New Teachers' and Student Teachers' Conference 2009

I had to be up early for the 7 AM start of the setup for the BCTF's New Teachers' and Student Teachers' Conference 2009 in the Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport at Cambie & No. 3 Road.

As I was away I assumed the display would be set up, but it wasn't. The handouts weren't put in the folders as I had asked, but piled on the table. It was down a hall past the washrooms, so virtually no one came by. At least the lunch was excellent even though the stink of rotten fish kept wafting down the hall from the nearby restaurant.

I did meet 3 young teachers who wanted to become teacher-librarians so that made me happier.

The computer teachers were next to me and they had a couple of little Acer computers. I haven't been happy with Dell at all. I ordered an Inspiron Mini 9 on January 7th and it still hasn't come. They keep postponing and last night said it was impossible to set a new date after the first 2 delivery dates listed on the web site are long past. They weren't very friendly or helpful. Today I found the same computer on sale at Best Buy for $299 - I was paying $359! And there seemed to be a big stock of them.

I looked at the Acer but the store I was in only had pink or white. This wouldn't do for me so I drove to Queensborough and bought a blue Acer Aspire® One Netbook. It will hold a lot more than the Dell and has a camera and microphone built in. I will fill it (120 GB) with photos and music, but the main use will be geocaching. Instead of printing out piles of descriptive sheets, I can now save them and read while out looking.

My car insurance expired tonight so I had to get to BCAA to renew. I am part of the "BCTF Advantage" plan and will get $25 off my house insurance for having both with policies at the BCAA.

Did some grocery shopping at Oakridge and then home. I cancelled the Dell order with some pleasure.

Really tired tonight. My neck hurt at times but has settled down tonight. I am using a travel neck pillow while sitting and I think it is helping.

This will be a quiet weekend watching the Academy Awards.

Home

Arrived home at 4 today from Callanish. The retreat was perfect and food amazing. Dropped new friends off at ferry and airport.

Picked up shoes at Kintec Footlabs that they had ordered for me - Etonic Minado

Coffee with Louise at Waves, then picked up dinner at Max's.

My neck is really painful today. Might have to break down and take something tonight.

Callanish

I am off to the Callanish Healing Retreat at Brew Creek Lodge near Whistler this morning. I'll be out of touch until next Thursday.

My plan is to do a bit of geocaching on the way and have lunch in Whistler.No phones or computer for a week!

Almost packed

Failed to find geocache on the way to physio. Picked up books at library and latte at Starbucks.

Met Moira at White Spot for final junk food - Legendary Platter! Suitcase is in the trunk and I am almost ready for tomorrow.

Walking in Vancouver sunshine

Met Mary L this afternoon and we walked her dog in Camosun Bog at Pacific Spirit Park. We then had coffees at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters® on 4th Avenue. I'll certainly return - the coffee was scrumptious.

We parked at Kits beach and walked around the seawall to the Burrard Street Bridge. I found 2 geocaches in the area - up to 29.

Dropped Mary off at the Cancer Agency for radiation and picked up Mae. She needed to drop of some keys on 2nd so we had dinner at Maria's Taverna on 4th. Stopped at the bank for her on the way home.

My knees were cranky today but they've been worse. My neck is sore tonight but I see the physio tomorrow.

Shopping day

I picked up Mae in the morning and we found a geocache at 6th and Cambie. I saw it first and then let Mae find it on her own. We then had potato latkes at Solly's Bagelry. Mae got groceries at Save-On before I took her home. That part of Cambie is full of new stores.

Out to Richmond and shopped at COSTCO (batteries & water), Northern Reflections (nothing I was looking for), Chapters, Ikea (new pair of my favourite slippers - I wear them out!), Wal-Mart (underwear and Nintendo DS bag), and back to Marine Way to London Drugs (iPod clock radio). It was dark when I finally staggered home but all my shopping for my retreat is done.

