MERRY CHRISTMAS AUSTRALIA!!!
Unfortunately our internet is so weak and slow that I can't Skype call! Feeling very far away and isolated. Doesn't really help that my three house-buddies are working today and I am home alone AND the cafe I was going to treat myself to brekky at was CLOSED!
I've never received a bunch of flowers before so you can imagine my excitement when there was a knock at the door and a big beautiful bunch of flowers was pressed into my hands! "Aaaaaaaaaaaaawww! How thoughtful of Zane!" I thought to myself, feeling the glisten of tears welling up in my eyes. I carefully removed the plastic bag covering the bouquet, gently plucked the card from amidst the fragrant flowers and candy canes (yes, candy canes in a bouquet!), and turned it over to see... To Robyn and Adam. Sigh.
But there is some consolation. I got a few moments of excitement, thinking that I had been given flowers, and last night the Christmas Tree Santa brought a little Christmas tree with lights and baubles and set it up above the fireplace! Such a surprise this morning! It makes our house feel all the more festive!
Tonight we're going shopping to get lots of nice goodies for a Christmas Feast tomorrow night! Yum!
I hope everyone is having an amazing, sunny, warm, beer and seafood filled Christmas. All the very best wishes for 2011!!
Lots of love Z and T
PS. Go to the website below for another awesome Christmas video :)
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/51S2u7kBTpJCvaiG?cmpid=jj_fb_self_holidays
Friday, December 24, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
BRAMBLES!
The past week or so has been fairly uneventful. We’ve all just been working and hitting the slopes whenever possible. We’ve all seemed to have aged around 60 years though, come 8pm we’re all fed and showered, in front of the telly, Robyn and I knitting, Zane and Adam having a nightcap and then in bed by 9pm!
Work has been going great; I really love it up there at Lost Boy’s. My workmates are all really nice and we all get along really well. It’s so funny though, Zane and I originally showed an interest in working in Fernie as opposed to other ski resorts, as we assumed there would be fewer Australians and we could have a more Canadian experience. So you can imagine how I felt when I first introduced myself to my new workmates and heard four other “howyagoin?”’s in return! Yes, including myself, there are 5 out of the 7 Lost Boy’s staff that come from the great land I have left behind. It’s sort of nice though, because we all immediately had something in common. Two are blonde surfer types from Sydney, one from FNQ (Fucking North Queensland, as he refers to it..) and one from Darwin.
The other two of my workmates are both French speaking. I try to have a bit of French chat with them but I get lost after bonjour. One is from Belgium and we call him Belgium and he wears a hat with cowprint on it and little horns and ears and he comes up to you and says ‘moo’. The other is from Sorel in Quebec and is THE most Canadian person I have ever encountered. He doesn’t say “oot and aboot” as all self-respecting Canadians do (they have a funny accent when they say their ou’s so south is sooth and so on) BUT he goes hunting and hiking and ice-fishing, he thinks -25 degrees isn’t really that cold, his Grandmother is a Native Canadian Indian AND... the most compelling evidence, his family makes maple syrup!
I have found that this year, I have been noticeable slower on the slopes. I’m not sure whether I am still getting the hang of it or if I have lost my youthful exuberance and thirst for jumping off stuff, but I have gone down nary a black run and ripped through scarcely a mogul or two. After some thought, I decided to invest in a helmet. This is not a decision to be made lightly. I have never worn one while skiing and have, quite frankly, scoffed at the idea when it has arisen in the past. But now I have one.
I call it the cone of silence. As you might know, I am not very good at hearing. I’m not sure if it is a oracular issue or if I’m just really vague and have the uncanny ability to block people out when they’re less than a metre away from me, yelling my name. It is quite an issue at work. I feel sorry for my workmates who have to repeat everything they say to me, as after the first time they say it they are either met by a vacant stare or a “huh?” or an “excuse me?” if I’m being a good girl and remembering the manners my mother taught me.
So, after considering that I am now getting on in age, with the knitting and whatnot being persuasive indicators, I am now a helmet-wearer. And I have found that there is quite a transformation in my skiing prowess. I am still uncoordinated and unstable on my feet but now my brain is encased in loving, caressing, sound-proof foam! And now, with the confidence that only a half-price helmet can give, I am throwing myself off 20cm high cliffs and speeding down the green runs like there’s a nice cold beer at the end of it. I jest. I have noticed that I am getting faster and I am not so scared to push myself anymore. Still avoiding the black runs, but I’m sure with time comes confidence.
