Travel day with Bear

 I should have said that the blog posts will be out of whack time-wise - at least this morning, since I am now three hours behind my usual time zone. 

And YES -- the chocolates could have been on sale, which is why I didn't get the senior discount. DUH! I didn't notice that fact when I picked them up. There are days when I wonder how I manage to get through the day and still be alive! 

This is NOT good news for my foot - I think I'm going to lose another toenail. It's looking pretty sketchy at the moment, and well, it won't surprise me if it goes. 

That will make three in a row on the right foot! 

Someone commented on our medical system and how you practically have to demand certain things be done. This is a shame, and I wonder if it's a reluctance on the part of the doctor, the system, or resources? I get it that there are a lot of people who want to abuse the system, demanding tests when nothing is wrong with them. But it's a challenge to know who to talk to and how to proceed. 

Wouldn't it be great if those billionaires out there with all their money could put it to good use? We need a device that scans our body and gives a checklist of what could be done to improve our body - oh, you are low in this vitamin, or you need a knee replacement, or whatever. Wouldn't it be great to get a list like that? Think back to Star Trek - there are things on that show that we thought totally out of this world when that show first aired in 1966! Oh my --- I was a wee lass then! Very wee! However, some of those things are now common. I can't wait for the teleporters to happen. Can you imagine? 

I need lots of stretching, which I didn't get to yesterday. It's like flossing - it's not in my daily schedule yet. Well, flossing is more in my daily schedule now - it just takes time for it to become part of the schedule. I'm up early, and breakfast isn't for a while, and I'm starving! So perhaps I'll stretch to pass the time! The problem with stretching is that it's good for one day, just like flossing, and then you have to start all over again. But just hope that the second time, the discomfort is less! 

I hadn't slept well the night before, so I was tired, and I knew I had a long day ahead of me. When I got Bear's travel case out of the closet, he almost flipped out with excitement. As happy as he was to be with us, he certainly loves to travel. He was NOT getting out of that case because he didn't want to be left behind. I've never heard him make so many squeaking noises since he arrived. His quilt is at the bottom, so he's good. 

GRANDMA -- where are we going? 

And I said this before, but here it is officially, this is the "fill your water bottle station" at the airport! I hadn't noticed it until we had to wait 30 minutes in line before boarding. OK - we didn't need to be in line, but people are creatures of habit and they line up! They just do - even before the boarding is announced. Let's just say the station got lots of use while we waited. 

The water refill station

I had two suitcases to check, and then I carried my backpack and Bear's carrier on the plane. It's so much to deal with, but having a cart made it easier. BUT the one issue with traveling with a pet is that you can't get a boarding pass without seeing someone at the check-in desk. I have no idea why the line was so long. That area was for people who had trouble checking in at the kiosks or people with pets. I'm not even going to go there. There are people to help with the kiosks, but for whatever reason, there were lots of people in the trouble line. No worries - we had time. Yep -- we had time! I met a lady in the line who also had a dog. She was a breeder, taking a puppy to Kelowna, then hopping back on a plane and back to work this morning! 

We did NOT have time to get in the Tim's line, although we could have while we were waiting to board. I can live without the tea for one day! I did get a sandwich so I would have something to eat on the plane. 

Now that I know how to put Bear's case under the seat, we are all good. He settled right in, and I didn't feel like disturbing him, so I left him under the seat until about halfway. He started squeaking, so I placed his carrier on my lap. I had some treats for him, and he was happy and settled back down. 

A little more turbulence than I would like, but I just zone out and ignore it! 

When we got to Vancouver, I took him out of his carrier, and he was pretty happy about that! We had to wait a bit for the luggage to arrive, but all was good. Even though I took him to the pet relief area, he did NOT want to pee there. I don't blame him - it was pretty stinky! 

I'm FREE!!!!!

Then we went to the car rental place and I got the car, which was parked in the furthest line from the desk. But that's OK, the little one wanted to walk, but he still didn't do his business, so he stayed in his carrier in the car. 

