welcome zoe!

Congratulations to Amanda and Scott Snyder! And a hearty welcome to:


Zoë Catherine Snyder

born 8/29/01 time 5:17am

weight 7 lbs 13 oz, height 19.5 inches



From Scott:



"Amanda labored for 22 hours and only dilated 4 cm when the doctor decided it was best to take the baby by C-Section.



Mother and baby are recovering well, Mother and Father are still trying to find the manual. :)



More as time permits... but here's the first picture. :) Look for more in the next week or two on ZoÎ's website : http:///www.sonomancer.com/zoe/.

Written on August 30th

I am typing this on the ferry from Duke Point near Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) to Vancouver. I like ferries. I think that perhaps it's the multitasking aspect of the experience that appeals to me...here I am, for example, typing on my computer whilst en route. Unlike a cramped airplane, I can walk around anytime I want to visit the restrooms, the cafeteria, the gift shop, or go out on deck to watch a pod of killer whales or passing scenery. Maybe I'd be more jaded about the whole thing if I did this two-hour ferry ride on a regular basis.


Jeff and I had dinner in the Inn restaurant last night, beside the fireplace. We talked about things we wanted to change in our lives, things we wanted to keep, and a little bit about what we planned to do when we finish our sabbaticals. I am VERYVERY excited about plunging fulltime into my freelance writing as well as establishing a regular routine. Our lives have been pretty chaotic and in constant flux for the past two and a half years.


Some would find the idea of routine/ritual frighteningly dull; Jeff and I are both yearning for it. For me, the undesirable extreme (i.e. in terms of unpredictability) came with my experience in Philadelphia...constantly changes in management hierarchy and in the company "vision", empty promises and meaningless meetings, not knowing whether I would still have a job from one day to the next. Speaking of Inkspotstuff, Luisa and Ruth have both e-mailed to tell me about Inkspot being mentioned in the most recent issue of CHIRP magazine (which apparently comes with Treehouse Family magazine for parents):



"KidLit Online

Websites For Would-Be Scriveners

by Hadley Dyer


Any budding Atwoods or Ondaajtes in your household? Well, they can tap into a host of online resources for inspiration, practical tips and places to publish their work.


Start with Inkspot's For Young Writers (www.inkspot.com/young), which is part of Inkspot.com, a favourite virtual stomping ground for professional writers. Inkspot is jam-packed with information, including feature articles and interviews with established authors. Aspiring writers can post and critique stories and exchange ideas via chatrooms, polls and discussion forums. "The Hopper" section uses story jumpstarters to get creative juices flowing and has links to print and online publications that accept kids' writing."



As most of you already know, Xlibris shut down Inkspot in February. :-( Ah well.


This morning I woke at 6:30 am, unable to fall back asleep. I took our Lonely Planet Japan guide (thanks to my friend Kennerly for recommending this book) and found an armchair by the fireplace in the lobby to read it. From time to time I'd look up to watch the morning fog on the ocean.





After about ten minutes, the desk clerk came over and asked if I'd like a cup of coffee. She kindly refrained from commenting on my dishevelled appearance or the early hour. I'm normally not a coffee person, but the thought of something hot to drink was appealing. She came back a few minutes later with my coffee, and I settled in for about an hour and a half. I read about how to cope in a Japanese restaurant, some essential phrases, types of food to expect and where to find it. I even reviewed my rusty knowledge of hiragana...with any luck, I will occasionally be able to pick out enough recognizable characters to occasionally recognize the occasional useful word or phrase. :-)


Today's Blatherpics


- Zoe!


- Jeff on our last evening stroll at the Wickaninnish.


- Bill Hessin from "Missing Link Fossil Enterprises" near Qualicum Beach, B.C. We stopped by his shop on the way to the ferry and bought a few souvenirs for Sara and Annie. Really sweet guy. Check out his website at http://www.fossilhut.com.


Today's Poll:



Do you feel comfortable holding a newborn baby?

beachcombing, part two

(Today's Blathering is in two parts. This is the second part. Here's the first part.)


