Nov 1st

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 6 degrees, Calgary 1 degrees”

A very calm subdued Halloween for us. We decided to stay home this year only our second year of doing so.

Jackie brought Audrey over for a outing and we ordered from the British Chippy. I like Fish & Chips and this place has awesome homemade fries and slaw. Fish is expensive which is odd as unlike a cow which requires feed and care ,fish only need to be caught in the ocean. Someone is making big money as Halibut is more than a good steak. 9 out 10 times I would pick the steak but once in awhile fish & chips ( like Chinese, KFC) is good for a change.

The kids look like they all had fun dressing up.

Even the girls played it up as the Evil Twins !!

Jackie & I actually spent some time watching Netflex last night which was great. I love a good show.

7 MORE DAYS BEFORE WE LEAVE

Watching the news and reports I am prepared to wait HOURS at the border. We will have blankets in the car with food and water. Only issue maybe the washroom but it won’t be the first time Jackie squats beside the car. It will be an adventure.

I filled my suitcase today with clothes needed for the 4 months. Pretty easy as it golf shirts, golf shorts, one pair of pants for any colder evenings, one pair of shoes, a couple of jackets, one good shirt, personal items and all done. I put a winter coat in the car just in case when travelling thru the mountains. Daisy knows something is up as she keeps climbing in suitcase not wanting to be left behind.

I picked up my prescription today. I find this annoying. I have a 100 pills plus a 100 refill but the insurance company will only pay for one at a time. In the past I have had Jackie on a return trip pick them up but it is hassle. I asked how much for a 100 pills and I pais for them myself so that is done. The bureaucracy we have in our system is extremely dumb, annoying and isn’t saving anyone time, money or effort. Yet we hear all the time governments wanting to remove red tape but nothing gets done. Lots of time it is cost driven.

Here is my quick list of changes that would help me and I think most would agree.

• New plastic AHC card
• Vehicle plate and number assigned to person for life.
• New plastic fishing license assigned for life and bought based on years wanted.
• One loyalty program instead of 1000 different ones. Like a credit card but collects not only the cards points but for each individual companies points.
• Budget police force without using photo radar of traffic tickets as line item.

Many many more that I may add as I get time.

Thought of the Day

I saw an ad for burial plots, and thought to myself, “That’s the last thing I need.”

Nov 2nd–4th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 5 degrees, Calgary 13 degrees”

6 MORE DAYS I add

Quite a nice day outside today. First thing this morning I headed to Canadian Tire. Fred is making a CFL board for the Grey Cup this year so he needed the 2021 Grey Cup Champions Stampeders logo to complete his swatch. They didn’t have any which was odd. So I headed to the Stamps store and picked up the logo’s and a small stick flag to install on our house for the days leading up to the game. Then I will switch it to the Flames flag. While there I bought a Stamps hat to wear for the Grey Cup. I hope we play the disease ridden Elk in the playoffs. LOL CFL is a must win one game series so anything can happen but the Stamps are looking very good.

I then headed to the bank to get some USD. They are short of money. LOL That is pretty poor planning on the branch’s part as they KNOW everyone is going on the 8th and they should have been prepared. Three of us in the branch all asking for US cash.

I washed the Jeep as it looks like no bad weather before we leave. I will take off the battery cable the day before we go.

I then headed to the Registry office and renewed both vehicles for two years. I will remove the the stickers which we don’t need now in a bit. I happened to get a good girl at the office as the Flex is registered to both of us and in the past have had to get Jackie’s signature to get it done but she allowed me today to finalize it. She could see both vehicles and addresses all matching. Years ago I stopped registering in both names as it is a real pain but the Flex was registered by the dealer lot when we bought it and used both names on title.

Registered my new debit card so all is good with that for going south.

Most people would agree that make-up can change a person’s look dramatically. Speaking of this my Mom is almost 90 and will not go downstairs to have any meal without putting make-up on. Some would say why but I am proud of her wanting to take the time to look her best. Give yourself a new haircut, a new suit, fancy shoes or whatever and you know how good it feels. What you feel, others will feel it coming from you also. I think this example explains it perfectly.

Daisy and I went for a longer walk today as it was gorgeous out. We met 12 yr old Sadie and 8 year old Barkley so she had a lot of fun. She could have played a lot longer but my feet were getting cold in my sandals.

I added the double verification to our Google accounts today as a extra security option. I updated my phone. Paid more bills.

It is supposed to be hitting 14 degrees today but taking Daisy for a walk that wasn’t the case. She is so funny and eager to meet anyone. Today in the park I let her chase a Magpie and it seemed both of them were having a good time.

I was reminiscing with an old friend today on our work life. His story is almost identical to mine. We both started picking orders in a warehouse, promoted to order checker, promoted to fork truck driver, promoted to inside sales desk, promoted to an outside sales territory, promoted to Branch Manager, promoted to General Manager overseeing three branches, and then to Regional Sales Manager for Alberta Dealer and Builder Direct for all JW product sold into the province. His path was almost identical with him finishing his career as the General Manager of Regal. We used to sell against each other at the trade shows and at that time company suits were a thing. He had nice black and grey outfits while we had gaudy Tartan jackets as our owners were English or Scottish. Both our first companies which were large and old companies that went broke during the downturn in the 70’s. They were fun times.

When I first came to Calgary, Gary was the Manager at Beaver Lumber and when I walked in, it was neat see someone I knew. That happened at Totem Head Office also as I knew Ray when he was the Manager of a Totem store in Edmonton.

The excitement of a large sale, or idea that comes to fruition or dealing successfully with a angry customer is missed in retirement but not the stresses that come with everything involved. My jobs would have been so easy if we didn’t have customers but we wouldn’t HAVE a job if we didn’t have customers. LOL So many wonderful customers over the years that I loved dealing with.

Out of the house first thing this morning and headed with Daisy to the RV lot. I decided after a lot of thoughts and numerous different ideas that I read to go back to my “normal: way of winterizing my boat motor. Some suggest, StabLock, some say leave gas in carb so seals and rings don’t dry up, some say drain carb and the ideas go on and on. I have always drained the carb to prevent buildup but until today was going to try leaving gas in it as it is stored inside in warmth. I know TODAYS gas due to the idiot environmentalists gums up. Never used to. So I headed out to pick up my cargo rack.

