Brrrr, it is cold out there.  Yes, December 6 and I haven't been very consistent with this blogging thing.  I do love to write and ramble on and on so it is odd that I haven't written anything for a while.  My biggest enemy is time.
The election went well on October 18th - well at least it went well for the seven people who were elected.  We have a totally new look including four new councillors, a new CAO and a new Admin. Assistant.  I am very pleased with how things turned out.  I am not feeling like I am off to war each time I attend a council meeting! 
Most of the Councillors and our CAO were able to attend the AUMA Convention in Edmonton.  As usual it was a good learning experience as well as a good opportunity for us to get to know one another a bit better.
Coronation has been bustling with activity this past month.  Preparations are well under way for our Centennial Celebrations which will take place July 29-August 1, 2011.  I am the Secretary of the Centennial committee and that keeps me involved in everything.  Secretary is one of my favorite jobs and I actually volunteered.  I have been busy keeping a record of everything and passing along information to the whole community as well as keeping the executive committee connected and "in the loop".  This is a huge undertaking and all of the people who have stepped forward to take on the planning portion are to be commended for their actions.  We are going to need several more volunteers and I just hope they come out of the woodwork sooner than later!
The Kids Christmas Shopping day took place at the hall on December 3.  I was not able to get there due to other committments but I understand that it was a roaring success.  Thanks to the individuals who planned this the children were able to get their Christmas shopping done.  Kind of like going to the mall since it was 'one stop' shopping!  This is a worthwhile event and it is just one more reason why Coronation is a great place to live.
The Community Christmas party was held on December 4.  Once again this was made possible by individuals in our community who put it all together, advertised, arranged for a caterer, volunteer help and a DJ for the dance.  I would consider it to be successful and next year will be even better.  We were part of the Town of Coronation contingent.  I was a little disappointed that not many of the town employees chose to attend even though they were all invited.  Perhaps they will attend in the future once they see what a good time the rest of us had!  Thanks to a very capable and creative office staff we managed to win the prize for the best decorated table.  I know I had a good time, perhaps a little too good of a time, but then I rarely have a bad time - no point in going out if that's the case.  If anybody is actually reading this, please send me the pictures you took.  Just leave a comment on my blog and I will give you my e-mail address.
The school Christmas concert is this Thursday, December 9th.  A week later Gord Bamford is coming to town for a concert.
Anybody who thinks Coronation is a dull place to live just doesn't get out much I do believe!
I am hardly ever home between working, making sure my mom has everything she needs, meetings, curling, bowling and lately going to Christmas parties.  I haven't even done any Christmas shopping yet and it is not on my list of priorities.  I just like to know that I have the "fixings" to have a good meal, and have people around me to enjoy it with.  That is basically my priority since I don't think it is necessary to spend vast amounts of cash to prove we had Christmas.  That's just me.

I can't believe I haven't written anything since July 1st.  I suppose that just goes to show what happens to me when I get busy.  It was a busy summer.  I worked most of the time and my mom had hip replacement surgery in July.

I took mom to have her surgery in Red Deer on July 13.  It went very well and she was discharged from the hospital on July 16.  They sure don't want them in there any longer than they have to be.  Niece Susan came from Calgary to look after Grandma for the weekend which was very much appreciated since I was working and I didn't have Bernie up to speed yet with what mom needed. 

We got into a fairly good routine but it was difficult for mom to get around and do things for herself for a little while anyway.  Home Care was no help at all because things have really changed and what mom needed to have done and what Home Care could actually provide were two different stories. 

I work for Home Care and I was embarassed with the fact that the services are hardly there anymore to care for people who have been discharged home from the hospital.  So we just cared for mom ourselves and all I can say is "thank you Bernie, I love you and you are the best".  If it hadn't been for him I don't know what I would have done, he just took right over and cared for mom when I couldn't be there and for that there are not enough words to express what it means to me and to mom.

Mom had to have daily injections of blood thinner, each morning for 25 days and I think her son-in-law administered more of them than I did.  She couldn't get around in her kitchen for at least a month following surgery and he was there every day when I couldn't be, boiling water, making soup, wrapping up sandwiches and putting everything within easy reach.  It wasn't without the humourous moments and that's what keeps us going!  One day he decided to make chicken noodle soup at home and then take it to mom.  He drove because he wanted to stop at the Post Office for her mail and he was probably intending to go on to Home Hardware for something he always needed.  Anyhow, when he came to a halt at the Post Office the lid of the soup container came off, and it all went flying.  We are still picking noodles out of each crack and crevice of the truck!  LOL  He managed to salvage some of the soup and mom said it was pretty good.

Mom has had a fantastic recovery and she is getting around on her own, takes her cane when she thinks of it and life goes on as usual.  She is 85 years old.

Bernie spent most of the summer in the basement when he wasn't performing his "nurse duties".  Our basement was a wet soggy mess after all the rains.  He gutted it completely.  It was finished quite nicely but we soon discovered that it was not insulated and it needed some TLC anyway.  He framed it and insulated it and discovered new and interesting things about the basement on a daily basis.  At this point in time he is still putting up dry wall and it looks very cozy down there.  His leg muscles sure got a good workout since I lost track of how many times he carried stuff up and down those stairs.  He also became very knowledgable about eaves troughs and gutters.  We think we have everything right now and hopefully we never, ever get the same amount of rain that we got this past spring and summer.  Unbelievable.