Yesterday after my Hot Stones Massage, Jeff and I drove to Long Beach. This beach was HUGE. And at low tide, it was also the widest we'd ever seen. The sand was damp and hard-packed except for way back near the forest, where piles of driftwood provided improvised picnic areas for sunbathers and beachcombers. The gorgeous day had attracted a lot of visitors to the beach; we had trouble finding a free parking space in the adjacent lots.


Jeff is keen on going swimming in the surf before we leave for Japan. I think I'll be content with wading up to my knees. :-) For me, the air is too brisk and water too cold to make swimming an appealing prospect...I'd rather go beachcoming or find a quiet place to read. Plus I confess the warning signs everywhere freak me out a bit, cautioning visitors about the riptide and dangerous currents and so on. I also can't help but notice that there aren't many actual swimmers...most people in the water are either wading in the shallow waves or out in wetsuits, surfing.





The main warning that has been hammered into our brains (in brochures, signs, tourist info flyers) is: "NEVER turn your back on the ocean!" Pretty dire-sounding, but apparently rogue waves (unusually big waves which appear without warning) have been known to sweep unsuspecting people off the beach. I think I'll stick with beachcombing. :-)





Yesterday we also walked a short hike up Radar Hill. Gorgeous view! Also lots of interesting plants I've never seen before. I've taken photos (maybe I'll post some later, in case any of you can help identify them) and hope to find a book about local plant life in the Inn somewhere.


We checked out the Wickaninnish Information Center, but it was disappointingly small, only taking about ten minutes to go through the entire place. However, it did have a nice restaurant on a sunny patio. :-) We shared crabcakes, Caesar salad, and garlic and brie on crackers. A decadent chocolate and caramel phyllo pastry for dessert, YUM. I also had an extremely nice pear cider which I hope to locate in Toronto.





On the way back, we checked out the town of Ucluelet. We mainly checked it out because of the unusual name (apparently it means "safe harbour"). A ton of whale-related business names. Later, we discovered that Ucluelet has dubbed itself the whale-watching center of the West Coast (or Canada).


Ucluelet is a charming town, with interesting shops and an area which is obviously booming with real estate potential...we drove around several forested roads which showed evidence of heavy residential construction. We also investigated a Roots resort in the area.





On the way back to the Inn we decided to stop off at Long Beach, where we clambered up some rocks to watch the surf and the sunset.


I've thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Wickininnish, and I love this area. As I've mentioned before, Jeff and I have already decided to come back for a future anniversary stay! :-)


Tomorrow we leave for the Japan leg of the trip, driving the car back to Vancouver via the ferry, staying at the Vancouver Hilton. We fly to Tokyo the day after tomorrow! I'm super-excited about visiting Japan for the first time AND seeing our friend Alison again.


Hey, I heard talking on the balcony below our room a few minutes ago and was in time to catch Jeff in his pre-treatment (Hot Stones Massage) foot soak. Looking forward to hearing how he enjoyed the experience. I took a photo, see below.


And HEY, according to a posting by Beckett in Blatherchat, the Snyders are now in the hospital, with Amanda about to give birth any minute! (if she hasn't already!!) All our good wishes go with you, Amanda and Scott!!!!







Today's Blatherpics


Jeff and me on Long Beach, waiting for the sunset.


- Long Beach.


- A sign at an entrance to Long Beach, warning people about the dangerous currents.


- Welcome sign for the town of Ucluelet.


- Sign we found at the Wickaninnish Information Center. Jeff is pointing to points on the map indicating Tokyo (top) and Vancouver Island (bottom right). We'll be flying to Tokyo the day after tomorrow. :-)


- Jeff, enjoying a foot soak before his Hot Stones Massage.

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



Have you ever gone swimming in the ocean?

beachcombing, part one

This morning, Jeff and I were woken by the smoke alarm around 3 a.m.


Both of us tensed, but the alarm only sounded for a few seconds before falling silent again. Weird. Neither of us could smell smoke, and then Jeff noticed that the power had just gone off. Almost immediately, we could hear a generator starting up with a steady (and loud) thrumming. It was clear that the power had gone off, started up briefly (making the smoke alarm beep a few times), then shut off again. We fell asleep again, hoping that the power would be on when we woke up.


It wasn't.





