Wednesday, May 30, 2007

My first day in my kayak in nearly a year, if anyone makes any comment about my ugly toes, they could be the the third person banned from my blog!!!!!!! The weather was perfect and paddled around Newcastle Island, the eagle photos are worth double clicking to see them enlarged. Very peaceful to be on the ocean again, this is a beautiful part of the world. Ducks again tonight for the hockey game!!


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Monday, May 28, 2007


Well I took a weekend off, kept quiet after all the travelling, did lots of walking and running. What a beautiful day today, the start of some sunny warm days ending with a blue moon this Thursday evening. The first photo is taken in the back yard where I live. I then went out for brunch with friends that live in a lovely area of town overlooking the bay where the ferries come and the other photos are from their yard. After all these months of travelling and see some amazing sights, this island still rates right up there. Stanley Cup finals tonight, sorry I am cheering for the Ducks!!!

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Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Just some photos in and around Kelowna, this is a huge city but clean and centered on a lovely lake. Woke up early with no aching bones and went for a walk by the side of the river, very pretty and left about 9pm. Arrived home in Nanaimo at 6pm after a great trip filled with memories and good stories. So nice to be home, my apartment is bright and the flowers in the garden are blooming with colour and the forecast for the weekend is a good one....


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Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Good news and bad news today... the good news is that I haven't thought about my tired weary legs today that is because of the bad news I now think about my tired weary arms, neck, back, and just about every other part of my body. My very best EX friend Larry had me doing manuel labour for hours today, move this sand pile, wheel this barrow, I think I moved it over 6 miles!!!!!! Load up these 1000's of bricks unload these 1000's bricks, move this furniture, rake this pile of rocks, enough already. I have told him that before I visit again I want digital pictures of his yard to make sure there are no work projects waiting for me. Oh yes give him credit he did buy me lunch and cook me supper. It was hot and sunny and a great day, now going to watch the hockey game......
Good morning, it is 7am and a beautiful sunny and warm day here in Kelowna, where I am staying with my great friends of over 30 years. I reffed two final games yesterday and both were high energy, competitive and fast games, the skill level on some of these kids (they were 18 year old) was amazing and my little tired old legs had to work overtime to keep up but no problems and I really enjoyed the weekend. It was about a 2 hour drive to Kelowna and I have photos but cannot down load them till I get home. Today my friend Larry has a nice relaxing day planned for me, he is doing some construction work in the back yard and needs help moving concrete blocks, stacking bricks and pounding down soil!!!!!! He obviously doesn't remember that my hands are gentle hands and handyman I am not!!!!! I leave tomorrow for my return to Nanaimo after two fun and interesting weeks. Going back to my old home town was good for me and I enjoyed seeing the people I used to be close with... wish you all a great day, Les

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Here I am same time as yesterday and again reffed 5 games, also the weather was again sunny and quite warm. If I thought my legs ached yesterday this must be a new version of the word….although I am happy to say when I started this morning just a little bit stiff but get warmed up and I felt great. Tomorrow is finals and I have two games to do in the morning and then head out to Kelowna for a short stay with friends. I have enjoyed this tournament this is my fourth year coming here and it is very well run and the city is nice, set in the valley with the river flowing through. It is unusual to go through all the games I did without some form of abuse or problems but everyone from players, coaches and parents were well behaved. You know I have done it now by saying that because all heck could break loose in my games tomorrow!!!!! One day when I have a spare 30 minutes or so I will post here about my most memorable game I have reffed, it was in Yakima 3 years ago and it was amazing. Well I think it is time turn in for the night I am been sleeping in the van in the parking lot of Costco, very safe and the mattress in the van just like home. I hope you all enjoy the holiday Monday and if on the roads be safe, Les

Saturday, May 19, 2007


This is how I spent my day today, my first game was at 8.30am and I finished the fifth game at 8.15pm. It was not so bad I got about 90 minutes rest in between each game and although it was sunny it wasn't too hot. I really enjoy the games and had no one shout at me today, which makes a change!!!!! Must confess though these old legs are tired tonight could do with one of those big massage chairs you sometimes see at airports!! My first game tomorrow is at 10am so get to sleep in. I am staying in the van and it is very comfortable and safe. Enjoy the rest of the weekend....

