April 1st

” Mercury Forecast Edmonton 11 degrees, Calgary 7 degrees, Mesa 15 degrees”

No April fools joke here.

Off this morning to Vegas. We have been hit with a little rain for the upcoming two days and to the north of Arizona where we had planned to go home even had a road closure due to snow. We were planning to book Antelope Canyon or visit Horseshoe or the Grand but made a change of plans due to the weather and are heading to Vegas.

We are booked into the Excalibur and have booked the knight jousting show at night for us to see. I will see how Jackson is with roller coasters. A memory I will have forever is convincing Fred to go on the Nascar roller telling him it must just go around and round like a boring race. We get in and this things leaves at 100 mph and hits outside the building straight up. The look on Fred’s face was priceless. I know Jackson as a youngster didn’t like a Ferris wheel but he may be ok now. It is like anything, Mind over matter.

I won’t be posting anything most likely until we get home other than a special moment perhaps on Facebook.

Bad timing travelling the first of the month as I pay all of the bills then so they will have to wait plus the fact ourselves and 1 million others which all had to leave the south as rent is over or days allowed at it’s end will be on the highway. Hotels all the way up I15 charge extra and are full.

Going home is always a good and bad thing. I hate coming home to crappy weather yet it is always nice to return to our Canada way of life. Less eating, a WAY less drinking, a lot more subdued, quiet and not as social. I hope for a warm summer with enough rain to avoid fire bans and help the farmers. I hope for a lot of golf, camping trips and Oasis fun plus looking forward already to our May Long event, K country camping in May and Houseboating in June.

A nice easy drive from Phoenix to Vegas and arriving in Las the weather was nice. Warm and sunny. We found our way to the parking at the Excalibur. Let me say the traffic in Vegas is brutal. No planning what soever compared to Mesa. Grid lock the entire way and the strip is faster to walk than drive.

We used the Valet parking to protect our car load of stuff and make it easy.

Ok I am starting to feel sorry for older people. If they DO NOT keep up to technology they will literally left out. We found that at Disney and again now at the Excalibur. It is all done on-line. Check in involves a digital room key. Now Weiser has had a virtual digital key for about 15 years. Excalibur uses a digital key but hasn’t yet gone the next step. They send you the digital room key QR code and then at the hotel with the QR you create a hardcode VIN lock card key. They should have gone all digital. Close though.

To add to the hi-tech to get your car from Valet it is a QR code at a kiosk and wham they deliver your car with talking to anyone. Nice ! I love the tech world.

We went for a long walk, 10,000 plus steps down the strip. It has been at least 17 years and HAS IT CHANGED, All in a good way. So many neat shops, bars, restaurants and music venues it is wonderful. So many people on the strip only equaled by Time Square or Piccadilly Circus.

One of the escalator’s for the over head street crossing was broke and this lady weighing at least 300 pounds attempting to climb I thought she wasn’t going to make it but she did. Love the new vibe of the strip

It is quite a sight and a must see for anyone to visit as it is a one of a kind place. We walked a long ways down to the Bellagio hotel. We were with Corey & Victoria when Corey proposed to Tor right in front of the water fountains. Love the picture of Jackson in front of the place were it all began.

Not one person handing out girlie cards and no begging etc. Clean, and welcoming.

You can see the roller coaster of the New York in the back ground but try as I might I could not convince Jackson to come on it with me. It is the old adage if you don’t try something you have no idea what you missed out on. I remember the girls as youngsters crying as we went down water slides etc but the second trip loving it. I wanted him to say ok but he wouldn’t. LOL I love roller coasters.

It was nice as we had prebooked our meal and show at the Excalibur right in the hotel.

The Knights of the Round Table. It was a very good show and better than I remembered it. the only thing odd was no King from England other than Arthur yet a King from most other European nations. We ended up supporting Romanian which turned out to be a villain king. He was disqualified for unruly behavior in a couple of events but did win the hand to hand combat section. Jackson loved cheering him on. There was one girl next to us that was over the top in her support. LOL

Even the meal was better with a full Cornish Hen rather than a large turkey leg to chew on. Great meal, second row seats, wonderful show all made for a fun night. We left Daisy in our hotel room and she was perfect. What an accommodating dog.

Just a few random pictures of Vegas

I played the slots for a bit on the way back to the room but no luck. I can’t even say I was entertained. LOL I think Jackson was entertained by the jousting though.

The traffic again was extremely busy all the way to Idaho Falls. Could only cruise around the 80 to 85 mph mark. the next day no problem except for the odd corner but a easy 89 to 91 MPH trip. I only saw two cops which was nice.

The Flex has a smaller tank so a few more gas stops which is ok as it stretches your legs and rests you, It does add to the time fast though. The trip to Idaho about 10 hours with our stops etc but seemed a little longer but I think that was due to losing an hour with the time change and the second day another 10 hours which seemed a lot quicker. We were averaging at least 5 to 10 mph quicker on the second leg.

At Idaho Falls we ordered Olive Garden for take out to sit by the river and have a picnic. Two things. First the temperature plummeted and my fingers turned white. Why am I back here again ? Second it is the first time I did not care for Olive Garden Salad. It tasted like bagged lettuce which I hate. I remember at Blimpies when we ran short of lettuce heads having to use bagged lettuce and the same smell.

Only two cars in front of us at the border which was odd and fast . Plus a friendly agent. Must have taken some customer service classes.

We HAD to stop at Tim’s in Lethbridge for an Ice cap and Timbits. Love the new Tim’s sign making it look so Canadian. It is odd how they can’t get traction in the USA as they could co brand with Burger King or Popeyes easily.

What ! again this is what I experienced as I looked out my window this morning. Dry perfect roads then this in the morning when I wake up. Heavy snowfall warnings for the next few days.

So many years I wanted to not come back until mid April and then something comes up. We had my Mom’s 90 birthday two years ago, we had covid three years ago, we had Tor & Jess’s 40th birthday last year, Jackson for school this year and we ran out of days 5 years ago. Maybe next year !

Thought of the Day

Off to another summer of fun ! Just have to get past this 30 cms of snow that I hate.

April 5th-7th

I will make a few days at a time as honestly the next two weeks and the two weeks before leaving to Arizona are the worst. I hate being house bound and i hate waiting to get to warmth.

The one thing nice is being able to watch the news. I like that. I switch back and forth between GMA and Global in the morning. Not a good reason to come home. LOL

I emptied out my suitcases and culled the clothes. A few in the garbage and few in the Value Village bin and hung some up and with some going to laundry.

I put all of my other stuff away except for the suitcase and I am done. I will put the cases in our locker away in the near future.

The Flames miss the playoffs which I think most thought would happen. Now I have to cheer for Edmonton but under certain conditions. I do not want them to win the cup but a 7 game OT loss in the cup final would be excellent. I for sure do not want Mc Happy meal, the whiner to win the most points. He has no chance for most goals or MVP which is good.

I see attendance is down big time in Calgary, Not good when you are spending billions on a new arena. No star players, no playoffs, no success people are not going to waste their money on a inferior product. Simple business plan to provide value for the buck which we don’t have. Having said that better this way than paying for stars and having no success which is a way nor disappointing.

In my hockey pool Keith Harry is going to win, Corey should finish third and I will be last. LAST is hard to swallow and doesn’t happen often so surprised and I may have to have a recount and call it rigged. There was a unusual circumstance where I was not entered from day one and when they finally did enter me i started in last and never raised up. Something fishy here ! LOL

Walked the dog with a winter coat and toque. Spring is supposed to start March 21st. ? Daisy with her coat has a fast pace to her steps. She prefers cooler walking over hot walking but hates the cold overall. Short nose syndrome.

Our new last year kitchen faucet had no pressure what so ever. I have seen particles in our water before so thought the aerator could be plugged. I pulled off the head and had a look at it. It has a hidden aerator which requires a special tool. So I took it to the Depot where we bought it and wouldn’t you know it. No luck. Off to Lowes which since we have been gone has been converted to Rona .

