The Mountains are Hiding

We have been enjoying our time with Stephen and Kylie.  I have a couple of favourite spots around their house.  One, of course, is the backyard on sunny days (which we have had many). Another spot is in the living room. Everyday the mountains have been visible and look a little different from my viewpoint on the couch.

Today the clouds settled in heavy and the mountains are hiding. Even though the forecast was for lots of rain the sun has managed to peak out lots. Behind the clouds the mountain is still there but today it’s hiding from me.

Ron and I have been walking every day and a couple of days ago we decided to try and take the dogs for a walk.  We stopped for a touristy pic.

Every evening at bedtime we head down to our room.  Beemer always finds his way in to bed even if we have to move him around a bit to find room for us.

Side note…we haven’t seen any bears in Kitimat yet and we have been looking.  The other night while Stephen was working he found this little dumpster diver.

Grizzlies look a lot different from the black bears that we usually see in Waterton.

We have a couple more days before we head back home but tomorrow we have some plans…⛵️

Musical Beds

It’s been over two weeks since we arrived in Kitimat and we have been keeping busy and sometimes enjoying doing nothing. The fence work continues.  We are about half done.

Ron has been jogging, swimming, golfing and  walking with me….and staining.

I’ve been just enjoying my time here with Stephen and Kylie and watching Ron learn how to retire.  I do sometimes get a feeling that I am being watched.

Lilly and Ace prefer to pretend the other
one is not there.

Beemer has been our dog since we have been here.  He follows us around and makes sure to find his way to our bedroom at night.

Beemer is a big dog but somehow manages to find his place in the bed without being too intrusive.  The problem happens when Stephen and Kylie work nights.  This leaves Murphy looking for a place to sleep.  Two large dogs with Ron and I in a queen bed seems a little crowded.  

Tonight Beemer decided it was too much for him and headed upstairs when Murphy found a spot in our bed.  Murphy went to check on him after awhile and then it was Beemer on the bed.  Murphy let out a bark upstairs and Beemer went to check on him.  Now, it’s Murphy on the bed.  I have a spot for now.  

It seems like the boys are playing musical chairs only with our bed.  So far tonight it has been only one of the pups on the bed at a time but the night is young.

Days in Kitimat

It was another beautiful day in Kitimat on Saturday. Stephen and Kylie spent a part of the day sleeping after working nights.  Ron and I drove to Terrace to try and pick up a winch for the sailboat but we weren’t able to complete that task. We stopped at Lakelse Lake.

When we got back to the house we enjoyed the backyard while the kids slept.  When Stephen got up, he had a list of things to do.  He started off with power washing the fence.  It’s a slow process and will take awhile (days) to complete.

Stephen then went to cut wood and Kylie worked nights.  They are a busy couple.  

Yesterday, Ron and I went to church.  It was a cute church with friendly people.

When we got back, Stephen went to do overtime and Kylie was just starting to get around after her night shift.  Ron decided to do some pressure washing on the fence and did it for hours.  Kylie took over when he got to the corner.  It’s a job that keeps going.  You clean one side, go to the other side and then back to the first side to spray it again.  I think that will be on the list of things to do today.

Ron and I have been doing lots of walking and I never get tired of the views.

Well, it’s past time to get up and get moving.  The dogs have been down a couple of times to stare at me.  They are looking for their breakfast.   I’ve been catching up on my games while my Fitbit charges.  Once it’s charged, I can get up.  I don’t want to waste steps.

Steps and Sadness

Stephen and Kylie worked days today.  

Ron and I went on a hike to Clearwater Lakes.

It was only a two hour hike and a nice way to get our steps.  We had done this hike in September with Stephen.

We forgot about some of the steep spots but my regular walking made the hike much easier than I remembered.

Can you see the eagle? 🦅 

We came back to the house to keep company with the livestock.

Mom called today to tell me that Uncle Morley had passed away.  Mom comes from a family of 13 kids.  Mom is the third youngest.  She has had to say goodbye to most of her older siblings.  This time it was her younger brother. It was horrible to hear the hurting in her voice.  Life can be so hard.  

Today, as I sat on a bench near the upper lake, I felt a heaviness come over me.  I tried hard to choke back the tears but they came.  I thought of my sister and how she fought to walk as long as she could.  I had just hiked for over 4 kilometres with more to go.  I tried to push the darkness away.  I want to enjoy the things that I can do now because we don’t know what the future holds.  I want to walk or hike because I can.  I want to enjoy life and the people around me.  I don’t want to worry about tomorrow because it robs the joy of today.  Along life’s journey there is sadness and pain.   Sometimes it comes too often and can feel overwhelming.  We sometimes have to say goodbye to family and friends.  It’s not easy..sometimes the pain feels too much.

I will never forget those that we have lost.  Life will never be the same without them.  I want to think about the good memories with them.  I want to appreciate the people that I have in my life now and work to make special moments with them.  

Sadness will come but I will continue to push on.  I will keep the step count going.  Healing comes one step at a time…you just need to keep putting one foot ahead of the other.

