Year 3 Week 17

October 8 to 14, 2006

Oliver, B.C.

Year 3 week 17

 

Sunday ; Oliver to Keremeos & return

Today started out cool and cloudy with very light drizzle, but it cleared and warmed in the afternoon.

We met Dwight and Jennifer at Riverside RV Park Resort, had a picnic lunch, explored, and had Thanksgiving dinner in Keremeos.

We left Oliver this morning in light drizzle, driving south on Hwy. 97 to Osoyoos, then west on Hwy. 3 to and through Keremeos to Riverside RV Park Resort. We met Dwight and Jennifer there. They drove about 4 hours from Vancouver to visit us. Thank you, Dwight and Jennifer, for coming to visit us. We had lunch inside the clubhouse, because it was still raining lightly. After lunch we walked around the RV Park, showing it to them.

We all got into Lanoire and drove back into Keremeos. We stopped and shopped at a couple of fruit stands. Jennifer bought 25 pounds of Ambrosia and Fiji apples. We wandered up and down Main Street, exploring antique shops. We drove to the edge of town, and stopped at a local winery to sample some wines in their tasting room. Joanne bought a bottle of pear wine. We drove back into town and went to Arleigh's restaurant, where Joanne had made reservations for an early Thanksgiving dinner. Arleigh's is a small, home style restaurant. We sipped tea, and Jennifer showed us some photos on her computer of their recent journey to New Zealand. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner ; home made soup, salad, a large turkey dinner, and pumpkin pie. A great meal served by a very efficient and friendly server. Afterwards, we lingered while Jennifer continued showing us photos.

Backing out of the parking spot at Arleigh's, I bumped the truck parked behind us. )@(#*$&%^! My first "bump" with Lanoire. I was very embarrassed and upset with myself. Fortunately I did not damage the other truck, but I scuffed the corner of Lanoire's rear bumper. I hope that I can remove the scuff with solvent tomorrow. We drove Dwight and Jennifer back to their car parked at Riverside RV Park Resort and said goodbye. We drove back to Keremeos, turned north on Hwy. 3A to Kaleden, then south on Hwy. 97 back to Oliver. The route we drove this morning, and the different route back this evening are both about the same distance.

We had a great day.

Here is a picture of us taken by Dwight at a fruit stand in the village of Keremeos ; http://static.flickr.com/106/265780184_1112ffe582_b.jpg

 

Monday ; Happy Thanksgiving

Today was sunny and warm.

My priority this morning was to remove the scuff mark on the rear corner of the truck that I made yesterday bumping the truck behind me in Arleigh's Restaurant parking lot. I cleaned it off with solvent. There is still a slightly visible scuff mark on the lower rear corner of the fibreglass dually hip, if you look at it hard enough. I was inclined to touch it up with spray paint, but Joanne advised against it. She thinks that an amateur spray paint touch up is likely to be more visible than the little scuff mark. I know she's probably right, but it's going to be very difficult for me to overcome my anal retentiveness, and stifle myself from getting out the can of touch up spray paint. The first road rash mark on a new vehicle is difficult to accept, especially when caused by one's own carelessness. Doggone it !

I did some work on the new loveseat. The mesh material on the underside was a bit frayed from the loveseat being moved around on thick carpet. I removed it. Tomorrow I will buy some small furniture feet to install on the underside of the loveseat. I did some Internet surfing, browsing RV lots for sale in the southern U.S.. Geeeeez ... some lots in Southern California sell for U.S.$250,000 !

The grocery store only had large turkeys for sale, so we bought some turkey wings for tonight's Thanksgiving dinner. They were horrible ! Nothing but skin, fat, and bones. No fault of the cook, whom I love unconditionally, but it was the worst Thanksgiving dinner I've ever had.

 

Tuesday ; Oliver to Kelowna & Penticton & return. Happy 52nd Birthday to me !

Today was sunny and warm.