I did, however, have an unfortunate experience the other day. I was going along through the Cedar Bowl, and I was traversing along trying to get to some nice tree runs. There is always really great powder in between the trees if you can get to it before it gets skied out. So there I was, crossing a relatively clear space to get into the trees. All of a sudden, in front of me, was a patch of brambles. Adam calls them brambles and out of habit so do I, but I suppose they’re like a bush of twigs that stick up out of the snow. Every time I’ve encountered them I’ve just skied through and it’s been fine. Adam, on the other hand, seems to stack it, spectacularly, every time he comes within 10 meters of a patch of brambles but I guess it’s just the luck of the draw.
So I mustn’t have been concentrating because all of a sudden POW brambles right in front of me!! For some strange reason, out of all the possible reflexes that could’ve kicked into gear (maybe turning might have been a good one?) my body decides that the best option is to close my eyes. And that’s what happened. I can’t explain it. So I ski straight through the brambles, wincing, with eyes shut tight, open my eyes and BAM! there’s a tree right in front of me! By now my reflexes had clearly been used up for the day so I just skied straight into the tree. I should state that the tree was barely a metre in height but it had already developed some good branches, one of which gave me a good whack on impact. Somehow I ended up with one leg either side of the tree and then I’m not really sure what happened, I was just lying there gasping and moaning a lot. I think I must have skied over/around it, as I have a massive bruise running all down the inside of my right leg. And that was my tree encounter. I’m sure someone watching would’ve been like “why’d that boy ski into that tree?” (ski suits are very androgynous) as they would assume that any normal person would have their eyes open to distinguish oncoming hazards but not me! I live life on the edge! I wear a helmet!
Santa comes soon!!!
Much Christmas love and best wishes, Z and T
Work has been going great; I really love it up there at Lost Boy’s. My workmates are all really nice and we all get along really well. It’s so funny though, Zane and I originally showed an interest in working in Fernie as opposed to other ski resorts, as we assumed there would be fewer Australians and we could have a more Canadian experience. So you can imagine how I felt when I first introduced myself to my new workmates and heard four other “howyagoin?”’s in return! Yes, including myself, there are 5 out of the 7 Lost Boy’s staff that come from the great land I have left behind. It’s sort of nice though, because we all immediately had something in common. Two are blonde surfer types from Sydney, one from FNQ (Fucking North Queensland, as he refers to it..) and one from Darwin.
The other two of my workmates are both French speaking. I try to have a bit of French chat with them but I get lost after bonjour. One is from Belgium and we call him Belgium and he wears a hat with cowprint on it and little horns and ears and he comes up to you and says ‘moo’. The other is from Sorel in Quebec and is THE most Canadian person I have ever encountered. He doesn’t say “oot and aboot” as all self-respecting Canadians do (they have a funny accent when they say their ou’s so south is sooth and so on) BUT he goes hunting and hiking and ice-fishing, he thinks -25 degrees isn’t really that cold, his Grandmother is a Native Canadian Indian AND... the most compelling evidence, his family makes maple syrup!
I have found that this year, I have been noticeable slower on the slopes. I’m not sure whether I am still getting the hang of it or if I have lost my youthful exuberance and thirst for jumping off stuff, but I have gone down nary a black run and ripped through scarcely a mogul or two. After some thought, I decided to invest in a helmet. This is not a decision to be made lightly. I have never worn one while skiing and have, quite frankly, scoffed at the idea when it has arisen in the past. But now I have one.
I call it the cone of silence. As you might know, I am not very good at hearing. I’m not sure if it is a oracular issue or if I’m just really vague and have the uncanny ability to block people out when they’re less than a metre away from me, yelling my name. It is quite an issue at work. I feel sorry for my workmates who have to repeat everything they say to me, as after the first time they say it they are either met by a vacant stare or a “huh?” or an “excuse me?” if I’m being a good girl and remembering the manners my mother taught me.
So, after considering that I am now getting on in age, with the knitting and whatnot being persuasive indicators, I am now a helmet-wearer. And I have found that there is quite a transformation in my skiing prowess. I am still uncoordinated and unstable on my feet but now my brain is encased in loving, caressing, sound-proof foam! And now, with the confidence that only a half-price helmet can give, I am throwing myself off 20cm high cliffs and speeding down the green runs like there’s a nice cold beer at the end of it. I jest. I have noticed that I am getting faster and I am not so scared to push myself anymore. Still avoiding the black runs, but I’m sure with time comes confidence.
