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Gabriola, Life, Love
Cobra Coastal Tours
07.24.09 | Permalink | 3 Comments

My parents are here visiting for a week, and so far I’m having a blast taking them to all the places I thought they’d like. My mum has a new camera she’s taken a ton of photos with. I’ll ask her to upload them to Flickr so I can link to them. I hope they are having fun too. I took them all over Gabriola the first two days they were here. This morning we went to Cathedral Grove, and then Coombs for lunch.

I had to come back to the trailer tonight because, I’m basically finished with all the drawings for the Post and Beam section of the book (aside from a few small corrections I need to make tonight), and James had the last few drawings that needed adjustments here at the school. I caught the 6:55 ferry back, then a cab to the school. James and I just had a smoke and he told me how great he thought all the drawings were. That’s good to hear, but I hope he’s not just trying to be overly positive and supportive because he sees me stress about deadlines. Or maybe he reads this blog!! …Uh oh!

I love my parents. I still miss Holly.
Gabriola, Life, Love, Sketchup
Cobras catchup… kinda
07.22.09 | Permalink | Comment?

I spent all day yesterday (and most of the night) finishing the last couple of drawings for the Post and Beam section of James’ book. I have to remember not to save all the shitty drawings until the end next time. It just makes the final stretch that much more annoying.

This morning I printed the final two rough drawings and handed them over to James, so he can look them over and see what, if anything, needs changing. Then it’s just a matter of making some minor adjustments and signing some contracts, and I should be ready to get some pay!

I’m feeling pretty good right now mentally – physically, I woke up incredibly sore this morning (probably from working at a desk all day, then propped up awkwardly in bed at night). I’ll be even more happy once I get paid and settle some things.

Today my parents are coming to pick me up at the school. Then we’re going to go see some of the island, eat dinner at the Surf during sunset, then catch the ferry back to spend the night in Nanaimo. They have a room there for the next week, so we’re going to go see some sights on Vancouver Island. I want to take them to the Goats on the Roof place and Cathedral Grove for sure, and I’m hoping to go to Salt Spring Island to meet my mum’s cousin who lives there.

Now I gotta go pack so I’m ready for when my parents get here, then get back to work on P&B final drafts and the rest of the Bents drawings I have to do.

I miss Holly.
Gabriola, Random
Go fuck yourself book
07.20.09 | Permalink | Comment?

I’m too tired to write about what I did yesterday or today right now – which sucks because I’m where the Internet is right now. So instead I’ll post this incredibly “emo” picture of myself, and state that I’m definitely getting sick of this book.

I did have fun last night, but I’ll post about that later.
Gabriola, Random
Stoner school
07.19.09 | Permalink | 2 Comments

Friday was the last day of the Rumford fireplace course at the ISBA, and also the last course until The middle of September. Everyone I’ve met in the last two months is either leaving today or has already left, with the exception of Dave and Alex. Dave is sticking around to help with all the work that needs to be done at James’ house before students can move in, and Alex got a job working for another month before he goes back to Korea. Around 5pm everyone packed up their stuff and sat and had a couple beers. I joined the group after Chris (the instructor) gave everyone their course completion certificates, and awarded Alex with the “prestigious” Golden Trowel award. We had a few more beers, then a fire was lit in each new fireplace, and everyone sat back and admired their work.

They did a really good job considering they had only 8 guys to start then one dropped out in the first week, then another was useless and refused to do any work. It looks professional to me, but I know dick about stone work. However, I would like to change that, and take one of Chris’ courses sometime. He’s a really nice guy and has a ton of knowledge when it comes to being a stoner (not the same type of stoner knowledge I already possess).

Eventually they all headed down to the Skoal Pub, and I was invited along for the celebration. I hadn’t eaten so, I got a burger and salad and it was amazing. A ton of pitchers got ordered, and in no time people were getting wrecked. (more…)
Gabriola, Random
Swimming with the starfish
07.16.09 | Permalink | Comment?

I worked on drawings all day (minus some blogging in the morning) then went swimming at Drumbeg with Ryan and Zack after they finished school. The water was cold, but nice. We all just jumped in for a minute, then jumped out. It was nice and relaxing laying on the rocks afterwards, drying off in the sun, but I couldn’t help feeling guilty for not being at the trailer working on my drawings.

