December 1st

Jackie took out Daisy for her morning walk at 6:30am this morning. I didn’t sleep well listening to it rain out all night and thinking we need Daisy to poop before getting on the plane. Turns out the rain stopped before Jackie went out and Daisy did her business.

Fred our UBER driver arrived right on time. Awesome to get a ride to the airport as we have to fly out of Sky Harbor. On our boarding pass it did not assign a gate or terminal number on it so I looked it up and Flair’s webpage states Terminal 3. Fred dropped us off there we headed in. Looking round I could not find a Flair check-in counter so I asked a porter. Turns out we were his 5th customer this morning to ask where Flair is. It is in Terminal 4 and they have a mistake on their webpage.

You can’t walk to the other terminal due to the distance and access. So off on a adventure to find and take the light rail. It was like an episode of the Amazing Race with us racing to the train, running on the moving walkways as we had limited time to arrive at our gate. We got it all figured out and made it. Quite an adventure.

Easy check-in and we made it our gate. Jackie searched out breakfast for us. A breakfast sandwich from McDonalds for me and she had a tea and sandwich form some fancy place. $4 for mine. $14 for Jackie’s LOL

They had a pet relieve center on our floor but Daisy was fancy and refused to pee as the room smelled.

We found our gate but the airport stuck Flair the back corner which was difficult for the public to figure the where and entrance etc. We did not hear the boarding announcement along with many others so the boarding was a little confusing.

I will saw other than the boarding issue and webpage error Flair did a great job. Brand new planes, friendly staff and a system that works. I can’t say cheaper with all of the add-ons but fair priced.

Daisy was absolutely perfect. She was like a dream the whole flight without any issue.

We arrived and customs was fast and efficient. Just ODD that the eDeclare app is no longer used and the ArrCanada app is redundant. I know the millions spent on these and now not used is just dumb.

Daisy had a nice area for her outside the airport. We had to put on our Alaska jackets to keep warm it was so cold.

Even the taxi cab rides have gone up !!

Interesting day with Amazing Race in the morning and tonight a interesting time getting home. I went down to start the Jeep and the battery was totally dead. It is 8 years old and i knew it was on the weaker side the last time tested it but hoped I could squeeze out another year or so. No battery cables so I booked a AMA battery exchange. Good pricing, they free install, extended warranty and no core charge but they won’t do this until tomorrow afternoon. So I whipped over to the pizza place next door for supper. Jackie ordered groceries for delivery tomorrow and dog food for pickup tomorrow night. So a little inconvenient, annoying ,but adds to the excitement of life.

I love our condo but I cant say happy to be home. LOL

Thought of the Day

Four engineers get into a car. The car won’t start.

The Mechanical engineer says “It’s a broken starter”.

The Electrical engineer says “Dead battery”.

The Chemical engineer says “Impurities in the gasoline”.

The IT engineer says “Hey guys, I have an idea. How about we all get out of the car and get back in”.

December 2nd

” Mercury Forecast Edmonton -1 degrees, Calgary 2 degrees, Mesa 19 degrees”

Well a very good sleep. Nice and cool in the room and with both being tired after getting up early we slept like logs. Even Daisy enjoyed the bed. It would be interesting to know what she thinks when she gets up in the warmth one day and freezing cold the next. We do know she likes to run around a lot more when it is cool.

8 am and the phone rings with Voila delivering our food. The food selected was of excellent quality. Everyone is soooo fussy with their food likes, must have greener bananas or ripened tomatoes etc so it would be hard to appease, but Jackie and I were very pleased. It is amazing how nowadays you literally can have anything delivered to your house with very little cost difference. Our food picked and delivered at our requested time for $7. Amazing

We watched the Hero golf game which I love with Tiger playing. He is doing well considering everything he has to deal with. I see only up and up with his progress. World number #1 Scotty was on fire and played super well. They had 14 of the top 25 ranked golfers in the world playing so for Tiger to hold is own is no easy feat.

AMA once again is amazing. They delivered and installed a battery right on schedule. Plus the battery was only $19 more than Canadian Tire with a way better warranty, 100amp cranking power more, free installation and no core battery charge or return. Again all done from home. Amazing

It is odd when you are home bound due to having no vehicle though. Having said that, being able to get EVERYTHING you need delivered to your house with no charge or minimal charges is pretty sweet.

I plan on having a wonderful supper tonight with our newly delivered food.

Thought of the Day

Why did the delivery driver quit? He lost his drive.

December 3rd

” Mercury Forecast Edmonton 2 degrees, Calgary 2 degrees, Mesa 20 degrees,”

Wonderful sleep for all three of us last night.

Love watching the news in bed in the morning, having a coffee and breakfast is one reward for coming home.

Watched the Hero Golf and as usual was fun to watch, Scotty my favorite golfers won big time. he makes it appear so easy. Tiger for a first game and against the top 14 out of 25 players on the tour did well, You could tell he was rusty. I just like watching him and so hope for one more win out of him.

Jackie went over and picked up Audrey who is babysitting TIA. This is a one of kind dog and so unique yet very entertaining. How such a little short haired dog can shed so much is unbelievable. She loves to growl but I think it is a protection instinct. Daisy loves to stand and look at her and wonders why she doesn’t want to play. They could have so much fun but with TIA being a illegal immigrant she tries to be low key. Both dogs vying for attention from Audrey.

It is winter without snow here in Calgary. Here we are in Calgary bundled up for winter.

A long walk with Daisy this evening which was nice and fresh. A lazy day but enjoyable and relaxing. I HAD to not wear sandals and had to mess my hair with a toque. Grrr

I have to add this even though not in chronological order. When Jackie and I were last golfing on Viewpoint we saw this Hawk with a catch sitting only a few feet away from us. About 3 minutes later a huge Hawk swoops down at the smaller Hawk and it leaves it’s kill and the large Hawk flies off with it. Nature is cruel and amazing. Neat to witness it though.

Thought of the day

Wilderness without wildlife is just scenery !

December 4th-6th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 5 degrees, Calgary 14 degrees, Mesa 27 degrees”

Pretty amazing the first of December and we have two golf courses that opened for players on temporary greens. One can say due to a weather change but I prefer to think of it as a abnormality that we should be happy for as winter will be here soon. In fact in 1939 we had a high of 20 degrees. I am sure we didn’t call it climate change, climate warming or climate crisis then.

Love what Danielle Smith is doing. A Premier that is standing up for Albertans. I hate the USA politics as the “normal” voter and candidates are insane. I can’t believe we allow people to protest in support of a terrorist group Hamas and accept they have the right to do it. Slowly our ” Western” culture is being destroyed.

I drove out to the motorhome to start it up and let it run and check in on things. I was supposed to bring back a razor but lo and behold I forgot. LOL Everything was perfect. Batteries all charged etc. I never disconnected the battery cable on the Jeep as Jackie always has to make a return trip and everyone knows that impact on a battery that has so with the new one I may do this and show her the hookup when she comes next time. My trickle charger at the lot being solar works absolutely wonderful. Everyone should use one of these for their RV batteries to extend the life as batteries are EXPENSIVE now also. I have 8 year old batteries in the RV and they are still testing well.

