Year 3 Week 19

October 22 to 28, 2006

Oliver, B.C.

Year 3 week 19

 

Sunday ; Today was sunny and mild.

This morning we loaded the old sofa bed into the back of the truck, and drove to the Oliver Community Centre where there was a community garage sale. I parked the truck in a parking spot visible to everybody entering and exiting, and slapped up a "for sale" sign on the side of the truck. The sofa bed was sold half an hour later. We delivered it to the purchaser's new house under construction. Bought the new loveseat for 50 bucks. Sold the old sofa bed for 50 bucks. Worked out pretty well. HA HA HA !

This afternoon I did some minor maintenance projects, then watched the Air Cadets fly their gliders. We went to the grocery store, where I gave a boost to an old Ford diesel with 2 dead batteries. The owner was a long haired, long bearded, hippy throwback, older than me by probably ten years. There's a lot of old hippy throwbacks, and younger "bushies" here in the B.C. Interior. Suits me fine ! The longer we're on the road, the less fond I become of urban "civilization". After working at YMCA Of The Ozarks 2 years ago, Joanne is still musing about wanting to become a survivalist hillbilly up in the Ozarks.

When we returned from grocery shopping, we were met by a "neighbour" who came by to discuss Harvey. She and her husband had owned a 1998 Cardinal fifth wheel, the same as Harvey. She even brought over her photo albums to show us pictures. Since their 1998 Cardinal, they have also owned a larger Mountain Aire fifth wheel, and now have a Class A motorhome. Some people change their rigs every few years, apparently. She chatted, and chatted, and chatted ... we were beginning to think she was never going to leave.

I barbecued a couple of nice steaks for supper, as a sort of a celebration for the Dow Jones Industrial Average breaking through 12,000. We watched Amazing Race, our weekly "must see TV".

 

Monday ; Today was sunny. At 8:00 A.M. the temperature was 35 degrees. BRRRRR ! By mid-afternoon it was 70 degrees. Much better !

This morning I had another lengthy conversation with the electrician I have hired to install the hydro on our lot next spring. We reached an understanding, and agreement. I have only one small detail left to arrange for the basic preparation of our lot next spring ; the pre-cast concrete power pedestal riser with attached sewer inlet base.

Early this afternoon the mobile RV repair service man brought back Harvey's repaired furnace. I helped him reinstall it. After he was gone, I removed it and reinstalled it again, to my standards of fussiness. You know ... no stripped screws, no stripped screw holes, no mismatched screws, etc.. If the furnace ever needs to be removed again, it should only require 1 screwdriver to remove 4 screws, not 3 screwdrivers because 3 of the 4 screws have different heads ! Yes, I know ... that's anal retentive !

Late this afternoon we gave Bo his monthly bath. He sure is a stinky little dog sometimes. Joanne blames me for letting him romp in lakes, rivers, etc.. I think it's just because he's a little Alabama redneck terrier. HA HA HA !

 

Tuesday ; Today was partially cloudy and cool. A good day for exploring.

We drove south on Hwy. 97 towards Osoyoos. First stop was Lavender Harvest Farms. They were already closed for the season, and will re-open next spring. Too bad. Joanne wanted to look around. She wants to plant a lavender garden on our new RV lot next year. Good for her. I want to build an Inukshuk ! HA HA HA !

Next we stopped at a fruit stand that we knew carried her favourite apples, the Aurora Golden Gala apples. I’m partial to the Ambrosia apples myself. From there we drove to the Desert Centre, a local outdoor educational centre with interpretive hiking trails. It, too, was closed until next spring. I guess the tourism season is over. We drove back towards Oliver, then crossed the Okanagan River to get up onto Black Sage Road, along the “bench” on the east side of the river. We stopped at Carriage House Wines to buy a bottle of their Kerner wine which Joanne likes. We tasted it at the Festival Of The Grape a few weeks ago.

