bvi captains log blog

It was a great week!

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:29:58 -0700

It has been a much quieter week in Murrieta, with some work actually being done and lots of shopping for both the house and the yacht being done. To my happiness we had a new upright freezer delivered....

And, yes, I am going to be spoiled. I will be seriously whining when I go back to the yacht next month and none of these wonderful appliances come with me! I am not too sure there are too many left to buy for the house now...

The fancy meals out in Las Vegas are another already forgotten memory, but good old home cooking sure tasted good for a few days!

And my husband? Straight to the work shop and I don't think I have seen him for a week except for meals. He even goes back there after dinner!

Yes, he is enjoying himself and I am sure he will be whining even more then me when he does not have his workshop on the yacht.

We have put my parents on recycling and garbage detail. God knows with all the stuff that the USPS and UPS is bringing to the house there are no shortage of boxes...

We did get mom a "ducks nest" for in front of the TV though..She loves to lay out there and watch TV when she cannot sleep at night...

Bazza has my bathroom torn apart putting in new shower hoses for me..You don't want to get a mental picture of me trying to bend my body in half to get underneath the tap to wash my hair! I asked for a hand held shower.

Went out last night to SOUPLANTATION for a soup, salad and pasta buffet. Had never tried it before. Probably won't try it again too often. Cows to the trough people, cows to the trough is what I felt like...... Then to cap that off we went to see the movie MACHETE. That made the old spaghetti westerns look like Academy Award Material let me tell you!

And for those around Southern California, well this kind of speaks for itself doesn't it!

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:31:59 -0700

Let's see if I can finally catch up on here... We made our way from Lake Tahoe down to Brodie CA. Apparently we had been driving a few miles on this flat on the tow vehicle!

Handy having a mechanic along with you though...

Brodie is a National Park, and is in a state of "arrested decay" Probably one of the most fascinating ghost towns I have ever been in. We were there early and climbed around for hours....So, we will just go with some random pictures here. If you like ghost towns, do go there...

Mom and Dad have decided that traveling with almost a 360 degree view is the thing to do. Especially my father, looks very comfortable on the couch.

We then made our way through Death Valley. Pretty bleak there and no cel service or internet. Enough said about that, I did not linger!!!

Did stop and see Scotty's Castle which was quite interesting...

Perhaps Bazza has been around his mother in law too long? Or else he mistook her for me!

It was time to move on to Las Vegas then...

It worked out so we had the RV with us, so we the parents and the children who showed up stayed in a hotel and we stayed in the RV. Not something I would do again, staying in the RV though. Imagine a 110 degree weather with no shade and you are sitting on a blacktop parking lot...Yeah, the air conditioning did not have a chance in hell of keeping up in the afternoon...

Mom did quite well, winning a few little jackpots along the way there. The rest of us just spent money....

My youngest monster showed up with a friend....

And thanks to Rich and Lisa's Xmas present from last Xmas we went to Texas De Brazil...

And the House of Blues...

Where I continued on my recent favorite streak of thin crust pizzas...

This was a couple of days into the trip. The boys were starting to look a little rough! Between us, we did lots...The Lion King, Ron White, Country Music Revue, Criss Angel Believe....Yeah, we were getting Vegased out!

So we hightailed it back to Murrieta, with the Lion fairly bouncing down the hot road it was so eager to get there, and I immediately found the swimming pool! How do you like mom's hat look????

Dad found the leaf picker upper...And there was MANY leaves to pick up in the yard too...

Surprisingly, with all that eating out I had managed to lose another 5 lbs in the month I was gone, so that was not too bad considering... We had some great meals!

Our friends the Cape Cod Pirates, left us a message in the sand which was nice..I am even starting to miss the blue waters of the Islands and can't wait to get back in it with my underwater camera!

Fun in Nevada

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:46:12 -0700

I left this off last time while we were leaving Reno... My mom had a bit of luck on the slot machines..I lost all the 12 cents I put in!

We went out and Looked around Virginia and Silver City and wandered around the back woods a bit...

Of course we did NOT keep out and we have found out that there can be holes under places in the ground that you don't think there is any..Both Bazza and I managed to find that out when we started sinking. The moral is "obey the signs"

Found some pretty old places to wander around and look though. Hot and dusty...I would not have made it long back then...

Mom wanted to take pictures of us, but we found her first...

Dad loves old graveyards, and we found an old one on a hill that we wandered around...

These were for two children who died back in the 1800's. The most elaborate toys I have ever seen on a grave!

It was time to make our way over to Lake Tahoe area then as we had arranged a surprise for my mother, meeting my sister and Chris there. We walked into the restaurant and there they were. Yes, she was surprised....

