Have you ever experienced the magic of falling in love with your partner all over again?

You know that feeling where your breath catches just knowing that within seconds your partner will be in the same room as you. Where your breath catches in your throat when they walk up behind you and wrap their arms around you. Where the sound of their voice makes your heart beat a little faster. Where a million words can be said, without uttering a sound - you know what each is saying just by a look in their eye.

October is the month that Jamie and I like to call our reconnection month, for in reality that is exactly what it is. Through the course of the year we are rushed through each day with the reality of living. Dealing with problems with the kids, feeding dogs, shopping, paying bills, working on the house and property, work - it all tends to get in the way of us. But for one month out of the year the world around the two of us stops. Every sentence spoken by others has a totally different meaning to us. Simple words or saying become a whole new language just between the two of us.

Don't get me wrong - we love each other as much in the other 11 months of the year, and still have our secret language.... but October is ours!

We started 11 years ago  going away just for a weekend. Now we try and manage a whole week away. (This takes lots of work and saving before hand). Although this time away is the highlight of our month, and our reward to ourselves for working so hard throughout the year it is not the total focus. Our trips away may be the destination, but by no means is it the journey. We have experienced this same journey since the beginning of our relationship, and this journey will continue every year until we take our last breath and no doubt beyond.

October is our month to remind ourselves why we fell in love, and why we continue to be in love today!

This year we planned to go away later in the month than we normally do. Traditionally we are away for our anniversary which is on the 6th. However this year we decided to stay home for our anniversary and go away after our big Thanksgiving dinner, which this year fell on the 10th.

After examining past years Jamie and I both decided that this is the way to go, and we will probably do it this way again next year!

So with our crazy summer and very busy September, Jamie and I were looking forward to our October holiday with great anticipation. We were going this year to a new destination, whole new surroundings for us to discover. This time we had selected a tiny little town on the west coast of our island that I had never been to, and Jamie only once or twice in his teen years. Funny how you can live on an island for so many years, yet still not see all the little nooks and crannies. Toffino here we come!

Having finished packing the night before, with just a few 'personal' items to be added to the small bags the day of our departure Jamie and I were very well organized.

We left the house at around 11:30 am with plans on making a few stops along the way. First stop was in Nanaimo for lunch at Montana's. Wanting so badly just to be at our cabin, but wanting to take our time and enjoy every moment on the way, the anticipation was almost more than either of us could stand. We did have a wonderful lunch with a lot of laughs and secret looks, but we did not linger. Soon we were on the road again.

To follow along you can view a map at: http://www.tourismvictoria.com/Content/EN/1070.asp

Next stop after Nanaimo was Qualicum Beach (which in past years had been our destination of choice). We wanted to stock up on our weeks worth of groceries (we would be after all cooking for ourselves) ... this stop seemed to take the longest, but finally with the cooler filled with ice and supplies we were again on the road again. This time moving across our island rather than traveling the length. Laughing together at the things we seen along the way, allowing ourselves to take this time to start to wind down from the busy months we had just past.

Soon we were out of Port Alberni (Click on Port Alberni on the map) and heading up. From here it was a new discovery for me. I was amazed at what our island has to offer us in the way of scenery... Absolutely breathtaking. As we headed up... there was an area on the road where you could stop and get out and look at Sprout Lake from above. Breathtaking and Beautiful really do not describe it well. Jamie and I stood for a long time just breathing in the tranquility of the moment.

After some time we again climbed into the jeep and continued on with our trip. There would be no more stops along the way. Toffino was the next town.  (The road we were on continues through very high mountain passes and then ends at a T - turn to the left and you end up in Uculet, turn right and you end up in Toffino - there is no further to go less you want to plop into the ocean and head to Japan)

The mountain pass was spectacular, the road through something else again - mostly narrow two lane highway, with lots of twists and turns, and although these types of roads make me nervous, Jamie did a wonderful job of driving and keeping my nerves at ease.

Before long we were at the T - it was time to turn right - we were just about there!

And with that I will end for now, but will pick up with the trip soon.

Stay tuned!

Looking through pictures of 'our holiday' I have to stop at each one to relive the moments frozen forever in time.