I took the motor out of storage and loaded it on my rack. I DO NOT REMEMBER IT BEING SO HEAVY !! . I know it only weighs 60 pounds and then add 40 pounds for the rack it is only 100 pounds but it is getting heavy moving it around. It is just awkward is my excuse. I bolted it all up and headed to Tor’s to run it and empty the carb.

For the 10 mins in water I am not concerned about changing the leg oil. I ran it in the barrel , unhooked the gas line and choked it until it died. It is amazing how long they run on carb gas only. I am satisfied and comfortable now with the process. I did notice a small sputter at full throttle so I will change out the plug in the spring. I need to buy a gapper gauge.

I headed to the dump and disposed of my gas from my boat motor gas can and then put the motor and tank away for the winter.

Daisy and I headed out to the lot again to put away the rack. 18 degrees it read on my gauge in November. That is amazing. So we had a nice walk around the park. Only saw two people out there and one was the inspector which is not my favorite guy to see. So far I have no notices even though I know of others that have. It was a very nice walk around. She spent all day with me and was exceptional and now has passed out as she did not get any rest all day.

10:00 am to 5pm a full day. The last week not doing much sure sucks your endurance out of you. I was tired. The lifting numerous times does not help.

Thought of the Day

People are making end of the world jokes like there is no tomorrow.

November 6th-7th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 32 degrees, Edmonton 10 degrees, Calgary 10 degrees”

A sunny day but bit cool. 10 degrees is nice but with the wind it has a bite to it.

Bubbles cleaned, polished and waxed the Flex and I started loading. We need access to certain things for the trip and we have limited space so planning is needed. I managed to get everything in the correct place that will work for us. I have the electric cooler at the back and the dog kennel right behind the seat so Daisy can crawl into to sleep. It is nice having lots of space as we have 2 large suitcases ( over airplane weight lol) two sets of golf clubs, large cooler, dog kennel, two bags of golf shoes, blankets, car cover, small suitcase, two laptop cases, large 24 x 36 carrier full of spices etc from the motorhome, a large case with dog food, treats etc and extras. Add all of the little stuff and it is nicely packed.

We met Alan & MaryAnn at Fish Creek Prov and walked out to Peter’s Memorial tree. I took a bit of looking as the grass had grown and a new path had been added. Jackie found the small Teddy Bear ornament that had been put on his tree so we could identify it. Daisy and Tia had a fun walk around. Heated washrooms at the park are a treat.

I ordered a pizza from next door and picked it up after walking with Daisy and headed home to eat and get ready to see the Flames while Jackie went over to Audrey’s to make sure she is all set while she is gone.

Jessica phoned and said that a friend had told her there is a line up already waiting for the border. It is going to be a long night. LOL

Depending on where we are staying, driving etc it could be quite long. With Daisy and the fact I do not trust the hicks in Montana and Idaho we will be fast fooding it or eating in our room. The states doesn’t have the strict restrictions like we do. So it will be a different trip. It also means being careful at Viewpoint as AZ still has high case counts due to the anti-vaxers and rednecks. I would support a “law” that bans all unvax’d from entry to anything as a safety measure for everyone else.

Well we made it and I will work backwards.

We left Calgary and stopped in Raymond for a visit with Jess & Pen and the boys. We had a lot of fun. Boys are wild for sure compared to our girls but hilarious to watch. They jumped, did pull ups, hand stands, fought , battled and ran like boys do. It was fun to watch.

Penny made us a wonderful supper. She had baked chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and Brie. Plus sweet potato hash browns. The meal was fantastic. It was a work night so the girls & boys headed to bed and Jackie & I watched a Netflix show that we have been following.

We left to arrive a around 11:30 for a 12:01 crossing. Arriving at the border there was a fairly long line up. It took us 45 minutes to get thru which was amazing and in fact we crossed at 11:53 ahead of when we were supposed to. After the fact we discovered they actual used Eastern Time so it really opened at 10 pm and were letting people thru. If you think about that it is pretty clever to allow all Canadians entry at the exact same time. They made it fairly easy with only limited questions which is smart and appreciated. On the road and we decided for tonight rather than drive 2 hours in the dark we would stay in Shelby. The Best Western was brand new, priced right and allowed dogs. We hit the pillows about 2 am. Daisy was amazing and was extremely well behaved with all of the unknown things happening.

In the morning we went separately to the buffet room to grab something for the road to eat. Daisy had her morning walk with success so we were all set for the days drive. It was 2 degrees when we left and the warmest we got to was 10 degrees. I have to say I was shocked how the USA is dealing with Covid. No masks anywhere. We always wore ours and we were the ONLY ones in the gas stations and hotels. Seemed so ODD. The Flex only has a 15 gallon tank so we had to make more stops than normal. We also made the odd pee stop and dog stop. Funny fact, we met another couple with their dog at a stop about 8 hours later. For both of us to pick the same spot was amazing. Daisy got her run in in a pet area that was fenced in.

We started in Shelby Mt and for the first day ended in Provo. It is about a 10 hour drive but two factors skewed this. First the cruise was set at 88 mile per hour which is about 141 kms per hour. I figured I was safe at 8 mph over the limit. We saw three speed traps with one close call as I was doing my 88 mph in a 65 mph zone. He didn’t move and I slowed down for a bit. So this means we are making good time. Then add in the NUMEROUS TIME consuming stops ( LOL) we most likely ended up taking 10 hours.

Tonight we were in another Best Western. Overall good but a little disappointed. There is a saying Putting Lipstick on a Pig. That is what the owners of this hotel did. The spent 10K on a bathroom reno and left one wall looking bad, light plates extremely yellowed and a door/casing requiring a new paint job. Why not make it look good everywhere. They added a front closet but the carpenter forgot his tape measure and level and built a wall that any DYI would be embarrassed to show. The wall is inches out of plumb and even cut off have of a electrical plate. Just not good. Having said this the room was fine and comfortable. Bad luck though having a joining room with a dog that barked that made Daisy anxious.

