Fun Weekend...and Now Readying the RV

It was pure pleasure to celebrate Christmas in November and to have our family here for the festivities.

L-R  Deni, Courtney, Ginette and Trevor

Our previous blog explained our reasons for celebrating Christmas early.  There were presents under the tree - but the focus was on the two unborn grandchildren and on 1 1/2 year old Easton.  I was told that adults were not going to be exchanging gifts.  WELL......that was not entirely true!

Jeanette and I were given this surprise gift, courtesy of our kids.  Nice!  Look out for more 'Face Time' conversations while we are away.

With iPads and iPhones, our children communicate through 'Face Time' and they wanted us to join the group.  Skype is but a back up only now. Only about two weeks back, I mentioned to Jeanette that we should seriously look into purchasing an iPad.  She sort of downplayed the idea by suggesting we wait till we get into the desert.  She knew of the surprise gift.  It will be put to good use.  We'll look into purchasing SIM card while in the US southwest.  A nice surprise that iPad was.

Easton got this nice John Deere tractor/wagon combo from his maternal great grandmother.  He was thrilled to bits.

Easton's Uncle Deni got right down to it and began playing with Easton.

Easton's dad got busy trying to understand the workings of this large JD grain wagon toy.

Deni and Courtney also surprised Easton with another larger John Deere tractor (that makes great motor sounds with beeping lights).  It was more interesting watching the excitement in Deni's eyes when Easton opened the gift.

Oh what fun.....!

Once the gift fun had passed, Courtney's family arrived to join in for a five star dinner.  And what a dinner!!!

Just one of the 10 or so plates of food for the main course.

L-R  Jeanette, me, Trevor and Courtney

L-R  Doug, Barb, Courntney's grandmother, Ginette, Easton and Jeanette

Hmmm.....hmmmm.....goooood!

Once dinner was had, we closed off the special day with coffee, tea, a scandalously good chocolate cheese cake that Jeanette prepared....and fun chats.  It was a great day!

We also celebrated Barb's birthday and Jeanette gifted her some home sewn burping pads.  Those will come in handy when she feeds her very first grand child, due this early January.

Easton is tired and he is ready to head home for a good night's sleep.  He had a fun day!!!

Monday morning, Deni lent me a hand to hitch up the fiver and pull it forward.

We had to move a few trailers around.  With the 5th wheel out of its resting place, the enclosed motorcycle and a utility  trailer were positioned behind the locked gates.

I drove up the street, turned the rig around and, with the other trailers stored and the gates locked, I backed onto the driveway, opened the slides, plugged into our 30 amp shore power and got ready for the packing process.

Moving stuff around

Backing in....

After Deni and Courtney left to visit Ginette, Trevor and Easton, the tire pressure gauge and compressor were put to good use. Every tire (motorcycle too) was pressured up to standard.

I spent a good couple of hours just cleaning, sorting and vacuuming inside the fiver.  Jeanette was busy putting her home back together, following the big event from the night before.

We did move several items into the 5th wheel and that process will continue today and tomorrow.  One of our carbon monoxide alarms is due for changing out and I will do that today - between the other tasks.

Deni flew back home to Edmonton last evening and, following a longer three day visit with her family, Courtney flies back home this Friday.

And that's the way it has been around here...! Two more sleeps before the long load heads south of the medicine line in search of the sunny blue skies.

Thanks for dropping by.