5C's Que Pasa

Here are the final stats from our last trip south.  Sorry for the delay.  If you missed the first part of the report, click here.

From our home here in Kelowna all the way down to la Isla ( Stone Island ) near Mazatlan and back again we drove 5839.8 miles.  The trip down was 2837.6 miles and the return was 3002.2 miles as we went via San Diego.

Total cost for diesel fuel, mixing in Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos came to a total of $2688.45 USD!  If you really need to know litres and gallons send me an email but who really cares!  Well maybe you do.  The lowest we paid for fuel heading south last October was in Parker, Arizona @ $3.879 per gallon and the highest was in Sumas, Washington @ $4.299 per gallon.  Coming back North the lowest we paid was $4.209/gal at a tiny little market off I5 near Redding, Ca and the most expensive also in California in Victorville @ $4.459/gallon.  I know everyone was concerned about the high fuel prices but overall I think we did alright.

We only fuelled up 12 times, the RV was full when we left Kelowna, probably from when we returned in April 2011.  We took on diesel in the USA  4 times, then in Mexico 4 times and 3 more times in the US coming home with a final fill in Chilliwack, B.C.  We always come home with a full tank of diesel and a full tank of propane.  Of course the price of fuel is much less in Mexico but most people are concerned with the US pricing and the overall costs.

Propane cost for the entire trip was $63.23.  We use electric rather than propane at Tres Amigos RV Park.

Rv repairs were only $500.00 despite our major engine fiasco that required almost 24 hours of our time.  We have been reimbursed by Good Sam for the $1000.00 towing bill.

My plant expenses were way down this year, only $55.00 as I planted what I already had into the ground this year. However I did increase my amount of wine purchases.  I brought 228 bottles of wine with me, up from 109 the year before.  I ran out that year and it is very difficult to find a white wine that I can enjoy, well at least on my budget.

The only other major expense were the Mexican tolls.  We paid 3242 pesos, about $238.00USD.  Of course we also paid extra money for Mexican Insurance on the RV and the car but I am still waiting for my B.C. Insurance refund and will give you the breakdown on that once I get it.

You will always need extra pesos for tips, to get your car washed, to get your RV waxed but those are the basics.

Tags: Mexico, money, Tres Amigos RV Park, Wine

I have been carrying this poem in my wallet for years!  Thanks for being you Dad!

Love you,

C

…in months.  We slept in.  I read a book with my coffee, Colin played the guitar.  When was the last time…..maybe end of March before we left the Isla.

Life is good today, the lake is at the same level now for 24 hours now.  Progress.

We might get our inverter ( electricity ) on Monday.  Slow progress.

I might get my new eyeglass lens and glasses on Tuesday.  Very slow progress.

Life is good even with the rain.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Tags: Family

Our Holiday Park Resort golf course is officially flooded.

The first hole is under three feet of water! Plus the water is rising to meet the condos located just to the right of the photo.

It is difficult to see in this photo but the white to the right of the tree is the incoming rapidly bubbling water coming into Duck Lake. We have been told that the snow that feeds this creek is all melted and the flow should diminish. Hmmm...the water outflow at the other end of the lake is a very tiny slow trickle hence the rising waters.

I took this shot Tuesday June 12th.

This morning, 3 days later you can see how the lake has risen. Just by comparing the fencing and the rocks you can see rising levels.

Yesterday we had rain and wind and the waves were breaking right over our patio onto the lawn.  We have debris all over the patio this morning but we also have sun and tomorrows forecast of rain has been downgraded to showers.  Hopefully all of this will help.  We really don’t want to start packing up.  Meanwhile with a day of sun Colin is scrambling to get a few outdoor photo shoots completed.

It could be worse, the homes in this photo are on evacuation alert.

Mission Creek has overflowed its banks.....

I wish I could send all the rain and excess water over to Colorado….

Tags: 319, Duck Lake, emergency, Holiday Park, rain

What a day….yet again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First thing is that S & K Cement called to cancel our crack meeting till sometime soon!  Well that is good and bad.  Because the weather has been so bad the cement hasn’t lightened up enough for us to do the final seal anyway never mind discuss the  crack.

By end of day Wednesday the lake was up 1.5 inches…….slow but steady…we noticed that the creek/outflow of the lake is near road level….certainly needs to be monitored.  We did see an official looking vehicle over there  mid day.

We did get into town and sorted a few more details out…the list is dwindling down.  Colin went over the official quote and details for the new house last night and found a few things that we were being charged for that we were not getting through the builder.  Good job!!!

My cracked tooth, the one that I had prepared for a crown last Thursday is keeping me up at night with constant throbbing as well as during the day.  Am I grinding my teeth or is the tooth still just really sensitive…… no se!  Not fun….I hate taking pain medication.

Then we got the phone call……they cracked my new eye glass lens!!  I am half blind this week…..while on the Isla I walked into someones hanging cutesie and scratched my left lens.  Finally when things started to settle down around here I was able to get my replacement lens ordered.  First off  each lens is about $400.00 so I only got the damaged one replaced!!  Secondly I had to send my actual frame into Vancouver to have the new lens inserted.  I did that with the hope that my new lens and the entire eye glass frame would be here Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.  I am currently wearing frames that are 4 years old and so is the prescription which is why I am half blind!!  I do so hope to get proper eye wear for the weekend.  Eye aches and toothaches…….no more please!!

On the plus side, today I reaped my 14th day income on my income opportunity.  Colin started collecting his CPP ( Canada Pension Plan ) a year ago, that he has paid into a good part of his working life.  His monthly cheque which won’t change more than a few pennies over the next few decades is $364.48 monthly.  So today I am happy to tell you that I have made a profit of $524.05 in only 14 days!!  Way to go Contessa!!  I only bring this up because I also want all of you to profit as we are doing.

Carmeh knows that the RV is for fun on the beach and just doesn't understand why I keep working and ignore her. She jumped up behind me on her own and placed herself in that position.

When I didn't react she moved over to Colin....that girl knows what she wants and it isn't working on a computer.

With all the rain we are getting many robins are dining on our lawn. I managed to get a quick shot through the window of mamma pulling up a worm to feed her ever hovering baby!!

Tags: money, rain, repairs, The girls, ZEEK