Grande Prairie is full of memories 🤔

Some memories are great, and some I want to avoid. This time here I'm thinking maybe too much, just can't avoid the sights, and feelings going along with them. I've avoided writing about this, just because, but here goes. 

The drive up to GP from Pollys cousin Julie's place was great, love the beauty in the late summer early fall 🍁. The Fields are golden, and as we drove by we saw the farmers harvesting with combines, with trailers behind or trucks beside. Golden and green the landscape is, just so endless looking, wide roads, with huge grass dividers between, as well as widest shoulders that are mowed so people traveling can see the animals at night I'm thinking. 

All in all was one of the most relaxing beautiful drives we both commented as we traveled. We got to listen to Boom FM on our way through White Court, something we always look forward to, some really good oldies we like. 

The names of the towns as we traveled I remember talking with Chris about as he'd travel, saying to me "I'll probably loose you in a minute, heading through".... Then nothing. That would happen often, going down to the bridge, or a low place where cell service cutout. The names of the towns bring back the memories. 

I can't talk with him anymore, but I do think of him often, but coming to GP it's just a little more intense, more things here that remind me of him. We saw Ciara the other day, and Chase and Colton, was a fun time, I didn't find myself thinking of Chris then, more just enjoying the moment with their family. ❤️

We bought a gun for Colton when we were in Tombstone, Chris would have loved this 🤠 Colton loved it too.

But since I've had many sights and sounds, and memories of him, just a little more that before, more than last year here. I'm not really sad, just reminders, and the yearning, wishing a little, that it was different. 

Keeping busy helps, I've been making a few things here, shelves for Wendy, along with a bar for Jack by the fire pit, that's a fun project, I really like to do those things while I'm here. Tomorrow I'll go get a few more things I need to finish, Polly wants to (go groceries), that's her way of telling me, "Go groceries" I smile now thinking of her way. 

Our anniversary tomorrow, 31 years married, who-da thought hey, been a wonderful marriage, we both getting all we want in life,,❤️ enjoying each day.

I sigh, still it is a feeling I can't just run from, I just push on, and hope that it'll get better. 

Polly is planning a dinner with family next Sunday, be nice to have them all here. Jack and Wendy are back east, so we are watching Gracie, their dog and gave the house to ourselves. 

What to say, life is good, family here, 4 grandchildren in GP, we went to dinner with Taylor and her BF Zain, he paid for the dinner, that was nice of him, Montanas, I had ribs, Mmm 😋. Was a nice dinner, getting to know Zain, and watching Taylor and him, so in love ❤️

Well tomorrow is another day, I'm hoping just a little less heart pulling as I busy myself with doing what I Love. 

Fortunate to have such a beautiful fall coming. 

Love our life, even without our RV ❤️

Now what? RV travel change's when sold!

             Huge Blue River bears 

Our trip north this year has had a major change, no RV. We have decided that after purchasing our mobile home, (which isn't really that mobile) that moving from spot to spot as we did with our RV isn't likely to happen anymore. This year we reverted to being couch surfer's again 🛋️, something we have done a few times as we traveled in the past, but since we've been living in our RV for the last 10 years we always had our home with us as we traveled. 

As I write this morning we are in Polly's cousins trailer, on their cabin property north west of Edmonton. Our trip here took us to Pollys cousin Jean's home in Peachland for a couple nights, visit with her and Pollys brother in Vernon, first couch, well really was a nice bed. 

Then next was a smaller RV at at place called Teepee Meadows by Valemont, BC, was an interesting stop as we traveled through to Julie's place. I laugh a little now, the owner of Teepee Meadows had a French accent, and was really friendly. He showed us the trailer we'd sleep in, but really wanted to show us the ponds, and the view from where his cabin's were, and the log cabin he had rebuilt. I didn't bring my phone for this tour, I wished I had, the cabin was beautiful ❤️ inside.

We stayed a night there, with less comfort than what we could have had, change in our booking as we wanted to be at Julie's a day early, I had work planned there that I wanted to have Julie around for, she had decisions to make. 

Valemont always a beautiful spot to stay the night, no driving late for us anymore, 5-6 hours is enough, out of a 10+ hour journey now. We went to the grocery store and liquor store, right beside each other, was a small town experience that I always love. Hi to this person, how ya doin to the next, each on their way to get something. Friendly people here, helpful, a guy that was working here, on the railroad, he said he was from Vernon, showed us how to get extra fetta cheese in our salad we we about to order. He was really friendly, he'd been here awhile tenting as he worked, saving the living out allowance that he'd get from staying. 

In the lineup to the cashier we had time to talk with a woman that has a young son, about the place and how she likes it here. 

Dinner was a roast chicken, with Greek salad, and a macaroni salad as well, and wine 🍷 in our small RV as we looked out at the emu's, duck's, guinea hens, horse, 🐴 donkey, 🫏 and our course the huge white guard dog that was so darn friendly. 

