Yippee!! Holidays have begun!

Well finally our holidays have begun.  I had to admit that I really needed to just get away and do a whole lot of nothing.  Today is July 6 so I have some catching up to do.  I can't get my laptop connected to the wireless internet here at the Park Royal RV Resort in Penticton so I have to use either a touch screen or a little teeny weeny keyboard that will probably crater after I am done with it.  I like to really pound that keyboard; that is how we learned to type way back in the "olden days" when Mrs. Appenheimer was our typing teacher.  Those were the days.  Anyhow, I digress and that will certainly be another topic for my blog at a later date!


We left home on July 3rd, later in the afternoon than I would have liked but Bernie had some yard work left to do. He pulled the trailer around to the front of the house so it was easier to get the last minute things loaded up.  I packed more junk food and beverages in every nook and cranny I could find.  It's a good thing we don't have to pull into the weigh stations since we would probably be over the limit!  The truck got cleaned inside and out earlier in the week so that made me happy.  The trailer was behaving properly except that the stupid pump sounded like it was going to jump right out of the cupboard.  I ignored it since we only need it when we are somewhere on the road and otherwise we would be hooked up to a water line. Last year we had problems with the drain hoses leaking all over creation but that problem seemed to solve itself. I had gently suggested to Bernie that he write things down that he did and how he fixed it so that if it occurred again he would know which valve to open, which one to close, what pipe fills what, etc. etc. etc.  He didn't do it and then this year when we had some issues he says, "A person should just write this stuff down and label things and.......etc. etc."  Okey dokey.

The house keys and security system details were handled by our trusty friend Lois and other details and phone numbers etc. were entrusted to a couple of other people.  This was just in case, and usually nothing happens anyway.  I neglected to inform Home Care that I would not be around so if any of you girls are reading this ..... now you know.  I also want to thank those co workers of mine who not only traded shifts with me so that I could take vacation time now but also the same people who filled in for me when I could not work because of my back problems. I still have a fair amount of pain and my right leg and hip are pretty much useless.  Walking is an issue.

We left for Golden, B.C. and the Whispering Spruce Campground around 3:30 p.m.  Not bad, only three and a half hours after I thought we would leave.  I cannot help with any of the driving.  We did not make many stops.  The UFA Cardlock in Hanna was a handy place to pull in for gas and we stopped for a lunch break and a walk with the dogs at the Morin Bridge, or at least I think that is what it is called.  We bypassed Calgary and went through Airdrie and Cochrane.  There is a huge gas station and truck stop by Cochrane where we also stopped for gas.  We are learning where all the good places are so we don't have to turn the trailer around at a right angle to the truck! 

The drive on #1 highway past Canmore and Banff took a long time but I have to say that the road crews did a great job of getting that highway open to all traffic in such a short time.  We could see just from the highway what an awful mess the flooding made of everything.  I am so grateful that we did not have to experience what those poor people are going through right now especially in High River.  We certainly have advantages to living in the east country.

The dogs are good travellers and they do not make near as many demands as our kids used to make while we were on holidays years ago.  "Are we there yet?"  "Where are we?"  "I have to pee."  "I puked."  Oh what memories we have. 

We got to the campground at 10 p.m.  I was exhausted so I can't even imagine how Bernie was feeling.  Of course the office was closed at 9:00 p.m. so we just went and found a spot and pulled in for the night.  It did not take long to set up because of the late hour and we were just plain tired.  The ground was covered in pine tar.......at least that is what I am calling it.  The spruce trees are beautiful but they tend to leave sticky stuff everywhere.  The dogs desperately need a grooming and that didn't help the sticky situation.  We got our chairs out and enjoyed a cool beverage and to heck with the sticky paws, sticky shoes, sticky everywhere.  It was late to begin with and later before we finally said good night, sleep tight and see you in the morning!