Most Canadians know the story of Dave and the Turkey, from the Vinyl Cafe, a radio show featuring sadly gone-too-soon storyteller, Stuart McLean.   Our family is developing its own true-to-life bizarre holiday food story.    Background: The name Wilbo is a mash up of our family name with that of Daughter M’s husband’s family…

It’s time for our art society’s 60th Anniversary art show. Anyone nearby, please come. Best part, it’s free and right in time for Christmas shopping. I spent the afternoon matting eight paintings and stuffing cards in cellophane envelopes, which was a feat as we had our second shingles shot yesterday, with accompanying side effects. My…

Living in the Pacific Northwest for over half my life, and well familiar with terms for rain, last night's weather report introduced me to a new concept, one that is due to hit within 12 hours. Meet the atmospheric river. National Geographic describes them as rivers in the sky, except that all that water, sometimes…

How much of a whirlwind was that? 63 days, six currencies, and 28 beds worth. We rode on trains, boats, planes, buses and cars and walked another 400+k of the Camino de Santiago. Now it’s home sweet home, which was well taken care of by son, Bryant, who came to the realization that White Rock…

We’ve had a week off grid because there is NO way I was going to pay cruise ship prices for unreliable internet. That appeals to the practical part of my nature, just as I’m not spending extra for on-board specialty restaurants for food that comes out of the same kitchen. Bah humbug. We left Southampton,…

The days have been quite grey, both during our travels and at home. Thank goodness there are still flowers blooming for contrast.  At the painting group in Denmark, one of the members showed me a photo she took of a sunflower for painting inspiration. I’m sure I took a picture of the same one while…

Nine days in Denmark, visiting with nine of C’s cousins, a whirlwind prior to boarding a ship that will take us across the ocean, closer to home. Chuck’s father was the only one who emigrated to North America in 1924, the rest stayed behind and the family grew. His dad intended the trip to be…

How do you walk an average of 20k a day, in the delugenous (OK not really a word, but you get the picture) rain, and stay dry? It’s a matter of personal preference, but here are my priorities in order of preference: Dry feet. I live in the Pacific Northwest and dry feet are a…

The alarm was set for 7:00am and we woke to pelting rain. We had no choice if we wanted to collect our certificates. In reality I’m the one who wants them, C doesn’t care, but came along for me. I’ve met other couples who experience the same disparity. It is really about the journey, but…

18.7k (15.7+3 in Santiago)   We suspect that some of our accommodations are inherited apartments that the younger generation use as vacation rentals. Many appear to have the original furnishings, and in last night’s case, linens. It was nice to be in an apartment with a shared kitchen with an oven, as it allowed us…