The kids are alright.

Port Ordze, Sherwood Park, AB (2 stars)

What a great time we had with our family this evening. Lots of laughs and stories. And it's fun to watch Mimi at a restaurant - drawing pictures on napkins and slurping from a cup that's a little too high for her.

What can I say, I have a fantastic family. Thanks to video conferencing, we will see more of them all winter long from our place in Parksville.

Yes, the kids are doing very well. We were at Alec and Mimi's with Aaron and Chris and enjoyed the usual banter that we get into - never a quiet moment. There was a lot to catch up on since June.

We all moved on to enjoy a super evening dinner at Sushi Toshi, a Japanese all-you-can-eat restuarant that serves much more than just Sushi. We came out "right stuffed" after 2 hours!

When we got back to the Schooner, we lit our firepit again, and enjoyed a late night cuppa coffee under the hazy skies.