I did, however, have an unfortunate experience the other day. I was going along through the Cedar Bowl, and I was traversing along trying to get to some nice tree runs. There is always really great powder in between the trees if you can get to it before it gets skied out. So there I was, crossing a relatively clear space to get into the trees. All of a sudden, in front of me, was a patch of brambles. Adam calls them brambles and out of habit so do I, but I suppose they’re like a bush of twigs that stick up out of the snow. Every time I’ve encountered them I’ve just skied through and it’s been fine. Adam, on the other hand, seems to stack it, spectacularly, every time he comes within 10 meters of a patch of brambles but I guess it’s just the luck of the draw.
So I mustn’t have been concentrating because all of a sudden POW brambles right in front of me!! For some strange reason, out of all the possible reflexes that could’ve kicked into gear (maybe turning might have been a good one?) my body decides that the best option is to close my eyes. And that’s what happened. I can’t explain it. So I ski straight through the brambles, wincing, with eyes shut tight, open my eyes and BAM! there’s a tree right in front of me! By now my reflexes had clearly been used up for the day so I just skied straight into the tree. I should state that the tree was barely a metre in height but it had already developed some good branches, one of which gave me a good whack on impact. Somehow I ended up with one leg either side of the tree and then I’m not really sure what happened, I was just lying there gasping and moaning a lot. I think I must have skied over/around it, as I have a massive bruise running all down the inside of my right leg. And that was my tree encounter. I’m sure someone watching would’ve been like “why’d that boy ski into that tree?” (ski suits are very androgynous) as they would assume that any normal person would have their eyes open to distinguish oncoming hazards but not me! I live life on the edge! I wear a helmet!
Santa comes soon!!!
Much Christmas love and best wishes, Z and T
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Work!
First things first, exciting news!! Zane got a job! He will be working at the Bear’s Den Cafe, a little coffee and snack stop half-way up the mountain. It will be a great spot for him as it has lots of customer interaction and he’ll be able to ride to and from work like me!
This week I worked Monday to Thursday. It has been really quiet up at work but it has still been fun, getting to know the rest of the crew and getting good at ladling chilli into bread bowls. After my first failed attempt I was told I could cross “work at a soup kitchen” off my list of things to do, but I’m getting the hang of it now, it’s all in the wrists.
It’s great fun skiing home at the end of the day. It’s nice because no matter how the day is or how tired you are or if you’ve had a bad day (hasn’t happened yet) you know that you get to have one good run. It’s a really nice run as well, with great views the whole way down.
I feel like all I’ve been doing lately is work, ski and sleep. I feel that if I was getting the real and more common Fernie experience I would be doing nothing but work, ski and drink. But I’m twenty-three now, I can’t just throw them back like I used to.
Having said that, we did go out for beers and hockey last night and I ended up drunk. It was great though, because a few people from work were out as well so it was like a little workmate bonding exercise. All was well until 9:30 this morning when I was awoken with the call that no one wants on their day off. The can-you-come-in-for-a-few-hours call. Of course I obliged.
Ooh, the other day I made snow angels, it was really fun. Robyn and I made some up on the hill, off the side of a run. It was fun to close your eyes and fall straight back into the snow. It was a bit scary when you just tipped back and committed to the fall but then the snow was so soft it felt like falling into bed.
There has been some amazing snow up on the mountain. We have been skiing most days in knee-deep powder, finding fresh tracks all day. It’s amazing how it tires you out though. After a big day on the slopes and a beer in the hot tub, we’ve been pretty knackered. Some of us have even gotten into the habit of having a little nanna nap on the couch... well the older ones amongst us (Adam).
Only two weeks until Christmas! So exciting!
Counting down the days, love T and Z.
Welcome to Lost Boy's Cafe!
Fancy a nice cold Kokanee on the deck?
The view from the top
This week I worked Monday to Thursday. It has been really quiet up at work but it has still been fun, getting to know the rest of the crew and getting good at ladling chilli into bread bowls. After my first failed attempt I was told I could cross “work at a soup kitchen” off my list of things to do, but I’m getting the hang of it now, it’s all in the wrists.
It’s great fun skiing home at the end of the day. It’s nice because no matter how the day is or how tired you are or if you’ve had a bad day (hasn’t happened yet) you know that you get to have one good run. It’s a really nice run as well, with great views the whole way down.