Dinner was "ok" We went to Pacific West Grill and for the price, it was "ok" although one of the few times I tipped quite low and wrote why on the bill as the service was bad.

We had bruschetta, with mozza, roma tomatoes and basil....

The hamburger with salt and pepper fries looked good! (let's face it, after a couple months watching what I eat, anything deep fried with salt and the possibility somewhere of ketchup, looks damn good to me!)

The ahi tuna on the other hand with the lima beans (one of my all time least favorite vegetables) did not tempt me in the least...

Nor did the lamb that Bazza seems to find wherever he goes nowadays....

The Margherita thin crust pizza was pretty good though, once I blotted a lot of oil off the top of it to make it edible...

Back to the house in the woods we were staying at, a bit of a visit and then I think everyone was off to bed quite early. Long day trying to fit everything in....By the way, it was freezing at Tahoe...

The next day I unloaded the RV off all the "canadiana" food I brought down that my sister wanted, the most important being the becel margarine.....

My sister had brought my mother Dungeness Crab, which mom quite likes....

And my family made me take pictures cuz they said I really looked like I was starting to lose weight. Well, these pants have not fit for about 6 years....and now they are about falling off...

My sister brought much healthier food then I brought her!

We went for a drive around the lake. It was DAMN freezing! I apologize to every person who came to the BVI and had rain and cold that I said "it is never like this here weather wise" as I did not believe anyone in Tahoe that it "is never like this in summer" either!
Sorry, I just did not see the appeal. Nor am I a skier, so there would have been even less appeal if there was white stuff on the ground! I will stay in the islands methinks....

One other tip, don't go out to a Mexican Restaurant when you go to Tahoe either. It was, well, very less then average. We should have stuck with somewhere that had Baileys and Hot Chocolate!
Maybe then I would have liked it more there....

We perserved on sightseeing though, and were about blown away in the cold wind....

Yep, looks cold Syd!

My parents up on the rocks....

...and the whole damn cold group....Bazza cannot quite believe that he is in California...

We had company over that night. Brendan and Kim, along with a couple of their friends, came over for the evening. Brendan and Kim had their honeymoon on Promenade 4 years ago, and have been on the yacht subsequently. They moved across the country to San Francisco and now have an adorable 2 year old called Anna, who is the splitting image of Kim!

A fair amount of wine was consumed, it was 130 in the morning and the conversation was still flowing strong...in fact Brendan mentioned by the time they got home the babysitter was about waiting at the door to bolt out!

This is Brendan and Anna...

It was great to spend some time with them. We have had no shortage of a social life on this trip down the continent this time!

On Sunday it was time for some to go back to San Francisco and the RV headed off toward the old Ghost Town of Brodie in California, which was our next stop before heading toward Las Vegas...

Until next time....

A trip down the Coast

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:47:03 -0700

I actually had to look at my own blog to figure out where I left off I am so many days behind. Hard having such an active social life, not to mention that I think I have been traveling through every spot in the States that Verizon may have a signal but ATT sure don't...
We traveled down the Washington and Oregon Coast a bit, where our winter coats came out quite quickly. You will be able to tell quite easily where we needed to wear them in these pictures below.

I loved the amount of birds (bloody big seagulls) that were sitting on the beaches

Could not convince my husband to put even his toes in the water, even if we saw surfers....

My dad walking down the beach...

And more birdies...

This was on the Columbia River, just before we crossed into Oregon. There were literally thousands of boats out for the salmon run...

At least this seagull was smart enough to live on the sunny part of the coast!

Over all, we found we could see a lot more of the ocean going down the northern part of the Oregon Coast then when we went down last year and mostly did the southern Oregon Coast..

Yes, I made them pose for pictures....Yes, they hate me!

Although they seemed to be much happier posing for pictures when I put an ice cream cone in their hand at the Tillamook Factory! Had to laugh their going through their cheese sample line, some people thought they were at a full fledged dinner buffet never mind a sample. I did not know you could fit so many pieces of cheese on one little toothpick....

Even the seagulls here get ice cream cones. Must be why so many are around...

I love stopping to see my old high school friend from SHAPE, Belgium in Portland. She knows all these great little restaurants and swears that she is trying to eat her way through every single last one of them. Tonight we were even able to meet Beth's husband, John, who just finished climbing DENALI. You know for training they put on 75 lb packs and go to the gym and train with them on? Crazy stuff...

Tonight's restaurant did not dissapoint, although if I would have written the blog a week ago I might have remembered the name of it! I had an amazing pizza with garlic aioli, sweet corn, shallots, chicken and red onion...I barely restrained myself from eating it all...

