Wednesday to Sunday, April 4 to 8, 2018 (A trip to Vancouver Island--North Saanich, BC)

Well, I'm finally getting around to writing about our quick trip over to Vancouver Island...4 days filled with appointments and family!

Wednesday afternoon we caught the 3 pm ferry sailing, arriving at Swartz Bay at 4:35. After collecting our suitcases, we had a short wait before Rob (our son) picked us up. He dropped us off at the airport to pick up a rental car, and after a quick stop in Sidney, we were on our way to Rob and Angie's. We were greeted by two excited little boys, Angie...and Steve's Uncle and Aunt, Gordon and Esther, visiting from Edmonton (they are the folks we went to Africa with October 2016). Rob had stopped to pick up a feast of Chinese food and arrived a few minutes later.
Dinner time! Left to right around the table...Rob, Gordon, Esther, me, Bryce, Angie and Conner...

After dinner Conner and Bryce got to open the gifts we had for them...a new outfit for each (they immediately tried them on) and a giant Kinder Surprise...

The chocolate looks pretty good...but the toy inside made their day!

Gordon, me, Esther, Steve and Rob...

Good job with the selfie, Rob...Angie is now in the picture!

Great getting a chance to see Gordon and Esther before they leave tomorrow. They have been visiting Victoria for 3 weeks and managed a trip out to Rob and Angie's to see us on their last night.

Thursday we had appointments with our eye doctor...Steve for contact lenses check and me for more glaucoma testing. Since our appointments weren't until 12:30, we had time to take care of a couple other errands first. We drove into Victoria to pick up two prescription injections that I would need for my appointment tomorrow morning with my Orthopaedic Surgeon...and then we went to a Telus store to purchase a new Mobile Internet device (MiFi). Since our return last week, the old MiFi had been very slow...time to upgrade to the faster LTE device.

We had arranged to meet Dave and Leslie (friends from Bonneville, Alberta) for late lunch at the Rum Runner in Sidney after our eye appointments. After a long "countdown to retirement", they started their new full-time RV'ing lifestyle at the end of February...their first destination, Victoria. Dave's brother, John, also joined us...

After lunch, they followed us out to Rob and Angie's place (aka "the house") and we continued our visit for a little while longer. Wonderful seeing you both, and meeting John! Congratulations on your retirement and for starting a blog about your travels...Chateau Roche...on the Road.

That evening, more family invaded Rob and Angie's home...my brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Suzanne arrived from Kelowna...making for a full house! Although we had spent time with them in Laughlin, NV a couple of weeks ago, it was great that our time here on the island overlapped!

Bryce and Conner were excited getting more gifts!

Cool glow in the dark Batman t-shirts and Spiderman sunglasses!

Friday morning I was up and out shortly after 8:00...and on my way to my "knees appointment". When I arrived at the hospital where the doctor holds his orthopaedic clinic, there was no one there yet and the door into the clinic was closed...yikes! Had the clinic changed? Had I recorded the wrong date in my calendar? Usually there are a number of folks in the waiting area. But I sat down and waited patiently and a few minutes after my 8:30 appointment time, the door opened and the receptionist greeted me...whew! I was called in a few minutes later...then it was time for a needle in each knee to freeze the area...followed a little later, by the injection...ouch! With the usual precautions to put my legs up and put ice packs on them (and no laundry, dishes, or housecleaning whatsoever for the next 6 months LOL!), I was on my way.

My next appointment for today was at 1:00...a much needed haircut! While I was out most of the day, Steve enjoyed some alone time relaxing at home.

Friday night fun time before bed...Grampa with Brycie...

Rob and Conner...

It's very hard getting the kids to sit still for a photo...

Saturday morning....coffee and granola bar time...Grampa and Conner...

We started the day off with a hearty breakfast courtesy of Suzanne...quiche, bacon, toast and scones! Yum!

Saturday's chore for Rob...burning a pile of branches....ahhh...spring cleaning! With 2 little helpers, of course! This photo would have been Steve and our boys many years ago!
After making a crockpot full of vegetarian chili for the party tonight, I did a little shopping in town for Angie and Rob...while they were busy with their Saturday chores. Steve went with me so I could drop him off to have coffee and a visit with his long-time friend Rob (Nancy was away enjoying some sunshine with her mom in Mexico!)

Almost time for the family gathering tonight!

And then there was a house full! Steve's sister and family...and my 2 brothers and their kids and grandkids! In total...30 people! With the little kids spending a lot of time outside playing...thank goodness it wasn't raining!

Steve and Nadine (sister) chatting, with Mike and Amanda behind (Nadine's husband and daughter); my brother, Dennis' granddaughter, Alysia and my niece's (Melanie) husband, Derek...

My brother, Dennis' daughter, Melanie with her son, Owen...

Matt (my brother, Don's son), Dennis (my brother), Dwight (my brother....yes, I have 4 brothers), and Rob...

Angie with Matthew (Steve's sister's son)...

Vanessa and Helen (my brother, Dwight's daughter and wife)....

Mike and Amanda chatting to Suzanne...

Steve and Nadine....

Matthew, Kara (Dennis' son, Brian's wife), Bryson (Kara and Brian's son), Brian, Angie, Alysia (Brian's daughter), and Dennis....

Mike, Nadine, and Steve...

And finally...a group picture! This will be a little difficult...but I will do my best, starting at the back row left...Rob, Nate (holding daughter, Ella), Dennis, Brian, Matt, Dwight, Steve, me; next row: Angie (holding Brycie), Kara (holding Conner), Vanessa, Suzanne, Bonnie, Derek, Helen, Amanda, Nadine and Mike; front: Bryson, Logan (with sister, Gwennie), Melanie (with son, Owen), Alysia (with Mel's son, Caeden), Kaylea, Matthew (far right)...

A fabulous night! So nice getting a good portion of the family together! Thanks for hosting Rob and Angie!

Sunday morning Angie made us all breakfast...her delicious Scottish scrambled eggs and toast...and then she, Rob and the kids got ready for the boy's swimming lessons. Steve and I packed our suitcases, so we'd be all ready to head to the ferry later...and then we headed off to the pool to watch the kid's swim lesson.

Instructor chatting with Conner and Bryce...

In the pool (centre)...mom is there helping...

Dad watching from the hot tub (right)...Bryce and Conner with their arms up...

Mom trying to hide from Bryce...he was having trouble paying attention to the instructor (well...it is his first lesson, after all!)...





Bryce just wanting to play...while Mom is trying to lure him back to the instructor...

Once the lesson was over, it was play time in the pool for the kids (with mom and dad)...and time for us to head off to the airport to drop off our rental car. Dennis picked us up and we spent about an hour at the house having one final visit with everyone before Dennis and Suzanne dropped us off at the ferry terminal for the 1:00 ferry sailing. Thanks for all your hospitality, Rob and Angie...and Dennis and Suzanne for driving us to the ferry! See you next weekend at Chris and Angela's!

Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal left, Salt Spring Island Ferry on the right...

An announcement was made that there were Killer Whales (Orca's ) nearby...

Lots of Whale Watching boats that seem a little close from our vantage point. If I remember correctly they have to keep a minimum distance and turn off their engines, but it appears the whales are swimming towards them.

An older ferry passing  by in Active Pass...

And there you have it...a fun few days with family and friends, along with a few appointments too.