Oh Canada!  July 1st and we are celebrating Canada Day.  My status on my Facebook page states that I am proud to be a Canadian.  Well, who wouldn't be?  We live in a wonderful country which is the "true north strong and free", through and through.
Later on today we will stroll on down to Heritage Park to take part in all of the festivities.  The Museum Society sponsors a great day which starts with the singing of our national anthem.  The kids will have races and contests, the museum will be open for tours and we do a lot of sitting around and visiting.  The barbecues are fired up to cook  hamburgers and hot dogs and of course there is a large cake to devour!  The highlight of the day is the Duck Racing.   The Fire Department comes and hoses down Railway Avenue from the top of the hill on the west end.   As the water rushes down the gutter the rubber ducks are thrown in and down they swim.  The first ones over the line win prizes for their "owners".  There are usually four or five races, depending on how many people buy ducks!  I love it, and I never get tired of it. 
We live in such a wonderful and diverse country.  I have been clear across the country and I haven't been anywhere that I didn't think I would fit right in and have a life no matter what.  Being a Canadian holds a special status for those who travel to other countries.  I always feel welcome no matter where we go and we have been to a few places outside of Canada.
I am very disgusted with what went on in Toronto this past week at the G-8, G-20 summit.  Cowards and hooligans who dress all in black and wreck things are not making a very good impression right now.  For those who got "sucked in" by all the stupidity and who are whining because the jail cells are too cold and they were a little thirsty.......well.....cry me a river, I don't feel very sorry for you.  You should not have been there. When you saw trouble coming you should have turned around and ran the other way.  Did your parents not teach you that there are consequences for your actions?
I think that Coronation should host the next summit.  I think we have room here for eight or twenty world leaders.  They would be very welcome and I do believe we could show them a good time.  Just think about it...........We have several people around town who would be only too happy to share their homes for a few days and I don't think we would have any trouble finding billets.  I personally have a nice big yard and a huge deck which could accomodate twenty people or more.  I am not sure how many days this little shindig lasts but I know we could pull it off.  We have a small detachment of RCMP officers who could stand guard if they like, but by the time the rest of the world figures out where Coronation is the event would be done and over with!
I do believe I am on to something here.
As for the trouble makers.  I want you all to know that we here in small town Alberta do not put up with rudeness and violence.  We have our ways and we are not afraid to do whatever it takes to protect our home and our loved ones. So if this event ever makes its way to our fair town all I can say is "Black Bloc, meet Alberta Red Neck".  LOL

We had an awesome weekend in Edmonton even though it was rather tiring.  We spent most of the day Saturday and a good part of Sunday digging in Nicholas's and Pam's yard.  Pam was determined to spruce up their yard so we helped by preparing some of the back yard for trees.  I wasn't a whole lot of help because I am not strong enough anymore to dig up pieces of sod.  I hacked away at the ground, gave advice, went for cold drinks and became the "general contractor"!!

Bernie put trim on the shed that he and Nicholas built last fall and he also gave a lot of advice!!  Some of it was heeded and some of it was politely ignored.  Such is life.  It was fun working outside in the sun and I rather enjoyed the heat for a change.

Rome was not built in a day and yards are not transformed into places of beauty overnight.  It is a process and it will take a lot of sweat and hard work.  They purchased some trees and shrubs on Sunday and got them planted.  The grass is cut, some edging was installed, the front yard was cleaned up and redesigned a bit and the weed whacker did its job.  Now they need to remember to water everything, keep the grass cut once a week and fertilize, fertilize, fertilize!!

We left for home around three o'clock.  On Highway 21 we had a bit of an adventure.  A bicycle flew off the back of an oncoming motorhome just seconds before we met the vehicle.  The bike bounced towards us a few times as we tried to slow down without screeching the brakes too much.  It just missed us.  We had to drive towards the ditch to avoid it but we kept on going because there was a vehicle stopped right behind us and the traffic was horrid.  Thank goodness nobody was hurt or killed because of an unsecure load.  We could see that the motorhome had stopped as well so I guess they could deal with their broken bike.

Other than that we had an uneventful trip.  We got home around six thirty.  Our yard looks like a jungle since the sun shone all weekend long and the grass just grew and grew due to all the rain we had last week!

O.K.  I think we have enough rain and I am actually ready to leave this soggy place and head to drier climates.  California here I come!  I am serious, I have had enough.  So what if the countryside is lush and green?  I don't really care anymore.  Where is the sunshine??  If I hear one more comment about how good the rain is for this part of the country I am going to throw a wreck.  AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

I do believe in global warming and climate change and all that stuff.  So bring on the warming and change for crying out loud.  The interesting thing about crappy weather is that is all anybody talks about, including me.  So I guess it is time to shut up about that and "blog" about something else.

I bought petunias, portulaca, geraniums and a beautiful begonia.  They are all outside and doing quite well considering.  Well, all except the poor portulaca which has rotted.  I will have to get out there between showers and plow it under and get something else started there.  I knew that this would probably be the year for sweet peas but I decided against it because it sounded like too much work to soak the seeds before I put them in the parched earth.  Ha!  I will never be a meteorologist.

To top it all off we are having issues with our water consumption.  We are about 99 percent certain that our water metre is faulty since there is no way that we would use 29 cubic metres of water in a month's time.  We did the toilet tank test, and have determined that it isn't the culprit.  We even turned the water off at the tank overnight and when we check the metre in the morning it has actually moved ahead.  If there is a leak somewhere it certainly isn't obvious so what is that all about?  Unless we have someone tapping into our water supply we cannot figure out why the metre moves when the water is not turned on anywhere.  Today Bernie will march down to the town office and suggest a new metre.

Enough talk about water.

Well I haven't blogged for a whole month.  To all my "fans", sorry about that!

Here are a few pictures that I "borrowed" from somebody's Facebook page.  I think they are fantastic pictures of the day the big storm hit Coronation. This one is looking east along Windsor Avenue.  I love the water tower and the grader in the background.  The one below shows a cattle liner getting stuck right in front of our house. 

We were in Red Deer working at a Casino for the Library when the storm took hold.  I was glad that we didn't get stranded somewhere.  We planned on being there for two days so it all worked out good since we wouldn't have been able to get home very well.  By the time we came home the highways were clear.   We had to shovel a path to get into the house.

This week will be a busy one for me.  I have a council meeting on Tuesday evening, Senior's supper on Wednesday evening, Budget meeting on Thursday evening and on Thursday morning there are supposed to be some government people coming to tour the Assisted Living.  I want to be there for the tour since I am curious to see what they will have to say when they are done looking around at everything.

Other than that I haven't been doing much of anything and really trying to stay out of trouble. 

We have been home for two weeks and I am still marveling at all of the space I have to live with lately.  LOL  As soon as I walked in the house I felt as if the walls were expanding and I lost track of my own sense of space for a while as I adjusted to the new dimensions.  If that didn't make sense just try to imagine standing in the middle of a closet and then move into a room that is four times as large and you might experience the sensation of the walls moving outwards........or not.  Am I losing my mind??

