It's been quite a week.

 

Isabel arrived back home this morning.  Sob.  This has been such a hard week.  It's going to be another tearful day around here.  The week was really rough for some of the kids.  Eric and I haven't had time to properly grieve our girl.  Too busy holding the family together and upright. Holding the urn today was just horrific.  For a moment I considered packing it around all day like a crazy person.

Jia's therapist says I shouldn't say 'crazy person', it's someone with big feelings that have escalated.  Ok, so today I'm super escalated.

Fei is struggling big time with Isabel's passing.  It's really hard watching her pain.  She wants to make a video montage so I've been gathering pictures.  I've sent her 130 so far.  It's hard going through the photos.  My gawd we loved our Izzy.  She was just such a character and so amazing with  all of the kids and all of the critters.

And while I'm on the couch sobbing through this blog post I was listening to Coco discover a squeaky sound.  She has Izzy's toy today.  It's pretty cute to see her packing such a big toy.  Taking any seconds of joy I can.

I've never made it to the bay to see the sea lions before.  I decided yesterday that we were all getting out of the house together for a walk outside and dinner out.  Bright Angel and DQ. Then we dropped Jia and Kai at home and the rest of us drove out to see them.  

They were settling into bed.  Pretty quiet.  They're super stinky, even from a distance.  

I'm tempted to drive out this afternoon so I can hear them.  I've heard they're pretty chatty typically.

Jia having a driving lesson in the driveway at 14.  Haha.  It was scary for both of us.  Jia started school with Careers 10 but it quickly jumped to Careers 12 when her teacher learned she already had a job.  A part of Careers 12 is passing the learners test.  Which he did.  And he's now completed Careers 12.  Yay. The lawn took a hit during the lesson but he didn't hit anything.  Funny part, Fei watched the whole lesson live on the ring camera so she got a good laugh.

We need the laughs around here.  

Eric closed up the pool and he discovered that someone/something had totally attacked the pool skimmer. Wild.

Getting prepped for Halloween.  Hillarious.

Eric had to stop and kick some tires. Not interested in the car, just the goodies added onto it.  He wants metal bumpers and a winch.  I want a soft top.  I'm saving pennies for both of us. JEEP - stands for just empty every pocket.

And closing out todays post with this one.  Yup.  Covid is back at our house again.  Lili has been sick for over a week.  She was thinking a cold but this morning she could only taste salty so tested.  Arg.  Luk is starting.  We're watching everyone else.  

Lili did admit after the test that her symptoms have been worse than she was reporting.  Not surprising.  She is a horrible sick person, like mansick bad so I had assumed she was just being dramatic.

I had so many plans for this long weekend.  Feeling deflated, escalated and a little dismayed at just staying home.  

Fei, Jia and Luk are still sleeping.  Lili has take  her germs to her room.  Kai is playing with lego, which means Eric is playing with lego ;)  I'm on the couch with the Chihuahuas.  Eric was up early today making cabbage rolls.  They were for dinner with Shannon and Ken tomorrow but I've let them know to avoid this house so I guess we feast alone on cabbage rolls tonight.

Luk is 13!!

13!  An official teen.

Oh the look on his face.  A lunch time feast out with Dad.  The kids have no school today.

They picked up a dq icecream pizza on the way home.  Not all of the family is ready to go out quite yet so we switched the plan to dinner at home.

 

Escape

 

One of the possible plans to celebrate Luk's bday was the BC Museum and Chipotle for lunch as we were all available Sunday.  He ultimately chose a Monday plan.  I wanted an escape from the house and memories of Isabel in every corner so we went ahead with the plan anyways.

However...Luk did a surprise turn and decided to go to Parksville with a friend to watch his hockey game.  And so starts Luk venturing off without us. Time to get him a house key.  Sob.

Fei and Jia opted to stay home.

Lili has never used/seen an actual phone booth.  We tried to make a call but it wouldn't actually take a coin.

We had time to kill so strolled the streets.  We finally made it to a wee bakery to buy edible cookie dough.  Fei and Lili discovered it long ago, it didn't dissappoint.  I bought a wee tub so we all got some for snack last night.  I ate mine on apple slices from our tree.  Seriously delicious.

Four families for lunch at Chipotle.  It was a quick visit but nice to see everyone.  Kai did great sitting with the girls.  He was actually happy and chatting. The food was ok. Big servings, decently priced. Curiosity appeased.

