Connecting with the community...and a reality check.

Backing up just a little...about two weeks ago, Brian suggested we go for a walk - nice idea, I'm all for it. We start by crossing the road and taking the little beach access lane down to the "beach" - more like a rocky shore. Anyway, it was very pretty with a different outlook onto the water.

Then we took the road that goes behind the houses which are behind our house - more nice views of the bay. Okay that was a bit of a workout as it's uphill, now let's go downhill and home - nice little half hour walk. Wrong! Intrepid Brian launches into the woods which start at the end of the dead end street. What was I thinking about? Cougars and bears of course. Anyway, not to appear to be a wimp, I obligingly follow along behind, agreeing to all of the exclamations of beauty coming from my hiking companion - I was still thinking cougars and bears! It really was pretty and we hiked and hiked and I started to relax a bit. And we hiked and hiked some more wondering when we would get to the end of this little forest. Finally joined a more main path and asked a lady where we were. Turns out we were a very long way from home - she suggested going back the way we came. Nope. The suggestion of a lake ahead fired up my hiking companion so that's the way we went. Finally, about two hours after we started (we did see the lake), we emerged from the other side of the forest. Had not seen one animal or heard any birds the whole time. Why don't the deer stay in the forest - it's pretty nice and a lot safer than wandering along the roads. The first thing we saw after leaving the forest - two big raccoons (emphasis on the first syllable please) wandering across the road and into a culvert! 

We used the iPhone to see where we were and to pick the shortest route home through the suburbs.

Our house from above (the one with the pond on the roof)

Into the forest! 

It was very pretty.

The intrepid explorer!

Cottle Lake.

Last week was Quilt Guild meeting again and it was lovely to go and be able to say hello and chat to the many now familiar faces of those who I met at quilt camp the previous week. I was invited to join the Material Girls group who quilt in a church basement close by once a week. I went for the first time yesterday and think I will enjoy their company - about a dozen or so go so it's not too big and they are pretty outgoing so hopefully I'll fit in. I was on my best behaviour so they would let me come back next week! Also made a contact for Brian for playing ice hockey. He has since strapped on the skates for the first time in six years and gone skating a few times, which progressed to joining an oldies team and also invitations to go to the local team's games. He won the 50-50 at the first game he went to and came home with $250 which made him very happy and helped fund some much needed new hockey equipment. So, my ever-present companion now has another interest which he is really enjoying.

It's a good time to be joining all of these activities as we already have about six Christmas functions between us to attend over the next few weeks.

I have spent a lot of time this past week with quilting (sorry, boring topic to some) and decided to do some extra work on Heidi's quilt and then got it off to be quilted - waiting for a call any day to go and pick it up. Can't wait to see the finished product. Also decided to make a lap quilt as a gift for a special someone but I can't say who or it won't be a surprise. Photos will be in the blog after Christmas of above two quilts!

Some fabric coasters - just in case I need some hostess gifts.

I made these from an idea seen in another blog - not sure if
they are keepers though.

Also in the last week we have experienced a bit of real winter! On Thursday we awoke to lovely big snowflakes falling down - hardly anything accumulated so we were quite impressed. Brian went on an errand later in the morning and came home with tales of quite a bit of accumulation in the rest of Nanaimo. Out our window the sun was shining and there was not a bit of snow in sight - needless to say we were feeling quite smug about our inspired choice of location!

Then we awoke Friday morning - same thing except that as we peered out into the dark, we could see that the ground was looking very light! As dawn came, the light was revealed as a rather deep carpet of snow! Not feeling so smug now were we!  It continued to snow for a while but as it was rather wet snow, anything on the road disappeared fairly quickly and on our lawns only lasted until early afternoon.

The deck (we had just taken the cover down the night before).

Back yard.

It was pretty with the snow on the trees.

Quite a different look from the green of the day prior!

Last weekend we enjoyed all of the action from the Presidents Cup in Melbourne - hearing the birds on the broadcast was amazing - we really miss that sound a lot - I think that's why we sleep in because it's so quiet - we were always awakened very early by the kookaburras in Bateau Bay.

This week we ventured out to a meeting of the Newcomers Club and again met some really friendly people. We are off tomorrow night to someone's house for their monthly Drinks & Appies night so that will give us a chance to get to know them at close range. It's at a house fairly close to home so that's nice.

Last night while Brian was out at a hockey game, I decided to make a start on the Christmas decorating. I know it's early but as we will be away for a week and a half over Christmas, "we" decided to have it up in time to get some enjoyment and get into the festive spirit - it's a bit hard when you are a newbie so this will either help or make it worse! Hopefully the former.

Christmas tree in front entry.

This is one of the experimental swags I have been making
this year out of fabric which I am trying to use up/clear out -
they will likely end up on the upstairs Christmas tree.

Brian is out again this morning (see what I mean) at hockey and lunch so once I've finished blogging, I'm going to tackle some more quilting and maybe some more decorating. I just received a phone call from the wife of the fellow Brian connected with re hockey, inviting me to ladies coffee nearby. She goes every Thursday so I declined for today but said I would go next week.

I think we are starting to like this "retired" lifestyle - it's going to be tough to give it up once we get into employment - which we aren't thinking about till after Christmas so we are making the most of the time now.

That's about it...we continue to monitor the weather as today the TransCanada Highway was closed for a period of time  because of adverse winter conditions and even some ferries have been cancelled because of high winds. I hope all is well when we head out in a few weeks time. Oh well, no point worrying about it now I guess.