May 27th - Tues - 100 Mile House
We split another smaller pile of wood today and stacked it with the wood that we moved from the carport. We raked up the area where we were splitting and couldn’t see going to the burn pile with just a bit of junk in the trailer so we continued raking branches and cones until we had a full trailer load.
We dug through cans of stain until we found a color that was OK to paint the new fascia board on the sheep shed. And finally the picnic table was dry enough to get a second coat of stain. Luckily, the sun was warm enough to dry the stain before it started raining in the evening.
May 28th - Wed - 100 Mile House
Terry & I went to town this morning to check out the tourist bureau for information for our upcoming trip across Canada and to pick up the mail and a few groceries. We mowed the area around the deck & fire pit and then I worked a bit with Dad in the shop.
After lunch, we loaded some stakes on the ATV and wove them in a page-wire (squares of wire) fence along the road. Page-wire gets saggy after years of use so the stakes add support and help keep coyotes from digging underneath. While we were doing this, Terry noticed that a lot of little trees had started growing near the fence so we got out the brush cutter (weed eater with a metal blade) and Terry went to work clearing a swath along the fence.
Marg got home just as we were finishing dinner. She had a great time on her vacation to Vancouver & Saturna Islands.
The rain really came down this evening. We had streams & puddles to negotiate on our way to bed in the 5th wheel.
May 29th - Thurs - 100 Mile House
After breakfast & chores, Dad went to the shop, Terry resumed brush cutting and Marg & I worked in the greenhouse planting hanging pots. It was still on & off raining so I was also running back & forth on the ATV to see if Terry wanted to sit out a rain shower or just get wet. He ran out of gas for the second time just before lunch so he took a break and finished after lunch.
We hooked up the post pounder on the tractor, loaded posts on the trailer and went to put new posts in an old, falling down section of fence. The posts are on the outside so to replace posts without removing old posts and wire (which we were doing), we had to drive the tractor on the neighbor’s property. This property is not totally cleared so Marg had her work cut out to maneuver around trees, stumps and dirt bumps. Luckily for Terry (he worked hard all day!), we ran out of posts just before 5.
We had hoped to inaugurate the new picnic table tonight but the sun disappeared again just after we got into the house.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
May 24th to 26th - 100 Mile House
May 24th - Sat - 100 Mile House
Now we really know what aching backs are! We split a big pile of wood today. Yes, we have a splitter that runs off the tractor PTO but Terry has to lift the rounds and maneuver them on the splitter and I have to pick the pieces off the ground (if I don’t keep up with Terry) and stack them. For a lot of the time, I handed pieces to Dad and he stacked them. Terry kept us going so fast that the stack is a little rickety.
May 25th- Sun - 100 Mile House
It was rainy & gloomy this morning so we decided it would be a good day to go to town for groceries, bird food, propane and to pick up the mail. Marg has 4 bird feeders hanging right outside the dining area window and many different birds visit every day. The suet feeder was empty so Dad just had to get another cake of suet. The birds eat a small coffee can of sunflower seeds every day. There are only a few hummingbirds. It is so nice to be able to watch all the birds.
We had lunch in town (a break for the cook!) and then visited some restored/moved old buildings at a rest area just north of here. The rain had quit so Dad & I worked in the garden for a while - watering, trimming and mowing.
Bob (brother) phoned and we had a nice long chat. He raises “natural beef” and the operation that he is associated with is going to be on CTV evening news on Tuesday the 27th.
May 26th - Mon - 100 Mile House
Woke to a heavy rain shower. Dad & I went to the shop and built another bird house since it was too icky for any outside work. I am beginning the think that we will never get the second coat of stain on the picnic table.
After lunch we moved a pile of split wood. Marg is having the outside of her house refinished soon and the pile of wood was right against a wall in the carport. It was probably a pile that Terry placed there last year!
When Dad went to change gates for the evening, he saw a lone lamb by the hay barn. We went to chase it into the corral and discovered that it had a huge chunk of skin ripped out of it’s side. There are already 2 lambs in the barn with similar injuries and we don’t know what animal is doing this. I called friend Nicole to come and look at the lamb and give it a shot of penicillin. I have decided that I cannot be a sheep farmer!
Now we really know what aching backs are! We split a big pile of wood today. Yes, we have a splitter that runs off the tractor PTO but Terry has to lift the rounds and maneuver them on the splitter and I have to pick the pieces off the ground (if I don’t keep up with Terry) and stack them. For a lot of the time, I handed pieces to Dad and he stacked them. Terry kept us going so fast that the stack is a little rickety.
May 25th- Sun - 100 Mile House
It was rainy & gloomy this morning so we decided it would be a good day to go to town for groceries, bird food, propane and to pick up the mail. Marg has 4 bird feeders hanging right outside the dining area window and many different birds visit every day. The suet feeder was empty so Dad just had to get another cake of suet. The birds eat a small coffee can of sunflower seeds every day. There are only a few hummingbirds. It is so nice to be able to watch all the birds.
We had lunch in town (a break for the cook!) and then visited some restored/moved old buildings at a rest area just north of here. The rain had quit so Dad & I worked in the garden for a while - watering, trimming and mowing.
Bob (brother) phoned and we had a nice long chat. He raises “natural beef” and the operation that he is associated with is going to be on CTV evening news on Tuesday the 27th.