We walked across the street to Denny’s to order our supper for take out. Not often have I experienced blatant incompetence. Tonight it happened. There were two couple in line in front of me. They ask to be seated and the manager says she can’t seat them. The restaurant had say 50 tables with only about 5 being used. She said she only has one waitress on staff and she can’t handle any more tables right now. They would have to wait in the seating arear and they will be advised when a table is ready. The couple wasn’t happy and I think most would agree they should have been taken to a table, explained the situation, asked them for drinks, provide them free drinks until the waitress can get caught up. The second couple wanted take out also and were told it would be at least 30 to 45 minutes. I left the restaurant and we drove to Arby’s. I have to say I would not think about a wrap from Arby’s but it was exceptional.

This hotel had a lot weaker breakfast system but we still managed to get enough free good food to eat.

I love the section through Salt Lake City. Up to 16 lanes wide in sections and heavy traffic at 65 to 70 mph. This has been under construction for 13 years now and it is just about complete. Maybe about 2 miles more and they will be done.

The further south the more traffic on the road. In the 22 hours of driving only one really poor driver. An old combine operator from Saskatchewan doesn’t know the rules of the road, doesn’t know about cruise control, doesn’t understand merge, fast lane traffic. He tried to pass me on the right in heavy traffic and I couldn’t allow that so closed the spacing. He tail gated. Then on the open road he passes me, another mile I have to pass him and on it went. I find this fun and entertaining. Jackie sort of takes the fun out of it a bit by commenting on what I am doing. I had to defend my honor so booted it hitting 160 kms a hour ( a little more lol) until I lost the confused combiner amongst all of the traffic.

Today was another planned 10 hour drive day which took us about that again with the combo of time and stopping. Daisy loves sitting in the backset watching out the window.

I love Phoenix traffic. Heavy and fast. On Hwy 10 at a speed limit of 65 to keep up we moved at 80 mph plus. I used the HOV lane and motored. We hit Phoenix right as rush hour was winding down. No stop and start here just full throttle on a 8 lane freeway. Makes driving fun and entertaining.

We stopped at Safeway to pick up just a few things before heading to our AZ home.

Sleeping in a familiar bed is always nice. We had put the suitcases on the floor to work on the next day. I got up in the pitch black as I needed a washroom visit. Funny now but I got lost on my way to the bathroom. I headed just like in the condo to my right. I ended up in the closet stumbling around half asleep. After feeling the many clothes hangers I must have awoke a bit. New direction in the dark and finally made it, Made for an interesting trip in dark.

Then our work started. Power washing and scrubbing the siding all the way around the house. Washing the windows. Unpacking all of the furniture from under the tarps. Moving the patio furniture to the backyard is always a chore. Power washed the patio and outdoor kitchen including the rugs. Moved out the table and chairs and all of the decorations. This took all day and we are still not done.

While I was working outside Jackie got a huge amount done inside. Dusting, cleaning, organizing etc. A lot of work. We had bought a roasted chicken from Safeway and had that which was delicious.

Day one done and tired but happy and content.

Thought of the Day

Rest is good after the work is done.

November 11th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 31 degrees, Edmonton 2 degrees, Calgary 3 degrees”

This was our first trip with our new Flex. I thought I would give my thoughts on the difference between the Buick Enclave and the Ford Flex.

• Flex
• Unbelievable power at 385 horsepower and very fast, quick response
• Incredible cornering with it’s low center of gravity with wide stance and tires
• Nice ride and relatively quiet.
• High Tec with radio, navigation, intuitive cruise, and voice activation
• Buick
• High end interior void of plastics
• Very comfortable seats
• Quiet cabin with the use of quiet glass.
• Great gas mileage around 9 liters per 100 kms

Both are great cars but I would choose the Ford for it’s power, handling and unique looks. The Buick is classier and more comfortable but also a lot more expensive. The new Enclave is $62,000. A new Flex was $51,000. As the Flex was discontinued as a lot of Ford products we bought it for a steal.

First thing this morning out and at it again. I continued on fixing things up and organizing. I paid to have our trees trimmed and overall a good job but not exactly correct as the trees were hitting our sunscreens and outdoor kitchen area. So I cut trees. I have two loads that we will load into the neighbors truck to take to the dump. Tree cutting is hard work but all done for another year. A good day.

Speaking of trees, this is unbelievable. We have been missing from here for 20 months. No tree when we leave and now 20 month later look what we have in the back of our house.

It was the perfect temperature today hitting at it’s high 86 degrees. But it is a dry heat.

Both Jackie & I worked all day with only a lunch break.

The first time this season for something we love. That is sitting outside enjoying the warmth while having supper. As we haven’t fully loaded up yet with groceries we decided to order takeout from Fat Willy’s. I drove and picked up our order. No masks anywhere again. I just don’t get it. Two people both fully vaccinated can still cause chaos as one of them could be a carrier and give the other with the weaker immune system Covid. Oh well I will carry on with mine. I get home and they gave us the wrong order. Jackie didn’t care for her substitute so I headed back and they made us a new order. As the saying goes ” Things happen” They were very good at the speed to make it right.

We picked up a special doggie pen for Daisy. $20 for a $150 unit is a good deal.

Thought of the Day

Whatever you do, always give 100% … unless you’re donating blood.

November 12th
“Mercury Forecast Mesa 32 degrees, Edmonton 4 degrees, Calgary 14 degrees”

A nice bright warm start to the morning. Up at stating loading cut branches to haul to the dump. We loaded them in Randy’s truck and it took two loads. Desert trees sure are prickly. Thorns 3 inches long.

Came out of the tree cutting pretty good shape. Legs have gashes, thumb has skin ripped off then I put on gloves, one festered thorn in a finger, a bruise on my wrist and a sore back so came out of it very good overall.

The dump wasn’t busy which was nice so it didn’t take long.

I then headed to pick up Fred and we drove to the Depot for screws and I picked up my Christmas decoration idea.

Back to Fred’s place and we started ripping the 4 x 8 sheets into strips for window casing/trim around the outside. Smart board panels cut into 3 1/2″ inch strips. Lots of dust generated and this is after Fred did all of his cleaning. We got those all cut up and then started to dado my boards for my Noel sign. More dust but I forgot to mention right in the middle of cutting our table saw calved. We headed to Harbour Freight and with a coupon bought a wonderful new one for $150. You can’t go wrong and it was perfect for our needs. All done cutting for now

When I get time I will use the oscillating saw, chisel and hammer and finish the dado’s then start to paint. Another trip to the Depot required. I think my idea will look great.

