August 3, 2005

August 3, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 78 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 47

 

Today started out sunny, hot and humid again, but it got cloudy, rained lightly for a few minutes, and cooled off, around supper time.

This morning after showering and morning chores, I read, and sipped coffee, until I fell asleep again, sleeping until noon. I am now reading East Of Eden by John Steinbeck. I wonder how a story so badly written became a "classic". After lunch I worked on repairing a broken day / night shade in the bedroom. Sometimes the jobs that appear to be the easiest turn out to be the hardest. I did some more review of Misty Venture's fiscal year end accounting, to prepare for my telephone meeting tomorrow morning.

Joanne went to do some laundry, then I drove over to Major's Service Centre to buy some stamps, and a Priority Post envelope to mail all the corporate fiscal year end documents back to Eric. The woman at the Post Office at Major's sold me the wrong envelope. It's a "regional" envelope, and I'm going to have to mail it in Ontario, since its destination is in Ontario. I sure hope there's a mail box at the Ontario Border Information Centre a few miles from here. We took Bo for an obedience training walk, but as soon as we got started, Joanne got distracted by a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, then Bo wouldn't focus, then we got distracted by a late arriving camper. I gave up on obedience training, while Joanne went off to deal with the late arrival. I cleaned up the tennis courts while waiting for her. Every time I encounter copious litter, I get more irritated at the clientele of this campground. The litter problem here is gnawing at me like an ulcer. We have camped everywhere, from remote wilderness, to urban campgrounds in large cities. Never have we encountered litter like here. And it's not as a result of a lack of effort to keep it clean. It's as a result of a "society" of campers who seem to consider it quite acceptable to toss anything, anywhere. I don't know if that attitude prevails in Manitoba, or Winnipeg, or if it's a demographic / socio-economic issue. This campground is very inexpensive, and close to a large city. The only other place that we've seen as much littering was on Texas road sides, but not in campgrounds.

We had borscht and holuptsi ( cabbage rolls ) for supper. The borscht was made by my sister Sharon. It was very good. We purchased the holuptsi from a road side stand near Richer. They were tasteless ! After supper I went to the picnic shelter behind our campsite and forced the two teenaged boys in there to clean up the horrible mess they had made, crumbling a huge piece of styrofoam packing into little tiny bits, and tossing the mess all over the picnic shelter floor. Then I went over to the men's bathroom and fixed a broken faucet that wouldn't turn off. I have no way of contacting maintenance after hours, and it didn't seem sensible to just let the faucet run until tomorrow morning.

My colitis seems to have taken a serious turn for the worse tonight, or I've got stomach flu or food poisoning. I'm in a bad mood ! I wonder if there's a chicken and egg question there ?

DSK

August 2, 2005

August 2, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 77 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 46

 

Today was sunny, hot, and humid.

I spent the morning making phone calls, some on the cell phone out at the park entrance gate, and some on the pay phone in the campground. Whenever I need to make phone calls using toll free numbers, I use the pay phone. After doing my regular daily preventive maintenance and inspections, I phoned the C.S. Co-op, our personal bank in Ottawa, to request that they close my account. Finally, 14 months after leaving Ottawa, it's time to close our bank account there. Then I phoned Eric Pryor, our business accountant in Ottawa , to discuss Misty Venture's fiscal year end report and corporate tax returns which I just received in the mail from Eric. He wasn't in the office, so I set up a time Thursday morning for a telephone meeting. I knew before we left Ottawa that it would take Eric at least one corporate fiscal year, and perhaps even two fiscal years, to wrap up our company's business matters. Nonetheless, I was surprised at the complexity of the corporate fiscal year end accounting for a company which has been virtually inactive for the entire fiscal year. There was an accumulation of retained annual earnings which needed to be distributed to us as dividends, as well as the matter of corporate ownership of our vehicles to resolve. Last year we "sold" the trailer from the company to ourselves, and now we have to "sell" the truck to ourselves. I am choking on Eric's billing of fees for services. I can't afford him any more, now that the company is inactive. However, he has managed the fiscal year end accounting and corporate income tax returns for our three companies since we went into business 15 years ago. I can't afford to "divorce" him yet. He knows our personal and corporate "big pictures", where we've been, and where we're going, financially. I'm going to have to swallow hard, and pay his bill for at least this year, and probably one more.