A new motorhome moved into Desert Gem RV Resort today. A Prevost ! Prevosts start at half a million ! And this Prevost's towed is a Hummer ! HMPH !

This morning we left Oliver driving north on Hwy. 97 through Penticton to Kelowna, about an hour and a half away. We joined the SKP Okanagan Chapter 33 members for their monthly luncheon outing at Ruby Restaurant. Since we are "moving" to Keremeos next May, Chapter 33 will become our "home" SKP chapter. As is usually the case with Escapee groups, these people were welcoming and friendly. They sang Happy Birthday to me.

On the way out of Kelowna, returning south on Hwy. 97, we stopped at an RV dealer to buy an RV part we need. We continued south on Hwy. 97 to Penticton. First stop at Penticton was Canadian Tire, where we bought some hardware, and chrome "Ram's Head" tail lights, my birthday gift from Joanne < rolling eyes >. Lanoire is a Dodge Ram. Next stop was Bling Performance, for another birthday gift "from Joanne". I bought chrome door handles, and a chrome tailgate latch handle for Lanoire. Woo-Hoo ... pimp my ride !

We filled up with diesel, and replenished supplies at Wal-Mart. We returned to Oliver, driving south on Hwy. 97. We got home about supper time. It seemed like a long, tiring day.

Joanne prepared my favourite dish ( spaghetti with an old family recipe meat sauce ) for supper, and baked me a cranberry chocolate birthday cake. What a good wife ! Thank you, my dear.

 

Wednesday ; Today was sunny and warm, temperature in the 70's.

This morning my sister Sharon phoned to wish me a Happy Birthday. She thought today was my birthday. Talk about a "senior moment" ! She has a cold, and sounds horrible. Her knee is progressing okay after surgery a few weeks ago. I chatted with her about our purchase of a lot at Riverside RV Park Resort, our future living here in the Okanagan / Similkameen, and the snowfall in Winnipeg yesterday. BRRRRR ! I'm glad to be here !

This afternoon I installed feet on the new loveseat, and then screwed it down to the floor to keep it from moving around when we travel. We went to the mall for haircuts. Before our haircuts, our ad for our old sofa bed was on the grocery store's bulletin board, but after our haircuts, it was removed. I hope somebody removed it because they intend to purchase our sofa bed, not just because they wanted a free plastic page protector !

I printed investment updates, and updated my investment files. I always take an accurate "snapshot" of our financial status on my birthdays, and every January 1. Many years ago I built a "retirement planning" spreadsheet, and I track my progress against that plan. Although ... I guess we're already "retired". For a few years, at least. Maybe not forever.

Well that's pretty good ! We've travelled extensively and expensively twice around North America for 28 months, bought and paid for a new truck, put a small "waiting list" deposit on a lot in Yuma, Arizona, put a purchase deposit on a lot in Keremeos, B.C., and our investments are still worth exactly the same amount as when we started 28 months ago !

 

Thursday ; Happy 32nd Anniversary to us !

Today was sunny and warm again, temperature well into the 20's / 70's again.

I spent much of today on the telephone, and doing Internet research. I paid the cell phone bill by phone. I had a lengthy discussion with some low level bureaucratic clerk in the Ontario Government who doesn't like the fiscal year end date I chose for Misty Ventures & Developments CT23 Ontario Provincial Corporate Income Tax Return. After 14 years in business, I learned to be quite adept at avoiding having low level bureaucrats throw monkeys on my back. I deflected her attempts to saddle me with work to make her job easier. I made a series of phone calls to B.C. Government agencies about health care coverage for new residents of B.C., then discovered it was far more efficient and less aggravating to find all the answers and order the forms online. I phoned an electrical manufacturing company in Salmon Arm about an RV utility pedestal they manufacture. I phoned a local concrete company about a precast concrete utility pedestal and sewer base. I phoned an excavation contractor in Hedley, and another one in Salmon Arm to discuss the preparation of our Lot 89 at Riverside RV Park Resort next May. I phoned an electrical contractor to discuss the installation of hydro on our Lot 89.

