Hail?

Lori and I decided to go geocaching today instead of yesterday or our regular Tuesday.  We chose well.  It was cold but clear most of the day.  We finally had hail about 4:30 and realized it was time to stop.  I counted 8 for a total of 1398.  We now have all bigbopper1's active caches.

Went to Pru's for pizza and to say goodbye before she flies to Houston.  Put some apps on her new iPhone.

My knee was pretty good all day so I walked 1.4 miles.

Caching in the snow

I waited until afternoon to venture out for today's cache.  The side roads were really slippery.  I managed to get into a lane near 18th & Cambie and park right next to the hide.  One more to go to complete this month and get my 100 total.

Oscars were pretty boring.  You'd think they would figure out how to hire good hosts and put on a good show considering the topic.

My knee is still sore.  Not sure what I did to it.  Too much sitting on Friday?

Snowy

Out early to beat the snow. Started at BCAA to renew ICBC. Also had to change travel insurance. Cheaper to up the plan to 8 travel days than to add 2 individual days.

Found today's cache near Lougheed Mall. It was the final of the birthday caches and I had to climb down a lot of stairs. My knee wasn't happy. It was already sore and woke me up a few times last night. It started snowing while I was looking so I decided to cut the shopping short.

Picked up reserves at VPL and a latte at Starbucks.

Lots of snow here tonight.


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Busy day

Picked Faslodex up at Macdonald's Pharmacy and took it to the Cancer Agency for my shot.  Same nurse as before and she has a good touch.

Stopped for gas & Starbucks on the way to finding today's cache in Burnaby.  Now have all 6 birthdays to find the final tomorrow.

Met Chris at the Radisson in Richmond to help at the Teacher-Librarian table at the New Teachers' and Teachers on Call Conference.  Drove her home and was at my place by 4.

Moira called to suggest dinner and we ate at the White Spot.  Hadn't eaten at the conference as anything I liked was gone by the time we went to the table.

Dropping markers

Karen called tonight to say my tumour markers are now dropping.  A sign the new medication is working!

Found today's cache in near Marine Way & Byrne in Burnaby.  Needed a hint from Pam to figure out the combination.  Stopped at Tilley's on the way to my doctor.

I have seen Dr. Narvas a couple of times & he is now working in Seymour a couple of days a week and I consider him my regular GP.  He cleaned out my ears and I can turn down all those dials tonight.  He also signed the SPARC BC form so I'll get a handicapped pass for those bad arthritis/Sjogren's/cancer fatigue days.  

Stopped at Safeway on the way home.  Enjoyed the Canucks win.

Check Up

Up early for bloodwork and then to the Sunshine Cafe for Eggs Benny.  Bought a silk sleeping liner for travelling at Wanderlust.  Took the credit card I found in the woods into a Royal Bank and she said they just throw them away.  I could have done that!

Karen was running late but I always have a good book.  Someone from the PET Scan trial checked in with me first and then Karen came and did an exam.  She is pleased in how well I look.  Some of my pains have vanished so hopefully the new drug is shrinking the tumors.  She'll call when the tumor markers come in.

Took the first silk liner back to Mountain Equipment Coop and bought some more of their socks.  Drove to Lee Valley in Coquitlam to pick up a new tip for my cane but can't see how to put it on. 

Needed a cache today and found one in Queen's Park on the way home.  Stopped at Cobbs & Kin's for groceries.  Karen said it was okay to eat grapefruit again!!!

The landlord came to look at my broken stove and will get someone in this week to fix it.

Winter Tonic

Met Lori at 9:15 in Surrey and we set out to find puzzle caches.  Had no luck with a couple even though we did spend a long time looking.  Did find 6 bigbopper1 puzzles!  I walked 1.67 miles!

Made it to VanTech for the VTLA's Winter Tonic at 4.  I helped present the "Val Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award" to Sharon Scott.  Very satisfying doing it for someone I worked with for so many years.  Enjoyed the VPL librarian's talk on adult reads.  Reserved a few using my iPhone as she talked.  Sad that there was no WiFi to use my iPad - dark ages!

