So in addition to the thousand things I did today...I was invited to a 'ladies night' at a very large Ford dealership in Nanaimo by my friend Deanna. No stippers, it's not that kind of ladies night. I wouldn't normally go but she said I'd have a fun and relaxing evening and so I went not knowing what to expect. Well, I'm happy to report that I did have a very enjoyable time and I also learned a lot too. Which is amazing to me because I always have visions of car salesmen as being slightly greasy (do you know what I mean?) and hovering with their sales pitch ready to pounce on you. These guys are obviously in the business not only to sell cars but to sell their service and get repeat customers. Very good business practice in my opinion. And I like being able to have my questions answered by knowledgeable staff who didn't treat me like an idiot.
So what did I learn? Forget the decorating and real estate stuff (though I learned about that a bit too) I was very interested in the presentation of lease vs. finance. I've always held the belief that leasing was a bad option because you pay and pay and don't own it at the end but now that I've had a chance to see how the figures work I think I'm sold on the idea. There are a few circumstances where the financing idea works best but overall for a small business like ours I think leasing a vehicle may turn out to be a really good option financially. But we'd have to find a suitable one. I also learned that you can lease and still put on a lot of km's if that's in your agreement and that you don't have to lease a brand new car if you don't want to, a 1 or 2 year old vehicle might work too.
I'm going to do some independent research and crunch the numbers but I think that's what I'm going to do for Steve's new vehicle once we've settled and got some money in the bank.
I know it's strange to hear me talking about spending money instead of saving it, but this saves me taxes so it's all good!
I did come home with a free 50 point inspection and a lavender plant...thanks Deanna!...and it was very entertaining, the magician was very funny. So would I recommend ladies night? Yes definitely.......now if only I could get them to sponsor us..... :)
****JUNE 23 FOLLOW UP******
Strange though it seems to me, this has become the most read post on my blog for the month of June. Lots of people wondering where they can get the info about lease vs. finance. So here's the good news. Steve Marshall Ford are working on getting some more info out there for us on their website, and of course I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you go down in person and talk to Ryan Fife about the details of your particular needs and wants. Or send him an e-mail I promise he'll give you all the info you need with no pressure and let you make your own decision. He's a straight talking and honest guy. If it's not right for you or he can suggest something better, he will. Trust me on this...he'll do what's best for YOU. Oh and my friend Deanna says that if you do buy a car please mention her name because she apparently gets a referral bonus, and why wouldn't you want to help someone out, right? So mention Deanna Scrafton! It doesn't cost you a penny but puts a few in her pocket. And maybe she'll take me out for lunch :)
We had a dream, like so many others before us, to live a simple and sustainable life on our own organic farm... so we drove from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and we've been here nearly 6 years. We love life, learning, and sharing with others. Follow our adventures as we build a vibrant small family farm and work towards self-sufficiency using a combination of traditional methods, permaculture and original ideas.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Humble Bee
I'm sitting here in the work van waiting for Steve to uninstall a dishwasher for a customer. It shouldn't be long until he's done, but I wanted to tell you about something interesting I saw. This home is located in Qualicum, right on the old Island Hwy near the beach and backing onto the golf course. They have a very nicely landscaped garden and in fact the gardener is here now trimming the grass. But what interested me was the hedge I'm sitting beside. It is Ceanothus Victoria. It's lovely blue flower clusters are attracting all sort of flying insects including honey bees. It does my heart good to see that there is a colony of these wonderful little creatures nearby. With honey bees so much in the news recently due to the many threats to their populations I'm glad to see that somewhere in town there is a beekeeper doing well. I think that here in Qualicum Beach people are aware of the danger posed by indiscriminate use of pesticides and the golf course concentrates on maintaining trees, shrubs and grass as opposed to ornate flower beds requiring chemicals. Any steps that we can take to help give honey bees a fighting chance helps all of humanity in the long run. Sound dramatic? It's true! Did you know that one bite out of every 3 you eat is dependent on bees? They are used to pollinate not just vegetables, but all the tree fruit, melons, and berries you eat. Just think about your last meal and ponder this...what grew from a seed? That parent plant had to be pollinated and left to make seed. The corn used for biofuel is pollinated by bees. The miles and miles of canola crops grown for their oil are pollinated by bees. Grapes?...You betcha, Bees! Billions and billions of these amazing workers are helping to provide not only the honey you eat but many of your other foods as well. They are moved around the country to pollinate crops as the seasons change and live out their lives quietly and unassumingly pollinating and making honey as a bonus. But their colonies are collapsing due to pests, disease, pollution and sometimes for reasons unknown such as with colony collapse disorder. Bees are threatened, and with them goes one third of our food production. Sure there are other ways of pollinating and other bee species out there, but none so efficient and so helpful to man as the honey bee. So please support local bee keepers by purchasing their honey, by avoiding spray pesticides onn your flowers and veggie gardens, and perhaps see about keeping a hive of bees yourself. It's easy to start, interesting, and will increase the yield of your garden. And I promise you won't get stung as much as you think! I think some stings are inevitable but neither Stephen or myself has even been stung and the same is true for our children. We position the hives so that we people are out of their flight paths and generally interaction is minimal.