WHEW ... I just spent the last hour dealing with eight late arrivals. Due to an ongoing staff shortage problem, the campground office is opening late, and closing early this week ... again ! There is one campground office attendant with poor work ethic, low productivity when she is here, and high absenteeism. She is "sick" before, during, and after every long weekend. So instead of being open 2 shifts per day, the campground office is open only 1 shift, a modified shift from 11:00 A.M. until 6:45 P.M.. That means all incoming late arrivals staying only one night, which is most of the late arrivals, arrive too late, and leave too early, to pay either the park entrance fee, or the camping fee. Welcome to Manitoba Provincial Parks. Enjoy your free stay ! What a mismanaged system !

Anyways ... back to this morning. After setting up a meeting with Eric, I phoned my investment broker in Ottawa. Roger is in Paris, France. HMPH ... must be making too much money off my investments < snicker >. I talked to Rhonda, his assistant, to have her sell some funds, and transfer some money to our bank account, so that I can pay Eric's bill. Then I called Autopac, Manitoba's government auto insurer, to ask some questions about the truck's annual safety certification, and ramifications of corporate versus personal ownership on our insurance premiums. The provincial sales tax liability of “selling” the truck to ourselves far outweighs the advantages of personal versus corporate ownership, from an insurance cost standpoint. For now the truck can remain owned by our company, at least as far as Autopac is concerned.

Joanne prepared a picnic lunch, and we set off for the McGillivray Falls hiking trail. We drove west on Hwy. 44 past Caddy Lake to the trail head. We hiked along McGillivray Falls, which is a stream tumbling down over rocks for quite a distance, flowing out of McGillivray Lake. Bo enjoyed splashing into little deep pools below little rapids, but was surprised a few times at the strong currents. We hiked about a quarter of the way along the trail leading to McGillivray Lake, then stopped on a high bluff overlooking the lake from a distance, to eat our picnic lunch. We decided after eating lunch to back track to the trail head and parking lot, instead of completing the long, difficult hike. It was too hot and humid.

We drove from McGillivray Falls back along Hwy. 44 to Hwy. 312, then down Hwy. 312 to Ingolf, Ontario. I wanted to show Elvira's place to Joanne. We got to Ingolf, I shifted Dee-Dee into 4 X 4 Low mode, we drove across the CP tracks, then through the bush to Elvira's cottage on Macara Lake. We walked round Elvira's cottage property, then headed back towards West Hawk. We stopped at a couple of likely looking places, looking for blueberries. There were none at the first place we stopped and looked. We found a blueberry patch at the second place, but the berries were few and small. I guess it's been a bit too hot and dry lately. The blueberries are past their prime. Aren't we all ? ! We picked a small amount of berries. Well ... Joanne picked a small amount. I goofed around with the dog. HEY ... Bo finds, and eats, blueberries on his own. Smart dog, Bo ! Joanne picked, Bo ate, I lay on moss. Life is good !

Back at the trailer, we all took a nap. When we woke, Joanne headed off to Falcon Lake to buy some groceries. I checked with Kristin in the office, just as she was closing, then immediately had to begin dealing with the steady stream of late arrivals. By the time we got them all settled in, it was after 8:00, and we began to work on preparing a late supper. I fired up the barbecue, while Joanne got the food ready, then I sat out at the picnic table manning the barbecue, and working on this journal entry.

