Water Problems!

Today we went to the camper to clean it and get it ready for a weekend of camping next week. Michael's main job was to de-winterize the water system. When we bought the camper it included an inline water filter made by WaterPur. This filter was fixed on the line from the tank to the water heater, situated under the sofa, in a place that is very difficult to reach.

Every year when we winterized we had to by-pass the filter, or else it took up a lot of anti-freeze. Perhaps we should have just let it fill with anti-freeze, instead we decided to by-pass it last winter. We used a small hose with metal fixtures. Something happened over the winter and the metal fixtures damaged the plastic ones on the hoses in the camper. When we tried to de-winterize, the water started squirting out everywhere. Now we were in a pickle. What to do. We had already decided that we were going to remove the factory installed filter because the new carbon cartridges cost C$40+ each. Instead we will fit a Camco RV Filter that fits on the water line outside the camper.

The problem now was that whenever Michael turned the pump on, water squirted everywhere. What to do, what to do. After some "discussion" Michael went to Owasco in Whitby and bought some new fittings for the pipes, came back, attached the filter inlet pipe to the filter outlet pipe and thus eliminated the problem. Now we don't have to worry about bypassing the filter or disconnecting anything every fall.

We are now ready for camping and, depending on the weather, we will go to Darlington this coming weekend. Camping is GOOD for the soul!

Summer Camping Plans

The past few months I have been busy making plans for our summer camping. We hope to do a couple of weekend camps in May, just travelling to Darlington Provincial Park. This park is just 24 kms from home so we use it for short get-a-ways. June has been kept pretty camp-free because I want to be available to help Suzanne with the new baby, as much as possible.

On June 30th we are travelling to Six-Mile Lake Provincial Park for a few days. My best friend from high school in Zimbabwe, will be in the area and we are hoping to hook up for a reunion. We will be attending her daughter's engagement party on the 29th June.

On the 9th July we are going up to Pinery Provincial Park for a week. We have booked a riverside site until July 16th. I have wanted to go to Pinery for years and this year made it a priority. There is nothing more booked until we leave for the US on August 15th. We will spend a night on the way down to Maryland. Probably an overnighter at a truck stop along the way. We have booked at Greenbrier State Park for a week while we visit my sister in Keedysville. Greenbrier is just 6 kms from my sister's house. August 20th is Dad and Virginia's birthday. We are all meeting at Patricia's for the birthday party and will be spending some quality family time together.

After the week in Keedysville, we are going to Delaware Sea Shore State Park, where we will be camping almost on the beach, with full hook-up. We leave Delaware on August 30th and stop at Lackawanna State Park in Pennsylvania for 3 nights. Our last stop is at Presqu'ile Provincial Park for the first weekend of September. We are both back to work after the Labour Day weekend.

New Grand-child

Our biggest event of the summer is that our first grand-child will be born around the 7th June. Suzanne is doing very well and feeling great. Of course, grandma has been buying up the stores. Suzanne, Sandy and Greg have all moved into Greg's new house in downtown Toronto. Greg lives in the lower section of the house and Suzanne and Sandy live in a complete apartment upstairs. Keep coming back for the news on this exciting event.

San Diego Trip

On August 14th Michael, Dad and I drove to Buffalo and spent the night at the Quality Suites opposite the Buffalo International Airport. I had booked through www.parksleepfly.com where you can book a night at a hotel and then fly out of an airport, leaving your car at the hotel for up to 2 weeks for the cost of the 1 night. In our case, the night was US$84. It was really nice not having to rush to the airport. Buffalo Airport is a LOT easier to fly out of, compared to Toronto Airport.

Dad on the plane from Chicago
(Click on photos to enlarge)

We flew via Chicago, arriving in San Diego at 7:30 pm and were met there by Virginia. Our trip to San Diego was to celebrate Virginia’s 85th and Dad’s 86th birthdays on August 20th.

