New Year and those resolutions

For the month of January, Sean and I are giving up alcohol. - just to see if we can. Of course this may all change if the shakes get too bad by day 4!

Merry Christmas!!

....at minus 27 we needed to do something to keep warm!!

Trivia

.... did you know that the lubricants used on ski lifts do not adequately function below minus 30 celcius? We now know this useful titbit after taking a carload of eager Australian teenagers for a day's skiing only to find the resort enjoying minus 35 degrees and closed!

Irony

....so much snow: too cold to ski!

On-going saga

An update on my Drivers' Licence saga. My exemption has been denied and I am required to go through the whole process – learners (wait one year), probationary driving test (wait two years), advanced driving test (hurrah) - to become a full-fledged license holder.

The reason for this is due to my documents saying my licence was first issued "Prior to 1st November 1984". I am advised they required a date to prove I have 2 year's driving experience. "Prior to" is not a date! Gotta laugh....

(VicRoads is now doing a paper archive search - stay tuned)

60 Degrees

With Wendy and Graeme due to arrive in Calgary, I put in an order for snow. Think I overshot a little with a snowstorm that sent temperatures plummeting and caused flights to be cancelled. W&G slipped in on the last plane from Vancouver. The welcoming party was unable to get to the airport due to the gridlocked traffic and, after an hour in the taxi line-up, our guests arrived shivering on our doorstep.

The weekend brought with it temperatures down to minus 30. The kids quickly learned that you DO need gloves when you go out to shovel the walk. But in typical Aussie fashion, the boys stood around drinking beer whilst cooking the BBQ!

Smiley Face

On Monday, whilst scanning "The Age" on line, I came across a photo called "Smiley face above Brighton" made up of the crescent moon and two stars. As I was trotting home from work, I saw the same crescent moon and same two stars in the Calgary sky - except here, it was a sad face.

... I really am living on the other side of the Earth!

Starting to feel a lot like Christmas.....

Snow blankets the garden and the fairy lights prettily outline the house. Our tree sparkles in the bay window and in the dark of 5pm, the house looks so very festive. Why is it that it feels far more like Christmas here in the dark and snow than it ever did at home?

Change of plans....

To accommodate kid's vacations, school years, cheap airfares and other such factors, the big event has been brought forward to mid August.

Stay tuned....

A long-winded tale of Canadian bureaucracy

Alberta does not recognize my Victorian Drivers’ License. Therefore I am required to go through the whole process – learners (wait one year), probationary driving test (wait two years), advanced driving test (hurrah) - to become a full-fledged license holder. In the interests of efficiency, as a foreign license holder with driving experience, I am able to apply to miss the probationary period and go straight to the advanced driving test.

The steps are:
1. Go to the registry office complete with passport, immigration papers, foreign drivers’ license and proof of address, hand over the foreign license (never to be seen again) fill out forms, sit learners’ permit test (and pass) be issued with a piece of paper saying you have passed and the license can be sent to you and the learners is sent to you within two weeks.

2. The registry office applies for an exemption from the probationary period. This takes 2 to 6 weeks, and no, they do not ring you to advise when it comes through, you must pop in and check. Oh and no, you cannot drive because you are not licensed – foreign license now void.

3. Once the exemption is approved (in 2 to 6 weeks) you can book your advanced driving test. If you pass (the pass rate has not been good amongst the Aussies here – we average two tests to pass), your learners is taken from you and you are issued with a temporary paper (hurray, allowed to drive once again) and your license will be sent to you within 2 weeks.

So with that background, here starts my little tale:

I went to the registry office clutching all required papers. Filled out the form, surrendered my foreign license, sat the test, passed (phew!) They could not issue my piece of paper because the system was down. Because I did not have the piece of paper, my learners could not be sent to me within 2 weeks, I must come back next week. I was, however, given a paper to prove I had passed the test.

Back I trot, proof-of-test in hand. Also actually need passport, immigration papers, foreign drivers’ license and proof of address despite them having already been seen, copied, stamped etc… So home I head and front up again but where is my foreign license? I calmly explained that it had been taken from me when I sat the test. I was advised that it had not been. A short discussion (had not, had so, had not, had so – get the idea…) followed and I was then advised that as I did not have a foreign license, I could not apply for the exemption. Stalemate!

