August 31, 2023

We have been living at Fort Greenwood since July 1st. 

It is kinda funny, we have done a complete circle... started out here, and ending here!   

All is good, we are enjoying being here and have decided to stay until end of September. We did talk about flying off somewhere for September, but it is easier to just stay put and carry on with our lives as they are here in Greenwood. Monday night cards with Solange and Leo, Wednesday afternoon Bingo at the Seniors Center (Michel calls, I play) Friday night Bingo at the Community Centre (Michel calls, I play), then Saturday Meat Draw at the Legion. We walk the Canada Trail back towards our place and visit Doug and Diane, who live next door, Michel hikes up to his flag. We have met some very nice people here at the Fort, and of course we have our group that we enjoy being with.

the Tranquility

August 17th we drove to Kelso, WA on an invitation from Ken and Liz McAllister (friends from Rainbow Spa) to go cruising with them for a week. What a wonderful opportunity this was. We arrived at their place about 3:30 in the afternoon and by evening we were on their boat at the Longview Marina getting ready to set sail the next morning. We were 9 nights on their boat cruising for 7 of them.... on the Tranquility.. a 42 foot trawler. 

The first night we dropped anchor in a "slough" they call Steamboat. There were 16 boats of all sizes on this cruise. We met some wonderful people.....

The second night we pulled into a nice little port town called Cathlamet and stern tied to the pier. We walked into town, stopped for a root beer float at a cute little coffee shop on Main, then checked out the grocery store across the street.

the front few of the marina.

There is a wonderful little craft brewery just up from the marina where they also make root beer, so this was a great way to spend a couple of hours and visit with some of the others on the cruise. 

The next morning we all left for the next slough... Warren Slough. Here we tied to one another, only the larger boats dropping anchor. There are 3 sailboats along for the cruise as you can see on the right.

It took awhile to all get in and settled as you can imagine it takes organization... Pete and Kat were the ones who did this. Their boat is the middle one in the back row. Not to say there were no gliches, but there were no casualties...no boats were damaged in the process....

Once we were all in and settled we got out and did a little canoeing. Others got into their dinghys and went out exploring. 

Dinner on the skiff tonight.... Michel cooked the chicken on the BBQ. It was a great evening.. lovely weather, great company....thank you so much Ken and Liz for including us on this cruise.

Astoria is a great little port town to visit and spend some time.
No pictures of the marina this time, but we were here for two nights. 

Once we were all tied to the pier and settled in we walked into town in search of a restaurant for a fish dinner... no fish fresher than in a fishing village....Liz and Ken favor Astoria Brewing Company and they did not fall short. Had a wonderful lunch then carried on walking and exploring. 

A

Astoria has a cute little trolley that runs from one end of town to the other...about 4 miles.  We walked all the way to the end of the line and caught the trolley back to the marina. 

There was someone commentating the points of interest all along the way. It is a very old town and it is very well kept and organized. Many restaurants and art galleries. Quite an artsy little place... I like it!!

Michel enjoying himself at the helm....

Returning to the boat that afternoon, Michel went out sailing with a group that were practicing for a race. He quite enjoyed himself and he and Jeff (one of our group with a sailboat) made plans to go sailing the next morning. They set off about 10 and were gone for most of the day.  Liz, Ken and I went into Astoria again, this time riding the trolley both ways....

Michel loves to ride the rails!

Jeff at the helm

Jeff on his sailboat....

  Michel and Jeff had a great time. 

The last night led us to West Port... very small port town, but a beautiful new pier!

Visiting with Steve and Melinda aboard their fast boat....

Liz and Ken trying to stay cool in the river.... there is quite a current so they had to tie themselves to the boat for security..f

Pot Luck dinner on the dock.... clean out your fridge!! 

So much food!!  Everyone in attendance.

Breakfast at the Berry Patch before we cruised away! 

(Pictured l to r clockwise:  Jeff, Michel, Melinda, myself, Liz and Ken)

A final shot of the Tranquility before we cruise off for the last time......

