Back in the groove....

 

Feeling pretty blessed, our circus was at Spanish Banks for a number of days in July. Already half way through the filming of Lillian's Way.

Well a random stop at the New Westminster Legion on a Sunday paid off! Not only did we get to quench our thirst, but Ritsue won on the meat draw, yay! (A raffle to win meat, how fun is that???)

Our first time trying Sushi Garden in our neighborhood. Very good and reasonably priced, we'll be back!

Another morning sunrise at Spanish Banks.

The, trying to get creative, shot through the grasses, pic.

Lots of filming around the UBC area gave me time to explore. The impressive Ladner Clock Tower was a must on my solo tour.

.....and there's the Chemistry Building, which was finished in 1925, huh.

Well, how many Chrysler Pacificas does a show need? (Mine's the red one, lol.) We actually had 6 at one point. (You have to believe me, the 2 gray ones are not in this pic.) It's changed now, with the addition of hybrids, we have 3 Pacificas, 2 Toyota Siennas, 2 Kia Carnivals, and hmnnnn, oh ya, 1 Mazda hybrid.

Heron through the grasses pic.

On this day this Canadian Air Force plane kept flying circles around Burrard Inlet, nearly 30 minutes worth, never did find out why.

I was working on this day, but still had a chance to stop at Cafe Zen on Yew in Kitsilano to see bro Skip, Erin, Sis Jude and Les, and the ever radiant Carmen.

Ha! At our circus at Spanish Banks. That's the best view I think I've seen from a washroom trailer, I'll tell you what.

One day started off so chilly and misty. This was looking out onto Burrard Inlet.

.....but by afternoon, we had a magnificent view of the joys of Vancouver.

Omg! It has been nine months at least since I have done a pick-up at the Sutton Hotel. (How many times have I been here in the past 15ish years?) 

On this day, our circus and base camp was at the old Molson Brewery at 1st and Burrard. You can still recognize the logo. (hic, well at least I can) They have relocated out into the Fraser Valley, in Chilliwack.

Filmed 2 days in East Vancouver. How many trucks does it take to film a t.v. show?

Lots of street and building art in East Vancouver. This is actually two buildings, the hand is separate from the face, so cool.

Well, a long story short, maybe. I was looking for some sports memorabilia in my storage and I came across this Bald Eagle Inn hat I got from my sister who lived in Minburn, Alberta at the time. It has an autograph on it, but I can't seem to recall who signed it. (Best guess is a famous N.H.L. hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues and the Edmonton Oilers, Gary Unger.)

.....found this baseball bro Skip gave me way back when he went to that game. What I was looking for and found was an American Hockey League Puck I had for 30 plus years. It was the Hershey Bears. It just so happened one of the hockey playing actors on the show played for Hershey, a farm team of the Washington Capitals. It sat in a box for years, I was more than happy to give it to him.

Red Pacifica???? I think not! It's cooler to say Kia Carnival, right? It's a hybrid. (Actually starting to enjoy driving this vehicle.) Swan song? We shall see.........

Wasabi always wins........

It's been awhile. (blog wise) I took a break, well, because, I came out of retirement again, one more show........

....but before that, had a chance to go to another Vancouver Canadians baseball game. (I should of bet on the mascot race, like the title says, Wasabi always wins!)

 

Ritsue and her friend Kazuyo were totally getting into it. (Was that the chicken dance?)

A very sad and tired picture of me, but it didn't matter, I ran into Todd Stottlemyre, oh my god! He was a pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays when they won the World Series in 1992 and 1993. (I remember watching those games, what a time to be a Canadian baseball fan.)

There Todd was, playing catch with Pat Borders, who was a catcher for the Jays on those World Series wins.

Very cool they came to the Vancouver game.

Oh, you better believe it, we got there early to make sure we got a Davis Schneider bobblehead. He actually did play for Vancouver and moved his way up, and is now on the Blue Jays.

Always a great outing.

We'll be back!

