Busy week. Company's coming ... Judy and Milt, Garrett, Kat with Gabe and April

Monday morning we woke up to showers. I get to go and meet up with our travel agent and pick up all the documents for our Alaskan Cruise at the end of the month ... exciting. No painters showed up today, probably due to the rain. The rest of the day was quiet ... Jason came and picked up his dogs around 5:30 pm. Athena was all over him licking telling him she missed him. Zeus was pretty excited as well. When the dogs got home, Athena made a fuss with Kristi but Zeus ignored her for a whole evening and would not have anything to do with her... not happy being left behind. lol

Tuesday the sun is back with some clouds. I was off to Duncan early for Freya's 8:30 Vet appointment to check her glands again. Bad news. She is still infected so put on another kind of antibiotics and they sent "the stuff" off for culture to see what type of bacteria she is growing and if the antibiotics will work or not that was prescribed. Poor dog. Won't find out the answer for 7 days and then Dr. Wylie will have to decide how to proceed. Hopefully Freya won't need surgery. Time will tell.

Painters showed up this morning (2) and the left side of the house is now complete, the right side of the house is complete and now they have the high peaks of the front and back to complete. Once that is done they have to go back and do all of the gable ends with red and black. Hopefully they will finish this week .... as we have a houseful of company for the next few weeks. After spending time cooking up some stuff in preparation for company, Ray and I moved down to the dock. Although the temp said 25C it felt more like 29C. Ray even went in for a swim as well as Freya. By the time I got down there the wind came up so I stayed out of the water this time. lol

It was so lovely out that we were back down on the dock watching the sun set. Our neighbours were out on theirs too.

Wednesday, a beautiful morning.  Ray's sister Judy and her husband Milt arrived from Tacoma Washington via the Coho Ferry shortly before 5pm. Judy has not been here since last August so we are excited to show her all of the changes. Kristi came down in the early afternoon to see them for a visit and was able to stay overnight. 

We had only 1 painter how up today. While waiting for the company to arrive Ray, myself and Kristi were down at the dock. Kristi went for a swim and there was a mink swimming right for her! It eventually veered off and went under our dock. Kristi's head was right behind the floaty ... that's how close it was. Kristi has also seen this guy a night peering into the downstairs window previously. Note to self "don't leave the downstairs door open unless the dogs are there". Specially after Ray saw an 8"  salamander peering in the downstairs door.  

Milt and Judy stayed for dinner but left around 8:30 for their hotel. They are staying at the Cowichan River Lodge.

Judy, Milt, Ray and Kristi

Thursday morning, Kristi, Ray and I did our usual morning things before Milt and Judy showed up shortly after 9am. Three painters showed up today, including the guy who likes to do the tall ladder work. Getting closer to being finished. 

Kristi vacuumed out her car from all the dog hair so we could all take the bigger vehicle for our tour.  Amazing when you have company you get caught up on all your cleaning. lol

Two painters here today. By 9:30am we were all out the door heading for Crofton. We wanted to take Milt and Judy to the boardwalk to get some good views of Salt Spring Island. Lots of ripe blackberries to pick. lol

Boardwalk in Crofton, eating blackberries.

After wandering along the boardwalk we went for lunch at The Lion Rampant Scottish Pub in Maple Bay. We had a fabulous lunch out on the patio. Kristi managed to take this neat picture with the reflection of the ocean in the window. (We were actually facing the water.)

After our tummies were full it was time to drive to the Maple Bay Marina to have a walk around.

There was this interesting mural on an electrical shed.

Back home relaxing on the deck.

Tonight's dinner was a chunk of Spring Salmon that our neighbour's gifted me from Darryl's recent fishing trip.

 Two painters here today. Getting close to being done. 

Garrett, Kat and their friends arrived around noon.  We left them to settle in and Milt, Judy, Ray and I headed to Jake's at the Lake to have lunch. 

Milt was not interested in a boat ride, but Ray and I took Judy with us for Garrett's inaugural run skiing. As we had not used the boat towing, Ray and I wanted to make sure everything worked okay and it did. 

And he's off!

Kira, Zeus and Freya

The rest of the day the kids used the boat, and Garrett set up a ramp to jump into the lake with his new trick bike. Jason and Kristi dropped off their dogs and then went out for a round of golf at March Meadows and came back later in the afternoon for dinner.

Garrett, up, up and away!

Gabe tried the bike as well as April. Kat opted to sit and watch. lol Smart girl.

Full House

Pack Walk, everyone waiting to go.

For dinner we had a huge mess of barbecued chicken. Thanks Jason for grilling ... you did a fabulous job. Awesome cleanup crew with all of the dishes.

April, Gabe, Kristi, Jason, Deb, Garrett, Kat, Judy and Milt

Thanks for coming to visit Judy and Milt ... see you in the spring in Tacoma on our way back from the USA

Saturday, Kristi left for Nanaimo early as she started her call shift at 8am. Jason stayed to drive the boat so Garrett and friends could ski and go in the tube. 

Garrett managed to ski with one ski just like he used to years ago. Way to go Garrett.

The Inaugural Tube run.

Once Garrett had done as much as he could, (ie. shoulders worn out) he took over driving and Jason left back to Nanaimo. Thanks again Jason for driving the boat.

More jumping in the lake with the bike.

Dad, did you see that!

Gabe

April tried several times yesterday to get up on the skis but was unsuccessful. Today however, she did marvelous. Stayed up aways down the lake until we couldn't see her and back again.

 Gabe also made it up on two skis.

Norman, Gabe and April's dog, was determined to stay in the boat to not get left behind again. lol

Garrett going for a paddle in the kayak.

Awwww aren't they cute.

After a long day on the dock it was time for dinner.

After my cleanup crew was done in the kitchen they went out to have a campfire for an hour or so before calling it a night. Another exciting day at Kyle's Kottage.

Sunday morning Garrett and Kat made waffles and bacon for everyone upstairs and April and Gabe did the cleanup. What great company. Slow start to the day. It is cloudy and windy but the kids are braving it down at the dock anyways. I don't see them getting into the water though lol They are all pretty sore from the 2 days of activities that they are not used to. By 12:30 the sun was trying to break through.

The kids spent the afternoon on the dock in spite of the wind. Kat really enjoys floating in the new towable. Both Gabe and April tried some fishing.

Garrett's turn for a nap. lol

Once the wind started gusting past 25 km they all moved up to the yard and played ladder ball.

I served baked beans and spareribs for dinner around 6 pm. I think the crew was tired as they all retired downstairs after kitchen cleanup to watch a little TV. Lake time has worn them all out. lol

Monday morning 2 painters arrived to finish up the house. The sun is out but it is a little breezy. The kids are taking us out for lunch at Jake's on the Lake today and then leaving for the ferry around 3pm. A great weekend had by all. Later in the day Dianne and Steve arrive. The adventures continue at Kyles Kottage.