Amazingly still this Sunday morning 😌

How fortunate are we? To have this calm in the midst of a world 🌍 so much in termoil right now. I love Sunday mornings, the peace and quiet that it is. I hear a Jet in the distance, a raven, even way away a rooster 🐓, that I don't miss. I do miss the sight's of Ann & Bob on a regular basis, Anna and Evan making their rounds, Donny with his busy schedule, yet time to say "HI!" Arrowvale will always be in my heart ❤️, now we have been out beaver Creek, I'm thinking this place be in our hearts too. 

When I wake to the absolute quiet here is amazing still to me. Today the temperature is perfect, cool, yet even and with my old coat on is just right. Bird's chirp, bug's fly by, a crow, a raven, and owl, a dove, all one after the other. Raven when he flys by I can hear the sound his wing's make with each flap. 

I sometimes, well actually always say I'm lucky, I truly believe that to be my lot in life. Friday I had another bit of that luck come my way. Polly and I had been hearing a squeak coming from the engine on Rambo for awhile, it would come and go. I asked Don about it before, but of course when I brought our truck to him, squeak was gone. 

Polly heard the squeak Friday morning when we were in town, so I called Don, he was away, so said he'd call when he got home, and he did. I drove over to his garage right away when he called, and of course the squeak was gone! 

Turn on the AC was the request, listening, nope no sound. 😐 So I shut it off and we start just looking, then Don found this. 

look close there isn't a full width of belt 

Then looking around the front of the engine a little more we found where the piece of belt was lodged.

Behind the fan, the piece of belt all wound up in the back of the fan blade.

Ahh! The squeek was telling us to look, and Pollys insistence that "it's doing it again" helped get us to this point. The luck I'm talking about is that this was found out before we were traveling. When we had a friend that could diagnose what it was, and repair it before a disaster happened. 

I mean yes we paid attention to the sounds Rambo was making, but the luck I'm talking about was that we were close to home to have this repaired by a good friend, without the damage that could have happened. Don said if we kept driving and the belt did come off completely, we could have had a catastrophic fan blade into the radiator, that be a huge expense, also could have been at a really bad place on the highway. 

So yes, we are very lucky 🍀

Thanks Polly for listening and being insistant. Thanks Don for helping, well doing it. That was a frustrating job, but after an afternoon, and a few good ole special words as we took the old belt off, then slithered the new one on, was all good. Except the cleanup and talking after, that was great 👍 

Polly just came out, going to water her plants early today she says, after a few trips in and out with a watering can, I ask for another coffee ☕ 😁 

Polly gets that ☕ with a smile, then joins me outside with her tablet, and here we sit in the quiet of Beaver Creek, talking about what today will bring, and reading as I write. 

Sure do Love ❤️ our life. 

Canada Day 🇨🇦 was fantastic!

This year on our countries day of celebration I went with a friend to my brother in laws home to get a few parts, and look around his garage and yard. So much to see, so many stories to hear and tell. 

The three of us wandered the garages and property as we talked, car buff's all of us, but Don & Daniel are more in tune as they both have older cars, and mechanical experience I haven't been involved in as much. The talk was great, so many car's, so many people, just the best day it was. 

My treat was walking along, or standing listening to the two of them talk. So in tune they were, knowing exactly what each was talking about. 

Yep was a really good day, one I'll never forget. 

As we walked around the yard on the trails Dan has made, along with so many memories as we went, we stopped at the house in the trees, to show Don, inside the chairs were welcome, we sat and talked some more, not all about car's now, but about people, older and some not with us anymore, accidents, and crashes we remembered. Just so relaxing, and interesting. 

Don got an exhaust pipe set from Dan he hopes to install on his car, Dan got some info from Don about his sound's his car is making that Don just had same experience with. It was warm out, when inside the tree house was cool, nice to sit and talk. 

I told them of Polly and my acquisition, a mobile home 🏡 here in Port Alberni. Dan was surprised, and happy for us, Don was too. Always nice to give good news.

After we walked back to the road to his house, past the car clips Dan has positioned at the entrance to his property, something that looks so great. 

I went in as they continued to yak, said Hi to Georgina, Dan's wife, my sister in law, told her the news, she was excited, we won't be too far from them. Georgina called Polly and said be nice to have poker games again like the past, I'm looking forward to that family time again too. 

Don and I left, went to his shop and dropped off the exhaust pipes, talked a bit with the neighbor, who has a car a year older than Don's, really looks nice. Then we went to his place, he got his car, then out to his Daughter's place for a look about, something I'd wanted to do for awhile. Nice farm kind of property, horse's goat's, duck's and lots of elbow room. 

