The Family Quilt

October 30, 2010

Tyler and I went over to Hilary and Calvin's place last night for one of our themed dinners.  We had a delicious meal of sweet potato frites, African groundnut stew, chapatti bread, and a dessert of fried plantains and vanilla iced-cream (cow/coconut).  After dinner, Hilary revealed that she had a big secret gift to give us: a family quilt!

Hilary is a very talented person and has pieced together the most gorgeous art with beautiful colours and a lot of thought and meaning.  It is unbelievable that this was her first project doing appliqué and she had a little help (from a very artistic mother) in designing the landscapes that grace the pattern.

One panel shows two sixteen year olds on a river in Ontario.  Tyler and I met on a canoe trip when we were sixteen.  Little did we know that this was the beginning of the making of a bond that would lead to 11 years, four of them married, and a babe.

Another panel shows the entrance to Fulford Harbour on Saltspring Island, Mount Maxwell in the background and Russell Island in the foreground.  These are all places that we have enjoyed together and "Chick" has actually been to in a way as well.  Also, Tyler and I often talk excitedly about the trips we'll take with our family around the islands and where the camping and day trips will take us.  We can't wait to share the ocean air and beautiful landscapes with the baby when s/he is born.

The third panel I recognized as soon as I saw it.  I'm not sure Hilary knows how special the westward (or white) pine is to Tyler and I.  We met at a summer camp whose symbol is this tree and it reminds us both of being kids and teens and falling in love.  Intertwined with the pine in an arbutus.  Tyler and I love this new tree (new to us, as it was introduced to us here on the island) which is a special part of our new home.  Our past and our future, as Hilary put it.

As you all know, Tyler and I have been working overtime the last month to build a nest.  This has been stressful at times because we are short on time (a couple months isn't really enough to feel completely nested and at home) and short on the means to make it everything we want right away.  "Chick" is, as the midwife often says, trying to teach us to slow down, be calm and patient, and focus on what really matters.  When we brought the quilt home last night the place felt more like home than ever.  

As you can tell, we are very happy with the gift and blow away by the artistry and the thought and meaning that went into it.  Thank you so much to all who had a hand in it!  We feel pretty special and even more excited for "Chick" to arrive!

lyndze & tyler

Thanks-for-giving, Nanoose-style

For Thanksgiving, we went to Lyndze's Aunt and Uncle's house in Nanoose Bay.  The drive up was stormy and the first night was rainy with high winds.  The next morning, we woke up and there was a warm, sunny and beautiful day!  We went to an organic farm called Nanoose Edibles.  There were chickens and a rooster, kale and raspberries still growing, and acres of walking through flowers, fruit trees, and a well-groomed farm. We took some pictures along the way.

 Here is Tyler walking through a field of sunflowers.  Below are some chickens and a rooster.

Lyndze walking through the farm.

 She loves having her picture taken (no she doesn't...)

"Ew!  Toys!"

 Tyler:  "Put that back."  Lyndze:  "NO!"

 Now this is a toy!  Tyler loved the swing.

 Really loved it!

Lyndze doesn't like swings so much.

We also went to Coombs and played in the stores there.  Tyler's concern is that as he gets older he may lose his hair: he is searching for alternatives.

 Some belly dancing?

Tyler's favourite picture of the day:

 Lyndze's favourite picture of the day:

We had a really fun day.  The dinner was also very tasty and there was lots of great company.  What a wonderful weekend!

Tyler's 28th Birthday!

Tyler - Although it feels like a a year ago already, Lyndze, Chick and I celebrated my 28th birthday on Oct 8 and it was an absolutely fantastic day.  I slept in just a little bit and Lyndze made me coffee and the breakfast of my choice.  I chose one of our favorite meals that used to be on the menu at a small restaurant in Victoria named Mole. It was a portabello mushrooms chopped up small and saute'd with onions and other tasty things and then placed inside an avacado that has been halved and put on top of a big salad of mixed greens. It was awesome.  We then spent the bulk of the afternoon meandering around downtown.  Looking in shops and stopping at my favorite cafes for food and espresso.  The highlight of the birthday came with the last minute decision to get dressed up and go to the second seating of a Jazz show at the Superior cafe.  Because it was a last minute decision we got to the cafe and there were no seats available.  But the hostess said we looked so nice that she would try and find us a place to sit!  So we ended up getting to stay and watch the show.   It turned out to be a great show, amazing food, all local and organic and we met some really nice people.  All in all it was a great b-day. And doesn't Lyndze look so good!
  

Look at her!  Sooooo Cute!

Also kind of cute, if I do say so myself.

Moving Day; building a nest

Lyndze - The day that seemed so far away finally arrived: moving day!  The lead-up was quite stressful but we were both so excited when it finally came as we are both anxious to create a nest for our new family.  We ended up hiring movers which was such a great choice and made the day pretty easy and fun.  The moving company, "Two Small Men With Big Hearts," consisted of a truck and two small men with faded tattoos and few teeth.  They arrived at the cabin early and by 11:30am we were all moved into the apartment and they were gone.  We crammed a lot of our things into the second bedroom and just unpacked from there.  It's still a work in progress, but we're getting there!

 Tyler built us a bed!  Just in time too, because it's getting pretty challenging for me to get up off the floor in the middle of the night to pee (and at 2am, 3:30am, 4am, 6am, and 6:10am...).  It's a beautiful bed that is very sturdy and we love it already.  The room still needs a couple coats of paint though!

 I started the unpacking in the kitchen and it was done by the first night.  Still lots of things to do though, the painting is not quite done and we need some basics like a garbage can, etc...

 The living/dinning room that was so bare was quickly full of stuff.  We reassembled the table and futon the first night.

 Tyler got all "manly," as he puts it, and painted our bathroom pink.  It turned out really nice and it is the first finished room in the place.

Still no pictures on the walls, and very little colour because we have yet to get curtains or shelves or accessories but the table is set up and the buffet is full of dining room treasures.

This home-making thing is exhausting!  But so so much fun!