62 Years!

This Blog was created to chronicle our travels in Mexico but has since morphed into something else entirely. Our periodic Mexico travels are still in here but if that is why you came here, you will have to dig a little to get to it. Try searching the Blog Archive in the right hand column.
62 Years!
The TV guy came back today with all the parts he needed to move the dish to the other end of the house. We had a short discussion on running all the wire in the attic instead of inside the rain gutters but he said new company rules did not allow him to go into attics for insurance reasons. I don't like it but that's the way it is. Anyway, not his fault and I was very happy with the signal he got in the end. A "perfect" signal strength of 95 and 11.1 dB on the new, smaller dish. I am happy but if that cable causes the gutters to plug up, they will be hearing about it.and getting a bill.
In other news:
I drove down to Shawnigan on Sunday for my Daughter In Law's 50th birthday party. The bad part was sleeping in the back of my car which is not as comfortable for my 6' 4" frame as I had hoped. It was all my fault as the couch I usually sleep on was vacant, I just wanted to try the back of the SUV for future reference. I discovered two things: 1) If I drink more than two beer, I have to make several trips to a big tree overnight and, 2) There is no way to open the rear door of my SUV from inside so these trips to the tree required crawling to the side door and exiting from there. The good part of the trip was was buying a pint of fresh oysters on the way home. I hate patting myself on the back but I cooked them to absolute perfection - done but not overdone! There were enough for three meals of fried oysters and mashed potatoes! Tonight I am watching the Blue Jays four game sweep of the Yankees! One inning to go and it is 8-5. Life is good!
The Shaw Direct repairman was here yesterday and agreed with me that my dish needs relocating to the far end of the house. He also noted that the mount on the old dish was so badly rusted that the whole assembly needs replacing. Unfortunately, he did not have the required materials with him and will have to come back in a week.
In order to get me by until then, he tweaked the dish a little to get a stronger signal. The path is still going through the tree branch but the signal is now strong enough to give me the minimal required signal strength and it is working just fine (fingers crossed).
Here is the path to the three Shaw Direct satellites as seen with the app on his phone. Only one satellite is obstructed but that must be the one that carries all the channels I watch.
"Well, HERE's yer problem!"
I don't know if you have heard but Donald Trump is threatening to annex Canada and turn us into "his" 51st State. You've got to be kidding me! Who in their right mind would want to be part of Trump/Musk's country? Canada has a higher standard of living, much better (and cheaper) medical care, better working conditions, we retire earlier and live longer. And even better, we are happier! We have higher literacy and education rates I know I have missed a bunch of things but you get the idea, We have no intention of becoming "Americans". In order to force us into doing as we are told, Trump is threatening our economy by introducing what he thinks are crippling tariffs on Canada (as well as Mexico). Will he take the final step and send his military against his neighbour? You tell me. He is certifiably crazy so who knows? Would that be the final step that would make the American people stop him? I don't know.
So what can we do? Stop travelling to the US. I decided for myself back in December that I would not spend a dime in the US as long as Trump is in power and the GOP is in charge. That means no travel there. Period. Several European countries have put travel bans and advisories into effect since Trump's "Alien Enemies Act" has started allowing customs to search phones for any evidence of activities they don't like, even talking critically of the child king. My granddaughter has been planning a destination wedding in Florida for later in 2025 but I will not be there. I know I will not be popular but I will live with that rather than live with the disappointment in myself if I were to go and spend thousands to encourage that reddest of red States to continue what they are doing. If I did that I could not live with myself. I hope she will see the light and cancel or move the wedding. I am sure she would lose deposits but so be it. I would help her out if that were the case.
The other thing I can do is stop buying anything made in the USA. Canadians have really taken this to heart and are using various websites and apps the avoid anything that is a product of the USA. Grocery shopping has become an adventure involving Internet on cell phones and magnifying glasses. Liquor store shelves have been stripped of US liquor, beer and wine. Everything Canadians buy is getting a hard look for country of origin and stores are slowly beginning to cooperate by labelling shelves of Canadian made items. Items from other, more friendly countries are just fine but the US has proven to be anything but friendly to Canada.
Canada is working to develop markets for our goods that previously went to the US. The EU is proving to be willing customers and I would far rather see our raw materials and manufactured goods go there. Canada has just cancelled our huge deal with the US for 88 F-35 fighters. We may have to take the few that we have paid for in advance but no more. Maybe the US's new best friend Russia will take the rest of them complete with the rumoured software "kill switch" that Trump or Musk can activate at will. The newest Saab fighter is cheaper, more reliable and much easier to fly and maintain and Saab has promised to build a factory in Canada to produce them. It is past time to cut our military and financial ties to our hostile neighbour to the south. Canada is "Strong and Free" and will remain so.
Not much to report but I just thought it was time to come back and say, "Hi". I am and have been well, no problems other than the same old 80 year old aches and pains. I spent Christmas and New Years down in Victoria visiting my friend Penny. She hasn't been feeling top notch lately so we didn't do anything wild and crazy, just hung out around her place. I took down a baked, stuffed Sockeye Salmon so that was a big hit. I also took down two "large", fresh Dungeness crabs which were very good but not as large as I have bought in previous years although the price has certainly gone up! I paid $82 for two not so large (but the largest they had) crabs where last year two actual "large" ones cost just over $60. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at her son Mike's nearby house being entertained by her four year old grandson, A.J. It was a good time.
