Monday just mucking about and sharing, and a trip to a Superstore. 24/7

IAnother bright sunny day in early Summer. In Interior British Columbia.

 Oh I know the longest day has gone but Summer here is later, and when it comes, very very hot. They don't get that til July August.

This weather is pleasant. We spend the day Pootling, which is what you can do when you are in good compassable society. Gary works from home on a Monday, so that's a double bonus.

I

Anyway, we have breakfast including fresh blue berries, and a type of capsule coffee, whereby the machine Is bought and there are packets of capsules you can purchase of various flavours to make cappuccino type breakfast coffee.its quite nifty, and later in the day I see that amongst other things, these machines are available in a Supermarket. Note the berries are from California because their season is earlier,but the local ones will be better and bigger.

The other breakfast thing of note is a butter bell croc.

This is an inverted bell shaped dish with a lid that later doubles as a base plate to stand the butter bell on. Inside the bell part goes your butter, and when it's put away in a straight sided container a bit fatter in size than your average coffee mug, it is immersed in cold water.

It stays both fresh and spreadable.

Here is one, and hereis how it inverts.:the container has a couple of inches of water in it.

This is way more healthy than margarine, which we tend to use as it spreads better than hard butter from the fridge, but this way which is French means it can stay out and stay fresh. Another thing is that many households, including Sandra's, have a microwave over the stovetop where they work as an extractor fan. The base of the microwave is an extractor fan. I am fascinated by this, as it saves on space. It goes without saying that throughout my stay I am watching out for them in shops and houses w with extractor" and it seems they are a North American thing.e visit, including Victorias university flat, later this week I google them  " over the range microwave " and here is a designer's  (Susan Serra )article. . . In italics 

START OF ARTICLE BY A DESIGNER OF KITCHENS Google. . 

      (This is not Sandra and Gary's house.)

"It's funny...I looked through my project images, and I think I knew right away that I didn't have an image of a project I'd designed with an over-the-range microwave. I may have used this type of microwave a handful of times, possibly many, in builder projects I've done, but, I've always had a huge bias against them...and I bought one yesterday!

Let me just make it simple and do a pros and cons evaluation:

PROS

1. A space saving appliance. For an apartment-sized kitchen, it's no less than a God-send. 

(I honestly cannot think of another "pro" to the over-the-range microwave...geez.)

CONS

1. It is typically situated at an uncomfortable height. If one is short in height, or a child, it can be difficult to reach in and out.

2. Along with #1, of course, comes the possibility of danger, first, if the container becomes hot, and one is taking it out at this uncomfortable height, but also, if there are items cooking on the stove and one reaches for the microwave. Take care!

3. If the microwave cannot be ducted out, the fan is nearly useless, as it becomes a recirculating fan.

4. Most microwaves are approximately 12" deep, which only cover the rear two burners if the ducted fan is turned on.

5.  The typical 300 cfm fan capacity is a poor performer in terms of ventilating power.

6. Due to the height of the microwave, very tall pots pose a problem in cooking comfortably, including being able to see the contents of the pot.

 

I mentioned the reasons that I bought one of these in this post. It's definitely a love/hate thing, I'm sure, for many of us.  Image is from GE, which has a whole lot of choices in microwaves. Kelli, in a comment from the original post mentioned, asked, "What's the alternative?"

ALTERNATIVES

1. Do you REALLY use a microwave, do you really need one? A good question to ask, in general. 

2. Can you find any other space to build in a microwave? If built in, remember, you must have a trim kit for proper ventilation around the appliance.

3. Can you simply place the microwave (perhaps a small one) on the countertop?

4. Check out GE's Trivection range...not a microwave, but a speedy oven, with microwave technology inside.

5. Perhaps a microwave drawer? 

6. Are you rich? Buy a TurboChef.

 

Much of this discussion depends on if the kitchen is being designed from scratch, or, simply, as in my case, a space is open, and now that space will be filled again with this type of microwave. I can deal with this solution for now.. ." . . . END OF ARTICLE  

Oh well we  can't get them anyway. But on with the day . .

We have lunch  of soup, see here another stunning bit of photography, but you can see the view of the lake. across the lake there is a  Cassino andthe road runs the whole length of the lake to the North end.

I am taken on a tour of the house, the downstairs part is as big as the floor we live on, and Sandra's parents live there, for part of the time. For now they are away in Trail, where they have a lakeside residence to die for, it has a generator and they grow everything, and fishing is a boon. it may be the last summer they have there as its on the cards it could get sold, so everyone is planning to spend some summer there for old times sake.

