Three Auspicious Signs

After Alissa put the ring on we enjoyed the moment, the gravity of the whole event not quite set in yet.

We enjoyed that moment.

Then within the next few hours we encountered 3 auspicious signs. Believe what you believe, but this is what happened.

Auspicious sign #1- As we were packing up our blankets we found an very old, weather-worn dime that was covered in moss underneath us.

Auspicious sign #2- On our way back home, after climbing off the rocks we noticed a plaque and read it. It said that the First Chinese Immigrants had chosen this place nearby to bury their ancestors because it represented an important feng shui point.

Auspicious #3- We were also greeted by a big rainbow as we went out that night to celebrate at The Mint, a nice funky restaurant/ cocktail bar.

It was meant to be!

Yes, It's Official... We're Engaged: A Detailed Retelling of How It Went Down

The ring was bought a few weeks ago and I was holding out for the right time to put it on her finger. The last few weeks were especially hectic. Alissa was sick, in-and-out of doctors offices, she was training for a new job while holding two others. I was struck with mid-term week as well as getting the required paperwork for jobs, and my first reflexology treatments in our house.
Although the timing was up in the air, the location wasn't. On some of my long runs along the ocean, I had come across a quite area, a bed of rocks that I believed would be a perfect venue. Actually, I never really explored what was behind the rocks but I just had a feeling that something powerful was behind those rocks and that it ought to be the place. The trick was getting her there without making things obvious.

Since we both had Sunday off, I mentioned that we should go on a picnic. Alissa wasn't suspicious at all because we have gone on many picnics since we've been in Victoria, trying to go to different places each time. On top of that, she didn't even think I had a ring picked out.

Alissa resisted this idea of a picnic at first and I didn't want to press the issue too hard and make it obvious. She needed to go to the library and wanted to give me some uninterrupted study time. I thought it would have to wait for another day.

Alissa left then, about ten minutes later, came back. She said that the library was closed. I said I wanted to study outside and I knew a nice spot. She made up some pasta salad and sandwiches, I packed up 'my books' (the ring), and we were off.

We had some initial issues with catching a bus and, once again were debating just going back home. If we waited for the next bus in a few hours it would be getting late and cooling off. We were just about to turn back when we spotted a bus down the next road that would take us to the location. We sprinted and jumped in just before the doors closed.

We came as close to the location as we could on the bus then headed out on foot for about 15 minutes. We dropped into the quite neighbourhood filled with a mix of lazy, beautiful, old and cutting-edge, new houses. Then we approached the rocks that I had such a good feeling about, but had never explored. It was a first for us both. As we traversed the rocks we were met with a sight that was breathtaking.

Alissa exclaimed, “this view is so Canadian”. It was true. The wild flower covered rockface was somewhat smooth and rolling. It jutted out into a small peninsula that created a sense of isolation and a beautiful, almost 360, panoramic view. To the far left was a few old houses that bordered the rocky shore, just barely visible in the distance. Then moving left to right was narrow rocky island that had a picturesque red light house at the far end. The wonderfully playful cloud formations bridged the space of the open sea between the lighthouse and low rising mountains. These were the Olympic Mountains of the U.S.A. And as you continued right the pillowing clouds aggregated behind the snow capped mountain tops in the distance. Behind the rocks to the far right, just out of view, was the old weather-washed headstones of the Old Chinese Cemetery.

We laid our blankets down in a grassy-flowery patch and fully took in the view in a way that someone from a place thousands of kilometers from Mountains or sea could only do.

Although the scenery was beautiful, it was a bit windy. As we finished eating, Alissa was starting to get a chill. So I pulled out some sweaters and jackets for her.

I handed her my jacket and said, “here, try this on”.

And Alissa put on my jacket.

I handed her a sweater and said, “Here, try this on.”

She said, “I'm OK.'

Then I reached for the ring that was hidden in my backpack and said, “Here, try this on.”

More Victoria Day Porade Shots

Going Out In Victoria

Our life in Victoria has centered around settling back into real Canadian life.

At first it was living in a Hostel out of the backpacks we know all to well. When our computer crashed the day before Matt's classes started, we just picked the best place that we viewed in the last few days which turned out to be jackpot (more on our kick-ass place later).

A few of the main events that we managed to check out in Vic, between decorating our new place, finding jobs, and studying for midterms, were the Victoria Day parade, Oak Bay Tea Party, and The Fernwood Art Stroll.

The parade was truly representative of Victoria. The town crier lead the procession with the Scottish Piping Regiment and a bunch of antique fire trucks. Then came the Asian influence with those crazy Chinese Dragon Dancers and.... look its Korea!!!

We got a bit board after about an hour or so, went for coffee, came back 3 hours later, and the parade was still parading! Later we were told that this years parade was smaller then the previous years due to the poor economy.

There wasn't much tea at the Oak Bay Tea Party but there was a lot of fair food- mmmm... mini donuts.... Haven't seen you in 4 years!!!

Alissa and I though everything was a bit cheesy so we decided to go for a nice walk along the beach and up a cliff to view the city... nice.

We caught some good live bands in the back drop of hundred year-old buildings at the Fernwood Art Stroll. We shut the beer tent down. It was a good night.