It was nice at the lot being so quiet and with nobody out there.

I stopped by Princess Auto for a 1/4 rachet set for the Jeep to use for battery hookup. I was stunned as Princess Auto concept is similar to Harbor Freight but our Princess is a joke. The pricing is HIGH and in the store I compared it to Canadian Tire and Amazon. Too bad as they could be a great store.

We stopped to look after Jackson tonight as Tor was working and Cor had curling so we thought we would drop over. We walked in the door and were shocked. This kid grew 2 inches, leaned out and looks wonderful in just a couple of months. Jackson is becoming quite a big kid now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit 6 feet.

Finished off another month of budgets. Ouch is all I will say. We were very lucky that Jackie earned enough in November not to require a additional draw. The stock market in November was unbelievable with it’s returns. We made back a lot of the losses in the past months but as the saying goes what goes up goes down so fingers crossed it remains up for awhile.

I do not care for the dull dreary days. I see why people get depressed living in a climate like this. The sun beside the health benefits just makes everyone feel better.

I should be caught up on budgeting in a couple of days as I missed a few months in the summer when I was busy.

A quick visit to AMA today. As it is really a members service only, it is not as busy as a regular registration office which is a good thing. I had it done in about 10 minutes which is awesome but encountered the perfect example of poor customer service training. I buy for two years to reduce the hassles as we are AZ in December. So again today I bought two years and as I was leaving on the counter I see a pamphlet showing auto renew for registration. So I had to ask if it is a notification or actual renewal. They keep your card on file and they auto renew each year. So after this round I will sign up as I prefer my money in the bank rather than in theirs. I find even registration expensive as for two years and two vehicles it is $350. The motorhome is off by a year. I do have to say I like AMA.

The weather is amazing hitting hitting 16 degrees today even though and due to the wind. The news were showing the guys on the golf course and they were having a blast. The tee times booked up in less than a hour from going on line. Great idea. I remember one year Fox Hollow Golf opened on Boxing Day.

When I was missing my laptop this summer and due to being quite busy I was remiss in doing a couple of months of budgets. I have two months left to finish but my eyes are sore today.

This picture below is driving out to my home golf course taken by a local photographer. I get to see this for about two months until the snow leaves the mountains each spring. It is just a relaxing beautiful sight to experience each time.

Tonight as it was Victoria’s Christmas Party at work Jackie and I took Jackson out for supper and to his hockey game. He ate so responsible for his game I was shocked even though he did choose McDonalds. LOL

Jackson played absolutely wonderful tonight. So much so his coach even announced him as the MVP of the game. His team dominated the other team for the entire game but still ended up losing. The other team and a good goalie and Jackson’s team had a very poor goalie. So much so he just looked at the puck going past him and not even moving. I am all for giving everyone a chance but the young boy needs to drop down a few divisions. It is disheartening to the other team members and as it should be about winning, as the enjoyment of the game disappears if you know no matter how hard you try you are going to lose. I was impressed with Jackson’s ” reading” of the game for passing and puck control. The whole team did so much better than previous games we have attended.

The Cardel Centre is an amazing facility. It has a high school, YMCA with pools and workout area and wall climbing,, 4 hockey rinks, Sport Medicine Centre, a full bar restaurant, a food kiosk and is a very well designed building. I do have to say I found the library just odd. Not like in the movies for sure. LOL.

Leaving Tor’s place the road was super slippery as Calgary is under a winter warning. WHO loves this stuff ? It will interesting to see what we accumulate on the ground.

Thought of the Day

Wouldn’t it be ironic to get someone pregnant on a pull out couch.

December 7th-8th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 2 degrees, Calgary 0 degrees, Mesa 24 degrees”

Golfing in Calgary yesterday and now tobogganing today. That is Calgary and that is a Alberta winter. It has been unseasonably warm this year which for many will make the winter seem less long but I know the bitter cold will come sooner or later .

Coming back to Alberta for longer than normal midst winter does confirm to me that I never want to do this again unless medically, financially or certain commitments force me to. A 10 day trip or even a month trip is no where close to a 4-5 month get away at your won place in AZ, with lots of social interaction, activities and warmth at a reasonable cost to avoid winter. I say this as I am watching the snow fall outside and no, I do not find it pretty. It is cold, wet, restricts my activity, is dull with no Vitamin D, dangerous with slips and crashes, and I washed my Jeep and it is going to get messy real quick. LOL

I love that Leslie Horton ( my favorite news lady in the mornings) stood up against a social media monster. Anyone that hides behind a keyboard is an insecure wimp that wants to feel powerful. So many times after receiving a angry email or phone call from a dissatisfied customer and then meeting them in person to fix the issue, they are completely different people. I love Leslie’s response and rebuttal. I wish they could publicly say who the email was from.

I also love that the little leprechaun Rory loses another “big” figure in golf to LIV. #3 in the world and Rahm is one of my favorite players. LIV has some pretty elite golfers in their fold. It is to a point now that the PGA has no choice but to merge with them. Rory, Thomas, Scheffler and Spieth headline against Koepka, Rahm, DeChambeau, Johnson, really has the two leagues split equal. The future of golf will be interesting. I wish LIV would strike a deal with a Sports Channel for TV rather than streaming or a specialty channel though.

The Flames win one. Wolfe had a shaky start but pulled it off which is great. I watched him in Juniors and he is great but playing with the big boys now makes a difference. This will help his confidence and perhaps turn him into a contender.

Snowfall warning accurate again unfortunately. Not a pretty sight.

Watching the LPGA/PGA play this weekend is fun. Other than the distance the ladies are just as good if not better than the PGA players. It is fun to them play together.

Babysitting Tia today as Jackie takes Audrey for her checkup. Funny little dog.

December 10th-12th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton – 4 degrees, Calgary 5 degrees Mesa 22 degrees”

I looked at this and went wow I have been too busy to complete this on time. LOL

First we received a way more snow that I thought we would.

Jackie drove to the hospital which is on the other side of town almost to Edmonton in the morning rush traffic, icy roads and did just fine. 4 wheel drive engaged helps tremendously and Jackie is a good driver.

This is one of those incidents where I am baffled how some families can live with one vehicle. Two vehicles is a must and if struggling with money one decent one and one older model but each spouse deserves and should want their own means of getting around. Being stuck at home and being dependent on the other on the use of a car I don’t believe is fair to the couple and most likely not a healthy scenario for peoples own mental health as there is no independence. We face this when we are at home during Christmas and in Arizona. The golf cart has helped mitigate this in AZ as I take it golfing and Jackie has full use of the car.

She brought back my CLEAN Jeep all dirty.

An awesome supper of roasted pork loin, roasted potatoes and salad was a nice end of the day.

We watched a good movie which capped of one more day here in winter land.

Jackson came over and spent the night. Popcorn, movie and fun talking plus watching the Oiler game.

The best breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. I had this for ten years plus every morning while working at Frank Sisson’s Casino/ Diner. May have caused my cholesterol spike but it sure was great tasting, enjoyable discussing with customers over breakfast or debriefing/ pumping up the sales guys before they hit the road.