Perfect spot for us after a long day drive, dinner and a few games of cards, then bed. Well that was definitely a little tighter that we'd of liked, but hey, we made it through the night, and got going early towards our next surfing place to hang our hats at. Is a different way to travel, as we have to pack to go, not a cupboard or a drawer to just go to as before with our home with us, but hey, change is good, bring it on! 

As we left Valemont in the morning, it was wet, it had rained and thundererd during the night, but luckily we had a good view of Mount Robson, a favorite spot of ours as we'd travel by. The mountain was clear of most clouds, just right for a photo. We stopped and got a photo, another group were there, taking photos too, so I took there's, they took ours. Funny how that works so easily, wished everything was like that, easily given and taken with no BS in-between. 

Our trip to Julie's through Jasper was quick, much different with the trees all burned up, we didn't see any animals this time, wondered if was as there was no cover from the trees now? The water still that beautiful blue as we drove by, and river meandering along as we drove, still a beautiful sight. Polly said as we were just about out of the park "Crow 🐦‍⬛, there's a Crow, that's an animal!" LoL 😂 we had a laugh, yep we did see 1 animal. 

We arrived at Julie's about 4pm, I had jobs to do, things Julie had asked me to build, live edge shelves, a sign, a measuring ruler to measure her grandchildren as they grew, and 4 planters that I brought the wood for to be assembled. I greeted Julie and Jerome, Julie's son Murray, his wife and two kid's, and Julie's other two grandkids, Dominic and Riley. I opened a beer 🍺, drank about half, then to work I went. Unloading, and organizing, getting things where I wanted them, luggage in, wood to the deck, tool's out, ok let's start. 

I didn't get too much done that evening, but started, then time to visit with them, around a fire later after dinner. Was nice to relax. 

Yesterday was busy, I knew there was much I wanted to accomplish, the cabin was in the midst of a total rebuild, so some tools here already, but I always like to use my own, although a table saw, and a miter saw here came in handy. Putting the planters together I realized I'd forgot a few boards for the bottoms so good there was a pile of scrap here I could use. 

Polly started helping with putting on the helmsman clear coat later in the afternoon once I had completed a few of the projects, everything needed a coat, and we got almost all one coat, but a couple planters, today I'll finish, and get the shelves up, and screw the ruler to the wall, be nice to see the finished results. 

I remember a friend saying to me how I leave a little of myself where ever I go, I like to think that's true, today I'm going to have left a little here, something that Julie really wanted, makes me happy to do this for her. 

Travel without our home is different. Good we are adaptable, every day a new experience. 

Sure do love our life ❤️ 

Feeling a little sluggish this morning after dancing last night.

What a fun time we had last night, after a few chicken wings and veggies with Larry and Maria we headed over to the knotty cowgirl dance. It was early, and quiet to start, but after awhile the band started playing, and the sun went down, a few lights went on and the Party 🎉 started. 

People everywhere, all taking and mixing as the band has a break, then the music 🎶 starts again and, well we just had to dance. It was a challenge to dance in the farms field, but one that made the experience just that much more interesting. A few times when we were waltzing we had to kinda catch each other as we step in a depression, was really a good laugh. 

Polly had to have the hat for awhile before the sun went down.

I slept like a log 🪵 last night, maybe I gotta go dancing more often. Today we'll start packing, as we are leaving on a trip north to visit family and friends this next month. We've been looking forward to this, yet after having just settled in, ya kinda like to stay. It's ok, well continue with our unpacking here when we return, it's been a whirlwind with first moving and getting things in order here, then our granddaughter's wedding, and all the grandkids and family were here last week, just left on Friday, now we get ready to Go. 

As I here often now "It's All Good!"

 We'll be in the Okanagan soon, then to just above Edmonton for a few days, then Grande Prairie for most, or all of September. Our friends Jack and Wendy have decided a trip east would work for them, so we'll house sit, and enjoy their home and pup Gracie for awhile, as we visit with grandchildren and children. 

Yep everything is falling 🍁 into place. 

Cecile & Christopher are removed now 😟

Polly has plans for a small garden memorial at our new place.

Our trailer is at Arbutus RV on consignment now, hopefully it will sell soon, then our plan to go to Portugal will be our next travel destination. I've been looking at how we'll stay and where, but still no booking yet. It's early yet, but I'll probably do that over the next month. 

Loving our life ❤️ as we change how we travel now. 

New tires before we travel again

Sitting in the tire 🛞 store waiting for my new tires to be installed. I've done this many times before, this time, relaxed as not leaving or going anywhere right away. Being prepared for our trip planned for next week is important, no flats and good winter tires as we head over the mountains just makes us feel safer. 