These colors are not pretty !! It is a Canadian company in a way, out of Quebec so half Canadian, so I hope they do well. Takes some getting used to. And no luck again.

The story behind Rona is long. First they are Canadian albeit Quebec based but they over the years have drastically changed the building materials industry. They eliminated and removed some iconic and loved brand names from the industry with buyouts.

Rona bought our the remaining Revelstoke store that Home Hardware didn’t. Then Rona bought our the large REVY stores. Rona bought out Totem Building Supplies and Dick Building Supplies two large companies. They also bought out Lansing another large building supply chain. Then a surprise where Lowes bought all of the large Rona stores. Only a few years later Rona with an investor buys out LOWES and changes the stores back to Rona. As a company I never cared for Rona and over the years they were one of the hardest to deal with to supply product to. Change is good they say but I am sorry Lowes left Canada.

So I headed toa plumbing outlet. While there I had two plumbers and a part guy look at my faucet head and the conclusion was ” Never seen this before” and we used the tool with no success.

A thorough cleaning and a hope is what we are down to and or a new head.

I got a call just then and Jess& Pen and the boys were on there way home from Mexico so us and the Waldie’s met them at Boston Pizza. They had a great time at the resort they stayed at plus Flair worked perfect for them.

They have changed the menu so drastically over the years there are no favorites left. As most know we took the kids to Boston Pizza on Fridays for years and years, I can no longer say it is my favorite causal restaurant. It is bad when one of the appetizers now is your favorite. Going ” modern” with your menu is not a win. Pretty soon it will all vegan, gluten free, lactose free, meals that suck when it comes to taste or nutrition.

It was a nice impromptu gathering that was fun and great see to everyone.

Odd the PGA now with no stars left. Today in the Valero Open only three recognizable names in the top ten. The leprechaun is in10th.

Then a test from Jeff wanting to go out to watch the Oiler/Flame game. Yes ! I had to wait a bit to hear back from Jackie but two impromptu events the same day.

We met at Dixon’s Pub where we have watched World Jr and Flames games for years. In fact jeff has won two hockey jerseys here. It was always packed. We drove up the front doors at 7:30 and got a parking spot right in the front. Saturday night, hockey game on plus basketball. golf etc on and the place was only 1/4 full. I do not know what has happened. I think if i was the owner I would drive to the nearby competitors and check them out. If they are full emergency measures need to be taken. The food was never excellent but always good, the bar does need a facelift but it is old style Irish Pub so meant to be dark. Good for us though.

Having had dinner at Boston already this afternoon for supper we had chicken wings and sweet fries. All great tasting.

The game !. The Flames DOMINATED the Oilers for most of game yet lost. Refs’ penalties, and bad luck were the direct cause but as the saying goes you have to find a way to win. The Flames are out of the playoffs so I thought we would win big like the last game we played aga9nst each other. I lost my bet to Keith so now he can buy some sour milk. It was a great game just not the outcome I wanted.

It is funny how certain people ( without every meeting or knowing them) can bug so much. I dislike McDavid’s attitude, personality, expressions and the way he carries himself. Connor and Rory are from the same cloth. I love down to earth stars like Wayne, Sid, or Jon and Speith. He just rubs me wrong.

As I said I will cheer Edmonton, Winnipeg, Van or Toronto to win. But for me the ultimate event this year would be for Edmonton to go to the final and lose the 7th game in double overtime with McDavid giving up the puck. Hopes lol

Jeff’s back seems to be doing ok. He has started yoga again. I won’t tell anybody that though. They seem to have their Greek holiday all planned out and booked which is good. Looks like a lot of planning on their part. It sounds like a wonderful trip for them. It is not my perfect preference for a holiday having to make most of my own meals, bed, and plan excursions but the staying two nights at in a place and having to pack up again isn’t fun especially if there are ferry or plane or bus departure times to meet. Smart though as they have decided to go with carry on only which makes it much easier and the time of year the weather should be quite consistent so shorts and few tops and set to go. I hope they have a wonderful time as Jeff is excited to get back to his Greek roots. I know they will love the food and wine as that is up their alley. I would have gone in a heart beat if the timing was wrong for us. Even one or two weeks later than booked but life is all about timing.

Great to see them again.

A fun surprise busy day.

Masters week which will be fun to watch.

Calgary golf courses opening this weekend after hitting close to 20 degrees. Yahoo ! I will be out at the lot and golfing sooner than expected.

I hope Jeff’s back is ready and I won’t push him as it needs to be perfect for his vacation and the rest of his life so no need to wreck it or hurt for a golf game.

I lifted weights and ran on the treadmill today. I need to make a plan for weights every second day this year as aging has had it’s affects and I feel less strong than I desire.

I am looking forward to this summer and Oasis.

I started looking at cruises for next year and I think a Hawaii then on to Fiji would be excellent. We haven’t been to Hawaii for 20 years plus and never to the Polynesian part of the world. It appears a non Princess cruise which is not my first choice but is ok.

I also have to see where I can talk Jackie into travelling this summer in the motorhome. If we don’t start putting a lot of miles on it we may as well trade it in for a destination trailer and buy a tent. It is harder on a unit to sit than keep moving.

Thought of the Day

“Love is the food of life, travel is the dessert “

April 9th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 12 degrees, Calgary 11 degrees, Mesa 30 degrees”

Another year older. Today is my Mom’s birthday hitting 92 years old. That is getting up there. I am not sure anything past 85 yrs of age with the odd exception is worth it with the difficulties that aging brings. Mom still has a good mind not affected by dementia just aging but her body has let her down. Mom was a 5ft 9″ tall younger person raised on a farm and was a very strong hard working person. Her osteoporosis has taken it’s toll on her back and bones.

I will say I have yet to meet any aged person that doesn’t change their way of thinking. They are worried about everything, nothing is the way it used to be, they shrink their world by not wanting to experience different things, feel unheard and not valued and become a little isolated, get fussy with things, clothes food etc, sometimes act out or get agitated and struggle to accept the fact they are old. Too old. From my perspective the one way thing people could do is try to do as much as possible yourself without asking or expecting help with stuff. The control is lost, the feelings of value diminish and helplessness set in and moves to all factors in their lives. I remember when Covid hit and I don’t know how many times I heard ” our kids told us we better get home” as prior decisions were based on their input. Make your own decision in everything right or wrong.

Jackie & i arrived in Edmonton about 1pm and had a great visit with Mom. She is doing well overall with the no TIA’s for a long time, her cancer spot open sore is 90% healed and the water pills have allowed her legs to be right sized. Her biggest issue is after being laid up in bed after a broken ankle, her leg muscles have diminished and she has not regained that strength back and struggles with walking or getting up from chairs. I think that is the most important thing for all of us. Sitting instead of getting up over and over again has a fast effect on everyone. I know even myself I hate to sit for a couple of days then have to work hard it takes a while to get back in the groove.

Darlene and Jim came over and we all sat around and had a great conversation about everything. Mom had the management ladies come in and they sang Happy Birthday to her as they heard she was not coming down for supper.

Some of the topics included Mom’s group of friends ( 6 ladies) from the acreage coming for lunch and a visit to her place, Darlene heading to Mexico with a 9 month old grandson, business volumes of the carpet cleaning business Jim started, and Mom’s experiences in the last bit plus hearing about Mary’s upcoming cruise. It was a nice afternoon.

Alfred & Mary met us at Muggnz restaurant in Callingwood. Luckily we had a big booth for all of us, 7, in total could fit in. I will say the food was excellent. Fantastic. Mom ate her entire meal which was great to see. Fish & chips with mashed potatoes subbed for the fries, LOL I had the hot burger steak , sautéed onions, veggies, and mashed potatoes and it was awesome. We stayed and enjoyed a great meal with everyone liking their choices.

We picked up a birthday cake and brought it back to Mom’s for dessert and to sing Happy Birthday again to her. She loved the day and it was nice have the “Willard” kids together.