Around 7 a.m., I got restless and decided to go out for a walk on the fog-covered beach while Jeff kept sleeping. Sometimes people ask Jeff and me what useful "couple advice" we've learned in our ten years of marriage. One of the best pieces of advice would be to make sure that both partners be able to pursue solitary time and interests as well as joint. I know of couples who seem not to be able to do anything apart, joined at the hip, having identical friends and activities. As romantic as this may sound, I think it would drive me nuts. :-)





Jeff and I do share the same circle of friends and do many things together, but we each also have friends of our own, and have our own interests which we enjoy pursuing. We also both share a love of solitude, and understand that sometimes this means that we need time alone, without the other person. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with our friendship; it just means that we each also enjoy our own space and quiet solitude time.





I walked on the beach for about an hour. There weren't many other people out that early...only a few joggers who appeared briefly before vanishing again into the fog, the sound of their running shoes slapping against the sand lingering a few minutes before fading as well.





During our stay, I've found that one of things I enjoy most about beach-walking is looking for interesting things that the tide leaves behind. I took photos of anything vaguely interesting, and have posted some here on this page for you to peruse.





Yesterday, I finally perused some of the books on the mantelpiece more closely, more interested in local flora and fauna now that we've had a chance to look around. Books I've been browsing:


-- Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Pojar and Mackinnon (1994, Lone Pine).


-- National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, third edition.


-- Whelks to Whales: Coastal Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest by Rick Harbo (1999, Harbour Publishing)


-- Whales of the West Coast by David Spalding (1998, Harbour Publishing.





I sat for about a half hour at a small tidal pool in a rock crevice on the beach, just watching all the wildlife. Upon cursory glance, it's just an ordinary puddle of water. Examining it closely, however, revealed an incredible variety of plant and animal life -- VERYvery cool.





When my stomach began grumbling, I headed back to the Inn. Despite the lack of power, the restaurant was still able to serve me a full breakfast...I was pretty impressed. There was no breakfast special; one of the waitresses explained that the chef had told her that this morning's breakfast special was having breakfast at all. :-)


I brought a book to read over my grilled tenderloin and eggs, but ended up just looking out at the ocean instead. I can read anytime; how many more times will I be able to eat breakfast beside the ocean?


I am going to break precedent and extend my Blatherings over two entries today, since I still haven't said anything about our trip to Long Beach and Ucluelet yesterday.


Stay tuned for another Blathering very soon today...





Today's Blatherpics


- Anemones. I think these are Buried Anemones (at least they match the picture in the book :)). When the tide recedes, these look pretty sad and dead.


- Me on the beach (I held the camera up and took a photo of myself). Obviously, I just got out of bed.


- Mussel (Pacific Blue Mussel?). This one was open, which I found interesting. Not sure if this means it was dead or not. Note the acorn barnacles encrusting the shell.


- Black Turban Snail (I think). According to a book, this species has been estimated to live as long as 80-100 years (!).


- Ochre Star (also known as Purple sea star, or common sea star). It feeds on mussels, barnacles, limpets and snails. Lifespan of 20 years or more. Sea stars are supposed to have impressive regenerative abilities...with a portion of the central disc intact, the animal can recover and grow a full new body.


- Some kind of crab. It looks like it's upside down, so I suppose it must be dead...though there were several upside-down crabs in this tidepool, which is kind of weird.


- Bull kelp (I think). The stalk grows to 65' (20 m) long. These huge things can be found all over the beach, and a pile of them looks almost like some kind of multi-tentacled sea creature. Whenever I came across one, it was inevitably covered in tiny beach hoppers (tiny crustaceans) which all hop away and hide at my approach. There was also a lot of feather boa kelp.


- Some kind of slug-type thing. Couldn't find this in the marine life guide.


- The small tidal pool where I was checking out all the action. :-)

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



If you hear a fire alarm go off in your building (or hotel, if you don't live in an apartment) and don't smell smoke, do you tend to ignore it or wait for a building announcement rather than evacuate?

stoned

Jeff and I woke early this morning to the sound of the fog horn on a nearby island, through the mist. Reminded me of the Ray Bradbury story, "The Foghorn". I couldn't help but notice that the fog horn notes were a major third apart, and wondered if this was intentional. Can the people who manage fog horns change this interval? I'm serious, I must know.


