loving the island-life!

It's been another gorgeous weekend, high 20's with slight breeze.

Everyone is just so happy, and it's contagious.

We are realizing that in today's modern fast-paced world, we both needed some sort of transportation. With me always taking Biggy to town, to interviews, to stores, etc, Matt needed something as well to get around in.

After a few days of humming and hawing about buying an electric bike to scoot around town on, he decided that it just wouldn't cut it. So we went up a notch and got ourselves a Honda Shadow motorcycle, 750cc!

It's a 1995 beauty with only 1100 km! Immaculate condition. We picked it up from the private seller two days ago and went directly to get it insured. No 888 plates available this time though.

It rides beautifully and instead of sorting out our piles of clothes in our bedroom (see pic), we went for a little drive in the forest and its windy roads instead. It will be magnificent to ride when the leaves are changing colours.

Yesterday I had my first session with Arden, a gorgeous 7 year old boy with severe autism. I'll be his Social Intervention Therapist and helping him a few times each week to improve his gross motor, speech, etc..

I met him for the first time yesterday (he was napping when i met his parents for the interview) and at least he didn't run away from me which is a good sign. He is quite a tactile little boy and would immediately feel comfortable sitting close to me, touching me, etc. I have a lot to learn and I'm excited/nervous.

Anyways, Matt came with me to the house, as Will (Arden's father) wanted some help in their backyard setting up a playground for Arden. They are an interesting family and I'm glad they have met Matt and vice-versa. I can tell already that this will be a very rewarding and emotional relationship with Arden and his family.

That afternoon we went house hunting with Ryan, our realtor. See the photos of us going down the steps to the beachside near one of the properties we viewed. See the big Douglas Fir tree? And the people sunbathing on this little sandy island? What a life!

The last property we saw was our favourite and we went back to his office this afternoon to officially put down an offer.

We both don't feel too much attachment to it or anything so if the seller rejects our offer, we will just continue looking. In fact there are several more units in the same building up for sale.

The area is nice, close to shopping, schools, halfway from downtown and from the north end of town, and just a 30 second walk away from a new community centre that has just opened a few months ago!

Equipped with indoor gym space, conference centres and loads of activities, it's fantastic. It's a very good sign too that this sort of thing is springing up closeby, it means the community is a family-oriented one which can only add value to the property.

The building was built in 1980 but just recently went through half a million dollar renovations to the exterior and interior.

Our (look, i'm already calling it OURS!) particular unit was also newly renovated, kitchen, bathroom, new appliances. There is one parking space (outdoors) per unit which we would have to squeeze in Biggy and our new motorbike.

Anyways, we'll know by 5pm tomorrow if the seller accepts our offer. If he does, the real fun begins.

It is an incredible complex process to buy a place but it's all good learning. So far all it has been for is good practice for signing our name.

On Sunday, one of Matt's classmates had a bbq at his parent's place.

Their house is situated right on the bank of the river, a gorgeous lit.tle hideaway. Too bad we didn't bring our bathing suits!

So our weekend could be summed up with: bike, beach, beer, barbeque, bliss.