July 19 to 25, 2020

Sunday ; Sunny and hot. OOOOPS … I’m sunburned ! Shouldn’t have stood out in the sun chatting with a neighbour for so long this afternoon.

Another long and very tiring day of window and blind cleaning. We had four large living room windows left to do. We had planned to do two today and two tomorrow. But … we got wrapped up in it today, and worked on all four, although we didn’t quite finish. HMPH ! Ran out of Windex !

HMPH again ! Today was supposed to be the day of departure on our Alaska Marine Highway ferry trip adventure through the Inside Passage from Prince Rupert, BC north to Skagway, Alaska. Oh, well … maybe next year !

Monday ; Sunny and hot, temperatures in the low 90’s F, mid 30’s C. Joanne baked jerk chicken in the Sun Oven today.

Joanne went into town today to shop for some advertised grocery specials. She didn’t buy any ! I finished cleaning the living room’s four large windows. WOO-HOO … project finished !

As we were heading to the swimming pool at 5 PM to do an aquatics exercise session I recommended to Joanne that she remove the baked jerk chicken from the Sun Oven. She disagreed. So … < scowl > … we had overcooked baked jerk chicken for supper tonight !

After many back and forth e-mails yesterday and today … I reached an agreement to purchase snow tires from a tire dealer in Westbank today. < sniffle > I guess that confirms our decision to NOT go south to Yuma this winter !

Tuesday ; Sunny and hot.

Joanne spent the day running errands in Penticton. She left home before 11 AM and didn’t return home until after 6 PM. Tired !

I spent the day at home, puttering around. I did some preventive maintenance on the truck. I did some gardening. Of course, I napped with Emma. I did my twice a day twenty minute exercise walks. I prepared most of dinner.

In the evening we watched streamed episodes of Party Down. HA HA HA … funny series.

Wednesday ; Sunny and hot.

This morning we started to repackage three large Sockeye Salmon fillets Joanne bought yesterday at Superstore. I opened the first package and cut the large fillet in half. EEEEEUUUUUWWWWW ! ! ! RANCID FISH ! ! ! This is NOT the first time we have gotten rancid salmon from Superstore ! I was afraid to open the other two packages. But … they were fine. Only the one package was rancid. We threw the rancid fillet into a bag, then into the freezer. We will return it to Superstore and get a refund !

This afternoon I exercised our little generator, then exercised the truck’s diesel engine. The truck has been sitting ( mostly ) idle for 3 ½ months. I started the next summer project ; cleaning the camper’s blinds and windows. I removed all of the camper’s mini-blinds so that we can clean / wash them.

At noon we did our “early” exercise walk. Before supper we went to the swimming pool and did an aquatics exercise session, a three times a week alternative to our “late” exercise walk. We worked together on supper preparation, planning, but not executing particularly well, an excellent meal. For Joanne, everything that could go wrong … did ! Oh, well … at least my part went well. HA HA HA ! “Every man for himself” I always say. HA HA HA HA HA !

Thursday ; Sunny and hot, windy late in the afternoon and evening.

This morning we drove west on Hwy. 3 almost to Hedley and picked wild apricots from “our secret” wild apricot tree on the side of the road. We could tell from the piles of bear shit around the tree that it’s not such a secret in the bear world ! HA HA HA !

This afternoon I cleaned out the shower drain, an annual chore. YUCK ! ! ! Together we washed all the blinds from the camper. Then while Joanne harvested lettuce I harvested peas. The pea vines have crawled all over my tomato cages and plants, choking and smothering them. So … I ripped out a lot of pea vines, to ensure the survival of the tomato plants. I harvested more peas than expected, the peas are prolific this year. While Joanne prepared supper I removed all the ceiling light fixtures, washed them, and reinstalled them.

WHEW … busy, productive day !

Friday ; Sunny, hot, windy.

