I am up early and the sun is shining meaning that it will probably be another awesome day today. I have lots to do on my list so am ready to start once I get some coffee into me.
I started with the bathroom and decided to tackle the soap scum in the shower. Now wouldn't it be nice if someone invented a soap and a shampoo that left no residue?
With that done, I tackled the sluggish bathroom sink. I boiled a pot of water hoping that pouring it down the drain would help and although it did a little, not good enough to please me!!
I then cleaned out from under the sink and unscrewed the trap and gave it a good cleaning along with the downspout. Here is where I found the "issue"!! It was probably a combination of hair, soap, whiskers and God only knows what else. I had to sacrifice my bottle cleaning brush but I got all that nasty shit out of there and now I have a drain that runs free and clear. Just call me Madam Plumber!!
With that behind me, I finished cleaning the bathroom including the grout between the ceramic tiles and am now headed to the living room where the dust bunnies are collecting on the shelves. Soon, the whole place was spic and span and I could relax.
There is some outside stuff that needs to be done yet but that will have to wait until the heat of the day eases. I have no desire to get heat stroke!!
The weeds along the garden fence have now been given a good dose of Roundup so they will be gone for good in a week or two and it will look much nicer around there.
I have gathered all the rugs from the floor and have them in a bag waiting to go over to the laundromat tomorrow.
With all my inside jobs done, I settled into the evening to watch a movie on the TV, barbeque some supper and eventually head to bed. Life is good.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 24/2013
Wow, we had the most awesome thunder and lightning storm during the night. It was something to see. The night sky lit up more times than I could count. The thunder was so loud and was often right on top of the lightning so I know it was pretty close. The power flickered a few times but didn't really go out so we were lucky in that respect.
At one point, one of the residents wanted to get up and watch the fireworks!! Sorry bud, it is thunder!!
All in all, it was a good night but I was glad to see the end of it. I am not scheduled for another shift until after we come back from our BC trip to the Shuswaps and the houseboat.
It is a beautiful morning after last night's thunder storm and since the sun is presently shining, I hope that it is not too hot when I wake up. I will keep all the blinds down and the curtains pulled just in case!!
I have to head to bed quickly as there are two football games on today and the Riders play at 2:00 o'clock. I will probably miss most of the first one but I can live with that. I can't miss the Rider game though.
I was up at 1:00 o'clock and able to catch the last half of the first game. I got four hours sleep but that too is okay as I can go to bed anytime since I am totally on my own again today. Life is Good!!
With the coffee on, I settled into my chair and turned on the TV. Wow, a few games of football and I will be good to go!!
The riders won their game but it was certainly not all that pretty. Thank heavens for good receivers and an awesome running back. At half time, I scooted over to the garage to fill one of the propane bottles just in case I wanted to bbq again tonight. So far, I really have no inclination to do that. I also stopped at the store to pick up a bottle of Liquid Plumber as the bathroom sink is still sluggish after the bottle of Draino I poured down there yesterday. It just didn't do the trick.
Once the game was over, I decided that I should get into the garden, pick the cucumbers and make fridge pickles for the houseboat trip that we are scheduled to take the first week in September. They can be kept for a month so will be still good for the trip.
With that in mind, I did exactly that and now have two large gallon jugs made up and ready. I need to make some pickled eggs as well for the trip. They always go well with beer and drunks!!
I managed to watch a movie while doing the pickles, then had a sandwich for supper and headed to bed where I watched another movie. Life is good!!
At one point, one of the residents wanted to get up and watch the fireworks!! Sorry bud, it is thunder!!
All in all, it was a good night but I was glad to see the end of it. I am not scheduled for another shift until after we come back from our BC trip to the Shuswaps and the houseboat.
It is a beautiful morning after last night's thunder storm and since the sun is presently shining, I hope that it is not too hot when I wake up. I will keep all the blinds down and the curtains pulled just in case!!
I have to head to bed quickly as there are two football games on today and the Riders play at 2:00 o'clock. I will probably miss most of the first one but I can live with that. I can't miss the Rider game though.
I was up at 1:00 o'clock and able to catch the last half of the first game. I got four hours sleep but that too is okay as I can go to bed anytime since I am totally on my own again today. Life is Good!!
With the coffee on, I settled into my chair and turned on the TV. Wow, a few games of football and I will be good to go!!
The riders won their game but it was certainly not all that pretty. Thank heavens for good receivers and an awesome running back. At half time, I scooted over to the garage to fill one of the propane bottles just in case I wanted to bbq again tonight. So far, I really have no inclination to do that. I also stopped at the store to pick up a bottle of Liquid Plumber as the bathroom sink is still sluggish after the bottle of Draino I poured down there yesterday. It just didn't do the trick.
Once the game was over, I decided that I should get into the garden, pick the cucumbers and make fridge pickles for the houseboat trip that we are scheduled to take the first week in September. They can be kept for a month so will be still good for the trip.
With that in mind, I did exactly that and now have two large gallon jugs made up and ready. I need to make some pickled eggs as well for the trip. They always go well with beer and drunks!!
I managed to watch a movie while doing the pickles, then had a sandwich for supper and headed to bed where I watched another movie. Life is good!!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, August 23/2013
I am up early and once I got some coffee on board, started with my cleaning. I have not done a real good clean to the bus all summer so it is long overdue. Man, I can't believe how dusty it is in here. I got the vacuum out and started in the bedroom and worked my way forward.
I saw a recipe for grout cleaner on facebook the other day so looked it up and made some and tried that out on the kitchen tiles and was actually quite surprised to see that it did a fairly good job. I did about a third of the tiles so must finish that job this weekend.
It is real warm out today and I had to stop every once in a while to cool down but did manage to get a lot of work done today before I had to head to the home to do my night shift.
I have a moose steak planned for the bbq for supper tonight and want to get that started started before the football game so that I can sit and enjoy the game while eating and have a few hours of down time before having to get ready for work.
The steak was great and combined with mushrooms and a garden salad......well, what more can a girl want!!
Before too long, I was headed over to the home for the start of my night shift. Hopefully it will be a good one.......
I saw a recipe for grout cleaner on facebook the other day so looked it up and made some and tried that out on the kitchen tiles and was actually quite surprised to see that it did a fairly good job. I did about a third of the tiles so must finish that job this weekend.
It is real warm out today and I had to stop every once in a while to cool down but did manage to get a lot of work done today before I had to head to the home to do my night shift.
I have a moose steak planned for the bbq for supper tonight and want to get that started started before the football game so that I can sit and enjoy the game while eating and have a few hours of down time before having to get ready for work.
The steak was great and combined with mushrooms and a garden salad......well, what more can a girl want!!
Before too long, I was headed over to the home for the start of my night shift. Hopefully it will be a good one.......
Thursday, August 22/2013
I am off to work again this morning and when my day is over, I will be coming home to an empty bus. John and Hogan will be leaving today to spend the weekend watching Kimmy at the race track. They will be staying at the farm so Hogan will have the run of the yard. Coors, is at the farm with Jace. Hopefully the cats will leave Hogan alone and not cause his any trauma!! The little kittens that are at the farm will be even bigger and more scarier to him!!
Once again, it was busy at work and I am so glad to finally be home. It is peaceful and quiet here and I am enjoying the quiet solitude. This does not happen very often!!
Tomorrow, I work a night shift and am thinking that when I get up tomorrow morning, I can clean the bus, crank the music up and just do as I please.
Today, one of the girls brought me a bunch of moose steaks and hamburger so I will bbq a steak tomorrow before work. I am so looking forward to that!!
In the mean time, I am headed to bed so that I get an early start tomorrow.
Once again, it was busy at work and I am so glad to finally be home. It is peaceful and quiet here and I am enjoying the quiet solitude. This does not happen very often!!
Tomorrow, I work a night shift and am thinking that when I get up tomorrow morning, I can clean the bus, crank the music up and just do as I please.
Today, one of the girls brought me a bunch of moose steaks and hamburger so I will bbq a steak tomorrow before work. I am so looking forward to that!!
In the mean time, I am headed to bed so that I get an early start tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 21/2013
I am up and headed for work this morning and wish I had not "enjoyed" the fire so much last night. Now I face 12 hours of work and I am tired!! I think I am suffering "the old grey mare" syndrome again this morning!!
