A direct flight from the Pacific Northwest leaving on a fall evening, arrives 14 hours later in New Zealand, but it's spring, and the calendar tells us it's two days later. Tricky thing when you cross the dateline and land in another hemisphere. C and I are on the last segment of our time as…

M & KC received their wedding proofs at the same time she received the surprise photo book that we made of the unbeknownst to them behind the scenes photo booth. Each room in the inn had a large jacuzzi tub positioned right in the middle of the bedroom. As much socializing took place in-room, the…

The local Hotel Bellwether describes its surroundings: The Bellingham area has an embarrassment of natural riches, and it’s all about location, location, location. In a single day it’s possible to beachcomb, wander a rainforest, take in a glacier, and still make it to town for fresh-from-the-boat seafood. After a morning of torrential rain, it cleared enough…

Years ago we bought a vacation condo, just over the border in the state of Washington; about 26 years ago. As per advice we received prior to purchasing a vacation property, it has not realized a substantial increase monitarily over the years, but the value has been in the experience. It always felt like the…

Warning: this post has formatting issues beyond my control. Typepad's numbering system gets messed up once you insert a picture. I give up trying to fix it. Apologies. Years ago I managed the positive mental health aspect of a public school system continuing education AKA lifetime learning AKA edutainment program. I'm a firm believer that…

A double entendre, what could this post be about? Flavours or colours? The picture gave it away, it's about the colour, blending red and yellow. When we're together, daughter Mari, cousin Lene and I take time to do online painting tutorials. In Calgary we did a fall scene, mixing a variety of proportions of red…

Last fall I wrote about the animals we encountered while walking the Camino de Santiago Portuguese route. Our current lifestyle, hopping here and there, leaves no room for pets of our own. Although we loved our animals dearly, there is a freedom that comes with not thinking about getting home for the dog, or who's…

Vancouver is known as Hollywood North, as the Canadian dollar and landscape variety lend itself to reasonable film production. Within the Vancouver area production companies can shoot city scenes to rural settings within a half hour drive at a 25% discount as compared to the US dollar.  When I retired I was asked what I…

This house building stuff comes with its own learning curve. So many items, so many explanations needed. Slow closing telescopic toilet seats are a selling feature. Who knew? All it means is that the lid fits around the bottom so the seat isn't exposed in any way when closed. Couldn't they have come up with…

Off to see the world, there's such a lot of world to see We're after that same rainbow's end, waiting 'round the bend, my Huckleberry friend, Moon river and me. A very romanticized view of our current situation, those lyrics. Two drifters, not exactly seeing the world, but lots of the Northwest, while our house…