Home again

I am home. 

I cannot tell you how great it is to be home again after almost a whole month of driving. Minus, of course 10 precious days with my Daddy and a few days with my Mother-in-law and Grandkids.

My hips are telling me I'm not 20 anymore but I don't believe a word of it.... :D

Brad with his prized corn

Smoke in BC's interior

If you look closely you will see that this new spark is only about 300ft from the Trans Canada Highway.

We have unloaded the truck and sorted through 95% of its contents and done with them whatever needed doing. I'm tired and forcing myself to 'take it easy' which by all accounts is still 'normal' for everyone else...

Anyway, just an update that the road trip has been completed.

We had to break him out

My Daddy

Ann and I went out to run an errand, One of those girly shopping trips that Dad had no interest in so we left him at home in his comfy chair.

We had forgotten to turn on the AC so I suggested we text Dad and ask him to do it. Well that was a bad idea…

He texted ‘ok’ to the request then moments later something gibberish. Then SOS.

We immediately headed for home while calling a neighbour we thought would be home and asked them to help Dad. 

Sure enough he had fallen. He lost a fair amount of blood from his nose and we called an ambulance. 

As he was loaded in the ambulance and Ann and I came out the door the door caught Ann’s arm somehow causing a bruise and small cut, nothing urgent but …

He arrived at the ‘Met’ hospital at 2:20pm. He then spent the next 6.5hrs in a hallway (now remember he is 81) with no food or drink but was given a warm blanket.

Because of Covid Ann was not allowed in to be with him until he got a ‘bed’, which of course didn’t happen.

Ann and I decided to break him out. Clearly he was not a triage priority and he has a pre- arranged home visit with a Dr in the am. Ann called him to see what he felt about that. 

He was in agreement so we grabbed the keys and went to get him. He came out of the hospital at 8:40pm.

Straight to Wendy’s for a chili which he loves and then home to unwind before bed.

Quite a day.

Mechanic was unable to find anything wrong with the truck. Checked batteries, alternator, starter etc and tested for a short in the wiring but came up blank. He said ‘Everything happens for a reason’.

Clearly it is not time to go yet. 

I will be here at least one more day to keep an eye on Dad and make sure he’s alright before heading off. 

I will also run the truck a few times to make sure it’s ticking properly.

In no particular order

Put the truck in the shop Tuesday to have the ball joints done as there was a wobble on the passenger side. Got it back Friday. Saturday I packed up the truck and tried to start my long journey home but it wouldn’t start. 

Called CAA and they sent a kid with a couple of battery charge packs but it wasn’t enough juice, he called a big truck to attempt a boost or tow me back to Evoy’s shop. 

Now to be clear, I’ve used Evoy’s before and they are Dad’s go to. 

The 2nd truck couldn’t carry my truck as it’s loaded and couldn’t get me boosted either. Batteries read ‘ok’ (11.83 is low but still good)  all 3 of us checked them. 2nd guy called a 3rd to tow me. Not a very friendly chap that 3rd one but he got her on and moved to the shop.

Meanwhile Brad sent pics of the garden…

Brussels

Whole 

Zucchini 

The Bunch

Legs for the new U.S-Canada bridge in progress

Corn

So just before we arrived here the Dr’s took Dad off the cancer pill he was on which was making him so deathly ill that we almost lost him. They said it ‘could’ extend his life but I can tell you that is no way to ‘live.

So in just the first couple of days after our arrival he made leaps and bounds. Of course this won’t cure anything but he will be comfortable and both Drs he has seen since we arrived now say they want to see him in 6 months which is fantastic. 

As his new wife is taking such great care of him, I am going to start making my way home. Unfortunately, as noted above the truck wouldn’t  start and so I’m waiting until the shop opens in about an hour (oops need to beautify). 

I’m sure that it’s just a ground wire or something that came loose during the repair and hopefully not a major problem. Fortunately my departure was not urgent and I could afford to wait the weekend out, and spend more time with my favourite Daddy!! 

I was meant to call some blogger peeps while I was here but it just hasn’t fit in so far. If for some reason I stay awhile longer I’ll call them and meet up. Sorry guys.

To Hell and Back

While I’m away Brad is holding down the Fort…

Preparing Stevia (sugar substitute) for Betty

So we went to ‘hell’ anyone familiar would be able to suss out where that is by now but I shan’t be naming names or offering explanations to everything just yet.

Still too much on the go there. So please don’t type it below either or I’ll have to delete your comment. The day will come.

Stacey and I managed to get all of our belongings out, and absolutely no desire to go ever again but there may be a need to at some point. 

Only time will tell.

The Covid check to ‘hell’ was a gong show just like everything else hell related. To be clear, we pre- registered for everywhere we went so there would be no delays… 11 lanes of 40 cars each , 1 man with a clipboard for half an hour before another 2 joined him… 45 min of our 1.5 hrs allocated to loading the truck. Oh, and the ferry was 45 min late too! So used up all of our allotted truck loading time. We needed to get back for our next booking.