My Santa Bear, Noel board and rebar painted to hang a lighted reef.

I got home after Terry making me a wonderful lunch and rested up a bit.

We then walked over to a potential rental unit for Jeff & Wendy and did a walk thru. A very unit this one with modern and old fashioned decor. Overall a very nice unit that I think anyone would like. Hopefully the deal goes thru for them. The advantage they had was renting for 3 months which everyone likes.

Off to Safeway for some real food to BBQ and another day just about done. I believe I have a football and hockey game to watch tonight. Life is Good !

Thought of the Day

What do you call a sleepwalking nun? A roamin’ Catholic.

November 13th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 32 degrees, Edmonton 8 degrees, Calgary 9 degrees “

Staying pretty nice in Canada for November. But not nice enough so very glad to be here.

Jackie was up a early as she was going for a ride with Terry to visit the many yard sale units today. The park has a resort wide sale for anyone that wanted to participate. We don’t need anything but Jackie has found us some amazing deals certain years. She picked up an electric fireplace we use in our Saloon at Oasis that we brought back. She picked up a stainless steel range hood that we use at Oasis in our outdoor kitchen. She picked up a 32″ Tv for our outdoor kitchen in Mesa and I don’t think she paid over $25 for any of them. Add the decorations and decor items she has been very successful. We will see what TREASURES she brings back today.

Daisy is having a blast with all of the golf carts stopping and starting with the yard sale enthusiasts.

Don’t you hate it when you have to go to Plan B. My A plan is too heavy and I changed my mind on my Christmas sign. Means a couple bucks of wasted wood and time but Plan B will work better. Another trip to Hobby Lobby and Depot.

Jackie & I went over to Fred & Terry’s place tonight to witness the Elks getting slaughtered again. It is hunting season. The Roughriders will now face the Stamps in the quarter finals in two weeks. Amazing to have a Grey Cup game OUTSIDE in DECEMBER. The CFL is nuts to have it this late especially outdoors. Good thing for TV. Fred has the ESPN package to watch the games on.

I came after a few drinks ( i discovered today I don’t care for black rum) and started to BBQ. We had wonderful thick pork chops, roasted potatoes and carrots for supper which were fantastic. While outside we let Daisy try out her new chair that Jackie got for $5 in our garage sale, She loved it and fell asleep.

Thought of the Day

Dad, are we pyromaniacs ? Yes, we arson

November 14th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 31 degrees, Edmonton 1 degrees, Calgary 8 degrees”

The winter is coming to Alberta with HEAVY snowfall warnings for a lot of the province. I always like watching these as it does give great pleasure while I am sitting in the sun to see the weather back home. LOL

It was snowy all day in Banff where the Waldie’s were having a mini holiday. Corey had a coaching session going on so Jackson and Tor joined him. I was texting with Jackson and he was having a great time. Looks like fun.

Skinny Minnie Jackie was out of the house at 7:30 am this morning for her walk with Terry. That is early. I don’t even get up that early any more to golf. LOL Daisy is a little attached to Jackie and forced me to get up as she couldn’t see out of any window. Opening the blinds made her happy as she could sit and wait and check out everything going on. Once up you can’t go to bed so I made breakfast and watched the news. Nice that the Covid cases are dropping rapidly which is good. I say keep the restrictions until we get down to having about 20 a day. We need to get ahead of it.

Walking to Fred’s this morning i couldn’t happen to notice how wonderful it is here.

Today was install trim work around all of Fred’s openings. We worked from 9am to about 3pm. It is turning out wonderful and I will have a before and after pic when we are done. It is averaging about 10 degrees warmer than average right now and working in the sun all day it is hot. The trim is all done and on Tuesday Fred & I will install all of the skirting. It is going to look great.

I came home and did the unthinkable and laid down on the couch and had a quick nap. That doesn’t happen.

We were invited over for supper to the Key’s tonight which was wonderful. Fred BBQ’d a special cut of ham, we had scalloped potatoes and cauliflower, Jackie made a salad and everything tasted excellent. I especially liked the ham. They had Moscato wine in the box which was excellent tasting. A good 10 out of 10 meal. Appreciated !

The odd thing of having a nap was followed by even a more odd event. Terry & Jackie beat Fred & I in crib 6-0. Yes I will repeat it one more time as most people will not believe it but Fred & I lost 6-0 in crib. My middle is crib. How can this be ?

Daisy was a very good dog all day and evening and is resting peacefully now as the night is getting long

Another wonderful day in paradise. Working all day doing a job that is enjoyable while visiting with friends, enjoying a super tasting meal, wine and playing card games. NOT WINNING but at least playing.

Golf tomorrow !

Thought of the Day

I’ve always had an irrational fear of speed bumps but I’m slowly getting over it.

November 15th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 30 degrees, Edmonton 0 degrees snow fall warning, Calgary 8 degrees”

Just a wonderful day ahead. Jackie went for her walk and brought Daisy along and was gone for about an hour. She did her business which is a good thing to get her used to doing.

I readied myself for my first golf game after 17 days. We had 7 players this time in our group. The course was exceptional with lush fairways and wonderful greens with the recent over seeding done. I looked and played great.

My pairing today was with Jim Wyatt and Ron Payne. The other group had Denis Holden, Ken Gunn and two or his friends.

Here is an 80 year old that was in the hospital twice this summer with pneumonia and had heart surgery with stents being added. Amazing to see his stamina after getting out of the hospital only a couple of months ago. He golfed a good game not his best I have seen from him but for his age he scores very well .

First hole a boogie, second hole a double and the third a triple than par par par happened. Long story short I ended up with an 85 for a first game in a few weeks I was happy. But the best part is I had the low score of the group and my winnings amounted to ONE BIG ONE. So all is good. I had two slices which I hate but as VP is a open course recovered very well. I made par on a Par 5 hole without EVER touching my fairway.

We had an after golf gathering done safely at Denis Holden’s house. Always a fun gathering.

A great day. I took some chicken breasts out when I got home for supper tonight.