Peter and Emily joined us to see the Stonehenge exhibit. Emily didn't want to be in photos.

The miniatures were pretty cute.

Overall the exhibition was ok.  Boring in the amount of information on the rocks.  I was hoping for the mysteries to be solved but it was really more about the kind of rock, how heavy they were and how they might have moved them.

Rest in Peace Isabel.

 

We're shattered.

Izzy, you were the goodest, bestest dog of all time.

If love was enough you'd be here forever.

None of us here are strong enough to talk about it yet.

This car though.

My neighbor in the bay had an old moho and this ugly car.  Judgemental much.  Haha.  People were assuming it was mine because of the way Eric parked Cheese (so I could see the ocean) and how they parked. As a Jeep girl this was a hard one. I didn't have a car with me for my alone time.  I was making sure I couldn't go run errands or head home for the myriad of reasons I was likely to come up with.

This morning Eric just shoved Cheese over manually to hook up.  The beauty of the extreme light weight unit.

I was up ready and packed when he showed up today with a London Fog for me and coffee for him. He set up our chairs in the sun and we enjoyed watching the tide change from coming in to going out before we dragged Cheese home, woke Jia, did some work, helped Jia get a homework assignment done (ok, I just did it for him) took Jia to school went to Duncan Auto, Canadian Tire, lunch and did a big Walmart shop.  Home while Eric unloaded and I worked before heading back out to pick up the boys and then Jia.  Phew. 

Mom texted me today, and why yes, we DO think we're very funny. Enjoy.

Mom: How was dinner last night? How was your sleep?

Me: Sleep was great.  Dinner was good.  Walked back before dark.  Eric kissed me at the door and went home.  Haha.  I was in bed by 8.

Mom: So the date went well! Think you will see him again?

Me: Considering it. He did ask if we could go dutch. That was a bit of a red flag. Also, he has too many kids.

Mom: Move slowly:) He seems very nice.

You guys!! Gasp.  It's completely nuts how thrilled I am about this.

I could bore you with the trials of trying to buy/order carry on size suitcases in 7 different colors, but it's long, stupid, frustrating and so so so boring.  It was a long haul search.  Including cancelled orders for suspicious ordering with Amazon.  Haha.  These came from Temu and had to come as 7 different orders and shockingly they have all arrived!

They are the family xmas gift.  Fei and I saw people get off a bus in June with the same cases in different colors and the idea was born.  Now I'm picturing getting the family to pose like they're on a crosswalk doing the Beattles walk with the cases beside them.  What are the odds of getting that to happen?!

The colors are in age order from back to front Shelley/violet, Eric/dark teal, Lili/green, Fei/beige, Jia/black, Kai/orange and Luk/blue. 

Kai is loving applied science so much that he gets to go twice a day.  The new school program is totally working for him.  He has been doing his squiggles daily at school.  We had a long chat with his teacher today.  He agrees it's facinating.  They're all enthralled there.  They also think there should be a way to sell them.  I suggested an art show when he hits 50 of them.  Then the teacher recalled an old House episode where a boy with autism was drawing lines over and over again because he was non verbal but he could see the moving lines caused by parasites in his eyes.  Uh.  Yuk.  No!  More to worry about.  Add this to my list of questions for the Doctors.  Yeesh.  

 

Morning vibes.

 

Gorgeous day in the bay.

I need to do this more often.

The alone part is super weird but sort of ok too.  I do keep reverting to looking at the time and trying to figure who needs to be where and what I need to do to make it happen.  With lots of reminders to self to take one day off ;)

Busy day here doing very little.

I'm thinking this beauty duck can go on our next cruise door.

I did four Cheese tours today.  Haha.  For an old wreck it sure garners attention.  One lady was a photographer and she gasped when she saw inside and asked if she could take photos.  She took a lot.  Then asked how much I wanted for it.  Uh...NO, not today.

I was outside all day.  I got chilled as the sun left the bay and came in to huddle under a blankie.  Eric came early and Mom and Leslie came for a visit which was nice.  Wecsat around the wee fire. Then Eric and I wondered up to the pub for dinner.  Food was great.  We walked back,  Eric packed up the outside stuff and said goodbye.  I'm in jammies in bed at 8!  Off to play games on my phone and watch a movie.  

