VISITORS AND HOUSE SELLING

Well its sold, finally.  And not without a certain amount of angst.  I did not give in on the electrical and they removed subjects anyway.  So possession is on July 15th. Yay!!!!

April and Myles came for a weekend visit.  I love having them visit.  We went to Coombs today and bought lunch and ice cream cones and played in an old beat up blue car.  It was so much fun.

On the way home we took a quick detour and went to that fantastic nursery they have here.  We bought carrots and cherries and impatiens.....Such a fun place.

They got away by about four and Monte and I swung into 'pack for camping' mode.  This is our first camping trip together so it was a fair amount of work getting it all put together.  I bought a camp stove off Amazon recently so we had that covered.  I put all my hanging plants into a bathtub of water and hopefully they will make it through the week.  And we had to haul everything in off the deck.  Whatever is not nailed down gets stolen.  So bbq, recycling, tables, chair etc all come in.

On Saturday Rabina and Cookie came for a day road trip!!!  Rabina lives in Nanaimo and Cookie goes to visit her for weekends now and then.  And bless them they took a day from their visit to come up to visit us!  So there was April, Myles, Monte, Rabina and Cookie for lunch.  What a wonderful wonderful visit we had!  It was so good to see everybody.  This home is feeling more and more homey as time goes by!  I love it!

Another thing thats happening is a cruise...in October.  Its not a very exotic one but its a good calm one with lots of at sea days...which will be a good starter cruise for Monte.  Its a cruise to Hawaii.  Five days at sea to start, from Vancouver, four days of visiting the islands, then five at sea days home to Vancouver.  No flying.  I know this would probably drive some people nuts (Sharri and Michael!!!) but I love at sea days and I feel Monte will too.  The only thing is its on the Star Princess, a ship that is getting terrible reviews right now.  She is an old ship, going to be decommissioned soon so no money is being spent on it.  Oh well...we don't care!  Pretty exciting.

So off to Tunqua Lake.  We will be a Kathy's tomorrow night and Tuesday night.  On Wednesday we head up to the campsite to stake out number 44...apparently the best group campsite.  Kevin and family, Jen and Jeremy and family, Jo and Craig and family, Em and hopefully James, Kathy and Kerry, April and Myles, Monte and Myself....I feel like I left someone out, but we will all be there.  Should be a hoot!  I shall post

A REMINDER NOT TO GOSSIP!

again from Kathy's before heading up to no wifi or cell land!  TTYL

SALT AND ELECTRICAL CRAP

Monte loves to cook.  Which is totally awesome...as long as he cleans up after.  I have learned from watching 'housewife' talk shows and reading, reluctantly...the only thing in the bathroom to read kind of reading, articles in old magazines about how when your kids or your husbands do chores, don't expect the same level of expertise that you may exercise.....to accept their effort.  They may be more willing to do the chore the next time if you are encouraging.

Well, okay.  I remembered all that yesterday.  Monte decided to make buttermilk biscuits in our new cast iron frying pay.  I found an appropriately sized (2 cups of flour instead of the usual 4) recipe for him.  I went through it step by step as he executed.

But his listening skills may not be on par with his enthusiasm.  The recipe called for sugar.  I expressly told him NOT to use the blue dish with the lid, that that was salt, not sugar.  And be sure to always taste the stuff before adding.  Well, in went the salt.  Fer Geez!!!!  He fished most of it out, most.  As it turns out, we don't have a lick of sugar in this house! 

   After he cleaned, bless his heart, I followed along and did the fine tuning...like pulling out the stove to wipe the batter up from between the stove and counter!  Hahaha!  I hope he isn't reading this.  Other than the biscuits being a tad salty! they were delicious.

Yesterday the potential buyers of my townhouse in Kamloops had their house inspection.  And....you guessed it....they want a thousand bucks to update the electrical...which I had been told had already been done.  Amy told them.  Then they wanted a receipt for the job.  No....I didn't have it done.  I don't have a receipt and Amy was actually going to track down the previous owner to see if they had it.  NO!!!!  I told her that either these people are going to buy it or they aren't.  It's an old building and there are going to be things that need fixing.  

But....I had the inspection from when I bought it.  And when Amy reread it, it clearly said that the electrical had been updated.  I don't know what the heck their inspector was doing that he didn't know that.  I have learned that inspectors can be fantastic and they can be minimal attempters.  Aryn said its because they aren't regulated.  Anyway I am sitting here now waiting for that call.  They have to remove subjects by tomorrow.

