Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: PJs in PR, Cat Pictures and Some Shopping

Well, I could use another long weekend - oh, wait, there's one coming up! It's like I planned this.

I planned this: L and I went to Powell River to visit his mom this weekend. This is what I wore.

• Shirt - Ralph Lauren, thrifted; purchased here for $12.95
• Shirt (below) - Dept, consignment; last worn here (4th outfit) in July with these same bottoms
• Cami - don't remember; I don't track these
• Cami (below) - Fairweather, thrifted; I don't track these
• Denim clamdiggers - Contrast, thrifted; last seen here (4th outfit) 
• Sandals - Born, consignment; last worn here earlier this month on a casual weekend

I wore the exact same outfit for the drive up-Island, all day Friday, and again on the way home on Sunday, except with no cami and with the shirt (which could possibly be a nightshirt - I won't tell if you don't!) unbuttoned. It really looks like a nightshirt then. Either way, I felt like I was travelling in pajamas!

Comfy bottoms, although perhaps white was not the best colour ever. They were pretty dirty by the time we got home yesterday!

I wore the same bottoms, but with a different shirt and cami on Saturday

Terrible hotel room lighting

It was a really hot weekend (except for Sunday), so these layers were very good. I also hid my tattoo from my mother-in-law, heh heh. She didn't really want to see it anyway.

The stuff:

I hope these sandals have one more year left in them! They are the most comfy I've ever owned.

• Earrings - 5th anniversary gift from L

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Now, what follows is a huge passel of pictures of our drive up-Island, the ferry ride, various trees, etc. Feel free to skip 'em if you want to. Part of me doing these big wrap-up posts is for me, so that I can remember my trips.

I always take a picture of Vizzini before we go so that it's the first picture on the camera for when I start to miss the little monster.

"I know what you're doing with all those bags. You're leaving me!"

He was totally giving me the cold shoulder. He's very grumpy when we leave.

As we recently sold our car, and it's extremely painful to travel a few hundred kilometers and catch a ferry (same on the return), L and I rented this spiffy vehicle for our trip.

It was very vroom-vroom.

A Mustang convertible. Swanky!

It takes about 5-6 hours to get to/from PR. It's a long drive, so I amuse myself by taking pictures of things I find interesting. L and I also have a whack of CDs with us and we sing along at the top of our lungs.

We smelled the forest fire, but didn't see anything. We had a lot of construction delays in the early section of the trip, though. It took about an hour longer than normal for the full drive up the Island.

I am always awed by what a beautiful place we live in.

Near Goldstream Park.

Mount Finlayson, through the trees.

A lot of greenery, although the maples are starting to turn yellow already!

Finally, through the traffic, and we are off. There are a few sections of the highway that go to 120 kmph.

There is a lot of speeding along here, very dangerous.

Up at the top of the Malahat Drive, looking south. That bump in the centre is Mt. Finlayson.

The mountains in the very far distance are in Washington State, on the mainland.

Outside of Duncan.

These bridges are over 60 years old.

I got a giggle out of these three haystacks north of Duncan.

Hee, minions!

There are a bunch of black cows resting in the shade under these lone trees out in the middle of this field.

I would be in the shade too!

We see a lot of different vehicles on the road, including logging trucks, moving trucks, tons of RVs...but this is the most beat-up car I've ever seen.

A total rust-bucket.

I nearly missed the Gnome With Big Hands!

Phew! I have to take his picture, every time.

Coming into the Comox Valley, about mid-way up Vancouver Island.

We've been driving nearly 3 hours at this point. All those hills and mountains are still on the Island.

And we're at the ferry!

And there she is, the mighty Queen of Burnaby!

Thanks to my trusty and handsome driver, L.

Since I don't have a drivers' licence, he has to do all of it.

We had some time in the line-up before boarding the ferry and it was so hot, so I got out and stretched my legs.

A lovely little cove that I've explored before. More people around today, though.

Hello!

I didn't venture too far as I didn't want my sandals to get all full of sand.

Time to board!

It's like a big mouth, eating all the cars.

Into the belly of the beast!

It's nerve-wracking, getting between those poles without dinging one.

I explored around the outside decks as we prepared to leave the dock.

Little fishies! That rope has some kelp growing off it.

Looking back at the cove, the man on the beach and his dog spotted someone in the water.

See the harbour seal?

I want to play with these ropes and ring the bell!

Not allowed. BC Ferries is so touchy about that.

Looking at the coast of British Columbia (aka BC). We locals call it the mainland.

Whistler is over there somewhere.

On the top deck. Passengers aren't allowed to go inside up here; outside only.

This is an old ferry - it used to be on the Vancouver-Victoria run when I was a kid.

Looking down to the deck below.