Here in Canada you must be registered with the gov't to keep bees but it's a very easy process that simply allows them to keep track of the colony locations in case of disease. A basic hive, suit, hat, veil, gloves, and smoker set up is going to set you back about $250 or less if you don't mind used equipment or can make do without overalls. One way to also save big is to build your own hive. You can buy pre-cut pieces that you just need to nail together and paint or you can consider using a top bar hive. We built and used one and we loved it! We also made observation windows that could open so we could see what was happening without disturbing them. With the current scarcity of bees, a package (that's what it's called when you buy 2-3 lbs of bees and 1 queen to get you started) will cost you anywhere form $80-$200 and there have been some years recently when it was not possible to get them at all, not even from Chile or Australia.
The wax from hives has uses in cosmetics, lotions, candle making and soap production. Honey can be eaten, used to sweeten food and drink, even in first aid as a wound dressing.
If you are thinking that beekeeping might be something you'd like to try there are numerous books and internet sites with very good information available for free. Do your research. Join a local club and get to know your fellow apiarists. Bees are truly one of the most under-appreciated links on the whole food chain.
Feeding a Family on a Budget in an RV
As you can imagine, feeding a family of 6 that includes teenagers involves an awful lot of food. For example, one package of spaghetti noodles weighing approx 900g plus meat or sausage and a litre of sauce makes one meal. Plus dessert. That works out to be about 1 pound of food per person. And that's just one meal. There are also snacks and lunches to prepare and breakfast which is usually oatmeal or cold cereal.
Now I'm cheap, sorry...'thrifty' and so I like to know where my money is going. Consequently we raise a lot of our own food and buy in bulk using coupons where possible. Buying items when they are on sale and having a well stocked pantry are things that I've taken for granted but living in a little motorhome doesn't leave much room for food storage.
When faced with the dilemma of how to do this, I found out that most families like ours living on the road have to shop for groceries every couple of days and some eat a lot more pre-packaged food. So to balance it out we are still buying our basics, you know, the items found around the outside edges of the store such as veggies, milk and bread a few times per week but we are also trying to use up hundreds of pounds of meat too. So we have the luxury of having the deep freeze plugged in and located behind our motorhome right now. That's definitely something we won't have once we hit the road.
The temptation is for us to use paper plates, fast or prepared food, and individual drinks such as pop or juice boxes. But the downside would be a huge amount of garbage and way too much sodium in our diets. It's easier...but not healthier.
So we're getting the hang of cooking one pot meals on the stove, using the crock pot to cook, cooking on the BBQ etc. Having a meal plan would really help us too. It's going to be implemented this week actually so that it makes grocery shopping more efficient and also because we are trying to use up our food storage items. That's one of the only drawbacks of being LDS, when you move house you have food storage to move too.
The USDA tracks food prices and based upon their guidelines for healthy eating calculatrs the cost of food for variouss age groups month by month. They have 4 menu types, thrifty, low-cost, moderate cost, and liberal. The thrifty plan is the basis for the US's food stamps program and the liberal plan would include more meat, snacks and possibly alcohol. Here are the latest numbers for April 2011. Go see how you compare but bear these things in mind:
-groceries are cheaper in the US than other countries and vary by region.
-this is food only not laundry or pet supplies
-this is the total amount spent including eating out.