The guys hamburgers with homemade pommes frites certainly looked spectacular though too. And the fries were good.

We dropped the RV before coming into town and just took the car. Bazza apparently thought that parking spaces would be a premium and pulled into the first one he saw which meant we did get to walk off the dinner calories getting there and back to the restaurant. I know I need it anyways. Holiday eating does play havoc with my smart calorie choices....

We drove down the freeway a bit after dinner just finding a rest stop to pull over at, as we had a fairly long hike so we could get down to Reno by dinner to visit ANOTHER old high school friend from Shape...Social butterfly now aren't I??

Our friend Brad, invited us over for a barbecue where he lives over looking Reno. Got to love a man who grills, unlike my Australian husband...

The view from his back yard was spectacular.... we saw quail, heard coyotes, saw rabbits and I understand that they even have wild horses that run down their road....

A great steak was had and all the fixings...

I have found my self missing my large camera about daily on this road trip. Using the point and shoot just is not the same...

We had great company with Brad and his wife Linette...

We felt like celebrities as Brad brought out his Louis X111 cognac, which, no matter how smooth it was, I was not going to drink it, but somehow in a moment that shows me my husband is still full of surprises, he happily drank his and mine down quite quickly!

My dad just enjoyed the cool evening. I think we slept well that night, and were hoping not to have such long drives the next day... I am keeping everyone on a need to know basis, including the driver, mostly because just like my charters, I am not sure what I am doing daily on this trip until just before!

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:29:03 -0700

Sunday dawned Gloomy and Misty in Edmonton. We went outside for a bit of a walk and to dust some of the cobwebs out of our brain from the late night out for us (and the 8 vodka's for me!)

I saw that in Edmonton they actually paddleboard too, and thought it was a good sport for Canada, as unless you fall off maybe you don't really have to get in the water? It still did not look that appealing to me though!

My brother showed up, and to all the males utter dismay I called them at 1015 AM to make sure they were up and coming to have brunch with us. Mother is here for 28 hours, YOU WILL NOT SLEEP!

They pretended they all felt fine....Chad and Christina...Christina looked great!

The other ones drank champagne and orange juice and pretended to be interested in what i was saying and the food. It was average, the buffet at the hotel there, I certainly did not really think it was worth $50.00 a person, but since i have not lived in Canada for a long time, not sure of their restaurant value prices....

Went to West Edmonton Mall and since the last time I was there they now have a china town with this humongous interesting Asian Supermarket...

All kinds of fresh seafood...

I think these clams speak for themselves now don't they?

WHOLE live Ling Cods...fairly ugly!

And very large prawns that did look amazing....

Of course the vegetable section, with all kinds of things I did not recognize....

We walked the rest of the mall, and then it was time for us to head back to the airport for our flight back to Victoria. Short visit, but hey, saw my boys, went to the opening, had good food, went to the Bakery and West Edmonton Mall, seemed to be sufficient. I don't think I could imagine living their again....

Just before going through security I spied a Harvey's Hamburgers...which are about my favorite! All thought of any healthy eating quickly went out the window when I realized it would probably be a year before I saw one of these again and soon a double original bacon cheeseburger was heading its way to my mouth. Yes, it tasted divine. And yes, backing away from the food trough and eating healthy the next day was a struggle.

Our view flying into Victoria of the islands and water....

A day of quick typing on my keyboard to get some work done and a day of packing up "things" and parents in the RV and we were on the road again. This time taking the RV over on the ferry to Port Angeles in Washington.

I could take pictures of scenery, but really, Bazza's fish and chips looked MUCH better...

This was mine and once I threw away the dressing, took a tablespoon of the parmesan only, well the chicken and romaine tasted wonderful....

These are just pictures of the beautiful day we had pulling out of Victoria Harbor...

And this is coming into Port Angeles on the other side and the Coast Guard Station. Pretty flat water!

We decided to go down the coast a bit, until Portland at least..and I really missed having my large camera here. The little point and shoot just cannot take the pictures how I would like to frame them in these gorgeous spots....

We hired a windshield wiper for the trip, but truthfully he needs some practice!

He had to have a nap after this tough job and I think my mother was just napping in sympathy along with him!

Thats it for today, time to get dressed and go play..I think I am only about 2-3 days behind on this darn blog now....

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:49:35 -0700

Guess I better get on the ball with catching up on this blog before I am a month behind...

Saturday morning we arose fairly early and made our way to the airport to get a flight to Edmonton. There has been forest fires in BC and the smoke had all came Edmonton Way...

