Hello from my parent’s home in Victoria, British Columbia.  I left Dennis and Neva behind to fend for themselves and popped over for a quick visit with my parents.

It was pouring with rain on the crossing over this morning. Yuck.

Good thing the ship didn’t sink and we had to get in the rescue boats. 

But that didn’t deter visiting photographers.  (it deterred me from going outside though…this was taken from the comfort of my cushy chair inside the ship)

Love the “Photographer’s stance”.  I wonder if I stand like this my pictures will improve! :)

I had breakfast as soon as I got on the ferry this morning.  Oatmeal, with a banana and a coffee. 

Later on, I had one of my triple B muffins that I’d packed for my morning snack.

My Mom picked me up, and we made a few “pit stops” on the way home.  (and the sun came out too!) One stop was at an egg farm to get “plucked from the chicken’s hienie this morning” eggs.  This is actually the farmer, and his dog Angus.  He was really nice, but apparently, I wasn’t allowed to go to the chicken area with him because of health regulations.  Boo.  I wanted to take photos of the chickens!!!  sigh.  I may go armed with gloves and a hair net next time, and do some serious begging! :)

We also found a wonderful produce stand.  Can’t miss it, why else would there be a giant inflatable pumpkin on a stall???

Here is my Mom looking very cute with a pumpkin.

And here I am with a HUGE gourd and a HUGE chin.  Seriously, isn’t this thing just wrong??? (the angle of the photo, and the squash!)   OK, NOT a flattering photo, but the squash was too funky not to include here.  It was like holding 3 baby Paxtons and 2 Nevas all at the same time!

Here is a bumpy closeup.  Weird.

And a couple of other shots.

We then set on our way home, grabbed some lunch (leek and potato soup and a bun), then I ventured out again.

I did a quick thrift store run and found a cute denim skirt, a black sweater and a Gordon Ramsay cookbook, all for less than $5 each.  FUN!!!  I also found this VERY cute new  blog mascot, Mr. Mexican mariachi violin player.  He was one of four, and upon reflection, I may have to pop back tomorrow and get the other 3 band members….funny!!!  OLE!

My parents and their neighbor Shirlee have a tradition.  Usually about once a month, they alternate homes and have a “happy hour”.  I was lucky enough to participate today.  (Shirlee has lived in  the neighborhood almost as long as my parents, so I’ve known her since I was in my mid teens as her son Bruce and I went to high school together.)

My Mom put on a lovely wine/cheese spread with goat cheese (on autumnal decorations – I actually collected the leaves from my parent’s garden), crackers, bread, 4 different flavoured olive oils and grapes.  I brought jars of my home-made wine jelly and prize-winning “crack” (because one taste, and you can’t stop!  It’s actually peach/pepper relish…but we call it crack)

Here are my parents.

Here are Shirlee and I.

Cheers!!!  Happy hour indeed. 

Wine, cheese and bread was dinner.  Good thing tomorrow is a new weight watchers week and I can wipe the point count clean.  Now, I’m off to kick my parent’s ass at Scattegories!!!   Kidding, asses won’t be kicked, but silly words WILL be made up.  More tomorrow….happy Thursday, and yay for Friday tomorrow!!!