Trained Attack Cat

Wed 02 Feb

Toots has taken the rest of the week off which is really great. We started off the day helping her with some errands, choice of library books, drive by of the bank for some cash and the like. Then we headed off to Steveston, a neighbourhood in the South West of Vancouver. It is a very scenic drive south until you hit some water, then head west till you get to Steveston, a former fishing village, full of charming shops, from boutique clothing to Italian delis and of course the usual ones selling tourist tat. And a Greek restaurant guarded by a kung-fu feline. Well, that is what the sign said.

We took a stroll along the quay, next to tourists queueing up for whale sighting trips and small fishing boats. And loads of fish and chips and seafood restaurants. Which was good timing because by now I was starving (errands make me hungry). La and Toots both had the halibut and I had the large cod and chips. And bottomless coffee. Delish. The enjoyment of the awesome food was only interrupted when La tried to kill me by exploding a ketchup bottle in my general direction. Luckily her plan was thwarted when it was blocked by her fleece (actually Toots' on loan, he he). And her arm. And her hand, he he. And even more luckily there was still enough left for us to dip our chips into. Whew.

After lunch we wandered around the village a bit, into several shops, avoiding the ice cream places (it was freezing today) and the cupcake shop (we were full from lunch). Incredible restraint was shown by both of my companions and a bad day was had by the shopkeepers. Leaving town we took the coastal road again, really beautiful.

Back in Burnaby I was dropped off in Hastings Avenue for my date with an Armenian barber. And to buy some second hand books, as I've finished the two I brought with me. Success on both accounts. Actually the Armenian was busy so my hair was chopped by another barber (a lady barber, so a 'barbara'?) who was actually from Northern Iraq. Very interesting chat we had.

Because the buses here need exact change for the fare (and I didn't know exactly how much that was anyway but probably more than $2 and less than $4 and I only had 2 Toonies on me), I decided to walk back to Toots' place. By the way, $1 coins here have (used to have?) a duck called a Loon on them, so are called 'Loonies' and so $2 coins are called Toonies. Go figure.

Anyway, I was walking home, but then decided to try my luck hitching. So I hitched up my ski jacket and a little Mazda pulled up next to me driven by a charming Toots lookalike with a beautiful La lookalike riding shotgun and they just so happened to be heading back to Toots's building. Can you believe it?

Breakfast, no mushy peas, Thai. Day 18.