Imagine, I'm thinking of winter ❄️ 🥶 now, I believe we are in Fall 🍁 now, even though we have just had a couple Forest fires 🔥 here, and really high temperatures, still I felt the chill in the air early this morning, and the leaves all over Stamp Ave, that's a sign to me always. Rains, leaves, and Cool temps, 🍁!

I was messaging with my nephew this morning, he said "my favorite time of year" I agreed, sunny day's, no bugs, Cool evenings, great working days. 

But for us traveling, I'm always thinking possiblity of changing weather can happen quickly, especially as we go East and North. Okanagan to visit relatives, Pollys brother had a bad accident this spring, we want to visit him, also other friends in the Okanagan, Edmonton area, we have relatives, we'll stop there for the weekend, and Grande Prairie our final destination to visit family and friends there.

We are both looking so forward to traveling again, this time be without CC, our fifth wheel. We have been talking about this, how it will be so different, as before we could just pull over and have a rest or a nap, or even stay the night. We now have booked in with relatives, and friends, and booked a motel, so ready to go, but our return not anything booked, as ya just never know what will come. 

    Our last time traveling with our CC ❤️

Said our goodbyes to CC this afternoon, ready for another couple to take off with her. Been a great 10 years, now we will travel in our pickup 🛻 or flying ✈️ is the next mode of transport for this couple. Our CC is now at Arbutus on consignment, ready for the next stage of its life. 

We both had some thoughts as we took the photos down inside, we talked about it, the photos will be going up in our new 🏡 home. 

What now? Be another adventure I'm sure, just wait, our surprise will be a surprise to us too 😂🤣😂.

Never know what might come our way, always good to leave things open to opportunity 👍. 

Love our life ❤️ 

Anticipation, a wedding is about to happen.

       The number of our site is #1 😀

Tomorrow our granddaughter Shayla will be married to Carl, becoming Mrs Carl Warm in a short time. This wedding has been in the planning stages for months now, then all the sudden it's here. 

Of course we haven't been the planners, but we have been informed as plans developed, culminating into this next day of fun. Will the sun shine? Who knows, will be fantastic no matter what happens with the weather, as Shayla and Carl have been arranging the tarps, and tent's needed to help keep us dry. 

It won't matter, we'll all be there rain or shine, watching and listening to the vows that are made on this day. Polly and I are so proud of these two, making a life for themselves as they just bought a home, and are getting married in the same year. Quite an accomplishment I'd say, so much effort to gain exactly what they want starting out their lives together. 

We have watched and listened to them plan, and achieve goals all along, tomorrow will be another step into the life they have planned. 

Polly and I are so happy for them, we have not seen their home in person yet, as we have also been very busy with our own purchase, and moving. We will get to seeing their place in a week or two, depending on the length of honeymoon. 

Focused is what I'd say Carl and Shayla are, just really focused on what they want, and patient as they atain each step in their plan. We on the other hand a little more shoot from the hip, we kinda just do as comes to us, not always good planning, just jump when the options come to us as this move to a mobile home getting a little anchored down. 

Both ways work, for each of us, no matter that they are different, the outcome is just right 👍 

Tonight as I write this, were thinking we had a day of "revolving door's" as Polly just said as we sat down, a day that many people came and went, and dog's amongst us too, was another perfect day, just as we like it, varried, and surprising.

Hmm, Friday night, I hear the cars racing around, and the Sun will set soon, not Friday as I remember, we are now quite content to stay home, especially in our new to us home. 

What to say, sure do love our life ❤️ 

Write a little about our neighborhood.

     My view as I walk to make coffee ☕ 

Sunday morning again, perfect I say, cool yet not cold, quiet, really quiet out, even the crow's 🐦‍⬛ are still sleeping. Not a car, not a person, just the most peaceful morning. After I made coffee, and put my slides as I'm told they are, on them I start slowly walking along in front of our home, looking at the full moon across the street above the RV park. 

This small RV park has 9 trailers and a house on it. Minimal to no landscaping, just a place to park. I expect not to expensive, and close to everything here. 

Our small mobile home park is different, in that we all have a yard, and most a shed, flowers seem to be the theme in most the yards. 

I continue my walk, down the street towards the highrise as is called here, the only one in Port Alberni. Something that stands out, a landmark I'd say. I thought a photo of it with the moon above, or beside might make a nice photo. 

On the way I looked around, I walked really slowly, taking in all I saw, not hearing a sound, until the geese flew from the pond above the hospital to the water below, the river mouth, the delta, that's where they will likely spend there day. There were hundreds of them, about 5:20am. I kept waking, looking about at properties, and the way house's were built, styles, and the way people arranged the yards, just looking at how it is. 

I got to tenth Ave, I'm close to my daughter now, I could stop in for a visit, I messaged her, but she wasn't up yet. 