Old habits die hard, I remembered decades ago when I lived here that we used to go to the Italian Bakery on 97th st about every weekend to get Crusty Buns..You can tell my priorities when this was the first place I headed to even before seeing my boys...

We walked in and my non observant husband said "You took me here last time" and of course he remembered, I bought buns and Mortadella and he bought a box of pastries...

The other thing Bazza seemed to remember was being at Princess Auto. a favorite store apparently, and he wanted to go back. I dropped him off. Apparently while there, in the 40 minutes which was about 39 more minutes then what I needed in there, he only made it through 10% of the store!

While he bonded with Princess Auto I went to the Mayfield Inn where I spent a lot of time DECADES ago working. Was it always that small? I doubt it! Strange to wander around these places after 25 years...

We then made our way over to where my two oldest sons live, Chris and Chad for a bit...

And since this is a quick 28 hour trip to Edmonton, it was about time to go check into the Hotel MacDonald where we were staying for the night, which is across the street from the bar/nightclub that Chad was involved with opening. It too looks way smaller...I worked here too, probably about 35 years ago doing banquets!
The view looks about the same...

Soon enough Chris showed up and we walked over to the Treasury for an early dinner.

Bazza and I with the two boys

The flowers I sent for opening somehow ended up in the girls washroom...what do you think that means?

AND the men's washrooms had TV's on each urinal...

Restaurant area...

Kitchen line...

Myself with the Chef Paul

And FOOD! They had a very limited menu so they did not overwhelm the kitchen during opening, which consisted of 3 starters, 3 entrees (lamb, beef and ahi tuna) and two desserts. We about tried one if not more of everything. Some was "ok" some was outstanding...

This is the Beef Capriccio, with white truffle oil, red onion, and smoked capers...

Caesar Salad

This shrimp appetizer was amazing. It had garlic and onion sauteed, then white wine, cook the shrimp, then put in sambucca, basil, heavy cream, feta cheese, a bit of salt and pepper and served on top of toast points. I think I ordered several of these and truthfully could have all night long....

This is a duck and prawn confit Spring Roll, with Wasabi glaze.... which was also excellent (although not as good as the shrimp!)

My son Chris...

And my brother Danny

The lamb was espresso rubbed...

The medallions, I am not sure I remember what they were but the potato pancakes with them were wonderful...

The ahi tuna was spiced a bit and tasted very good, although a bit spicy for my liking...

This was a deep fried ice cream dish, which I did not think really worked too well...

The nightclub became very packed, and was operating way past the witching hour for me, but I managed to hang out until 11 PM. I think Chad was ready to get rid of us then as he was pretty busy and had all the usual opening weekend schmozzles and wrinkles to work out.

This is an unusual picture though, for those who know Chad. This is his father and his wife Val, I have not seen them in about 20 years so it was nice to visit a bit....Can you tell how much Chad looks like his father?

And one of my favorite pictures is my buns from the bakery and the meat..

Long day for us and we were happy to find bed!

Behind on Blogging...one more time!

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:54:23 -0700

I am still working on Thursday on the blog, but in actual fact I am in Edmonton for a quick overnight visit for my son Chad's opening of the Treasury Vodka Bar and Restaurant. That will be next entry. I will finish up Thursday's adventure first...
We were up earlyish for a trip out to the airport to pick up a van for the day to fit everyone in. It was a full size Suburban, and just for the record, I don't want one. The guests were all bright and perky waiting outside the hotel for their 10 AM Pick up...

Dad was tour guide and we started with the city and shoreline portion..

Followed by the "holy crap there are deer EVERYWHERE in the city limit tour" Mostly eating flowers in yards.

We went to see the Seals down at the wharf...

And was reminded one more time that I could feed my charter guests poultry for years and have plenty of leftovers with the size of these here on the island...

But back to the seals, mom and Nancy fed them and we took pictures.

There was a mom and baby wandering around....

And then George bought me my very own seal. I don't even have to clean up after it, although I would think a live one would work fine for me, after all it would not stray to far from the back of Promenade cuz we have lots of lovely charter food left over and it would be an unique marketing opportunity in the charter market I would think....

Had to laugh, dad took us to see one of the most expensive waterfront properties up for sale and we noticed that it has now been sold...

...To the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis for a consulate! OK...I am just going to not say anything at all here.

My obligatory one flower picture...

This is a much better flower picture. More deer eating more flowers...

He does not care at all if I film him and very quickly ignores us to go back to his lunch. He is having to start to reach higher for flowers.

A random scenery and people shot...

There are many good captions for this below picture, but if dad was JUST lean a bit more......If it was someone I did not like or if there was water underneath instead of blackberry bushes, I might be tempted to trip....

