Welcome home Cheese.

 

It was a super long day for us yesterday.  The dreaded appointment was quick.  The specialist needed proof and documentation from the family Doctor.  Who was apologetic.  So not a pre-op as I was told, more of a pre-appointment.  Which of course makes way more sense.  Oh, and I asked if the specialist was a g.i. or colorectal surgeon and was told yes.  Haha.  Then to Sooke, a visit with Julie, paperwork, insurance, lunch at A & W and finally back to pick him up.  On the way home there was a car accident so we ended up stuck on a bridge in full sunlight for an hour waiting for the road to clear.  We were late getting back to Duncan so thankfully Lili was able to get the keys for Oscar before the tire place closed so we didn't have to leave him there overnight.

Most of the gear we sold with Cheese came back.  Except the new mattress, she threw it out.  It was a brand new rv queen.  Sigh.  I have the low profile foam one from the Falcon that will fit so I don't need to buy one today but the comfortable one is gone and the uncomfortable hard one is back in action.  She did offer us the one she bought but it was too small, a super single and high profile so would mean we couldn't use the big shelf. Eric has some projects to do before I use it and I need to compile all the things again.  Nothing big, towels, bedding, pots, kettle, dishes.  I'll shop in Eric's garage first.  Haha.  I already have a 12 volt fridge, the cooler, outdoor carpet, lawn chairs and my port-a-potty.  I did order a dvd player on Prime day since we used the little tv from the moho, then Cheese in the Falcon and sold the bigger one with the moho.  

I did go online to look for a quilt or comforter.  I was hoping for a camping themed one in blues and greens.  I found tons but not 'the one' then down the rabbit hole to turtles to match the dishes.  Then I was too confused so I gave up for now.

I told Fei my ideas for the inside and immediately she would prefer to keep the twin bed.  My idea was to make it more comfortable for two people with a better functioning kitchen and a spot for the port-a-potty.  So, our thinking caps are back on. 

Mom was over earlier, issues with the house purchase.  So much stress.  

Eric took Jia to an appointment today and while he was gone the new neighbor that I can't stand, started up a wood chipper.  Oy.  Normally he uses a chain saw for hours at a time carving.  Hence my hatred.  The chipper is a whole new level of noise hell.  Eric just got home and has flipped because our entire yard, house, roof, pool, decks, cars, trailers are absolutely covered in debris.  He went over to suggest he haul it away like everyone else does, it's free to take to Bings.  He says we can just blow it off things.  Eric reiterated that he wouldn't dream of inconveniencing the entire neighborhood.  Not everyone has a blower, or the time and it's extra annoying because Lili and Eric just cleaned the front porch and back deck because she is having friends over. The cars were all just washed on Tues.  Sigh. Eric just cleaned the clear deck roofing last week.  The new mess is super annoying for sure.  

I personally would have passively never said a word and continued to hate him from a distance.  Not Eric.  So, currently three neighbors we're not delighted with.  Sigh.  Now Eric wants to build a 20' high fence on that side.  Haha. I'm not opposed to the fence idea.  

New a-hole neighbor bought a forest and clearly is trying to make it into flat, clear land.  We definitely are losing all privacy on his side.  I did ask him once why he wanted to see in all our windows so much.  He didn't answer me.

I cancelled our Sproat Lake trip but the site went into the white circle of death.  So we still have the reservation.  I'm contemplating.  Might be fun to take just Luk but even if I pull together getting Cheese ready in time I'm terrified to park him.  I did tow it home yesterday and it was easy.  Easier than in the van because Onyx is taller and I could see over it a bit.  

How is everyone else's summer going?  Anyone getting stress free, lazy summer days full of picnics and fun?  

I could use a bit more relaxing, stress free fun.

I am eating dinner out with five other ladies tonight from my grad class.  That's fun.  Not sure how relaxing though.  My anxiety hits hard in the weirdest ways possible.  I'm completely comfortable to go.  I will enjoy the ladies.  I am not comfortable walking into the bar by myself and finding the group.  I do realize that's insane.  

