Enjoying retirement, what's it mean to you?

I'm sitting outside my shop today, just thinking about how there isn't anything I have to do right now. Enjoying the quiet that comes early, knowing the rush of Friday will happen later. My warmed up hotdog 🌭 

from yesterday, I couldn't finish, and cold coffee ☕ from this morning. 

I'm enjoying the Glimpses I get here. I noticed the redwood 🌲 so perfectly formed compared to the fir trees.

The breeze just starting, the warmth from the sun feels great, perfect? I think so, no travel today, a walk around the neighborhood earlier, talking to friends I've never met before, I'm sure I'll meet again. I'm very fortunate to have the ability to talk with others, making friends so darn quickly, I surprise myself sometimes, as I walk away thinking, WOW, that was great 👍.

Today I met an older woman as I stood infront of her home, I really liked how the arbour was covered in Ivey, that's what caught my attention at first, the shape. Then as I looked I realized there was much more to this place, I continued to move left a little seeing more as I moved, first the flowers, then the pumpkins hanging, then the covered walkway, that's very cool, ya don't see that often I thought. 

Then as I was thinking about how beautiful the display was, the front door opens, and an older woman comes out, she spoke with an accent, German maybe, I'm not sure I didn't ask. We talked about the covered walkway, I said how beautiful it was, like Chinese looking with the scallops under the roof. She said there was a covered walkway in the back to the garage too. She said her daughter did the decorating, of course I said how good it all looked. Then the unexpected, she asked me if I'd like to look at the other walkway in the back? Yes, that'd be great.

So off we ploded, through the carport, seeing her daughter cleaning the pond I said Hi, and the conversation just ran, from the pond, to the garden, to the covered walkway, the garage, the storing of stuff, I was in awe actually. They were so welcoming, I learned that the daughter has to clip the Lilly pads, and take them out now, it's what she was doing, they grow back in the spring. The whole pond was fenced, and wire mesh over it too, I asked about birds trying still to get in? Nope, they stay away now, the fish are safe. Racoons, that was also a problem, but no more now. They were swimming in the pond the daughter said. 

We had a really nice visit, I forgot to mention the older woman before I left told me that she has both her daughters living with them, and her grandson, nice to have help with what needs to be done. She said she bought the house about 8 years ago, sold her small farm in Abbotsford and moved here when prices were decent. I forgot to mention that she had a bunch of colours dyed in streaks her hair, I didn't ask, I just noticed. No judgement, just was pleased to have had this morning conversation and tour of their yard. 

So getting back to my way, I just fall into the conversation. Thinking about it I just ask a question, ❓ that leads to another, then I shake my head at how it happens. 

Fortunate I say, just fortunate to have the welcoming ability. 

The breeze a little more now, but still light, still relatively quiet, just a few more cars moving about now. Afternoon is here, people get moving now. 

My sister in-law is coming over today, Polly has been busy making a cake 🎂 for her, her birthday was earlier in October, Polly didn't call this time, Lyn did giver her a shot about not calling, Polly wouldn't give in that she'd forgot, she remember, but wasn't sure what day it was.... LoL 😂 🤣.  I gotta here the chat that's going to happen when she gets here 😂

Well I did accomplish something, I finished my hotdog 🌭, and my coffee, and took a few photos, and wrote this blog. Oh, and I really enjoyed the sun outside my shop. Yep, I'm going to love this new adventure, staying in one place of our own for awhile. 

Love our Life ❤️

Sunday morning after another busy week.

The view from Shayla & Carl's living room 

We went to Naniamo yesterday, a short visit with our granddaughter Shayla and her husband Carl was really good, our first visit with them since they were married. Was good, so much to talk about, as they are moving now to their new home, we didn't want to stop her from working, but Carl was busy getting the trailer ready, so she could take time to yak a bit. We talked about her siblings, her Mom, her dad, and the wedding, just how it all went, her time with her bridesmaids, and just how it all worked out perfectly. 

After she showed us a few photos from that day, one of her parents one each side of her they both smiling 😁, was nice for her. Many of her and Carl, really good photos. Some of her dress, and a few of others. Was really nice to just sit and yak awhile, been a long time since we were able, we busy, they busy. 

