America... Scratch That... Canada the Beautiful

Grammy has been out visiting us this week and we've been having a whale of a time, as usual. It's been so nice having visitors to explore the area with (i.e. drag along to things that I think are interesting but maybe really aren't). It's been H-O-T again, perfect for the Miss Bikini/Mr. Muscle contest on the beach tomorrow. I think my competitor form got lost in the mail -- I sure hope they don't miss having this amazing bod out on the sand tomorrow. Beer Belly/Pregnant Woman contest? Oh, that's NEXT week.

Since I didn't have to spend time tanning for tomorrow (which I guess is good considering that the WHO has now confirmed tanning beds are basically akin to arsenic poisoning... yummy), we've been checking out some of the local and not-so-local attractions, including more fear inducing highways and byways. We have confirmed that Canada really has a "hey, we warned you once that you may plummet to your death off the side of the highway with some obscure sign back there so now it's YOUR fault if you can't stay on this teensy weensy sliver of highway and avoid that giant outcrop when careening around the corner" attitude. I applaud the emphasis on personal responsibility that folks have here. I really do. This last bit was tested out because I really wanted to go over a pass in the summer months to see if it was as fear inducing as our trip over the Coquihalla last winter. Um... check. While the summer months don't bring the one-lane rutted highways with no real snowplowing, they lure you into thinking that the scenery is beautiful, which it is, only to remind you at some point that in winter, some truck will barrel down on you and eat you for lunch. It's really pleasant. Fortunately or unfortunately, though, we live in a valley and to get out of the valley and see other parts of BC, guess what we need to do? Mensa anyone? In any event, I will now pledge to only drive in the valley and if we leave I'm bringing someone with me who doesn't find her stomach in her mouth the minute the altimeter climbs about 300 meters.

On to what we have been doing rather than my neurosis...

As usual, little sticky fingers has found a way to get her mitts into everything that doesn't belong to her. Here she is snaking her way into Grammy's bag and stealing her water bottle.


We went to some ornamental gardens in Summerland, just up the road from Penticton. It's a beautiful place with lots of grounds to wander. I found out that sometimes Molly will indeed stop to smell the roses (except these aren't roses but same diff).


She also likes park benches -- but mostly to get up and then down and then up and then down and then ready, set, go, up and then down...


and won't sit still for a nice picture with Grammy but insists on showing her true, spirited colors.


Sometimes trapping her is the best policy.


The upside is that all her hard work tuckers her out and she slows down for a snooze fest about 30 seconds after getting in the car.


Because it's been so H-O-T, we've retreated to the lake yet again. I can't usually wait until Molly's had her afternoon snack so the other day we dined al fresco and washed off the pound of tomato seeds that covered her from head to toe in the lake. Easy peasy bath.


Lakes were built for prego women, I think. First of all, it cools you off and secondly, it makes chunky monkeys a whole lot lighter. This is especially nice when someone insists on being bounced around a lot.


Today, we headed over to the Cascades for a peek back at the ol' US of A (we're in Canada but those peaks are in Washington) and for the aforementioned trip over one of the vertigo-inducing passes. We explored some vistas...


and did a little hike (modified because we forgot our backpack and our blistering speed walker wanted to either run down the path or illegally pick the wildflowers. We eventually MacGyvered a ride for her out of my pack. We wanted to get back to the car at some point that day).


And we thankfully made it there and back in one piece thanks to our aspiring cartographer.

Grampy will also be happy to note that Molly has finally mastered the use of a Camelback. She had a little trouble on her first attempt last month and Grampy may have gotten a little backwash. Now, however, she's a pro at getting the water out... sometimes into her mouth and sometimes to create her own personal waterfall.