Finding Home

During the month of July, 14 people from a variety of backgrounds and interests met every Friday morning to discuss the topic of "What Home Means" within the framework of the more senior generation. Much of what we have discovered is now being developed into a hopefully useful format, with the help of the Eldercare Foundation, Saanich Parks and Recreation and the VIHA Wellness Centre. The project was interesting and enjoyable thanks to the skills of Jessie, the Facilitator of Finding Home. Jessie came from Vancouver every week to work with us. The other woman who worked with us every week was Liz from the Wellness Centre. Both ladies were very skilled, in a fun and friendly way, in drawing out our thoughts and ideas. With the ongoing projects that have come from this, we hope to help seniors feel "at home" where ever they might be living.

April road trip continued

This part of my travel story is actually a continuation of the previous Blog (below).

After leaving Joshua National Park we drove to Palm Springs and had a brief visit with two friends (and their two wonderful dogs) from Vancouver who were on holiday at their condo. We spent the night in Yucca Valley and early the next day headed east via the very scenic desert roads through Amboy, Needles and Oatman. Oatman was interesting as there were about 3000 motor bikes visiting a town with a population of about 200. We spent the night in Holbrook Arizona and the next morning were on our way to Canyon de Chelley on more lovely back roads. I was having a difficult time finding people to give my cards to. The land was so empty we were not meeting anyone!

After leaving the incredible Canyon de Chelley we traveled north to Moab for the night. At a little Mexican cafe we had our dinner. There we had an experience neither of us had ever had before. We admired the dessert that another customer had ordered and she immediately brought it to our table to share it with us! We managed to convince her to eat it all herself by promising to buy one as well. I was quite sincere when I gave her a Nicer Place card.

In the morning it was east to Colorado. On the Colorado border we met two of the most helpful people I've ever encountered working in a Visitor Center. The information was very useful and they even gave us a Colorado baseball cap as we were leaving. Yes, I left a card.

Lunch, after a climb straight up then down a very high mountain, was at Betty' Cafe in Rangley. Very friendly lady was working there. I'd be happy to go back.

That night we were in Pocotello Idaho. In the morning at breakfast we met very friendly delightful people from Edmonton and compared travel notes. By the time we got to our hotel in Walla Walla Washington we were tired from a long drive through wind, rain and road construction. We had dinner in the very empty hotel as it was too miserable to go out. The two fellows who were looking after the front desk and the dining room were wonderful. They kept us entertained and well fed.

The next morning was clear and warm. We drove the back roads through some beautiful countryside, crossed into Canada at Osoyoos and stayed in Princeton for the night. Next night we were home.

Again, I cannot decide which picture to choose from the trip so I'll probably pick more than one.

It has been a very busy month!
In the middle of April the Police Chorus traveled to Nanaimo to do a concert to help with a Church fund raising. Instead of going home after the performance we stayed the night in Qualicum Beach at the Old Dutch Inn. Very friendly, tolerant staff work at the Inn. The next day we performed at a large nursing home in Ladysmith. Most residents were in wheelchairs or used walkers so the staff had to start quite early to get them seated in the dining hall for the show. Many of them appeared to not even understand what was going on and sat quietly staring and unresponsive. When I realized most of them could not manage come over to the display I had set up, even if they noticed it, I decided to take the display to them. They were delightful! As soon as I started to show them the pictures and the Bobby helmets they"woke up". Many of them had stories of Bobbies on the streets of England in their childhoods and others asked questions about the photos I was sharing with them. The show was a success. They laughed, tapped their feet, clapped and sang along quite enthusiastically. As I was packing up after the show a most charming man in a wheelchair stopped to talk. He was a delightful and likable man. I could tell from all the comment the staff made as they were going back and forth that he was a favorite. I was grateful for the time he spent talking to me and was happy to leave him a card.

A few days later my husband and I departed on another road trip. We left late in the afternoon to spent the first night in Everett Washington. Early the next morning we drove south to Kent where we picked up some boat parts. Then we started on our holiday.... up over Snoqualimie Pass to Cle Elum and the Cottage Cafe for lunch. The Cafe is and old fashioned place with old fashioned good food and open 24 hours a day. They also have very efficient and pleasant waitresses. I left a "nicer place" card at the cash register just because it was!

In Prosser we stopped at the rest stop so I could get some coffee at Mcdonalds. Nice staff. Left a card!

