Hi all. I am home now. Dr Chan performed the sergery and all went well. We are staying at the Burnaby Cariboo RV park . They have free WIFI here so keep in touch.

July 19 Wednesday Burnaby RV park
I guess it"s time I brought you up to date on what is going on with me. Today I went for an MRI. I will not get the results until July 27. I am wearing a catherter and am on supositories and other pain killers. They think it might be a pinched nerve in my back. We made it back in record time 4and 1 half days. I don't know how Bill drove so far. We are staying at the Burnaby RV park not at the boat.

July7 Friday Ottawa -sunny Today I get the results of my blood work and my back x-ray. It seems like I have developed a sciatic nerve problem. We get rid of the quinine pills and add codeine to help me make it back to Vancouver. We decide to let our family doctor help me. They think I should maybe go to a chiropractor. I had a very bad pain day. Hopefully the pills will work for the trip home. We are all hooked up ready to go. What a disappointment but the pain is just getting worst everyday.

We should be home in about a week.

locks in Rideau canal
entrance to center block
24 Sussex Prime Minister's house 

east block of parlement west block of parliment
center block of parliment
Rideau Fall from the boat 

July 6 Thursday sun& clouds Ottawa is a pleasant place to explore especially since Bill doesn’t have to drive in the city. We catch the bus to do the Ottawa River boat tour. First we watch the changing of the guards march to the center. We still have time to watch 5 boats go through the Rideau Canal Locks. We walk to catch the boat ride just in time. We see most of what we saw on the bus only from the water view. We walk back up to the commissariat house a museum now. Next we go inside the Chateau Fairmont Hotel. Lunch time, we settle for a hotdog from the stand in front of the parliament building. Remarkably very tasty. We go to the peace tower to get some good pictures from the top only to find that the elevator is out of order, so much for that. My back is starting to hurt so we head back to the RV park.

Hope for some good news from the doctor tomorrow

the centre block peace tower has a 53 bell carillon
the senate
inside center block
the Rideau canal 

July 4 Tuesday sunny today we opt for the bus tour hop on & hop off all day. We do the whole run without getting off, the bus even took us to Hull Quebec. Bill gets off first at the Air Museum. I go to the art gallery to see Emily Carr, the group of 7 and found a great Eskimo display. The building was awesome. I go across the street to the Notre Dame Basilica just stunning. We pass a lot of ambassador’s and embassy homes, big and expensive. We drive Sussex drive and pass the Prime Minister’s Residence. We also pass the home of the RCMP musical ride; they were not home so all you could see were the stables and where they did the ride. We found Ottawa extremely clean. Just enough time to see Ottawa’s mint. Not that much difference to Winnipeg’s. They do specialty coins here. We meet at the visitor’s center not far from where we get the bus back. We bought combination tour for $20 for both boat (Ottawa River this time) and all day bus. Well worth it. After supper my thigh acts up again. We find a clinic close by. 5 different doctors and 5 different pills. None seen to work this doctor sends me to get x-rays on my back as it starts to hurt too. I am a wreck!

July5 Wednesday sunny I have a terrible night . I get so frustrated I phone my docter at home .He said find a docter who will deal with you. This doctor sends me for blood test. We extend our stay in Ottawa. We might be home yet. The results will be in on Friday so we will make up our minds then thankfully this didn’t happen in the USA or way up north in the boat. I stay home the rest of the day Bill goes of to see Diefenbunker Canada cold war museum. The bunker was built to house the Canadian government and military in the event of a nuclear crisis.

parliments library
inside library
Rideau Canal boat ride
car scantuary on the Hill 