How around each corner of exploration there appeared to be a new discovery. Such was the case with the cave tree.  After finally arriving at our destination the night before, and a good nights sleep, both Jamie and I woke up refreshed and ready to explore our surroundings and home for the week. We decided to take a walk in the early morning sunshine, through one of the many roadways at the resort... thus is how we discovered what we dubed the cave tree. The tree itself was huge! We stood in awe for several minutes admiring the formation of the roots, when our eyes at the same moment discovered that this tree also held an added bonus. A cave!

With almost child like fasination we both peeked in.  We both knew that as children we both would have spent hours in this magical location. How could we resist?!?

With prompting from your's truly, Jamie was the first one to go inside, clearing the way of spiders and cobwebs I was not far behind. How could I resist? It was at this moment, as I looked out at my husband from the magic of the cave tree that I felt the tension of the past months slipping away. Letting go of the stress was easy while breathing in the earthy smell the tree and cave presented. I was on vacation... and I was going to enjoy every second of it!

But I am getting ahead of myself a bit... so in my next post I will back track to the beginning of our trip... so that you can follow along on our journey.

Stay Tuned!

Although the final days of our holiday is upon us, there is no need yet to hurry back into every day life - much like waking slowly - knowing everything is where it should be in your life - there is no need yet to rush our feet to the floor.

Thinking back to the few days before we left on our trip, I can still hear my son asking... "Do you think that you will get a hot tub?"

Our cabin that we were staying at had a hot tub, and our son knew that the chances were good that we were going to love it, and upon our return home could very easily decide to purchase one for our families use.

My answer to his question... simply put " I don't know, I guess we will see. We will either love it or hate it" The conversation then ended, with our son satisfied with my reply.

Our cabin also had a barbecue - something else that over the years Jamie and I had never deemed necessary to own. So again, it was a possibility that after the trip this family would move into the 'real' world. How dreadful that we were so stuck in the dark ages.

Those couple of days before Jamie and I were to leave were hard. Although busy getting ready to go, Our anniversary, Thanksgiving, last minute work issues kept us busy and very well on track, we were both far from focused, and only wanted to be away.

Looking back now, I am so glad that we decided to do the things we did, in the order we did them. Being home now it is nice not to have to worry about the big family dinner.

So for the past few years Jamie and I have been buying each other a communal anniversary present. This years gift to each other took a lot of planning and thought, but we finally came up with the perfect one. Click Here to see what we decided on. I will post the story behind the gift, and more details on the why - in my next post, so stay tuned for that.

Oh and on the hot tub and barbecue... we decided that the cost in time and money for a hot tub would just not be worth it for us, so it is a no... however we are going to go for the barbecue.

Anyway... I've more to tell you... but not today... stay tuned! 

Last night was the Nazareth concert... Jamie and I left here about 5:30 to go for dinner. We decided to go to Barnacles, and the food and service was excellent as ususual...and then off to the concert we went. I have been listening to Nazareth for many years, and never in a million years would I have guessed that they would come to our town to play, and on our wedding anniversary to boot!

It was kind of funny to see them now though, as I remember them more from their younger days, long dark hair and the likes, where now the two main members are either grey or bald... but hey they did well, and still sounded like themselves. Better than I expected.

Now the crowd that came to view them were mostly around the same age as Jamie and I, with a few younger ones thrown in. But there is no way that Jamie and I are that old. Seriously most of these folks sat there as if they were watching a cinderella play on stage...not to mention that most of them were wearing earplugs!  I was totally in shock... what was the matter with these people?!?!?! There was no way that I could sit through the concert, not moving, not singing, not cheering....nope... my brain took over my body... and I rocked right along with the band!

One nice thing about the whole thing was I came to the relization that I am not old!

Ok someone please tell me what happened to September?!?! Seems I blinked and it was gone, and now here it is October already.

In one week from today Jamie and I should be just arriving at our holiday spot. It seems like this holiday has been a long time coming, and I am so looking forward to the relax that is sure to happen.

We are starting to think about the 'Halloween Walk' and have a few new tricks up our sleeve... one disappointment is that the new hut will not be ready for this year. Life got crazy and the progress came to a screeching halt... but we will move forward. I really don't want to to tell to much about what we have planned here, just in case any party goers happen upon this site. No sense to spoil the boo effect!

The weather has turned cool here, and I am in deep protest. I am not ready to give up on summer yet - although the quieter days of winter will be welcome!

Time for me to be out of here, I know only a short posting, but I have much to tell you in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!