The Wedding – It Was Simply Spectacular

High atop Mt. Washington, with Vancouver Island’s spectacular Strathcona Park as a backdrop, our beautiful daughter Maggie married her fiancé Toby late Saturday afternoon in an unbelievably beautiful wedding ceremony. The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding with a temperature of 75F under bright blue skies. Maggie looked absolutely stunning in her wedding gown. The ‘Mother of the Bride’ looked gorgeous as well. The Father of the Bride needs some work!

I’m looking down so as not to step on Maggie’s dress – I had to be careful

Paulette and I were extremely proud to walk Maggie down the aisle to Pashelbel’s Canon in D Major. Now, I have no idea what ‘D Major’ means but it is truly a beautiful piece of music and just perfect for a wedding. Maggie made a great choice when she selected this for her wedding. Everything went off without a hitch and exactly as we had rehearsed it the day before – better in fact!

Mason was a real hit as the Ringbearer – he won the best dressed man!

Our ‘little man’, Mason just loved every bit of this wedding. He was in fine form, happy and really having fun seeing all the people, noise and everything else that goes on at a wedding. He is really moving around now and almost running so we really had to keep an eye on him to keep him out of trouble!

After the 4pm wedding ceremony, our guests mingled on the deck and outside for a cocktail hour with appetizers. Along with cocktails, wine and beer we also had a special Guinness Beer bar complete with genuine Guinness glasses. While all of that was going on those of us in the wedding party were being subjected to the usual family photos!

Before the 6pm dinner, I got the job of watching Mason while Carrie, who was a Bridesmaid, took care of her duties.

Looking at all the wonderful stuff in the reception/banquet hall Mason didn’t know where to head first but he decided on investigating the gear for the live band.

The music was starting at 8pm following the dinner and speeches but Mason had other plans. It’s a good thing I was able to get him away from all the amps and sound gear with all of its interesting buttons and dials. Mason just loves anything electronic and it’s always the first thing he heads for.

All set to bring out the Buffet dishes for dinner

The Mt. Washington Resort staff catered the dinner and it was delicious. We had 160 guests and they enjoyed Roast Beef, Baked West Coast Salmon, Chicken Breasts and an extraordinary selection of salads and veggies. Everything was made to perfection – even the chicken!!

Everyone seated and just waiting for the dinner to begin

The dinner went smoothly and moved along very well. For once, we got to get in the Buffet Line early – right after the Bride and Groom, the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Instead of Wedding Cake – Maggie and Toby opted for Crème Brule

One nice twist for this wedding was Maggie and Toby choosing Crème Brule for a dessert instead of a Wedding Cake. Does anyone actually eat Wedding Cake? The Crème Brule was really good.

I heard the band is starting up so I’m just “busting a few new moves here”

Once dinner and dessert were finished it was time for the speeches. There weren’t too many, thankfully, but one of them was delivered by Paulette and I. It was short and sweet – just a nice one page poem about Maggie that Paulette had spent about 6 months agonizing over. She did a great job with the poem and we both took turns reading a few lines.

Time to start up the band….

The live rock band were a favourite of Maggie and Toby’s and had played at an event the first night they met. This band, called ‘Monkey Wrench’ was one of the best I’ve ever heard at any party! Everyone loved them and the dance floor was full and rockin’ for all 3.5 hours they played. They play an assortment of ‘Top 40’ songs right from the 60’s up until today. They sure got the party going until we had to shut ‘er down a little after midnight.

When our little man conked out it was time to end the party for sure!

Over my years of blogging, I’ve always written in wonderment about all the stuff my very talented and crafty wife Paulette manages to collect at garage sales and thrift stores. I call it junk while she calls it potential treasures. Once again she proved me wrong as she turned old window frames, log stumps, mason jars, old blackboards and even jars and metal tea pots into an unbelievably beautiful and homemade decorating extravaganza for Maggie’s wedding. It was amazing. Here are a few of the highlights:

The “Find Your Seat Table”

For this creation, Paulette took 2 old window frames and joined them together with a set of hinges. Then, after getting me to cut a piece of hardboard to the dimensions of the top left window pane, she painted the surface with black chalkboard paint and used chalk to identify this table. The seating plans were hung on twine that was tacked to each small window frame. You’ll also notice the flowers in old glass milk bottles. Who has this stuff just kicking around in the garage?

The Quilting Table…

Of course there had to be a Quilting Table. When Paulette told me this all I could muster was “you’re kidding, right?”  Nope! On quilting material, held firmly in place by sandpaper, guest were invited to write a few words about the newlyweds and place them in the wire basket. Paulette plans to make a quilt out of all the material. You’ll notice another  oval shaped “blackboard” that in another life used to be a picture frame.  Good grief!