So how do you stack up? According to this we should be spending about $389 per week on the low cost plan, about $1260 per month or a little over $15,000 per year for food alone. Is it just me, or does that seem awfully high? Even with lunches at Subway and other occasional meals out we're still only spending about half that. And it's often lower. Even factoring in the cost of feeding livestock we're ahead. So I'm feeling good about our food budget. Of course there is always room for improvement and that's why I'm working on a meal plan today. You'll notice that snacks are not listed and of course the kids eat a lot of snacks. Carrots, fruit, cold cereal, oatmeal cookies and juice or milk to drink, that's our selection of snack foods.
Day 1. Breakfast- Oatmeal and a piece of fruit. toast. juice or water
Lunch- leek and potato soup with fresh bread water
Dinner- Roast chicken with roasted seasoned potatoes and caesar salad, lemonade
Day 2. Breakfast- Cold cereal or toast
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Dinner- Pork chops, rice, seasonal veggies
Day 3. Breakfast- Cold cereal or toast
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Diner- Spaghetti with meat sauce. caesar salad
Day 4. Breakfast- Oatmeal or toast.
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Dinner- Toad in the Hole, gravy, mashed potatoes and peas
Day 5. Breakfast-Oatmeal or toast
Lunch- leftovers.
Dinner- Shepherds pie
Day 6. Breakfast- cold cereal or toast
Lunch- soup du jour (whatever I have to make soup that day)
Dinner- Irish stew and dumplings.
Day 7. Breakfast- pancakes, syrup, fruit salad
Lunch- grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Dinner- Tacos. handmade tortillas, ground meat, veggies.
Day 8. Breakfast- pancakes, fruit salad
Lunch- Macaroni and Cheese veggies and dip
Dinner- Baked potatoes, pork chops, asparagus, dilled carrots
Day 9. Breakfast- cold cereal
Lunch- sausage and potato casserole
Dinner- meat and veggie chili and fresh bread
Day 10.Breakfast- sausages, eggs and toast.
Lunch- sandwiches and veggies and dip
Dinner- chicken pot pie. seasonal veggies.
That's 10 days to get us started. Gotta run!
Now I'm cheap, sorry...'thrifty' and so I like to know where my money is going. Consequently we raise a lot of our own food and buy in bulk using coupons where possible. Buying items when they are on sale and having a well stocked pantry are things that I've taken for granted but living in a little motorhome doesn't leave much room for food storage.
When faced with the dilemma of how to do this, I found out that most families like ours living on the road have to shop for groceries every couple of days and some eat a lot more pre-packaged food. So to balance it out we are still buying our basics, you know, the items found around the outside edges of the store such as veggies, milk and bread a few times per week but we are also trying to use up hundreds of pounds of meat too. So we have the luxury of having the deep freeze plugged in and located behind our motorhome right now. That's definitely something we won't have once we hit the road.
The temptation is for us to use paper plates, fast or prepared food, and individual drinks such as pop or juice boxes. But the downside would be a huge amount of garbage and way too much sodium in our diets. It's easier...but not healthier.
So we're getting the hang of cooking one pot meals on the stove, using the crock pot to cook, cooking on the BBQ etc. Having a meal plan would really help us too. It's going to be implemented this week actually so that it makes grocery shopping more efficient and also because we are trying to use up our food storage items. That's one of the only drawbacks of being LDS, when you move house you have food storage to move too.
The USDA tracks food prices and based upon their guidelines for healthy eating calculatrs the cost of food for variouss age groups month by month. They have 4 menu types, thrifty, low-cost, moderate cost, and liberal. The thrifty plan is the basis for the US's food stamps program and the liberal plan would include more meat, snacks and possibly alcohol. Here are the latest numbers for April 2011. Go see how you compare but bear these things in mind:
-groceries are cheaper in the US than other countries and vary by region.
-this is food only not laundry or pet supplies
-this is the total amount spent including eating out.
So how do you stack up? According to this we should be spending about $389 per week on the low cost plan, about $1260 per month or a little over $15,000 per year for food alone. Is it just me, or does that seem awfully high? Even with lunches at Subway and other occasional meals out we're still only spending about half that. And it's often lower. Even factoring in the cost of feeding livestock we're ahead. So I'm feeling good about our food budget. Of course there is always room for improvement and that's why I'm working on a meal plan today. You'll notice that snacks are not listed and of course the kids eat a lot of snacks. Carrots, fruit, cold cereal, oatmeal cookies and juice or milk to drink, that's our selection of snack foods.