May 26th - Mon - 100 Mile House
Woke to a heavy rain shower. Dad & I went to the shop and built another bird house since it was too icky for any outside work. I am beginning the think that we will never get the second coat of stain on the picnic table.
After lunch we moved a pile of split wood. Marg is having the outside of her house refinished soon and the pile of wood was right against a wall in the carport. It was probably a pile that Terry placed there last year!
When Dad went to change gates for the evening, he saw a lone lamb by the hay barn. We went to chase it into the corral and discovered that it had a huge chunk of skin ripped out of it’s side. There are already 2 lambs in the barn with similar injuries and we don’t know what animal is doing this. I called friend Nicole to come and look at the lamb and give it a shot of penicillin. I have decided that I cannot be a sheep farmer!
Friday, May 23, 2008
May 19th to 23rd - 100 Mile House
May 19th - Mon - 100 Mile House
We had moved the picnic table parts into the carport last night in case it rained (it did) so Terry hauled them all back to the deck and fastened the top and bench boards so I could put a coat of stain on them and touch up other spots while Marg & Dad planted potatoes in the garden.
I left my blog entries for too long so now I cannot remember what else we did today! I need cousin Pat’s journal to jog my memory as we did in Mexico.
May 20th - Tues - 100 Mile House
After breakfast & chores, Terry & I took Dad to town for routine blood work. Picked up a couple of prescriptions, some groceries and the new hub covers for the 5th wheel. Meanwhile, Marg went for a haircut and lunch with a friend.
Terry, Dad & I went out and fixed a temporary electric fence that was keeping the cows out of a field even though it had no charge after a few posts. When Marg came home, we all went troubleshooting the fence that Marg & I had worked on previously. We did end up finding the problem - the barbed wire fence belonging to the neighbor had hooked on a wire on the back of a post on the electric fence. No wonder the horse in the neighbor’s field spooked when he saw us at the fence - he probably got a mild shock.
I helped Marg in the greenhouse & garden before dinner then we all had to watch the finale of “Dancing with the Stars”. But first I hemmed three pairs of jeans for Marg.
May 21st - Wed - 100 Mile House
Marg left with a friend this morning for a week vacation so we get to look after the farm and Dad. We put the sheep out to pasture for the first time this year but will still lock them in for the night when they come home and bed down. I was outside with a friend of Marg’s when the sheep started coming in - only one problem, the majority were on the wrong side of the fence. I ran out to open a gate to let them in and they promptly went back out into the field that we put them into this morning. Will have to look for their exit point tomorrow.
Dad & I worked on a birdhouse made to a new pattern that he had jotted down when he saw one in a field. Took us a while as he didn’t remember whether measurements were inside or outside but we got it done. Terry worked on the 5th wheel front jacks that had been lugging and slipping. He had made an appointment to get it worked on here but they couldn’t do it for a week and wanted the rig for 2 days. So he took the motor apart - it looked OK - lubed and greased everything and several tests worked fine. He canceled the appointment and figured we could take it in somewhere down the road if necessary.
The sheep were not real happy coming back to the yard this evening as they couldn’t get to the area where they spent the winter. So I went out in the near dark and closed a gate allowing the cows to get to the water trough which allowed me to open another gate so the sheep could get to their familiar area. Oops, not enough sheep so I went for a walk in the field and the rest were holed up in a nearby barn. Just a little persuasion and everyone was tucked in for the night.
It rained again last night so we couldn’t get a second coat of stain on the tops of the picnic table. Then just as I was finishing the evening chores, it hailed. The ground was pretty much white.
May 22nd - Thurs - 100 Mile House
Just a few morning chores with the sheep out to pasture. Dad & I started some prep work for putting a metal roof on a sheep shed while Terry tried to beat a computer game. The shed had asphalt shingles so we had to add nailing strips and recycled metal roofing. Terry gets to do all the work on top of the roof while Dad & I run and fetch. We let Terry rest a bit with a lunch break and then had to make him quit at 4:30.
We set the gates correctly for the sheep to bed down and I locked them in at 10. Daisy, the guardian sheep dog, was not with the sheep and had not eaten her food but it was too dark to look for her.
May 23rd - Fri - 100 Mile House
At midnight last night I remembered that Marg had told me about some snares that she had set to try to catch coyotes that were getting through her fence into the sheep pastures and I immediately wondered if Daisy was caught in one. Terry had fallen asleep so I figured we would check in the morning. At 4:30 am, Terry & I were both wide awake thinking about Daisy. Terry checked the food dish and it was still full. So we threw on some clothes, got into the truck and drove down the road to check the snares. We saw Daisy lying in the field looking at us. So we came back to the house, got the ATV and went into the field. Daisy came to us as we got closer and I told Terry that there had to be a sheep somewhere for her not to come in. Sure enough , we found a dead lamb. It’s neck had been broken but it appeared as if Daisy had chased off the predator before it had a chance to tear up the lamb much. We brought the lamb & Daisy back to the house and went back to bed.
Back to roofing the sheep shed after breakfast. Lunch, a trip to the garbage dump and we finally finished the sheep shed including replacing a never-used bird house. Terry is back at the computer game and we are all medicating our aching backs.
We had moved the picnic table parts into the carport last night in case it rained (it did) so Terry hauled them all back to the deck and fastened the top and bench boards so I could put a coat of stain on them and touch up other spots while Marg & Dad planted potatoes in the garden.
