Historic drive

Picked up Georgina at 10 and we headed off to get stamps for her passport.  She needs to visit tourism spots from here to Hell's Gate and get at least 12 stamps.  We visited 3 spots that were worth 2 stamps each.

I had driven by the Stave Falls Powerhouse many times but this was the first time I've stopped.  The visitor centre is impressive and well worth the time.  We then headed south to the Kilby Historic Site and had lunch in their Harrison River Restaurant.  Homemade soup and local bread for the sandwiches.  Bought some blackberry jam and a scone in their store for dinner.  They pay the local kids to pick the blackberries.  I'll be back for more!  They have a good sized gift shop.  The old store is full of the stock that was still on the shelves when it closed.  

Our third stop was Xá:ytem.  Here we could see the large spiritual rock and 2 pit houses.  There is also a good display of some of the many artifacts dug up on the site and a very good gift shop.  http://www.sfu.museum/time/en/videos/22/

We did some geocaching during our drive (about 240 km) and I managed to walk 4.6 km.  I am up to 686 and Lori is at 1,010 on her U.S. trip.

Dropped off Geogina and picked up groceries at Thrifty's before heading home, arriving at 7 pm.  A long day!

 

M & M

Quick trip to the store this morning.  Picked up a bunch of books at Chapter, mostly gifts.  Did get some for myself with gift card from Pru.  Loaded up with stuff at M & M and Cobs.  Home before noon.

Go Habs!

Got an email from Australia that sent me out geocaching today.  I am part of a team (Australia, UK, US, and Germany) looking for multi called World Cache.  Parts are hidden in all our countries.  I just found the answer for Australia and am waiting for clues to come for my other searches.  A lot of work for one happy face!  Then went to Ambleside and found 3 on the North Shore.  Didn't find more than that!  I hate rocks on the seashore and won't clamber over them.

Did some shopping at Lee Valley Hardware and then home to watch Montreal kick ass.  I thought Washington was the highest scoring team in the league?

Rain or shine?

Canceled plans with Georgina as it was supposed to be raining today.  The sun was out here all day!  I hear there were thunderstorms, but not near me.  Can't win.

Bit the bullet and paid the taxes.  Had dinner at White Spot to recover.

Lori hit Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico to find caches today.  What a trip.  She should be at 1,000 this week.

Taxes

Windy day today.  Stayed home to organize papers and bills.  Loaded up the QuickTax and was shocked to owe over $1000 this year.  I have always had a refund but am now collecting CPP.  Now I have to pay a quarter of it back!

End of Round One

Slept in today and just puttered with bills and the newspaper.  Taxes tomorrow!  I've been saying that for months now.

Canucks won the 1st round so we have a few days of rest to recover from the stress!

Family lunch

Met Matt, Andrea, Lily, Sadie and Pru at the White Spot to celebrate my birthday.  How many years have we been doing that!  I still remember the pirate chest at the doorway of the dining room on Granville St.  You got a present if you finished your dinner.

Tried again for the cache at Cedar, Cypress & 19th but was stumped again.  Others are finding it.  I am just missing the point!

Picked up some groceries and headed home to veg and watch stuff on PVR.

61st

Matt woke me up at 7:30 so the girls could wish me a happy birthday.  Can't think of a better way to wake up.

Wasn't motivated until I showered and dressed.  I had wanted to find 3 new caches in South Delta.  Finally decided to head out and ended up finding 8.  Love being on round numbers - I have now found 680.  Even got a few that had stumped me the first time.

Stopped at the Spaghetti Factory in New Westminster at about 3.  It was as good as ever.  Lunch or dinner?

Home in time for a Murder She Wrote that I hadn't seen before and then settled in for a great Canucks game.

Minerva's

Bloodwork at 9:45 and then saw my clinical trial nurse.  Treatment at 1:00 and I was gone by 2:00.  Saw Mae and Darline a couple of times.

Was really tired so went home and read the papers and watched TV until 7 when it was time to go to Pru's.  She gave me a gift card for Chapters and took me to Minerva's for dinner.  Great restaurant in Kerrisdale.  We both ate too much!