Here's the answer o why people can store their Christmas decorations. There is a basement effect with heating systems, but there is so much storage. On top of that Sandra and Gary are into systems. So it's a great and functional basement, part but then. .  . 

 A great big recreational lounge with a log fire, TV , and then adjacent with doors to separate, a separate smaller .lounge. There is a separate kitchen area and a nice bedroom  all with access to their own verandah, replicating throne above and with all the same doors leading on to it. andras garden has been well developed and flows down the hill. It's quite separate and private, like an apartment or possibly a condo. I am learning about the difference in these labels.

We have a barbecued meal,of Halibut, with mushrooms and all sorts of vege.

And then we do what is a bit of a novelty for me. .  . We go to a Real Canadian Superstore to shop. We take those green boxes that my feet were stuck in when we squished into Sandra's car to escape from Banff. I am very excited about this, just the differences in how they do everything, supply everything. I take advantage of some salt water taffy, a type of sweet that some of the more privileged of you may get to taste. They are soft fruit flavoured but slightly chewy wrapped sweets. The biscuit aisle amused me for a disproportionate amount of time ,but we had already looked at every gadget,for the kitchen. Oh it's fascinating, and my maths is really benefitting as I am doing calculations and conversions in my head to spot the relative  differences in price. I am amazed to see that Canadians can not buy booze in a Supermarket, and in fact they are great wine makers but their wine is very pricey. And ours is pricey over there too. In fact we are in the wine growing region, but letus not digress as wine is not to be had here.

It's the range, and convenience of things, and the expensive and styly labelling.

One such l electric sign said chilled biscuit dough. So all you have to do is take a knife and slice up thicknesses of chocolate chappie and put hem in your oven and it looks like you baked.

Here is a photo of Mozzarella cheese, just mozzarella , and not expensive.

This is just Mozzarella  - slabs of it.and no more expensive.

On the other hand there were oddities like the frozen dessert section and there were frozen Yorkshire Puddings in with frozen desserts and puddings.  Aghh!

The cereals are different ,the deep freezers have different slants on the stock

We loaded up the green shopping boxes with stuff, including two little 'flat caps' for a baby boy, so I am ready for one sex when Ian and Jo produce.

 We shoot out into the night to view thesight of  Kelowna, all lit up at night from Know Mountain.

At home we linger and talk some more. I share about Barbershopping. The difference is these days if we want to point something out from home we just google a site. It is hard to coordinate time with New Zealand  to make viber calls home. We go to bed really late.

I am way behind in my blog but when it comes time to the end of the day I have been so busy living it ,writing about it isn't on the agenda.

Tomorrow it's the last day here and we head off South to the States and the Pacific North West. We will go and look at Vernon where the Pearson children grew up.

Sunday in Kelowna at Mackinlay's Landing and reunion with some of Pearson Family.

The Pearson's time in New Zealand,in the 80's,  is when I have known them, and so it is pretty exciting at last to meet some of them  again today. Our memories, of them in New Zealand are so precious and actually fun filled, and relate back to small children and preschool.

When I wake, the first thing I note is the temperature is warmer.

Then I glimpse the view.

Spectacular views for 180  degrees and my bedroom has direct access to the verandah.the sun is shining and here is how it is today.

Looking South through kitchen ,family room windows and beyond the verandah

Looking North over verandah/patio outdoor living area. Yes the photography is a disaster, but I took these on the iPad as My camera was dropped and is temperamental. It is very scenic and restful, a sanctuary.

But we are off to church and to sight see on the way. It is very grounding for me to spend Sunday morning this way. We mix and mingle with the folks from Vineyard Ministries, and then go up on a sort of plateau to view the lie of the land before visiting Laura in Ellison-Scotty Creek area . Laura is now married to Tom, and called Laura Wilson, and with a little boy Liam, at the fascinating toddler age, which is the age Alex her younger brother was, when I first met them.

We drink delicious iced tea, but she is revealing that it comes in a tin, powdered. hmmmm, that would be a 'must get' back in New Zealand. I love it. The closest we can get here is Nestea  at Countdown. Yet to check it out. 

