ROAD TRIP TO SALT SPRING

My day started yesterday like most other days -- coffee with Michael in the morning, drop him off at Mischa's to take care of Gibson, and then down to Clover Point for my mindful knitting time. (By the way, those activities -- morning coffee with Michael, and my Clover Point knitting time -- are THE two things that 'ground' me more than anything else!)

But driving out of the marina this morning, we encountered this scene:

It was the start of the 'Freedom of the City' parade honouring 100 years of our local military establishment here in Esquimalt -- you can read more about that (and see better pictures) if it interests you, here.

The wind came up while I was at the point, so I captured this...

...and then watched the 135' Vancouver-based 'party boat', the Queen of Diamonds, come into the harbour...

As I was leaving the Point to come home to the computer and the REST of my day, my cell phone rang -- it was Jason, who had asked me on Monday if I could maybe take him to the Salt Spring Island ferry. He still wanted the ride, but was having trouble figuring out how he would get from the ferry, which lands in Fulford Harbour, to Ganges, the town where he needed to go -- a distance of about 10 miles, which he would normally bicycle, but he's been having back troubles. So I jokingly said (never wanting to miss an opportunity to visit one of my favorite places in the world), "Hey, if you pay the ferry fare for me, I'll drive you to Ganges..." Jason thought that was a great idea, so the road trip was on!

We caught the 1 pm ferry, and it's a 35-minute crossing, so we were in downtown Ganges having lunch (which he also bought!) overlooking the harbour by 2 pm.

The green-roofed building in that photo is the OysterCatcher Grill, and the view to the right of it goes all the way out of the harbour across the Gulf Islands. (And, yes, Hail, I thought of you lots!)

I have a 35-year history of loving this place (starting with moving there as a single parent with an 11-month old Jason, but that's a LONG story!) so it's always hard to leave. I knew I would miss the 4 pm ferry home, but I was the second car in the 6 pm line-up by 4:15 -- knitting time! The sweater back and front are within 3" of being done, and I'll have the sleeves on the needles this morning:

I went for a little wander while waiting for the ferry to come back... Fulford Harbour is a funky little place.



I was home by 7pm and got a great night's sleep -- now, if I can stay focused today, I might get YESTERDAY'S agenda done!