Called my dad this morning to wish him a happy birthday...he turns 70 today!


Oatmeal and almond pancakes for breakfast, with banana compote on top. Yum! At 10:30 a.m., I wandered down to the Ancient Cedars Spa for my Hot Stones Massage.





I had Angela, the woman who had given me my Reflexology treatment several days ago. Angela seemed a bit stressed out; I think she could have used a few spa treatments herself. She also seemed to have mixed me up with another client.


"I remember how much you enjoyed the steam room that last time," she said. "Why don't you have another one before we start?" I was somewhat confused, having never tried the steam room. We went through the usual choose-a-scent ritual, which she called "starting your sensory journey". This time I chose something with lime and orange.


After my heated footsoak, Angela took me to the treatment room, where I lay on my back beneath a SPT (strategically placed towel). She explained the chakra points to me, where she would be placing some of the rocks, which were apparently linked to some kind of mystical spiritual centre blablabla. Uh oh, I thought.


I confess that my biggest challenge during her intro speech was not laughing, especially when she seriously told me about the "chakra third eye" on my forehead. She also told me that some people experienced a new level of spiritual awareness during the hot stone massage. Some saw colours. Some experienced emotional release. She encouraged me to feel safe to embark on my own spiritual journey. Angela was excited to hear I was a writer...perhaps I would journey with some of the characters in my books, she said.


By this time, I had resigned myself to a two-hour spiritual sermon with a hot stone thrown in here and there. Angela was very sweet and well-meaning, I'm sure, but I wished that the spa brochure had included some kind of warning about all the mystical talk. I was looking for a relaxing massage, not a third eye.





To my relief, however, Angela fell silent as she began the treatment. After, placing a warm towel over my eyes, she placed hot rocks (heated in a turkey roaster in the corner of the room) beneath my back, cushioned by a towel. A warm rock went beneath each of my hands, and even between each of my toes. She walked around the table, clacking rocks in her hands, then placed a warm towel on my belly, more rocks on that. Then she poured hot scented oil along my arms and legs, and massaged them with hot rocks in long strokes.


Wow, what an incredible sensation. the spots of heat sliding up and down my body. Sometimes she would add extra pressure, or twist the rocks a bit. I had tensed at first, expecting some pain, but relaxed when I realized that Angela's pressure was carefully-regulated.


The only time I did experience pain was when she massaged my neck with hot stones. I had told her that I had some neck soreness, which is probably why she concentrated on that area. I cringed as I felt the oily rocks hit tight tendons as she pushed them repeated from my shoulder to neck. I was about to yell at her stop when I realized that the tightness was gradually fading, the knots disappearing. Then I dozed off. She might have done other stuff at this point, but I'm afraid things got pretty fuzzy from this point, or at least until she asked me to turn over.





After I turned to lie on my stomach, she placed newly-warmed rocks on my upturned palms and soles of my feet. More oil and massage with hot rocks, all over my body. The last thing she massaged were my hands and feet...she must have been using several somewhat angular stones, because it felt as if an elf were walking over my hands and feet on stilts made from hot rocks. It felt REALLY neat, hard to describe.


Then she spritzed some scented water beneath my face, murmuring something about the scent of rose bringing me love (since I was only half-conscious by then, I may be misremembering), and told me that she was finished. By the time I staggered out of the room for some water, I felt like a piece of cooked chicken. Happily cooked chicken, that is.


"Did you journey afar?" Angela asked me as she handed me my glass of lemon water out in the waiting lounge. I smiled and sipped my water, not trusting myself to say anything. Fortunately she seemed to be satisfied, and said good-bye before heading off.


I decided to try the steam room this time. I had hesitated before because of my bad eyesight without my glasses, and because I wasn't sure if I was keen on sitting in a small steamy room with a bunch of strangers who might want to smalltalk. The room was empty, however, so I wrapped some towels around me and sat on a bench. It was WONDERFUL, inhaling the eucalyptus-scented steam and leaning back on the cedar benches. If I had any atom of stress left in me (which I didn't), it would have melted out of me right then.


Only one more day at the Wickaninnish, and then Jeff and I are off to Japan!!





Today's Blatherpics


- Photo that Jeff took of my feet and their reflection on the beach.


