Should we expect cheap prices at the thrift shop?

I know!!! Wasn't that video about the Ro-Ro carriers fascinating? And now we understand why things cost more, and it's cool to think some of our cars crossed the ocean on a boat! Basically a giant floating parking garage! 

I am home. And I'm unpacked! I'm on a tight turnaround, and I didn't want to keep my samples in the suitcase longer than necessary. Plus, I have to do laundry today. So that's all good! The bonus is that I already have almost 1000 steps - something I didn't get many of while I was away. 

But let's take a look at what happened yesterday. 

It was a lovely morning, so I took a LONG walk to the End of the Pier! Actually, I was following another Adventure Lab, and that's what it was called. The beautiful path along the shore, and in total, the walk was about 6 K, which is my usual morning walk with the girls. 

This was the view back towards Lion's Gate Bridge at the End of the Pier!

The End of the Pier

There was a fundraising tree display near that pier, and when I quickly passed it on the way out, I had no idea what this was. It was only when I was walking back that two ladies said, "Oh, these are the gnome trees!" Duh --- I totally get it, but I think I was too close to the trees the first time. Pretty cute! And original - at least to me. 

The gnome trees

Of course, there were loads of seagulls and other waterfowl. It was fascinating to watch them as many flew just above the water's surface. What was that all about? And when they come in for a landing, well, they make loads of noise. 

Seagull along the shore

I had packed up before I left for the walk, so when I got back to the house, I took Mister Bear for one last walk. He is so slow! It's going to be two FAST walks this morning! I can hardly wait. But he is so darn cute! And very much full of attitude! 

Are you talking to me?

I passed this shop on my way to M's house, but, of course, I couldn't take a picture while driving. So what's this all about? A Value Village Boutique? I guess all the high-end stuff goes there. The outfits in the window were very coordinated. I didn't get a chance to stop. 

Value Village Boutique

OK --- a quick Google search reveals they are smaller stores that mostly carry clothing and accessories, not the wide range of items at regular Value Village stores. Now here's the thing about Value Village or any other thrift shop. THRIFT does not mean inexpensive. They have overhead, salaries, and other expenses to deal with. I am not a fan of hearing people complain about prices. Yes—like all stores, you must be careful, and yes, some items are overpriced!

But let's take a puzzle, for example. A good 1000-piece puzzle costs between $20 and $30 today. You can find them at Value Village for $6.99, and if you are a senior or have a coupon, you get 20% off. So, isn't that a bargain? Do you expect them to be $1? You can't even find anything for $1 at the dollar stores any longer. The same with books—buy 5, get 1 free (I think that is the deal). Books are expensive to buy in a store. Books at Value Village are $4-10, depending on the type of book, so that is still a great deal and comparable to a dedicated used bookstore! 

Yes -- some things are "expensive", but look at the price of the comparable item in a regular store. Not cheap! I got a fantastic pair of name-brand black jeans for $6 at Value Village. One must watch, one must compare, and one must be prepared to pay SOME money. And yes, there are things I leave at the store because I don't think it's worth the price they charge! 

Now you might say that everything was donated, so it should be cheaper. Hmmm—did you consider the cost of dealing with those donated items? I would bet that more than half of what is donated is GARBAGE, and they have to pay to have that garbage removed. Never mind the sorting and whatever else they do. They have a HUGE sorting area in each store. They do not just take your items from your donation box and hang them up! There is a processing cost! 

So don't expect things to be cheap. The idea of a thrift store is to search, find a "bargain," but more importantly, to find something that you can't find anywhere else, and hopefully for less money!

And Value Village is a FOR-PROFIT store. It's always been, always will be! It is not a charity shop!

OH - how did I get that picture? It was on the way to the airport. If you are coming or going from Vancouver proper or the north shore, the only way to get to the airport is to go right through downtown. So while I was a passenger in the car, I snapped that photo. 

And then I got to the airport, with my favorite tiles on the bathroom walls. 

Tiles in the Vancouver Airport

I once designed a quilt for A Needle Pulling Thread magazine based on those tiles. I didn't have a picture handy, but a friend happened to be in Vancouver, and I asked her to send me a photo! You can read all about that story here. 

I was sitting almost at the back of the plane, so it took a while to get off. I really, really hate it when people start pushing, and there is NO room to go! Patience!!!!! But I got off, and my luggage came through - again, people pushing! And they line up in the boarding zones way before it's time. What's the rush? We all have a seat and a few seconds here, and there will NOT change your life when boarding or unboarding a plane. If you have connection issues, the airline is aware. And if they are not, make them aware! 

The girls were, of course, very excited to see me. We had stopped at Tim's because I wanted soup. It was later in the evening, and I hadn't eaten much all day. They accidentally gave us three chocolate Timbits. I gave one to Lexi, and she took it outside and hopefully ate it. Murphy just stared at it. WHAT? 

MOM? I'm not allowed to eat people food! 

Usually, she just gobbles anything in front of her! 

