Monday to Thursday, July 1 to 4, 2019 (Qualicum First Nations Campground, Qualicum Bay, BC)

Happy Canada Day to all our family and friends!

We woke to another gorgeous day Monday...it turned out to be not quite as hot as yesterday but still a warm beautiful day!

It was pack up and head home day for many campers as this was the last day of the Canada Day long weekend...so we watched as RV's pulled out of their sites and headed to the sani-dump. A steady stream of folks leaving.

Steve took the bikes off the back of the trailer and after putting a little air in the tires, they were all ready. Time to take a ride around the campground and check it out.

There's a huge dry camping area with a playground nearby...

Further on down the road a couple of statues...

Picnic Shelter...

The south campground across the Big Qualicum River...it is strictly for seasonal campers...

Big Qualicum River as it empties into the ocean at low tide...

Highway 19A bridge, coastal route...

Recently added cabins...they look nice...Chris, Angela and Issac will be coming over next week and spending a few nights in one of them...

Waterfront Site 31 and 32...where Rob, Angie, the kids...and Emery and Glenda will be next week...

 "Waterfront" but the beach is still a little ways away...

After our tour around the campground, Steve decided to go inside and edit a blog I had written this morning...and wanting a little more exercise, I went for another ride around the campground. As I arrived back home and was getting off my bike, a truck horn honked behind me...it was our good friends Rob and Nancy! They are camping with their kids and grand kids at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville, about 30 kms south of us and have come up for a visit. What a nice surprise!

We enjoyed a few hours of chatting and then they headed off back to Parksville. It was great catching up with you both...look forward to seeing more of you when we get back to Saanichton!

This was the view Monday evening as I sat at the dining table on the laptop...with fewer campers, our view is getting better!

Tuesday (July 2) morning we woke to clouds...seems they, and a little rain, are in the forecast for the next week or so. After our coffee, we both headed over to use the campground showers...with no sewer hook-ups, we decided to use them.

I packed an overnight bag and then we were on our way to Parksville, the closest community where there is a car rental agency. After all of the paperwork, and a walk around the Hyundai Accent, I was on my way south and Steve was on his way back to Qualicum Bay. I didn't get very far, though...as I started down the highway, something (tires?) was making a hellava racket. To me it didn't sound safe and I certainly didn't want to listen to that on my 3 hour trip to Rob and Angie's house!

The fellow at Budget quickly switched me over to a nice Toyota Corolla and I was on my way again. I stopped about an hour and a half later in Duncan...and received a phone call. Good timing since I would not have been able to answer it had I been driving. It was the ophthalmologist's office where I had an appointment at 3:30 this afternoon...booked since last January, and the reason I was making a trip back down to Sidney. Well, apparently the doctor had an emergency surgery this afternoon and she wanted to change my appointment to Thursday...ahhh...NO! I explained my situation and she said, okay, can you be here by 1:55? Yes I can...whew!! I quickly called Angie...she kindly agreed to drive me to the appointment since I will be getting dilating drops in my eyes and should not drive. The change in time was fine with her...whew again!

I arrived at the house at 1:15...Angie and the boys had pulled in just in front of me with a trunk full of groceries. As I got out of the car, Conner and Bryce came running over to greet me. So heart warming hearing "Gramma!!" Of course, both were chatting non-stop vying for my attention! They're both so darned cute!

Angie quickly unloaded the groceries from her car while Conner carried my overnight bag in for me. And about 20 minutes later, we were on our way into Sidney. Angie dropped me off at my appointment...and I will text her once I am finished.

After a few tests administered by one of the assistants, the doctor came, checked my eyes and said...yup you need cataract surgery! So I booked surgery dates for both eyes, letting them know that I am having knee replacement surgery and will have to check to see if the dates are okay. Long story short, I will be having the surgery on my right eye August 1st...there has to be a 6 week wait between eye surgery and knee surgery, and based on the current wait list, I will not be getting my knee surgery until late September or October. Six weeks from August 1st is September 12th...so that works. The other eye, though is going to have to wait until next April when we get back from Arizona!