I know this is causing Amy more work, but she hasn't had to do any open houses, she doesn't have to go to showings and I am paying twelve thousand dollars for her to have listed it.  She is a Cracker Jack realtor so I don't mind.

Well I need to regulate my bedroom.  My todo list for today.  I have been 'away' from my stuff for long enough now I am excited to see it all out of the stack of boxes in my room.  I am also on the hunt for any extra pills laying around.  I am def going to run out of some them before I get to a doctor after I get back from camping next week.  So adios for now!  TTYL

DELICIOUS!!!

JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE ,THOSE TWO YARDS OVER THERE WERE FULL OF DEER, MUNCHING ON ALL THE FLOWERS

COMPANY AND DINNER AND......

THIS STUPID BLOGSPOT NEVER DOES WHAT ITS SUPPOSED TO.  THIS AND THE OTHER ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO AT THE BOTTOM.  WHY IT DIDN'T IS BEYOND ME.

Firstly I want to thank Sharri for her suggestions on the last post.  I do believe I am going to do exactly what she suggests.  I am going to talk to the mayor, and not just about that. 

 We have cruise ships coming into Port now for the first time.  At first there were a lot of naysayers, but its turned out to be amazing for our little town and for the First Nations people.  They  welcome the cruisers coming in on tenders with the most beautiful music and dancing.  They come in at the quay where there are lots of little shops and eateries and gift shops.  But we could be doing so much more....offering adventures and tours.  All it takes to make things happen is...a village!

Well since my last post we had overnight visitors.  Austin and Samantha arrived Thursday night.  We had a late dinner and a ton of conversation.  I got caught up on everything Austin...and believe me there was lots to catch up on!  I also got to know Samantha, an awesome gal who grew up in Nanaimo.  We had such a good visit.  They toodled off for Tofino the next morning in his decked out 1980 something Westfalia!  So cool!  He brought his electric guitar and did some jamming...pics below. (actually scattered about most inappropriately!)

Monte and I made a sunny fun trip to Coombs.  We went through the whole place this time and saw weird and wonderful stuff...managed to not buy anything!  What a crazy place it is.  They have goats on the grassy roof, which is great, but they are always watering it and the water runs off onto the surrounding area...which can't be healthy given what goats do.  Ewwwww!

In the actual marketplace we bought a few odd things....weird cheese to try, maple syrup, anchovy spread, mushy peas, bacon, cannoli, etc....eclectic bunch of stuff.  Oh and peanut and pecan brittle.  Mmmmmmm.....just what a fat diabetic needs!

We go for drives every day.  I am always looking for pics, I will put a couple below, and what I find most interesting though are the properties we pass by.  There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of what Bill and I would call 'dog patch' areas.  Boy, they have the most interesting front yards and ancient old houses and jalopies (Monte had never heard that word before.....we also call them hoopties).  I think I was a born snoop.  Next trip out I will try to get some pictures of the most interesting ones.

Yesterday we went to the store and bought picnic stuff, reminiscent of Bill I bought tomatoes, crusty bread and mayonnaise.  We drove about 15 kilometres out to the Stamp river.  We ended up parking off the side of the road, had our picnic and headed back.  We didn't even walk down to the falls!  What a couple of losers!  Hahaha!!!

I am having endless trouble with my stupid dentures.  Even though crazy glue works, it only works for a while.  They keep breaking apart and now I think the glue has built up enough on them that they aren't quite tight glued so they throw my teeth off and hurt the gums.  If I keep this up I will def loose weight....I can't eat, it hurts.  Don't you spell lose lose?  Loose means my clothes get loose from not eating...but when I type lose I get a red line.  Dammit!  I am going to have to look it up.

Well Monte is off with his case worker.  She comes by every other Tuesday to not only check on him but to take him out somewhere...clothes shopping, groceries, buys him breakfast or today they are going to the public gardens.  He loves gardening and she is showing him where he can either volunteer of grow his own plot.  We aren't quite set up for it here yet but for sure next year.

Okay enough said for today.  TTYL

IN KAMLOOPS MONTE CREEK

ITS BILL'S BIRTHDAY TOMORROW......SUCH A TYPICAL PIC OF US

ENGLISHMAN RIVER FALLS

ON ONE OF OUR JAUNTS....SO MANY SHADES OF GREEN

THE RIVER

I JUST LIKE LOOKING AT THIS

PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY BUT RIGHT AFTER HE GOT OUT EVERYONE WAS FIGHTING TO DO THE SAME THING!!!!

