August 22 to 28, 2010

August 22 to 28, 2010


Monday ; I went to see a doctor today for a follow up visit about the actinic keratosis / basal cell lesion on my nose. HMPH … because of “summer substitutions” I have now seen three different doctors about this pre-cancerous skin problem. And each one wants to treat it differently ! ! ! There’s no continuity of care / treatment plan. I’m not going in any more unless if my “real” doctor is available.

Wednesday ; WHEW … the temperature was 97 degrees at 5 PM when we were driving home from Osoyoos. Today was likely the last hot day of summer. We worked today, delivering one trailer in Osoyoos. And since we had only one trailer to deliver, we took the opportunity to cross the border into the U.S. to shop for groceries at Prince’s in Oroville, Washington.

The Tweddle Creek fire continues to burn. It’s now been burning for four weeks ! It’s covered a lot more area in the last week but is currently burning fairly slowly and weakly.

Thursday ; Well, they found the Piper aircraft that has been missing for the last week and a half. It’s in a smoking hole near the top of Apex Mountain, the local “ski hill”. We live at the bottom of the “back” side of Apex Mountain. When I took the Mountain Performance Flying course, an entire lesson was dedicated to having the student prove to himself ( with an instructor in the passenger seat ) that it was not possible to fly over Apex Mountain ( and many other mountains ) by flying straight at it. The rapid rise in terrain makes it impossible to “out climb” Apex Mountain. Especially on hot summer days
( when the air density diminishes the airplane’s ability to climb ), at maximum weight ( four bodies on board and full fuel tanks ) ! I guess the recently licensed … and recently deceased … Piper pilot had not been taught that ! This was the second airplane crash on Apex Mountain this summer ! And … if my memory of statistics studied during my Mountain Performance Flying ground school serves me correctly … this was the ninth fatal aircraft crash on Apex Mountain in the last twenty years !

We went to Penticton today. I dropped Joanne off at Wal-Mart then went to the Service BC office to write the endorsement 51 written test. I’ve decided I should get an endorsement 51 on my driver’s license. One never knows when one might want to … < ahem > … tow a large, heavy recreational trailer. BC requires that one have a “specialized endorsement” on their driver’s license to … < ahem > … tow a large, heavy recreational trailer. On the other hand, here in BC, any moron who can pass a regular driver’s test in a Toyota is then qualified to drive a 40 foot long, 40,000 pound motor home … with a full sized vehicle towed behind … as long as the motor home doesn’t have air brakes ! I passed the endorsement 51written test. So … I now have a large, heavy recreational trailer “learner’s permit”. HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !

Friday ; I went into Keremeos this morning for my second and hopefully last physiotherapy session for my sore left shoulder. The Tweddle Creek fire continues to get blown further and further east towards the village. It is now burning on the mountain behind Red Bridge close to the village.

Saturday ; BRRRRR … it was cold this morning. In just a few days the temperature has gone down 50 degrees, from the high 90’s to the high 40’s ! We drove a lot of miles for work today, from Keremeos to Penticton to Summerland to Penticton to Osoyoos to Oliver and finally, back home to Keremeos. We took a “short cut” on the way home, driving a scenic back road over the mountains from Hwy. 97 near Okanagan Falls to Hwy. 3A near Twin Lakes. White Lake Road passes by the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory … and the Penticton SPCA Pet Cemetery, which we had never seen before. We stopped and took a look. What a lovely place, deep in the forest on a mountain slope. We’ll have to remember that place when Sully’s or Bo’s time comes.

DSK