So here we are in the snow and cold and fog.  My that fog sure has everybody on edge.  I think it has something to do with the sun not shining for days on end and causing most human beings to go slightly bonkers or depressed.

I haven't had time to really savor the time spent away from home in the warmth of the sun.  We were home for not even twenty-four hours when I had to deal with a lot of aftermath concerning my most recent squabbles with Town Council.  Well, I call it a squabble, and I am not sure what the rest of them call it since no one really talks to me about anything important. 

I went back to work on Friday the 12th which just happened to be my 56th birthday.   We celebrated with a cake that my mother baked and cupcakes from friend Lois.  Mom even went to the store and got the big number candles so I celebrated in style.  I guess they make those numbers large so we can see them at our age!  ha ha    We had a feast of Chinese food, cake, cupcakes, ice cream and coffee with real cream.  Then we sat in front of the television for the rest of the evening and watched the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

I worked for four days, had a bit of a break, went to some meetings and worked again in Coronation and Castor.  I am going to take a much longer break now and try to catch my breath. 

I didn't really miss winter but I missed my curling and bowling buddies and all the fun we have when we get together. 

The Olympic games have been taking up a lot of my time as well.  We spend most of our time in front of the television watching everything we can possibly watch.  I am so proud of all of our Canadian athletes.  My sister-in-law , niece and nephews are in Vancouver taking in the games and I do hope we hear some good stories when they get back.

Today is Wednesday February 10, 2010 and we have been home in Coronation for two days.  We arrived safe and sound, in the snow and cold, about 3:00 p.m. on Monday the 8th.  While it is nice to be home I miss being away......if that makes any sense.

We left Campland at 8:00 a.m. on Friday February 5/10.  We got all organized and on the way out we stopped to blow the water out of the lines and drain everything since we were headed to the snow and ice again.  We got gas the day before so we were good to go.

We stopped in Barstow for lunch and gas.  I just ran into a Starbucks and got a couple of sandwiches and coffee for me, cold drink for Bernie.  We got gas at a station right in Barstow and had lots of fun getting back onto I-15.  Next time we would stop at Exit 191, get gas at a nice BIG gas station and have lunch at Peggy Sue's Diner.  Ahhhhh, live and learn.

We got to Vegas around 2:00 p.m. and just drove right on through.  It seemed to take forever, but it was about half an hour.  We stopped for gas again at the Las Vegas Speedway.  Gas was getting a bit cheaper now that we were out of California.

We arrived at Desert Skies RV Resort about 4:00 p.m.  I had called the day before to reserve a spot for one night.  It is on the eastern outskirts of Mesquite, Nevada and actually in Arizona, right on the border.  We took a wrong turn before we got there and as we were turning on what we hoped was the right road (of course it was Betty's fault) two people and a dog called out to us and asked if we were heading to Desert Skies.  They told us where it was, just down the hill.

When we got there they were right behind us and as I was filling out the registration form and putting money in the envelope the gentleman greeted me and welcomed us to Desert Skies.  He then invited us to a potluck at 5:00 p.m. in the "Palm Room"!!  We drove to our site and the neighbours on either side introduced themselves and we shot the breeze for a while before settling in.  We took Duke for a walk and also found the washrooms and while we were there the people going to the potluck also invited us to come.  I declined gracefully.  We just got there, had the dog with us, didn't bring any food - the usual excuses.  If we were planning on staying for a while we would probably have gone and it would have been fun!

It rained like crazy during the night, unusual for this part of the world.  Our neighbour from Wyoming said it was 75 degrees the day before.  Now that's more like it!

On Saturday morning we were up at 6:00 a.m.  I made the coffee and went for a shower.  We had a quick breakfast, took the dog for a pee (he is not impressed with getting up so early), cleaned up and put things away.  We dumped our black and grey tanks for the last time (heading to freezing temperatures now), stopped at the bathrooms and left the resort at 7:55 a.m.  Well....we were in Arizona now so it is Mountain time, same as at home, making it 8:55 a.m.  Cripes we were behind before we even got started!

We stopped in Cedar City, Utah for gas at a Shell station at a quarter to eleven.  I wanted to get a loaf of bread at the food store but they didn't sell bread.  Weatherwise it was all right.  It rained before we got to Cedar City and there was lots of snow in the mountains. 

Our next stop was Fillmore to eat.  We just parked in a rest/truck stop (right where a cattle truck had parked - nice).  I made some sandwiches and then went to both "food stores" for bread.  I came away empty handed.  Why do "food stores" not sell bread??  I got milk.

We stopped at a Flying J at Springville for more gas and checked out their food store.  Guess what??  No bread there either.

We finally arrived at Salt Lake and then drove on to Brigham City, KOA which in my opinion was the biggest dump I have ever seen.  It was 5:00 p.m., the office which closed at 6:00 was already closed, the bathrooms looked like they were insect infested at some point in the summer.  There was ice and snow and it had melted a bit.  We found a good spot that was easy to get into.  There were not many people there and it was friggin' cold.  A campground guy came and knocked on our door about 7:00 p.m. looking for money.  We paid but I didn't want to!!  They were supposed to have WiFi but I couldn't get a signal.  There was cable t.v. so we watched a bit and went to bed.

I woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a gut ache from hell.  I quickly stumbled into some shoes and found my jacket and tried to run to the washrooms which was tricky with the ice.  I thought I needed to throw up or something but in the end I didn't.  I wish I had because I felt lousy.  I went back to bed but I did not sleep and I just curled up into a tight ball and lay still thinking that whatever it was that was causing my stomach such distress would just go away.

We left Brigham City at 7:15 a.m. in the fog.  I was getting grumpier and grumpier because I sure didn't feel that good.  Duke was a bit confused at all the early mornings but he just played along.  Bernie drove in silence mostly because when Bonnie gets upset Bonnie is a bear. 

We got to Pocatello, Idaho at 9:30 a.m. and stopped for gas and then at a Jack In The Box for breakfast.  By this time I was hungry and Bernie was craving bacon and eggs.  The last time we ate at a Jack In The Box was in 1987 in Annaheim when we took the boys to Disneyland.  We had burgers and fries, the usual, and about ten minutes later on the drive back to the hotel Brett threw up in the car (in a Disneyland bag!).  Oh brother.  I told that story while we were eating.  It was actually a good memory!

