We’ve been here about 2 weeks. In the last few of days, we've begun to get some energy back. I’m not sure that it’s sunk in yet that we’re here to live and not just on holiday.
The first week of weather was so fantastic; daytimes mid to high 20s, nights around 15C, always with a cool breeze near the ocean. The Airbnb has a lovely “outdoor living space” on the back porch (more photos in earlier post), and front porch. Every morning we open the French doors from the dining room and the kitchen door to the back porch and leave them open all day.
Last Thursday, we went to Bowen, with Charles and Zoe, to show them the new home and to meet with the builder, on site. It was a most perfect day, clear skies, sunshine and everything was sparkling. Crossing the Lyon's Gate bridge and the ferry ride gave us breathtaking views of the mountains and surrounding waters!
The next day, we had spontaneous beach fun with Prisca (Cat's sister) and her youngest two: Lochlan (almost 14) and Paloma (11, going on 18) and their dog, Trink. (Husband Gord and eldest Findlay were off racing on their sailboat)., at Spanish Banks, the dog-friendly beach. We waded out onto the sandbanks in the low tide, water about knee-high. Prisca ad Paloma went swimming, Trink set off across the harbour to hunt seals, Charles and Lochlan decided they didn't want to swim and played water frisbee instead, and got as wet as if they had been swimming, Zoe tried to join in the frisbee game until she spied the heron. Richard and I waded around grinning and pinching ourselves.
That was so much fun that we've taken Zoe there a couple of times in the late afternoon, once with Cat's brother Charlie and his partner Anne. In the evening it is dog mayhem! Everyone comes with a dog or two, or is a dog-lover. No one comes with a picnic at this beach! Dogs mill about, doing their thing, with owners loosely supervising them. The first evening, we didn’t take a ball or throw-toy for Zoe. By the time we left, she had collected 2 balls! I asked around if they belonged to anyone. No one seemed to care or notice.
White dogs rolling in the dark sand, turn grey. Wet sandy dogs ambling up to random people sitting on the beach are either pushed away in a loving shove or embraced and cuddled. Zoe likes to do this. The first time she did, we were most apologetic but the person said: “It’s okay, this is the dog beach”. Now we don’t apologize, just smile. Dogs leaping, rushing, jumping, cavorting in the water with other dogs, or on their own, some fetching balls or sticks thrown by their people or by someone else. Zoe has "other-dog-throw-toy” envy. She’s still overwhelmed by the number of dogs and activities and runs back and forth between whatever looks the most interesting. Or sits and watches. And while Richard is sort of watching Zoe, I go for a swim about 100 yards out from the beach, with the paddle boarders, in the refreshing gentle swell.
We’ve explored a nearby park, Pacific Spirit park, aka The Endowment Lands, with Zoe and have found hours of trails in the quintessential west coast rain forest. Takes our breath away every morning. The trails are used by bikes, hikers, horse-back riders and dog walkers. So far, no signs of horses, but plenty of dogs and their owners.
On Saturday morning, I went for a morning swim in the Kitsilano outdoor pool. It's 137 metres long and is salt-water. The sun was rising in the east and the moon was setting in the west. It felt pretty magical! Prisca, Loch and Lolo came over for supper. The three cousins disappeared into the living room to explore D&D while us grown ups relaxed on the back porch and caught up on news.
We spent Labour Day Monday we drove up to Squamish The road to Squamish (and Whistler) is aptly named Sea to Sky.
We visited Cat's brother Fran and his wife Janine, their 4 year old daughter Juno, and Janine's second daughter Havana, and dog Scooter at their home, well! their pool. Which has incredible views of the mountains. Zoe was mostly interested in Jasmine the cat.
By the end of our first week in Vancouver, we had 3 visits with Charlie and Anne, 2 with Prisca and kids and 1 with Fran and Janine and family. Filling the empty space. Full heart.
We’ve been busy this week finalizing the colours of our windows (exterior frame colour) and then looking at colour options for the cedar shingles and cedar wood siding, the facia, the soffits, and gutters and downspouts. We’ve spent a lot of time driving all around the city:
- to Burnaby to pick up the sample/chip of the exterior window colour,
- to North Van to the lumber store for samples of shingles/siding, and to look at gutters and downspout colour options
- to the local Benjamin Moore to match the window colour for the builder to give his crew to paint the wood roof facia all matchy-matchy
- to Vancouver’s Eastside to the guys who will stain the shingles/siding to get them matching
- back to the Benjamin Moore to return the wee bookie of paint & stain samples
Have your eyes glazed over yet?
It’s actually been fun and a great way to get to know the Greater Vancouver area.
The last few days we’ve had eerily smokey skies because the wind is coming from the south-east US (Washington & Oregon) bringing smoke from those terrible wildfires. It catches in the back of the throat and leaves one headachey after a few hours. There are all sorts of health advisories for people with respiratory issues, the elderly, infants, etc. I understand suddenly the dangers of smoke-inhalation …With the heaviness of the smoke in the air, the temperatures are cooler as no sunshine is getting through. Sometimes the sun appears as a faint orange ball overhead.
Yesterday Richard and I went over to Bowen again. The ferry ride was eerie due to lack of visibility. Usually you can see Bowen Island as soon as the ferry pulls out of Horsheshoe Bay on the mainland near West Van. Yesterday, there was only hazy grey smokiness to be seen.
I swam at Bowen Bay beach which will be the one we call "our beach"- it's about a 10 minute walk down the hill from our new home. Chilly refreshing waters. My fave!
Afterwards we visited the house and noticed that the second floor is now finished, including the stairs. By finished I mean, the frame is up. The roof is next!
The driveway into our development: Evergreen Lane
Front door:
We also checked on the sailboat in her new marina in Snug Cove, Bowen Island, and found her looking cleaner than we've ever managed, thanks to a local couple who live on their boat in the marina and have a small boat-cleaning business. Some of you may remember that we had the boat trucked across the country, back in June. It's been huge piece of mind knowing she was well cared for all summer. The next task is to get the engine up and running before we can take her out for a sail. Something about boat engines not liking to be bounced for 4,000 kilometres?!
Swan in Snug Cove
Lyon's Gate bridge yesterday about 6pm. Lights are on already because it's so dark from the smoky skies.
