At Home With Mom

This weekend was all about my Mama!  Being that it was not only Mother’s Day yesterday, but also her birthday!  Happy Birthday, Mama!

Hilariously I only took a picture of her giant card and the traditional annual hanging basket I brought her.  One year we might actually take pictures of US! 

While I let her sleep in yesterday morning I decided to take Chibi on another stroll around my childhood neighbourhood.  We have already walked around my old high school in the snow and last month we took a wander to the nearby mall so this time I decided to head for some nature and took in the Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo. 

When I was a kid we used to have to climb over a huge, scary fence and run through a field (we were sure there was a mean bull in there!) to get to the park from my house, but now the field is gone and houses have been built, and along with those houses came a proper pathway right to the entrance of the park.

So much development has gone on in the area that I was not entirely sure what to expect at the park.  I’m happy to report that it’s still just as lush and beautiful as ever!  In fact, I don’t remember it being this nice when I was a kid! 

In high school phys ed we occasionally had to run from the school to this park, through the trails and back down the other side.  We HATED the ‘Dam Run’.  After walking through it yesterday I now realize we had no idea what we were talking about!  It’s gorgeous.

No trip down memory lane is complete without a trek through the school field.  The Dogwood trees are in bloom right now and I’m in love.

Not a bad way to spend a gloriously sunny morning at home!

Memory Walk

Some people like to show their kids where they used to live, or played soccer, or swam in the Summer.  I took my dog for a walk around my old high school.

Parts of it seem exactly the same.  And other parts seem like a totally different school.  I wonder if a community garden would have worked during my high school years?

As we drove up my Mom’s street I realized this Tot-Lot is still there!  It’s not like I never visit, but I guess I just assumed this death trap of a play park wouldn’t be there any more.  Those spring based toys were dangerous!

I swear I rode this horse a thousand times in the 80’s. 

Nothing like realizing that to slap yourself in the face with your age.  :)

Parmanfest 2011

This Saturday I had the opportunity to finally meet up with some very important long lost friends.  High school friends.  Easily some of the best friends a girl could ever have.

{bill, me, donnie, julie, dan, and christine – JBSS classes of 1992/1993}

Our friend Donnie’s family has been hosting BC Day reunion campouts on their property for the last four years, but of course prior to now I wasn’t living here and could not attend.  When this year’s invite went out I made sure to RSVP that I would definitely be there!

His folks have a gorgeous piece of property with acreage to host multiple campers…including beautiful landscaping, a massive tree fort for whatever kids happen to stop by, a hot tub, a soft sided pool, and for this weekend a freaking stage!  (Don’s a technical director and thus has connections for stage-type things!)

Oh right, don’t forget the horses.  :)

After a couple of Facebook messages it was clear that our whole little high school crew would be making an appearance.  So I combined my visit with my Mom with a day at the reunion.  Most of the day I sat in the grass catching up with everyone while kids played and dogs chased each other around.

Little did I know, Donnie’s Mom was putting on a whole dinner spread!!!

Sex in a Pan.  Need I say more?

Around dinner time, the band took to the stage.  They warmed up with a few songs to earn their dinner then after we’d all eaten they launched into their first set. 

They totally secured the under 3 years of age rock n’ roller vote.

Sadly I had another obligation back in Victoria that night so I couldn’t stay and party into the wee hours with everyone, but clearly I’ll be keeping the August long weekend free for this next year!

Good times.  Great to know that some friendships really never change.

side note:  if you’d asked me in high school i never would have guessed that i’d be the only one that isn’t married with kids at this stage in life!  Funny how things actually turn out.

Cheeseburger Road Trip

So who the heck goes on a road trip just for a Bacon Cheeseburger?  Oh right, me!  And my friend Ibby.  We have issues.

But if loving bacon is wrong we don’t want to be right.

Don’t worry, we didn’t dress up for cheeseburgers.  I just wanted to show off my New Years outfit for the twelfth time.

I ate healthy toast before we left.

Chibi got up close and personal in the front seat.

Obviously there was road caffeine.  Did you know that the Coco Cappuccino is actually the cappuccino version of the Cafe Mocha?  I didn’t. 

Yup, 1.5 hour drive to Nanaimo to meet my Mom and Uncle for lunch at Gilly B’s.  Home of my favouritest Bacon Cheeseburger on the island.

And if you are going to drive all that way for lunch you might as well get your fries turned into poutine too.

Thankfully Gilly B’s didn’t prove me wrong…Ibby agreed it was a damn fine burger (or at least he’s just really nice saying that!!)

Chibi and I bonded while devising a plan to steal Ibby’s truck.  We got sidetracked by the food coma and doggie kisses though.

Return trip cooookie.

After a pit stop in Chemainus to visit Mel and Ryan we headed back home.  It had actually been a few hours since food so I reheated a bowl of Moroccan Stew and settled into the couch.

I fell asleep about 3 minutes after laying down and didn’t wake up again until 2am when I promptly dragged my behind to bed.

Clearly road trip cheeseburgers make a tired Jaime.  Zzzzzzzzzz.