Virginia meeting us at San Diego Airport

Virginia had booked us all in to the Sheraton Hotel on Harbor Island Drive for 2 nights. My sister, Patricia and her family were coming through from LAX later on. When we got to the hotel, the valet was helping us and there was a scruffy looking fellow standing at the back door of the car. He had a wheelchair and he was waiting to help Dad into it. This man had his baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, had a 24 hour stubble, rumpled clothes and looked VERY suspicious. I took a closer look at this strange man and realized that it was my brother, who works on contract in Muscat, Oman and he looked so disheveled because he had just flown 28 hours from the other side of the world! I asked Virginia if that was Pete and she nodded with a very big grin on her face. He had been on the same plane as us from Chicago to San Diego and we never saw him!! What a lovely surprise.

Dad crying in disbelief after seeing Pete

Pete helped load Dad into the wheelchair and then took him for a ride around the lobby of the hotel until Virginia could be there when he revealed himself to Dad. Needless to say, Dad was completely bowled over when Pete bent down and asked Dad if he could do any more for him. Dad says that if he didn’t have a pacemaker, he would have dropped dead of a heart attack!

Ginny and Dad wait in our room for the Barbers to arrive

We all went up to the room and hung around for the arrival of Patricia, Simon and the children. When they arrived Pete hid behind the drapes and surprised them when they came into the room that he was sharing with Dad. It was great!

Tuesday we went to a local restaurant, Hob Nob Hill, for a fantastic breakfast. Dad had blueberry pancakes.

Breakfast at Hob Nob Hill

Dad's pancakes

We then went down to the Old Town and took a 2 hour trolley ride around San Diego. Later we had dinner at a restaurant in Old Town, called El Fandango. I had the best fish tacos I had ever tasted.

The gang before boarding the trolley.

Patricia and Pete

Nell and Stephen

The next morning we watched a flotilla of tall ships sail majestically into the harbour and then we all set off for Ocean Hills Country Club, where Virginia lives.

Sitting on a bench watching all the ships go by.

Stephen

Nell

Dad posing as a rapperDad and Ginny

One of the tall ships coming in to harbour

The rest of the week was spent preparing for the big birthday party on Saturday 20th. There were about 60 guests coming for an “Open House” type event. There was lots of shopping and preparation to do. Carolyn Chiriboga had done a lot of organizing and had ordered the cakes for Virginia and Dad. Carolyn is the daughter of Bob Pope, who was Virginia’s friend and companion until he passed away suddenly earlier this year. He had a heart attack while holding the winning hand at his weekly poker game!!

The weather in Oceanside is always gorgeous, so it was no surprise when the 20^th dawned bright and sunny. The party went off without a hitch, speeches being made by both Pete and Carolyn. Virginia looked like a shining star in her red, white and blue top.

The Cheney Gang before the party

The birthday boy and girl enjoyed opening their gifts and all the cards.

The great food was enjoyed by all.

Virginia

Virginia's Cake
Dad and Virginia during the speeches
Amal Pope and baby
Michael enjoys a beer at the party

Nell and Pete at Denny's the day after

Pete's "American" breakfast

California Update

Well, it's been some time since I was on the blog. Just to update what is happening in the White household.

On Sunday we are driving to Buffalo to spend the night there and then we will be flying to San Diego. We will be staying with Virginia In Oceanside until late on August 29th, when we fly home again on the red-eye (11 pm to Cleveland, Ohio) and then a short hop to Buffalo where we will pick up the car and head home. I am due back at work the night of August 29th, the same day we land in Buffalo, so it is going to be a fast ride home.

On August 20th, in Oceanside, we are celebrating the birthdays of Dad and Virginia. Dad will be 86 and Virginia will be 85. We are having an open-house at Virginia's from 1 pm to 6 pm and all her local friends will be popping in to celebrate with her.

So....watch this space for the next exciting episode in about 3 weeks time.