We’ve missed our Alaskan cruise & our Rocky Mountaineer train ride, both of which we were really looking forward to but we are so happy that I’ve been well enough to have a few days with Kay & Ben & to see a little part of Vancouver Island.

Ben has been preparing special meals for me to help me get my strength back & I’m feeling much stronger. David shared his head cold with me though & I could have done without that.

Kay & I have been sharing family stories. She says I really look like her twin aunts, my 1st cousins & I can see definite resemblance between my kids & the family here. There’s no doubt we are Alleys!

Yesterday Ben & Kay took us over the Malahat & into Chemainus, an historic mining town where the mill still employs 200 people. It reminded us of Sheffield in Tasmania as they have murals on the buildings telling the early history of the town. I seem to keep repeating myself about the beautiful mountains covered with conifers & the magnificent waterways but we drove through them again yesterday.