Out to My Chosen Cafe at Mechosin for lunch, always a nice spot to visit...and I made them hurry taking the picture as I was STARVING. Everyone laughed at my carrots in the car but I think by the time we hit lunch Don was looking longingly at them! THe guys had a open faced meatloaf sandwich on top of a piece of garlic bread, with fried onions and mushrooms on top and covered with gravy served with fries. Unfortunately, it did not fit into my calories allotted for the day, but it did look amazing....

And some random scenery shots.

And the tour ended up at the Empress Hotel, where we left our friends to have scones, tea and probably beer for some. It was nice to share some time with everyone who over and we think we were very lucky to have so many friends in Victoria the same time as us...

Friday it was off up to Duncan. (I know, the life of a social butterfly never stops now does it?) In another meal that looked amazing was Bazza's hamburger. I had a veggie burger and plain salad. Enough said about that. Sigh.

We met up with a couple that we had met down in Tortola at the May Boat Show. They are in the process of chucking it all away to go sail for a living, and we had updates on courses they are completing etc, just in case you need a good crew they are ready to go! We had a great couple hours gabbing with Cam and Rhonda. They have started a blog to share their adventures, and once (and if I suppose!) I get permission to share that link I will pass it on cuz I know many who read this like following those types of journeys...

That covers Friday, up early Saturday AM to get out to the airport to fly to Edmonton, so until next entry....

Almost like doing a charter on Vancouver Island...

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:23:19 -0700

We had a treat this week as our friend Margot was over making bank life's miserable doing her job so she came for dinner and a visit at the house. She brought nice flowers, which, yes Sydney, mother loved! I would have preferred frozen blended bushwackers personally!! We had a nice visit though and she already has some of her trips planned to the boat for next season. She already knows how to sort and fold the laundry on the boat and put it away, next we will be working on teaching her how to do DISHES!!!!

Bazza woke up with a totally seized shoulder, which entailed a trip to the acupuncturist and the doctor. First time I had seen this procedure, not sure what I think about it. Not sure what is happening with it, but Bazza is not a whinger so I know it was painful.

I loved this flyer though in the doctors office for prostrate checks....

Watched the neighborhood cats in the back yard. They sit very calmly pursuing their buffet options...

Why do I say buffet options because this is what they sit under. They must be waiting for one to fall from the sky!

We were getting dressed to go out for dinner and my mother and I actually took a decent picture, so I thought I would put it up. The weight loss is starting to show on me now I think.

It was out for dinner at Vic Steak House tonight...I was teasing Margot that she was ordering a caesar to drink so it would look like a salad on her expense accounts! She assured me that it was not so!

We had more friends in town tonight. Dan and Nancy and George and Jane, also known as the "old folks from St Marys" just came off a wonderful cruise up to Alaska with perfect weather (it must be only the BVI they bring shitty weather too..) So along with my parents and Margot, we all had a nice visit. George mentioned that he did not think he had ever seen me before with Make up on. Probably true!

It is MUCH MUCH more fun to visit when I don't have to cook the meal and do the dishes let me tell you. I could see a theme for that happening on the boat...I truly think that Bazza could throw out the long tables in the cockpit and put in round ones as well as it is so much easier to visit that way.

steak....

hamburgers...

pork chops...

and fish and chips were on the menu tonight. The food was "ok" The restaurant was short staffed and you could sure tell that. Service was slow and lacking. Really do you guys have cocktails up here with only 1 oz in them? What in the world is the point of that? That 1 oz does not seem to last very well when it takes you 20 minutes to get the next oz! We had a great visit though and sat and talked for a few hours...

I was not ultra crazy about the public swimming pools with the bandaids floating in them, so opted for a walk the next morning, which apparently I should do more often as it got my heart rate up higher then the swimming does...but I enjoyed it....

My niece will hate me, but doesn't she look cute in her cheerleading outfit? She looks more like my sister every day! And obviously more of a girl then Sydney and I were with being in cheerleading...

In the other big news in our world, my oldest son Chad's new Restaurant and vodka bar opened last night in Edmonton. The Treasury. I am sure it was a schmozzle as those kind of openings always are, in my experience. I still remember my first ever charter I did not being able to get dinner out until 1130 at night! I just kept on giving them more liquor......

This is Chad and his girlfriend Christina, I wish them all the luck in the world...

Once I get new pictures of the opening weekend I will post them.

That is it for today's online diary, time to get ready as we are heading up to Duncan to have lunch with a couple we met at the spring boat show in Tortola, Cam and Rhonda. Cam and Rhonda are a bit younger then us and have done the proverbial sell their worldly possessions, quit their jobs, train for chartering and are planning on doing charters in the BVI. I feel so old, it seems like such a long time ago that we did that!