I left my blog entries for too long so now I cannot remember what else we did today! I need cousin Pat’s journal to jog my memory as we did in Mexico.
May 20th - Tues - 100 Mile House
After breakfast & chores, Terry & I took Dad to town for routine blood work. Picked up a couple of prescriptions, some groceries and the new hub covers for the 5th wheel. Meanwhile, Marg went for a haircut and lunch with a friend.
Terry, Dad & I went out and fixed a temporary electric fence that was keeping the cows out of a field even though it had no charge after a few posts. When Marg came home, we all went troubleshooting the fence that Marg & I had worked on previously. We did end up finding the problem - the barbed wire fence belonging to the neighbor had hooked on a wire on the back of a post on the electric fence. No wonder the horse in the neighbor’s field spooked when he saw us at the fence - he probably got a mild shock.
I helped Marg in the greenhouse & garden before dinner then we all had to watch the finale of “Dancing with the Stars”. But first I hemmed three pairs of jeans for Marg.
May 21st - Wed - 100 Mile House
Marg left with a friend this morning for a week vacation so we get to look after the farm and Dad. We put the sheep out to pasture for the first time this year but will still lock them in for the night when they come home and bed down. I was outside with a friend of Marg’s when the sheep started coming in - only one problem, the majority were on the wrong side of the fence. I ran out to open a gate to let them in and they promptly went back out into the field that we put them into this morning. Will have to look for their exit point tomorrow.
Dad & I worked on a birdhouse made to a new pattern that he had jotted down when he saw one in a field. Took us a while as he didn’t remember whether measurements were inside or outside but we got it done. Terry worked on the 5th wheel front jacks that had been lugging and slipping. He had made an appointment to get it worked on here but they couldn’t do it for a week and wanted the rig for 2 days. So he took the motor apart - it looked OK - lubed and greased everything and several tests worked fine. He canceled the appointment and figured we could take it in somewhere down the road if necessary.
The sheep were not real happy coming back to the yard this evening as they couldn’t get to the area where they spent the winter. So I went out in the near dark and closed a gate allowing the cows to get to the water trough which allowed me to open another gate so the sheep could get to their familiar area. Oops, not enough sheep so I went for a walk in the field and the rest were holed up in a nearby barn. Just a little persuasion and everyone was tucked in for the night.
It rained again last night so we couldn’t get a second coat of stain on the tops of the picnic table. Then just as I was finishing the evening chores, it hailed. The ground was pretty much white.
May 22nd - Thurs - 100 Mile House
Just a few morning chores with the sheep out to pasture. Dad & I started some prep work for putting a metal roof on a sheep shed while Terry tried to beat a computer game. The shed had asphalt shingles so we had to add nailing strips and recycled metal roofing. Terry gets to do all the work on top of the roof while Dad & I run and fetch. We let Terry rest a bit with a lunch break and then had to make him quit at 4:30.
We set the gates correctly for the sheep to bed down and I locked them in at 10. Daisy, the guardian sheep dog, was not with the sheep and had not eaten her food but it was too dark to look for her.
May 23rd - Fri - 100 Mile House
At midnight last night I remembered that Marg had told me about some snares that she had set to try to catch coyotes that were getting through her fence into the sheep pastures and I immediately wondered if Daisy was caught in one. Terry had fallen asleep so I figured we would check in the morning. At 4:30 am, Terry & I were both wide awake thinking about Daisy. Terry checked the food dish and it was still full. So we threw on some clothes, got into the truck and drove down the road to check the snares. We saw Daisy lying in the field looking at us. So we came back to the house, got the ATV and went into the field. Daisy came to us as we got closer and I told Terry that there had to be a sheep somewhere for her not to come in. Sure enough , we found a dead lamb. It’s neck had been broken but it appeared as if Daisy had chased off the predator before it had a chance to tear up the lamb much. We brought the lamb & Daisy back to the house and went back to bed.
Back to roofing the sheep shed after breakfast. Lunch, a trip to the garbage dump and we finally finished the sheep shed including replacing a never-used bird house. Terry is back at the computer game and we are all medicating our aching backs.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
May 15th to 18th - Logan Lake, 100 Mile House
May 15th - Thurs - to Logan Lake, BC
We went to Aunt Jessie’s for coffee & muffins and took my sewing machine so I could help her shorten an outfit. Hooked up and pulled out about 8:30, arrived at Logan Lake around 11 and backed into Rick & Pat’s long paved parking strip behind their house. Rick moved his 5th wheel as far back as he could and there was enough room that we did not have to unhook.
We toured the house that Pat & Rick are currently renovating (flipping) and then my Aunt Adela (Pat’s Mom) made lunch for all of us. She pulled out her crystal and set a lovely table with colorful, beautifully arranged food. My cousins Allan & Jesse, who I have not seen for many years, live with their Mom and joined us for lunch.
The weather was warming up nicely so Rick & Pat and we changed into shorts and went golfing. Luckily, we can have fun even if we don’t golf very well! After showering and relaxing with a drink, we went to the local pub (Black Bull) for dinner. Pat & Rick’s daughter Morgan works there but she was tending bar so wasn’t our server.We looked at pictures on each other’s computers before heading to bed.
May 16th - Fri - to 100 Mile House, BC
Pat made breakfast for us this morning and then we headed north to Marg’s (sister) place. This weekend is a long weekend in Canada (Victoria Day) and the service stations in town were busy so we decided to dump our holding tanks at the village dump station, go to Marg’s and then return to fuel up without having to maneuver the 5th wheel into a service station.
