken Houston former customers retired from the family business Mac's Heating.
The grounds surrounding the winery are just beautiful...a lovely spot for weddings...
Our next stop was at Muse Winery, which happens to be fairly close to where Rob and Angie live. Many vineyards and wineries have sprung up on the Saanich Peninsula over the years...
They have a nice little bistro and patio...
The next week started off very busy for me...lunch with a good friend and then off to an early dinner with "my girls"...including one that could not join us for lunch because she is still working but Janet plans to retire within the year though...
We decided to go camping for the May Long Weekend, so Friday morning we headed up to our favourite spot on Lake Cowichan (northwest of Duncan). Rob and Angie came up after work that evening and our niece, Amanda joined us Saturday morning.
Nice Fish!
Saturday wasn't too bad of a day weather-wise but the rain set in Sunday morning...typical for Lake Cowichan!
One quiet day while Steve was at home alone, he decided to pull together some statistics regarding our travels...here is what he came up with....
We travelled 15,801 km/9,876 miles in a little over 9 months (June 16, 2011 to March 31, 2012).
We averaged 6.91 miles per US gallon/8.3 miles per Imperial gallon/34.04 litres per 100 km.
In the US, the average price we paid for diesel was $4.137 per gal.
Lowest paid was $3.369 per gal.
Highest paid was $4.309 per gal.
(Diesel in the USA always cost more than gas...as much as 10 cents a gallon more)
If I understand the conversion equivalent correctly, I found from the US average that we paid, the equivalent in Canadian would be $4.97 a gallon and in the US, they would be paying the equivalent of just over $1.09/litre. (Note that this was based on our dollar being at par however our dollar was usually fluctuating above par)
Since starting our adventures in late June 2010, we have only had three services done on the truck...required every 12,000 km and are almost due for our 4th in another 3,000 km. The service work done in each case has been virtually identical but has varied considerably from state to state...interesting...?
North Carolina $184.00
Oregon $326.00
Arizona $238.00
Averages to $249.33 per service...not bad when I compare it to what my pickup used to cost.
We stayed at 47 different campgrounds (period: May 7, 2011 to April 27, 2012)
Average price paid $27.74
Highest paid $49.28
Lowest paid $4.44
Average paid including boondocking at free areas is $25.24 (we had 31 nights of free camping).
The following Saturday after attending the "Celebration of Life" for our friend Donna Whittome, we stopped to see our good friends, Jim and Nan who live in Cowichan Bay. They were having others over for a barbeque so it was great timing, allowing us to see Wayne and Donna; and Gus Kelly...
We had taken our bikes over to the Island with the intension of riding part of the Galloping Goose Trail...a trail system that runs from Swartz Bay (where the ferry comes in from the mainland) all the way to Sooke (west of Victoria). Well, we only have a few days before we leave, so on Wednesday we figured we had better do it!
...where we had a great lunch at Adrienne's Tea Garden ...
And that's it for pictures...for some reason, I forgot to take my camera out after this. We met my brother and sister-in-law (Dwight and Helen) for dinner Thursday night at the pub at Brentwood Bay Resort. We had a great visit with them and are looking forward to seeing them mid-August when we return for their daughter, Vanessa's wedding.
Friday I had one last follow-up doctor's appointment in the morning and then Steve and I carried on into Victoria to run a couple of errands. Rob has been home from work since Wednesday with a severe headache and since it wasn't any better, he was going to go to the doctor this afternoon. Once Steve and I returned from Victoria, I drove Rob into Sidney and did some more errands while he went to the doctor and then for blood tests at the lab. After picking up a prescription for pain meds, we headed home...he is to return tomorrow if he is worse.
That evening we were picked up by our very close friend, Rob Cawsey...Steve has known Rob since grade 8 and they have remained very close. He and his wife, Nancy are very dear friends of ours that we have summer-vacationed with for years. Our two families have shared so many good times together! Well, we were treated royally...from Rob picking us up; to drinks at their place; to being chauffeured into Victoria to The Keg Restaurant for dinner...and being dropped off back home. We had a wonderful time and a great visit with them.
Come Saturday morning, Rob (our son) was still no better so Angie took him into Sidney to see the doctor again. The blood work came back okay but a CT scan has been ordered. Saturday afternoon and evening, Rob seemed somewhat better and I was relieved because we are leaving in the morning. We said our goodbyes before going to bed because we planned on being up and out early.
As we were about to board the 9:00 ferry this morning, I sent a text to Rob to see how he was feeling...his response..."worse, just threw up"...oh sheesh...that is not good. The doctor had said that if he gets worse and/or starts having other symptoms, to go into ER at the local hospital. He assured me he would be going in.
We arrived at Econo Storage in Langley just before noon to pick up our 5th wheel. After some tricky maneuvering, Steve managed to get backed out of the spot...there wasn't enough room to pull forward and get out that way, so backing up it was. Whew...did it! Now it was time to head to Fort Langley and the campground. We were very pleased to get our favourite site again. We got checked in and spent the rest of the afternoon setting up, unpacking the truck and putting everything away.
Ahh...it was good to be back in our home!
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