BILL SHOWED ME THIS....STILL MY ALL TIME FAVE CARTOON!

BASTARDS

My cousin posted this amazing little Lord Byron poem this morning on face book.  I will tell you why afterwards why it is particularly significant this morning.  It goes like this:

THERE IS A PLEASURE IN THE PATHLESS WOODS,
THERE IS A RAPTURE ON THE LONELY SHORE,
THERE IS SOCIETY, WHERE NONE INTRUDES,
BY THE DEEP SEA, AND MUSIC IN ITS ROAR,
I LOVE NOT MAN THE LESS, BUT NATURE MORE.

Is that not beautiful?  And this morning it means even more to me.  I am struggling to continue to feel empathy for drug addicts.  This town is utterly riddled with them, and of course they bring havoc and destruction.  I know its a disease, likely the mentally ill self medicating.  But they have forced me to change the way I live and think.

I have never had to lock down everything I own before.  I have never even had to really think about it, much less worry.

This morning I let the dog out, made my coffee, settled in my awesome chair, looked out the window...to see Monte's van driver door wide open.  Now if there is anyone that can't afford to be robbed it would be Monte.  Fortunately, nothing we can immediately see was stolen...because we go to the extra effort to not leave anything of value in our vehicles....or in the back yard, or on the deck, or on the front step.....

I would like to be sympathetic.  I would like to understand.  I would like to be helpful.  But it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so.  The drug problem is never ever going to be solved.

  Vigilanteism has already started in this town.  People are already setting up pretty severe traps and surveillance devices.  And when they do get clear pics of perpetrators, their picture is posted on the local facebook page, Chatterbox, so everybody can go after them.  The police have given up.  The mayor has given up.  And now I am in danger of giving up.  TTYL

PS:  I wonder who is buying the stuff they steal.  They aren't mentally ill.  Maybe we should start there.  
I wish it was easier to comment on this stupid blogspot.  I would so love to hear your opinions.

FABULOUS WEEKEND

I have already had more out of town company here than I had in the last two years in Kamloops! Aryn, Bradley, Stan and Antonia were here this week end and we had a fabulous wonderful time.  I made a salmon dinner Friday night.  Aryn and Bradley went golfing Sat. morning.  We have a lovely beautiful golf course here, an old one.  Aryn was telling me that it was built in 1929.  And the restaurant is lovely too.

Stan and Antonia arrived in the afternoon and we had a nice visit out on the deck.  Its beautifully sunny in the afternoon out there.  Then we went to Little Bavaria for dinner.  What an amazing meal you get there!  Schnitzel coming out the ying yang!  My only complaint is there is just too much food, kind of like Greek restaurants.  It can be off putting and I truly dislike bringing food home.  But we had the most awesome time together!  It was Aryn's and Antonia's birthdays so that made it even more fun.

Today Aryn, Bradley and I went to the golf course for brunch...delicious and cheap!  Then we toured around and went to nurseries, parks and out a ways on the beginning of the road to Bamfield.  They were loving it here!  As do I.  Every time I go out and about, and especially down to the water, I just feel fulfilled and happy.  The smell of the ocean is everything.

It's interesting....I guess our meat here is cheap compared to where Aryn and Bradley shop in Vancouver.  I mean so much less expensive they went shopping at QFC, the Island's equivalent of Whole Foods, loaded up on meat and were pretty pleased with the prices.  And its the same with beer and wine on the menus.  Average 12 oz beer glass is just over five bucks.  I don't know, I don't really buy meat anymore much and I sure don't get wine or beer in restaurants.  But, just putting it out there....cheap eats in Port....come and visit!!!

Speaking of visitors Austin is coming up on Thursday for dinner and the night!!!!!!!!!  I am so happy!!!!  I have truly missed him.  And he is bringing his lady friend!  Yay!!!!  She is an island girl, grew up in Nanaimo.  I can't wait to meet her!  I am so happy they are coming.  We must have our record player and speakers hooked up by then.  Music is a vital part of our visits! And he is eating meat again!  Yay!!!  Easy peasy dinner makings!!