We arrived at Marg’s in time to set up and have lunch. Then we all (Marg, Dad & us) headed back to town for diesel, animal feed and groceries. We also ran all over looking for a wheel hub cover for the 5th wheel and ended up ordering a couple at Napa.
We are going driving and for a picnic tomorrow so Marg & I made food for that as well as making dinner. We cooked hamburgers over a fire in the backyard which meant Marg & I picked up sticks and raked burnable yard waste as we waited for the fire to burn down to cooking coals. It was a lovely, warm day so we could eat outside. Unfortunately, this gave us ample time to notice the deplorable state of Marg’s picnic table so we added building a new one to our list of things to do.
May 17th - Sat - 100 Mile House
We met Marg’s friend Jane and her daughter Alisha in town at 9. Jane was leading us on a sightseeing adventure through the back roads. Neither vehicle holds 6 people so Jane drove her truck with Marg & Alisha while Terry, Dad & I followed in our truck. We had to check out a yard sale first and then stopped for Jane to fuel up. We managed to find a route to Kamloops that only took about 6 hours of driving! Highway driving to Kamloops is about 2 ½ hours. We stopped for lunch at a spot that was designated “the center of the universe” by the Dalai Lama in India. It was a lovely, scenic place with a panoramic view.
Next was a stop at a waterfall which required just a short walk. Then we detoured when we hit a road blocked by a downed tree which resulted in the lead car stopping to ask the second car if we knew where on the map we were. Luckily, when we came to a more major road (compared to what?), Marg & I agreed on a left turn and an hour or so later we arrived at Kamloops. We took “the road less traveled” to Little Fort and stopped there for dinner. The animals were very happy to see us when we arrived home at 10:00 for the evening feeding. Fortunately, I had the foresight to take Dolly with us.
May 18th - Sun - 100 Mile House
Terry had the new picnic table on his mind so after breakfast & chores, he & Dad started tearing the old one apart while Marg & I dug up suitable boards for the new one. Marg & I left them at their work and went on the ATV to take salt to the cattle. We ended up checking an electric fence which turned out not to have enough “juice”. So I walked about ½ mile of fence pulling branches & weeds off the wires.
We got back to the house in time to make a late lunch. We all worked on the picnic table and got the first coat of stain on most of it before the usual - doing chores and making dinner.
Marg has dial up internet access so I type my blog entry on my computer, copy it to a disc and use her computer to connect to the internet. I am trying to talk her into getting high speed access - maybe by the time we visit again.
We went to Aunt Jessie’s for coffee & muffins and took my sewing machine so I could help her shorten an outfit. Hooked up and pulled out about 8:30, arrived at Logan Lake around 11 and backed into Rick & Pat’s long paved parking strip behind their house. Rick moved his 5th wheel as far back as he could and there was enough room that we did not have to unhook.
We toured the house that Pat & Rick are currently renovating (flipping) and then my Aunt Adela (Pat’s Mom) made lunch for all of us. She pulled out her crystal and set a lovely table with colorful, beautifully arranged food. My cousins Allan & Jesse, who I have not seen for many years, live with their Mom and joined us for lunch.
The weather was warming up nicely so Rick & Pat and we changed into shorts and went golfing. Luckily, we can have fun even if we don’t golf very well! After showering and relaxing with a drink, we went to the local pub (Black Bull) for dinner. Pat & Rick’s daughter Morgan works there but she was tending bar so wasn’t our server.We looked at pictures on each other’s computers before heading to bed.
May 16th - Fri - to 100 Mile House, BC
Pat made breakfast for us this morning and then we headed north to Marg’s (sister) place. This weekend is a long weekend in Canada (Victoria Day) and the service stations in town were busy so we decided to dump our holding tanks at the village dump station, go to Marg’s and then return to fuel up without having to maneuver the 5th wheel into a service station.
We arrived at Marg’s in time to set up and have lunch. Then we all (Marg, Dad & us) headed back to town for diesel, animal feed and groceries. We also ran all over looking for a wheel hub cover for the 5th wheel and ended up ordering a couple at Napa.
We are going driving and for a picnic tomorrow so Marg & I made food for that as well as making dinner. We cooked hamburgers over a fire in the backyard which meant Marg & I picked up sticks and raked burnable yard waste as we waited for the fire to burn down to cooking coals. It was a lovely, warm day so we could eat outside. Unfortunately, this gave us ample time to notice the deplorable state of Marg’s picnic table so we added building a new one to our list of things to do.
May 17th - Sat - 100 Mile House
We met Marg’s friend Jane and her daughter Alisha in town at 9. Jane was leading us on a sightseeing adventure through the back roads. Neither vehicle holds 6 people so Jane drove her truck with Marg & Alisha while Terry, Dad & I followed in our truck. We had to check out a yard sale first and then stopped for Jane to fuel up. We managed to find a route to Kamloops that only took about 6 hours of driving! Highway driving to Kamloops is about 2 ½ hours. We stopped for lunch at a spot that was designated “the center of the universe” by the Dalai Lama in India. It was a lovely, scenic place with a panoramic view.