Finally back at home and oh so glad that today is over. It was busy today and I just want to sit and not have to deal with one more issue!!
John got the camper loaded and he is ready to take off tomorrow. I think he is looking forward to his weekend without me!! How is that even possible!!
He has some shopping to do while in Saskatoon so it will not be all fun and games for him.
Finally back at home and oh so glad that today is over. It was busy today and I just want to sit and not have to deal with one more issue!!
John got the camper loaded and he is ready to take off tomorrow. I think he is looking forward to his weekend without me!! How is that even possible!!
He has some shopping to do while in Saskatoon so it will not be all fun and games for him.
Tuesday, August 20/2013
Well, it is quiet dreary out this morning and it looks like there may be rain coming in although there are a few sunny breaks in the clouds. It is a bit cool as well and there is a bit of a wind. It feels like Fall!!
I have done the dishes from last night and have ironed my uniforms so, I am ready for the next three day of work ahead of me.
The camper is almost ready for John and I am seriously thinking about heading into my garden to pick the rest of the beans and peas.
The beans are now picked, tipped, blanched and in freezer bags. I left the plants in the garden so that when Gary decides to take them to the deer, they will still be fresh. He has already taken three big garbage bags out to the deer from Gale's garden so that is a good thing. The deer will be getting a treat over the next few weeks. Hopefully Gary is able to shoot one of those babies and fill his freezer for the winter with both deer and moose.
The camper is now ready for John and his trip on Thursday. All John had to do is fill it with water and pack his clothes.
I bought beer today and the fridge is full of the "good stuff"!! It should be a good weekend for him.
John started a campfire tonight and once again we sat around it while our supper cooked enjoying a few refreshments. Bummer....I have to work in the morning so can't have too many!!
It was an awesome evening though to just sit and enjoy.
I have done the dishes from last night and have ironed my uniforms so, I am ready for the next three day of work ahead of me.
The camper is almost ready for John and I am seriously thinking about heading into my garden to pick the rest of the beans and peas.
The beans are now picked, tipped, blanched and in freezer bags. I left the plants in the garden so that when Gary decides to take them to the deer, they will still be fresh. He has already taken three big garbage bags out to the deer from Gale's garden so that is a good thing. The deer will be getting a treat over the next few weeks. Hopefully Gary is able to shoot one of those babies and fill his freezer for the winter with both deer and moose.
The camper is now ready for John and his trip on Thursday. All John had to do is fill it with water and pack his clothes.
I bought beer today and the fridge is full of the "good stuff"!! It should be a good weekend for him.
John started a campfire tonight and once again we sat around it while our supper cooked enjoying a few refreshments. Bummer....I have to work in the morning so can't have too many!!
It was an awesome evening though to just sit and enjoy.
Monday, August 19/2013
It was a bit dreary outside this morning so I had to wait a bit to see what was going to happen with the weather before I climbed onto the roof of the camper to put the rubberized coating onto the plywood John used to cover the air conditioner hole. Soon, the sun came out and the clouds gave way to sunshine.
I got one good coat on so now will have to wait until that dries before putting a second coat on.
I have to clean the inside of the camper as John is planning on taking it to Saskatoon on Thursday to buy the batteries we need for the solar panels and will watch Kimmy race on the weekend. I am scheduled to work so him and Hogan will be going with out me!! WHAT!!!
The camper cleanup went well and now it is ready for the weekend. Man, I can't believe how dirty it was from camping out of it that one week!! Now that it is clean, I can restock and it will be ready to go tomorrow.
Gale came over today and we raided Romeo's (our neighbour) flower beds around his house. He is planning on doing some work on the outside so that he no longer has water issues in his basement and all the flowers were slated for distruction. He offered them to me a while ago and since I have no place to put them at the moment, I offered them to Gale. She loves flowers and was more than happy to take them so, today was the day.
Once we had all of them in the wheelbarrow, we loaded them into the truck and took them over to Gale's where she loaded them into pails, watered them and started to figure out where she was going to plant them.
While there, I managed to weed about 4 rows of vegetables in the garden while she was dealing with the flowers. Man, for weeds!!
Once I got back home, I put the second coat of rubberized roofing on the camper and John started mucking with the storage pod. The top of it will serve as an ideal place for the third and final solar panel to sit, while the batteries will be inside it along with whatever wires and controllers that are needed.
We sat in the man cave, watched the news and were joined by Dave and Shirley who had just returned from a trip down the north road. They said they saw a black wolf crossing the road in front of them but he was gone by the time they were able to get the camera out and ready. Shirley also said she saw the back end of what looked like a bobcat so they had an eventful trip. Too bad about not getting any pictures though!!
I threw a lasagna into the oven tonight for supper then John and I spent a quiet evening watching TV. He was playing that silly Candy Crush game on the computer while watching and I heard a few swear words coming from his mouth!! My goodness, I think he is addicted!!
It was soon time for me to head to bed. I have another busy day ahead of me tomorrow so I will get my beauty rest and be raring to go in the morning!! Good Night!!
I got one good coat on so now will have to wait until that dries before putting a second coat on.
I have to clean the inside of the camper as John is planning on taking it to Saskatoon on Thursday to buy the batteries we need for the solar panels and will watch Kimmy race on the weekend. I am scheduled to work so him and Hogan will be going with out me!! WHAT!!!
The camper cleanup went well and now it is ready for the weekend. Man, I can't believe how dirty it was from camping out of it that one week!! Now that it is clean, I can restock and it will be ready to go tomorrow.
Gale came over today and we raided Romeo's (our neighbour) flower beds around his house. He is planning on doing some work on the outside so that he no longer has water issues in his basement and all the flowers were slated for distruction. He offered them to me a while ago and since I have no place to put them at the moment, I offered them to Gale. She loves flowers and was more than happy to take them so, today was the day.
Once we had all of them in the wheelbarrow, we loaded them into the truck and took them over to Gale's where she loaded them into pails, watered them and started to figure out where she was going to plant them.
While there, I managed to weed about 4 rows of vegetables in the garden while she was dealing with the flowers. Man, for weeds!!
Once I got back home, I put the second coat of rubberized roofing on the camper and John started mucking with the storage pod. The top of it will serve as an ideal place for the third and final solar panel to sit, while the batteries will be inside it along with whatever wires and controllers that are needed.
We sat in the man cave, watched the news and were joined by Dave and Shirley who had just returned from a trip down the north road. They said they saw a black wolf crossing the road in front of them but he was gone by the time they were able to get the camera out and ready. Shirley also said she saw the back end of what looked like a bobcat so they had an eventful trip. Too bad about not getting any pictures though!!
I threw a lasagna into the oven tonight for supper then John and I spent a quiet evening watching TV. He was playing that silly Candy Crush game on the computer while watching and I heard a few swear words coming from his mouth!! My goodness, I think he is addicted!!
It was soon time for me to head to bed. I have another busy day ahead of me tomorrow so I will get my beauty rest and be raring to go in the morning!! Good Night!!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sunday, August 18/2013
So much for a quiet night!!! It started off with a very busy evening, slowed down during the night time hours and ended with very busy morning. Man, am I glad that one is over!!
I truly am tired and I made my way to the bed soon after getting home. I did not wake up until 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.
I have beans and peas that need to be picked in Gale's garden so that is where I headed once I was awake and into gear.
There are rain clouds hanging around from last night where they dropped a ton of rain on us so hopefully I can get the garden stuff done before they decide to open up again!!
Hogan and I headed over there and just as we arrived it poured. We sat in the truck until it was over and I decided to hell with picking the beans and peas, I am going to pull the plants, throw them into the back of the truck and then pick the fruit off them while I sit in my lawn chair under the awning!!
I saw Shirley on the way home so invited her to come and help me since she was going to be getting all the beans and peas anyway. She agreed to help and we spent the next hour and a half picking the peas and beans off the vines then Shirley shelled the peas and I tipped all the beans.
Once that was done, Shirley headed home to deal with the vegetables and I went into the man cave to watch the football game.
After the game, John started a fire and we sat around enjoying it while supper cooked.
All in all, it was a pretty good day. I got lots done and tomorrow, there is more to do on the camper. For tonight, it is time to call it a day and head to bed.
