Rain, Rain, Rain! and Remberance Day. November 2nd - November 12th

 November 2nd was the last nice day. Penny came and finished all the "mucking out" of my gardens in preparation for winter. 

Our lake is really going down, as more water is being let into the river for the salmon and we've not really had any measurable rain. This is also the final day for us to sit on the deck for a bit before the week or more of storms coming in. We actually received storm after storm (about 5 or so) with really heavy rain and wind. Lots of power outages all over the island and BC.

November 2nd ... really low

Amazing what 6 days of steady rain can do! 

November 8th

As the ground is now saturated, and all the streams are rushing water into the lake, it's now at the bottom where the steps start, 3 days later.

November 11th

One day later, November 12, the rain has finally quit but the lake came up another couple of feet. Now up 3 stairs and almost to the top of the 4th stair from the beach.

November 12th.

The next storm will roll in tonight with more rain, (Nov 12)

Monday the rain quit for a bit and it's quite warm outside, so I turned the heaters on and sat on the back deck. We needed to dry the chairs off from the damp before putting the covers on them. The firetable hadn't been covered either, so needed to dryout the rocks in it too.

Next few days was nothing but rain. We had to go up to Nanaimo on Thursday as I had a doctor's appointment. We bought buying some crafting things for Amelia, and a Costco run, but otherwise puttered in the house.

Friday, November 6th, was a stormy day. Jason came with Amelia after she got out of school. He helped bring up all the Christmas Village boxes for Ray and Amelia to work with. We have Amelia for the weekend as Jason left for Nanaimo after dinner. As usual she put all the people in this village and helped with some of the houses. Here she is figuring out what houses she wants to place. Ray had stuffed them all under the tables.

Little Miss Sassy Pants helped me bread our pork cutlets for dinner. She is very helpful, and helps Papa set the table and Daddy load and empty the dishwasher.

Good thing we had dinner early (5pm) as the storm arrived. Jason drove over a big tree branch on the highway. It hadn't started raining yet, but it's quite windy.

By 6:30 pm, our power did go out. I saw a transformer crash onto the road across the lake at the Northshore Subdivision. Amelia didn't seem to mind that the power's out. She was up the stairs in the dark to her room to get her flashlight before I could get a lantern out. Amelia did wait until I had lights going and she came back downstairs. She still played with Papa with the magnatiles. No lights didn't phase her at all.

She also brushed her teeth in the dark with her head lamp on. The power came back on about midnight. Amelia went straight to bed and asleep at 7:30. Going to full-time kindergarden and an after school program, she is pretty tired by the end of the week.

The next morning we had power but lots did not. We were lucky but we do have a gas fireplace to stay warm and I can use my propane stove to cook. We are located in the middle of all those red outages.

After our usual breakfast with Amelia and I making blueberry pancakes, it's time to go for a walk/scooter ride while it wasn't raining.

 It just started to sprinkle again when we got back.

More puzzle time with Papa.

We took her to A & W for lunch and then Amelia and I did some crafts in the afternoon. I had some beading projects for necklaces and bracelets that kept her busy upstairs for awhile. Her and I also wrapped up Ray's birthday presents.

We also made Christmas ornaments. I 'd bought tree templates from when we were Nanaimo last Thursday. She was pretty impressed with herself. lol She tells me I need to bring my crafting supplies to her house next time I come as her parents don't know how to do crafts lol I wouldn't either without "Mr. Google". :)

Now that she is older, she plays by herself in the loft with the toys and colouring supplies.

Sunday morning, a little more play time before Jason picked her up at 10 am between rain storms. Amelia packed her things, made her bed and had everything ready to go.

I noticed my throat was a little sore Saturday night and by the time she left on Sunday it was worse. I had a couple of days of cold medicine. Fortunately is wasn't lasting long. 

Monday, we went to Jake's for "seniors lunch" as we had not been for awhile. They had a few new items on their menu that are delicious. I had the mushroom and prawn gemelli and Ray the Maple Miso glazezd salmon and prawns. Of course I only ate 1/2 of mine so that was Ray's dinner too.

Wednesday, November 11th, Rememberance Day, I stayed home and watched the program from Victoria while Ray attended the service here in Lake Cowichan. I didn't want to give anyone my cold.

Here are some pictures Ray took. The parade is not very long, but we are a small town and a lot of people came to watch. Ray said even with the weather, more people were there this year than last year...

Ray's dad served in the second world war.

Here is a short video of the parade and pipers, Ray's favourite. 

Then off to the Legion for lunch and listen to the pipers.

We got this picture today of Amelia playing with the "boat" she and her papa built at the Martime Museum in Cowichan Bay last summer. Great fun. This is the ditch in front of her house.

Wednesday night I made a "Restaurant Dinner" for Ray. He's been asking me for Cacio de Pepe (pasta) for awhile now. I had taken out a sockeye fillet to thaw so Maple/Soy glazed salmon with the pasta. He was a happy camper! Thursday night left-overs :)

That was the last 10 days lol Tomorrow, Steve and Dianne arrive for Ray's birthday weekend. Pssst ... he turns 70! 