And there she is - watching TV again. She likes to bark, depending on what's on, and I'm not usually there to guide her through her exuberance. However, since I was eating my soup, I just said a few words, and she didn't bark once. If I hadn't been there? Well, that would have been a different story. Dogs, like people, need some guidance to help them through stressful situations. DH should know by now. But he lets things go until they have escalated. Sigh...........

MOM - I LOVE the Christmas commercials! 

I couldn't help myself. After I ate, I dug out my Noro yarn afghan. OH!!!! I see I have even started the sashing. I knew exactly where it was, and there were a few other surprises in this bag, as well as a few more in the cupboard where the bag was stored. OK—I need to get that knitting done! 

My Noro yarn afghan

And there's the drawer with all the knitting needles and crochet hooks. Yep—everything's neat and organized! And I know where it is - that's very important. 

Needles and hooks

Speaking of neat and organized, I should mention that the two suitcases are unpacked, but that doesn't mean everything has been dealt with. The items were sorted - what goes in Studio U, what goes to Studio B, and what goes in the laundry. I still have to sort and put away the items. Studio U needs a good clean-up, now that all the events are over for the year. And I want to set up a jigsaw puzzle. 

There are items on the cutting table in Studio B that I'll deal with later today as I work on a customer quilt. 

So this happened last night. It started about midnight, and there are a few inches to contend with this morning. UGH - welcome home to Ontario! 

Winter wonderland

I had a bit of trouble falling asleep, so I got up and read. I had a chuckle because the book I picked to read is set in Toronto, and the family just moved from Vancouver! It's creepy - it's very creepy from the first sentence! Yikes!!!! 

Here's one more blog post from QUILTsocial. Today it's all about another machine embroidery technique called Thread Velvet using the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65. I LOVE the textured embroideries!!!

Well, on that note, I've got oodles to get done today, and I had better get started! And nice to have the blog back on schedule! 

Have a super day! 

Ciao!!!

It's a beautiful day!

Yesterday was a glorious day here. The temperature was pretty decent, and the sky was blue. I started the day off by taking a walk along the waterfront, which is just a few short blocks from here.

The seaplanes had no issues with fog and were frequently buzzing across Stanley Park. Oh well - I'll just have to come back to do that trip. I've flown over Vancouver Harbour once, and the view is spectacular. 

The seaplane and clear blue sky

It was earlyish in the morning when I went out. I think the temperature was 4 degrees Celsius at the time, but that didn't stop Vancouverites from walking/running in shorts. And people were playing tennis!!! They are certainly not afraid of the temperatures or the rain. Yet, others were bundled up in their long puffer coats. 

I started out with my orange jacket, which is on its last legs. The water repellent is gone, and the down has become so thin. But it still works. I had thin gloves and my scarf on, but by the time I got back from my walk, I was sweating buckets. Did I mention that there are hills in this area? It's fine going down, but coming back up? 

Anyway, I spotted the sun rising by the Lion's Gate Bridge, which was beautiful to watch. 

Sunrise and the Lion's Gate Bridge

It is pretty amazing when you think I take all my pictures with my phone. The features on it are much better than those on my DSLR camera. And that is why cell phones are so expensive. The phone? It probably costs a couple of dollars, but the phone's camera, with all its features, is what costs so much. So if you are NOT taking advantage of the camera, then you probably don't need a new phone. 

The walk along the water's edge is stunning. If I lived here, I would be walking there every day. And the best news? It's a DOG PARK!!!!! My girls would be in their glory. However, I'm not sure how they would behave, as most dogs just ambled along with their owners, while my girls would be buzzing around like mad. Of course, there are no squirrels or rabbits to distract them, so it might work. 

The dog park!!!

I was on the hunt for an Adventure Lab (part of Geocaching), and I managed to get most of it, but M and I finished it off later in the day. There are benches along the way with plaques. This would be a cool spot to put a memorial bench. I may not have lived here, but the view is spectacular. 

Benches along the path

And there is one section near the bridge where you walk through the forest, which is very different from my forest back home. 

Forest bathing - BC style

You know you are playing EXIT Games too much when you start to spot numbers everywhere. 

There's a FIVE!!!!

I think that was an earthworm who had seen better days! But seriously --- you can't miss that number!!! The walk was excellent, and I made up for the lack of steps the previous day when it was raining. 

I stopped at a cafe for a hot chocolate. And I got this cute motif on the top. My body (and wallet) are going to go into withdrawal when I get home. Not many Tim's here, and the cafes aren't cheap!!!

The motif in my hot chocolate

Interesting that when I got to the bottom, the motif was still there. Hmmm --- what is it made of? 

The motif lasted until the bottom of the cup

After lunch, M and I went out, and we walked along the waterfront to finish the Adventure Lab. And of course, Bear had to come with us. It wasn't in the plan that he was coming, but he was pretty insistent when we were getting ready to leave! He has such an attitude for a little guy. 