I remember when I was younger wanting to win against an older person wither it be a brother, parent or uncle. Jackson has this same drive. He is getting pretty darn good at so many things he keeps me on my toes but due to me being a natural born athlete i usually come out the winner. Today was pool hall day. Besides my natural talent I had a unfair advantage with us playing pool each week in Arizona. So I came away the big winner.

Jackson had a hockey game today so we headed up to Erin Ridge with him for the game. They lost. Having said that it was not a cake walk like the score would indicate. The other team had a few better skilled players that controlled the outcome. Jackson played very well with great effort and play making. Sometimes you just have to lick your wounds and accept a better team beat you.

Even though a lopsided score it was fun to watch and cheer them on.

Today was also Keith Harry’s birthday. I have known Keith since 1975 ( 48 years) . We have had so much fun together over the years and neat experiences. I am going to in very short form list some of them again as I enjoy remembering them. Most people will not know what I am talking about but we will and couple of others:

• Lighting farts and socks on fire
• Hemorrhoids on counter and doctor office
• 300 person house parties
• Tire deflation
• Bike riding downtown to JP with a high amount of intoxication
• Annual Christmas Eve bar/stripper event
• Come in Tokyo
• Green and blue crushed velvet projects
• Redlight district drive by with the song Fat Bottom Girls blasting
• 60 hiccups in backseat moonshine induced
• Throwing fries at Peters Place restaurant.
• Drunk sleeping under a tree in a different city in the winter
• Naked water skiing
• Bottles and bottles of beer in clothing at night club being confiscated
• Breaking window at Ski Lodge
• Girlfriend almost drowning us in boat accident
• More bare butt incidents than anyone.
• Girlfriend not concerned we sunk a boat in the middle of the lake during a storm
• Driving 2 mph and still managing to drive into his parents garage door
• Making our own tour under ground in Diamond Mine

And this is just a few that come to mind.

After work Corey met us at the rink and we decided to go to Swiss Chalet for supper. I like family gatherings at a restaurant. It has been years since I ate in Swiss and it was awesome. The new decor and spaciousness is outstanding.

As a rep in Edmonton for years I would meet the other city rep ( Rollie) at Swiss for lunch as we both had accounts near to it. I loved the festive meal every December with at the time a Toblerone bar.

Todays meal everyone received was wonderful. Our waitress with a heavy Scottish accent was excellent. I had the festive meal, but looked over at Corey’s hot sandwich and was slightly jealous.

Another Flames loss darn. Still ahead of Edmonton but barely.

I love the PGA/LPGA mix tournament. Fowlers partner Lexi got a hole in one !! Fun golf to watch. Hopefully more fun games like this ahead as the PGA struggles. This upcoming weekend the Hero which is another fun one that I will be watching.

Too bad Henderson/ Connors couldn’t have finished first but getting second is pretty good. A fun tournament to watch.

One more month to complete and I will be all caught up on my budget sheets.

Love the picture, the person, just not the circumstance that would cause someone to have to dress like an Eskimo. LOL

Thought of the Day

If a pregnant Eskimo women’s water breaks is it a ice cube when it drops ?

December 11th–12th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -4 degrees, Calgary – 1 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

14 days before Christmas and 18 days before my happy place.

Jackie had a visit with her Mom while Alan & MaryAnn were picking up TIA. This is a funny story.

Alan was on a week long Mexico vacation to celebrate his 60th with his family when he injured his foot and was not able to walk, three days into the vacation. That’s not funny and maybe even a little scary but what is funny, he injured it playing Pickleball. Yep, I said Pickleball the game that was created for old people as it is an easier game to play for seniors that is supposed to have less of a chance of injury due to using a Wiffle ball which moves very slowly, no over-hand serves allowed and two player teams so very little side to side or back/front body movement. So it is ironic Alan hurts himself. Hopefully as I said, it turns out to be just a sprain, pulled ,relocation or something minor. The last game injury I witnessed Alan do to himself was playing Bocci ball where he kinked his neck badly. Two intense games two injuries. LOL He couldn’t bear weight on his foot since the injury so he had to spend his time at the pool side while the family went snorkeling etc. He should have a great tan. I think I would have just paid the few hundred to find out what is wrong with it in Mexico rather than wait for the return to Calgary. Hopefully something minor but a great pain tolerance to endure it until returning. I believe they think it is related to his plantar fasciitis as he heard a pop which would indicate a torn muscle. This type of injury is very prevalent in patients that get pedicures. While a pedicure is often associated with relaxation and foot care, it is crucial to consider the potential risks and impact on a inflamed plantar fascia issue. Massage, pressure points, long soak periods and foot manipulation all contribute to greater inflammation and more pain from planter and increasing the future risk. People just don’t get it and think it is just a good feeling. It is not natural and overall not a good practice for people with foot issues to partake in.

I went out to Costco today to pick up some food we need for the weekend gathering. I will say it was an experience as most Costco trips are.

There is a traffic circle just before Buffalo Run to Costco that had a small amount of snow on it. With the temperatures at zero the pavement can be slick. I did not have my Jeep in 4 x 4 so I slowed a little and a middle aged woman actually tooted her horn at me. I had to slow down as I could feel the rear wheels sliding around the bend and with a short wheel base it slides out easy. If anyone knows me I do not drive slow and enjoy ice driving. What the result was I had to really slow down on the road for a block or so which I quite enjoyed as the woman seethed behind me. We both turn into Costco gas and she was right behind me. I was ready for a comment when she got out to fill her gas tank but I guess she had calmed herself down by then. Darn

$1.03 per litre which is excellent plus the 3% cash back and Costco is very effective in their moving of cars through the pumping stations. Done in no time at all.

Wow was Costco busy. It was busy busy and this fits that description. Must be all those stay at home workers out shopping while getting paid. What I found quite strange was this is the first time in Calgary I felt I was not in Canada. I think we are getting carried away with immigration.

Costco is never my favorite place to shop but the odd time and for certain things it is price effective. I think next time I will try a Wednesday or better yet Okotoks Costco.

I decided that after 43 yrs I will replace our slow cooker. Last camping trip the plug broke on our wedding gift cooker. We used this thing a lot over the years. Chili, stew, Christmas every year for ham etc. So now a new digital one which I hope will last but considering the electronics versus a manual setting I think I maybe wishing for a little too much. Easy Christmas this year with a present to each other of a new couch in AZ and a new slow cooker. DONE ! LOL

I had to get the original brand instead of some Hamilton Beach etc. This is a 6 qt versus our older 4 quart which also will like.

Oilers won again last night, now 7 in a row. Grrrrrrr.

The Flames lost in the last 5 minutes AGAIN, Grrrrr We are now tied with Edmonton but they have a couple of games in hand with a easier schedule than us right now Darn

I finally finished off my budget sheets today. When you track your expenses it is an eye opener and a little shocking really on the dollars spent in certain categories. 11 months of budgets and 11 months where we were over budget. Two ways of looking at this. One the budget is too low or the spending is too high. It is the latter. LOL

Some “outstanding items” in 2023 with one month left.