The ‘Candy Table’ for the kids – and raided by all the adults

For the candy table, Paulette was able to use many of the unique and old jars that are hidden all around our house – in places I never seem to find. There’s even an old candy weigh scale she picked up from somewhere. The funny thing about this candy table, intended for the kids, was that it ended up being just as popular with the adults!

Table Settings

The centerpiece of each table featured a thick slice of Cedar to hold the flowers in the dozens (maybe hundreds?) of Mason Jars stashed around our home. Also, a thinner log, was cut so that the table numbers could be painted on – e.g #1.

More use of old picture frames and custom made chalkboards

The entrance to the Wedding Aisle

Yes, we carted log stumps up to Mt. Washington – lots of them. These stumps were placed at the entrance to the aisle and then alongside the benches where our guests were seated. Each stump had a collection of flowers contained in Mason Jars, old metal tea pots and assorted jars.

We could not have asked for a more spectacular setting!

After a few days off from blogging, I’m paying for my sins as it’s almost 11pm as I finish this up. It’s been a long, hectic but exciting week for our entire family. Paulette and I are alone this evening for the first time in over a week but that’s going to change in a few days as some of our kids will be coming back here after spending a few post-wedding days camping up-Island. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some important wedding stuff but I’m too tired to worry about. Someone will let me know for sure!

Thanks for visiting!

Going “Dark” For A Few Days

Just in case anyone was wondering, I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth or anything like that. We are all busy here getting ready for the big wedding this Saturday up at Mt. Washington here on Vancouver Island, about a 2 hour drive north of us here in Cowichan Bay. Our kids started arriving home last Saturday and we’ve got them camped out in bedrooms, our 5’er in the driveway and even a tent in our backyard.  Everyone has been busy, busy, busy with no time for blogging.

Wedding Ceremony venue on Mt. Washington

We’re all busy packing and getting ready for the drive up to the mountain and the beginning of the weekend festivities. I probably won’t be writing a blog until Monday and may not be doing much blog reading until then either. I’ll catch up with everyone early next week.

Our ‘little man’ resting up and having breakfast – he’s ready to party!

Thanks for visiting!

It’s Mason And I’m Back With Another Blog For My Grandpa

Hi, it’s me again, Mason, and my Grandpa called me on Face Time to see if I would like to write another blog because he’s too busy getting ready for the big family wedding up at Mt. Washington this weekend. I’m going to the wedding too, in fact, I’m the Ringbearer. I don’t really know what that means but I’m sure I’ll be able to do it as I’m walking really good right now. I told my Grandpa I’d be happy to write a blog for him because I had a pretty exciting long weekend with my Mom.

 My Chicken Strips dinner came in a really neat Pirate Pak boat

On Monday, my Mom took my cousin MIkayla and me to the White Spot for dinner. I was pretty excited about that as I’d heard about the Kid’s Pirate Pak meal that they served in a boat. The fun thing was that after dinner, you get to take your Pirate Pak boat home!

So, this is a Chicken Strip? Looks like a little hammer to me!

Since this was the very first time in my entire life I’d ever had the chance to order a dinner in a restaurant I had no idea what to get. My Mom suggested Chicken Strips and since I eat chicken at home that she makes I figured it would be o.k.

Boy, was I ever wrong. The Pirate Pak chicken was coated in some kind of hard, brown crusty stuff that felt kind of yucky. After looking at one, I decided I didn’t want to put that thing in my mouth. I’d wait until we got home so my Mom could make me some of her really good chicken. I did like the Pirate Pak boat though.

Here’s what I think of Chicken Strips! That’s my cousin Mikayla with me.

Maybe I’m weird but I’d rather eat the raw, cut-up broccoli my Mom gives me than those greasy chicken strips.

Before we went to the White Spot, my Mom took me to a waterpark. I love waterparks. I think I love them even more than swings especially on hot days. We’ve had way too many hot days lately but the good thing is my Mom always takes me to a water park if it gets too hot.

Sometimes when I put my face down to see where the water went it suddenly starts to spay up and I get soaked with water splashing in my face. It’s fun even though I end up soaking wet. At least I’m nice and cool.

I’m really looking forward to this weekend when I’ll get to spend the whole time with my Grammy and Grandpa and all our family up at Mt. Washington. It’s going to be fun with so many of us all staying in the same chalet. I can’t wait. I plan to stay up as long as I can keep my eyes open.

