Cooler Day

Heat Dome Heads East

Wed June 30th

Five minute sit-down

It is a cool early evening 24c as I write this and perhaps conditioned by the last few days, I almost feel ready to grab a sweater to keep warm.  I am sitting in the garden of our N Van rental with a glass of Sauvignon with Fred, relaxing after two days of rushing around.  

Today we got the keys to the new rental in Gibsons and were up at 0500 to walk the dog and ensure we got a space on the first, 0730, ferry. There were no more bookings available (limited to a set number each sailing), so it was pot-luck.   No problem we thought until we turned up at 0600 to see a long queue of lorries, trucks and cars full of families escaping early for the summer holidays.  Schools close today.  Our rental 'Cargo Van', a bit like a Ford Transit but with a larger engine that guzzles petrol, was one of the last on the boat.  We'd made it!

Jack, was not keen on the rental truck or the ferry, as we were on part of the deck surrounded by the hull which just echoed the clanging and clanking of ferry loading.  It probably reminded him of being in an aircraft hold.  He sat there panting all of the 40mins journey.

Admiring the view

The agent handling the rental, Andrea, was there just before us and the first hour was spent unloading the truck, carrying out the inspection and going over some of the property's operational aspects.  Alarm, plumbed-in vacuum system, heating and new boiler etc.  Jack found himself a spot to settle nicely and survey all the goings on - he seemed right at home.  The following hour was spent waiting for the mattress and bedding delivery, unpacking boxes, assembling furniture that came with its own tools.  

Bed partially assembled (I left my tool kit in the car that's gone in for repair), mattress and bedding delivered, furniture located (apart from one new chair that on unpacking was damaged and gets replaced tomorrow)  and new crockery put through the dishwasher.  It's like setting up your first house, 43 years on!  Rather exciting!  This time with a 21st century  dishwasher!

[A goods train down on the North Shore railyards is just heading out and the train whistle, two longs blasts, has just hauntingly echoed around Blueridge - love it].

We headed back to the ferry terminal just after 12 in the hope of getting on the 1.15 ferry.  Though there was a huge line of cars for the top car deck, we bypassed them and went down the truck
queue for the lower or mid-deck.  The ferry was late but we boarded and enjoyed the 40 minute crossing, standing at the front in the cool breeze which Jack seemed to enjoy too.  Still some snow on the mountains, but it's disappearing fast.

Truck returned to the U-Haul I rang the garage to find out when the car would be ready.  It seems to take the Richmond JLR agent (The Cowell Group), from Tuesday to Friday (closed Thursday for Canada Day) to diagnose a battery fault and replace it - under warranty.  'We were backed up with work' I was told, they didn't say that when it was dropped off.  Although we've had the use of a new Discovery Sport, we are capped at 100km a day and no dogs (or cats) are allowed in the car which has been a bit limiting.  Their communication has been rubbish and phone calls are often not returned.

Bear Spray

Late in the day an email arrived from MEC for a product recall on the bear spray I bought back in April.  It's used as the last resort if the bear-bangers don't scare off a bear.  That said I'm not sure I'd ever want a bear to be close enough to have to use it!  The recall is because the can 'may not discharge'.  

A good job the mother and cubs we saw a few weeks back did not know and I'm rather glad they turned and headed off in the other direction.  Phew!

Two more days in North Van and Saturday, back to the Sunshine Coast to the new abode.