Life is Good

Thought of the Day

I’ve finally told my suitcases there will be no holiday this year. Now I’m dealing with the emotional baggage.

November 16th–17th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 27 degrees, Edmonton -4 degrees, Calgary -1 degrees”

Only 27 degrees today as it was overcast. It was a good day to have this as Fred & I worked all day putting his new skirting on and one side is direct sunlight. He is going to add white eaves roughing to the west side and it will be done.

It is quite the transformation and as we were working away numerous people stopped to comment how much they liked it. That is when you know you did a good job.

The skirting goes most of the way around the home. Fred bought it from Amazon as the stores down here are struggling with stock. A small miscalculation so we headed to Mobile Depot and they has some on clearance that were just about the perfect match. Very lucky. We made it so the different product was on a different side of the home so there would no way possible to notice even the slight difference.

So another good day of work, a great lunch made by Terry, a couple of beer after work and the Arizona life continues.

I made a Chef’s salad tonight with Garlic bread for supper. Different for a change and very very good.

We took Daisy for another long walk around the park. I think she is loving all of the extra attention and walking she is getting. No place for Michael Jackson dance when she does her business on the pad so she is resorting to jumping at the door. Funny girl.

We took Daisy for another long walk that we and her enjoy and look forward. I need to start drinking more beer as with all of the exercise my weight dropped a little too much. My plan anyways. LOL

I got all dressed up and headed to Safeway as the golf guys were coming to my house today after golfing. While there I stopped and had a Frappuccino. Yummy !! Even the whipped cream on the top was wonderful. I spilled some on my new shirt so when I arrived home I had to change. My favorite shirt. LOL It was another great fun day golfing. Today I lost ONE BIG ONE. I played a little poorer today but I was playing against a gentleman that birdies a Par 3 hole where with his cap he was given 2 strokes. That is a NET Zero. Even a hole in one I would have lost that hole! Par three’s I think should be played even up and use the tee box as the advantage only. I was hitting a lot of my tee shots higher today than normal which loses yards. A few rim outs and few errors happened. A wonderful sunny fun golf day with our grouping coming back to my place for a few after drinks .

Another long walk with Daisy and at 8pm we are starting to notice a slight chill in the air.

Thought of the Day

Intelligence is like underwear. It is important that you have it, but not necessary that you show it off. Ps- how many bra straps and thongs do we have to see

November 18th

“Mercury Forecast- Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton -3 degrees, Calgary 4 degrees”

Up this morning and headed out to pick up Fred. We headed to Harbor Freight to pick up a allen wrench for the tap. We stopped at Mobile Depot for a return. Wouldn’t you know it they did not want to accept a return. I do not care for companies with poor service. After a bit we were lucky enough to have them reconsider which is good as it was $54. Jumped into my car and off to the Depot for my Christmas sign. I cut up my lumber I needed in the molding aisle, picked out the paint and headed home to start. I bought whitewashed barnwood and red paint.

The boards were cut to length then we needed to trim off the shiplap edge. It took three wide to give me the proper sizing. We painted up the numbers and cross boards and decided on the layout.

While these were drying I whipped Fred & Terry to their epoxy dealer to pick out their coating color and chip colors. I do like the voice activated navigation system. Much easier than entering all of the info. It was about 20 minutes away so a quick back and forth.

Then we started the assembly. Fred & I laughed as it seems every project require every tool out of the shed. Three wide and using the ripped boards as cross boards turned out perfect. We then air nailed the letters on with perfect spacing. After assemble we then discover one of the N’s was on upside down. You makes a N with a upside. LOL

We then made the “legs” for it by cutting it out of the plywood panels I bought. Painted them all white and will install them tomorrow when they are dry.

I also fixed up the lighting on my Santa Bear. I need to order some red LED lights, mistle toe and install it and I will be done. I am loving it.

The Aunts on my Mom’s side ( Dickson) have had longevity but we just lost Aunt Lil a couple of months ago and today we lost Aunt Ethel. Aunt Lil was 95 years old and Aunt Ethel was 94 years old. Aunt Ethel lived on a farm south of Stony Plain her whole married life until she moved into a senior’s home in Stony . Her husband Uncle Rudy Giese had numerous relatives in the surrounding area. Aunt Ethel was one of those quiet kind gentle people. I found her to have a neat sense of humor. She was my Mom’s maid of honor. I would say that Aunt Ethel of all of the Aunts reminded me most of my Grandma.

Getting older sucks as people leave us, and with that memories of when they were younger. As a child with the number of cousins, Aunts and Uncles and they lifestyle everyone had it was a wonderful childhood. 99% of my relatives were farmers. Hard working, generous, and kind people.

We had our first block gathering last night. I believe their about 36 homes on our block and 50% of them have changed hands. On our block the combination of age and health issues hit the street. It is a shame to lose so many good people but one never knows a the new people may be as nice or in some cases even better. Either way different.

We had about 25 people show up for a unofficial block party and it was great to meet everyone new and see the older ones.

We had it outside with plenty of distancing available which was good but the one thing I did not like was some people actually brought POT LUCK meals. That shouldn’t happen in my mind. Even if there is a spoon to dish, EVERYONE touches it, so it is not safe. Needless to say Jackie & I did not partake in the buffet of sorts. People just don’t understand even if you are 3 times vaccinated you can carry the virus and spread it to another vaccinated person that may get sick or pass it on to an individual that spreads it to more people. Caution needs to be had for a few months more.

A late walk around the park with the spoiled little dog and another day in paradise done.

Thought of the Day

A courtroom artist was arrested today for an unknown reason … details are sketchy.

November 20-21st

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 29 degrees, Edmonton 5 degrees, Calgary 4 degrees”

Let me say as usual the weather is spectacular. This time of year it averages between 25 and 30 degrees which is prime.

Today we had a golf game with Ralph & Tracy. Always fun people to golf with. It was a busy Friday on the course so our only tee time was Twilight. Where can you golf a wonderful course with cart for two at $ 54. We only finished 15 holes but it was worth it. I took the front 9 score x 2 for our game scores. It ended up with Jackie golfing very well the whole game getting a 98 and myself a 78. Ralph and Tracy both played very well overall. I was impressed how Ralph has increased his swing speed and learned to control his power fade. On the second hole I birdied it and we were lucky enough Ralph had his juice with him and it was cool.