A Zodiac is ready in case some idiot falls overboard.

Pretty green seafoam as we pull out.

I'd wear that colour, even if I do have bad associations with "seafoam green" from the 80s.

And here we are at Powell River.

We only had to drive a few blocks to the hotel (PR is not very big). We hung out with L's  mom, Louise, that night, and met her new boyfriend, a very nice guy.

L and I got discounts for breakfast in the hotel. I'm not sure what is going on with that sausage.

It's a little lewd, perhaps.

Look, a chainsaw sculpture...

Of a mermaid with no arms. Um...okay.

From breakfast, we walked to the beach.

Most of the "town" part of Powell River is pretty small and within walking distance.

Yes, we should go into these bushes. Where there are bears.

Bears! Why are you smiling? We should run away!

Oh, all right. These are very lovely trees, I'll give you that.

It's amazing, actually. You only have to walk 100 meters to be in full-on wilderness (with bears and cougars!).

Willingdon Beach.

A First Nations (aka Indian) canoe in the foreground.

Yes, take my picture.

That's a bit of Texada Island in the background. Vancouver Island is way behind that.

The only bit of sandy beach here.

Most of our beaches are rocky.

Some sort of lumberjack competition happens in this little amphitheatre (that pole gets climbed).

L is getting his drama on, and pretending to orate.

A tugboat towing some barges, Texada Island, and Vancouver Island behind that.

The bluest skies!

The park has an adult exercise gym set up in it!

What a great idea. Every park should have one.

What every park should not have:

A super freaky-looking series of Popeye sculptures. Gah!

I like the list of things to see:

• A steam donkey [note: this not an actual donkey]
• Big trees
• A railway trestle
• Pet squirrels [you shouldn't actually pet them; they bite]
• Ocean views
• A magnificent forest

However, I am cringing all over again at "Start your audio walk hear". Really? Please fix your sign!

As the sign above notes, the trail we walked on was a former logging railway. Powell River still has a pulp and paper mill, and logging is still beating tourism as the number one industry.

There were signs like this all along the trail. It was quite cool to see all the old pictures.

Beach and ocean views.

Yup, check.

Me on a tree.

White shorts + tree = brown bum.

Me and Louise on the tree.

Ah, that's where I got the big brown handprint on my thigh from. Mystery solved!

L is quite a goofy guy.

"Look everyone, I'm driving!"

All this old logging equipment was set up along the trail. You can just climb in it.

I don't think I would hop aboard with that crazy man!

He's riding in a boomboat, by the way.

Allow me to make you read a sign.

We saw cedar trees.

That big one is a cedar. Also, hemlocks, Douglas fir, spruce, pine trees.

Look waaaaaay up.

Ooh, I'm dizzy. These are not original old-growth, but all around 100 years old.

Another piece of logging equipment.

This one is yellow. Try to keep up with all my technical jargon.

This is sort of like a winch.

Mmmm, rusty metal for pulling things. Very complicated.

Look, a squirrel!

This fellow has been into the peanuts that are scattered near this fallen tree.

Om nom nom, eat the peanut, pose for pictures.

There is his red belly.

He's almost as twitchy as Vizzini. Hard to get pictures that weren't blurry.

A cedar tree that has another tree growing out of it.

That's some awesome root action.

Big tree, ocean view.

No one on the rocky beach. The tide is out (see the greenish high-tide line of seaweed?).

Railway trestle bridge, as promised.

There were little streams everywhere, huge clumps of fern and salal.

Logs, and old equipment.

 Very few people on the trail, which was nice.

This is a steam donkey.

I like that someone has sprayed "demon relic" on it.

Louise standing next to this big drum.

Apparently someone has been stuck in it at some point. This doesn't surprise me.

More gnarly roots.

Trees fall down, new ones grow out of them ("It's really hard to kill a cedar" - my mother-in-law).

This one was struck by lightning at some point.

Forest fires are always a threat, although not quite this close to the ocean.

The symbol of Canada!

A nice big maple leaf! I've seen bigger, but this is the biggest one I saw on our hike.

After all that nature, we need a big dose of artificiality - a Sasquatch!

Actually, he's part of the decor at the mini-golf course across the road from the park.

It's a fun little course. I'm always slightly creeped out by the dyed-blue water.

Again, there were very few people around. L won; I came in second, but got the only hole-in-one!

After that, we wandered over to a restaurant where L and I hung out all afternoon with our friend, Kelly. From there, back to get Louise and go out for dinner.

Early to bed, and up to catch the ferry home.

"I eat your car!"

As you can see, the weather turned, and it was cloudy and spitting rain all the way home.

I was tired, so I didn't take as many pictures on the way down. But, who is that in the distance?

