Car Camping take 2.

 

Mom gave car camping a go.  She liked most of it.  She has to work on getting a better bed situation.  Lili came out for dinner.  We walked after dinner but got turned around and inadvertently walked the whole place.  We made it back just before plummeting into darkness.  

Englishman River.

My new bed was great. I slept well.  Very cozy.  I was warm enough.  It rained all night and the sound of rain on the soft top was great, like being in a tent.  

I don't love getting out to use the potty in the rain.  I need an awning of some sort.

I wasn't in the mood to play in the morning.  Everything outside was soaked and dirty from tree debris and mud splashed up.  I layed a dry tarp on my bed and loaded everything in, snarffled some Cheerios and went straight home.  Mom and Poppy hadn't slept well so I think they were happy enough to just head home too.

It was a great little adventure.

I loaded all the wet things to the porch yesterday to dry.  Today I'll reload the car.  I'm not sure when I get to take off again but I'm ready.  

Hug A Cow Day

 

Lili led the way.  I don't even know the name of the farm.  It's a functional farm, greenhouses with a petting zoo. In Lantzville. The event was well done.  

The high lite was watching this 3 day old donkey doing crazy zoomies non stop :)

Tracking Walter.

 

Lili bought a collar to hold an Apple Tag.  Walter didn't mind the collar going on this evening.

Cool info.  Are we supposed to go get him now?  This will be interesting to see how many houses he has.

Tonight's project, tackling the bed for Onyx again.  Cardboard templates, lots of debate and foam cutting.

My job, to hold it down.  Haha.

Dark came way too fast, so the project will continue in the morning.

I did say to Eric "you realize you are building a bed so that I can escape you".  

Medically overwhelmed.

 

A calm moment between running errands today.

My computer died through the night.  It started turning itself off and on non stop.  We had to unplug it.  We took it in to the guy who built it 12 years ago.  He fixed it.  The power converter went.  Phew.  No files were lost.

There's just not enough fun stuff happening right now.  There are WAY too many appointments and meetings happening.

 I just found out my root canal and crown that cost 5000 has to be surgically removed for 1000 and then an implant and crown for another 5000.  Owe.  I'm waiting for a surgery date.

The eye specialist is saying it's time for my cataract eye surgery within a year.  Omg.  Pure torture.  I made the mistake of going to Dr. Google. The glaucoma is holding though.

I have been waiting around four years for a surgical consult for a fistula. I just got an appointment for the end of Sept.  

So, I'm feeling sorry for myself.  Mouth, eyes and butt pain coming up.

Eric goes in a week for three biopsies on his back.  

I had an appointment today with Kai's pediatric Endocrinologist.  Big things.  He isn't doing great metibolicly.  He's in a world data base for his syndrome.  We just found out that somewhere in the world, someone has created a medicine specifically for his syndrome.  He qualifies for it.  There is paperwork involved and it won't happen overnight.  I'm not sure who funds it, but not us. It's not in pharmacies and would be sent directly to us.  It's very exciting. And overwhelming.  I know very little ;)  More learning curve for all of us.  Biedl Bardet is incredibly rare so this news is definitely surprising.

There is a lot of divide and conquer going on.  It's crazy how many times we leave the driveway some days.  I feel like we're behind in all areas.  I check my calendar a few times a day because I constantly feel like we're going to miss something.

Eric is making great progress on the closet.

Mom is going to attempt car camping in her car with me this weekend.  So that's a fun distraction.  The kids have no interest in coming.

I have an appointment with my Endocrinologist tomorrow, which I always dread.  It's just a matter of time before she moves me onto insulin and I'm really, really, really dreading that too.  There isn't a good scenario here, it all just sucks.  Diabetes sucks. Update, all numbers were improved again.  No insulin quite yet. Yay Ozempic.

Silence

 

Yesterday Eric asked what I was doing.  I told him I was contemplating going to Port Alberni to look at/buy a JL shelf for Onyx.  I've been wanting one.  With a soft top there is nothing secure.  This would allow me to put things in the back, out of sight and locked.  Plus a great shelf for car camping.  He thought he'd come.  But Jia worked.  So we ended up both deciding to stay home.  Huh.  That backfired.  Gramma to the rescue.  She took Jia to work and we skedaddled.

We looked at a couple cars for Jia.  Can ya'll believe Jia will be 16 in Dec. We got the shelf and it's perfect.  We got pizza.  We went to the craft market at the Quay and then headed home.

I ate one piece, two for Eric.

The rest home for the kids.

The tray.

The closet is taking shape.

