Innoculations

Left arm dead from Tetanus, right arm aching from Hepatitis B, pills for Typhoid in the fridge being safely stored below 5 degrees to be taken every other day. Fortunately, a work history including a stint in Indonesia meant Hepatitis A, Polio and Cholera were not required.

Phew, that was lucky, I was running out of limbs!

Fernie

1.3m of snow in 48 hours. Guess where we are heading this weekend??

Everything hurts in anticipation!

Powder Hurts!

Everything aches...

RRRoll Up The Rim To Win

Driving back from Fernie last night and we stopped into Tim Hortons for a traveling hot chocolate. We had our travel mugs so in we skipped to have them filled with steaming, yummy hot chocolate. And received a 20 cent discount for using our own cups!

I was then handed two empty cups. I was baffled and had it explained to me that it was the RRRoll Up The Rim To Win promotion and I had to have my cups. So I dutifully rolled up the rim and won a coffee!

Too funny...

Conquering my nemesis

I first 'skied' Kangaroo in 2001 on a ski trip from Aus to Fernie. Nasty run. Huge, ugly, square, icy moguls, odd fall line, steep, narrow with a cliff half way down. Battled down. Following day, after 1m of powder fell, we tried again. Huge ugly, icy moguls hidden under 1m fresh powder. Nearly died!

Fast forward 10 years. Kangaroo remains narrow, steep, with HUGE, ugly, square, icy moguls and an awkward fall line. Battled down.

Annoyingly, Kangaroo completes a really fun circuit - Boomerang Chair, down Cedar Glades (fabulous steeps through the trees) onto the Haulback T-bar, down Kangaroo back to Boomerang. The only alternatives to Kangaroo are blue groomers.

Today, determined, I braved and conquered my nemesis. Skied it well, enjoyed it and went back again and again. Must be my new skis!

Words for snow!

Yesterday I flew to Horizon (an oilsands facility above the 57th parallel) on Canadian North. Canadian North is owned by the Inuvialuit of the western Arctic and the Inuit of Nunavut. In the inflight magazine, they had listed 51 words for snow from the circumpolar languages - Inuit of Greenland and Canada, Yupik of Eastern Siberia and Aleut of Alaska.

My favourites:

• First falling
• Light falling
• Wet and falling
• In the air falling
• Light, deep enough for walking
• Soft for travelling
• Soft and deep where snow shoes are needed
• Crusty that breaks underfoot
• Rotten, slushy on the sea
• Best for building an igloo
• Loose, newly fallen which cannot be used as is, but can provide good building material when compacted
• That a dog eats
• Floating on water
• For building
• On clothes
• Beaten from clothes
• Much on clothes
• On boughs of tree
• Blown indoors
• Snowdrift that blocks something

In the North, it is important to be able to describe snow succinctly!

Valentines Day

With Sean and Mackenzie playing every angst-ridden love song ever written.

• At Seventeen - Janis Ian
• I will survive - Gloria Gaynor
• Message to my Girl - Split Enz
• Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
• You Oughta Know - Alanis Morrissette
• Ode to Billy Joe - Bobbie Gentry
• Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm - Crash Test Dummies
• Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron and Wine
• Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel
  

Ready to slash my wrists!

Happy Valentines Day...

Really?

Today, when my boss handed me my bonus letter, he also gave me a pat on the back about some work I had done recently. I do believe I am more delighted with the "job well done" than the rather generous bonus cheque.

Just shows the power of positive feedback!

I really am just happy!

Today, I received my bonus letter. A rather tidy sum with which I can do anything!

But, to my surprise, there is nothing I need.

Of course there is I think, what about a new dress? I have a lot of lovely dresses so, no I really do not need another.
But what about a trip somewhere exotic? We are in Hawaii at Easter and Southern Africa in May - both exotic, both booked.
A new car? I walk to work, when would I drive it?
New shoes - have plenty.
Dinner out? Seriously? I was on 5:45am plane this morning - I wouldn't make it past starters.
Chocolate? I did mention it was a 'tidy' sum??

Banging it off the mortgage is the most satisfying thing I can do with it. How sad is that? But perhaps it simply shows just how happy I am.

Man up legs...

The Gran Fondo is a cycling event created in Italy. It means big ride or great endurance. Gran Fondo Highwood Pass is a 147 km ride in July with sweeping vistas, jagged glacial peaks and roaming expanse on Canada's highest paved road. Highwood Pass is a mountain pass. This means up and up before down - and it is ridden in ONE day with a 10 hour time limit. And guess who just registered?

Man up legs, this is going to be a tough one!

A Reminder

Just to remind us of winter, we woke this morning to -10 degrees and a dusting of snow.

Movie Star

Today I was asked by our niece to 'star' in a character development piece she is filming for her course at ACAD (Alberta College of Art and Design). Naturally, I accepted.

So stay tuned for the red carpet premier!

This is not my first movie. The cameras were rolling when I was out for my first ice-climb. Click here and scroll to 7:15 for my shining seconds!

J Webb

Sean recently did some work for J Webb Wine Merchants fixing their network at their two stores. Whilst he was working away, Janice (the J in J Webb) asked if he could help her with her home computer. And then Janice's Mum Pearl got a virus so again Sean duly helped out.

The upshot was yet another credit at J Webb!

Tonight we went shopping. We have come home laden with bottles of Two Hands (yes, that boutique winery from the Barossa) Shiraz, Alsatian Riesling and Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Late Harvest Riesling and Pinot Noir, Loire Valley Sparkling (cannot call that a champagne!) and a case of fancy beer.

AND there is still credit left for next time!

Grad Dress Shopping

This evening, we went Grad Dress shopping. This is a very big deal. Our Gorgeous wants to be the prettiest girl at her graduation party. So, to the bridal shop we go and her dress is stunning, flounces and frills with a train and sparkles. She will be the prettiest girl at her grad!

... but do we match the shoes and purse to her purple hair or the black, silver and white frock??