River Rafting BA-BY!!

Sunday July 18th at 6:00am, my friends Melissa and Nathan and I get in the car and drive to Lytton for our combo rafting trip.  It took us 2.5 hrs to get there so we were about 45 min early.  When the time came to sign-in, we gathered along with about 18 others to sign a waiver, receive instructions and get our gear.  We loaded into an old blue school bus and off we went; 30 min north of the base, up the Thompson river.  In the boats we went, about 10-11 per boat and off we motored.  Our guide was named "Wave Dave".  He was awesome and very entertaining.   

While in the boat we had to hold onto a rope that was along the inside of the tube we sat on. We had to hold onto it at all times, with at least one hand, and between our legs. That prevented our legs from being tossed backwards and into the river.  There was a bit of a history lesson included regarding the gold rush, the river gorge, the camel/sheep, rock formations and significant river levels.  The water looked to be very clean although would be filtered for best results and it was very refreshing.  The last rapid was called "eighteenth hole" and I was lucky to be at the front of the boat.  It was awesome! The wave was huge and super wet!!  I couldn't stop laughing during it all.

After the 2 hr ride, we went back to the base, had lunch and joined up with about 40 other people to do a paddle rafting ride.  So into the bus we went, drove up north and loaded into boats.  The power ride had 2 boats and the paddle ride had 7 boats.

The paddle ride was quite a bit different.  I think most people think it's a wilder, wetter ride but, really, it isn't.  The paddle boats can't go in the same rapids as the power boat because there is a lack of power.  The rafting guide told us about the paddle calls she would be yelling to us; so we practiced those before attempting the rapids.  Once again, I felt safe on the paddle boat.  Sure it looks like you're going to fall in but I didn't feel that way.  On one occassion, my side of the boat was lifted up and the girl behind me and I were tossed INTO the boat.  We had to stay in the boat until we were on calmer waters.   

After the ride, we went back to the base, got dried off and changed and the 3 of us split the purchase of a CD with trip pictures on it.  Hense the pics on this blog entry.

In summary, I felt the power ride was a lot more rougher, wetter and faster!  I loved it.  The paddle ride was slower and not so wet because that boat can't go through the same rapids as the power boat.

Another bucket item crossed off....

Oh Deer!!

Just this past Thursday (July 8th) I was driving my usual early morning route to V'hoof to work when all of a sudden a deer came up from the ditch beside me (driver's side), hopped towards me as I was driving 100 km/hr and crashed into my car. 

I was on a curve that went towards the left and the deer came up from the left side, hopped towards my car and while I had a short moment to slow down, it wasn't enough to save the deer (or my car).  He flew off my hood and into the ditch, somewhere, on the passenger side.  I pulled over off the highway, inspected the major dents on my car and was debating whether I should find the deer and see how it was doing.  Very quickly, a thought entered my mind of "what if it's still alive and suffering?"....I didn't want to see that so I got back into my car and drove off to work.

Nonetheless, I was upset.  I turned off my radio and drove in silence the rest of the way (1/2 hr longer).  I wasn't in the mood for tunage anymore.  I felt like a killer of an innocent being.  Poor Mr./Mrs. Deer....it's family will be wondering where they are.  Then again, why would a deer hop onto the highway when it saw me coming and hop in front of my car!!??

ICBC here I come.

Oh and one more thing.  A few days before this incident happened, I was driving the same highway but back to PG from V'hoof and an oncoming semi-truck flicked up a stone about the size of an open fist and it landed on my windshield!  I saw it coming towards me but I had NO way of avoiding it.  WOW!  What an expensive highway to drive!

Check out this article I found online...

DUTCH FARMERS TIP-TOE THRU THE TULIPS

www.dailymail.co.uk

At first glance, it looks like a giant child armed with a box of crayons has been set loose upon the landscape.  Vivid stripes of purple, yellow, red, pink, orange and green make up a glorious technicolour patchwork. Yet far from being a child's sketchbook, this is, in fact, the northern Netherlands in the middle of the tulip season.

