Mini Break

In mid September, Jeff was off to Victoria for three days to complete a fibre optics course at Comosun College. With my newly flexible schedule and forecast for sunny skies, it seemed a great opportunity for me to tag along. Because carpooling arrangements for several of Jeff's colleagues were uncertain until a few days before he left, we decided I would take the train and we would meet up Monday night.

VIA's Dayliner runs from Victoria to Comox and back every day. It's not the most modern train around but for a $20 fare, provided a relaxing ride with some great scenery. The train driver slowed on our approach to the Niagara Canyon trestle bridge (close to Duncan) so we could enjoy the view. It was a little unnerving to stare 300 feet straight down, but Jeff later reminded me that it would have been much more unnerving if the old wooden bridge was still in use. Thankfully, it was retired a while ago.

Cowichan Chamber of Commerce photo

Cathedral Grove photo

The train arrives in the Victoria inner harbour and provides a great view of the BC Legislative Buildings as it crosses the Johnson Street bridge and arrives at the station.

Jeff met the train and we had a great night, chatting over dinner at the much loved Rebar restaurant, then walking around down town. We watched the Blackball ferry quietly sail out of the the harbour at dusk (it travels back and forth between Victoria and Port Angeles, WA) and were absolutely delighted when it bleated its horn.  Unlike the entire fleet of BC Ferries, it was actually in tune. For two people who live a block away from the Nanaimo BC Ferry terminal (and hear out of tune ferries several times a day),  it was welcome music to our ears.

I think Victoria is one of the prettiest cities in Canada and don't know why we don't spend more time there. It was great to have two days to explore, window shop, have coffee, hang out with my cousin and be a tourist on my own island.

Dahlia

Another gift from our friends' garden.

Yum

What happens when you take some garden fresh sauteed greens and mix them with leftover turkey, goat cheese and roasted pepper pesto, roll them into happy wonton mega-raviolis and

top them with fresh tomato sauce and parmesan? You get something very, very yummy.

Good morning

Thanks to the gifts of dahlias, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber and organic greens from friends yesterday afternoon, this was the sight that greeted me this morning when I went into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot. Is there anything that tastes better than the end of summer?

All in a day's work

While my new life of "freedom" as a student, haus frau and woman of leisure is something that I am getting used to quite happily, I have struggled with change that comes with my significantly lower financial contribution to our household. Jeff regularly reminds me that not all contributions are financial ones (and that the value of a wife no longer suffering daily anxiety attacks at the thought of going to a job that makes her absolutely miserable is more than money could ever buy). It is amazing how our life has simplified since I've been off work and how much more cheaply we live, but I'm still aware of this change.

Today, I had an opportunity to make a very unique contribution. While Jeff was busy with his VT 150 and VT 300 robot babies (or "Crawler vehicles" as he corrects me), I was busy with our V-2840. My food vacuum packager might not be able to complete underground rescues, crawl through pipes or help with international security, but I love it just the same.

One of the guys in our care group has worked in the charter fishing business for over a decade and knows everything there is to know about salmon. When he invited us into a group purchase on some of this year's sockeye run (apparently, the best on the West Coast in over a century), we were pretty excited. The 'catch' on this great deal? Each family buying fish needed to provide a helper to process it.

So today while Jeff did all the things that an engineer does on an average day, I joined 6 strong, outdoorsy-type men to process 700 pounds of salmon. It was caught yesterday and was so fresh, all you could smell was a little sea water (no fish smell at all). We barbequed some for lunch and let me tell you- it was the best salmon I've ever tasted.

The fish in this photo account for about a third of the total we cut, rinsed, dried and vacuum packed. I'm proud to report that my equipment and vaccum-packing talent wowed the boys and I think, I did well enough to earn an invitation back next year. Jeff and I bought 100 pounds and came home with 42 sides of salmon that we are splitting with Jeff's parents. So for all of you prairie and Ontarian friends and family members- you'll have to come out for a visit. We have lots of very yummy salmon to feed you.

Garden surprises

This weekend, Jeff and I were welcomed to two big surprises in our garden.

The first- a happy one. What happens when you have a boy kiwi plant beside a girl kiwi plant? They produce a maze of unruly, curling and unbelievably long vines that make lots of baby kiwis. I'm quite excited about this new crop.

The second was a not-so happy surprise. Jeff and I thought this was the largest hornet's nest we'd ever seen. Nanaimo went pesticide and chemical-free this year, so we had to resort to creative ways to deal with the nest. Thankfully, Jeff's parents had their own huge wasp nest the same week and were able to inspire some MacGuyver-ing with their shop vac, a ladder and some wire. Jeff's estimation was that we vacuumed up about 500 angry hornets.

Transitions

I took a leave from my job at the end of June- a leave that probably should have happened a year or two ago. While I won't go into details here, I have enjoyed the people parts of my job (clients, colleagues) but the environment has been exceptionally difficult and disheartening to work within. My decision to go back to school was, in part, out of the realization that this work environment is not going to change.

It was wonderful to have the summer off to regain some health and perspective. It has enabled me to see how being so unhappy has affected our home life... and do some pretty honest soul searching about priorities and values. Actually having energy to garden, cook and have real conversations with Jeff was something I really missed.

In the end, it was pretty clear that going back to work in this job was not the best thing for us. Jeff has been beyond supportive of this decision and for this, I'm immeasurably grateful. Last Thursday, I cleaned out my office and said goodbye. My plan is to continue with my master's degree (something I am enjoying very much) but beyond that- I'm not sure. It feels really good to have some quiet to let this unfold. For now- this view (outside my basement office window) seems to be exactly where I need to be.

Pain and distraction

After our super weekend spent hiking rainforest trails, jumping into river rapids and sleeping on a very uncomfortable mattress in our "rustic" cottage rental, Jeff suffered a flare-up of a herniated disk problem that began at the start of this year. While decompression therapy has helped and, some three weeks later, he is doing much better, there were two weeks when he was completely unable to sit and barely able to lie down. It wasn't a fun time.

With a stern warning not to do any lifting, he was going a little stir crazy walking in circles. In an effort to provide a bit of distraction, I came up with an idea to make pretzels. I'm not sure why, exactly- it seemed like a great idea as they took up the better part of an afternoon and were something I've always wanted to try.

We followed

this recipe, replacing the butter with Jeff-friendly non-dairy margarine. The great idea turned into a fun afternoon as they were delicious dinner with home-made hummus and salad. Yum.