A puzzle and a rehearsal

Today is the day!!! The big wedding, but FIRST - I have to tell you about yesterday, and then you'll hear all about the wedding tomorrow. 

I'm not sure where the others were, but I asked the previous day if anyone wanted to go for a bike ride! I had a couple of takers, but when push came to shove, they were working out in the gym! But that's OK - I thoroughly enjoyed riding the bike. And sometimes being by yourself on a bike is best! 

Off for a ride

However, I had to sign a waiver, which is normal, and wear a helmet, which is the law. I decided to ride the bike into Tofino (about 4 KMs) to see what I could see. Oh my gosh --- what fun that was. You never forget how to ride a bike, and if you maintain your balance, it's a piece of cake. The bikes are single-speed, which I am not used to. Even my townie back home has three speeds. 

That meant a wee bit more oomph to get up a couple of small hills, but really, the road is flat, and all was great. You cannot help but smile when you ride a bike, unless you have been in the pouring rain for hours and your shoes are filled with water, and you have to set up a tent, but only after you finish climbing this 5 KM hill!! 

I've had a day or two like that in the past, but seriously? It's so much fun. When I am home, I NEED to get my bikes serviced and get out there!! To heck with walking --- let's get on the bike! My knees didn't seem to mind it so much, and everything feels fine today. 

I have to tell you a story about the seatpost, which is why I took the picture above. It's for adjusting the seat height, and I feel dismay when I see people riding a bike with the seat in the lowest position. That is the HARDEST way to ride a bike. Your leg can't extend fully, and you have ZERO power. Your knees will not thank you later. And you struggle. At one point yesterday, the seat fell right down. I guess the latch wasn't as secure as it should have been. I put it back up, and all was good. 

I remember on one of my bike trips that, unbeknownst to me, the seat was slowly descending, and after a break, I got on my bike and couldn't figure out what I could barely pedal. Then it dawned on me that the seat had slipped lower. Once that was fixed, I was back in business. So if you have grandchildren, spouses, or anyone who rides bikes, make sure the seat is the correct height!!! It's important, and pedaling won't be as much of a struggle. 

What did I discover in Tofino? Oh my -- there was a cute little cafe called Rhino, and well, I stopped. And I had a tea and OH MY --- look at the donuts. So I had one!!

The breakfast of champions!!!

I figured I deserved it since I rode the bike there!!! 

Then it was back to the hotel and Bear, and we were exploring and decided to check out the library, which is just a big open space on the third floor. Guess what we found? By the way, we had already been out on the beach several times. 

This is a Stave puzzle. Technically, you are not supposed to look at the picture. I don't think the picture came with the puzzle, but the hotel had conveniently placed a copy on the table. I was not familiar with Stave puzzles, but each one is handcrafted and is the Cadillac of wooden puzzles. If you check out the prices on the website, you'll see what I mean! 

A jigsaw puzzle - how could I resist

Once I flipped that card over, where it said NOT to look at the picture, I turned the picture face down. I placed all the pieces face up and realized there were many with special shapes. They were insanely beautiful. The signature piece in each is a clown, which I did not get a picture of, but we spotted the clown. 

Insanely intricate pieces

And there are often puzzles within the puzzle. There is a note inside the box that tells you if you have any of those and how many there are!!

I started traditionally—digging out all the edge pieces. But wait—this is NOT working. I was struggling when M came along. So we worked on the puzzle together. Dillon spent time with his mom in the gym, while M and I worked on the puzzle. It was a beautiful memory for us. And she's good at it!!! If only she were closer - I could have a speed puzzling buddy!

A great teammate for puzzle assembly

Once we figured out how the puzzle works, it was "easier." I use that word very lightly because every single piece of this puzzle was a struggle and therefore a win when we got it in. 

Between the two of us, we worked amazingly well as a team, got the bottom (waves) part of the puzzle together. The sun was cut into the shape of a sun!! 