Thanks for visiting!

It’s BC Day – Some Fun Facts About Our Province

It’s the BC Day long weekend here so Monday is a Statutory holiday. Yesterday morning as I was looking at the online edition of the Victoria Times Colonist I saw an article that noted 50 fun facts about our province. It’s been a pretty slow weekend so I thought this would be about as interesting as anything else I could write about – other than the brutally hot weather which is still up into the 90’s – ugh!

Mt. Whistler – north of Vancouver, B.C.

Whistler is named after the hoary marmot, a rodent nicknamed Whistler because it gives a sharp piercing whistle to warn of danger.

Hanging Garden Tree on Meares Island

One of the oldest known western red cedars, the Hanging Garden Tree on Meares Island near Tofino, is estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years old.

The top 10 languages spoken in B.C.

The top 10 languages spoken in B.C. are: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, German, Tagalog, French, Korean, Spanish and Farsi.

The first trans-Canada telephone call was made in 1916 between Vancouver and Montreal on a circuit running 6,763 kilometres through Buffalo, Chicago, Omaha, Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore.

Estevan Point Lighthouse

In June 1942, newspapers reported that a Japanese submarine had fired on the Estevan Point Lighthouse at the north end of Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island. That makes Estevan Point the only place in Canada to come under enemy fire during either world war.

The West Coast Trail

The 75-kilometre West Coast Trail on the west coast of Vancouver Island is ranked the world s No. 1 hike by besthike.com. California’s famous John Muir Trail will just have to try harder: It’s ranked second by the website. The West Coast Trail typically takes five to seven days to complete. Challenges confronting hikers include climbing ladders, fording streams, negotiating muddy trails and using cable cars. 

Logger Bert Thomas was first to swim the Strait of Juan de Fuca in 1955

In 1955, logger Bert Thomas became the first person to swim the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island and Washington s Olympic Peninsula. During his swim, he was sustained by rum and coke funneled to him through a garden hose, and lit a Cuban cigar as he backstroked to shore.

The Glass House in Boswell

The Glass House in Boswell, a small town near Creston, is made of half a million empty embalming fluid bottles. The curiously beautiful house was started in 1952 by David H. Brown, a retired undertaker. It took two years to build the house, which became the Brown family home. David Brown passed away in 1970 and his family eventually made the house accessible as a tourist attraction.

Victoria’s Chinatown

Victoria’s is the first and oldest Chinatown in Canada and second-oldest in North America after San Francisco.

The Lost Lagoon fountain in Stanley Park

The Lost Lagoon fountain in Stanley Park is a leftover from the 1936 World Fair in Chicago. Vancouver purchased the fountain after the world fair ended.

 Vancouver’s Kitsilano Pool

Canada’s longest swimming pool — at 137 metres — is Vancouver’s Kits Pool. The outdoor saltwater pool opened on Aug. 15, 1931.

The Jolly Jumper baby seat was patented in B.C. in 1957 and manufactured in North Vancouver. Susan Olivia Poole and her son, Joseph Poole, designed the seat to be suspended from the ceiling by a harness, allowing children to bounce and swing without parental help.

Stanley Park Grey Squirrels

All of the grey squirrels in Stanley Park today are descended from eight pairs of grey squirrels given to Vancouver by New York City in 1909.

With a little Botox you too can look like Joan Rivers

Cosmetic Botox was invented in Vancouver. In 2000, Vancouver doctors Alastair Carruthers and Jean Carruthers presented findings from the first major study on the safety and efficacy of Botox to prevent wrinkles. The husband-and-wife team were the international pioneers in the use of the medical marvel many years earlier. It is now one of the most common cosmetic procedures around the world.

Thanks for visiting!

How To Safely & Correctly Change The Name Of Your Blog

Changing the name, or title, of your blog is simple to do if you do it correctly; or, it can be quite frightening and include Google warnings like “This blog has been deleted” if you happen to change the wrong setting. The trick is to know the difference between your “Blog Title” and your “Blog Address” and also the fact that they do not have to be the same.

The reason I’m bringing this up is because of an email I received a few days ago from a fellow blogger who asked if I could help another blogger who, while attempting to change the name of her blog, ended up getting the dreaded “This blog has been deleted” message from Google. The owner of the blog was understandably quite distraught and feared her blog was gone forever all because she had changed just one letter, that’s right just one letter, in the name of her blog – sort of!

After contacting the blog owner and finding out what she had wanted to do and what changes she had actually made to the settings of her blog, it was a very simple and quick fix to put things back to normal and to correctly change the “Title” of her blog to what she wanted while restoring the important setting, her Blog’s URL, to its original name.

