December 17 – Friend Day

Today starts out with a win!!     

Doris & Kevin visit day.  They are Wintering in Oliver about 1-1/2h away, wish they were closer.   We visited them last time, this time it’s here.

Where’s the first place we took them??  Lake Country Liquor Store!!

Next a drive around Pelmewash Parkway in Oyama.

Finally,  Woody’s.  Doris & Kevin are Rickards fans as well.

Then it’s time to leave, too early – as it gets dark here at 4p.  Can’t wait for longer days.

Look who popped in to say “hi” Sure do miss this guy!!     

Tuesday, Dec 15 – Vernon Doctor Day

We awake to snow falling.

We’d rather it stop before we go to Vernon and Allan’s cracker appointment.

Mother Nature doesn’t want to stop the flurries yet, snowy and fog await us on the highway.

We get there safely, Allan finishes his appointment.

Reward time!

   Photo of the washroom’s faucet, fittingly a 🍺 tap 😃  The sink could use a little wipe!

Back home we take a walk to our Duck Lake.

      Like it much better when it’s not frozen.     

We are hoping to get a walk in at night to see all the Christmas lights but we’re warm weather folk and have so far, been unable to convince ourselves to go out.  We’ll keep trying.

Side note:  So far so good with the fridge/freezer.  Think the fridge guy may have finally made his escape.  Stay tuned!

Fridge Day, December 13

Search for a cooler so we can empty the fridge & freezer as the repair guy said to do.  Walmart & Home Depot failed us!  We asked on our local park FB group and Susan came through loaning us a cooler.

Our finger are crossed the total defrost works, hopefully not only eliminating the icing up but also finally allowing the dude in the fridge who goes “knock, knock, knock” out.

Forgot to take a photo of the full fridge and the filled cooler.  Cooler is full, we’re storing it in Bob overnight.   It should be cold enough to keep the food frozen.

Time to celebrate our hard work.  Allan’s growler & …

… my today’s advent calendar offering.

Adventure Day, Dec 12th

Start our day by bringing lots of garbage to the bin.  Trust me it gets more exciting..

Next stop…       

It’s a little slippery but the waterfall may be worth it.  Think we should get hiking boots but storage is such an issue.

Heading the right way… 

Decisions!  We opt for lower

Ta Da       A little underwhelming. Niagara Falls spoiled us.  

View from the top of the falls

Not getting me to walk down those muddy stairs.

We are dangerously low on fuel, Allan loves playing these “how far can we go” games.  Even he is now, a little concerned but no Esso, Husky, has to be PetroCan, gets 3cents off a litre with — something??

We drive through the Kelowna airport, we can get so close to the planes.   Made it!!  Not .39 really 1.039 a litre.  Allan’s 3 cents off 100.9  Such a bargain!

Now off to Walmart to get a cooler so we can defrost the freezer.  Only a tiny one to be found. Hate the hordes of people in here.  How many have Covid?  Home Depot is across the street.  Let’s give it a try.  None here either.

Next stop,  Metro Liquor for a case of Vintage Ink-Rebel Red 2017 wine that is on sale for $3.00 off a bottle = $36 a case savings! 

We’re back in Bob planning our next stop. Allan asks “what am I seeing?”  I don’t know what ” look out the side mirror”  Hum a march of sorts, “let’s get out of here before they block us in”.          Anti what evers!!

Next and final destination….   Barn Owl Distillery a little challenging getting here,  will not elaborate on that

 

 

Different experience than ever before, you enter and place your order and then select your seat.  Choices are main floor, outside covered patio, upstairs.

I select ESPRESSO NIGHT OWL Porter:  This version contains Tug 6’s El Columbian coffee. For those needing a little caffeine buzz, one 16oz sleeve contains half a shot of espresso.

 

Allan chooses BOHEMIAN RED PILSNER:  This unconventional beer is not your traditional American pilsner. The red body and beautiful Czech hops will make you rethink what you know about pilsners.

In and about the barn

Watching you!

                       Brew central                               

A little different than what we are used to.. you can order food in..