Day 1. Breakfast- Oatmeal and a piece of fruit. toast. juice or water
Lunch- leek and potato soup with fresh bread water
Dinner- Roast chicken with roasted seasoned potatoes and caesar salad, lemonade
Day 2. Breakfast- Cold cereal or toast
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Dinner- Pork chops, rice, seasonal veggies
Day 3. Breakfast- Cold cereal or toast
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Diner- Spaghetti with meat sauce. caesar salad
Day 4. Breakfast- Oatmeal or toast.
Lunch- sandwiches, fruit, granola bar
Dinner- Toad in the Hole, gravy, mashed potatoes and peas
Day 5. Breakfast-Oatmeal or toast
Lunch- leftovers.
Dinner- Shepherds pie
Day 6. Breakfast- cold cereal or toast
Lunch- soup du jour (whatever I have to make soup that day)
Dinner- Irish stew and dumplings.
Day 7. Breakfast- pancakes, syrup, fruit salad
Lunch- grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Dinner- Tacos. handmade tortillas, ground meat, veggies.
Day 8. Breakfast- pancakes, fruit salad
Lunch- Macaroni and Cheese veggies and dip
Dinner- Baked potatoes, pork chops, asparagus, dilled carrots
Day 9. Breakfast- cold cereal
Lunch- sausage and potato casserole
Dinner- meat and veggie chili and fresh bread
Day 10.Breakfast- sausages, eggs and toast.
Lunch- sandwiches and veggies and dip
Dinner- chicken pot pie. seasonal veggies.
That's 10 days to get us started. Gotta run!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Homesteading for Everyone
Homesteading is possible for everyone to a greater or lesser degree. From growing salad green and herbs in pots, to keeping a few chickens, to raising crops for the commercial market - everyone can become a little more self-reliant. Learning a new skill like sewing or how to use basic hand tools can make you independent from paying a handyman or calling your Dad to come fix things.
This is the idea behind my book, that you don't have to know everything right now or have a ton of money right now to make a better life for yourself.
Don't think it's possible to learn new things? Let me tell you about John, our son. John is a fantastic salesman and our family expert on anything Apple Computer related. He is the epitome of the 'computer geek'. Well both the and his wife had a dream to convert an old school bus into a home and then begin a journey to research what makes some farms successful by visiting them all over Canada and the United States. Sound like a lot of work? YOU BET!! But he did it, learning how to do things one step at a time, and asking for help when he needed it. It helps if your Dad can do electrical and plumbing. But John has learned so much and put his knowledge into action. Their bus is almost ready to go and they are leaving on Monday to begin their trip! You won't believe how beautiful their place is, go to Nicolefaires.com and you can see videos and loads of pictures.
So with enough perseverance, time, and effort anyone can create something wonderful! John and Nicole have made a happy family, a successful life and contributed to making this a better planet through their dedication and hard work. And it was hard work, our hats are off to them both!
Please consider supporting us as Authors. Buy Nicole's book or sponsor our family so we can continue working for a better planet one book and one small family farm at a time.
This is the idea behind my book, that you don't have to know everything right now or have a ton of money right now to make a better life for yourself.
Don't think it's possible to learn new things? Let me tell you about John, our son. John is a fantastic salesman and our family expert on anything Apple Computer related. He is the epitome of the 'computer geek'. Well both the and his wife had a dream to convert an old school bus into a home and then begin a journey to research what makes some farms successful by visiting them all over Canada and the United States. Sound like a lot of work? YOU BET!! But he did it, learning how to do things one step at a time, and asking for help when he needed it. It helps if your Dad can do electrical and plumbing. But John has learned so much and put his knowledge into action. Their bus is almost ready to go and they are leaving on Monday to begin their trip! You won't believe how beautiful their place is, go to Nicolefaires.com and you can see videos and loads of pictures.
So with enough perseverance, time, and effort anyone can create something wonderful! John and Nicole have made a happy family, a successful life and contributed to making this a better planet through their dedication and hard work. And it was hard work, our hats are off to them both!
Please consider supporting us as Authors. Buy Nicole's book or sponsor our family so we can continue working for a better planet one book and one small family farm at a time.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Our Family Are All Turning Gypsy!
First it was Nicole and John, then us, and today we heard that Nicole's Dad has moved into a lovely little RV too! It's contagious! Blue bus Syndrome! Watch out Lynne or you'll be next!
