Time is often measured with abstract humour. Pop culture defines one Scaramucci as equivalent to ten days. We tell our dogs we are leaving them for ferry trips. If we go out for dinner with friends, we tell them we will be back in two ferry trips. My favorite measurement for time is Valpolicellas. One is equal to the length of a hockey game. Two, if it’s a playoff game with overtime.

As I previously mentioned, I was worried about my seeds in the greenhouse, so I brought them down to the house. There isn’t the variety I had hoped for but there are 115 still alive. I ordered some more seeds just in case, so if they arrive in time I will be able to fill in types where we are lacking. For those of you interested, there are a ton of my favorite Bob Cat, lots of Heinz and plenty of San Marzano. There are also 30 cucumber !!! When I get to the potting up stage I will confirm what I will have to share with islanders.

This is the view from my rose headquarters this afternoon as I worked in the greenhouse while it rained.

The roses in the greenhouse are doing better than expected. Thirty one, at this point, are alive and thriving. I brought a couple of cuttings from my friend’s garden in Ladner so may have as many as thirty five roses to add to my garden!!! I do not have room for thirty five new roses so may have some to share.

We walked into the shoe store at the mall while we were in town and a young fellow eagerly met us at the door. He had very obviously never set foot in a forest or on an island or probably, for that matter, walked on dirt. I told him we were there for new shoes. His eyes immediately went to our feet and he gasped. “How long have you had those?!?….. Four years, we proudly announced and, I added with great pride, “Four years and I have worn them all day, every day.”

I realized fairly early on, I was going to need to wear a solid boot to live on this island. There is no even ground and, without good shoes, the soles of my feet feel every rock and boulder, not to mention the very real possibility of slipping on my ass in the mud. The boots had to have traction on the hills, and also when jumping on and off boats and shoveling dirt in the garden. There is no time for tying laces so they have to be slip on. Which brought us to Blundstone boots. They are very expensive (268.00) but literally the only shoe I own and, as I mentioned, they held up for four years of island abuse. Well worth the 18 cents a day they have cost me so far and they are still good enough for gardening.

After our purchase from the city slicker, I now also have a pair of boots for activities which require dressing up in our good jeans and clean flannel. The life of one pair of Blundstones we can now equate to four years. Our plan is to live here

for four Blundstones.