My new Hangout

I have been tuning the piano every day this week at the Vernon Performing Art Centre.  It hasn't been used for the summer and so the first tuning took me close to 3 hours. Yesterday it was almost 2 hours and today I hope it is 1.5 hours. By tomorrow it should be back to holding where it was last year. It is impossible to let a concert Steinway sit for 6 months and throw it directly into a concert and expect it to hold. The first two concerts were played by a young Russian who I think was happy just to have a Steinway to play on. I think this piano should be retired as it is over 100 years old and has had the heart and life played out of it.

I had a good laugh yesterday afternoon at my customers house. Monday was short counter day and yesterday was tall counter day. I asked my customer if she had installed the counters or did the house come like this. She said they were already in when they bought the house. She is short and the kitchen counter and bar was almost up to her shoulder. Here I am standing up as straight as I can. You can see how high the counter came up my waist. I wish I could have gotten a picture of her standing beside it but I didn't have the nerve to ask. She thinks the height is great.

She had a cute dog. Just like Daisey. Same mixed breed with the same underbite. Only a different color.

Rainy Monday

So my friend Dana lives in Edmonton but has a town house here on the lake that is experiencing some water problems whenever it rains heavily. I offered to check it while he is not living here and so I went over there today during the rain to check it out. The place was fine upon inspection so as I was heading out the door I decided to check out the bathroom. I laughed so hard when I was standing beside the shower and looked over at the counter. I thought of the three bears story and figured I must be in baby bears bathroom. I have never seen such a low counter in my life. I'm standing up straight here.

I looked over into the mirror and had another laugh. Holding the camera level with my head made the top of the mirror level with my shoulders. My back would likely give way if I had to spend any time bent over to see myself in the mirror.

The townhouse must have been built by little people. I can't wait until I can tease Dana about the three bears bathroom. I feel like a giant in this place.
Carrie came over tonight to do some work on a kitchen seating area she bought that was too big. I love when she comes over and we have projects to work on together. She is so talented and fun to be with.

So Ruth made up a desert with strawberries that she picked out of the garden with Jack last night. I'm sitting there watching Jack eat the strawberries and whip cream when out of the blue he looks up at Ruth and gives her a big thumbs up. No talking. Just a big thumbs up and then he goes back to eating. It was so cute. I love this little kid. We're finding him so funny at this stage as he learns all these new antics.

What I did this week

Thursday morning I had to set up a Steinway in one of my customers homes. She bought this piano sight unseen in Alberta last year from an elderly lady who was moving into a home. The piano had sat on a skid in her living room for about one year wrapped in blankets. She didn't even know what it looked like. She had paid $15000. for this instrument and I was unveiling it to her for the first time. I figured I was in for a terrible morning but was pleasantly surprised. Someone has rebuilt this piano and they did a great job with it. It was likely one of the nicest small Steinways I have ever worked on. The iPhone camera doesn't really show it off very well. Hopefully I get my camera back from the shop soon.

When I left her place I drove into Vernon to tune a piano that I had rebuilt and Dale refinished recently on Campbell Mountain. The view from my customers front yard is spectacular. That is Okanagan lake way down there.

He has  great dane dog for a guard dog. He's really not much of a guard dog. I almost drowned from the slobber. It is a huge animal. Once again I wish I had my camera back.

It was my day for dogs. I had a customer come in and buy a small piano from me later in the day. They had the cutest little dog with them.  I never thought I would like small dogs.

Saturday morning Ruth and I went past the kids place to pick up Carrie and Jack. We wanted them to visit the farmers market with us. I like the coffee guy that is set up there on Saturday's. Its a very busy place with lots to see.

Jack wanted to check out the Alpacas. The baby Alpaca is only 4 weeks old. Still very cute.

Back home Jack was showing me how he protects his hearing when he goes to use the lawn mower.

We all headed down the greenway for an afternoon walk before his nap time. This little strider bike has trained him for balance. We couldn't keep up with him once he got rolling. Its a very cool trainer.

