on the island and towards whistler

Driving "up island", as the locals say.

 Coombs, BC.

Goats on the roof.

A huge tourist attraction.

 At "Cathedral Grove". 

The largest tree in this forest but not by much!

The number of massive trees in this grove was incredible.

 If we lived here, I think our yard would be full of drift wood.

 Imagine a view like this from your kitchen window.

Our friends, Mark and Laurie, enjoy this view at lot!

 Mark and Howard enjoying yet another discussion!

3 months

 Three months ago today

my sister, Heather, passed away suddenly.

She's the one sitting beside me (the baby).

She was a good sister and took especially good care of me

when we lived together during our university days.

 We were able to attend the memorial in Langley

and were amazed at the incredible impact Heather had had

in her school and church communities.

Here you can see her husband, Derek and her two boys,

Nowel and Brodie.

 She was never one to blow her own horn

but her students obviously loved her

and she was highly respected by her school colleagues.

 Howard and I weren't able to attend the burial which was held

during my last week of school.

 Heather's husband, Derek, took us out to the beautiful

cemetery in Fort Langley where she has been laid to rest

when we were back in Abbotsford for the new staff orientation.

We miss her...

happy birthday to my h!

Happy birthday to this amazing man.

He has traveled the world

and journeyed with me through many, many

adventures

both wonderful and not so wonderful...!

He is constant, kind, good and a true gift

from GOD.

And to top it off, he was a gift to me on HIS birthday

as we were married this day - 31 years ago! 

Happy birthday, Peter Howard Dueck.

You are the gift that keeps on giving!

May you be as blessed every single day

as I am.

I love you.

victoria

 After the orientation we spent a night with my brother-in-law

and then visited some Brazilian friends in Vancouver.

No pictures to document those visits....

Then we took the evening ferry over to Victoria, had a visit with my brother

and sister-in-law, and toured the city the next day.

 It's a gorgeous city but we somehow felt that it's losing its charm...

 Although born in Winnipeg, Terry Fox moved with his family to

BC, first Surrey then Port Coquitlam, when he was 8.

This monument marks the spot where his "Marathon of Hope"

was to be completed.