Wagon Train

With four adults, three kids and two big dogs crammed into a Mommy Wagon (mini-van), pulling a tent trailer and  carrying enough luggage to clothe the Canadian Army, we were on the road at 4:30 a.m. to try to catch the 5:20 ferry to Nanaimo.  “Try” was the operative word, as neither Aimee, who is one of my daughters, or I were any too sure we were going to make it.  The son and the husband in fine “man” style, assured us that we had “lots of time”. 

There was a time when that boy knew how to cook, sew and do laundry, even clean a toilet, but when he turned eleven, the testosterone kicked in.  The older Kevin gets, the more like his father he gets and there are times when I have to take a double look to see which one of them I need to smack.  Before he and my daughter were married, I told her to keep a close eye on her father-in-law to be if she wanted to see what her husband was going to be like in twenty years.  “Run” I told her, “Run while you can.”  Anyway, I digress.  As it turned out, we did make the ferry, pulling into the terminal with one minute to spare.

The purpose of this lunacy was to visit my other daughter, Bri and grandson Bailey in Port Alberni before I take off for Scotland tomorrow.  Thankfully, all I’ll have to do tomorrow is down a few on the flight, then keel over and sleep until we land.  Sleeping would be nice.

Sawmill gear at the McLean Mill

Anyway, we managed to make it to Port Alberni, then out to China Creek to set up and feed the zoo.  Afterwards, we headed back into town, picked up my daughter and headed out to the McLean Mill.  This is an old sawmill, steam run and still in action.  Once having had our fill of meandering around there, it was once again back to town and down to the quay to scout out the shops.  Somehow or another, the town fathers managed to convince a couple of the cruise lines to make a pit stop at Port Alberni, so they’ve got a nice sampling of this and that. 

From there, it was a stop at the grocery store for dinner materials and back to the campsite.  Bri brought the 92 proof spiced rum she keeps in her medicine cabinet with the sole intent of getting me well lubed.  The best laid plans of men and mice…. Once her fiancé Steve joined us, the party started in earnest.  I am very fortunate in having a family who is absolutely hilarious and we had a great time.  It was well after eleven before we wrapped it up.  I can tell you, our fellow campers have no idea how to party.  The rum went down quite well, in case you're curious.

Sunset at China Beach