Where are we going now? 

You have to love our apps on your phone. It takes a mere couple of minutes, if that, to connect to the Android or Apple CarPlay in the car, and it's just like being at home. If I want to play my radio station, I can. And without Google Maps, I'd be totally lost. Remember when we had to use maps? Good grief - I'm surprised there weren't more accidents! 

It was raining a bit and somewhat foggy, but typical weather for here and WARM. Although it was warm back home, and I brought a jacket, I haven't had to use it yet. 

When we arrived at the house, I took Bear out of the car, and he practically flung himself up the steps and to the front door. 

I'm HOME - this is my front door! 

He was super happy, although no one was home. He wasn't into eating, so the two of us hung out on the couch and had a good nap. 

Catching up on nap time

While Vancouver is a beautiful, quite varied city, with lots of bridges and drives through Stanley Park to get across to West Vancouver, traffic is less pleasant. There are NO highways in this city - wait for that. But to get from the airport to West Vancouver, it's quite the drive. It took 50 minutes to make the drive. I suppose part of that is my being used to having highway the entire way from my house to the airport, and only 20 minutes, and you're good. But if I didn't live near the highway - well, that's a different story. But still -- there is NO highway through the city. 

Lion's Gate Bridge

I had to do an event last night at a dealer in Langley - Castle Sewing, and I had checked earlier in the day as to the distance and time. Distance-wise, it wasn't that far - about 50 KM, and at that time of the day, it was going to take 50 minutes. The highway is not far from M's house (it doesn't go anywhere near the airport), but remember that it is raining and Friday afternoon, and when I was about to leave, this is what popped up on Google Maps. 

Travel time more than doubled

You have to love Google Maps - I know I already said that, but when we got in the car at home, the map came up with the airport as a destination. Why? Because I had the flight booked in my Google calendar. And this popped up because I had checked Google Maps earlier. Yep --- the traffic on Friday afternoon at 3:00 was challenging! 

No accidents - just volume, but I had an audiobook (all hands free) and so all was good. 

Before I left, I took the little guy for a walk in the light mist. He was happy, and when I left him, he was curled up in his bed. Dillon got home about an hour later, and apparently, Bear freaked out and got a crazy case of the zoomies!!! What will happen when M gets home in a couple of days? 

Checking out his neighborhood

It's Saturday, so there shouldn't be any traffic issues on the way back to West Vancouver later tonight. 

I have an all-day event here, and we'll be checking out different sewing machines. Then I can share the pieces I made with you. 

For all of us in the sewing world, guess what? Sewing is cool again! HEY -- we were always cool - other people just didn't recognize it! 

Here's a link to the article; hopefully, it will work. 

We need to push this hard - sewing is cool! The stuff you can make, the uniqueness of it - well, I would NOT be without a sewing machine in my world. I feel for one of my aunts, who is in a nursing home with cognitive issues (the polite way of saying that she has dementia), and she isn't allowed a sewing machine. Probably because of all the pointy tools required to sew stuff. Can you imagine that? She is still very functional (with meds, of course), but has no access to a sewing machine. That would kill me!!! And every time I visit, she says that!

But I got to the hotel with time to spare, then I went for dinner and to the store (Castle Sewing), which is fantastic! It's in a new building, with the most gorgeous classroom on the top level that I've ever seen. There's a chair lift for heavy things or people. Not heavy people, but those who need the stairs! It's a four-generation family-owned business - the best kind! 

If you are in the Langley area, stop by to say hi or at least come and check out the store. And they have a fabric sale on. I shouldn't look - I have room in my suitcase! I shouldn't look, but I will! 

I had a good sleep last night, so that is good, and after the class today, well, more adventures await. This entire trip is full of different adventures, so after today, the rest is all fun. Well, that's a lie -- I love what I do, so today and last night are all about fun as well!!!

I still have an hour to kill before breakfast, so I guess I'd better get some stretching in and then a shower. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!