Sunday, October 13, 2013

October 6 to 12, 2013

Sunday ; Sunny and mild, a lovely fall day.

Some men, when they've been away for a few days, bring their wives roses. I bring ... huge rocks. HA HA HA ! This morning Joanne and I unloaded from the bed of the truck the large copper rocks I collected. Along with a batch collected earlier this summer Joanne used them to build a large flower bed across the front of the house.

I did the 234,000 km. inspection on the truck. Well done, Lanoire. Might need new rear shock absorbers soon.

Late in the afternoon we headed to Penticton. I took the truck through a car wash. I usually wash the truck by hand, but ... I wanted to save some time, and I "charged" the cost of the car wash to the Smithers trip expenses. Still plenty of profit left ! I refilled with diesel. I deposited some money in the bank. We went to dinner.

This is the third year in a row that we attend LambFest at Bogner's in Penticton. It's a barbecued lamb dinner paired with wines, part of the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. We always consider it my "birthday dinner". As before, the food was outstanding ! However ... this year I have a couple of complaints. First ... the winery whose wines were paired with the meal ... a different wine for each of the three courses ... was different than in the two previous years. And the new winery's wines were not as good, in my humble ( and perhaps ignorant ) opinion. And what really griped me was ... < sputter > ... an outrageous "autogratuity" added to the bill. I would not hesitate to attend LambFest if the "prix fixe" meal price was 20.7% higher ... but adding that amount of "autogratuity" just really pisses me off !

Monday ; Sunny and mild, a lovely fall day.

Ulcerative colitis flare-up ! Triggered, no doubt, by consumption of red wine with last night's dinner which included one "half serving" of white wine and two "half servings" of red wine.

Received phone inquiry today from potential client who wants very large fifth wheel trailer hauled from Penticton to ... < blink blink > ... Napinka, Manitoba. Holy Mackerel ! Quoted him price of $2750 ! Would take me three hard days of driving in each direction.

Joanne invited next door neighbour, who is "temporary bachelor" over for pickerel dinner. MMMMM ... very good Lake Winnipeg pickerel !

Tuesday ; Partially sunny, cool. Feeling much healthier today than yesterday.

Did some trailer maintenance today. Started mounting the artwork we brought from Winnipeg. Got hired by the Penticton to Manitoba client. Will leave Sunday morning, be back Friday night. Really looking forward < rolling eyes, tongue in cheek > to having "Thanksgiving Dinner" at the McDonald's in the Swift Current Wal-Mart on Monday night ! ! !

Wednesday ; Sunny and cool. Feeling ill again today.

Went to Penticton this morning for a day of errands. First was annual portfolio review meeting with investment broker. All is as well as can be. Next was meeting with Penticton to Manitoba trailer delivery client. Departure day was supposed to be Sunday. Now client not sure he will be ready by then. Departure now tentatively any time between Sunday and Wednesday. HMPH ! Hard to schedule my other plans around that kind of uncertainty ! Renewed Joanne's driver's license which was due to expire in January ... when we will be in Yuma, Arizona.

Did thrift store shopping ( bought sleeping bag for upcoming trip ) and grocery shopping. Returned home to find phone message from another trailer delivery potential client. Seems to be lots of work for me this fall !

Thursday ; Happy 59th Birthday to me !

Woke up ... had sex ... went back to sleep. Happy Birthday to me ! HA HA HA !

This morning my Penticton to Manitoba trailer delivery client phoned to cancel the trip, claiming "ill health". Fine ... good luck ! And another potential client ... the one who first phoned yesterday, phoned to discuss her "needs". After a way too lengthy phone conversation I terminated the call, suggesting to her that she find someone else to do the work for her. I don't really need the money and I certainly don't need the aggravation of yet another high maintenance and/or wing nut client !

Now ... what the hell am I supposed to do with the non-returnable sleeping bag I bought yesterday ? ! ?

Did some house and trailer maintenance chores. Mounted five pieces of art in the living room. Very nice. Had a long phone chat with my sister. Napped with the cat. Nice home made moussaka for dinner. Wonderful home made Black Forest Cherry Torte birthday cake. Thank you, my dear.

Friday ; Sunny and cold.

We continued mounting artworks. We trimmed Bo's and Sully's claws. We gave Bo a bath.
I researched travel medical insurance options and purchased coverage for this winter season.

Saturday ; Happy 39th Anniversary to us !

Sunny and mild, another lovely fall day. A great day to get married. Just as it was 39 years ago !

As an anniversary treat Joanne wanted to attend a specific Okanagan Fall Wine Festival event.
A wine and cheese pairing at a winery in Summerland. The winery was going to bring in a cheese "expert" to pair samples of cheeses with samples of the winery's wines. So ... off to Summerland we went.

We used the trip to Summerland as an opportunity to visit each of the provincial park picnic / rest areas along the shore of Okanagan Lake between Penticton and Summerland. At two of them we took Bo for an off leash hike through the forest and along the beach. At the one that had an off leash dog beach we met ... HA HA HA ... a pack of wild Westies. Two ladies were walking a Chihuahua, a Pomeranian, and about a dozen West Highland White Terriers. When the "pack" saw us approaching, they all ran over eagerly to meet and greet Bo. HA HA HA ... Bo was "attacked" by a pack of marauding Westies. HA HA HA ! Bo loooooves meeting and joining new "packs".

When we arrived at the winery we found ... that the cheese "expert" was not present as planned, there was a woman offering chocolate samples as a substitute, and the pompous winery owners were detached and disinterested, particularly when I expressed dissatisfaction with having driven an hour and a half to attend a publicized event only to find it not happening. Oh, well ... their winery has survived to this point in time without any of my money in their pockets ... and so it shall remain ! We left !

Joanne decided that "Plan B" should be to attend another Okanagan Fall Wine Festival event, this one in Kaleden. A wine tasting, accompanied by cheese fondue, with live folk music on the patio. Okay ! First we went to lunch at a restaurant in Kaleden. Fine food ... very overpriced ! We went to the winery event, but didn't stay long. I didn't much like the one wine of theirs that I sampled. The folk music wasn't particularly appealing. Neither was the cheese fondue. I suggested another hike in the woods with the dog. But ... to be fair ... this winery's owners were engaging and working hard to be friendly and hospitable / accommodating to their customers.

We drove to another provincial park, this one a closed campground, and we hiked around the entire small campground. Bo flushed a bunch of quail out of the bushes. He was very pleased with himself until ... he realized that one of his legs was full of burrs. Poor Bo ... he needed our help to "de-burr".

Joanne wanted one last stop at an apple cidery near Oliver, so ... we took the circuitous "circle route" through Oliver and Osoyoos to get back home. We sampled the alcoholic apple cider at the cidery, and Joanne bought a pack of four small bottles for herself. I didn't really like the cider.

We stopped at our favourite fruit & produce stand in Keremeos to buy some fruit and vegetables. When we arrived back home, Bo and I ... both very tired ... took a late afternoon nap with Sully.

Thank you for the nice anniversary outing, my dear.
DSK

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