I truly am tired and I made my way to the bed soon after getting home. I did not wake up until 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.
I have beans and peas that need to be picked in Gale's garden so that is where I headed once I was awake and into gear.
There are rain clouds hanging around from last night where they dropped a ton of rain on us so hopefully I can get the garden stuff done before they decide to open up again!!
Hogan and I headed over there and just as we arrived it poured. We sat in the truck until it was over and I decided to hell with picking the beans and peas, I am going to pull the plants, throw them into the back of the truck and then pick the fruit off them while I sit in my lawn chair under the awning!!
I saw Shirley on the way home so invited her to come and help me since she was going to be getting all the beans and peas anyway. She agreed to help and we spent the next hour and a half picking the peas and beans off the vines then Shirley shelled the peas and I tipped all the beans.
Once that was done, Shirley headed home to deal with the vegetables and I went into the man cave to watch the football game.
After the game, John started a fire and we sat around enjoying it while supper cooked.
All in all, it was a pretty good day. I got lots done and tomorrow, there is more to do on the camper. For tonight, it is time to call it a day and head to bed.
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| Marie and Shirley picking peas and beans |
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| Our fire tonight |
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| Crazy clouds building |
Saturday, August 17/2013
I am up early and ready to greet the day. I have a bit of running to do today so will grab a quick cup of coffee, load up the cans into the back of the truck and head into Spiritwood for the supplies I need to finish off my jobs on the roof of the camper.
Hogan has heard me jingling the truck keys so he is already sitting by the truck door waiting to get in. No way, will I be leaving without him!!
We are soon in the truck heading to town and the first stop once we got there was to Sarcan to recycle the cans. They were closed!!! WHAT---closed on a Saturday??? I guess I am not recycling cans today.
I got busy and made all the necessary stops and got darn near everything I went into town for so Hogan and I were soon on our way back to Leoville.
There is a double header football game on today and one of them features the Riders playing so I will have to have all the caulking done before that, plus, I have to work tonight!! There truly is no rest for the wicked!!
With the heat of the day upon us, we headed into the man cave to watch the game in the coolness. Gary came over to watch it with us and it turned out to be a rather nasty game to watch. It was a battle right from the start but the Riders managed to pull off a win. It wasn't pretty and it took the last play of the game to secure the win but at least we won!!
With the end of the game came the time for me to quickly climb up on the roof of the camper and get the rest of the caulking done. It had been too hot earlier. Once that was finished, I then had to get ready for work. The other football game on in an hour so I wanted to be dressed and ready to watch some of it before heading over to the home for my night shift.
Dave dropped by for a quick visit. His back is still sore but starting to feel a bit better. He still has a pretty good limp though. I think he has a ways to go before it actually gets better.
Before I knew it, it was time to head over to the home so, off I went, hoping for a quiet night.......
Hogan has heard me jingling the truck keys so he is already sitting by the truck door waiting to get in. No way, will I be leaving without him!!
We are soon in the truck heading to town and the first stop once we got there was to Sarcan to recycle the cans. They were closed!!! WHAT---closed on a Saturday??? I guess I am not recycling cans today.
I got busy and made all the necessary stops and got darn near everything I went into town for so Hogan and I were soon on our way back to Leoville.
There is a double header football game on today and one of them features the Riders playing so I will have to have all the caulking done before that, plus, I have to work tonight!! There truly is no rest for the wicked!!
With the heat of the day upon us, we headed into the man cave to watch the game in the coolness. Gary came over to watch it with us and it turned out to be a rather nasty game to watch. It was a battle right from the start but the Riders managed to pull off a win. It wasn't pretty and it took the last play of the game to secure the win but at least we won!!
With the end of the game came the time for me to quickly climb up on the roof of the camper and get the rest of the caulking done. It had been too hot earlier. Once that was finished, I then had to get ready for work. The other football game on in an hour so I wanted to be dressed and ready to watch some of it before heading over to the home for my night shift.
Dave dropped by for a quick visit. His back is still sore but starting to feel a bit better. He still has a pretty good limp though. I think he has a ways to go before it actually gets better.
Before I knew it, it was time to head over to the home so, off I went, hoping for a quiet night.......
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Friday, August 16/2013
Another hot day is in store for us and it is just too nasty to do anything until the heat has eased. I can not believe we have not had any nasty ass storms as a result of all this hot weather.
One of the girls from the home called and asked if I would take her "call" for tonight and since I wasn't doing anything special, I agreed so I might just as well get paid for sitting here doing nothing!!
There was a football game on today and we sat in the man cave watching it in the wonderful coolness. Man, that place must be well insulated as it is so very cool in there. What a blessing on these brutally hot days.
We finally got the hole where the air conditioner sat covered and I was able to get most of the silicone sealant around the edge. Unfortunately I did run out of silicone so now will have to make a quick trip into Spiritwood tomorrow for more. There is also some rubberized roofing that has to be painted on so that is tomorrow's job as well. We can't have any water leaks so this is an important part of this whole project.
Once that was done, we sat around the campfire while John cooked our supper.
It has cooled off wonderfully well and it was actually quite pleasant out. Even the mosquitos were enjoying it!! Thank Heavens we brought enough bug spray back from the States!!
One of the girls from the home called and asked if I would take her "call" for tonight and since I wasn't doing anything special, I agreed so I might just as well get paid for sitting here doing nothing!!
There was a football game on today and we sat in the man cave watching it in the wonderful coolness. Man, that place must be well insulated as it is so very cool in there. What a blessing on these brutally hot days.
We finally got the hole where the air conditioner sat covered and I was able to get most of the silicone sealant around the edge. Unfortunately I did run out of silicone so now will have to make a quick trip into Spiritwood tomorrow for more. There is also some rubberized roofing that has to be painted on so that is tomorrow's job as well. We can't have any water leaks so this is an important part of this whole project.
Once that was done, we sat around the campfire while John cooked our supper.
It has cooled off wonderfully well and it was actually quite pleasant out. Even the mosquitos were enjoying it!! Thank Heavens we brought enough bug spray back from the States!!
Thursday, August 15/2013
Today, I was up early and in the garden. The beans are ready to go again and I managed to pick, tip, clean, blanch and bag them before it got too terribly hot out.
I then headed over to the laundromat and did a few loads before stopping at the store for a few supplies and was finally able to get back to the bus and into the coolness of the mancave before I had heatstroke!!
Man, it is hotter than hell outside and there will be no working on the roof of the camper until the heat of the day has eased.
John was actually up there mucking around and it wasn't until he was up there the second time that he finally realized it was just too hot to work and joined me in the man cave.
We were eventually able to get two of the solar panels secured to the roof and now all they need is to have some lap sealant over the screws and they are done and ready for hook up. I will do that when we get the plywood over the air conditioner hole as that will have to be sealed as well. It is a good thing there is no rain in the forecast!!
I got a call from the home tonight and one of the RNs working tonight wanted to trade a shift so I guess I am working her shift on Saturday night. So much for my seven days off in a row!! Oh well, she will work my Monday night so that works out too.
John started a fire again tonight and we sat around it for a while before once again heading to bed. Life is pretty darn tough around here!!
I then headed over to the laundromat and did a few loads before stopping at the store for a few supplies and was finally able to get back to the bus and into the coolness of the mancave before I had heatstroke!!
Man, it is hotter than hell outside and there will be no working on the roof of the camper until the heat of the day has eased.
John was actually up there mucking around and it wasn't until he was up there the second time that he finally realized it was just too hot to work and joined me in the man cave.
We were eventually able to get two of the solar panels secured to the roof and now all they need is to have some lap sealant over the screws and they are done and ready for hook up. I will do that when we get the plywood over the air conditioner hole as that will have to be sealed as well. It is a good thing there is no rain in the forecast!!
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| A/C off and 2 solar panels installed |
John started a fire again tonight and we sat around it for a while before once again heading to bed. Life is pretty darn tough around here!!
Wednesday, August 14/2013
Well, today, we got the solar panels off the bus and the two pods off the white cargo trailer. Everything came off fairly easily and I was certainly glad about that. Now, all John has to do is figure out where everything is supposed to go on the camper roof.
We also got the air conditioning unit off the roof and I must say.....that sucker was real heavy but we managed to slide it down the ladder on a strap so no fingers or toes were lost, smashed or otherwise harmed in that production!!
