We were invited to Colleen and John Manuel's house in Ladysmith for lunch. We had a great time and lots of great conversation. Among them was hearing about John's almost daily use of a pressure cooker (similar to our Instant Pot). He actually has two of them. He told us that with two pressure cookers and an air fryer, he virtually needs no other cooking appliances.

They have a small creek running behind and below their property. In the summer, John goes down to take a dip on a warm day. Today, however, the creek is swollen with rain and meltwater. It sounds like a creek you would encounter high in the Rocky Mountains. It is noisy, but they like the sound of the rushing water.

Lez and Colleen have been Macarena friends for almost 30 years. They are the only two of the group that now live mostly or entirely on Vancouver Island. So, it is nice to get together.