Late May 2019

Relaxing on beautiful Vancouver Island for just over a week, then I will return over 1,000 km north to central northern British Columbia to complete a 5 week teaching contract in sd91 at Burns Lake.

When departing Burns Lake in March there was snow everywhere, but recent photos display friends kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking around lush wetlands and biomes supporting an expansive diversity of bird sanctuaries.

This blog post is intended to be a transition from 6 weeks traveling around Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia to 5 weeks exploring northern B.C.’s Burn’s Lake area while completing the school year as Teacher-Librarian/Learning Commons Specialist at Decker Lake. Meanwhile, contractors are finally arriving to repair our home and yard from the December 20th 2018 storm–the worst storm to hit Nanaimo area in over 50 years!

So unfortunately, our plans have adjusted and my husband will be remaining in Nanaimo leading the various contractors while I head north to continue to evolve another school library into a Learning Commons.

Returning from a lengthy spring trip, a pressing job was to update the vehicle tires from snow to all season tires.

Then we were off 110 km northwest to Courtenay where we enjoyed a lovely lunch at “Common Ground” which has recently changed its name to “The Yellow Deli”.

This place is really unique as everything is created by the commune group–from the wooden benches and tables, to the macrame decorations, to the vegetables and many ingredients used to prepare the healthy food menu they offer.  There are so many fabulous unique places to try when dining in funky, artsy Courtenay.

Home to Nanaimo. Late May is a perfect time to enjoy gardening, working in the yard, soaking up the intense colors and beauty of the rhododendrons, observing the sailboats and ships passing by, and of course having backyard B.B.Q.’s.

Prior to my departure up north, the roofers came to replace the roof on our cabana. That was fascinating to observe as they melted the glues on the back of the roofing material using a blow torch! One roof completed!

Back to renovations in our kitchen. There are so many decision to make: quartz or granite; colors and patterns need to compliment the new cabinets and flooring; which company to employ? Thank goodness for the internet as I spent many hours researching products before visiting stores.

It is truly amazing where the granite mines are located globally! I fell in love with White Ice Granite which is quarried in Brazil in limited quantities.

Finally, time to unpack all our beautiful souvenirs from Asia and see what we ended up purchasing! The colors are so intense and bold. Most of our Christmas shopping was done early this year.

Time passed all too quickly and we were once again in the VW Jetta boarding the B.C. Ferry from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay). Driving through Vancouver area, the Port Mann bridge with its “pick up sticks” looking metal rods always intrigues.

The long 800 km journey from Vancouver to Prince George exposed multiple types of weather from clouds and rain, to thick fog, to sunny blue skies. To break up the journey we stopped at dusk to overnight near 100 Mile House. The mosquitoes and small flying insects were so intense the manager of the motel warned us to run from the car to the room and close all windows. She was not joking!

The following day we completed the drive to Prince George where Mark flew back to Nanaimo while, feeling melancholy, I drove solo the additional 2 1/2 hours west past Vanderhoof and Fraser Lake to Burns Lake. The initial plan was to camp and explore the area together, not to be separated by 1,000 km for these final 5 weeks of the school year.

The scenery from Prince George to Burns Lake was so renewed and inviting; such a vast contrast from the snow conditions of March. Arriving back in Burns Lake, I quickly made a late entrance at a baby shower for a teaching colleague then returned to the familiar cozy home base on Lorne St.

Brat (the cat) immediately recognized and got reacquainted with me. She hopped into my suitcase as I started unpacking and had to be coaxed to depart from that cozy spot. Loretta, Joe and I had much catching up to accomplish! 

Tomorrow unfolds my 5 weeks of teaching and adventure back up in Burns Lake, B.C.