Once that was done and the heat of the day had dissipated, John started a campfire and we sat around it for a while before we had supper and headed to bed. It has been a busy day and I for sure have had enough!!
We also got the air conditioning unit off the roof and I must say.....that sucker was real heavy but we managed to slide it down the ladder on a strap so no fingers or toes were lost, smashed or otherwise harmed in that production!!
Once that was done and the heat of the day had dissipated, John started a campfire and we sat around it for a while before we had supper and headed to bed. It has been a busy day and I for sure have had enough!!
Tuesday, August 13/2013
I am up early and ready to greet the day. It is going to be hot out so anything that needs to be done today should be done before it gets too hot. Or, we could wait until the cool of the evening and I suspect that is what is going to happen.
I don't feel very ambitious today anyway so will just relax for today and then start getting into gear tomorrow.
John started getting the air conditioner off the camper. Man, that bloody thing is heavy!! Tomorrow we will get it off the roof and clean up any mess that we may find underneath the darn thing.
Gary came over for a short visit today. He has been busy building a hunting blind and I must say, it is certainly a huge structure. I don't think he thought his plans out very well and he says once it is built, he has to take it all apart to transport it out to his site and rebuild it!! Sounds like a hell of a lot of work to me.
Dave has not been over for a while. He is suffering a very sore back and his having trouble getting around. It must have been bad because he has gone to the doctor and is now taking physio treatment to hopefully get it better before hunting season.
John and I sat around the campfire tonight before calling it a day. Tomorrow is supposed to be a warm one again and that air conditioning unit has to come down off the roof of the camper. I had better get my sleep on so that I am rested up for that project!! Shit, Oh Dear!!
I don't feel very ambitious today anyway so will just relax for today and then start getting into gear tomorrow.
John started getting the air conditioner off the camper. Man, that bloody thing is heavy!! Tomorrow we will get it off the roof and clean up any mess that we may find underneath the darn thing.
Gary came over for a short visit today. He has been busy building a hunting blind and I must say, it is certainly a huge structure. I don't think he thought his plans out very well and he says once it is built, he has to take it all apart to transport it out to his site and rebuild it!! Sounds like a hell of a lot of work to me.
Dave has not been over for a while. He is suffering a very sore back and his having trouble getting around. It must have been bad because he has gone to the doctor and is now taking physio treatment to hopefully get it better before hunting season.
John and I sat around the campfire tonight before calling it a day. Tomorrow is supposed to be a warm one again and that air conditioning unit has to come down off the roof of the camper. I had better get my sleep on so that I am rested up for that project!! Shit, Oh Dear!!
Monday, August 12/2013
My final day of work and then I have 7 days off!! Woo Hoo!! I have not had a long stretch off all summer so am looking forward to it. There is so much to do now that the garden is in full swing and our time here is getting short.
We have to do the BC trip for Jace's 30th birthday so once that is out of the way, then it will be just finishing all the jobs required to get the camper ready for Arizona. Wow, where has all the time gone?
My shift is over and as I walk home I see that John is in the camper mucking around. We ended up sitting in there for a few hours having a few beverages while he explained to me how he was going to get the solar panels and the dish up on the roof. Gee....sounds like there is some heavy lifting in my near future!!
I had better get to bed and get some rest as it sounds like my days off are going to be busy!!
We have to do the BC trip for Jace's 30th birthday so once that is out of the way, then it will be just finishing all the jobs required to get the camper ready for Arizona. Wow, where has all the time gone?
My shift is over and as I walk home I see that John is in the camper mucking around. We ended up sitting in there for a few hours having a few beverages while he explained to me how he was going to get the solar panels and the dish up on the roof. Gee....sounds like there is some heavy lifting in my near future!!
I had better get to bed and get some rest as it sounds like my days off are going to be busy!!
Sunday, August 11/2013
I am off to work again this morning. The sun is shining and it looks like it will be another awesome day. Hopefully it will be a good day at the office. I didn't get any calls last night so everyone behaved themselves at the home and at the ball diamonds!!
Before too long, my day was over and I was headed back home.
John had completed the bumper and it looks good and better yet, it is as solid as a rock.
I am tired tonight so head into bed, phone at the bedside once again. Good night!!
Before too long, my day was over and I was headed back home.
John had completed the bumper and it looks good and better yet, it is as solid as a rock.
I am tired tonight so head into bed, phone at the bedside once again. Good night!!
Saturday, August 10/2013
It is back to work for me this morning so I am up early to iron a uniform and make myself presentable for all the old folks. It is ball tournament weekend here in town so once again I am hoping that there are no injuries and if there are, that the folks remember that we are no longer a hospital and take whatever injury off to Shellbrooke.
We have absolutely lovely weather forecast for the weekend so that is a very good thing.
John was busy today formulating a plan as to how to transfer all the solar panels and the dish/internet thing to the camper roof. Also, he has to figure out how to make the back bumper on the camper more secured as it is quite loose. That is his projects for the upcoming weeks so he will be busy.
With my workday finally behind me, I head for home and see that John has secured one side of the bumper and already it is much stronger than it was. Once he gets the other side done, it will be totally solid and awesome. All that fabrication and welding takes a while to complete so it is a slow process. He should be done with the bumper tomorrow though. Woo Hoo. Then he will start on the roof of the camper. Now I think that is going to be another challenge all in itself!!
Oh well, I won't worry about that...as that is John's department.
I am off to bed and since I am on call again this weekend, I will sleep with the phone beside my bed. Good Night.
We have absolutely lovely weather forecast for the weekend so that is a very good thing.
John was busy today formulating a plan as to how to transfer all the solar panels and the dish/internet thing to the camper roof. Also, he has to figure out how to make the back bumper on the camper more secured as it is quite loose. That is his projects for the upcoming weeks so he will be busy.
With my workday finally behind me, I head for home and see that John has secured one side of the bumper and already it is much stronger than it was. Once he gets the other side done, it will be totally solid and awesome. All that fabrication and welding takes a while to complete so it is a slow process. He should be done with the bumper tomorrow though. Woo Hoo. Then he will start on the roof of the camper. Now I think that is going to be another challenge all in itself!!
Oh well, I won't worry about that...as that is John's department.
I am off to bed and since I am on call again this weekend, I will sleep with the phone beside my bed. Good Night.
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| Bumper is solid again |
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Friday, August 9/2013
The sun is shining this morning and it looks like it is going to be a great day. I want to get the vegetables picked and dealt with before it gets too hot so I was over at Gale's early.
She had picked a few beans the day before but I was able to get a huge bag full and then a few peas. She said the grandchildren were enjoying them so I decide to not pick too many and leave them for the kids. I was getting tired of picking by this time anyway!!
When I got back to the bus, I was silly enough to look at my two rows of beans and the row of peas and decide that they too needed to be picked. I should never have looked!! LOL
I was finally finished at 6:00 p.m. and just in time for the football game!! I cleaned, blanched and bagged everything and now have lots of stuff to share with the neighbours as well as two huge bags ready to go over to the home tomorrow so that the residents can have a feed of fresh beans.
My hands are aching from tipping all the beans but now as I see the bags full and ready for the freezer, well, it is quite satisfying to look at.
Time now to sit and watch football then head in for supper and bed. Work is once again on the agenda for tomorrow.
She had picked a few beans the day before but I was able to get a huge bag full and then a few peas. She said the grandchildren were enjoying them so I decide to not pick too many and leave them for the kids. I was getting tired of picking by this time anyway!!
When I got back to the bus, I was silly enough to look at my two rows of beans and the row of peas and decide that they too needed to be picked. I should never have looked!! LOL
I was finally finished at 6:00 p.m. and just in time for the football game!! I cleaned, blanched and bagged everything and now have lots of stuff to share with the neighbours as well as two huge bags ready to go over to the home tomorrow so that the residents can have a feed of fresh beans.
My hands are aching from tipping all the beans but now as I see the bags full and ready for the freezer, well, it is quite satisfying to look at.
Time now to sit and watch football then head in for supper and bed. Work is once again on the agenda for tomorrow.