As we drove into the higher elevations it got colder and there was a lot of snow.  We got to the Montana border at 11:50 a.m..  The next gas stop was Dillon at 1:15.  My stomach was not right, again.  I wanted a gingerale but I had to settle for a Coke Zero.  Guess what?  They sold bread in that store.  Now that we were almost home we get the bread.  I would rather have had a Canada Dry!  Oh well.

In Dillon we saw a motorhome from Alberta pulling into a motel and I could have settled for that as well.  Bernie just looked straight ahead and that was my answer! 

Bernie wanted to get gas before we got to Great Falls so he pulled into a Conoco in Helena only to discover that they were closed.  We stopped at a road side rest stop so he could use the "bathroom", and I use that term loosely, and we got to Great Falls in the dark around 6:00 p.m.  Tons of snow, lots of icy streets, Bonnie feels like crap, it is cold and we have to go to an R.V. Park.  There will be changes next time.  Anyhow Bernie watched the second half of the Super Bowl game and I just went to bed.  Duke liked the snow.  To the only people we know in Great Falls - next year we will stay at a motel with a parking lot that can accomodate recreational vehicles and we will have that visit that I promised!! 

On Monday we were up at 5:30 a.m. and trudged through the snow drifts to the bathrooms.  We were out of there by 6:30 and at the Flying J for gas and then on our way.  It was foggy and we also ran into some snow.  The highway is really the greatest thing at this point since it is divided all the way and for the most part in excellent condition. 

We got to the border at 9:00 a.m., stopped for gas and got some smokes for my friend Lois and some beer for us at the Duty Free Shop.  By 9:30 we were on our way.  When we bought the stuff at the Duty Free they asked for our license number and Bernie says, "Charlie Two Charlie Two Zero Zero Two".  After we got in the truck he said he was just dying for somebody to ask because he knew that was how he would respond.  He did the same thing at the border crossing except he forgot the second two so I had to clue him in!!  ha ha  We have fun anyway. 

It snowed pretty much all the way to the border and it was foggy.  When we crossed the border into Canada the fog cleared and the sun shone.  I guess we brought it with us.

We arrived in Taber at 10:30 and had breakfast at the Heritage Inn.  Cactus Corner was our next stop for gas and a bathroom break and we got home at 3:00 p.m. before the sun set on another day.

Welcome home.  The house was the same as we left it.  It took me an hour to get all the stuff from the trailer inside but I did it all because Bernie did all the driving and he looked beat. 

It was a good break from the cold and the snow and we would like to make it an annual affair.

I was sad all day today.  We are starting our homeward journey tomorrow.  I don't want to go....wahhhhh!  I moped around all day.  We went for gas and took the dog for two long walks.  Bernie did a few things outside to get the trailer ready and I cleaned some cupboards and put the barbecue away.  In between times I checked e-mails, etc.  I have caused quite a stir at home with a letter to the editor that I wrote.  I won't get into it. If you want to know more just ask.

We will go as far as Mesquite, NV tomorrow and from there we'll decide how far to go the next day. 

We really enjoyed our stay in southern California and for sure we want to come back every winter.  We like Campland on the Bay and we have checked out some different campsites on the other side of the campground from where we are located in the hopes of reserving one of them for next year.  We just need to decide which months would be the best to go.  Ideally November-March would be nice but I don't know if we can manage it. 

The hardest part for us is to go home now to the cold and snow.  We have to re-winterize the trailer which is so depressing!  We are just going to blow the air out of the lines tomorrow morning before we leave and put anti-freeze in the traps.  We have a small heater which we use instead of cranking up the furnace and using up all the propane but we can use it if we have to.   I am just not looking forward to preparing for the cold.

We liked it in San Diego since there were so many things to see and do and if we just wanted to hang out at the campground all day that was all right too.  We found a Vons store close by on Garnet Avenue and a CVS Pharmacy in the same area.  Vons is like a Safeway and we could even use our Safeway card there for a discount! 

Gas prices are crazy here.  They range anywhere from $2.85 a gallon to $3.19.  At most gas stations here if you pay with a credit card you have to pay ten cents more a gallon.  Today it cost us $56.00 for 3/4 of a tank.  It is still cheaper than at home.  The sales tax is 8.75% and that is very high in my opinion.

We purchased a telephoto lens for the camera at a Target Store in Chula Vista and a new laptop at a Staples here in San Diego.  We found a nice little camera store in Chula Vista where we were able to purchase two little items that we really really needed and that we were not able to find until then:  lens cap holder/savers/thingamadoies.  Ha ha.  That's what I call them.  They are little things that stick on the middle of the lens cap and have an elastic that fits around the lens.  Then the lens cap can just dangle there while you take pictures.  We thought we got a pretty good deal on the lap top - HP Notebook with a 17.3" screen.  Even with the exchange rate on the US dollar I think we did pretty good.  Bernie installed Windows 7 on it and we will figure everything else out when we get home.  It is larger than most because it has a numeric keypad.  I don't really use it anyway but maybe I will.  I am old school - I was taught to "type" and the numbers are at the top of the keyboard.

It was a wonderful time and I am sorry that it is over.  Alas, I have to work on February 12th so we must go home.  Then of course I have meetings to go to and curling games.  We also bowl and it will be fun to get back into that again.

Today we took Duke to Dog Beach.  We thought he should get something out of this extended "holiday".  Who knows what the hell he's thinking.  I mean, do dogs really think?

Anyhow, it is a short drive from our campground to Ocean Beach and that is where Dog Beach is located.  It is a beach area where dogs can be off leash if you so desire.  We don't usually let him off leash except in our yard because he is a Shih Tzu and I emphasize the Shih.

We had a great time, Duke was not sure if he liked it.  In fact he drooled copious amounts of mucous the entire time we were there so I would wager a bet that the entire experience caused him extreme anxiety. 

He is not a dog who takes well to new experiences.  When we take him to dog parks in the campgrounds he stays tangled up in our legs and if he could he would jump into our arms.  He then proceeds to drool on everything and sometimes he throws up when we get back to our campsite.  In fact that is what he did today.

