Oh Canada

We had a very nice and productive trip to UBC.  The trip up with surprisingly quick with little or no line at the border crossing, which is always pleasant.  There are no hotels near the University so we stayed where we had stayed before, the Granville Island Hotel.  I love Granville island!  It's a mix of industrial and artistic.  There are theatres, an art school, galleries, a huge market, restaurants and a working forge, a cement factory ... just crazy.  There are water taxis that go to other parts of Vancouver, although I didn't notice them running.  I suspect they are more active during the summer months.  The Granville Island Hotel is just a lovely place.  It's a small-ish hotel, and the rooms aren't huge, but average.  Most of them have a view of the marina and some even have little balconies.  I liked that they were so very quiet!  I couldn't hear Andy next door at all - not his shower or even his phone ring when I called him.  And oh, the bed was out of this world comfy with lots of pillows. 

We had a nice long visit with our friends at the University, attended a lecture and part of a lab as well.  We needed to get on the road by 3 so that we could be home in time to get Tink from the doggie hotel.  The weather coming up was bad, but going home we were in sunshine most of the way until we hit Bellingham where it was sleeting.  But we drove through and by the time we made it to Seattle it was nice again. 

Tink was completely worn out from her two days at her hotel.  It's a doggie day care during the day and then they board dogs as well.  So during the day she is playing with all the day care doggies and just loving it.  She is always so tired when I pick her up.  She conked right out when we got home and I had to wake her and make her go outside at 9 before we went to bed.  And this morning as well, she didn't want to get up at all.  I took this little video of her.  You can see how out of it she is. 

I have lots to do this week.  I've got to get my train reservations for Bayeux and I found a hotel in Paris near where Joan is going to be staying so I've got to give her a call and make sure she's going to be there those days and then book that and I'm all set, except for the waiting!

Noon knitting today.  I worked on the scarf on the way up to BC and now I only have 7 inches to go.  I should have worked on it on the way back, but I was dealing with a little misunderstanding between the real estate lady and myself, which unfortunately impacted the current occupant of the house -- I don't know how I could have misunderstood her so completely but I think we are back on track.  It was a bit embarrassing for me, but I just had to take responsibility and apologize and hope things can keep moving forward.  So I can knit on that scarf at noon today and perhaps I can even finish it up tonight. I'd like to finish it so I can work full time on the Whisper Cardigan.  I think it will be a very useful layering piece and I'd like to take it with me in April.