5C's Que Pasa

We had been away for 10 days in our RV, visiting friends in the Vancouver area as well as in Point Roberts, USA,  just across the road from Tsawwassen where we used to live.  I had just started my blog in May of 2010 and that vacation is well recorded.  You can go back in my achieves ( to the right, just click on 2010 and then July ) if you want to follow up.  We had a marvelous time and returned home about 6PM on July 26th.  It was so very very hot that we decided to just put our RV on the lake lot and stay there for the night and not bother unloading.  At that time where we live now was just an RV site which we owned and we lived across the road in a house similar ( not as grand ) as this.

The next morning, July 27th, I remembered that I absolutely had to do an important bank transaction. So off I went in my car to Lake Country  and did what I had to do.  Meanwhile Colin had received a call from a major client who needed to see him in Kelowna asap and so off he went.  The girls stayed in the RV.  Our parrot, Cheikka, at the time was still at the bird sitters.  We had traveled with her before but as we were crossing into the USA we could not take her with us as we did not have papers for her.  She was a rescue from Acapulco, an illegal Mexican without papers.

Our lives changed in an instant!

I was turning left off the major highway onto the road that leads to our community.  Because of the high number of accidents at that intersection I never ever turn unless absolutely safe to do so.  I waited until the light turned amber and I looked into the eyes of the driver of the car stopping in the faster/passing lane as he slowed and stopped, it was an orange sedan as I recall.  I also made eye contact with the fellow in the curb lane ( in a green car ) and then I turned very slowly and carefully.

I was T-boned by a vehicle from California who used the turning lane onto the road that led to our home as a straight forward lane.  It was traveling at top highway speed ( 80 – 100 kmph ) and went through the light.  That car not only hit me but sent my car up in the air.  My Suzuki X-90 spun 180 degrees and flew straight between two power poles so close together that later it was determined that the distance between the two poles was less then the length of my car.  I was very lucky indeed.  Everyone was surprised I survived.

It was a very small car. The first new car in my life. It was a surprise 9th anniversary gift in 1996 from Colin.  If I had gone between those power poles sideways I would not have made it.  Thank goodness it was a sturdy car.

I even landed with the wheels on the ground facing the opposite direction I had been traveling.  That is Colin in the dark blue shirt.   Yes, I landed under a personal injury lawyer sign.  Note the 2 light gray posts on the left….those are what I flew through.  Photo by Robert.

I believe I did die, for I saw a tunnel of white and could not hear nor sense anything.  Suddenly I came to as Colin was screaming my name at the top of his lungs.  It turns out that he witnessed me flying through the air at the intersection.  He was waiting to turn onto the highway to go into Kelowna.  I believe he brought me back.  I have never ever heard such terror in his voice.  He was  screaming my name over and over.   Can you imagine the emotional trauma he suffered?

I came back from where ever I had gone and very calmly directed what came next.  Of course the firetrucks, paramedics and ambulances came.  My crash shut down the highway for a few hours.  Before I forget….there is now a set of lights with a left turn only signal at that intersection.  Anyway I was able to take off my diamond earrings and my watch and give them to one of the firemen that we knew for safe keeping.  I asked Colin to use his cell to call Robert to come down the road in his golf cart ( there was not way a car could get through ) and to bring his camera to record the scene.  When Robert got there, we gave him Colin’s car keys as well as the RV keys so he could care for the girls.  Colin traveled to the hospital with me in the ambulance.

I actually freaked out in the ambulance as they tied me down and then closed the door with one guy inside. He refused to untie me.  I am claustrophobic and I proceeded to scream.  Colin came running to my rescue.  They untied me as long as I agreed to not move my neck.  Photo by Robert.

I won’t go on with all the details but suffice to say that I did get home late that night ( thanks to Robert picking us up ) and we ended up living in the RV for several months. It was much easier for me to get around because it was so compact. The ER doctors could not believe that I survived with so little injury but I was still in an incredible amount of pain and could barely move.  My car was totaled.  The next few days were a blur of police, insurance and legal phone calls.  It was a complicated situation as it was considered an international incident.  The police are so busy here in the summer that they did not do an investigation and simply assigned both parties 50/50 blame.  I don’t recall being asked any questions whatsoever as to what had occurred.

Lucky to have survived. Photo by Robert.

