Mark Van and family visited me this week. They arrived late Tuesday afternoon and left this morning around 9:00. I was really happy to be with them for a few days of just being together. On Wednesday the weather was good for visiting Planet Bee and Davison's Orchard in the morning. It was fun going around the former with Mark because he has had bees for a few years now and was able to point out some things. He brought me a bottle of his honey, which is better than the stuff I bought at Superstore. We spent the afternoon swimming in Kal Lake. Before leaving the kids and I looked in the garage to see what water toys I had. None. I had given lots of stuff to Sam and Mo's kids this spring but thought something might remain. But no. We came up with a square of white styrofoam I use to raise the seat of my kayak, some huge flippers and my life preserver. Emily and Evan had hours of fun swimming and playing on the shore using only the square of styrofoam, so when it finally joins the vast blob of plastic that pollutes the Pacific Ocean, it will at least be after doing yeoman's service.  Thursday was rainy. We went to Alan Brooks Nature Centre and then drove through patches of low cloud up to Silver Star. We couldn't even see the tops of the hills when we got there. But you never can tell what kids are going to like. Emily and Evan thought the drive was great because we passed right through real clouds. Then we went to the science centre. Every evening after dinner we played a game I dug out of a box of Jay's old books and toys. It's called Anahuac. I bought it when we were in Quarnvaca in 1986. It's like Bingo but the players' cards and the caller's cards each have pictures with a word in Spanish that says what the thing is. 

Now life is back to normal. We are finally getting enough rain. Miriam and I took the gondola to the top of Silver Star and hiked around yesterday and tonight I will have Sunday dinner as usual with Mo and John. 

Emily and Evan at the beach on Kal Lake

Mark, Evan, Emily and Jen at the Science Centre

May’s students celebrating her birthday