I can't bare to spend one more sunny weekend in Vancouver so albeit a short trip, Mason and I took off to Vancouver Island this past Friday. I knew it would be one of those hello, goodbye trips but well worth it. I reserved the boat going over but not coming back as I wasn't sure what time we would head back and the last 4 times I came back, my reso was pointless as it wasn't busy! Waste of money.
The trip over was pretty uneventful. Mason let me finish my dinner while he played at the table and then he ran around and around and around the ferry getting smiles and frowns from passengers as he zipped through crowds and rooms. He was in a pretty good mood! We arrived in CR around 10:30pm and Mason was fast asleep when we went inside but Grammy and Papa were so excited to see him, he woke up. Finally we all settled in for the night and Mason had a 'sleep in' until 8:00am!
After breakfast we packed up the car and drove 2hrs to Gold River where my Mom's best friend Barb and her Husband Dale were camping. Their Daughter Dana was also there visiting with her bf. The roads to Cougar Creek weren't bad but I had only been up there once before. Last time was in 1992? with my Dad and Brother to go fishing. I caught a huge 28lb salmon. I was so proud. ;)
We had a quick visit, had some lunch and Mason got to go in a little dinghy with Dale and then the three of us. He looked so cute in his little life jacket. Mason was drawn to the water and wanted to watch the 'big kids' fish off the dock. One kid caught a huge bull fish. It took me back to my childhood, camping with my Grandparents at Upper Campbell Lake (Near Campbell River). Out in the wilderness, smelly outhouses, campfires (well, then), lots of trees and bellies full of berries. Speaking of berries, Mason got his first taste of a huckleberry and we both tried wild blueberries (very tart!). After a good visit, it was time to head back to the Riv.
On Sunday, Mason and I headed to my Grandparents house down the street so we could have a visit. Mama fed us lunch and Mason got to play with the garden hose. So fun! Mason had his afternoon nap (still naps!) and then I was preoccupied by the time as I knew we'd have to head back to the ferry eventually. I checked the website and the 7:30pm ferry seemed like a good one to take. Mason napped til 3:30 and we headed out at 4:00pm. I was on the road by 4:#0 after our goodbyes.
My parents spoil me and lent me their brand new Kia Sorento to take back to the mainland. It's actual to borrow for our big road trip to Alberta at the end of the month. So we go into Nanaimo at 6pm, plenty of time for the 7:30pm. Everything is dandy until I drive under the BCF electronic sign that updates drivers on the ferry conditions.
7:30pm ferry - FULL
9:00pm ferry - FULL
WTF!? Next ferry, 9:30pm 4% full. I quickly call Mom to see if she can get me a reso for that ferry so we don't have to hang out at the terminal for the next 3.5 hours! No resos left.
@#$*!!
Well, I say to Mason. It is what it is. I try to explain that we 'missed' two boats and would have a while to wait. It's a sunny day, there is a playground at the terminal Masey likes so not a huge deal. We stop at Quizno's for dinner. I order a 'kids meal' for $3.99. This is a great deal! small sub, package of Goldfish Crackers, a fountain drink (that I had) and then the order taker guy says we get a cookie too. I don't think it came with the meal but I gladly took it. Thanks Sir! Mason ate all the crackers (surprise) but didn't touch the sub. Perhaps its because it had lettuce and tomato in it (whoops).
After eating, we headed back to the inevitable. As we approached the bottom of the hill at Departure Bay, the flaggers were already out. (bad sign). "Do you have reservations" a young girl asks. "Yeah, no.". She puts a card on my car. 506 (I hope that's not the car!) and to the back of the line I go. Wow. Mason is fixated with the DVD player that is showing Spongebob. Good thing I have something to distract him. We sit for a while. I thank God for technology and spend a lot of time on FB, Twitter and texting anyone I can find on their phone. Lynda (from CR) is on the ferry coming back from the Mainland lol. So is Tim! Backwards day! Lynda says that they threw on an extra sailing, I cross my fingers.
