Tuesday, November 2/2010

Woke up to some beautiful sunshine this morning. Although the wind is still blowing, it seems to have less force today.

Yesterday I emailed the boys to phone their Aunt and tell her that I was having trouble with the new and improved fancy phone I had purchased just before we left Saskatoon. I have had "emergency service" only since leaving Outlook. At first I thought that we were perhaps in a "bad" area so didn't really worry too much about it but I have had no service since then. Hence, the call to Jan (thank heavens for sisters). Both Jace and John have been giving me grief about the new phone - John didn't think we needed one and Jace thought I should have got a blackberry, so both of them have been chirping like a couple of magpies!! Shut Up already!!

Heard back from Jan and it is NOT good news. Apparently SaskTel has been having some problems with this particular phone when it roams. Now isn't that just fine and dandy!! I specifically told that **!##** woman that I needed it for heading "down south". Could this possibly be MORE adventure? I shake my head!!

Since the sun was shining, I took my coffee and the latest novel I was reading outside - might just as well start working on my tan!!

We got a visit from the Fish and Wildlife cops. He was a pleasant young man (with a big gun!) and told me that there were usually 40 campers parked in this little area this time of year - all

hunters. He also told me that the river is full of brown trout and asked if I had been fishing. Since I don't have a license that was not an issue - besides, who wants to fish in gale force winds!!

John and I sat outside for the greater part of the afternoon enjoying the sunshine and playing Yahtze. I am losing - again or should I say - still!! It is only my unwavering faith that I can indeed win a game that keeps me playing!!

Monday, November 1/2010

After more tinkering with the wiring, John found two more loose wires and finally the bus was running. With a little luck and some good management, perhaps we could make the 15 miles into Lewistown, stop at the local Napa store and get what we needed to have on hand in case there were even more issues with the bus. Guess I should start praying to "The Gods" now!! (Ah yes, adventure) PS and by the way, I now know where every auto parts store is in Lewistown, Montana!!

As always, there seems to be wind and today was no different. I guess it sweeps down off the various mountain ranges that surround the highway. We passed a large wind garden as you can see from the picks (must remember to post them!!). I must say, they certainly put it in the right spot because the wind was definitely gusting. We stopped for the night at a little fishing access campground beside a river. It was lovely and quiet. There was only one other camper there so it was perfect.

The bus ran beautifully all day so I guess John managed to find the problem. Thank you for that.

Sunday, Octobe 31/2010

Happy Halloween eveyone. Being that it was halloween, I got out my pumpkin and got it ready for the evening. We were in town so there just may be some trick or treaters coming to the bus. I picked up some little Jersey Milk chocolate bars - just in case - and if we didn't get any then, John could eat them!!

George stopped by with some of his farm fresh eggs again this year and I was thilled. There is definitely something to be said about fresh produce.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders were playing football today so we had to watch that and John had to start with all that wiring business.

The day ended with the Riders losing the game, no little trick or treaters and the bus not starting!! Soooo.....what did I say about adventure!!!!

Saturday, October 30/2010

Well, it has been quite a summer. Lots of laughs (a few tears), lots of rain and a few days of sunshine, lots of trail rides and lots of campfires and tons of memories. The boys visited lots and that was great.

We took up residence on the lot we had purchased in Leoville and met our neighbours. Two were from outside the area and had no relatives in town - most unusual- as it seems that everyone is related to someone here!! We started calling this little "click" of ours "the out of towners". Not very original but fitting!! Both were from the Saskatoon area and decided to move here to Leoville for the hunting, fishing and forest trails.

I worked off and on for the summer and it was a great experience. I met a lot of the town folk and enjoyed getting to know them. The residents at the home are all unique and it is quite a change for me - caring for the same people all the time. All in all, it was a good experience and I look forward to helping out again in the spring.

John's leg has come along nicely all summer. It still has a bit of swelling at the ankle and it aches a lot but all in all, it has healed well. John still limps, but I am sure that will lessen as more time passes.

John managed to buy a few more vehicles this summer - Yea - the last being a Jeep which we have fixed up and is now in the trailer headed for the warmer weather of the Arizona desert.