Fortunately sanity prevailed over homicide and the clerk at the next counter interjected remembering me and my license. Despite some very strong protests from the chap serving me, she sweetly suggested I take a seat and she would help me when she had finished with her current customer. By this stage, it had taken two hours for the “convert my proof-of-test paper into a now-allowed-to-send-the-learners-permit paper” exercise.

The exercise was completed within a 3 hour time frame. It is with much anticipation I now wait to receive my learners, my exemption, do the advanced driving test and once again be able to drive.

… in the meantime, our 16-y-o can act as chauffeur!

Harry and Diane's Moving Day

A new experience .... moving house in the snow.

Pleased to report no frost bite, slips or trips. One broken finger nail and a few aching muscles the only casualties.

First Snow

Awoke this morning to a blanket of fluffy, white snow. Despite it being dark and still snowing, leapt out of bed and went for a run then rode my bike to work. ... does this mean I am becoming Canadian?

Big news from North America

More exciting than the US election - Sean and Kate are engaged! He popped the question over a fabulous dinner in Canmore, she was so stunned by the size of the rock, she felt obliged to say yes. Parents all advised. No turning back! Wedding will be in Flinders (Victoria, Australia) sometime December 2009. Stay tuned for more details.

Ghoulish Antics

The North Americans do some things REALLY well. Gift wrapping, make-up and decorated houses - it is just like in the movies. Halloween is amazing!! Despite some significant decorations by our neighbours, I am proud to say we held our own. This was in part thanks to the creative talent of Sean's work collegue who came up with the Hallowindow - an animated film with sound track we projected onto the upstairs window. At least half the parents of the 200 children who came to our door "trick or treating" (read treat - despite questioning, none had a trick readily avaliable) queried where we had got it! ....and the left over candy is great!!

A world without brands

It is an odd thing to live in a world without brands – or more correctly - brand recognition. Obviously, Canada has all the global brands but many of the local brands mean absolutely nothing to me. In some ways it is very liberating, buying based on price or packaging or whatever takes my fancy at the time without the perceived differentiation in quality. It can also be daunting - faced with shelf upon shelf of washing detergent and having no idea on what to base your selection.

Supermarket shopping takes much longer due to the requirement to read the package. Branding provides a convenience. You can grab a packet off the shelf and know exactly what you are getting. Because I was not initially swayed by big advertising budgets, my brand of choice tends to be Co-Op home brand….and I am sure my clothes are just as clean as when I used Omo!

Such Effort

Early in the spring, some small plants appeared in the garden bed at the back door. Being new to the garden, the house and the hemisphere, I was very loath to pluck them out despite them looking decidedly like weeds. By the end of spring, the little weeds had taken on some form and grown to the height of my knees. Perhaps they were not weeds after all….

All summer long, they grew and grew, taller than me, then taller than the fence. Their flat broad leaves welcomed the sun each morning and followed it until it set. My little weeds were still unidentified but perhaps the little no longer applied.

Near the end of summer, they started forming buds and one day, just a couple of weeks ago; they burst into flower – sunflowers the size of dinner plates - yellow and delightful, dancing on the breeze.

We enjoyed the plants’ effort of two seasons for no more than a week. A frost struck one morning and killed them! Withered, sapped and brown they flopped against the fence completely spent. Six months of growing, one week of flowering then dead – what an effort!

Proud Owners

Exciting news!! We have become the proud owners of another house - well, an apartment actually. It is in a heritage building on the river and looks across to the city. It is gorgeous and had we not just finished unpacking here, I might have been tempted to move into it.

It is a designated Canadian Historic Place - read all about it at
http://www.historicplaces.ca/visit-visite/affichage-display.aspx?id=9000

Nova Scotia

Showing my ignorance of our Commonwealth sister’s history, I was surprised to find out that Nova Scotia means New Scotland in Latin. I was also surprised to discover that I could buy a kilt from a choice of four stores in the tiny fishing village of Pictou that does not even sport a major supermarket. In the harbour, a replica of The Hector floats proudly. The Hector was the tiny sailing ship aboard which arrived the first couple of hundred Scots fleeing religious persecution. That started the influx of over 150 000 Scots over the next few decades – no wonder I can buy a kilt there!

The landscape was straight off the poster on the dentist’s wall when we were kids – the autumn leaves out in fiery reds, oranges and yellows. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to visit Nova Scotia! (The Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier than the American because the growing season is shorter. By the end of November, most of Canada is generally under snow!)

Birthday Treat!

It was like a scene from The Godfather, the suitcase slowly opened....

But instead of revealing bundles of freshly minted notes, it contained something even better!

