Random Okanagan photo

Happy Fourth of July to my American neighbours

Here is to two hundred fifty more!

Elevator Friday - near Boharm, Saskatchewan

Contributed by Dale Redekopp.

Fence line

I seem to have solved the issue of not being able to upload photos. I have no clue how this got fixed. If I managed to fix it I am at a loss as to what I did.

Years ago a reader commented that they wanted to see a fence line in a photo. For some reason this stuck with me and I am always looking for an interesting fence line. What looks good in person does not always translate to a photo. Anyway it was taken a few days ago.

In honour of Canada Day

Blogger and me

For some reason I could now post a photo this morning. Hopefully this lasts.

Old truck post

On a break

I have a post for Canada Day that I scheduled a few weeks ago. I had some posts that I was going to post over the next few days however Blogger will not let me post any photos. I am irritated enough that I am going to set this aside and ignore this for a few days if not longer.

Blogger issues?

Cannot seem to post pictures. There are days I hate this site. 

An update of sorts

I have been having some issues with pain. I ran out of painkillers and I was able to get more from my doctor. I have pain in my feet and was referred for x-rays on my feet and may get injections in my feet for said pain. I also had to stop in for bloodwork because no matter what you see a doctor for they seem to always want your blood. I had to take pain medication three days in a row. I have not had to do that for months. I am hoping this is a temporary thing. There is also pain in my knees that has been building which if it continues I may see if I can get a follow-up with the surgeon that put me back together.

Whatever half developed plans I had have been derailed by the rain. Rain over most of my home province and the provinces on either side of me this weekend and the next week. Once again there is some flooding, parts of some backroads and some secondary highways are underwater. Things do look very lush and green though.

There were a few days of sun last week. On a whim I drove to Derwent, Alberta because the old hotel supposedly had great pizza. Once I got there the building look abandoned with no signs of life. It looked questionable enough that I declined to chance it. Actually Derwent itself does not look like it has far to go to reach ghost town status. I almost ran across a garter snake that zipped across the road in front of my car. I stopped to talk to a local and found out there are a few snake dens there. I had never seen a live garter snake before. If nothing else I learned something. I got a pizza when I got home.

Insert ark joke

Rain, rain, and more rain. It has been a very wet June.

For the most part it has been a gentle steady rain for days. The grounds are saturated. Water is standing in farm fields. Water is seeping into basements. Gravel roads are soggy. Rain is forecast for next week.

There is a positive in this. I have not been doing much so the body has been getting a rest. I noticed my walking has been getting a little better. I could do without the worsening pain in my ankles and knees which will be checked. Patiently waiting for the sun to return. 

Elevator Friday - Bladworth, Saskatchewan

Thanks again to Dale Redekopp.

Spotted in Leduc, Alberta

Someone has too much money.

A post from Cpt Mo

Moraine Lake, Alberta.

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Lots of these running around the Checkmate Winery in Oliver, British Columbia. This one kind of stood guard and checked out my car as it was driven onto the grounds. They must have it good there as I seen some very chubby ones.

Church on Monday

I have posted this church before, it is on a backroad near Bridesville, British Columbia. My cousin Linda and I stopped here on our little road trip. Part of the fun of a trip is introducing people to places you have been.

The weather during the trip was largely overcast and there was lots of rain. With a fair amount of travel we were able to catch up and get to know each other a little better. Making myself get out and do things was a boost to my confidence. Getting out of my car and putting gas in it is not the easiest but I can handle things at stops where I was scared to think about it before. My legs have been bothering me since I got back but I have only had to raid my painkillers once in the last few days. 

The Garbage Gobbler

When I was a kid (many years ago) you used to see these Garbage Gobblers all over British Columbia. Every highway rest stop had one. I had not seen one in many years and happened to spot one in Rock Creek.

Elevator Friday

Random elevator from Dale Redekopp.

Random giant head

Spotted in Greenwood, British Columbia.

Road tripping

After being rescheduled a couple of times I am on a road trip with my cousin Linda.

I like Linda. There are some very marked differences in our personalities. She is a type that likes to be in control and I have become more laid back. When we met up to start this I tossed her the key and she has done all the driving. 

