Warm welcome at Arrowvale as The brothers perform.

So many things happening at the same time right now. Reconnecting with friends Steve & Belle has been great, so many past experiences, and now creating new memories. When we got to Arrowvale yesterday Steve & Belle, were there already, along with Garry & Laurie. We got a couple drinks and not long after Chris showed up. The group was complete. 

Talking started right away, so many opinions, so much chatter, was a really nice time to visit with each other, then food was ordered, and the band we came to listen to started playing, 🍔 Burgers came, and music 🎶 🎵 continued, and chatting continued too. What a great time it was, listening to 'The Brothers' an all female band played beautiful music. 

Polly and I learned the women in our group have been celebrating their birthdays together for along time, and that after our dinner we were invited to cake at Garry & Laurie's place not far from where we live. Perfect, Black Forest Cake, after keeping at least two of the three candles lit, and a round of Happy Birthday 🎶🎵. What a treat, beautiful backdrop of mountains, and good friends, what more could you ask for. 

  August Birthday's Laurie, Chris, Belle.

Stories, yes many stories were told, some of cougars chasing deer right close to where we sat, and owl's hooting, and owl's hunting as they watched off the deck. Amazing stories were told, was a really fun and enlightening evening. 

This morning Polly still saying how nice it was last night, me agreeing. I didn't take many photos, I did point out to the group the beautiful view of the people on the deck at Arrowvale with the band performing, and behind the children playing in the playground, how great it is to have this again. 

I saw Donny Collins on the way in, he said Hi, Busy as usual, his wife Steph, also Busy, getting things ready. Later we saw Ian and his wife as we were paying for the meal, Laura operating the cash register, then Nathan and Ayla, was like coming home in away, felt nice to see them all again. The couple we didn't see were Bob & Ann, they are continuing to leave the management to their children now I believe. 

Arrowvale is in transition, and watching the change has been great, I sure enjoyed myself last night, I believe many did. On the way home Polly asked if I missed it, Arrowvale, yep a little, but we are now onto a new adventure! Part of the conversation yesterday was will you still write a blog? What will you call it? 

Yes I'll still write, ✍️ I still really enjoy putting words to my thoughts, what the name will be I'm not sure yet, but we will still travel, just differently now, we'll be putting our fifth wheel "CC" we call her, up for sale after we get settled in our new place, a new beginning I'm thinking. As for a name, I'm thinking Brent & Polly's Excellent non/RV Adventure's, or "Brent & Pollys Excellent European Adventures"

I'll be thinking about it till we have sold our CC, then I'll have it figured out with the help of others for sure. 

Transition is happening everywhere around us right now, we are moving into our new to us place at the end of this month, our friend Chris also selling and moving into her new place in August, our granddaughter Shayla and her fiancee Carl will move into their new to them home in September, our Grandson Jayden moved out of his apartment, leaving Taylor his sister to get the "Bigger" room, and now she'll have friend as a roommate. Just feels so nice to see so much really great change around us. 

Our daughter in-law Ciara, has sold her home in Grande Prairie too, sure she's going to find the exact place she'll need for her and her children. 

Perfect, Never! But seeing everyone moving, making changes is exciting, feeling motivated, different sights, sounds, change is a good thing, especially when you want it. 

I've gotten all my tent full of tools and lumber up to the new shed, Thanks Ted for helping tear the tent down, and Polly for helping unpack and pick stuff, we got access to that last week, so now it's full, a little more cleanup here, and all we have is our CC to move out. Well miss this place I'm sure, but moving to another new "Adventure" is always invigorating 👌

Always something new, 

Sure do love our life ❤️ 

What a pleasure to have our grandkids visit

Yesterday was a very good day, we started early, went to visit our shed, LoL, I laugh thinking this, but we have access to this, and after all the repairs I did I wanted to show Polly. We looked at what was there, made plans for where things will go, decided on a plan. Polly was happy with my alterations too. Sounds like a small step, but all my wood, and tools will go here, so for me is the next step in our move to our new to us home. 

