Vancouver Visit

In August we packed the car to the gills and headed up to the Great North to visit some of my oldest pals and their family.  (It came as quite a shock when I realized, over the course of a conversation, that I met Brae and Anna when I was 17!  Just over half a lifetime ago…)  It was fun to be on a family road trip again, though it was not without a little trepidation at how long Josef would last strapped into a car seat.  As it turns out, he would last about 2 or so hours before going stir crazy, which definitely allowed us to make reasonable time.  We stopped in Vancouver, WA at a little pond to have breakfast and stretch our legs, and again in Seattle to explore Pike Street.  The border crossing was a little painful, having to sit in boring traffic for an hour with Josef pinned to his seat, but once we made it through it was smooth sailing, with our destination nearly in sight!  It was a very joyful arrival at Brae and Anna’s home.  They had some delicious steaks awaiting us which we consumed with relish on their deck, which is essentially in the middle of a gorgeous old-growth forest.  I think you could pretty much step off the porch and walk all the way to Whistler and never leave the forest.

Man, what a swell time we had!  I honestly cannot remember a more relaxing or enjoyable vacation.  (Not that they haven’t happened, just that I can’t remember them.)  Vacationing with a small child can be a bit stressful, but when the destination is the home of someone else with small children all the hassles you might need to account for disappear.   Josef had new friends to meet, new toys to discover, and a giant forest in the backyard to explore.  It was such a treat to be able to sit back, relax and visit, while the kids amused themselves.

The forest was incredible.  The trees towered above, blocking enough sunlight that the forest floor was devoid of the thick undergrowth that I typically encounter here in Oregon, and was thus wide open for exploration.  It had never been logged, so there were massive stumps scattered about, attesting to the generation that had probably once stood while Europeans were mucking about at Plymouth.  We went for a couple hikes and I was quite proud at how far little Josef ambled around with his buddy Parker, and quite excited about the prospects of future forest adventures with an older kid as I saw how able and undaunted Dawnevyn was running around the woods.  Hopefully next summer Josef can keep up!

We also visited a farm/petting zoo, and took the kids to a fun playground in the city.  I joined Brae and his chums for a raucous jam-session (which was such a blast that I now own a beat up drum set in the basement), and we spent a couple afternoons splashing in the pool.  But mostly, we just relaxed and enjoyed the company of good old friends.   Can’t wait to visit again!