Tag: activity

First hockey game!

My co-worker was selling tickets to a Victoria Royals local hockey game as a fundraiser for her sons hockey team. We mentioned many times to the kids that we should go see a live game even though none of us are huge hockey fans. Live games are always a good time so we bought some tickets and had a fun family night out!

We didn’t realize we were sitting in the family area where no beer is allowed. While sipping on a cold brew security came over and Jimmy & I got into trouble 😉 We had a good laugh afterwards.

 

 

 

Hallowe’en

We love Hallowe’en! We had a lot of fun this year getting costumes together, carving pumpkins, school dance for the kids, doing hallowe’en crafts and going trick or treating.

Rhys went as a werewolf and Claire a witch. Jimmy was a punk rocker and I was a bat. Wendy, Chris and Senna (who went as Cleopatra) joined us as we ventured out on a cold night to a great neighborhood where almost every house was taking part in the hallowe’en fun. The kids received way too much candy and all-in-all had a great time.

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Thanksgiving in Victoria

We hosted thanksgiving this year which was great since last year we did not celebrate it in Africa. The Miller clan met up at Galey’s farm for some pumpkin patch fun. They have a giant corn maze and a train that goes around the property. You even get to take a tractor hay ride out to the pumpkin fields to pick out a pumpkin. It was great fun!

We then came back to our house for drinks, appies, and a yummy dinner. It really is nice living close to family again 🙂

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Rifflandia

It’s funny how unexpected plans end up coming to fruition sometimes. My good friend Doug invited me out to have a beer and discuss a construction ambition of his. He wanted to create a skateboard ramp combined with a 1980’s era boombox to be displayed/ridden at an upcoming music festival- Rifflandia.
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What started as a ramp INSIDE a stereo (complete with a rideable plexiglass component) turned into a ramp in front of a ghetto-blaster facade -to “ease” construction and increase affordability.
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As you can see, Doug’s impressive vision came to reality pretty quickly, including my own artistic detailing of one of his cassette tape creations.
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After some long construction days (extended evenings after Dee’s work and my stay-at-home time), the ramp was done and it was time to demonstrate some skateboarding. A variety of loud music was our soundtrack as youthful glee surrounded us. A bonus to my efforts was my ability to sneak the kids in to check out the festival. Fortunately, the hosting locale was very close to home so we simply walked over. Claire had a blast expressing her inner-rocker as did Rhys, but he is super sensitive to loud noises so he did not want to stay too long.
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Event wrapped, the Rifflandia organization was very pleased with the ramp being included so I feel we can expect a newer more improved skateboard element in next year’s production! Maybe next time the whole family can come along -but only if we have some ear muffs for Rhys though 😉
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McCaulay Point

Moving back to Victoria has proven fruitful in the realm of play and exploration. Some of my best childhood games of “hide and go seek” and “war” had McCaulay Point as the stage; a great day trip location for a boy.

In truth, McCaulay Point provided coastal defense to Victoria and Esquimalt harbors between 1870 and 1950, with the time around 1910 being the most active as the militia was being built then. Nowadays the park remains open to the public (adventurous families, bird watchers, dog walkers, etc.). With only a few areas fenced off to protect indigenous plants, the rest is free to roam.

It is certainly a neat place to take the kids as the (safe) gun turret are fully accessible/ climb-able.

– Jimmy

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3 7This is the tunnel which was built in 1895. It provided controlled (protected) access to supply sheds within the fortification. Nowadays is good for a spooky echo and a mild scare as it is just long enough to feel weary of your exit lies.

  8Here are the kids back in rainy January atop of the old battery command post/observation point.

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Golf Village

Since our arrival in Johannesburg, we have had a list of things to do and places to visit. Golf Village was on our list and with only weeks away from our departure from Johannesburg back to Canada we finally found time to visit.

The morning we visited golf village it was fairly sunny but once on the greens it turned to wind and rain. We had fun anyway and both realized we were really out of practice.

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