My alone time ends soon. Eric is picking me up after he drops the boys at school.  

I need to do this more often.

Autumn Moon Festival

 

It was a quiet year.  Work/school nights are hard.  We were three families strong ;)

The weather cooperated.

My plan today was to leisurely pack the last couple fridge items, have a shower, make sure the pets had full bowls and clean water and have Eric set me up at noon. Then I was going to nap while he picked up the kids.  

Eric had other plans.

He wanted to empty his garage to make room for Cheese.  Which meant me going through all the years of kids things from the moho.  You'd all be super surprised at how much a class A moho can hold.  I had enough books, toys, games, crafts, puzzles, art supplies and general amusements in there to keep 20 children happy through a rainy week inside. 

It was hard sorting.  So many memories.  They grow up way too fast.  I absorbed what I kept into the house.  I have lots of sorting to do in those cupboards but we'll just ignore that problem for as long as possible.

Then it's Tuesday.  So we went for lunch.  Horseshoe pub in Chemainus.  The food was great but we got stuck there when I put $20 in a pull tab machine that jammed.  Then the waitress went on break leaving one woman to do it all.  Several tables filled up and then the health inspector showed up.  Didn't they all understand about my nap?!  We did the thrift store, stopped at the grocery store for a couple last minute things and finally picked up the boys.

We were only 4 1/2 hours behind schedule :)

We set up, made dinner, got Autumn Moon snacks and tea ready and I was doing dishes as everyone arrived.  Rushed but it all worked out.

The tiny tree is loaded.  I don't know what kind they are but they are the best apples.  Just crazy small. 

I tried for a front view of the boots.  She is constant movement though.  

The constant movement means blur.

Kai is doing squiggles at school now.

Winter Prep

 

It starts.  Crazy mans busy season.  Time to close it all up.  

In his attempt to clean the back deck roofing  (Re: neighbors disastrous wood chipping) the roofing was damaged.  Patching hasn't worked.  Last week during a storm the water was just pouring in.  Which made sitting in the hot tub a bit dismaying.  Dirty cold roof water falling on our heads.  Ew.

Lili and I are aware that complaining about getting wet while in the hot tub is weird.

So, the deck is being closed a bit earlier than normal so he can put up new roofing panels.  Sigh.  Another not fun expense.  

Yesterday we stocked up on super fun things, toilet paper, kitty litter and cleaning supplies.  Who knew adulting would be so fun, and then stay fun with never ending chores forever.

Hard at work.

The no screens before lunch works in some ways but not in others.  I like to head out after lunch for walks, exploring etc but this is now when they get their phones so they always choose to stay home.  I could insist they join us but it's more fun when they want to come. I really shouldn't have to force fun, or what my perception of fun is anyways.

She's looking all tough now.  I made a comment about how tall it was when the tires were off and Eric was excited for a second when he thought I wanted a lift kit installed.  Haha. It is weird getting into low cars now.  Sort of like falling in.

He took a week off from the squiggles but he's back at it.

Lili went with some friends to the Autumn Moon Festival event at Sutton Maffeo park on Saturday.  She's raving this event.

My plan was to drag kids and join her but the couch and the pups beckoned and I didn't pull it together.  I had slight fomo but once she was sending updates the fomo got pretty big.  Mental note to add this to the must do list for next year.

We did pick up some groceries including moon cakes for our wee celebration on Tuesday. Today I'm packing myself up for my solo camping in Cheese.  Not entirely solo since the family is all coming for dinner and the walk and on the next night Eric is planning to feed the kids and join me for a pub dinner. 

We did a shop after dropping Jia at work on Sunday then took off for parts unknown.

We've tried a couple times to get from Mt Prevost to Mt Sicker.  We haven't found the route.  I suggested we try it backwards and work towards Mt Prevost.  It worked.  We found the route.  Nice, easy municiple and fsr roads, no 4 wheeling required.  We were overthinking it.  The route is down low, not at all where we were searching.  

In his happy place.

I asked him if money was no object what car he would buy.

He said he'd just rebuild Oscar with a hemi.  

Beautiful day for exploring.

We didn't find a lovely moutain vista in the sun for our snacks so the side of the road it was.

Isabel is having some rough days. Super hard to watch.

Back to work here.