So I was talking with Sharon on skype last night and asked her if she had a good day. She had to think about it. She's soo cute. I love her to pieces.

After we hung up I went outside to the most beautiful sunset.

I had a good laugh this afternoon as I walked behind my motorcycle. I heard a foreign noise and so I  stopped to try and figure out what it was. There has been a grizzly bear sighting and a cougar sighting in Kelowna this last week and because we live on the edge town I am always watching and listening for whatever might be out there. This turned out to be the cutest little squirrel about 5 feet from me eating the buds off one of our bushes. It made me laugh. I thought this was a great picture. Brave little guy.

I'm Starting To Worry About Me

My camera has been in for repair the last 3 weeks and so I am not too motivated to take pictures with my iPhone. I think that is why I am not doing my blog as much as I like to. BUT  I do feel like writing about what I did today. I had a morning estimate on a piano and then headed to the Art Centre for a coffee. I'm getting the coffee and one of the gals there asked me if I would like to try the quiche. I don't know where this came from but I said sure. Oh Oh.    Next I headed out to get my hair done at a beauty salon where Ruth had bought a special session for me. Oh Oh.     I found myself sitting in this foreign feeling building waiting for what was to be a new experience.

The girl came in and led me by the hand to this cubical and started performing some type of strange ritual on me. I must admit it felt good but I had a strange urge to call out  my old Italian barber's name.

Last time my hair looked like this I weighed 10 lbs 3 ounces and there was a pretty nurse holding me while calling me man mountain.  I have to laugh thinking about this cuz now I am as big as man mountain and have hair like a newborn and I'd love to have that nurse holding me again.

Now to top it off Ruth is gone for the weekend and my buddy Randy just emailed me to say that we are going on a date together because he got two tickets for us to go to some type of show on friday evening . His wife is gone as well for a while. Something just doesn't feel right.  I feel like I need to do some guy stuff so I hope I can get Randy to go hunting with me on Sunday. I got my gun out and started to oil it up . For some reason I am starting to feel better.

I think we both could use this. I'm going to go and pick up a moose and mule license tomorrow before I come home. I feel better already. I miss my Italian barber.

Sunday Morning at Home

I slept in this morning and Ruth had been up for a while not watching the clock. We missed our Sunday morning walk and our friends phoned us at 8:05 to ask where we were. OOPS. I finally got up and made some coffee , sat down at the computer and answered some mail that came in overnight. I saw a youtube on Carries face book page that I thought was cool.This is worth sharing. Who thinks of these things

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOl4vwhwkW8&feature=player_embedded

THE NUT IS ON THE LOOSE AGAIN

I couldn't believe what I was seeing this afternoon when I got home. Our neighbor " Billy " hasn't been too bad this last year or so. They had gotten him on meds that worked but obviously they have outstayed their usefulness. The southern strip of my driveway is on his property but we have a 12 foot easement. For some unknown reason he has decided to cover all the dirt along the driveway with landscape cloth and large rocks. When Ruth saw this she asked what he was doing but he wouldn't talk to her. He just kept laying rocks in what I imagine to be strategic spots in his mind. I won't let this upset me because there is no winning with an IDIOT . Hopefully there is a bright spot about to appear with this latest event.

                              This is looking down the south bend of our driveway.

                                               Looking up the driveway

He did say that my pump for my pool was loud and annoying him. I think it is likely the voices in his head that are driving him crazy because my pump is totally enclosed and high above his property.
This is a picture of the proximity of my enclosed pump to his house. You can just see the top of his house on this angle.

I guess there is one of these types in every neighborhood. I'm just glad we don't have a strata with him in it. That would be terrible.

Last stop was Parksville

We spent a day with Sharon and her family at Masatchi Lake. It was a nice visit. I can't believe that I didn't take any pictures. I think my problem lately is that I broke my camera and have to use my iPhone camera for anything I want to take. I don't like its results so I tend not to take any pictures. I should have my camera back in a few weeks. After we left Sharon's we headed up island to Qualicum / Parksville area. Wayne was my best friend in Winnipeg for many years. We both were members of the Manitoba Yacht Club and we did a lot of boating together on Lake Winnipeg and later in Lake of the Woods. We always have a great time when we visit together. Wayne gave us the nickel tour of the ares while Sylvia stayed back at the ranch preparing one of her signature dinners. She is a fantastic cook.

