Denman Island

 
I was so excited to see my sister. It had been 8 months and the closer I got, the more I realized how much I missed her! We spent a week with Jake's aunt and uncle Shirley and Barry outside of Seattle where they treated us to wonderful hospitality, meals and company. After outfitting us at REI, a couple of Birkram yoga sessions, a walk to the green river near their home, some wonderful meals, a tour of downtown Seattle and some great chats, we were off to Canada. Jake was crossing for the first time as a permanent resident and the border crossing was easy. We drove through Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay and went to our first ferry to Nainamo on Vancouver Island, drove north up the coast and got to the Denman island Ferry (a 10 min ferry crossing) where we barely made the ferry and were told by Jenny to get off the ferry, stay right and we would see them. Well, it was that easy and we arrived at her new business, Kaffee Klatsch Bistro.
I had seen some photos of what it looked like before my sister took over and I was blown away by how great it looked (check out the photos). It was beautiful, inviting, warm and sunny. It was everything Jenny had ever wanted, and she had finally done it. In the coming days we would taste the delicious foods (see the menu photo), and meet tons of people who would do nothing but talk about how wonderful Jenny is, what she has done to the bistro and what she has done for the community. The bistro is clearly a success and Jenny a star.
Our first day there she drove us around the island, (which would take about an hour to drive most of the main roads) and we saw beaches and mountains and water and ferries and old farmhouses and forest. It is so beautiful here and there is so much to do, even just on this small island.
We met Jenny's "morning crew" a group of men and one women who are in for coffee every morning, often before she even gets there to open, and who mostly work doing home renovations. John, one of her favorites and a father figure to her, is also a fisherman and promises to take us out on the boat. He is always volunteering to do something for someone. Don, her handyman who has and continues to volunteer his time, expertise and tools, is in charge of the project we're working on while we're here, which is to demolish and rebuild a sunroom off the bistro and make it an improved 4 season room. Wendy, the female carpenter is just one of the guys and is married to Gunther. Dusty, Jenny's boyfriends boss and good friend, lives in a beautiful house at a high point on Denman with beautiful views and is just getting a wood mill up and operating with Matt. And this is just the beginning. So many people to meet, such a small town, such a familiarity.
Our experience here so far has been so wonderful and as we walked in to supper last night (which is some of the most delicious food I've ever eaten), the "morning crew" had saved us 2 seats at their table.
Every Saturday night, the Bistro does tapas (small portions, like appetizers, where you get to try many flavors) and every time it's a new menu, put together by Kyla and Amanda. Some people, like John, order all five things on the menu, and then order some again. Others pick and choose and share. It is a delicious idea, and last night was so popular she had a full house and a sold out menu.
Speaking of food. Jenny was a vegetarian when she moved out here, and now seems to eat more meat than I do. Don, is quite proud of the fact that he has turned her back onto meat and some seafood. Asking me if I liked prawn, I explained I rarely eat sea food, but would be willing to try anything. So, the next day he brought in fresh (still alive) prawns he had just gotten from some traps and proceeded to behead them in front of me. We had about 15 prawn and instructions how to cook them (as Jenny was in Victoria for the night). We cooked a couple and liked them, though I had a bit of a hard time getting the image of the beheading out of my head, making it somewhat harder to eat. Don has promised to take us clam digging and crab hunting along the beach one day.
We have been working a lot since we've been here. First at helping my sister, doing odd things for her, but this past week we started "the work" and boy are our bodies feeling it. Neither of us have worked in months and certainly not doing hard labour, up early every day. It has been exhausting! However, it is a fun routine to get up early, head to the Bistro for coffee and breakfast with the morning crew, followed by a full day of work and some beers at someones house and then a good meal. It is a welcome change from our cheap eating and vagabond ways. Did I mention Jenny is paying us in food? We haven't eaten this well in months.
We're staying with Jenny but she has a little cabin 100 feet from the main house, with a bed, some shelving and a wood burning stove. We have been able to move out of the westy and settle a bit, which has been wonderful.
It has been so wonderful being here. Seeing my sister shine, being surrounded by beauty and nature, having a real roof over our heads and lots of great food, feeling useful (or even exhausted) and being in a routine. Almost 2 weeks we have been here and it is flying by.

See some amazing shots of Jenny's life: http://picasaweb.google.ca/tjkuenzli/25DenmanIsland#