We continued south through Yakima and Pendleton. By the time we got to Ontario on the Idaho border we had spent much of the trip in heavy rain and lightning and not much sunshine so we stopped for the night. The next day we dodged, as best we could, rain and wind and drove to Wells Nevada. There we stopped for lunch in a Burger King and I left a card with the lovely woman working behind the counter. We spent the night in Ely Nevada at the Jailhouse Hotel. Interesting place. In the morning we met some friendly fellow travelers and we shared our weather experiences so far. Weather was a concern. Part of the purpose of this trip was to see spring flowers. Instead we kept see snowplows coming towards us on the highway and when we entered the lobby of the Hotel in Ely there were several snow shovels piled beside the front door. Not what we were expecting in May!

After a day of driving through wonderful scenery, interesting weather (one snow storm) and along empty back roads we arrived in 29 Palms, California, for the night. In the morning we awoke to sunshine and blue sky. After a nice breakfast in a lovely room and supervised by a very friendly woman we started off to Joshua Tree Park. It turned out to be National Park Week so there was no entrance fee. Nice bonus! It wasn't crowded either. Finally I was finding fields of flowers, part of the purpose of the trip.
What happened next will be in the next posting

Yucky Stuff at Home But Fun Things in Port Alberni

Yes, life sometimes does have yucky stuff and I had to experience some of it recently. It was my turn to go to the hospital for tests that involved a mild anesthetic. I was there for about three hours. The nurse who was taking care of me was wonderful. She explained everything that was happening and gave reassurance when needed. We spent a lot of time laughing too. It was not the most pleasant way to spend a morning but I do thank the nurse for her kindness.

Just recently my husband and I drove to Port Alberni on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We arrived late afternoon in the middle of a strong wind and rain storm, checked into our hotel then went out to find a place for dinner. We found one nearby and if you ever want a wonderful pizza go to Port Alberni and find the Dolce Vita Restaurant. Best we have ever had! However it was the waitress who made the evening special. She was very funny and very efficient, a great combination!

Early the next morning under clearing skies and a calmer wind we boarded the M.V. Frances Barkley, a small working ship that carries freight, passengers and mail to the isolated communities along Barkley Sound. We were on a round trip to Bamfield that would take most of the day. We stopped at little coves and inlets to drop off and pick up passengers. Sometimes we just stopped in the middle of the channel and waited for a small boat to find us and other times we stopped right at the dock of little houseboats, to drop off cargo. There is no road access to these little islands ( yet the residents all have trucks and about 1/2 mile of road to drive on) and the freighter is the main source of transportation and supplies. Actually it is somewhat amusing and confusing to see ten houses tucked into a tiny cove and each house with a truck in the driveway. The captain and crew were friendly and very willing to talk about the area we were passing through. I am sending a "nicer place to live " card to the company, Lady Rose Marine Services, for two reasons. One being that everyone from shore to ship were great people ( and I hope the owners pass this on to them) and the other is thank the owners for what they did. They agreed to give twenty dollars from every ticket purchased during the month of March as a donation to the Cancer Society. We didn't meet them but they must be very nice people.

The picture that I've included was taken at one of the stops to drop off freight. Every piling had plants and flowers growing on top. It was a pretty place to stop.

Hawii 2010

We arrived in Hawaii on New Year's Eve just in time to watch, from our hotel balcony, a great fireworks display over the water. We spent the next day exploring Waikiki and the following day got on a cruise ship for a week long trip around the Islands.

On Maui we rented a car for the picturesque drive to Hana on the east coast. After we returned the rental car we found a shuttle bus back to the cruise ship. We were the only two passengers on the bus and the driver was a very funny happy man who kept us laughing the whole way back to the boat. He was a nice conclusion to the day trip.

While on the ship we met numerous friendly happy people. Two of our favorite people were a young newlywed couple from New York. We met them while getting a rental car to explore the volcanoes of the Big Island. They joined us in our car and we had a fun time with them as we looked at lava beds and waterfalls. We saw them only a few times afterwards, which is as it should be, after all they were on their honeymoon! However we did hear the bride had been a bit seasick so we truly hope they enjoyed most of their trip and got home safely to New York and back to school to finish their degrees.

While we were exploring the lava beds I met a tour guide who had sent all her passengers exploring. She was waiting in the shade, with refreshments, for their return. We got talking and with enthusiasm she told me, about the area ...the geography, geology and history. It was nice to talk to someone who was so cheerful and happy with her work.

Our tour bus on Kaua'i decided to break down as we were leaving the viewpoint of "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Although we had to wait an hour and a half for another bus everyone was cheerful and understanding. After all it was a pretty place to be stranded. I left cards with several of the passengers and the bus driver. He managed to get us where we were supposed to go and gave all the history of the area we could ever want to know.

Because we spent so much time off the ship I did not have much opportunity to meet a lot of the passengers. However I did give some cards to happy people from other places in the States and to some of the friendly smiling people of Hawaii.

I've included two pictures with this posting as I could not decide which best represents what we saw in Hawaii, the barren volcano or lush waterfalls. So you get both!