After Don went home, and I did too, one of the best Canada 🇨🇦 days I can remember. 

No celebration, just some really good conversations with friends. 

Polly was home, busy as usual, laundry all hung out, and ready for a beer and a game of cards. Rummy, she won too. 

She told me how George called, and was so excited about our new home. 

What more could ya ask for on a day of celebration of our country 🇨🇦 Hey!

Love our life ❤️ 

Aging

As we age we all have something that becomes a problem, sore this sore that, usual just starts with a bother, then develops, and sometimes we have a problem that is dabilitating, something that we can get away from, that we have to adapt to. 

Then there is the terminal problem, something that will end us, that I always think of as terrible, yet at least we have a little time to say goodbye, and deal with what we leave. Mostly we just get to see those we love, and give one last squeeze. 

I'm not sure exactly why I'm thinking of this right now. Leave me alone on a sunny morning outside and, well I'll write something. Today my knee's hurt when I try to get up, I think that's where things started. 

I'm fortunate, I've had many chances to have life go the other way, but my lucky me took me towards the best road to travel. Polly same, lucky us. 

We look towards our later life always thinking a little, what will come, and yet ya just don't know. Today I'll put up with it a bit longer, but I did see the Dr and asked for a referral, see what the specialist recommends. I don't relish the idea of being cut open. 

Coat off now, sun's up just right now, hmm, so warm out, perfect day today. I have a visitor that comes in the morning, Nacho, he likes to have a pet, Polly gives him a biscuit,and of course he's always thinking he'll get another. I give him a pet, he's such a lovely dog. Nice to have him sit with me. 

I'm going to spend a little time with my daughter today, she's been sick awhile, feeling a little better now, be nice to see her, say Hi. 

I have 3 daughters now, Penny my blood daughter, Catherine my Step Daughter, Pollys daughter, and Ciara my Daughter in law, Christopher's Fiancee. 8 grandchildren, and a very full life ❤️

What more can ya ask for hey. Oh and I have a big bowl of cherrys in the fridge, that Polly will make a cherry pie with. How's that for lucky, I asked a man that has a huge cherry tree if I could pick some. He said no, he'd rather not have others in his tree or on his property, but he had half a bucket, and asked if I had a container. Yup I said, and got my cooler out of my truck. He filled it halfway 

 I asked how much did he want, he said no charge!

I'd say only in Port Alberni, but really I find this lucky way wherever I go, funny how asking can develop into a friendship. I think I'll go back again today, see if he has more, I don't mind paying. Then to Canadian Tire see if I can find a cherry pitter🍒 😋

I think I'll sit outside in the morning more often, a car goes by once in awhile and message comes in, and I can write and think

 Oh and the squirrel I just heard, the Raven 🐦‍⬛ talking, the eagles are here too. Just a peaceful way to start my day. Polly chooses coffee ☕ and her soap opera, we all can do as we please. Having excellent Internet makes our life better too. Starlink made travel and Internet connection much better. 

Love our life ❤️ here out 🦫 Beaver Creek 

Getting all your 🦆🦆🦆 duck's in a row

    Signs I made up for Shayla's wedding 

Is a good saying, gives the person your talking with the idea that you're getting ready for something, or at least making sure if something happens you are ready. 

I'm not sure we ever really have all our ducks in a row, we have an anniversary to attend in July, then Shaylas wedding 💍 August 16th, a campsite booked in Qualicum Bay August 20th-27th, then a ferry booked on 27th to Tsawassen, after that a "loose knit plan" to travel to the Okanagan, then towards northern BC, and across to Grande Prairie, then Edmonton area. After maybe Moosejaw, maybe even Manitoba, but I think that's reaching a little bit far, as it likely be later in October then. 

Weather permitting, always weather as we'll be heading into Winter then. 

Usually we'd be then making our way south then, but this year with the boarder being more check's, and things be less stable in the world, no going south this year, what's next? 

Well Portugal is on our list of places we'd like to see, also Greece, and Spain, really all of Europe! Surprise 😳, we have limitations, financial, as well as length we are allowed to stay in the European Union. 90days max, unless you have a visa.

The naive me thought as I aged, without much knowledge, that when ya retired "the world is your oyster "🦪 " another fancy saying, but it reality bites hard here, the world has rules that you have to learn, and decide where you can go, and for how long, and what you'll need to stay. Visa's, payments for sure, and safety, don't want to get yourselves in "hot water" another saying that gives a good idea of what I'm trying to get across to you. 

