Vancouver

We met Hugh today in Vancouver. A good friend from grad school. A welcome introduction to his place, his housemate and a big shaggy pooch. Much more my style and so good to be reunited with another old friend. The last one on this long trip up the west coast. We went shopping for ingredients for dinner in a chic section of the city full of artsy kitsch and organic food stores and in the afternoon we visited the biggest ice cream store I've ever seen! Just down the block from Hugh's place are over 500 flavors. You could sample something new every day of the year and then some. Flavors like hmmmm, dragonfruit sorbet, pear and gorgonzola, and even curry ice cream, yes curry ice cream. Bad idea...I settled on cranberry and Meagan had pumpkin and walnut. It was almost like Thanksgiving dinner!

Laying in the grass at a nearby park and enjoying our last day together for a bit. Meagan is back to Scotland tomorrow to finish university and I leave for Ecuador to teach conservation studies the day after. Savoring the now and looking ahead to the future. Much to be excited for! Both in the far off and the not so far off. Like dinner, we grilled a feast of fresh veggies in olive oil, pepper, and sea salt letting them cook in their own juices. There was lamb sausage, and a dandelion green-fig-fennel-goat cheese-walnut salad I threw together to boot too. A proper dinner with good people in the back yard, sipping on wine, and watching 1000 years BC that night, Raquel Welch in a fur bikini...and it doesn't get more classic and funny than that.

Simple pleasures. We couldn't ask for a better day.