To Sail or not to Sail…that was the question

The weather in Kitimat has been more than amazing.  I am still surprised when I sit in Stephen and Kylie’s living room looking out the window.  It is probably pushing 30 degrees and yet the mountain tops are still covered with snow.

Kylie got home yesterday from Alberta.  Stephen was anxious to get us out on the sailboat.  We packed up and headed to the port.  Stephen realized that he had forgotten the gas.  They decided to set up the mast and back the boat into the water and Stephen would drive  home for the gas.  They looked like the knew what they were doing.

Ron and I were thinking that the boat looked a little tippy as they moved around to do things.  Stephen jumped off and then he realized that the pulley on the trailer had snapped. Sailing just wasn’t meant to be.  The good news is that Stephen had extra straps to secure the sailboat so that it got home safely.  The bad news is that we didn’t get to go sailing on the ocean…yet!

Today, Kylie and Stephen had to go to work.  Stephen stopped in a couple of times.  This was the first time that I had seen him in the Mountie uniform.  Kylie even came home for lunch.

Ron and I did a little exploring through the morning after picking up my free coffee!

We spent the afternoon with the fur babies.  They are definitely babies!

Hot Days in Kitimat

Yesterday, we had another beautiful day in Kitimat.  We got our walk done in the morning before it got too hot.

It is so beautiful here especially in the spring.  The trees and shrubs are flowering and there is still snow on the top of the mountains.

Stephen did some lawn work and the dogs tried to do some too.

Kylie will be coming home from Alberta this morning.  She is managing to fly home before the pilots go on strike. They will both have to go to work tomorrow but there is still today.  Ron is off to shoot some balls at the golf course before it gets too hot.

And..according to town website:  KITIMAT, BC – Effective May 15 at 8:15 p.m., the District of Kitimat water system is under a Water Quality Advisory, due to elevated turbidity in the Kitimat River. 

So we will have to add boiling water to our very busy schedule! 🤣

And one more thing! I get free coffee for a week from Tim Hortons.

Still the One

This was us 40 years ago on this date. FORTY YEARS!  How did that happen?  I remember thinking that 40 was old and now we have been married that long.  We were just kids back then and some probably thought we were crazy. We didn’t know what laid ahead but we knew that we loved each other. 

We are much older now and we are still together.  We have had lots of adventures along the way and with retirement, we plan on having lots more.

Today was also Mother’s Day.  Lots to celebrate!

After church, Stephen made lunch.  We spent a lot of the day in the backyard enjoying the sunshine.

 We went for a drive and a little walk later in the afternoon.

Stephen bought us ice caps after the drive and we once again enjoyed the back yard.

Stephen went to play pickle ball in the evening and Ron and I watched hockey with the fur babies.

It was a beautiful day, and although we didn’t do anything too exciting, it was a good one.

In the words of a 70’s song…Still the one by Orleans

We've been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again
But I want you to know, after all these years
You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear

You're still the one -- I want to talk to in bed
Still thye one -- that turns my head
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

I looked at your face every day
But I never saw it 'til I went away
When winter came, I just wanted to go (wanted to go)
Deep in the desert, I longed for the snow

You're still the one -- that makes me laugh
Still the one -- that's my better half
We're still having fun, and yes you're still the one

You're still the one -- that makes me strong
Still the one -- I want to take along
We're still having fun, and you're still the one (yes you are)

Changing, our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one -- that I love to touch
Still the one -- and I can't get enough
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

You're still the one -- who can scratch my itch
Still the one -- and I wouldn't switch
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

You are still the one -- that makes me shout
Still the one -- that I dream about
We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You're still the one, yeah still the one
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

Still the one and still having fun!

Made It!

We were up early and ready for another long day of travelling.  Ron drove and I kept searching for bears but they were all hiding today. We stopped in Smithers to walk around the town and then stopped at a rest area and had lunch.

The scenery was really beautiful along the way.  The clouds were hanging low with the crest of the mountains peaking out above them.

We got into Kitimat later in the afternoon.  We had supper, had a tour of all the gardens, enjoyed the sun in the backyard and then went for a walk.  Stephen and the dogs met us after his run and we walked home together.

While I put things away, Lilly supervised.

When it was time to crawl into bed, I hurried to get my space because big boy, Beemer likes to sleep in between us.

Stephen doesn’t think Beemer is very loyal but he looks like he is quite loyal “to us.” 🤪

Jenn called to let us know that Sarah tried to play soccer today and ended up really sick with a headache.  She slept most of the afternoon and woke up very weak and wasn’t walking normal.  They called the ambulance as she seemed to be getting worse.  The doctor examined her and ran some tests.  She is supposed to do absolutely nothing for the next three days and get into see her family doctor.  Concussions are so scary and take a long time to recover. Rest and time seem to be the answer at this point.  Sarah called me when they were leaving the hospital.  She sounded very tired and glad to be going home.  I was so happy to hear her voice.