• Over $3200 for Daisy ( food haircuts vet and insurance)
• Over $7000 on gas ( each trip to Edmonton $150, RV at 8 mpg )
• Over $22,000 in HOA fees combined condo, RV lot, Mesa
• Over $12,000 in groceries ( For two people)
• Over $4200 for Telus cell/internet/TV/home

Notice I left the golf category out of here. Non negotiable. LOL Thanks to inflation, Covid, Trudeau, corporate greed and union wage demands, 2024 I think will be more expensive.

We have been very lucky with the stock market, dividends and Jackie’s part time work but we are going to have to cherry pick categories to reduce and need to so before it is too late to make a difference. Golf, HOA fees, dining out with friend’s and cruising is off the table for now. Gifting, insurance, Tim’s, Telus, gas, can be looked at and adjusted.

This is why even though unions are the cancer of businesses I love to see my kids in particular have the opportunity to grab a pension or at least a RRSP match that can only be had with a large corporation or union job. Twenty years from now they will be very grateful. With the CPP increases coming up it will also help taking it from 25% to 33% of your working salary which will make a big difference to everyone. Starting up our own Alberta Pension Plan and even better returns would also be great.

Off shopping tonight for gifts before it gets too close to Christmas. The stores were not busy which was great. But the pricing of stuff is ridiculous. A good evening and start. This year is a little easier as ours kids will be away for Christmas and we are buying less and smaller gifts plus putting the emphasis on the grandkids instead of our kids. Successful tonight with that and should save us a bundle. Christmas is supposed to be about kids but has been successfully marketed foe all of us to spend away too much.

Thought of the Day

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering

December 13th–16th

Off to Edmonton for a quick visit with Mom for the day !! Stay the day, have supper and head back before the snow hits.

The highway was not busy which was nice. We have driven this road so many times it is like, close your eyes and go. The Jeep at 120 kph is a little different than the Flex or Enclave as wind and ruts throw you around and the road noise is a little excessive. We have just enough gas to get from Calgary to Edmonton and then then the light goes on. Exact same scenario going home. Plus it was a little gusty on the way home but luckily the lite came on about two blocks from our house.

It was a nice visit . Mom is doing quite well which is nice to see. Kari has her place all decorated up very nicely.

Dad made this fireplace when I was quite young. I still remember him gluing all of the bricks on and making the perfect wood burning simulated logs. He was very creative.

We chose supper from the Canadian Brewhouse that turned out excellent.

Big Brother Christmas show and a movie have made the nights. Daisy went with us out shopping before supper. She is so funny to watch as she checks out everything. More stuff done which is good.

The worst part of Christmas is the gifts. Having to pick something is always hard. You want something they need, want and reasonable.

A 6pm doctors appointment. We have the best family doctor you could ask for. But she works a way to much. Having said this and we appreciate her she has been a little grumpy the last few times. Today she was wonderful and talkative. We have a difference of opinion on a couple of items so it is always best if that is left alone. It just annoys me that I have to make an appointment to get a prescription for pills that I have taken for 15 years. No change. The system is broke.

Picked up Jackson and picked up a pizza and dropped him off at his freinds house

Today was cook day preparing for tomorrow. I am a turkey guy and think everyone should have a turkey meal for Christmas. Everyone !! We are lucky as Darlene is a cook extraordinaire and we are heading there and now will plan to have a turkey on Boxing day for a small gathering. So we struggled this year with what to cook tomorrow. I don’t find a turkey meal extra hard but it is a lot of work with so many people. If the group is 10 or less it is nothing. But when you hit high teens or 20 people it is much more difficult. Two ovens and 6 burner stove would make it easy. Another issue as we have people attending with extended travel and a turkey meal is ready when the turkey is and can’t be judged exact. I am a stickler for serving hot food. So having said that we decided with approximately 18 guests we would not do turkey and chose pulled pork. Now turkey is expensive but the pork this year was over $50. Nice thing about this get together is we do not have any urgency or time constraints for the meal as we can leave it in slow cooker for as long as we like. Pulled pork bunwiches, Gramma’s potato salad recipe, Audrey’s spinach salad, with all of the sides.

First roast in a 10 am and second roast in at 11pm. While the roast was cooking we did all of the salad prep. 7 pounds of potatoes cooked, radishes sliced, eggs cooked and dressing made. Cheese cut , pickles cut , peppers etc. Cook and watch golf was todays agenda and it was a long day.

I love watching all of the events that the PGA has trying to keep their fans happy. Today with Tiger playing and the format is awesome. I was hoping Tiger would have a break out day but he played quite well just didn’t have the Tiger of old putt luck. A fun tournament to watch.

Out tonight for a few last minute things and done.

Thought of the Day

A hole has been found in the nudist-camp wall.
The police are looking into it. 

December 17th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 0 degrees, Calgary 3 degrees, Mesa 2^ degrees”

Busy and a big day today. I was up at 7am to remove my roast from the slow cooker, rest it and then shred it.

Then, start the prepping for the potato salad and getting everything else ready.

4 guests from Edmonton were not able to make it down as they are, in their words “facing the plague”. It appears two different families all suffering with flu symptoms. Not fun.

So we will have LOTS of extra food. Having said that we had Alan, MaryAnn, Kennedy, Chris, Danielle, Justin, Jessica, Penny, August, Atticus, Corey, Victoria, Jackson, Audrey, Jackie and myself.

I am happy with our decision to forgo turkey and go with something a little easier to handle. ( 7am and 16 hours of cooking perhaps negates this)

We had three different kinds of buns, spiced pulled pork, potato salad, spinach salad, for the main course. If i have to say so myself, it was delicious. Dessert was a birthday cake for Alan that was chocolate with cream inside it which was awesome. We had a combo birthday celebration and Christmas this year. No bumps as we were afraid of injuring Alan.

The kids loved their Christmas presents as did Jackie and I. I am sure we all will make good use of them. My two favorites were a teal colored Puma shirt and a can crusher for Oasis.

After the food we played a few fun games which was not only fun and hilarious but very interesting to watch. Thank you very much Victoria, for all of your work on this. It was a lot to do including prizes. But it was a lot of fun to play and quite entertaining. I have to wait for Google to sync to load a few pics.

A fun day and gathering for another Christmas.

We also celebrated Alan’s 60th birthday.  A special day for Alan Peter Huggett. Perhaps beyond special that he hits 60 years old and he is still moving, not in jail, and has most of his faculties. 

I have known Alan since he was 12 yrs old. We were bad at allowing him illegal substances when he was so young as we took him camping. He most likely was meant to be 6 ft tall and an athlete. But he turned out to be 5′ 6 and at risk of injury doing any movement. Being a Huggett this includes bowel. A defibrillator and stretcher are required in close proximity any time Alan attempts any activity. I have seen him with a major injury or close call from Bocci Ball, water skiing, Intellivision, snow skiing, fishing, building things to Pickleball. Yes bocci and pickleball. LOL He is a practiced pyromaniac and excels at GTA games, I had taken him under my wing in an attempt to teach him but the risk of injury was always too great and his ability to perform due to inherited illnesses such as asthma difficult to overcome.

But he did it. He is now 60 years old and thriving. He can’t lift his arm above his shoulder, he can’t walk without limping, he can’t go thru metal detectors without his mesh holding him together making it go off, has difficulty turning his head, his mouth is full of fake teeth and he can’t see without strong magnifying glasses but he made it. 