After much talking there off to Daniel and Georgies place to return the tools I'd borrowed, and a little yakin as they were about to wander off that day. Was nice to catch up with them before they parted. Then off to the market at harbour quay. Windy there and a little cool, but still met people we knew, chatted, bought a loaf of bread 🍞, and a chocolate zucchini loaf, Mmm so rich in chocolate 🍫. 

We wandered a bit, got to talk with our MLA Josie Osborne, of course my complaints were like many, the road from Parksville all the way to Tofino/Uclulet with particular places along the way. Angel rock and that mess, River Road falling apart, and Cathedral Grove, the problem's there, I had a few ideas for her, so did Polly as she had just been through there day before. 

It was nice to see a politician out there, I didn't expect it, and was also nice to be able to say when she asked, "Yes we live here!." Not sure she will do anything about what we brought up, but never hurts to get your thoughts out to someone that could do something about it. 

After the market we went to quality foods, we had a list, well Polly did, me I just wanted ice cream 🍨, and a bag of cheezies slipped into the cart 🛒. Was nice to be there, good place to get ribs, Polly saw them on sale in Parksville when she went in with Lyn, so that was the reason for shopping on the other side of town today. 

As we left the store I saw a guy I remembered, he remembers us too, we stopped and talked a bit, John I called him, nope, Stan he said, we had met him year's ago at our neighbor John's across the street, we'd see him and his wife every Christmas as John would invite us over for some Christmas cheer, with others, was a fun time. John and Stan both from Poland, I learned a lot from John about what it was like first hand when the war started, John was young then, he had to escape. 

This story I could tell, but let me say, he was lucky to be alive, and I believe every day he felt fortunate to have come to Port Alberni, to Canada. Yes learned alot from John, he could be a really crabby kinda guy, yet he had a really soft side once ya got to know him. 

We said goodbye to Stan, was nice to see him. And off we went towards home, no more stops. After a beautiful fresh bread bacon 🥓 tomato 🍅 sandwich 🥪 Polly made me, and of course a short nap, we got a call from our granddaughter Shayla, can I come over, I'd forgot that she had a plan for this as Carl was going to help his dad with some firewood. Yes, come on over, gave her our address and directions, then in like 5 minutes she was there. Wow, and Carl was with her, their dog Pyper too. 

Carl packed Pyper in, as Nacho was right there wanting to have a sniff, and they were worried that Pyper would get snappy with him, so Carl packed their dog in, just in case. Well this was a surprise, nice to yak it up with them, they had just bought a place too, so we had much info to share, each with plans to do this do that, as you do when ya get a new place. 

Was a really nice visit, couldn't ask for a better surprise that afternoon. The visit went fast, so much info to exchange, then some talk about a wedding they had been to last weekend, Shayla's roommate when she took on her first apartment. Carl brought this funny time up, how Shayla had had an uncontrollable laugh at what was a serious moment in the wedding, yet the way the microphone 🎤 was moving looked so bazaar, sh couldn't help but LoL, OMG she was so embarrassed, yet after Carl started, she couldn't help it. 

Next month is their wedding, seems to be coming really fast now, as always summer plans start early, then once summer gets going, Poof the plans become reality, and then WOW 😳, summer is done. Most every year I feel we just started summer, and darn, it's over just too quick. 

Our plan this year was to stay longer in Port, because of the wedding, now we'll be here permanently, how things change.

After our visit, hug's all around and off they went, with the direction signs I'd built for them for their wedding. Was a really nice visit.

I had a kind of sleepy afternoon, messaged a friend, possible plan to meetup, didn't work out, so next time. 

Then just before we were to have dinner we get a message from Dax, can Jet and I come over for a visit. Well yes, that be great, after dinner, say 7, ok? 

