June 21 to 27, 2020

Sunday ; Sunny and warm.

A pleasant, lazy day. We did our two regular daily exercise walks. We chatted with neighbours. I worked on selling surplus stuff online. We watched quite a few Palm Springs International ShortFest films. I updated and analyzed investment summaries. I posted my weekly blog entry. I did some online medical research. Joanne cleaned the oven. YIKES … tough job !

Monday ; Penticton

Sunny and very warm.

We left for Penticton around noon. I had a doctor’s appointment at 1 PM. While 

I was at the doctor’s, Joanne went next door to the lab and had blood drawn for tests. My doctor removed two skin tags and two “suspicious” moles on my back using cryosurgery / liquid nitrogen to freeze / “burn” them off. OUCH !  I discussed a few other issues with my doctor and we agreed that he would make a couple of specialist referrals. After my doctor’s appointment I also went next door to the lab to have blood drawn for tests.

Isn’t Canada’s universal health care system wonderful ? ! ?

We had a late picnic lunch at Skaha Lake Beach Park before spending the rest of the afternoon running errands. We were back home shortly after 6 PM.

Tuesday ; Mostly sunny and very warm, occasional rain.

Joanne went to Penticton again today, by herself this time. She spent the day getting medical tests done, and then continued running shopping errands. I spent the day at home, puttering around with routine chores.

Wednesday ; Heavy rain in the morning, clearing and warming in the afternoon.

As soon as it stopped raining around noon we loaded a pile of scrap lumber and plastic lattice into the minivan to be hauled to the dump mid-afternoon. After lunch I took the scrap lumber and lattice to the dump. HMPH ! Long line-up to get into the landfill, then another long line-up to pay and get out. I was almost late for my 3 PM haircut appointment in town.

WHEW … first haircut in sixteen weeks ! HA HA HA !  I outlasted our prime minister. HA HA HA HA HA !

As soon as I returned home around 4 PM I received a phone call from the purchaser of the truck storage box I had advertised for sale. He had sent a deposit a few days ago by Interac E-transfer, and wanted to come tonight from his home in Kelowna to pick up the storage box. He arrived around 6:30 PM, paid me the balance owing, and the truck storage box I bought in Ottawa in 2004 left for its new home. Goodbye, ( not so ) little truck storage box. You served me well for sixteen years.

Well … ten years anyway ! Since we bought the truck camper six years ago, and removed the storage box from the truck, it’s been sitting behind our shed. Like a big boat anchor. Keeping company with the truck tailgate boat anchor. HA HA HA

Thursday ; Sunny and hot. It’s about time !

Joanne weeded our gardens today. HMPH ! Lots of weeds this year !  I prepared our fifth wheel hitch for sale. I used a grinder to remove old paint and rust, then spray painted a primer paint followed by a finish coat of paint. It looks good ! 

I hope it sells easily.

Friday ; Cloudy and hot.

Joanne continued work today on weeding our gardens. When that was finished, she continued … and finished … applying a second coat of stain onto the deck’s new balusters. Then she did some restaining of the lower skirting of the deck. Busy woman today !

I finished preparing the fifth wheel hitch for sale, then posted online ads to sell it. We did our regular two exercise walks, one before lunch, one before supper. We examined the two Saskatoon bushes that we want to harvest, one at the entrance to our community, and one across the highway. The one at the entrance will be ready for harvest tomorrow. The one across the highway needs a few more days of “ripening”. I also did some accounting regarding our regular monthly CPP and OAS pension deposits received today.

Recently I ordered a fancy laptop stand online. It arrived today. We are “testing” it today before we deliver it to our neighbour / friend Jeanine tomorrow. If she likes it, she will pay me for it and I will order another. If she doesn’t like it … we’ll keep it.

I cooked supper tonight. Each time I make my new Udon Noodle stir fry creation, it gets better !

Saturday ; Cloudy, windy, cool, intermittent light rain.

