Winter Travels

I've been remiss (again) in posting about my travels. And this is the second time this week that I will attempt to post... Blogger and our satellite internet didn't want to play nice earlier in the week. Let's see... I was in Saskatoon for a few days, then flew to Toronto for a few more days, and then... the best part of the 10 days away, 3 days in Panorama!In lieu of birthday and Christmas presents, my parents decided we would take a family vacation (the first in over 10 years), and figured a whole weekend of skiing and other winter outdoor activities was perfect. My grandparents (dad side) even decided to come out for a couple days, which was so great.
Saturday was our skiing day. We started on a few easier hills, but it didn't take long to get our ski legs back (stiff as they were the next day). Half way through the day, we met up with friends/cousins and skiied with them the rest of the day. The one had just had surgery 4 months before. totally impressed and glad to see her on the hill.
Sunday was an 8km (round trip) snowshoe trek up a mountain. It was such a beautiful day. By the time we reached the little cabin atop the mountain (our goal), we were peeling off all sorts of layers. And quickly putting them back on when we took a break. Ok... I was the only one peeling and relayering. Everyone else wore a sensible number of clothes on the trek.
Monday was a 14hour trip home, fraught with Calgary traffic, fog and even a little freezing drizzle. gong show. But such a good trip!

How are you going to spend your weekend?

Well... since the temperature outside is going to be almost too warm for winter (really, +7 for Monday, unreal), I'm going to spend as much time as possible outside. My list of prospective activities:
- Cross Country Skiing
- Sleigh Rides
- Snowman Building
- Snowball Fight
- Snow Angels
- Sledding
- Skating

I'm glad it's warmer, especially since shannon comes home this weekend. (exciting!!!) The cold won't be nearly so shocking. But does it really have to get that warm. The melting and mess and then freezing later in the week (when it will be back to -19C) makes it almost not worth it. I'm actually on the verge of resenting the warmer weather. Is it too much to ask for just -8C?

It's so pink, it burns.

I decided to spend New Year's Day starting a job I've been longing to start since before I moved here. Tearing down ugly wood paneling. For those of you who didn't have the privilege of visiting before...


Just so you understand. The entire upstairs, with the exception of one wall in the living room, the kitchen and the bathroom was covered in wood paneling. But! No more. I started with the hallway. which was time consuming, as there were lots of little sections and trim to remove. But what a difference. The walls are white, and opened up the tiny little hallway so much. Once that was done, I started to tackle the kitchen/dining room. We could tell from a couple of places where the paneling was pulling away from the wall that it was pink under there. But neither of us were prepared with how pink. It's Pepto Pink, and burns my retinas when the morning sun shines in.


But again, it has opened the space up so much, it blows my mind. I'm super excited to fix up the walls, and start painting.

This Year's Travels in Review

Since this blog is geared to be a travel blog, I guess I should review the places I have been in 2008. As with last year, I'll likely miss a few places. One place I used to visit, has now become home, while home has become a chicken-with-no-head chase around the city to do a mountain of errands after a full day at work and still try and get home before too late.
So, here we go!

Toronto
Los Angeles/Anaheim
Singapore
Park Valley - a million times, except that I live here now. Did you know that it even has a GPS location? right where the store used to be, so many years ago.
Saskatoon - the wild goose chase. Kind of surreal that I occasionally long for the lonely country roads while sitting in rush hour traffic.
Moose Jaw
Regina
Brandon
Winnipeg (to transfer from a plane to a bus to Brandon. I was on the ground long enough to make it count)
Manitou Beach
Nesslin Lake
Morin Lake
Honolulu, Hawaii

This year's travels also added a couple new airports to my list of layovers. Ok... I guess just one, I was in LAX last year.

Saskatoon
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
LAX
Singapore
Hong Kong
Toronto
Winnipeg
Minneapolis
Honolulu

2009 already promises a trip to Toronto and Panorama, and we're even hoping the BC Coast. Can't wait to see what the year holds.
Happy New Year everyone!!

You might still be a city girl if...

1) You think your house should have curb appeal instead of road appeal.
2) Your first inclination is to walk to the neighbours. Not because you need the exercise, or want to save fuel, but so you don't have to find a parking spot.
3) You pace the produce aisle, longing for good fresh fruit and veggies, hoping you never forget what it really means.
4) You close your living room blinds at 6:30 in the morning, so that passing traffic doesn't see you doing your pilates. The cows might laugh at me!
5) You forget that you don't have cell service in most places in your house, and lose what precious bars you do have every time you touch your phone. For real. We only get minimal service at the far east side of our house. We literally have to lay with our heads on the head board under the window to get just 2 bars for any amount of time. For better luck, put it on speaker mode and DON'T touch it. 96% coverage in the province my behind.

Tales from the Farm

Strange Noises from Within

Yesterday, I decided to treat myself to a delicious chocolate chip banana muffin for my morning snack. As I’m closing the container, I hear “Auld Lang Sign” start to play. It’s soft, but sounds near, and quits before I can discover the source. I start to think it was like the time I thought someone was knocking at the door, but no one was there and I thought I was when it turned out to be a wood pecker, I think that Errol has left his phone in the house, or a neighbour has planted a signing toy, to try and drive me insane.

After trying the cell phone, and not hearing it ring at home, I search the kitchen, the suspected location of the music, and come up empty handed. Dejected, and thinking I really am going insane, I give up my search, and return to work. Puzzled and bewildered.

That night, just before supper, Errol was thumbing through our mail, and tossed some onto the table. Again, the mysterious "Auld Lang Sign" music starts up again. I had told him about it at dinner time, so when it happens again (and he hears it) we frantically looked around for the source. Again, it quits before we can find it.

Very mysterious. At least I don’t have to worry that I’m losing my grip on reality. Or at least, if I am , that there’s 2 of us, and we’ll lose it together. We’ll become that crazy, eccentric wilderness couple.

Hours later, we're sitting in the living room watching TV, and it happens again. Errol races for the kitchen, ears peeled for the source of the sound. This time he acutally finds it. Turns out, it was our clock/thermometer/calculator pen holder that is in the kitchen. The battery was dying, and as a means of signifying the end was near, it was singing that classic New Years song to us. Rather clever way to remind one to replace the battery, if you ask me.

Candy Happy, Happy Candy

'Tis the season for sugar highs.