J'♥ Quebec!

         

   

He said he would only shave the moustache if I took a picture of it.  Here it is!

The Isbister siblings reunited in Montreal two weeks ago.  It was a fabulous time filled with stinky cheese, fresh bread, super market vegetables, and racelette.  There was certainly more to Montreal than food, but the savory goods were a feature.

We then explored Vieux Quebec on our bikes, taking in the history and stories of a fortified city.  The Plains of Abraham was a particle favorite, featuring amazing look-outs and easy bike trails.  Could Autumn be any more breathtaking?

We spent three hours walking along the Falls, snapping pictures, chatting, drinking coffee, and doing basically nothing at all.  It was yet again, a lovely day.  The weather has certainly been in our favor.

We also spent a few days with Amanda, Greg, Kaylah, and William in Hamilton.  The kids were so cute and very energetic.   

Quick trip through the prairies

Although our time in the prairies was not quick (a full week in Winnipeg), I did not take a lot of photos.  So, it seemed like a quick trip as I flipped through the photos.  We celebrated Dave's birthday on October 2, helped my parents pack up the Outlook house, and continued to eat a lot of food as we caught up with friends and family (not to mention Thanksgiving eating!).  Our time in Winnipeg was exhausting, as anyone who has gone somewhere just to visit will understand.  But it was also valuable and rejuvenating.  Seeing all my friends and family in Winnipeg allowed me to foster important relationships.  However, my time there affirmed my move from Winnipeg.  As much as I love the people in the 'peg and miss everyone daily, I am incredibly happy to be spending my days with Dave and making decisions about our futures together.   

We left Winnipeg after a full seven days of eating, sitting, and visiting and embarked on a drive north of the Great Lakes.  We decided to drive to Thunder Bay our first day and find accommodations as we drove into the city.  Once we arrived, we discovered that every single room in T-Bay was booked and most Motels within an hour had no vacancy.  So, we drove another 2 hours, sending our daily km count to over 1000, and stayed in a tiny Motel in Schrieber, ON.  The next morning brought snow, for the second time on our trip, and we left for Southern Ontario on icy, wintry roads.

Tofino!!!

800 Year old tree in the Cathedral Grove

Sunset at Wickaninnish Beach, BC after a day of surfing

The beginning of our trip started with a trip as far West as we could go.  We spent a couple of days on Denman Island at Dave's parents cabin before we braved the twisty road to Tofino.  Once on the peninsula, we set up camp and gathered courage for the next day of surfing.  Surfing is incredibly invigorating!  I could not agree more with my sister-in-law, Anna, when she recently said, "I have never felt so close to nature as when I was surfing."  I have never felt anything as wholesome as swimming in the waves of the salty water.  Furthering this experience, Dave and I spent each evening on the Wickaninnish Beach eating our picnic suppers as we witnessed the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.  We ate, read, and threw a frisbee until we could hardly see and then return to our dark campsite for an early lights out.  Needless to say, it was difficult leaving the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Rim National Park.  And did I mention the weather was perfect our entire time in Tofino?

Denman