To demonstrate the do’s and don’ts of changing your blog’s Title, I’ll use my blog as an example.

The image above shows my blog as it is currently configured. The first thing to note is that my Blog Title and by Blog Address (URL) are completely different.  This is pretty normal with most, but not all, blogs. The other thing to note is that the most important setting is the “Blog Address” not the Blog Title.

In the image above, I’ve chosen to change the Title of my Blog from Rick’s Bit’s ‘n Bytes to Rick’s Computer Tips. I’ve left the Blog Address (URL) alone as this is the address that everyone in Blogland uses to get to my blog. If you have my blog on your sidebar then the Blog Address points to my blog no matter what I happen to change the Blog Title to.

For instance, if I had changed the Address to computertipsnpicspicsnews to coincide with the Title then whenever anyone clicked on a sidebar link to my blog they’d get the ‘This blog has been deleted” message which is not something anyone wants to see especially a blog owner. It’s true, that eventually folks might update their sidebar with my new URL, then again, they might not.

So, to keep this simple, the moral of the story is it’s o.k. to change the Title of your blog to whatever you want it to be, but NEVER change the BLOG ADDRESS. Like every rule, there are exceptions, and there are cases when someone might want to change the blog address as well as the title. They are very rare situations though so for most of us the safe way is to never change your Blog Address.

Thanks for visiting!

Cool Chemainus River & Cowichan’s Country Music Festival

Our heat wave has returned with a vengeance as the temperatures have soared back up into the 90’s for the past few days. With that in mind, Paulette and I decided to go for our daily hike in the morning before it got too hot. We’d heard of a new trail about 25 minutes north of us that wound it’s way down to the Chemainus River. It’s one of the rivers we’ve never visited so we thought we’d give it a try.

After finding the parking area, we started walking down a logging road which led to a trail going down to the river. After 25 minutes of not knowing where we were actually going, we emerged from the heavily forested trail to a quiet, beautiful scene – the Chemainus River flowing crystal clear hard up against the steep, rocky cliffs of Mt. Sicker.

Rylie rushed right down to the river and had a good long drink of the nice, cool water. I couldn’t believe how clear the water was – it looked perfect for swimming. Did I say swimming? Sure enough, we heard a man yell “hello, there”!

If you look closely, on the right, you can see the head of a guy in swimming

We looked down the river to see a man who looked to be in his 60’s enjoying a swim in the cold water of the river. I’m not sure where he came from but I’m guessing he must be a local and this is his personal swimming hole. As he pulled himself up onto the rocks, I heard Paulette say “thank God, he’s wearing a bathing suit”.

We knew the hike back to the parking lot was going to a tough uphill slog most of the way so we took some time to sit alongside the river and just watch as time drifted by. It was just perfect sitting in the shade and we probably could have sat there all day. But, we had things to do at home and time was a wastin’.

Thankfully, the walk back up in the forest was mostly shaded and we managed to get back to the car in 30 minutes which wasn’t too bad given it was mostly uphill. We think there is a trail that leads further upriver but we couldn’t find it so I’ll have to do some checking online to see if there are any maps.

Cowichan Valley Country Music Festival starring Tim McGraw is this weekend

On the way back home we passed by the site of this weekend’s big Cowichan Valley Country Music Festival. It’s a holiday weekend here for BC Day and this concert has grown dramatically in size over the past few years. They are expecting over 30,000 attendees including hundreds, maybe thousands, of RV rigs parked in the spacious fields. To accommodate and organize the RV’s pouring in they limit the number of arrivals for a few days prior to the start. 

The concert kicks off with shows beginning July 31st

The biggest country music festival in BC used to be held in the small interior town of Merritt (Merritt Mountain Festival). That 6 day festival peaked in 2005 when 150,000 poured through the gates to take part in the festivities. After many years of success it was shutdown in 2012 due to too many festivities (i.e.rowdyism, drunkenness and smokin’). The RCMP had enough of these guys and probably had a lot to do with ending what turned into a real zoo.

 All of the RV Camping sties are completely sold out

I have a strange feeling that Cowichan’s festival may be headed in the same general direction as Merritt’s. In reading the festival website I ran across this: ““Our fenced beverage garden has been increased by 400% capacity so there’ll be no line ups, The reserved seating area will be open licence, so you can take a drink back to your seat.”  Hmm….somehow, that doesn’t sound too good of an idea to me. No problem, we won’t be going anywhere near there.

Thanks for visiting!