Back in Calgary

The skies are grey, the bushes are not green, there are no flowers anywhere, and it still goes below zero BUT, our friends are here, our aunt and uncle are here, and our grandparents and great-grandparents are here. It is a BIG change to go from flowers and green bushes and most-of-the-time-blue-sky to bare branches, a cloudy sky and empty flower beds. If my friends and family were in Vancouver it would be paradise there. The best thing about coming home so far is seeing friends and family. For instance, take Great-Grandpa Caines' 90th birthday party, and going over to Kyra's house today. We are living in our Aunt's basement. But tomorrow we'll be at the farm. 

Emma

Tofino

In Tofino I went boogie-boarding. It was very fun and absolutely scary. I put on a wetsuit so I couldn't even feel the water. It gave me a ring around the neck. Most of the time it was raining but you couldn't even tell once you got in the water. Dad took me out so far we were past most of the smaller breaking waves and into the big ones. Only two out of ten waves didn't crash in front of me. One out of ten swept me backwards. I had lots of fun, even though I only once caught a wave that carried me all the way to the beach. 

The beaches there seemed empty of life at first. But when you looked hard, they were full of it. Take for instance Long Beach. We must have found more than 80 sea anenomes. Mom walked up on Chesterman's beach and she found an anemome that was about a foot long! We also found sand dollars. I found an alive one! 

Dad and Ken went surfing. I didn't even notice but Mom and Ken watched Dad get swept into the rocks. He broke his surf board. But he was fine. 

We had a walk through the rainforest and we saw baby banana slugs and one medium-sized one. 

We saw a black bear on the drive to Tofino. 

After Tofino we went to Victoria.  Then Maple Ridge, and now Vancouver. Then we are coming back to Calgary so you'll have to wait for my other sight seeings!

See you later!

Emma

Nathan's photos

1. A palm tree

2. the library we went to most when we stayed in the west end

3. the view down Barclay Street where we often walked heading to Stanley Park

4. a swan on Lost Lagoon at Stanley Park