Now its time to move on to the next stage of unpacking.  My bedroom is first on the list.  Its like a bloody cyclone hit it!!!  Its like a giant closet puked in there. 

 And I don't know why but my room, the only one in the house, smells like a rotten egg.  It starts early in the morning, the pulp mill is the culprit, sneaks in my open window and its so bad it actually wakes me up!!!  Then it lasts pretty much all day.  I think I am actually going to have to shut my window which makes me sad.  I love the night noises when I am laying awake endlessly through the night....the curse of older age.  Well, and diabetes not being properly controlled.  Constant trips to the loo...and probably the culprit  causing me to be occasionally cranky.

Well I gotta bounce.  I had a carton of strawberries sitting here beside me to nibble on and I just nibbled a big old fuzzy one....ewwwww!  Gotta brush the teeth now, rather desperately TTYL

GRRRRRRRRR......DAMMIT!!!!!

Wrangler has fleas.  Goddammitttttt!!!!  That cursed old place of Monte's!!!!!!  Thats exactly what happened to poor Molly when she was there for like a half hour and they almost killed her.

They have a thousand flipping cats and the place is packed solid with stuff and there is no way they can vacuum or anything.  And clearly they have fleas in the place.  There is nowhere else he could have picked them up.  I am so pissed off!

So now the damned dog is scratching and scratching and driving me nuts.  I am going to have to go and spend MORE money on a flea treatment to get rid of them before they take over this house.  I don't do well around fleas myself.  I remember.

Years and years ago we had two German shepherds and a Pomeranian, a lot like Molly.  Brad, Bill's son moved in with his dog and his dog had fleas.  Before you knew it the house was infested.  I almost went crazy I was so itchy.  And it was almost impossible to get rid of them.

I have dropped the price on the townhouse.  Not a whole lot but it has garnered more interest.  I want it gone before the next strata instalment July 1st.  And I have refused to pay for empty house insurance past June 15th.  Its another 300 bucks!  If the effing place burns down I will sell it without appliances.  I have forked out so much money for insurance over the last little while.  I had just renewed the whole place for a year.  I know when it sells I will get a lot of that back but in the meantime money is just flying out the door one way or the other.  Enough is enough.

I better sign off here.  Today seems to be a cranky day.  Everything is bugging me. Sorry. TTYL

SAUERKRAUT AND PEROGIES AND SQUASH

Mmmmmmm......we have been eating squash practically every night.  We have almost become vegans!  Our plan was, and still is, to eat Paleo.  Monte has done it before, quite successfully.  I have not and I am not sure I will be able to.  There is a lot of meat involved and I just don't eat much meat anymore.  We shall see.  But squash is okay on Paleo and very very filling and way tastier than meat.

We went to Nanaimo today.  One of the things I have been on the lookout for is a bbq.  I want a good tabletop, not too big a one and definitely over 1000 BTU's.

So whilst Monte headed into Tom Lee I headed into this incredible outdoor store.  Its called Calabes or something like that.  What an astounding store!  They sell everything from camping gear, bbq's, hunting stuff including rifles, decor for your cabin, fudge, huge fireplace at the front door with awesome leather furniture surrounding it etc.....lots of deer and moose heads mounted and on and on....clothes, cammo, 

They had a smaller tabletop bbq, their brand, 1200 BTU's and 99 bucks!!!  Sold!  So happy!!!  We got our deck all set up yesterday so tomorrow we will get the bbq going.  Oh, and I have to call BCAA to have Monte's van towed up to Canadian Tire tomorrow.  Time to get it fixed!  We have a lot of garbage to haul to the dump!!!!  Tank can't handle it.

The townhouse hasn't sold yet.  Clearly the price is too high for the market right now.  You know I have always felt that its better to list your place in the off times, not in the spring when a zillion other places are listed.  I prefer to list in the off times but this time I didn't have a choice so I am not sure what to do.  Its true I am not in a hurry per se, but insurance is more, and all the costs of the place continue.  I don't know what to do.

Arnie and Bradley are coming this weekend! I like it when company comes...it forces me to get things done!  I have things to do in their bedroom to finish it and I really need to get the dining room finished.

Then on the 22nd Cookie and Rabina are coming for a visit!.  Rabina lives in Nanaimo and Cook is going over for a weekend and they will make a day trip up to see us.  I am so excited!

Well time to go do the dishes!  Kitchen is a squashy perogee mess.  Talk to you later!!!!!!