As we were down on the pier, we spotted this giant ship coming out of the harbour. Hmm --- what is that? It was GIANT and not like anything I'd seen before. I guessed that it was a car carrier, and when we did a Google image search, that's what it was!!!! Here's a video if you want to know all about Ro-ro carriers. Ro-ro stands for roll-on/roll-off, so they are designed for anything that can be loaded via its own wheels, eliminating the need for a crane. Who knew???

The Ro Ro carrier

WOW -- it's like a parking garage that floats!!! Pretty impressive. I imagine that this ship just unloaded a load of cars, but I wonder what it takes back? Does it sail empty? I don't think so because some of them can carry cargo, but it would be limited since they don't have an external loading system. 

We also watched people crabbing off the pier. They load something to entice the crabs into an open net, then wing it into the water. I'm not sure how the net closes, but then they can reel the net in. This person was measuring, so I guess there are regulations as to what size you can keep. 

Measuring the crab

Then we stopped at another cafe in the afternoon. And it was glorious. We sat there in our shirt sleeves. OK - so there was a heater on the patio, but it was a beautiful day. And this is what they had inside. 

Macarons

Among many other goodies, but we only had a few macarons. And of course, Bear was the center of attention. He just gets people going, and he knows it!!!

Here's a group shot of us at one point. I think we were on the pier at this point. No background to see, but we were on the ocean! Or harbour or whatever you want to call it. I guess it's between Burrard Inlet and the Vancouver Harbour. 

Group shot

I had some computer work to do in the afternoon. Working on a big project, which I hope to share with you all in a couple of weeks. I have a lot of work to do before I can show you. Bear was bored by it all since it didn't directly involve him, but he got lots of love. 

Grandma - computer work is boring!!!!

We had to pop out to Michael's again, and M spotted this. OK -- water bottles are a big deal, but look how tiny this cup is. Useful? Novelty? I don't know, and it had a metal straw in it. 

A tiny water container

And then I got a lesson in reusable cups. You can buy accessories for them, including snack trays. Oh boy -- I'm out of the loop. I just want something that I can put my water in. 

Snack trays for water bottles

While on Salt Spring Island, I spotted some diamond painting kits, so I bought one for M, since I knew she liked rhinestones. Well, she finished it last night and was wondering how to frame it. 

Finishing the diamond painting picture

We went to Michael's to get a mat cut for an inexpensive frame. We asked for 6 1/4" by 6 3/8" as that was the size of the colored part. We were all excited, but when we got home, it wasn't the correct size. Despite confirming several times with the clerk, she wrote down 6" by 6 1/8". So she missed 1/4" on both sides. Hmmmmm -- that's insane, so we have to go back today. Well, M will have to go back because I have a plane to catch. 

My plane leaves at noon, so I have to get everything packed, and then we'll head to the airport, as I have two suitcases to check. 

While it's been a great time away, it's definitely time to go home. I have so much to do, and so much I want to do, and I'm only home for a day before I leave again. Who did the planning on that? OK -- so it was me, but it was also just how the timing for things worked out. That will be the LAST trip of the year! 

I'm sure the girls will be excited to see me, but they have been walking while I was away, and I have my SIL to thank for that! She's also been working on her quilt in Studio B, so she's keeping Murphy company or vice versa. I've been sending advice when she needed it via text!!!! She knows how to sew, so it really isn't a big deal. But I remember the first time I made a quilt with HSTs --- I didn't know how to trim, and there wasn't a single one done properly on that quilt!

We watched the next episode of Project Runway Canada, but there was only one more to watch. The episodes are being released weekly, so the next one doesn't come out until Friday. Will I watch it on my own? I'm not sure. So then we moved to the current season of Project Runway. Oh boy -- how much of the attitude is scripted or hyped up? Some of the cast are pretty flamboyant!!!!! And the drama? Wow!!!!

Well, I'd better get myself organized so I can finish packing up my stuff, which kind of got spread all over, and that's OK. 

Before I go, here's the next post on QUILTsocial. Today, it's all about textured machine embroidery (yarn couching). This is appropriate for anyone with an embroidery machine, so be sure to check it out. 

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!


























 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's time for a change!! Hopefully, there won't be too many rabbit holes to go down today, and I need to get back into the swing of things. Good grief -- I've become a slug with bad eating habits, and I don't like it one bit!!! 

The first change -- I'm up much earlier!! And I plan to go for a long walk this morning, since I don't expect M to be up too early. I'm good with that. The good news is that there is no rain this morning. While I came dressed for the cool temperatures, my coat isn't waterproof, so that was a problem. Today is the day!!!

And thanks for the comments about the top-down knitting. I'm not a super-experienced knitter, and I had never heard of that before. Now I know! There is always something new to learn, and I suspect that as I progress on this knitting journey, I might discover a couple more things along the way. BUT first, when I get home, I need to finish that turtleneck cowl and then dig out the garter-stitch afghan. I doubt there will be much to learn with either project. EXCEPT - focus and get the projects done! 