This morning I worked on exterior cleaning of camper windows. After our early walk, and an early ( for us ) lunch we went into town ( Keremeos ). We stopped at Sanderson Farms ( produce stand ) / Samosa Gardens ( restaurant ) and I ordered some take-out dishes for supper tonight. I dropped Joanne off at South Similkameen Health Centre / Keremeos Clinic to have her shoulders x-rayed, while I went to run other errands. At the grocery store I bought some Halibut fillets, and Sockeye Salmon fillets, both advertised specials. Both “on sale” but both not cheap ! But … it’s “fish season” here in BC, so the price is as low as it ever will be, and more importantly, the fish is fresh ! Although sometimes it’s hard to tell, as evidenced by the rancid salmon from Superstore in Penticton a few days ago ! ! !

I refilled our five gallon water jug, then returned to the clinic to pick up Joanne. We went to Sanderson Farms to buy fresh produce. And to pick up our Samosa Gardens take out order. On the way out of town we stopped at FasGas so that I could buy some worms for fishing.

Supper was very good ! ! !

Saturday ; Sunny and hot.

I made blueberry pancakes for brunch. MMMMM ! ! ! Very nice blueberries are farmed not too far away at Abbotsford, in the Lower Mainland area, a bit east of Vancouver.

Today I finished cleaning the exterior side of all the windows in the camper. Tomorrow we’ll start working on the interior side of the windows. Joanne did laundry today. And in conjunction with that, we visited our neighbour / friend Jeanine who lives near the laundromat / swimming pool building. We trimmed the nails of our neighbour Darlene’s cat.

In the evening, after supper, we began watching season 2 episodes of “Party Down”. HA HA HA HA HA … what a funny show !

DSK

July 12 to 18, 2020

Sunday ; Mix of sun and clouds, rain in the morning, warm.

This afternoon we went to our community’s recently reopened swimming pool, and did our first aquatics exercise session in about four months.

Monday ; Sunny and warm. Joanne roasted a chicken in the Sun Oven today.

I puttered around with routine household and yard chores. I did some minor maintenance on the minivan. Joanne did laundry. We visited with our neighbour / friend Jeanine. I removed the kitchen windows’ blinds. Time to clean windows and blinds. < mumbling> I hate that job !

Tuesday ; HAPPY 99th BIRTHDAY TO OUR OREGON FRIEND EILENE

Sunny and very warm.

This morning I had a phone meeting with a dietitian in our family doctor’s clinic. I expected about a fifteen minute consultation. What I got was a fifty-two minute consultation. I was surprised by the duration of our discussion. I learned a few things. And I have some new ideas to try / objectives to achieve. As it turns out, I have previously met and consulted with this dietitian, two and a half years ago, at the cardiac rehabilitation program I attended following my bypass surgery. At that time she gave me some helpful advice regarding daily fluid intake to reduce the edema I was experiencing. I continue to follow that advice.

Joanne and I had a tiring afternoon, working on removing and cleaning the screens of the gazebo, then cleaning the house kitchen’s windows, inside and outside, while the outside of the kitchen windows was accessible behind the gazebo with the screens removed.

The neighbourhood “blow drying” drama with the next door neighbour continues. This morning she was out with her leaf blower, blowing fir needles away from the edge of the asphalt road. Another neighbour phoned the President of our HOA Board, and within a few minutes, the President and another member of the Board were in a heated, animated confrontation with the OCD leaf blower wielding neighbour. BRAVO ! ! ! Better them than me … or Joanne !

To my family and old Winnipeg / Norwood friends ; reminiscent of “Birchdale Betty” back in the late 60’s / early 70’s, n’est-ce pas ? Except … with fir needles and cones and seed pods, instead of dog shit ! HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !

Wednesday ; Sunny in the morning, increasing cloudiness in the afternoon. Joanne attempted to cook dinner in the Sun Oven, but had to move it into the indoor oven before we went to the swimming pool at 4:45 PM.

This afternoon we continued and completed removing all the gazebo screens, washing them, and reinstalling them. Tough, tiring work.

We have resumed doing aquatics exercise sessions in our community’s swimming pool, substituting a pool exercise session for our afternoon walk three times a week. It’s nice to finally be able to return to the swimming pool.

Thursday ; Sunny and very warm.