As we were driving to there rented home I realized likely be the last time we'd be driving here, they had lived there a long time now, so got used to the area, it has a really nice view of the water, a steep driveway I won't miss, but the view and the views as we'd walk around the area, I'll miss that. I know we could go there anytime, but without her wouldn't be the same. 

Still I'll remember the really nice walks and talks we had while they lived here. To say we are close would be a good way to think, we are connected in so many ways, and our history is long, from the time she was a little girl, just born to now as she begins her marriage, and new to them home in Cedar, not far from the dry land sort she works at. 

I'm looking forward to visiting her and Carl there too, but I'm going to remember where they lived when they first started out. 

In our talk yesterday I realized just how grown up she's become, as we talked about her siblings, just how calm she was and just how wise she's become at what I think is an early age.

I'm extremely happy for them to make this big purchase, and begin there lives together with so much opportunity ahead. Yup a proud Pepere alright, Memeres proud too. 

Today we have a rest, Polly interested in planting her memorial garden she wants to make, she's done the digging, bought the bulbs, now for the planting and the extra dirt she wants to get to cover them. Then the white picket fence "small pickets" she's told me at least half a dozen times 😁, yep I know I keep telling her, "Small" 👍

Been a long time since we gardened anything except a flower box. 

Feeling content right now, many things planned, but content in that we are home 🏡 

Love our life ❤️ 

Just a little bit of stuff stored!

Doesn't look like much, but was a big job getting it all outta the crawl space.

Thanks for storing what we couldn't while we were on the road Americo&Claudette, we were much younger when we stuffed it all in your crawl space under your home I found out yesterday. Getting in and out of there bringing boxes to Polly, then she brings them up the few stairs to the garage floor. Yep, we were much younger then, I can feel it today. 

On the positive, we both slept well, had a really good dinner with our friends,

 then played cribbage a different way after dinner, on a mat that we played as partners. Was fun to learn, and laughing, that's a given when we are with these two. 

Ya know great friendships happen, sometimes ya don't know exactly how, but our friendship with A&C has been since Claudette and I met at a first aid course year's ago, friendship developed as we went to volleyball, then a dance, and a blind date with Polly, that was the start of our relationship, with our friends and our relationship together 🤗

Today we'll my make our way home 🏡 later, with our stuff, mostly photos, packed in our truck cab. What we can't get in Americo & Claudette will bring at a later time in their van. Sure do appreciate our good friends ❤️

Sure do love our life ❤️ 

Friends are a blessing.

         Our new sunroom be here soon

I had to move some furniture today that I got while making a deal to buy a sunroom for our new place. I thought a friend might be able to, but he had other obligations, I had arranged for my grandson to help, but his alarm didn't go as planned, thenas I realized I wasn't going to have help I called a friend. Brian was not golfing, he was watching golf ⛳ but was willing to part with his program and come give me a hand, with very short notice. 

I'm very fortunate to have such friends, that say yes when ya ask,and turn up, especially when ya need help like right now! 

We drove to Parksville, and talked like usual, but so much to talk about, he had just finished a trip east to Newfoundland, and I to Grande Prairie, so we both had stories to tell, was a really good trip down. Loading the furniture was the easy, no rain was great, then our return was the same, we both had so much to yak about. 

Then unloading went smoothly too, a coffee at our new table and chairs, along with a little cherry 🍒 pie made by Polly was just right. More stories, Polly was now listening and talking too, I'm glad it all worked out. Thanks again Brian, wouldn't have been able to giter done if you didn't help. 

Over the next month our deck is going to change a little, glass panels will be installed once the sunroom is here, have to wait till the contractor the people I bought it off of gets to deconstructing it. 

Then my work will start, assembly will be interesting. 

Or fifthwheel trailer hasn't sold yet, but hopefully this month we will get some interest. Might have to hold onto it for awhile but, that's ok, never know, might be using it again 😁

I'm thinking our blog has to have a name change, for now I think I'll just put a line through the RV part to represent how things are now. 

Dinner soon, company tonight, Catherine and Jesse be nice 👍 

Sure love ❤️ our life.

