This morning as I was sitting on the edge of the bed winding my watch, and Joanne was opening blinds around the house, she suddenly came screaming and running across the house.
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTHERE'SABATINTHEHOUSE
HUH ? WHAT ? How could there be a bat in the house ? ? ?
It was kind of interesting to see Joanne run. HA HA HA ... I haven't seen her run in twenty years. HA HA HA HA HA !
A little brown bat had inexplicably attached itself to the OUTSIDE of the screen door leading from our living room onto our deck. I had left the solid door open overnight. So ... when Joanne opened the vertical blinds, she saw the little bat hanging there upside down and ... ran and screamed. HA HA HA ! Not much scares her. Apparently bats do. HA HA HA HA HA ! And ... evidently ... bat removal and disposal is MY responsibility. HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !
I tried ... unsuccessfully ... to just knock it off the screen. It seemed to be sleeping, and had firmly grasped the screen with its little clawed toes. Eventually my tapping on the screen woke it up enough to cause it to open its mouth and scream, and spread its wings, but ... not let go ! HMPH ! I had to take a rag towel and "pluck" the bat off the screen. It screamed. HMPH ... what vicious looking little teeth you have, Mr. Bat !
I carried it all the way to our park's burn pile area to release it. As I was walking ... it seemed to fall asleep again, wrapped in a rag in my hands. HA HA HA ! I placed the rag down on a large rock, unwrapped it, and stepped away quickly. HMPH ... nothing ! The bat lay there ... sleeping. HMPH !
It was gone a few hours later when I went to retrieve the rag towel.
Monday ; Mostly cloudy, and warm.
I did some vehicle maintenance. Joanne did laundry. I did a paint touch up job on the rear of the camper. < sigh > ... My spray painting skills have not improved at all !
I downloaded, printed, and reconciled month end bank statements and investment updates. SHEEESH ... lots of money lost in the stock market this month. Even after the dead cat bounce. I visited our park's library and stocked up on books to put in the camper to read while travelling this fall / winter.
Tuesday ; Mostly cloudy, and warm.
This morning I advised Joanne that we were leaving as soon as possible for a "big surprise" outing that would take just a few hours. We left home around 11 AM and headed east on Hwy. 3. As we pulled into the parking lot of Osoyoos United Church about an hour later Joanne still didn't know where we were going, or why.
Osoyoos United Church was having a one day "bag sale" in their basement thrift store to raise $1000 to donate to the Rock Creek wildfire relief fund. As much clothing as would fit into a grocery store bag, for five dollars. Joanne found a couple of items she wanted. I found ... three ties, a long sleeved sweatshirt, a pair of dress pants, and a linen sports coat. Very "Miami Vice". HA HA HA ! Everything fit into two grocery bags. Ten bucks ! HA HA HA HA HA ! We were back home by 2 PM, Joanne's "deadline" to begin preparing supper. She prepared "Lazy Cabbage Rolls" for supper, and had invited Jeanine to join us.
While supper was cooking we took Bo to the dog park, and I worked on some routine home maintenance chores. After supper ... which was very good ... Jeanine ( and her little dog Charlie ) visited with us.
Wednesday ; Mostly sunny, and warm.
We took Bo for a long walk around the park, incorporating some obedience training as we walked. Then we gave him a bath. I worked on taking inventory of medications and determining how much more we need of what, to have enough to last until next spring. Joanne picked apples in our park's orchards, then baked an apple cake.
Thursday ; Sunny and mild. Pretty chilly evening !
Joanne left early this morning to drive Jeanine to Penticton Hospital for a doctor's appointment followed by her weekly chemotherapy session. They were back home about 3 PM. I did some preparations for departure tomorrow for a weekend camping trip.
Friday ; home to Lundbom Lake Forest Service Recreation Site
Mostly sunny, some cloud, some precipitation, from light rain to hail to sleet, chilly to cold.
