Nice to revisit

Before the boy headed off to College in the States just over a decade ago (what the heck!) our family took a trip to the west of Canada, this was our kids first trip on a plane. We had some great trips before that, but we were and still are lovers of a good road trip. When you have 3 kids in travel sports it takes a lot of your fun money to keep it going.

For that initial trip west we decided to show them the highs and the lows of travel - over the top and reasonable, we shared the cost with them so it was fun as well as a bit of a life lesson. That trip was my first trip west, the love of my immediate life had lived in British Columbia as a kid and had been there for work so nothing new to him. We rented condos in Vancouver and in Victoria. Blew our brains out and stayed in a suite at the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino (worth every penny), where Teach was both blown away and nervous when the staff knew her name when she walked in the door. We also had a family learn to surf lesson while we were there, this after whale watching in Victoria where we were blessed to see many Orca breeches. I often wondered if the kids thought of those whales when we were out learning to surf. There is a picture of all of us in our wet suits and I promise you will never have to see it dear imaginary reader!

From Tofino we headed for a night in Whistler with a funny dinner at the Keg..though not sure if the boy found the whole thing humorous as there was a bit of fun at his expense. From there a beautiful drive to Jasper where we fulfilled, at least for one night, a childhood dream of TLOMIL and stayed in a cabin at a resort we labeled the Poca Dontis. We found ourselves in a cabin that had yet to be renovated, there had been flooding a few weeks earlier. Let’s just say this, we had to put toilet paper in the gap around the door and spray it with Off in hope of not being carried away by the mosquitos! The extremes from Tofino to Jasper..... Next stop was the awesome Banff Springs Hotel where we were upgraded (there are hotel fairies!!) to the A.C. Leighton Suite.

I now find myself just down the road in Canmore enjoying the hospitality of dear friends who have loaned us their condo for a couple of weeks. Today my love and I stopped into the Banff Springs Hotel and relived a bit of our trip with the kids. While it was a wonderful experience, it is wonderful to travel with just my love for a bit. It is something we don’t often do, something we should do more.

I had a massage the first day in Canmore with a lovely lady named Judy - boy she had magic hands! She began the massage by sharing that women our age don’t take time for ourselves often enough. There is always something to do, someone to look after and I should relax and enjoy my hour. I came out of there a wet noodle - and a mind set to enjoy this week with my love- to have the two of us take care of each other. Looking forward to LLB and her Scot coming out next week along with other friends but cheers to self care and couple time!

I plan on spending a little time right close to this chair, listen to the birds, watch the light change on the Three Sisters and just breathe....