I give up.  I don't think it is necessary to take this animal anywhere except to the obvious places where he likes to relieve himself and then trot briskly back to familiar territory.  He is afraid of everything and I think I like it that way.

We went to Balboa Park today. It was the site of the Panama California Exposition of 1915-16 and the California pacific International Exposition in 1935-36. It is billed as the cultural centre of San Diego since it has museums, theatres and galleries. It is fun just walking around and looking at the buildings constructed in Spanish Colonial architecture. The San Diego Zoo is also in Balboa Park.

We have a pass that will last for seven consecutive days and today was day one. We went to the Model Railroad Museum and the Museum of Man. Of course Bernie is interested in trains so we had to go to that one first. It was interesting. The Museum of Man was good too, in fact I really enjoyed the mummies and shrunken heads. Now that is fascinating. We will go back and see the rest in the next six days.

Yesterday we took a drive to Mount Soledad where there is a memorial to war veterans. The view was fantastic - mountains to the east, ocean to the west, and everything else in between.
The picture at the top of this entry is the memorial.

The sun is shining this morning. We had four days of rainy, windy, stormy weather so I think that's enough now. The campground maintenance people are out and about sweeping and raking up all the leaves and debris laying around. It is still pretty soggy but at least it is not raining, at the moment.

We drove up to LaJolla on Wednesday before the rain came. We watched the surf, it was incredible. The waves were 25-30 feet high is what we were told. I was mesmerized and I took about a hundred pictures! The sound was thunderous and it sure makes you respect nature for what it is.

It is Friday already. We finally have some sunshine. I am about to reveal one of my latest weaknesses, so brace yourself. .......... I play Mario Kart every day! LOL I think I am hooked.

When our boys were growing up they had all the video game systems known to man and a host of computer games. I think it went like this: Atari, Turbo Grafix, Nintendo, and then blah blah blah, I lost track. It was a Play Station or something like that. The boys left home and then I really lost track. All I know is that I played the game "Gorf" on the Vic 20 and I had to wait until the kids were either sleeping or out of the house. After that I was pretty much out of it. I was busy cooking, and cleaning and baking and making lunches, doing laundry, chauffeuring, working and trying to be a wife and mother. I totally missed the eighties on account of all of the above.

We played Wii games at the local library over a year ago and one day Bernie went shopping in Stettler and came home with the game system. We golfed, bowled, played tennis and baseball. I got the Wii Fit and managed to exercise, step dance, hoola hoop and box my way to losing 27 pounds. Oh my god, I still don't believe that one. (I did the Weight Watchers thing as well and I think not eating as much had a lot to do with it.) In any event I "Wiied" every day.

When we got Mario Kart my routine changed forever. Instead of sitting on the computer checking my Facebook status, uploading photos to my albums and playing Scramble I was now trying to win crazy races driving a race car or motorbike. Nuts!! We have a nice big t.v. so the two of us would race against each other on a split screen. Talk about crazy. If my son could see me now. He is still totally stupid when it comes to video games, he never grew out of it.

One day coming home from Stettler I was driving around a curve and I had this image of me drifting (something you do in Mario Kart). I couldn't believe I did that so I tapered off a bit. I can see now why kids get their brains tuned in to these games and they can't tune out. I totally understand.

That is my confession for the day. We have a smaller t.v. in the trailer but we took our Wii with us and I Mario Kart every day...

We are in day four of the Western Wallop. That is what the Weather Network has been calling this very nasty weather system that has struck Southern California. Apparently it is caused by El Nino.........the warmer than average water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, way west of here, are causing low pressure areas that are driven by an extremely fast jet stream. This extreme weather is bringing high winds and torrential rains. As you can tell I have been listening to the weather man!!

On Monday the rains started and we had some terrific winds. We are sheltered in our campsite by the monolithic motorhomes and fifth wheels. Our little unit is in no danger! We sat here and watched the storm roll in and just as the winds picked up we decided we had better roll the canopy in to safety. There was a lot of commotion at the neighbour's site since he wasn't there and some other people decided they should take matters in their own hands and take his canopy down and put things away. He arrived just as they were starting their mission so then he just took over.

Speaking of the neighbour......he is a very interesting guy who likes to talk loud enough so that everyone can hear his conversations whether we want to or not. It has provided us with lots of entertainment so I am not really complaining. The day that we got here, two weeks ago today, he introduced himself and apologized profusely due to the fact that his daughter's car was parked partially in our site. Then for the rest of the weekend he was preoccupied with the girlfriend who came to visit along with her dog.

After the weekend we listened to his phone conversations with the girlfriend. Apparently she puts the dog before him and he just can't go on like that anymore. It took three days but he finally broke up with her - on the phone!! Well, that is our take on it because we just heard one side of the conversation. It was better than t.v.

I was successful in uploading my photos to my Facebook page. I was pretty excited when I saw the good shots I got of the whales. It really is just hit and miss because first you have to see it, then you have to point the camera in the right direction and then it is just rapid shooting to catch all the action. We bought a new telephoto lens at a Target store in National City about ten days ago. It sure makes a difference in getting a good shot. However, sometimes I am so busy taking pictures that I forget to take in the sights.

There is bad weather on the way. The forecast is for rain, rain and more rain. I think it is to start tonight and end on Thursday. Apparently the storm is supposed to bring eight inches to the coastal areas and up to thirty inches in the mountains. That is hard to even imagine. We don't even get eight inches of rain all year! I am not looking forward to it but I guess it is still better than thirty below, blizzards and ice.

In preparation for the rain we moved the picnic table under the canopy so we can at least have some place dry to use the barbecue, etc. I try not to cook too much inside because it just stinks the trailer up and it is not really necessary. We don't use the shower either, there are good showers here. It saves on propane. When I wash dishes I just heat water in the kettle and we don't even bother firing up the hot water heater. Our sensors are not working that great in our holding tanks. Bernie emptied everything and the black tank still said it was 2/3 full. So we bought some stuff to put in the holding tank to dissolve everything and I hope that helps to clean the sensors as well. I told him that it was because he put his well-chewed tobacco down the toilet a few times. Who knows. That made him mad.

The big football game is on today and I am sure most of the campers are watching the Chargers play the Jets. As I write this San Diego is winning 7-0. Bernie is watching - sleeping on the couch.