Progress on the puzzle

She had stuff to do, so she left. Then my aunt came up to visit while I attempted to work on the sky, but I wasn't getting anywhere. But it was at this point, when I couldn't figure out what went into that weird opening, that I realized the two puzzle pieces that spelled out an island fit in that weird space. And then I realized that the TOP of the puzzle was not a straight line. It was puffy clouds!!!! 

Very weird shapes

Then I had to run some errands, so I left the puzzle in this condition. OH NO!!!!!  

DON'T touch the puzzle.

My aunt, cousin, DH, and I went into town for a late lunch. Poor Bear - even though we ate on an outdoor patio, he wasn't allowed, so I had to put him on the outside of the little fence, and I was on the other side. It was an open fence, and with a few bits of French fries, he was just fine. I know—people food, but I had to keep him entertained. He loves being with people, and this situation was not satisfactory for him. However, he was able to watch people and dogs go by, and that did keep him busy. 

I swear that dog is a people magnet. Everyone stops to talk to him!!! And he loves it. He just saoks up all the attention. 

DH and I explored the property and found this little path through the woods. 

The entrance to the Rainforest Beach Trail

What a pretty trail, and Bear had fun walking along the wood chips. He is not a fan of walking on pebbles, but wood chips are OK. 

The path to one of the beaches

There is a beautiful spot in the forest to stop if you wish. 

A wonderful clearing in the forest for faeries! 

We didn't have any rain yesterday, so that was good, but it's not warm. Which is probably OK, but I could stand a couple more degrees of heat. Since I didn't have a jacket with me and I know that the temperature on a bike is about 5 degrees lower than if you are just standing, I put on my jean jacket and then my flannel shirt jacket. I was toasty as I could be. 

OH -- there's a picture of Bear on the beach. For some reason, it's very hard to get him to look right at the camera. 

Grandma --- NO pictures please!!!

Then we were off to the beach (Shell Beach) for the rehearsal. It took three tries for us to get serious, pay attention, and decide who was doing what and when. Actually, M had it all planned out, but we needed to get on board. So that got done, and all was good. Then we went into the dining room for the rehearsal dinner. Actually, we were in the wine cellar, where they have a long table for a more private event. 

Practicing at the rehearsal

They really are a cute couple, and I wish them so much happiness. The big bet for today is who is going to cry at the wedding!! 

Bear was not too happy to be in someone else's arms. He was pulling on the leash to get to me, but he soon settled down. 

When he hears a voice he recognizes, he freaks out! When one of M's friends walked by when we were working on the puzzle, he went wild!!

I didn't get a picture of the wine cellar, but let's just say there was a lot of wine there. And here is the dessert from last night's dinner. I mean, you can always eat dessert. 

Dessert from the rehearsal dinner

The food is amazing, and earlier in the day, I had read up on the Executive Chef, who isn't that old. So they asked if he could come to our table, and he did. What a nice young man, and I had told the single girls at the table about him. I was praying that the pictures on the internet were not old. I pleaded that if he was not good-looking, the photos on the internet were airbrushed! Thankfully, he lived up to his pictures! Hmm -- I can't find that link to him at the moment. WAIT --- found it. 

OH -- if you go to this link, you can see a photo of the wine cellar -- just scroll down. 

So you want to know what happened to the puzzle? When we got back from Tofino after lunch, we had about 35 minutes before we were to be at the rehearsal location. I was going to take a nap, but the moment I lay on the bed, my mind went to the puzzle, and I'm wide awake. So off to the puzzle Bear and I went, and I was under a lot of pressure to complete it in 35 minutes. At least at this point, I had figured out how the top border would look—somewhat —and there were fewer pieces. 

The completed puzzle

But see what I mean about the top border? It was crazy, and there were small openings along the top as well. On the left, they almost look like seagulls. 

There were even cutouts in the top.

What a little treasure it was to find that puzzle and work on it with M in the morning. 

