Down and Out!

Oak Bay is getting a new High School.  It has been under construction for about 1 1/2 years.  The building is now complete and they are in the process of demolishing the old buildings to make space for the playing fields.

Truck after truck hauled out all the debris.  You can see the new school in the background.  Janet wants to go on a tour!

One building down and one to go.

You can't read it very clearly but on the chalkboard someone had written "f**k off Debby".  Not sure who Debby is but hope her feeling weren't hurt.

At the same time, they are restoring Bowker Creek that runs along what is now the front of the school.  The creek is about 8km long, but only about 3km are above ground.  It will be rebuilt and cleaned up and planted with native vegetation.

Hard to believe at this point in time that it's going to be an improvement!

So, that was down.  This is out - two blocks from our house they were floating a house away.  Look how lonely and out of place it looks at the end of the street!

Janet checked the tide table to see when high tide was, but misunderstood when the house would be floated away.  She got up at 4:45AM to see the 6AM sailing away, only to find out it was going to happen at 6PM.  She was really irritated with herself as Janet is not a morning person.  Good thing she took that B52 Latte with her for company.

This was her reward for getting up so early.

Back she went at 5PM and this time there was some action.  First ramp is ready.

Here comes the barge!  There are two other houses on the barge, both from Oak Bay.  THEY were loaded up in the morning at 5AM, but not the location were Janet was.  It was only around the bay as Janet could hear a bunch of noise, but didn't put two and two together.

There was a crane on the barge to lift four long metal planks to make an additional ramp.

Then the house was backed onto the ramp with a semi truck.

There was an extension of the house, but it wouldn't fit on the barge.  That's the part where the particle board is.

Bye bye house!  These three houses are going to the San Juan Islands in Washington State to be part of a below market housing project.  This program permits people would otherwise not be able to purchase a home the ability to do so.  If you purchase the below market house, you are not allowed to sell later at market value.

Where were all these chumps at 5AM?

Meg told Janet about this salad that is really delicious.  Orzo, spinach, feta, olives, pine nuts and corn.  What's not to like?  It's from one of the Whitewater cookbooks.

After Janet made the salad, look who came to visit!  Mr. No. Longer. A. Baby and his handlers.  They stopped and picked up 4 dozen corn.  Half went to Buchanan's as Karen wanted to freeze corn.  Janet has already frozen some but wants to buy more.

Here is Mr. Busy Executive getting ready to close a deal.  He's got his "iPhone" in his pocket, car keys in hand and like all business men - peanut butter on his face!

Don't know what's up with this BS....not one doggie photo!  Get over yourself, Janet!