Eric is back at it today.  After taking a drive to Lake Cowichan this morning with me to buy a tri-fold mattress for Onyx.  Plan 12ish or so on figuring things out.  The mattress needs cutting.  Eric gave up for today.  

Jia's 1st day of school.  Fei too.  No pictures from either.  

After we pick up the boys and drop them off Eric and I are off to Nanaimo to look at two different cars.  Shopping in the 1st car (cheap) market is different, they sell super fast.  Fingers crossed on one of them.

I have the house to myself right now.  Very, very odd.  Unsettling.  Eric is at least making big sounds outside.  

Onyx Camping Part 2

 

We found a site.  Right beside Lili's friends. We settled in.  Had snacks. Lili worked.  I listened to my book.  Had a nap.  We cooked dinner.  All was good in our world. Just as we were done eating a car pulled up and they sat staring at us. Uh oh.

They said they had the site reserved.  In hindsight I should have asked to see their reservation.  I suggested they go look at the first come first serve sites.  They said NO.  I suggested they call the park ranger.  They said NO.  So Lili called.  No answer.  Leave a message.  They then pulled their car into the site.  Uh.  Really?!  

I drove off to look for a ranger or an empty fcfs site.  I didn't find either.  I went back and Lili was standing there watching them put up their tent in our site.  I surprisingly kept my calm.

We packed up in silence in a mere two minutes.  Lili was in the front seat with our dirty dishes on her lap.

The family, man, woman and child were incredibly awful. Angry.  When we drove out their 10ish years old son was having a screaming meltdown.  They didn't look at us.  It was a totally wild experience. I'm grateful today that I'm not those people.

We drove to the entrance and found the park ranger driving in.  We flagged him down.

Turns out the site WAS AVAILABLE.  They were supposed to check in the day before and your reservation is canceled at 11 the next day.  Vindicated.  But now had no site.

I asked if we should have stayed put, he said yes.  They had the problem, not us.  We shouldn't have moved.  He said he would talk to them.  He also found us a site.  So we settled in.  Had snacks and a walk and then Lili went to hang with her friends.  I went to bed and listened to my book and played games.  The second site was nicer.  The 1st one smelled of outhouse.  

Site number 2.

Set up went much faster.  A system was already established.  

We tried a tik tok camping hack today.

Omelets cooked in ziplocs.

They worked great!

Super easy.  No clean up and the hot water was used for doing dishes.

Over all I'd say Onyx camping went well.  I'm hoping to find more days to get away this fall. 

Once again, I came home to a surprise!

The closet project is under construction.

Holey Cow.

Lili is horrified we aren't making this another deck.  Haha.  No way.  We've talked about this closet plan for 20 years.  I do think we might have to rethink the layout though.  Perhaps a giant window like the pink room would be a good thing.

Onyx camping.

 

I finally packed my door bags.

All the gear is loaded.  I'm ready to roll.

The bed looks wonky.  Because it is!  All Wranglers are not alike apparently.  Eric put Oscar's bed in and then had to modify it to fit.  The next new plan is to build Onyx her own bed.  In Oscar there was room to have storage underneath.  It's clear that I would do better with lower so it's easier to get in and out.  We can sit up in Oscar.  Not so much in Onyx.  Well, I can and Lili will be able to but Eric couldn't.  Lower will be better.

Lili is coming with me today.  She will be hanging with friends but eating and sleeping with me.  If we get a site.  If not, then we really don't know exactly what plan b will turn into.

So not quite solo camping ;)

We're just doing one night.  I did sleep in Onyx last night in the driveway.  It was comfy but cold.  I added a blankie today and I'll dress warmer. I stayed until 1st bathroom break.  When I went in our room Eric just held up the blanket for me to crawl in.  Haha.  He was waiting for me.

Diabetic friendly cake for Kai's school bday celebration today.  So far the school is working with us.  Kai has settled in ok and is finding some fun in his days.  He's still VERY ready to get home though ;)

Luk has been walking to school, getting a ride home.  He is taking care of all the details of school.  I'm loving how independent he is this year.

Jia had a meeting at school yesterday.  I dreaded this in the biggest way possible.  I honestly figured I'd be there on my own.  I kept telling Jia how much time we had then sat in the car on my phone.  To my utter surprise Jia hopped in right on time.  We were there to discuss which pod of teachers, what is next and a school plan and life plan.  It all went amazingly great.  Her new teacher is wonderful.  Jia was feeling good about the meeting and was chatting happily afterwards.  Big sigh of relief. Day by day here.

Shannon sent this blast from the past.

Cutie patooties.

This is not Onyx.

I've shown this to Eric.  The ideas are happening.  I can see Onyx dressed as Minnie for the Halloween parade this year.  That is just a little bit insane.