While Nicole and John are driving their epic journey of discovery in the US we'll be toodling across Canada for 3 weeks and then starting a new life in Nova Scotia where we plan to get to know the area and then buy a farm, God willing. Living on the road is something you get used to, but in the end I think I'd like to settle in one place for the next 10 years at least and finish raising the kids.
I did manage to get a few pics today of our place so I'll post them once I figure out data transfer on my phone. John, Nicole and the girls came over for an early Fathers Day BBQ because they'll be gone soon and miss it.
Here's what a typical day looks like for us. I'm not teaching Seminary any more, the final day was Friday except for a few end of year activities. No more getting up at 5!!
The kids now can get up at 7, make cereal, shower and/or get dressed and ready for school and finish up any homework they just remembered about. Jordan walks the dog too. We leave to take them to school at 7:50. Girls first to Coombs, then Chris then Jordan here in Qualicum. Back home for breakfast and to feed the dog and goat. Check phone messages for work and set out the plan for work for the day. If there is time then Steve will work on the trailer or moho. Today he was removing old silicone and other yucky stuff. The kids are picked up at 2 and 3pm so after that it's home and start making dinner, laundry, more work or whatever may be the case. The kids usually hang out for a few hours playing video games, watching the family channel or Disney channel online and they LOVE the trampoline! dinner is usually sometime between 6-8 depending on what's happened during the day and if we have an activity like Young Men or visitors for dinner. Bedtime for the girls is 8:30. 9:30 for the boys but they sometimes stay up a little later. Stephen usually crashes around 1am (night owl) and I'm usually totally useless after 10, I'm still waking up early so consequently have to go to sleep early. If I get to sleep at 2am like I did on Saturday night I still wake up early but I'm tired all day. So despite rumours to the contrary, our life is very normal. Work, school, play, bed. The only difference with living in an RV is where you sleep. Oh, and the bathroom, and the tiny kitchen. But you adapt.
Goals for today: Put up the screen shelter to have a bug free place in the shade to hang out. Make an outdoor shower, put away all the clean laundry and find a smaller steering wheel.
Why a smaller one? The one we have is in rough shape and 17.5" so a bus or truck size. You can't get a cover that big without going to a truck dealer apparently. Canadian Tire and Lordco don't sell them. They suggested the Kenworth dealer. But having a smaller one like a regular van or car might be a way to go too. Gotta run. Will check in later.
While Nicole and John are driving their epic journey of discovery in the US we'll be toodling across Canada for 3 weeks and then starting a new life in Nova Scotia where we plan to get to know the area and then buy a farm, God willing. Living on the road is something you get used to, but in the end I think I'd like to settle in one place for the next 10 years at least and finish raising the kids.
I did manage to get a few pics today of our place so I'll post them once I figure out data transfer on my phone. John, Nicole and the girls came over for an early Fathers Day BBQ because they'll be gone soon and miss it.
Here's what a typical day looks like for us. I'm not teaching Seminary any more, the final day was Friday except for a few end of year activities. No more getting up at 5!!
The kids now can get up at 7, make cereal, shower and/or get dressed and ready for school and finish up any homework they just remembered about. Jordan walks the dog too. We leave to take them to school at 7:50. Girls first to Coombs, then Chris then Jordan here in Qualicum. Back home for breakfast and to feed the dog and goat. Check phone messages for work and set out the plan for work for the day. If there is time then Steve will work on the trailer or moho. Today he was removing old silicone and other yucky stuff. The kids are picked up at 2 and 3pm so after that it's home and start making dinner, laundry, more work or whatever may be the case. The kids usually hang out for a few hours playing video games, watching the family channel or Disney channel online and they LOVE the trampoline! dinner is usually sometime between 6-8 depending on what's happened during the day and if we have an activity like Young Men or visitors for dinner. Bedtime for the girls is 8:30. 9:30 for the boys but they sometimes stay up a little later. Stephen usually crashes around 1am (night owl) and I'm usually totally useless after 10, I'm still waking up early so consequently have to go to sleep early. If I get to sleep at 2am like I did on Saturday night I still wake up early but I'm tired all day. So despite rumours to the contrary, our life is very normal. Work, school, play, bed. The only difference with living in an RV is where you sleep. Oh, and the bathroom, and the tiny kitchen. But you adapt.
Goals for today: Put up the screen shelter to have a bug free place in the shade to hang out. Make an outdoor shower, put away all the clean laundry and find a smaller steering wheel.