We all must do better so he sees the next 25 years.

I will say Happy Birthday Alan as you still are just a young one even though wounded. Enjoy your day. 

Daisy had a visitor all day with Tia as the “Board” once again on a power trip are threatening a fine if dogs are in the amenity room. Drive me nuts. The dogs though played together downstairs in our condo all day without and issues. Although Daisy tonight does seem tired.

So the end of another day with Christmas, Birthday, family all thrown in. Nice.

Wordle in four by both of us. Flames win ! Keith in number one spot in our draft and I am still in last place. LOL Nooooo

Thought of the Day

Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

December 18-20th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -1 degrees, Calgary 0 degrees, Mesa 24 degrees”

Time is moving fast for certain things and slow for others.

I booked an appointment with AMA for insurance for all of our needs. I moved the motorhome over a couple of months ago and saved $600 a year so hopefully I have the same success again. I have the Flex with full coverage, The Jeep with limited coverage, the boat, the condo and an umbrella liability policy for worldwide coverage on everything we own or rent. Even if $200 less I will be happy. We have been with Primmum over 30 years and the last few it just seems they are gouging. It should not be on me to phone every year and negotiate. I have the same issue with Telus which we have been with forever even still today having a Telusplanet email address.

We went out to finish off a bit of shopping and the stores odd enough were not packed.

I finalized my handicap system for our Viewpoint Golf group and will present it in January. An adjustment to make it as fair as possible for everyone to compete equal no matter what their skill level is.

I tried to book our May Long camping and the governments webpage is down for a unknown amount of time. I phoned and NO help what so ever. Makes it hard as that weekend is always the busiest camping of the year and you need a confirmed spot. I am attempting to book the same site as 2023 as it is big, nice, great for dogs, and a wonderful spot for a group of campers to get together and play games. May Long for at least 50 years now has been our go to weekend. The Harry’s and us started this when we were 18 years old. Tents, tent-trailer, trailers, motorhome, 5th wheels so a natural progression to comfort camping. I have my fingers crossed.

I am all caught up on my budget sheets, my blog, and I have over 30 pre scheduled jokes in my outbox. That is what happens when you are stuck in a winter residence!

Speaking of winter, the weather this year for Calgary has been excellent compared to what we could have. Last year it was -25 degrees. It will come. BUT IT REALLY DOESNT MATTER if it is -30 degrees or plus 5 degrees you are still extremely limited in what you can do. I believe this year with our 30 days back in Canada has shown me what harm people are doing to themselves being trapped in a cold climate. A way less physical activity, more eating of junk food, missing the daily social interaction and lacking in Vit D. Yes having it at 2 degrees allows you to participate in some outside activities but not like 4 hours of golfing, or building a storage shed or deck in a warm climate or just soaking in the sun on your deck.

As people age it is harder and harder to find thoughtful gifts for them that they can use. In most cases like us we can buy another we really need and want and as people even age more the hobbies, the needs, etc are all reduced making it even harder.

We watched the Willie Nelson birthday special. 90 years old and he is still awesome. The show was very well done and fun to watch with so many great performers. Weed may not be as bad as we thought. What was hard to watch though was one of my favorite singers and actors Kris Kristofferson as he has aged so much. He appeared to be so frail and not of sound mind. Old age sucks as watching him you just feel sorry and maybe even a little scared as old age is basically your body and mind rotting away. I loved Kris’s voice and the album by the Highwayman was one of my favorites. I always though Kris looked very similar to a good friend of mine Clancy Livingstone.

Speaking of friends I had deep thoughts in my sleep about some of ours. We have so many different groups, kinds and things we do with them. Here is a list of some of them:

• One couple- camping, fishing, biking, golfing, vacations
• One couple- camping, fishing, biking
• One couple- camping, vacations
• One couple- vacations, golfing, fishing
• One couple- vacations, fishing,
• Single friend’s- golfing here and AZ

So depending on the couple we do different things with them. It is funny as every person within the group/couple also has different likes or dislikes. That is what makes life interesting and we appreciate those differences. Makes it fun. There are things that every couple does and loves that we don’t care to do. Even Jackie’s list would be different then mine. In order of my favorite things to do it would be – camping, golfing, vacation, projects, fishing, biking.

I have being using Bing AI for a bit now and it is quite useful. I hope it is learning how I think. That could be scary but it is very clever and smart compared to regular google search. I haven’t used it for writing yet but i will soon. If you notice a little bit different humor you will know why. LOL

In the gym today a reality check happened. I can no longer bench press 200 pounds. It was easy for me years ago. I guess age and a broken bicep have come to haunt me. So I left that area quickly and used the multi-gym for legs, shoulders and pulls. Bench press is the benchmark measurement of weightlifting success and I failed. Darn ! It used to be so easy. I want to maintain 300 yard drives when hit well, for as long as possible. I have noticed a reduction in all of my clubs so it is important to maintain strength and flexibility. My pitching wedge was a 135 yard club now a 125 yard. My 7 iron a 175 yard club now a 165 yard club and my driver as of late has been only 265 to 280 yards. I do know my muscles do not recover as fast as once was, so the ache stays for a day. But the pain actually feels good as you know you have accomplished something.

I met a guy in the gym today that has lived in our building for 9 years and this is the first time I have seen him. He blew a hip and had to give up golf.

Wordle in 4 for me , 5 for Jackie

I had my appointment at AMA for insurance. First I like to talk to an agent face to face. It is much easier to figure out what you are actually covered for. I will say this, the insurance industry is fraught with inconsistencies, uses abstruse sentence structure and convoluted terms to try to cover their asses and not ours. After all is said and done I was disappointed I couldn’t make a switch for insurance. If I knew the inner workings of the industry I am sure there is collaboration between companies on what each offers so that you can not do an exact comparison. ( Like the tech world where two companies each with a different model number and one small change) My hiccup today was my umbrella policy. Primmum allows it with a condo, and AMA doesn’t and it is not sold separate. We have this umbrella for law suit happy USA and to cover us at the condo and RV lot or even driving in Europe. I had one ticket showing, but with all of the discounts available AMA could not match or beat my current quote. I will try next year again. AMA is self insured and Albertan so I would have loved to move my business to them but it was not meant to be. Too bad.

To me though I am a customer walking into a place of business with a quote from a competitor and wanting to make a switch I would hope the number one priority would be to make that happen. It didn’t. Every customer service agent should be taught the basic 7 step process of selling. I have always believed in value selling versus price selling but they need to know how to overcome this objection and close the sale.

Insurance is just odd. You buy insurance in case of a claim and then something happens you pay a deductible and your annual rate goes up. HOW when you bought the insurance in case something happened. ODD

I will go back to Primmum and wait. Darn!

Thought of the Day

Customers are like teeth. Ignore them and they’ll go away

December 21st- 22nd

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 4 degrees, Calgary 5 degrees, Mesa 24 degrees”

Jackie & i were invited over to Jeff & Wendy’s place for supper last night. Always nice to see them as they are fun friend’s to be around. And you know if they are cooking it will be great. Farm girl, along with inventive chef Jeff and likes to try different things is awesome.