Had to leave before dinner to sign some papers.  Made it home at the end of the 1st period of the Canucks game.

No stove

Thank goodness I have a microwave to make a cup of tea!  Went shopping this morning at Lee Valley & Staples and a stopped at Tim Horton's for soup.

Failed to find an "easy" cache for the 2nd time.  Went to Iona to find the first in a series that stretches for 4 miles out along the outfall pipe.  Met a woman and her little kids from Washington.

Met 3 friends for dinner at Cactus Club and we walked up to the Cancer Agency for our support group meeting.

Bang

I was going to Kirsten's memorial service in Cates Park this morning but didn't make it.  I didn't sleep well and fell back asleep this morning, waking up too late to go.

Was cooking dinner when there was a loud bang from the bottom element of the stove.  Smoke and bother for a bit.  Told the manager's wife and she said the same happened to her stove and a repairman will come.  Threw out the food and decamped to White Spot.

Abbotsford

Drove to Abbotsford to find some caches and then crossed over to Mission and headed west.  Found more near Silvermere Lake.  Had never been on these roads.  Logged 13 for a total of 1378.   

Stopped at Matt's to deliver his birthday present and stayed for dinner.  Listened to the first period of the Canucks game on the radio.  Made it home in time to watch the rest.

Scary U.S. politics

I know I was supposed to clean today but got caught up in trying to solve puzzles.  It is becoming an obsession.  I had the right solution for one last night but must have entered it wrong.  Lori got it tonight.  Argh!

Wisconsin is turning into the American Middle East with the government trying to break union.  Everyone should be watching.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Then there is Glen Beck and the anti-christ (i.e., Obama)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Caching Event

Read all day to finish my due library book.  Returned as I came home tonight.

Met Lori and she drove to a pub in Surrey to a geocaching event, Last Minute LORbit Meet & Greet.  Recognized the names of several of the cachers present.  Bigbopper gave us some hints to help with his puzzle caches.  Pleasant evening and good beer & steak.  Lori and I are tied at 1365!

Mets Group

Started the day at the Metastatic Support Group at the BC Cancer Agency.  Always a profitable way to spend my time.

Picked up new Mobile Edge ScanFast Netbook Briefcase from Amazon.com at TSB Shipping in Point Roberts.  Filled up with cheap gas and then went to Delta to find today's cache.  Actually got 2 and am now at the same count as Lori.

Bought food for dinner at Applewood Bakery and was home by 4.  

Really tired most of the day.  Will sleep in tomorrow.

Port Moody

Picked up Georgina (Pam's surogate) and we found a couple of caches in Coquitlam.  Lori met us and we headed for Port Moody for 5 more.  We walked along the waterfront trails for some. 

I started raining a bit so we stepped into the Sango Japanese Fusion Reataurant in Suter Village.  The portions surprised us and the meal was really tasty and cheap.

Picked up a couple of things at Thrifty's and went straight home.  I did 2.9 km - no wonder I was tired.

iPad success

I haven't been able to sync my iPad since August.  Several are complaining about this on the chat sites and none of their suggestions worked or were too scary to try.  Now the new operating system is out and I decided to do what I thought made sense.  I reset it to factory settings.  Part way through it found my last backup in August and I let it try.  Success!!  I was missing a lot of apps but think I've reloaded most of them.  They don't charge twice.  Now I can put apps in folders.  I had more than fit on the available pages but that isn't a problem now.

A rainy day and I didn't need a cache today so I was able to just plug away at it.

North Van

Headed to North Van at 9:30 to find some caches today.  Finally stopped at Tim Horton's for lunch at 2:30!  Actually walked 3.8 km and found 6 caches (1355).  Only 1 person between me and Lori.  Met a family of 5 at the last one and none of us could find it.

Found a MEC in North Van and bought a Silk Bag Liner for those sleezy hotel rooms and the trailer we'll be staying in next month in the middle of the Nevada desert.  Stopped at London Drugs and then home by 4:30.

Really enjoyed the Grammy's for a change.