Laura was the most fetching little three year old girl possible, and I loved her, and watched her grow till she was 6 , then wept when they all returned to Canada 23 years ago.  She has been out to  NZ as an adult, and now at 29 has a cute little boy the spitting image of her former self. He is the age Alex was, but he , to me is 'déjà vu' of Laura

He  looks like Tom too, but I  did not know Tom as a child.

Liam loves watermelon so that's what we brought him . We ate pecan pi,how North American is that?

And then, some serious lawn mowing, with Granny.

Its a great visit and they are developing their garden, and have built a big garage, an amazing feat on Toms part.

 Their house is a real home, a great feel, as it has had a growing family before them. Great choice.

Gary is due back on his BMW motorbike sometime today. 

Victoria who was 6 months old, when last we met is now 23 and a half. She has gone back to uni in Vancouver, to do some post graduate study, but this weekend she is home for a friend's wedding. She also has exams imminently , so she is using every chance to study.

Here she is, just as cute as when we saw her last.

Actually, this is taken later in the day because Gary is here. So daughter and father ,both accountants.

She has to get back to Vancouver, so  we take her to the KELOWNA airport. .  .  .( Which incidentally, is an airport you can fly direct to Mexico from,  for a getaway,  in mid winter. Direct ! Oh they have thought of it all.  There's also a campus for theUniversity of BC  here in Kelowna, which some of the family have one to.

Note the hanging baskets  - they are EVERYWHERE , and these are not the best I saw.

we will catch up with her in Vancouver later.But for now we are going to Raudz, the best example of the best local cuisine. It is amazing, and one of those places you would need to have inside information to know about.

We start with these pretty pretty cocktails  or at least Sandra and I do. Gary has a dry Martini with Olives. Hilariously when the menus are brought, Gary can not read it. No problem,the waitress swiftly fetches a bowl of glasses (spectacles), and he dons a pair. I have to record this phenomenon:

See below, she obliges :

Which glasses will he choose from the plate? And here is the happy result . . .

Very nice, presenting Sandra and Gary Pearson at Raudz,  he wearing borrowed restaurant specs

The chef is an award winner, and it is easy to see why. Don't you agree?i think Gary has lamb ? New Zealand lamb ?  I had steak.

Superb food. And stunning staff, the convivial Canadian style is so amenable to a good time.You will love it Ian , when you come. A fabulous treat.

We explore the town on foot. We walk along the waterfront , and it is alive with people doing the same. There are yachts in a marina . .

Kelowna marina.

One of Sandra's posh panoramic sweeps at waterfront .how does she do that ?

And the we went o look at an iconic structure representing Kelowna which is Indian for bear. It is threaded with minutiae representing people flora fauna. Quite a feat.

 The blue grizzly bear and yes, that is me in the front of it, taken by Sandra. It is elevated so is visible for quite a long way. Lovely flowers. This is hot weather.

This close up enables you to see the detail on the blue grizzly. It is lit up at night. Unusual.

We concluded the daylight hours by touring through Nature's Formulae, which manufactures and packages a wide range of health products. Just the packaging alone, is an eye opener to the lay person. About 40 people work here, making the stuff, and both Gary and Sandra have roles as well. It is very impressive, and we can have a better look because it is Sunday, and no work happening today but I I can easily imagine the busy sight it will be tomorrow. It is another world.

It's two days after Summer solstice here so the fact that its getting dak means its late.we head back home to Mackinlay's  Landing.

Completion of 1100km round trip

Amazingly, CANADA is largely made up of water.If you are flying over it you see that.so a lake is a common thing and  the rivers, big ones meander. On this trip we encounter the beginning of the Columbia, which is a massive river.

These waterways dictate the roading.mit is the Transcanada Highway that we are on. Quite a lot of the time we travel beside the railways , yes there are two lines, because there were two competing companies. Often side by  side. Conversation drifts around the construction,of this mammoth railway, and hardship.

Apart from luxury tourist oriented trips the major use now is freight, with several engines pulling. Anyway both road and rail,  often follow mountain streams, and because the others have been on the train, discussion arises about a famous spiral built to traverse a steep incline. Chris knows this and we see it from the road. 

Then we get to the last spike when the two railroad teams met up.  They started from each end, and net in the middle. 

Seems it was about as harshly driven as the Great Wall of China, and the camps of men building it were expedient, labour was cheap, life was harsh and cruel,, so it is a poignant thing to stop and see the monument of the 'Last Spike of the Canada Pacific Railway.'

The gold one,  is the 'last spike' at Craigellachie, which is named after the owners hometown in  Scotland.

