May Expenses and A Busy Day!

I woke up this morning to pouring rain and a thunderstorm. Sounded like a good day to stay in bed so I didn't get up until 9:00 a.m. I can't remember the last time I slept that long.

Sleeping late makes the day go by really fast. By the time I finished interneting it was 11:00 a.m. as with the cloud and rain the internet satellite kept going in and out but it gave me time to post my receipts to my Excel spreadsheet.

I decided to do something ambitious since I didn't walk this morning so I cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed. I was getting ready to start thinking about what I was going to paint on my niece's old trumpet when Gordon said it had stopped raining and he needed to go out and get a photo for today. I was going to stay at home but changed my mind

We went back to Andrew Hayden Park as cloud is the best light for photographing waterfalls. Here's a photo of both parts of the Falls.

I decided to walk there so I walked around most of the pathways within the park. The sun came out while we were there and I got some photos of these adorable baby groundhogs. I was whistling and making noises so they would come out from under the rock and all of a sudden there was Mamma Groundhog. I'm not sure if she was looking for food or protecting her babies or both but she came right up to me.


Today was Gluten Free Day at Rainbow Foods so we decided to stop there. They have this every year and it was last year that we learned about Judy's Magic Mixes that make the best bread. They were there again this year with more goodies as well as Sue's from Kingston who make great cookies. We had lots of samples but refrained from buying anything as I had already completed my month end financial report for posting.

From there Gordon noticed there were some interesting clouds in they sky so we decided to stop at the Arboretum on the way home. Here are some photos I took there. They have a really pretty hosta garden (photo below) there as well.

Looking toward Ottawa downtown and Dow's Lake from the Arboretum.



This is only a small part of the hosta garden

Water droplets on the hostas.


Red squirrel in the hosta garden

Lots of shades of green

Red and green

Purple wildflowers



On my way back to the truck I saw a pretty black poodle - a black Fillmore!

May Expenses

Considering all the medical and dental we've had this month, I think we did exceptionally well. We also bought Miss Pinky (GPS) and Gordon bought a new (to him) camera. I also bought a new mixer as my old one didn't have enough wattage to make Gordon's gluten free bread. Also it was 41 years old! Our electric heater died so we had to replace that as well. You can see we didn't do much by way of entertainment, however we've had a great time out in nature and that's free except for the fuel to get there.

I'm very happy with this month's total!

Finances, Picking up the Dreaded Prescription & Kids Having Fun

Today started out bright and sunny but by afternoon it was cloudy and threatening rain. The temperature hovered around 22C (72F) for most of the afternoon and the wind wasn't as strong today.

We had a late morning appointment with our financial advisor and we came away as usual with lots of information and our eyes glazed over. However he has given us some things to think about, one of which I would never have considered - borrowing money to invest. Apparently it's a good tax write off and comes highly recommended. For people who don't like owing money, this would be a big step. Other than that, he thinks we have a wonderful lifestyle and says we should go and enjoy ourselves and let him worry about the rest. I told him to just remember that I don't want to have to live under a bridge when I'm 75!

We came home for lunch, then out to our pharmacy to pick up the dreaded $1180.00 prescription. My favourite pharmacist, Michael, was on duty today and he's always so nice but unfortunately he can't give us a discount! Oh well, after we left there I stopped to photocopy my prescription receipts and my submission form and mailed them in to our extended health care.

Our plan was to go and find a trail after that but Gordon's medication has to be kept at room temperature and it was starting to get pretty warm in the truck so we stopped to take some photos of a little carnival that was going on in the little mall where I got my photocopies at Staples and then came home. The photo today is of a couple of little kids on a dinosaur ride. They looked like they were having fun!

I sat outside for a while, then popped a port tenderloin in the over for dinner. Another fine day in the life of a fulltime RVer!

The good news is good.....and the bad news is ugly!

The phone rang early this morning. It was my sister calling to tell us that the doctor's office had called and wanted to change Gordon's prescription to liquid instead of pills and they needed the name of the pharmacy. It's difficult having a cell phone with a long distance number. The medical profession don't want to use it as it costs them! We got that straightened out and while Gordon was talking to them got his appointment for June with the Infectious Disease Specialist.

This morning after my walk we just hung around the RV. Gordon had a dentist appointment this afternoon so I dropped him off and went to the Loeb grocery store and Walmart to pick up some stuff. He called me when he was done and luckily I was almost back so away we went to the pharmacy to get the prescription. On the way in I told Gordon not to be surprised if they didn't have it at all or only had part of it. I was right, they didn't have it at all. It had to be ordered and will be in tomorrow. And here's the bad news (it comes before the good news). It costs around $1100 for one month's prescription! The good news is that when we reach $1000 each year, the extended health care pays 100% so we should be there or nearly there now.