The beach in Qualicum  is beautiful. If I was to live on the Island this is where it would be. I could easily live in this area.

So we got the garden tour and Ruth had her picture taken with Wayne. They live in a beautiful neighborhood. I wish we lived closer.

We had wine on the deck and that fantastic meal inside as it was cold out once the sun went down.

Our ferry was heading back to the mainland at an early departure so everyone was up near sunrise. I think Wayne and Sylvia likely went back to bed for a few hours after we left. It's one of the advantages of being retired. Ruth thinks she is so funny.

So the trip home was uneventful . Nice blue sky and the bikes run perfectly. I did laugh out loud at one point. We were just 10 minutes before Hope riding along somewhere between 115 and 120 kilometers per hour when I heard a noise that sounded like a big mosquito coming up on my left side. Here was a scooter passing us at what I figure was about 125 or so. I didn't know they could go that fast and I know for sure I wouldn't want to be riding one at that speed. I'm still laughing at that sight. I wish I could have taken a picture of this little scooter passing two big Harley's. Must have been funny to see.

Heading to Vancouver Island

We left Texada on the 9:00  A.M. ferry. I liked the island for a visit but I know that I couldn't live on an island. I even find Vancouver Island a little restricting . I like being with a larger population. The harbor on Texada is interesting looking. It was a great morning. Nice weather and a beautiful ride across the island to get to the ferry.

So we are hanging around the ferry dock that we need to be at to catch the next ferry from Powell River to Comox on Vancouver island.  They have a sign there for the Texada ferry and I walked into it . I was looking down at my cel phone as I was walking along the sidewalk.

I got a good cut on my head just at my hair line. I was so mad I wanted to sue someone. You would think that a government  business would have the sense to put the sign higher than 5 feet.

We finally caught the ferry to Comox and I settled in for the 1.5 hr. trip. I must have been tired cux I don't usually fall asleep on my bike like this but I slept most of the way there. It was a ring side seat.

Ruth says people were coming up to look at me sleeping. I think that bus load of Japanese tourists took lots of pictures. You can't get this relaxed on a Jap bike. Harley's Rule.

Last Day on Texada

Doby showed us a terrific time while we were on Texada island.He does some wonderful things in his community for the kids. He has organized a camp for kids that teaches them all about the aviation business. He has spent the first part of his life involved with flight . 

The last 35 years has been spent as an artist and he has brought art to the schools on Texada. He was the instigator who had the kids paint the mural on the wall of the school . He painted the black and white scenes and helped the kids to paint a color copy.  It was a nice story he told of how all the kids were involved. This Island is lucky to have such a wonderful person  living here.

Doby spent the day showing us around their beautiful island. Every where we stopped he had a story to tell. He has that gift of making everything interesting.

He took us on a hike thru one of the parks that followed the ocean. It was great. A little short but we had to head back to the house to make supper. You can see that we were in a rain forest. The cedar trees were huge.

So the B & B had a pet pig called Boinky. This was one spoiled pig. She doesn't move around much anymore and spends most of the day tucked under this blanket.

I would like to come back as Boinky. She is a beautiful pig.

We had a wonderful evening sitting around Doby's house . He sang songs of Texada Island to entertain us and they were great. We learnt a lot about the island from these songs.

Then he helped me in the kitchen with the dinner. He was my Sous-chef. I sure hope he is more fastidious on the aircraft engines he works on than the food he is supposed to be preparing for our meals.
I caught this slice of pepper on its way into a stir fry .  He didn't seem to care. I guess if I cooked it a little longer the paper would become tender.