Is that a red cone hat I see?

Could it be...?

Great galloping Giant Hands!

It's the Gnome!

I rarely get pictures of his boots. But those giant hands...*shudder*

The Malahat is a road cut into the side of very steep mountainside. On one side, cliffs straight up.

On the other side, cliffs straight down to the water.

It's all very Dramatic.

And we're whipping through this at around 80 kmph.

The chain nets to catch falling rocks.

So that they don't smash into your vehicle!

This road is very foggy in colder weather.

Somewhat claustrophobic too!

We dropped off out stuff as soon as we got home, gave Vizzini some cuddles, and took the car back to the rental office. I had to change. I couldn't be bothered to put make-up on.

"What? You're going out again? You just got home!"

Yup, I said I was getting rid of this dress, but I kept it.

• Dress - Dept, thrifted; last worn here in July
• Shoes - Born, consignment; last seen here (4th outfit) last weekend for my grocery shop

"I am not talking to you, woman!"

We stopped downtown and had brunch, got a few groceries and walked home in the rain.

The stuff:

Another pair of shoes that will cause despair when they have to go. Another summer!

• Belt - vintage 60s, Mom's
• Earrings - as above

I stopped into my favourite second-hand shop in PR, Madrona. I've picked up one or two things there over the years. I scored on this leather skirt - it was only $15.00.

Someone's cut the label out, but the green and gold threads tell me that it's a vintage Danier piece. The zipper on the front lets you pull it on, and then adjust for a slit at the hem if so desired. Yes, another mini skirt. I feel a mini-skirt binge coming this fall!

I was about to leave, when I spotted this funky, chunky pearl necklace.

It's only a Joe Fresh piece, but it was only $5.00. I love the big Baroque opulence of it.

Last night, L and I chilled out and decompressed from our travel by playing a couple of games of "Arkham Horror". We gave Vizzini a new mousey to play with.

"I might forgive you for going away."

He was quite enamoured with it, and drooled all over it.

Finally, he and Mousey rested on the benches.

"I'm still watching you, though."

The mousey must have been full of catnip, because Vizzini was being very goofy.

"I should lay this way."

Hee, look at his little white feet!

"This is how I always sit."

It really isn't.

This morning, it was bright and sunny again. L and I both took Monday/today off so that we got a full weekend each to relax.

Off to get groceries!

• Cardigan - no label, thrifted; last seen here (maybe?) last August 2015 with plaid
• Dress - Club Monaco, vintage shop; last worn here (2nd outfit) in June for a quick WW meeting
• Shoes - Chie Mihara; last seen here (3rd outfit) last weekend to walk to and from Winesday

I think this will be the last of this silk dress. I'm just tired of it, and it's had a good life with me. Time to pass it along.

Here's how I've worn it, in addition to today:

• As noted, back in June here to do a quick WW meeting.
• September 2015 here, with these same shoe.
• June 2015 here, for getting groceries.
• April 2015 here, again for going to town and shopping.
• Here in August 2014, last time I wore it to work.
• In April 2014 here, to take my mother-in-law shopping.
• Back here in March 2014 with loads of yellow (and this same cardi).

I purchased it for $40 on consignment in a vintage store in March of 2014 on our annual Vancouver trip. At 8 outfits, that's $5.00 per wear, which is not bad. It's always been very low-cut/boobtastic, so I'm okay with letting it go.

I have to say "lemon" somewhere in the post in reference to this lemon-yellow cardigan. That's how I find it when looking for it, since it has no tags. Lemon, lemon, lemon! It's a very nice quality cardi, and one can never have too many good cardigans.

The stuff:

These shoes are also near their end with me. Not sure if I'll be keeping them for next spring/summer. They are getting worn out.

• Earrings - gift from L, Venice, Italy

 I may have popped into the St. Vincent de Paul after grocery shopping...

But, a lavender blazer! With ruffles!

And it was only $5.00!

Another shocker from H&M - check it out, fully lined, too, even spare buttons. Classy!

I also checked out the Velvet Crease's new location (their old one is being torn down to build more condos, oh good).

I found this lovely blue polyester ruffled blouse.

It is by Spence and was $22.00. I always get sticker-shock when I go to a consignment store after being in a thrift store!

The Velvet Crease's old location is their current clearance centre, which is mostly plus-sized clearance clothing, with some clearance consignment. I found this fabulous top.

Orange roses in brocade!

And olive green rabbit fur trim??

It's a Chinese brand called Gorgeous and it was $10.00.

And what about you, my friends? Any adventures?

Don't forget to check out all these fab links:

• "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style
• "I Will Wear What I Like" at Not Dressed As Lamb
• "The Dog Days of Summer" at SpyGirl