Looking back on B.C. from my porch...

                              This sign in front of the library caught my fancy...

                                     Inside the library looking up...

                             A view from the ferry...

                                         Seals...

                                           Ferry views...

                             A tree I had never seen before. Arbutus, I think.

                                                      The gates on Salt Spring...

                                           The veggies were beautiful...

                                                      The tree house...

                                          Notice the wooden house boat on the left...

                                              One of the sunsets...

                                           Mountain veiws everywhere I looked...

                                          Cheesery...

                                          Another gate...

                             The star fish, also the star of the tide pool!

                                           The blue views and rock faces...

           
At My House:

In my fridge you'll always find: Greek yogurt and Gala apples

Favorite family recipe: My marinara sauce made with good red wine

Favorite junk food: Junior Mints, a whole movie box

I'll do anything to avoid: Cleaning the tub

My secret cleaning weapon is: Lemons in the garbage disposal in the sink, smells like I cleaned all day!
Before company arrives, I hide: my piles of important clutter in my broom closet, under my bed, in the oven...

I love to shop for: Books, any bookstore any time

I hate to shop for: groceries, nuff said

Bad habit: Wearing my pajamas for as long as possible

I just learned: About a new vice, Affogato, espresso and ice cream

Stuff I can't live without: I like my books at least two weeks out, comfy shoes, Outlander. I can live without stuff, though. I can't live without my people. You know who you are.

Personal mantra/motto: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. (Seuss)

I wish I could tell my younger self: You are going to live through this

Cat/dog/other pet: Chocolate lab, Izzy. but she likes my hubby the best

I have been away from the porch...

                                                   Sarah...the post grad student

                          Mike and Karin...my bro and his better half...

                                          Stephanie...the birthday girl

                            Bob...Stephanie's hubby waiting for coffee...

                          Stephanie...is the coffee ready yet?

                        Ivan, Marci and Al...my hubby, my sister and her significant other

                                 Hugs...

                              Dave...our host, grilling veggies

                            Brother Mike grilling fresh salmon...

                          Karin, Dawn and Stephanie...what?

                            Proud  Mom and son

                       Niece Dawn, Alice and niece Sarah...with an h...

                                               Hubby and Me

                                 Christine, our hostess and Ivan, her charge

                                     Birthday girl and her consort

                                                      Smoochies

                            The Middle...that's me

                            Help!! No, really, they need help!

A trip to Vancouver, B.C. and Salt Spring Island to celebrate my sister's 60th birthday turned into a family adventure! We hiked, went whale watching, tasted craft beer and wine, shared delicious food, visited a goat farm and fromagere. I looked that up.  We saw Orca whales, sea lions, a kangaroo mouse, star fish and sea otters. We visited a farmer's market on the island where we tasted fresh vegetables and fruits. Dave and Christine shared their downtown Vancouver neighborhood with us. We saw the sights, a former Olympic village, a museum of the First Nation,  the ocean and mountain vistas, and Affogato...
After all that I must say that the best part of the trip for me was spending time with these people. My family lives across the U.S. and Canada. We get together often but this is our first trip as a group to B.C. I enjoyed sharing morning coffee, having the time to just sit and talk. I soaked up the relaxed atmosphere of groovy Salt Spring Island. We all enjoyed the company of our family. Peace and Love in Vangroovy...

Back on the old front porch...

I took so many pictures of the grands in June and July. They stayed with us from June 13 until July 31st. It was a time of swimming, acrobatics, football, ten cousin birthday party and site seeing, U.P. style. Lots of good food and deserts (banana cake and Blue Moon ice cream). My daughter and neighbor for three years moved to south Florida on August 1st. My youngest girl moved to Florida last November. Bittersweet for me. My girls and their families are all living down south. My hubby drove a moving van and I flew with the kids down to help them get settled. I'm gonna miss them...

I am reading Lovers at the Chameleon Club. It is well written, intriguing but without a single character I can warm up to. The artists are so self centered. The patrons so needy. The poor people so, well, so poor.
I am listening to Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. It is an entertaining listen. The readers are so good. the story is a little fractured though...
My summer movies have been animated. Inside Out, twice, I cried. Minions, I did not cry. One grown up movie The Second Best Marigold Hotel, not quite as good as the "Best" but I loved it anyway.

Lost an old friend this summer to Alzhiemers. I had no idea it could be so devastating a disease. Having had no experience with it at all. She was 68. Mortality bites.

I feel like I have caught up a little. I hope to write more often. I want to post pics and keep up on the books I am reading.