I came back here shortly after, hoping to chat with Holly before she went to bed, and I got here at just about the exact time James returned home from a day of paragliding in Duncan. I walked over to say hi since I hadn’t talked to him today, and asked “How was the flying today?” His response was not good. James has been paragliding for a while now, but only recently purchased a motor and has started learning how to use it, today was one of his lessons on that. When he got out of the van I noticed he had a funny boot on, and his face was pretty banged up, he had a huge bandage on his leg, and was hunched over in pain. He started to tell me about what happened, and the just of it is this: he made a minor mistake, ended up too low to make a turn, and then got caught in the wind the wrong way and ended up smashing into a tree. He then fell over 40 ft to the ground, smashing through the tree limbs as he went.

He didn’t break anything, but spent all day in the hospital getting x-rays and other tests, and now his motor needs a new prop, and some minor fixes. His ankle is messed up and they had no crutches at the London Drugs, so I tried to help him into his house, but I’m too tall, so aside from carrying him, I’m not much help to someone who needs a shoulder to lean on. Instead I found him a cane and then he hobbled off to lay in pain.

Looks like I don’t have to worry about him keeping too close of an eye on me…
Gabriola, Life, Photos, Random
Cobra (mobile) command centre
07.16.09 | Permalink | 1 Comment

Welcome to a small virtual tour of my new temporary living quarters. This spacious 3 bedroom trailer (with addition) is complete with 2 bathrooms (both really gross), a kitchen (minus a fridge, and a sense of style), a wood stove (too bad it’s July) and a wonderful view of the ISBA.

Here’s my new bedroom… (more…)
Gabriola, Photos
Stoners
07.16.09 | Permalink | Comment?

Yesterday I came to the school to see James and while I was here I found out that the guys from the rock course were going to tour a home their instructor is working on, here on Gabriola. I asked James if he’d mind me tagging along with him, and he said no. I took a ton of pictures and posted a few of them on my Flickr page. It was a huge place worth over 2 million dollars (just the structure, the property was another $570 000), and it had a great view of the north side of the island. The timber work was lame, but it still was a gorgeous house.
Animals, Gabriola, Life, Random
Canine compatible Cobraccino
07.14.09 | Permalink | Comment?

That’s Jake stealing the last few sips of one of my last few instant cappuccinos that Holly brought for me from Bulk Barn (no BB in BC WTF?). The old bastard pulled the same shit with one of my last raspberry ginger ales the other day too. I’ll forgive him because he’s old and David lets him do whatever he wants, so he can enjoy the time he has left.However, it won’t be an issue at all after tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow I move into a trailer near the school. I have to move there because I can’t afford to stay here, and James is letting me stay there for free. That’s nice of him, but I’m not a fan of him being able to keep such close watch on me. I have terrible work habits, and work at odd hours and take many little breaks. I don’t think he’d be okay with seeing me do that. However, that’s all speculation on my behalf, so I’ll just have to see what happens. Hopefully the trailer has a more comfortable bed than what I’ve been using the last few months.

I saw this little lady on my way back from Ryan and Zack’s place tonight. I met her last fall, and made her an honorary member of the fleet. I would love to recruit her for the trailer rat control mission, but I’m not sure if she belongs to someone. Still, it was awesome to catch up and chat about old times. I guess I will continue to look on the Nanaimo Craigslist and SPCA sites for angry rat eaters.
Love
H-2-the-O-2-the-double-L-Y
07.14.09 | Permalink | Comment?

She’s beautiful, smart, fun, interesting, strong, outspoken, a great mother, and she has the most amazing eyes in the world. She came into my life at the perfect time, and hopefully she stays there until my time is up.

She’s flawless.

(more…)
Life, Photos, Random
Cobra camera
07.14.09 | Permalink | Comment?

I took a break from work and uploaded more pictures to Flickr. I decided that since I now have a pro membership (thanks Mum!) I should post some of the hundreds of pictures I’ve taken (with my broken camera) since the beginning of the year. I posted a hand full from January and February in a set, and I’ll probably do another month or two tomorrow when I need a break.

I love having a camera and taking pictures of everything. I need to start taking at least one photo a day. I find that just by looking back at these photos I can remember so much about the days I took them; what I was thinking, what else was going on, where in the world I was. Between the camera and this blog I really don’t need my brain for remembering what I do from day-to-day at all. Now I just need to get the fucking thing fixed!

I just realized I was supposed to go see David’s friend Robyn earlier, to plan out a wood shed she wants me and Vince to build. I had a nap instead, and then completely forgot. I will have to remember to call her tomorrow (see blog, you’re like a post it note for my entire life right now) and find some time to walk over there. It should be a cool project. She wants to keep it cheap, so I suggested we build it out of wonky driftwood we can find on the beach, or cut down a small cedar (if she has a decent one) and build a sweet little log structure.

She offered me pot for payment too!