 

Caching in the rain

Started out before the rain and found a cache in North Delta.  Didn't find a couple more and the rain got stronger, so gave up and had lunch at the White Spot.  Tea and soup is perfect when you're cold!

Picked up a book at the library, groceries at Safeway and Buffalo Bags at the Janitor Warehouse.

Haney

Headed to Haney to find a cache celebrating its 5th birthday today.  I now only need a 6th to complete the challenge.  Ended up with 9 for the day.  It was raining or drizzling the whole time.

Had lunch at the Bobby Sox 50's Diner.  Stopped at the Travel Bug and the Bon Ton on the way home.

Feeling pretty good right now.

Quiet day

Woke up at 7 and put on the radio.  Turned over and it was 8:30.  Started to listen to the news and the phone rang to wake me up at 9:40.  Love not going to work!

Didn't do much beyond reading and watching TV.

Canucks lost?

Can't win them all.

Did some laundry and a bit of housework today.  

Tried looking travel packages on Telus and keep getting sent to Kodoo.  They want too much information and I don't know who they are.  Not impressed.

First CHIRP

Met Lori for some geocaching in Surrey.  She wasn't feeling well but made it through the day.  We found one that had defeated us before - sorry Pam!  Our last of the day was a new CHIRP that I detected with my new GPS.  Once you pick up the signal the GPS loads the coordinates of the final stage.

Was home by 4.  Love using the Fraser Bridge as there is seldom any traffic going in my direction.

New Rheumatologist

Had my first visit with my new rheumatologist, John Watterson.  Mine moved away and this looks like it will be a good fit.  I was impressed with the meeting and will see him again in 12 weeks.  Had more bloodwork and X-rays of my hands and feet.

Bought new a 2-piece set of Heys luggage at COSTCO at Moira's suggestion.  List price is $250 and I got it for $100.  

White Spot again!

Tried and failed to find a newish cache in Richmond.  Someone really good didn't find it either so I'll wait and see if others can see it.

Met Matt and family at White Spot in Oakridge for lunch.  One of the best waitresses we've had there for a while.  She was really good with the girls.

Found a cache at Main and 41st.  Failed on my first visit in the snow and now I know why.  I now have one for every day of the year up to now.  Won't be able to finish this one as this insn't a leap year and I need Feb. 29th.  I do have 221 days of the 366 needed.

Enjoyed the Super Bowl.  Actually cheered for the winning team from the beginning.

Applause is back

Spent the dull day inside reading and catching up on PVR programmes.  Did a bit of housework.  I am not good at it. 

Applause has been closed all month and Moira and I met for dinner to celebrate it's return.

What day again?

Went to Crescent Beach for a cache that I thought was going to give me one on its 4th birthday.  Unfortunately it is Saturday so I was one day out.  Duh!  I'll have to try again.

Picked up a few things at Applewood Bakery and headed home.

Fought a headache all night and this morning but it seems to be gone now.

Happy Birthday Andrea

Rained most of the day so I stayed in.  

Took a book back to the library and then met Andrea, Lily & Sadie at the White Spot in Coquitlam for her birthday.  Matt was at school.  Long drive in rush hour.

Been fighting a headache all day.

Bellingham

Up early and drove to Bellingham area to test out the new GPS in the U.S.  Works a treat!  Stopped at the Shrimp Shack for lunch and was home by 7.  Found 14 caches (1330) and didn't find a bunch.  It was dark for the last one and I used my headlamp.

The border was empty in both directions so I didn't have to sit.  Gas was about 82 cents/litre at COSTCO ($3.09).  The Canucks game started as I crossed the border so I listened to the first period on the drive home.

Fort Langley

Started out caching in Pitt Meadows to try out my new GPS units.  They are a big improvement over the old models.  Unfortunately the auto one decided to take me over the Golden Ears Bridge and back again to get to the next cache.  Once I was on the other side I decided it was an omen and went to Fort Langley for lunch.  The first place was full so I wandered down the street and found the Lampighter Gallery Cafe.  The special was pork roast and it was delicious and just the right size for lunch.

Found a couple more caches and stopped at London Drugs on the way home.