Its a heat wave on the island!

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:53:21 -0700

In Canadian Speak the temperature here in Victoria was 32 degrees. I did not know it ever got to that temperature out here! Apparently the Inland Empire back home is in the triple digits too, so there is heat everywhere..
My dad went to march in that heat in a parade. I cannot even tell you what it was for! He mentioned something about old uniforms not fitting...Go figure!

We made the Saturday afternoon trek with the parents to the Legion...

One of their friends brought their grandson who was visiting from Australia, who brought his voting papers with him for Bazza to countersign (In Australia if you don't vote you get a $200.00 fine! Bazza has been gone ten years.....Yikes!

In Australia you don't just put a X beside the one you want, you also have to RANK them all in the order you want them in, it is all very complex. What was not complex was some of the names of the parties...The sex party (apparently they promote escort services) the fishers and shooters party ( I hope they hunt and fish but i am not sure!) Some were more understandable, the aboriginals, the greens...but I did not see the Pot Party!

Bazza drank vodka (i think he was trying to work up the courage to ask me to dance but he never did!) and it was pretty warm in the building too...

i am not sure what I was up to here, being a bit loopy I think!

Sunday we went over to look at the car show at Oak Bay...Nice and early in the morning before it was hot and busy. You can see Bazza still happily found fresh donuts to munch on....

We saw shiny cars, which don't interest me too much but it was a nice walk...

License Plate...

After that it was off to see Eat. Pray. Love. The boys went whether they wanted to or not. ONe second before I snapped this photo my father was fast asleep! He obviously was in self preservation mode and sensed when I was close with a camera...I think the girls liked it better then the boys..

Then cuz it was hot as can be we decided to heat up the kitchen to bake potatoes in the oven for an hour (just like being on the boat..) But steak and potatoes was yummy...

And so ends the weekend up on Vancouver Island

Short road trip..

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:19:06 -0700

About the time we got on the road we decided that driving to get there was a very good idea. And we did. By Thursday morning we were heading across the border into Canada, after the appropriate border games...Where do you live? Who's vehicles are these? Why do you have vehicles with CA plates? So do you ever live in Canada? And on, always confuses things when we go through the borders with our different passports and residences...

We dropped the RV at the ferry docks and drove like crazy up to North Vancouver to catch Richard and Lisa for an hour before they went out on charter again...Had to laugh when we pulled up and we both had cameras out at the ready! Had not seen them for only a few months, but I could have hugged Lisa forever! I so enjoy her (sometimes abrasive!!) personality!

I don't know how many pictures i have of these 3 people, but quite a few!

So, we got to see the boat! Lisa is showing off her salon here, (saying please don't take one more crappy picture of me here Kerry!) They both look good, and are eating seafood like kings tottering with only 4 guests back and forth to Vancouver and Desolation Sound.

This is the view looking out their "shed" the boat sits in. NIce view and seals playing around too!!!

Up on the top deck where the tender is stored. Lisa says she has to worked harder on here and Rich says he works less so it sounds like a match made in heaven! Lisa misses chartering and would go back in a second, Richard not so much. They are here until the end of September and then Lisa has to get some holidays in so it is off to Las Vegas, California, UK and Cambodia to go dirt bike riding in the jungle (why oh why????) They are then planning on working a Ski season as chalet hosts in France for a few months after that this winter, so lots of traveling around. Lisa misses the SCUBA diving like crazy. Anyways, it was great to see them if only for a short time and we hope to get together again while we are up here on one of their forays back to the big city. The boat is nice, but truthfully, I prefer Promenade! I don't like tippy boats!!!!!!!!!!

Had to laugh walking back down the dock as the tide was low and it is such a surprise seeing this after our entire 8 inches of tides in the islands. And having to walk up STEEP ramps to get to the parking lot.

We made our way through Vancouver traffic back to the ferry docks and I nicely slept all the way across to Vancouver Island. When we pulled up at my parents, mom had her cousin, Jimmy Lee and wife Lynn visiting from Alberta, so the family parade starts! Poor Bazza....

OUr first meal out with the parents was...well since it was Friday lunch and they always go here then, we made it to Costco.

I had water as there was nothing on the costco menu that i felt like blowing my entire days calorie budget on so I could starve the rest of the day.....

Kevin had taken a picture of my swimming pool at home the other day and it is very nice. I found a swimming pool to swim in up here yesterday, but REALLY? You have to share a lane with all these people? And I know I am a large woman, but do they really make lanes that narrow where I have to practically turn over on the side to squeeze by the person coming the other direction? And I do notice that even after not having swam lengths in a pool for about 2 decades that people still don't know whether they should be in the fast or the slow lane doing their lengths. OK, rant over, I will go back and swim in my own pool soon.

