Sunday, March 25, 2012

BACK AND FORTH

The Empress Hotel

There were several tables in the hallway
My parents had a table just like this one
It was in the living room in front of the sofa

The entrance to the hotel


This kilt caught me by surprise
Only kilts I have seen on men were plaid!

Darth Vader playing his violin on a street corner
The children seem more interested in checking out the coins in the violin case!

Time to go back to the mainland

The light house

We were wondering if this is a name?????

Burrard Inlet


The high green rooftop is the Hotel Vancouver
(Another Fairmont Hotel)

Two tugs doing their job

Whoa....this guy is moving!!

We're coming in for a landing
Phew....we made it

The Lions Gate Bridge
Not flying over
Driving over

We are on the Sea to Sky highway
making our way to Squamish
Text from Jennifer
She was four cars back when it was announced the ferry from Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay was full
GRRRRRRRRRR

HA......
There is a dog in the back of the truck
You can barely see the top of his head

Passing Furry Creek
Lots of Heather growing here

This morning we drove to Whistler to have breakfast at the South Side Cafe
We met Nikki......Ethan and Garen's
'October' Nanny
It was great to see her again
Nikki was at the O'Rourke home when we were there last fall
Nikki took care of the children
Granny was in charge of the kitchen
Papa worked in the vineyard
while Graham and Lyndsay worked at their jobs
Harvest time

While we were away for the two days Stella and Bing 'worked it out'
They are now friends even though they were in the chair for only a moment!

The animals found their own little spot for an afternoon nap

Jen and Alice getting ready for a bike ride!

Gwendolyn slept the day away
She did not want anything to eat

Late this afternoon we went over to the grocery store and bought Gwennie a steak
Jennifer is hand feeding Gwennie
Looks like Alice would like some too!!!!

The carpenter is doing his thing

This is actually a frame for an extra bed when company comes
Joe is building the bed into Jen's utility room
Part of the bed will be 'hooked' up on the wall
The other part of the bed will be a desk
There will be shelves over the bed area
Will update the progress tomorrow

An evening update on Gwennie
She decided she was hungry
HURRAH
She went over to her bowl and stood there
She ate two bowls of food
OH HAPPY DAY
Now she is wanting her treat in her purple 'thing'
For the moment it is like she is back to her ol' self

Today it was warm and sunny
The forcast for the week
Rain every day
We'll see!!!



























Friday, March 23, 2012

UP UP AND AWAY

Jennifer won a two day two night stay at the Empress Hotel in Victoria
Mode of transportation
Helijet

She graciously gave the gift certificate to her parents!

Jen had it all organized
Angus stayed with her friends Annie and Brad
Stella Bing and Susie stayed home with another friend coming in to feed them
Gwendolyn and Alice rode with Jen
Mode of transportation to Vancouver island
BC Ferry

As soon as the flight was announced I jumped up and hurried to the helicopter pad
I wanted to make sure I had a window seat!!!
In the background you can see the pier where cruise ships dock

We sat behind the pilot
Sometimes I watched his body language
For the most part I was relaxed
however
did not like it when the chopper veered left or right

A glimpse of Stanley Park

Lions Gate Bridge

View of the big city

Vancouver airport

Over the clouds we went!


Coming up to Victoria
The navy yard

These homes caught my eye
Thought it was an interesting group

Canadian Coast Guard

We made it!!!!!!!!!
Time in the air
One half hour

View from our room

A little chocolate treat waiting for us in our room

Lots of activity going on outside

Night lights of Victoria harbour

Dog beds and bowls filled with biscuits were waiting for Gwendolyn and Alice's arrival

Our room was on the Gold 'floor'
Many perks
We felt like a King and Queen!!!!

We went for a walk downtown
Checked out  Chintz and Co.

We took a few pics of 'wooden' pieces that we thought Joe could make
The floor lamp is a drift wood plank

SPRING

Checked out the books at Munro's Book Store


We went out to a forested area on the Royal Rhodes  grounds where we met up with Jennifer's friend Jacqueline and her son Max
Look at this pine tree growing out of the stump

Jennifer and Jacqueline met several years ago where they both worked for Chintz and Co. in Victoria as Interior Designers

Former Royal Rhodes Military Academy
Joe attended the school fifty years ago
He had many stories for Jennifer as we drove around the grounds
Our nephew Daniel Brister graduated from Royal Rhodes

Lectures were taken in this building

The parade square which is now a parking lot for
Royal Rhodes University

We stopped for Chinese take-out on our way back to the hotel
It was really good!

It is Saturday and time to bo back to the mainland
Jennifer is on her way to Namino to catch the ferry for Horseshoe Bay

To put in time we decided to have a swim in the hotel pool
HA
We shared the pool with 10 year old hockey players
who were playing water polo

FUN!!!!!

3 o'clock will come soon
We will be up in the air once again
taking the Helijet to Vancouver

Wonder what we will see today????