Rest days 2-3

I've really enjoyed my last couple of days with the family here. I was looking for a special carving and on Monday my Aunt Brenda was kind enough to ferry me all over the place. She took me on all back roads so that on my trip back to Duke Point I can avoid most of the Island Hwy. She was also kind enough to let bail out of the car when ever I wanted so I could get close-ups of the many flowers that I had seen on my trip in. The most prominent one with yellow flowers is called broom. As much as I have enjoyed them I guess they are an introduced species that is running amok. some of the other flowers were purple lupin, orange poppies, white daisies and wild strawberries, and pink wild roses to name just a few.
She took me to Nanoose Bay, Nanaimo, and finally to Coombs. It is easy to forget just how beautiful the Island is. My neck is sore from all the gawking around. Gramma at her house

Today I spent most of the day with my Aunt Deb. Again we spent most of the day shopping. That is the nice thing about the bike it really curbs your desire to buy something that you either have to ship or carry.
I had my first good talk with the entire family on the phone. Sheri was a little distressed that it would be weeks before I was home again. "I didn't realize how much we talked until you weren't here Mom. Don't let anything happen to you because it would suck to be without a Mom." I was touched, happy and sad at the same time.

Rest Day #1

We had a great week-end with our friends in Well’s Grey Park Flip and tried to spend as much time together as we could knowing wouldn’t around again for 4-6 weeks. I felt like I was radiating a weird energy trying to have fun but it was a tough week-end. Instead of relaxing and enjoying myself I felt like I was trying too hard. Oh well, I had a short but good visit with Ouimet’s before I started my trip. I am very excited to be actually on my way. The last few days have been physically draining and emotionally empowering. I’m really enjoying my first rest day and visit with Selena (my sister), her husband Dustin and Stella their very beautiful baby. Stella is absolutely adorable. It’s funny how we see family members in newborns. She’s is actually five months old but close enough. She is the spitting image of her mother when she smiles but I get flashes of Vera (her grandma) and my daughter. When she is more serious I see her Dad.
I’m off to go shopping with the girls and then I’m taking the family out for all you can eat sushi. Looking forward to seeing the family on the island.

The Disconnected News

I usually like to read to read my last blog before posting a new one but as I’m still writing at home and then trying to poach some internet time elsewhere I guess that’s not going to happen. We are still waiting to get connected to the Internet, and to get the satellite TV installed. It feels so seventies here. No 52 channels, no MSN, no e-mail. I’m starting to suffer from disconnection rash. Itchy, feverish, and cranky. Worse it’s contagious I think we all have it. I haven’t seen or heard news for a week so I’m going with the anthill philosophy. If all the ants (people) in my neighbourhood start moving really fast and with a purpose I’ll try to figure out if I should do the same, until then I’ll continue with the program.
Un-packing is going well. Flip opened the last box yesterday evening so we have things more or less organized. We still have boxes that need to be unpacked but they can wait. We only have thirty days to make a claim for our broken items and with me taking off for a few weeks there was a lot of stuff to be checked. The broken pile has increased as we get down to the last few boxes. It’s funny the bedroom stuff everything, (I mean everything: a bill and envelope, one pen, etc) was carefully wrapped in packing paper. The TV room downstairs things were just tossed in a big box. I had a neat wall hanging that Dad gave me made of ceramic and wood, tossed in a box with golf clubs and not wrapped at all; I still haven’t found all the pieces. That same box they threw the fishing rods in with golf cubs and then just piled a bunch of crap (I mean personal treasures) on top so the tip of the rod snapped off. Wacky.
The records and stereo didn’t get unpacked. I was elated and sad at the same time. Our crawl space is huge (21’x 22’x 3.5’) so it has made storing of thing easier to handle. I could sense Flips dilemma of putting that ugly old stereo out in our brand new house. It’s easily accessible if needed but it is an end of an era. A bit like having your kids move out. “I’m going to miss you…here’s your bag, ba bye.” He can visit it any time he likes.
Flip finished installing all the appliances on Tuesday and we had Dave and Roberta over for dinner. When I was inviting them Roberta said, “I can’t wait to see your place with furniture.” Umm… me too. The two of the most visible rooms the living room and billiard room still don’t have any furniture in them. The pool table is on order but will not be in for four to six weeks and we are going to go couch hunting today.
Sheri got a job at the local government liquor store, (I hope, they are just checking her references first). It’s within walking distance of the house so that’s a real bonus as I will not be here to ferry her around. She walked in asked if they were hiring, they checked her pulse and boom, done. I can’t wait for my braces clad, skinny, eighteen year old daughter to ask for anyone else’s ID. “Excuth me thir, can I see some ID? Do you have a thecond piece?”
We are going away for the long weekend to Wells Gray Park for a camping/golf trip it should be a lot of fun. From there I start my trip, it has been a long time coming. So my next few posts will probably be on my other blog with a few notes here and there on this one.