Well this visit was so fun, they both have hug's to start, then of course "Want a piece of this chocolate cake?" MMM 😋 so good, then we got talking, well with the two brothers, and the antics they have between them, we just had laugh after laugh 😂, was such a good time, almost like we we kids again too. So fun, listening and advising, and just talking with them. An excellent visit this was, excellent 👌 👍 ❤️ 

I'm not sure the exact time they left, you but their grandpa Tom came and got them, as he'd dropped them off, wasn't dark yet, but light was getting low. So a couple of hours of fun we had, I'll remember this visit for awhile. 🤣❤️

A stellar day was had, so many people we bumped into, so many people, so much family too, what a great day. Yep being back in Port Alberni, a really good decision to stick around a little more permanent. 

I hear Polly talking about Christmas dinner at our place already, yep we are zooming right into the way it was before we left Port years ago. Be nice to settle in again. Friends, Family, and just being a part of this community, like we'd never left, yet been away awhile. 

Left in 2003 to work in Chemainus, over 20 years ago, WOW.

Strong ties to our community, and after living in Ladysmith awhile, strong ties to our island, Vancouver Island, and after this year, strong ties to BC, and Canada, yep things have changed, but not so much that we can't, or won't continue our travels, just be a little different now. 

"Ya never know unless you go!" I saw that once on the back of a MH, made me think of us, how we travel. Yesterday is read about another traveler, said "planed no plan."  Well we have plans always, just never really sure till we click the seatbelt, exactly where we'll be next 😄😄.

Today we are Port Alberni, tomorrow who knows, but we are sure we have a wedding to attend in August, our granddaughter, and a campsite booked after, then a trip planned to Grande Prairie after that, and our fifth wheel trailer be up for sale soon, be another change, moving up in a permanent home, and downsizing in our trailer. 

Funny how life goes, tide goes out and comes in, as we move about our lives, change is definitely one thing we can count on. The two of us were up for a change, and here it comes. 🏡 

We sure do love our life ❤️ 

Mixed feelings about the move.

I'm sitting here thinking this morning about our move, what I'll miss about this way of life, no real attachments, just our friends and family when we return to our home town, along with friends from most every place we have stayed. 

See we just pull up to a place and often now we have family or friends like family wherever we go. That kind of life is great, here we are at our new to us site ready to move into a mobile home here in Port Alberni, our home town. I'm happy about this, yet sad to change the way we have been living. 

A friend we have said "keep the trailer!" I believe he's probably right, but after our trip north this fall 🍁, will see if we feel the same way. Been a really good run we've had, yet sometime I knew we'd change it up, and this is the time. 

Polly went to Qualicum for a couple days with her sister, they always have so much fun together, I'm happy for them. Me I stayed and finished the rebuild on the shed floor at our new place. Was a tough slog in the heat, but I can see the end of it today. 

Had to be done, not perfect, but I got a 3x6 beam support under that wall now, so a few alterations, and be done today. 

Will be able to move most my little shop of tool's and my wood to this area before our trailer comes over at the end of the month. So that's the way forward, yet I sit this morning here in our site out beaver Creek thinking I'll miss the moving about. I might change my mind about this once I get into our new place, it has a really nice covered deck area, where we'll see the sun coming up, and be close to the coffee ☕ pot too. 

Thinking can really screw ya up hey! LoL 

Oh well, I'm going for my second cup of coffee ☕, will go soon to the shed and finish, then be hauling stuff there the next few days, thinking will change in time I'm sure, just a little feeling hmm 🤔, loss I guess. Still have two trailers, see how it goes I guess. 

See, things changed, I went outside to enjoy my last coffee ☕, and met Drew's mom and her partner, Marilyn and Christian, the family Drew Laurie and their 3kids Ash, Jada, and Ila were all in the garden talking and sharing the beauty of the garden. What a great surprise for me, from inside I saw Drew with Ila on his shoulders, and Laurie walking,  it I didn't expect the whole family. 