Why a smaller one? The one we have is in rough shape and 17.5" so a bus or truck size. You can't get a cover that big without going to a truck dealer apparently. Canadian Tire and Lordco don't sell them. They suggested the Kenworth dealer. But having a smaller one like a regular van or car might be a way to go too. Gotta run. Will check in later.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Itinerary for our cross Canada Trip
For a more up to date Itinerary (because our plans keep changing) we now have a dedicated page. Once we actually get closer to our moving day you'll be able to follow us across the country and see where we are!
Day 1 Wednesday July 27th. 10 am Leave Qualicum Beach for the last time. Sniff! And begin our adventure. Yay! Arrive in Victoria, BC. Stay at Mom and Dad's for the night. Have some fun being tourists and hopefully convince Mom to make her delicious potato salad. I challenge you to find a better potato salad maker!
Day 2. 6 am Leave Victoria and catch the early ferry to Vancouver and the mainland. Visit Lynne and the boys (our grandsons), visit the Vancouver Temple (the first one on our tour) then hit the open road! This is our first night actually sleeping on the road. We should be able to make it to Kamloops before stopping but we'll go as far as is practical.
Day 3. Drive through the Rocky Mountains past Mt. Terry Fox, through Jasper National Park. Stop anywhere interesting. Perhaps go past Spruce Grove and see the house Brian (the kids bio dad) was raised in. Arrive in Edmonton in the afternoon and take Brian all his stuff. Visit WEM (West Edmonton Mall) and other attractions plus the Edmonton Temple (#2 on our list). Kids stay at Brian's, Elizabeth and Steve park the Moho at WalMart for a night or two and shuttle the kids as necessary.
Day 4. Saturday July 30th. More West Edmonton Mall. Maybe the rollercoasters and waterpark today.
Day 5. Sunday 31st. More Edmonton. Places to go...People to see, Church to attend. Ok, enough already, it's time to move on.
Day 6. Monday August 1st. Pick Brian and kids up very early (6am) and head for Drumheller. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a must visit. But it's also mid summer and Drumheller is dessert so VERY HOT. Let's plan on getting there right as they open and then having lunch, walking the dog, and hitting the road for Calgary and a relaxing evening with the Mums.
Day 7. Tuesday 2nd. Play tourist in Calgary. See the zoo, our old house, the site of the under construction Calgary Temple, do laundry. Have showers with lots of water pressure and hot running water that lasts more than 3 minutes. Ahhhh....Divine!
Day 8. Wednesday 3rd. Leave early for Lethbridge. Head smashed in Buffalo jump on the way. Arrive in Lethbridge in the early afternoon. Veg!
Day 9. Thursday 4th. Brian and kids have time with their Grandparents. Stephen and Elizabeth have a day to themselves and take the kids to the Temple (the first built in Canada and #4 on our list as we drive east) in Cardston. Catch up any laundry while Grandma isn't looking and shop for food for the road.
Day 10. Friday 5th Regina! Yep, we're heading for Saskatchewan! Flat flat flat. Nothing but big beautiful blue sky. Regina Temple. Camping at the Walmart!
Day 11. Saturday Winnipeg. Still flat, but not quite so bad. Provincial bird of Manitoba...the mosquito. Reportedly the size of hummingbirds. See the site for the Winnipeg Temple which was just announced. Stay at Lilac Resort and enjoy an afternoon and the following morning relaxing pool side. As long as they let us in with a goat.
Day 12. Hey hey we're heading to Thunder Bay. Staying at the Walmart another day!
Day 13. Can we make it to Sault Ste Marie? Let's see! We're just staying at Walmart so it shouldn't matter what time we roll in.
Day 14. Toronto! Temple and shopping! And Walmart sleeping most likely too.
Day 15. Ottawa to see the houses of Parliament. And other cool Canadian stuff. Kate has it all planned out.
Day 16. Montreal. Oo la la. Real french bread and another Temple. We can tour for a few hours and then head on to historic Quebec City and further still into New Brunswick to Edmundston for a much needed sleep! Zzzzzz.
Day 17. Fredericton, Moncton, Sleep our last night in our home on wheels? We'll be running out of fresh clothes so that's probably a good thing.
Day 18. Saturday August 13th. Meghan's 8th Birthday! Arrive at out new home in NS. Tired, happy, and in need of both a shower and laundry. Oh to sleep on my real mattress again!