I have no idea why I didn't think to bring some handwork with me. Obviously, I wasn't thinking. Now I wouldn't have brought knitting needles, and I hate to buy some when I have very nice ones at home, but I could have brought my hexie project. Oh well --- remember that for next time! 

OH MY --- you are welcome for the vicarious tour of Capilano Suspension Bridge. Yep -- I remember when I was a kid and came here. I thought we went to Lynn Canyon, but I could be wrong. I was terrified of walking on that bridge! Absolutely terrified. Now - it's just awkward to walk across when the darn thing is bouncing like mad! I swear it feels like you are quite intoxicated! 

Speaking of rain, I took Bear for a very short walk in the morning, and he was all dressed up in his raincoat, which he hates. But not as much as he hates his winter coat. But he's so darn cute!!! 

Bear is dressed for wet weather

In the afternoon, we decided to surprise Dillon and put up the Christmas decorations. They don't have too many, but it was a fun time as we figured out where to put stuff. I strung the lights on the back deck, and all was good. And as we took the decorations out of the boxes, we came across the Advent Calendar that M got when she was not quite two. Oh my -- it's a Playmobil, and it's still in good condition!!!

And the felt stocking that I made her, which I didn't take a picture of, and her Santa sack, which was terrific for stuffing presents into, and saved on wrapping paper! Dillon doesn't have one, so I suppose I need to get busy with that. 

M's Santa sack

We also took a quick trip to Michaels' to see if there was anything neat that we could add to their collection. OH MY—everything was 40-60% off. It was crazy, and then, of course, I asked for a senior discount -- hey, I was paying, I'm entitled. Well, we ended up saving (before the senior discount) more than we paid!!!! It was insane, and I totally get sales, but this is prime time for people to buy new Christmas stuff if they need. I don't get it. 

This Michael's also had fabric! I believe there were two aisles with fabric. Quite a variety, but I didn't buy anything. We were there for Christmas stuff! Gosh, when I went through my photos last night, I didn't seem to pick the "good photos!"

BUT - look what I spotted, and I could kick myself. Yep -- we spotted CHRISTMAS pie candles, and while they were the same price as the ones I bought back home, these were on sale!!!! 60% off. I did use a coupon back home, but still. I did NOT buy another one. But this was the exact type of pie plate I was looking for, and the only way to get it was to purchase the candle! I don't care - I just need to burn down that candle, and I'll have my pie plate. 

Christmas pie candles

I can't help myself -- that little dog is so darn cute. Bear's got quite the attitude as well. Here he is curled up on the cushions on the sofa. Quite content. 

The king of the household

And then sitting beside his toy bear, who is looking a bit ragged. 

Grandma - there's no dog here! 

And then we had a Zoom call last night, and he was pretty happy to sit and watch himself while we waited for the others to join! What a goofball!!! 

Where is everyone? 

Now here's a story about dollar stores. While I frequent dollar stores, I cannot bring myself to buy anything edible at them. I just can't. I don't care if it is a name brand, I don't care if it isn't past the expiry date or best before date, I just cannot. 

However, we were at Fields on Salt Spring Island earlier this week with my aunt, and it reminded me of a dollar store. They had some food items, including packaged cookie mixes, and well, I got pulled in by the packaging. It looked pretty decent (sorry - no picture, and it was buried in the garbage by the time I thought of taking one), and the price was $6.50. Fields is NOT a dollar store, but the items on the shelves are reminiscent of what you'd find there. Anyway, the cookie mix was 50% off or something like that. Well, I decided to buy that package. 

I decided that while we were working on the Christmas decorations, we could bake cookies as well. The darn unsalted butter to make the shortbread cookies was way more expensive than the cookie mix. It's a long time I haven't baked cookies. And I had to hand-blend the butter into the dry ingredients. My arms were thankful when I was done! 

ME - baking cookies!!!

OK -- They are NOT pretty, and I was a little apprehensive to taste them. Would they be stale or bland? 

The cookies

And you know what? They were pretty darn good! Hard to believe, but they are very decent cookies! 

So we had cookies to add to the surprise when Dillon got home! Gosh -- I remember my Mom used to bake dozens and dozens of cookies and squares at Christmas time. How did we ever eat all that sugar and survive? Oh yes—we were young and lived on a farm!!!

Now here's the problem with TV. When I went on that first bike trip to Inuvik from Vancouver (2010), we spent the entire time in remote areas, and TV was not on the radar. You have to realize that I was a reality-TV-show junkie. I watched them all! Well, most of them. 

I came home from that three-week trip and never turned on the TV again. I was cured. I had no desire to watch "silly" shows. I wanted some meaning in my life. I'm not ragging on you for watching what you want, but I just wanted to spend my time on other things. And if I do want to watch something, I try to check it out on a streaming service. I have no idea why, but it's usually not in a comfy spot, so I don't linger.  

Don't yell at me if you watch shows -- we all choose how to spend our time. I have decided not to watch TV. 

Why? Well, here's a very good reason. Last night, M turned on the TV, and we spotted Project Runway Canada on Netflix. OH -- I like that show, and she likes fashion, so we watched the first show, which starts with 12 participants. 

