I was in Victoria Tuesday and Wednesday and Vancouver Thursday; we were to stay Friday but we aborted our trip and headed home early.

Anywho Nanaimo was just warm but Victoria and Vancouver were dark, hazy, calm, and stifling hot due to the smoke. It was erie, I hadn't seen it this bad since I moved to BC in 2003. So we decided that we didn't want to be in Vancouver in this weather since we now have our own gorgeous home on an island o paradise. We got home after a several hour ferry wait to a cooler island and our nicely insulated home. It was nice! The forecast for Friday was near 37°C/98°F, we weren't looking forward to that but the smoke rolled in Friday and Saturday and kept the temperatures much lower, which was appreciated.

I had to go to Vancouver for an appointment with my original plastic surgeon. I've decided that I need to move ahead with the next surgery. It's a skin/muscle flap which would be taken from some place of large muscle mass to replace the hypertrophic and keloid scar tissue on the back of my knee. It's been a big decision over the last 1.7 years; but the rate of recurring infection isn't acceptable and is greatly hindering my quality of life. The surgery is intensive though: two weeks in the burns unit, 1.5 to 2 months immobilized, rehab, and that's if it goes well. If it doesn't go well: they could have to repeat the surgery, but that should be obvious quickly; they could have to do another vascular graft; and the not negligable risk of amputation above the knee. If it comes to the final option I'd feel okay since it's been 2.5 years and I'm stagnate in recovery and I feel very limited.

Anywho the house is amazing, the kids are great, my wife's working too hard (but she's amazing), and my bike repair service is being well utilized on the island. I've been riding regularly since I finally fixed my bike trailer, which has allowed me to stop relying on the golf cart. I do need to walk more, I can feel the health benefit and general improvement from regularly walking. Since the accident I've creeped up to about 210. I've come down about 5-6 pounds in the last month but I need to still drop 25 pounds to be back to fighting weight. Since my accident and related trauma my former resting heart rate of 55 bpm has gone to 85-90 bpm; this has been very noticeable in the heat, which I never cared for. But now it doesn't take much to break a sweat, and not just a few spots. I need to work on my health.