Bazza had bought himself a Net Book a few weeks before we left the islands as his laptop had died. Of course he bought one when he got back and continuing on in our "handing down the electronics" theme, dad inherited the Net Book! He can look up his very own coins on EBAY and read the obituaries of who has died in Victoria wherever and whenever he wants now.

Today is our once a visit trip with the parents to the Saturday afternoon Dance at the Legion, so I better get some work done so I don't miss that...

Seeing family

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:51:54 -0700

Although this is really a crap picture, I had to take it when we checked into the RV park last night and they have a large folder with the words EMAILS on it..Nice to see that the older set still prints them off and files them!

We stopped to see Cassie, she looks good for a 6 month pregnant woman who has only 2 features on her body!

We then went to meet my sister, Sydney and Chris for dinner in Pleasanton. A really nice little place called Oasis Grill, and we had WONDERFUL skewers of sirloin, shrimp and spices and Basmati rice. Highly recommend it.... Of course by this time it was after 730 and I would have thought anything was very good.

Of course the Australian contingent in the group had Lamb of some type...

For the first time in a decade or maybe even two I even got to look at the black line for swimming in a pool. I thought of my Swim Vacation friends who only make it to the boat once or twice a year and usually look at black lines (THey have two groups coming on Promenade at the end of March, beginning of April next year if you are looking for some swimming time in the Caribbean sea)

At Harris Ranch not only did they have wonderful food, but they also had an olympic size swimming pool just for me to swim in. Very nice setting. Too bad it is in the middle of NOWHERE. Seriously, like half way in between San Francisco and Los Angeles

Up early and on the road again, up past all the large ships rafted up in the San Francisco Bay and heading north!

On the Road again...

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:24:05 -0700

My husband looks like the cat who swallowed the canary, he is so happy in his electronic room...Too bad he has to go on a road trip!

We got a nice electric grill that lives inside the house, much easier then getting the flipping barbecue set up! I like it!

We have had a busy few days trying to get ready to get on the road, with Bazza mostly pacing looking out the window waiting for his new toys to come. One did, half an hour before we left. The other one is still missing in action!

To me it looks like a big mixer for the kitchen or something, but his eyes are glowing. I was having a hard time understanding the attraction on having a mill and a lathe, both very expensive and one turns the tool bit on the steel and the other one turns the steel around the tool bit! Does not that seem like they both essentially do the same thing to you?? I thought so too!

However, yes, Bazza it is very pretty, now get in the RV and drive!

I absolutely HATE the I5 between LA and San Francisco. Last time we lost a panel off the bottom of the RV from being so shook up and this time it was part of a door!!!! There is always a ton of trucks on our too small width wise lanes in this country...

Some pretty scenery though of the hay stacks...

Ah, but food nirvana is close at hand, after being shook to death for about 5 hours we hit Harris Ranch....

Harris Ranch is the only USDA approved restaurant that produces beef that is guaranteed to have no residual pesticides. That is cuz they grown their own feed and everything for them. I had prime rib (no, not all of that, I would have blown the healthy eating plan!) the red peppers, sweet corn and potato grown here on the farm was to die for. Bazza and I both said it was the best corn we have had in decades... Sweet and just picked and small!

Bazza had pot roast that he said was the best he had had since he was a child too! All in all successful I would say. Then we climbed into bed along with the sweet smells of cow manure...I harrumped when he said I could not have the A/C on all night and went to sleep without kissing him. Showed him didn't I?

And what did we do with the monster? Left him in California, he still has another week or two of school (and I do mean go to school Kevin, not to the beach)

Dinner with my sister tonight..

Promenade Cabin Only sailing in February

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:23:42 -0700

For those who wonder which blog I just may post this information on, I am putting it on my personal blog as well...

For those who have been asking about Promenade doing a cabin only sailing in February (where you buy it by the cabin and share the boat with (hopefully) like minded guests! My brain hurts when I try and do up numbers for these types of charters! Much easier to just price the entire boat when you know that you will sell the entire thing instead of worrying how many cabins you are going to sell!

Anyways, whether we have one cabin or all of them sold, this will be a guaranteed sailing, and it is a "no one under the age of 18" trip!

First come first serve on cabins.....

Cabin Only Sailing on Promenade. The one and only cabin only sailing this winter season!