I feel like all I’ve been doing lately is work, ski and sleep. I feel that if I was getting the real and more common Fernie experience I would be doing nothing but work, ski and drink. But I’m twenty-three now, I can’t just throw them back like I used to.
Having said that, we did go out for beers and hockey last night and I ended up drunk. It was great though, because a few people from work were out as well so it was like a little workmate bonding exercise. All was well until 9:30 this morning when I was awoken with the call that no one wants on their day off. The can-you-come-in-for-a-few-hours call. Of course I obliged.
Ooh, the other day I made snow angels, it was really fun. Robyn and I made some up on the hill, off the side of a run. It was fun to close your eyes and fall straight back into the snow. It was a bit scary when you just tipped back and committed to the fall but then the snow was so soft it felt like falling into bed.
There has been some amazing snow up on the mountain. We have been skiing most days in knee-deep powder, finding fresh tracks all day. It’s amazing how it tires you out though. After a big day on the slopes and a beer in the hot tub, we’ve been pretty knackered. Some of us have even gotten into the habit of having a little nanna nap on the couch... well the older ones amongst us (Adam).
Only two weeks until Christmas! So exciting!
Counting down the days, love T and Z.
Welcome to Lost Boy's Cafe!
Fancy a nice cold Kokanee on the deck?
The view from the top
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
SNOW DAY!
Adam and Robyn returned from Australia on Friday. Boy, did we miss having Crystal! Oh, we missed Robyn and Adam too, but having to walk into town in -30 just wasn’t much fun. To welcome them home, Zane cooked up delicious ribs on the BBQ. Unfortunately, Robyn had to go straight into work and she was thrown straight into full-on busy work, with no instructions or training, and battling jet-lag. What a trooper! AND she had to go to work the next day as well, which was not only my birthday, but also the first day for us to get up onto the mountain and ski! Poor, poor Robyn.
So it was with a heavy heart that we headed up the mountain without Robyn. It was AWESOME. There was around 2 inches of fresh powder on the groomed slopes and in some sections off the trails the powder was waist deep. It took a few runs for us to get back in the swing of things but after a while we thought we were ready to head further up the hill and right into the powder. Big mistake. We all ate serious snow, and Zane had a bit of a struggle getting out of a particularly deep ditch of powder. When we got down, we decided it was time for some warmth and lunch. After nourishment and defrosting, we hit the slopes for a few more runs and then it was beer time.
Here are some photos of our epic day on the slopes
We went up to the Griz Bar which is the main pub for après drinks and nibbles. It was packed. There’s a massive long table in the middle of the bar, which seats around 30 people and is called the locals tables. Some of these locals told us that during times of extreme intoxication, it is a regular occurrence to see people strip down, get their whipped cream on various body parts, get a good run-up, and slide down the length of the table. You’ll be happy to know that, even though it was my birthday, I didn’t consume enough alcohol to perform to whip-n-slide, as I like to call it. I did, however, get to encounter a “muff dive”. This delightful concoction, generously given to me by our landlady Deb, is a shot of Bailey’s, in a shot-glass, inside a martini glass filled with whipped cream. Whipped Cream seems to be a recurring theme at the Griz Bar. Add alcohol, whipped cream and crazy people and you get fun! And, potentially, nudity. Anyway, the aim of the game of the Muff Dive is to navigate your way around the cream to get the shot of Baileys. Sound easy? Not when your hands are behind your back. Sound messy? Oh yeah. Sound embarrassing? OH YEAH. Especially when half of the bar knows what’s coming and turns around to watch. I think I did well though, judging by the cheers. You can see the results below.
That night we went out the Yama Goya for dinner, a Japanese restaurant in town. It was delicious, and as a birthday surprise the nice waitress treated us to complimentary shots of tequila! I have a long-standing hatred for tequila but somehow, the shot went down without my gag-reflex kicking in so happy days! We then went to the Ghostrider’s game (they won! And we saw a punch-up, of course) and then we went to the pub, where the shots continued. It was lots of fun but unfortunately, or probably fortunately for me, we all forgot our cameras so there are no incriminating photos. We were going to go up and enjoy the snow on Sunday but we were just too hungover.
Today Robyn, Zane and I all had the day off so we made a snowman! It was heaps of fun, not nearly as hard as we thought it would be, sort of like jack-o-lanterning!
First day of work tomorrow, how exciting!
