Mom-Day Adventure: Book Un-Boxing in Oak Bay in a Puzzle Dress, Plus Bonus Early Pics

Hello, my friends! A late post following the usual Mom-Day Adventure - life is/was simply too busy! 

Without further ado, please join me for this week's Mom-Daughter day, featuring the Grand Un-Boxing of Mom's Storyworth book! It's arrived! 

I was astonished and touched that Mom wanted to wait to un-box the 3 book copies until I could be with her. Aw! Thank you, Mom! 

Of course, we must look at the clothes. 

The weather's been off (cold, rainy, windy, cloudy) and on (hot, sunny) for the past few days. I dressed for everything! 

• Puzzle dress - vintage 70s, thrifted; last seen here in October 2022 for a vintage pop-up shop with Yvonne
• Boots - Original Sabado, Fluevog; last worn here over a weekend in March, for our anniversary trip to Vancouver
• Leather blazer - Danier Leather, vintage 90s, thrifted; last seen here in March under a vintage poncho

I hadn't made an outfit with this dress yet this season, and I didn't think Mom had seen it in person before. 

I refer to this as my Puzzle Dress, as the interlocking designs remind me of jigsaw pieces. 

I added a couple of blue things to it. 

I hemmed this to knee-length when I first bought it. 

I'm sure the original owner - who likely sewed this herself! - would approve. 

A pink purse for a pop against the blue. 

A leather coat in case it rained. 

It was a bit chilly near the water. 

Incognito.

I wore the hat all day, but barely wore my sunnies. 

I definitely did not need the scarf.

It remained tied to my purse. 

Accoutrements:

I had to dust a bunch of moths off this felted wool fedora. Uh-oh, I need to wear my fedoras more! 

• Hat - vintage, thrifted
• Scarf - Alexander McQueen, consignment
• Rohesia Belt - Fluevog, last seen here
• Purse - Michael Kors, consignment

The stuff: 

It's not quite boot weather, but I do adore the bold colour! 

• Earrings - Israeli, consignment
• Silver hinged cuff - vintage, thrifted, Powell River
• Silver/gold cuff - JPL, vintage fair
• Silver balls ring - Sidney
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes

Are you ready for the Book Un-Boxing? 

I look excited, don't I? I am! 

But first, some pics of the Oak Bay Marina, and the Queens' Park (about it here), where we had lunch back here in June 2021, on a much sunnier day. 

I adore the round former Oak Bay Marina Restaurant building (about it here, all links 'cause I love). Dig the zig-zag roofline!

The old Sealand of the Pacific orca is still on the sign, although that tourist attraction closed many decades ago. 

This stretch of Beach Drive is lined with condos. 

A gorgeous pink hibiscus. 

We're still in drought conditions - not so many blooms as in previous summers. 

We began our stroll here, right at the water's edge. 

Lots of ginormous trees here. The tide was very low. 

Looking back at the marina. 

Hundreds of sailboats! 

Mom recalled going for Sunday drives along this route when she was a child, with her grandmother and family. 

The rocky points haven't changed. 

Look out, Mom - wolves! 

When you drive past here, they really look like a pack of wild dogs or wolves tearing through the park. 

But they are steel sculptures

There are five wolves galloping along, plus a deer silhouette in the distance (not in these pics). The sculpture is called "The Hunt" by Ken Hall (link here). 

This swing brought a gasp of excitement to both of us!

Those swings used to pepper Beacon Hill Park - they are so fun, and I spent a lot of time on them right up into my 20s, sitting on them and contemplating life. 

This park is part of Victoria's Migratory Bird Sanctuary. 

I think that's a sandpiper, looking for crabs in the low tide. 

A lovely calm view as we followed the edge of the water. 

There were very few people around. 

Looking over the beach - lots of mud and sand exposed. 

It smelled good, like the ocean (duh, that is the ocean!).

Is it the same sandpiper?

He's spotted something! 

Oh, there's the deer part of the sculpture! A wolf is on the right side. 

As we walked, we looked for an appropriate Un-Boxing spot. 

We wanted sheltered under the towering trees. 

I do not know why there are chains on this rock. 

But I spy a duck(?) of some sort. 

Hello, duck! 

Now, THAT'S a big tree. 

And the perfect bench under it. 

More ducks! 

I stayed away from the rocks. They were slippery from the rain that morning. 

Rather than just opening the box unceremoniously, we chose to document it. 

So many of the stories in Mom's book started with a Mom-Day Adventure, so it's only appropriate that the book ends with one.

Hey, Mom, what's that ya got there? 

A BOOK, you say?? (I thrifted that lovely top for Mom - doesn't it look great on her?).

Well, let me just get my keys out and rip through that packing tape! 

Ooh, I just love opening packages! 

Wee! Bubble wrap! 

I was ridiculously excited about it! 

We ordered three books - one for Mom, one for me, and one for my brother Dave. 

I handed this over to Mom to rip off the plastic. She named it "Memories Are Made of This" (enjoy Dean Martin crooning along as you read, here). 

And there's the Introduction, which is the note I put in with Mom's Storyworth subscription when I gave it to her on her 75th birthday here. 

We were both impressed with the nice thick paper, the large font, and how amazing it looks overall. 

We looked through to see how the pictures turned out. 

That's my Gram/Mom's mother on the lower left, on her wedding day. 

"It's so much different seeing it in person versus onscreen," said Mom. We both got a little choked up as we looked through it. 

Aw, there's my dad, reading a book. I used to buy him Stephen King novels for his birthday. 

I highly recommend Storyworth for your own mom/dad/grandparents/yourself - preserve your family stories! Link here, 'cause I love! I was really impressed with the service, the interface (easy, even if you're not good on computers - if you can write an email, you can use Storyworth), and the finished product. We will treasure Mom's book. 

Hey, our swing is free! 

These are very tippy, back-and-forth beasts. You push with your feet to make them swing with a pleasant gliding motion.  

Come on, let's go, Mom! 

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!"

I wanted to go higher, but Mom was all, "NOPE."

But I do love the impish grin! 

We walked back to the car and drove to Christie's Pub for lunch, where I took some pictures of originals Mom discovered in yet another photo album. 

They're of me and Mom, circa 1969 - I'm a toddler, so probably going on 2 years old. My Grandad, her father, took these of her and I on a summer visit to Beacon Hill Park. 

Going down the slide in the playground. 

I love swings! 

That's the precursor to the happy grin I have above.

I rode a donkey on this merry-go-round. 

I have a very groovy top and pink shorts on. 

I wrote about the vintage playground equipment they used to have at Beacon Hill Park back here in July 2022. 

This red horse held about 6 kids on it - this was my absolute favourite thing to play on, and I remember it being at the Park well into the 90s. 

Me and Mom, hand in hand, near the petting zoo. 

A short shadow and a long one. 

A final shot of the author herself.

I'm so proud of you, Mom. What a gorgeous book, and an amazing accomplishment. 

Wait, we have to do a Mom-Daughter selfie...with the Mom-Daughter selfie in the book! 

That was the perfect way to wrap it up. Thanks so much for our wonderful day, Mom - I love you! 

And now, my friends, I am off for a long weekend (stat holiday). I'll have oodles of good things to share with you, so please do stop in on Monday when I will once again regale you with Tales of Adventure! Thank you so much for popping by!