Turkey Dinner for the Travellers

Well, the gangs all here, so we got together for a turkey feast with salads and buns because it's 95 degrees.

I did not know that Ken is a master carver but it's true and I learned a lot, what a pleasure to see the bird. Tasty.

 Between the 5 rigs, we lost water to a leak in Ore. on the 3rd day, a passenger mirror was ripped off (replaced), a pick-up quit and rig and all had to be towed, **twice**, fixed now. We finally got cold water 7 days later and our new HWTank on the 27th.
So we enjoyed this turkey which represented thankfulness and good company after finally arriving here in Val Vista. It was certainly the most eventful trip by all.

Waiting for the Group

4 friends left Sunday, but Jan lost a mirror past Kenniwik so stopped for a repair. Then Wendy and John's truck lost power and they had to be towed back to LeGrande.
We had a leak in Corning Ore., so were without water until we got here and a repairman used the bypass for cold in the coach and arrived Thurs with a new Hot Water Tank. It was completely rusted! Everyone is booked until mid Nov. so were very thankful for our guy. It was tight coming out and a real struggle to get the new one it.

 Karen and Dave arrived sat., followed by  Kim and Ken and Jan who ran into a thunder and lightning storm and the car looked like it was sprayed with cement.

While we waited at the car wash, we laughed like crazy at these massage chairs that massaged you everywhere!!!

Heading Down South

We've had going away parties and fun saying goodbye and crossed the main Peace Arch border Oct. 16, our 34th wedding anniversary. We used the Nexus lane and it was rather narrow but worked fine.

Washington was rainy and sunny as we avoided the huge storm called for Vancouver. We got into Ore.and MT. Shasta had her head in the clouds

                             and the lake was low.

We stopped in Eugene bothered only by an hour of wind. Next day was down to Rollins Hills Casino at Corning. Ore. is up and down with lots of trees. We had lunch at a rest stop amongst eucalyptus tress.

Stockton has inland waterways so they are shipping right out to the ocean.

We surely appreciate that Calif is part of the the breadbasket of the nation. We are passing crops of grapes, rice, fruit trees and nuts and so much more.

We overnighted at Spotlight 29in Indio and arrived at Val Vista Friday after getting propane, fuel and the RV washed. A good trip.

Thanksgiving Weekend

My last visit with kids and grandkids. We've enjoyed some really nice time with the whole family this summer. Suzanne was on a mission getting help from Steve building something.

Then we got a visit with Vanessa.

             We stopped to see Gibson's newest store The Butcher just opened by Adam and Shannon.

The store is fabulous and Adam even has a tattoo of his logo.

 We checked out what George was wearing for the holiday, dressed as usual.
We started a new tradition last year, while the turkey is in the oven the 4 adults go to a pub for an  uninterrupted visit.

A wonderful time.

Vancouver Holiday

Using the last of our Airmile points, we are discovering Vancouver. We stopped at the Golden Tree, a sculpture by Coupland.
Now the Hollow Tree – an 800-year-old Western Red Cedar in Stanley Park – has become a work of art. Vancouver artist Douglas Coupland unveiled his concept for a full-scale replica of the tree, which was installed in 2015 near a new highrise residential development in the Cambie Corridor. The 43-foot gold-finished sculpture – the Golden Tree – is set against a large-scale image of the Stanley Park forest, which is on the glass behind. The real Hollow Tree, badly damaged in a 2006 windstorm, was slated for removal but after much outcry, was stabilized with funding from private donors. He chose gold to signify happiness and warm memories of visiting the tree in the park as a child.

Our next stop was Queen Elizabeth Park. The quarry garden was colourful and the view remains over downtown.

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Chinatown was interesting as I used to go to Keefer St. as a child with my dad to pick up cut flowers for our greenhouses in Haney. It's still there, now part of the Trans Canada Trail that we saw in Victoria.

                              The original granite cobblestones are still in use.

           Chinatown Gate.

Our favourite Vancouver drive is going past Lost Lagoon and around Stanley Park and seeing the Girl in a Wetsuit.

Us at the original Hollow Tree.

We stopped at Davies St. where Ron used to live, now called Davie Village.

This used to be Dunker's DoNuts, where we poor nursing students occasionally had a coffee which we could barely afford on our $6 stipend.

We settled into our hotel at Davie and Denman and enjoyed the beach, people and ships.

 This asculpturre is here to add joy and smiles.