(written Monday) It’s been awhile since my last post. When I was still in Kamloops I didn’t have much to write about and now that I’m in Sexsmith I’ve been far too busy.
I’m here. I made it and so did the cats. I went to the vet to get some travel drugs for the little beasties but they wouldn’t give me any. Something about lower body temp, decreased respirations, blah, blah, blah. They suggested not feeding the cats for 12 hours before the trip and then half an hour before the trip give them a few milligrams of gravol in their food. Yeah right, both cats took one bite of their food and then wouldn’t go near it again. Then they were distrustful of me. Picture me in falsetto, “Here kitty, kitty, come on Smudgy.” While the cat stays just out of reach throwing me dirty looks in between licking his ass to get the taste of that food out of his mouth. I finally got the cats in their respective carriers and into the car. About twenty minutes into the trip one of the cats had a nice fragrant crap, five minutes later the other figured that was a good thing to do. Thank God I put litter in the bottom of the carriers. During the trip the cats only yowled if I accelerated, braked or stopped. Seymour didn’t like rumble strips and rough roads. Smudge had trouble with corners and ear popping hills. So all in all it was pretty uneventful.
The house looks great; a few final touches needed here and there but show me a house that is one hundred percent done. The appliances arrived on Saturday I was a little concerned about the fridge fitting but it slid right in. Watching the poor guys trying to get it up the oak capped stairs with out damaging walls, stairs, fridge or backs was interesting. (Read that as a nail biting, leaving the room, I can’t watch moment.) A minor dent in one of the oak caps, and little scuff on the wall and the fridge was in the kitchen. One appliance in, six to go. The rest came into the house smoothly. Getting them into their respective assigned areas is proving to be a little more daunting. The fridge was the easiest. (Remember I’m writing this, Flip did 99.9% of the work, I read the user manuals, watched the level, and pushed when required.) Just hook up the water and it slid right into place. Piece of cake, I do have to admire the symmetry things. The easier it was for the movers to get an appliance into the house the harder it proved to be for Flip to install. The microwave/ range hood is a prime example, 50 lbs of hell. First he had to mark out with a paper template anchor points in the cupboard above and in the wall. Then he had to install special anchors plus drill a hole for the plug to go though, and after that he had to attach a special hanging bracket. For an added degree of difficulty all of Flip’s tools are still carefully packed away with our furniture. Thank goodness Drool still hade his work tool belt and a drill, but there were still quite a few tools that would have been handy. Jessie (our niece), her boyfriend Jeff, and Sheri showed up around this time. It was good thing they did. At one point Jeff and Flip are pushing the microwave onto the bracket, I’m pulling the electrical cord through the hole, and Drool was standing on the cupboard, trying to line up the drill holes with the metal bolt holes in the top of the microwave. Good times. Of course nothing lined up quite right so everything had to come down a few more minor adjustments back up, then it fit like a finger in a bum.
Drool has been a huge help to Flip helping with electrical and grunt labour. He couldn’t help out on Sunday though as it was his first day of work! He got into town 9:00 pm Wednesday evening, put a resume in to Costco on Thursday, went to two interviews on Friday and started work on Sunday. He works today, (Monday), Tuesday and Wednesday. Then has Thursday, Friday off. He gets his first paycheck Friday and they are paying for a full day’s work for Friday because of the interviews! $13.75 during probation, $17.75 on Sundays. I’m very happy for him and a little proud.
Sunday for Flip and I was a trip to town to pick up the 50 little things that are absolutely necessary to install a dishwasher, a stacking washer and dryer, but that don’t come with said appliances. We are spending money like a couple drunken sailors in a whorehouse. “Hey Flip, the bill only came to $250.00, what did you forget?” So between a three-hour trip to town and dinner at his mom’s the only appliance that was installed was the dishwasher. The water isn’t hooked up yet but it’s getting there. The washer and dryer are still currently occupying the dining room. That’s where they will stay; as the furniture is due to arrive today. They said it was leaving the warehouse at 9:00 am, but I’ve learned times up here are approximated to the day not the hour or minute.

Update from yesterday's post that I am now posting. The movers arrived at 8:30 a half hour early! Everything is in pretty good condition we are just having trouble finding some things. The boxes are labeled very poorly, packed very well, but labeled very poorly. Phil got the last of the appliances in so I'm doing laundry, yeah. Sounds like a small thing but huge after not having one for a few days. Must run I'm on borrowed internet and my computer battery is dieing.