It was a great day, and as the day progressed, more and more people arrived. Not everyone is staying at this hotel, so I was on pickup duty once yesterday, and I have to pick someone up this morning for the beach yoga session. I think that is only for the young ones. But I'm OK with that -- I'd much prefer to go for a bike ride. 

I have to say that the bride is pretty chill, which is exciting. She says she spent so much time planning and has this massive spreadsheet of who needs to do what when, that it's all coming together. I just need to remember to pick someone up today and finish sewing that pillow! I completely forgot about it yesterday, and I need to get that done this morning. 

The weather today looks halfway decent - it's cool, and we hope to have some sun. WAIT -- speaking of sun, when we were on our final run of the wedding procession, and the bride started down the "aisle," a massive wave crashed on the rocks, and the sun came from behind the clouds! A sign!!!! 

It was a fabulous day, and everyone had a great time!!! A few more people are arriving this morning, and then I think we'll all be here! 

On that note, I'd better get Bear up and out for his walk, as I don't want to be late fulfilling my pickup duties! 

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Travel day - day two!

Thanks for the kudos on the quilts, but I have to say the library quilt was all KU's idea, and so was the theme of the other one. We just got very lucky to make it all happen. I was just the supervisor! 

Well, this was a first that we had two travel days to reach our destination, but we are here! We are at the wedding venue!!!

Since I was up at a ridiculous time, which meant the blog came out on time back home, it's going to be super late this morning for those back home, because I hope I'm on BC time now. It sure messes up your sleep when you travel, but that's OK. 

I got Little Bear up, and we went for a walk. He's like that --- he has to do his business first thing, and I'm not a believer in pee pads, so off we went. 

I had checked the map, and there was a Tim's not so far away, so we walked there. It was early in the morning, and not many people were around. If I think Lexi is slow, this guy is a sloth!! He has to sniff everything and likes to take his time, and when he starts to get too slow, I just pick him up! I can't do that with Lexi!

Grandma and I walked to Tim's!!!

Since pet dogs aren't allowed at Tim's, I preordered on the app, and when it was ready, I went in with him to pick it up. I just might use that app more often! 

We spotted this giant mural on a wall. It's all about a retired naval ship (HMSC Saskatchewan) becoming an underground reef in the harbor. 

A historical mural in Nanaimo

We spotted an orange poppy, which was very pretty. Bear, of course, couldn't care less, but I made him stop. 

Orange poppy

We had some time to kill before we left, so DH and I walked to Tim's for breakfast (carry out), then did an Adventure Lab (geocaching) in the area. We spotted this building in downtown Nanaimo, which used to be what? 

A former bank in Nanaimo

It was a bank, of course - the Commerce Bank, or was that The Bank of Commerce? All banks seemed to have these huge facades to show they were prosperous. Had lots of money? Now they are just ordinary buildings, but back in the day, a bank was something special! 

And we spotted this artwork in the square outside the public library. Those are piano keys in a circle. We couldn't read the plaque in the center, but that's OK. We completed the Adventure Lab and saw a couple of things we would not have seen otherwise. 

Artwork in the square

As we checked out, we saw this in the lobby. The hotels take their pet guests to heart around here. Sadly, Bear didn't stay long enough to be the pet of the day. 

The pet of the day!

But he loves the elevator. Bear and M used to live in a high-rise in Vancouver, and he would run to the elevator, then sniff all the other dogs as they went up and down. What is so cute is that he HOPS over the crack between the car and the floor. And when I let him out of the room without his leash, he went ripping down the hall and then came to a dead stop. He had no clue where he was supposed to go! There are always tons of laughs when he is around. 

Sniffs in the elevator

And he loves to pose for pictures! The silly little guy. On our way out of town, I tried to find him a sweater with a proper opening for his leash, but alas, none was to be found at that time, and then M suggested we put his leash on the outside of his sweater! DUH!!!! He's so little, and the harness is bigger, so that worked like a charm. 

