Mini-vacation begins...

I'm off work for a few days for a combo of getting stuff done (today and tomorrow), seeing family (Saturday-Monday), and celebrating my birthday (officially it's Monday, but we're going for brunch Sunday). And then there is the "bonus" day off Tuesday, Canada Day.

Today was getting stuff done; check off: book hotels for next month's road-trip (actually I did that last night), renew my driver's license, clean bedroom, clean bathroom, do laundry, vacuum carpets, drop off and pick up Kiddo for last day of first grade, go to ArtEVO opening.

The highlight of my day was definitely watching Kiddo marching along the street and later around the living room while she sung the Imperial March from Star Wars. The low point was surprisingly not cleaning the toilet -- that, at least, felt satisfying. No, the low point was the ArtEVO opening.

I signed up for the "preview opening" online with the promise of a free gift (this turned out to be a rather monochrome print of a nude with a violin -- definitely not to my taste). The gallery, while it looks kind of swish, is nothing spectacular. Only slightly interesting is that it seems to be a bricks and mortar outlet for its online store; in the centre of the store are two kiosks where buyers can search the full range of available art. Unfortunately, the art is average, at best, in Victoria's market which is so rich with local artists. I wish them luck.

I also had fun booking all the hotels along our route up-island this summer. We decided to go pretty much to the top of Vancouver Island -- the full route we are taking is a little over a thousand kilometres, round trip and will take us about a week. We are camping the first night, then staying in hotels the rest of the way. I tried looking for Bed and Breakfast places, but I only found one that was suitable for families. (If we ever open a B&B it will definitely have at least one family-friendly suite.)

Tomorrow will be more cleaning and some decluttering around the house plus some craft time with Kiddo.