Weekly Blog Yakking

Some key tasks await here at home, largely focused on getting ready for Baby Ireland. Our present guest/laundry room is being reassigned as a baby room, which will be no problem with Bethany's vision guiding both our execution. We were concerned that extra room may not make a good nursery, but we've been assured by some experienced mothers that it's set up just fine, and that baby doesn't really give a rip where he or she sleeps. Anyway, the room will be freshly painted, re-floored and relieved of some bulky furniture to make way for crib, rocking chair and beer fridge.

Bethany is doing incredibly well as a preggo momma. She's in great shape, striking a good balance between exercising and resting. I sometimes have to remind her not to do too much, which I guess speaks well to her energy level. Her belly is very firm, and is starting to grow outwards now. We're both feeling regular kicks, very exciting indeed! Lots of laughing and good times, hopefully the baby is sharing in these great feelings.

Work is drying up at the ferry -- now that the summer rush is over, several crew are coming back from northern seasonal routes to reclaim their spots on the Denman ship. That bumps me further down the pecking order, and I'm not sure when I'll be called next. I got maybe 10-12 shifts since starting up, which I'm told is not bad -- another deckhand says she only got on twice her first summer.

I've been back working at a house build site, the same one I've spoken of before. It's being built by our friends Mike and Kathy -- a remarkable project in which I'm proud to have played my supporting role. I took a rather long hiatus from the gig to become ferry-ready, and they've kindly invited me back. Most of my time lately has been spent planing boards for use in some curved support beams. Lemme tell ya when accomplished sculptors/ice carvers get busy on their dream home, it's something to behold.

Another task awaits in our backyard. This place came with some sections of fallen tree that have waited for years to be cut for firewood. We have no place to burn other than our fire pit, and for that we don't need much. However, lots of folks do count on their wood stoves for heat, including our neighbour a few doors over. He made us a deal to let him have a few logs in exchange for the use of his splitter and chainsaw to cut it all up -- his wood and ours left over. He's anxious to get going, and we really should get him set for winter, so maybe we'll find a spot this week to get that done. I should mention he's 93, living on his own without much outside help. He has stories stretching right back through the Great Depression, so sitting with him for a coffee or a beer is a golden opportunity.

September of course means hockey season is approaching. The Flames training camp is on, a few new faces to mesh into the lineup this year, also a bonus appearance by Theo Fleury! I don't think there's a spot for him on the big club, and not much reason to use up a development spot on a 41-year-old in Abbotsford either. He wants closure, and hopefully he'll get it playing in an exhibition game at the Saddledome or something. I was reminded by a road sign yesterday that there is junior hockey in Courtenay -- it's junior-B, teenagers playing in a six-team Island league, and I hear it's pretty good hockey so I may check out some games this season. There's ample time to catch the last ferry home on game nights (Saturdays). I do miss the high-level spectator hockey available in Victoria, so maybe this will help fill that void. Maybe I can dig out an old Saanich Braves jersey (wouldn't that be a sad sight?). I'm also waiting for a call from a guy who runs a beer league team -- hoping I can be on the spare list -- their season starts sometime late in the month.

Got a bunch of rain here last week, so the dry summer conditions may be behind us now. The fire risk has dropped to moderate, so we indulged in a short campfire in the front yard. Possible weenie roast tonight.