Grandma - hurry up!!!!! 

We loaded the car, and we were off. We made a couple of stops along the way, and both were on the way to Tofino. I wanted to stop and finally meet a friend whom I had met online many, many years ago. And now the secrets start anew. I will share more about her with you in a couple of days. I was super excited to meet her and see her studio!!! And that's all I'm going to say. 

She lives in Nanoose Bay, so we were off the highway for a bit, and I spotted this giant "rhubarb". OK, so it's in the same family, but the stalks were quite fuzzy. I don't know what it's called, but it was HUGE. And we had just been talking about rhubarb at the quilt retreat and how some people love it or hate it. 

A giant "rhubarb" plant

OK --- I had to Google it, and it's called a Gunnera and is strictly ornamental, but those leaves can grow up to 6 to 8 feet wide! Wow -- and then the AI Overview told me I am in the perfect location to spot that plant. Nothing is a secret when you are connected to the internet! 

Then, as part of my wedding duties, we needed to pick up some party-rental items, which is why we rented a full-size SUV. We needed to pick up an arch, which the party rental guy was certain would not fit in the vehicle, but I knew it would. And yes, the ends had to come between the front seats, but only by six inches, so it all worked out just fine! 

However, when we arrived at the rental place, the order wasn't ready. The pick-up time wasn't until 4 PM. WHAT??? Apparently, that was on the order, and this was 10 AM. We certainly didn't want to hang around for six hours. They said they could have it ready by noon, so off we went to find some place to eat and sit with Bear. 

Fortunately, the weather was decent, so we went to the Qualicum Beach Golf Course (we played there about 30 years ago) and sat on the back patio. The kitchen didn't open until 11, but we at least had a place to park our butts while we wiled away the time. And Bear got to test out his new bowl. Yes -- DH and I tried to learn to golf together, but it just didn't work out. I didn't need a constant instructor with me, and I bowed out of playing golf.

Grandma - the new bowl is nice

Here's the thing -- it would have been nice to leave for Tofino at 10 AM, but we are on vacation, and what the heck is the hurry? Just go with the flow, and it all worked out just fine. 

I don't have any pictures of the scenery as I was the driver on the way to Tofino, but it's a beautiful road. We didn't stop along the way at places like Cathedral Grove, but I remember that place well from years ago. What a fun trip that was, and I can't remember who all was on that trip. Darn --- I wasn't blogging at the time, and my memory is crap for travel from years ago. I could have flown to the moon and back and not remember it now! But we have a picture of M as a two-year-old in her oversized green fleece standing beside a huge log. My parents were with us as well. 

We decided to go straight to the hotel since we arrived at 3 PM. We are at the Wickaninnish Inn just outside Tofino. It is one of M's favorite places to vacation. We got checked in, and look—Bear has a welcome basket!!!!! Although I think the ball flinger might be a bit too big for him!!!

Grandma - my very own welcome basket!!!!

While this place is beautiful, I knew it was the "right" place when I saw all the wind sculptures around the property. We saw the same one that we have and many more. It is one thing I have purchased for our backyard that I don't regret. I don't regret anything I have purchased, but this was a bit pricey, and I have zero regrets. Unfortunately, many of the sculptures are in sheltered areas, so we can't really appreciate that they are wind sculptures!

Wind sculptures

M and Dillon had posted a picture of themselves on the beach in these orange rain coats, and I thought - wow - they bought matching rain coats. Nope -- those are for guest use in the hotel. All of them are XL, so they are huge, and while they are not super warm, they are enough to take the bite off. I just came back from a walk on the beach with Bear, and since I don't have a coat, this came in very handy. There are also big, thick rain pants, and you can borrow rain boots. 

My orange raincoat

This is the view from the dining room last night. The beach is rough with lots of rocks, and yet we saw many people out surfing earlier. There are lots of waves, and people seem to flock to the place for that. 

