Days off.

Thursdays seem to be my day off around here.  I wake up whenever I want which usually means that I, and Crystal (my room-mate who has the same day off) finally get off the property around noon.  Then we explore.  

Last week, we hitch-hiked the island.  Despite the lack of vehicles to use at the centre and the secluded nature of our little seal bubble, I was the first to suggest hitching as a viable transportation option.  Crystal hesitantly agreed to the thumbing adventure and we set out down the driveway.  We got many rides while we wound our way from one end of the island to the other...and back.  Our very first driver was, in fact, possibly the least tree-lovin guy on the island.  We jumped in his massive blue king-cab truck (with trailer) and listened to him discuss his construction projects (aka sub-division plots).  He was a nice man, frustrated from the other end of the city planning spectrum and it was fascinating to meet him amidst all the lavendar smelling, dreadlocked, organic farmers we usually cross paths with.   

Throughout the day, we had many adventures, the most exciting of which entailed getting locked in a closet sized gift shop with two hysterical teenage girls, the shop's owner, and some random male seasonal tourist.  It felt like being stuck in an elevator though it wasn't because the door lock malfunctioned...the locking part was deliberate in fact.  No, it was because there was a large 19 year old male tourist spouting drunken garble loudly and violently while stumbling around the ferry landing.  I was trying not to giggle thinking to myself that I listened to this happen at least once a night from my State St. apartment in Bellingham, but these folks were really scared.  Ahhh, the tranquil norm of Canadian island life.

Yesterday, round number two included a few stolen animal shots for you folks back home because the patients here are so god d&#@n cute plus a (driving) trip to Ruckle Park, the largest designated park on the island, and dinner out.