This was so cute

We had a visitor this morning. 

Everyone loves how nice these flowers smell. 

Working around the yard

End of June we went to Ellie’s grade four graduation in city park. There were about 30 kids involved with this event. It was very interesting to say the least. She goes to a school for autistic children. It’s a great school and she’s come a long way since getting into it. You’d never know she was autistic to meet her but she does have some characteristics that give her away. She had a great day. 

After we got home she was spoiled by Ruth for the rest of the evening.

Carrie and the kids are going to the island for a few days and so she brought their bird Gigi over to our place to babysit. She’s a very sweet bird. Her wings are  clipped  but she still can make it up to the log crossover in the living room. We just have to remember to keep the doors shut. She got away last year when Carrie left her door open and Carrie  remarkably got her back about half a mile down the rail trail. I think it scared Gigi more than anything to have that freedom.

I went and got a pile of rhubarb from Ruths garden to make some pies. I love rhubarb pie. 

I’m getting pretty fast at doing this.

I made a couple of small ones that I can snack on when I’m hungry.

Done to perfection if I may say so myself.

Carrie and I finished framing in the pergola. We’re going to be sheeting it once this is done.

I went and picked up the metal in Vernon. The sheets were 16 feet long so I borrowed John’s flat deck. My dump trailer is only 10 feet so it was too much of a hassle to let it hang over that much.



I had a hell of a time getting that metal off the trailer. It was heavier than I thought it would be. I ended up using the bobcat with the forks on it to get it off. 

Carrie has gone to the island to see her sister so I had a friend come and give me a hand. I handed the panels up to him and then he screwed them down. 

It went pretty fast. We had it done in about two hours.

I’m very pleased with the way this side of our house is starting to look.

I still have to do something to make the deck look better. It’s only one year old but where exposed to this Okanagan sun it has turned really gray even though we had a good sealer on it.

I know this is going to be our favorite spot to hang out. 

I like hanging out in my wood working shop. It’s something I’ve always wanted. John gave me a plank of Douglas Fir that has a purple streak running thru it. I saw it as he started to mill it. The core of the log had this beautiful color. He says there was some type of mineral in the ground where it was growing that did this. It’s almost all used up now but I have been able to make a few things with it. I love how these Charcuteri boards have turned out. I made the closest one in the picture for Ruth. Not sure where the others are going. 

I made a matching crib board with the last piece of purple Douglas Fir that I had. I can’t stop staring at it. 

It’s such a beautiful piece of wood. 

This is my keeper crib board. 

We went on a camping trip

But just before we left I had to solve a water problem. 

Carrie Sent me a text 2 nights before camping trip saying that our water system had mud in it. From my experience of taking care of our water system on Lakeshore I was pretty sure we had a crack in the line.

I went and turned on the taps in one of our bathrooms. This didn’t look very promising.

I had the same results in our bathroom sink.

When I drain the water out of the sink I could see how much mud was mixed into it.

I gave a call to The man who owns our water utility and he said they had flushed the lines a week earlier. We both decided I should run my lowest outdoor water line for two or three hours and see if everything cleared up. I hooked a hose up to the hose bib in my workshop that is below Carrie‘s house. I ran the line into the ditch out front and let it go for about three hours. This made my day. Clean water. After my experience running the water system on Lakeshore for seven houses I am always worried whenever there is a problem. Lakeshore was a nightmare. 

The day before we left for the camping trip Carrie and I finished the Pergola across the deck I had started the year before. You can tell that she’s an engineer by the way she moved that one beam. She needed a hammer to whack it over but it was closer together a cut off piece of the beam and smash away with it instead. It didn’t work. And it made me laugh.

I’m pretty sure Workmen’s Comp. would have something to say about this. Sandals and grinders it usually go together but she did slide her glasses onto the top of her head and put on a pair of safety lenses.

My measurements are out on the first two beams we put up. I was 1 inch short on the web and if we didn’t correct it now it would’ve shown over a foot at the other end. I’m glad I did a measurement before we went any further.

We were both tired after we had taken the first two beams apart and re-measured what we did is just put everything up there and got ready for the next day.

We started early and it only took a few hours to get everything in place and tied down with engineered screws. It looks so much better now that it’s finished.

 I think I’m going to order some tin and put a roof on.It would be nice to have a place to sit out of the rain.  

Speaking of water , our friends Wayne and Sue just arrived at their lake of the woods house in Ontario from their main residence in Florida. 

The lake is higher than normal and has caused a lot of damage. 

Finally we get to leave on our camping trip. We met up with about eight other friends just outside Osoyoos. Our spot was the base of this mountain. Beautiful.


The weather wasn’t great but it seem to rain only at night which was nice. Our little rig is nice and cozy.


On the way back home we stopped at greta Ranch winery on lake Okanogan just to see what it was like.


It’s a beautiful winery. Our old neighbor owns it now.

We’re headed back to the island.

June 1st the girls got possession of their second rental house and we offered to give them a hand getting it ready for whatever they want to do with it. 

There were some strange construction problems we came across. This is the tap for one of the outside spigots. The problem here is that it is inside the house in a basement bedroom. What were they thinking?


Ruth kept busy with visual problems. 

Here she’s taking down a set of ugly blinds. 


Now she’s in her true element. 

She’s a very passionate gardner. 


Sharon and I headed into home depot to buy flooring. 

The carpets were all pulled into on the 2nd and we started laying new floors on the 3rd. 

Carrie did 95% of the flooring while I did other odd jobs to make the house nicer. 


She’s such a hard worker. Her workmanship is second to none. 


The other reason for this trip was to celebrate our oldest grandsons birthday. It’s a big one. 

Isaac is turnings 18, he’s graduating, he’s valavictorian., he’s received the Rotarian student of the month twice this year and is getting a scholarship to further his education later this month. 

Lots for us to celebrate. 

This is a picture of Sharon and Isaac a few months ago while on a family holiday in Europe. 

We gave Isaac his birthday gifts in the morning before the celebration began with more family. We just felt more comfortable doing it this way.

He’s had quite a lot of congestion late so we bought him some help with a sinus wash. 

Sort of a joke gift but very useful. 

It’s not something that he ever would expect. 


He’s a good sport. 

Also a bit of a ham. 


This was our main gift. 

We’re so proud of him and his accomplishments. 

Nothing better than having good tools. 

We loved researching and giving this to him. 


There was a bit of disbelief in his face at first. 


A Mac Air is something he will be able to use in his studies over the next few years. 


He deserves this. 

I’m so happy that Ruth and I can do this. 


What he asked for was a birthday party with family. 

All the island family were there as well as Ruth and myself. The kids live on site for camp Imadine so we all headed down to the games room to spend some time before dinner. 

Something for everyone to do. 

Sharon beat me in crokinal  and I beat Trent in crib. 

I wish I had taken more pictures. 

This is a beautiful camp. 


This is so sweet. 

The one that Sharon put on his cake is from is first birthday. She saved it 18 years for this occasion. 


He carried in the cake for my birthday last month so I thought it fitting that I carry it in for his birthday this month. The fire on his cake didn’t look as dangerous as the one on my cake. 


He didn’t even need a big breath to blow them out. 


I asked him if he made a wish and his reply was that he forgot to make a wish but everything he wants and needs is in the room. What a great attitude. 


Our second visit in 3 weeks is over and we’re heading home. I’m looking forward to being there.