Off to university - Visa Pic up -Time on the island for John, Daniel and me - Teaching in Regina - UK trip -Heathrow again

Once more we were packing the car to bursting.

 To take Ali to her new home at Quest University of Canada in

 Glorious Squamish - where the biggest distraction from learning is the surrounding countryside.

 The community (permaculture) garden at the university - lots of potential here.  They keep bees too.

 Shopping to fill her oversized petite fridge freezer with gluten free goodies

 Then we were on our own... we had a day in Squamish to get a feel for the place... this selfie was right into the sun and after tremendous downpours which are quite typical for the area... mud flow into the bay, just like  mud slicks into the Gulf

 We made a quick dash to Blaine in the US to get my L2  which approximates to a visa. So that I could join John in Houston flying in from Britain..a few weeks ahead.

 Dan had to use up some of his holiday before they begin a busy period at work.  He wanted to save money so came to the island even if it meant he might have to shovel mulch! (Which he didn't ), though I seem to think we were collecting seaweed here, for composting.

 Picking fruit - Pears and apples were good this year, very good.

John then had to fly back to Houston again for a wee while and then to Laramie where he saw our friends and attended an important conference of the AAPG.

Meanwhile I went to teach  a combined machine embroidery and eco dyeing workshop in Regina with my good friend and colleague Arlee Barr.

I learnt several new words, one being Slough (pronounced Sloo), these water holes were a dramatic change in the landscape as I flew into Regina, see below.

The meandering river was very dramatic - questionably the Saskatchewan River

Here the parliament building is having some treatment that makes it look very Dr Who.  Regina is the capital of the province of Saskatchewan.

 And this is exceptionally good hand cream

 I taught a class in extreme machine embroidery

 The folks appeared happy with it.

Arlee taught eco printing.

And we combined the two techniques.. Students produced great results.

When flying in and out of Vancouver we are very lucky and stay over with Dan whenever we can and he is a gracious host.

One day recently, I was there for a Saturday morning, so Dan and I took in a really good exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery - which I am still thinking about to this day, it was about depicting reality in film and still photography.  I am still struggling with what was real and what wasn't in the works....

Dan helped me so much with the luggage, because it was raining far more than 'spittleing' as Ali calls light rain.

Here we are with an unusual selfie reflected in the rain spotted window of the Vancouver's gallery's restaurant before I flew to Heathrow.

John and I met at Heathrow and then had a few days in Cambridge with him studying for a Health, Safety Environmnet workshop.  I spent time with the Ridley Millers.

We had one day meeting up with the Spaltons too thanks to Rebecca's great planning.  Wonderful.
I dragged Rebecca R. off to see the Josepth Needham Insitute where she I wanted to see the volumes of Science and Civilisation in China that had quite captivated me as I read The Man who Loved China by Simon Winchester during my recent flights.  Here are the volumes  (24 so far) - which were signed by Dr Needham and named The Engine Room.

But Rebecca was equally captivated by some documents on the table next to the volumes.  In them she discovered some information to add to her genealogical research.  She followed the visit up further with more research and got quite a story about her Great Great Great Grandmother whose first husband was a medical missionary in China. How amazing that those particular pamphlets were on the table next to The NeedhamVolumes and that Rebecca was with me, and that I had chosen to read that book above all others in the second hand bookshop on Saltspring  .... etc etc....

Why oh why didn't I use my camera more whilst in Cambridge?  Clearly jet lag played its part.
Here are some of John's shots in Cambridge.

Some of the (Shell) class participants were a little nervous about the punting clearly and where are the life jackets?  Health and Safety officers.

Then I headed off to Manchester.   Nicky whizzed over on his bike.  Great to see him pull in, stylishly of course, outside Costa's. Here he is outside Verber Towers.

An family evening meal on the Thursday allowed us all to eat together though not everyone sadly... missed David, Richard and Naomi. 

Dad and Deborah looking really good

Then John came over on the Friday to see his brother, David, who was recovering in Salford Royal, he is much better now.  And then John and I went south to the cottage on the Saturday.  Good journey and lovely to be home.  We are always looking mindfully for pleasing images.. and I am collecting photos of shadows for a workshop I am planning.

In Wiltshire we had highly special times with Pily and Peter, tea/coffee in the garden, a meal at the new Ship in Burcombe.  We met up with Robin and Catherine - at the Barford Inn.  We really did as much as we could with the time.... John even got to discuss some work on the house with our local builder... so more sprucing up is due at the OPO next year.

But all too soon it was time to head off to Heathrow yet again and the next chapter in our expatriate lives.