A monument, with samples of every kind and colour of rock that they have cut throughout the construction.  The colours range dramatically from province to province

.

And here I am in front of the monument.

This is Chris by the photograph commemorating the ceremony. Chris is photographed putting himself in the photo of the ceremony.

I think this is one of Gary's ski resorts in the background on the left. They cut a swathe of trees  enough for a run. oh I hope I have the right photo here Gary. anyway in Summer the ski run is just grass.

Well may be this is a ski field. Whatever they ski between the trees.

The roads may be straight but they are steep. You would not something without a bit of grunt, to confront these slopes.

We have been following the Columbia River, the biggest in the Pacific North West,which starts in the Rockies, specifically at Columbia Lake.  It is huge and it is long ands comes out down in Washington ,but we are there at the start, and evidentially I will see this River later in the week.Anyway there iis this massive dam at Revelstoke and Lake Revelstoke is our next visit.

Here we are above the river, see the cars like ants down below, 

It is here that I manage to drop my camera. oh it has happened before but this time I do it thoroughly and kindly Sandra's iPhone stepped up to be our official photographers, on this epic journey. I keep taking them for a while, and maybe that Canon can ring a miracle, but. . Onward. 

This is me at the dam with dropped camera.

If you look at a map we are travelling to the left, (West) we follow water pretty much, wherever we go in this province.The terrain changes as we get lower down and  it is all pretty attractive and I'm told that Albertans come over here for their cabin holidays. It is a boaters  dream as there endless places to explore, and picnic and the water looks like it never gets rough, like the sea does. We are going across  BC and  down a bit to Kamloops . To do this we pass Salmon Arm at Shuswap, and I decide I remember that this is where I could live. ( Shuswap is an Indian name) It is shaped in a convoluted fashion like a sort of H shape with various arms and we are travelling down the Salmon Arm. It is all connected.

Shuswap Lake with all little holiday places

We follow the  Thompson River this time. David Thompson  who is deemed the greatest land geographer who ever lived. we are still on the Transcanada highway#1, and getting close to Kamloops where Chris and Cheryl depart.We drop them at a hotel, from where they will connect with their friends coming down from Jasper

 and back down the Trans Canada, we go beside the Thompson River and turn South Ono Highway #97

We are heading down particularly pretty almost European looking rural scenes. my favourite is Falkland, which is near Monte Lake. We are travelling down a valley that it connects Thompson Country with Okanagen, where Sandra lives. Here is  Monte Lake.

 notice Monte Lake has an RV park and these have been a talking topic. RV just means a recreational vehicle but it has come to encompass the biggest sort of Paris Hiltonor Dolly Parton tour accommodation on a set of wheels. And when you go to an RV park they have hook up connections, that truely enable a home away from home experience.We are starting to see some of them on the road. Not all are huge.

Note there are no treesWe are heading south towards Sandra's home on Lake Okanagen.

we first come to the town of Vernon, where Sandra and Gary lived for years

But it is getting dark and iPhone or no the dusk does not warrant photographs. 

The eye can see though, and we are on the home stretch as we pass places like Oyama and Winfield before we pull into Mackileys's Landing where they live. It is on the Lake , amongst trees and glittering below  I and across the lake are lights.

We swoop down the drive, the garage doors open and we park and sit and look at the km.s . Sandra has clocked up since 6.30am this morning. 

A truely mammoth effort, and three people's holidays have been saved.

We go in to check out yet another view from the verandah. Gary is away at a family graduation /celebration.

This place is truely a refuge from the busy world and yet it is a suburb of the city of Kelowma  (population 106,000, but you feel you are in the wild,  but with all mod cons. 

It is tastefully decorated, and my bed is comfy. There are blackout blinds and curtains and it is  altogether bliss to be here. ow fortunate am I. 

Thank you Sandra

.

Part Two of 'Saturday with Superwoman'. -the Journey as far as Golding.

It's a challenge but three big suitcases, and three passengers, fit into Sandra's Accura,which is like the deluxe form of a Honda Accord. We also accommodate things that were already in the car, and I am in the front, with my feet in a green 'supermarket box', which is their snazzy way of super market 

shopping, and the others have a suitcase perpendicular between them. And we are away. In the sunshine !.

We will detour to Lake Louise, Sandra apologetically explains to the others, who are actually delighted.