This morning we went into town / Keremeos to run errands. I bought some vitamin D pills at the pharmacy. When we got home the pharmacy’s weekly flyer was in our mailbox. Starting tomorrow, the vitamin D pills that I bought are on sale … 50% off ! < fume > Story of my life !

This afternoon Joanne and I worked together washing blinds, and reinstalling them. Our project for the next … I don’t know … week ? … is to remove all blinds in the house, wash them, wash the windows inside and out, then reinstall the blinds. One room at a time. Today we did three of the four kitchen windows.

At the grocery store today Joanne bought a fresh Halibut fillet. YIKES … expensive ! I cooked it for supper tonight. WOW … excellent ! With cole slaw and french fries … every bit as good as at Dolly’s Fish Market in Prince Rupert, BC.

Today was also Emma claw trim day. Oh, joy !

Friday ; Mostly sunny, hot.

WHEW … another day of removing blinds, washing them, removing the screens, washing them, cleaning the windows inside and out, then reinstalling the screens and blinds. And probably another three more days like it to come !

Yesterday I bought a large ( overpriced ) bag of fresh peas at our regular produce stand. This afternoon I shelled them ( I enjoy that task ) and Joanne used them in supper. HMPH ! How unsatisfying ! What a disappointment !

Today I received a response to my complaint a week ago to Superstore about a deli clerk “blow breathing” on fresh food. What a “wishy-washy”, unsatisfactory response ! And it took a week ! ! !

This evening Joanne’s sister phoned to discuss her elderly dog’s “close call” after ingesting something she shouldn’t have. HEY … dog logic ! ! ! “It fits in my mouth, therefore … it’s edible !”

Saturday ; Sunny and hot. Joanne cooked a sausage and vegetable stew in the Sun Oven today.

Good news this morning ; her sister’s elderly dog seems to have survived the “ingestion of toxic substance” ordeal.

Today was another day of cleaning blinds and windows. Probably two more days to go until all finished. Then we’ll start on the camper’s blinds and windows.

DSK

July 5 to 11, 2020

Sunday ; Sunny and very warm, windy. Joanne cooked a “barbecued” pulled beef roast in the Sun Oven today.

This afternoon we harvested Saskatoons. We stopped before we had even picked all the ripe berries. Largest, and probably best ( plump and juicy ) harvest of Saskatoons in our fourteen years here. And there will be more to pick tomorrow ! Or the day after !

Joanne went into town ( Keremeos ) to buy some groceries and fresh produce ( and my annual six-pack of Dos Equis beer ! ) this afternoon. I napped with Emma, did my weekly investment update and analysis, and posted my blog entry. Blogger has revised their format / font / style yet again. I don’t like it !

Monday ; Sunny and warm early in the day, cloudy and raining in the evening.

We harvested Saskatoons … again … today. Great crop this year ! I think we should be able to harvest Saskatoon berries once more this season, probably on Thursday. We gave a large container of freshly picked Saskatoons to our friend / neighbour Jeanine. And I asked ( begged … on my knees … HA HA HA ) Joanne to bake me a Saskatoon pie today. Which she did ! MMMMM ! ! ! Thank you, my dear. We also picked some cherries from one of the two cherry trees in our RV park’s orchard.

I got hired today to reposition a large fifth wheel trailer in our RV park tomorrow. Yes, yes … I know … Similkameen Trailer Towing is “retired”. But … you know … a lady showed up at our door around noon, referred by an old friend / neighbour within our community. She needed her trailer moved … I’m able to do that … KA-CHING !

So … after picking Saskatoons, and before picking cherries, we installed the fifth wheel hitch into the truck. First time the hitch has been in the truck since October 2018.

Tuesday ; Mostly overcast, cool, windy, intermittent light rain.

Had a phone meeting with my doctor this morning, mostly to review the results of blood tests done recently. All is very well. HMPH ! I was actually a bit surprised at how well everything was. Shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, I suppose. HA HA HA ! Most of the tests done showed considerable improvement over the last two years. As I’ve said before … must have been all that clean living I did back in the 70’s ! HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !

