A week in Vancouver

Or almost a week. We got here six days ago and a lot has happened: we found an apartment (which is nearly as difficult as finding a place in New York City) and it is everything we hoped for: real hardware floors, lots of light, very clean, laundry on-site, fresh market grocery within walking distance and best of all, very close to a direct bus route to school.
I stopped going to the gym in February (first I got sick, then Matt, then it got really cold and then, I just plain didn't go) and I realized how out of shape I am from being worn out walking around Vancouver. We covered a lot of the city on our quest to find housing and ate at some great sushi and Vietnamese restaurants.
Yesterday, we came by my parents house on Vancouver Island for a two week visit (minus the weekends, which are full of activity in Vancouver.) My parents hosted a barbeque for us and two of my sisters were there, as well as my brother-in-law (there are those hyphens again!) My sister M. is nearly done with law school and has been so helpful with reading materials and explaining the Canadian leagal system.
Right now, I'm blogging this from our very comfortable guest bedroom with the windows open and the cool breeze fluttering the curtains. I've had a quiet morning while my husband has been out with my parents on the forty-five minute ride to the next town to buy hiking shoes. The plan is: when they return we got for a hike up one of the mountains behind their house. I am happy to be here and very optimistic about all we have accomplished so far.