Gordon wanted to go and do something fun and since I wore sandals today we decided to go back to Andrew Hayden Park where if the trails aren't paved, they are level and in good shape. We walked along the Ottawa River for a while on this trail.


Then we changed locations within the park and saw these baby geese as well as others also born this year but looked a little older.


Then we walked on to Keeley Falls where we have our own red rocks. It's a pretty little falls within Andrew Haydon Park and is the subject of lots of photos around this area.


This is looking down river away from the falls.


On our way home I saw this little Mini. It's not a Mini Cooper but an authentic Austin Mini 1100!

Bright and sunny!

Today was a beautiful sunny day but quite windy. We did reach 20C (68F). I started the day as usual with my walk, blog reading, internet surfing and actually found out how to put a thicker border around my photos on my blog.

My reflux disease is acting up again today and the only thing I can think of that's different is that I started taking Claritin instead of Actifed after my doctor's appointment on the 15th. Prior to that I had been doing really well. It's not working that well anyway so I think I'll stop it and see what happens.

Today was Gordon's follow up appointment with the Infectious Disease Specialist at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. I decided to go with him today. I absolutely detest paying parking fees at a hospital or anywhere else for that matter as they are exorbitant so we parked on a side street and walked to the Civic. We were gone over two hours and didn't have a ticket. Yeah!

There were some pretty tulips along the way that I photographed. The first one - yellow tulips against the bark of the tree and the second, the translucence of tulips with the sunlight shining through them.

The doctor seems happy with Gordon's progress however he does have some symptoms which are puzzling so he's being scheduled for an MRI and the doctor changed his medication. He is following up again in a month and also will have another CT scan around the beginning of August.

As such, we might be staying at this campground for another month. With the price of fuel, the closer we are to the medical appointments the better.

Back to Stony Swamp

Last night after dinner I got up some energy and got the laundry done. I just didn't want to have to face it today when I had planned to get it done yesterday.

When I got up this morning it was cloudy, windy and 8C (46F) with promises of sunshine later in the day. I did my walk around the Hospital Linen Service plant next door and on Rideau Heights Drive ending up on the roads within the park.

This trailer has been here since shortly after we arrived. It looks home made and I've only ever seen a lady around it.

Most of the morning was spent on the internet but I took time out to have a shower.

Gordon wanted to go to the doctor's office to get weighed so we stopped there and then continued on to the Jack Pine Trail in Stony Swamp (photo below). We thought we might see new baby geese but the nesting geese were gone and there was no sign of babies. We did see a couple of adult geese in another area though. There weren't as many critters today as last time we were there but did see this white breasted nuthatch (photo below) and a couple of chickadees as well as a couple of chipmunks and red squirrels (photo below).



From there we stopped at Farm Boy to pick up some bananas and some things for dinner. I'm going to try a Thai stirfry tonight. Their noodles are made from rice so Gordon shouldn't have a problem with them. There's not tomato involved so I should be okay too!

A Total Washout

I didn't feel well most of yesterday so last night I slept on the couch as I often do when that happens. With reflux disease you sometimes get a lot of pain and nausea. I slept quite well considering.

When I woke up this morning it was raining so no walk but I didn't feel like walking anyway. After a brief interlude on the computer and having breakfast (I always try to eat breakfast regardless of how I feel), I lay back down and slept again till nearly 2 p.m.

Gordon went out to get a photo of the day. I watched a bit of TV.

I have to say that I do feel better. Just wonder what's causing this - the spareribs or maybe the change in allergy medication? It's always difficult to know. Maybe I'll have to go back to keeping a food diary if this keeps up. In any case, it's chicken noodle soup for me for dinner tonight.

My plans to get the laundry done today were quashed, oh well, maybe tomorrow!

It was rainy and cloudy all day but fairly warm at 24C (75F).

Shopping, Visiting, Hiking a Trail

Linda's rib recipe was great and it didn't seem to bother me. I didn't use any sauce on my rice, just in case. However, having it again tonight might be pushing my luck, we'll see.

Today started out bright, beautiful and sunny. I walked down by the river again. Here's a photo of the Rideau River facing south.

And here's a photo of a little tent trailer that was in the park this morning.

I needed to pick up my prescription eye drops so I headed out to Bayshore Shopping Centre to be there about when it opened so I could park in the back. Our truck won't fit in the covered parking area. I got the prescriptions, picked up a few things and while I was there got a call from my sister saying there were going to be home and I could stop by for lunch.

I made another stop at the new Giant Tiger that just opened this month and then went to my sister's where I got fed and then we sat outside and chatted for a bit. Danica got home from playing trumpet at a church service. I picked up a few books to read, got the mail and came home.

Gordon and I then went out to an area close to the park so he could get his photo of the day. There are paved trails here. I took a photo of this dead tree.


And this goose sitting on her nest. The male was close by playing protector.

And so ends another day in the life of a fulltime RVer.