Well, the first episode was fun, as they took a suitcase full of denim garments and created an elegant runway look. When it was over, and that message pops up, the next episode starts in 10, 9, 8, ......... We decided to watch the next episode. And we would have watched the next one, except I was pretty tired by then. 

I am NOT a fan of binge-watching an entire series in a very short time. The same reason I am NEVER up to date with an author's latest book. I love being able to decide for myself when and how often I read that author or watch that show. It's just a rule I had to set for my very obsessive behavior!!!! 

As we went to bed, I said, "Well, I won't be able to watch until she gets up because I have no idea how to turn on the TV or work through the menus to find that show." She gave me quick instructions, but I won't watch it. As I was lying in bed, I realized I had this giant TV on the wall here, so I could watch in bed. But NO -- I'd rather go for a walk. 

Earlier in the day, I managed to input all my missing steps and spin class data yesterday, so that was good! Of course, I'm behind, but not so bad, and I'll likely have to downgrade my 2025 walking goal by about 600 KM, which isn't such a big deal. I'll live! And well, perhaps the goal was a bit too aggressive anyway, but how quickly I got out of good habits, like walking when I traveled. 

I'm not sure where or how that came about. But it was NOT safe to walk alone early in the morning in most of the places we stayed in Africa, so I kind of got out of the habit. If I'm home, it's easy. If I'm not home, I'm becoming a slug. So I'll be out as soon as it gets a bit lighter! 

And soon I'll be heading home anyway, and then I can dig out those knitting needles and get back to sewing. I have a few customer quilts to finish up, and I have more community project quilts that I would LOVE to finish this year. But I don't think I'll quite have time to finish them all, but I'll do what I can! And there are still a few classes to prep for, as well as some clubs like embroidery and UFO. 

And now, for one rabbit hole: QUILTsocial. Here's the link to day two of the week with the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65. It's all about Embroidery Stitch Out, and again, if you have a Wi-Fi-enabled Husqvarna Viking embroidery machine, be sure to watch the videos, as you are sure to learn something from them. The tools are very similar on all machines. 

I just had a quick look through all the videos I did, and they are great!!!! They are NOT perfect. A couple of wrong words, but overall— not bad, considering I do those videos in one take! It takes a couple of practices first!! I must become better at editing so I can switch a word or two if need be!!!

I also had a browse through the library book on art quilts that M borrowed for me. OH MY -- what fun, and the timing is so right. I have a few ideas to take home to work on my next writing assignment. I can't wait!!!!

OH -- and if you look at some of the pictures, you'll see my backdrop. I'm using the IKEA Decorative Table Top rod and hung a piece of heavy, grey polyester fabric over it. A seamless, wrinkle-free backdrop. I LOVE it. That was a brilliant idea!!!!

Alright -- that's it for today! I hope it's light enough outside to start my walk by now. I have a destination in mind, and let's see how far I get!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Down the rabbit hole - many times today!

Oh my-- I have a few things to learn about knitting, but that's OK. What I noticed was the number of large loose sweaters in the store on Salt Spring. Oversized chunk sweaters are back!

My hands will get used to it! 

OK -- here's a hilarious story about knitting sweaters. When I was young -- very young, OK, young, in my late teens, I knit a sweater for my then boyfriend, who was a large guy, so it took a lot of knitting. I forgot about that sweater. He tracked me down one day a couple of years ago through my quilting - his sister is a quilter, and he came across my blog. I don't remember all the details. 

Anyway, can you believe that he kept that sweater all that time? And the sweater is still being used? OH MY GOD -- I guess that is someone who appreciates a knitted sweater, but it wasn't made with great yarn, so I can imagine how pily it is. 

Amazing what you can find on the blog when you go back and search. Here is the blog post about my early days of knitting.

I was first and foremost a knitter, and then got into quilting. That story about Rod's sweater is hilarious!! That was TEN years ago!!! It seems this trip has triggered many memories from 10 years ago. 

And I will say that I've become a slug. No walking - well, very little, no cares about the number of steps I get in a day, and sleeping? I just got up! This summer has been the summer of little walking, and I need to get everything caught up. I haven't even entered any steps or mileage since July!!!! Am I done with the excessive walking? I don't think so. Am I done with the medals for The Conqueror? I don't think so, but I need to get my mindset back. That trip to Africa just changed so much!!!

Anyway, I'll make it happen - whatever that is, and I'm not worried. But I do need to get those stretches in. 

I was looking through Dillon's pictures from the other night at Capilano Suspension Bridge, and here's a better one of the cliff walk. You are NOT walking beside the cliff -- it goes out. That makes me think I could do the one at the Grand Canyon. I'll wait a bit before I venture down there, but wouldn't that be fun?

The cliff walk

Good grief - the next thing you know, I'll be skydiving! OK - I have jumped out of a plane - twice, but that was many, many years ago!