The view from the dining room

So we met up with Dillon's parents, us, and, of course, the bride and groom. It was all very nice as we don't know them well, but they are nice people, and we all get along, which sure helps. I am forever grateful that his parents have "adopted" M and made her feel so much like a part of their family. 

This was my dessert! Oh my—that was so delicious. 

The dessert for dinner

While we were in the restaurant, we ran into friends of ours who also traveled here from Ontario. More family members and on our way out, we met more family members. It's like Italy all over again, and so fun to see people we haven't seen in a long time and even those we've seen recently. 

After dinner, M, Dillon, his mom, and Bear went for a walk on the beach. 

M, Bear, and Dillon on the beach last night

What a fun evening, and then it was time for bed! 

I decided that last night was a good night to share the things I had made for the wedding. They loved every one of them. And now I have two more people in my small circle who share a fun secret. All will be revealed tomorrow, but they LOVED the surprise, and I'm so happy!! They were so excited they wanted to share everything last night, but alas—I want to save the surprise for the wedding day.  

Bear and I have already been out to the beach, he has had breakfast and is now trying to snuggle up wth DH. But as I look over my shoulder, I can see he is giving me the evil eye! He's so cute! They are super attentive at this hotel! But that's OK. We have stuff to do today - I think somewhere along the line there is a rehearsal, but I think we are free to do what we please all day, and I spotted a beautiful bike path along the road, and there are bikes in the lobby. So I might just wander over and go for a ride. 

And on that note, I'm out of here! The bride and groom are beyond themselves with excitement - perhaps a wee bit nervous, but let's have ourselves a wedding!!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Travel day and it's all about the dogs!!

Travel days are so much fun! OK -- I know I shouldn't complain, and I'm not because I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel. I would say that half of the travel I do wouldn't be necessary if my family lived close, but we are all over the country, and hence, travel is required. For those of you with family within driving distance? You are lucky! 

Anyway -- the first thing was to get the girls walked and finish tidying up stuff around the house. Can you believe I even vacuumed quickly before I left? It's all about appearances since I have two people at home taking care of the girls. They have a night nanny and a day nanny! Those girls are spoiled, but no one will be taking them for a walk. I don't require that because they are a nightmare to walk, although Murpy is getting better. 

Remember when we saw all those pictures about what people think we are going versus what we are actually doing? Here's how that applies to the girls. To save some time, I walked them together, which I don't do so often. When we got Murphy, I walked them together, and it was a nightmare, and I put up with that for over 1 year before I decided they needed to be walked alone. I bet I would have been able to curb some of Murphy's enthusiasm if I had walked them alone, where I could actually train her. Sigh.......

So, in an ideal world, this is what it would be like to walk with the two girls. Lexi on the left, and Murphy on the right. And they walk at the same distance, no sniffing, and all is good. No arm swinging allowed with a leash in each hand. 

The ideal scenario when walking the girls

And at times in the forest, they aren't too bad. Notice how Murphy wants to be in front. Her leash is a leather lead that started out at about 6 feet long. I swear that her leash is now about 7 feet long!!! When the three of us leave the house, she is beyond herself for the first block as she pulls fiercely at that leash. I have no idea why, but she must be in front at the beginning of the walk. 

MOM  Lexi is so slow - I NEED to be in front

Most of the time on the walk, they are like this. I have both leads in one hand as I took the picture, but they get wrapped around trees; one has to sniff while the other wants to walk, and vice versa. And let's not forget all the times that they would cross each other's paths, and then the leash or at least one of them would be wrapped around my legs. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often these days. 

MOM -- I hate walking with my sister - she's too slow! 

So the ideal is to walk them separately, and I do, except on a day when I'm a wee bit strapped for time. 

MOM - I like being walked without my sister

Lexi has an extendable leash, which I'm not a fan of, but since she is a pretty good, calm dog to walk, I'm OK with it. Murphy on an extendable leash? That would be the equivalent of one of those ping pong balls on an elastic cord attached to a paddle. That is NEVER going to happen. 