Mary made Mom one of the best gifts ever. She is so creative and clever. She had everyone’s picture of the family on a quilt for Mom. It was beautiful and I can’t imagine the work to make it.

I filled up at Leduc and man is gas cheap there. Shell was $1.45. So with AMA $1.45 less 3 cents = $ 1.42. We collected Airmiles on it plus get a 2% discount on our credit card so gas for $1.39 plus Air Mile points .We didn’t get back to Calgary until 11:30pm.

Needless to say we slept well.

First thing this morning a quick stop at Sobey’s for distilled water. I just paid $ 1.49 a gallon in Mesa and today $ 3.49. Stupid !

I worked out at the lot all day until 4:30pm. I packed up 5 bags of leaves but could only take 4 of them in the Jeep to the dump. I was very pleased with my batteries. They are 9 years old now and still are perfect. I have a pretty good system. I use the solar panels for the carriage and I use a solar tender charger on the motor battery. Distilled water and disconnect the battery for the engine and all is great again. I started up the engine and generator and let them run for about 2 hours. I put the genset under load for bit.

Times flies as i just kept working doing different things, putting away my pressure washer, fishing equipment from Az, cleaning etc raking, cutting etc and then time to head home.

I watched a bit of the Masters this morning. LOVE this event and especially this one as I am hoping for a big LIV win. I guess Rory wasn’t in a good mood today as this is the headlines from the Telegraph News.

Psychologically scrambled Rory McIlroy exits Masters press conference early

The pressure of it being his 10th attempt is getting to him. LOL I am hoping for rain on Sunday here so I can watch a lot of it rather than work .

Tonight Jackie made a wonderful supper with angel hair pasta, carrots and celery sautéed, garlic toast and Caesar salad.

First time in a forever where she left to the grocery store without her phone. I am sure panic set in.

Wordle Jackie in 3 myself in 4. Darn!

Thought of the Day

Pasta tastes better than skinny feels.

April 10th-11th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 14 degrees, Calgary 12 degrees, Mesa 33 degrees”

Watching the Master’s today is fun. A long delay due to weather but it is go and they are playing. Go LIV players. Good start by a lot of players so we will see.

The Flexis in today for a windshield chip repair. It still has the factory shield so I have to pay for chip repair but it is great dealing with these guys. Over 15 years I have used them for glass replacements including sending my reps there and company vehicles. They have installed a lot of windshields for me. Today three chip repairs and only $60. The guys in the shopping lots are about $90 for the first chip and $25 for another. And fast as it was no more than a 20 minute wait.

I sat down in the waiting room and played Wordle and in TWO !!!!! TWO again.

I stopped at Canadian Tire for my anode rod as it is hard to find a 1/2″ one and cheaper than Amazon. I few things now where I have found Amazon high on pricing compared to the local store IF they have it in stock. You have to be careful.

LIV golf is doing well with two in the top ten which is great. Rory is there also but I am still hoping he will trip up. Bryson #1 so perfect.

I booked an appointment today for an ultrasound. My family doctor was figuring it would be a long wait but I got an appointment for next Thursday so that is wonderful. Not only a fast turn around but just pleasant professional people to deal with. And people complain !

I received an invite to golf tomorrow that I accepted as the course just opened and next week looks like winter again. We will see if Jeff gets out before leaving on vacation. I think if it was me I may wait and be that much stronger when back. Nothing to fool around with having back surgery.

Just before the windshield repair we met Victoria and Hazel at the dog park with Daisy. Hazel really enjoyed it and Daisy was a little tentative but still liked it. I enjoyed not only the walk but it was a warm fresh day.

Shorts and sandals and it was nice out.

Finished the Masters and it is too bad Tiger wasn’t able to finish today. He will have a 8am start to finish about 5 holes and then have to golf 18 holes in the afternoon. Not conducive to a injured player for recovery time.

We found a cruise for our vacation in 2025 ( Jackie’s 65th and our 45th) I am just waiting for final details then we will see if anyone can or wants to join us. It is always nice to have travelling partners but the destination and timing has to be right for others to commit. We have a 14 day cruise planned where no one has gone before. LOL We will see the deal. I like free wifi, free drinks, free or flight deals, balcony, and on board credits so not asking for a lot. LOL

I continue to see changes happen to AHS which is good. To leave a broke system floundering and just throw money at it is dumb. Try new things. This new concept of contracting out non emergency rides is great. Naturally the union mentally balks at change but I think it has merit to try. Never does a union look in the mirror and realize they are the largest part of the problem.

Two relatives of ours as young people have both bought homes. It makes me feel good knowing that they moving in the right direction and not expecting a free hand out from the government. I would say proud. Way to go Danielle and Kayla plus Kennedy that bought a year ago or more.

A nice warm walk tonight around the community for us with Daisy.

Thought of the Day

You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Now lets get shipfaced.

April 12th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 16 degrees, Calgary 15 degrees, Mesa 33 degrees “

Up this morning and watching the Masters, The weather is having a huge impact on this event and nice to see the pros struggling. Still my two favs in first place so all is good. I would have loved Rory to miss the cut but he didn’t but would be a very surprising turn of events if he could win. Some HUGE names did miss the cut.

I whipped out to Claresholm to play golf with Larry P and Dale. Dale and Larry are the reigning Turner Valley Club Team Challenge champions and both are consistently good golfers. It was supposed to hit 15 degrees and it did in Claresholm but it did not feel like it with 40 kph winds. I was determined to wear shorts ( it is a long time since spring happened)

It was an ok day of golfing marked by a few too many errors, Wind was a huge factor as judging some of the shots was very difficult. The results, money in my pocket with accomplishing the low gross score and low net score of the group and was the only one with a birdie on his scorecard. A few dropped putts and one lost ball and I would have been in the 70’s.

The course was in excellent condition including the greens but as they were recently un-tarped so they were on the slow side and difficult getting used to after having such fast green in AZ. So many putts just short.

A great fun day golfing for the first time in Canada again.

Below is a picture that I didn’t take but I guess it was trying to tell me you need proof of shorts the first game in 2024 in Canada. Pocket dial picture is cool. LOL

Western Pizza for supper. These guys use their own BBQ sauce that is unique and excellent. Very good. Even pizza is getting expensive

Just about finalized our cruise for 2025. A little more pricy than our normal cruises as it is with Norwegian so a little more upscale, it is a 15 hour flight away and 14 days with 10 ports and in a exotic part of the world. A spot in the world that no one that I know has visited and could be on everyone’s bucket list. Very few sea days with loads of stops will make for a fun filled packed vacation.

Thought of the Day

What vegetable isn’t allowed on cruise ships?

Leeks

April 12th-15th

Gorgeous weather until Monday evening then back to winter.

It wasn’t the busiest couple of days for sure but was intended to be that way.

We met Victoria and Hazel at the dog park and along with our Tim’s had a long walk around the park. Dogs have so much fun here. Hazel loves it and Daisy usually does but was a little hesitant today. Never less a fun outing in the warmth and moving.

I/we watched a lot of the Masters which was quite enjoyable with the LIV players and Tiger playing. Things worked out pretty good with Scottie winning my favorite player, Rory not doing well, Bryson finishing high but not winning, LIV players making a great showing and Tiger hanging on to the end. I can not imagine how he feels after finishing LAST in the field. I think he could pull a lot of positives but just that fact alone has to hurt. ( same as my hocky pool results, still in disbelief)

The course played extremely HARD as out of 60 player only 10 were under par. I am sure it is wake call to all of the pros that a course can get the best of them. How many of them are in their private jets flying home saying they hated the course, it wasn’t fair and they don’t like it.

From the outside it appeared LIV and the PGA players all welcomed each other except for maybe Rory.

Way to go Scottie now rush home to be with your wife and first child to be born. I can’t imagine the chaos if he would left with a few holes left and if he fact he would have. Knowing him from as much as we can it would appear he would have.

Fun tournament.

Looks like next week will a bucket of balls at the range instead of golf but the following week yes !!