Here is M's magnet collection from her travels. Hmmm -- we don't seem to have as many, but they were much smaller and less elaborate in our day! What's hilarious is that in the first picture in this blog post, look at the fridge!!!! 

M's magnet collection

I went outside to take a picture of the view, and this hummingbird just popped out of nowhere to feed at the feeder. They are fascinating to watch. And he was pretty happy to hover in the air and show off his skills, and then he landed on the feeder to get a drink. 

The resident hummingbird

This is the view from their second-floor balcony. It's a beautiful spot to be sure. The trees in the distance are located in Stanley Park. 

The view

And they get to see the barges go by to get to the dock in North Vancouver. On a nice day, I would be sitting on the deck and just watching the world go by - literally as the cruise ships go by as well. The weather is pretty decent here - it was cloudy yesterday, but we did not have any rain. And it's relatively warm - I'm happy! 

A container ship

Bear, M, and I had a walk along the waterfront, which is just a couple of blocks from their house, and yes -- I would spend a lot of time along the waterfront as well. It really is stunning and such a different life from my forest back home. I'll take the forest over the water, but I could easily handle the water as well. And there are plenty of trees everywhere for forest bathing! 

Bear and M

Then, for something to do, we went to the Vancouver Public Library! Yep -- the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but she went for some books on creativity that looked pretty interesting, while I went somewhere else. But first, we checked out the rooftop deck on the 9th floor, and then looked briefly at all the floors on the way down. The place is enormous and would be a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. 

The Vancouver Public Library

Of course, I went to the quilt section and WOW!!!! I could have browsed all afternoon. While they have a lot of technique and standard books you would find in a public library, they also have a great selection of historical quilt books. OK -- I would take some of those home if I could! I know I have a great deal of those types of books at home, and many of them are ones I already own, but there were a few!!!!

The quilt section

I took one out so I could browse for some ideas. More of an art book based on the next assignment I have to get done. 

As we were driving back, we spotted this on a condo construction site. HMMM -- are those balconies sticking out, or is that a construction thing? They have bizarre buildings here, and they seem to try to outdo the one beside it. 

Balconies? 

Then, over the Lion's Gate Bridge, which I rode my bicycle across in 2010, I was totally terrified. It was my first big bike trip, and we started at UBC. As I saw the bridge looming in the distance, my heart was in my mouth!!!! But I made it, and I survived!!!

The Lion's Gate Bridge

Well, I certainly did not make any bones about my fright in that day's blog post. Here's the link. You won't find it on this blog page because at the time, I was using another platform!!!! Oh dear -- do not go down a rabbit hole with that. But I really should pull off that Arctic trip and make a digital book out of it with the pictures in the right place. 

And here is Mr. Snuggle Pants sleeping on the couch!! His ear still isn't perfect, and you can tell it's dirty from the grim collected by the ear drops. But he's doing just OK. and so happy to be with Dillon and M. As much as I would like to dognap him, this is his home. But he's welcome to visit any time!

Mr. Snuggle Pants

Now, my blog posts about a brand-new Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machine are being posted on QUILTsocial this week. Here's the link to the first one. It is the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65, and wow—I love it. There are so many things you can do with an embroidery machine. 

Day One -- Meet the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65

Oh my - I went down a rabbit hole and listened to all the videos!!! Yep -- I made some pretty decent videos explaining the features. And here's the thing -- all the Husqvarna Viking embroidery machines have similar tools, so if you have a different Wi-Fi-enabled Husqvarna Viking machine, you may want to check out those videos!!!!

I'll post more links tomorrow. 

I also had dinner with my SIL, who lives in Vancouver, so that was a good visit. Yep -- the entire trip is a lot of coming and going. We have a lot in common and discussed her upcoming wedding plans, hiking, reading, etc. Yep -- next year is also going to be an interesting year!

Oh my -- I'd better get myself together here, or M will think I have died!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

What's a little fog?

Well, the blog is really late today! Yesterday was a whirlwind day filled with MANY Plan Bs, and I just went with it. But I didn't get to bed too early, and I was exhausted, so I just luxuriated in bed this morning, and I'm OK with that. I'm in a different bed again! But one that I was in before on this trip - more on that in a second. I'm here to stay until I leave for home. 

I finished knitting my cowl - at least the flat part - it's folded in half in this photo, but there is a neck hole from which I'll pick up some stitches with the fancy circular needles I have at home. Then I'll make a turtle neck on those stitches, and it will be toasty warm!!

Part A of the knitted cowl

The wool was too thick to wind on the yarn ball winder at the store, so I had to place the skein carefully on a chair to use it. All was good until the very end, when I was winding the remaining yarn into a ball to transport it home. When I got up to do something, it slipped off the chair, and I had a bit of a struggle to get it sorted, but it's OK. 

My yarn holder

My aunt is knitting a vest, and for the life of us, we couldn't figure out what the heck was happening with the pattern, but she soldiered on. Then I asked the question about the ribbing on the bottom, which she had not done. What is that all about? 

