It's not Friday but it's not raining

Glorious fall invitation to our walk on #The Valley Trail - shame about the "grizzly" sign

Felt we needed to strike while the iron was hot - and while there was a break in the weather. Slept in, progressed the morning slowly and eventually loaded up the backpacks to head into #The Village for lunch date a day early ... just in case there is a "weather event" tomorrow!

Two pics taken a few seconds apart from same spot on the path - the sunshine from 2 km north in #Alpine and the view 2 km further south in #The Village

One day of serious rain yesterday and the water everywhere has risen. #The River of Golden Dreams is threatening to flow into the park and the small rapids that characterise the #Fitzsimmons have disappeared under a green milky sheet of flowing water.

Rivers and creeks quickly fill with water

The walk is such a treat - so much changes so quickly - except the grizzly signs which persist

Had to drop in at the #Visitor Centre again to top up on our bus passes and then meandered along #The Stroll. So deserted in #Olympic Square that we got a pic at the #Olympic Rings without lining up AND after all the strolls on this visit - for once, there wasn't a line up outside of #PureBread. So that's where we landed for a light lunch. A combo of a bakery and a coffee shop - small inside area with very limited but cosy seating.

No line up for a pose and a window of blue in the background

Snagged ourselves a table - grabbed it as soon as the previous diners stood up - no flies on us. We were soon joined almost shoulder to shoulder at the next table by a couple of #Aussies.  The opening comment by the wife (obviously unfamiliar with the #Whistler protocols) was as she asked her husband "Love, when you order would you mind getting them to wipe down the table?" 

A grin instantly spread across @Mac's face and he mouthed to me, "Maybe I should wipe it down." After all he has had restaurant cleanup duties and training and we smiled and looked down trying to hold in our giggles.

Got a seat at #PureBread

Our conversation at our little table then progressed to the next task on our #Village agenda - supplies.

"Will we go to the bottle-o first and grab a bottle of wine?" @Mac offered.

"Hmm, no, don't think so, it will be too heavy with the groceries we have to get" was my gut response.

The #Aussie lady at the next table (which had been wiped down now) instantly joined in the conversation "Don't be silly. Get the wine and cut back on the food."

And that opened the door to 30 minutes of conversation with @Sue and @Wayne from #Melbourne - previous boat owners who sailed the world (what horrifying stories emerged there), who now own a caravan and will be making their way north to family in #Port Douglas and who have just finished a cruise (on #Regent) and a land tour to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Plenty of shared stories and loads of laughs and being in such a confined space as #PureBread had a few other "elbow" diners laughing, smiling and nodding along with our four way #Aussie conversation that included a whole lot of consternation around tipping and taxes.

Did the hunting and gathering thing in the supermarket - and, yes, of course, could only shop for what we could carry on the bus. So excited because we scored a leg of ham in the shops. Definitely heralding the coming of #Christmas and we snaffled one for the backpack and sacrificed the aforementioned bottle of wine. I was in creation heaven - can use that chunk for our chicken and ham crepes tonight, can put in the sausage rolls for tomorrow night, can have as a bacon alternate on Saturday morning and will even have enough for a roasted piece, in @Smitty's maple syrup, for Sunday. What a win - and hard to believe how exited I am about finding it. BTW, @Mindy and @Ian won't be nearly as excited - they are sort of "fly by the seat of the pants" people when it comes to planning ahead for meals. Hope they can cope. I have refrained from putting up my weekly menu list that usually adorns the front of our fridge at home. That would blow their minds.

A family pack - so excited about a hunk of ham. No wine though

Speaking of #Christmas, there were cranes scattered through #The Village today with workman putting up lights in the trees. We were here for #Christmas way back in 2015 and the lighting was spectacular - no doubt going to be just as big a spectacle this year.

Workers getting the lights organised for #Christmas 

Bused it home in the fading "already faded" light in the late afternoon and waited for @Mindy to bring home the "heavy" items of shopping in the car on her way home from work. And then it was a mad session of prep - with every hotplate going - creating a savoury crepe heaven. Funny that my shopping list of "heavy" items hadn't included ice-cream, ice-magic or M&Ms, but @Mindy was hopeful she could repurpose some left-over batter for a second course. Not bad, not bad at all.

Little did we know that we were celebrating ANOTHER anniversary milestone - 16 years since they met on the #Gold Coast - all I remember is that @Mindy rang @Anth to see if this soccer guy was "OK." The rest is history.

Such baby faces then - so much fun shared together

Got a little PJ envy going on here. One of @Mindy's friends @Emily (great pumpkin carver, apparently undefeated over the years AND a super cupcake maker) has just been in the #UK and visited last night to drop off a pressie. "The hairy coos" are just the best. @Emily was barely out the door and the coos were debuted. How good is it when your PJs just make you happy?

Is it just me or does it look like @MindyMoo is rockin' a hairy coo hairstyle?

PS Don't want to get too excited - but maybe, just maybe, we might see that snow materialise. @Mac is ever hopeful and has noted it has progressed through stages - first, a single day reported as a "flurry," then one day of "snow" and now there are a few possible "snow" days popping up in the report.