Not used to double beds a little small for us but nice, cosy and close up. Very tired and had a good nights sleep. We are all early rises and like our coffees and tea in bed before getting up for breakfast. Poor Terry was diagnosed as celiac and is on a special diet of no wheat or gluten so we had lovely muesli with nuts, seeds, fresh raspberries, blueberries from the garden.

Today we are going hiking in the Strathcona Provincial Park which is the oldest park in BC created in 1911. Diana was a member of the Friends of the Strathcona Park who are continually fighting the government on development and putting roads in the park they want it kept natural as a wilderness for people to enjoy not to have roads and housing developments. Richard volunteered to drive our Pontiac so we packed a lunch with drinks in backpacks and set off.    There is a sking lodge here as well and is very popular in winter. The volunteers built boardwalk trails through the park and you can follow different trails. We did an 8km hiking to Helen MacKenzie Lake, the wilderness, lakes and mountains are beautiful Diana and Terry are great hikers and have hiked all over Vancouver Island they are members of a hiking club. Had lunch by Battleship Lake (looks like a battleship from the air) where a couple were swimming (the water was a bit cold for me even though the weather was quite warm). The environmental toilets reminded me of Colin Street in West Perth a bit on the nose but better than going in the bush for a pee. We really enjoyed the trail through the steep mountainsides and valleys but the only problem was all the dust you go on your trousers. Had to wash everything when we got back to the house.

Stopped off at the Comox Farmers Market for fruit and Thrifty Foods for cereals and extra food for Richard then drove over to their other daughter Louise's property on the other side of Courtney. She and her husband Dave have three girls Rachael (26) lives in Northern Alberta, Nicole (21) lives in Victoria and Stephanie (20) schools in Victoria. They have a 2 acre property with horses (1 horny miniature horse), 2 dogs, 3 cats. Home in time for 4pm drinks a rest and it was Terry's turn to cook dinner as they take it in turns each night to cook. So tonight we are having stir fry vegies Terry picked from the garden with home bottled salmon they cured in their Smoker. All this home grown food is too much for us.

11 August 2013

Today is overcast and looks like rain. Damp outside and the washing is not dry but the Dryer came in handy but our nylon trousers can't be put in the Dryer had to get my other trousers from suitcase in the boot to wear today Richard is wearing his shorts seeing he will be kayaking today and might get wet. It was fun watching them load the canoe on top of Terry's car (took a video) packed our lunch with cucumber and tomatoes from the garden with fresh fruit. Terry drove this time down to Little River where they launched to canoe at the mount of the river The current was very strong so Richard got plenty of practice paddling when they were drifting and it was lucky Terry had the outboard motor on. Diana and I walked along the pebble beach front and sat on a log where there was a lady diver giving diving lessons . The water is very cold here and they wear a dry suit to keep out the cold. Took a video of them suiting up and going in the water. They boys thought their bubbles were fish and were over near they dropping their line but not getting anything till they realized they were divers. The boys finally came in with no fish had a couple of bits and one little fish they had to throw back. Terry and I walked up the beach to the car to get the esky or cooler as they call it and we had our picnic lunch on the beach.

After kayaking Richard drove us to the Garlic Festival at Amara Farm bit north of Courtney. Lovely country atmosphere with a band playing country music had bales of hay as seats in a semi circle to watch the band. Tree house for the kids to play and stalls selling different types of garlic (soft neck garlic, hard neck garlic and many other types of garlic). We thought garlic was garlic not all these different types. Took a video of the area

Seeing the boys didn't catch any fish we stopped of at Thriftys Grocery Store and bought a beautiful whole pink salmon which Diana baked to a perfection with leftovers for lunch the next day.