She is Conservative but eats like someone who would be a member of the Green Party. Little if any meat, lots of fruit and salads. When we started off I asked her to swing through the drive through at McDonald’s for a couple of Egg McMuffins. This caused a minor clash as she did not want them in the car nor did she want me subjecting myself to that level of food. I was not trying to cause dissension, I actually like a Sausage McMuffin without the egg which I do not eat often. Crisis averted, I got my breakfast.

So far this has been fun. We get along well. I think she is okay with my total lack of planning and fondness to stopping at random places versus her need to plan in detail. We stopped at a few wineries that she had been to before. I have been to wine tastings but never to an actual winery. She likes white, I prefer red. I will have to convert her to the dark side. The nice thing about neither of us working is that we are in no rush to be anywhere. 

Apparently you can get wine in the Okanagan. Who knew?

Elevator Friday - On a farm near Beaumont, Alberta

Courtesy Dale Redekopp.

I hope to be doing something one of these days

May was an ugly month on the budget, as in the budget got mugged. Lots of little bills came due plus some unexpected expenses. I had to replace my second windshield on my car, for some reason it likes to attract big rocks. After setting physio aside for close to two months I started up again. Insurance coverage ran out some I am footing that expense. I took a break because I felt I needed it. Starting up again was a bit painful.

My 2018 Kawasaki 300 Versys sold within two days of listing it. I had it and my 2019 Can Am Ryker sharing a space in my underground parking. Selling it solved a minor problem. My parkade is getting power washed so my car and remaining motorcycle are parked on the street. I could not get on the Kawasaki in my present condition in order to move it. Selling solved that issue.

Rain for about the last four days. With the rain I have been working on my walking which is getting a bit better and my legs feel a bit stronger. I go in phases where I push myself and then take it easy. Less pain that way.

June is more budget friendly so I will see what trips I might attempt. 

53.5732258, -115.7454032

The site of Foley Timber School. There are two buildings here. The last time I was here a few years back it was winter.

Random Jasper photo

Fire damage and green.

Life among the ruins

Jasper National Park.

Random post

Sold the motorcycle yesterday. Decided to go to Jasper, Alberta for a quick visit.

One of my favourite places was devastated by a wildfire in 2024. Buildings are rapidly going up replacing the ones that were lost. Outside the townsite are miles and miles of fire damage to the forests. What I do not like is the whole business area is subject to paid parking where before it used to be free. Prepare to pay $7.00 an hour if you go. Trying to figure out how to pay for parking took a moment. You have to find the sign with a QR code and pay online. I loathe paying for anything this way. 

I was going to visit Jasper again this summer. I may rethink that. Jasper lost two gas stations in the fire and they are down to two remaining. I was surprised how busy Jasper was today and the two gas stations were crammed, one with trucks towing big holiday trailers trying to squeeze into a small area to get close to a gas pump. This will get a lot worse this summer. I have seen fights break out in the past when people get frustrated getting gas navigating a crowd. I am not sure if any of the lost gas stations are being rebuilt.

I love Jasper but I do not like getting gouged more than usual and it is getting too busy. It may have been ruined for me. 

Elevator Friday - near Bentley, Alberta

Thank you to Dale Redekopp.

That hurt

I put my 2018 Kawasaki 300 Versys up for sale. I bought it late in the motorcycle season in 2023. I did some minor fixes and rode it about five times before I parked it for the winter. I was stupidly busy that time with work and looking after mom. I was excited that I would be doing a lot of riding next season.

Well, 2024 saw me in the hospital for seven months and I have not been able to ride it since. It hurts a bit putting it up for sale as I had grand plans when I bought it. Sometimes you have a change of plans. 

Soon I will be down to two motorcycles.

Possible technical difficulties

Ever since landing in the hospital I became overly reliant on my iPad. I use it for practically everything. I am having some issues and I may need to replace it after ten years. Blogging may take a hit.

Abandoned bug

You used to see these on the roads everywhere. The colour got tweaked to make it stand out more.