July 3 Monday sunny Thankfully we were advised to take a bus into town as like Vancouver the city has lots of one way streets and parking is very expensive. A Park and ride is only 5 min away and for $3 each we get into downtown. We take #69 and get off at Metcalf only 2 short blocks to parliament hill. The changing of the guards is taking place.Very impressive and colourful. This happens every morning at 10am We walk all around the grounds and get some good views of the city. The 3 buildings are in beautiful Victorian Gothic sandstone. Their copper roofing glows green. The center building is crowned by a peace tower with a 53 bell carillon. I particular liked the wild cat sanctuary. Home for stray cats. (fed on a daily basis) on the Hill. We go to take a tour inside and find the earliest we can go is 3:30. We get our tickets (free ) We decide we have time to do the Rideau Canal boat tour.($13) each 1-1/2 hours. This a man made canal that goes all the way to Kingston. Walking and cycling paths line both sides of the canal. Beautiful homes and condo’s too. In the winter they drain some of the water and they have the worlds longest skating rink. Next we go for lunch and go to the Byward market like our Grandville Island market. Too early to buy vegetables as I would have to carry them all day. Then it’s time for the center block tour of the parliament. Inside is beautiful carved sandstone and limestone characterizing government chambers. The library is most impressive both inside and outside, with wood and wrought iron in decorations. We catch the bus back and it pours rain just as we get off the bus. We dash under the shelter for 5 min and it stops. and then go grocery shopping. I buy a barbeque chicken as I am just too tired to cook. Home by 5:30 then more rain and thunder. It plays havic with our satalite dish. Sunshine again by 6:45.

changing of the guards
Byway market Ottawa
reflection parliment building
Art gallery Ottawa went to see Emily Carr's wort and the group of 7 

July 3 Monday sunny and hot. Thankfully we were advised to take a bus into town as in Vancouver there are many 1 way streets and parking is very expensive and hard to find. A park and ride is only 5 min away and for $3 each we arrive downtown . We took #69 and get off at Metcalfe. We walk 1 block up to the parliament buildings to find the changing of the guards. Very impressive and colourful. This happens every day at 10am. We walk all around the grounds. The 3 buildings are in Victorian Gothic sandstone with green copper roofing. The center building is crowned with a peace tower, with a 53 bell carilton. We take in some good views of the city. I particular liked the cat sanctuary-home for stray cats. They are fed on a daily basis. We go to take a tour of the inside but can’t get in until 3:30 so we get the tickets (free). We decide to take the Rideau river boat tour only 2 short blocks away. $ 13.00ea. well worth it. 1-1/2hr tour. This is a man made canal that goes all the way to Kingston. Walking and cycling paths are on both sides. (in the winter they skate on the canal) longest skating rink in the world .Beautiful homes and condos line both sides. Next we have lunch and go to the Byway market like our Grandville market. Too early to buy the beautiful vegetables as I would have to carry them the rest of the day-too bad. Then it’s time for the center block of the parliament tour. We see the senate and the house of commons. Hand carved sandstone (done by a women) and limestone characterize the government chambers. The most impressive both inside and out is the library. Wood and wrought iron decotations adorn ceilings and walls. Stunning. Exhausted we catch the bus back just as we arrive at our stop it pours rain. We dash into the shelter but it stops in 5 min. We drive to the grocery store( Loblaws) . I buy a bbq chicken as I am too tired to cook. Home by 5:30 then more rain and thunder. It plays havic with the satalite dish. Sunshine again by 6:45

July 2 Sunday 6am overcast 59’ . We get another early start as we have 802km(501miles) to go. We travel hwy 17 Between Wawa and White River we encounter a boreal forest zone. The largest forest region in Canada with white and black spruce,balsam,fir aspin and white birch. Just about every pond had a resident beaver with it’s lodge. White River is also the home of Winnie the Pooh. A sculpture of him waves to every one who passes by. We do not stop. We follow the shores of Lake Huron and pass many more beautiful lakes. By noon it is sunny and 86’ We take exit 138 to Ottawa’s Municipal RV park a short distance to downtown. 3:15pm we settle in.

July 1 Saturday I wake up at 1am with terrible muscle spas sums. We go to the emergency at 3:30am but we do not see a doctor until 7:30 He prescribes Quinne sulphate. We go back to the RV and both go to bed. We cancel our Ottawa park and extend this park. It rains of and on all night. The pills seem to be working. What a shocker I am not usually sick.