Wednesday, July 22 to Friday, July 31, 2020 (Peace Arch RV Park, Surrey, BC)

Wow...I've said it before, but my goodness these weeks are flying by! It's hard to believe that we are at the end of July and heading into August already!

Things around here have been ticking along as usual. We are finally into some actual summer heat, which is nice. We are glad to have electrical hookups to run our A/C! As usual our days are similar...we get out for a power-walk everyday, whether it is here at the campground or to a local park. We usually get out for a bike ride in the afternoons, too...as long as it's not too hot. Having a car now, I am able to get out by myself to go shopping as I want without depending on Steve for transportation. He likes that too!

The Covid-19 virus has certainly changed daily life for so many, including us. There has been a recent spike in cases here in BC...a result of large gatherings in the interior earlier in the month. Hospitalizations and deaths have gone down, so that is good. I have noticed many more people wearing masks while out shopping...so that too, is a good thing.

The Hydrangeas are in full bloom in the gardens here...just beautiful (but they are overtaking the walkway)!

Saturday (July 25) we headed into Chris and Angela's in the afternoon. We used their facilities to do a couple of chores...I did laundry and Steve washed the car. We have lost our parking spot next door with the return of our neighbour after a month away. Here is Isaac watching Grampa from the window...

We had a great afternoon sitting out on their patio in the shade. Isaac helped dad pick some lettuce for dinner...the trouble is, he'd pick it back out of the bowl and throw it back in the garden! LOL It's amazing that at 19 months when dad asks him where a particular vegetable is he will point it out correctly. I think we have a gardener in the making here!

Isaac started his dinner first...he's very independent, insisting he feed himself. He has mastered it well...pretty good for his age...(he's keeping an eye on Grampa sitting next to him!)

Then we joined him for our dinner...

After dinner, it was time for a little more playing in the yard...

And then it was ice cream time! He opens his mouth nice and wide to ensure he doesn't loose any!

It was going on 8:30 by the time we headed home. Thanks for a wonderful afternoon and evening, Chris and Angela! And of course, the use of facilities for our chores!

Sunday (July 26) was a pretty uneventful day. We got our morning walk in before it got too hot and then relaxed for the rest of the day in the shade. I did some knitting and Steve read...along with a little "recline" in the chair.

Oh, he did take care of one chore...replacing the flame diffuser and collection box that houses the ignitor in our 10 year old Jackson Grill barbecue. Unfortunately the mounting ring for the igniter fell apart from the old collector box so that means another trip out to Abbotsford.

Monday (July 27) afternoon we made another trip out to Abbotsford...seems like we have been out there a lot lately. This time we had errands to run...pick up the part needed for the barbecue and  purchase a new 30 lb. propane tank for the trailer. One had "aged out" and could no longer be refilled...and the Costco out in Abbotsford is the closest one that sells propane. Costco is the cheapest place to buy propane but not all locations sell it.

The rain sensor on our car popped off the windshield and for the life of us, neither one of us could get it snapped back into place, so we decided to stop at Honda Way...we're still under warranty, after all. They were able to take it in, get it snapped back in place and we were on our way within 20 minutes or so.

On our way home, we stopped at Traveland RV in Langley to pick up the fridge fan we had ordered. Our fridge is having a hard time keeping the temps low in this heatwave...we have it on the coldest setting and the temp only manages to get down to 40F to 43F. So we're hoping the fan inside the fridge will help (update: doesn't seem to be making a difference...drats!)

Tuesday (July 28) was pretty uneventful...relaxing in the shade outside where there is a slight breeze while the trailer is cooling with the A/C on. Gotta love summer...we're in a heat wave for the most of the week. Temps into the 30'sC/86+F.

Wednesday (July 29) morning we decided to drive to the White Rock waterfront and walk the pathway and pier. We have driven along the waterfront many times but have never stopped to walk it because it's pay parking everywhere with no spots large enough for our truck.

We parked in one of the parking lots near the pier, paid for parking ($7.50 for 2 hours) and headed off. Look at that rooftop sitting area at the Boathouse Restaurant! The main street is packed with restaurants and shops...unfortunately we noticed a number of the small ones closed (a result of Covid)...

The White Rock Pier and Promenade is extremely popular...so much so that they had to close it as well as all of the parking earlier in March because people were just not physical distancing. It reopened June 17 when BC entered Phase 3 of it's reopening plan.

We headed towards the pier...a nice little plaza area with picnic tables. They didn't appear to be blocked off, so I guess they are open for folks to use, should they wish.

Train tracks run between the road and beach. The pier is in the distance...