MOM - I loved walking without my sister

Since most people wouldn't have the patience to walk them separately. And I give strict instructions that should they choose to walk the dogs, to NEVER walk them together - NEVER. If we need dog sitters, the girls have to go to the backyard. 

And of course, if we stop for a break (we never do - this was simply to get a picture), they NEVER look at me. There is always something more interesting off in the forest. 

MOM - we are busy and have no time to stop for pictures!

Murphy went nuts when we got home. I gave the pond filter a good cleaning, and while I was outside doing that, Murphy went mad! Like a crazed dog, she jumped into her pool to cool off. Of course, it's not big enough for her to completely lie down, but she gave it a good effort to cool off. Of course, she was wet, but who cares? We live in a house with wild dogs! 

Cooling down in the pool

And so, at around 7:30 AM, we left the house with an Uber driver. It must have been prayer time because we heard chants all the way to the airport. I really don't mind, but you would think that if you are an Uber driver, you would put on some light music or something less specific! Maybe it was for DH's benefit! I don't know. But it was HOT in the car with the sun blazing in as the driver took some back roads to avoid the chaos on the road. I could have asked for the AC to be turned on, but it was only for a few minutes. 

No big deal - at least he got out to load and unload the small bags from the car. That's all I care about. I hate the drivers who just sit in the front seat and let you do all the work. You sure aren't getting a tip from me for that! 

Since we were already checked in and had no bags to drop off, we breezed right to the security area. Oh my -- the NEXUS line was much longer than the non-NEXUS line. We knew that was going to happen one day, and we have been spoiled. I don't think it was so much the length of the line, but the speed at which the bags were being scanned. Perhaps there was a trainee on the X-ray machine. 

I spotted this shirt in the line. It looks like it was made from an old tablecloth - cross-stitch embroidery, and the trim on the bottom of the blouse was the edge of the tablecloth. I still need to make myself one of those!!! I need to make a lot of things! 

A blouse made from a tablecloth

We made it through security with no issues, although DH's bag got flagged for something. It didn't take long to resolve. OH -- might have been the CPAP machine. 

We went up to the lounge to have breakfast - OK - second breakfast for me as I had something to eat while I wrote the blog. While I appreciate the lounge, it isn't the same as getting a Tim's tea. And before we knew it, it was time to board the plane. We walked down to the gate and boarded immediately because they were already boarding Zone 2. 

And this is another area that has become a nightmare in the travel world. I know -- first-world problems. The airlines have been loading by Zones for quite some time, and the Zones are determined by your status, your ticket price, and probably some other mystery algorithm. We were loading in Zone 2, which used to be special. Not quite business class, but ahead of the other 4 zones. 

It's not really a big deal since we all have a seat, but it's all about the luggage. If you get on the plane earlier, there is no danger of finding a spot for your luggage. If you get on later, it's harder. Not impossible, but harder. 

Now that the airline is using its branded credit card to let passengers earn points, the number of people who have moved into Zone 2 is enormous. It's now the largest loading zone, and any special privileges are gone! 

But what is frustrating is that you are supposed to have two items - a small carry-on suitcase and a personal item, which for most is a backpack or briefcase. That second item is supposed to go under the seat. When I arrived yesterday at our seats near the front of the plane (NOT business class), there were already tons of bags and backpacks stowed overhead, so I had to put my suitcase in the overhead bin behind me, not over me. If that makes sense. 

DH had to do the same thing. This was because we were the last to arrive in that area, and there were many backpacks up above. So I complained out loud (to myself) as I found a home for my suitcase, while I tucked my backpack under my seat. Anyway, when the plane landed, I popped up before everyone else and kept anyone in the two rows behind from getting up while I got our suitcases out of the overhead bins. I'm fast—I wasn't obnoxious! And we were both in aisle seats. 

