WE ARE HOOKED UP!  This is our new unit - ready to hit the road!

YUP - Got "Peanutized" (Peanuts cartoons personalized)

BEV

MARC

Busy, busy, busy after getting the keys and taking possession on September 9th.   Going through boxes and bins in the storage at the orchard  - sorting through the 'left overs' from the motorhome.  Going from a 45' motorhome to a trailer that is 34' takes some organizing.

Rented a 5x8 U-haul to take to Burns Lake (Bev's mom's) - loaded with winter clothing, extra kitchen stuff and the couch and recliner from the RV.

We have the keys and our hands are sore from all the signature signing

Alright, here are the photos and changes we have made in the trailer for our living pleasure . . . . .

This is the rear kitchen.  Lots of cupboard space, a large pantry to the right of the fridge and the fridge/freezer are ample.   The furnace blasts heat when on, from below the fridge.   The microwave is teeny BUT it is super quick and efficient.  AND, we have two drawers we didn't fill!

We have totally missed our residential fridge with water dispenser and ice dispenser in the motorhome.   Especially since the Okanagan had record high temperatures this summer.   Went through bags and bags of store bought ice cubes.

This is the dinette directly across from the kitchen....added some turquoise to break up all the browns of the 'praline and carmel' decor. 

The middle section of the dinette comes apart and is a storage/chest/coffee table.   We have found the perfect spot to store the dyson vacuum.   The drawers under the seats are super deep and fabulous for storing water bottles, tin foil, food container, etc.   We keep light stuff on this side of the trailer as this is the slide out portion.  (The trailer has one slide out).

This is the 'living' space and two of the recliners came with the trailer.   We took one out and made more room and put a chest (from Pier 1 Imports) for outdoor jackets; divided to put all of our outdoor shoes.   The carpet from Sears at 75% off - hand woven and only $60.00.   The recliner is super, duper comfortable and we were very happy to take one to my mom's to replace her wooden rocker.

The desk we had specially made (cheaper than some of the in stock, store bought models) and the chair - we originally bought too large of an office chair and returned it for this fabulously comfortable Lazy Boy office chair from Staples.  Our plan was for a chair that works as an office chair (adjustable height, rollers) and comfortable enough to use as a chair to watch television.  

The computer space was the most difficult adjustment and planning issue we had - everything else was just the concern about how much stuff we would have to get rid of or how little we would be able to take.

OK - turquoise is my birthstone so guess I am partial!

We added a runner and a carpet on top of the shag (yes, I said 'shag').  Carpet is necessary on slides.  

The fireplace is fabulous ... it heats up the room very quickly, is electric and they have done wonders with the artificial images....looks very realistic.  Only thing missing is the cracking sound as the 'wood' burns.   But I'm sure there is an app for that!

Lots of storage in the bathroom and the shower is better than we expected (thought we would want to replace the shower head but it is quite fine).  

The closets on the left in the bedroom is a small pop out slide and holds alot of cloths or whatever.   The cupboards above the bed are deep.

Surprisingly, we did NOT fill all cupboards.  There is alot of space in the wardrobe  and the two closets beside the bed are super deep  and  there are two deep drawers under the bed.

Marc got inventive and made for even 'more' storage - just in case!   These stacking totes are ideal for files but also help Kylie to get up on the tall bed (32").

One of two spaces where we placed photos (canvas wrapped).  This one of Sedona in the bedroom and in the living area, 

the photo of the dogs on a beach in California.

New plush beds for the doggies.    They saw we got a new mattress so put the pressure on for some of their own plush sleeping quarters!

Loving our new memory foam Tempurpedic mattress and in order to lighten up the load a little ---- putting the down comfortable in storage and the electric blanket has just arrived.    Good timing as the sheet is just not keeping me warm when the bedspread gets pulled over to the other side in the night.   Night time temperatures are now dipping to around 37 F (3 C).

Handy, dandy soap dispenser from Bed, Bath and Beyond; love new technology!   It definitely cuts down on mess and overuse of liquid soap.   Oh the conveniences in this day!!!   Long gone are the days when our grandmothers used to make their own soap using lye.

