Fact is there's nothin' out there you can't do- even Santa Clause believes in you!

In the car, on the way to Bright Angel Park.

S: "I've got it! I know what we can name the kids."

M: "Oh yes?"

S: "Spawn, Spawnlet, and Spawnling."

L: "What happens if we have four?"

M: "We name the fourth one 'Here Cam, this one's yours!'"

Like any general of the Imperial Star Fleet, I have extremely good and valid reasons for why things are not getting done in a timely manner. Like blog posts, or finding the rebel base, or finishing the second Death Star.

But here I am, writing up a new one, and I will try my best to fill you in on the past three weeks.

Firstly, Michael and Sarah found a brilliant new place to go while I was stuck at work with a 30 hour week (that sounds like complaining- its not, I'm just only part time so it was kinda crazy for me). It's called Bright Angel Park, and it is a big park encompassing a solid length of a beautiful fresh water river perfect for swimming and general laying about.

A real life suspension bridge!!! I know, right!?

Most of the two weeks proceeding friday the 13th were spent in preparation for my family visiting. They arrived the night of Friday the 13th, and man did we ever have a fantastic time! At least once a day we visited some kind of waterside, be it

Transfer beach or Bright Angel or Cherry Point or Cowichan Lake. The pictures below are not any of mine- my genius photographer sister Danielle took them. And I think some of them Mom took on Dani's camera, I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm just going to let everyone marvel in the absolute gorgeousity (I'm making that a word right now) of Dani's photos.













ARRIVAL

It was storming on the island as the ferry came in, but not on the water,
resulting in some beautiful double rainbow action. 

He's not actually that muscular, he's jut full of hot air. ;)

"Next time on Tales of the Ferry- when windbreakers attack!"

You make think that its Ireland, but its not.

A very beautiful view of the crossing

Impressive. We drove through what felt like a freak lightning/thunderstorm to pick up Mom Dad and Dani, and witnessed some really awe inspiring rainbows. It was a 15 hour travel day for the Fryling Clan, so it was straight home to a curried turkey soup dinner and then bed.

BRIGHT ANGEL

The next day the weather was kind to us, so we took everyone on a picnic to Bright Angel, where Dani took these wonderful shots while my father and I made fools of ourselves swimming in the river and poking at an ancient crawdad.

 


Dani said that it looked like some setting for one of the Dungeons and Dragons type games I play. I think she's right. There be elves here.

NANAIMO

We arrived in Nanaimo just in time for the Nanaimo BBQ Festival and Silly Boat Regatta! I can't begin to tell you how much fun the Silly Boat Regatta was. As I understand it, it is a charity event where teams are given three hours to build a boat from pre-approved materials and then race them in Nanaimo bay. Here are some pictures of our favorite teams.

So THAT'S how they got out of Alcatraz.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, unless we start to tip...
Actually, these guys took the race, they were FAST.

See? Look at em go!

Much of the magic of the day came from the fact that people neither sank nor drowned. They should have, but they didn't. 

You can just see our favorites in the lower left corner- that
giraffe boat was not only awesomely ridiculous, but it FLEW.

Oh the vikings! Points for style, but that boat sat lower and lower
and lower in the water as the race went on. Dad and I
didn't think they'd make it to shore. 

There's a better picture of the giraffe!

 

You can see me doing this next year, can't you?
We also enjoyed the bookstore, some very fine bbq, gift shops, and sunshine. Afterwards, we went to Transfer beach, where Dad and Dani hopped in the ocean for a dip and mom and I sunbathed and read books. Then we went for a fruit serving.

A fruit serving? Funny family story. Toward the end of her life, my Great Grandma B was diabetic, and was only allowed so much sugar as was in a serving of fruit. To circumvent this limitation of her sweet tooth, any and all adventures in ice cream were referred to as 'fruit servings', and we call them that to this day. As my dad pointed out- "We're on vacation. Of course we're going to have ice cream every day."
And we did.

BEACON HILL PARK

 
  The best was driving down to Victoria for the day, to a place called Beacon Hill Park, where we stumbled across and absolute gem of a cove called Horseshoe Cove. We were getting quite hungry, and lucky for us there was a Thrifty Foods just down the road, so we stocked up on meat and cheese and bread and spread ourselves out a picnic blanket on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. From where we were sitting, we could see the mountains of Washington State (at least, we were pretty sure it was Washington, that's what the GPS said).

Harley the Heron, who followed us.

 

 

 This was of course after we drove around Victoria for about an hour trying to find somewhere to have lunch. We really lucked out. Dad and Dani picked up some driftwood to take home as a souvenir, mom tried out her photographer skills, and I sat and enjoyed some time with my family. Maybe I'm just very blessed, but truly hanging out with my dad, sister and mom is some of the best time I've spent in my life.

Some enterprising soul made a driftfish!

 

Ahh, paradise. 

We then hit the city of Victoria itself, with its wonderful architecture and street vendors and general city-ness. Unfortunately, I only have four pictures of this jaunt, I'm expecting to get more from the family when they've uploaded them. You hear that Frylings? Send me pictures!

Mom and Dad. I mean, um...

 
 

And then we ate more ice cream. 

COWICHAN BAY, THE END OF THE VISIT

On our last day together, we went out for dinner to a place called the Rock Cod Cafe in Cowichan Bay, on the advice of a local friend. We walked and enjoyed the free maritime museum, and Dani took these beautiful pictures of the town in the early evening. 

The requisite "Everyone make a face like a doofus" photo

Michael's fantastic Fruits de Mer Curry, 

My favorite photo. Open it in a new window to see it in its true glory.

As with all good things, my week with the family did eventually end. We made it to the ferry just in the nick of time to get them on it and back to the world of Michigan. There was barely time for a hug goodbye, and then I was back in the car driving up the island. 

My father texted me from the ferry, to tell me he loved me and to apologize that there wasn't enough time. "Sometimes," he said "there is never enough time"

"It occurs to me," I texted back "That that is what heaven is. The place where there is always enough time."

Or, y'know, this place.

After the family went home, things got crazy again. due to vacations and some hospitalizations, I ended up pull a 60 hour week this week, and I am wiped out. But, on the bright side of things, only one more week until puppy comes home to live with us. Would you like to meet Loki?

More next week!