It was Daisy’s first Arizona golf game and she was exceptional. She sat like a Princess for the entire golf game and then stayed in her carrier bag very quiet while we had supper.

It was a fun day. We had a wonderful meal on the deck at Fat Willy’s including asking for a JUG of beer. I had the sirloin steak and it was fantastic. Beer jugs are still only $11.00 After our meal we stopped by Ralph & Tracy for a nightcap and to take a look at their cupboard reno. They painted their cabinets and they look fantastic.

A late walk for Daisy to end another wonderful day.

Today was a day to get some small things done. I whipped to the Depot and picked up my stuff to complete my Christmas decorations. I vacuumed and washed the car. I picked up a new propane tank.

Amazon delivered my two packages today. I installed my cross bar. I installed my new red lights after trying to read the very very fine print. Who can read this small of writing? My Christmas decoration I am sure will be well liked. I love it. I can’t wait for it’s reveal at night with the lights on.

I helped Fred remove his drawers and stack his furniture in the shed as his concrete pad is going to have epoxy applied this week starting on Monday morning. It is a two or three day process to get done.

I drove over to Hobby Lobby. Canada needs this store along with a few others here in Mesa. I would like Harbor Freight and Floor & Decor plus Hobby to be in Calgary. Hobby Lobby is like Michaels on massive steroids. Wonderful store.

The store was packed with 90% women and I had the funniest thing happen to me in a long time. I had decided to make my own wreath. I was in the wreath aisle taking holly, balls, berries etc to make a wreath when this middle-aged lady lightly touched my arm and says ” Look at you Mr Creative” I remind you there were only about 2 guys in the whole huge store. I could have taken it as a derogatory or condescending remark with them thinking how can a male be creative but I took it as a compliment and added more to my wreath. Life is fun !

My one golf partner after having two episodes of pneumonia and a stent placement has had back off golf for a week as per his doctors orders. An almost 80 year old guy golfing three times a week after such a negative health summer to me was amazing. I am hoping we will see him back next Monday.

Busy week coming up with three golf games, Thanksgiving on Thursday, Black Friday shopping, Christmas decoration hanging, BBQ outside on our deck, visiting with friends, installing new doors at Fred’s, and a great football game on Saturday to look forward to.

Thought of the Day

How about buying a set of batteries with a label stating “Toy not included” for a Christmas gift.

November 22nd-23rd

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 4 degrees, Calgary 5 degrees “

Another great day in paradise. I had a great 9:30 tee time today. I sort of like this time as we finish early and still have lots of the day left. On arrival we discover one of our playing partners wife was having issues so had to back out. That left five of us for today.

I was disappointed in my play today. Same old story scoring a 78 last game then today a 87. I was everywhere with my drives and not so good second shots. It would be so nice to be consistent but that isn’t in the cards. We all still had a lot of fun and the temperature was perfect. Having said that perhaps the 10kmph wind causing very adverse playing conditions may have been the reason. LOL

The group came over to my house after for a short time for a after golf gathering. We lost one guy between the course and the patio. Hopefully he didn’t get lost.

Talking to one of my partners he had an interesting story that I had to embellish. Mike is having a woodpecker problem with his Mesa home. I am sure the cause is his headboard banging against the wall every night and the wood pecker thinking it is a mating call.

It was a very fun day ending with a nice gathering of the minds.

For supper tonight I cooked up some Italian Meatballs and had spaghetti and Ragu sauce. I prefer a different brand of saucde but that is all we had. I add my options like mushrooms, celery, onion etc to it but Ragu is a little different than others.

Jackie watched the Dancing with the Stars with the wrong person winning again. We all have to understand it is a popularity contest not 100 % based on talent. Still it was fun to watch.

Today was a off day for golf and for any hard work. I fixed up a few things outside, took Daisy for a couple of walks, talked and visited with a few neighbors, and did a bit of computer work.

Speaking about computers, when it comes to getting things done, fixing issue etc I have been very lucky and fortunate. I have two outstanding issues that I have been unable to rectify as of yet and this is going on 13 days now. The park is lacking in urgency in getting our house phones up and operating. We have a work order placed but no action so it will require an additional suggestion to lets get it done. My second issue is teh same time frame with Jabba. We have a 10mbps plan and are only getting less than 2 and sometimes less than 1mbps. For anyone familiar with computers you need about 5mbps to run Netflix but more especially if using multiple devices is much better. I had a work ticket issued and two follow ups and still no repair. Today when I phoned the ticket was cancelled for some unknown reason so they re-entered it. I am sure it will require another visit.

In job interviews one common question is always ” What is one of your weaknesses” You need to spin this into a positive but if the truth be known I struggle dealing with others incompetence, indecision, and lack of urgency.

I will get both issued resolved but I shouldn’t really need to spend my time trying to get a service I am paying for fixed by others.

A wonderful breakfast (omelet with ham, cheese, onion along with sides of bacon, potatoes and toast. Awesome supper for a change.

When is it too early to put up Christmas decorations ? As usual different ideas from a lot of people. The most traditional follow the “rule” of decorating at the beginning of Advent which this year is Nov 28th ( 4 Sundays before Christmas) . Some say Dec 1st while others say Dec 24th. I am going out a limb here but I beleive any time in Nov that you are comfortable with. While lovely I find if out to long I tire of them and look forward to house becoming less cluttered again. I do love the look of a well decorated home. I will be putting our Arizona tree and lights up this Saturday.

Thought of the Day

Remember Christmas is not just a date, it is a state of mind

November 24th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 26 degrees, Edmonton -4 degrees, Calgary 2 degrees”

A wonderful refreshing sunny day. The oddest thing with it raining 1/10th of an inch last night at 3am. Just enough to dirty the car. Darn !

This morning I was golfing with my group where we had 6 players today. It was a funny golf day as I hit the ball pretty good, very few slices, only one birdie but still didn’t score that well. These greens with their slope are brutal. A 2ft putt can move 1 ft on its way to the hole. So needless to say, scoring wasn’t the greatest. Having said I was the low score net and gross of the group so I did well enough. I just want high 70’s or very low 80’s max each time at VP. My partners today as usual were fun guys to play with. My one partner was on every fairway but his own but still did very well. It was like myself. In another fairway hitting over the trees to get back to the correct fairway and still getting a par of boogie.