Having left Saskatoon on Wednesday, we headed to Outlook to pick up the jeep where it had got a new "used" motor and what ever else it needed to make it a reliable vehicle - not sure if it is there yet!!

We picked up the jeep on Thursday, then spent the night at a roadside campground along Hwy 4. There is still snow on the ground but it is getting warmer!! Hogan, I am sure, can't wait to get to the warmer weather!!

We spent Friday night a few miles from the US border as there were two football games on TV so we had to stop early to watch them.

This brings us to today, Saturday, October 30/2010 ........... let the adventure begin ...........

We crossed at the Port of Monchy and the same border guard (from last year) was there to greet us. He had remembered us from last year and we were soon on our way. We had planned on stopping in Hilger to see some of the folks we had met last year, but first we had to stop for fuel in Malta and, if by chance there was a car wash handy, the bus was in dire need of a wash. This being done, we headed south. We had travelled about 10 miles when the bus lost all power and we were stopped on a highway that was definitely not made for any kind of roadside breakdown. There were no shoulders to pull over on to and the road was windy with many a double solid line - not good for vehicles who wanted to pull out and pass this stalled bus!! Did I say something about "let the adventure begin"? This is not what I had in mind!!

It is a good thing that John is a rather handy kind of guy because he had the bus running again in no time - we have wiring issues and once we get to Hilger he can get in there and fix what needs to be fixed. The bus stopped three times between Malta and Hilger and only once did it stop where there was an actual pull out where semi trucks were to chain up for the icy roads. At least we didn't have to deal with lousy roads too!!

We eventually made it to Hilger (hours after we should have been there) and were surprised to see that the pioneer bar was closed and a for sale sign on the building. Down the street was the Rainbow Bar so off we went. Nice bar and it too had some history to it. The bartender Stacy told us the story of the painting on the ceiling as I had commented on it. Apparently the owners wife, who was an artist, had started painting the design that was on the ceiling and had been killed in a horse accident. She had not finished the whole ceiling but had managed to get a good piece of it done so for all intents and purposes ( as a legacy to the artist) the ceiling was considered complete. It was very fitting I thought.

We managed to get a hold of George, and he came in and had a couple of beverages with us. It was good to see him and his dog Jack and we caught up on the Jeff and Mary news, the demise of the Pioneer and what was new and exciting in his life. He looked good and it was great to see him again. He had been following the blog and was rather concerned when I had stopped writing on it during the summer. He had wondered if something had happened and for that I had to apologize as I had not even thought about that when I stopped witing it. Anyway, it was great to see him again.

Tuesday, July 20/2010

Uniforms are washed and ready to go. Oh, and they fit just fine, by the way!! I am as ready as I will ever be and am looking forward to the next couple of days. I have never worked in a long term care facility before so this will be very new to me.

John is busy mucking with the truck doing whatever guys do to their trucks and Shelly and I are busy planning what needs to be canned and pickled out of the garden. So much to do and so little time to do it!!

Shelley and I are getting to be quite a force to be dealt with at the kaiser table and I feel that John and Arnie are starting to worry!! As well they should!!

Monday, July 19/2010

Today was spent mucking around in the yard and just generally relaxing. We have plans to ride again on the weekend and it should be a "kidless" ride. Pat and Wendy are to join us along with Don and Betty so it should be fun.

I really should be making an appt for John to see the Orthopedic surgeon today as well. John's leg continues to heal and looks okay. Still lots of swelling but I think he is doing fine.

I have to get my nursing uniforms out of the closet and get them washed and ready for my two day shifts coming up on Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully they still fit!!!

Sunday, July 18/2010

Today was a "recovery" day (at my age, I need one!!). Brian and Jack had stayed in the yard in the old motorhome so yesterday's adventures were all rehashed over several cups of coffee and once again it was decided that fun was had by all.

Casey and Raelene seemed to have "hit it off" so that is good for Casey to be slowly making a few friends around here.

Eventually all the weekend visitors left and there was peace and quiet once again in the yard.

Now we have a whole week to get ready for the next ride. I love this retirement although remember when I went and put my resume in at the "old folk's" home --- well I now have my orientation dates and I am scheduled for a couple of day shifts on the 21st and 22nd. This will certainly make the week go by a bit quicker. A new adventure awaits me!!