At Home For The Winter

No pictures until we get back to Yuma as we left all the cameras there when we were medi-vac'd home.

It hasn't been too bad for weather here this winter. We have only had snow three times and then, not much, which makes getting around easier.

Craig has been really good. He cleans the driveway off so well, it's bare when he is done.

I have been on Skype and the phone a lot keeping in touch with everybody asking about how I'm doing, which is really nice.

I've not been feeling that great as nothing tastes right and I don't have much of an appetite at all. I have to force myself to eat.

I've been getting around pretty good and doing physio at home, which is painfull. I'm also doing physio in the pool at the Kelowna hospital and that is great. It is only for half an hour, but that is enough. The water is so warm, I hate to get out because as soon as the air hits you, it's cold.

Those trips into Kelowna are exhausting and really tire me out. I have to force myself to do the physio at home because of the pain, but once I get through it, the pain eases.

We are flying back at the end of January, so I'm really looking forward to that.
Can't wait to get back to some heat.

Oops! Broken Hip

        

Well, we went across the border to Mexico, shopping etc. then went for lunch, Craig had his tamales of course and then while I was walking along behind a bunch of people and our bunch, someone said 'watch out for the wire'.

Too late. Didn't even see it. I'm already falling. I reached out and managed to grab something. It was the guy wire. It swung me around and I landed on my left side. I didn't fall very far, but I knew already I had a broken hip. It didn't hurt until they tried to pick me up, which of course is a natural reaction to someone falling. Aye!!! No way Jose'. So I got them to help me stand up onto my good leg and then tried to put weight on my left one. Nope.

Anyway, one of the Mexican fellows had a car and everybody helped load me in. That took awhile but went alright. Then he took us to the border lineup. Then the guys went looking for a wheel chair to use to get me across the border to our car. Once I got into the car, we had to drive all the way home because we didn't have our travel insurance with us and to drop off Don and Rhonda. Sitting in the car wasn't bad at all, it was the getting in and out.

Anyway, off to the hospital we go. Them two weren't too gentle getting out of the car either, I can tell you. I was already almost out. Just relax dearie, says one, we do this all the time. Ya right!

They had me all ready to go for surgery at the Yuma hospital, but the travel insurance says nope, we are flying her home. Then Craig had to scramble.

He had to arrange for someone to look after our affairs for us, move the trailer, pick up the mail, pack a bag, gather up important documents, arrange for a ride to the hospital, let everyone at home know etc. They flew us to Penticton in a medi-vac jet.

November 10th is winter in the Okanagan. We were both dressed in shorts and T-shirt. No jackets. I was alright, on a stretcher, covered up. I thank God for friends and family though.

Harry and Doreen looked after our place and everything else for us in Yuma. Jeanette and Hal drove all night to Penticton as they knew Craig would be stranded there with no transportation. Louise and Ron and Steve, Blake and Wade all came to see me too and to make sure I was alright. Hal and Jeanette drove Craig back and forth every day until I was back home and then they stayed for another week to help us out with looking after me.

It was very heart warming and we are ever so thankful to have so much support, help and get well wishes from friends and family.

Segway and Imperial Sand Dunes

Connie and Dave invited us to go for a Segway tour of old town Yuma with them and Connie's sister, who was visiting them at the time. The segway people were offering a special price for a group, so we took advantage of that.

We all went for breakfast in a neat old rail car that has been turned into a restaurant. Then it was off to have a quick lesson and onto the Segway tour. It was very interesting and a lot of fun. Those things are easy to run. Craig was a little apprehensive at first, but he got the hang of it soon enough.

Then we all took a drive out to the Imperial Sand Dunes. There is a replica of an old plank road displayed that was used to drive across the desert sands in the old days. When the planks got buried in the sand, they would just pull them up and carry on.

The new wall on the border between Mexico and the US can be seen from that area also. It gets buried by the drifting sands as well. The sections then get lifted up until they are on top of the sand again.

New House in Yuma

After we opened up the fifth wheel, unloaded and did major grocery shopping, we started house hunting. We looked at a lot of places, most of which we pretty old and needing remodeling or updating and we weren't much interested in many of them.

We knew what we were looking for so we had it narrowed it down to three and then down to one that kept drawing us back. We put our offer in and within ten days, it was ours.

Valley Of Fire

On our way south this year we went on a few different roads. My navigator (Gulliver) can't make up his mind whether to follow Stupid (my term for our gps) or the mapquest directions or the map (which he can't read anyway).


However, even though the drive was a bit farther and it took us a bit longer, it was nice to see some different scenery for a change as we usually go the same way every year. That would be the shortest and fastest.


We almost ran out of gas on one of our detours (nice word for wrong turn) though. That little car never ever held that much gas, so we were on fumes for sure.
But we made it.

Anyhow we decided to carry on with our back road detours and drive through the Valley Of Fire. It's not very long but it was worth the drive through the park. It was very warm there also and we had too many clothes on. It wasn't long after that we were stopped on the side of the road and digging out the shorts and lighter tops for a quick change.

The plan was to avoid Vegas but another wrong turn was in the cards. It was a good trip anyway and we were anxious to get there as we had made the decision to leave the RV park and go house hunting.

Granville Island

Bonnie took us down to Granville Island while we were there as I had never been. That place is amazing! I would like to go back again one day. There is so much to see, it can't be done in such a short time.

There are so many neat places and great things to look at. And the produce! Man, I never seen so much stuff in one place. Whatever you can think of, it's there. Great carvings also. Wonderful experience.

Then we went for a nice lunch at one of the restaurants.

Thanksgiving Dinner At Kevin and Bonnie's

After we left Saltspring, we travelled back to Bonnie and Kevin's and stayed with them for a bit, as we didn't get much of a visit in on the way down. Riley was pretty happy to see his master, Bonnie too I think. I guess he wasn't thrilled about being left behind and was a pain while Jeanette was gone.

Bonnie and Kevin cooked us a scrumptious turkey dinner with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving. Jess and Shannon and Wade and Karen came for dinner also and a good visit was enjoyed by all.

Fall Harvest At Roger And Val's

While we were at Saltspring, we all went down to the property to check out the garden. They have a huge garden and I'm sure a lot of time and hard work is involved. Roger gives the credit to Val as she is an amazing gardener, but I'm sure he helps.

I think Val knows everything there is to know about growing produce and all without chemicals. She also harvests her own seed and sterilizes soil, etc. A master gardener for sure and her passion for it shows as she is very good at it.

The same can't be said for Gulliver (you know who you are), Mr. two fisted gunslinger with a bottle of Roundup in each hand ready to do battle with the poor woe be gone dandelions.

On the way down, across from the pond, a tree had been badly damage by beavers so it had to be cut down and hauled away.

Early Thanksgiving On Saltspring

Jeanette and Hal came to our place and then we travelled to the coast together in our car. We drove to Bonnie and Kevin's and stayed the night at their place and then went to Tracey's in the morning and had a visit with her and the kids and joined up with Ron and Louise.

Kevin and Bonnie looked after Riley while we went over to the island. A happy camper he wasn't.

It was a bit of a hectic morning getting kids ready and out the door to their various destinations, but it all got done. Good thing she is so organized as she is one busy lady.

Then we all took the ferry over and Roger and Val met us at the terminal as there wasn't enough room for everyone in our little car. We had a wonderful time visiting with lots and lots of great food once again.