Hoar Frost

How gorgeous is this? It looks like snow but it's a 'Hoar Frost' (Bert was desperate to write the title for this one . . . I've banned him to spare the blushes of our more genteel readers). So pretty . . . and no shovelling! We had a chinook last night so it all thawed . . . now we're bracing ourselves for the -25 on Wednesday. Not that we'll be adopting the local habit of leaving the car running while we go into a shop . . . at the 'liquor store' on a Friday there can be 4 mega trucks outside, all left running and with keys in the ignition! Wonder how long they'd last in Birkenhead???


More Pics Here: http://www.photobox.co.uk/slideshow?album_id=28528147

I've added another 'first' to my list . . . a pedicure! (huge thanks to Adele, employer of the year). What a treat. Soaking our feet and vibrating (very interesting chairs!) while reading about Britney. Bliss. We looked a picture walking out in our luminous yellow disposible flip-flops. In the snow. Clashed nicely with Adeles shocking pink toe nails. At least I was parked at the door - Adele had to skid round the car park in hers!!

Bert wants to add ice-fishing to his list. He likes the 2 foot rod. What does that say about him???

We're off out for a walk with the dog. He struggled last week - too cold for his little pads. He was like a lizard, lifting one foot up and trying to hold it in the air. We've been given some boots for him, which is even more hilarious. . . he can't walk at all!! He did the chameleon thing, then finally settled for leaping backwards . . . me and Katie were on the floor laughing. Funniest thing I've seen since Bert's turkish shave.

Bye for now all you damp little poms!

Love and hugs,
Nicki xxxx

House Ploughed

Hi y'all ,

Well we've had more snow on Friday, then a bit more on Saturday and then a grand finale on Sunday. Great. As soon as it stopped Nicki was out there with her shovel; I think she's found her destiny in life. She loves it.

We did attempt to take the kids sledging, but being -19 degrees soon put paid to that! Having frozen nostrils isn't much fun I can assure you. It's not like snow as we know it either, it's very powdery. Snowballs and snowmen are just not happening. Shame.

The pic below is of Dana's rink taken from our deck. What a difference a week makes!

I've been meaning to write for ages but have struggled for enthusiasm due to lack of comments left by readers. I feel like a real lonely saddo telling the world about my life and then getting no feedback (well apart from Julie and Vic). My vision for the blog was for everyone to comment, chat and have a laugh. It hasn't happened. Until now. Big Robbo has inspired me.

'Inspiration' by Christian Roberts. Sounds like an expensive perfume don't you think?

Manila was interesting to say the least. There were 3 typhoons off shore all week, hitting land every now and then causing numerous deaths! Thankfully not Manila. I had a paper left outside my hotel door and every morning I read horror stories about people getting drowned, crushed to death, etc. On the Sunday we went on a boat trip across a lake to a volcano. On the Tuesday 30 of these boats were blown over and a massive rescue operation was needed. Three people died. We just left our hotel every day and just got on with things as if nothing was going on. Surreal.

The drive to the office was a 45 minute white-knuckle ride! I loved it. It really is 'every man for himself' on the roads. There is no way on this earth that I'd attempt to drive in Manila.

Some of the sights were shocking. People live in tin shacks and do just about anything to earn a (very poor) living. I was interviewing people who were paid the equivalent of $1.00 an hour! The jobs we were offering in Canada pay $16.45 an hour. The smiles on the faces of the successful candidates will stay with me forever. It all felt very worthwhile and being able to make such a huge difference to peoples lives really does give you satisfaction. If only every day at work was so rewarding.

I was quite adventurous on the food front with eel, squid, octopus and sushi all venturing down my alimentary canal (that stone I lost in summer returned quickly once I moved to an office). I backed out when it came to Balut though. Basically it's a fertilized hen egg that's boiled once the chicks developed! Lovely. There's a pic of one of my colleagues having a go in the photo album below. That's Canadians for you!