Breweries offer, take home beers.  Guess which one Allan brought home  …

Growler Fills  64oz  $14.00 +tax
Crowler Fills  32oz   $  9.00 +tax

My advent calendar today 

 

 

December 10 – get stuff repaired day

First up!  Happy Camper at 9 to install the recently received electric reel replacement.  All goes well with the install!  Entire ordeal approx $1600.

We dash out to run a few errands then back to wait for the Maytag repairman.  Our freezer has been forming ice where no ice should be, it then melts and leaks out onto the carpet under the fridge.  Who was the who puts carpet under a fridge?

Any how, we play crib waiting for the repair guy.  Scheduled for 2 – 4p.  He, rather they, arrive at 345.

As Allan’s research revealed and Tyler confirmed, the issue is a blocked drain.  How to get to it?  The fridge is bolted in for travel.  They remove some bolts from the bottom but that doesn’t help.  There is a hatch outside, but like most hatches in Bailey it is very, very tight.  They check it out, no won’t work.  Back inside, can’t access either.  Back out, he  pulls a contortionist move    and victoriously pulls the offensive plug!  Didn’t actually see it but he did show us the plug.

Now for our homework:  Remove everything from the freezer, unplug it (plugged in behind the fridge so that isn’t an option) fortunately Allan knows where the fuse is,  use a hair dryer to melt everything.  Better yet leave the doors open all night.  Once we’re sure all is melted, confirm the door gasket is securely in place.  Tyler says we will never again have a freeze up problem.

We also have a gremlin who keeps trying to get out of the fridge.  He knocks 4 times, this happens throughout the day & night.  It used to wake me up.  Tyler doesn’t know what that is, try to record it he suggests.  Like we never thought of that!  We hope the defrosting trick will finally allow the gremlin to leave.

Thought for the day…

 

December 09th

Another historic day!  Canada has become the 3rd country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, says Health Canada  The first doses could be administered as early as next week.  Predictions are everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be by the end of December 2021.

Start yet, another day with the plank challenge.  Our friend, or perhaps ex-friend, Val challenged us to. We started November 24, today is day 16. “You’ll get stronger” she says, WRONG, this is killing us.

The other excitement planned for today??

Where are we?       

Result!

                         From this                                                            to this

Can this day get better?  Got our annual flu shot.

Our treat for the day, take out Chinese from Chopsticks.

Think I won’t get up tomorrow as the plank challenge will be 2 minutes.  Talk about time NOT flying by.

December 08, 2020 History made today & outing

Margaret Keenan 90 years old became the first person ever to receive receive the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine outside clinical trials.  This is the first of two planned jabs of the vaccine at Coventry Hospital outside Birmingham.  2nd “jab” in 21 days.  Love this – the second person to get the vaccine!?  William Shakespeare, 81.If your last name is Shakespeare, what else would you name your son?!? 😂

Hopefully December 2021, all what wish to be vaccinated will be!

It’s been raining for what seems like forever, OK only 2 days but the drabness doesn’t agree with me.  There are sites we’d like to visit, Oyama Lookout as well as a waterfall that is supposed to be on the rail trail.  We have walked the rail trail but no waterfall sighting yet.

Allan forces us to go out, heading to Oyama Lookout  Paved road didn’t last long.

Twisty, windy road

Look at the GPS, crazy turns       

Zip line would be fun!   

       Found snow!

Didn’t make it to the look out. As we are getting closer there is a sign stating “Road is not maintained”  3 vehicles are approaching, a BMW Crossover that is towing a pick up that has chains on the tires.  Behind them another pick up that stops to remove chains.  Off in the distance a vehicle in the ditch.  Allan decides to get out and ask the people in the vehicles…”Don’t go” we are advised, it’s a sheet of ice.  We heed the warning,  Allan snaps some photos, he’s slipping and sliding on the ice here.  Good idea to not go further.

This is the view from our non look out point  – T’is beautiful…

T’is ugly.  Never, ever have I seen anything like this 😢  How did it get here?

