Bonus

When you wake up early, you see all sorts of things.

La cucina

Some people are packing suitcases to go to Mallorca and Italy and some of us are packing up a whole kitchen into tiny boxes so that we can get a new kitchen with granite countertops.

I don't know why but I have a sudden craving for gelato!

Demolition pie and a bag

The dismantling of our kitchen has begun; these pine shelves made by Mr. Cowboy were the first to come down. They are now in storage because ugly cabinets are going to be installed on this wall.

The wall had to be mudded and sanded and now all I have to do is pick a white paint.

But even though the kitchen is coming down, tools scattered all over the place, and everything is being packed up, I still found time to make a birthday pie for you know who.

This pie was so juicy that now I have to add 'clean oven ' to my to do list.

While it is noisy and dusty upstairs, it is calm and peaceful in my sewing room. So while Mr. Cowboy removed screws and nails from the kitchen cabinets, I finally finished another napkin bag. I love the oak leaf pattern on these napkins.

To brighten it up I used one of my favourite quilting cottons with a heart pattern which I also used on the inside.

My UBC

Big weekend: Final Day

When I asked Mr. Cowboy what he wanted me to bring him from the coast, without hesitating he said Terra bread. So for my last breakfast we went to Terra Breads on 4th. Maura had a pulled pork bun and the greatest orange juice (Cyoni) and I had a cinnamon bun and a double shot Americano or as they say in Penticton, Canadiano. I bought as many loaves of bread as I could stuff into my carry-on plus a scone for later.

After that wonderful breakfast, we walked a block and a half down to a great magazine store called Does Your Mother Know? Good thing we did because as of June 24th it is closing. We each bought our favourite magazines, signed the petition against the sale of the LDB wharehouses, and wished the owner all the best.

Birthday flood

The park was a little soggy for Mr. Cowboy's birthday breakfast so we drove over to the other side by the Rose Garden. The river is up even with the path and it might even go higher if it rains this weekend.

Big weekend: Day Four

Butter Baked Goods and Restoration House on Dunbar were both closed on Monday. But Refind on Main Street was open; lots of great vintage stuff.

It took a few buses to get us to Bosa Foods on Kootenay (right across from the Vancouver Police Station) but it was well worth it. For lunch we enjoyed Sicilian Rice Balls, Mortadella buns, eggplant rolls, and marinated artichokes.

For dinner we headed to the old standby; One More Sushi in the Village and it is always good.

Big weekend : Day Three

The best place on 10th is Pane e Formaggio. So this is where we had breakfast. A double shot of espresso and chocolate croissant for me and apricot nectar and fruit scone for Maura. We didn't even dare to look in the glass case.

This is where Maura works; on the second floor of the Vancouver Block. This Edwardian commercial building was started in 1910 and completed in 1912. It has a clock tower and is finished with ornamental terra cotta. Had a little tour and got to see the original mailbox. Wish I had taken a picture of the impressive gold and silver postal box.

While Maura was at work, I hopped onto the skytrain, got off at Pacific Station and walked down Terminal to the flea market. This huge building is a mixture of antiques and collectibles and that other stuff; junk. I wandered for about two hours and even though I did not find what I was looking for (a shade for my floor lamp and a black panther table lamp) I did come home with an abalone shell, some buttons, and recycled paper notebooks for fifty cents.

Saw a good movie - Snow White and the Huntsman. Of course we have to wait for Part Two to find out what happens.

For dinner we had a really nice meal at Olympia on West Broadway. I tried Greek meatballs, which aren't meatballs but patties but whatever, they were good.

Big weekend: Day Two

The highlight of Day Two; going to Rogers Arena to see Roberto Luongo. Well, he wasn't actually there so we had to make do with his picture.

But we did see Bryan Adams; the show was great. We were in the sixth row, left of center and he played all our favourites. Very nice at the end when he brought his Mom on stage.

Saturday morning it poured but that did not stop us. We had breakfast at the Barn at UBC. Then on to MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) where there are a million things to choose from but we managed to get new Thermos waterbottles and Maura found a great raincoat which will come in handy. At Chapters I bought Steal like an Artist by Austin Kleon. Read it in one day but am now rereading it because it is timely advice. Right next door to Chapters, my favourite, Restoration Hardware. That is what I want my house to look like. So I bought a woven leather pillow case. I have plenty of sheeps wool to make my own insert.

For lunch we headed down to Granville Island and it seemed half of Vancouver had the same idea. It took us a while to find a table and when we did we enjoyed our Falafel Platter.

After lunch we headed over to Edible Canada and I bought a jar of Missing Goat Very Very Raspberry Jam.