Stave Lake - By Zajac Ranch

April 25th, 2010

"Do I press the gas petal, all the way to the floor?" Kalina asked her father who was giving his 10 year old daughter a driving lesson in a standard stick shift 'Zuki'.
"NO! We'll end up in the lake." he answered quickly, "ease up off the clutch... and as you do... give a little gas."
"Which one was the gas?.... and which one was the clutch, again?"
Approximately 10 stalls and starts later... off she went across the beach and mud flats of Stave lake.

"She's a crazy driver." My husband whispered to me after her lesson. 

"Did you see her come up over that rise?" he asked me.

"No." I glanced in the direction he was pointing to and noticed a small incline similar to a sand bar, but made from one inch diameter rocks.

"We took air coming up over that thing... she didn't brake." Good thing the emergency brake was beside him.

(Way in the back of the picture, you can see the mound).

Next student! This was Alora's second lesson. She didn't stall the car once... just like an 11 year old pro. 

"She can now drive her and her sister to school." I said to René afterward, "And I won't have to get out of bed."

" I wonder if she could go early for her Drivers Ed?" he asked with a smile. 

"Maybe Driver's Ed in the mud flats?"

We found a lovely spot by a meandering river, just down from the Zajac Ranch for kids. 

We couldn't drive over the bridge, it was to unstable, so we went through the stream.

Even I drove!

That's me!

"You're driving Anuschka!" and with that he stepped out of the car and walked ahead.

"But I can't!" I called out after him.

"Yes you can." It's amazing how fear holds you back, and tells you that you can't.... and yet René knew I could. 

"We are our own worst enemy."

This is me too! My heart was pounding. 

"What if I stall the care in the middle of that hill?"

"You'll roll back and start again." Thank goodness my husband is a patient man. 

I loved it! 

So, ladies.... who wants to come with me to Clear Creek Hot Springs? I can drive there now!

Nina's Pic's

Alora's Corner
I drove! Yippie.

Dog's Blog
Stick? Another stick? More stick?

Yea! Stick... Finally they understand me. I think humans are not so smart like me. They do not understand dogs very well. Good thing I am patient.

I love my pack. I had good time. All dogs will love this place. There are lots of sticks!

Vancouver Island - Duncan/Parksville/Qualicum

April 15th to 18th 2010


"Ooh love, (There he goes again just like a good old-fashioned lover boy)
Ooh loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey boy
Everything's all right
Just hold on tight
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned fashioned lover boy." René sang as we drove from Naniamo to Duncan, this past weekend. It was his birthday weekend so we, allowed him to choose the music. The band, Queen, was the musical choice for the weekend.
"That's right... I'm a good ol' fashioned Lover boy." Then he winked at me....René and all his girls were on another adventure and he was content.

The first night we spent at Rathtrevor Provincial Park, and within the hour of arriving all the stress of the week, was washed away. 
"Feels like home." I thought as I walked along the shoreline toward our camp spot #15. Our family loves Rathtrevor. We've been here many times over the 19 years we've lived here.
"I want to live here Mom." Alora advised later that day.
"I don't think the BC government will sell us Rathtrevor Honey." I replied.
"I guess a lot of campers would be upset with us if we bought the land here." she stated as we walked through some tall pine's, close to the check in and walk in camping. There were boy scouts camping.. tucked into the corner.
"Yup." I answered as we passed one of the Boy Scout leaders who just came back from a Timmy's run. 
"What? No campers coffee?... and you call yourself a Leader!" I chuckled to Nadyne who had just caught up with us. She had a few days off as well and needed a vacation.
"I guess they'll be needing a good cup of coffee for the long night ahead."

"Can you give me a boost into this tree?" said Kalina the climber. Two seasons at The Rock Wall and she can climb anything now.
"How about we bring your gear next time?"

"This is a perfect pasture for a horse." Alora commented as we walked towards the ocean. " I need a horse." she continued.
"No," I said, "you want a horse... you don't need one."
"No, Mom.... I need one."
"Horse for you... big tree for Kalina... got it." I sighed deeply. I'm going to need to buy a farm soon. René knows it too, so he bought himself a lottery ticket on his birthday.

The next day we hung out at a farm. Little Qualicum Cheese Farm a great place for the family. 


"Unattended children will be sold to the circus." a sign on the end of the barn read. Another read, "Unattended children will be fed expresso and given a puppy." they do a lot of school field trips here. 

"I need my cheese curds." Nadyne demanded nicely.
"No... you want cheese curds." I said.
"No I need it!" I shook my head in surrender, for I was up against a Quebecois who hadn't had poutine since last summer.  

" I want to drive it!"
"No me.. I want to."
"I'M DRIVING THE TRACTOR GIRLS!" said the man, who only wants to buy a farm so he can drive a tractor.

"Veal cutlet # 218." René joked with Alora, who had just asked why all the cows have numbers and not names.
"Well... I'm calling him Lil'Joe." she said as he sucked on her fingers thinking she was his mommy. "and I'm never eating beef again!" she added.  
She didn't remember her vow, when she bit into a hamburger the next evening.
"Poor Lil'Joe."

After 2 kilo's of curd cheese, Rathtrevor cheese, feta cheese and cheese bread, we were ready to hit the road again.

"Good-bye Lil'Joe!" Alora lamented.
"Eat ya later!" her dad laughed.

"Solicitors will be sent to work in the pig sty." 






The 86Km from Parksville to Duncan was uneventful. Beautiful scenery, lots of farms and rolling hills.

We stayed overnight at Bamberton Provincial Park. In my humble opinion... I like Rathtrevor better. Bamberton had a bit of a hike to get down to the beach... steep hill and once down... the beach was much smaller than Rathtrevor. One good thing about it.... it was $16 a night compared to $30 at Rathtrevor.
Saturday morning we hiked in towards Octupus Point, close to Duncan and then we headed back to Parksville, and Rathtrevor, for the last night.

 Nadyne rented an RV from Fraserway RV Rentals that slept 5. A bunk bed along the drivers side with a folding table and extra bed beside it, and over the trucks cabin, lay a large queen sized bed with a very hard mattress. On his Birthday, after 2 nights on that mattress, Loverboy needed his back massaged with Rub A 535.
"What's that minty smell?" the girls asked.
"Get used to it ladies," Nadyne answered, as she swung her legs out of the top bunk, in a Cirque du' Soliel move, to prevent herself from tangling up in the safety net, as she did the first morning, " That's the smell of old age."






Nina's Pics:

  

Alora's Corner

Save Lil' Joe. Please don't eat cows... see how beautiful they are... Look at their big eyes and long eyelashes.
Ban cow meat from your freezer and let Lil'Joe live.

Dog's Blog:

I had nice time with Pack. We had extra animal with us. She was nice and she was a pack lady that could walk at my pace. She walk fast. Just like me.
So many good smells. Lil' Joe smelled very good, but I liked little chickens better. 
Pack lady was blowing on terrible blue floaty balls that ... they make terrible noise... I was scared. Pack lady stopped when she saw I was afraid. Pack puppies called them balloons. I do not like balloons.
I was very tired when the blackness came. Pack sat around big orange glow that was hot. Too hot.. and it bites my bum when I get too close... so I tell pack I want in to bed. 
I had good time with my pack. I love them.