Made it back to Terrace.

 

So...how did the trip home go you ask?  Well all things considered, as planned.  If we could get rid of all the forms, apps, tests and scans it'd be pretty easy but after 9-11 and the pandemic everyone feels a bit like a criminal when they travel. Such is life today.

Left Mazatlan at 2pm on Wednesday, landed in Phoenix, through customs, dropped luggage  went through security and flew to LA. Landed, picked up luggage and finally got a shuttle to the hotel. Straight to bed!  Up at 6am, continental breakfast, shuttle to the airport, checked luggage, through a long line to security and landed in Vancouver at 1pm. Through customs, picked up luggage, checked luggage and through another huge line to security. Vancouver was the worst security with officers yelling at you the whole time. Managed to find some pizza and 3 beers for 84 dollars!   Into Terrace at 7:30 last night and back to our daughter and son in laws for the night.  We'd better be able to drive next fall!!!  

Eric was off to the house to get the power and fridge on this morning.Tomorrow we'll start the water.  Erika and I were off to get groceries and insure the Jeep.  Since I'm limping (physio screwed up my right hip) and my arms in a sling I needed help.  A fast $1200 dollars and we had 6 months insurance, groceries and beer.  Gas is 2$ a liter and groceries and beer are silly expensive.  However I am really glad to be home.

    Beautiful coming up the coast getting close to Kitimat. 

          There's Terrace and the Skeena river.

That's looking east on highway 16.  If you look on the top right you'll see two clearings. The top one is our 40 acres house, barns and fields.  The one just below it is the acreage that Eric logged, cleared and planted and sold.  If you zoom in you can see our house and buildings.

   A close up.  Pretty amazing considering I took the pictures with my cell phone through a dirty airplane window!

    Terrace down below and it's even sunny!

  Farms along the Skeena.

 

     Landing at the airport.

Looking out towards the barn at our daughter's.  Flynn and Maple are keeping an eye on us. 

     Shrimp has grown since last fall.  Chloe (aka Schmoopie) the other Swiss mountain is sleeping in the other room and Olivia the other cat is outside.

Flynn...he's a big boy!

     Erika and Flynn.

Shmoopie.

         Maple.

  So all in all..we're glad to be home.   I see my doctor on Monday and then....?

The Bad, the Good and the Ugly..with an end that I didn't expect or want!

This is a bit of a mishmash of photos but here we go.  I just finished three and a half weeks of physio . One hour sessions four times a week.  The first forty minutes are exercise and the last twenty Tens and ultrasound or massage.  It is very very difficult physio.  My therapist Isela works me hard and if at all possible I will regain most movements.  She keeps a running photo album and encourages me with pictures of my improvement week by week.  The hardest thing is closing my hand to my shoulder which she does with pressure.  On Friday it was done and there was pain but it was bearable.  On Tuesday the pain was more intense. I saw Dr. Mojarro for a final visit this Thursday.  I am very impressed with the physio here however in the end there was a downside to this. 

This is where I go to Quality & Life.  Consults upstairs, gym downstairs and next door reception and Tens/massage/ultrasound.

Walking north to go to Walmart and the wall is covered in bougainvillea blooms. 

Marina Mazatlan Hospital where I had surgery. 

Isela...she's small but she's mighty!  

Part of the gym!

Taltha on the left is a therapist and Eileen the very capable bi-lingual receptionist.

That is Arturo on the left.

Odd photo but this is a chachalaca which we used to see in the RV park.  This guy flew up the ten foot wall behind us, onto our house and then onto the light standard where he proceed to call his friends!  They can fly but not usually this high.

Another beautiful vine on a fence.  

This is my arm now.  Hardly even a scar and if there is.... the wrinkles hide it!!!

                               This was just after I got my stitches out at week two.  