Halloween - October 25 - November 1st.

Sunday, Oct 25h after dinner at O'J's, we attended The Remarkable Beach Boys Tribute: Let's Go Surfin. What a great concert. Lots of dancing in your seats. lol 

The drummer, from Langford, was really talented. He sang all of Brian Wilson's lyrics, played the guitar and french horn as well as all the drums and percussion.

Here is a short video.

This week we made several trips into Duncan for prescriptions, and eye appointments. Of course mine is on Thursday and Ray's Friday. The upside, we went out for lunch a couple of times. lol

Friday night we were treated to a fireworks show, across the lake from us. It's perfect as I sat in my chair and could see this right out our patio doors. It went on for almost an hour.

Here is a short video.

Saturday, October 31st. Halloween!

We headed up to Nanaimo for a shopping trip to Costco and then after lunch we went to Kristi and Jason's. We were to man their door for Halloween so they could all go out with their friends to trick or treat. We had about 66 kids, which was double from last year. I think that Halloween being on a Saturday and no rain, made the difference. 

First up feeding crew. Hot dogs all around.

Kristi grew this pumpkin. Amelia pretending she is a cat.

The group. One of the neighbours kids and Ross and Layla with their 2 girls.

Everyone came home with quite a haul of candy after running around for 2 hours. Out at 5 pm and back by 7.

Sunday morning cuddles. Amelia said she really missed us, so both of us got lots of hugs and kisses.

We took Amelia and Jason to breakfast at Smitty's. Kristi had already gone with her soccer team to Saltspring Island for a game. Jason had his Hema course to attend. (HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) sword fighting. He's really enjoying it and has his first tournament next weekend. We have Amelia again.

Jason in his Hema stuff. He used AI to enhance a picture. lol

We went back to the house for a couple of hours of playing games and some crafting before heading out to Canadian Tire and Lowes. Lunch is at McDonalds. There's a birthday party happening so Amelia didn't want to use the play area ... "too many kids Grandma".

After lunch we headed to Maffeo Sutton Park for their playground. A beautifal fall day.

Ray wanted to take Amelia for ice cream, but she told him that she had enough sugar with all her candy so did not need ice cream today! 

We dropped her back off at 2:30 pm and after packing up our stuff, headed back home to the lake. Amelia is back at our house on Friday for the weekend as Jason is at his first Hema Tournament and Kristi is on call.

Amelia is happy to see us back home, the kids are too so we can "help out" lol.

 

Lake Cowichan, nothing too exciting - Oct 14 - 24

Wednesday morning, We're still adjusting to the 4 hour time change, so were up way too early. (3am)  We did however, try and keep meal times etc at BC Time.  Tonight for dinner I cooked a prime rib roast on the BBQ as a thankyou to Steve and Dianne. They took such good care of our house and moved most of the summer stuff away for us.

Dianne came down with a cold on Friday before we got home and Steve of course, got it and is feeling pretty tough when they picked us up on Tuesday. Hopefully we miss it, but being in the same car, same house, I have my doubts. :)

Roy and June came over for a visit after dinner and June brought her pumpkin cheesecake. Yumm. They left at 9 and all of us headed to bed. We all slept really good. We didn't wake up until 6, I stayed in bed and slept to 7. Best sleep ever for all of us. Steve woke up feeling much better.

After our usual mornings, coffee, news on the tv and tablets, I made a big breakfast for us all. Nice to cook in my kitchen again! Steve, Dianne and Ray tidied up. Dianne and Steve had packed up most of their things yesterday into the truck and car with only a few things to go this morning. By 10 am they were on their way.

We spent the morning moving our suitcases back into the upstairs bedrooms, bringing down our fall/winter clothes and moving our summer stuff back upstairs. Between laundry and packing stuff back and forth it's time for lunch. Off to Jake's. We'd been given a gift certificate from Dianne and Steve's son Chris, for letting them all stay here for the week of Steve's birthday in August. Thanks a bunch Chris and Angela.

I also filled up our hot tub in preparation to turning it on. Unfortunately there is a relief plug that is leaking water and air, so had to postpone turning it on to heat until I get a new plug hopefully tomorrow in Duncan. (that didn't fix it ... repair guy coming next week from Victoria.)

Back home after lunch, my "garden angel Penny," was working in the garden and I joined her for a couple of hours, emptying planters in preparation for moving them under the sundeck for the winter and putting all my garden ornaments away. All in all, a very busy day. The weather's fabulous, sunny and warm at 17.5C.

Friday, Ray went for a walk while I was getting my hair done at the campsite next to us and found a bear! He turned around and went another way. This picture is zoomed in. This bear was about 300 feet away.

We ran into Duncan after my hair appointment for errands. We stopped for Chinese food for lunch and back home for the afternoon. We are still pretty tired. 

Sataurday, I spent the morning prepping dinner and getting ready for the kids to arrive. Kristi arrived at about 1 pm with Jason and Amelia arriving at 3 pm, after Amelia attended a birthday party. Poor Jason  survived a 5 year's old BD party at McDonalds!

