Cabins are good.

For the past few years, we have been invited to a family get-away at a camp up-island (with Hubby's extended maternal family) and this year we were able to go -- my only concern was that we not have to camp in a tent. Happily, we didn't need to; there was a cabin available.

As a family, we seem to like cabins and as compact as this one was, it suited our needs:

We spent most of our time in the lodge with the rest of the family but this provided us two little bedrooms, our own kitchen, and a private bathroom we could call our own for a couple of days.

The weather was a little random -- plenty of heavy showers and lots of wind early on Saturday morning -- but we had a little time to explore the grounds and the adjacent beach. I even helped Hubby collect some shellfish.

My favourite thing was the built-in mini-golf -- nine little holes of astro-turf goodness.

With all the Douglas Fir cones, needles and branches, it was a bit challenging. My best round was 23. Kiddo loved the trampoline and the strange tire sling swing ...

Of cabbages and kings

(Well not really but that was quoted on the wall by our booth at Floyd's 2 where we had lunch today.)

First, since I know you are all on the edge of your seats -- I did bike to work and back on Thursday and again on Friday. Thursday took me exactly 30 minutes from my back door to the bike racks outside the library; home took about 25 minutes because more of the trip is downhill. On Friday the trip in took about 27 minutes and back about 25 again. So it's safe to say that I need to allow at least half an hour each way. Yay! Bike to Work Week is on approach so I will try to keep cycling through the next two weeks and see where I am at after that.

Even though I was exhausted, I did get outside to plant the strawberries and water all the garden areas last night, but that was about the extent of my activity. Oh, except I did also take a bunch of photos -- not that it takes a lot of energy to take photos :)

Today, we slept in somewhat, then went out in search of garage sales -- the first two were non-sales and one was just a bunch of toddler toys. Actually, there were tons of toys and baby things for sale today but we didn't come home empty-handed. We got some little folding stool/table things for the living room, two deck chairs, and a little planter set for outside, a few other little things, and Hubby found another ornament to zombie-up.

Today was also the first full day of the Moss Street Market for 2009, so we went and got some seedlings, some fresh, tiny donuts, plus some veggies and focaccia bread. As if that weren't enough, it is also Free Comic Book Day so we stopped downtown where there are three stores in one block. Between the three of us and the three stores we got a fair haul:

Now we are home where I am about to tackle some movie reviews and other web updates.

Wait, it's Thursday already?

(Oh heck. It was Thursday when I started writing this; it's just past midnight now, so it is officially Friday.)

This has been one busy week - and continues to be. Work has been full of tasks that are heavy on the time they take and the physical side but light on the brain function required. Today I had my usual hour-long webinar class on Photoshop CS4 (totally free -- offered by Creative Techs in Seattle) but prior to that I had an interview for another job in the library. The position is at a much higher level and is in public services but with a tech and training slant. I should know by the weekend, or possibly early next week whether or not I am the successful candidate. If not, I still have my current job so it's all good.

Tonight I am off to see got to see The Killers in concert -- so exciting! The last concert I went to was Blue Man Group and really, I don't think that counts as a rock concert. We also took our niece for her first ever concert (she's 16) and she seemed to be pretty excited about it all. The opening act was Wild Light -- kind of a Killers/Coldplay hybrid -- unremarkable for the most part though they did have one song I enjoyed. Of course that was the one they didn't name. Sigh. The Killers started strong, worked in some newer songs in the middle, then ended with three of my favourite tunes: Read My Mind (I love this song soooo much; I listen to it almost daily), Mister Brightside, and All These Things That I've Done (that's the one that goes, "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" -- I can't separate that from Justin Timberlake, though, thanks to Southland.) They also came back for an encore with Bones, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, and When You Were Young, complete with pyrotechnics. A few times I just closed my eyes and smiled, feeling the pounding bass course through my whole body. Worth. Every. Dime.

Tomorrow, I will be moving as much of the 5 yards of dirt we had delivered today from our driveway to the raised beds. Saturday we are off to Nanaimo, in search of garden ornaments for zombification, and Sunday is Hubby's birthday so we are celebrating with food, friends and family.

Celebration and organization.

Interesting (long) weekend. 

Friday was my first flex day of the year and I used the morning to pack up Christmas, at last. In the afternoon, I spent some time with my Mother-in-law. Later in the evening, we had friends over, doing some last-minute editing for what we would premiere Saturday.

Saturday morning we went out for a nice brunch at Floyd's Diner 2 after dropping bottles off for Kiddo's bottle drive then, on a whim, decided to renew our Costco membership. Then spend a chunk of cash on bulk buys (actually a third of the bill was for a variety of fresh, frozen and canned seafood). Saturday night, we celebrated a birthday -- this is the year when most of my friends hit 40 (and I will, too). To honour our friend, four of us conspired and conscripted many others to make a video (it's now on YouTube). It was well received (and I have to hand it to Hubby who managed to get the local morning show hosts to participate, albeit unknowingly).

Today started quiet and then I got a proverbial bee in my bonnet. By the time I was done whirling through the basement, I had cleared out or stowed about a dozen boxes, organized, and rearranged enough to be able to vacuum most of the carpet.

Now I'm settled in, watchching the largely surprise-free Golden Globe awards. Though I am now convinced I will have to see Slumdog Millionaire; I already watch the show that seems to be taking home all the awards, 30 Rock.

Weekend projects....

Before I get into details, I have to note that it SNOWED here today. (Hubby thinks that God may actually be unimpressed by the false idol under construction on our deck... heh heh.) We didn't get any accumulation in our neighbourhood but parts of the region did -- and Nanaimo got an incredible 24 centimetres (that's close to a foot for those of you south of the border).

But enough about the crazy/stupid/record-breaking weather.

We've been busy this weekend... Hubby with his soft-launch of PrefabSite.Net (wOOO!) and me, crafting, as usual... some new Huggitz critters (made from a reclaimed scarf) and four new CuppaJoe Cozies -- I got an order for four of the same so I made them fresh to make sure they matched.

Friday, I took the van in for some minor service (and I continue to be very happy with the service at Searle's Automotive), went out for breakfast while we waited, then indulged in some consumer therapy -- Mayfair Mall, Michael's, and Value Village -- before returning home to do laundry and cleaning and such.

So far, it's been one of those weekends that feels at once full and also relaxed... the kind that is impossible to create if you are actually trying. And I have another day left. Ahhhh!

Normal returns...

Well, this weekend it seems we are finally back to "normal" -- as in, almost no lingering effects of colds or flu. It's nice to have everyone "back."

Saturday, we all went up to Nanaimo where hubby bought some VinaMold (low-melt vinyl for mold making) -- at the only place that supplies the product in BC (one of very few in North America, apparently). We also hit the Vancouver Island Thrift Store where I got some ridiculously cheap yarn and fabric including a huge bag of mostly velour scraps for $1.95.

While we were up there, we went to the Acme Cafe for lunch (mmmmMMm), where the above photo was taken. Afterwards, we went to Fantastic Rhythm (used music and video -- I love that store) and the Nanaimo Project Literacy Book Store (where kiddo got a book of Monster Riddles that she read on the way back home).

Sunday, hubby had a meeting, so I kept kiddo busy for most of the day; in the morning, she played with play-dough while I crafted, then we went to the park where she played in the sand for an hour. After dinner, I continued crafting and by the end of the day had two new creatures to show for it:

I'm really pleased with these creatures, made from some of the thrifted velour; I will be making more.