We pass this house.  I guess the listing price at 4.5m, great views, getting all the building material up there must be super expensive.  Allan guesses 1.4k.  I’ve got this win!!  Photo of the home, photo of the sign

Photo snatched from the listing of 9602 Benchland Drive  get the link won’t last for long as this gem and will likely be sold quick.  Beautiful home!!

Listed price????    Ta dum….  $1,095,000      Let’s just move on….

Back down the mountain we go…

Allan’s next idea..  let’s walk the rail trail to see if from this point we can find the waterfalls.

Oh Bob!! Dirty little boy!!!

Never before walked session of the rail trail here we come!

What is that boat type thing?  It’s very noisy and doesn’t move much.Look! a little waterfall is this the one? 

Let’s keep walking…  Think we’re good, should be hibernating….Someone decorated a 🎄along the trail

So steep   

Warning!   

and a look at the other direction     

The wonders of nature.  Focus on the roots growing out of the rock..

We pass a mini beach

3.5 km walk from where we began we find the falls 😊

We know the answer to this!  Kokanee Blue and Kokanee Gold!!

My sweetie, looks a little cold   

Today’s advent treat 

December 6th Confusing adventure

I asked the group “Rant & Rave Lake Country” what the must see, does are in the area and got some new ideas.   Now it’s time to explore their suggestions,  off we go..  Exploring the rail trail today in the opposite direction we’ve gone to far.  I think we are supposed to turn right when we enter the trail.  Duck Lake is right I’ve read many posts how nice it is but we haven’t gone yet because of, you know, 🐻 sightings.  They should be hibernating now and we are bringing our coyote/bear spray so we should be good.

Get to the trail entrance, I start one way Allan the other.  Seems, once again, my lack of  geographic awareness has me going the wrong way!  Allan, is disappointed, I am incorrectly turning right as not only are the waterfalls we are seeking require a left turn so does a beer at Woody’s Pub.

Pass apples that didn’t make it to harvest.  ☹

Continue on the trail  Those shadows!

Cows!        Eat beef!!!

Time to head back, should not have drank so much water while exercising.

Decorated fence on our way 

At Woody’s, let’s get some pull tickets…

Our tickets

Winners?     Figure it out!!

Allan opens the advent calendar today 🙂

Smiling now!

Today’s offering               yummy

 

December 05 – 2nd attempt at hiking trails

Spion Kop Hiking Trails, the easy trail this time.  Double checking the map.

    So far so good!

Trail takes us under Hwy 97

       We turn left at this stump

Should have gone straight, hill is very steep 

Driving home we decide to detour and drive down Beaver Lake Road.  We cross it when we walk to Lake Country.  There’s lots of vehicles that go down it and we are curious where they go.This quickly turns into a gravel road with more bumps than imaginable.  What’s up with the snow? There are cars behind us and some approaching  Still can’t figure out where everyone goes but enough of this; we turn around.

Cows….     As Allan says “Eat beef!”

Home we go. 

I look it up, we would have had a whole lot more of bumpy bump if we continued. 

End of the road, Beaver Lake Mountain Resort.   Looks nice but I can’t imagine renting a place that requires using an outhouse!

Trip to Oliver, December 02nd

Allan’s suggestion:  Open day 2 of the calendar before we head to Oliver in case the white requires chilling like yesterday’s did. 

Good call as today’s wine is JP Chenet, same brand as yesterday, this is Rose Dry.  Another bubbly wine.

We’re off to visit friends, Doris and Kevin in Oliver.  They promise we will see wildlife!

It’s a beautiful, sun filled drive.

Arrive and take a walk to their lake, it’s a nice location.

Kevin & Doris take us for a drive to see the Bighorn Sheep

Success!  The first wildlife we’ve seen since leaving Ontario!

See all the “white patches” in the photos  LOL

Next stop Pappas Firehall Bistro for 1/2 price wings.

Another walk then it’s time to head back.  Strongly dislike it gets dark so early.  Sunset now is 4ish.

Passing through Kelowna we spot a lit Christmas tree on the roof of a car.  She’s a realtor, wish I got her name cause she rocks …

Home to enjoy Day 2 wine