Architectural Pictures-mainly for David

These little cabins are all different-some with hot tubs on the deck, some inside.
The Sea Star
They are all joined by ramps, stairs and walkways, some with decks in betweeen
The upstairs hot tub is joined to the bedroom by a bridge and open to the living room below.
Our 3 level cabin-we didn't uses the lower bedroom with its own deck.

The main floor also with a deck and BBQ, kitchen, bathroom, living room etc. This is looking down from the hot tub

The Wild Pacific Trail

The trail runs southwest of Ucluelet, and is every bit as beautiful as anything we have seen in Oregon or California. This lighthouse was originally built in 1906 a wooden building on stilts. What a beating it must have taken.

Christmas on the Edge

A view from our deck

Terrace Beach cottages are timberframe design, right on the beach in a sheltered cove, and you feel like you are in a treehouse. We loved it and will definitely go back. Lots of people there and at the other resorts as well so Christmas in Ucluelet is something many people do.
an eagle along the Wild Pacific Trail, sitting near his nest. This was Christmas Day and it was really blowing-I'm glad I wasn't up there.
Lunch at Wickininnish Inn - very posh

(Christmas dinner was $80.00 without wine-that's why we went for lunch)

Chesterman's Beach near Tofino. Lots of surfers.

The coast-what a beautiful day it was on Wednesday. That's Amphritite lighthouse near the end of the peninsula.

Our Christmas letter

(Please click on the letter to make it legible)

Fond memories from 2006

sharing birthdays with Helen & Harley

Bailey in a life jacket

meeting Bensons at Breakwater Bookstore for coffee on rainy days

watching Jamie & Carly sort 350 sand dollars

winning a dragon boat race in Victoria harbour

seeing David hug Kenzie

having salmon burgers on our sailboat

Remembrance Day assemblies with Jamie and Michellie

daily trips to the beach to collect "blue bits"

listening to Devon (age 3) 'read'- "Billy Goats Gruff"

receiving artwork in the mail from Michellie

watching Lesley & Derek run a marathon in Victoria

having the kids suggest charitable donations instead of Christmas gifts this year

watching all the grandchildren become people

reading Michelle's first book

watching Derek & Lesley reason with a 3 year old

seeing both kids struggle with parenting just as we did

seeing how much Ken loves his boat

having roses bloom and bloom and bloom...

seeing a city bus decked out with

Christmas lights

antlers

and the biggest red nose you ever saw.

Carols By Candlelight

The music Academy has over 600 students in music & dance.

This annual concert has been happening for 29 years with 8 choirs. Ranging from the Apprentice Choir of about 5-6 year olds, to the Academy Chamber Choir. Last night they had organist Ellen Wang who also plays with the Vancouver Symphony and a " I Tromoni" a group of 5 trombones also from Vancouver.

Usually sold out about September.

Here we are again at Dwight Hall, with Lena, Cliff, Walter (who carves the trees on Jasper St), Lena's daughter and son-in-law and other friends.We are on the stage-best place.

The people who have been attending for years are easy to spot-they have tables covered with food-Ken's too busy eating to look up.

One of the choirs during the finale-the others are lining the walls, all with candles-

battery-operated, thankfully.

Museum Volunteer's Christmas potluck

In addition to a great variety of food, we all had to bring an item bought for $1.00 or less from the local Hospital Auxiliary Thrift shop.

And it had to be the most "un-Martha Stewart delight " we could find.

The gifts were passed from right to left, left to right, and across the table at a furious pace, based on the instructions in a story which Teedie read to us.

What a hoot!

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well in the museum.

Santa Claus Parade Day

It was kind of chilly this morning-this is how Bailey showed up in the kitchen for breakfast.

It's hard to jump off the bed, stretch, shake and walk to the kitchen without dislodging your blanket......

Santa Claus Parade on Marine Ave.

We spent the morning decorating Santa's float at the fire hall.

Ken collecting "Coins For Kids" to buy coats for kids. The wheelbarrow was used to dump the money.
Santa at the end of the parade where he lights the big Christmas tree. Lots of people.

Dwight Hall Mill Christmas party

Dwight Hall was built about 1924 in the townsite . It's a beautiful old concert hall and every Christmas season,there is a children's party in the afternoon, followed by a very posh dinner & dance for mill workers in the evening.

Imagine the chaos of setting up for 300 kids, with about 10 craft stations + Santa, dismantling and immediately turning the same hall into a thing of beauty for the adults.

Our dragon boat ladies are responsible every year for the setup-which takes several days, and we have a great time even though few of us get to attend the actual event.

a portion of the 1000 helium balloons which cover the ceiling in the lobby.
The tree in the lobby which fell on us several times, before we got it roped in place. The one in the dining all is about 15 feet tall-this one is only about 10 feet. It was taller before the chainsaw came out.....
The dining hall.

Every year, someone produces transparent computer images and 'makes' those stained glass windows.