As I walked along I heard two guys talking, as I got closer I saw a couple dogs, dash hounds, and they saw me! Yap yap yap, until the owner gave them a pull an said quiet. I realized I knew the owner, John, a friend I met many years ago, the other guy was a young guy that came up from California, to visit John's son Toby, they play games on line, and get together in person every once in awhile. John said they were going camping out on another property they have our beaver Creek. 

Was nice to say hi, now I know where he is, might stop in say Hi once in awhile. As I left I heard a skateboard being pushed, and a flap from when the guy was doing a spin and landing it. I got closer to a restaurant on the corner, where I remember a corner store years ago, with a really friendly man that always had a smile, and sold candy the old way, so many for a penny, then it went up to a nickel. I can still remember his rosey cheeks, with white hair, just a really nice guy. 

 Now it's a Tai restaurant, with tables outside 

One table resembles the Chinese roofs.

As I cross the road I noticed the ball field, and the backstop that I played ball at when I was a young teenager, looking very basic now, I remember when it was much more to it that this. Change happens, regardless of weather you pay attention or not. 

Our wide roads the city planers at the time had a really good idea, huge wide roads that gave good parking, as well as a really good wide road for cars & truck's. I notice now the educated design from someone somewhere decided to narrow all the roads, not just for biking, but for car's & trucks too. I believe the idea is to slow traffic, having the sidewalk pertrude into the road. I'm not sure that this is the way to go, but hey I'm a dinosaur 🦕 🦕 in my thoughts, I'm old, and the new groups of educated people think this restriction on our highest traffic roads makes sense. I do not! 

Enough of my short rant, as I walk up the road I hear the one and only crow 🐦‍⬛ now, he's caw caw, then he files, and a couple others join in. I'd say that's it, the day's started now. A car goes by in the distance, and I hear another, yep that's it, the quiet is disappearing now. 

Steam from the "pulp mill" as we have called it for years, still a big part of our town, taking chips from the saw mills here, oops, no saw mills left now, well one or two small ones, but the last big production Mill shut down a couple years ago APD, now most the chips made in the pulp mill out of whole logs, or hauled in by truck.  

Yep change happens, even if you're not looking 🙈

Today we go for a drive to get new to us furniture, we found on marketplace. Will it be our forever furniture? I'm not sure, but be better that what we have now. 

I borrowed a friend's truck, bigger box on it to get a couch and a loveseat. Be nice to recline again, we got used to that in our trailer. 

Leave early, get back before the rush my thoughts, they have another guy at each place that will help me load, Polly coming to make sure is what she wants, not going to get something that just doesn't look good. I trust Polly to make that determination, I'm not great at what's 👍 good or not. 

Although I did choose Polly and that was a perfect choice 😄 

Loving our life ❤️ 

When to write ✍️?

        Polly Joy & Dan talking as I wrote 

Today I'm struck, I just met a man that was a neighbor at Arrowvale, Phil Joe. I looked in my notes I make in my phone, there they were, his and his wife's name and address. As we talked Phil said he was moving, I was sad to hear he was leaving, but his brother is ill with cancer, and he wants to get back before he has an operation, a long with that he just can't find enough work here he said. 

I told him how we had just bought a place here and we're looking for furniture. Phil said he had two chairs and a couch that we could have, not new, but for us they be ok. Well I said we'd come look, and we had finished the cleaning, and breakfast with Joy and Dan, we went to look at the furniture. 

Not new, but sitting here now in this much better rocker it serves the purpose till we make a decision on furniture that we want. 

    Chairs we got off Phil work's perfectly      

I started writing this yesterday, as Joy Dan & Polly were talking, as I had just finished the last of the cleaning on our trailer getting it ready for a viewing in the afternoon. That's why I used the title, "When to write". I believe like a photo, writing is something that when the idea comes, just just a few lines to keep the thought, then finish later. With photos I often take what moves me right away, as the photo may not be there in the next moment. 

We have definitely moved in to our new place now, most everything is put away, adjustments have been done, heat pump is working perfectly, two visits to recharge, and second to find a leak and repair. Moulding I've put back on after it caught my arm when walking by, TV decision is made, on top of the fireplace we inherited with our home. 

Today after realizing the dryer exhaust hose was not hooked up as Polly was doing the laundry first time yesterday, and all the moisture and heat was coming into the house, it was pull out the drier, and see what's happening. Easy fix, lots of pulling and pushing. Polly never stops, until all is good in her house, she'll be tidying and organizing, and chucking stuff out. 

Today I have a hole in hoping to get repaired iny shed floor, and writing about it won't get it fixed, but I do like the writing 😄. 

We're in, and the nest is good, all the little alterations we will do, our trip north will be different than planned, the trailer be staying, hopefully sell before we go, all going good. 

Feeling like a second start in life, at an older age, nothing too easy, and early we have energy, later ahh, tired. 

Love this changing life ❤️