Happy in B.C.

In the past 10 days, we have settled into a small community just south of Duncan. At first, we were parked in our friends' driveway; yesterday we moved into a beautiful campground. We plan to stay put for a few weeks.
 
The Daughter and Her Boyfriend flew back to Calgary a week ago. It was Daughter's first flight - and when she mentioned that to the agent checking them in, they were given a free upgrade. They got home safely, and Daughter enjoyed flying.
 
This part of Vancouver Island is gorgeous. The Trans-Canada highway is close, but we're in a rural area with winding roads and lovely scenery. Our friends - where we parked for a few days - are in a mobile home park (the park is only a 7 minute drive from the campground, btw); but even there, nature is nearby. In fact, Kirk went for a walk one morning at dawn and saw a young black bear feasting on wild blackberries. (No animals or humans were harmed - the bear ran away as soon as he spotted Kirk.) We've also seen lots of deer around. So many that going barefoot is a bad idea - there's deer poop everywhere.
 
We'd love to post lots and lots of pictures, but ... we're having camera issues. At the moment, our only functioning cameras are the ones in our cell phones - they work, but its just not the same.
So, that's about it for now.

Introducing the newlyweds.

Just a quick update today. Last Saturday, August 3, we attended a family wedding. Our niece (on Kirk's side) married her sweetheart. Allow me to introduce the newlyweds - Janet and Ian. Also seen are two of the bridesmaids and the bride's brother.

Westward Trek

After a whirlwind of hectic, sometimes rather frantic activity - sorting, packing, cleaning, etc. - we pulled out of Calgary on July 29 in the late afternoon. We would have preferred an earlier start, but Daughter had to work that day. Just west of Revelstoke, we found a pull-out and stopped for the night. That's the beauty of a motorhome - we can camp where we like. The next morning, we hit the road early ... The Daughter and Her Boyfriend weren't too impressed by having to get up at 4 AM, but they survived. That's how Kirk travels - he likes to get on the highway early in the morning when there's little traffic. Also, we still had a long way to go.

Our trip was quiet and uneventful. It was also very comfortable. This motorhome, which we have named The Underprise - is fabulous for traveling. But then, that's exactly what it was designed for.

The only "complication" on our westward trek was stopping in Victoria to pick up the van, but even that was relatively easy. Kirk's buddy, who had looked after the van, suggested we meet up at a mall that happens to be close to the highway to Nanaimo and also near his home. The plan worked well, and we were soon driving up-island to Nanaimo. I drove the van, and Daughter's Boyfriend kept me company. Daughter herself rode in the motorhome with Kirk.

The two 'kids' are not camping people; they had a hotel room on the edge of downtown Nanaimo. Their hotel is also near the park where Kirk's niece was married on August 3. It was a lovely wedding; the bride and her groom are obviously very much in love. And, they have a wide circle of friends and family who love them both dearly. We couldn't be happier for them. A picture of the newlyweds will be posted soon.

The campground where Kirk and I are staying has surprised us. We've stayed here before, more than once. But, on those other occasions, we were in a tent in a different part of the park. The surprise was that there are hiking trails on the perimeter of the campground. We walked a short one a few days ago. Here are a few pictures from the trail.