The Truck Is Sold And I Made A Friend

I just sold the truck. We don't need a one ton anymore . We don't tow anything and we don't need to move pianos anymore.The buyer is planning on picking it up it in about one week. I have a good deposit so I'm sure it is done. It will be strange not owning a truck. We have had one since 1980.

As we talked about the truck I mentioned that I was from Winnipeg. He asked where I lived in Winnipeg and I said near Polo Park. I asked him if he knew where that was.  Apparently he use to drive his bike from Transcona to Polo Park on Sunday mornings and climb over the chain link fence that surrounded the 8 outdoor trampolines for a free bounce. We had a good laugh cuz I use to do the same thing. I seem to remember going over there with my friend Len Dombrowski on our bikes. I looked for a picture on the net of them but nothing turned up. There were 8 holes dug into the asphalt with trampolines stretched across the tops. We use to bounce from one to the next. Such fun for young boys. We then had a good laugh about riding our bikes on the Monkey Trails at Omand Creek. Meeting him brought back many fond memories.

We Got An Offer

We got an offer on the house yesterday from a couple in Norway.

We countered but haven't heard back. We both love it here and are having second thoughts about leaving. They will have to come up to our price to get us out.

Where else will we ever get sunsets like these.

Me And Daisy…….Road Trip

So our friends Bruce and Heather gave us an old High -Low table off of their new boat.  I was thrilled with this gift. These tables are expensive because of the mechinism that is built into the pedestal . I figured I would build a new table using the pedestal but time is running out. Luckily all the parts fit in the Mercedes trunk once I disassembled the table for what I have planned.

Brad (Carrie's partner) has a step dad who is a master craftsman. He specializes in working on West Coast Yachts. Definitely the best shipwright I have ever met. I asked him a few days ago if he could build a table for our boat and luckily he said he would love to. His work is legendary on the west coast. I have the old table with the pedestal that he needed to use as a sample for his creation. He agreed to do the job on Wednesday and I told him I would be there on Thursday with the sample. I love the ride between Kelowna and Vancouver. 

They finally upped the speed limit on the Connector.

I think it is all right to take a few speed liberties when ever possible.

Joe was busy in his shop when I arrived. He has the best wood working shop I have ever seen. I think he could retire if he cashed out this shop. I talked about that a little today but he loves what he does.

So he went out and bought a solid block of teak for our table. He doesn't like veneer . He says that it could bubble from the humidity on a boat. 

So he takes a solid block of wood and cuts it on the band saw. These boards are a little under 1/4 inch thick.

Next he lays them out in the pattern he wants and laminates them onto a 3/4 inch thick piece of hardwood plywood. He says it will never warp or bubble. I love a perfectionist.

When I left Vancouver I heard on the radio that there was a terrible tourist bus accident on highway 5 . Just where I was heading. The radio said the highway was going to be closed until tomorrow so I called Ruth to find me an alternative route. Only 3 hours longer to get home. Rats. So I feed Daisy every day at 5:00 but we wouldn't be home till 9:30. I stopped in Hope and bought her some beef hamburger . I wish she could speak. I'd love to tell her all the things I do for her. Anyways , she seemed happy. PIG.

I also bought myself a pre cooked chicken dinner at Coopers in Hope. I thought it was quick , easy and likely better than something from Timmies , A & W or M'cDicks.  This is the bear proof garbage can about 2 miles down the Hope Princeton Highway. What a pile of crap they were selling in that Coopers store. If I lived there or were at least there over night I would definitely take it back with a big complaint. Coopers should be ashamed.

The ride back on the Hope Princeton Highway is beautiful. Going to Vancouver on the Connector is beautiful with the mountains and it is unbelievable to come back from Van thru the Hope Princeton on the flats.

I got home at 9:30 to a nice meal that Ruth made for me as I pulled in . I wish I didn't have the detour because I would have been home at 7:00 instead. I can't complain . I still got here and my day was definitely better than those poor people who were on that bus that crashed on the highway by Merritt. I'm a lucky boy.

My Friend Schmidt (the m is silent) visits Kelowna

My buddy Brian came for a couple of days from Calgary. He had sold a grand piano to an old folks home in Penticton and I suggested he drop ship it here and we could deliver it together. We picked it up together from the depot on Tuesday afternoon and uncrated it in the truck.

The ride to Penticton was nice and bumpy in this big rental truck. Daisy rode shotgun. I think she thought it was going to be fun.

    Fun until Brian actually started driving. Anyone who has driven with Brian knows what I mean. Daisy didn't take her eyes off of him the whole ride.I'm sure that if she could talk she would have been saying things like WATCH OUT and YIKES. Hahaha

I got the piano tuned and Brian set up the lid support.

It's a really nice facility. We finished up at 2:45 just as the residents were setting up a wine and cheese for happy hour. I could live here.

 On the way home Brian stopped to pick up some flowers for Ruth. Nice.

He bonded with Daisy over the coarse of the day. They are now best buddies. I was glad to see this. Last time I went to Calgary I took Daisy and stayed at his home. Unfortunately Daisy bit him when we were there but I sided with Daisy. He deserved it.