Call me Karen! No one was going anywhere, so it didn't really matter. 

The flight was pretty uneventful. I was exhausted, so I tried to sleep, but kept waking myself up, realizing that my mouth was hanging open. Oh god --- I hope I wasn't snoring. Then I read for a bit and then watched the fourth Harry Potter movie. Only four more to go, and I will have seen them all on a plane. I never saw any of them in person. 

And then we were in Vancouver. And yes—this tile in the washrooms makes me smile every single time. I made a quilt based on that tile, which I'm sure I've shared with you many times. I won't today.

The tile in the Vancouver airport

Once we got out of the airport, it was off to the next airport. We had discussed getting from Vancouver to Vancouver Island—renting a car in Vancouver and taking the big ferry, the passenger ferry (number one on the list, but the timing wasn't going to work), or the seaplane. So we got on the airport shuttle. 

The airport shuttle

And then arrived at the seaplane dock. We thought we might be lucky and get seats on the 1 PM flight, but it was full, so we had to wait for our original flight, which was booked for 3:15, leaving us some time to kill. We went to the nearby restaurant and had something to eat. 

I've been on the seaplanes a few times, but always in the smaller plane, which has just one pilot. The plane to Nanaimo is a little bit larger and has two pilots. And there was my pilot friend Paul! He was the copilot on this flight. He was the one who managed to fly the small plane from Salt Spring Island the last time I was out through the fog that no one else would fly through! 

The seaplane

It's always fun to take the seaplane and those things bank like mad as they turn the corner to come in for a landing. Don't be afraid of heights or don't look out the window!!! Of course, we've been monitoring the travel plans of some of the other family members, and when they took the big ferry across, they all saw Orcas!!!! I watched from the air, but we saw nothing! 

Next up was to catch a taxi from the seaplane dock to the car rental. There was some discussion with the taxi driver about where he would drop us off, but he was right. I was just checking because I didn't want to get the run around - I was getting tired. The address on the retail agreement was incorrect, and the taxi driver knew that. Anyway -- we arrived and got the car. Or should I say the full-sized SUV? More on that tomorrow. 

It had started to rain - it's cold and wet here. I was going to pack my orange jacket, and I didn't. I said I would! I said that, but I packed a jean jacket instead. Silly me!!! Anyway, we will be fine. 

Then we had to make a detour to pick up someone!!! Look who we found at doggie daycare!!!!!

Hello everyone -- it's me -- it's BEAR!!!!!! 

M doesn't have a dog-friendly room at the hotel in Tofino, so they brought him over and dropped him off, and we had to rescue him. Finding that doggie daycare was pretty stressful. I had called and texted so many people. Well, I already told you about it. But there he was in a house of giant dogs, and he seemed to be just fine. 

Our plan was NOT to drive to Tofino yesterday. We still have a couple of errands to run today, so we're staying at a hotel in downtown Nanaimo. A hotel with a view, I might add. 

The view from the hotel

And the room is huge, so little Bear looks much smaller than he really is. I'm guessing they have had other dogs in this room because he needed to sniff the entire space before he would settle down. 

GRANMA -- Is all this space for me? 

But what a cutie. I was exhausted when we got to the room and lay on the bed to read. But Bear needed a walk, and then he needed his dinner. But I managed to get some sleep, and yes --- it's very early in the morning here as I watch the lights out that huge window. DH and Bear are fast asleep, but I need to be up and dressed when he wakes, because he needs to do business as soon as he wakes. Yep -- we got his luggage when we picked him up, and I swear his bags (food) weigh more than my bag. 

When we finally went ot bed, he wanted to play and was trying to lick my face and paw at me. Silly little boy. And he is so cute because when he is cold, he comes to snuggle under the covers. When he is hot, he gets out and sleeps on the covers. We love you, little guy!!!!

Grandma - I'm ready to play with you!!!!