Friday, May 18, 2007

Just a few of the spectacular views on my drive today from Calgary to Kamloops . My first game is tomorrow at 8.30am and then I have 4 more and 4 more games Sunday and 2 on Monday , then I apply ample quantities of muscle rub to my legs!!!!!!! The forecast for the weekend is not too good but that can change quickly. Long weekend so every one drive safe and enjoy...Les


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I sincerely want to thank everyone who reads my travelogue and knows me, to have refrained from making any comments about my soccer team being relegated from the Premiership League last Saturday. Of course if anyone had dared to make any comments they would instantly be put on the banned list, as I am still recovering from the shock of being sent down on the last day of the season. So thank you.....
Had to stop at the Hutterite colony on the way out of town as I had not connected with my friend Danny there yet, long story but still didn't see him. Then drove down to Calgary, this is a town I don't know, so was very surprised to find the down town area was pedestrian traffic, very clean and safe, with many restaurants with tables outside, just a vibrant clean down town core. I visited with friends that I met in Mexico years ago who are in town for a wedding, so another great evening of exchanging stories and catching up. I leave in the morning for the drive to Kamloops for a weekend of soccer reffing. This a huge tournament with over 100 teams and this is my 4th year and it is a very well organized event. Wishing you all a very happy and safe Lond Weekend...
Sorry...the photo is of Danny's daughter and grandson..
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Thursday, May 17, 2007

Today was my last full day in Smoky Lake and spent it visiting many friends. The photos are of the very first house I bought, 2 delightful little boys at their Baba’s house and a special young lady at the Hutterite Colony. This charming girl was 3 years old when I last saw her and I have known her parents for many years, they have always been so friendly towards me. Their Colony is self-sufficient and they keep everything so clean. The men just finished a huge building which houses all their kitchens, dining area and school rooms and Marie gave me a personal tour, wish I could have taken more pictures but not allowed. I guarantee there is no restaurant anywhere with finer and clean kitchen equipment, I felt quite special to be going through all these rooms and the highlight was the last room where all the kindergarten kids were having their lunch. The girls were beautiful in the blue long dresses, braided hair and eyes so shiny and those little guys in their black pants and suspenders and then they all sang a song to me, boy what memories!!! Today I leave for Calgary where I am meeting some friends I haven’t seen for a few years, they are flying in from California for a wedding so we will all have dinner together. Tomorrow I leave for Kamloops where I am staying for the long weekend for a soccer tournament. I have been coming here for 4 years and it is a great tournament and I look forward to reffing probably 10 –12 games. I wish you all a very safe and happy long weekend…..



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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Well these days go by so fast….I have had a wonderful time re-kindling friendships with close friends and also people that I haven’t seen for 14 years. I sometimes forget that when I lived here and had my store I knew many people and now I see them but cannot always put a name to a face then others I remember all about them. I have toured all the homes I used to live in, the two stores that I used to work in and the #7 Food mart that I opened and ran for 7 years. I also went out to the Hutterite Colony, but going back out there on Wednesday because my friend was gone for the weekend. Had two visits with Vicky and Lorne who worked for me for many years and we just sit and say to each other, “Do you remember..??” Then all the stories come out, such fun, such good stories. Also visited with Lucy and Willis, who bought my store from me, great friends and had two great visits with them. So this has been an interesting time and the photos are of houses, stores and churches in town, the adorable baby is Vicky’s grand daughter and the cows, well by now you all know I like cows……Have to go now as I have to pry off my cow boy boots!!!!



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Thursday 5 th January 2023…it was a great run!!!

 This was my first ever blog post back in November of 2006!!! With just a couple of days off I have written a blog every day since and I hav...