What a great trip we had, GP and back in a month.

Our friends and family along the way were great, always a fun welcoming, many happy times. I wrote a bit about our time away, but today being home again, feels great. Knowing we visited or tried to visit with as many as we could along the way. Sure was a great trip, sure nice to be home too. 

A relax after unpackin Rambo, then a beer 🍺 and a sit for awhile, I had a snooze, and then mobile again, 🛒 shopping was next on the docket. Always fun wheeling the cart around, and seeing and talking with people we don't see often, and learning about their lives as we stop and talk. Hometown meetups, always great. 

Talked with my sister and brother in law on the phone, thanking them for looking after our place while we were gone. Dinner Saturday Polly says, be nice to get together with them and yak it up. I can see that the weather is about to change, no more shorts weather, just cooler, and rain 🌧️ sometime in the future. 

Truck needs a bath, 🛁 tomorrow I'm thinking, dinner was the leftover Indian food from last night, with a bit more nan bread, and some more 🦐 prawn's in the sauce. I'm still shaking my head at just how tasty that stuff is. 😋

Done, don't throw the sauce out, do again 

I'm thinking to myself just how wonderful life is as ya go through enjoying the people you are in contact with, makes me happy to know just how freaking lucky we are. 

I guess I'll have to wash between the showers tomorrow, no problem, I'm really ready for a clean truck again. 

Our grandson Jet turned 19 yesterday, we did get a video chat in, happy to see he was with his father at the casino, a friend told us, so we called. Man, seems like such a short time ago we were going to see him as a child, now he's 19, and going to the bar. Hmm, 🍺 cheers 🥂 Jet🤗♥️

Yep, time moves on fast, gotta get ourselves moving before it catches up with us. Plans for Portugal are in the works, also Spain, but for now our plan to pickup our new to us sunroom we bought before we went away. Very excited to get that and assemble on our existing deck, and add to the other side of our new to us home. 

Plans are going ahead, I'm often thinking, movement is good, don't wanna get caught standing still 😁

Love our life ❤️ 

what a week! I have never read so much about someone that was killed that I never knew of before.

           A little wet out this morning 

Been a different week, every day something different coming at us. I usually turn away from the news, but this week I just couldn't run away, every time I looked up anywhere, there the storyline went again. I did so much head shaking that my neck is sore, maybe this next week be something different? 

During the week though I also got to finish the bar for Jack,

visit with Ciara and our grandsons at home and at the lake, oh and the Halloween store, have lunch with our granddaughter Taylor and her boyfriend Zain. Had a visit Jennifer Juska at dinner, then after a visit with her parents, a visit with Rod and his daughter. Yes been a really good last week in Grande Prairie. 

Overall been a really nice time here enjoying our family and our friends here in Grande Prairie. Today the rain came this morning for awhile, felt like fall as I opened the curtains this morning, rain on the window told the story. This afternoon we have a hotdog 🌭 roast planned in the firpit by Jack's Chuck Wagon Bar 🍻, fun times I'm sure. 

Ready to go home we are, looking forward to getting so much together when we get home. On the way we hope to visit with a few friends on the way, and just enjoy the drive west and south. The weather I'm thinking will hold, not too cold yet, and beautiful colours out as we travel I'm Sure. 

Will keep the radio off, and yak with Polly as we drive, able to stop much easier without a trailer behind us. Nice to travel this way, yet a little bit of sadness not into campgrounds. It is a nice way to travel with your bed and all your belongings with you all the time. Still, won't be long and we'll be home to all our stuff 😁

Polly watching Seahawks game today, beating the Saints into the ground. I'm not really into it, too much one sided this game. Sun is out now, for once the weather is as predicted, perfect day for a fire 🔥 and a couple hotdogs 🌭 

I put a couple shelves up for Wendy, and a small repair for Jack, said I could get a full time job here 🤣 Jack agreed. 

I feel content right this moment, having visited with many here in our time, and building stuff, something I really enjoyed. Polly talking about nice dinner with Jack and Wendy tomorrow before we leave. I don't think life gets any better, just feels great. 

Sure do love our life ❤️ 

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 ❤️