Thursday, August 8/2013
I am up early and need to head into Spiritwood today to pick up a few things. The kids left us all the beer cans from their 10 days camping and I must say, there are a few bags!! They need to go into Sarcan for recycling and since Gale had a sectional couch for sale, I will put the can money towards that. Hopefully I will have enough cans to pay for the whole thing!!
when I got back from Spiritwood, I took a few loads of laundry over to the laundromat and when that was done, was not really in any mood to pick beans and peas so I text Gale and said I would do it in the morning. She was ok with that and that was a good thing because I was totally wilted by the end of the laundry run.
John and I did go over and pick up the couch and I must say, it is not pretty but plenty good enough for the man cave. It was a struggle getting it into the man cave as the door isn't very wide but we did manage to strong-arm it through. Now at least we can sit in comfort when the football games are on. The good thing about this sectional is that it has a hide a bed in it so that gives us an extra bedroom for when the children come.
Once the couch was in place, it was time to relax and enjoy a beer. I had several in fact before I made my way to the bed. Tomorrow.......the garden awaits me!!
when I got back from Spiritwood, I took a few loads of laundry over to the laundromat and when that was done, was not really in any mood to pick beans and peas so I text Gale and said I would do it in the morning. She was ok with that and that was a good thing because I was totally wilted by the end of the laundry run.
John and I did go over and pick up the couch and I must say, it is not pretty but plenty good enough for the man cave. It was a struggle getting it into the man cave as the door isn't very wide but we did manage to strong-arm it through. Now at least we can sit in comfort when the football games are on. The good thing about this sectional is that it has a hide a bed in it so that gives us an extra bedroom for when the children come.
Once the couch was in place, it was time to relax and enjoy a beer. I had several in fact before I made my way to the bed. Tomorrow.......the garden awaits me!!
Wednesday, August 7/2013
Another day....Another dollar. My shift is over and I am so glad to be finally back at the bus, sitting in my lawn chair and just relaxing. I am off now for two days so have a few things to do before heading back to work on the weekend. The garden is calling to me and Gale has mentioned that the peas and beans are ready to pick so I guess that is one thing I must do before the weekend. Shit oh Dear!!
First things first though......time for bed, I think I am going to need the rest!!
First things first though......time for bed, I think I am going to need the rest!!
Tuesday, August 6/2013
I am so glad that night is behind me and I am now headed to bed. Gee, I have ever mentioned just how much I hate working nights!!
Today is a sleep day and then I am back for a day shift tomorrow. There certainly is no rest for the wicked!!
John is busy trying to conjure up a plan as to how he is going to get the solar panels, the dish and one of the pods onto the roof of the camper. It is time to get that thing into gear as we are not too far away from the time we will be leaving here for Arizona.
It was a quiet day today as I am out of energy and need to just relax for the day shift tomorrow.
That being said, it was early to bed for me.
Today is a sleep day and then I am back for a day shift tomorrow. There certainly is no rest for the wicked!!
John is busy trying to conjure up a plan as to how he is going to get the solar panels, the dish and one of the pods onto the roof of the camper. It is time to get that thing into gear as we are not too far away from the time we will be leaving here for Arizona.
It was a quiet day today as I am out of energy and need to just relax for the day shift tomorrow.
That being said, it was early to bed for me.
Monday, August 5/2013
I am up early this morning and enjoy the quiet solitude of the early hour. It is nice to just have some "me" time. Too bad I am scheduled to work a night tonight!!
John arrived back at the bus with a quad in the back of the truck. It is time for the kids to pack up and head home as most of them are scheduled to work tomorrow. We too have to get the camper back here along with the boat and the other quad so once John jumped in and out of the shower, we were headed back down to the campsite to help pack up.
It sounds like they all had a great time on the trail yesterday and Kimmy said she didn't believe John when he said it would be a loooong day!! They all got back to camp at 11:30 last evening!! It was an awesome ride apparently and no broken down quads which in itself is a good thing!!
The camp was busy with the kids getting all their stuff packed away and before too long, the site was cleaned up and spotless. The one thing about camping at this site, was that the owner wanted it clean when we left and it was. There wasn't even a scrap of paper left behind so I was very pleased with the kids about that!!
We were soon all packed and had a convoy going up the hill and back into town. A few of the kids stopped and dropped off stuff in the yard then headed into the city. All in all, they each had a good time and Kimmy said she would camp down "in the block" again anytime and I am sure Andy, the owner of the property would not mind at all.
Before too long, I was headed back to work for my night shift. I am working pretty much full time hours this month so will be busy with that.......
John arrived back at the bus with a quad in the back of the truck. It is time for the kids to pack up and head home as most of them are scheduled to work tomorrow. We too have to get the camper back here along with the boat and the other quad so once John jumped in and out of the shower, we were headed back down to the campsite to help pack up.
It sounds like they all had a great time on the trail yesterday and Kimmy said she didn't believe John when he said it would be a loooong day!! They all got back to camp at 11:30 last evening!! It was an awesome ride apparently and no broken down quads which in itself is a good thing!!
The camp was busy with the kids getting all their stuff packed away and before too long, the site was cleaned up and spotless. The one thing about camping at this site, was that the owner wanted it clean when we left and it was. There wasn't even a scrap of paper left behind so I was very pleased with the kids about that!!
We were soon all packed and had a convoy going up the hill and back into town. A few of the kids stopped and dropped off stuff in the yard then headed into the city. All in all, they each had a good time and Kimmy said she would camp down "in the block" again anytime and I am sure Andy, the owner of the property would not mind at all.
Before too long, I was headed back to work for my night shift. I am working pretty much full time hours this month so will be busy with that.......
Sunday August 4/2013
Once again, I am off to work. It was busy today, so 12 hours sure flew by quickly. I wondered how the ride went today for the kids and hoped that all went well. I am sure there were a few issues with a ride as long as the one they had planned but hopefully everyone got home in one piece.
I am alone again tonight and that is just fine with me!!
I am alone again tonight and that is just fine with me!!
Saturday, August 3/2013
I am off to work this morning and now start the first of three. Two days and a night. It is Rodeo weekend around here so I hope everyone is safe and I truly hope that everyone remembers this is now a nursing home and no longer a hospital.
It was a busy day at the office and I am truly glad to finally be walking home. John did indeed go to the quad rally with the kids and was not home when I got there. I had told him to stay in the camper with Casey if it was late and he had had one too many refreshments. He said he wasn't sure what he was going to do and when he wasn't home when I arrived I thought he had decided to stay. It was just me in the bus and I was enjoying my alone time.
Around 10:00 o'clock, I heard a truck pull into the driveway and low and behold, there was John, with the sewer tote in his hand. He had come to empty the sewer tank on the bus as he knew it was full. While he did that, I turned on the water heater for him so that he could have a quick shower before heading back to the campsite.
He said the rally was good but not very long so the guys chose to do the one obscure trail we did the other day only, backwards!! Some of the areas proved to be rather challenging again but he said everyone made it through ok.
Tomorrow, the kids want to do a much longer ride over to the Chitek trail so perhaps it is a good thing that I am working because that sounds like a good 10 or 12 hour ride!!
John headed back to camp and I headed to bed!!
It was a busy day at the office and I am truly glad to finally be walking home. John did indeed go to the quad rally with the kids and was not home when I got there. I had told him to stay in the camper with Casey if it was late and he had had one too many refreshments. He said he wasn't sure what he was going to do and when he wasn't home when I arrived I thought he had decided to stay. It was just me in the bus and I was enjoying my alone time.
Around 10:00 o'clock, I heard a truck pull into the driveway and low and behold, there was John, with the sewer tote in his hand. He had come to empty the sewer tank on the bus as he knew it was full. While he did that, I turned on the water heater for him so that he could have a quick shower before heading back to the campsite.
He said the rally was good but not very long so the guys chose to do the one obscure trail we did the other day only, backwards!! Some of the areas proved to be rather challenging again but he said everyone made it through ok.
Tomorrow, the kids want to do a much longer ride over to the Chitek trail so perhaps it is a good thing that I am working because that sounds like a good 10 or 12 hour ride!!
John headed back to camp and I headed to bed!!
Friday, August 2/2013
It was a good night shift and I am now back at the bus. I have a few things to do before John and I head down to visit with the kids.
First things first though.....time for me to hit the sheets!!