Now if only the freaking wood chipper would stop!!  

This is our entire world right now.

Fei's black car.  They all look like this.

Downsize gone sideways

 

Eric's sister Julie bought Cheese and named him/her Brie.  Turns out he is still Cheese.  Haha.  She offered him back and we floundered and passed.  Right up until I saw the add on Marketplace and then we bought him back!  Go ahead and have a laugh. We did.  It is funny and perhaps a bit crazy.  I looked at the pictures and cried a little, I really loved that little unit, I'm thrilled he's coming home on Wednesday.

I have been looking for a 'hers' unit, not seriously, just looking.  I wanted something easier to manage. I was thinking Boler gutted and turned basically into Cheese without having to raise the roof.  Haha.  I was thinking it would look so cute color matched to Onyx.  Eric listened thoughtfully to all of my thoughts.  And of course there were a lot.  He's got a few ideas to improve the accessibility on Cheese for me.

Cheese needs a few repairs upon his return.  The actuator was ripped off and broken.  Roof panels damaged inside, a seam oddly loose and a counter was removed.  All stuff Eric can deal with.  Julie is thinking of a motorhome, she also wants things a tad easier.

I did of course have sellers remorse when he left.  The girls can use it.  Eric and I can use it for longer trips.  He's already promised me a Disney trip with Cheese and no kids.  I can't wait to start mapping that out with the Boondocker app.   In a year or so if no one is using it we can always sell it.

My request for a gastro intestinal Dr has been granted, I got a call today to see my family Dr this Wed for a 

pre-op appointment to see a surgeon.  I wasn't expecting things to skip ahead quite like that.  I'm grateful for the care and totally dreading this with every fiber of my being.  Getting Cheese back is fabulous timing for keeping my mind busy with fun things.  I'm not uncomfortable talking about my colectomy, butt, crohns issues but I'll spare ya'll the details ;)

The rest of the Gordon Bay trip went great.

Heat wave at home but quite cool in the big trees.

Leo.  He's a good boy.  Izzy does great with everyone.  River puppy was out there too but I didn't get his picture.  He's a dream at nine months.  

Joey just heads straight to Kai.  He looks sooo much like Poppy.

Mary, Charles, Jade and May came to visit.  I got to babysit Rosie ;)

After lunch we all headed to the lake. May and Jia went in a double kayak, Jade was on her paddle board and Lili and her friend Devan were in single kayaks.  Debbie and family were camping too.  Debbie and Asia brought their kayak and Julie, Alisha and Brenda took Leo and River out on paddle boards too.  It was quite the busy day!

Kai was all about getting back to the lake to sit on a log and throw rocks.

Lili came out Saturday and we went to the Honeymoon Bay Market.  So cute.  We bought tarts, a ladybug beaded car freshener made on a lava bead for essential oils and an adorable 3d printed fox fidget that I got for Kai's Birthday.

It's as cute as ever there.

Julie and Alisha had their own site for one night and then moved into our site.  It was busy.  I didn't get any pictures of the site.  It was fun having Cheese with us again.  I resisted looking in because I feared it would make me sad.  Haha.  Julie never mentioned a word about possibly selling.  

I cancelled our Sproat Lake trip that is coming up.  Kai and Luk aren't excited about getting in the water and Jia doesn't love being out of cell service.  I'm tired.  Eric wants more time at home.  We've done a ton of camping already and none of us enjoy camping in the heat.  We have tons of summer plans for around here so it's all good.

Lili is heading to Uculet to The Broken Islands Lodge. Her friend works there so she's getting a great deal so that's fun.  We are toying with the idea of me going with her since my jury selection thing was canceled.  

In social media news, Bella Brave passed away.  I cried myself to sleep last night.  The mother of the island (Chihuahua Sanctuary I follow) passed suddenly on Sunday, I cried before bed that night too.  Charlotte the stingray died, I was oddly obsessed with her and her death hit hard.  Trump was shot.  Richard Simmons, Dr Ruth and Shannon Doherty died.  