On my way home I stopped for a short overnight visit with my son Brooks and LindaLee. Brooks is busy working on a huge fencing project, installing several kilometres of chain link around a huge animal rescue shelter. The fence goes through forest and over creeks so involves a lot of clearing and packing of heavy rolls of fencing through the bush. It is keeping him and his crew busy trying to keep to the contractual deadlines but they will do it and there is a large payday waiting at the end. I got home on January 5th, worn out and ready to relax in front of the TV for a few days. Now, if I could only renew my friendship with Kelly's cat who has been giving me the cold shoulder since I came home with scent of five cats and two dogs on me!
Back in October or November the generator quit starting, I did not want to put plates on it to take it in so I just left it for the winter, trying it every month to no avail. It cranked enthusiastically but no start. I finally got it started a week or so ago after a long drive and it ran perfectly. It still needed a service so I took it in to the local White's Diesel & Marine on July10. It had not been serviced since 2012. Yes, I know! I started it before I dropped it off and it chugged, rattled and smoked so I shut it off and tried again, It started and ran perfectly!
I left it with them and after one and a half hours they had it done. Just a regular service, plug, filter(s), oil change and carb adjustments. I paid the $325 Canadian bill and drove away with a perfectly functioning generator! FYI, the last time I had it serviced was in 2012 in Yuma, Arizona on our way into Mexico. They did the exact same service and charged me $180 US twelve years ago. Almost as much (after conversion) as I paid up here. I am happy! The furnace does not work but that is another story. It has eaten circuit boards for years so I may convert it to a "Buddy" propane heater. If it goes bad, you throw it away and buy another!
It was time!
The motorhome has been parked for seven years with only one break, the 2019 trip to the Okanagan. Before now it has never had a "real" service, just repairs as needed through our travels. It was running beautifully when it was parked It has had an oil change at least every year, more than required along with whatever inspections they do with oil changes. It also has a transmission service many years ago as a result of a disastrous / comical oil change in southern Mexico. Nothing ever caused any concern. It has 78.000 miles (128,500 kilometres) on it. I put new rear brakes on it the last time I parked it.
Yesterday I took it into Seymour Services, a highly recommend local independent garage. I explained everything to the service manager and told him to pretend it was his own vehicle and do what was required. I knew it was going to be expensive (and it was). I left it in his hands with instructions to call me for authorization on anything extraordinary, and he did so three times.
I picked it up this afternoon and they had done: Lube & oil, parking brake service, Transmission service (without fluid change - it was still good), new front brakes, brake fluid flush, replace fuel filter, replace air filter, exhaust service (some loose manifold bolts), replace differential oil, installed new wiper blades and carefully inspected everything else. The bill was $3,400 CAN or $2,500 US). Not bad considering all the services it has missed over the years.
I left there and drove to the Onan generator place and made an appointment for service. I was on my way home and on a whim I stopped at the local auto detailing shop. I was going to clean it myself but one side was covered in moss/mold from being parked up against a tall hedge for seven years and it would have been a tough job. They offered to do it properly for $200 less a $25 coupon I found in Norma's papers. While the detail shop manager was inspecting the rig we talked a bit about it and he indicated he was looking for a motorhome! Well! I was looking for a buyer and he said he would take it for a test drive when it goes in tomorrow! I have become 95% sure I want to sell it, The price of gas and the cost of RV parks and travel medical insurance makes the type of travel we loved so much farther out of reach every year. I will be 80 next year so it is probably time to hang up the keys, I will see what he offers and sleep on it. The price of RV's skyrocketed during Covid and is still up there. It is a 2005 that I bought "new" in 2007 in Texas when the Canadian dollar was at par and when I checked what it was worth now, I was shocked! With luck I will not lose all that much for the 17 years I have owned it,
Update(s) to follow.
I'm still here! I haven't posted for a while because I have done nothing travel related but I am well. I just completed another voyage around the Sun and celebrated my 79th birthday a few days ago. My friend Penny invited me down to Victoria where she wined and dined me at an All You Can Eat Sushi restaurant. It was delicious and we both walked away full! Penny's son Mike (and Erynn) also included tickets for a concert by an Eagles Tribute Band that was very good. It was a good birthday! I stayed around Victoria for a few days and then headed home, stopping at my son's place in Shawnigan Lake on the way. His work schedule is crazy and I don't get to see him near often enough! It seems he just started his company and now he is talking about retirement but when I think about it he is almost as old as I was when I retired! Time flies!
I have been looking after my friend (and sometimes house guest) Kelly's cat, Grace. while Kelly went on a cruise. I tried to avoid it but agreed in the end and am so happy I did. She is no trouble and is old enough (10) to just want to hang out with me and chill. I feed her and clean her litter once a day but other than that I don't even know she is around except for when I get up from my TV chair to get a coffee and she is on my lap! Kelly's daughter and my friend Brian dropped in regularly while I was gone and made sure she was not lacking in companionship, food, water and treats! Kelly is back from her cruise and will be taking Grace back home to Nanaimo later today. I will miss the little girl but Kelly has more plans to leave her with me a few times over the summer. Needless to say, Kelly got back before me and the house is totally spotless with new bedding on my bed. She is the ideal house-guest!
The weather is improving and they have already declared water restrictions. And this is just shortly after having to open the dam because the reservoir was too full! Campbell River does not have a water shortage problem, it has a water delivery problem! New housing is being built at a crazy rate but the water mains have not been updated. On top of this, it is going to be another hot, dry summer with forest fires. maybe a new record for the Province. It will mean lots of staying inside and in my case with the furnace fan running to try to maintain a positive pressure to keep the smoke out. At least some of it!
Anyway, all for now. I hope all my Blogging / RV'ing friends are well, I do enjoy keeping track of everyone as much as possible.