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.