Wendy had the perfect analogy when I was teasing her about all of the different tools she has for her kitchen, She says men need every different tool in their shop and this is her shop. She made a good point. But man she has a fancy tool to do everything. I mean everything. Add her background with Jeff that loves cooking you know you will get a great meal. Tonight’s delight was double back porkchops in a special glaze, mashed potatoes and different colored carrots. The starter was a 1/4 head of lettuce and a home made dressing that was spectacular. I loved the presentation.

Jeff was kind enough to make me Caesars which were great and then moved on to frosted glass Ultra. A new frosted glass each time !!

Then on to the games. Jeff & I’s luck came to an end tonight. The girls won handily, unfortunately. We would never brag or be smug when we win but the ladies reveled in their victory. LOL It was a fun game night.

Jeff & Wendy are taking a month long sabbatical in May to Greece. They told us all about their trip and it sounds fantastic and well organized. A beautiful part of the world. The timing was all wrong otherwise I would have loved to join them as it sounds wonderful.

During our conversation Wendy told us about a traffic ticket she just received. As most of you know I have little respect for patrol officers as most are just power hungry angry at society tripping individuals. More often that not short men or bitchy women. Wendy received a $320 ticket for a unregistered car. We all know the new system is setting us all up for failure and the cops coffers will increase due the changes we went through removing the need for stickers and changing to a month per last name to register instead of by year. THIS IS JUST STUPID . To give a ticket for this with the only reason being someone forgot to do it. No one was trying to NOT do it. The cop could have said look the registry is right there, here is warning ticket, go right now and show an officer at the station it was done within so many days. $320 is highway robbery.

They have a whack of family coming over Christmas to visit so our World Junior Hockey watching won’t happen. As the games are in Sweden they will be very early on the am or late at night. Years past we have gone to Dixons at 6 am and at 3am to watch with reserved seats. We will see what happens.

A fun night.

Tim’s just sent this to us. 2023 when using the card we visited Tim’s 74 times. More like 174 as I do not use the Tim’s card each time. But funny to see them tracking us.

Christmas is getting closer fast. Only 4 more days until Christmas and only 8 more days until Mesa again. We may have picked a bad time for our return as the news says the 29th is one of the busier days but i cant see that based on where Jan 1 is and Christmas is but we will see.

Hitting 10 degrees today for December which is unbelievable compared to -35 degrees last year.

A good win for the Oilers but a better win being a shutout for the Flames.

We went over to Cor & Tor for a pizza supper and to watch a bit of the game.

Talking to Corey it is wonderful that he is now working for a large corporation and is experiencing some of the benefits of doing so. Christmas parties, year end bonuses, employee retention awards, and pay raises are always nice. Looking from outside the organization I can see where Jayman is a first class company that understands the importance of employee retention, knows the results of employee recognition rewards and making the work experience like a family. I am impressed.

Today I discovered another good friend gone over to the dark side. That is three close friend’s that have been hoodwinked. As I have said before even if you remove the emasculation out of the equation the risks of getting a pedicure are too great. I have seen first hand when a male has a pedicure and his Achilles heel or planter fasciitis acts up or gets injured. A callous is natures cure and if you mess with that you are asking for trouble with strains, breaks, tendon tears, and balance issues etc.

As I said another good friend was inveigled into getting a pedicure. It is a shame that people not only for the medical rationale but the emotional impact don’t understand the underlying agenda. There are ” matter groups” for everything yet we allow the human male species to be feminized and demeaned without recourse or resolve. I am asking for all males to please be aware of the society under currents slowly eroding masculinity and what it is resulting in.

Wars are a direct result of the males of a society not feeling valued, respected and they lash out for any grab of power they can get.

I found this article below to be very accurate even though it only touches on the cons.

Here are some of the cons of getting a pedicure for a man:

• You may be seen as less masculine or feminine by others. Some people may have stereotypes or prejudices about men who get pedicures, and they may judge you based on your appearance. You may also face ridicule or teasing from your friends or family if they find out that you got a pedicure.
• You may be at risk of infection or injury. Pedicures involve soaking your feet in water, which can harbor bacteria and fungi that can cause infections like warts, athlete’s foot, cellulitis or flesh eating disease. Pedicures also involve cutting and shaping your toenails, which can cause ingrown nails or cuts if done incorrectly. Pedicures also involve applying nail polish, which can chip or peel off easily and expose your skin to chemicals or allergens. There are studies linking hip replacements, knee replacements and spine issues to pedicures allowing uneven pressure points at the bottom of feet.
• You may be spending too much money on something unnecessary. Pedicures are not essential for your health or hygiene, and they do not provide any significant benefits for your feet. You can take care of your feet yourself by following some simple tips like inspecting them daily, cutting them straight across, using a pumice stone to remove calluses safely, and moisturizing them regularly. Pedicures are also expensive, especially if you go to a salon that offers luxury services like specialized foot massages, organic lotions, or aromatherapy sessions

Just saying ! 

I refuse to follow a crowd or even a societal movement and love that I can acknowledge these gentlemen’s failure, still love them as friend’s, look past their indiscretions and look down at my feet knowing very well I have done the right thing and will be a better man for it.

Waiting for pork short ribs to be done. It takes a long time to get them just right.

Thought of the Day

She was only a whisky-maker, but he loved her still.

December 23rd

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 2 degrees, Calgary 2 degrees, Mesa 16 degrees”

The weatherman thought we were in for a brown Christmas. Then the wind currents changed and over the mountains come a snow storm. We no longer will have a brown Christmas. We got about 3 or 4 inches last night. While it does look wonderful, with the freeze thaw cycle the streets could be a little slippery for some. The snow storm came from the west and the entire Hwy 2 south of Calgary got hit. We were planning to head to Lethbridge but thought we would wait until after Christmas. It all worked out for the best as the kids are still a little sick including Jessica. It also gave the Hicken’s a day off as they have had a busy schedule the last bit. So it all worked out fine.

Sobey’s was only so so busy which was nice as we had to pick up some stuff to take to Edmonton with us and a few things for Boxing Day dinner.

I sent out my Christmas wishes to everyone today.

I have over 40 friend’s on my JOKE list email and so far in the ten years since retiring I have had only three people leave for various reasons. One died. I also cull the group if I have no response for along period of time. I have fun with it even if a little work so I will carry on. It all started when Gary Leedahl, Dwayne Sproule and I would send jokes between each other and I kept it going and expanded to friend’s outside of the company. It includes some risqué jokes but it is all in good fun. More today than ever maybe considered “inappropriate” but my way of thinking is “it is all in good fun and get over it”

Between my “joke” emails, my blog, and Viewpoint golf group it keeps me entertained, busy and I enjoy it.

Watching the Canada/ USA pre tournament game. This is a game where Canada has dominated with 20 gold metals and with Russia having 13 the next best. Yet every country now is super competitive and the USA makes for a hard win. If we win again this year it will three in a row so fingers crossed. Tonight the USA showed up as a very hard team beat.

Left over pork short ribs tonight which were as good as the day before.

