Out like a lion, in like a Lion

I have spent most of this morning scrolling through reflective and celebratory posts of 2019 and some post filled with hope for the new year.

I am coming off an epic year. 2019 in 1 word was a party. It’s was carthadic for my extroverted soul. It felt like a coming out of sorts.

 The past decade and a half my life had felt not totally my own but my resolution of 2019 was to let go of my need for praise, to let go of my need of perfectionism, to let go of self importance, to say no to things I didn’t want. But most importantly, do the things I want to do and not wait or put it off or have it feel less important. 

I end this year perfectly happy and content that I have put most of those to rest. 

Some highlights of my year was my trip to see my sister, camping with a wonderful group of friends, and watching the girls show at synergy but in between those events for me was a plethora of other momentous events like celebrating birthdays with friends, parties, dances, road trips, my sister’s birthday, Christmas, hockey games, basketball games, horse shows etc.

Last year we rang in New Years exactly how we lived 2019.

We booked the curling rink and just let the night play out.

My goals for 2020 

- literally and figuratively clean out my closets

- knit more

-walk more (we have a couple family hikes planned)

- skiing dec 2020

- 

2019 Regional Communications

The girls had such great speeches this year and they have done so awesomely me and have been so composed through clubs, districts, and regional competitions. 

Lucy placed 1st at clubs back in January.

Then in February she placed 1st at Districts and then this past weekend she placed 3rd at Regionals. She’s out of junior and onto intermediate next year - but she is totally ready!

Ellie placed 1st at clubs, 1st at districts, and had a solid performance at regionals! She has improved so much this past year with her impromptus. 

The final final day

I had a bit of a conundrum... I did NOT want to come home but I wanted to see my kiddos {and dusty}...

I didn’t sleep well between my brain trying to figure out how to move there and Dusty’s plane crash stories before bed...

I was up and showered and packed fairly quickly and somehow I managed to pack everything a wee bit better than on the way out and I even had more treasurers to bring back!

I spent the morning visiting and doing a little reflection with Amy about my life and a decision that had been weighing on my mind for a while!

Soon it was time to head to the airport. I got to Nanaimo at 1233pm and boarding was at 1240 😳

My dad’s genetic early-ness was in full “I’m late” panic!

Sure shootin’ I got the pleasure of being the random security draw.... my perfectly pack bag- totally unpacked.

Flustered I got through security, thinking that people would already be on the plane but nope. I still stood around for a solid 30 minutes. I had 4 airports total with 2 connecting flights between Vancouver and Calgary so I was anxious to get going.

👆🏻the pretty little city of Nanaimo 

The last spot of the island- mainland bound...

The flight touched down 5 minutes early in Vancouver and I easily found my next gate. It was a FULL plane. Landed in Calgary at 520 and didn’t leave until 740 so I found a comfy spot to pout and wait... 👇🏻

Lethbridge wasn’t even on the board when I arrived 

It did eventually pop up after some snacks and a nap and a show and I was headed to my final destination.

Dusty actually showed up to get me and we went out to catch up. I love Tops Pizza! It’s the best quiet little place!



And look at that garlic toast 👆🏻👆🏻😍😍

As I walked in the door, just my Lucy was there to greet us. She loved the treasures and yummy pork rinds I brought back!

I just want to be back- back to the green and the water and the walks!

Day8- the last full day

Hard to believe that tomorrow at this time I will be flying home 😢. I am not ready to leave my sister or the weather or the ocean but we are filling the day full of the “musts”!

1) we finally hit up the store Islandish. 

It was everything it could of been and more. It was the perfect coastal shop without being touristy. I found the most perfect treasures to go home with!! And to top it off I found a pair of earrings!! When I got on the plane to come here I realized that the back of my earring was missing- sure shootin’ Dusty found it in our bed.... but I haven’t been able to find a single pair of perfect earrings without either breaking the bank or buying tacky tourist. But look at these lovelies... 

The perfect sea glass earrings! The rest of the treasures ya’ll will have to wait for....

2) while driving we saw 👇🏻 and it seriously looks like the happiest sort of vehicle.

3) Brianna’s favourite Nanaimo walk- Beach Estate Park

It was literally ALL down hill on the way to the ocean- and what a lovely little walk to take to the ocean to them jump on a ferry at departure bay but what goes down must also come up and after a day of yoga painting my leggies said “no thank you” to the stairs..... but the waterfalls 😍😍

After our little jaunt of 11 flights of stairs...

4) we went for Lunch at Coach and Horse (where Kyle works) and I LOVED it!! I asked what to get before I went and he recommended the blacked chicken burger which was 👌🏻👌🏻

It’s an awesome super casual comfy English pub!

