Romance Is In The Spring Air

Porpoise Bay

Every time Scott and I drive off the ferry and onto the Sunshine Coast the world around us slows down, the colours become more vibrant and the air is a little more fresh.  Over the past five years we have visited Sechelt almost every Spring or Summer.  It is the one place that I can't get enough of and I take comfort in the familiarity of it. The laid back rhythm, small town feel and breath-taking scenery bring me back every year.  I crave it every Spring.  For me, and I think Scott, it the perfect romantic get-a-away that is long over due by the Spring.  You see we have no problem taking time to reconnect with one another in the summer, but once Sept starts so does the rapid everyday routines that we get stuck doing.  And by December we kick it into high gear with family dinners, parties, the crazed hustle and bustle of the holidays themselves.  Then we seem to gravitate back to the usual routines of going to work, make dinner, clean up and take in a few hours of TV.  The weekends are busy with chores and trying to slip in a few romantic dates along the way.  By Spring I need some quality alone time with my husband.  I'm sure most couples can relate to this and if you add in a few "ankle-biters" you are long over due for romance.

So this Spring I booked us in at Wildflowers B&B (not our usual place) but one I'm familiar with.  It is so fantastic- large manicured property with a duck pond, and gardens, with two private cabins away from the main house, which is a great place to really let your hair down.  The proprietors- Doug and Darcy, pull out all the stops when it comes to comfort and fine -dining quality food.  Each cabin contains a King bed, fire place, shower for two, soaker tub, private hot tub and more.  An added bonus is the intermittent Wi-Fi which really forces you to put down the devices and heaven forbid TALK.  We even kept the TV off while we were there.  Without the distractions we chatted for hours about everything.

Porpoise Bay

Porpoise Bay

Before we checked in we stopped by our favorite pub The Lighthouse and enjoyed a scrumptious lunch and discovered our new fav. red wine- Beso Di Vino- a Spanish blend of Syrah and Garnacha.  And as per usual we ended up coming back that night for dinner.  Later we donned our swimsuits and a had long soak in the hot tub.  While we were soaking in the warm water listening to the frogs croak we spotted a fox hiding in the grass by the pond.  He didn't say anything :)

Hot Tub Gazebo 

Our cabin at Wildflowers

The next morning we dined on eggs benny in homemade yorkshire puddings, fruit salad, and homemade croissants.  Normally after breakfast we would get on our hiking gear and visit the Schoocimchuck Rapids, but this time we just wanted to relax, so we had massages in our room in the late afternoon, after a few hours poking around Sechelt.

Our view from our cabin

We have never had massages in our own room before so I wasn't sure if they would be as good as going to a spa.  Well I have to say my massage was the best and it was great not having to change out of my robe afterwards and drive anywhere.  Instead Scott and I lounged around eating cheese and crackers and sipping wine before getting ready for dinner at our old haunt Rockwater.

View from ferry 

The next morning we packed up, ate banana and custard stuffed french toasts and headed back home to reality.  For 2.5 days we escaped our routines and just enjoyed one another's company.

I always think we need to do this more often but alas real-life seems to take the lead. :)

Leave Brookswood Alone!!!!

In the past week things in my life have turned upside down.  I was given information about how my community and the way I live my daily life could be destroyed all due to 10 landowners in my area.  I have attended a couple hearings and even gave a speech Wednesday night expressing my concern.  For those of you who were not in attendance here is what I said that night.

Mayor, Council Members and fellow Brookswood Families, my name is Margo Freeman and I live at 19721 41A Ave, right off the proposed expansion of 40^th Ave and 196^th street.

I'm here tonight to ask to you to vote NO to the proposed Community Plan.  My husband and I moved here five year ago from the over-populated, concrete slab, called Willoughby.  We were sick of the noise pollution, heavy traffic and lack of green space.  We left this hustle and bustle way of life to seek a quieter location, filled with clean air, and nature on our door step.  We thought we’d have to move to a rural town up North, but we were soon elated not only to find Brookswood but also our parcel of land.  Who could dream of a street where you can consider your neighbours your friends, where ancient cedars line the streets and shade your house from the beating sun? Where you can watch bald eagles soar overhead, and observe birds nesting in the trees?  We couldn’t believe we had found a street that is so nestled in that you feel secluded from the rest of the world and you can walk mere steps into a lush forest rich with wildlife and trails.  We had found paradise, and anyone who visits remarks on how lucky we are to live here.

I thought we’d plant deep roots of our own beside the firs and walnut trees in our yard.  We planned on building a life for decades here.  Why would we want to leave?  Every day when I leave the concrete jungle of Langley City and cross over the boundary into Brookwood it is like there is an audible sigh and relief and I have entered a small town.  I love that.

On 196^th street and 40^th it is quiet.  Children play in the street and their laughter lingers in the air.  There isn’t that constant truck and car noise pollution that would be there instead if this proposal goes through.  There won’t be children playing on a major road way.  Only noise.  I didn’t move to this street to live in a concrete world full of noise and dangerous drivers.  I don’t think any of my neighbours did either, especially the ones on 196^th and 40^th.  We enjoy having our space and privacy.  We thrive on the notion our street is safe.  If these plans go through we live next to a dangerous road with easy access for all sorts of people who may want to rob and harm us. 

We did not plan to raise families and build legacies mirrored off of 200^th and 72^nd.  If this plan goes ahead, everything we strive to protect, strive to maintain will be lost.  Our sense of community and our way of life will cease to exist.  You will destroy and devastate so many lives here.  Not to mention the environmental impact.  No more birds, no more rabbits, no more deer.  All gone.

Please Vote NO

If you feel the same way speak up and attend the Brookswood 

Rally on March 22nd at the Brookswood Water park at noon!!! 

 Don't Keep Calm, Keep Fighting On Brookswood!