Day 504: Back to Vancouver

I decided I won't ever drive in Vancouver, British Columbia again.

When we arrived a couple weeks back traffic into downtown was horrific. Yes, there were three lanes going in each direction, but cars and buses and taxis and bikes were swerving in and out of those narrow lanes with no apparent rhyme or reason. In a city of over half a million people it was stressful to get to our hotel.

But today as we left the cruise ship we took a taxi back to the hotel where we left the car. As I watched the taxi driver maneuver in morning rush hour traffic, I figured it out.

Three lanes. The middle lane is the go-straight lane. The left lane is the go-straight lane until you get to an intersection. Then it becomes a go-straight lane and a left turn lane. The right lane is a bus lane and/or a parking lane - except when it's not. If no one is parked in that lane, go right ahead and use it as a go-straight lane. And even if someone is parked in that lane? Drive in that lane until you get to that car, then dart back into the middle lane, then dart back into the parking lane when you can.

Basically consider those cars turning left in the left lane and those cars parked in the right lane as obstacles in your road race. I won't do it again, but when I drove out this morning I adopted a taxi-driver aggression and made good time!

But today's picture isn't of the mess of traffic. It's of a huge pile of yellow stuff out at the docks. Sulfur. I'm not sure what it's used for, but it sure is bright.

And on another note...No Happy Birthday ever sprang from hubby's mouth but I did I eat a couple bites of my birthday cake by myself (way too much chocolate for me), but thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. It means a lot to me so a big thank you!

And for the questions about him - he made two trips to the ship's doctor but unfortunately he didn't follow all of her recommendations. His resistance to doctor's instructions (and my pestering) may have been detrimental decisions so we're trying to get him into his own doctor as soon as we hit town. Right now we're again stuck in Yakima (just like on the way up) but hope to get ourselves home tomorrow. I'll keep you updated.

Day 503: Birthday at Sea

How does one celebrate their 47^th birthday while on a cruise ship? You:

• eat a bowl of Special K at breakfast. Alone.  
• thank your room steward for the birthday decorations out your door.

• have a pepperoni and red onion pizza for lunch and eat it while watching the ocean waves. Alone. 
  

  
• stand in the “Dessert Extravaganza” line by yourself to snag the desserts you missed getting to taste last week.
• think the vanilla cake is going to taste the best, but it doesn’t. 
  

  
• take the jello dessert back to your room and stick it in your fridge but find out later your husband ate it. 
  

  
• look forward to a nice sit down dinner in the dining room, but knowing you’ll be alone it’ll probably be the buffet line instead.

All these wonderful experiences I’ve had these last couple weeks – all the confidence I’ve built, the things I’ve done and seen – it’s not enough to get me out of the funk (yes, I’m being selfish right now) of not hearing Happy Birthday from my husband. Here’s hoping I hear it from him before the day is over. If not, I have a cake Princess sent my way that will have to do.