Texada Island

This has been a great adventure.We are on an Island that encompasses  thousands of acres and there are no predators . They say there are no bears or cougars here . That is what they say but as I sit out here on the deck of our B & B  I am hearing lots of noises in the bush behind me. I'm not scared BUT....
We had a nice ferry ride over yesterday . This was Ruth laid out on her bike in the parking lot waiting for the ferry.

Once we got here we headed straight to the house of Doby. A quaint and happy sort of place.  He is an artist who has carved himself a wonderful place on this island. I was friends with him 35 years ago in Winnipeg where we use to race British sports cars together. He was a Mini buff and I was big on Healey Sprites. It feels like a past life but we are still like brothers. It was wonderful to see him again. He took us around the island today and showed us a few of the sites. This was a beautiful quarry that they sometimes go swimming in. It is beautiful down here.

Notice how the water accentuates the color of Doby's hat. Very striking.

I was happy to spend this time with my old buddy. He is a very kind man. Readers digest could easily write an article on him as one of my most unforgettable characters.

On The Road Again

We were going to leave early Saturday morning but stayed up too late celebrating Shelly's birthday. When we got up I decided that I didn't feel like riding into Vancouver so we just hung out at home for the day. I was nice and relaxing. Sunday morning the bikes were loaded and ready to leave by 7:30.

It was a beautiful ride over the mountains. A little cold. Only 50 degrees Fahrenheit. We had all the leathers on and I think Ruth even put on her electric jacket.

We made the Sechelt Ferry landing by by early afternoon and had a short wait. Lots of nice bikers to talk to. What I like about being a biker is that most of my fellow travelers are very friendly and they all seem to have great stories that they are willing to share with you on their adventures. Ruth had an interesting conversation with this couple. I saw her get off the bike once they were on the ferry and walk to the back of their trailer to open it up.

She grabbed a water bowl from inside of the trailer and opened a side door for her dog to get out. Then she went and threw the old water over the side and got fresh for the dog.

It was a terrific dog. They were just getting back from a trip that they had taken to Quebec. She is French and her husband has been learning to speak the language. He thought it would be a great adventure to practice what he has learnt and so they headed out with their dog in tow. He was saying that the dog gets the trailer during the day and they get it at night. It is seeing things like this that make me realize anything is possible. I told her that I hoped to come back in my next life as her dog. She laughed and told me that if it was in God's plan It would likely happen. They had a nice rig.

The coastal range is beautiful as we headed up to the sunshine coast. We have never done this on the bikes before and after today we decided to take a few weeks here next year to explore this part of Canada. It is absolutely beautiful.

I love watching Ruth read. She enjoys her down time immensely. I was busy playing with my iPad while she was in her book. Funny how we all have different joys.

We got to my cousins place just out of Gibson's Landing and settled in for the night. Les is my Dad's brothers son. I have met him quite a few times in my earlier years but this visit was special. We had a good visit with Jean as well but she had other commitments that called her away for the evening. They are such a nice couple . I could see that they have carved a wonderful life out here for themselves.

I was happy to spend the evening learning more about the Moir clan from Les. He has become the family historian. Les has spent countless hours on the net researching our ancestry. He has even been to Scotland to visit Aberdeen where we hailed from. Les was telling me how he has been able to go back as far as 1610 when Alexander Moir was involved during the Crusades in Scotland with William the Bruce. He is going to send me the document that he has put together showing each generation since then. I stayed up late listening to him and I found  it was most interesting. It is wonderful that someone in this family has spent the time doing this.

Les is quite amazing. He built this house himself while working for UBC 4 days on and 3 days off in the 80's. It took him 6 years and he did a terrific job. From what I could see every drywall joint was flawless and all the trim lined up perfectly. I was very impressed and I don't impress easily.

The house is not set up for guests so we got to sleep in their motor home in the front 40. That was fine by me. It was nice and quiet with fantastic ocean air for deep sleeps. It was funny how they told us there were bears hanging around their yard just as we were heading out the door for bed. I sent Ruth out first.

The hydrangea in the back yard is about 25 years old and absolutely beautiful. I feel like a giant standing beside Les.

Everything grows so big on the coast. Ruth couldn't get over their Rosemary.