Father's day rolled around and I dug out the t-shirt my son Taylor made for me in like kindergarten or grade 1. Also had a shot from a gift bottle of apple brandy that is produced in Summerland that junior gave me for the big day.

Actually, this was a little bit of embellishment, lol, really was very smooth. 

The show I'm on is called Lillian's way. We were out in Langley and some of the neighbors came out for a visit. (This one brought his owner along.)

Our circus/base camp was at a farm that had a lot of old picture cars lying around. (Some look awfully familiar from some many, many shows ago.)

Not a flight I would have wanted to be on......

.......nope.

Went for the annual visit to see Sis and Unk in Summerland. He took me for a cruise in his 1959 Chev Apache. What a treat, and the looks we got!

A lot different than my Ford Expedition cast driving days. I sold my cast vehicle and I was presented with this Chrysler Pacifica, my new cast ride. (All good, no cost to me, lol. This would be short lived, though.)

The waiting for wrap, standing by at circus, bored, let's take a picture of the "honey wagon" stairs, pic.

Familiar territory. We spent a couple of days and nights at Riverview in Coquitlam. I have probably been a part of 25 or 30 shows filmed here over the years.

Not yay!, my first Fraturday of the year. It was June, and that's a pretty light 4 a.m.

Wow, a new waiting spot for me. One of the cast lives pretty close to a branch of the Fraser River.

Yup.

Some visitors to our studio in Burnaby!

One of my non-cast duties, transporting the Venice 2? to the vendor.

Perhaps more important, a rush to get this ice to crafty!

Spent some time at the UBC campus, too.

Was looking for a particular piece of memorabilia in my boxes of junk when I came across these gems. (Not worth much, but still fun to see these Gretzky cards.)

One more time.......?

My little shout-out to Coasters Coffee in New Westminster, good cappuccino, with an artistic froth.

 

On the road for the annual trip to Summerland, well, don't let the Coquihalla Highway being closed and a big truck accident west of Princeton on the only highway open stop you. (But alas, it sure did.) 

We use to be back there at the end of the line.....

......yikes, added almost an extra couple of hours to the trip.

The, made it to Princeton, we've got a week-end to get to, mandatory selfie, pic.

This is the 2025 version of sis and Ritsue hanging out at the chicken coop pic. (5th or 6th annual?)

Well, well, well, this is a first. (In this vehicle.)  Unk and I headed out on a about Summerland road trip.

Sitting above Summerland, there it is, Unk's 1959 Chevrolet Apache, what a beaut!

This is the first time we have met their new Bichon, Cherrie. (Of course, she naturally went to Ritsue the Dog Whisperer.)

The next day we went to the family grave in Penticton. Finally, a new marker for sister Gail.

Unk and Ritsue are probably the two biggest posers I know, lol. He had the sign, she had the beer!

The new, mandatory, park my retirement ride at the boat launch in Summerland on Okanagan Lake, pic.

We had a great Airbnb a block from Okanagan Lake in Trout Creek, was nice walking for sure.

Tried to get a moon in the day pic, still not a bad view.

Dusk, looking north from Powell Beach.

A new annual event? Ritsue got the green light to trim Unk's hair. Was pretty entertaining for Sis and I.

Well, the picture doesn't tell the whole story. This egg from their chickens was easily twice the size of a normal egg. Unfortunately on the way to the refrigerator........(but I saw it!!) 

An afternoon thirst quencher at the Summerland Cider Company. Nice of the kids to show up! (Private joke, har-har.)

On our way out of town we went to Summerland Sweets for some more of their amazing pancake syrups and an amazing ice cream cone. Well, our timing was bang on, the Summerland steam train just happened to pay us a visit.

Steam train selfie!

Man, that's some good timing right there, driver.

This has not been altered, lol. Unk and sis gave us a dozen eggs from their chickens, look at the variety! The one more time? One more show, but heck, it's only 3 months. Looks like I'm un-retired.