People have different set ups and we walk around the camp ground checking everything out getting some ideas. We are probably going to get a screened in "porch" to set up under the canopy. It actually gives you another room, and we can use the room. Without the extra length and without a slide we are kind of cramped in here. So we will be looking for something like that to set up for future camping. A lot of people also have t.v.s outside. Some are actually on brackets on the side of their trailers. I am not so sure I would go that far, but you never know. If we had a screened in area we could set the t.v. up on the stand and watch it out there. Apparently this is especially important for football games. One of our neighbours has a clothes horse outside which I think is a very good idea. Most campgrounds discourage clotheslines. They say that they are unsightly. So we end up throwing towels over the chairs, or on the canopy support or over the table. I don't know what looks worse - clothes on a line or the current method. So a clothes horse would be a good investment as well. We also need a better rug for the ground. We are currently using one that I used to have in the back of the van. It is all right, but I think it will rot over time since it is not really supposed to be for outdoor use. Bernie wants to get better chairs as well. We are looking for some that are like recliners. We saw some in the campground in Outlook, Sask. this summer but we haven't been able to find them in any stores yet. I should have asked them where they bought them. Too late now.

One day just blends in with another and some days I have a hard time remembering what I did!! I guess that is what retirement feels like. I send e-mails to people and I think I am more chatty and being a bit more descriptive about what it is we are doing here than I am in this blog. I might have to go back to some of my sent items and cut and paste!!

Today is just a day to hang out and do some housekeeping stuff. I washed and dried three loads of clothes, made lunch and watched the Oilers game online. They lost, what else is new? It is Bernie's 56th birthday today and he is doing a whole lot of nothing. There are football games on all weekend long so he will read, do the suduko in the newspaper, and watch football. Since the day that Duke ate all the rawhide treats he hasn't been feeling great. He had diarrhea the day after he did that, then he seemed to be on the mend and now he is back to having the runs again. Poor little guy. He just lays around and sleeps.

We went whale watching yesterday. We left here at 8:30 for the drive downtown. By the time we found a parking spot, walked to the dock, got our boarding pass and stood in the line it was 9:15, the time they told us to be there! We left on the Marietta at 9:45 a.m. and had a nice rolling ride out to the open waters of the Pacific. To the east we could see Tijuana. We were out for about an hour and a half before we saw a whale. It didn't amount to much so we moved on and sure enough we got quite a show. I got some fairly good pictures which I am hoping to post on my Facebook page. We got back to to shore about 1:15 and went for lunch at Anthony's Fish Grotto. After that we strolled along Seaport Village and poked around the shops before coming home. It was a long time for Duke to be alone and he had two poops which is very uncharacteristic for him. So of course I had to clean everything and by the time I was done I was bushed! Nevertheless it was a good day and I am glad for everything that we did.

Wow! I can't believe I haven't written anything since Saturday. The weather here continues to be warm and sunny and some days it is actually HOT. That's why we came so I am really enjoying it.

We have been to see a few things since Saturday. Today we took a tour of the USS Midway. It is HUGE. The day before yesterday we went to the Maritime Museum and toured the ships they have there as well as taking a tour of the Bay in a pilot boat. It was interesting. When we got to the water front today there were two cruise ships loading passengers. My god those things are big. I have never seen one close up like that before.

When we were gone to the Maritime museum we left the dog behind in the trailer as usual. When we got back he had managed to get into an opened bag of rawhide treats that we had left on the table. I am sure he had fun eating them but it was not so much fun for him yesterday because he had the runs all day long. We just stayed close to home.

There are things to do here in the campground if you want to do them. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings there are Yoga and Low Impact Aerobics and water aerobics on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I haven't been yet - mainly because it is in the morning, early in the morning.

San Diego is in the midst of Charger fever. The NFL team is in a division final game on Sunday. We saw them play their last game of the season on January 3rd and the parking lot was crazy with tail gate parties and revellers. I can just imagine what it will be like on Sunday. The city installed two lightning bolts on top of City Hall and there is a barber shop in Chula Vista which is doing a brisk business shaving heads and designing bolts. I could care less but it is amusing to watch everything and everyone get "charged" up for the game.

The weatherman is talking about cooler weather and a storm. What????? I have to listen to the weather tonight and hear what that is all about. It is not supposed to be cool here. LOL

We had a visit from the Park Ranger today just to check out our site and make sure we had everything hooked up properly. We had to get another connector for our sewer hose because they want to make sure it is screwed on tightly to the sewer thing in the ground. We don't like to leave it hooked up all the time anyway, but it is a requirement. Whatever, sewer is sewer - inevitable.

We had to be at Campground School at ten o'clock - early for us. There were eleven others there besides ourselves. There were about 20 rules and we had to check each off as the Campground Ranger went through things. It took about half an hour and then it was done. I thought we were supposed to go this afternoon but Bernie wanted to go in the morning because there is a football game on that he wants to watch.

During "question period" I asked about the cats that wander at will throughout the campground. The lady living behind us told me she feeds the feral cats. That gave me a nice warm feeling. So I asked about the cats and if they were feral cats. I guess some are and some aren't - that was the answer. They make sure that the feral cats are neutered and free of disease and that's about it, they just go wherever they want. Yesterday one tried to get in the trailer and I gave it the boot. The ducks wander around all over the place too and we had to clean up duck poop from our outside rug this morning. I guess that's roughing it. ha ha

The guy next door has a huge dog, friendly, but huge. Every time Duke goes outside he drools all over the place. I think the big dog makes him nervous. He is slowly getting used to this new place, but I think he misses Chula Vista. He'll get over it.

When we were at Chula Vista we would walk from the campground to the nearest strip mall; or we would go on a longer walk between freeways along bike and walking paths. There were always homeless people strolling along the way. They sleep under the freeway. I am kind of glad not to have to navigate around them anymore when we go for a walk. Now we have to dodge ducks and cats.

So we moved to a new camp ground yesterday and it is definitely quieter at night anyway! I guess we can't get away from noise unless we camp in our back yard.

