A Swim with a Friend

Barb came over today and we enjoyed the pool for a swim and hot tub. After a salad for lunch, we taught her how to play Phase 10. Another great day. I got my planter back from Bev, who kept it for me over the winter and found the tarragon and chives were thriving. Planted my parsley but will keep the basil inside for a few more weeks.

Hawaiin Surprise

We enjoyed pool as usual Friday night and then saw everybody again Sunday for a Surprise Birthday party for Doreen. Cj and Joan had missed a vacation to Hawaii so disguised the surprise as this instead. We gathered all our tourist stuff from our closets, were greeted with Mai Tai's and had a great time. We had wonderful outside weather, the usual ongoing pool tournament and lots of fun.

Scenic walks

We're enjoying beautiful sunny weather. I went for an exercise walk with a friend that loves dogs so much her nickname is Pooch. We went down O Avenue to the border and checked out the new Info Center as you enter Canada. Next we walked over to the Duty Free Store, an amazing modern building, down toward the train tracks, back into the Peach Arch Park and up into the top park and home. Need a little exercise program as I was a bad girl and gained a few pounds this winter.

Sunny White Rock

It was fun staying with a friend at our condo and walking around White Rock. It is really a pretty place and the gardens are always planted so nicely. Here are the first 2 highrises in town after much controversy, framed by the lovely Japanese cherry blossom trees.
The Turbo Charger which had to be flown in from Winnipeg, was replaced under warranty at a cost of $4200.00. Everything is in perfect order and we were back in the park Thur afternoon.
I managed to pick up a flu bug, mostly aching muscles and joints, so laid low for 3 days. Now I'm in the middle of spring cleaning. That means scouring all the cracks and crevices for desert dust. I've oiled my 50 cupboard doors and 18 drawers. I knew we had a lot of storage but this amazed me. The window tracks are finally clean and sliding without grit in them. Windows and floors are next.
Norm and Gilllian dropped over for a visit today.

Another Surprise

We had a recall letter from Cummings so we headed out there Monday night and stayed in their lot with an electric plug-in for our 7:30 a.m. Tuesday appt . Didn't feel like doing city traffic on rural roads in rush hour. We got the good news that afternoon, the Turbo Charger needed to be replaced and they could get one flown in from Winnipeg. We stayed at a friends in our condo in White Rock, so it was kind of neat to be back at our place, first time since June 2002. We picked the moho Thurs at noon. Boy, living in a motorhome, you have house, chassis and engine to deal with. I took advantage of the 'city time' to walk around town. We both had dental appts and I walked to the lab for my blood work so it seems to go quickly.

Easter

We had a great time with an Easter Egg hunt in the back yard with 2 friends and their kids.
We adults enjoyed a lovely Brunch while the kids had a ball. Ron came for the day and we enjoyed dinner with the couple next door as well before we headed back home. Lots of fun and excitement.

Grandkids

don't you love them? We had friends over in the morning, took the kids to a park playgrounds with wonderful cargo nets and climbing equipment and off to the mall to see the Easter Bunny. Here are 2 helpers decked out in their bunny teeth and ears.

Off to Gibsons

Ron dropped me off at the Horseshoe Bay ferry. The pink cherry trees out front are so pretty and the painted Orca whale and totem pole add to the scene. This is the view through the islands we pass on the way to Landale after our 28 minute trip.

Catching Up

It's good to be back in our park and we're very grateful we got in. You'll notice the No Vacancy sign. 79 RV parks have closed in B.C. over the last 5? years so this is becoming a problem. It's catch up time. We reactivated Ron's cell, got the income tax done and dropped off, and I had my 2nd physio appt today for a very sore shoulder and hip. Have no idea what I did but they both seized up, however, am moving better and hope to get back to some serious swimming and walking soon. Our indoor pool is one of the things I love about our campground, here it is with the hot tub in front.

back into Canada

We fueled at Ferndale and got to the Border at 11a.m. This painted Bear outside the Brokerage house was for a fundraiser a few years ago. It only took about 20 minutes in line, Sunday at 11:15 and the fellow never even asked us what we were bringing back. It think he was too fascinated watching Ron thread the motorhome through the narrow space. Believe me, there's only a couple inches to spare. We sit high above the cars and you can see the line up coming down 176 St to go to the U.S. The cars are 50/50 U.S. and Canadian. Our dollar is at 82 cents so it's good for them right now.
We're back in the Pacific Border RV Park with all our old neighbors and they're pleased we brought this wonderful sunshine with us.

Up to Seattle, Tulalip Casino

We woke to a frosty white car. A bit nippy around here. We were off into the ORE mountains. From the top, you descend into fluffy white clouds caressing the tree tops until we went into Sunny Valley which we couldn't' see - all fog. It cleared by 10 a.m. To me, ORE always seems to be moss covered trees, Japanese cherry blossoms, spring flowers, green fields with sheep and cows. We fueled at Pilot in Brooks for $223.9/gal. We took the I5 around Portland and saw Mt. Hood with the boats on the canal. There was a traffic accident on the outside lanes about SeaTac we missed an Advisory and couldn't get over in time to go the 405 around Seattle. With construction, there were 5 lanes going into 2, so about a 50 min delay. This is the east side of Seattle's harbour. We arrived at the Casino at 5:15 and enjoyed their wonderful buffet. The baked salmon was to die for.

Off to Phoenix, ORE

Ron woke me at 6:30 saying, come on, breakfast is ready. He'd gone to the McDonalds and brought me a sausage McMuffin and fresh orange juice. It hit the spot and then at 49 degrees, we were on the road by 7:10. We followed the California Aqueduct up I 5, beside green fields, cows and fruit trees. Shane P Dolan is still selling Real Estate, we've watched his signs for 20 years. I marveled at the shipping channels through Stockton that go right out to the coast. Saw a truck at the rest stop with a yellow sign on the bottom side saying, "You're in My Blind Spot". I thought it was brilliant because so many drivers haven't a clue about 18 wheelers or big rigs, always cutting you off, etc. We could see Mt. Shasta from Corning but it was covered with cloud when we went by. The water in Lake Shasta reached the bottom of the boat ramp, unlike when we came down and most of the water had disappeared. We went through the Sisyous in sunlight with dusty snow on some of the trees on the north side. I'm always glad when the mountains are behind us. We stopped at Phoenix at 3:45.

On the Road Again - to Santa Nella

We left Catalina on a sunny 68 degree day. We passed the Pet Cemetery as we went down Dillon. It has been so windy lately that you could hardly see the pass between the mountains on I 10 or all the whirling windmills for the sand in the air. We went up 395 to Kramer's Junction where we stopped for a coffee and stretch. We left cacti behind and drove through the rocky mountain area of Tehatchapi. We fueled in Bakersfield at $227.9 and headed across #46 through the Kern Valley. It is a delightful agricultural area. The fall rye was being plowed under, new rose bushes planted and the first crop of hay was already cut - imagine, on April 2. Some gusty winds for the last hour on I 5 until we pulled into Santa Nella and boondocked at McDonald's.

Poor Doves

We've had 2 doves building a nest on the ladder next door. The male is bringing a large leaf here and the female stays there building the nest. They work so hard and Dave has torn it down 5 times, because he's moving out Thursday. Today he finally had to remove the ladder.
I enjoyed 'noodling' with the gang down at the bottom pool today. It's our visit time and you learn a million things. Joni, Claudette, Jackie, Sue and I were joined by about 20 others.
One of our last beautiful sunsets as we head for home tomorrow.