What a FABULOUS day!!

I know I say it all of the time...like sometimes too much for those that also enjoy spending time out here...but I freakin' LOVE living on an island!! Who knew?? When my girlfriend Mel moved to Galiano Island back in 1999 and I was still living in Winnipeg not even thinking I would ever even leave...I couldn't help but think that she was absolutely nuts! Why would anyone in their right mind want to live somewhere that you can not escape from except by boat? This kind of behaviour did not compute in my brain. I just kept thinking it would totally drive you crazy. And...I will say that it truly will and does drive people mad. It's called cabin fever and it is for real. ANYHOW, I now am an island girl...I love being "stuck" on my island. I don't want to leave so I am not bothered at all. hee hee!

One of the advantages to living here is that because we are island dwellers many people own some sort of nautical transportation. We have a canoe...it ain't ours, but our friend leaves it on our property as we are right at the water and it's a good spot to paddle from. Other friends have little tinnies (aluminum boats), some sailboats, others party boats. Today we were very fortunate to get a ride in a beautiful handmade wooden boat...that was refurbished and brought back to "tip top, look at me I am a really pretty boat" life...and this was all accomplished by our friend Damian. So Damian and my good friend Kate took us out for a boat ride around Gabriola and over to New Castle Island for a picnic and a hike...then to the Dinghy Dock Pub on Protection Island for a pint and back home through the Passage. The sun was out...and so were all of the other boaters and sailors getting in one of the last super sunny and warm Saturdays. Soon it will be rainy...poop! It was Kate's birthday today...so we celebrated hers and Clint's together. Good times.

It was also my nephew Samuel's 9th birthday. Man, he is such a little sweetheart. We called and sang happy birthday to him this morning before the boat ride. I ended up on the phone with him for 20 minutes talking about music...and what bands and songs I like. Ha ha! It was so cute. He was wondering who my favourite all time band was...I said "All time?? I guess that would have to be the Beatles". He didn't like that answer so said "No Auntie Pam...it can't be the Beatles. It has to be a band from now...not all time!" But, I don't even know how to answer that question...it's loaded. There are a ton of bands or singer songwriters who I adore all at once. I listen to a HUGE variety of music not the same cds each day. Yes, I said CD's...that was not a typo or a slip of the tongue. We DO have an IPOD...I bought it for Clint a few years ago for his birthday while I was in Texas...they are way cheaper there. And the ipod has a lot of our music on it...but it can only hold 1gb. Yes, again...very lame to people of the 21st century...all who have their 16GB ipod touch or whatever the latest gadget is called. We have 1GB...and no dock to play it from. We have headphones! ;op We have so many cd's that we would need 3 ipods to get all the music on. Anyhow...so Samuel and I are talking music and he is asking me about all these bands, of which I am surprised he knows them...or even some of the songs. He says "I really like Rock you like a Hurricane." I'm like..."from the Scorpions???" and I sing the chorus and he is laughing and saying "yes...I love that song!" He goes on about other songs and I finally figure out he knows this music because of Guitar Hero...it's a Wii game. A video game is teaching my 9 year old nephew about music...this is extremely conflicting for me. I hate that video game usage is at an all time high...pretty much makes up a lot of most kids days and how they spend their free time. I find that sickening...get your asses outside and enjoy nature...learn shit!! But, I think music is very important. And for a kid, who was born in the new millennium to be able to know the words to Scorpions song from 30 or so odd years ago...that's pretty rad I must say. Conflict in my brain... ack!

Because I like talking about music...I had a 20 minute conversation with Samuel who can never sit still for a phone chat for more than 2 minutes. It was heaven for me!

What a fabulous day!!!