Jackie went out for groceries and I hit the cleanup. You know vacuuming is harder on the back then golfing. Swifter and vacuum the condo, empty the dishwasher, and another days duties done. I didn’t do the bath rooms.

We watched a great movie last night from 10 yrs ago but it was excellent. This is where I leave you ! starring Jane Fonda, Tina Fey and Jason Bateman was very good and quite funny.

We finalized our cruise to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary, Jackie’s 65th birthday and my 50th high school graduation anniversary. Alan & MaryAnn have committed to going and it looks like Jeff & Wendy are putting a deposit down. This will be a fun group together and having such a group just makes it that much more fun. I will make sure the Grace’s bring their Queens game so the boys can defend their dominance. We are excited for it !

We are cruising the French Polynesian area with includes Fiji, Bora, Bora ,Cook Island etc.

As it is considered an exotic part of the world, it costs a lot more than the typical cruise. Enough I could have bought a rough 1967 Camaro. Having said that I prefer experience over asset which comes with maintenance, expenses, insurance etc any day the week. What I really look forward to on this cruise are the sights and scenery along with a water focus, versus history with somewhat boring castles, museums and story. I am looking forward to the 85 degrees crystal clear waters. Sea ray, shark swimming, kayaks, river boat rides, waterfalls, and drift snorkeling all sound excellent. The 14 hour air flight is the only negative. This will also be our smallest cruise ship with less than 2000 versus the standard of close to 4000 passengers. This is also our first time with Norwegian so hopefully ok. I have checked the differences and I like some of Norwegian ideas but Princess appears to be away ahead on the techy side. Norwegian has more restaurants and activities and has taken a much more causal approach to dress codes. They do nickel and dime a lot more.

Sunscreen galore, bug spray and enjoy !!

Looking forward to it.

Favorite BLTC for supper and another weekend done.

Watching American Idol tonight and these singers are amazing. Loads of favorites so it will interesting to see how the votes come in.

A long walk with Daisy was nice.

Thought of the Day

According to my nipples spring isn’t here yet

April 15th to 19th

Nice today then a plummet to plus 3 and 5 degrees all week.. Ugly with the snow hitting this afternoon. It is so nice right now so hard to believe but every weather channel says the same thing.

I went out and mailed my 8840 forms to the USA IRS today and stopped for gas. Again loved the Shell deal with AMA. I mailed my forms from the post office at Sobey’s. Another amazing dumb thing happens. The stamps to Texas are $1.37. I had no Cdn bills so said I would pay with two one dollar USD bills and don’t worry about the exchange.” We are not allowed to accept USD” What ? Anyways I paid by visa. So not only the stupidity of the statement but it causes them to have to pay visa their carry rate of 1 to 3 percent plus the fact they lost the 80 cents on exchange they could have made. Whether it is a national corporate policy or individual decision it is not customer friendly nor monetarily advantageous to them. She may have thought she would have to do a calculation. LOL

The golf driving range was packed with people warming up to the season. Only one more week to go. LOL

Middle east chaos and US politic chaos still rampant. We are living in strange times.

Mom had her sisters visiting her today which she would love and enjoy when I phoned. I phoned later in the evening and she had a wonderful time with them bringing a birthday cake and pizza. It made Mom’s day. She is so funny saying she never had such a good birthday and people must be scared she won’t have another. LOL When you are older that is a true fact to remember.

Woke up this morning and AGAIN winter. Daisy would not go for a walk. I look outside and shake my head. I could take this picture I think every month from Jan to Dec and it would be the same. You got to love Canada. Or hate it for the weather. I am starting to see the value in stating Climate Change instead of warming as we now get winter 12 months a year. Love Arizona and missing it until SPRING happens anyways.

Daisy came back to bed so Jackie had to walk the hallways.

I made my favorite breakfast this morning. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a beggar is so true for your body to operate efficiently and so many people do this wrong by having a big supper at 8pm . Bacon, two eggs cooked over easy to perfection, sliced tomatoes, hash browns, and sourdough toast. ( my weight gain from beer and the extra food in Mesa is back to the proper levels) A little more belly fat/and old people skin look due to aging but the weight the same.

We watched American Idol again last night which is one of our favorite tv shows. These young kids are amazing and it makes for a fun watch. The picks last night though were a little biased and I believe done to appease society not to pick the best singers with the judges pick. They used their picks to racially balance the contestants. Not right but that is the way of the world today. Similar to work places when they were forced to hire women and minorities and not the best candidate. Equity, inclusion and diversity while utopian in concept does not great the best employees for a company. Even today there are many states and countries that do not believe or abide by an affirmative action mandates.

The Oilers win a lopsided game and all I see is is propaganda stating they are the best, they are going to win the cup etc.

It is like watching a Trump rally.

I will say Mc Happy Meal getting his 100th assist is great. To be only the 4th player in history to achieve this is awesome. If only he had a personality. Ps do not call him great. Wayne did it 11 times !!

Wordle last night was a big win for Jackie. It was a hard word and she beat me. See I said it.

Jackie worked for a long time doing taxes with a little frustration at the system as the auto load from investments wasn’t done. Bank, government, computer who knows but it is annoying. She is 50% done now. The last time I did taxes I used the manual book you picked up and hand filled in. LOL

No golfing this week, no driving range, no fixing up the RV lot, just winter !!

My eyes were so good for so long but in the last couple of years have rapidly failed me forcing glasses on to me. But reading books is an issue as my neck gets sore and my eyes sore from trying to focus. Who decided to make such small print ?

Victoria and Corey finished off packing Corey’s parents place as they have decided to retire and move back to Ontario where they were originally from. They have family and friends there. These moves are harder as everyone knows the most you will see them is once in awhile with such a cost and distance. And vacation time is so precious to take time off to visit so it isn’t easy. Good thing for Facetime.

I sold some stock to have cash for our upcoming houseboat vacation and small portion of our Fiji cruise but it is just sitting in pending as the market drops. LOL Hopefully clears soon.

I finalized my March budget sheets and another expensive month which seems to be the way things are. First three months of this year expenses higher than income mostly due to a lot of prepaid items. Kananaskis camping trip, May Long weekend trip, Vegas, houseboat trip and golf memberships VIP and Turner Valley, air fare and HOA at Mesa.

We have 12 months to set aside cash for the cruise which is good. No big bills happening or coming up that I know of unless an appliance or a/c blows up. LOL

I went to the gym and spent some time lifting weights and running.

Unfortunately Jeff & Wendy have decided not to go to the French Polynesian’s with us. Everyone should decide what is right for them. It is too bad as travelling with other people can make the experience even better no matter where you go. We are so lucky that Alan & MaryAnn have decided to come and are easy travel buddies but a group of six would have been even better. This area is considered one of the most beautiful parts of the world and is a must see. Alan & MaryAnn have been to Australia before which is close and some similar customs, traits and experiences but we have not. I am looking forward to the 80 degree plus ocean water and the excursions that I can see are going to be spectacular. I want to do the drift snorkeling for sure. It was a great deal with huge discounts and a year and 1/2 away to save up for which is always nice.

In any decision anyone makes, you always hope there are no regrets. It is like when we cruised the Caribbean and people refused the $500 to swim with the dolphins. You are there, it is perhaps once in a lifetime event, just do it. I guess doing it or not doing it wouldn’t really change your life but it is an experience you will carry with you for your life and fond memory for life.

This reminds me that Audrey who can’t swim still wanted to swim with the dolphins and with the guides help did amazing over coming the obstacle and fear. That was awesome.

Before we settled on this ( location & deal ) we looked at the Baltic but was advised with the tensions in northern Europe and a lot of the ports closed not to do this yet. We also looked at the east Mediterranean but with the Russian and Israel wars going on was advised to wait. Now it is over a year away but planning has to be done now. I also looked at around the British Isles but looking at castles, museums and history spots I am a little tired of. We could have done the Hawaii cruises but there are a lot at sea days. This one, in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, very few sea days, loads of stops and unique places we are excited for. I want my drink out of a coconut. Mamanuca Fiji is #2 in the world, Bora, Bora #6, Cook Islands #12 in the world so we are looking at some pretty spectacular spots in the world to visit. I also like the fact of less hectic, causal, friendly and tropical rather than packed, historical, castles, churches, cobblestone, culture and ruins.