Busy day

Even though Mel did laundry Friday, I decided to do more today. My towel from Harrison and all my winter sweatshirts.

My lawyer called to talk about my health. The ankle hasn't been bothering me but I still have a pretty sore neck. I am going to keep on with physio.

Got a much needed haircut and then went to the Status of Women meeting at VESTA. Took minutes and emailed them before we left. We are planning a dinner for International Womens Day, probably on March 11th.

Met Louise for dinner and then to the last regular meeting of the BCCA Lesbian/Bisexual Cancer Support Group. The world has changed since we started many years ago and maybe we aren't as necessary - at least in Vancouver. We'll still exist in a looser format. We are having a great information morning for lesbians called Living the Dolce Vita in Comfortable Shoes on March 14th.

Took some stuff to Pru's and stayed to visit for awhile.

Home to play my turns in Facebook Scrabble.

Vote for Mel

Tried to find a cache in Pacific Spirit Park near where the Clinton Stables used to be (I can remember them!) at 33rd and Crown. Walked a long way up and down Clinton Hill but did not find the cache. The irritating thing is everyone who has found it says it was really easy!

Attended the Official Grand Opening of Mel Lehan Campaign Office and met several friends. Election day is May 12th - 83 days. If you live in Vancouver Point-Grey, please consider voting for Mel. http://mellehan.blogspot.com/

Met Moira at Applause for dinner.

Hot Springs

Dropped birthday present off for Matt - the Valentine baby!

Meandered out to Harrison Hot Springs for a soak in the public pool. I don't usually go on the weekend so it was busier than usual.

Found 3 caches. Didn't have the paper with clues for the one at Kilby Provincial Park but found it just using the coordinates. The next one was right next to Kent Prison. Glad no one wondered why I was wandering in the woods. The 3rd was by the sign into Harrison. I am learning to just stand still and look for what looks out of place. I am now at 26 finds.

Dinner in the Airport Coffee Shop at the Chilliwack Airport.

Clean apartment

Mel came this afternoon to clean up. Of course, the fact that she is coming makes me pick up stuff and take out the garbage in preparation. She found my missing mouth guard so I can cancel my dental appointment to make a new one. I knew it had to be here.

Dentist

Went to the dentist for my 6 month checkup this morning. Everything was normal.

Had lunch with Barb at Ildi's and then taught them stuff about Facebook. Walked Barb halfway home.

Physio was at 5 and she really helped my painful neck.

The Reader

Went to the 12:35 showing of The Reader at SilverCity in Richmond. An amazing movie. Kate Winslett deserves every award she has won.

Knees were pretty good today but my neck is a real pain. I see the physio tomorrow.

Right day, wrong month

Thought I was so organized asking to go to VTLA's Spring Tonic. Even chose the sessions and sent that off today. Trouble was I had written down March 10, not February 10th. I understand it was a great success.

Slept 10 hours after yesterday's trek. Still pretty stiff and my knees are sore, so I didn't even get dressed today.

Geocaching in White Rock

Picked up Jane this morning and we went geocaching for 5 hours. We found several and I am up to 23. Some of them were quite clever.

We had lunch at Delrios - excellent mushroom soup and turkey sandwich.

I was ready to go back to Jane's for dinner. My knees and neck were quite cranky. Jane and Glenn cooked a fine Chinese dinner.

I was tired and sore so went home early.

Found it!

Found several lost things in my apartment and car today, but not the dental appliance that has been missing for several weeks. I am sure I would have noticed if I'd swallowed it. How to explain to the dentist on Thursday?

Loaded several waypoints into my GPS gadgets in prep for going out with Jane tomorrow.

Finished reading A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures In Extreme Cuisines by Anthony Bourdain that Jesse gave me for Christmas. Found places on Google Earth & watched videos on YouTube to supplement the book.



Loved it that Allison Krauss won the Grammy awards. I saw her at the Folk Festival when she was still a teenager.