It was a short cruise home, (August 25) but by the time we pulled into the Yacht club in Longview, dumped the tanks, and put the Tranquility to bed in her boat house is was afternoon. 

We had a lovely visit upon our return from Jeff and Cathy (also friends from Rainbow Spa) who drove up from Oregon to see us.

What an ending to our week. 

We are very blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives!!

Thank you once again to Liz and Ken for the invitation, and for showing us such a grand time!  You are certainly the hostests with the mostest... 

Left for home the next morning, fairly early... and were home by 5:00... in time for burgers at the Legion! But we did have to phone ahead and order ...haha

June 30, 2023

We were home by the 1st of April this year, a week earlier than usual. April was cool here so not a lot of outside work got done, but during this month we made the decision to sell our lovely little place here by the creek. 

May and June were busy months, cleaning, decluttering, getting rid of stuff we really no longer need nor want in preparation for the market. 

Michel had a fall from his ladder from the top of the gazebo early May which bruised his ribs and scratched him up pretty badly, as you can see it is all concrete!! This set him back a few weeks of so. He was quite a bit of pain for a while.

We listed our place on Thursday, June 1st on Kijiji and Castanet (Kelowna) and on Monday the place was sold. Full asking price, the first person to come look at it. What a shock that was! 30 day possession.. even more of a shock. Now we really had to get busy, packing, cleaning, garage sales (2) (more like give aways) and two loads to the dump. WOW..

That is not the end of the story.... we also had to find a place to live until we head south in Mid October. (furnished no less). We are very blessed to know wonderful people in this little city (which I might add, we will miss ALOT). A friend Dave has a destination trailer in Fort Greenwood he is not using and he agreed to rent it to us. So we will be able to move in July 1st. All our stuff is in storage in a 20 foot container and Daves place has basically everything we need. 

March 31, 2023

This is the busiest park we have ever been in. There is always something happening besides the usual daily or weekly events.... This month was our Luau with sweet and sour pork as the main entree. This was hosted by Dee and her group. The first 50 people in the door got Leid...lol.... and we had entertainment by our line dancers.

Angus and Rolande gettin green!

Then there was St. Patricks Day, beginning with a parade, then tea (beer) in the Rose Garden where we voted for the best entries. Also a baked goods competition where you have never seen so many green pastries and cakes and wanted to eat them all!!  

And that is not all.... the evening presented us with a full course Corned Beef dinner, complete with potatoes, carrots, cabbage... and deserts of all the award winning deserts from the afternoon. Just way too much fun!!

Tony and Marta
 the eldest couple in our park

friends Donna and Terry
decorated their bikes

the Motley Crew
l to r front:  myself, Tina, Rolande
l to r back: Donna, Chris

February 28, 2023

 

February was paving in the park.. A small group of men get together, led by Ken McAllister, rent the machine, buy the tar and spend a few days filling in all the cracks in our roads in the park. Its hard and tiring work, and certainly not for the feint of heart!! But, so far, its saved having to hire out at get the whole park re-paved!

Still lots happening in the park... Ladies Birthday Luncheon on the 10th, Super Bowl Party on the 12th, although we did not attend. Fish Derby on the 19th, with fish tacos for dinner afterwards. Many in attendance for this... its a favorite for us all! Bunco at Noon on the 16th, Appreciation Dinner for all the volunteers hosted by the Board and the Activities Committee... beef dip for dinner..... yummy!!

Myself, Estelle and Phyllis.

My cousins Phyllis Menard and Estelle Niven were in Palm Springs on a bus tour in Mid February so I was pleased as can be that their schedule was not too busy and we could get together. We do not see each other very often, so we must take advantage of every opportunity to visit. 

We enjoyed pizza from Bobs Pizza in downtown Palm Springs. 

January 31, 2023

Happy New Year to all!

We all survived the New Years Eve Dance, although some of us partied a little longer than others.  New Years morning was clean up, then breakfast by Dee...