With more than 10,000 hectares devoted to the cultivation of these delicate flowers, the Dutch landscape in May is a kaleidoscope of giddy colours as the tulips burst into life.
The bulbs were planted in late October and early November, and these colourful creations are now ready to be picked and sold as bunches of cut flowers in florists and supermarkets.
More than three billion tulips are grown each year and two-thirds of the vibrant blooms are exported, mostly to the U.S. and Germany.

Their dazzling colours are thanks to the years in the 17th century when Tulipmania swept the globe and the most eye-catching specimens changed hands for a small fortune.

But like a rainbow, this colourful landscape is a short-lived phenomenon.
When the flowers are gone, the land will be cultivated for a rather more mundane crop of vegetables.

House Sale

Well to make a long 1.5 month story short, the buyer did not come through with a down payment for my parent's house so we're not moving.  My parents don't want to sell privately or use a realtor either for a couple reasons.

I think this has been a waste of time now that we know the guy who "so badly" wanted to buy this house hasn't gone through with the deal.  So now my parents will continue with the renos of new gutters and down spouts and a repaired ceiling in living room.  A new roof was just finished being installed yesterday.

I was really looking forward to a "new" house of only 4 years old but looks like my parents will try again next year.  Maybe this wasn't the right time to purchase but next year will be.  During the past 1.5 months of house-searching there were only 2 or 3 houses that had potential to purchase and mom & I looked at 20+ houses in all sorts of conditions, ages, updated/non-updated etc.  It's really quite an eye-opening experience.

So for now this 'adventure' is done this year and might be continued next year.

Our New Home?

This is the house that my parent's have all their eyes on to purchase.  It's 4 years old which would the newest house we've lived in since 1995-ish.  Here are the specs:   4 bedrooms, 3 FULL bathrooms, family room in the kitchen, rec room, living/dining room, large master bedroom with walkin closet, wood patio out back, and balcony just outside of living room above 2 car garage. This house is on a corner lot so there is extra grass to cut but it's so nicely manicured, why not?!  This house is located about 10 min from downtown and west of town in a newer area.  Right now my parents are awaiting confirmation of any kind from their interested buyer.  Will he have a down payment or not?
Here's a pic of my room to be:

It is on the smaller side but it's just a place for me to sleep.  Beside my room is the rec room and there are  frosted double french doors to that room.  I have another entrance of a single french door as well on another wall.  I will have a 4 piece bathroom downstairs but it will also be used by who ever will be hanging out down there too.  A luxery nonetheless!  Anyways, my parents hope to hear in a day or two what the final decision will be.  If the buyer is a no-go, then the house won't be for sale and this new house won't be purchased.  If the buyer is a-go, then an offer will be made and if it's accepted then moving day is Aug 1st!  The buyer needs to be out of his place on that date.  That means 5-6 weeks for mom and I  to pack a whole house....we got our work cut out for us, that's forsure.

To be continued....

PART 3 - Cooking

I don't like cooking for myself.  I don't get any sort of gratification from it.  If I have friends/family over as guests, I will put all I can into making a superb and memorable meal....but for myself...a bowl of popcorn sometimes is it. 

When I first moved out to my own basement suite I was excited to grocery shop for myself...get anything I wanted, eat whatever I wanted.  That was over 10 years ago.  I barely remember what sort of stuff I made for my meals when I wasn't at work.  Did I make the proper 3 item meal at supper time?  How long into my independence did I enjoy grocery shopping and cooking?  I honestly don't remember.

I lived in 5 basement suites while in the lower mainland and I really don't remember what my thoughts were on grocery shopping and cooking while on my own.  For part of a year I had a female roommate. Did we cook together?  Did I cook for her or vise versa?  Why can't I remember?

So now that I'm in my 11th year of being out of the house (even though I've moved back home and live with my mom mainly), why haven't I've found a new enjoyment of the opportunity of cooking for more than myself? Here's my short theory of why:  I have been living in such an unmotivated lifestyle that my 'motivated' lifestyle hasn't been awaken yet.  How's that for a theory?  Actually I had a different word than 'unmotivated' that I wanted to use in my description but I couldn't figure out what I really wanted to say.  So what I did come out with is a bit of a BS version.

I think it would nice to try Weight Watchers again but alas, I'm just not gung-ho about making that effort right now.  I have more than one reason to make that change but probably more than two reasons to not do it.  Make sense?

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