Plan C

This is a long weekend here. My initial plan was to meet up with my sister and drive to where mom wanted her ashes scattered. A snowstorm changed those plans. My backup plan was to drive to the forestry road by Sundre, Alberta to look for bears and other wildlife. An out of control wildfire in the area scotched those plans.

Rather than give up and stay at home I went to the Torrington, Alberta Gopher Hole Museum. It is a small building a little bigger than an oversized walk-in closet in a bigger house featuring stuffed gophers posed in dioramas. I had driven by the place over the years and decided this was the day. The whole thing is silly and will get a laugh or two.

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Mayook Schoolhouse. Not all that far from Cranbrook, British Columbia.

The school operated from 1918 to 1952. The building was moved here in 1918 from Wardner. It was fixed up at its new location, a bell tower was added, the bell was donated and it was a former locomotive bell. It says on on the building.

The photos are not the best but this location has a bit of importance to me. I had planned to get out to see this on February 17, 2024. The day before I was involved in an accident that put me in the hospital for seven months. Getting to see this became a recovery goal. The trip took a lot for me to drive here. I used to do mad dashes to places to see things I wanted to see. I do not have the energy for that, trips this days will be at a slower pace.

Elevator Friday - Farm near Shamrock, Saskatchewan

Thank you to Dale Redekopp for the contribution.

Old truck post

I have no idea what this is.

Spotted in Baynes Lake, British Columbia

I have spotted lots of turtles in Penticton, one in Sparwood. I have no idea what kinds of turtles those were. Baynes Lake has a spot where turtles cross the road. I looked it up, they are protected and they are the Western Painted Turtle. I had never been to Baynes Lake before and there really is not much to see. If I ever go back I will keep an eye out for turtles.

An amusing drive

Spotted today.

Getting out

Got out on the bike for a few hours today. If I was a horse they would shoot me. I used two canes to hobble my gimped body over to my bike and barely managed to throw a leg over to get seated. I can usually walk a bit with no cane or one cane. Somehow I woke up this morning with my ribs hurting on both sides and my knees not liking me. I entertained ideas of quitting before I started but I forced myself to do this.

A few days ago the forecast was for 21C and wind. Instead we received 17C and definite unpleasant wind. The sky was overcast and the wind felt damp. No rain was forecast but rain felt possible. On the highway I would get hit with gusts of wind hard enough to move the bike and cause me to fight it and have to slow down. This was my first ride of the season so I was getting used to the feel of riding and under the speed limit. Unless the 2019 Can Am Ryker is on smooth pavement it tends to bounce around a bit. I admit to feeling anxious being out concerned that something might go wrong. I get that way at times after what happened.

Was it worth it? Maybe. I will be stiff and sore tomorrow. I bought the bike to use it as I enjoy riding a bike, I will ride it or sell it. Besides, some days you have to face your fears.

The road might be calling . . .

The weather is too good to ignore. I hope to get out, enjoy the sun, and with luck come up with something more interesting to post.

Insomnia post

I had an evaluation done by an independent firm organized by my lawyer on March 18, 2026. I got the results back recently. I will say that I have quite a ways to go yet to get back to where I was before. There were excerpts in the report from hospital files such as this one:

“On 16 February 2024, an orthopaedic chart note indicated patient was resuscitated in the trauma bay with four units of packed red blood cells due to hypotension and presumed hemorrhagic shock. He was stabilized and we took him to the OR overnight. Due to his rising lactate and instability, we took a damage control approach rather than early total care and decided that he should be externally fixated to stabilize his lower extremities pending recovery of physiologic reserve. We also washed out his open wounds and sutured them close. With regard to his lower extremity fractures, we will continue to follow the patient closely and assess his physiologic recovery and monitor his swelling. Once he is deemed appropriate for OR, we will take him back for definitive fixation of his lower extremity fractures.”

I had never read that before nor had I been told that. I knew I was hurt in the accident, I never knew how close the other person came to killing me. Reading this really bothered me for a few days. 