It is fast and smooth and I am clicking photos frantically. and I might say,

they make no sense to me now. It's like being able to see after temporary blindness.

Here is how I talk to  Cheryl, diagonally opposite, and beside her suitcase.

Look how much water in this stream /river, and very fast flowing.

This is  road maintenance truck. Dramatic scenery.

Pines and conifers grow naturally here.

We soon turn off for Lake Louise which is where the others were to have stayed.

But before we do,  we see the first of the animal bridges across the motorways. These are grassed causeways, for wild life to cross back and forth without encountering a vehicle. Moose, black bears beaver, deer. The crossings  are  every so often.

Anyway, Lake Louise is a treat, which renders all my other photos accessories. Anyway it's a bit of a Mecca with a fabulous hotel incorporated.

Here we are walking up from car park

The three rescued  kiwis at Lake Louise

And Sandra and I meeting after twenty three years. Can you see the green of that water, there are minerals in it that cause the colour I believe.

And again for the scenery, oh I am not fond of planting myself in front of beautiful scenes.

It isbtruely a spectacle and the sight comes without warning, as you walk up the hill.

I could stay here a week. And people are canoeing, as I believe Pat did with her chargesvwhen they came on camping tours with her posh school.

And the hotel which lends in, behind the conifers. Big hotel.Chris and Cheryl had to cancel a night in this, but at least they got to look at it.u

There are canoes on the water. It is quite hot. A few tourists are about.

But isn't it majestic .

But we are off, as its a journey ahead of us.

The Rockies in the sunshine, and how vast they  are.

There's no pattern to my photos and We are talking about lots of photos out the window of a moving car. So I will be brief.

Sandra is a tour guide as well. she has explanations for questions  and points out ski runs and places Gary skied. He is your hard out sports person Guy. All of the kiwis are  enjoying the sights, and this motley  assortment of snaps, do not touch the random beauty of waterfalls and snowy mountain. it was not repetitive, and the trees were not the same . Clusters of Douglas Fir, Silver Birch various Pine and Cedar.I did not see a bear but, Sandra saw a cub this morning on her way up.

Snow clad mountain sides

Flooded rivers, some of which would be due to the melt, but then the rain is on top.

Swirling rivers with wild mountain flowers everywhere.

Expensive strategies to protect rock fall onto the highway, we copped a rock in a gap hereabouts.

And this is how to deal with a potential avalanche, or at least places where recurring avalanches have caused havoc. It's usually on the prominent point or a knoll. This was the avalanche just slides on over and down the gulley, with traffic as usual.

No vehicles, please note, just us, it seemed. So we were unhampered. A clear way ahead.

Tunnels to avoid rock fall, drilled through rock.

Lovely vistas.

Straight roads and big cuttings to make them.  . .and ..  .  .

  .  .  .massive bridges to span the valleys and keep it smooth.

The former 'cutting' photo is in the background here. mountainous it may be but it is an Engineers feat.

And Uncle Stuart Coles would be so impressed. we get to Golden which actually is a junction of four highways,  and nothing much else and we stop for soup, at a hilarious family restaurant,where you have a sheet of brown paper as table cloth and plenty of crayons to doodle.Our waitress is the ultimate host and it is a good break , and here are Chris from Clive, and his wife Cheryl.

Cheryl 

Chris Holder from Clive NZ. We are co- escapees from Banff, and the floods and he treats us all to the meal. Thanks Chris. Really enjoyable company.

Wte agree that adverse circumstances often bring great outcomes and this has certainly been a bonus getting to know this couple, who are actually related to my friend Linda from Napier Oh how small New Zealandi is. But they have had amazing travel already, been up to Iceland on a cruise, and a Canadian train trip.

I am going o stop here, and carry on the rest of this long da, in the next exciting episode.

Well, yawn you may, but I am on a mission, now to get this all recorded. it's actually helping me sort out a complicated, condensed travel experience, so there's nothing  altruistic about my intentions. Stalwart travellers join me if you dare, in the next instalment, as I cover many miles before we get home, and Sandra clocks up 1100 kms  -in one day of driving. That is big, even by Canadian standards. True, and I am there (passively, but talkatively), for over half of that, so vicariously, I am famous too. 

The expression in this restaurant, thatI photographed, but can not find now, said, (quote),  "come back quicker than spit in the wind" and was graphically illustrated. Observation/opinion :The Canadians are so ready to laugh. I love it. Not doubting Thomas's at all.