We pulled in here yesterday afternoon, registered and then drove to our site. Oh dear, it was not a pull through (Bernie's favorite for obvious reasons), but he managed and he got it backed in like a pro. It didn't hurt that the two directly across from us were unoccupied. We met the neighbour right away. Of course he told at least half his life story in the first five minutes. I seem to have that effect on people, I don't know what it is but they want to talk to me! Oh well, he seems nice enough and he was embarassed that one of the vehicles in his site was partially parked on our "property". We were good little Canadians and said that we didn't mind, "no problem", "don't worry about it".......yeah, you know the drill!

I had a wicked headache all day and I sure wasn't much help setting up. My head finally felt better about eight o'clock last evening.

We are very close to the water here and the beach. There are two swimming pools, hot tubs, all the other amenities like a store, laundromat and even a restaurant. I haven't checked all that out yet but I will today. Of course there is a marina; something which I do not understand since we are land lubbers.

We are staying here for a month so that means we have to go to "orientation" on Saturday. I am not sure what they are going to do with us but it is a rule and of course one has to follow the rules! We had to make copies of vehicle registrations and insurance and our driver's licenses. We also had to fill out a form and sign a declaration stating that we read all the rules. It is supposed to be a very hot day on Saturday and I would like to enjoy it so I hope "camp ground school" does not take all afternoon!

This place is crowded, I guess it is popular. Sea World is across the Bay and we are on Pacific Beach. There is a wild life sanctuary bordering the campground and I would like to check that out as well. Duke doesn't want to be outside, just to do his business and then he hops right back in the trailer. I guess that is a good thing because when we go for walks on the beach we can't take him because no dogs are allowed and we also would like to go and do things that require leaving him behind. The neighbours have dogs and he has met at least two of them.

We get more sun here than we did at the previous campground and I plan on taking full advantage of that.

We are moving to Campland on the Bay tomorrow. On Monday we went to check it out and then reserved for a month. It is cheaper than this place and hopefully not as noisy.

We are right beside the freeway and there is constant noise. Then there is noise in the campground what with the maintenance workers blowing leaves, cutting grass and putting the finishing touches on the playground. My ears can't take anymore!!

I am looking forward to a different view even though this place is nice and we have grass and trees right beside us. It will be that way there too and hopefully we won't be as shaded because it does get cool. I guess you can't have it all and at least it is not thirty below.

We decided to stay in San Diego because it is warm here. This is really the only place besides southern Arizona, which is experiencing warm temperatures. The rest of the country has had cold, snow, storms and rain. So we are congratulating ourselves on choosing the right place at the right time.

I am struggling a little bit with the size of our trailer. When we bought it we had a smaller truck and so that was a big consideration. Now that we have a bigger truck we could pull a heavier trailer. We bump into one another a lot and some days it drives me nuts with the stuff laying around (just like at home). Bernie was laughing at me the other day when I cleared a path on the table. He was wondering when I would "break". He likes his stuff all around him and he likes lots of stuff. I could live without much and it wouldn't bother me, but not him. I just go outside when I can't take being cooped up or when I can't look at the clutter one more minute.

The one good thing is that it doesn't take long to clean the place up. Not that I am obsessive about cleanliness but I do like things to be clean, neat and tidy most of the time.

We bought a few things for the trailer yesterday and today we got some supplies like water and beer. Bernie dropped the case of beer right beside the truck. One can rolled out and the lady who parked beside us ran over it. It was 17 for us and 1 for the parking lot.

We went to a San Diego Chargers game today. The Washington Red Skins were in town for the game. There were a few Washington fans there but it was mostly blue. It was quite an experience attending an NFL game what with the tail gate parties in the parking lot and the exuberant fans. We had seats on the fifty yard line, field level, five rows up. They were right behind the home team, nice but the view was obstructed......We basically stood for the entire game which was an experience in itself. Everybody stands, all the time no matter where they sit.

For twenty bucks we rode a MTS (Metro Transit System) bus that left from the Chula Vista High School, not far from here, and took us right to Qualcomm Stadium. We were glad that we found that bus because we didn't have to drive and we didn't have to take the trolley which would have meant transferring. It is probably easy but when you don't know where you're going nothing is easy!

It was 23 C when we left for the game and it stayed hot and sunny throughout the afternoon.

This was a nothing game for the Chargers because they are already in the playoffs but I really thought the fans deserved a lot better than they got. The second stringers played the last three quarters of the game and just about lost it to boot. We didn't see the end because we were nervous about getting out of there in time to get on the bus (the place holds about ninety thousand people), so we left with about three minutes left in the game and the Chargers were down by four points. They ended up scoring a touchdown to give them the win with 39 seconds left. That was nice for the fans but it still sucked that they didn't get to see the best players play the game.

Duke was a good boy and stayed "home" in the trailer for the day. We left the blinds open a bit on the window by the table so he could perch on the bench seat and look out if he wanted to. I think that is where he chose to stay and sleep and keep guard because the pillow I left there for him was very warm to the touch when we got home!! He is getting used to his surroundings and I am glad because there is nothing worse than a nervous dog. Well......I guess a nervous Bonnie is pretty bad too. lol

We are trying to decide where to spend the remainder of our time away from home. I kind of like it here in southern California mainly because the weather is so nice. Bernie is getting restless and wants to see different things and go different places. We will decide before Jan. 7th since we are paid up at this campground until then.

So that was our day today. Bernie is happy because he finally got to see a NFL game in person. He loves his football. I'm happy that we went but it is not something I could really get into. I like my CFL and my Riders and that is about as far as I go.

Tomorrow and in the next couple of days we will go to Balboa Park to use our pass to see all the sights there.

I forgot to say "Happy New Year everybody" yesterday, so I will say it today. We didn't do anything special for New Year's Eve, in fact we were in bed and sleeping before midnight (as usual).

I did wake up to the sounds of fireworks but I didn't bother to get up and investigate. I'm sure they were spectacular with or without me seeing them.

We are enjoying our time in sunny California. Today, January 2, it was 70 degrees. I spent part of the morning soaking up the sun by the pool. I went for a quick dip but the water seemed kind of cold.....I guess that's why there is a hot tub.

The day after we arrived here I bought a swim suit. I didn't even have one anymore and I can't remember the last time I went swimming. I think it was in 1988, no kidding. My how the time goes by. Yes, it was the summer of 1988 when we went on a fabulous driving holiday through North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana. We went to two Blue Jays games in the Metrodome and then toured through the Black Hills taking in all the tourist attractions. Almost every motel we stayed in had a pool and that was one of the hottest summers on record I think. I am sure that was the last time I went swimming. I can't believe it.