Clearly I need to step away from the phone and the news.

We all need some fun and a break.  It's pretty heavy out there.

 

Gordon Bay

It was a scurry to get organized this time.  No sitters at home.  Izzy had to come with us.  We can't have her incontinence in the trailer and she can't do the stairs.  So we brought an old kennel and put her bed in it.  She slept in our room in a different kennel as a puppy.  She got up last night and went to bed, on her own.  She's amazing.  We slept with the trailer door open so we could hear her and she slept through the night.  The thrift store pulled through amazingly again and there was a tether cord for outside there and shockingly a Jeep backseat protector for Onyx, so for $5.50 we were all set to take Izzy camping again.

We think she's happy.  We attempted a slow walk last night after dinner and she collapsed twice and stopped at one point and just looked at us.  Eric was going to go get the car but then she saw a puppy and we just had to go meet 4 month old golden lab Chase. Then she slowly made the rest of the walk back.  

It's Eric's Birthday today, for his gift we booked an appointment for Oscar to go get the 2022 tire calibration set/done so Eric won't have a sensor lit up and a bell bonging every time he starts Oscar.  Exciting stuff.

Two of his sisters, a brother in law and a neice are at the campsite tonight.  I can't believe I'm missing out on his Birthday.  I don't think we've ever been apart on our bdays.

Lili came out today and had breakfast and lunch with us.  Eric and Luk got the kayaks all ready.  I had offered to tow the utility trailer out to get 5 boats to the water but Eric declined.  Today he decided we need the trailer.  So Lili came home.  I came home to work a bit and get Jia to work and later to pick up Fei from the ferry.  Then Jia from work.  Phew.  Lili is coming with me. AND Eric drove home to pick up the trailer and get some straps to hang the hammock for me.  I was contemplating sleeping outside with Izzy but she was so great last night I won't have to.  

The forest was nice and cool.  So nice.  I had to put a jacket on for our walk last night.

Today I got an urgent email from the sherif.  My jury selection has been cancelled and no new date has been set.  So disappointing.  However, it does makes life easier, simpler.

Some days are truely complicated.  The logistics are a lot still.

Sooo much cuteness.

 

The cloud!  Gasp.

Disney Magic.

Their last day.

Making their way home tomorrow.

I think it's safe to say they had fun.

Fei sent a good amount of pictures and shared the fun moments with me and sent food pictures so I could live vicariously through her.  Kang sent me a couple fun pictures of Fei that he likes but she didn't so I can't post.  

Photo dump.

 

World of Color, I never stay up late enough to see it.  Fei sent a few pictures and said it was so good.

The ride she said she would never do ;)

Disney food pics.  So jealous.

Another one from the reunion.

A drop by visit, check out Max...taller than Eric and Albi!

Fun in Oscar.  Top back and windows zipped out.

The ladies.

Onyx Fun

 

We went for a morning drive before it got too hot.  1st time with Onyx's freedom panels off.  

I love her even more now.

Luk has parked himself directly in front of the ac ;)

It's nice in the house but 37 on our deck yesterday was just insane.

Today it's too hot to bother swimming.  

Fei and friends are having fun.  They did Universal yesterday.1

They did early entrance to check out the new Mario Land.

Today they did rope drop at Disneyland and raced to Rise of the Resistance and only had a 30 minute wait.  So they were off to a good start.

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40 Year Grad Reunion

 

Our class was 360ish graduates.  80 of us showed up plus 20 guests.

Too shadowy.

Next try.  We're so cute.

My arm candy.

Life is short.

I think we look the same ;)

Interestingly I didn't have a problem recognizing the women but barely recognized the men.  Eric thought the same thing too.  Thank goodness there were name tags.

The gathering was at the Red Arrow Brewing Co.  They did a fabulous job of hosting.  The food was good, the band was great, albeit too loud.  

The night was way more fun than anticipated.  

Survived and thrived.