Next was a stop at a waterfall which required just a short walk. Then we detoured when we hit a road blocked by a downed tree which resulted in the lead car stopping to ask the second car if we knew where on the map we were. Luckily, when we came to a more major road (compared to what?), Marg & I agreed on a left turn and an hour or so later we arrived at Kamloops. We took “the road less traveled” to Little Fort and stopped there for dinner. The animals were very happy to see us when we arrived home at 10:00 for the evening feeding. Fortunately, I had the foresight to take Dolly with us.
May 18th - Sun - 100 Mile House
Terry had the new picnic table on his mind so after breakfast & chores, he & Dad started tearing the old one apart while Marg & I dug up suitable boards for the new one. Marg & I left them at their work and went on the ATV to take salt to the cattle. We ended up checking an electric fence which turned out not to have enough “juice”. So I walked about ½ mile of fence pulling branches & weeds off the wires.
We got back to the house in time to make a late lunch. We all worked on the picnic table and got the first coat of stain on most of it before the usual - doing chores and making dinner.
Marg has dial up internet access so I type my blog entry on my computer, copy it to a disc and use her computer to connect to the internet. I am trying to talk her into getting high speed access - maybe by the time we visit again.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
May 12th to 14th - Spokane to Summerland
May 12th - Mon - Spokane
Just as we were getting up, Bill called and asked if he could make us breakfast. Since we rarely turn down a meal cooked by someone else, of course we accepted. Then we had some errands to run - including trying to find a lock cylinder for a compartment door as Terry broke off a key in one of ours. There are only a few different keys for these locks but of course no one had the one we needed. We tried a couple of locksmiths to get the key removed but they were not open even though their signs said they should be. So we settled for a different key and swapped the lock to a compartment that we rarely open.
Terry went his Mom’s to make sure that Don could get her into the car for a doctor’s appointment while I caught up on our blog. Bill has a high speed internet connection and has a router for their two computers. We were able to use his signal even in the back yard which was great.
Georgia made dinner for us tonight and then we watched “Dancing with the Stars”.
May 13th - Tues - Spokane
I had an early doctor’s appointment this morning and Terry went golfing with Bill and a couple of his buddies. I visited Ella Mae and Don for a bit but Ella Mae was not willing to talk to anyone this morning. Therapists and aids are coming to their house so I hope she continues to improve as she was before she came home.
A few shopping stops and I was back at the rig in time to make sandwiches for all of us for lunch. Then we packed up and moved all the way to the KOA for tonight. This has to be one of the shortest drives we have made - about 8 minutes! We moved so we could visit and have dinner with our friends Dave & Margo who stayed beside us in Mexico for a couple of months.
Dave & Margo arrived about 4. I invited Bill & Georgia to join us for baby backs and we all had a great time. Dave & Margo live in Walla Walla and are on their way to visit their son in Minnesota.
May 14th - Wed - to Summerland
We took our time getting going as we are stopping to see my Aunt Jessie in Summerland and she won’t be home until about 4. We got a phone call from Dave at 7:30 (they left the RV park at 5:20) and they were getting their tow bar welded for the third time since they left San Carlos.
We had no problem getting through Canadian customs. We were not asked at all about food that we had in the rig. Pat & Rick had to give up all their fresh fruit & veggies when they returned to Canada because of a moth problem.
We parked our 5th wheel in the driveway of the house that Aunt Jessie is trying to sell and then went into town to pick up a few items. Aunt Jessie made cabbage rolls for dinner especially for Terry. We sat and chatted until 10:45 - well past bedtimes.
Just as we were getting up, Bill called and asked if he could make us breakfast. Since we rarely turn down a meal cooked by someone else, of course we accepted. Then we had some errands to run - including trying to find a lock cylinder for a compartment door as Terry broke off a key in one of ours. There are only a few different keys for these locks but of course no one had the one we needed. We tried a couple of locksmiths to get the key removed but they were not open even though their signs said they should be. So we settled for a different key and swapped the lock to a compartment that we rarely open.
Terry went his Mom’s to make sure that Don could get her into the car for a doctor’s appointment while I caught up on our blog. Bill has a high speed internet connection and has a router for their two computers. We were able to use his signal even in the back yard which was great.
Georgia made dinner for us tonight and then we watched “Dancing with the Stars”.
May 13th - Tues - Spokane
I had an early doctor’s appointment this morning and Terry went golfing with Bill and a couple of his buddies. I visited Ella Mae and Don for a bit but Ella Mae was not willing to talk to anyone this morning. Therapists and aids are coming to their house so I hope she continues to improve as she was before she came home.
A few shopping stops and I was back at the rig in time to make sandwiches for all of us for lunch. Then we packed up and moved all the way to the KOA for tonight. This has to be one of the shortest drives we have made - about 8 minutes! We moved so we could visit and have dinner with our friends Dave & Margo who stayed beside us in Mexico for a couple of months.
Dave & Margo arrived about 4. I invited Bill & Georgia to join us for baby backs and we all had a great time. Dave & Margo live in Walla Walla and are on their way to visit their son in Minnesota.
May 14th - Wed - to Summerland
We took our time getting going as we are stopping to see my Aunt Jessie in Summerland and she won’t be home until about 4. We got a phone call from Dave at 7:30 (they left the RV park at 5:20) and they were getting their tow bar welded for the third time since they left San Carlos.
We had no problem getting through Canadian customs. We were not asked at all about food that we had in the rig. Pat & Rick had to give up all their fresh fruit & veggies when they returned to Canada because of a moth problem.