Much love, Z and T
So it was with a heavy heart that we headed up the mountain without Robyn. It was AWESOME. There was around 2 inches of fresh powder on the groomed slopes and in some sections off the trails the powder was waist deep. It took a few runs for us to get back in the swing of things but after a while we thought we were ready to head further up the hill and right into the powder. Big mistake. We all ate serious snow, and Zane had a bit of a struggle getting out of a particularly deep ditch of powder. When we got down, we decided it was time for some warmth and lunch. After nourishment and defrosting, we hit the slopes for a few more runs and then it was beer time.
Here are some photos of our epic day on the slopes
We went up to the Griz Bar which is the main pub for après drinks and nibbles. It was packed. There’s a massive long table in the middle of the bar, which seats around 30 people and is called the locals tables. Some of these locals told us that during times of extreme intoxication, it is a regular occurrence to see people strip down, get their whipped cream on various body parts, get a good run-up, and slide down the length of the table. You’ll be happy to know that, even though it was my birthday, I didn’t consume enough alcohol to perform to whip-n-slide, as I like to call it. I did, however, get to encounter a “muff dive”. This delightful concoction, generously given to me by our landlady Deb, is a shot of Bailey’s, in a shot-glass, inside a martini glass filled with whipped cream. Whipped Cream seems to be a recurring theme at the Griz Bar. Add alcohol, whipped cream and crazy people and you get fun! And, potentially, nudity. Anyway, the aim of the game of the Muff Dive is to navigate your way around the cream to get the shot of Baileys. Sound easy? Not when your hands are behind your back. Sound messy? Oh yeah. Sound embarrassing? OH YEAH. Especially when half of the bar knows what’s coming and turns around to watch. I think I did well though, judging by the cheers. You can see the results below.
That night we went out the Yama Goya for dinner, a Japanese restaurant in town. It was delicious, and as a birthday surprise the nice waitress treated us to complimentary shots of tequila! I have a long-standing hatred for tequila but somehow, the shot went down without my gag-reflex kicking in so happy days! We then went to the Ghostrider’s game (they won! And we saw a punch-up, of course) and then we went to the pub, where the shots continued. It was lots of fun but unfortunately, or probably fortunately for me, we all forgot our cameras so there are no incriminating photos. We were going to go up and enjoy the snow on Sunday but we were just too hungover.
Today Robyn, Zane and I all had the day off so we made a snowman! It was heaps of fun, not nearly as hard as we thought it would be, sort of like jack-o-lanterning!
First day of work tomorrow, how exciting!
Much love, Z and T
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
For the past couple of days, we’ve been experiencing some technical difficulties with our internet connection. It’s not our little computers fault, the connection just isn’t getting there. Therefore we have been somewhat cut from the rest of the world, especially as we haven’t been leaving the house much. We make the occasional treks into town but with no car, and average temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius, we try to keep the town visits to a minimum. We went in yesterday and it was so cold, the coldest I’ve ever been in my life. And I was wearing 2 pairs of socks, 2 long-sleeved shirts, a thick woollen cardigan, and a windproof, fleece lined jacket and thermal leggings under my jeans! It only takes about half an hour to walk into town but with the wind, and the cold and the snow, it feels like hours.
There is, however, a positive consequence of all this wintery goodness. We found out yesterday that due to high snowfall, the Fernie Ski Resort is opening for this weekend! This Saturday and Sunday! Which also happens to be my birthday weekend! And I don't have to start work until the 2nd of December. Hurrah! And I’ll be able to ski on my birthday! Best birthday present EVERRRR!
Robyn and Adam get back to Fernie on Friday, which is exciting. It seems like they’ve had a great time in Australia, I just hope they’re prepared for the epic coldness that awaits them!
I had another skiing dream last night, me and my brother and my Dad all went skiing. I’ve been really worried that my skiing talents will be long gone, as I haven’t been in the snow for almost 6 years. In the dream though, I seemed to be skiing pretty well so hopefully, it was a subliminal message that I will be fine and even though I’ll have the obligatory awesome stacks but all in all, it’ll just be like riding a bike and it’ll all come back to me... hopefully.
There are some really good perks that come with working up on the hill. Group lessons are free, you get good discounts on food and beverage, and also on hire gear. And, most importantly, coffee is only 25cents! Awesome! And there is also the perk of ski breaks during the day! I’m pretty excited to start work, I’ve been feeling pretty inactive lately and it’ll be great to get some funds rolling in, at the awesome rate of $8 an hour woo! The general consensus also implies that Lost Boy’s is a fun place to work as well, so I’m hoping the people like me and the work is cool.
