The Island Natives

and so...we retired to our luxurious tent (notsomuch) and slept on the comfy ground (notsomuch) and woke up with stiff neck, an aching back and a declaration that we are too old to do this! A few yoga stretches and we were fine.

We stopped at a fresh market and bought ourselves a crazy amount of fruit and some fresh buns which we ate while we waited for the ferry to an island a little ways off of Vancouver. Of course - our prairie tummies are not accustomed to quite so much fresh fruit and um, well, the music from the various seats in the van had everyone groaning before too long.

The ferry ride was very exciting for us prairie folk and we were probably a bit disappointed that it was such a short ride. We drove around a bit trying to figure out where exactly Emily lived and we got a bit lost.

It was the kind of lost though - where you love what you're finding so it really didn't feel like lost. The homes around there are incredible and the land is gorgeous. We passed one house that had some furniture and household goods sitting on their driveway with a sign - FREE!


There were two pillows that I quite liked and I thought about our uncomfortable sleep the night before and declared that I should go and grab those pillows. K turned the van around on the tiny road and as I was grabbing the two pillows the owners came up the driveway. I waved a hello and shouted out a thank you and they shouted back: Enjoy!! And I will. These will always be my 'I went to the island and came back with these pillows' pillows.

But finally we found our way...



And this is Emily -




And this is Markus.
And they have two adorable children.

We'd never met before, Emily and I - but it would seem we are kindred spirits because there was not a moment of hesitation when we greeted each other with a hug. Markus and K spent some time wandering the yard and talking about things men talk about in a yard. I don't really know - but they didn't seem to have any trouble.

And I got to peruse Emily's house - which is bright and colorful and full of her artwork (which is really amazing). Her kitchen is hung with dried herbs and the location of everything is conveniently written on the front of the cabinet doors - pots, plates, bowls - which completely cracked me up.

(Emily - I'll have to post a picture of my stark white cupboards for contrast!! lol)

We spent the day making masks and Emily's were incredible and ours were, well, you know, we tried, really hard and they turned out pretty good all things considered.




Then we left our new friends for a bit for some fabulous sandwiches at a restaurant called "The Happy Italian" which had an interesting ambience and excellent food; and an owner who enjoyed a good conversation - turns out he has family not far from where we live. Oh - and a Ms. PacMan video game. Ah, the game of my youth - I impressed my children by getting to the third stage, past the apple. If you've played Ms. PacMan you'll understand who great I really am. If you haven't - just assume I am.

We found a public beach and spent a long time there. Every piece of every shell we found, we saved. We took pictures and waded in water and climbed onto rock islands. It was such a nice moment in time.



We walked back playing follow the leader and letting the littlest, M, lead us across a maze of logs and rocks and sand. All the while we sang - Let me see your funky chicken!! (what's that you say?) even when we passed a local who wrinkled his nose in confusion at these wayward prairie dwellers.


We rejoined Emily's crew for a party at her home and we mingled and talked and laughed with the guests there. It was a great time but my husband saw people leaving and someone (mistakenly) told him the ferry left at 9:30 instead of 10:00 and he hurried us out of there a little early. As we sat in line for the ferry for half an hour he apologized but I was just grateful for the time we'd had.

The only regret of the day was that we didn't get more time with Emily but I think our paths will cross again someday. Maybe Emily will get to come and peruse my home and marvel at my white cupboards.


























We ended the day driving into our campsite just in time to see fireworks in the sky just above the Lions Gate Bridge. It was the perfect ending.