5) I drug Amy back to the Harbour for a little stroll to help aide in the digestion of our yummy lunch but it was breezy and Amy claimed she was frozen (she clearly doesn’t have callused Alberta skin)

6) so we went to find some curtains for her living room since we stole the blue ones for her room 😳 but instead found the perfect little bench for by her door!! Win for Homesense!

And a double win for our awesome Dad!! 

7) now it’s nap time and then onwards for the next big adventure!

8) our next big adventure post nap was.... Red’s Bakery (again).

Oh my goodness those tarts 😍😍😍😍 soooooooo yummy and the meatballs!

9) we decided to walk off that delicious tart at the harbour and Nanaimo saved the best for last!!

We saw this otter swimming so we ran around the whole harbour following it to this boat dock where it’s pal was hanging out!! The above photo has them both working at the back of the boat trying to untie it and hijack it 😂.

They eventually gave up and played on the dock 



Then we saw the most beautiful blue heron just sitting by one of the bridges bathing in the sun.

 And if you look on the bottom left corner of the rock you can see PURPLE STARFISH!!!! Like amazing!

10) we headed back to Amy’s place for an afternoon game of Quirkle and a drink of water!! And it was an epic game! Amy FINALLY won a hard fought game!

11) and then the biggest decision of the day!

What to have for supper on the last day! #1 Asterias won.... I have never been for “good” Greek food and I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was pretty amazing!

It’s in this charming old Victorian home and it’s lovely.







We ordered and Amy will phone and re-edit my list and spelling 😂

Fried calamari, spanakopita, mufaka, grape leaf sausage rolls, rice, potatoes, Greek salad, pita, tatziki, and fried cheese.

All amazing but my stomach hurts.

12) the final adventure- dessert

Amy claims the greatest chocolate cake ever.... so the expert went to taste test. 

La Stella’s chocolate cake....

Is amazing. So good and rich!!!!


13) peace out ✌️ 

 

Day 7- oh my old hips

It was a late start to the morning but we managed to get rolling on our 1 day of work by 11. Amy’s room was this horrible butter yellow white and it was a little dingy so we freshened it up! It took as all stinkin day but we got it done and her new sheets and dresser arrived too!!! She sheets are so lovely and earthy and the dresser is swoony! Her desert oasis is going to be perfectly relaxing!! Can’t wait to see the rest of the decor go in!!

The Before...

My after (which I didn’t do the room justice!!)

Amy’s After!

Day 6- Is it possible to Live here

Daylight savings time is a really downer on vacation! We lost an hour this morning but with the loss of that hour it made some decisions easier, like not sitting in a car for four additional hours to go to Tofino. 

It was a perfectly lovely morning again with blue sky’s and perfect spring air. We hit up Neckpoint park and it had some perfect trails 

The trees are all starting to bloom making it feel even more like spring has finally arrived- I am already trying to mentally prepare myself for returning to Alberta. I have now just sort of given up and find myself looking at real estate here and maybe just never returning!

Below is Indian Beach and I seriously couldn’t get over how perfect the trails are!!

Below is neck point and the rocky beaches are filling with deep dark black flat stones and polished oyster shells and you can see the bottom of the water and would make awesome places to swim!




 

Just around the bend is sunset beach.  We found the perfect huge logs to sit on and just enjoy watching the ducks swim. You can’t see it from the picture but there is the most perfect small house just tucked away up on the hill in the trees in this little bay. 



 On our way back through the woods we found all this enchanting faerie houses ❤️



It was a perfectly magical walk on a perfect spring day. We left a very busy parking lot (after freeing Popples tail hair from the door 😳😂) and made our way back to Amy’s to drop the dogs off! 

After successfully unloading the dogs we headed out for lunch to a very popular English pub called Crow and Gate.

. 

It was dark and moody but cheery. The menu was 👌🏻

Amy ordered Quiche and I ordered bratwurst ....

The food did NOT disappoint nor did the ambience. The bratwurst was the best I have ever eaten and perfectly cooked. It came with dilly creamed potato salad, leafy lettuce with a home dressing 😍, bread, old cheddar, and of course 2 sausages and house made hot mustard! So good! 👍🏻👍🏻

The outside is as charming as the inside.  

We passed a place called the slice on the way too and it apparently has the best peanut butter cheesecake on the planet so of course we had to stop! But who could say no to a delicious slice of pizza too.

 But that cheesecake was the real winner! You can always tell it’s a winner when your body and brain say to stop but your mouth is drooling in between bites faster than your hand can get another bite there! Definitely worth the stop.

The next wee adventure before nap time was a quick stop in the old downtown! We stopped at a magic store and wool shop and a book store! Each as delightful as the next but I think I found a couple good books for Lucy for her birthday and a yard pattern for Amy’s baby!

I am excited for the dam and dinner tonight!

Part 2

The dam

The squirrels are sooooo black!!