Our day started with us being awakened by our next door neighbour once again using her leaf blower to “blow dry” the neighbourhood. I got out of bed, stumbled over to my desk, and sent another complaint to the Board of Directors by e-mail. < sigh > I want to say to our neighbour … OCD is a force to be reckoned with, and those of us who have it need to … get a grip on it, and sometimes rein it in ! Get help if you can’t do it yourself !

Late this morning we went over to visit our neighbour / friend Jeanine, taking our new laptop stand with us. If Jeanine liked it, she would pay us for it, and I would order another for us. She didn’t like it. No need to order another.

This afternoon we harvested Saskatoons for the first time this year. We didn’t harvest much, there weren’t a lot of ripe berries yet. We’ll try again in a few days. We blew off the evening watching old episodes of “90 Day Fiance” that we had missed seeing.

DSK

June 14 to 20, 2020

Sunday ; Cloudy, chilly, intermittent light rain.

Another lazy day due to weather. I did an indoor “home improvement” project today, removing, repairing, and reinstalling a section of ceiling moulding in the kitchen. I posted my weekly blog entry, and did my weekly investments value update and analysis. HMPH ! Crappy week in the stock market !

Monday ; Cloudy, mild, intermittent light rain.

Joanne continued staining balusters. I finished installing balusters on the west side of the deck, then removed the old lattice from the wide / north side of the deck. Didn’t go smoothly ! Today we tried something new with our exercise program. Instead of a brisk thirty minute walk, we did two brisk twenty minute walks.

HA ! Justin got a haircut before I did. I WIN ! < doing happy dance >

About 8½ years ago we rescued a stray little Shih Tzu dog at Kofa Ko-op SKP RV Park, our winter home in Yuma, Arizona. Molly was injured and extremely neglected. After we patched her up, cleaned her up, and “rehabilitated” her she was adopted by Jim and Linda, a full time RV’ing couple from Washington state. Yesterday, sadly, Molly died of cancer.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Jim and Linda. And our appreciation for giving Molly such a wonderful “second chance” at life.

Tuesday ; Mostly cloudy, mild, intermittent rain, sunny briefly late in the afternoon, very heavy rain in the evening.

Joanne finished staining the rest of the balusters today. During the brief period of sunshine I installed about half the balusters on the north face of the deck. I will probably finish the baluster project tomorrow.

Today is the first day of the week long Palm Springs International ShortFest film festival. And this year it is “virtual”. So … every evening for the next week we will have an opportunity to view some of the competing short films. Tonight we viewed five films.

Wednesday ; Mostly sunny and mild, a few minutes of light rain in mid-afternoon.

FINISHED !

This evening we viewed another five short films from Palm Springs International ShortFest. And tonight our long awaited ( two months ! ) … and long overdue 

( almost four weeks ! ! ! ) … filtered face masks arrived. And despite me having ordered XL, the Chinese made mask has a wrap around strap that is too small to fit around my fat head. I had to fabricate a two inch Velcro “extension”.

Thursday ; 16^th anniversary of retirement

Sunny and very warm. As “June 18” should be … and usually is.

This afternoon we went into Keremeos to run some errands and buy a take-out / take home anniversary celebration dinner at Benja Thai, one of only two restaurants in town that are worth patronizing. Restaurants in BC are still restricted to take out service only. Used / wore our new filtered face masks for the first time. They’re good !

In the evening we watched tonight’s batch of five short films from Palm Springs International ShortFest.

Friday ; Sunny and very warm.

We did an assortment of gardening and yard work today. And some outdoor “spring cleaning”, in the shed, behind the shed, and in the storage area underneath our front entry landing. After supper we watched more Palm Springs International ShortFest short films.

Saturday ; Mix of sun and clouds, very warm.

< sigh > This morning our new next door neighbour spent 2 ½ hours “blow drying” the gravel in her yard and on the gravel roadway behind our homes. And then vacuuming it ! I kid you not ! She would have been at it longer than 2 ½ hours … except that Joanne put a stop to it ! And … < snicker > … not with her usual “gentleness” I might add. HA HA HA ! You go, girl !