I did write a blog post, a few in fact, as to what had transpired complete with photos.  Once I retained a personal injury lawyer I was told that I had to take down my posts.  He insisted and if I didn’t he would not work on my behalf.  I was not allowed to discuss this or any details with anyone.  I had planned to show you those posts once this was all over but somehow they became lost in the computer.  My wonderful father who had printed out all my posts had printed them out and I recently found them.  It is too much for me to recreate them for you and also traumatic for me.  However after writing this post I did read what I had posted 5 years ago and my words are almost exact.  I even choose the same photos.

The legal stuff came to an end last September and I am now allowed to tell you only part of the story.  Why would I want to you might ask?  Well over the past few years you know that I had a hip replaced in 2013.  What you don’t know is that that in fact it was my second total hip replacement.  My first hip was replaced in 2011.  If you go back and read my posts from those years you will read that I could not walk the beach while in Mexico.  Many of my posts were worded “from my garden I see” or “from our wonderful site here on the beach I see”.  My friends on the Isla saw how much pain I was in for years and years and how I walked hunched over like a gorilla.  In fact this last winter was the first time I could really walk without pain and be free to enjoy life.  Everyday here, where we live, people ask how I am feeling.  I am wonderful now.

But I felt bad not being able to tell my story. I think you all know by now that I don’t hold much of anything back.  I mean who else posts a photo of getting acupuncture needles inserted in one’s butt 😳

It has been a horrible time for us.  One of our first losses was our wonderful girl, Cheikka.  That is why we were called the 5C’s.  She is the one sitting on my shoulder in my blog photo on the right.  I never changed it to the 4C’s.  She is always on our minds.  Colin could not care for me as well as the dogs and the parrot, it was too much work.  For many many weeks I was unable to do anything.  She had already been separated from us for 10 days and the sitter was willing to take her permanently.  ( I told a fib in that post as to why we gave her away. ) She was going to look after Cheikka while we wintered in Mexico so she was going to be a part time Mom anyway.  The deal Colin made was that if she no longer wanted the bird she was to contact us first.  She did not and has since given Cheikka away and we have no idea where Cheikka is today.

Cheikka and Colin’s Mom. Photo by me…..a fluke.  Look at the color in her wings.

Colin has made huge sacrifices over the last 5 years, to care for me not only after the accident but after the replacement of both of my hips.  When we traveled he did all the work and most of the cooking as I could not stand in the kitchen for long.  Here at home I was able to sit on a stool to prep meals.  Our business has suffered.  Somehow in the middle of that we designed and built this home on the lake.  Now you  understand why it means so much to me.  I really try and live each day to the fullest.  That is also why I drink wine.  I have been criticized by blog readers because they think I drink too much or talk about it too much.  Well folks, wine is what kept me going.  I chose wine over drugs for the pain and the stress.  Even after both of my surgeries I was off morphine within a week of being home.  And of course both my parents also died in the last few years.  We often discuss how different our lives might have been had the accident not happened.

We rescued her and loved her so very much. We only had her 2.5 years and in that time she was royally spoiled.  She was a Mexican Red Head Amazon aka as a Red Crowned Amazon.

I also wondered why some of you never wondered why all of a sudden Colin was off to Palm Springs to buy me a new car.  He felt so bad for me that he scoured the internet at night while I slept to find a very special car for me.  It was his way of making things right.  One that would protect me and would be unique as was the X-90.  The Suzuki was built like a tank which is what protected me and the BMW is made of steel, has roll bars and several crumple features so I will remain protected.  I of course longed to post what was happening but was not allowed to. It was very difficult for me as I am extremely open and honest. But all of sudden I had a new to me car.  I hated the deception of what I was only allowed to post.  The funny thing is, is that with my hip problems I had a heck of a time getting into that car until this year 😕

Now I am allowed to finally reveal my last five years within certain perameters.  So if certain things did not mesh in my writing, now you know the reason.

Colin took this at the junk yard when he went to collect my things.

So somehow life presented me with a different road to follow five years ago.  I am a different person now and who knows what the future might have been.  It is what it is now and I am who I am now.   I do know that life is so much more precious to me and that I love much more intensely ( the girls and friends included ).  I am much more open and honest which many do not like because I am forthright.  Life is short and I am living it the best way I see for me.  I will not be dishonest and say something is wonderful if I disagree.  I do tend to be too straightforward and I am working on it.  Colin tells me that I am brutally honest.  But really and truly, life is short.  I have to do what is right for me.  Diplomacy is important, but sometimes reality has to over ride it in order to be true to yourself.

