Spring Cleaning

  The long dock has been pressure washed and the wide dock is almost done, the walkway is finally done (except for the very top by the ramp).

Before-look how green it is!



After



  



George has finished the steps to the store as when we moved the barge the steps had to go! He is busy doing the ceiling to the addition to the kitchen.  The door is in. He has been busy making benches for beside the steps to the store.



The New Fingers



All in all it has been a busy couple of weeks, trying to work around the rain.  It snowed yesterday, go figure! The sun was out today, so much work was accomplished.  Bob and Doug came for steak and eggs, and I continued to work on the walkway.    The new pressure washer works like a charm.

The birds are all aflitter at the finch feeder.



Our First Boat

We had our first boat today. A sailboat that is on its way home to Alaska.  We have been busy getting the dock ready for the season.  I have been pressure washing the dock.  Boy did the birds and otters make a mess!  The long dock is done and I am working on the wide dock.  Next will be the deck of the Red Shoe and then the walkway.  The walkway was not done last year, and it surely needs it.  It was quite slippery this winter.  George has been busy getting the addition of the Red Shoe finished.  We have purchased a propane deep fryer which will really help with meals.  New steps are being put up for the store and we are working on getting a generator.  Gift items have been ordered and picked up so the gift store will be quite full this year.  We are still sourcing out childrens items.
Had our first hummingbird on the 1st and no it was not an April Fool's joke.  The robins are in abundance, with the juncos enjoying the feeders.  There are very few tulips but the grape hyacinths are blooming as well as the daffodils.  Flowers are very late this year with the cold weather.
I am anxious to get into the garden and get more flowers planted. 

Moving Day and other stuff



out in the bay making the turn



Well, George is back from his trip to Alberta.  His checkup went well.  He brought Christine and her beau Tim back with him.  They will be here a week and then I have to take them back.  I have to pack up my mother's apartment as she is now in the nursing home. 



Christine on rope patrol.



in place now



Sunday February 20 was moving day for us as the barge was moved to its new location.  Everything went like clockwork and we thank Doug and Bob for doing the major work in the move.  They know what they are doing as they have done this several times before.  The barge is now in place beside the dock and ramp to shore. 



pile driver replacing damaged pile



The new piles have been put in and the damaged pile (the one that was bent over) has been replaced.  It was actually cracked at the bottom.  George has finished the new fingers and they have been put in place.  Now is time to work on the restaurant and get it back in shape.

The sun has finally popped out so hopefully spring is here.  The birds are coming back and the primroses are trying to bloom.  All the flowers are late this year.  Daffodils are just starting to bud out and are very short.

Got word from Charlie and Diane Long that they will be here on July 1 and Charlie will be performing his new songs.  He has developed a CD and we will be selling it in our gift shop.  We have heard one of the songs "Cruisin' Away" and really enjoyed it and know that everyone else will.





Seattle Boat Show and other stuff

We went to the Seattle Boat Show on Saturday Jan 22.  Pierre from Echo Bay said that we could give him some brochures to hand out.  It was a nice day.  It has been several years since we attended a boat show anywhere, so we really enjoyed ourselves. 

 We walked around Pike's Place and George had a coffee at the Starbucks there.  It was something that we just had to do. 

George was under strict instructions from Melissa to have a coffee from there, especially since we drink Pike's Place.  She used to be a shift supervisor at a Starbucks in Calgary.  Darren worked at one as well.

We also went to the Seattle Outlet Stores, which we were told about.  It was interesting but not what we expected.  The last time we were in Seattle was 35 years ago during our honeymoon.  We enjoyed our time there and the drive to Seattle and back.

George has been busy getting firewood and working on the addition upstairs on the barge.  We were going to move it today, but the wind came up so was not able to.  Doug is doing well, and comes for coffee at the barge with George quite often.

George will be leaving tomorrow for his check-up in Alberta.  He will be bringing Christine and a friend back with him.  It will be reading week, so she can spend some time here.  I will be taking her back at the end of the month, and then I have to pack up my mother's apartment, as she has gone into the nursing home.  She will be 90 in a month.

Christine is doing well in university and looking forward to being here for reading week.  Melissa, Darren and Signe are enjoying Grande Prairie.  Darren will be doing his practicum there.  Melissa has started a dayhome.  Signe is growing and likes having children to play with.  We are able to talk to them all through Skype which is wonderful.  It makes it so much nicer being able to see everyone and we do not feel quite to far away.