What We Did On Our Summer Vacation

All right, first off, I have to say that it seems a bit of a misnomer to say thatI had a summer vacation. Partially because at the end of this week, I'm heading to the home country for two weeks of family & lake-filled fun. So the past tense seems innappropriate. Also, my work is now more of an all-the-time thing that I can't leave unattended. Really, it was more of a business trip for me. And, instead of a laptop, cel phone, & SecurID as my primary tools, I had the playpen, bumbo, baby moniotrs, hedgehog, gripe water, diaper bag... etc

But it was really good. Don't get me wrong; I'm simply trying to clarify labels in my own head. And on the internet.

So, bearing in mind title adjustments, here's what went down.

We headed for the sunset bright & early on Canada Day, the middle day of the long weekend, and a great day for travel. We had a lot of stuff. I was secretly afraid that I had forgotten something pivotal, & at the same time, brought an entire host of useless items. I was imagining conversations like this:
"So, the diapers were too bulky, but you brought the lemon zester?"
"Yeah, I had this great idea for a campfire trout that needed lemon zest..."
"We're not camping, you know. And we'll probably eat salmon & scallops & halibut on the coast."
(small voice) "Oh. Then I guess I could have left the lemons at home."

Turns out, it was not so bad. I forgot my rx shades, but had my hat, so all was not lost. I also packed some things that we didn'yt use, but that was more the weather's fault. As in, we would've gone to the beach, but it was nine frillion degrees, & while in the past, I would've laughed, carelessly slathered on SPF 50, & headed out, my baby, she does not roll like that. So the sun awning & beach towels became academic acts of optimism.

What? Which beach? Where did we go with all of our stuff? Riiiiiiight....

We drove to Victoria, via Salmon Arm. Am got to met her Great-Gramma (or Gramma-Great), and we had a really nice visit. Highlights were: Gramma feeding Am bottles, generally hanging out, & a drive up a mountain on a logging road that was so rough I was afraid we'd be in the emergency room explaining how the baby got shaken-baby in her carseat. So I held her little melon between my palms, confined my crazy to the backseat (Ack we are going 7 km an hour!), and we all enjoyed the view. Except Am, who totally went to sleep. But Gramma & the man & I liked it!

Victoria was grand, mostly. Dummy me forgot to note that AC was needed in the hotel room, so what did we get? We got a good reason not to hang around the hotel much. We saw the downtown, the Empress, the Undersea Gardens, the Sunday Market, the Butterfly gardens, the Butchart Gardens, the ocean, several beaches, some tide pools, the wharf, and the brother & sister-in-law's new house & wedding celebration. It was all very beautiful, especially the butterfly garden, the Butchart Gardens, & the wedding party. Also, I may not be the craziest Mrs. Robinson - Liisa, the newest, will see my fish phobia & raise me an intense fear of flying things, including butterflies & birds. Ha! Notable moments: nursing Am in the rose garden of the Empress, general morning enjoyment of Am, taking Am swimming, the Bear Mtn golf course, and all the botanical things to admire. ("Wow! Is that ever gorgeous! What is it, do you know?" "Doesn't matter, it'd just die at home." "Right. But it sure is pretty!")

We headed out from Vic on the hottest day of the summer, it seemed, & drove to Osoyoos. Gorgeous drive, beastly heat, darling little good-travelling girl; huzzah for A/C cars fruit stands. Osoyoos was glorious, and air conditioned; we stayed in the Spirit Ridge condos on the Nk'Mip winery. Fan-freaking-tastic, although hot.

AndthenwewenttoKasloandAinsworthHotSpringsandthenwewenthomeandit washotbutniceand Am's awake now, gotta run, bye!

PS:typingonehandedwithlefthandsorryfortypos.