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.

On the road again, again

The, to the untrained eye, the Cincinnati Reds hat is very, very close to my beloved Hiroshima Carp hat, pic. (Which came first, the chicken or the egg?)

 

You know what they say, "it's not the size of your Gobo root."

Ritsue made Gobo tots! They were very tasty, with an earthy taste and crunchy texture, yum.

Bye-bye to the mainland..........

......junior and I were on a mission.....

....no, not to find every cool pub and brewery on the island, although I do recommend the Waverley Hotel bar in Cumberland. 'Twas back on Vancouver Island scoping out potential retirement destinations again.

He takes his flights very seriously!

Well, If I used any excuse to have a beer, it would be due to these spicy, curly, did I say spicy?, fries.

Home base was in Campbell River. The next day was supposed to be scoping out houses, but we couldn't help ourselves and ended up going for a stroll just north at Ripple Rock.

Ya, and yuk, be careful where you step, they were everywhere.

We were trying to make it to the look-out at Seymour Narrows, but alas, we were out of time and had to turn back here, wherever here was.

That's a big Doug Fir right there, I'll tell you what.

Well, I must say, again, driving on the Island highway is like a professional driver's dream. How about that, no traffic looking ahead north.........

......and looking back, nothing as well. La, la, la, la, la..........

We had a quick peek at Brown's Bay Resort. Could be a future week-end escape destination.

Hey, that looks like Unk's handiwork.

All that searching and exploring makes one thirsty. The Riptide Marina Pub was a great place to eat, drink, and watch the Oilers' game.

After, we took a stroll around the marina.

What a pleasant evening with pleasant surroundings.

Our Airbnb home away from home for 2 nights, pretty nice.

Well the 2 days fly by and all of a sudden it was time to head out to the ferry. (Not before we grabbed a coffee for the road at the Royston Roasting Co and Coffee House in Royston. (Now that's an area I could live in, quiet and close to the water.)

Had our own window seat from the pick-up for the trip, nice.

.......back to the Mainland. Next?