First off - thanks for the 100th post well wishes - I enjoyed the comments and also the emails which are always unexpected gifts.
Here are some shots from my trip to Summerland:
First off, there was a lot of this during the drive:
There is (as always) A LOT of construction along the Trans-Canada Highway, but there is more than usual this summer because of the construction of the new Park Bridge along the Kicking Horse Canyon. These pictures are from the journey to B.C. This was about a 30-minute delay. For those of you not from around here - this journey winds through the Rocky Mountains. There are some very steep and windy hills.
Funnily enough, when Richard and Susan asked me how the Park Bridge was looking, I couldn't remember even seeing it. And it's rather hard to miss. I must have been having a quick snooze while I drove through that area. I definitely saw it on the way back - it's MASSIVE.
The Park Bridge construction delay was nothing compared to the 1.5 hour nightmare (during rush hour, mind you) to move 5 CITY BLOCKS out of Kelowna and across the Okanagan lake to Westbank. They are building the new William R. Bennett bridge. Let me just say, if I had to do that everyday I would slit my wrists with a plastic knife.
I DID have a wonderful trip, despite the traffic. Susan & Richard have a beautiful, gem of a house. Maddie Moon tried to monopolize my time so I got a great baby fix while I was there. She's such a great kid. Susan is an accomplished chef so I was very well fed and found it hard to return home to MY cooking (and I use the term loosely).
I went to the beautiful Mission Hill winery in Westbank (Okanagan Valley), just a short drive from Summerland. As you can see, the weather was dicey. It started to pour rain just as I left the wine shop (I only brought a couple of bottles - I can't bring myself to buy a case of wine - it seems so much, even though it's really not - especially with Christmas coming up).
I had to chuckle because I see that Nicky just posted pictures from the winery too!
And here's the view of Summerland from up on Giant's Head Park.
I picked up some corn (picked an hour earlier), peaches, plums and nectarines. I'm going to freeze the peaches & nectarines - maybe make some jam too (this weekend). I had picked up some jam the day before at the Farmer's Market in Peachland - now I won't need it since I'm going to try my hand at homemade stuff, so Gina will get a bottle (Mezzie loves jam with toast).
And can I just say, do NOT watch Snakes on a Plane while straining your beautiful BC plums through a strainer to make Plum Puree. **blech**
Nobody warned me that flick was so gruesomely graphic (entertaining movie, though). Mind you, it might not have been so bad if I wasn't wrist deep in juicy, squidgy, plum flesh.
On the house front, I've replaced all the light fixtures and bathroom faucets. I'll post pictures later. I also decided to put down lino at the back door entrance instead of hardwood - a more practical choice for snowy Calgary winters & dripping strollers. Here's the lino and the hardwood.
Hardwood install starts October 1, painting Oct 15 - WOO HOO!!!
Coming up...
- My new laptop arrived this morning - pictures to follow!
- Dietary changes - details to follow on that too ;-)