THEN, the coolest invention.      Our wooden knife block of over 20 years in age, had lost its appeal as the varnish was almost completely gone.   AND, only a few knives would fit in.    We found this Kapoosh knife block.   Using flex rods, you can put all sizes of knives into the block and the rods conform around the knives.   The rods can be taken out and washed.








On the road by 6 a.m., taking stuff to Burns Lake.   Yes, its true - the kids 'never' really move out.   My mom's basement will become home to some furniture and boxes.

Eleven hour drive and we arrive
   in Burns Lake

Gorgeous fall colors in Burns Lake (Northern British Columbia).     The reds will pop out soon, making the colors even more radiant.

Only spending three days so the weather didn't co-operate in order to get some great fall colored, calm lake photos, so I opted for other scenery.

One humungus fungus!   About a foot across.

Marc did his due diligence, and helped out with a few things around the house.   A new phone system installed.   Voice activated caller identification hopefully will help mom with the annoying telemarketers and scammers that hound her daily.

If there's something strange
                 in your neighborhood
                      Who you gonna call?     

Shingles on the front of the house are lifting.   The roof should still be under warranty BUT the company who installed them said to contact the insurance company.   They in turn was photos of the attic.    So, up Marc climbed with the trouble lamp and walked among the fiberglass insulation in his ghostbusters uniform.

 Mom has two gorgeous mountain ash trees.

Complete thanksgiving dinner with cranberries, dressing, gravy and the turkey was perfectly golden and juicy.   She has also been making choke cherry jelly, sour cherry jelly and huckleberry jam.   All berries from her yard.  She still enjoys planting a small garden and is nice to have garden fresh goodies when we visit.  No wonder the kids never leave!

Bears are busy getting ready for hibernation and lots of evidence they are in the immediate area when walking in the woods. 

The creek in May when the trout were passing through and the creek now.   

Been a dry summer here as well.

Unfortunately have to depart again for over seven months.   Had Thanksgiving and Christmas all within three days.   Left some packages for Christmas and will be Skyping as we head south for the winter.

Back to the Okanagan and getting settled into our new digs.   

This is Kamloops Lake (an hour from Kelowna) with gorgeous fall colors but every different terrain than Northern B.C.

Practising on the flat before attempting cliff jumping.

The Kokanee run is almost over.   Very few fish are still surviving.

The spawning channel is gorgeous in the fall and now that the spawning is almost complete, the crowds of people are starting to dwindle.

Back in June we purchased the F-150.   Three months later, I scrunched in the driver's side tail light.   I know ....... there is a back-up camera, a warning sound BUT no warning went off - I was in a tight spot with a gate along the driver's side, so was watching the front end before I could turn..... backed up to the opposing gate.  Wouldn't have been a problem had it not been for two large bolts sticking out from the pole of the gate.   At a level I couldn't see and the warning did not go.   

So - it got fixed and fortunately the camera was fine.

I was at a walk-in clinic here in this parking lot and just a week ago - a note was on the windshield when I came out after an hour.

Someone backed into our truck.   Scraped the bumper and red paint was left on the trailer hitch.   The person left a phone number.

Of course, we thought - right, it won't be a legitimate number.

It was - and the woman is going to put the damage on her insurance claim.   She was shocked to hear it might be just under $1,000.  Her daughter was in the passenger she (she told Marc) and told her to just drive away - people with new trucks like that have insurance!

The entire piece on top of the bumper has to be replaced and bumper repainted.   This - just ten days before we leave the country.   Truck goes in this Monday.

So - I take this photo because 

FORD put this on upside down.   We have been leaving it because the truck is so new, and the aluminum frame is so new that the Ford here was not so certain they could do a proper paint job or be able to take this off efficiently.

BUT, Marc figures this is jinxing us so it is going to get flipped when the bumper repair gets done.



Will keep you posted as things evolve.   

Planning on leaving on the 13th and luckily that is not a Friday the 13th!