And the food choices if only I was a fish guy. LOL Pork and chicken are big on the islands luckily for me. At least I think it is chicken

Our goal from retirement was a cruise every second year and when you think of it the time frame goes by quickly as in ten years ( 5 cruises) we will be close to 80 and may not be as excited to travel long distances. Our past adventures all were wonderful. I put our NYC to Quebec cruise as #1, Alaska #2 , Panama Canal # 3 West Caribbean as # 4 and West Mediterranean #5 . Our non cruise year to England, and Europe with Alan & MaryAnn was one of our most enjoyable vacations also. Except for Paris !! So far of the cities we have visited only three that I would grade as horrible. Paris #1, Naples #2 and Lemon #3 Dirty, ugly, filthy, noisy, rude people, not welcoming, etc each city had multiple issues.

I know Princess and hopefully NCL if you book your next cruise while on the ship with them it is a special deal so we could look at that for our next trip if the deal is right and NCL has treated us well.

Having said how much we love to cruise I can go camping at a lake and be just as happy even if it is an tent and all I can afford. LOL

We have our RV lot, and we have our Arizona home, so when we go on “vacation” I want someone to cook my meals and make my bed. I also like the fact of not having to unpack and pack every two days to see something new. That is where for us cruising fits perfect compared to doing it ourselves or at a resort stuck in one place. Everyone has there favorite way to travel. I have friends that travelled all of Europe in hostels . They loved and lived on cheese ,bread and wine. We have had nice hotels in Europe in different cities and countries but they all seemed to struggle with a/c. Bed and meals though, so all was good. Some friends even risked VRBO accommodations which I am not a fan of unless a long stay ove for at least two months which is more like living not vacationing. Hotels are just as cheap unless 4 or more people and remember you are on vacation and to keep the place clean and make your bed and cook isn’t worth it. To experience the culture of the place you visit, food is a huge part of it so you have to eat out.

I remember in NYC looking for a street side bistro to have breakfast at and listen to a New York accent . We found a wonderful place. Bagels, cheesecake, pizza for NYC .In Quebec City to find a patio on the street and experience it was amazing. Crepe, tourtiere plus poutine. for Quebec. In Geneva at a patio right on the lake and discover tipping is not required and the food was amazing. Having said that we did find in some countries in most of Europe to find ” normal” for breakfast and coffee is impossible so perhaps cooking for yourself would fix that. No, I will find something that works. LOL

That is what makes this world so interesting that everyone is the same but so different.

We love camping, we love bike riding, we love our Oasis, I love fishing, we love golfing, we love cruises, we love Arizona life, others do not. Luckily we have friend’s and family that like some of the same stuff so we have different people to share different things with. And over the years friends and families likes, dislikes and wants have changed.

I am not going to go on with our governments budget other than to say as a country we should be ashamed and sorry for our kids a having to deal with this.

The National Post is calling it the worst budget since 1982.

People dying, no doctors , 2 yr wait for hips etc. and we spend more on servicing our debt that health care someone needs to give their head a shake. I may not understand why someone would vote NDP or Liberal but they themselves have to start thinking about the country not their own fate sooon or we will be broke. Unions and socialist mentality, green, woke , far left is going to destroy us.

• Ottawa to spend $52.9 billion more than planned over the next five years.
• Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland projects Ottawa will post a $40 billion deficit this fiscal year.
• The budget includes $8.5 billion in new spending for housing.
• Other big-ticket budget items include a $6 billion Canada Disability Benefit and a $1 billion national school food program.
• Freeland will hike capital gain taxes paid by the rich and corporations to collect an estimated $19 billion in new revenue.
• 9 billion more to Ingenious communities.
• The cost to service the growing national debt has increased substantially — it’s now about $2 billion more than it was projected to be just a few months ago.
• The government will spend more on servicing its debt than on health care this year.

Just sad. We sit and take it and the government just keeps targeting young kids with enticing programs ( they forget it have to be paid) and we become more socialist each budget and it is killing us with debt.

Boy, I have to say Norwegian Cruise Lines and our booking agent work fast. I just paid our deposit this morning and already getting receipts, guidelines, shore excursion info and it looks like more “free ” stuff. Yahoo ! I have to check it all out, but impressed with the expediency and efficiency. I like to book excursions as soon as possible to get what we want. We have ben very lucky in all of our cruises except for one stop in Barcelona where our excursion was cancelled due to not enough people signing up. It was a biking tour through the city but cruises in general and especially the Mediterranean tend to attract a older grouping and they were not interested in any physical activities. We made a “self tour” that day which was fine but I enjoy a organized grouping with a focus.

I love this excursion at one of our stops . Either is good but the snorkeling and lunch look great. Our skin may shrivel up a bit.

Starting today to put together a want list of excursions. I am extremely pleased with the variety and costs of each. We will work with Alan & MaryAnn over the next couple of days to complete. Here is my favorite from Bora Bora

EXCURSION HIGHLIGHTS:

• Embark on the Lagoon Extravaganza – Full Day Tour for an unforgettable Bora Bora adventure, gliding on a boat over the turquoise lagoon
• Experience thrilling encounters with friendly rays and sharks while swimming in waist-deep water, a unique opportunity for close-up marine life interactions
• Dive into an underwater paradise using snorkels and masks provided, exploring vibrant coral gardens and a dazzling array of colorful fish
• Enjoy a sumptuous Tahitian meal, prepared in a traditional Earth oven (Ahi ma’a), served by a local family

And my favorite Tahiti one. Rum is strong in the tropics. I remember on a booze cruise glass bottom boat having a difficult time walking home in Hawaii and a rum factory tour in Jamaica in the morning causing a bit of ocean motion. So looking forward to this challenge and beauty.

I have to order a couple of Tommy Bahama shirts for suppers on the ship or on shore from Amazon.

Took Daisy for a walk and guess what. It is bloody freezing out. A WAY to cold to BBQ and this is April. Come on now !! I will say she sure walked fast. LOL

Jackie took Daisy out this morning in -11 degrees. Hwy #2 closed due to accidents and icy conditions. Spring better come quickly. LOL My girls, Daisy and Jackie did their full 3km walk even in the cold. Daisy was walking very fast. Jackie had her Alaska jacket on but forgot her ankle were bare so had some tingling there.

Two great pictures for you to look at. Just use the slide. I little explanation here. The first one is the happy face after getting 100 assists and a new diaper change. The second one is after the 4th straight loss in the playoffs.

No end to the COLD. We had to put on WINTER coats and togues to go for our walk this evening. This should not be happening.

Jeff is going to try to golf next week. I am hoping he takes it easy as he has a major trip to take and to hurt his back would not be good. He could ride while Wendy golfs. We will see next week.

I dropped over as we had just talked to them about getting together and they have a front bay window issue and were told 5K to replace or to caulk the casement shut.

I went over to see what was happening.

First the crack in the frame is minuscule and ridiculous to suggest a replacement . Wood glue and paint. Three things though. The bubble weatherstripping and the felt stripping on the casement is completely worn out and when replaced will make a huge difference in cold air penetration. Second the crank arm bracket was loose so I tightened and added another screw to the frame plate. Third the crank assembly pivot bracket needs tightened or replaced which means removing the casement to fix. I believe after adjustment John will be able to plumb the casement to frame as right now there is about a 1/4 gap at the bottom compared to the top.

These are high quality CWD wood metal clad windows.

I asked an ex-employee that is exceptional at window repair to look at this for us and I would describe him as a expert. John worked for JELD-WEN in service and sales and currently works for a competitor doing warranty work. This small job he will fit in on the side using his own time for us. I am positive he will make the window like new again and charge minimal to do it.

