Catching Up

snow at the RV park...ugh

I know. I haven’t written in MONTHS! Life just gets away on us sometimes and because my iPads refuse to run the Blogger app without crashing, I have to dig out my laptop that is otherwise rarely used for anything but watching videos connected to my tv. Lamest excuse ever, but there you have it.

the Nash(hole)

January in Victoria. Crappy weather that was uncharacteristically cold, sick with the plague for weeks, and a Nashole that wouldn’t quit. Yes, Nashole. That is what I call Nash (resident kitty) when he is an asshole and keeps me awake all night. January was not all bad though. I went to see Blue Rodeo with my friend H. and had a great time! I really enjoy them and this is the second time I’ve seen them here in Victoria. I think I even sat in the same seats, ha ha. We also purchased tickets to see Tom Petty in Boston. There are nine of us going to Boston, so it’s sure to be a good time. I’m only going for 5 days though, so quick trip. In the fall we have tickets to see Gordon Lightfoot – I have been wanting to see him since I was a young girl. We first learned about him in Grade 3 when we learned the Canadian Railroad Trilogy.

We made our semi-regular dinner parties into a more formal club, with its own Facebook group (closed). We called it the Coffee Table Supper Club, and we document what we eat each week, and who contributed which, and who was present, and so on. We have missed the past couple of weeks as we have all been so busy and our most frequent hostess is now off on different days than usual, so it has wreaked havoc with our schedules. Hopefully we can return to some normalcy soon as I quite enjoy it.

sunset at West Bay Marine Village

I was still living at West Bay Marine Village for the winter up until mid-March when they closed for renovations by the property owners. Since then I have been camping out in a residential parking lot in Victoria. It’s right on the edge of downtown, surrounded by houses on three sides and a ballfield on the fourth. It’s $10/day for 24 hours, which is cheap enough and I get wifi signal there (Shaw). It is just a few blocks from my friends’ houses and a half a block to the bus stop for my bus to work, or I can just walk downtown.  It can get busy when there are ball games on or other events, but so far, it has been pretty chill to park there, with no real hassles at all. I can only stay for 5 days at a time, so I was spending 2-3 nights a week parked on another street in front of my friend’s house until she pulled her RV out for our last camping trip and parked in that spot. Then I parked in front of the neighbor’s house, as he had also said it was okay. Shortly after we both began getting parking tickets in a flurry…I got the fuck out of there. She continued to get tickets for parking in front of her own house! Jerks. So now I just leave town for a night on the weekends to either a friend’s house, or camping on the beach, or whatever! It’s summer so I tend to travel much more.

winter snow in Esquimalt

I was interviewed by Radio Canada, the French CBC radio regarding my sleeping in my vehicle in parking lots and curbside, tickets that were gotten, etc. The mayor had made a statement earlier in the week about not wanting people who are sleeping in their vehicles to be ticketed any longer, particularly those who are unable to afford/find housing in the city but still have jobs. The housing market here is shocking – there is almost nothing available that normal folks can afford. The interview was not a live one, rather an information gathering one for possible future story with photos. I haven’t heard from them since.

Nash at Esquimalt Lagoon

Spring was so late arriving, the cherry blossoms didn’t come out until March! It is usually late January or early February but instead it was freezing cold for months. The weather has only just warmed up a few weeks ago. Ridiculous, but still better than winter in any other part of Canada! We did get snow a few times, but it only stayed a few days, and I didn’t have to shovel. I did have to wear my winter boots though as waiting for the bus got very chilly!

April and May were busy. I began planning my next journey – I want to do the Inca Trail next spring if at all possible. It does depend on many things – my job status (I am still only a contract worker with no benefits) my physical health as I am still working on getting into shape. I take the stairs to the 4^th floor at work several times per day so that is certainly helping. I don’t own a car so I am on foot most of the time unless I want to do a big grocery shop, then I take the RV, but other times I have just taken the bus there and cabbed it home.

In April, my friend Leah Craig – The Enlightened Canvas, had an art show in Fernwood that we all went to and bought some of her work. She is a single mom who is very talented and is very motivated to get her career moving. As a result of her show in Fernwood, they have asked her to become part of their Artist society to help plan and carry out future art shows, which is terrific for her and her career!

In May I journeyed to a remote First Nation’s community called Ahousaht. It is northwest of Tofino, which is on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We had to take a private boat to the community as it is on one of the bigger islands. My coworker and friend is from that community and her mom had passed away so my manager and I decided to get a rental and drive there for the funeral, staying overnight in Tofini. It was a beautiful trip there, as we passed by mountains, islands, tiny communities, and calm waters. Our friend was very happy to see us as it was a surprise for her. The funeral was quite different than any I had ever been to or I should say, not been to. The women were not meant to go to the graveside service. There had been a church service the night before, but not with the deceased there. She was taken by boat after we arrived to be laid to rest in Ahousaht, and traditionally, women did not go to the graveside ceremony, so my friend did not. Many others did, but my friend was unhappy that they did. This was followed by a feast at the gymnasium. We did not see any singing, drumming, or other ceremony. At the feast, certain family members got up to speak and thank people. That was it. We ate and left.

French Beach Park

I went camping at French Beach Provincial Park in May. My friend B. was also there with his campervan. It was a lovely campground, right next to the beach, which we walked. Nice sandy beach too. I’ve since been to Goldstream in early June for my friend’s little one’s 4^th birthday. There was quite a crew of us that went, and it was a pretty good time except when my candles were blown out…I had lit nearly 100 tea lights and placed them in the woods, and they looked gorgeous. Then one of my drunken friends, thinking I had gone to bed (it was about 11pm – I never go until 2am or later when camping) and I couldn’t relight them because they were liquid and ruined. I was pretty pissed off as I had waited all year to go camping and light those candles and someone fucked it up for me. I also spent two nights at Island View Campground which is right on the beach. No real services there, but for $20/night, it works. We are going there today to spend time at the beach if any of those drunken heads are up for it as there was a birthday party last night.

camping at Sooke

I made a couple of trips out to Sooke to visit a coworker/friend and camped there overnight as she has a giant parking lot on her property. It’s in the woods with large rolling hills next door with horses in the meadows. Gorgeous. She is a lot of fun to hang with and no dramas. She is going to kitty sit when I go to Boston, as I can also park the RV there while I’m away. Much more secure than the parking lot.

my cubicle at work

Work is going well – I have helped more than 60 children progress towards permanency, so that is pretty awesome. I love doing most of the work too, particularly the genograms. I am still waiting for them to post my permanent position so I can apply for it. I will have to compete, but I am truly hoping I get one of the 8 positions. We have been told the team will not continue with the exact work I am doing now but definitely related. I just really want a permanent position so I can relax and settle somewhat here in Victoria for a while. I haven’t had any medical, dental, or vacation benefits since I left Australia, so any time I take off is without pay, including my trip to Boston. I do want to remain in Victoria but willing to travel anywhere on the island if need be or for short trips to the mainland.

Speaking of genealogy…I did send my DNA off to be analyzed by Ancestry.ca. It came back that I was Newfoundland Scot (the largest percentage), Irish Scot, and more distantly but still 13% Iberian Peninsula – Spain and Portugal. That would explain our brown hair and brown eyes that are so prominent in my paternal family.

And speaking of family…my daughter is doing well in her life, working in a job she likes and is recognized for with promotions and awards, and just moved in with her significant other and is quite in love and seems to be very happy with her life, which makes me very happy for her. She has become an urban farmer, complete with gardens and chickens!

So here we are, early July and I am heading off to the beach shortly. Life is good.