Our new next door neighbour obviously suffers from rather extreme OCD. I’m sympathetic to that. But … get a grip on yourself, lady ! She is unable to tolerate “tree by-product” in or near her yard. Every few days she uses a leaf blower to “blow dry” all the fir tree cones and seed pods and fir needles out of her yard. And then she vacuums them up. And in the process, she raises an inordinate amount of dust which settles on both of our vehicles, and on the windows of our home. We have communicated our displeasure / disapproval to her before. But … she persists.

Today, after 2 ½ hours of her blow drying nonsense, Joanne stomped outside and unplugged her leaf blower. A screaming match very quickly ensued. It got very ugly, very fast. Joanne stomped back into our house, and … < sputter > … the neighbour plugged her leaf blower in again, and … resumed !

Oh … my !

Much more screaming of obscenities by two old women ! I didn’t think there was much I could add, so … I stayed out of it ! Joanne doesn’t need my help when she’s that angry ! After all the screaming of obscenities was done, I walked across our community to the home of the President of our Board, interrupted her family’s lunch, and solicited her assistance to put a stop to the ridiculous “blow drying” and vacuuming of gravel. By the time I walked back home, the neighbour was finished blow drying the neighbourhood gravel, was inside her home, and we didn’t see her for the rest of the day.

I don’t think this battle is over yet !

DSK

June 7 to 13, 2020

Sunday ; Overcast, cool, extremely heavy rain briefly in the afternoon. Crappy weather for the last week or so. Crappy weather for the next week or so.

Joanne continued working on staining balusters. I sold our surplus inventory of concrete blocks and paver stones, a couple of dozen pieces or so, to a new neighbour two doors down. Joanne harvested a large batch of our rhubarb. 

I eagerly await the final results of that. HA HA HA !

Joanne had a lengthy phone chat with her sister. While on our daily walk we had a chat with our neighbour / friend Chris whose husband Bob died about a year ago of heart valve replacement complications.

I did some monthly budget work this afternoon. I posted my weekly blog entry. After a wonderful supper ( of calf’s liver ) we watched the season finale “Tell All” show of “90 Day Fiance”. HA HA HA ! Yes, yes … people are stupid ! ! !

Monday ; Mostly sunny, mild, still horrific mosquitoes.

Joanne did laundry today. And continued staining balusters. I completed making arrangements to sell the truck tailgate tomorrow in Westbank ( aka West 

Kelowna ). I did a teensy bit of yard work. Both of the projects I have underway require the purchase of more materials before I can continue. So … I had a bit of a lazy, unproductive day. Well, actually … most of my days are a bit lazy and unproductive, n’est-ce pas ? HA HA HA ! That’s the privilege of being retired !

Tuesday ; Penticton and Westbank ( West Kelowna )

HMPH ! Found my missing letter opener ! In the most inexplicable of locations ! ! !

Mostly cloudy and mild.

We left home around 11 AM heading for half a day of running errands in Penticton, then a trip to Westbank to sell the truck tailgate. We arrived in Westbank a bit earlier than planned, so while I waited for the buyer to arrive at 

5 PM at our meeting location at the Superstore fuel bar, Joanne went into Superstore and began our grocery shopping. After selling the truck tailgate I went into the store and helped with the grocery shopping. We left Westbank around 5:30 PM, which was a bit earlier than we had planned, and arrived home around 7 PM, also a bit earlier than planned.

WHEW … we’re tired !

Wednesday ; Mix of sun and clouds, warm, humid. Muggy ! Mosquitoes getting worse ! ! !

Spent the afternoon working on the camper bathroom plumbing rebuild project. Finished !

Joanne baked hamburger buns. From scratch ! So … I barbecued burgers for supper !

Thursday ; Overcast, warm, humid, a few brief bouts of rain.

Joanne continued staining balusters. I installed balusters on one side of the deck. DARN … split three of them driving screws in.

Friday ; Mix of sun and clouds, extremely strong winds late in the afternoon, intermittent light rain.

Joanne had an idea this morning to “elevate” the laptop on my desk to reduce her tendency to adopt “head forward posture”. I mocked up a tilted laptop stand using some scrap lumber and … we both liked it, so … late in the afternoon I fabricated a tilted laptop stand using good lumber. If after using it for awhile we still like the concept, maybe I’ll order a fancy adjustable laptop stand from Amazon. We have been watching a series of posture improvement exercise videos. We’re both interested in improving our posture, especially Joanne’s “head forward posture” issue.

