smoke and moving the boy

Kim is back at the stix and bricks, working and helping the 2nd son get ready to return to school.  He will be attending British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, taking the first of 5 trips there to complete is apprentice training.  He will be in residence, so at least we have an idea of what he will need to abide there.

Don stayed down at the lot with the 5th wheel, completing some more retaining walls with landscape ties.  He will be leaving there tomorrow or Friday to meet Kim and son on the road.  Feels like we are always on the road - gotta love it !

Our area is inundated with forest fires all around, with evacuations at some areas about 1.5 hours drive from here.  Our son's roommate, who has a small security group that works at music festivals, has been asked to help the RCMP to assist with the evacuations. He left today and will be gone for a few days to help out. A cold front moved in, and with it, the wind.  This hampered the fire efforts by firefighters, as  crews were pulled off some of the fires due to safety.   Our little airport is extremely busy - all afternoon, there have been big chemical bombers flying low over the house every 15 - 20 minutes.  The house windows are shaking!  It shouldn't be any problem with our travels, as all the highways are open along our way for this weekend.  Breathing was tough on Sunday and Monday, but the wind cleared our area, and Kim can stop wheezing!      

Well, at least the mosquitoes are not as bad in northern B.C. as they were on the prairies!  Take a look at these pictures - the truck after arriving at the cottage!

On the road

Well, we have not posted for a week or so as we are on the road making incredible miles!  We left northern BC to travel 15 hours one day to Sherwood Park, Alberta.  There we dropped off the 5th wheel at a friends, and travelled the next day another 11 hours to the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border with only the truck.

We have been at the cottage visiting and participating in some family affairs with Donald's extended family, after the passing of his mum in April.  Donald and each of his 2 sisters prepared a Vinetarta ( Icelandic cake ) to add to the Memorial service lunch.  It was very appropriate as this specialty came from his mum's maternal side of the family and was always present at family gatherings.

Then it was another 10 hour drive back to Sherwood Park, pick up the 5th, a quick sleep, and a very long drive from there to the outskirts of Calgary, and on the TransCanada Highway ( # 1 ) to Revelstoke - another 11 hour day of driving.  For anyone considering travelling the TCH from Lake Louise through Golden, BC - be prepared!  The highway is being changed from 2 lanes to 4 lanes over a number of years and the construction is crazy with delays.....


We are presently at the Shuswap lot, cleaning up a few things and visiting with our friends, Bill and Penny.  The cool weather seems to follow us - it was cool here in June, crazy hot when we were not here in July and today we are wearing jackets.