Happy Trails to Us!

Greetings Friends! Time for another update on Cindy and Derek’s shenanigans and adventures!

First, on a more serious note, I have finished a round of check-ups and report all great news. Dr. Hooper, my Ophthalmologist at Ivey Institute, completed an exam in October 2021 and is pleased with the state of my eyes. He also gave his blessing on removing cataracts from both eyes, which have been worsening quite rapidly in the last year or so. Although my Optometrist, Dr. Newman, has done an amazing job of updating my glasses to keep up with cataract advancement, she was at the end of the line in terms of what she could do.

Unfortunately Dr. Hooper cannot perform the operation himself due to protocols and politics in the Ophthalmologist world. We opted to pay out of pocket for the procedure due to 18 to 24 month waiting lists on cataract removal through OHIP. I contacted The Laser Centre in Waterloo and was booked within 2 weeks for my first eye. That was completed last week, and the second eye is scheduled for next week. Even with only one eye completed, the difference in my sight is astronomical. So worth the expense to get it done sooner rather than later. My MRI and follow-up with my Oncologist at Juravinski, Dr. Kouroukis, was also clear. I’m feeling very fortunate as always to have the continued care of these wonderful doctors who have done so much for me and monitor my health ongoing.

Now on to the fun! We were thrilled to take our rolling home on a road trip to Penticton in August to see my daughter Katie, and her boyfriend Nick. Two years is way too long for mother and daughter to be apart! As you would expect, it was a beautiful trip and filled our hearts to have this extended time with these guys. Nick planned an outback camping trip to The Cathedrals – a National Park in BC – where we did some epic hikes and were treated to some of the most spectacular scenery we’ve ever seen. We made a trip by car out to Vancouver Island for a few days to see friends, Brian and Michele, who have an absolutely beautiful home on Shawnigan Lake, north of Victoria. Otherwise we enjoyed running, hiking and biking the lovely trails of the Okanagan. Of course many winery tastings were on the agenda! Katie does an awesome job of tour guide and chauffeur for these events. I was happy to bring a couple of cases of Okanagan wine home with us! We enjoyed our travels out and back as well, and loved our road trip experience. We’re experts on Walmart RV camping now!

We also had a couple of shorter excursions during the summer to get the bus out on the road. We have a membership in something called Harvest Hosts, which is an organization that offers winery, brewery and farm hosts for RV visits. Basically for a small fee, we have access to these hosts for short visits to their establishments and can experience their products and meet other campers. They are growing in numbers in Canada and the US, and we look forward to doing more of this next summer. The objective is to do more extensive travelling throughout North America next summer, assuming borders remain open. We are loving our place at Green Acre Park in Waterloo. Our neighbours and the park in general are awesome, and we’ve signed on for the next season. Great decision to make this our home for much of the year.

And last but not least, we are returning to our beloved St. Maarten in December! Yay! We are looking forward to reconnecting with our many friends and also escaping the snow and cold to enjoy our tropical paradise. I will continue my online Nutritional Consultant online program, and Derek will still have his hand in his home automation business.

We hope you are staying healthy and happy, and wish you all the best in the coming months. More updates to follow!

Love and hugs,

Cindy and Derek