We ate supper while watching Da Vinci's Inquest, the only weekly show on CBC worth watching. Our supper was interrupted a couple of times by late arriving campers, and campers with blown breakers. We finished our day by watching the special, extended newscast reporting the crash of the Air France plane at Pearson International in Toronto. Congratulations to the Air France crew for the outstanding job of getting over 300 people, unharmed, off a crashed, burning aircraft. BRAVO ! ! !

DSK

August 1, 2005

August 1, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 76 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 45

 

Today was sunny and hot.

When I went to shower this morning just after 8:00 A.M., I was fourth in a line of six waiting for an available shower. While I was waiting for an available shower, I wandered around the outside of the shower building, and adjacent parking lot, picking up an enormous amount of litter, hoping that my actions might somehow register on the people waiting in line. But I guess that's just tilting at windmills !

The entire section H of the campground was occupied this long weekend by a very large extended family group of Filipinos. Seems to be a grandma and grandpa, and all their offspring. Looks like they had many children, and each of their children had many children. Interesting family group. They had a sort of a church service in the picnic shelter yesterday morning. The children, from infants to older teenagers, were all very quiet, attentive, and very well behaved. Not just at their church service, but all weekend. Nice change !

I went to the Manitoba Border Information Centre to get online, retrieve e-mail, and update my blog. As I was leaving, a tourist was asking at the desk for information on the Whiteshell Provincial Park Petroforms. They didn't have any information, so I intervened. I had a Petroforms brochure and Whiteshell Provincial Park map in my truck. The tourist thought I was a hero !

I made blueberry pancakes for brunch. Pancakes are one of my few specialties in the kitchen. I make very good pancakes. I learned to make pancakes from my Aunt Lena, out on the farm, when I was a teenager. I read, then napped. When I woke, we drained the kitchen and bathroom grey water tanks. Then we walked around picking up litter in sections B and H. Section H didn't need much clean up, considering the size of the family group that was in there this weekend. The area along the fence between section B, and the bar, certainly needed a lot of clean up. Joanne went to pick wild raspberries in the forest behind the shower building. I took Bo for an obedience walk. He was much too hot, so we didn't stay out long. Joanne wasn't out long, either. The raspberries were pretty slim pickings.

We barbecued burgers for supper. While we were eating, Sylvia from the campground office came over for a short visit, more with Teddy and Bo than with us. We watched another Michael Moore film Sharon lent us, Fahrenheit 9/11.

DSK

July 31, 2005

July 31, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 75 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 44

 

Happy birthday to my brother, Russell.

Today was another sunny, very warm day.

Well ... colour me wrong ! I spent the morning sitting outside at the picnic table, drinking coffee, reading the captivating book Joanne bought for me yesterday. I didn't think I would like it, but now that I've started to read it, I can't put it down. It's the autobiography of Dr. David Suzuki. The early chapters are a fascinating retrospective on how the Canadian and British Columbia governments treated Japanese Canadians during and after the Second World War.

We had lunch, I read some more, then fell asleep for awhile. When I woke, I did my regular, daily preventive maintenance and inspections, then worked on disinfecting the fresh water holding tank. It's a task I do every three months, as a precaution, because we fill with water in so many different places as we travel. Who knows what evil lurks in some water supplies ?

Ooops ! I just spilled Diet Coke on my laptop. Lorri just phoned to ask how we weathered last night's storm. What storm ? All we had was a brilliant lightening display. There was such a severe storm last night in Winnipeg that Doug's return flight from Los Angeles was unable to land at Winnipeg, and was diverted to Grand Forks, North Dakota. He returned home today around noon, about 12 hours late.