We parked our 5th wheel in the driveway of the house that Aunt Jessie is trying to sell and then went into town to pick up a few items. Aunt Jessie made cabbage rolls for dinner especially for Terry. We sat and chatted until 10:45 - well past bedtimes.
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 9th to 11th - Spokane
May 9th - Fri - Spokane/Cataldo
I made breakfast for all of us and then Terry & I did some grocery shopping before hooking up and leaving for our camping weekend with friends. We arrived at Kahndarosa RV park near Cataldo, ID about 1:00 and checked to make sure the CDA River was going down before we selected a campsite. The RV park is right beside the river and has flooded in the past. Willy & Geri arrived next and we had time to chat with them as Willy set up before Bill & Georgia and Woody & Debbie arrived. We have met both these couples (who are friends of Bill & Georgia) on previous camping trips. Donn & Donise pulled in about the same time - new friends for us. After drinks and everyone doing their own thing for dinner, we stood around a blazing campfire that could not keep the chill wind away.
May 10th - Sat - Cataldo
Even before we had breakfast and got out of our rig, 4 more people (new to us) arrived to join the group. Roy & Wally came for the day with their bicycles (their wives don’t/can’t currently ride bikes) and Gary & Margie are staying the night in their conversion van.
It was nearing 11 by the time everyone finished chatting and getting their bikes unloaded and ready to ride. Our group of 14 headed out on the “Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes” towards Pinehurst. The trail is an old rail bed that has been paved to control nasty metals dropped by trains. It runs 74 miles from Mullan ID to Plummer, ID and goes right past the RV park. The weather was just right for bike riding - a little wind and cool but not cold. Our group was not “gung ho” and we enjoyed a couple of stops (butt breaks!!) before the road to Pinehurst. No one wanted to go into Pinehurst so we headed back. We all had lunch back at the RV park, except for Roy & Wally who stopped at the Snake Pit for lunch.
Everyone except me was ready for another ride the other way on the trail. My knee had kind of given out coming down the steps so I decided not to push it and to enjoy my book. Two hours later, they all started straggling back in with lots of moans & groans and spaghetti legs. The morning ride was about 15 miles and the afternoon ride was 16 miles so they did well.
Just before we were all going to sit down for dinner, it started to sprinkle. Terry put our awning out just in case but it stayed a sprinkle just for a while. We pulled chairs over to the fire this time and had to get out umbrellas for a while. At 9 it started to rain in earnest so everyone made a mad dash for RVs and bed.
May 11th - Sun - Cataldo/Spokane
It rained a lot last night but was stopped by morning. We had another campfire so we could stand around and drink coffee and compare sore muscle stories. Bill & Georgia and we were the last to leave about noon.
We parked in Bill & Georgia’s back yard and went to visit Terry’s Mom. We were prepared to cook dinner for Ella Mae & Don but Cindy had made meat loaf for Don to put in the oven so we came back and had dinner in our rig. Bill came out just as we were finishing and invited us to join them to watch a movie. I called Marg before we went in and she mentioned that it was the finale of “Survivor” so we watched that instead of a movie.
I made breakfast for all of us and then Terry & I did some grocery shopping before hooking up and leaving for our camping weekend with friends. We arrived at Kahndarosa RV park near Cataldo, ID about 1:00 and checked to make sure the CDA River was going down before we selected a campsite. The RV park is right beside the river and has flooded in the past. Willy & Geri arrived next and we had time to chat with them as Willy set up before Bill & Georgia and Woody & Debbie arrived. We have met both these couples (who are friends of Bill & Georgia) on previous camping trips. Donn & Donise pulled in about the same time - new friends for us. After drinks and everyone doing their own thing for dinner, we stood around a blazing campfire that could not keep the chill wind away.
May 10th - Sat - Cataldo
Even before we had breakfast and got out of our rig, 4 more people (new to us) arrived to join the group. Roy & Wally came for the day with their bicycles (their wives don’t/can’t currently ride bikes) and Gary & Margie are staying the night in their conversion van.
It was nearing 11 by the time everyone finished chatting and getting their bikes unloaded and ready to ride. Our group of 14 headed out on the “Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes” towards Pinehurst. The trail is an old rail bed that has been paved to control nasty metals dropped by trains. It runs 74 miles from Mullan ID to Plummer, ID and goes right past the RV park. The weather was just right for bike riding - a little wind and cool but not cold. Our group was not “gung ho” and we enjoyed a couple of stops (butt breaks!!) before the road to Pinehurst. No one wanted to go into Pinehurst so we headed back. We all had lunch back at the RV park, except for Roy & Wally who stopped at the Snake Pit for lunch.
Everyone except me was ready for another ride the other way on the trail. My knee had kind of given out coming down the steps so I decided not to push it and to enjoy my book. Two hours later, they all started straggling back in with lots of moans & groans and spaghetti legs. The morning ride was about 15 miles and the afternoon ride was 16 miles so they did well.
Just before we were all going to sit down for dinner, it started to sprinkle. Terry put our awning out just in case but it stayed a sprinkle just for a while. We pulled chairs over to the fire this time and had to get out umbrellas for a while. At 9 it started to rain in earnest so everyone made a mad dash for RVs and bed.
May 11th - Sun - Cataldo/Spokane
It rained a lot last night but was stopped by morning. We had another campfire so we could stand around and drink coffee and compare sore muscle stories. Bill & Georgia and we were the last to leave about noon.