Ruth made some unbelievably good fresh cherry ice cream. Yumm.

Daisy hung around Brian all night.

We had a nice evening by the fire pit. I had been saving these keys from my 1869 steinway for a special night. 

This was it.

This wood was so old it didn't produce any sparks or ash. I guess the secret to a good fire is to burn 145 year old wood.

Our Sunday Hike

We started off with a hike thru Scenic Canyon to see Tracy's bench. 

Charlie and Daisy aka. Minnie me

The bench is still there and someone has been trimming the Irises we planted just after she passed away. Nice to see someone has been taking the effort .

The Canyon has a great swimming hole. I'm surprised that it isn't busy with young families.

At the end of the trail there is a wreck of a car that we have been looking at for years.

We all take guesses at what we think it could be.

There is no way it could have been driven to this location.

Once upon a time someone had to have pushed it from the top of this cliff. Hope no one was in it at the time.

Kerr's Annual BBQ

We were invited to the Kerr's annual BBQ that is held on their lake property every year. What was different this year is that it will be the last one we get to go to. They sold the lake lot. They still have the farm above us so at least we won't be loosing them as neighbours. Michael and his sister gave a nice send off speech to their place. Every one toasted their parents for having the foresight to buy this land 68 years ago.

Ruth enjoying the sunset with Senator Ross Fitzpatrick and his wife Linda. Linda and I had a laugh when she was trying to pour herself a glass of wine but the screw top was still on. I finally said ,"why don't you unscrew the top. It will likely work better." Hahaha. She said  she isn't use to screw tops. She usually drinks from bottles with corks. I told her she now sounds like a snob. Hahaha. She also told me not to tell anyone about this. That was her second mistake. Hahaha.

They are going to miss this piece of land. It is so peaceful here on the water.

A Dog Adventure

We had to go to the Vet's on Friday to get Daisy's papers signed for her entrance to the Bahamas. She was very well behaved. When we arrived she sniffed everywhere .

Once on the examining table she started to pant and wanted to leave.

She settled down after the examination.

The Dr. gave her a shot which she didn't even notice ( He's very good ) and he told me she would be acting a little tired for the next 24 hours. He was right. What was funny here was that she wiggled into this blanket very carefully on her own so that she was covered and cozy when she finally got into position.

We Met Ruby This Evening

We invited Keith and Debbie over for dinner tonight. We also asked them to bring Helen , Debbie's mom who is turning 90 this year and their new addition to the family.

RUBY

Such a sweet dog.  Nothing better than a Chocolate Lab. I think there must have been a mouse in this garden.

She finally settled down at the edge of the garden to watch us.They must have run her good before coming over because she was so well behaved. Not overly rambunctious like a 4 month old puppy.

 Even Daisy seemed to tolerate her quite well. What was funny was that Daisy never lays on this cushion or chews a rawhide but when we brought them out for Ruby ,  Daisy took right over.

It was a really nice evening. We got to sit outside after dinner and talk but it did turn chilly near the end of the evening. 

I mentioned to Ruth that I was cold . All she said was  "Florida , Here we come". I couldn't agree more.

Hanging Out With Ruth Today

It was a nice day. We spent the morning sitting at the kitchen bar drinking coffee until 11:30 when we thought we should start our day. After a quick shower and ride we headed down the path to Paul's Tomb. 

It was another mile to the tomb and Ruth had an appointment at the bank in about one hour so we found a nice bench in the shade to sit at which we could enjoy our lunch on together. While sitting there we had 3 separate couples walk past us with pit bulls. I don't know why they are so popular. Scary dogs. I put Daisy on the bench between us and she kept quiet as they passed . They in turn never even noticed her.  Thank goodness. I've been bit once too often while holding her.

The lake view from our bench was wonderful.

We spent the day going to the bank  ,  stopping at the Italian shop for cheese that we want for tomorrow's dinner , lake view market for meat we want for the dinner ( the best for our friends who are coming with their mom ) and then a thrift store which was disappointing and a couple of stops at two farmers markets. It was late when we got home. Daisy was hungry. 

We had a nice dinner and watched the movie "Searching For Sugar Man " .  A documentary on Detroit singer-songwriter Rodriguez . 

It is very good. Worth watching. 

During our travels today we saw this house that had a small Dory attached to a wall for decoration. Quite nice.

We're Back Home

It's nice to be home. Everything was left in good shape. I missed this view.

Ruth missed this view. We both have our favourite spots.

The renters left some drinks in the wine cooler. Our friend Julie drinks 2-3 Orange Sunkist every day . She tells us that is the reason for her Orange /Red hair.

We found a better drink  for her in the wine cooler.

Note , the 7% on the label.

I had to run some papers about our water system over to our unfriendly neighbour Billy this morning. 

He's been busy this summer. I laughed so hard when I saw what he has done to his front porch I had to take this picture to show Ruth.

How to change a nice house into a dogs breakfast. 

I wonder where he put those stairs that use to be there.

Ruth washed down the house on Sunday . The window washer comes tomorrow.

I worked some more on my kayak.