Greetings from Victoria British Columbia Canada

Hi Everyone,

I am having a great time in Victoria. I am staying with my Aunt and Uncle's house in Victoria. This is my Mum's brother and sister in law. Yesterday I met my cousins Ann, Chris and Nadine and we all had a big family dinner together and then we had family photos. In the Canadian side of my family the women are short and I don't feel a midget. (Yes short people!!!) It was funny at 12:30pm when I arrived from the bus in Downtown Victoria as my Aunt and Uncle thought I would be taller. To their surprise I seemed to look taller in the photographs than in person (no computer enhancement or photoshop used).
When I met my cousin Ann we seemed to look a like and were almost the same height. We had the same sort of humor and got along famously well.
It was great meeting Chris and Nadine. Chris is the tallest in the family and was 6 ft. When I met Chris' wife Nadine we both laughed at the height issue. The four of us Lois (aunt) Ann, Nadine (cousins) and myself had a group photo to celebrate our height.

It has been wonderful meeting my Aunt, Uncle and Cousins. My Aunt and Uncle are so artistic and clever. My Uncle has an interest in Garden Gage Railway which is creating train sets in the garden and landscaping where the tracks should go. He belongs to two clubs in this field. During yesterday I got to see his train set go in full action.
My Aunt also helps my Uncle with his train projects and also makes some amazing quilts, needle works, cards, recycled paper etc. I think that's where I get my love for art and embroidery from.

Yesterday as soon as I arrived, my Uncle gave me a tour around where my Mother lived and where she would walk her dog Barney. We walked past the family home, the primary school where my Mum was educated, the park, and the neighbours homes that she went to when she was growing up. My mother grew up in a small neighbourhood, where people were friendly and it was a tight knit area.

Today my cousin Ann took me to a computer shop to buy an iPod Touch which is a pocket sized computer note book-very flash. Still learning how to use it. We had lunch together, and then we went to a shop which sold embroidery kits. I bought three Canadian themed Cross Stitch kits.
Later on today, I caught up with another one of my Mother's family friend's (Mrs Dachers) who lives in Victoria. Mrs Dacher's and Grandad came out to New Zealand when I was 8 years old and I got to meet her in person back in 1987. Today I got to meet her again 21 years later.
She of course noticed a change in me.

On Tuesday I will be heading with my relatives to Nanaimo where my Mum's cousin lives and will be meeting her for the first time. Nanaimo is on Vancouver Island north of Victoria. I have to say that I am saving the best till last with this trip. I am throughly enjoying meeting the other half of my family and my Mum's friends. I will be definitely coming back here again. The home cooked meals are wonderful and we have had a lot of laughs together. I can now see where I come from with personality traits and what makes me, "ME".