What a busy day we had today! We had my last strength training session in Courtenay with Paul. Today he really was a torturer as he increased the reps I was doing on the difficult Bulgarian Split Squats, as well as the Banded Squats. He told me today that I took all of my weight 54 times on my legs, doing the squats. I told him “I need to lose weight, to make those squats easier then!” I was sad to have my last session with Paul as I’ve made such great progress under his care. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be in the shape I’m in now and able to walk without limping, without having sought Abbie and Paul out back in December when we arrived. And coincidentally they had just arrived too from Vancouver so I got in on the ‘ground floor’ so to speak with a great team who watched over me like a hawk while I re-habilitated my leg and got a lot stronger. I sure wish Newman had a HUGE bathtub so I could go and take an Epsom salts bath tonight. OMG....!!
While I was at strength training Richard had his list of errands he needed to take care of. One of them was to drop off a bottle of wine to our favourite Post Office lady. She was amazing looking after us this winter in Union Bay (free of charge) to have our mail sent to the General Delivery P.O. Box.
Next on Richard’s list was to stop at Wayward Distillery to pick up some of his favourite vodka - Unruly Vodka - made from honey. While they do have free shipping if you spend $100, Richard picked up a few bottles to bring home with him. I told him don’t forget that 30% of retired people are functioning alcoholics, so no drinking vodka in the morning!
If you are interested the vodka is amazing and the best Richard has ever had. At $47.84 a 750ml bottle it is actually a few dollars less than Grey Goose at the LCBO in Ontario.
I had my own errand to do in Courtenay today which was to go to Winners and get us some new pillows! Abbie, my osteopath said I’m probably sleeping on the wrong pillow which is too hard and doesn’t have enough neck support. So today after strength training I bought two new pillows, pillow protectors and new pillow cases. I washed everything when we got home in Newman, and now we have better pillows on our comfy bed, for our long drive home. Sleep is so important and especially when we have big days of driving ahead of us!
The pillow cases were made by Ugg! They are cream coloured so while they don’t look clean, they are! I thought Ugg only made boots and leather goods! They must be diversifying!
So while I was ‘nesting’ and getting Newman ready inside for our trip home, Richard was ‘un-nesting’ and tearing Newman’s basement apart.
Organizing the basement in Newman.
Checking the batteries have enough water in them. The face of a scalded mouse! And no we haven’t seen any more mice in Newman...thank goodness!
Newman’s fluids.
Richard also borrowed some slide lubricant from Jim who was outside dealing with his Newmar BayStar. Jim can’t get his jacks to retract and if he can’t get them to retract, he can’t go anywhere. It turns out he has a contact which needs to be replaced, so his dealer in Penticton is sending him one as Jim and Danielle are also leaving soon for their home in Fernie, via Penticton.
Jim trying to figure out why his jacks won’t retract.
Danielle (Jim’s wife) and me sitting on the picnic table today catching some sunshine. The temperature was +9C today which was pleasant enough to sit out in.
While I was sitting with Danielle, I also was baking cookies, preparing Asian ribs in the slow cooker, making coleslaw, making sweet potato fries and cooking quinoa! With only one oven rack in the convection oven in Newman, it takes a very long time to cook a big batch of cookies. We like having homemade snacks for the long drives we will face, as we know what is in them! Plus I added lots of bran and oats to the cookies which always helps!!
I think I should call these kitchen sink cookies cause I put everything in them but the kitchen sink! Oats, bran buds, raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut and craisins. It’s nice to be coming home with a pretty empty pantry that I’ve used all winter, and now we have a lot of empty containers to refill for the next trip in Newman!
The finished product!
A full ziploc freezer bag full of healthy treats for our drive home.
As Danielle and I were sitting outside we watched these two white cars roll up to the empty picnic table across from our RV lot. Next thing you know the two families have set up and are having a picnic! The next thing we knew, Matt the RV park owner showed up!
These people apparently show up every year and say they know someone who has a fishing boat in the harbour. When Matt asks them what the name of the person is, they don’t know. Matt finally had to say to them “You showing up here to have a picnic without asking is like me going to your house and inviting a bunch of my friends and we start having a party without asking you!” He told them they could stay and finish their picnic, but that they were trespassing and needed to leave within the hour. Some of the people had decided to go find some oysters on the RV park’s beach! The nerve! I just can’t believe that these people would show up randomly at the RV park, that clearly has a ’No Trespassing’ sign on it, and start having a picnic and digging for oysters too! Very, very strange!!!
After a long afternoon for Richard of ‘Un-Nesting’ Newman and me Nesting inside Newman, we are both pooped!
The boys (Jim, Tim & Richard) decided to have a fire tonight at the end of the day. It’s a nice way to finish up the day with a beverage and a great view, with the fire for some ambience. I think Richard is going to miss these end of day fires with the boys!
Tomorrow I’ve got to be up early as I have a 9am hair appointment in Courtenay with Christy. I’m glad I’m getting my hair done before I come home. It is one less thing to worry about once we get home.
Just an update on St. Stephen and Karen’s progress today. They made if from Thunder Bay all the way to New Liskeard. That’s over 10 hours of driving! WOW! I’m not sure we will have days as long as that in Newman when we drive back home! Crazy long days, but it does take forever to get through Ontario!
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