A nice get together at Jim’s place after golfing with guys. we came up with a new plan to manage tee times that hopefully works. We are short people until January when quite few more golfers come so right now we are cancelling times which is not a good thing.

My one golfing partner goes in to urgent care to get a boil lanced. A simple thing one would think. This poor guy had a week of hell due to it. The doctor cut an artery and blood everywhere. He goes home and a couple of days later his wife removes the bandage and stitches come out and gain blood everywhere. He came to visit us at Jim’s as Rum cures everything.

Watched the Oilers tonight, walked with Daisy to look at Fred’s epoxy job and relaxed.

Thought of the Day

Giving blood isn’t close to a dating site. Your always someone’s type

November 25th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 5 degrees w/freezing rain, Calgary 13 degrees”

It HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY today.

This is the kind of weather we need in Canada for Thanksgiving. Having said that though while very warm last night it was very windy all night long. We had decorations that kept hitting the wall outside all night long. I was afraid a wood pecker would like our house. LOL

Years ago, Fred starting started a tradition of sorts by cooking Thanksgiving meals for us. He loved to cook a beef roast so that is what is happening again this year. I do remember one year when I was here by myself, I went to Denny’s for a turkey dinner which was awesome. Today, Ralph, Tracy, Fred, Terry and us will celebrating the USA Thanksgiving. I am sure the beer and rye will be involved while we play games and eat. Always a fun time.

Our new pen for Daisy showed up so I worked on that a bit today and will finish it this weekend as I need to fix it to the wall to secure it. This way Daisy can have a nice area to roam in, see what is going on and be outside.

Fred & Terry invited Ralph & Tracy along with us over for Thanksgiving. Let me start with the food. Mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, gravy, beef roast, homemade buns, and salad was delicious. Wonderful great meal.

A new type of roast called Tri-tip beef roast which actually comes from the sirloin area of a cow but the underneath part. It appears as a newer cut that is intended for roasting instead of grilling. It tasted wonderful but odd looking in it’s thin triangle shape. Some nice wine and rye drinks to add to the meal were awesome. Not having rye for a while you can feel them. Remember this statement.

The six of started playing DICE after supper. 6 people, multiple games ONE WINNER. How can this be ? Jackie after beating Fred & I six games in a row at crib WON EVERY game tonight. The world is tilted.

A great meal, cold drinks, games and friends make for a nice Thanksgiving. Fun night !

Thought of the Day

It’s a game. At the end of the day, that’s all it is, is a game. It doesn’t make you any better or any worse than anybody else. So by winning a game, you’re no better. By losing no worse of a person. Just the person that won.

November 26th

” Mercury Forecast Mesa 25 degrees, Edmonton 7 degrees, Calgary 9 degrees”

No wind today and bright sun. A perfect day in paradise. As I have said before I am positive people that winter in the south live longer than those that have to or choose to stay in Canada. A way more exercise as we are outside every day, lots of social contact, and loading up with Vit D is a great thing.

I started putting up my Christmas lights today. I have a lighted wreath, three lighted canes, lighted hanging snowflakes, a large lighted reef, two spot lights, our Santa Bear, my new NOEL sign, and small lighted reef. I have to say they all look great. A little tweaking with the lights and all is done. I also set up our indoors Christmas tree. It is funny how lights on at night just look wonderful.

My UBER driven golf cart and playing partner arrived right on time. A beautiful day and high expectations that soon disappeared. Putting on this course is HARD. I wasn’t overly happy with my drives either but the short game and putting hurt me. It hurt me enough to cost me $5 of my hard-earned money stolen from my wallet from a sandbagger. Kirk played very well today, had some great shots and some lucky shots and BEAT me. Darn should not have happened. We had a lot of fun.

A light supper after having a great Thanksgiving dinner the night before and the conclusion to another great day even though my wallet is lighter, I gained a 1/2 pound, my ego being bruised and my lights not 100% completed.

Thought of the Day

The difference between governments and golf is in golf you cannot improve your lie.

November 27th–28th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 1 degrees, Calgary 3 degrees”

Jackie & I this morning after breakfast went for a long walk with Miss Daisy. At the park there were 5 dogs. One her size and 4 Labradoodles. Two of these oversized poodle looking things would gang up on the two smaller sized dogs. Little Daisy is fast and can turn on dime so she sure got her workout. She was dead tired after about 20 minutes of fast running. I carried her home half the way. She had a fun time.

Then I headed up to help Fred with his eavestrough. We were working on the unprotected from the sun side of the house. Fred bought 5″ white aluminum trough which is very nice and very thick gauged. A little removal and then install time. We needed to make sure it was installed under the drip edge which made our job a lot more difficult but starting at 10:30 we finished about 3pm. The heat gets warm. Ladders, thorny trees and tough drip cap metal made it a lot harder than expected but the WORSE thing was the screws. How a country like the USA can’t figure out the value of Torex or Robertson over Philips or slot is beyond me. They use Philips and it is very difficult to work without stripping the bit or head. I think it is pride thing that they won’t use Robertson as it is a Canadian patent.

We got it all done and if I have to say myself, done very well and looks wonderful. Fred & Terry this year did a bit of reno. They had their entire unit painted. We installed white trim boards. We did the perimeter with new white soffit skirting panels. And they had their driveway and patio area covered with flakes and epoxy. A lot of stuff with it changing the looks of their unit drastically. Modernized and made it look great.

After working on the heat all day, we decided to get pickup from Fat Willy’s for supper. Jackie with an Avocado Turkey wrap that was fantastic and myself with a Sirloin steak which was awesome. 10/10

GAME DAY

Quarter finals with the Stamps taking on the Roughriders. Should be a great game but played under cold conditions with the high at -3 all day. One would think in Canada these games should be played indoors. LOL Tough players, tough fans or stupid is the question. I do know that the adverse playing conditions in a lot of years of key games is detrimental to watching great football.