Hopefully we’ll be back online soon so our posts won’t be so few and far between.
Much skiing anticipatory love, T and Z
There is, however, a positive consequence of all this wintery goodness. We found out yesterday that due to high snowfall, the Fernie Ski Resort is opening for this weekend! This Saturday and Sunday! Which also happens to be my birthday weekend! And I don't have to start work until the 2nd of December. Hurrah! And I’ll be able to ski on my birthday! Best birthday present EVERRRR!
Robyn and Adam get back to Fernie on Friday, which is exciting. It seems like they’ve had a great time in Australia, I just hope they’re prepared for the epic coldness that awaits them!
I had another skiing dream last night, me and my brother and my Dad all went skiing. I’ve been really worried that my skiing talents will be long gone, as I haven’t been in the snow for almost 6 years. In the dream though, I seemed to be skiing pretty well so hopefully, it was a subliminal message that I will be fine and even though I’ll have the obligatory awesome stacks but all in all, it’ll just be like riding a bike and it’ll all come back to me... hopefully.
There are some really good perks that come with working up on the hill. Group lessons are free, you get good discounts on food and beverage, and also on hire gear. And, most importantly, coffee is only 25cents! Awesome! And there is also the perk of ski breaks during the day! I’m pretty excited to start work, I’ve been feeling pretty inactive lately and it’ll be great to get some funds rolling in, at the awesome rate of $8 an hour woo! The general consensus also implies that Lost Boy’s is a fun place to work as well, so I’m hoping the people like me and the work is cool.
Hopefully we’ll be back online soon so our posts won’t be so few and far between.
Much skiing anticipatory love, T and Z
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
MORE SNOW!
Here are some more photos of our fun snow day. We had a great afternoon, stomping around and remarking how we really are in Canada and it really is snowing!
I hope Crystal is undercover in Calgary, otherwise Robyn and Adam might have to do some excavating! This car in town isn't too far away from being completely covered!
These are mountain ash berries, they provide the main source of food for birds during the Winter, and they're red and pretty :)
We've been saying for ages that we should walk down around the river and for some reason we decided that today would be the day, amongst the snow and the -10 degrees. It was great fun though, stomping around and falling over. Well I fell over. A lot.
YAY SNOW!
I hope Crystal is undercover in Calgary, otherwise Robyn and Adam might have to do some excavating! This car in town isn't too far away from being completely covered!
These are mountain ash berries, they provide the main source of food for birds during the Winter, and they're red and pretty :)
We've been saying for ages that we should walk down around the river and for some reason we decided that today would be the day, amongst the snow and the -10 degrees. It was great fun though, stomping around and falling over. Well I fell over. A lot.
YAY SNOW!
SNOW!
Woke up this morning at a leisurely 9:30 to find ourselves in a Winter Wonderland! So much snow! Around 4 inches have fallen so far and it's still snowing hardcore.
If your judging us for our leisurely sleep-in, I can honestly tell you that my alarm clock went off at 7 and then again at 8 for me to go to the gym, but it's just so dark in the mornings, and cold, and the bed is just soooo warm, it's really hard to get up and at 'em! I'll go to the gym this afternoon... maybe.
So with Crystal in Calgary, awaiting Robyn and Adam's return, it looks like Zane and I are staying home for a while. Luckily we got new books and movies from the library yesterday! The predicted temperatures for the next couple of days are mind-boggling! Thursday is -2 to -16, Friday: -8 to -21, Saturday: -14 to -22!
So for today at least, we'll be snuggled up, nice and warm, with the fireplace going :) And if it stops snowing a bit, it's SNOWMAN MAKING TIME!
The view from our balcony. Snow Time!
If your judging us for our leisurely sleep-in, I can honestly tell you that my alarm clock went off at 7 and then again at 8 for me to go to the gym, but it's just so dark in the mornings, and cold, and the bed is just soooo warm, it's really hard to get up and at 'em! I'll go to the gym this afternoon... maybe.
So with Crystal in Calgary, awaiting Robyn and Adam's return, it looks like Zane and I are staying home for a while. Luckily we got new books and movies from the library yesterday! The predicted temperatures for the next couple of days are mind-boggling! Thursday is -2 to -16, Friday: -8 to -21, Saturday: -14 to -22!
