On Holidays

I first met my second cousin on my Dad's side when I was six and he was sixteen. I was living in Vancouver and we took him to Stanley park and various other places to show him around. At the time I could have cared less who he was, I mean seriously, I was six.
The next time I saw him, was about seventeen years later. I had a stop over in London, on my way home from Greece, and we became fast friends during a light speed, crazy tour of London sites in less than 6 hours, before I had to be on a plane to fly over a big ocean and come home to the farm.
Shortly there after, he came for another visit to Canada, and once again we crammed as much sight seeing as humanly possible before he left for Vancouver.

Ten years after that trip he once again flew over the big Atlantic ocean, this time with his family, to arrive at my door step almost two weeks ago.

It was in anticipation of his arrival that my house had a serious makeover where Carpenter and I worked our asses off. There is truly nothing like the arrival of company and a deadline to give you motivation. Also during this time, I saw a whole other side to my Grandmother, who at the age of 80 has quite a bit of energy, but a definite routine. The very idea of company seemed to irritate her and she would comment,
"The way I see it, they are a few days with me, a few days on the ranch, and then they're gone."
She spent the entire time they were here, worrying about food, and served ham and lasagna together. Odd combination for entres, I know, and then came the saying" We could have ham..."

We spent a day out at the ranch visiting with my folks, we took the kids on horse rides, and hiked to the top of Goat Look- out, just before dark. When we returned home I received a phone message from a friend.
She informed me that her two daughters had head lice, and not knowing they had contracted it,or when, so my girls, having had a play date with one of them, could now be infected. She said, " So you may want to run up to the drug sore and get one of those kits...we're off to Disneyland, so see you!"
Having been apart of the head lice checking team for Gem's school, I know that it does not take just one treatment. In fact, it's a few times, then you have to comb all the nits out. It's not a fun process.
I sat both the girls down and did a check, then I phoned my neighbor Jo to come and check my hair. Thankfully we were all clean.
The last thing I wanted to say to my English company, "Umm, you may want to have a look through your daughter's hair, and yours, and then run to the store and buy a kit.... and then we'll sit down and I'll show you how to look for nits." Yeah, let's pretend we're monkeys.

After 7 days here in K-town, we drove the Coq to Vancouver. We had a DVD payer in the Van we rented. The kids were entertained, and mine didn't get sick. I'll have to buy one of those for the truck. Part way though the drive Gem decided to impress the rels by burping the alphabet. A talent she learned from my neighbours' grandsons.Their daughter laughed and laughed and kept saying "Again, again".
We took a detour and stopped off to check out the sand castles at Harrison Hot Springs. Very impressive, especially for being made of just sand and water. After the kids played by the beach and had an ice cream, we hopped back in the van and finished our trek, at our hotel rooms, downtown on Robson St.

We spent the next three days at Granville Island, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Third Beach at Stanley Park. At Granville Island they were impressed with the huge public market and we found an amazing coffee shop that served the richest and best latte my cousin had ever tasted. He was served by a young man wearing a flower in his hair, who was very flirtatious. I told my cousin later that he should have winked at the server, he would have gotten more whipped cream. Apparently, that's what he was afraid of.
The next day Carpenter had joined us and we were off to Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Along the way we thought we could do a drive-by of a few sites.
At one point we took a quick turn, landing us directly in front of the docks, and the smell emanating was so foul and disgusting, it was enough to make one physically ill. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's etched on our brains for life. The turn was my fault, I had thought it would land us up in Gastown, and it did, just a few blocks too soon. Ooops!
On their last day we spent the morning in Stanly park on he beach. The girls collected shells, splashed in the surf, and found starfish. The seagulls ate all the chips, and before we knew it, it was time to take them to the airport. Once again, we had crammed as much sight seeing as possible during their stay.

We left them at the airport, rather early, and quickly said our good-byes, before I "got all mushy". Carpenter and I decided to return to Granville Island, and spend a bit more time at the Kids market, and walking around.
I took Jules to the bathroom, and held the door closed for her, as the lock was broken. Just then a huge fart ripped out loud. Julianne spurted out a laugh followed by a little "tee hee". At first I was rather impressed by the volume my daughter created, for she is only four, and then I felt I should chastise her for not being polite and said,"Jules, what do you say after you toot? Honey, we don't laugh, it's not appropriate." After all, we were in public, and there was a line up of women.
"But Mommy, it wasn't me, it was the lady..."
FLUSH. The woman's identity was safe, but still leaving every one in the line up chuckling, just a little.
After the girls played, Carpenter and I had a mocha, and I purchased flowers for my aunt Jo-Jo, we found our way to her house for the last leg of our trip. We spent the evening talking and laughing into the wee hours of the morning.
We spent the night and the next day began our journey home, and stopped at the Vancouver Zoo. Even though it rained, the girls were still happy to see all the animals.

Now we are home, and I am very aware that school starts next week. The girls and I have caught colds. I'm sure it's because we had way too much fun!

The House that Carpenter Built

I am, as ever in bewildered awe of the talent Carpenter possesses when it comes to wood working. He believes in doing the job right, and whole heartedly, the first time. Otherwise, Why do it? Every time he thinks of a project, he focuses his passion , and turns it into something amazing.
In trade school, he made me a beautiful buffet, while everyone else completed night tables. For Christmas Last year, he built a new dining room table for me, finished just in time for New Year's dinner. He made it no less, out of odds, ends , wrong cuts of wood, and a couple of laminated beams that had the wrong "arc" to them. They were scraps from previous job sites, he took his creativity and made a table, not only solid wood(literally) but a unique masterpiece.
It was obvious then, that he would apply that same passion, to his latest project: The Tree-house.
He collected scraps of wood from reno sites, and other construction sites, poured the foundation - which by the way, was two semi circles, one weekend and then began framing.
The deck was covered with torch on, so that it would not leak during the rain, because the bottom will house his tools until we can cover in the carport. Then a trap door will be installed. According to Carpenter, a tree-house isn't a tree-house without a trap door. Carpenter custom made the doors for the tree house one weekend with the help of Tex. They first took planed wood left over from old palates, and then laminated the pieces together. Once dry, Carpenter used the router to make decorative groves over the front.
The roof has shingles that were left over from roofing our home in 2005. There are actual windows by Jeldwen that open and close. They are nicer than the windows than what's in my house. The common phrase heard around here is "It's just a tree-house", but my Carpenter, had to have it done right.
Before the girls and I knew it, the shingles were being nailed on, and the railing was up.

Now it is done. What started as an idea scratched on a piece of paper over 3 years ago,(the likes of which I haven't seen since) has turned into a reality.Carpenter kept the idea in his head. The idea kept growing, and changing, but he wanted one thing to stay the same: The girls were to have a beautiful, tree house, and he would not settle for anything less. I guarantee it's the only one like it in K-Town. My husband is one amazing guy. This is one sweet kick-ass tree-house.
Who wants a play date?