This just our basic plan and I'm sure it'll be changed yet. We'll keep you posted. We're still a few $$$ short of out goal so feel free to donate! Or sponsor us! Would you like to see your ad travel right the way across our beautiful country?
Day 1 Wednesday July 27th. 10 am Leave Qualicum Beach for the last time. Sniff! And begin our adventure. Yay! Arrive in Victoria, BC. Stay at Mom and Dad's for the night. Have some fun being tourists and hopefully convince Mom to make her delicious potato salad. I challenge you to find a better potato salad maker!
Day 2. 6 am Leave Victoria and catch the early ferry to Vancouver and the mainland. Visit Lynne and the boys (our grandsons), visit the Vancouver Temple (the first one on our tour) then hit the open road! This is our first night actually sleeping on the road. We should be able to make it to Kamloops before stopping but we'll go as far as is practical.
Day 3. Drive through the Rocky Mountains past Mt. Terry Fox, through Jasper National Park. Stop anywhere interesting. Perhaps go past Spruce Grove and see the house Brian (the kids bio dad) was raised in. Arrive in Edmonton in the afternoon and take Brian all his stuff. Visit WEM (West Edmonton Mall) and other attractions plus the Edmonton Temple (#2 on our list). Kids stay at Brian's, Elizabeth and Steve park the Moho at WalMart for a night or two and shuttle the kids as necessary.
Day 4. Saturday July 30th. More West Edmonton Mall. Maybe the rollercoasters and waterpark today.
Day 5. Sunday 31st. More Edmonton. Places to go...People to see, Church to attend. Ok, enough already, it's time to move on.
Day 6. Monday August 1st. Pick Brian and kids up very early (6am) and head for Drumheller. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a must visit. But it's also mid summer and Drumheller is dessert so VERY HOT. Let's plan on getting there right as they open and then having lunch, walking the dog, and hitting the road for Calgary and a relaxing evening with the Mums.
Day 7. Tuesday 2nd. Play tourist in Calgary. See the zoo, our old house, the site of the under construction Calgary Temple, do laundry. Have showers with lots of water pressure and hot running water that lasts more than 3 minutes. Ahhhh....Divine!
Day 8. Wednesday 3rd. Leave early for Lethbridge. Head smashed in Buffalo jump on the way. Arrive in Lethbridge in the early afternoon. Veg!
Day 9. Thursday 4th. Brian and kids have time with their Grandparents. Stephen and Elizabeth have a day to themselves and take the kids to the Temple (the first built in Canada and #4 on our list as we drive east) in Cardston. Catch up any laundry while Grandma isn't looking and shop for food for the road.
Day 10. Friday 5th Regina! Yep, we're heading for Saskatchewan! Flat flat flat. Nothing but big beautiful blue sky. Regina Temple. Camping at the Walmart!
Day 11. Saturday Winnipeg. Still flat, but not quite so bad. Provincial bird of Manitoba...the mosquito. Reportedly the size of hummingbirds. See the site for the Winnipeg Temple which was just announced. Stay at Lilac Resort and enjoy an afternoon and the following morning relaxing pool side. As long as they let us in with a goat.
Day 12. Hey hey we're heading to Thunder Bay. Staying at the Walmart another day!
Day 13. Can we make it to Sault Ste Marie? Let's see! We're just staying at Walmart so it shouldn't matter what time we roll in.
Day 14. Toronto! Temple and shopping! And Walmart sleeping most likely too.
Day 15. Ottawa to see the houses of Parliament. And other cool Canadian stuff. Kate has it all planned out.
Day 16. Montreal. Oo la la. Real french bread and another Temple. We can tour for a few hours and then head on to historic Quebec City and further still into New Brunswick to Edmundston for a much needed sleep! Zzzzzz.
Day 17. Fredericton, Moncton, Sleep our last night in our home on wheels? We'll be running out of fresh clothes so that's probably a good thing.
Day 18. Saturday August 13th. Meghan's 8th Birthday! Arrive at out new home in NS. Tired, happy, and in need of both a shower and laundry. Oh to sleep on my real mattress again!
This just our basic plan and I'm sure it'll be changed yet. We'll keep you posted. We're still a few $$$ short of out goal so feel free to donate! Or sponsor us! Would you like to see your ad travel right the way across our beautiful country?
Saturday Night and I Ain't Got Nobody....