I worked on the installation of my "birthday gifts" on Lanoire. I installed the Ram's Head tail lights. I installed the chrome tailgate latch handle. I installed the chrome door handles. I screwed up the installation of one of the door handles, and had a lot of difficulty rectifying my screw-up. Just once I'd like to be able to do a job like this without screwing something up ! Joanne thinks I'm too hard on myself. Oh, well, I finally did get things fixed up so that you can't tell that I screwed up in the first place. And at least I wasn't paying somebody else ninety bucks an hour to screw up.

< singing > Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed ride ! ( with apologies to Z Z Top )

We went for an anniversary celebration dinner to Toasted Oak Wine Bar & Grill, a local upscale restaurant located in Oliver's restored town fire hall. They specialize in local wines served by the glass. Joanne had a glass of Dirty Laundry Vineyard's Gewürztraminer Woo Woo, and I had a glass of Stag's Hollow Winery's Tragically Vidal. Dinner was excellent, as were the wines. I had a bit of sticker shock when the bill came, though.

 

Friday ; Today was sunny and warm again. Sure is nice weather here in the Okanagan / Similkameen in the fall.

It became apparent to me today that my botched up chrome door handle installation on the front passenger's side door of the truck will require replacement. I'm hoping, but not hopeful, that I can buy just one chrome door handle, and not have to buy an entire set of four to replace one. I made more phone calls today to contractors and suppliers regarding the preparation of our Lot 89 next spring. A man came to look at our old sofa bed that is for sale, but he did not buy it.

We spent the afternoon exploring the local area by truck. We crossed the Okanagan River in town, then drove south along Black Sage Road on the east side of the river. Black Sage Road runs alongside and through many vineyards and orchards, and up and down the sides of the local mountains. Very pretty country. I took some photos. We stopped to look around Burrowing Owl Vineyards, but didn't buy anything. We crossed back over the river to Hwy. 97, and headed back towards Oliver. We turned west up into the hills again, and explored the mountains on the west side. The west side was more desert like, with sage brush growing in sand and gravel. We drove back out of the hills and down into Oliver, stopping at the municipal park on the north side of town to walk around and let Bo blow off some steam. The municipal park seems to be the local gathering place for the itinerant workers ; Mexicans and scruffy young Quebecois. We're quite accustomed to seeing weather beaten Mexican itinerant workers all along the Mexican border through California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. But the weirdo Quebecois kids are scary looking ! Lock the doors tonight !

 

Saturday ; Today was partially cloudy and mild.

I spent the morning replacing the black water valve extension handle. I started out working on tightening it, but it became apparent that it needed replacement, not just tightening. Fortunately, I had previously fabricated a spare valve extension handle. Over the next few days, I will buy the hardware I need to fabricate another one. Keeping a spare is a good idea.

We spent the afternoon exploring Oliver's municipal parks. We drove to Lion's Park, and went for a walk along the Okanagan River Hike and Bike Trail. Bo raninto the river. Of course ! We played "Bo-gility" games in the park. Bo loves to play on children's slides. We lead him to climb up a rope ladder to the slide platform, then he happily jumps on the slide, and slides down. What a silly dog ! From Lion's Park, we drove across the Okanagan River to the Rotary Public Beach on Tuc-El-Nuit Lake. More Bo-gility ... HA HA HA ! And chasing geese out into the lake ! Way to go, Bo ! We drove around the residential "suburbs" of Oliver, gaining "no maintenance" landscaping ideas for our lot at Riverside RV Park Resort.

I spent part of the evening working online on our investments. I rebuilt our investment portfolio in an investment tracking web site. I had our investment portfolio previously built in this website, but I lost it when I cleaned my laptop of all "cookies". Who knew ? ! ?

DSK