Thanks Mum!!

The Commute

Despite indications to the contrary, we are enjoying an Indian Summer. Beautiful, sunny mid-twenty days - day after day after day. Each morning and evening, I commute. My commute is 1.8km by bike along the river path system, busy with bell ringing cyclists, pedestrians and runners with heads bopping to iPods. The trees overhanging the path are sporting their autumn colours, the path is speckled with leaves that have a satisfying crunch when run over, sun beams filter between the trees and the river is low, water rushing between the pebbles.

Climb Every Mountain

Awaking gingerly after being poured into bed post victorious golf tournament, I was faced with the news that the activity for Saturday was to scale Ha Ling Peak. Ha Ling Peak is a tough 'moderate' level hike - a round trip of 5.4km. The catch is the 741m gain in elevation. Not just uphill, much is above the tree line clambouring up slippery scree slopes.

Grumbling aside, the view from the top (yes, I did survive to see it) was absolutely spectacular. And we saw a chipmunk!

Great cure for a hangover!

Championship Golf

Friday was golf day.

I thought the biggest thrill of the day was the charter flight to play in a golf tournament, attend the dinner afterwards then be flown home to be tucked up in bed by midnight. (Private planes to attend parties are definitely cool!) Due to some fortunate luck with rules (Texas Scramble) and team members (both fabulous golfers and strategic enough to use my "well positioned" drives that remained on the ladies' tee), we actually won the tournament by 5 strokes!!

Our prize: a golf club! I am now the proud owner of one very expensive, very large, Big Bertha. ... and I have absolutely no idea what to do with it!

Being Eddie the Eagle

Some smart soul at Canada Olympic Park decided it would be really cool to rig a zipline (flying fox) from the top of the 90m ski jump so tourists and other foolhardy folks can leap off.


On Sunday, we decided it would indeed be really cool to jump off the 90m ski jump! Clad in harnesses and helmets with all loose items secured, we were given instruction in the “flying position” and the “braking position” (to be assumed at the orange cone) and then escorted up the 90m ski jump.


The wise zipline folks keep you busy getting harnessed in, clipped on, parachute laid out and suddenly whamo! You are off! Down the ski jump, arms flailing (squealing like a girl), parachute flapping madly keeping your speed below warp, the orange cone zips by, braking position assumed, deceleration and then you are swinging happily in the harness at the bottom. It was indeed really cool!

The end of Summer

My calendar assures me I have another 10 days of summer. Overcast skies, rain (did I see a snowflake?) and the numbing cold is telling me otherwise.

22 April 2008

22 April 2008

Hello, hello,
It is bucketing down snow here - and I was saved from going to FortMcMurray tomorrow - hurrah!! It is snowed in. The buses were not running and people were having trouble getting out of their driveways. There was no water and thus no loos at our site office - so I am staying in Calgary!!

Lake Louise skiing last Saturday (photo attached). Sunshine had 80cm on Friday night - one of the best powder days ever on Saturday - and the queues to match! Louise had a mere 20cm so we battled on bravely. My legs were so sore, I was rather pleased I did not have to ski the 80cm. I am off to an ANZAC Day wives function on Friday night. All the 'old' wives are entertaining the 'new' wives. I managed an invite and do not have to bring a plate 'cause I am unclassifiable. It has been suggested I bring a bottle. Not sure what to make of this! I do believe because I work they are being kind but one could misinterpret!!

Big news! My property settlement is finally through the courts so can get that all finalised. As my lawyers said - it has taken longer than the second coming! The Registrar managed to misplace it for a month just to cap it all off!

Still no news on my contract but I have been promised that they will get back to me by the end of the month. Next week you will know the situation on the free skiing accommodation! ... and when you will be likely to see me again!

Things with Sean are going rather well. We have had a little sport looking at houses to buy. I cannot believe I am looking at 4 bedroom houses - and in fairness - that is a tiny sized house here! Upside is there will be spare space for the free loading family and BFFs!! Have I impressed you with the text lingo! I have discovered the advantages of teenagers. You learn all the hip things, listen to recent music... and Mackenzie even cooked dinner last night.

Hockey play-offs and it looks like The Flames are going down!! The play-offs go for about 2 months and each round is the best of 7 games. Calgary (Flames) are playing San Jose - they are 3 all so this is the decider. Current score is 5 to 3 to SJ with 2 minutes to go. There will be a few long faces at work tomorrow!

Lots of love, Kate xxx