Joanne continued staining balusters. I trimmed my beard, and also continued working on the baluster project. Yesterday I made an appointment for a haircut. My local hairstylist is open for business again, but … she is prohibited from doing beard trims due to coronavirus. Fair enough !  I was going to hold out having my hair cut until our prime minister got his hair cut, but … Justin wins. HA HA HA !

Saturday ; Chilly, raining until late afternoon.

Joanne continued staining balusters, then she helped me install balusters on the west side of the living room deck.

Late in the evening we watched a first year ( 1975 ) episode of Saturday Night Live. Classic !

DSK

May 31 to June 6, 2020

Sunday ; Mix of sun and clouds, chilly, windy.

This afternoon I continued working on the camper plumbing rebuild project. It went reasonably well. I didn’t cut any fingers off today ! I’ve done as much as 

I can until I obtain the rest of the materials I need, ordered last week at Leisureland RV in Penticton.

I was impaired today by a very sore back, a rare occurrence for me. In the morning I took some backache medications, and in the afternoon I did some back exercises. By evening there was some improvement.

Monday ; Mostly sunny, mild, windy.

A few days ago I made a public commitment to participate in a new activist movement, and “bear witness” when I see law enforcement agents engaging with people of colour. Today, with heavy hearts, Joanne and I made another commitment. We will spend next winter season selling our U.S. based winter home. We can no longer spend our winters in a “shithole” country like the United States of America.

Tuesday ; Sunny, mild, windy.

We lingered a long time over breakfast, sadly planning and discussing our “strategy” for next winter season. In the afternoon I did annual fire extinguisher maintenance ( one in the home, one in the minivan, one in the truck, one in the camper ). I took photos of our home, gazebo, and shed and submitted them to our insurance agent. I filled out, scanned, and submitted to our insurance agent a new home insurance policy application. I posted more “for sale” ads of surplus “stuff”. I sharpened knives. I paid bills online. I reconciled May’s bank statements.

And … we watched a lot of disheartening news, both online and on television.

Wednesday ; Sunny until late afternoon, mild, windy. Joanne cooked Cabbage Roll Casserole ( aka Lazy Cabbage Rolls ) in the Sun Oven today.

This afternoon we worked on the deck baluster project. We took the 28 pieces of lumber that I bought a week ago to our park’s woodworking shop and I used a radial arm saw to cut them into 84 balusters. Then we returned to our yard and 

I used my belt sander to sand both cut ends of each baluster. Good teamwork ! Thank you, my dear ! Next step will be to measure, mark, and drill each baluster. Maybe tomorrow.

In the evening I worked on month end investment updates. Didn’t finish !

Thursday ; Mostly cloudy, mild, horrific mosquitoes !

I spent the morning searching for my missing letter opener. How the hell can a letter opener get lost ? ! ?

This afternoon, again working with Joanne as my assistant, I measured, marked, and drilled the 84 balusters we cut yesterday.

Our outdoor work, and our exercise walk, were plagued by mosquitoes. < sigh > It’s no wonder that we have always spent the month of June traveling !

Friday ; Overcast, mild, storm starting at bedtime.

This afternoon Joanne started working on staining balusters. I dismantled and “cleaned” some scrap wood, removing many screws. We loaded the truck’s tailgate into the minivan, in preparation for taking it to Westbank next week, to meet its buyer.

In the evening I finished monthly updating of my investment files. And … like every day for the last week and a half … we watched a lot of television news ! And … < sigh > … discussed and planned our winter “strategy”.

Saturday ; Overcast, mild, windy, rain briefly around suppertime.

Joanne continued staining balusters. I removed the lattice from one of the three sides of the deck. I did some maintenance work on the truck. Our daily half hour exercise walk was cut short by the chilly weather and strong winds in advance of a rainstorm.

After supper ( perogies ! ) we had a movie date. My idea ! We watched “How To Train Your Dragon”.

DSK