Then we had a deep dive into the pattern, and the darn vest is knitted from the neck down. WHAT??? I've never seen a pattern like that before, but it makes sense because it was narrow - too narrow to go around your hips. Once you knit the back, then you knit the ribbing or the hem, as they call it in the pattern. 

That was the first time I'd ever seen it, and I was surprised that it wasn't mentioned in the pattern that it was done that way. At least we figured it out, and now it makes a whole lot more sense!!! 

However, a bad thing happened. My aunt was going through some of her patterns and showed me this. OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knitted log cabin blanket

Sorry for the sideways picture, but I have this project at home. I've made all the blocks - MANY years ago. And I am in the process of knitting the sashing, which I haven't done much of. Hmm -- this should become my priority when I get home. I might just throw that bag (I know exactly where it is - Studio U), and I could do that while at the retreat. It's garter stitch for heaven's sake - so nothing complicated at all. I MUST get that done. Check out this block from 2014 -- (oh god!!!) for more details on the log cabin blocks. And this one is good for a laugh as well. Do not laugh, but I don't think I ever finished that orange toque!!! That is also in Studio U. I will have to make a fleece liner for it, as I don't like just a knitted one. The wind blows through it! 

The sad part is that with all this talk about knitting, that project did NOT even come to mind. I had totally forgotten about it. So that gets dug out when I get home!!! Work on the UFO before you break out the good stuff!! And my afghan is made of the good stuff - I bought fancy NORO yarn for it. It's gorgeous. 

What I want to make are some leg warmers - those ones were for M in the link. But I think it would help keep my knees warm when walking the dogs. So I must find some "fancy" yarn and a pattern, or not, and make some leg warmers. I also like the ankle or boot liners, but I don't wear boots, so I'm not sure that would look great with running shoes!!!!

I decided I should knit a pair of mittens to match my cowl, so when I was getting ready to leave by seaplane, we stopped at the store to get one more skein of that yarn. Let's just say that my suitcase was a bit heavier when I left than when I arrived. 

Now for the trip back to the mainland. My initial thought was to take the ferry back. I could have a nice leisurely trip home on the ferry, despite having my backpack and one small suitcase. However, taking the ferry would have meant getting to the Tsawwassen terminal, which is quite far for M to pick me up. Hmmm - I could take the seaplane back - it's not that expensive. 

So that was the plan, and thank goodness for her, because she then told me how to cross the Vancouver Harbour to the north shore. More on that in a minute. OH - the plan also was to fly into Vancouver Harbor, not the airport. It's a beautiful site when you come in over Stanley Park, and I was looking forward to it. 

However, the weather had other thoughts. While we knew it was raining, we hadn't really seen how foggy it was until we were almost in Ganges. Yikes --- are the seaplanes even flying? 

FOGGY!!!!!

So my aunt dropped me off at the dock, and I went down to chat with the fellow. Well, yes, they are still flying, but whether they reach the island is another story. And as he watched on his tracker, he saw our plane turn around. NO!!!!!!! 

That's when Plan B began to take shape. I needed to get back to the mainland last night. But how? Another plane was coming, but it was only going to Richmond, not downtown. But would that pilot brave the fog and land? That pilot was Paul, who had flown me over a couple of days before, and I knew he was an older gentleman, so he probably had more experience. Come on, Paul -- you can make it!!! 

There was a younger guy also waiting for the flight to downtown, and then two young girls came, as did an older couple with a cockatoo in a cage. Yikes -- will there be enough room for all of us in the plane to get back? The attendant did not seem worried. 

The young girls were there to greet someone from the plane, and Ken (the younger guy) and I walked to the plane. When we were boarding, we realized the older couple was not there, but the cockatoo was! So we had an unaccompanied cockatoo on board. The bird was 40!!!!!!

When we finally saw the plane through the fog, it was skimming the surface of the water and wasn't even close to the dock. Oh boy -- will the pilot want to take off? 

Plan B was to get to Fulford Harbour, take the ferry to Victoria, then to Vancouver. Then I would have to get the shuttle to the Skytrain, the Skytrain to the Waterfront station, then the Seabus, and wait for M to pick me up!! It was going to take a lot of time, and we had plans for the evening. 

But Paul came through, and Ken and I got on the plane. Besides the cockatoo, we were the only ones on the plane. It was a bit turbulent as we went over the islands, but we were low. And look how foggy it was. 

A little fog!!!!

It was insane, and Ken (who sat up front) said we didn't go higher than 300 feet the entire way! We were skimming the tree tops practically as we went over the islands. It wasn't quite so foggy in Vancouver, but at least we were on the mainland, although we were in Richmond, NOT Vancouver Harbour. Ken asked Paul if that was bad, and while he said it was, he had flown in much worse!!!

Ken's truck was parked downtown, so he was insistent on getting there and asked the airline to pay for a taxi. I was going to take the shuttle back to the main terminal and then take the skytrain. So I invited myself along with Ken, and we got a taxi to the convention center. That saved a considerable amount of time. 