So and now for the ugly.  Yesterday I finished my physio appointment and continued on to the hospital to see Dr. Mojarro the surgeon.  Physio on Tuesday was very intense and it was very sore after, especially in elbow where it has not been very sore.  Turns out there was a reason for that.  When I arrived at the hospital Dr. Mojarro was out on a call but he instructed the staff to take x-rays and have me wait.  That was done and I went upstairs to wait.  Dr. Mojarro arrived and called me into his office.  First he asked how I was doing and inspected the elbow. I said that I was experiencing more pain now that I had over the last week or so.  I could see he didn't like what he saw.  He had a look at the x-rays and said there is another break below the original break and that the wires have been displaced.  As I have not fallen again or bumped it I would have to guess that the physio exercise when Isela was forcibly closing my wrist to my shoulder caused the damage.  This of  course is just a guess.  As the bone is already weakened from the placement of wires drilled into, it a break occurred.  After conversation with Dr. Mojarro I have decided to do nothing until I get home next week.  There is pain but it's manageable  and my motion is adequate at this point.  However, the elbow is now deformed and I will likely not gain full motiion even after the bone heals.  I am uncertain as to what I, and the surgeon in Terrace will decide is the best plan.  Dr. Mojarro suggested that if I have surgery I may only gain a small amount more motion.  As well I would be back to square one with healing and physio.  I am not a happy camper at this point!  Needless to say..physio is over.

If there is an upside to this the integrity of joint has been maintained by the wire fixation.  

Dozen docena 12 something new for ladies lunch.

 Wednesday we were off to a new venue, Dozen docena 12.  Eddie had eaten here not long ago and said it was well worth a try.  It was more difficult than usual to get a red truck as it is Semana Santa (Easter the busiest holiday of the year in Mexico) and there was a large cruise ship in however, Ruth and Pat prevailed and we were picked up and on our way.  This is a restaurant just a few blocks west of Home Depot on La Marina Avenue and we can't get there by bus. 

Seated and ready to order drinks.  A very large and tasteful restaurant and as they are a bit out of the way we were their only lunch customers and so had their full attention!

Georgia is looking down at her purse where her little old dog is tucked away.  She is 14 and gets very stressed if left alone.  Doesn't make a peep and just naps in her bag.  She did pop her head out when I had my burger and I gave her a tidbit!

Bev joined us today and that is Connie laughing. 

A very extensive bar and you can see the chef cooking behind glass to the left. 

Lots of room. 

So this is my Happy Colada and why it's blue I couldn't figure out but it does match my top.  Very tasty.

That's Marilyn's margarita beside my drink. 

We were served what was supposed to be artisan bread but it was just regular old bread!

This is Marilyn's Portobello Anne Bony...portobello mushroom with salmon with a tasty cream sauce served with a side of Marilyn Salad!  She was just going to have the salad until she saw this.  Very, very good she said. 

This is my Dozen burger.  Ground ribeye with fries.  I am not a fan of the bread here so I ate the burger salad and fries.  The bread lacks gluten as they don't have good Canadian wheat and it has no stretch.  Eric's cousin  in Scotland who is a baker says Canadian wheat makes the best flour for bread!

Ruth and Georgia split an order of oriental tuna so they could have crepes suzette for dessert!  Tasty but a bit over cooked was the comment. 

Enchiladas suiza for Connie and Bev. 

And now for dessert!

Flaming the alcohol.

Making the sauce.

The crepes are then dipped in the sauce and served with ice cream.  I think Ruth and Georgia more than enjoyed dessert!!  I was too full for even a taste. 

More than generous for a split order.

Very interesting decor. 

Everyone enjoyed their lunch.  The food was well presented, not over priced and the service was A1!

Well worth the visit and there extensive menu would give everyone something to try.  The restaurant called us a truck and the same driver who delivered us came to pick us up.  Two dropped off in the Golden Zone, Marilyn and I at the south end of Cerritos and Ruth in the north.  Pleasant guy who spoke English and Ruth kept his card for the future.  A very nice afternoon.