So of course talking and listening, asking questions, get to know each other, that was my gift this morning ❤️ 

After Drew and I loaded a mattress they were about to give away onto my pickup, going to bring to my daughter Penny's later, I watered the plants for Polly, then went in to have something to eat before I left for the other trailer. No bagels so toast this morning, I looked in the fridge, thought might as well use up that strawberry jam stuff Polly had made up. Toast ready, spread the jam, smells a little funny, maybe just starting to turn, oh well be ok I'm sure. Outside taking my first bite, ahh isn't strawberry, it's the spaghetti sauce that was also left, same but different LoL,

oh well, add a couple pieces of ham, all good LoL 🤣 

my view as I ate, yep going to miss this place alright. 

Love our life ❤️ 

 

Sunday morning knowing the heat's coming! 🌞

       How young we all were then❤️

Funny how watching the hummingbird outside feed on all three little yellow flowers of the feeder before he takes off attracts my attention, and just feels nice watching them. I'm.not sure it's an old person thing, but I like it, I'm old, so LoL 😂. I also liked the bird feeder when we had one in Ladysmith, lots of entertainment there. Squirrel's 🐿️ quail's, and so many different birds. 

We are getting access to our new place tomorrow, just the shed sofar, but I think all of the place soon. The shed though be really nice, as most the stuff that has to go in there will come from my shed here, and the pile of lumber I've got here. So looking forward to have a place to store ally shed stuff, somewhere that I don't have to move it around all the time.

We went to two anniversary party's this weekend, friends that stayed with each other long times, first couple second marriage, second was since young. Both beautiful couples, and parties 🎉🎉🥳 were fun. Hot last night, but the preparation was really good, had misters and tent's for shade, and shade for the band too. Cornhole game was fun too. 

Today a dinner here with friends a d family. Be nice to see them and hang out here. Wil miss this place, maybe our last little get together before we move, as once we start, all energy will go towards that. 

Our life is changing with this new place we have to live in, changing to a new way. One we were used to before, and probably a little earlier that our plan was, but I think we are ready to settle down a little, will see in the future. 

I wonder what the blog name will change to, as won't be RV adventure anymore, unless we keep our trailer, but likely sell it. Oh well, that well deal with what we return from our adventure this late Summer and early Fall 🍁.

I love Sunday mornings, Polly is up now, we both had a great sleep, will go to town for a few supplies, food, beer, and maybe a bottle of wine. Also building supplies, I'm working on the moulding in the bathroom, had a rip in the covering over the wood, need to replace it, got to get something that'll matchup. Always something to do in an RV, good I have the ability to giter done! 

Sure love our life ❤️

Friends dropping in for a visit ❤️

Always nice to have that unexpected visit, "just dropped by, didn't know if uad be home, but thought we'd drop in."

Yesterday we had friends drop in uexpectedly, Polly was still braless, I was working in my shop, dirty, and soon to be going to an anniversary party in a couple hours. Polly just finishing the cake she made. Don popped around the corner, "hey I was just wondering if ya were here!"

Come on in I said, bed just walked in left the truck with Chris on the other side of the gate, come on in, I'll get the gate for ya. It's really nice having unexpected company, friends we've had for years, Polly and Chris and Don been friends for 60+ years. I came into the picture years later. 

We showed them around the garden, and my shop then we sat outside with a drink each an shot the breeze, just always so much to talk about, past and present. Was an unexpected pleasure yesterday, one of the best visits, funny how that happens, the unexpected turns out to be such a good memory 

 

I brought out what cherries 🍒 we had in a bowl, given to us by a friend. Chris really tied into these, then a couple tarts that we had from our friends last night's dinner, just as much she loved thattart. We yaked and yaked, just so many things to talk about 

 Other friends, some here, some past, plans for our new place, and that Don had taken Chris by to see our nephew place. 

