We had a free day in the Okanagan on Saturday, before we had to take the girls off to camp Sunday afternoon. As I was driving up, I thought we'd maybe take the kids out to the local laser tag place, but when we got to my folks, Mom said that my brother wanted us to come down to his new place.
Oh well. Too late to try to change the plans. Better to just roll with the punches. I didn't need to spend all that cash on the laser tag, anyways.
So bright and early, we headed off southward, to the place that my brother just bought. He and his wife have never lived in anything that wasn't brand spankin' new, so they had worn themselves ragged turning this 80's era home-built home into something that looked more modern. And they were very quick to point out all the 'old and tired' bits, which I didn't really see, quite frankly.
Also, I was interested to note that my sister in law hasn't been having the life-sucking migraines that had plagued her all her married life, since moving into this older home. Makes me wonder if the new manufactured-wood products that are going into these new places (Skip had used all parralam and timberstrand manufactured wood beams in his previous house, that they'd built themselves) might be off-gassing, or something, that she's sensitive to.
But I liked their new place. It's on a huge piece of land, and the little tourist train runs right by their house on the weekend. Skip and Susan always go out and wave from their deck. And the tourists wave back. Once in a while, bandits ride up on horseback, and "rob the train for charity". I was hoping that we'd get to see one of those shows, but it was not to be.
The kids had a great time lounging around, and playing with the cousins.
And i had a great time hiking around their place, and taking photos of wild flowers.
Then we went off to Peachland, and had a great lunch at a bakery on the beach called "Bliss". Nonie and Poppa met us (and paid. Hooray!), and I got to show Toni the local lake.
My poor daughter. Doesn't know WHAT to do when a camera comes out. If only she'd smile...
But nothing beats just going to the beach, and kicking off the cares of every day life. We stopped at a Dollar Store, and got floaty things, and then we were back to the local beach by my folks' place.
Little Boogie Boards!
Pool Noodles!
And a luxurious floaty chair.
We could have stayed there all day. We could have still been there. It was perfect.
OH look. It's me!
Good thing my dad showed up to let us know that mom had made supper.
He is looking so good. I would never have guessed that he had, only 2 months earlier, been re-writing his will, and going through his personal papers, so mom wouldn't have to after he died. Yup. He was THAT sick. Even he says that he had imagined that *if* he were to survive the disease (he had Rhabdomyolysis), he probably would be in a wheel chair, or, best case... a walker, and most likely, on kidney dialysis. So to see him up and running around, and just pretty much back to normal was enough to make me choke up on more than one occasion.
But before we go home...
ONE MORE LIGHT SABER DUEL!
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