And here's one more view of the harbor. There are planes, boats, ferries, and everything coming into this space. It's a bit quiet because, as you can see, the weather isn't great, but it's all going to work out!!! 

Part of the Nanimo harbor

I started reading a book yesterday that's due in three days. I read a third of it yesterday, but I'm not so sure I can get that much reading done in the next couple of days. We'll see how it goes. 

I had to laugh when we got in the car. I let DH drive as I was tired. The FIRST thing I do when I get into a rental car is connect to the Bluetooth. I couldn't figure out what was happening when he asked me for the doggy daycare address, as he was going to put it in his phone. What? Why don't you connect to Bluetooth? It only takes a few seconds to make that happen. So his phone is connected to the car. Good grief!!! WAIT -- I know why. He doesn't rent cars often. He mostly grabs Uber or a taxi when he travels. 

WAIT -- I almost forgot that I have two pictures to share with you that I've been keeping a secret. But since the two items are now gifted, it's OK to share. 

This has been the year of weddings for us. We had been to one wedding a couple of years ago, but haven't been to many others. Then this year, we have two, and they are both destination weddings. This one is a bit closer than the one in Italy when my SIL got married. 

So the other SIL (the one living with us) wanted to make a quilt for each of them. Robin (the husband) is from England, and wouldn't it be nice to make a quilt with English symbols? Here is the finished quilt before it was spirited away to Vancouver on a plane last week. 

Robin's quilt

As you can see, there are no British symbols on that quilt. I have to tell you the story of the quilt. We started by finding a great pattern with all sorts of English symbols. After looking at it, we realized it was a lot more work than originally anticipated, so we went on the hunt for some British fabrics, since I knew they existed. We couldn't find anything. Or very little and not enough variety to make a quilt. 

Then I happened to be visiting someone who was showing me their small stash of quilt tops that needed to be quilted, and I spotted a small square of British fabric on one of them. OH—do you have more of that? Well, it turns out the entire top was made from British fabric, and she didn't want the top. So we worked out a deal, and VOILA—instant quilt made! It was a win-win for us, and I even had more of the dark blue fabric in my stash so we could make the binding. 

It's backed with Fireside fleece, so good for these damp Vancouver days! It's quilted with a teapot motif and looks amazing!!!! 

The teapot quilting motif

I only supervised the finishing of the quilt. I didn't have time, nor did I want to take that away from KU. She babysat the long arm and put the binding on! 

The other quilt, for her sister, required more work. She made a library quilt!!! This one required many new techniques, including a phototransfer of the couple from their wedding. That required me to resolve our printer issue, which is why we now have a new printer. all for one photo!!!!

The library quilt

We were just about to load the quilt when I remembered that we were supposed to embroider the names of books on the spines of some of them. It was very neat because KU decided to make a book with a specific title for each family member in the new blended family. There were eight of them, and it took some time to write out the titles and get them aligned properly. Here is one for the bride and groom. 

The wedding quilt

Here's a picture of one of the book titles. 

One of the book titles on the quilt

Then we got the quilt quilted while KU babysat that, and then put the binding on. I made her watch my binding video on YouTube because she needs to learn to do this stuff independently. This quilt also has Fireside on the back. This was the one that we were short on. How the heck we were short, I have no idea. The store made a mistake? We told them the incorrect length? I've no idea, but thankfully I had a scrap in a different color, so the quilt got done!!!

I really need to learn how to use the Eclipse tool on my long arm, so if I ever have photos to quilt through again, I can mark out a heart or another shape that won't let the quilting go through the faces. A new thing to learn this summer. 

So that is two secrets we've been working on for months, and all is revealed. The recipients loved the quilts, and they will be used frequently in their library, which they are planning to create in the house. Everyone needs a good quilt for snuggling while reading! 

Well, on that note, I'm off. I don't need to be up this early, and I might catch a few more minutes of shut-eye, but my back doesn't like extended periods of time in bed. 

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!