I changed out the backset on their front door as the Weiser handle was not opening. Actually scary the way it opened at being locked out. A new backset and like new again. I also adjusted the frame on the oval as over time with the door being slammed and heat it had moved. Tricky but lucky the glue for the frame wasn’t to sticky and we were able to move it easily. Looks a lot better but may move again. Nature of the beast. This front door system I sold to Wendy a long time ago. I am going to say around 1994 but maybe off a bit. She got a sweetheart of a deal as it was sold to Totem Building in Med Hat but my guys built it with the wrong door swing but it worked for the Graces home. Wendy had it painted at a auto body shop which is how all front entry doors should be painted. Still looks wonderful today.

I reached under the bay window as they said it was freezing in the winter. This is normal as the cantilever is out over the concrete and cold air penetrates from under. Biggest reason you don’t see many today. Every house that uses a cantilever without pouring the foundation to match has this issue including new homes with portions of the bedroom done this way. Reaching under I discover a large gap around the edge of the plywood. They need to dig a foot or so down in the dirt to get a visual and fill this with foam or caulk and they will notice a difference. A thin sheet of stryo-foam could be added and would be out of sight.

5 million dollars to study a rebrand to Calgary as the ” Blue Sky City” They are nuts. Two things there is NO ONE that will relate Calgary to Blue Sky City. Our old brands ” The City of the Foothills” “The City with everything under the Sun ” “The Heart of the New West” or” Be part of the Energy” ALL WERE MUCH BETTER and more pointed to Calgary than this new one. Dumb ! and a waste of money.

Last hockey game this year for the Flames and the 50/50 is up to 800k. Oiler’s are over a million plenty of times. Why so, anti up you guys.?

I have to say I am impressed with the current UPC govt and Danielle in particular. It has been a long time since we had a Premier that was strong enough to stand up to issues and take a stand while using common sense. There are some decisions I question but still am impressed with her commitment to what she thinks is right. Most would not venture into controversial subject matter like puberty blockers, AHS cuts, fighting Trudeau but she does it. I do wish the general public would remove emotion out of the equation and look seriously at the APP. CPP has ripped us off for so long, we can do a lot better. Let them become seniors and have to live off that and see if they think it is fair. A new immigrate to Canada gets more per month than a senior. Our economy is doing great considering Trudeau is flooding us with people that over burdening our healthcare, schools, and housing and giving substantial help to the average person.

A doctors appt, a car wash, and a money transfer, pay bills, so not a real busy day today.

We watched a movie last night that was good, not great, but entertaining. I think based on the fact of being a “English” style of movie it has a tendency to be a little boring. No action but overall still an good movie to watch and I liked the plot twist. The Good Liar with Helen Mirren and an older guy that I don’t know.

BBQ ribs for supper tonight which were awesome with mashed potatoes which is one of my top meals.

Thought of the day

They say the food you eat can affect your sex life . Hence I never eat minute rice.

April 20th -21st

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 14 degrees, Calgary 10 degrees, Mesa 34 degrees,”

With that COLD wind today it was a winter coat day again. Even a togue as the wind hurt the ears. Daisy had her coat on also and was happy about it. I see 10 degrees but I do not believe it. Jackie walked in the am when it was really cold and I walked this afternoon when decent. I did receive a smart ass comment from a friend that suggested perhaps I didn’t need to dress so warm.

Jackie finished our taxes today and she did another great job with income splitting and optimizing that we get money back. I hate taxes but they are a necessary evil. I think my only issue is I see the waste and know we could do so much better and even lower the taxes with the same level of service. Dreams perhaps !

Jessica and Victoria stopped by this afternoon with Jessica heading home after a work day in Edmonton. Pretty lucky to have two smart beautiful ladies as daughters. It was a fun afternoon laughing at things. They do have a sense of humor.

We decided rather than order out for supper tonight as Jeff & Wendy were coming over for game night we would make Chili, garlic toast and a salad. I use my Mom’s recipe with a lot of additions. Her recipe is unique again using shortening and vinegar which a lot of people don’t. I add mushroom, peppers, chili mix and extra chili powder and a lot of times corn to mine.

Our new crock pot worked out perfect. The chili divine.

Now to the games. Tonight’s agenda included 5 Crowns and Play Nine. As is the norm players always have different ways to play the same game. ie stink hole in crib. Both of theses games we have the scorecards and the rules. Each game takes a long time as in 5 Crowns it is 13 rounds and in Play Nine it is 9 rounds. There was some luck involved tonight mainly from the Graces. Wendy won the first game handily with Jackie finishing second so the girls were on a high. The second game Jeff won easily and I have never see so many -5 cards go to one person ever ! I was shut out tonight. Must have been some kind of cheat going on. LOL Next time.

It was fun night talking about a lot of stuff, their trip to Greece coming up, Jeff’s back surgery etc. I didn’t bring up Fiji.

Jeff’s back sure seems to be stiff yet, so hopefully this Wednesday he is able to play. It won’t be easy but if he swings slow and slowly brings himself back into the swing of things he should be ok. I may have waited until after the trip but they feel confident. It will at least give them an idea of how they will manage the walking and hills in Greece. They are looking at a lot lot of walking and steep hills on the islands everyday they go out. Back surgery and hip replacement needed it may not go well.

It was a fun night. Games, food, drinks ,conversation and friends are always fun.

Thought of the Day

The chiropractor couldn’t resist cracking a joke at the back of his patient.

April 22nd

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 19 degrees, Calgary 15 degrees, Mesa 36 degrees”

My thought yesterday brings up a interesting point. My personal opinion on chiropractors are they are quacks after money. Never a fix just a “we will see next week or next time for further cracking’. People believe they are “aligning” them and they feel a way better. I went to a chiropractor EVERY week for years and years and TRUST me they are not good for a person. Dislocate a elbow or shoulder it needs to needs to be put back in place but weekly or monthly manipulation of the joints I am sure causes deterioration and damage to the cartilage and intervertebral discs . Even our public health care no longer funds chiropractic treatment. They are NOT doctors like some believe. It is a four year course the same length of time to become a mechanic or carpenter, far from a doctor. Neck manipulation in particular is dangerous and can cause a stroke or paralysis and in some cases death.

But they exist as do naturopaths’ ( another 4 yr course designed for individuals to make money) relying on people’s trust to try something different. Something natural like the food packaging gimmick. Death is natural but we try to stop that.

” Come here I will crack your neck and feed you a dandelion and you will be CURED” LOL It is funny world

I spent the whole day out at the lot. More bags of leaves. I plugged in the motorhome, swept, used the leaf blower, cleaned up the inside of the coach of the winter mouse bait etc. It was semi warm enough but windy. I picked a whack of leaves and more blow into the lot. A vicious circle but the lot is looking semi ok for the time of year.

I cleaned out the eavestrough and started the motorhome and after a oil change, and inspection I will finalize it and get it ready for the May long weekend and K country trip.

Wordle in TWO I just have to wait to see how Jackie does. Later- she gets it in two !! UNBELEIVEABLE !

I watched Scotty win another tournament after the rain delay, win the game and set records again. My favorite player and such a nice guy. We have Scotty and Nelly killing it which is great for the game of golf. Our Brooks is doing well also which is nice. Makes golf fun when you have such great golfers playing. and nice guys not little leprechaun’s whining and complaining. One in golf ( Rory) and one in hockey ( Connor) both with horrible attitude’s.

Oiler’s tonight with hopefully a win and nice that Van and the Jets won their first. It is going to be a great hockey playoff season. Would have been better with the Flames.

The Oilers won and won big which is good for them. Connor ties Coffey for the second most assists in a playoff game which is impressive but he is such a weasel. He needs to take a course in presenting yourself, not being cocky, arrogant, actually having a personality with a slight humor etc as he rubs people the wrong way, Good game and nice to take a lead in the series. I say the best player on the Oilers is Hyman by far and I can’t believe he hasn’t broke yet.

We watched American Idol tonight with some amazing performances. Anyone that says they like music, good music has to love this show. With Gene Simmons and Megan Trainer mentoring it was awesome.