Anyway, I digress.

We went to the San Diego Zoo on the 30th and we have a week long pass to go to Balboa Park which is a lot of museums and things to see.

Duke is good and really likes staying in the trailer and keeping an eye on things. He doesn't even bark anymore when people walk by. I would hazard a guess that almost 75 percent of the campers here have dogs.

It rained on Tuesday evening but other than that the weather is perfect. It is nice and green here. We walked about three miles on the 31st. There is a farmer's market near here every Thursday so we walked to the downtown area. Not many vendors there because it is New year's Eve, but we had a look anyway.

Yesterday we took a drive along Harbour Drive and enjoyed the sailing vessels and big ships. We continued on a scenic drive and ended up at Point Loma which was discovered by Cabrillo in 1542. The lighthouse there has been restored. It was used in the eighteen hundreds for about forty years.

We stopped at a Pizza Hut, which is in a strip mall close to where we are staying, on the way back and I went in and ordered up a large pizza to have for supper back at the campground. It seemed to take forever and I was starving (as usual). When we got back to the campground there were five police cars at the entrance with cops all over the place. They let us in without an explanation. There is a security gate which closes at eight o'clock so we feel safe here anyway.
Today they were still around although not as many of them. When I asked at the store why the police were around I was told that there was a robbery at the strip mall yesterday and the police were looking for somebody. Well, I guess it wasn't the Pizza Hut they robbed at any rate.

Today we went to a shopping mall. Not my favorite thing to do but we were looking for a camera store or at least a department store that sold cameras. We wanted to look at getting a zoom lens for our camera and we really needed a new lens cap with a little elastic thingy on it so I don't drop it every time I take it off. We were unsuccessful in our quest.

I could just stay here and not go anywhere else. We are paid up until Jan. 7th so I guess we have to decide what to do before then.

I see there have been wind chill warnings for Coronation.......I hope the nasty stuff doesn't last too long. And I hope that the weather smartens up to be a lot milder by the time we get home.

Today would be a shorter drive since we were going to stay in Salt Lake City a 336 km drive.

We slept in a little later than usual and were on the road by 9:30 a.m.

It was still pretty cold in the trailer. I was glad that Bernie threw in the little electric space heater at the last minute. I finally ditched my boots and found my runners!

The day was basically uneventful and we arrived in Salt Lake City and found the campground without too much trouble. We arrived about 1:30 p.m. which was nice. Bernie could get a rest since so far he has done all the driving.

The KOA had a code for the bathrooms and showers. Once again we were close to the facilities.

The fog came and went and there were also a few snow flurries, but nothing to get excited about.

On Monday December 21 we were up very early and on the road by 7:25 a.m. It was -4 C.

This would be the last leg for a while since our destination was Las Vegas. I drove a short leg of the journey until we got to Cedar City where we stopped for gas. We also found a Wal Mart Super Centre and shopped for groceries and dog food (of course). We grabbed a bite to eat at the McDonalds. The store was very crowded with Christmas shoppers.

All went well on this journey even though there were a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns through the mountain passes.

"Betty" got us straight to the KOA on Circus Circus Drive right on the Strip. We made it without taking any wrong turns.

The "campground" was a huge parking lot. We got a site with a little grass strip and a table and chairs. There was a swimming pool and hot tub which nobody used and of course the store.

The most important thing was that there was no snow and that was why we came. We planned to stay in this campground until December 27th.

It was windy and kind of cool for a couple of days in Vegas. In fact it was so windy one night that I was afraid it would blow the trailer over, or at least blow our t.v. antennae off the trailer.

It was here that the snow finally melted for good from the back of our truck!

We went for many walks on the strip and took in the sights. Our site was right behind Circus Circus. It was also right next to the freeway so there was a lot of noise from the traffic day and night. The airport was very close as well so lots of planes and helicopters went over all the time.

We decorated for Christmas with some lights outside. Bernie took a small branch from a tree in Idaho and we put it in a jug of water and wrapped tinsel around the whole thing. We wore Santa hats and took our picture with our tree!

On Christmas Eve we left Duke behind for a while and we walked the Strip. We ended up in a shopping mall and brought home chicken for Christmas dinner the next day.

It was nice - sunny and warm on Christmas Day and the wind went down considerably. We called my sister's place and talked to Carol and Gord and Tracy and my mom. Bernie tried calling his mom and sister but they were not answering their phone.

We packed up the truck and drove to the Hoover Dam. It was not very far and easy to find. There was a huge line up of vehicles just to get to the parking lot. Since it was Christmas Day the visitor's centre was not open, nor were the bathrooms. There were a LOT of people there. We just parked the truck in the first spot we found and we walked and walked and walked some more. The funniest thing I heard was a little girl about nine years old saying to her dad, "We came all this way to look at some water. That's not very interesting." LOL

Once we got back to our little home on wheels we were ready for our Christmas feast of chicken.

On Boxing Day we found a Wal Mart and did a little shopping and we also stopped on the way back at a car wash. The truck was very dirty and it looked a whole lot better once it was clean. When we drive in the winter time at home we never wash the vehicle and everybody's looks the same with a lot of road dirt on it all the time. Then we come to a place where the weather conditions are very mild and warm and everybody's vehicles shine........don't want to be too different! Our trailer was kind of dirty as well and we would need to find an R.V. or truck wash to get it clean again.

December 27th saw us heading further south to even warmer climates. We got off to an early start for the 538 km drive. Of course we had to head through more mountain passes, but not nearly as bad as on the way to Vegas from Salt Lake.

We kept on watching the temperature gauge in the truck go higher and higher and we got more excited as the day went on!! Hurray! Warmer temperatures ahead!

We didn't stop much, just for gas and we ate lunch in the trailer in a Home Depot parking lot in Barstow.

We arrived in San Diego about 4:00 p.m. at the Metro San Diego KOA in Chula Vista. The temperature was about 20 C. at that time.

The campground is very nice with palm and cedar trees all over the place. Our site is very close to the store and the showers, etc. It is rather noisy because we are right beside a freeway, but I don't care, it's warm.