The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent visiting with Rob, Angie and the boys. We had a wonderful visit and a delicious dinner...thanks so much! Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures! Sheesh!

I'll pass this over to Steve now to tell you about his day...
Our views continued to improve with the long weekend now over. Camping ocean side winds are expected, we had them last night and today a breeze started to pickup so I installed my PVC pipe tie downs on our slide room toppers. There was a chance of rain so I grabbed my battery powered leaf blower and blew all the tree debris off the roof and slide room toppers, then took a couple of photos...

 Rob, Angie, and Emery and Glenda will be camped next to the small tree just left of the cabins...

Wednesday (July 3) I gave Angie, Conner and Bryce big hugs (I missed Rob, he left for work just before I got up) and headed off shortly after 8:30. Thanks for all your hospitality...looking forward to seeing you on Saturday when you join us up at Qualicum Bay for a week!

I started my day by spoiling myself with a pedicure...ahhh! After that, I visited Donna and Derek at the local Wine Kitz and put a batch of red wine on so it is ready shortly after we get back to Saanichton at the end of the month.

On my way back up island to Qualicum Bay, I stopped at Costco...where I spent way too much money. Can you ever shop at Costco without spending way too much? LOL  Once finished there, I was back on the highway until I reached the north side of Nanaimo where I stopped at Walmart for a few more things. I arrived back at the campground shortly before 4:30. Steve helped me unload the car, I quickly put everything away...and then joined him outside for a drink.

We both enjoyed our "alone" time. In fact Steve said he enjoyed his alone time with me, myself and I and they all got along just fine...LOL!

Thursday...and Happy 4th of July/Independence Day to all our American friends!

The rental car has to be back by 9:30 this morning...boo! hiss! I really enjoyed driving that little car! So we were on our way just after 8:30...Steve following me in the truck. After dropping the car off, we headed out to Coombs, a small community about 10 km/6.2 miles west of Parksville. It's a popular summer spot, renown for the Old Country Market which features a family of goats living on the roof.

Our original plan had been to have breakfast at the Old Country Market Cafe but found that it is only open for lunch. When we parked the truck, we noticed a sign advertising "All Day Breakfast $9" so we decided to check that out...it was in the complex of shops adjacent to the Market. It certainly wasn't fancy but it was good...order at the counter and they bring it to your table...2 eggs, 3 huge pieces of bacon, toast and coffee, served on paper plates with plastic cutlery. Actually a pretty good breakfast at $18 for the 2 of us!

While I finished my coffee, Steve walked around the inside of the building and took a couple pictures. He hadn't noticed the wooden penis chair on the right until he was editing the pictures...LOL!

Absolutely beautiful carvings...

Then we wandered around the area...

It's been decades since we were here last and it's not at all what we remember. This section has an Oriental theme. That's the building where we had breakfast...

We then walked over to the area where the Market is. There are a bunch of buildings behind the Old Country Market that are new since we were last here!
A huge Ice Cream Shop...

 Root Cellar with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables...

Planter pots galore....

The Cuckoo Trattoria and Pizzeria with the La Taqueria Mexican Cantina outside, behind under the shade of a giant cedar tree...

 This goat backed himself up to the fence so the boy could scratch away...

A doughnut shop inside this cool old building...

After wandering around there, we went into the Old Country Market. It's huge and too busy...lets get outta here!

Dine with the goats on the roof...

 Another goat chill-axing...

One last shot of the goats as we leave...

Coombs is such a cool area and it certainly has changed...grown so much with it's popularity! We'll definitely have to put it on the list of things to do when our boys and their families visit next week!

On the way home, we took the turnoff from the Inland Island Highway to Qualicum Beach so we could follow the more scenic coastal route...

Too bad it's such a gloomy sky today...

Denman and Hornby Islands in the distance...

A great place to enjoy a brew on a sunny day. We'll have to go there should the sun decide to shine again!!

Once home we spent the rest of the afternoon doing a little of this and a little of that. We even decided to get out for a bike ride. Unfortunately, it's really cooling down...we had to put warmer clothes on for our ride!

And that pretty well brings us up to date!