Expedition Canada

Marlborough Wed Nov 29th Two of the family of otters on the shoreline On my morning ambles with Jack I've got chatting to a fellow dog walker who has a bouncy Irish Terrier, eight months old and paws the size of snowshoes.  Well I never...she is from the UK and lived near Bristol.  Her husband comes from Marlborough and he and his three brothers, all went to the same school as Nick and Ros. One brother in the same year and friends group as Ros.   I suspect one of the masters from the school and occasional reader of this blog, might might know the four Loosemore lads.  It's Tom who is out here and living a few hundred yards away, as the Bald Eagle flies.   This is the second person from Marlborough (Pop. 9129) we know living on the Coast (100km long and Pop. 32,000), though the first one moved from Marlborough when the population was probably half what it is now!  I am going to have to start reading up on 'probability' though I suspect the rug...

And Other Wildlife Sat Jun 11th A few minutes after this picture was taken and 100m further down the road, this Bald Eagle zoomed down to a group of Otters on a rock getting ready to enjoy a large flat fish for breakfast, sending the Otters diving into the water and making off with their food.  I had no time to set up the picture and fortunately the camera was on an automatic setting.   The highlight of the week was the arrival of the Kitsilano branch last Friday and young Sebastian.  We wondered what Jack would make of somebody else getting much of the attention.  He was curious,  gentle and wanted to be part of the action.  We think they are likely to be good mates.  This time he didn't cry as soon as I picked him up!  Great fun. On the Admin front, I finally managed to switch my Apple Region from UK to Canada.  Not an easy task.  Several calls to Apple support, Music and Apple TV subscriptions cancelled and residual subscrip...

Another Perspective  Fri 3rd Aug  Fred catching up on gardening mag It is five months to the day since we arrived in Canada on Apr 3rd. The time has gone so quickly. The sticky heat of summer mornings has given way to cool autumnal early morning air, gin clear blue skies to cloudier days; days that are getting noticeably shorter and weather more variable, though still no significant rainfall.  Whilst we miss family and friends and our favourite haunts in the UK, we’re feeling very settled in BC. Canadians we have met have been friendly and welcoming and we are beginning to count a handful of people we have met as friends, including a few Brits!  The highlight of the day was the morning walk on Hopkins Landing Beach and watching three. Young otters playing on the rocks.  Whilst enjoying BC, I have been absorbed by events several continents away. The unfolding story in Afghanistan has been part of my daily reading. I still have fond and vivid memories of my t...