5C's Que Pasa

It needed to be done, my trusty 2009 iMac has been slowing down.

When I turned it over onto the operating table I noticed the fan plugged with dust. Dust so thick that even a vacuum had trouble removing it. So this would be why my fan would run non stop in Mexcio. The computer could not breathe. All the dust swirling in air each time a horse or ATV went past made it's way inside.

I needed Colin's help to open her up, it took three tools before we got into the belly.

More dust.

Not fluffy dust but compacted and hard, likely four years worth.

More dust right inside. The reason for the surgery was to increase to RAM.

My computer has been running slow and over the winter Lynne, the fearless solo traveller, suggested I increase the RAM as that would likely help.  She also shared with me an online site in the USA that sells parts and all things computer at very reasonable costs.  I just discovered that they have a Canadian division.  So I ordered 2GB of RAM which I picked up at an RV Park in the US where I had some items shipped.  Other World Computing also has video tutorials online to show you how to install whatever you buy from them.  So I was ready to do they surgery until the dust stopped me.  Once the dust was cleaned as best that I could it was time to proceed with the transplant.  I didn’t get very far when I was stopped in my tracks.  As you can see above there is a slot on the left and another on the right to insert the new RAM.  My computer already has 2GB’s and the plan was to add 2 more giving me a total of 4GB’s.  However the computer had a 1GB of memory on the right and another 1GB on the left which meant I had to remove one in order to install the 2GB memory.  I should have looked while on the Isla as to the configuration and perhaps bought a 4GB card.  So I completed the surgery and now have only 1GB more than with what I started, the old 1 GB and the new 2GB card.  Too bad, I would have preferred having 4GB’s.

Mission accomplished.

For some of you this is not rocket science but for me it is.  Remember I don’t even put gas in my car  😳 So thanks to Lynne, my computer is running faster and hopefully it is all I need in the near future.

Tags: repairs

We have been working vey hard to get things sorted out and put away and get a grip on the company year end but there are aways glitches.  The other day after Colin’s aerial photo shoot he stopped in at Papa Murphys Pizza as we needed a time saving dinner.  They were closed, as in closed permanently.  The nearest outlet is in Vernon, about 35 minutes away.  Too bad!

At least the photo shoot went well. A winery has been sold and the new owners have hired us for a year long renovation project from both on the ground and in the air.

The girls continue to be cold. Here they had just come in and wanted me to cuddle them. The last of the 16 loads of laundry hanging on the left. How come we have so much laundry someone asked? Someone had 24 shirts to launder and someone else had about 20 or so sundresses to launder not to mention 2 sets of bedding and towels and shorts and other things and all the dog bedding and blankets which was 3 or 4 loads on its own.

We really want to go back to the beach!

Yesterday I spent close to 90 minutes on the phone trying to sort out just one of several problems that cropped up in the mail.  We have a CIBC VISA card for our personal transactions and a different TD VISA card with another bank for our business use.  It seems that some higher ups have decided to sell our personal card to the same bank that had our business card.  We want to maintain two different banks for a few reasons, one being that I want to just be able to open my wallet and know which card is personal versus business.  After much back and forth and transfers to a supervisor and his checking with his supervisor it was decided that we could remain with CIBC VISA but we would have to start with a new application which means our 23 year history and very high credit limit would be gone.  After more back and forth it was approved that they would be able to fix the situation and we would continue our good history with the bank.  Then we had to start the application process by phone, a nightmare.  At that point I called the supervisor and suggested we may switch to American Express when suddenly he decided we were going to be okay with no more telephone time.  A waste of 90 minutes.  Once the cards arrive we will still have a thirty minute online process with a supervisor to activate and do the final transfers.  It seems that they had already set us up with the new personal TD VISA which is likely sitting in our mailbox right now and we do still have the existing CIBC card and now the new CIBC card is on the way, so the 3 cards have to merged as one online. Then of course I will have to reactivate my automatic online payment with my bank not to mention give my new VISA number to those who do monthly auto payments with it.  I never signed up for this.  I am only one of hundreds of thousands of Canadians that this has happened to in the past few months.  Likely most will just go along with the change over.

Meanwhile our lovely fireplace would not light. Just before leaving we had it serviced and noticed problems after the fellow left but it was working well enough and we were leaving within 10 days. We did not pay the bill last October with the understanding that they would come back when we got home. The problem took two hours to solve but we only had to pay the original bill from last year. Not sure that we will use this company again.

The girls are very thankful to have their source of heat back.

We also had a small water problem at our outside water box where the water softener connects.  Colin with the help of a neighbor got it up and running the day we arrived.  The problem was in how the company created the connection and it needs to be permanently replaced or we will continue having the same issues year after year.

It rained all day yesterday but was clear with a cool 32F/0C at 6:00AM this morning.

Looks like more fresh snow up there on the mountain.

You can see the hills behind us have a powder coating of white. The snow level is low for this time of year. Looking forward to the few hours of sunshine forecast for today.

Saw this couple floating around the past few days. Tried to get a shot but they were far out and kept moving so I had to visit Google for this shot. They are Goosander ducks. They really stand out on the water because of their colors.

Not quite 8:00AM but my desk is calling to me.  Enjoy your day where ever you are.

Tags: 319, CJPS, critters, repairs, The girls

Colin got our Weber set up as well as his inversion table.

The golf cart batteries survived the winter just fine.

My Z3 started up without a groan. Now I just need to get it insured to drive as opposed to being stored.