- Tea rose soap in our room.


- Sign in front of the sushi restaurant where Jeff and I ate last night. It was pretty good for a place only open three months.


- Jeff at breakfast.


- This photo was taken during an evening walk on the beach, during low tide.

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



Do you like sushi?

whales and hot springs

Weird...I posted yesterday's Blathering on Sunday. I guess the time difference shifted the posting date to one day later. Today is Monday.


My favourite part of today's trip to the Hot Springs Cove was the boat ride. Major waves! Or at least they seemed major to me...I was lifted off my seat several times, only to be slammed back down in heartstopping freefall when the boat came down from a wave. Apparently the waves were only 1.5-2 metres (5-6 feet?)...I can't imagine what it would be like to ride the 30 metre waves described in "The Perfect Storm". Our ship captain, Patrick, said that the boat we were in could handle pretty big waves, as long as they didn't curl. It also depended on how far apart the waves were...if the waves were closer together than the length of the ship, for example, that would be more of a problem.





We kept our eyes out for whales; there was no guarantee that we'd spot any, but we were still hoping. Jeff was the first to see anything. He said he wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but though he saw a back of a whale arc slowly through the water ahead. Patrick immediately slowed down the ship, just in time to see the whale blow a spray of water -directly- in front of the boat. A few seconds later, we saw two whales briefly surface, then a large tail wave before going under again.


"I've never hit a whale before," Patrick said, a bit pale, "Just then was the closest I've ever come." He thanked Jeff several times for spotting the whale in time.





After the hour-long boat ride, we finally arrived at Hot Springs Cove. Then came a half-hour walk on a boardwalk trail through the rainforest. It rained the entire time (not surprisingly, it rains a lot on rainforests :)). but Jeff and I had on our Gortex jackets and were fully prepared to get wet. There was a lineup at the one-room changeroom, so we changed into our swimsuits in a nearby clearing instead. After the wet and cold walk, it was great to be able to soak in the natural hot springs. The steaming water temperature averaged about 110 degrees and smelled of sulphur. Some of the pools at the top were too hot, so we were limited to a few in a narrow rocky crack (see photo above).


My only complaint about the hot springs is that they were smaller in size and number than I expected...if it had been good weather, I suspect the pools would have been overflowing with enthusiastic bathers. Even with over a dozen people in the pools, it was pretty crowded. :-) I suppose I had expected something more like the hot springs we had encountered on our Nahanni trip. It was still a fun experience, however, and we met several friendly Germans. :-)





After soaking for a while, Jeff and I got dressed and explored a nearby trail to find a quiet spot for lunch. We perched ourselves in a secluded rocky cove overlooking the ocean and munched on cheese and crackers and a muffin I had picked up at a coffee shop before we left. It kept raining throughout, alternating between a heavy mist and a hefty downpour. By the time we got back to the boat at 1 pm, we were both pretty wet and cold. I took another Gravol (which had been essential on the way over), but this time it knocked me out...I kept dozing on Jeff's shoulder, though I gave up once the big waves started.


We picked up some cold remedies (I've developed a head cold, yuk) and some fish and chips in Tofino, then headed back to the Wickaninnish. After quickly chowing down some halibut (which was DELICIOUS) and chips, I filled up the jacuzzi. Sinking up to my neck in the steaming water (fragrant with the Aveda Soothing Aqua Therapy bath salts), I felt my chills and head cold stuffiness melt away.


We plan to head into Tofino for dinner tonight, and will probably crash early. Tomorrow: my Hot Stone Massage, woohoo!





Today's Blatherpics


- Grey whale off starboard on our way to the hot springs!! Patrick said that he whale-watching boats never normally go this close; we only did so by accident (and had it not been for Jeff's eagle eye, we might have had a much closer encounter). We also saw a pod of killer whales on the ferry to Nanaimo, which was cool.


- Slug that Jeff and I saw in the rainforest on the trail. Perhaps a banana slug?


- Hot springs!


- If you look closely, you can see Jeff sitting on the rocks near the top right.


- Me in the rainforest. The little dots are reflections of the flash off the raindrops.

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



Do you prefer taking baths or showers? Choose YES for baths, NO for showers.