I had some thoughts of buying a motorcycle. I tried throwing myself on a new Kawasaki Eliminator at my local dealership. I can barely get on. I own a Kawasaki Versys 300. It is taller and I know I will not be able to get on that, I just do not have the range of motion in my legs. If I park it for another year I might be able to get on it, then again, I might not. I might not be able to ever do some of the things I used to do, like ride on two wheels. There might be a bike going up for sale, I have not decided. I made progress and I think I might be able to do more next year or maybe I am deluding myself.

Too much to think about at four in the morning.

It is my fault

Last Tuesday it was 15C. I ran my 2019 Can Am Ryker to my local motorcycle shop for an oil change and to get a luggage case attached. I told them I was in no rush as I did not know when they would get to it. Yesterday I got a text after they closed saying it was done. Overnight we had a bit of snow and today we are having a bit of a winter storm with a bit of snow and nasty winds.

Come on spring!

There will be road trips

On Sunday I caved and drove my 2019 Can Am Ryker around the industrial area. That part of town is practically deserted on a Sunday. I stayed in town away from traffic to get used to the feel of riding it again. My legs are stronger and I was able to get on and off it a lot easier. The tank was a bit under half full so I put some gas in it before parking it again. I enjoyed it so much I am wanting to take a short trip or two this summer by bike and car. I should be up to it.

My father had two brothers and three sisters. Growing up my father’s side of the family was involved in various feuds with each other to varying degrees. Dad was not one to do things halfway, as long as I could remember he refused to have anything to do with his sister Doreen up to the day he died. My father was in and out of hospitals for some serious issues and when he was admitted he always left word that one particular sister was not allowed to visit. Due to family disagreements we lived in British Columbia where a grew up and they all lived in Alberta. Growing up in a different province I did not have much of a relationship with relatives. Times are different, aunts and uncles have all been dead for years.

I mention this as almost being killed off in an accident a little over two years ago I want to connect with some of the family that is worth meeting. Another reason is that there are less of them as I get older. There were all kinds of relatives on my father’s side, from successes to a few that did time for some serious criminal acts (armed robbery) and even an Orthodox priest. Some I have not seen in years and I may try to reach out.

I have a cousin Linda, ten years older, that lives near Salmon Arm in British Columbia. We have not seen much of each other through the years. I managed to talk her into meeting up in June for a four of five day road trip. I have found out that she is a very Type A personality that likes to plan stuff down to the minute and has already made hotel reservations. She asked what I had planned for this trip and seemed a bit shocked when I said I had nothing planned, I make it up as I go along. I told her she could drive as she likes to be in control however since we are taking my car I control the music. I will not play any Scandinavian death metal. A non-negotiable point for Linda is stops at wineries in the Okanagan. No disagreement here.

I am looking forward to this. It should be interesting. 

Minor stuff

Tackling some items, nothing exciting.

Mom’s estate is practically done. Tax returns are done. There had to be two final returns done, one for the last return, and a separate one because there was a death benefit that was received from the government. Back in September the funeral director told me to apply for it when I did not want to, it was a small amount that I felt was inconsequential. The director talked me into it. That $2,500.00 is considered income and therefore had to be claimed resulting in more paperwork not to mention more money to the accountant. I await final paperwork from our wonderfully efficient government.

I have a few boxes of mom’s documents I want burned. Old bank statements, financial reports, and so on. I have a few friends where I can do that. It is a matter of waiting until the snow and ice is gone. Shredding companies want an arm and a leg to get rid of small amounts. You spend a lifetime accumulating stuff only for someone to get rid of it when you pass.

I have been cleaning out some stuff of my own. I have some aids to daily living that I have not used lately and I would love to donate. Things like a shower bench, walker, crutches, stuff that I hugely needed but I am not needing as I get better. In a few months I will clear those out.

I renewed my driver’s license. When I was recovering in the hospital in 2024 checked my license and found it needed to be renewed in 2026. I was concerned about that as it took me many months before I was able to drive again and if my license had expired for a significant amount of time I did not want to reapply. I did not have to renew until this July but better to get it done now instead of forgetting about it later. 