No such luck. By the time we get to the wicket to pay, it is past 7:30pm and the cashier confirms that there was no add'l sailing, perhaps a late ferry. Nonetheless, Lynda got home early. I didn't.
So this blog is somewhat boring to this point. Oh, oh, oh! It gets better!. For your reading enjoyment, I'll skip the paragraphs and resort to bullet points to showcase the next 11hours :)
- Mason has a lot of fun at the playground and I observe him pretending to 'order pizza' from one of the kids under the playground #good
- Mason is interacting well with others and sees a Dad and his two young sons (Finnigan and Ocean) being swung around by his Dad. Mason wants in and now the guy is playing with all 3 kids #thanks
- I notice Mason's diaper is drooping. Haul him back to the car for a diaper and realize it's exploded in his pants #awfulstinkymess
- I realize I have nothing to transport dirty diaper to garbage can. I dump a bag of grapes into my luggage and use the plastic for a poo transporter bag #gross
- Ferry is 15 minutes late #figures
- It's 9:30pm and we decided (okay, I decide) we aren't going on deck. I figure Mason can cuddle up in my lap (with a comfy pillow and blankie) and go to sleep. Wrong. #hyperkid
- I realize that Spongebob may be a bit old for Mason. Lots of use of the word 'fool' and 'dummy'. #oops
- By 11pm, Mason wants OUT of the car and is impatient. And yes, he's still wide awake #gotosleep!dammit.
- By 11:30pm, *I* want out of the car and am very impatient. Mason and I both chant, "Hurry up ferryboat" over and over. #rwethereyet?
- Mason finally falls asleep and I am nodding off #dangerousdriving
- What seems like an eterity, ferry finally docks. #FINALLY
- Drive home, get Mason into bed, unload car. #Ijustwanttogotobed
- Realize I left my phone charger in the car, battery life is at 5% #dammit
- Go back out to the car to find it. Can't. Make a huge mess of remaining bags. #gotit
- It is now 12:30pm. Call my Mom to let her know we are home safe. #gooddaughter
- Plug the phone in and head to bed #sleepytime
- Hear my phone receiving email #ding
- Grab the phone to see that it is 6:28am and it's flashing 'dead battery warning' #shit
- My laptop is off, hense the phone didn't charge. #crap
- I cannot get the laptop to turn back on #doublecrap
- Pray that the laptop is not dead, I haven't backed up my pictures yet!
- Phone dies #almostsleptin
- Mason is still sleeping, it's 7am #sleptin
- Phone eventually charges enough to turn back on and tells me the SD card is damaged #seriously?
- I remove the card and put it on the table #andthenforgetaboutit
- Mason wakes up, go through his routine #goodmorninghoney
- Mason is cranky, doesn't want breakfast and is super tired. #nokidding
- I make his lunch on the fly #pizzaagain?
- How bout #Pizza for breakfast! (he says no)
- Go to retrieve SD Card and it's missing. Ask Mason where it is. "A birdie ate it". I hope he's not the #birdie
- Go to pick Mason up off couch. Diaper leaked on futon #seriously???
- Pack up Mason's lunch. #done
- Mason drops my new soap dispenser on the floor, it breaks apart. Soap is #everywhere my floor has never been so clean
- My lunch - an entire container of prawns, no time to portion control. A container of dipping sauce for prawns. An entire container of potato salad and loose grapes that I dumped in luggage #mmmmmm
- Drop Mason off at daycare #iloveu
- Drive to work. Think about all of the above. Start laughing, hard. Then start crying. #emotional
- Lunch time, realize that my dipping sauce is actually marinara sauce for Mason's pasta #yuck. Eat potato salad and a few grapes #notbestlunchever
- Am sick from potato salad for the next 3 hours #lovely
And THAT was my weekend.
How was yours?