Your choice of either 6 or ten nights onboard

Package:
Saturday Feb 12th, complimentary sleep over if wanted. Boarding after 4 PM, in Roadtown, Tortola. No services (ie, dinner and breakfast on shore)
Sunday Feb 13th- noon start cruise for 6 nights.
Saturday Feb 19th- drop off for any guests only staying on yacht for 6 nights
Wednesday Feb 23rd- drop off for ten night guests.

Includes: All meals and ship's bar, cruising taxes, port taxes, overnight air conditioning and all on board ship's toys. This will include SCUBA diving for any CERTIFIED divers on a casual basis. Breakfast is a casual affair on board.
Excludes: Transportation to and fro the yacht, including plane and taxi fares. Any meals and beverages you choose to have on shore. You will be responsible for one dinner ashore on the ten night package only. BC and Regulator rental if needed at $150.00 for the charter period per person. Crew gratuities for cabana boys!

Cost:

6 nights: Only 1 in cabin, $3000.00 (Starboard or Port Ama with private head, or aft cabins, with king sized beds, share two heads for 3 cabins)
6 nights: 2 in cabin, $3500.00, any cabin
6 nights: Willing to share, (one of two twin (small) twin cabins in aft, you may luck out and get it to yourself, but then again, you may not. These rooms are definitely better if you bring a friend that you know, and need two separate beds) $1700.00 for one person.

10 nights: Only 1 in cabin, $4800.00
10 nights: 2 in cabin, $5500.00
10 nights: Willing to share $2700.00

Other openings for this coming season are for WHOLE BOAT bookings only and are:
Between Dec 4th and 27th
Between March 6th and 26th
Between April 15th and April 23rd

New Iphone and Tortola Singer

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 11:53:57 -0700

I have really proved what a kind considerate caring person I am this week. I got my husband a present! Self sacrificing as I am...I gave him my IPHONE. Which never leaves my side often, but I did. Then, since I had NO IPHONE now, I had to go out and get myself another phone...and I bought the new iphone! It will do.
Had to laugh though as when I went to hook up his phone on our ATT family plan, it only let me hook it up with a Michigan number, as that was where the account was set up years ago. I did not get it and told her I really did not even want a Michigan number myself! Oh well...

I found this video on our BVI Adventures Blog I will just quote what she said about it and leave it at that.
"Okay, so you know the song, right??? Well, apparently the 22 year-old pop sensation, Iyaz, is from Tortola here in the BVI!!! His song "Replay" hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 which led him to Chicago for a chat on Oprah's couch in May...the ultimate definition of "success" in my book!

His album dropped in June and you can't go anywhere here locally and not hear his music. Okay, so onto my recent discovery of his YouTube video for the song "Solo." This video was shot here on the island and if you've visited us it is a "must-see." There are so many places we recognize, Carrot Bay, Cane Garden Bay, etc... The song is pretty catchy too if you don't already know it!"

It is neat to watch and recognize all the places

And last but not least, it appears my son Chad, is getting close to opening (finally!) the high end nightclub they are doing in downtown Edmonton...

Does anyone want kittens?

admin@saildivebvi.com ( BVI Captains Log Blog) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:48:32 -0700

I have been working like a mad women trying to get all the template changed over for this website so I can go on to others. It is tedious at this point in time. I think I have all the switching over, now I need to format and update all the pages. Sigh.

To cheer me up we have gone out to eat a couple times this week.... Not that i had any argument from the boys! They both look quite happy with their food!

I always manage to catch the most glamorous poses possible!

We went out for a drive in the hills last evening. It is so pretty out there, but way out in the middle of nowhere there was 6 tiny skinny kittens mewing on the side of the road. We had to go back and they basically leapt on us!

They were climbing all over Kevin...

Hanging beneath the car wanting to be put in it and just generally unhappy. Obviously they had been left...

The poor things were starving! I had fat free pudding and some string cheese in the car which I gave them and they had it everywhere. I know that taking them to the shelter about means they will be euthanized right away, as there are so many unwanted cats, but I feel so sorry for them and will be going back tomorrow with food. Anyone want kitties?? Bazza tends to think that we don't!

We went into Old Town Temecula last night and had dinner at the EDGE. Unfortunately, it was their first year anniversary which meant lots of loud music and cougars dancing, all to 80's music, but the food was fabulous!
Obviously trying to make up for the loud music we had drinks coming out of every corner of the table.

Really really good food, and we will go back there....

I had my stand by restaurant meal, caesar salad, light on the dressing, no cheese or croutons and a grilled chicken breast, which was what it was, but the guys said there steak and battered fish were very good.

And just for a giggle, apparently Simeon can carry his very own calendar! I wonder if he gets less clothes on as the year goes along!