Then I had to find my way to the Seabus, which was pretty straightforward, but how the heck did we manage before Google Maps? Once I saw the entrance, I had to buy a ticket and hustle, although the seabus is very regular. I just followed the signs once I was inside the transit system. 

And at last, I popped out the other side on the north shore!!!!

The SeaBus terminal on the north shore

It was an eventful trip, but it all worked out and didn't cost me anything more than what I had anticipated. That was $3.30 to take the Seabus. 

M and Bear were a wee bit late, but arrived shortly, and by this time, I was chilled. I had warned M, and when I popped in the car, she had the heat on high, and the seat warmer was hot!!! That felt so good. And of course, the little guy could help warm me up, although he's so little and all he wanted to do was look out the window!!! It was cold waiting on the dock for the first plane, then the second. But at least we were in a shelter, with open ends and no heat. All is good! 

Mister Bear!!!!

Why did I need to get back last night? Dillon had planned an adventure after dinner. And this is where we ended up!!!! Oh boy -- heights!!!!

One of the suspension bridge parks on the north shore

I wore my Christmas headband!!! The weather didn't cooperate too well, with a fine mist, but all was good, and these Vancourites just go with the flow. Everyone has a raincoat, and rain is nothing to them. I did ask for an umbrella because I have my orange down jacket, and it's lost all its water-repellent/proofing, and if it gets wet, it's like a down pillow. But it didn't rain hard enough, and I didn't get wet enough for it to come through, so I tucked the tiny umbrella into my pocket, and we were good. 

I have no idea how many lights they had in the canyon, but it was spectacular. Just stunning and so much to see, 

Here are the lights on the suspension bridge, and they changed colors, so you never know what you will see. And yes - we walked across the bridge. It wasn't scary, but it was so wobbly, I felt like I had been drinking heavily! It all depended on how many people were on the bridge and if someone dared to rock it! It wasn't so bad on the way across, but on the way back, there were a lot of younger kids on it, and it was swaying back and forth! We all did very well!!!! No sign of vertigo at all!!! Can that open-door helicopter ride in Hawaii have cured me? Actually, I think it was the day we went ziplining in the trees that cured me of my discomfort with heights. 

Capilano Suspension Bridge at night!

I think Dillon and I had a competition to see who could take the most pictures. We both took more than 100 photos, but the displays were spectacular. This one was stunning, and because it was dark, the lights just seemed to hang in the air and reflected in the water. By the way, did you know the bridge was originally built so the loggers could cross the canyon? 

Light display at Capilano Suspension Bridge park

There is a path above the ground between the giant trees. Those support trees were lit up like pillars on a bridge. The lights on the walkway changed, and that is VERY high above the ground!!! Spectacular and so well done. 

The skywalk

Once we got off that walk, we went down many steps, and that's when you could really visualize how high you were on that treetop walk. There was a tunnel of lights, and M and Dillon were silhouetted in it. 

A tunnel of lights

There were some holograms of forest creatures with sound. It was so well done. 

Holograms

And then there was the cliff walk. Yep—this narrow pathway was supported by metal supports from the side, driven into the side of the cliff. And we walked the entire way, and no issues with heights. Granted, it was night, so you didn't get the whole feel of how high you were, but still. It was terrific, and all lit up!!!! There was even one spot with an open grill to walk on, over the canyon. NO problem!!

The cliff walk

As we were leaving, of course, you have to walk through the gift shop, where I asked M and Dillon to pose with the nutcracker, and they proceeded to pull his arms off. Sigh.......  Children!!!! But it was all so much fun. Thanks to M and Dillon for a great evening. I'm happy it worked out because while we could have rescheduled, the weather is supposed to get rainier, which wouldn't have been that much fun. 

Put his arms back on!!!!

At one point, we had stopped for hot chocolate, apple cider, and otter tails. Do you know what that is? I didn't take a picture, but they are tiny pancakes soaking in maple syrup. They were good, but very sweet. 

I spotted this in the gift shop. Does anyone remember those oversized pennants we used to buy? Well, this one is tiny!!! A new trend? I don't know, but I bought a fridge magnet to remember the magical evening. 

A tiny pennant

And this is the tow of them outside the front gate with the giant tree in the back. The lighting display was stunning, and we spent a couple of hours there!!!!

Dillon and M

Then, we went home and fell into bed. M and Dillon live very close to that park and now have season tickets. A magical place at any time of the year. It was a long day. Not stressful, but there were a couple of dicey hours in the afternoon, when I wasn't sure what was going to happen. All part of travel. 

So I am back in my little suite on the main floor of the house they rent, and it's pretty cozy. We have nothing significant on the agenda for today, which is why I took the opportunity to just luxuriate in bed. Now I'll get dressed and go upstairs to see what little Bear is doing, and perhaps we can go for a walk!! 

Have a super day!!!!! Always keep an open mind when traveling, because, while it was a crazy day, it was a lot of fun and so much more interesting than if the plans had gone as planned!

Ciao!!!!