Today was cleanup day. I planted the flowers on the deck, put out the chairs and table along with the rug. I cleaned the entire BBQ. pan, lining, ignitors and tubes plus the stainless. Napoleon makes a great BBQ . We use it a lot and after 17 years it still looks like brand new.

Daisy and I went to the driving range and it was busy. It is fun to watch the skill level and the idea people have of practicing. Some great shots and many poor ones. The trick I believe in practicing is to make it real and try different things. Hit your driver then your wood and short iron. Some just get up there and whack the driver over and over again. Place the ball forward and back to see the difference in ball flight to register when you are playing. Try different grips.

Daisy loves the window down and her head just slightly out to check out everyone.

Picked up my RV stuff from Amazon at Sobey’s post office and I am ready to de- winterize when I get a bottle of bleach. I like to sanitize the complete plumbing tanks, lines and faucets. Even though we do not drink out of the taps one still brushes the teeth etc.

I booked it in for a oil change, lube and inspection but they are busy and I couldn’t get in until May 7th. Fountain Tire has been a good and fair shop for me since our first motorhome. The only negative I could say is when I wanted new tires they could not find any in Canada ( Goodyear) and i had to buy Michelin which are by far not as good. Michelin has a way too much side roll but are quieter and softer riding.

I cleaned the a/c unit and fins and casing outside and cleaned the filters inside so set to start up very soon.

I dicked around with banking accounts today moving money as I said since Jan we have been hit with some large bills. That is our issue with having too much in RRSP as the tax kills you. Perhaps my only retirement regret. And not having a defined pension or any in fact. LOL

Daisy received her new bra today and she liked it. We had to buy a new one ( present) for her as her feelings were hurt when Wendy called her fat ! LOL

I sat outside after fixing up everything and it is COLD. My phone says 17 degrees and my skin feels like it is 10 degrees. At 17 it should be shorts and tee shirt weather.

Jackie was busy most of the day with Audrey and looks like plenty of busy days ahead for her with multiple appointments ahead..

ONCE spring gets here Daisy & I will stay out at the lot as there is always plenty of projects to get done plus the chance to do a quick 9 hole practice or a last minute decision to golf Speargrass to get another hole in one. LOL

BBQ pork chops, roasted carrots and baked potatoes done on the BBQ. Too bad corn on the cob wasn’t ready yet. The meal if I have to say so myself was spectacular. Sour cream, bacon bit, green onions for the baked potato with parsley roasted carrots and grilled marked porkchops all were excellent.

17 above and still felt cold. Tomorrow’s golf is supposed to be 18 degrees so will decide the last minute if shorts or not. I golf better in my natural element of shorts and shirt only.

Thought of the Day

Natures reset button- spring

April 24th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 20 degrees, Calgary 18 degrees”

I am wearing shorts no matter what the weather decides to do. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SPRING. I will bring an extra jacket along just in case but have my fingers crossed and will rub them to keep them warm. We could maybe hit 20 degrees but the wind is supposed to come up later with gusts up to 40kph so you know it will feel cool. Not a good spring as we have had very little rain and no warmth.

Last night was a bad night for Canadian Hockey teams so let’s hope tonight is better.

Ok, the day was great, not warm, but not too cool. It hit maybe 17 degrees but with it being overcast and a slight breeze it felt cool the whole time. This whole supposed spring has been cold.

The first game of the 2024 season for the Graces golfing with us at McKenzie Meadows. This course is 3 minutes away and an excellent course with a wonderful restaurant. One of our favorites to golf with the only hiccup being a 6 am booking time, A way to early. Luckily Wendy isn’t a sleeper and has booked for us.

Overall all four of us had a pretty decent game. Jackie golfed pretty well with the odd errand shot but ended up shooting a 104. Wendy had some excellent drives today and a got a couple of pars. Jeff who just had major back surgery impressed us immensely. He was able to complete all 18 holes and finished off at the 19th hole with us. I would have bet against this seeing him move prior. Not only did he finish the 18 holes he golfed quite well with some great drives and irons shots. With this achievement so early in his recovery he will be back up to par in no time at all. I was impressed ! My golf today was only ok. Ended with a 84 missing at least 8 birdie putts and took a 8 on one hole. Not displeased but disappointed. I did like driving the green on the Par 4 second hole 366 yards away but didn’t like missing the eagle putt.

At supper we had some great conversation and discovery. I know my meal was superb. The horseradish mayo was excellent along with great prime rib and bun.

A fun day golfing and visiting. Where is our spring weather ?

I had to stay awake until at least midnight and eat then for some blood work You would think they could adjust this somehow. Midnight came and toast with peanut butter and an apple.

Thought of the Day

Oops missed your vein, your blood isn’t flowing. SAYS NO ONE that is good at their job.

April 25th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 15 degrees, Calgary 16 degrees”

Early dog walk for Jackie and then off to Audrey’s for a doctor appointment. I got up struggled not to put on coffee or make breakfast so drank water, showered and headed to the lab. I don’t know what has happened but lab appointments are easy now, the buildings not busy and everything seems to work well. Smith did a great job making this happen but getting rid if Dynalife.

I checked in and sat down with only about 10 people in the waiting room. I always go to my favorite lab which has been less busy.

My name is called and I get an elderly Filipino lady that has zero personality, she presented herself as grumpy and thru the entire process was not friendly. She even struggled getting my vein and blood flowing.

Don’t you hate having to NOT pee for so long as you know you need to at the doctors office. I was holding it for a long time. Actually hurts a bit when you hold it too long. She finishes my blood and then get up to leave. I ask her where is my urine container and she responds ” there is no urine sample needed” Ok, for thirty years at least I have never gave just blood without a urine sample. Weird. My doctor better not send me back just for a urine sample later.

I whipped out the lot to continue up my opening process. I hooked up the power and started to de-winterize. I will tell you that in winterizing and de-winterizing a RV for over 30 years this motorhome every year causes me issues. This year again I will describe it as a nightmare. It has too many bypasses, check valve, flow valves, pick up valve and water flow valves. The process should be ten minutes. Today over three hours. I was in and out , water off and on at least 30 times. After all my efforts I was stumped. I had to really think about it. I finally decided it had to be a check valve behind the hot water heater. I replaced this valve on our first trip with this motorhome. It is directly behind the heater and difficult to get at. I couldn’t get the system to pressurize and had no water in the heater. I pulled off the covers and dividers and smacked the valve with the screwdriver. Said a prayer and tried the water and lo and behold the check value released and water was flowing. Lucky as I didn’t want to change it out again.

I used the pick up valve and loaded bleach into the system. I ran each tap in the kitchen and bathroom to sanitize them, the lines and from the tank to sanitize it.

I ran the water thru each for about two hours until I could smell no antifreeze or bleach. I know the first time using the water it will feel oily butit doesn’t take long to be good.. It takes a bit to be perfect. Thru this process the same as last year a clogged filter happened. I sure hope they are following the rules to make sure our water is potable and safe.

I bought 4 each # 8 micron water filters from Amazon that were only a few bucks more than 1 from Woodys RV but not brand name. Installed my anode rod and did a bunch of cleanup.

Jackie laughs when I explain the de-winterization issues every year. She suggested to “ask” my Dad for help. He may have helped today getting the check valve to work.

I had nice visits with a few neighbors today so a great day

Long walk with Daisy. Poor Daisy’s feelings took a beating this week getting called fat and today by a neighbor ” scruffy” . Dogs have feelings !

Thought of the Day

A smile from Dad was sunshine, his scowl a bolt of thunder. He was incredibly smart, and generous, and honorable without fail. He could exile a trespasser, check my math homework, and fix the leaky bathroom sink, repair my car, all before supper. For the longest time, I thought he was invincible. Above the petty problems that plagued normal people. And now he is gone and there are times you just need a small word of advise on an issue for him to help solve.