I spent the rest of the afternoon continuing to read my new book. We barbecued steak for me, pork chop for Joanne, and butternut squash. After supper, we went for a long walk around the campground. Bo enjoyed a dip in the lake. We walked to the office to check on available sites. None ! Even the two "emergency" sites were filled. We sat around outside for awhile, doing some activities planning. As the "dog days of summer" settle upon us, and my colitis has been bothering me for a few weeks, we've become lethargic. I want to be more active. Maybe Bo isn't the only one getting hitch itch. We took Teddy outside for a short walk around. We played with Bo and his tennis ball. While we were playing with the tennis ball behind the picnic shelter, Bo squirmed out of his harness. Ooops ! Good thing he was hot and tired, and willingly came back to the trailer to get a drink of water. Sometimes when he "escapes", he's extremely difficult to catch.

We watched a movie, on DVD, lent to us by Sharon. Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine, a scathing commentary on American's "right to bear arms". We watched the video on the laptop, with the audio playing through the stereo's speakers. Worked very well !

At 12:30 A.M. I stepped outside the trailer to discover ... WHAT ? A group of 4 drunk, young adults pitching a tent on my campsite, on the other side of my truck. I asked them what they were doing ? Oh ... they were just going to camp beside my truck over night. I advised them that the campground was full, and they would have to leave. They wanted to discuss and debate the issue. I don't think so. Their plea was that they "had nowhere else to go". Yeah ? Well ... go tell someone who gives a rat's ass. Couldn't I "do them a favour" ? Yeah, sure ! I'll give you 10 minutes to get off my campsite and out of the campground before I have the R.C.M.P. come and toss you out ! How's that for a favour ?

DSK

July 30, 2005

July 30, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 74 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 43

 

Today was sunny and very warm.

It was a day of lazing doing around, not doing much of anything. When I returned from showering this morning, Joanne and Bo were still in bed, so I rejoined them. We lay around for most of the morning. I did regular preventive maintenance, then Joanne left to go to Falcon Lake for some groceries, and to shop at Falcon Lake's big, long weekend flea market. I began to read a Reader's Digest Condensed Book that I picked up at Sharon's. It was my parent's. It's over 50 years old, and the first story certainly shows its age. Joanne returned from Falcon Lake with a book she purchased for me, for 50 cents. Oh, well ... at least the price was right, considering it's a book I'm not interested in. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth ! HA !

We spent the afternoon reading today's newspaper. I napped. I did a bit of work on the incoming mail we picked up at Sharon's on Thursday. Joanne barbecued potatoes and vegetables while I cooked pickerel for supper. After supper, I went down to the campground office to check on available sites for tonight, etc.. Then we took Bo for a short obedience walk, followed by a pleasure walk around the campground. The campground looks very littered, which is typical for long weekends. I worked on backing up all my computer files, today's accounting, and today's journal entry.

DSK

July 29, 2005

July 29, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 73 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 42

 

Another sunny, warm day.

I slept poorly at the Carlson's last night. I tossed and turned, waking up during the night drenched in sweat. I opened some windows in the room. Lorri had closed all the windows earlier because the mosquito fogging truck was spraying on her street late in the evening. We had the door to Madeleine's room, where we were sleeping, closed to keep Teddy and Bo in with us. So it turned onto a bit of a sauna in the bedroom. And not to help matters at all, my colitis was bothering me during the night. When returning to the bedroom from using the bathroom, I guess I didn't shut the bedroom door properly, because shortly after, Bo left the room and went into Lorri's bedroom and woke her up. I woke up this morning feeling exhausted.

I made a bunch of phone calls this morning, getting quotes on the brake work the truck needs. Madeleine, Amelia, and I took Bo for a long walk around the neighbourhood. They seem to enjoy walking the dog ... and carrying the cat. Poor Teddy was frequently getting carried around the living room by the two of them. The girls and I played together in the back yard until lunch. We left shortly after lunch to drive back to West Hawk Lake. We stopped at three places along the highway looking for good quality, well priced wild rice. We decided who had the best deal, and we'll buy some next time we go to Winnipeg. We stopped at Falcon Lake to buy some milk and bread, and fill up Dee-Dee with diesel. When we got back to West Hawk, we unloaded and put away our over night stuff, then I took a nap. Whew ... I was so tired !