I have underground stall for my car and I rent another where I have two motorcycles parked. Yesterday I put the key on the 2019 Can Am Ryker, a three wheeled motorcycle, hit the start button and it immediately started. That felt good as I parked it to store it las October and never hooked up a battery charger or used gas stabilizer. I should do those things, I never have and never had an issue. I have thoughts of taking it out for a spin except for the Jekyll and Hyde weather we have been having. Spring will inevitably arrive and I will have a better time this time. My legs are stronger and I could get on the bike fairly easy. I am looking forward to it. 

Elevator Friday - Spruce Grove, Alberta

Spruce Grove Alberta Wheat Pool. Built in 1958, it is designated a Provincial Historic Resource and is a working museum run by volunteers.

Thank you to Dale Redekopp.

Update

Doing some walking with a cane. I walk like a penguin. I do some walking over the course of a day then my knees and hips rebel and I have to knock it off for a day, or two, or sometimes three. I cannot do long distances but I can notice improvement. I have used crutches once in the last week as I did not trust the surface of a sidewalk enough to use a cane.

There are times when I am taking steps and it feels like one of my femurs is going to break. I know that will not happen as the bones are solid and there is a lot of metal holding them together. It is odd how you second guess yourself. I can feel a few new minor things. When I got up from a seated position I used to have to stand in place for a bit before I felt I was on solid enough footing to take a step. Now I can go from sitting to standing and waiting less to move. Jogging will have to wait until 2027.

Have not been posting much lately . . .

Trying walking unassisted has proven to be a little difficult. I have been concentrating on putting the crutches aside and using a cane. That has been not too bad. The effort over the day has been very tiring and sometimes painful. I have been snatching at every little bit of progress and trying to build on that. If anyone has been wondering where I have been this is what I have been doing.

Elevator Friday - Runnymede, Saskatchewan

Old elevator annex. Thank you to Dale Redekopp. 

More fun with therapists and other tasks

Monday I spent my day at company that was giving me an assessment of my abilities with an occupational therapist. Lots of time being interviewed and lots of paperwork. Then put through my paces physically to see what I can and what I cannot do. Some activities I flat out could not do such as walk heel to toe like they want you to do in a roadside sobriety test. I even got observed how well I can get in and out of my car.

Tuesday was a meeting with the accountant to sign and file my tax return. Taxes do not have to be paid until the end of next month. The government can wait for my money. Checked with a different accountant that is filing my mother’s final tax return. I thought I supplied them with all of the necessary paperwork but no, they want more documentation. I checked my files and I had everything except what they wanted. Somehow that documentation disappeared, or got misplaced, which perplexed me as I do not lose things of that nature. After an intense search I gave up and contacted the lawyer that handled probate and I believe they had the information and I had it sent to the accountant. Of course it could not be that easy. There was a $2,500.00 death benefit paid out by the government which the accountant informed me could, and possibly should, be claimed on my return and my sister’s return. I had just filed my return. I told them to include it on her return. They told me it would be a separate return and it would cost more for generating another return or I could file an amended return to claim it. I ended up telling them to get it done, include it on her return, and bill me.

Wednesday the same therapist came to my residence to see how well I function in my own home. She got to see how well I perform certain daily activities. I will just say that I am still a work in progress. With all this information she will send a report to my lawyer who in return will get a report from someone who will create a report detailing estimated financial damages. Then lawyers will send reams of paperwork between each other before a scheduled mediation meeting coming up on August 13.

Once this is dealt with I will see if I can do something more interesting.

Elevator Friday - On a farm near Wetaskiwin, Alberta

Courtesy Dale Redekopp.

Taxes

Apparently my seat of the pants tax planning last year was off the mark. I dropped off all my stuff to the accountant yesterday and today I got a phone call saying that it is looking like I owe. Not happy about that.

May everyone else get a refund. 

Poultry is just bigger in Alberta

Stopped here within the last two weeks with a friend on a quest to track down a rural church. The church is not in regular use and it is kind of hidden away in a rural area not on a regular road. We now know where it is and will take a more serious stab at visiting it in the summer. Not quite easy to get to.

This place is in Clive, Alberta. I like stopping in small town places for fun. Looks are deceiving as it is much bigger on the inside than you think. The menu was a small assortment of appetizers, a burger, cheeseburger, or sausage on a bun. The burgers were good, the local craft beer was better. Would I go back? Of course.