I did take a moment to notice that the buds are just starting to open.

Fortunately I was up early this morning, so that when the 6:30AM email came in requesting Colin's presence at a job site, I was able to rouse him from a well deserved sleep. That job led to a aerial photography later in the afternoon. Wow, what a busy beginning to our next 6 months. Yes, he is wearing pants, it is cool out there.

I did another 4 loads of laundry for a total of 14 since we have been home. I also got all the mail opened and sorted and ready for me to 'think' about starting the company year end and our personal taxes.

Meanwhile the girls were happy to find a patch of heat as the sun peaked through the clouds for an hour.

Tags: 319, CJPS, The girls

I sure hope that your Easter weekend has been relaxing and included some time with family and friends.  We have been going back and forth between the RV and the house and trying to fit everything back into place.  There have been a few challenges like our fireplace not lighting which is a big drag as it has been cool and we sure would have loved that extra heat.  The girls especially love laying on their beds under the fireplace.  They don’t seem to enjoy laying in front of an extra heater.  The furnace does a great job but I like to warm it up fast at 6:00AM which our huge 360 degree fireplace does.  Being back in our king size bed has been a bonus except last night Carmeh was cold and cuddled me right to the edge of the bed.  Colin and I both loved being able to have a bath again, our first in 6 months  😳

Each time I take a load out of the dryer Carmeh has jumped into the warmth of the clean clothes. So far I have got 10 loads washed with about 5 more to go.

One great thing about our new home is that we are able to park the RV almost in our driveway and leave it parked for a maximum of three nights. Our property starts at the Alberta Spruce just in front of the bedroom slide.

Karen and Lyle graciously let us block their view as we park in front of their yard but we do not impede on their driveway.  It was a great surprise to find them here this weekend ( they live in Calgary ) and we were able to get a few hours of catching up on Saturday afternoon.  Not much time to visit with anyone else, just a quick hello here and there.  We finally got the RV and the basement unloaded this morning and Colin quickly moved it off the street to the storage compound.  Both the inside  and the outside need to be cleaned but it is too chilly to that that right now.  We also have to check with the fumigators to  find out how we need to prepare the RV for the spraying.  Sadly Colin discovered that the RV basement is still leaking.  He found the source which is different from the first area that Eric, our mobile RV tech repaired for us on the Isla.  Obviously more repairs next fall.

The rain that was forecast for today held off which allowed us to get things sorted out in the yard. First we had to move stored items out of the house and the other items outside of the shed so that we could put yet other items from the RV inside of the shed, etc. etc. Still lots of snow up there in the hills. Definitely not a warm breeze blowing off the lake.

It managed to get up to 14C this afternoon, enough to make Carmeh try to get her frisbee out the doggie door. What a hoot to watch!

Love, love, love my fast internet.  Here it is 5:00PM Easter Sunday and it is time for us to stop and just relax.  I have a lovely dinner planned, but first a glass or two of vino blanco.  Cheers!

Tags: 319, Holiday Park, The girls, vino

I can’t believe how a dog can remember a neighborhood and in particular a certain house that it has not seen in over a year.  Carmeh started shaking five blocks away and as we turned onto the street started barking and with two houses to go she started scratching at the windshield.  She knew that we were approaching Katie & Louie’s.  As we stopped both the girls were barking at the top of their lungs.

Carmeh with her Gramma Katie.

Being fed scraps from the table, like left over noodles will ensure love forever.

Caeli got her turn also. Our 3.5 hours went by way too quickly but we all did have a wonderful time.

Thanks for the lovely meal Katie and Louie, we enjoyed it and your company.  Glad to hear that you will be coming to visit us this summer.  We left about 8PM just as it was getting dark and it started to rain.  We discovered that a new highway had just been opened and it actually saved us close to 20 minutes and as we did not have to stop for propane nor fuel we proceeded to the rest area just 11KMs West of Hope.  We had forgotten that it was the Easter long weekend and were fortunate to get the last site that we could fit into for the night.  Shortly after we arrived, 3 more truck campers arrived and we were 12 for the night.  It rained hard and heavy all night.  We later found out that we had made a very wise decision to take the Fraser Canyon ( #1 HWY) home because of the snow and the wind.

The snow levels had dropped over night but the rain had stopped. This route adds just over 100 miles to our day but it avoids the higher elevations. The road is windy but honestly it really is a beautiful area to travel through.

Lovely vistas...

Carmeh was tired of traveling and kept moving about. Here she has her head on Colin's arm rest.

In this photo you have the CP rail line over the the left of the Fraser River, then the CN rail line and then the highway.

We crossed over and under a few times.

How often do you get this close to a moving train?

We had left the rest area at 7:20AM and made two brief stops for doggie breaks and food for all of us.  Colin did a great job of getting us home and parked at our site by 2:40PM.  At trip of 272 miles.

Then the unloading of the fridge and most of the food began.  We unloaded and stored things in the house until about 6PM and than I said…..”enough”!  It was a very long day and it was quite cool.  The girls were not happy at all.  Caeli does not like our hardwood floor and they both miss our old house where they could watch the activity on the street.  Here the view is to the lake which we both enjoy but not so the girls.  So they hung out on our bed during all of the unpacking.  At one point Caeli insisted on staying in the RV and refused to come into the house.  We know that they will adjust, after all we have removed them from freedom of a warm beach and brought them to cool temperatures.  It was -1C this morning.  The unloading continues.

Tags: 319, Holiday Park, The girls, travel