Yep friends are just wonderful to have, I'm feeling exceptionally happy to be here where we are surrounded by so many good friends. On.a fam kind of site, with me friends we ha gotten to know here, I hear the kids are up.now, on after the other, screaming it up, such wonderful soundsthen.the parents next to us planning what they will be doing next on the farm. 

Sun's shining bright, almost too bright to see this scren, yet I sit in our new rocking camping chair, my second coffee ☕ ☕. Beside me, enjoying the warmth & sounds of a Saturday morning close to Port Alberni ❤️

I don't believe it gets better than this, today I'll take two of my grandsons swimming, Cameron lake or plan,be cold i know,, but I have a plan,just will check out if it work

 

Love our life ❤️ here. 

 

 

Rain! Sure is nice to have it now.

      Someone's looking through the sky 

Often in July you expect Sun 🌞😎 & warm weather here on the island,  remembering my time working in the woods, always thought middle of July we'd be off for fire season, till later in September, or at least Labour Day long weekend. Sometimes earlier.

Having the rain now is a blessing for many reasons, especially fire 🔥 rating and access to the wood's for camping, fishing, and hiking trails. Although for me right now,I just like to hear the sound of the drops on the roof of our trailer, light rain like this sounds great. 

We have no big plans for today, and yesterday was a travel day to Chemainus and back for our annual Dr checkup, all good he said. A friend asked if we'd like a few more cherries last evening when we came home 🍒🍒, fantastic, I'll go get those this morning, great he picked before the rain. 

We will have access to our new mobile home shed after the weekend, that will give us opportunity to bring all the tools and wood from my shed, start to get ready for end of month move. 

We have been asked many times what will you do with your trailer? We plan to make our trip to Grande Prairie this September, as usual, then upon our return, likely sell it, Rambo, I haven't decided yet, he's a pretty good truck, be tough to give him up, but maybe. Always I say "See how it goes" as we make decisions to liquidate our beloved trailer and truck. Been a great time traveling as we have, but this year be a no go to USA, or Mexico, so time to change it up! 

Exactly how, we are thinking Portugal, Spain, Greece now, had a good conversation with our DR yesterday about this as he was just there last fall, said how beautiful it was, and gave me a few hints at where to go, and what to watch out for. I'll likely book this when we return from our trip this fall. We don't book too far in advance, I been looking, still lots of availability right now. 

Our attention really on getting into our new place next month, then a little organized, attend our granddaughters wedding, then off we go for our fall trip. 

As always never a dull moment 😃 keep moving, that's us. 

New 🛞 tires on Rambo next, and a little check up before we go, a little bit of wash up on our CC our trailer, then hitting the road, close stop first, Qualicum Bay for a week before we leave the island, then ferry ⛴️ to the mainland. 

Seems easy as I write, but will be another adventure I'm sure, never really the same each time, and this time I want to go a route we haven't for awhile, through to Kelowna, then to Merritt and North on 97, towards Prince George, then east to GP, stopping at McKenzie BC to visit a friend. 

Ya know we have friends most every route we go, sometimes hard to make a turn, as we'd like to turn this way, a friend here we haven't seen in awhile. This year we start our trip a little later as wedding is middle of August. Not a problem, just a change. I wonder what next spring will be like for us? Will we still have the trailer, will we travel? If so how? 

Lot's of questions, but that's ok, better to have some indecision, than have it all planned I think. 

We have the next three days planned, we are going to Americos moms place for dinner, were eating that darn rooster 🐓 LoL, then two anniversary parties 🎉 🎉  Friday and Saturday. Way too much excitement for us! Then Sunday again, weeks sure motor on by fast. 

I remember Polly's Mom Memere would say that as you age days, weeks, months go faster, all adding up to years flying by. I see this now, faster than we'd think. 

We have made our last 10 years in retirement one adventure after another, I'm hoping this never stops. 

Love our life ❤️ 

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.