Right after an early lunch we drove, in the truck, over to the other side of our RV park community and … relocated a large fifth wheel trailer. Took forty-five minutes. < shrug > Easy money ! Job went very well. Joanne and I are a very good trailer towing team !

Wednesday ; Penticton

Mostly sunny and very warm.

We left home late this morning heading to Penticton for a day of errands and a doctor’s appointment for Joanne. Joanne consulted with our family doctor, and his clinic’s physiotherapist, about her chronic shoulder pain. We had a very nice picnic lunch in Skaha Lake Beach Park. I delivered one ( of three ) of our 12 volt fridge / coolers to its buyer. We bought groceries. And RV plumbing hardware !

While shopping at Superstore ( wearing our masks, I might add ) I experienced an incident that was so disturbing to me that not only did I complain to the store manager, but tonight I sent a complaint by e-mail to their head office. While purchasing freshly cut luncheon meats at the deli counter the deli clerk who served me was an elderly obese woman ( aka fat old lady ). No problem there … I’m a fat old man ! It was a hot and humid afternoon. She was breathing heavily. Inhale through the nose. Exhale heavily through the mouth. BLOWING ON THE MEAT ! BLOWING ON THE FOOD SLICER MACHINES !

After receiving my three packages of meat … all blown on by her while being sliced … I stomped over to the front of the store, and complained to the store manager, giving her my packages of luncheon meat and telling her to throw them in the garbage. And advising that she also discard all “chubs” of meat handled by that clerk today ! ! !

HEY ! SUPERSTORE ! MR. GALEN WESTON ! IS THERE SOME PART OF “COVID-19 PANDEMIC” THAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND ? ? ? ! ! ! IS THERE SOME PART OF “MASKS FOR EMPLOYEES” THAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND ? ? ? ! ! !

I’ve decided that we will NOT be buying deli sliced luncheon meats any more ! At Superstore or anywhere else ! Except in Mexico, a third world country, where all deli clerks, and butchers, and all other store clerks who handle fresh food are masked … ALL THE TIME ! ! ! Not just during a pandemic ! ! !

As soon as we arrived back home at 6:30 PM two of our neighbours rushed over to advise us that our OCD next door neighbour spent about three or four hours today during our absence “blow drying” the neighbourhood. < sigh >

Thursday ; Mostly cloudy, mild, intermittent light rain all day.

After lunch we picked Saskatoons again, this time across the highway from our RV park’s entrance. WOW ! < blink blink > Again … the best harvest, of the largest, plumpest, sweetest Saskatoon berries we have ever had in our fourteen years here ! And it seems probable that we will be able to harvest one more time, in three or four days, as long as the weather doesn’t suddenly get very hot, in which case the remaining berries will quickly dry and shrivel.

In the evening I worked on reconciling bank statements and updating investment files.

Friday ; Sunny and warm. Joanne cooked my favourite Sun Oven recipe today, Mexican Chicken & Rice.

This afternoon I tackled a job I have been procrastinating doing for a couple of weeks. We both have noticed occasional very faint propane odour around our kitchen range. Today we pulled the range away from the wall and into the middle of the kitchen, and I searched for a propane leak. I leak tested and disassembled propane fittings, cleaned them, and reassembled them. I was not able to definitively find a leak, but … after I was finished disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling fittings, there seemed to be no more propane odour / leaks. Wish me luck !

Saturday ; Overcast, warm, humid. Lazy morning, busy afternoon.

After lunch we harvested another huge batch of Saskatoons. Last harvest of this year. Because … 1 ; the berries are beginning to dry out, and … 2 ; there’s no more room in our freezer ! HA HA HA ! I did some spray paint touch up on the fifth wheel hitch. Using it this week scuffed up the new paint job I had done on it recently in order to “lipstick” it to be sold. I installed the recently purchased valve on the camper toilet’s water supply line. And … WOO-HOO … this new valve does NOT leak ! WOO-HOO … that completes the camper bathroom plumbing rebuild project … AGAIN ! I installed a new camper toilet seat and cover. DARN ! The colour does not match as well as I had expected. Oh, well … < shrug > … it’s a toilet seat !