Jason and Kristi got busy moving the planters under the sundeck and other furniture into the basement.  Good luck if you need anything under the stairs. In the spare bedroom downstairs is the overflow of chairs from the dock.

Now we can access some of the Christmas Village Pieces. Ray has them stored in every nook and cranny in here and the boat garage.

Next up Jason pressure washed the sundeck and front concrete from the dirt from the planters. Then he hung up a strand of xmas lights on the beams where Ray will be assembling the xmas villages underneath.nt Jason doesn't want to reach over the villages and possibly break something like last year.

Amelia kept busy while I made scalloped potatoes and baked ham for dinner.

Yup Jason is one tired guy!

Of course after dinner, ice cream was involved. Both were wearing their new T-Shirts from St. Martins NB.

Sunday morning Amelia and I made our standard blueberry pancakes and maple breakast sausages. Jason and Ray moved the summer furniture into the storage room and stacked the rest in the spare bedroom downstairs. They also made a dump run to get rid of some yard waste and garbage that missed garbage day.

Kristi, Amelia and Olaf went to the park and raked some leaves to play in.

They even involved Olaf, such fun.

Friends of Kristi and Jason, also came for dinner on Sunday arriving at 3 pm. Tonight's meal is chicken on the rotisserie, baked potatoes, homemade cesear salad and stir fryed vegetables. Dinner's early at 5 pm, so they were all gone by 6:30 pm as Amelia has school tomorrow. Rita and Ted are going to stay at Kristi's for a couple of nights.

Ted, Rita, Deb, Ray, Amelia, Kristi and Jason

Monday, after my appointment we headed into Duncan so I could pick up my laptop. I had dropped it in Nova Scotia and the mouse pad popped out. I bent some tabs back to get it back in, but wanted to make sure I hadn't damaged anything. Fortunately I didn't :) After another quick stop to pick up a parcel, we had lunch at OJ's, saying Hi to our favourite server, Nicole. Back home we just puttered until dinner.

Tuesday, dental appointments, oh joy! Back to the lake by lunchtime. We had a service guy come from South Island Fireplaces and get our gas fireplace running again. I had changed batteries in the remote module and accidentily pulled a wire. It needed glass cleaning anyways, so a service call was made. He showed me where the wire goes so I know for next time. :)

Meanwhile with the leftover chicken, I made 2 chicken pot pies, one for tonight and one to freeze. All leftover veggies went in as well.  

The lake level is really low since we have not had any rain to speak of for months. They have the weir gates down to put water into the river for the salmon.

We cleared off the buffet and moved our coffee station to the island. This is in preparation for Ray's Christmas Village. This one he has to remake as he now has 2 trains he has to get running in this area, and still be able to fix if they derail. The other two villages (tables) will come after. We have Amelia for the weekend November 7th so one of the other villages has to be ready to set up as she wants to place the houses this year, not just the people. Ray has work to do. :)

Wednesday, the repair guy for the hot tub should be here around 11 am. I have a leak around the lid for the filter cannister. Unfortunately the only Coast Spa dealer/repair is from Victoria not Duncan. Hopefully not too serious a fix. Since I have to pay for $150 call out, plus at least an hour at $120, I will have him check everything else while he is here. 

Turned out that the lid Ray purchased in Duncan did not fit well. 10 minutes it was all fixed. Yeesh! Checking out the rest of the hot tub there was one jet control that needed a little tightening and a pipe going to the pump needed a 1/4 turn. Otherwise our 8 year old tub received a clean bill of health. $482 for 30 minutes work.

Wednesday, Ray tried the FP in the morning, it wouldn't stay lit! Now what. The stove wouldn't stay lit either, so no cooking. Ray called Superior and they came Thursday to fill us up. We had filled in June so we shouldn't have been empty. The app on Ray's computer showed the tank empty. Well they were not. Both were at 80%. Turns out that the regulator was hooped. I managed to call a guy and he was already in Duncan and after sending him some pictures he picked up the part and installed it Friday morning. The regulator is probably 18 years old so I guess time to change it out. We have had "three  things" go wrong in the past few days, hopefully that is the end of problems. :)

Friday morning we had some fog on the lake and as it lifted Ray grabbed a few pictures. Beautiful

Friday night we were invited over to Roy and June's to tour their "tiny house" as it is mostly finished. Gorgeous. It was also movie night and we watched The Black Bag. Thanks for the invite, we really enjoyed your new Theatre Room and the snacks.

Saturday, we finally have some rain. Mostly sprinkles. Before the clouds came in heavy we noticed fresh snow on the mountains across from us!

Today is Election Day, hopefully it goes well. I think everyone in the province is ready for a change in government after 9 years of more spending and not much to show for it. As expected the Conservative Party defeated the New Democrat party but with numbers no one expected. 64 to 27 seats.

We have had a pretty busy 10 days since we came back home. Not very "picture worthy" though. lol