White Rock’s historic pier was originally built in 1914 as a dock for the coastal steamships that arrived when the Great Northern Railway began operation. Restored some 70 years later, the pier is still a customs port of entry for small crafts, but it’s days of welcoming steamships are long gone. Stretching out 470m/1542 ft into the ocean, the landmark pier is a destination unto itself. Walk to the end to see local fishermen’s daily catches and bask in the impressive views of the coastal mountains and the San Juan Islands. Take an after dinner stroll to see breathtaking sunsets and feel the ocean’s warm breeze.

Luckily we are here early so there are not too many people and everyone respected physical distancing...

At the end looking back...

These 3 have their crab traps out...

The pier was actually destroyed in a storm on December 20, 2018 (we were home for Christmas at the time when the storm came through...see our blog December 13 to 26, 2018 to see the damage done there). BC Hydro said it was the worst storm damage in their history.
Some 30 metres of pier was destroyed on Dec. 20, 2018, during a storm that saw winds of up to 100 km/h lash the region. Boats were sent crashing into the pier, splitting the span in two and stranding one individual at the far end....The damaged section cost $4 million to repair, while another $11 million is needed for upgrades to the rest of the pier so it can withstand future storms.

(These 2 pictures-above and below-taken from the internet)

Mount Baker in Washington State on a very hazy day...

Hey...there's an actual white rock! (Click on photo to enlarge)

Such a beautiful day! Families are arriving to spend the day on the beach...

Looks like electrical symbol beach art...

After walking the pier, we headed east along the promenade. This is the first time we have seen the "White Rock"...the city's namesake...White Rock is named for a distinctive large white boulder on its beach near the promenade, a glacial erratic that migrated south during the last glaciation. The 486-ton granite boulder was kept white by shellfish-eating seabirds whose guano covered the rock, so much so that 19th-century sailors used it as a beacon.

5 Great Blue Herons stalking their prey...

We were hoping to get here at low tide but it's already come in quite a ways...

The memorial grizzly sculpture at the east end of the promenade....Located at the foot of Finlay Street, off Marine Drive and on the south side of the railway tracks, the statue was donated to the City of White Rock by Frank Slavin in memory of his son, Lee Slavin, in August, 1999. Lee died in a car crash in South Surrey in early 1998.

The end of the line going east, so we turned around and walked back past the pier to the end of the west beach. But first we went up to the main road to find some ice cream. It was early so some places weren't yet open...but also, some ice cream shops have closed down. We found a spot and made our choice...what we each got was the smallest scoop we've ever seen dished out...and $8.30 for both!

A small park with historical photos...

Back at the plaza near the White Rock Museum and Archives, currently closed. This is the old Train Station...

They have some very steep streets that look much more intimidating from the top going down, especially in our truck :)

They say a man's home is his castle! That's a real beauty next to it too...

Don't know the story on this place, three female mannequins on the deck, playhouse and Ferris Wheel on the roof...

After about an hour and a half of walking and roughly 5 kms/3 miles, we were glad to be back at the car. It was starting to get very busy and it seemed fewer people were social distancing...testing our patience:(  That was a great morning though...good idea, Steve!

Thursday (July 30), I spent most of the morning working on the laptop "taking care of some business". We got notices by email from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that they had completed the reassessment of our tax returns since 2013...we found out last year that the premiums we pay for our travel medical insurance are eligible to be claimed in our medical expenses for each year. The outcome was good...although I misread it to start with and thought we had to pay! That caused a bit of angst but it didn't make sense that adding more expenses would cause us to pay more. I must learn to read completely before jumping to conclusions! LOL

Once I was done with the laptop, I passed it over to Steve to work on picture editing...and I headed out to pick up a few groceries.

Friday (July 31) was a cloudy start for a change...and not as hot but still warm enough. We even had a few sprinkles of rain. We decide to wait until closer to noon to go out for our walk...we wanted to go to Blackie Spit, it has been awhile since we have been there. And getting out of the campground for our walk would be our last chance for the next few days...we don't plan on going to any parks this long weekend, they will all be packed!

About halfway through our walk, we started feeling raindrops. It got a little heavier but it wasn't a downpour and it was still warm.

Whenever we got a glimpse anywhere along the canal it was full of mostly sleeping ducks ...

And a Great Blue Heron sitting in a tree...

A fishing boat passed the end of the spit...

About 40 minutes later, after just over 3 kms/2 miles, we were back at the car...a good walk!

Once home I headed off in the car to return an item at Walmart (I had meant to do it when I went out yesterday but forgot the bag...Steve figured I did it on purpose just so I'd get to go out again on my own today!)

And that brings us up to date once again. Stay safe and healthy everyone!