I added baking soda to my freezer as my ice cubes had a slight smell to them. Typically in a fridge the odors from fridge and freezer seep. Milk and cubes are affected so with baking Soda it will work perfect.

Today is the Eve before Christmas Eve.

Forgot to go to the gym today. Darn LOL

Wordle Jackie in 3 with me getting it in 4

Thought of the Day

No matter how much you push the envelope,  it’ll still be stationery. 

Dec 24th/25th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton -1 degrees, Calgary 0 degrees Mesa 16 degrees”

The wonderful weather continues in Alberta. I am sure that El Nino is going to move and deep freeze like we have never seen before will be here.

Yep it is Christmas Eve which every kid loves knowing what will happen when they wake up tomorrow morning.

I wonder if I asked 100 kids in Grade One today what is the meaning of Christmas what they would say. I think I would be disappointed.

This year for us is a very different Christmas perhaps the strangest one yet. We had one of our best Christmas’s ever last year with all of our immediate family together in Mesa. This year the kids have other commitments and while we have seen them and a few of them, numerous times, Christmas morning this year Jackie & I will rush up to Edmonton to see my family, our kids will be working or with their spouses side, so Jackie and I had our little Christmas together today to avoid rushing in the am. Boxing Day we will have Audrey and maybe Jackson & Corey if they are free as Tor is working for a turkey dinner gathering. Tonight we are at Alan & MaryAnn’s place for and Chinese food. A memory when I say Chinese pops up as for years and years when we lived in Edmonton and few after we had Chinese on Christmas Eve at the Harry’s house. Funny how certain traditions remain vivid and enjoyable to remember.

Here are a few pics of some Christmas pasts. The first pic was due to Covid, Pic 5 and Pic 6 is 2015 in Mesa.

We said no gifts to each other as we spent a lot of money on different things in the last little while but we can’t leave it like that and we both received small gifts from each other but on the inexpensive side. I bought Jackie a great Nike Golf shirt and I received a nose and ear trimmer. I guess she was trying to tell me something. Anyways one of our best Christmas’s for the budget. It will be interesting at the end of December to see how we did. Even the turkey waiting for the last moment was on sale and a great deal.

So a great start to a Merry Christmas.

Daisy had her hair done today by Jackie and has gone with the CUTE mode.

She is not too sure about her bow. She needs to think of it as a facelift as it pulls back her hair. LOL It does give her that surprised look.

We took the newly completed Stony Trail tonight as it is finally open. What a difference it makes. It was about 45 mins plus to Alans from our place and tonight it was 22 minutes. It is wide, 3 to 4 lanes wide and nice that the cops are not allowed photo radar on it. It makes it an easy drive now.

We were surprised and the Huggetts changed their minds and made supper rather than Chinese food.

The meal that Alan & MaryAnn made was delicious. Pork, potatoes, spinach salad and brussel sprouts. Awesome meal !

Kennedy was there also so a nice smaller Christmas eve gathering with a wonderful meal and excellent conversation. Even all 4 dogs had a great time. Daisy is sound asleep as i write this so I know she had a good time.

Up early in the morning and heading to Edmonton to Darlene’s place for Christmas dinner with my family. Audrey is looking after Daisy which will be good for Daisy and Audrey. We won’t be back until late and it is much easier than trying to look after her at some ones home with another dog and cats.

The highway was empty. It was most likely the least busy I have seen it in many many years. Which makes it very easy to drive as with the Jeep in heavy traffic I am forever hitting the brake to release the cruise.

Christmas Day and light traffic and can you believe TWO radar cops and one with a car pulled over on another section of the highway. HOW COULD YOU GIVE A TICKET TO ANYONE on Christmas unless they were being stupid fast. Going 10 to 30 over is not dangerous. I was in disbelieve that any cop could be so crass especially as these were RCMP not want to be sheriffs. It baffles me how they could go home to their families and feel good about themselves.

We made it in good time but a little to late to stop in at Kristen’s place to drop off gifts so we made a plan to see them after Darlene’s.

It was a nice size gathering of 16 family members. Always interesting to see a new addition with 6 month Gabriel there.

As usual Darlene put out a spread. She is such a good cook and there is no other turkey meal from anyone I can compare hers to. Amazing meal. She uses our Grandma’s recipe for stuffing and it is my favorite. There maybe 100 recipes for dressing/stuffing but Grandma’s is simple and delicious much more so than others,

It was great that no one was ill or appeared to be coughing or such. I hate going to places where people are sick. Why risk it .

Mom was amazing. She will be 92 in a few months and not in the best health but she was the first there and last to leave. She WILL BE SO TIRED the next day but I think she enjoyed her time seeing everyone together. She did not fall asleep at ALL which is amazing. It is a difficult thing to climb stairs for her but she managed well enough today to use the bathroom when needed and being on water pills compounds the issue. Awesome to see her do so well.

We were all stuffed with treats, dinner and snacks.

Generations of Willards. Mom will be 92 and Gabriel is 6 months old.

We left our house at 8 am and went to bed at 11:30 pm.

We left Darlene’s at 7 pm and heading to Kristen’s place which is on the south side which was good. They have a beautiful infill which is very modern and the design exceptional. Some neat ideas. I loved the raised library moldings and using roller catches with a deadbolt on the front door is the first I have seen of that.

Janet was there, so nice to see her again. Little Silas was having a blast with his toys. I great visit and we left Edmonton at 8pm. 

The highway was actually busier at 11pm than in the morning. But again an easy drive. It felt like fall as the fields are dry from Red Deer north.

Thought of the Day

A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab centre said: 
‘Keep off the Grass’ 

December 26th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 8 degrees, Calgary 7 degrees Mesa 17 degrees”

Where is winter ? The poor farmers next year if we don’t start getting some snow. Not wishing cold and snowy weather on anyone but I am concerned about drought and wildfires next year.

Busy putting the turkey in the oven and prepping veggies ect for a late lunch today. Keeping it simple only due to timing and rushing around. It still will be nice.

Roasting root vegetable’s and turkey in one oven isn’t easy. I think every kitchen should have two ovens. Turkey I cook at 350 and veggies being roasted is usually 425. So you add time and then when the turkey is pulled you crank the oven. Jackie has been working all morning getting things ready

World news is not good even on Christmas.

Looking forward to Mesa even though the temps have been cooler hitting only mid teens but that is wonderful golf weather. It has been an odd time here in Canada with it seeming slow and then other days very busy with commitments.

Weight this am and two pounds up due to turkey and treats. One more big meal today then back to my regular food and routine. We have lots of food to get rid of in a few days. Two to three pounds over my set limit is all I will allow. I think I was up a bit more after the last cruise but it only takes a few days to come back down. Getting back to a routine will bring it in line. What calories I reduce from food I make up for by drinks. I may have to hold off until after New Years Eve. There I go, I have a resolution which is something I have never believed in.

Turned out to be a wonderful supper. Moist turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted veggies including turnip, parsnip, carrots, onions, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts. Tasted wonderful and everyone enjoyed it plus with so easy with a small group.

It was a nice visit with great food. A lot of eating in the last week with a pulled pork meal, then a pork chop meal, Baby back rib meal ,then a pork roast meal, then a full turkey meal ending with another turkey meal and squeezing in a Swiss Chalet supper, and a McDonalds supper. Nice to have others cook for you in the majority of time here.