Click Link for Manila Pics:

http://www.photobox.co.uk/slideshow?album_id=28134085

The day we left there was an attempted coup by ex military personnel who'd escaped from custody; they got free on the way to court to face charges arising for a previous coup attempt. The army soon put paid to that by driving a tank into a hotel lobby and then storming the building to arrest the rather stupid individuals who had the misguided vision of overthrowing the government. There was a curfew and general mayhem in the city that night. Bonkers. Quite a lucky escape.

BBC write up of coup thingy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7118456.stm

I also smoked my last cigarette at Manila airport 53 days ago! I'm driving Nicki up the wall.

Meanwhile, driving me up the wall is the way Canadians abreviate everything.

We watch some cookery programme where the girl is forever using EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), the football I watch is the EPL (English Premier League) or the BPL (Barclays Premier League) and Breakfast television is BT. They do it to just about everything. In work I deal with PNP, SRM, the CFIA and loads more that I won't bore you with. I attended a career fair at RDC (Red Deer College) last week and had a table next to the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). I've got another to go to in February at the U of C. It's got to the stage now that every time I see it I think OMG. It really winds me up.

Rant over.

TTFN

Bert xx

Found this on someone else's blog. Not for the faint hearted:

http://www.deependdining.com/2005/09/balut-egg-of-darkness-pinoy-pinay.html

Balut is actually a duck egg. Wouldn't have made a difference. No chance!

Deer Stalkers!

Happy New Year!!!!

Hope 2008 finds you all happy and healthy . . . no doubt shattered and skint is another way of looking at it. Ah well, another 357 days to save up before next time :)

We had a great time - numerous get-togethers and plenty of Christmas cheer. The turkey was wrestled into the oven on Christmas Eve where it nestled happily for 8 hours - leaking like mad out of the too-small tin, and forcing me to clean the oven on Christmas morning. Ho ho ho.

The paper-ripping frenzy had all its usual gusto, everyone got what they wanted (and much more), the kids bought beautiful gifts for each other (how proud was I?) and Bert looks the business in his hat with ear-flaps. Bless. Jack's 'Eyeclops' was a big hit - it plugs into the TV and magnifies things 200 times, so we are now far more intimate with the inside of Dylan's ears. Quite an education, I can tell you.

We spent New Years Eve at Kim's, but didn't venture out for the compulsory rendition of Auld Lang Syne . . . a few glasses of wine being no contest for the -20 temperature. We had to make do with a quick link-up around the coffee table.

New Years Day was sunny and bright. The river has frozen over so we can walk across it to the other side of town. We went on a 3 hour trek and saw a couple of deer (click on pic above) - but luckily no cougars. I thought I saw big cat prints in the snow last time we walked in the woods and had to brandish the kids ice-skates in a menacing manner - before deciding it was my overactive imagination . . . then we were at a friend's one night over the holiday and she told me there had been a cougar in the yard!!! Not sure I buy into the "they're more scared of you" theory, either. I reckon a big stick is the way to go.

Jack and Hannah have had ice-hockey sticks and are out on the pond all the time. They love it, are naturals, and we can watch them from the house - perfect! Our neighbour Dana has spent hours and hours building a rink even closer to the house, which is much smoother and a huge hit with all the kids. What a hero!! Someone complained and phoned the police, who inspected it and declared it a good idea, so common sense prevailed - which proves the old adage that there is always one . . . even in Canada.

Hannah has gone snowboarding with her friend today. All the snow in town has gone, but there's plenty on the hills - there were a few avalanches near Banff last week. It hasn't rained for months, but there is definately more snow to come. I'll be ready with my shovel!!

Huge thanks to everyone who replied to the e-card - it's nice to know I'm not talking to myself (not that there's anything wrong with talking to yourself. . . is there?) and that all you lovely people are still out there!

Love, hugs and 2008 best wishes, until next time,

Nicki and the gang xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some recent pics at link below:

http://www.photobox.co.uk/slideshow?album_id=28313975