When I awoke, I installed the wiring that allows me to hook up either the computer, or the Walkman, through the stereo speakers. We listened to a CD in the trailer, for the first time in a long time. It was a nice change from CBC Radio. We barbecued burgers for supper, then did our regular Friday evening walk around the campground, promoting tonight's Amphitheatre program. Just before we set off, Beth and Samantha came by to inform us that tonight's special guest, Smokey The Bear, was unable to be at tonight's presentation as planned. Seems he was unavoidably detained in Quebec fighting a forest fire < rolling eyes > ! After our walk around, Bo decided he was going to bed. Okay ... we went to the Amphitheatre program without him. Poor little Bo. He can't keep up with Madeleine and Amelia. HA HA HA ! After the Amphitheatre program we wandered over to the campground office to see how registrations were going, etc., before the office closed for the evening. Most of tonight's incoming campers seemed to be arriving later than typical for a long weekend Friday. It's now almost 11:00 P.M. and there's still a half dozen campers, with reservations for tonight, not yet arrived.

DSK

July 28, 2005

July 28, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 72 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 41

 

Today was sunny and warm.

First thing this morning we headed off to Steinbach, Lorette, and Winnipeg. West on TCH 1 to Hwy. 12, then south on Hwy. 12 to Steinbach. As we were driving down the Trans-Canada, a bird hit the windshield. DAMN ! Goodbye, little bird. We stopped at Clearspring Mall where I bought the stereo wiring I needed, at Circuit City. Then it was over to South East Vet Clinic to buy a cat piller, and check if Teddy's blood test results were back from the lab yet. The piller is a syringe like device to administer pills to cats. Giving Teddy his new hyperthyroidism pills is becoming more difficult, as he becomes more resistant. His lab test results were indeed back, and I reviewed them with the vet. His T4 thyroid hormone level has dropped from 90 to 9. The pills are working ! And he can now go from 2 pills a day down to one. Hooray ! From there we drove down the back roads to Lorette. We dropped Teddy and Bo off at the Danelak's leaving them in the back yard gazebo. Sharon & Bud followed us back to Landmark, where I dropped off the truck for service at the GM dealer. Then they drove us back to Steinbach, where we went for lunch at the restaurant at the Dutch Connection Inn. Lunch was okay ... not spectacular, not terrible. After lunch we stopped at Canadian Tire, where Sharon needed to exchange a recent purchase, then they drove me back to the GM dealer in Landmark. Joanne went with Sharon and Bud back to their place, while I dealt with the truck. I looked a new one ton diesel dually on the dealer's lot, the 2005 version of Dee-Dee. YIKES ! ! ! $64,000 ! ! ! Guess we won't be parting with Dee-Dee just yet. I finished up at the dealership, then drove back to Sharon's & Bud's in Lorette, where Joanne, Teddy, and Bo were waiting for me. We had dessert, visited for awhile, and it was time to leave for the Carlson's, where we're spending the night.

Lorri invited us to visit, and spend the night, because Doug is gone to Los Angeles for a few days. He's allergic to Teddy and Bo, so staying for an over night visit, with the animals, was only possible when Doug was away. We drove into Winnipeg, to the Carlson's, arriving just as Lorri was leaving with Madeleine and Amelia, for their swimming lessons. Joanne went with them. I stayed in the house, along with Teddy and Bo, and I started getting caught up on myonline work. They returned from their swimming lessons. We had supper. Joanne and Lorri visited on the porch. The girls played with Bo and Teddy. Bo found, and chewed, the girls' little flute / recorder. I guess it looked just like a West Hawk Lake stick ! Stupid dog ! I continued getting caught up on a backlog of work I needed to do online. Lorri put the girls to bed, and while she and Joanne visited in the family room, I worked on today's accounting and journal entry. Joanne is complaining that I've spent too much time on the computer this evening.

DSK