December 27th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 3 degrees, Calgary 3 degrees, Mesa 18 degrees”

Another easy trip to Lethbridge today. It is just amazing how it seems like fall instead of the 6th day of winter and nearing the end of December. Quite frankly it is not real. Not a drop of snow anywhere to be seen and hitting 8 degrees. Wonderful.

We picked up Jackson along with his skateboard and scooter and headed out after dropping Daisy off at Audrey’s.

Jessica along with Auggie and Atti met us at the Lethbridge skate park at Henderson Lake. This was a sight, sound and smell experience. Henderson Lake had at least 2 thousand if not more Canadian Geese swimming or walking in/on it. A few dead ones frozen in the ice and just died. The question is why? Are these all of the old geese thinking they can’t make it south let’s stop here and hope for a semi warm winter ? Are these a group of just dumb geese that have lost their instincts to migrate ? I have NEVER seen so many geese in one spot ever. Nasty ! Can you imagine the fecal levels in that water. The pictures really don’t do it justice as the amount of geese was amazing.

The skate park is wonderful. Nice and big and not to crowded. We even had a kid that had his boom box with him which was great as it added to the excitement level of the park. When he left we had to look at watching a 63 yr old women risk her head on the cement.

Jackson loves skateboarding and Auggie had his real first experience today and did amazing. He has incredible balance and was quite daring and was a fast learner. he even laid down on his board to go over the bumps.

Atti not so much. I can’t say if he was afraid due to breaking his leg recently, or if it actually hurt him. He had a small blowup and then carried on running around the tracks rather than his scooter.

The kids played for over 2 hours and then we headed to the Henderson Lake playground. A set of identical twin girls were playing there while we were there. Cute ! The boys had fun and throw in a parent and grandparent climbing the obstacles it is entertaining. I sat in the car a bit to charge my phone and to warm my fingers as they had turned numb and white.

We loaded everyone up and off to Boston Pizza. A couple of things here. BP has been a family favorite for 30 years but has disappointed in recent years with too many menu changes but this BP was awesome. Brand new modern decor ( not the usual look and looked wonderful) made a perfect Caesar with a pickled bean and a piece of celery and one of the most important changes after me not being able to order a steak sandwich they have returned to the original steak sandwich like every other restaurant serves. BP for at least ten years when you ordered a steak sandwich you got a shaved steak on a bun. Not right ! Yahoo and it was awesome.

Everyone enjoyed their meal !

I had a play arm wrestling with Atti. He is fast and took both arms quickly to win. LOL

We stopped and I picked up my BP pills at Shoppers. Remember I had to phone to me coverage on a early fill well tonight Blue Cross won’t cover their portion as i was two days early. Come on stop the stupidity. Oh well I will enter in the receipt when I get to AZ to get my money back. Just dumb.

Stopped at picked up daisy from Audrey’s. While the ladies were discussing i thought I will fit a wordle game. Last time I finished in two and thought I had it in the bag and Jackie ties me. Sick. Tonight i get it in ONE. Third time for me. I had my fingers crossed and Jackie later got it in 5.

Another fun day in the books.

Thought of the Day

It is not about winning or losing. You know who say that ? The loser !

December 28th/30th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 4 degrees, Calgary 4 degrees, Mesa 23 degrees”

Jackie and I got everything ready. We packed our small bags and packed up the groceries in the fridge to take to Victoria’s including anything that would expire before we got back. It is amazing how some food as such quick expirations dates.

Then off to pick up Jackson and take him to his first game of a tournament. We had to get him to eat something before the game for supper. He seems to be watching what he is eating for some reason. His choices and food value are not the best. A young kid this age should not be worried about eating and just eat normal as food is the “”fuel” of a human body. Generally speaking, carbohydrates are the quickest source of energy. Fats are the slowest source of energy, but they provide more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and proteins. Fats are also more efficient for long-term energy storage and endurance activities. Eat “normal” will provide you the energy you need to play hockey . Always a contradiction on pasta with meat sauce, or even a burger pregame exists.

Odd. 

It was a GREAT game from Jackson. Not only did he play wonderful but he played so well he won the MVP award. Excellent work ethic and great play making. His effort stopped goals and some great passes and close calls to the net. The game ended up a tie which was indictive of the game as both teams played so well.

I love seeing his excitement when he does well. Well deserved.

Not quite a road trip but a fly trip as we head for the airport at 4 am in the morning to head to Mesa. Cheap flight not very good times. LOL

It is funny how you don’t really sleep well knowing you have to get up early. We had a delay notice yesterday so helped us sleep in for 2 more hours. Having said that our taxi was at the door at 4:20 am. Our alarm went of a 3:30 am. Not our cup of tea so to speak to get up early.

Arriving at the airport we take Daisy to the dog park and she does her business perfect. Checking in the airport was dead which is nice. Wow have carry on and personal bag sizing experienced downsizing. I squeezed in our backpack for a personal item but Jackie’s did not fit so $75 as a carry-on.

The security gates were very fast and only a limited amount of people. Customs was a lot busier but perhaps only 1/2 hr wait time. The personal were professional and courteous.

We stopped at Starbucks for breakfast . This took a loooong time. They were so slow. Not what anyone wants at a airport.

Text message of another delay. The plane coming in from Mexico is behind schedule about an hour. So we settle in for wait. I do not like delays when we have the dog.

Then another delay as the plane had a mechanical issue.

Then we get loaded and the pilot has to get the plane de-iced. Plus 4 above ? 

When we were up in the air the pilot came on and apologized and stated we were going to arrive in 2 hr and 20 min. That is about an hour shorter than normal so he had the petal to the metal.

I can say that Flair did well. Priced right. But things happened out of their control.

Daisy was so good. Perfect plus it helped we had no one beside us in our row. I could turn her bag and open it and with her head out the stewardess couldn’t see her.

Fred picked us up right on time. Easy in and out of the airport.

Jackie takes the car to get groceries while i start cleaning up and getting everything back to the way we left it. I then discover I had no power to the Arizona room, outdoor kitchen, fridge etc,

I started to investigate. Multiple checks off and on etc. I believe I have one defective GFCI receptacle . The car was gone so I phoned Fred and lucky me he had a regular receptacle in the shed so he whipped down with it. Fred works with the power on I work with it off. We did a few more checks and found the defective GFCI and changed it out. Lights all working now.

The rain must have been driving rain as it was everywhere. So today Jackie & I whipped to Depot and I bought new gaskets for the GFCI plugs , and silicone to make a solid absolute seal. We had to pick up a new kitchen faucet also as it had leak also.

Daisy walks.

Only a few hours sleep does make a difference to your level of energy.

Plugs all fixed, golf cart tarp removed and ready, outdoor kitchen cleaned up and dried up and getting close to being normal.

Fred & Terry came over and we played a few games. The girls won every game. I need to go asleep as I must be dreaming as we can not lose every game EVER. Yet we did.

( Fred & I wanted them to win to as it is the last game of the year) LOL

Tomorrow faucet installation and NEW YEARS EVE Dance !