What I'm trying to get across is that we plan, duck's in a row, but really, many things out of our control often make our plans altered, or all together thrown out. Ya never really know! So all 🦆🦆🦆 duck's can be rowed up, then, a hard turn LoL. 

Right this moment we have a few  "Irons in the fire 🔥" but "that's how we roll". 😂

I never really paid to much attention to how many times we use sayings that describe what we are trying to get across to others in our speach, or writing. Sayings that form an idea of what your thinking into another's mind instantly. 

The tricky part is, do others get the same thought when you say it? 

Ya hope so, and most time it is, but every once in awhile someone takes it different.

Coffee # 2 ☕☕ almost done, Polly likely awake soon, well maybe another hour, only 6am now. No mice last night in the trap, I'm going to seal up the underneath today, on the advice of a good friend. Then finish off the planters I'm delivering to Edmonton. I really do like building things from wood, shop is mostly done now, I can operate. 

I feel Polly stirring, LoL, I wonder if she'll ask the time, or just get up? 

Every day a new experience, 

Love our life ❤️ 

Polly staying up, she didn't ask the time.

Summer solstice did you notice it happen?

     

       Fence is almost complete now

Every day from now on we loose a little bit of daylight, always seems to me just a little too soon to start getting less light, we are just getting to summer. Rainy here today, my daughter says not raining in Port, but here spitting.

When we left Arrowvale I thought I'd really miss seeing the river on each trip into town, but after 3 weeks here I'm noticing how beautiful all the farms and mountains are as we drive in and out of Beaver Creek. Sometimes through Smith Rd, and often beaver Creek Rd, many beautiful sights. One in particular is a big beautiful house with a full mountain view behind, but the best part for me is the land 🦈 shark's in the field between the house and Smith Rd. I laugh 😂 everytime I pass by. I've wanted to take a photo, but is close to a corner, so don't want to stop on the road,and driveway is there, but I just haven't. 

It's fun how we think about what we'll miss when we leave a place, yet once yer gone, you have the memories, so you don't really miss it so much, just the thought of it. No trails to walk from here, have to drive to walk them, but still Polly and I went for a walk around the garden yesterday evening, was nice to see all that is growing here, so many different things. 

Blueberry's 🫐🫐🫐 top of the list, but many other plant and bushes here, most I don't know the name of, flowers, and vegetables, and fruit. Was a nice walkabout, Nacho the dog came to join us, he's a really nice dog. The owners have gone camping for a few days, so we are all by ourselves here. 

Quiet this morning, one or two cars went by, but other that that quiet. I got a message from Penny, she was up early, having a good morning she says. Nice to hear! 

How long we will stay has come up lately, not sure, but for now is good. Mice have been a problem, they love to come in and get into our food, so I got a trap from a friend, placed it in a drawer under the sink, where they seem to like to be, and so far caught 9 in it, and two in an empty bucket. Night before last I thought as we didn't catch anything, that we'd got them all, but my mistake, we caught two more since. I don't know how many there are out there, but I'm not sure I'll win the battle. 

When we used to go to the cabin I'd rig a bucket with a can with a hanger through the center, into a bucket with water in it. Put peanut butter around the can and the mice would fall in trying to get the peanut butter. I did that here, but can't put on the ground, the dog would likely lick off the peanut butter. But this trap hasn't caught any, even tried it in the cupboard under the sink, nope, they like the cheese 🧀 trap better. So I keep setting it. 

Oh well, just is what it is. 

I've been very slow at setting up my shop this time, I do have most everything in it, but the dust control tubing has been a pain, just routing it, and attaching it, and figuring it out, as I'm on the ground, so difficult to get up and down. Limitations as we age, getting down to ground level one thing, getting back up, another 😲

I went to a lady's place yesterday, installed a screen door, something she'd wanted done for a couple years now, I just was always busy. Yesterday I took the time and did it, wasn't as difficult as I'd thought it might be, actually fit in pretty good. Down on ground level and back up a few times, and a couple possible bad words a few times, but I got it done, and she's very happy with it. Feel's nice to complete something, something someone really wanted. 

Well today I'm going to finish the dust collector install, then build a few things I said I'd do for our Granddaughter's wedding. Then 4 planters for our cousin in Edmonton. Will be taking them out with us this fall. A friend said last year that I'm spreading pieces of me all over the country through my woodworking. I'd never thought of it like that before, but as I do this now, I believe she's correct, and I love the idea of this. 

Always nice to do want you love, for people that really appreciate whatcha do!

Love our life ❤️ wherever we are.