Heading Out

This post isn't about the Air Show last weekend but it was spectacular so will use a few (very few considering how many I took!) photos to illustrate said post. It was a glorious day weather wise and I rode my bike as closely as I could get to the local airport without actually paying admission to get in. 😎

My favourite wheels!

After a fantastic show I was about to leave (the sky had been quiet for quite awhile) when suddenly the famous Canadian Snowbirds appeared - I can't tell you how much of a fan I am - there is nothing I love more than the exhilaration of feeling my chest pounding from the supersonic thundering of nine jets as they fly overhead! They did not disappoint!

However, this post is not, I repeat, NOT about the Snowbirds...well, maybe just a little...

What I wanted to mention was an article I read in the paper this morning about another of the Gulf Islands, Salt Spring Island, located in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Last May/June I explored Galiano Island and next to it is Salt Spring Island. The article talked about one of my favourite subjects - forest bathing! I've been thinking a lot about visiting the west coast again next year because of how much I enjoyed my Sphere time and I think this article was a direct message to ME! 
And of course, if all works out, I would LOVE to visit my Vancouver Island friends again - Tammy and Troy!!

The Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce is focusing on the powerful effects of being out in the forest. Walking amongst the trees is proven now to affect us on a cellular level. In addition our immune systems are boosted from the antibiotic and antibacterial properties in the air!! WOW!!

Another claim to fame are the mysterious "fairy doors" that are located in the forests of Salt Spring Island; that alone makes me want to visit B.C. once again! 

So...I hope I can make it happen. I can't think of a nicer way to spend a week! I will have to save, save and save some more! I made a rather large purchase recently which I'll talk about in my next post. And another costly purchase is "not in stock" at the moment but could become available very soon. So my savings are taking a beating. 

That's ok because I have the ability to save $1,000 per month so I'll be working on saving as much as I can over the next 8-10 months. 

 There's not much point being Frugal with a capital F 98% of the time if I then don't reap the benefits a few times a year.

Agree...or disagree??

On the Bright Side

Loch Lomond

I am one of those people who always look on the bright side. Sometimes I have to look really really hard for that silver lining but it's there, I swear.

This time around it wasn't so hard.

Loch Lomond seen from Conic Hill

Once I got home and emailed my siblings to let them know one of my brothers wrote to me that he has wanted to return to Scotland (he last went in 2012) and he thought we would have a really great trip if we went together.

Right now you're thinking "oh what a nice thing for her brother to do"...which is exactly what I thought..."oh he feels sorry for me and is offering to go with me so I can see what I missed."  But, as he told me Thursday night when we went out for dinner with another brother and his wife he'd gotten the bug to visit Scotland again while I was planning my trip. It wasn't a pity gift!!! (Not that I would have minded!)

Loch Lomond from Conic Hill

We haven't set a date or anything but I now have this opportunity to get to Scotland again. YAY!!

Yes, I'm Back

Bridge over the River Clyde in Glasgow

Just a quick little quickie to let you know I'm here and will be back later to catch up with you all. My trip ended shortly after it started due to a freak accident - I squished several toes under a door. Yup, you heard right. It was my first day in Glasgow and the door was the door into my hotel. I pulled...nothing happened. I planted my feet firmly and gave a good yank, the door came loose too quickly for me to respond and get out of the way. The pain...was tremendous!

Walking along the River Clyde

The next day I hiked 33kms - way longer than I thought it would be because I didn't account for how far I had to walk from my hotel to the trail head; then I hiked along the Clyde River, the Kelvin River and the Allender River. (not sure if I spelled that correctly) I must have been walking differently to compensate for the injury and ended up with a bunch of blisters. I hiked two more days, one not too long the next one very long ending up in Rowardennan. By that point I was running out of bandaids, had 3 infected toes and a bunch of oozing blisters.

Still in Glasgow

The next day was going to be another long one with no way to contact anyone and no villages along the way; so I was very leery about pushing my "luck" any further. I was feeling very low and felt I couldn't continue without putting myself and my feet in real jeopardy. I had walked 24km to Rowardennan and every step was painful. I had to call it a day.

Next post I'll tell you about the FUN trip home, she says with dripping sarcasm!

AND there is a bright side to all of this...stay tuned!