Laundry, alone time & another island

I love my family - I really do - but sometimes, a mother just needs a little alone time. Having missed it the other morning in the shower, I was encouraged by my hubby to walk over to the nearby mall (I told you we were camping in the middle of the city) and do a bit of window shopping while he did the laundry and watched the kids in the pool.

So - I - did.

I wandered through Linens and Things for an hour. I think I picked up every gadget and every sheet set. It was heaven. I got a little lost later in a bookstore and spent most of my money there.

Met the family for lunch and then we headed off to Granville Island.



Ah - Granville. I love the spirit of that place.
Its set in the harbour of Vancouver

and is full of artists studios and galleries, a huge children's market and an even larger fresh market and shopping district. The atmosphere there is incredible.

It feels like home.

We spent a lot of time in the children's market of course. My favorite was a puppet shop where the kids and I had to try *every* puppet in a myriad of voices. We bought a fake tattoo kit and while the boys played video games, I tattoo'd. We got a free show from the guy who owns the magician's shop and we bought candy at the giant candy store.



We wandered the galleries - children with food or boredom must stay outside (my rules). Most of the time it was J who joined me and we'd wander through and marvel at the beautiful work. He has expressed a desire to learn about making pottery recently so he really enjoyed the potters guild there. I have a friend here who is a potter and I think I'll look into getting him started.

There was a chalk art competition that day and we were amazed at them.
















We spent some time in the market. I had a yummy fresh mozza ball in basil and olive oil. We each had a piece of chocolate. The fresh fish, the unusual fruit, the bread, the sausage...there is nothing I love more than a market. We ate some supper and then on the way back to the van we pressed our noses against the window of the Vespa shop.




The kids insisted that I spend the last night there in the pool with them and then we cozied down for the last night in our tent.