Traffic woes

Decided to believe the forecast and headed out in the rain to geocache around Langley.  Only got a little wet in between showers and the sun eventually came out.  Had lunch at the Sonoma Grill in Langley - asparagus soup and a spinach salad (baby spinach, baby beets, goat cheese and toasted pecans).

Carried on searching through the afternoon and ended up with 12 (672).  There was traffic chaos going back to Vancouver due to an accident in Delta northbound on the 99 just before the 91.  Decided to stop at White Rock for fish & chips.  The beach was gorgeous in the late afternoon sun.

Traffic was still stalled.  Thought I could slip by but got caught in it.  Finally got turned around and tried going up 152nd.  It was slow!  Finally got on 10 and sailed home but missed the 1st period of the game.  Luckily it was on the radio and I do like listening to hockey.  

Canucks did well tonight - they are best coming from behind.

Rainy day

Cleaned out the expired treasures in the fridge.  Went to COSTCO and Safeway to restock the shelves.

 

Feeling pretty good and hope it is sunny tomorrow.

Canucks?

The Canucks have a great record of coming from behind this season.  Time to dig in!

Took the Canada Line to meet Louise at the Cactus Club and then our cancer support group.  We finished at 8:30 and I was home by 9:15.  A lot cheaper than parking the car!

Valley summer

Wasn't going to go out today but the sunshine drew me out!

Found a new cache in Richmond and then headed up the valley.  Found 5 more around Abbotsford (660).

Great day for a drive and meandered on the way back. 

New Constitution & By-laws

Moira drove this morning and we met all day in the Spring Council and AGM.  The new constitution and by-laws that I helped rewrite passed with little comment.  We argued over representation - I had them put it in the form of an amendment and it failed.  The rest passed with little comment.  All that work and it is done!

I was asked to stay on as Member-in-Large.  We've done away with all appointments so I can now vote!  I'll stay doing the news blogging and will run the forum.

A few of us walked to the Cactus Club for drinks and Moira drove me home.

Canucks must stop taking penalties!!

BCTLA Executive

Tried for a new cache in Richmond this morning but couldn't find it.  Pam couldn't later in the day and told the owner.  They found it in the gardening refuse pile and replaced it in the trees.  I'll try again Sunday.

Took Canada Line to Broadway and met the BCTLA Executive in the Golden Great Wall for a great banquet.  We then went upstairs to the Holiday Inn for our meeting.  Sad that it will be the last meeting for a few and a couple were too ill to attend.

Moira had her car and gave me a ride home.

No Internet

My Internet is down tonight so I am using my iPhone to write this.

Had brunch at Matt's and had a relatively quiet visit before the hubbub of Christmas.

Too much traffic for shopping so came straight home.

Made a crockpot stew through the night and some pasta today. Good to have some meals in the freezer.

Canuck begin the push

Great end to tonight's game. 

I did some laundry this morning and not much else through the day. This weekend will be busy with BCTLA meetings so I am resting up.

Michelle made a video starring me!  

http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1271382437078RA94

Ministry of Education plays politics

All school boards are complaining about the new costs being dumped on them so why is Vancouver being singled out with an advisor?  New costs are being dumped on schools - MSP premiums, wage increases, carbon offsets...  Will this auditor tell the truth?

The day was sunny and hot so I drove to Aldergrove and Fort Langley - found 13 caches (654).

Red Cross work

Stayed in until the middle of the afternoon and then headed to the Waffle House for a late lunch/early dinner of liver and onions.  Tried for a couple of caches but decided not to walk into the woods in the drizzle.

Our core team met at the Red Cross.  My group went through the bin of supplies and the binder of information.  We weeded out a lot of stuff we would never use and filled in a wish list of what we wanted added (pens, clipboards...).  We then did some brainstorming on communications and were finished just after 9.  Excellent group to work with.  The wildfires are coming!

Out and about

Decided my swollen bit is a bit better and I wanted out!  Drove to Deep Cove and found a few caches.  Didn't find more!

Came back over the bridge before the traffic and had fish and chips at Spanish Banks.

Solved a few puzzle caches tonight just to show I could do it!

White Spot

Spent another quiet day with the ice pack.  It does seem a bit better.

Took Moira to the White Spot for her birthday dinner.

Sedin twins rule!