We headed down to the kids after I woke up and found the camp abandoned. Not a single sole was around. All the dogs were inside the campers and there was a note inside ours saying that they were at the lake fishing so John and I got on the quad and headed down to the lake where there were no kids to be found. Roxy and Hogan followed us and John and I decided to sit and enjoy a beer lakeside while we threw sticks into the water for the two dogs to retrieve. We sat for a while just enjoying the scenery and watching the fish jump. Wow, some of those crazy things were jumping right out of the water to catch insects.
The kids eventually returned home with all sorts of tales of their adventurous day on the water. They had been at Heart Lake. Of course they did not have any fish with them but it sounds like they all had a good time.
We sat around the fire until late then John and I headed up the hill once more and home. I am scheduled to work again tomorrow morning and the kids and John are planning on doing the Rodeo Quad Rally tomorrow while I am at work. Nice for them but not so nice for me!!
Oh well, that is the way it goes!!
First things first though.....time for me to hit the sheets!!
We headed down to the kids after I woke up and found the camp abandoned. Not a single sole was around. All the dogs were inside the campers and there was a note inside ours saying that they were at the lake fishing so John and I got on the quad and headed down to the lake where there were no kids to be found. Roxy and Hogan followed us and John and I decided to sit and enjoy a beer lakeside while we threw sticks into the water for the two dogs to retrieve. We sat for a while just enjoying the scenery and watching the fish jump. Wow, some of those crazy things were jumping right out of the water to catch insects.
The kids eventually returned home with all sorts of tales of their adventurous day on the water. They had been at Heart Lake. Of course they did not have any fish with them but it sounds like they all had a good time.
We sat around the fire until late then John and I headed up the hill once more and home. I am scheduled to work again tomorrow morning and the kids and John are planning on doing the Rodeo Quad Rally tomorrow while I am at work. Nice for them but not so nice for me!!
Oh well, that is the way it goes!!
Thursday, August 1/2013
I am scheduled to work nights tonight so my days camping with the kids is coming to a close. It was busy and fun and I would do it again in a heart beat.
Today, several of the kids drove into town for beer, ice and fireworks. God, I am glad that I am not going to have to listen to them. The boys said they would have a fireworks show tonight after I left. I just hope they secure all the dogs before they start going off as many of them do not take kindly to the sounds of them.
Cody headed into town to pick up a camper he bought from someone in Chitek. It is a little 17 foot cutie that actually looks pretty cozy. Kellen took Holz to the vet and was told he had an infection in his paw and he is now on antibiotics.
Jace got the boat running and docked it in Deer Lake. They took it for a quick spin and it ran great. They will be fishing on the weekend I think. Hopefully they will get some trout.
Eventually, it was time for me to head up the hill and back into town - work is fast approaching.
John has decided to come home as well, I think he needs a break from all the goings on too. It will be quieter at the bus....that is for sure!!
All to soon, I am headed over to the home to start my night shift. Hi Ho, Hi Ho ........
Today, several of the kids drove into town for beer, ice and fireworks. God, I am glad that I am not going to have to listen to them. The boys said they would have a fireworks show tonight after I left. I just hope they secure all the dogs before they start going off as many of them do not take kindly to the sounds of them.
Cody headed into town to pick up a camper he bought from someone in Chitek. It is a little 17 foot cutie that actually looks pretty cozy. Kellen took Holz to the vet and was told he had an infection in his paw and he is now on antibiotics.
Jace got the boat running and docked it in Deer Lake. They took it for a quick spin and it ran great. They will be fishing on the weekend I think. Hopefully they will get some trout.
Eventually, it was time for me to head up the hill and back into town - work is fast approaching.
John has decided to come home as well, I think he needs a break from all the goings on too. It will be quieter at the bus....that is for sure!!
All to soon, I am headed over to the home to start my night shift. Hi Ho, Hi Ho ........
Wednesday, July 31/2013
It is a non riding day today. There are a few issues with tires on the kids quads and I think two days of hard riding is enough for everyone. It was a stay at camp day so the guys gathered wood to keep the fire burning.
The dogs are loving the freedom of this site. They are in and out of the water and into the trees chasing all sorts of squirrels and of course keeping the cows at bay!! Holz, Kellen's dog is limping terribly on one of his front paws and I am sure it is more swollen today than it was yesterday.
Some of the kids headed into town today and others went fishing. Maybe we will have a fish fry tonight!!
I stayed at camp along with Casey as he has to do some fixing on his quad. John headed into town to get the boat and take a shower.
Once everyone left, Coors decided to chase after the quads (which is not a good thing considering he has an ACL ligament tear and shouldn't be running anywhere) and by the time Casey caught up to him, he had probably run a good mile and had actually caught up to the last of the quads. What an idiot!! He brought him back to camp on the back of the quad and of course he was in no shape to do anything for a while except sleep!! What a bone head!!
The fishermen and lady, came back with a few fish and we ended up having an appetizer of fried fish before supper tonight. It was awesome!! All in all, it was another good day of camping with the kids.
The dogs are loving the freedom of this site. They are in and out of the water and into the trees chasing all sorts of squirrels and of course keeping the cows at bay!! Holz, Kellen's dog is limping terribly on one of his front paws and I am sure it is more swollen today than it was yesterday.
Some of the kids headed into town today and others went fishing. Maybe we will have a fish fry tonight!!
I stayed at camp along with Casey as he has to do some fixing on his quad. John headed into town to get the boat and take a shower.
Once everyone left, Coors decided to chase after the quads (which is not a good thing considering he has an ACL ligament tear and shouldn't be running anywhere) and by the time Casey caught up to him, he had probably run a good mile and had actually caught up to the last of the quads. What an idiot!! He brought him back to camp on the back of the quad and of course he was in no shape to do anything for a while except sleep!! What a bone head!!
The fishermen and lady, came back with a few fish and we ended up having an appetizer of fried fish before supper tonight. It was awesome!! All in all, it was another good day of camping with the kids.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Tuesday, July 30/2013
I am up early and the camp is quiet. I wonder when all the little lovies finally went to bed last night? With the day being a riding day, I got some of the stuff ready and then started breakfast.
Before too long, we were on the machines and headed down the trail.
We headed over to Five Corners and decided to take the trail that would lead us to an old camping spot on the shores of Otter Lake. We had not travelled this particular trail for several years but since we were with the kids and they like a bit of a challenge......off we went. It wasn't too long before we were breaking trail in an attempt to traverse several fallen trees and a few nasty mud holes. The trail obviously had not been used in some time as it was riddled with a million face slapping branches!! It was just plain nasty!! Of course I knew this was a dead end trail and truly hoped that the one steep climb we could take to get off this particular trail was passable and that we did not have to make the return trip on this same trail.
We eventually came to the first steep hill and of course the boys had to take it so that we could all have a much needed "refreshment" stop. I remember climbing this hill when Jace and Casey were little and sitting on the top of the hill thanking the powers for getting the boys to the top without incident. Of course getting back down was another issue!!
Kimmy managed the hill well but was real nervous about the descent. John and I went first and with my machine, there is so much engine breaking that I actually had to use the throttle to keep up my momentum. Kimmy came soon after and managed fine until Kellen came screaming past her practically out of control!! Jesus, Mary and Joseph!! Miraculously, everyone made it down safely and we soon found out selves at the lake. There were some real challenges on this trail but no one was too eager to take the same trail back so Jace said he would climb the last big hill first to make sure it was passable for the rest of us. This hill was steep and long and Kimmy was definitely NOT looking forward to it (neither was I)!!
We got the "all clear" from Jace and we all started up it, one quad at a time. We all made it without any difficulty and were soon on an awesome well used trail that would take us to another camping spot near the end of Otter Lake.
John was in the lead and when he turned out of the many corners on the trail was lucky enough to see a wolf. They are rather elusive characters and it is not often that they are seen but he believes that this was a young one. The tracks that were in the mud showed a much bigger set and I am sure that Mama was not too far away. What a site to see though and I wish it would have been me that saw it as well.
This too was a dead end trail so we doubled back and soon found our way back to Five Corners.
It was too early to call it a day so we decided to try out another trail that we had not been on in some time.