January was a month of new beginnings, at least for our park model it was.... bought new furniture...hung new living room curtains....that is always exciting!

The last Saturday of January is our Annual Street Fair, so everyone is usually busy running around and preparing for this BIG event! From 7 am until 1 pm the park is busy, busy, busy...people come from all over to take part in the festivities.

We have breakfast from 7 until 9, and music, supplied by Matt Jenkins this year again, starting first thing. There are vendors selling their wares, a huge bake sale, a raffle with upwards of 30 draws, the largest Garage Sale you've ever seen (this is where my old furniture ended up), BBQ burgers start at 9:30 and go until lunch. In the span of 5 1/2 to 6 hours thousands of people come through. 

I had a table in the Club House for my sculptures, and there were tables outside too. 

It is our largest fund raiser, and just about everyone living here gets involved in one way or another....setting up, taking down, cooking, selling... something for everyone!!

December 31, 2022

Things that happened in December:

Michel and Angus raised a new flag on Flag Mountain. The old flag was ripped to shreds. It was however, a US flag and this one.... as you can see... is both!!

Hiking is still high on the priority list for Michel and there are a few new recruits in the park to go along. 

Roger and Marie, from Scotch Creek, BC are parked in their 45 foot motorhome, in the lot next to us. Great couple! Younger than we are, he just retired at 64... but that being said, he has all kinds of energy. Michel sees him as a God send... The shed project, ongoing throughout the month... more on that later in this post.

The Ladies Birthday Luncheon was well attended. 

l to r:  Wendy, Shirley, Barb, Dee

There were 25 ladies. Fun was had by all.

l to r: clockwise: Liz, Char, Tina, Donna, Myself, Renae, Kay, Chris.

l to r clockwise: Lisa, Sharon, Marta, Candy, Marilyn, Lynn

l to r clockwise: Karen, Dorothy, Marion, Peggy

l to r: Anne, Liz, Rolande

Of course, the usual things happen in a month at Rainbow Spa... Bunco, Snowflake dance, paint and sip, happy hours.....

I attended the Caliente Hot Springs Christmas Art and Craft Fair. It was quite late in December, the 17th, and sales were poor for everyone in attendance. But I displayed my wares and hung in for the required 4 hours....I did sell one sculpture, so all was not lost.

Then comes the shed project, the ongoing project throughout the month of December. The big decision was: do we buy a new one... or does Michel raise the old one using cinder blocks.(you can see the old shed in the last post)

Here's where Roger comes in... He says: "If it were mine, I would raise it, but I'd go up by two cinder blocks not just one, and put in a real door. So the project began. And Roger was here everyday to help Michel do this job. 

They (4 guys helped) move the shed forward, then they laid a new floor of paver tiles, then laid out the cinder blocks (two high). These blocks are all cemented in place, and then with the help of a couple guys they picked up the shed and cemented it into place on top of the cinder blocks. (picture taken right after it was placed on top of the cinder blocks)

Next came the door... Michel was on the lookout for a glass slider, but ended up buying one from Home Depot. He wanted to get the job complete before Roger left on January 1st. 

Pretty skookum looking shed.... no more bonkin' the head going in or out because he forgot to duck!!

l to r clockwise:  Rich, Marilyn, Roger, Jeff, Marie, Tina, Myself, Cathy. 

Christmas morning we had mimosas outside on our new patio. We were joined by Rich and Tina and Roger and Marie and Cathy and Jeff... even Marilyn stopped by for a sip. 

 

New Years Eve was our big dance.

Matt Jenkins played from 9 pm until 12:30 am.

We all had fun, rang in the new year with champagne

Here is a nice picture of a wonderful couple. I know I didn't talk of Marie, like it was all about Roger, but we did spend time with the two of them, had happy hours together and got together quite often. We made plans to get together this summer. So until we meet again, happy trails and safe travels as you make your way down to Melaque Mexico....

And one of us.....