I called the office and was told it was the Gov’t that was holding us up, not the company… except that I was a customer of the company and on the company’s property. But nope not even a ‘sorry’ ‘kiss your ass’ or anything, just tough.

Tried to talk to one of the guys on the ground he just said ‘right on, right on’ and walked away.

Stacey spent 2 hrs on the phone getting disconnected, given a wrong number to call a different dept., and never did get through. Even Brad emailed the head office about it to which an auto reply came saying they’d call in 3 days. 

We just went for it, got to loading and praying we’d get there in time but knowing we’d likely be turned back.

While Stacey’s cell played the ‘we appreciate your call’ bs, my phone rang and it was a rep from Nova Scotia who made a note on our booking that we’d be late. Thank you! 

We arrived after everyone else was loaded, last car in the hold. Whew! 

That boat only runs every 3 days… so, yeah… we could not miss it!  Or drive 10 hrs to another. 

Entry to ‘hell’

Yeah and in hell… Fish & Wildlife we’re checking people in. 

I tell ya you just can’t make this up.

Nova Scotia re-entry took 5 min. Smooth like butta. 

Entering Nova Scotia

 

Nova Scotia border check

Completely different experience. These guys didn’t even have booths. Just a line up and did you register? 

Much more appropriate to what’s happening in our world. 

Comparatively, New Brunswick must think it’s a zombie apocalypse or something. That was absolutely unbelievable and so far over the top that I just have no words.

No exaggeration

We had filled out a ‘hey we’re driving through’ form before our arrival at New Brunswick. We were expecting a guard in a booth…

New Brunswick border

What we met at the New Brunswick border was a force. Literally, a crowd of officers, the term could only be ‘Gestapo’ ( a political state police force), about 20 cop cars, and a lot of attitude (not directed toward us). I didn’t dare get more pics and this one above does not show the extent of it I’m afraid, but believe me it’s harsh.

We had pre-registered, unlike a few hundred the day before (we arrived there very early in the day) - they were turned back. 

The show of force was unprecedented in Canada I’m sure- save maybe Oka in 1990. Very reminiscent of this pic below and with the same energy I can assure you.

1940ish

These guys were not messing around and are now absolutely fed up with people. 

Absolutely unreal in Canada. And in my opinion, should not be allowed. Unless they’re preparing for something else we’re not aware of…

On a lighter note, Brad did the market for me and had a big $$$ day! Naturally, I have the truck, so…

Even Robbie was wondering if he’s serious. LOL It worked as it was resting on the hitch. Good for a chuckle anyway.
 

Wa Wa What?

We made it to Wawa, ON.

Wawa is known for it’s giant Canada Geese. They have more than one now. We assume that is the native word for them but I’d have to Google it and I only have my phone, so if you want to know- just look it up.

Ontario mustard fields

The original Wawa goose 

A new goose ( at least to me)

Chief Mechanic Chick

Once the truck was dropped at Canadian Tire in Canmore, BC we immediately went inside to get the cleaner we would need. 

Bring the July long weekend we knew a mechanic would be hard to come by. Fortunately we are clever girls because no mechanic was available until 10am the next morning.

Dropping truck at Canadian Tire

With dusk approaching rapidly we decided to get to sleep early so we could get a start on the repair.

I had had the foresight to bring my mechanic with me haha…

Stacey - Chief mechanic chick extraordinaire

Fixed

In just a matter of minutes we had the blue hose attached to the pipe once again and the clamp tightened down.

Back on the road again…

Trouble on the mountain

Driving along in the mountains and suddenly ‘POP’… we were able to pull straight into a pullout fortunately. 77km before Banff.  

38C (100.4F) temperatures, climbing through the Rocky Mountains was just too much one of the coolant clamps.

A little snafu

A clamp had come loose in the inter-cooler pipe. Blue in bottom right corner.

We called CAA and they sent a truck. Very quickly in reality but seemed forever in that heat. 

I was able to make my Stinging Nettle Tea while we waited for the tow truck since Stacey had brought a camp stove and kettle.

Loaded and headed for Canmore, AB
 

Preparations

Its been a busy time preparing the truck and packing up for the trip to visit my Dad. 

my Daddy

We put a screen in front of the rad to help protect it from flying rocks (stacey's idea). 

One of the tires fixed for a slow leak and the other tires checked over as well as removing as much of Robbie as possible then organizing the tools and the like out of the way. 

Secured the spare tire in an accessible place for me, purchased full-bodied CAA, and bug screen for the windows so we can keep them out of the cab (also Stacey's idea).

Laundry has been washed and dried and now awaits ironing and packing.

I am unsure how often I will be posting during the trip but I will continue to read my morning ritual blogs.