We parked in Bill & Georgia’s back yard and went to visit Terry’s Mom. We were prepared to cook dinner for Ella Mae & Don but Cindy had made meat loaf for Don to put in the oven so we came back and had dinner in our rig. Bill came out just as we were finishing and invited us to join them to watch a movie. I called Marg before we went in and she mentioned that it was the finale of “Survivor” so we watched that instead of a movie.
Friday, May 09, 2008
May 5th to 8th - Spokane
May 5th - Mon - Spokane
St Luke’s had Don working with Ella Mae and therapists today to teach him how to transfer Ella Mae correctly between bed, wheelchair and toilet.
Bill called to invite us to dinner and there were leftovers for Don for dinner so Don said not to worry about him. We stopped for ingredients for a salad and I did laundry and finally caught up on the blog before we went to Bill & Georgia’s. We took our computer as Bill has a router for his wifi connection and we wanted to get new ringtones for our new phones. We listened to a lot of ringtones but decided to wait until we could talk to a Verizon rep for some answers.
After a very nice dinner, we looked at Mexico & Alaska pictures with Bill & Georgia and their son-in-law Jim from Walla Walla who was staying overnight.
May 6th - Tues - Spokane
Had a nice long chat with sister Marg before making breakfast for us. Then off to St Luke’s to find Ella Mae & Don in therapy sessions. Don returned at lunch time to say that Ella Mae was eating in the dining room so we went to the cafeteria. Ella Mae was falling asleep in her sessions so Terry went to speak with a nurse. They said a new medication was probably to blame and they already had a note to speak with the doctor. Ella Mae has been having itching spells which seem to be medication related so we think they made a substitution.
We made a few stops on the way home to check into a wheelchair ramp for the house. Then I got ambitious and started cleaning grass out of another planting bed. It was really bad so I didn’t get it done. I set up my sewing machine to modify a throw blanket and worked on some new rib napkins.
May 7th - Wed - Spokane
We had a lazy morning and then went to have lunch with our friends Dan & Dottie. They live in a very nice retirement complex that has a café on the premises so we had a good lunch there and then visited in their apartment for a while.
We arrived at St Luke’s as Don was leaving to pick up some equipment needed when Ella Mae comes home. We stayed through Ella Mae’s dinner and then came back to the house and went out for dinner with Don. We went to Dave’s Bar & Grill and had wonderful, much-too-large Rueben sandwiches.
May 8th - Thurs - Spokane
Ella Mae came home today. Terry went to St Luke’s about 10 to help Don and ended up having to pick up the correct wheelchair as the rehab director had ordered the wrong size chair. Gary (brother) and his son Trevor came by to visit with Ella Mae. Trevor flew from Portland just to visit his grandmother.
I was busy all day cleaning, baking, cooking and gathering up all our stuff to load back into the 5th wheel. After a late dinner, Terry & I went to pick up Cindy at the airport.
St Luke’s had Don working with Ella Mae and therapists today to teach him how to transfer Ella Mae correctly between bed, wheelchair and toilet.
Bill called to invite us to dinner and there were leftovers for Don for dinner so Don said not to worry about him. We stopped for ingredients for a salad and I did laundry and finally caught up on the blog before we went to Bill & Georgia’s. We took our computer as Bill has a router for his wifi connection and we wanted to get new ringtones for our new phones. We listened to a lot of ringtones but decided to wait until we could talk to a Verizon rep for some answers.
After a very nice dinner, we looked at Mexico & Alaska pictures with Bill & Georgia and their son-in-law Jim from Walla Walla who was staying overnight.
May 6th - Tues - Spokane
Had a nice long chat with sister Marg before making breakfast for us. Then off to St Luke’s to find Ella Mae & Don in therapy sessions. Don returned at lunch time to say that Ella Mae was eating in the dining room so we went to the cafeteria. Ella Mae was falling asleep in her sessions so Terry went to speak with a nurse. They said a new medication was probably to blame and they already had a note to speak with the doctor. Ella Mae has been having itching spells which seem to be medication related so we think they made a substitution.
We made a few stops on the way home to check into a wheelchair ramp for the house. Then I got ambitious and started cleaning grass out of another planting bed. It was really bad so I didn’t get it done. I set up my sewing machine to modify a throw blanket and worked on some new rib napkins.
May 7th - Wed - Spokane
We had a lazy morning and then went to have lunch with our friends Dan & Dottie. They live in a very nice retirement complex that has a café on the premises so we had a good lunch there and then visited in their apartment for a while.
We arrived at St Luke’s as Don was leaving to pick up some equipment needed when Ella Mae comes home. We stayed through Ella Mae’s dinner and then came back to the house and went out for dinner with Don. We went to Dave’s Bar & Grill and had wonderful, much-too-large Rueben sandwiches.
May 8th - Thurs - Spokane
Ella Mae came home today. Terry went to St Luke’s about 10 to help Don and ended up having to pick up the correct wheelchair as the rehab director had ordered the wrong size chair. Gary (brother) and his son Trevor came by to visit with Ella Mae. Trevor flew from Portland just to visit his grandmother.
I was busy all day cleaning, baking, cooking and gathering up all our stuff to load back into the 5th wheel. After a late dinner, Terry & I went to pick up Cindy at the airport.
