35 years ago, right about now, I was wishing someone would just kill me. You see, I was in serious hard labor about to give birth to my daughter Hailey, and .... well ... there were complications.

But this isn't about me.  And there are no longer any complications.  :)

Happy birthday, ((((Hailey)))!! This is one of my favorite pics of Hailey -- taken in France a few years ago -- because she looks happy, and free, and confident -- because she is!

I know she's having a happy birthday, because she's been here with us since night before last, and today she got to take a lovely ferry ride on a gorgeous day to pick up her much-loved nephews River and Gibson, and bring them back here for a few days to visit.

I also know she's having a happy birthday because she likes her life. She's single, lives in Whistler, BC, in her own lovely little 'cabin in the woods', and owns her own business as a professional organizer (in addition to taking on the Welcome Wagon gig from Squamish to Pemberton just recently). She's smart, fun and funny, and one of the most thoughtful people I know.

I'll take her to the Ganges market this Saturday, just like I've done every birthday since she was about 18, and she's sticking around for a week or so after that, just for fun. And it will be fun!

In other news.... the cruise ship The World was here at Salt Spring for a few days, and I caught a glimpse of it while driving home from Ganges... you can barely see it among the trees there (click to make it bigger if you want)!

 The light was also perfect to get a picture of the First Nations midden at Beddis Beach:

... and I got a lovely picture of the view from Purdy Lane:

MUCH more about that in my next blog post ... stay tuned!
:)