We left home at 10:30 AM, in the truck and camper, for half a day of errands in Penticton before starting a weekend camping trip. First stop was at Sanderson Farms in Keremeos to buy some produce before heading to Penticton. First stop in Penticton was the Bank Of Montreal where we had to sign some papers. Then it was refill the truck with diesel and buy some groceries at Superstore. We parked in my gastroenterologist's parking lot and had lunch before I went into her office for my 1:30 appointment to review the results of my colonoscopy. While I was seeing my gastroenterologist Joanne walked to the Dollarama store to buy a few items.
We left Penticton about 2:30 PM heading north on Hwy. 97 to Hwy. 97C ... "The Connector" ... heading west from the Okanagan Valley between Peachland and West Kelowna / Westbank to Hwy.5 ... "The Coquihalla / Highway Through Hell" ... at Merritt. At the Pennask Summit ... elevation 5668 feet ... we encountered a brief hail storm. Shortly after passing the Pennask Summit we left the highway and followed a series of Forest Service Roads about 15 km. / 9 miles to a couple of B.C. Forest Service wilderness campgrounds. The further we got from the highway the worse the Forest Service Roads became. With hindsight, I should have turned around a few miles before reaching our destination. The "road" was much too rough for a vehicle as large and heavy as our truck and camper. < sigh > Things broke !
First wilderness campground we reached was Brenda Lake. Five campsites ... all occupied. How the hell can a campground this far off the beaten path be full ? ! ? We travelled a bit further to MacDonald Lake. Five campsites ... all empty. AHHHHH ... this is more like it ! As we arrived, the light rain began to turn into ... snow / sleet ! We were at an elevation of 5600 feet, and the temperature was ... 36º F / 2º C ! Beautiful place, but WAAAAAY too cold to stay ! We backtracked to Hwy. 97C. Thirty km. / eighteen miles of really terrible roads for nothing ! Oh, well !
We continued west on Hwy. 97C and shortly before reaching Merritt we left the highway and travelled about 5 km. / 3 miles to another B.C. Forest Service wilderness campground at Lundbom Lake. The elevation here was much lower, and the temperature had changed from REALLY COLD to just chilly. There were a lot of camping units here, but there were about 35 campsites, and we were able to find one that was separate and slightly isolated from the rest. Most of the other campers seemed to be in groups.
We went for a walk through the campground and along the lakeshore. Joanne thought it was too cold to enjoy a campfire, and discouraged me from lighting one. DARN ! We cooked and ate supper inside the camper.
BRRRRR ! ! ! Cold night !
Saturday ; Lundbom Lake Forest Service Recreation Site to N'Kwala Forest Service Recreation Site on Nicola Lake
Sunny and warm, a very pleasant day.
This morning we left Lundbom Lake, returned to Hwy. 97C and continued west to Merritt where we went to Canadian Tire to use their free sani-dump station. We emptied our waste holding tanks and refilled our freshwater holding tank. Thank you very much, Canadian Tire. We went into the store to look for two items, but got neither one.
As we drove through Merritt on the way to Hwy. 8 ... oh, look ... Central Park. Looked like a nice place to take Bo for a walk and play session. After a walk in the park and a Bo-gility session in the playground, as we continued driving through town ... oh, look ... the Saturday morning Farmer's Market. We stopped and shopped, buying some fresh vegetables. Then, as we again continued driving through town ... oh, look ... Rotary Park ... with a Saturday lunch time free music concert. We sat in the park and listened to music for awhile. Pleasant little town, that Merritt !
We eventually made our way to Hwy. 8 and headed northwest towards the village of Spences Bridge. A short distance out of Merritt we stopped at a small butcher shop and bought some fresh beef sausages. We stopped for a late lunch at the N'Kwala Forest Service Recreation Site on the Nicola River. It was such a nice place we decided to stay for the night. After lunch I napped for awhile. We went for a long, leisurely walk through the campground and along the Nicola River. Looks like it might be good for fly fishing for trout. I'd like to return next summer. As we walked we met and Bo visited with many dogs ... and young children. He's very good with young children ... and other dogs Well done, Bo, good dog.
I made a campfire and cooked supper on it. First I barbecued fresh "peaches & cream" corn. It was excellent ! Although ... I have difficulty digesting corn so can eat a maximum of only half an ear. Then Joanne wrapped sausages and vegetables in foil and I cooked that. After supper we went for another long, leisurely walk.
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