Stayed in most of the day with the old ice pack.  In answer to note from Heather, I decided to create a new blog for the BCTLA http://bctlaremembering.blogspot.com/

Took a book back to the library that was due today and picked up dinner at Applause.  

Really enjoyed the last Canucks game.  It was fun watching them trying to give Henrik his scoring title.

Old pain

The pain in the groin I had a few years ago has come back.  Made sleeping hard.  Decided to ignore the sun and stay in my chair with an icepack all day.

At least the Heed and Guergis scandals are giving me something to watch.

Poor Canucks

Don't think the Canucks are really caring about this game.  It is chippy and already 4-0.  If everyone gets a penalty, do they keep playing?

Didn't need any bloodwork today so slept in and had a restful morning.  Arrived at the Agency after 12 and picked up my prescription refill before having lunch in the cafeteria (have to take the pill with food).  Saw Darline and Mae a few times.  My chemo was at 1 and I was gone by 2.

Tried finding a new cache off Renfrew St. but couldn't find it.  Did find a new one in Central Park before heading home.  Too tired to do more.

Check up day

My bloodwork was at 9 this morning and I gave 6 vials up.  Had a scone and some tea in the cafeteria and read for a while.

Stopped in at the Cancer Society and bought some daffodil pins and then walked on to the Fairmont Building for my appointment with Dr. Gelmon.  The resident explained that they were actually following 2 lymph nodes they are a bit smaller now.  Another spot near my adrenal gland is staying the same.  Easier to pick these to follow than to try measuring all the tumours.  My tumour markers are up to 48 but have been staying in the 40s for a while now.  There is now a new problem with the trial drug.  It might cause some hearing loss but I don't care and signed off on the risk.

Stopped at Oakridge for groceries and fell asleep after eating lunch.

Pleased that I got an answer from GSAK, the program I use to put geocaching waypoints in my GPS units.  I now know how to load hundreds at a time in the one I use in the car.  This will save a lot of time.  Pays to ask the question.

Headache

Took pile of unread books back to the library before they were due.  Looked at computers at COSTCO and bought a few things before heading back home.

Spent a quiet day but have ended it with a headache.  I am now fasting for tomorrow morning's bloodtest.

Luncheon

Woke up at a decent time and took Matt, Andrea, Lily and Sadie out for lunch for the holiday.  Met them at the White Spot in Coquitlam.  

Found a cache, with Pam's help, at the BCIT and another in Coquitlam on my way.  Then got 3 more nearby afterwards and a couple in Sapperton (637).  

Tried for a laptop at London Drugs but didn't see anything.  

Slow Sunday

Didn't do much today - read, played Bejewelled, watched TV.

Catholic Church is imploding.  The Pope blew a chance to redeam himself and blew it by not responding to "petty gossip".  Comparing the attacks on him to the Holocaust just shows how stupid the leaders are.  Is it the "end of days"?

Sunny in White Rock

Now that the storm has gone by and the next few days look like rain, I decided to head out to find blue sky.  Had lunch on the beach in White Rock and then found a few caches (630).

Am still trying to buy a laptop but no one in Best Buy would pay any attention to me for the 2nd time.  Still not sure of what I want.

Stormy weather

The wind was blowing when I went to bed and stayed strong all day.  The big tree out front was swaying dangerously but the branches had been thinned out after the Stanley Park storm.

My new landlord came looking for the rent.  I had put it in the old one's mailbox like usual and I guess he can't get into it yet.  We have heard that Nancy fell and her daughter took her to live with her.  Funny that the owners haven't said anything to us.

Geocaching between showers

Met Pru at COSTCO to use my card for her new tires.  We left the car and had lunch at IHOP on the way home.  Dropped her off and came home to finish reading the papers and watch Perry Mason.  Picked her up again at 2:30 and took her back to Richmond.

Got caught at Shell Road waiting for the longest livestock train I've ever seen.  By the time I got on 99 the counterflow lane through the tunnel was in and the traffic was flowing.

Picked up Lori and Pam and we headed for Deas Island to find some caches.  What a great place to walk.  We found a couple more in Delta and I am now up to 626.  I walked 4.7 km.

We took Lori home and went to Sharkey's for fish and chips.  Finally home by 8.