Go Stamps Go

That Daisy is one of a kind. This morning while in the shower she grabs my underwear and runs away with them. Funny thing is she got tangled up in them and struggled to get out. And Jackie wonders why my underwear get rips in them.

We are off to Ralph & Tracy’s today to watch the game. They may not be as interested as the ELKS laden with CWD and hoof & mouth are not playing anymore football this year. Speaking of the Elk there is real movement demanding a name change for the OILERS now as no one wants to promote a name attached to dirty oil. Greta may make this her personal cause.

I have my Stamps hat and flag to carry over to bug them good. I expect Jackie & I will need to cheer extra loud being the lone fans. Similar when we went to the bar a couple of years ago when the Oilers versus the Flames were playing. I do need to say EACH time I came out smiling and am looking forward to today being the same.

Not the Stamps but here are Atticus and August cheering on their home town football team the Raymond Comets that won the provincial title. The girls ran their food truck during the games this fall. Now those are two good looking fans. Correct color also.

Way to go Comets !

Could Atti’s hand signal be a new one I don’t know about. Perhaps HELP save me, my Mom keeps making me cheer for different teams.

Ralph & Tracy have a wonderful deck hidden behind their home which was perfect. It is wind protected and mostly sun protected. It is on the smaller side as most are here in the park but fit us 8 people perfectly. Tracy is another one of those host with the most. We were treated like kings with BBQ ribs, chicken wings, potato salad, veggies, chocolates, berries, Shortcake and more. I would say everyone was stuffed with excellent food.

It is nice watching the games sitting outside. Ralph’s place is set up perfectly with the deck space, fridge and TV right there.

Ralph and Fred are avid Edmonton fans. Fred even buys special TV packages to watch them. It sort of makes sense a bit as Fred is a hunter so the ELK connection is logical. I had my Stamps hat on and we brought a Stamps flag along to help celebrate. Our neighbors beside us just happen to be Riders fans so I needed my flag. Turned out great as when we scored Jackie would run down the street and past our neighbors waving it like made. Pretending she was riding a horse was perfect.

It was the poorest played football ever with the number of errors with basically three people needing to shoulder the blame. The Coach, the Quarterback, and the Kicker. The penalty at the start of the second half wasn’t too bright of a move either. That is football though and we will need to wait for next year to pony up.

Thought of the Day

Losing is essential to building a better team. With every lose more desire to win should happen.

November 29th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 3 degrees, Calgary 10 degrees”

Big day today as it is Atticus’s birthday. This kid is so cute. Best personality, funny, tough, unique, cool, entertaining and lovable.

He is quite the kid. Here is wishing Atticus the very best birthday today. Lots of cake, ice cream and hugs ! Time goes by so quickly.

Up earlier for my groups tee off today. Kirk my Uber driver picked me up right on time to my surprise. And appreciated.

7 of us today playing with my players today being Denis and Barry. Everyone played very well today. Denis was low gross with a 77 and I was low net with a 66. So, I was very happy taking money from Denis & Barry. It will be burning in my pocket until next time. I was a very fun day again on the course with a lot of chipping, chirping and hassling. I was the only one with a birdie and Denis brings the best juice. If I would not have taken a triple, I would have scored less than 80 gross but that did not happen. It is always fun after the game to sit around and have the money given to you. Four people from our group are having teeth replaced in Mexico so we are running a little light on players the week coming up. They all will have nice smiles soon. LOL

The after gathering at Kirk’s was great. A funny senior thing happened while we were there. We are sitting around having a drink when this older gentleman comes on in and sits down. I was thinking perhaps a neighbor. I introduce myself as do a few others and then after about 5 minutes he says.” I think I am at the wrong place. I am looking for Ken at 515 “. We were at 414. Funny yet odd.

I got home and Jackie said Jabba came and fixed our internet. I will check that tonight when the surge of usage hits.

Chicken breasts out of the freezer to BBQ, sun shining brightly, sitting on the deck. Trying to phone Mom but her line is busy, waiting to video chat with Attitcus, and enjoying our time.

Have I said I love Arizona.

Thought of the Day

Oh to be so young and only have a few candles to blow out. LOL

November 30th

“Mercury Forecast Mesa 28 degrees, Edmonton 3 degrees, Calgary 6 degrees”

Jackie got up for her walk with Daisy bright and early as usual and out the door at 7:30 am. Daisy thinks Arizona is heaven with getting to meet so many dogs. So many walks, warmth sitting outside watching people go by, and meeting so many people.

I had my breakfast then headed to pick up Fred. Today’s plan was to finish my dog containment area and then finish Fred’s storage drawers. Off to the Depot to get barrel bolts, small hinge, 2 x 2’s and barnwood.

The Depot changed suppliers from when we first bought our product. The finish and color is a little different but the product is a way better. The new product has kerf cuts on the back to reduce cupping which is great. It is also just a little wider.

The width was perfect to add a horizontal plank on the bottom of the gate and the height is perfect so Daisy can’t get under it. We also installed one vertical plank between the gutters and the tiled outdoor kitchen to close an opening that Daisy could escape from. We got everything installed and works, plus looks good.

Freds place required three under storage drawer fronts. We build them out of smart panels and 2 x 2 boards. We then covered them with 4 rows of barnwood which after all done looks fantastic. We counter sunk the heads of the TEX screws which adds to the looks. Placement is key to keep the holes lined up. I really like the looks being a lot thinner, no edges and cooler looking than what was on the unit before. It also ties together all of their different decor items and coloring. All good.

Today was the first day we left Daisy by herself for a few hours. It didn’t go over well as the neighbors said they heard barking quite a bit and when I got home, she was out of her kennel. She ripped the mesh beside the zipper and escaped. She didn’t wreck anything, wasn’t overly stressed but she did need water as it was in her kennel that she could not get back into to drink. We will do a patch job and hopefully test two goes better.

A goods day work done. A very light BBQ supper tonight, relaxing on the patio, and a late walk looking at all of the Christmas lights. The neighbor put up more lights today so I guess it is game on. Tree net lights maybe required. LOL

Jackson’s computer prowess is getting excellent. He created and sent me a picture of Daisy he made. Now if only he would create beautiful flowing locks for myself.

Thought of the Day

Find that ONE bulb burnt out so the whole string can light. Christmas torture.