Tuesday, September 12, 2017

ROBBLOG #648


If it's Tuesday...it must be The Island.

Well, it was a busy weekend and yesterday- Monday we did our first trip to an Island Costco.

First, The Weekend.
We started by going to the Cowichan Exhibition Friday evening at the invite of new friends Leanna and Jason. A Big Old Country Fair.

Scarry, eh? The Cowichan EX
We saw a Credence Clearwater Revival type band. They were pretty good. Tom and I watched with Leanna and Jason and had some fun singing along. Afterwards, we walked the midway- something about midway lights that I like- as you can see above and below. Later, as we headed for the Exhibition's exit we strolled through the light horse building. I love seeing the horses up close. One, Maggie by name, gave me a horse-hug. She pushed her nose into my cheek and neck on my left, then lifted her head to my right side and pressed tightly into me again.
It was amazing. Like she was comforting me or something.
Animals...they have their own way about things- right?

Exhibition Lights
Earlier in the week, Tom's Brother Ted and our Sister in Law, Chris, arrived on the Island. We had dined at Romeo's- a terrific Italian Restaurant that Tom and I have become partial to. It was a fun evening and our server was funny too. She was right in there with the quips and fast talk! A real pleasure!

We saw Ted & Chris again on Saturday afternoon- after they returned from Tofino, gushing at their time in that surfside town. We even took a side trip to our new house to show them and our RV park neighbours Val and Gus our new home. All four seemed duly impressed. That made us happy knowing they approved of our choices.

Sunday, we headed down Island on the Island Highway to Shawnigan Lake where we travelled a few kilometres off the TCH 1 to the Kinsol Trestle. You can google the details but this massive trestle was re-furbished almost 10 years ago. It traverses a gorge which allowed trains to moved through the mountainous central area of the Island...and it's high up. My knees were weak. I couldn't really look over the edge for more than 5 seconds. We crossed to the opposite side and even hiked down to the edge of a stream that sauntered along underneath the trestle.

Kinsol Trestle near Shawnigan Lake- south of Duncan
Fair warning!
If you come to visit and want to see this Kinsol Trestle, I will sit on my butt with a coffee in hand and wait for you to cross and come back. Once is enough for me- breath-taking as it is.

It's a long way down...
Running low of stock items like TP- we decided to drive to the Nanaimo Costco on Monday. There is a Costco in Langford BC as well- near Victoria, however, with construction on the Malahat, we opted for Nanaimo.

The floor plan was a flip of what we knew in Orillia- for the few times we shopped at that new Costco location there. Different than Barrie too. It sure throws you off shopping in a space that is the flip of what you are used to. Same for our Duncan Wal*Mart. It's the flip of the Orillia Wal*Mart.
Anyway, we got the TP and some odds and ends.

Oh...and it's Christmastime at Costco!
Trees and a jolly, 8 foot snowman that lights up with LED lights inside.
We even bought a set of Microdot Lights- the latest thing in Holiday Lighting, for $12.99.
I sure hope we'll be in our new house to use our Christmas Décor. Our Hallowe'en decorations will not see the light of day this year, since our new move-in date is Mid-November. Anyway, it seems like home shopping in a Costco. Like Hot Chocolate and a cookie- it's comforting.
Cripes!
Am I missing home?

After Costco, we stopped in a Hudson's Bay Store and a Sears- both in Nanaimo, discovering at Sears
that we had been past the store when we were in Nanaimo a week ago. Mostar Road is right next to Sears and we could easily find our way back to the Island Highway.
Gradually we are finding our way around and gaining confidence. A local last week told me that I knew the area quite well, considering the length of time we had been here.
I said I had been studying long before we arrived.

Hey, on another topic, have you noticed that store mannequins sure have changed over the years? Although not anatomically correct, the rest of the body shape is pretty bang on.
~grin~
We had to take a photo.
Is this fellah "pool boy" material or what- even with the "girly boy" hands?
I know. I know...very sad isn't it to "gush" over a muscle-bound piece if plastic but- any port in a  storm.

Headless Hunk- but having a head is so over-rated
Call me superficial or something...