This trail proved to be the most challenging of the day as it came with antics of a rather industrious beaver. He had been busy dropping all sorts of huge trees on the trail and many of them just had to be crossed. There was lots of water on this trail...some of it quite deep. Kimmy did her first water wheelie through the deepest water of the day and did awesome. Me, well I took the edge of the water and actually Casey drove my quad through some of it. He is a much more aggressive rider than I and sometimes that is a good thing.
Chris had a bit of an issue while he was crossing the water and somehow ended up standing his quad up on its end....filling his box with water so that had to be dealt with when we stopped!! I think that his quad is starting to think that being up on its end is a normal position for it!!
Eventually we accessed another well used trail and headed back to Five Corners. I was exhausted by this time and was only too happy to be headed back to camp. I think the "old Grey Mare" thing has hit me again!!
With a final stop at Deer Lake so that the kids could wash the mud off their quads, we finally made it back to camp where I was the first into the shower. Oh to be able to just sit and relax in the lawn chair was so totally awesome.
John cooked supper and the kids got the campfire going and the evening was warm and beautiful. All in all, it was a great day spent with the kids making all sorts of good memories. Priceless!!
Before too long, we were on the machines and headed down the trail.
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| Kimmy and the "old truck" |
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| Heading down a rather obscure trail. One we have not been on for a few years. |
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| In the trees on top of a hill near Otter Lake. One of Kimmy's first steep climbs of the day. |
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| dragonfly |
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| Resting from the return trip from Otter Lake. Too early to go home.....where to next? |
We headed over to Five Corners and decided to take the trail that would lead us to an old camping spot on the shores of Otter Lake. We had not travelled this particular trail for several years but since we were with the kids and they like a bit of a challenge......off we went. It wasn't too long before we were breaking trail in an attempt to traverse several fallen trees and a few nasty mud holes. The trail obviously had not been used in some time as it was riddled with a million face slapping branches!! It was just plain nasty!! Of course I knew this was a dead end trail and truly hoped that the one steep climb we could take to get off this particular trail was passable and that we did not have to make the return trip on this same trail.
We eventually came to the first steep hill and of course the boys had to take it so that we could all have a much needed "refreshment" stop. I remember climbing this hill when Jace and Casey were little and sitting on the top of the hill thanking the powers for getting the boys to the top without incident. Of course getting back down was another issue!!
Kimmy managed the hill well but was real nervous about the descent. John and I went first and with my machine, there is so much engine breaking that I actually had to use the throttle to keep up my momentum. Kimmy came soon after and managed fine until Kellen came screaming past her practically out of control!! Jesus, Mary and Joseph!! Miraculously, everyone made it down safely and we soon found out selves at the lake. There were some real challenges on this trail but no one was too eager to take the same trail back so Jace said he would climb the last big hill first to make sure it was passable for the rest of us. This hill was steep and long and Kimmy was definitely NOT looking forward to it (neither was I)!!
We got the "all clear" from Jace and we all started up it, one quad at a time. We all made it without any difficulty and were soon on an awesome well used trail that would take us to another camping spot near the end of Otter Lake.
John was in the lead and when he turned out of the many corners on the trail was lucky enough to see a wolf. They are rather elusive characters and it is not often that they are seen but he believes that this was a young one. The tracks that were in the mud showed a much bigger set and I am sure that Mama was not too far away. What a site to see though and I wish it would have been me that saw it as well.
This too was a dead end trail so we doubled back and soon found our way back to Five Corners.
It was too early to call it a day so we decided to try out another trail that we had not been on in some time.
This trail proved to be the most challenging of the day as it came with antics of a rather industrious beaver. He had been busy dropping all sorts of huge trees on the trail and many of them just had to be crossed. There was lots of water on this trail...some of it quite deep. Kimmy did her first water wheelie through the deepest water of the day and did awesome. Me, well I took the edge of the water and actually Casey drove my quad through some of it. He is a much more aggressive rider than I and sometimes that is a good thing.
Chris had a bit of an issue while he was crossing the water and somehow ended up standing his quad up on its end....filling his box with water so that had to be dealt with when we stopped!! I think that his quad is starting to think that being up on its end is a normal position for it!!
Eventually we accessed another well used trail and headed back to Five Corners. I was exhausted by this time and was only too happy to be headed back to camp. I think the "old Grey Mare" thing has hit me again!!
With a final stop at Deer Lake so that the kids could wash the mud off their quads, we finally made it back to camp where I was the first into the shower. Oh to be able to just sit and relax in the lawn chair was so totally awesome.
John cooked supper and the kids got the campfire going and the evening was warm and beautiful. All in all, it was a great day spent with the kids making all sorts of good memories. Priceless!!
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| Why not another obscure trail that we have not been on for years!! |
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Monday, July 29/2013
I am up early and dragging my tail a bit. I am so glad the weekend is over. Now I can spend a few days with the kids and enjoy myself. Woo Hoo!!
I started getting the rest of my list done up and got what the kids needed and headed down to the campsite. On their list was 16 bags of ice so once that was loaded into the truck, I quickly was on my way.
I got there and unloaded the ice and the rest of the stuff then headed back to the bus. I wasn't sure if we would be back in time for their ride so said to go without us if we had not arrived in time.
Back at the bus, we loaded my quad into the truck (John had taken his down yesterday) along with the last of the stuff on my list and we headed back to the camping spot.
When we arrived, the kids were gone. We unloaded my quad, got all the stuff put away and decide to see if we could catch up to the kids.
Jace had said something about heading over to Whiskey Jump so John and I too headed that way. It wasn't too long before we found their tracks and eventually caught up to them at the Timberlost outfitter's cabin.
Kimmy was impressed that we had found them in the middle of the bush and said "Holy Mantracker"!!
She was quite impressed but it wasn't too hard to track them considering some of the guys have huge lugs on their tires and they were clearly visible in the muddy spots of the trail.
We travelled with them for the rest of the day trying out a trail we have not taken for years. It required a bit of bushwacking as it had grown in pretty badly and in some spots was almost impossible to find.
At one point we actually had to get off the quads and walk around until we could find the trail again. Kimmy went for a pee and was the lucky one to actually find it so she thought she was a pretty smarty ass trail finder!!
All in all, it was a great ride and we were soon back at the bus and sitting around the fire. My arms were toast and I was glad be back at camp. The kids had some fire cracker things that they decided to blast off and ended up scaring the shit out of the dogs. Roxy took off and didn't come home for a while. Hogan sat in the camper shaking like a leaf and the other dogs were too impressed either. I am thinking that that was not such a good idea!!
Tomorrow, we are going to be doing a long ride so I will surely need by beauty rest!! With that thought in mind, I headed for bed going to sleep listening to the chit chat around the fire. They really are good kids despite the fact that they do some pretty stupid things!! Good thing I love them all!!
I started getting the rest of my list done up and got what the kids needed and headed down to the campsite. On their list was 16 bags of ice so once that was loaded into the truck, I quickly was on my way.
I got there and unloaded the ice and the rest of the stuff then headed back to the bus. I wasn't sure if we would be back in time for their ride so said to go without us if we had not arrived in time.
Back at the bus, we loaded my quad into the truck (John had taken his down yesterday) along with the last of the stuff on my list and we headed back to the camping spot.
When we arrived, the kids were gone. We unloaded my quad, got all the stuff put away and decide to see if we could catch up to the kids.
Jace had said something about heading over to Whiskey Jump so John and I too headed that way. It wasn't too long before we found their tracks and eventually caught up to them at the Timberlost outfitter's cabin.
Kimmy was impressed that we had found them in the middle of the bush and said "Holy Mantracker"!!
She was quite impressed but it wasn't too hard to track them considering some of the guys have huge lugs on their tires and they were clearly visible in the muddy spots of the trail.
We travelled with them for the rest of the day trying out a trail we have not taken for years. It required a bit of bushwacking as it had grown in pretty badly and in some spots was almost impossible to find.
At one point we actually had to get off the quads and walk around until we could find the trail again. Kimmy went for a pee and was the lucky one to actually find it so she thought she was a pretty smarty ass trail finder!!
All in all, it was a great ride and we were soon back at the bus and sitting around the fire. My arms were toast and I was glad be back at camp. The kids had some fire cracker things that they decided to blast off and ended up scaring the shit out of the dogs. Roxy took off and didn't come home for a while. Hogan sat in the camper shaking like a leaf and the other dogs were too impressed either. I am thinking that that was not such a good idea!!
