Saturday, 4 Feb 2012 - SPI

Well, I'm wearing my new pink outfit.....that's the new term for my minor sunburn!

We spent the last few days stocking the larder, picking up some beach towels and beach chairs, wine glasses, and a few other 'necessities'. We are loving, loving, loving, our condo and seem to have settled into a pretty flexible routine--which is what winter holidaying is all about. Wayne has joined his gym up the street and I got to the new nature preserve yesterday. When we were here in 2009, the existing boardwalk through the mud flats was being expanded and it's now finished so what used to be a minimal walk to get to the flats on the bay can now be a long, long walk. The end result was that I came home with a few pictures but a major need to lighten up my camera bag.

The weather report for the next week wasn't great but we haven't seen much to complain about so far. I went down to the beach about 1 pm yesterday with my e-reader and settled in to read for a while. Yes, I put #30 on my face but it was overcast and with the breeze blowing....well, after an hour the fog started to roll in and I left....with the lesson to make sure I use sun block all over from now on. Fortunately, nothing hurts and I wasn't there long enough to have anything peel. According to the locals, it has been an unusually hot January and we're hoping the forecast is wrong. It's a tad overcast this morning but looking good out there.

On our way into SPI last week, we drove through a little town up the road that was advertising a rodeo taking place this weekend. That went on my 'list of things to do'....I'm not sure where it came from but I'm a bit of a rodeo hound....and we decided to go last night. It was fabulous!! There was bull riding, bare-back and saddle broco riding, calf roping, barrel racing and a huge carnival. It was exciting and we got right into it. Then came the calf scramble...OMG, we laughed so hard. There is a small group of kids and an equally small group of kids who have to catch a calf, harness the animal, and then haul it to the judge. Those critters can really run and if they don't want to be hauled anywhere, they dig in and won't move. We had a great time!! At one point the woman beside Wayne came back with a foot-long corn dog. I had to use the 'safe work'....OFF....to make sure he didn't 'attack-and-grab'....it smelled so good!

Today we are going to the chili cook-off in support of women's cancer and then heading over to the sand flats for the kite festival. SPI is world famous for kite flying and some of the kites you see on the beach have been 'technologically enhanced'. This weekend there are a couple of international teams coming to compete and it should be a colourful event.

2012 has been a busy year for babies in this family! Melanie, Dean, and Sawyer welcomed Scotia Aurora, Corky & Debbie's new grandaughter Teiya just arrived and Colin, Jen, and Gillian will be welcoming a little girl in June. All these girls!!! After living the better part of my life surrounded by males, this influx of females is a delight!! I can't believe how lucky I am. When we Skyped with Colin & Jen to find out the sex of the baby, they appeared on screen dressed in pink feathers, sweaters, hats, etc (even Gillian). Wayne is already planning the playhouse for their backyard and we've gone from 'small Victorian playhouse' to 'castle with multiple turrets'. Should be interesting!

That was our week--how was yours? Hope all is well at home. Until next time, love and hugs to all. xx