Carmeh & Caeli loved Cheikka.

This is the first time in five years that I am normal………

The fire is 75% controlled but still smouldering at 560 hectares.  We have had 2 days of cooler temps, thank goodness, and a day of rain which helped a lot.  Today they still have 4 helicopters, 5 pieces of heavy machinery and 96 firefighters on the ground.  We have a 60% chance of showers today but so far we haven’t had a drop although other areas around us have.

Soon we won’t be seeing these fly past. Well at least for a while, temps are hiking back up mid week.

Residents were allowed to return to the 70 evacuated homes the other day.  Can you imagine the mess one would find?  A fridge and a freezer full of rotted food.  For the first day and night they had no power.  Power was finally given to them on a rotational basis via generators.  The hydro company only restored power yesterday to these 70 homes, as well as 1400 other residences that have been without power since last Monday.  They were not evacuated but because of the location of the fire power was cut off for the safety of the fire crews.  I couldn’t imagine living without power for 5 days plus in the heat we had last week.

Once it cooled down Caeli headed outside for her naps. I took this thru the screen.  She loves to sleep on her back.

Carmeh continues to improve.  We are letting her walk a bit further each day.  She was trotting for a few moments today.  Her back left leg still lags and we suspect that it always will.  When she gets tired she just stops walking and raises her paw asking to be put back in her stroller.

Before we started letting her walk for 5 minutes twice a day ( per our vet ) she would get antsy and sit on her bottom with her paws resting on the stroller edge.  Of course we made her sit right down again before moving on.  Since we have let her walk a wee bit, she is no longer restless in the stroller.

Her favorite resting place is still on our bed.

Colin’s been working hard everyday this week at Predator Ridge, a huge resort community here in the Okanagan.  This week he was following along with the Toronto film crew taking new shots for marketing. Colin has a lot more work there later this summer.  He also does a new annual signature shot for them at this time of year.  It is then used on billboards, magazines and all major marketing.  Remember a few weeks ago when Colin was up the hill and the bears came.  That was the first part of this year’s banner shot.  He then took photos of a family up there and then put it all together.  In total it took 9 hours of photography and 6 hours of photoshop.

The client loves the final image.

He’s pretty good at selfies also.  A reflection thru the golf cart rear view mirror.

The rain has suddenly appeared with much commotion.

Raindrops bouncing off the pavement or you might say dancing on the road.

I was sitting reading in what I call our reading area here in the house when I heard a thump.  Followed by a thump thump.  I called out to Colin.  He dismissed it as a neighbors’ car door shutting.  No I said, there is something happening on the roof.  Finally he got up from his constant photoshop work…good for him to get up and stretch anyway.

The roof was coming up and hitting the satellite dish.

Needless to add, but it was rather windy.

It was almost 5PM and of course we could not get in touch with the builder. Nothing to do but head up to the roof to inspect the damage.

I believe it was my idea to use the C clamps.  The wind has given Colin a new look.  That should hold it for a while.

I was so glad when he came down off the roof. It wouldn’t have been so bad but the wind was gusting 35 – 50 km/h.

It took several phone calls to a few people  over and over, but finally someone showed up end of the next day to repair the roof. Meanwhile we are pushing to have flashing put along that edge as we don’t want the wind driving rain into our home.

Colin spied this the other day as he was heading into town.  I never did ask what made him look up.  I just now called him to ask.  With the new car his cell comes thru ??? bluetooth, I have no idea what that means.  All I know is that he can answer the phone while driving by pushing a button on the steering wheel and all the speakers pick up my voice and his voice.  It is much clearer than when we spoke via his cell while driving the HHR, hands free of course 😉   He says he saw a lady looking up taking pictures with an iPhone. So the other day we drove by and I had my trusty Canon SX280HS with me.

It is actually just a half mile down the road from us, right at the intersection to the highway. Really what kind of photos can you get with an iPhone?

Looks like someone actually built a platform over the utility pole.

It’s an osprey nest, complete with two young ones.

I think my wee camera did a grand job. Can you imagine what Colin could have captured with his camera, never mind Al from the Bayfield Bunch?

It was over 34C/93.2F and mamma was hot and was spreading her wings and opening her mouth. Poor thing.  You can see the speckled head of the other baby as it bent down towards it’s Mom.

Colin thanks you all for his birthday greetings. Considering that I had cancelled my plans for a grand party of 65 friends because of Carmeh, I think we had a great party.  I mean how often does one turn 65 😛