Monday, May 05, 2008
April 30th to May 4th - Spokane
April 30th - Wed - Spokane
We took turkey buns for lunch with us to the rehab center today. Gary (brother) was there and was going to get something from the cafeteria so we shared our sandwiches and cookies with him.
The weather has turned nice so we washed the 5th wheel this afternoon.
Ella Mae continues to show small improvements. She is scheduled to come home on May 8th for an overnight visit.
May 1st - Thurs - Spokane
We went to Bill & Georgia’s for dinner tonight so I took some turkey buns, coleslaw & pie to Don for lunch and/or dinner. The hospital cafeteria is adequate but Don doesn’t always like to go there alone.
We picked up a Papa Murphy’s pizza (my idea!) for dinner with Bill & Georgia. For those not familiar with Papa Murphy’s, it is “take & bake” and is really good pizza.
We had a good visit with Bill & Georgia and left at 9:30 to pick Cindy up at the airport. Her 10:05 flight was about 15 minutes late getting in.
May 2nd - Fri - Spokane
I was finishing up some laundry when Don & Harry Jr arrived with grab bars to install in the bathtub. Don has a swollen, sore elbow so made a doctor’s appointment for this afternoon. Harry Jr and we went to visit Ella Mae. When Terry & I got back, we edged the lawn along the driveway with the help of two 6 year old boys from next door and Terry got his wish for a riding lawn mower and mowed the lawn.
The doctor said that Don’s elbow problem was not serious and the watery swelling should go away on it’s own. Ella Mae may be coming home to stay on the 8th rather than just an overnight visit.
I continued to use the turkey in enchiladas for dinner.
May 3rd - Sat - Spokane
We were just getting ready to head to St Lukes when Don & Harry Jr showed up with another grab bar to install. Then the guys tested out the sprinkler system while I mixed up some chopped turkey for sandwiches for lunch - just about finished the old bird!
We all headed back to see Ella Mae & Cindy. No therapy today and the weather is nice so Cindy had taken her Mom outside for a while.
We met our friends Mike & Mary Lightfoot at the CDA Casino for dinner and gambling. It was so great to see them. We had suggested to Cindy & Don that they take a break and go to the casino also. Sure enough, we ran into them there. We pulled in right behind them about midnight and then sat and commiserated with each other about our losses so didn’t get to bed until 12:30 - pretty late for all of us.
May 4th - Sun - Spokane
Lazy morning after our late night. Don’t know how Don & Cindy did their usual early rising to head to St Lukes. We visited with Ella Mae a while before taking Cindy to catch her earlier flight home. We did some shopping for shoes & jeans and grabbed some lunch out for a change. I started a roast for dinner when we got back to the house and then cleaned grass out of a planting bed covered with red rock.
The weather was wonderful today - not sure why we didn’t play golf.
We took turkey buns for lunch with us to the rehab center today. Gary (brother) was there and was going to get something from the cafeteria so we shared our sandwiches and cookies with him.
The weather has turned nice so we washed the 5th wheel this afternoon.
Ella Mae continues to show small improvements. She is scheduled to come home on May 8th for an overnight visit.
May 1st - Thurs - Spokane
We went to Bill & Georgia’s for dinner tonight so I took some turkey buns, coleslaw & pie to Don for lunch and/or dinner. The hospital cafeteria is adequate but Don doesn’t always like to go there alone.
We picked up a Papa Murphy’s pizza (my idea!) for dinner with Bill & Georgia. For those not familiar with Papa Murphy’s, it is “take & bake” and is really good pizza.
We had a good visit with Bill & Georgia and left at 9:30 to pick Cindy up at the airport. Her 10:05 flight was about 15 minutes late getting in.
May 2nd - Fri - Spokane
I was finishing up some laundry when Don & Harry Jr arrived with grab bars to install in the bathtub. Don has a swollen, sore elbow so made a doctor’s appointment for this afternoon. Harry Jr and we went to visit Ella Mae. When Terry & I got back, we edged the lawn along the driveway with the help of two 6 year old boys from next door and Terry got his wish for a riding lawn mower and mowed the lawn.
The doctor said that Don’s elbow problem was not serious and the watery swelling should go away on it’s own. Ella Mae may be coming home to stay on the 8th rather than just an overnight visit.
I continued to use the turkey in enchiladas for dinner.
May 3rd - Sat - Spokane
We were just getting ready to head to St Lukes when Don & Harry Jr showed up with another grab bar to install. Then the guys tested out the sprinkler system while I mixed up some chopped turkey for sandwiches for lunch - just about finished the old bird!
We all headed back to see Ella Mae & Cindy. No therapy today and the weather is nice so Cindy had taken her Mom outside for a while.
We met our friends Mike & Mary Lightfoot at the CDA Casino for dinner and gambling. It was so great to see them. We had suggested to Cindy & Don that they take a break and go to the casino also. Sure enough, we ran into them there. We pulled in right behind them about midnight and then sat and commiserated with each other about our losses so didn’t get to bed until 12:30 - pretty late for all of us.
May 4th - Sun - Spokane
Lazy morning after our late night. Don’t know how Don & Cindy did their usual early rising to head to St Lukes. We visited with Ella Mae a while before taking Cindy to catch her earlier flight home. We did some shopping for shoes & jeans and grabbed some lunch out for a change. I started a roast for dinner when we got back to the house and then cleaned grass out of a planting bed covered with red rock.
The weather was wonderful today - not sure why we didn’t play golf.
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