On Friday morning, despite much trepidation, I headed over to Mayne Island to surprise Lorenzo. I packed him a change of clothes, some fruit, apple bread, pasta, etc, along with two milk jugs filled with Vancouver water. Mayne Island water is fine to drink, and probably healthier than what we drink here as it's mineral-rich, but I can't get used to the taste. I also brought my mini-stereo and i-pod to listen to, a book to read, tea...it was ridiculous how much stuff I had.

So I pulled into the dirt driveway of our cottage just as he was coming out to cut a piece a wood. He was stunned - and over-the-moon happy to see me. He kept saying, "I can't believe you're really here!"  The poor man - seven days in the shack alone and he was in the final stages of full blown cabin fever. He thought I was an apparition. After twenty years together, it was nice to know that we can still be overjoyed to see each other. He had mentioned a few days previous that he a had a bottle of Proseco in the fridge but didn't have the heart to drink it by himself. Looking around the cabin at his makeshift living quarters filled me with sympathy; I could understand how sad it would be to drink sparkling wine all by yourself when you're surrounded by saw dust.

It was a glorious, sunny day and just a joy to be out of the city. I made tea and Lorenzo showed me everything he had done: the ceilings were all in and looked fantastic...

And he had just finished doing the walls in the eating area...they look great!

Here he is hard at work. I mostly stood around talking to him and handing him things...

While he was installing the wall panels, I headed over to my cousin's house and washed our bed sheets. Here is our makeshift "bathroom" where we brush our teeth and get washed up...

I figured Lorenzo would just leave his tools out as he planned to continue working the next day, but no...the compound miter saw, the chop saw, everything has to be dusted off, packed up, and meticulously put away. Every single tool has its designated place and if you put a tape measure in the wrong pocket of his tool bag, you'll hear about it. Then you have to vacuum. I have to say, it's probably the cleanest construction site you've ever seen.

Lorenzo had a shower and we sat on our deck and drank the entire bottle of Proseco while listening to Oscar Peterson and observing eagles soaring overhead. Bliss! When hunger kicked in, we staggered down to the Springwater Lodge for dinner. I cannot believe this weather...it was like an evening in July...

The owner of the Springwater came over to talk to us. Terry has been running the show for about thirty years. When asked about the haunted rooms upstairs and all the ghost-sightings over the years, we thought we were going to hear some juicy stories. But he just shrugged and said, "Well...who knows what people have been smoking around here." 
After dinner, we took a drive down to David Cove. The lack of rain has given the island a scorched appearance; if you didn't know better you'd think you were surrounded by wheat fields. The grass is bleached of all colour and signs are posted up reminding us of the extreme fire warning. We saw a lot of deer and I've always wondered where they find fresh water to drink.

After, we went back to the cottage; had a great sleep in our king-sized bed which was the best purchase we've ever made. The next morning, Lorenzo was up at the crack of dawn, hammering away. Here are some before and after pictures...

I like the door Lorenzo installed, but I still think a glass door would have been a better choice. Look at the sun light that would be coming in...

This is the third house that Lorenzo and I have taken down to the studs and renovated. Years ago, we would have argued over this; we have launched into intense, heated battles over a sixteenth of an inch - seriously - each of us digging in our heels until we were exhausted. Such perfectionism and passion for detail makes for a beautiful final product but the stress isn't worth it. Now, we come to agreements quickly - maybe we're just getting mellow in our old age. Or maybe it's finally accepting that life is too short to fight over things that really don't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Throughout the day, we would call our kids to see what they were doing. Uncle Marcus showed up to check on them (twice!) and Auntie Carolyn arrived with donuts and ice cream. How lucky we are to have good friends... The kids assured us that all was fine and that we should stay another night. So we did!
After a long day of hard work, we headed back to the Springwater for dinner number two. Mayne Island does something to your appetite. You aren't just hungry, you're ravenous. You feel like your stomach has no bottom to it. Here is Lorenzo, ready to tuck into a plate of roast beef with Yorkshire pudding...

It was another glorious evening...the flower boxes at the restaurant are still in full bloom...

Cheers!

We overheard some young guys discussing how they were going to get to a party without a ride, so we offered them a lift. Three young men in their early 20's piled into our car with cases of beer - full of life and fun with their whole lives ahead of them. Lorenzo and I seemed positively geriatric in comparison. But the thing is, you don't feel any different just because you're in your forties. And Mayne Island really makes you feel young...like you want to do something crazy - drive with the headlights off, play hide-and-go-seek in the dark, get drunk and howl at the moon...

We went for another drive, and explored a different part of the island. Lorenzo decided that Bennett Bay is the best place to be which is where our cottage is, of course...
Back at home, we watched "Bull Durham" on our little tv which is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Called the kids, told them to lock the doors, feed the animals, stay inside, blah blah.
We stared at the walls and discussed the possibility of not painting them..just applying a clear coat...

We agreed that they should be painted, as pine yellows with age, and as the colour deepens your walls take on that 70s cottage look. Furthermore, our floors are going to look so fantastic and we don't want them to compete with the walls... 
I couldn't sleep on Saturday night - full blown insomnia. This morning, we caught the 8:40am ferry home. I hated to leave. When the boat pulled into Tsawwassen, I could smell the pollution. Then you're driving along in heavy traffic and your senses become dulled again by the city. Our dog went nuts when we pulled up - even Marcello the bunny ran over to us. The kids were...somewhat happy to see us, I guess. We were talking about how lucky we are that we still enjoy each other's company, because once your kids hit the teen years they don't want to be with you. So you better have something on the ball, or you're going to be pretty lonely. Or divorced.

So, that's the weekend it was, and it was fantastic! The kids survived, the animals survived, and now we can face the week ahead having recharged our batteries.
Ciao for now...