April 26th

” Mercury Forecast Edmonton 10 degrees, Calgary 8 degrees”

Take a look at the temperatures above. This is almost May, we have been home about 3 weeks and it is still winter. It has been cold and not one day over 20 degrees yet. And next week, all week no better. Nasty spring yet very little moisture. At least give us that.

I worked at Oasis all day doing various things. Actually getting home the first time in a long time where I was stiff. Too many times up and down and filling bags, painted etc

I cleaned up more leaves, and went thru all of the appliances to make sure everything was working perfect. Hot water heater fired up gas and electric, furnaces all started up and a/c kicked in, and stove light up. I left the fridge until I leave it on. Happy with all of that.

I sanded the bottom deck then stained the bottom deck and painted all of the black trim. I will do the top deck as soon as some decent weather happens. It came out looking good.

MINI – RANT

I REPEAT- I have said this before but it needs to be reiterated as we are making such a mess listening and changing things to appease the so called environmentalists. I have to stain the deck EVERY year now instead of every three years with the old formula. They changed the formula from oil based to water and now to a hybrid version. I was a HUGE believer in SuperDeck and it had a long history. The company got bought out by Sherman Williams which is a huge company and has to abide by politically correct agendas. Now it sucks but I had a 1/2 gallon left so I will use it this year for the last time. Research is leaning me towards Defy or Ready Seal. But, going back to the change, yes the stain is safer but now i have to throw away a roller, brush, stir stick, paint tray and any needed plastic etc EVERY year. That is not safer. or better.

How about this. Today I wore as a work shirt from a wonderful customer we had in Edmonton where we used his smart money earned to co sponsor shirts for Fancy to use for customers and staff. Has to be about 15 yrs old. LOL

Roasted potatoes, with seasoned baked chicken breasts for supper were tasty.

We watched a romcom movie called ” Anybody but You ” which was great. Funny, entertaining and kept you guessing. I give it 4 stars out 5.

The way Jackie did our taxes she has to pay and I get money back but we have to pay hers before our my return cheque. They make everything work for them.

Thought of the Day

When there’s a single thief, it’s robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it’s taxation or to be more exact Liberal/NDP governments.

April 27th–29th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 17 degrees, Calgary 16 degrees”

The calm before the storm is a old saying and in this case very true. Today and tomorrow quite nice hitting 16 or 17 degrees and then on Tuesday ( a day we were supposed to golf) a high 3 degrees with rain/snow. Nuts, $#%$*

I went over to Audrey’s and installed her pull down blinds and tried to see if I could carry a window back to Oasis. My carrier is 57 1/2 wide the window 59 1/4 so lopsided fit but the issue was stress against the glass from leaning against the spare tire, so I left it for now. The manager from Oasis never responded so I will give it one more chance and then forget about it. I do have a personality fault if I am trying to help someone ( donate, time, product, pricing etc) a response within a reasonable amount of time should be warranted. I was attempting to donate four windows ( much needed) for our dance pavilion which has plywood covers right now and our library. At least $ 2000 of windows free and no urgency or response.

I installed a new reservoir cap on Audrey’s Mazda where the dealer said he couldn’t find and I had one delivered in a week. Rock Auto but the freight was more than the cap. LOL

Grocery shopping, and back home late afternoon to relax a bit.

Today the calm day before the storm. Nice at a sunny 16 degrees, but still that cold cutting wind. We struggled today deciding what do to which is rather odd for us. Jackie had a hectic week, with a doctor appointments for Audrey, working on contract, a golf day and just everyday living so we took the easy route today. We ruled out a drive, ruled out working at the lot, ruled out cleaning and decided to have a relax day.

We sat outside in the semi sun semi warm day. We had our lunch, both did wordle in three plus people and dog watched.

Jackie whipped to get some groceries again and brought back a small steak for supper which will be nice. No corn on the cob again.

We had to cancel our golf game on Tuesday as there appears to be no chance of it getting better before then. The course expectation is 48hrs which in my opinion is a way to early for most reasons. We have gone from a high of 3 degrees with rain to 7 now with 80% rain so we still maybe get better but if it does we will just need to rebook. I do not want to golf in cold weather. There is no need.

Now to get thru the next few days. I plan to give the interiors of both vehicles a good cleaning, I have my month end budgeting to do, some material lists for a coupe of projects at the lot to get done and perhaps even head out to work inside the shed to organize and clean.

I REPEAT when is SPRING COMING.

Even though rain forecast I took a chance and went to Oasis and ending up working all day even though it was only 10 degrees.

I was going to stain the upper deck but with bad weather coming in the next few days I thought I would wait. So I finished off unpacking all of the tarps with our furniture under and organized all of that. I cleaned up the outdoor kitchen, picked up more leaves, fertilized the grass, patch seeded the grass, and trimmed the bushes. I did notice that the bushes are slow coming in this year with very little growth yet. I took down my support pole. ( in hindsight with heavy snow coming maybe a bad idea. LOL) Hooked up the internet and surge protector and ran more water just to get it really clean. Installed, after touch up, my shadow man and lady. It was pretty quiet out there which was nice.

American Idol tonight again was wonderful. They did keep two I would have voted off but the American Idol voters do make some weird choices. The young lady they kicked off should have stayed on with another gone. I would have kept Kaibrienne and got rid of Julia. Julia is far weaker. I also would have kept Kayko and got rid of Tristen. But my favorites are still going strong so I am pleased. I am hoping for a win by Abi, McKenna or Jack. It is a real enjoyable show to watch.

Thought of the Day

People call singing shows or survivor shows, reality TV. Not so and should be referenced as talent shows and skill shows.

April 30th

“Mercury Forecast Edmonton 4 degrees, Calgary 6 degrees with snow fall warnings”

Everyone knows the first of April is the time to play jokes and fool people not the last day of the month. We received at least 4 inches of snow last night and are expecting another round of 2 inches or more. You may as well say May but it looks like December. Let me say that we have been back in Canada for a month now and it has been horrible. In 30 days I have only been golfing TWICE. We have had rain, snow, a tremendous amount of cold wind and no warm days, It is sad really.

This picture was taken this morning and the outskirts like Bragg Creek even received more snow.

So timing was good as I was able to do my spreadsheets from April. It is always interesting and informative to see where your money is going. This April was our highest expense month since retiring in 2014 all due to timing. I had golf memberships go thru, we paid for our family houseboat excursion , made a deposit on our cruise , bought our trip cancellation insurance, finished off the HOA for Mesa plus just other expenses that happened. I see the difference in gas in April ( $1050 in Canada compared to Mesa in March $148)

My Thursday men’s league cancelled the tee time already as Diamond Valley received a major dump. I repeat only able to golf two games in April.

This is the damage to my golf courses driving range. HUGE expense as the weight of the snow bent or broke all of the posts holding up the nets. There is tree damage also but no pictures. The course will be closed until at least Monday.

It was funny watching the panic set in out at Oasis as a lot of people including myself have already de-winterized. In theory your trailer could pop a pipe or crack a hose when the temperature is at zero or below but the chances of it happening are very slim. A sustained temperature over a long period at 0 or below perhaps but a few hours at night not likely.

On my way home from Oasis I had a epiphany recognizing how the auto manufactures have deceived the North American public. Europeans with a poor road system have always tended to lean towards small cars. Us, not so much but today on my way home I noticed if we removed the trucks off the road the public has been hoodwinked into thinking small is good. Rav4, HRV, CT4, M1, Cruise, Escape, Corolla etc . 95% of the vehicles are SMALL. We have yet to go down that rabbit hole. Our Flex is a larger wagon 8 passenger and we have a Truck Jeep. Along with the technology of todays cars ( camera’s, self drive, warnings, auto park, automatic ) and the small sizing we are creating a mass of poor drivers. The driving skill level will continue to deteriorate as they become familiar with the sizing, and the help from the technology. It is getting scary watching people on the roads today.

Wordle in 6 with my lovely spouse getting it in 3. Darn !!

We had to do the limbo on our walk tonight as a tree had fallen across the walk path.