Yep. It's Saturday night and Stephen is out at John and Nic's doing some more work on their bus. It's looking pretty spiffy thanks to all the hard work John has put into it. Steve's been doing a lot of the hidden stuff like water tanks, electrical and plumbing. Thankless jobs but very necessary.
As far as our own little family goes, we're good. Spent some time picking the hay out of last years alpaca fibre (Yes, that's how we spell it in Canada) ready to get it sent to the mill for cleaning and spinning. I just don't have enough time to get it done this year by hand and I still need to repair my spinning wheel anyways. I guess I still have to knit the wool and make felt slippers by myself so that's still handmade a little.
On my way back from dropping Christopher off at work and before taking the girls to swimming lessons I had a chance to pop by the local farmers market in Qualicum. There was a nice selection of plants, crafts, fresh produce, meats, breads and treats. I did indulge in a fresh croissant which receives high marks but his french bread was a bit bland and not as crusty as I'd like. Great sausages from Ravenstone Farm. I got bangers, canadian, sicilian, and Loukanika to try and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. The last sausages I got from them were awesome grilled on the BBQ. And some honey for my honey, creamed of course. Which I can guarantee he'll eat with peanut butter on toast when he comes home later. This being his preferred snack since childhood for breakfast or bedtime. 1kg jar of honey cost me $13. Bread $4. Sausages averaged about $5.50 for a pack of 4 large sausages. I also bought kohlrabi, green onions and some rhubarb.
I managed to get my yard tidied up, the inside of the kids trailer is almost cleaned but still have to finish dishes, vacuum, and put away all their clean laundry. I sorted fibre as mentioned previously, sorted out a couple of boxes from the storage locker and will donate more stuff to the SOS which runs a huge local thrift store. Also washed and dried 2 loads of laundry including some more blankets off Kate's bed. I took 2 more off and she still had 3 left! My goodness, who needs so many blankets? You'd think we were making her sleep on an ice ledge in the Arctic!
Today's weather was nice and sunny, 22 degrees C with 5-10km wind from the west. Great for working outside. Tomorrow should be more of the same. Great because John and Nicole are coming with the girls for a BBQ and to check out our place. Gotta run. It's after midnight and I have to get up early in the morning to clean, drive Chris, write a talk with Meghan, and then get food ready for when John and Nicole come over after church.
Goodnight!
As far as our own little family goes, we're good. Spent some time picking the hay out of last years alpaca fibre (Yes, that's how we spell it in Canada) ready to get it sent to the mill for cleaning and spinning. I just don't have enough time to get it done this year by hand and I still need to repair my spinning wheel anyways. I guess I still have to knit the wool and make felt slippers by myself so that's still handmade a little.
On my way back from dropping Christopher off at work and before taking the girls to swimming lessons I had a chance to pop by the local farmers market in Qualicum. There was a nice selection of plants, crafts, fresh produce, meats, breads and treats. I did indulge in a fresh croissant which receives high marks but his french bread was a bit bland and not as crusty as I'd like. Great sausages from Ravenstone Farm. I got bangers, canadian, sicilian, and Loukanika to try and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. The last sausages I got from them were awesome grilled on the BBQ. And some honey for my honey, creamed of course. Which I can guarantee he'll eat with peanut butter on toast when he comes home later. This being his preferred snack since childhood for breakfast or bedtime. 1kg jar of honey cost me $13. Bread $4. Sausages averaged about $5.50 for a pack of 4 large sausages. I also bought kohlrabi, green onions and some rhubarb.
I managed to get my yard tidied up, the inside of the kids trailer is almost cleaned but still have to finish dishes, vacuum, and put away all their clean laundry. I sorted fibre as mentioned previously, sorted out a couple of boxes from the storage locker and will donate more stuff to the SOS which runs a huge local thrift store. Also washed and dried 2 loads of laundry including some more blankets off Kate's bed. I took 2 more off and she still had 3 left! My goodness, who needs so many blankets? You'd think we were making her sleep on an ice ledge in the Arctic!
Today's weather was nice and sunny, 22 degrees C with 5-10km wind from the west. Great for working outside. Tomorrow should be more of the same. Great because John and Nicole are coming with the girls for a BBQ and to check out our place. Gotta run. It's after midnight and I have to get up early in the morning to clean, drive Chris, write a talk with Meghan, and then get food ready for when John and Nicole come over after church.
Goodnight!
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