New shoes

Took Andrea her birthday present this morning. I missed it while in Victoria. Nice to see Sadie and Lily playing together. This is a result of being cooped up during the snow.

Found another geocache, Treasures of the World, on the way home - a neat little pocket park on 37th between Knight and Fraser. I sent CoreyNJoey's Wretched Skull Geocoin that I found in Victoria on its way. It started in Seattle and spent some time touring New Zealand.

I picked up some new shoes at Kintec Footlabs that I ordered last Saturday. They are North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR® - "the optimal all-terrain shoe that's lightweight, waterproof, breathable and durable." Should be perfect for geocaching when I don't really need the hiking boots.

Took a latte & Miso soup to Moira. She now has The Cold.

Errands

Dropped boxed of conference binders off at Amanda's school in Richmond.

Did some shopping and picked up a reserve at the library, then home.

Watched several shows I taped while away.

Still coughing!

Ears fixed

Went to Ear Clinic at St. Paul's this time and the doctor got most of the wax out of my left ear. Hopefully that is it for a while.

Tried to find a cache nearby and failed. Later the light bulb went on and I think I know where it is so I must go back. Did find one in a new park in Marpole called Ebisu.

Out again at 5 for physio. My neck is quite sore when I have to turn my head. Merging into traffic is a killer!

Home

Didn't sleep as well last night. Started the day with a drive around James Bay and Beacon Hill Park. Then decided to drive to Sooke. I've never been on that road before.

Had lunch at Mom's Cafe in Sooke and then went to explore Sooke Potholes. Down to Metchosin and then William's Head. Forgot it was a prison! What a gorgeous location. Almost impossible to take photos anywhere. All the good views had houses and fences. No government viewpoints like there used to be all over B.C. Even went up to the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory but it was too hazy over the water for good photos.

Halibut and chips at Fish on Fifth in Sidney and then got into the ferry lineup for the 5:00.

Bit of a headache all day. My cough is still irritating but not as bad as last night.

Victoria - Day 2

Slept for 9 hours last night!

Parked on a side street near the Empress. Had coffee & a scone to start the day. Walked up and down Government Street. Bought books (including presents) at Munro's and chocolates at Rogers. Lunch was a crab sandwich at Pescatores Seafood and Grill.

Visited Landsharkz and bought some geocaching supplies. Failed to find the first cache on the way to Reynolds Secondary to meet Karen. Had to pick up a couple of boxes of BCTLA conference binders for Richmond. Alana was in a meeting so I didn't get to see her.

Found a couple of caches!! Failed another. Never know if I am just not good enough or if has disappeared when I can't find one.

Went to Cousin Liz's for dinner with her and Hans. Had great dinner and good visit.

Still have that irritating cough. I am using my hayfever spray to see it it will help. Not yet!

Victoria

My alarm didn't go off but Mae woke me up in time to make the 9:00 ferry. I was going to go in the $10 room but they had virtually no food. Bought breakfast in coffee shop. The ferry did a drill of "man overboard". We stopped and they lowered a boat. It saved the buoy and beat us into Swartz Bay.

Shopped in Sidney and took the roundabut way into Victoria. Visited Mike for a while and we went to La Fiesta Cafe for lunch. Very good.

Checked into the Traveller's Inn - Downtown where I stayed last year. $59 with free internet & parking.

Super Bowl

Worked through a stack of bills today. Finished reading The Audacity of Hope - scary that the U.S. actually elected someone so smart.

Enjoyed the Super Bowl but disappointed that the Eastern station I usually watch it on didn't play the U.S. ads. They were replaced with CTV. Found them on the Internet. My favourite is the Coke ad.

Coca Cola: Bugs Life

Had to cheer for Pittsburgh since Mitch Berger was from Delta.

All packed and aiming for the 9:00 ferry tomorrow morning. After some showers tomorrow morning it should be sunny and dry for my visit.