We had learned, from the people that we sold our old sofa bed to, that there is a dirt road leading west from Oliver, up and over the mountains, coming down in the little town of Cawston, the next town over from Keremeos. We decided to explore it. It was a little, often one lane, dirt road winding and twisting over the tall mountains that separate the Okanagan Valley from the Similkameen Valley. We didn’t get too far up this road before I had to shift Lanoire into 4WD. It was an interesting route to explore. The road ended down in the Similkameen Valley, at Cawston. We returned to Oliver on the more civilized route, east on Hwy. 3 to Osoyoos, then north on Hwy. 97 to Oliver.

 

Wednesday ; Today was sunny and warm.

DAMN DAMN DAMN ! I found out this morning that I made a U.S.$75 brain fart. I sold a small amount of stock in my U.S.$ investment account, to get some U.S.$ for traveller's cheques, forgetting that there is a minimum transaction fee of U.S.$75 on my U.S.$ investments.

I made phone calls to get details of recent investment transactions, purchase travel medical insurance, and change our cell phone plan. We use a Canada wide plan for the summer, and a North America wide plan for the winter. I got online and changed my AOL plan from Canada to U.S.. I walked "downtown" with Joanne to buy some groceries. I'm not walking enough, when we stay in one place. I spent awhile sorting out and entering my investment trade data.

I phoned my sister. No answer. Joanne phoned her sister. We chatted with the little nieces about their Hallowe'en plans. HA HA HA ... I needed to chat with a 7 year old and a 5 year old to remember how exciting Hallowe'en can be.

 

Thursday ; Oliver to Penticton & return

Today was partially cloudy, cool, and windy.

I was awakened early this morning by a phone call from a female with a Jamaican accent from the Ontario Ministry Of Finance, who continues to be concerned about the date I selected as the fiscal year end of Misty Ventures & Developments. Geeeeez, sweetheart, it's an inactive company with no assets, no revenues, and no expenses. Change the fiscal year end date to whatever floats your boat ! I'm going back to bed !

Today was our weekly day of errands in Penticton. We drove north on Hwy. 97 through Okanagan Falls to Penticton. First stop was the Bank Of Montreal where we bought traveller's cheques for our winter in the United States. Next stop was Bling Performance where I picked up the set of chrome door handles I ordered. I need to replace the chrome door handle I botched up during installation. Next was Wal-Mart for supplies, Great Canadian Warehouse for diesel and groceries, Safeway for more groceries, then Midtown RV for some RV parts.

Back at the trailer I did a bit of online research on a small motorhome I saw at Midtown RV. I sent the information to my friend Erbon in Ottawa. I think he might be interested in it.

After watching the late news, I pulled out the atlas to see how close today's horrific forest fire in Southern California is to where we'll be workcamping this winter. Wow ... only 14 miles away !

 

Friday ; Today was partially cloudy and mild.

We had a lazy day, lying around, reading, napping, walking the dog, etc.. This morning when I went to get a complimentary cup of coffee at the customer lounge adjacent to the park's office, I spent awhile chatting with a 31 year old male nurse from Kenora, Ontario who is staying here at Desert Gem RV Resort while he searches for work at hospitals in the Okanagan Valley.

I spent some time online, paying bills, reading and sending e-mail. I did a monthly backup of all my computer files.

The California wild fire is moving east, towards Guide Dogs Of The Desert. Uh-oh !

 

Saturday ; Today was cloudy and mild.

My sister Sharon phoned this morning and we chatted briefly. My project for today was to replace the chrome door handle on the passenger's side front door. Now it's done, I can forget about it and stop beating myself up for botching it up during the first installation a couple of weeks ago. Bo needed a "drivey" so we drove to the grocery store, bought some groceries, and refilled all our water jugs. We drove to the south edge of town where Joanne wanted to see a store advertising itself as a Mexican and Portuguese grocery store. I didn't see anything Mexican or Portuguese about it ! It was all East Indian.

I watched quite a few small planes arrive and depart today from the little airport across the street. Saturday is a busy day at the Oliver airport.

I spent the evening reading today's Globe & Mail. Today was the last chance to read a Saturday Globe & Mail until next spring.

 

DSK