The camper is now, once again, in tip-top shape, ready for the upcoming big adventure Alaska Marine Highway ferry trip up the West Coast Inside Passage from Prince Rupert, BC to Skagway, Alaska with about half a dozen stops / points of disembarkation to explore.

Oh … wait ! Right ! Not this year ! ! ! < pout >

DSK

June 28 to July 4, 2020

Sunday ; Happy 56^th Birthday to Joanne’s sister Lorraine

Overcast, chilly, intermittent rain all day. Crappy weather !

The weather today inspired me to … laziness !

Monday ; Sunny and warm. Joanne cooked Beef Provencal in the Sun Oven today.

Joanne went into town today to buy some groceries. I stayed home and napped with Emma. HA HA HA ! I puttered around with routine household chores. We went for our two daily exercise walks. We checked the Saskatoon bushes to see if there were any more ripe berries to harvest. Not yet ! Maybe Wednesday ?

Tuesday ; Heavy rain in the morning and early afternoon, then clearing.

This afternoon, in response to my two recent complaints to our Board of Directors about our next door neighbour’s gravel “blow drying” activities, we received a visit from two members of our community who have … < ahem > … self declared themselves to be the community’s “mediation committee” / “problem solvers”. What a pair of buffoons ! I endeavoured to remain civil to them during our discussion, but … sadly … < snicker > … I failed. After suggesting to one of them that he should … < ahem > … leave, they both left. Wise decision, fellas !

Our RV park community’s library has reopened, so today I took a large collection of books that I have read over the last few months to the library, and replenished my supply of books to be read. This afternoon I sold our 12 volt cooler / fridge for sale. I will deliver it to the buyer in Penticton in a week or so.

This afternoon I received a telephone call from a gentleman who wanted to hire me to transport his large fifth wheel trailer. TWICE … in the next couple of months. He had been referred to Similkameen Trailer Towing by a storage yard in Okanagan Falls. I had moved clients’ trailers in and out of there numerous times over the years. I advised him that Similkameen Trailer Towing was … < sigh > … retired / no longer in business.

Wednesday ; CANADA DAY

< sigh > Another in a long string of crappy weather days !

We visited our friend / neighbour Jeanine. We checked the Saskatoon bushes to see of they were ready to harvest. Not yet, maybe tomorrow. We did some routine chores. We cooked a special Canada Day supper. I did some month end banking and investment work. I paid bills.

Thursday ; Mostly cloudy, warm, windy.

Joanne did laundry today. We harvested Saskatoons. Good harvest ! Lot of berries, plump and sweet. And we will probably be able to harvest twice more in the next week or so, until the Saskatoon season is over. And a cherry tree in our park’s orchard looks like it’s going to produce a good harvest in a week or so.

In the evening, at Joanne’s request, I printed a bunch of recipes for her from the Métis Cookbook I acquired online a few days ago.

Friday ; Mostly cloudy, warm, windy.

This afternoon I refilled the camper’s freshwater tank so that I could leak test the camper’s bathroom plumbing that I recently rebuilt / replaced. As soon as I got the freshwater tank refilled, turned on the water pump and pressurized the water system … < sigh > … water began gushing behind and below the toilet. Can’t see back there. Can barely reach blindly back there. < sigh > My guess is that I cracked the plastic valve on the toilet’s water supply line as I installed it. < heavy deep sigh > Much more work to be done / redone !

Saturday ; Mix of sun and clouds, very warm.

This afternoon I disassembled the plumbing behind the toilet in the camper, looking for the source of a leak in my recently rebuilt plumbing. Found it ! I had purchased and installed an incorrect type of valve. Not entirely my fault. I was being assisted in selecting the parts by the owner of the RV dealership where I was buying the parts. I hope that is taken into account when I attempt to exchange / return a part without packaging and without a receipt. I removed the incorrect valve, spliced the plumbing back together with a barbed straight connector fitting, and … no more leak. I hope I will be able to find and install the correct type of valve. If not, then the camper toilet will NOT have an emergency shut off valve. As it has been since being manufactured twenty-three years ago !

DSK