Tomorrow, we are going to be doing a long ride so I will surely need by beauty rest!! With that thought in mind, I headed for bed going to sleep listening to the chit chat around the fire. They really are good kids despite the fact that they do some pretty stupid things!! Good thing I love them all!!
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| We caught up to the kids at Timberlost Outfitters |
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| Timberlost Hunting Cabin |
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| Love the sign!! |
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| Taking a trail we hadn't been on in a while |
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| Posing on pallets - Jace and Kimmy |
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| Casey |
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| Chris - often sitting on the end of his quad!! |
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| Brit and Tyson |
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| McRobb Lake |
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| Hooker Lake |
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| Up on the tower |
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| Deer Lake |
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| Kimmy |
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| Jace and Kimmy |
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| A great end to a day of quadding. |
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, July 28/2013
Well, I survived my ugly night and am now, once again, off to work. I still feel a bit shitty but sooo much better than last night. I only hope that is is another "good day at the office"!!
As it turned out, the day was indeed good and I was soon headed back to the bus and sooo looking forward to getting back into bed. I so could use a good night's sleep.
John had spent the evening with the kids, came home late and mentioned that he had brought a list of supplies needed by the kids for tomorrow. He also wanted to be up by ten so that we could join the kids for a ride. They would be leaving around noon. All I could think about was "just kill me now"!!
I will deal with all this in the morning.....for now, I am headed to Slumberland. Goodnight!!
As it turned out, the day was indeed good and I was soon headed back to the bus and sooo looking forward to getting back into bed. I so could use a good night's sleep.
John had spent the evening with the kids, came home late and mentioned that he had brought a list of supplies needed by the kids for tomorrow. He also wanted to be up by ten so that we could join the kids for a ride. They would be leaving around noon. All I could think about was "just kill me now"!!
I will deal with all this in the morning.....for now, I am headed to Slumberland. Goodnight!!
Saturday, July 27/2013
I am up and ready to head to work although I am tired this morning and am suffering from "the old grey mare syndrome" once again!! I only hope that today is relatively quiet at the home and the time goes by quickly.
Finally, back at the bus and I am soooo needing to go to bed and it wasn't too long before I was there, hoping to sleep until the morning. As it turned out, I had a bit of a "gall bladder" attack so that totally sucked and I ended up not getting much sleep at all. Despite the fact that I have had my gall bladder removed, the body is still capable of making gallstones and I am one of the blessed ones who suffer this silliness so can still have attacks of this biliary colic. Perhaps I should not have snacked on that cucumber before heading to bed......last time I do that!! Needless to say, it was a very long night for me but I must say.....John appeared to have slept well!! Some days I really hate him!!
Finally, back at the bus and I am soooo needing to go to bed and it wasn't too long before I was there, hoping to sleep until the morning. As it turned out, I had a bit of a "gall bladder" attack so that totally sucked and I ended up not getting much sleep at all. Despite the fact that I have had my gall bladder removed, the body is still capable of making gallstones and I am one of the blessed ones who suffer this silliness so can still have attacks of this biliary colic. Perhaps I should not have snacked on that cucumber before heading to bed......last time I do that!! Needless to say, it was a very long night for me but I must say.....John appeared to have slept well!! Some days I really hate him!!
Friday, July 26/2013
I am home from work and think that I will try to stay up today. I want to do a few things before the kids arrive and it would be so much easier if I get some of the extra stuff done off my list (like doing the laundry).
I started to get real tired so thought "what the hell", I will grab a few hours sleep then go hard on the list.....Get my stuff done and then relax!! Ya, Right!!
Once I got up, I headed over to the laundromat and quickly did up the clothes. Once I got back to the bus, John was ready to take the camper down to the designated camping spot and set up before the kids started to arrive.
With that in mind, we headed down and found a few of the local down there trying to improve the forest access road. The August long weekend is fast approaching and that means Rodeo. The Big River chuck wagons make the trek through the trails from Big River over to the rodeo grounds here in Leoville, so the trail needed a few improvements in order for the horses to be able to pull the wagons through.
We chatted with these guys for a while, set up the camper and then headed back to the bus as the kids would soon be arriving.
It wasn't too long before three trucks arrived hauling the kids, dogs, quads and beer!! They loaded up on water and anything else they thought they needed then we headed back to the camping spot with them where John and I grabbed our lawn chairs, sat back and watched the gong show of them trying to set up camp. There were a few funny moments but, before too long everyone was where they needed to be. The dogs were running around enjoying their new found freedom and it wasn't to long before some wood was gathered and a nice warm fire was going.
John and I headed back to the bus around midnight as I am scheduled to work Saturday and Sunday. I am on call for both these nights so will have to stay in town as there is no cell service at the camp site. I won't see the kids again until Monday. Then, John and I will spend some time camping with them. It should be fun and I am looking forward to it.
As for now, it is time for me to hit the sheets. Work will come way too early!!
I started to get real tired so thought "what the hell", I will grab a few hours sleep then go hard on the list.....Get my stuff done and then relax!! Ya, Right!!
Once I got up, I headed over to the laundromat and quickly did up the clothes. Once I got back to the bus, John was ready to take the camper down to the designated camping spot and set up before the kids started to arrive.
With that in mind, we headed down and found a few of the local down there trying to improve the forest access road. The August long weekend is fast approaching and that means Rodeo. The Big River chuck wagons make the trek through the trails from Big River over to the rodeo grounds here in Leoville, so the trail needed a few improvements in order for the horses to be able to pull the wagons through.
We chatted with these guys for a while, set up the camper and then headed back to the bus as the kids would soon be arriving.
It wasn't too long before three trucks arrived hauling the kids, dogs, quads and beer!! They loaded up on water and anything else they thought they needed then we headed back to the camping spot with them where John and I grabbed our lawn chairs, sat back and watched the gong show of them trying to set up camp. There were a few funny moments but, before too long everyone was where they needed to be. The dogs were running around enjoying their new found freedom and it wasn't to long before some wood was gathered and a nice warm fire was going.
John and I headed back to the bus around midnight as I am scheduled to work Saturday and Sunday. I am on call for both these nights so will have to stay in town as there is no cell service at the camp site. I won't see the kids again until Monday. Then, John and I will spend some time camping with them. It should be fun and I am looking forward to it.
As for now, it is time for me to hit the sheets. Work will come way too early!!
Thursday, July 25/2013
Once again, it is dreary outside and before too long, the rain is coming down. Not hard, just enough to get everything wet.
I am supposed to be heading into Spiritwood this morning but will wait this rain out as the wipers are still not fixed on the truck. We really should get that done!!
While waiting, I will get the blog caught up so that Kimmy is not crabbing at me!!
The rain stopped and I was soon on my way into town. I have a list of stuff that needs to be bought so it will take a while to purchase because of all the many stops I will have to make.
First stop was Sarcan to unload a few more bags of recyclables. Another $40.00 bucks in my pocket and I am on my way to the grocery store then, on to the hardware store (I am still engaged in a war with the ants in the yard). After that I stopped and chatted with Shirley for awhile then over to the drug store and finally to the lumber yard for all of John's electrical stuff.
Three hours later, I was back at home and ready for a bit of a rest. I am working nights tonight so have to get ready for that soon too.
There just is no rest for the wicked!!
All too soon, I am dressed in my uniform and heading over to the home. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off the work I go...............
I am supposed to be heading into Spiritwood this morning but will wait this rain out as the wipers are still not fixed on the truck. We really should get that done!!
While waiting, I will get the blog caught up so that Kimmy is not crabbing at me!!
The rain stopped and I was soon on my way into town. I have a list of stuff that needs to be bought so it will take a while to purchase because of all the many stops I will have to make.
First stop was Sarcan to unload a few more bags of recyclables. Another $40.00 bucks in my pocket and I am on my way to the grocery store then, on to the hardware store (I am still engaged in a war with the ants in the yard). After that I stopped and chatted with Shirley for awhile then over to the drug store and finally to the lumber yard for all of John's electrical stuff.
Three hours later, I was back at home and ready for a bit of a rest. I am working nights tonight so have to get ready for that soon too.
There just is no rest for the wicked!!
All too soon, I am dressed in my uniform and heading over to the home. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off the work I go...............
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