back on island...

We finally got home after our first trip 'off island': We hit the road Thursday evening to catch the 11 pm ferry. Even the drive to the ferry had a typical island feel to it... we rescued the same guy twice in his rental truck. The first time he flagged us down on the side of the road b/c he was stuck just off the road in a turn-around area with a tire fully submerged in the mud. Ben got the towrope out and we gave him a pull. So then we are following him down the highway, he was driving cautiously and staying below the speed limit, but he thought we were flashing him (which we were not) so he slows down and pulls off the side just to slip off the soft shoulder into the ditch. We pull over in front of him, get the rope out again, pull him out and he leave him to drive behind us. No more chances! We had to drop off the dogs at the kennel at the vet and get to the ferry. It was the usual sail and the rockiest (sp?) thus far but we got some sleep and arrived in Rupert for breakfast at the W house (B's relatives). We picked up grandpa and grandma H and headed to Terrace to meet the G (B's relatives) family who came up from Vancouver. We spent Friday and Saturday doing all the city things we needed to do: got groceries, ate in non-Chinese food restaurants, saw a movie, did some Christmas shopping. The guys also shopped at CDN Tire for a good hour checking out cammo gear; they wanted to be prepared for their hunting trip on Monday. We also went to Kitselas Canyon where the Skeena River narrows and carves through the rock. Very cool. Sunday was B's birthday (he got lots of special attention) and we drove to Hazelton to visit the J family (more of B's relatives). Lots of second cousins there so the boys had fun hanging out with them. Monday morning bright and early (a clear cold day) the big guys (not J and D) went hunting moose. They had lots of time to practice walking quietly and slowly but no moose were found. We were on the road by mid afternoon with a truck FULL of groceries to get back to Rupert for the ferry. We boarded on time at 8pm to leave at 10pm but with and extreme marine warning we were not going anywhere. The ferry sat at the terminal till 7am when we finally headed out. I am still rocking now as I type this at 9pm. It was wild out there and by far the rockiest ride! Thankfully the boys were good to watch movies the whole time and didn't feel sick but B and I will definitely Gravol up next time they are forecasting rough water. The boys told me that up in the cafeteria at the front of the boat they rode the waves down and up and the waves crashed up over the windows. B and I were one deck below and the water would open up into this huge swell and the boat seemed to fall into it and then pop back out on the next wave. Still makes me feel whoozy! I will get to my email inbox tomorrow. I also have to make B his chocolate orange cake tomorrow :)

FYI: the Terrace Canadian Tire is the best CDN Tire store I have ever been in! Very helpful and knowledgeable staff, tonnes of good stuff to buy. Too bad they do not sell groceres or it would be our one stop shop!

I will try to get some pics posted tomorrow...

night now