Another blustery, rainy, grey day.....but I don't think there's a bike rider out there who isn't looking at the upcoming weekend weather forecast without great delight.  Sunny and warm, but not too warm.  Sounds almost too good to be true!  After last years rain (much like what we have experienced the last couple of days) this will be a gift to everyone.

We were home all of today.  It's amazing how little one can accomplish in a day if one sets out to do so.  The home care nurse was over today.  One of the meds I am on needs to be closely monitored so they like to set you up with home care in the event it is needed.  Turns out the nurse is the sister of one of Bill's former secretaries.  If she's anything like Josie, Kathleen will be a total gem!  Basically just a meet and greet and again filling in the same old history that every individual or agency you come into contact with seems to need to have.  I wish I just had a copy of it and could hand it to them right off the bat but I'm sure there are rules surrounding this and everyone must collect their data independently.  Dad was in town for a couple of days so we have had the pleasure of his company for a bit.  He pretty much shuts down his place in Calgary over the summer months so we just told him to come here for all his meals.  No sense in buying milk and cereal etc. for one or two meals.  I had a bit of a restless night last night so didn't get up to have breakfast with the guys but did get to see Dad before he headed back to the lake after lunch.  Geoff and Lindsey stopped by for a bit and Jenifer called as well but Maureen and Duane were coming over with a nice surprise.  Lattes and Duanes latest toy.....a robotic vacuum cleaner that Maureen gave him for Father's Day.  Every guy should have one!  Pretty neat when friends show up for coffee and the little robot scoots around cleaning as you visit.  You should see this thing.  It knows where there are stairs and stops and changes direction when it comes upon them, it operates until it senses the room is clean or until it's battery starts to run out of charge, at which point it finds it's docking station and parks itself.  The thing is made by a very technical robotics company!  I think it could be an awesome thing to have if you have a pet who sheds (which I happen to have).  Unfortunately, my pawed friend is also "uncomfortable" around the vacuum cleaner.  He was hiding behind Duane in a corner watching this thing scoot around the kitchen, living room with great trepidation and looking up at Duane with that question in his eyes...."Will you save me if it comes this way, Plllleease!  I think he was very relieved when Bill finally shut it off.  I am sure if we went out for the day and left it on while away we would come home to a psycho dog or a dead robot!

                       Here it is!  Man's best friend....maybe that's what had Boomer worried!

Maureen also brought over our Honey Badger sign for the weekend.  Her son Paul and his fiancé Meghan will be manning the sag wagon.  They will offer assistence to the team and Maureen plans to have it stocked with snacks and drinks for those who need more than the rest stations can provide.  If you are looking for Honey Badger Riders this might be a good place to start! Paul and Meghan will be pulling over frequently in search of sagging riders and they most likely will have their finger on where the best spot to spot one of these creatures might be!

I mentionned I had had a bit of a restless night again last night.  I think I am experiencing a few of the side effects of Narcotics.  This time, however, I do recognize (for the most part) they are not real but nonetheless they are a little disturbing.  I woke up a couple of times in the night having conversations and didn't stop when I woke up!  The best one though was that around 10:30 last night, shortly after I had gone to bed,  there was a cacophony of howls and barks outside of our back yard in the ravine.  I don't know if you have ever heard coyotes when they have a kill but it is positively spooky.  Sends chills right up your back.  I always think of all the "Fluffy's Missing" signs you see posted on mail boxes and ravine benches.  I know of several people who have lost dogs and cats to the coyotes.  These guys were just having a party last night and woke me out of a dead sleep.  I leapt out of bed, my immediate first thought being that this is usually about the time Bill walks Boomer and what if it was Boomer they were saying grace over?  I rushed downstairs to see if Boomer and Bill were home but they in fact had gone for the walk.  I calmed myself down and went back upstairs but was not going to go back to sleep until I knew they were home safe and sound.  Well, I thought I heard Bill come in and have a telephone conversation where I thought he said (This is all we need right now)  For the record there was no such call made.  As I laid there the coyotes broke into another round of joyful yipping and once again I sprung from the bed and ran downstairs just as Bill was coming in.  You can imagine his shock when he sees his wild wife....hair every which direction demanding to know where Boomer was and was he OK?  He assured me everything was fine and bundled me back upstairs but it was a bit of a rough start to the night!  So today, rainy day that it was Boomer wanted to be a cross dresser!  I'm not sure why he would think he would be safer disguised,  but I'm sure you'll agree he does make a pretty fine looking cat!!

A great piece of news from Kelli today.  She is currently in Vancouver until Friday presenting her research project.  Each resident has to do some sort of research over the course of their residency.  She applied for a couple of awards and discovered today that she was the recipient of not the residents award but the BC Physicians Award.  They want her to present it at several conferences and to write a publication.  Along with this she gets a financial award as well.  Congratulations Kelli!  We are all so proud of you!  She flies home on Friday night for the ride on the weekend and her birthday on Sunday then has to return to Vancouver the following week.  Lifes a whirlwind right now that's for sure!