So for today at least, we'll be snuggled up, nice and warm, with the fireplace going :) And if it stops snowing a bit, it's SNOWMAN MAKING TIME!
The view from our balcony. Snow Time!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
THE GHOSTRIDERS
The local Fernie Hockey team are consistently awesome. The name Ghostriders comes from a Fernie legend dating back to over a hundred years ago. The story goes like this: the founder of our beautiful town, William Fernie, pursued a local Native Indian girl, even proposing to her, having seen she was wearing a necklace made of coal beads. Once he discovered the source of the coal, he promptly left the girl, incensing her father. A shadow falls across one of the nearby mountains in the shape of a man on a horse, the Ghostrider. People say this is the spirit of the Father, chasing down William Fernie for shaming his daughter. A lot of people believed a curse was on Fernie, which attributed to the string of bad luck such as fires, which burnt down Fernie two years in a row in the early 1900s. A few decades later, a nearby Indian tribe was invited and performed a curse-lifting ceremony to rid Fernie of bad spirits. Maybe they were a little too good at removing bad spirits, maybe they went a little over-the-top, encouraging people to stay in Fernie forever... Fernie Phenomenon anyone?
Anyway, we’ve seen the Ghostriders play a few times and they’ve won all but one game, which they lost in a deeply disturbing turn of un-awesomeness. The opposing goalie was freaking amazing and could stop pucks with nay more than a steely gaze.
Most of the time, the team are unbelievable. They are ranging in 16-20 years of age and they fight with the unbridled anger of young testosterone. When they get on the ice, it’s go-time. The first game we went to was against Kimberley, a nearby town with whom they obviously have an ongoing grudge. The ferocity and the inevitable fisticuffs which ensue are different to when they play other teams. It’s pretty sweet. A number of times during the game, the crowd would chant “Kimberley’s a girl’s name”, which Robyn would find hilarious, as her Dad’s name is Kimberley. Classic. I never thought I’d be the sort to encourage violence but for some reason I just get all riled up and when the gloves come off, I’m standing with the rest of the crowd screaming “fight fight FIGHT!”.
The funniest thing about the team is the surnames. Surely it isn’t a joke, but the various names of the teammates are quite peculiar. Golightly, Milhouse, Cool, even the goalie has the last name of Pickles! My favourite player, however, is Baba. He’s the newly appointed assistant captain, and I was concerned that this move would tame him somewhat. You see, Baba is the Willie Mason of hockey. I think he is brought out, no, unleashed, only to bring bloodshed and punches onto the ice. The first time we saw him come on, he skated on and within two minutes had a biff and then skated straight off, leaving a trail of blood drops on the ice. I was concerned because lately, it had seemed the Baba had lost his punching power, possible due to his appointment to the position of assistant captain, bringing status, respect and responsibility. But, thankfully, during the midweek game against Kimberly, the old Baba returned with flying fists. He came on and I swear within twenty seconds he’d picked out a player of the opposing team, doing the whole pointing “you, me.... it’s on” thing. And then less than a minute later, the gloves were shunned, the sticks thrown aside, the helmets sliding across the ice and the biff was on {his second for the night}.
The funny thing is, the refs are SO vigilant when it comes to fighting. The second even a few harsh words are exchanged, the refs are there breaking it up even before the players are skating towards each other. But when it’s Baba, they know to just let him go. And they do, and he gets a few good punches in and then he just skates straight off, amidst cheers from the crowd.
Going to the hockey is great. When we first went, we were like “Awesome! It’s $9 for a ticket! It’s a cheap night out!” But then when we get there we always get a few beers.... And then a few more beers.... And then if we’re peckish we’ll get some chips.... And then a few more beers.... And then when the hockey is over we’ll be walking home.... And then on our way home we’ll see the pub.... And then we’ll go to the pub.... And then we’ll wake up the next morning with hangovers and empty wallets.
About a week ago we had our first in-town snowfall. It really snowed. Big beautiful fat flakes falling heavy and fast to the ground where they promptly melted. But still, Zane and I were walking to the library and it was like we were in a snowglobe, it was so beautiful. But the snow got in our eyes and it kinda hurt but it was still cool. And then yesterday, the day Robyn and Adam were set to leave for Australia, we all woke up to find a dusting of snow on the grass and rooftops. It was great for them to see the first snowfall because we haven’t seen much but I’m sure by the time they come back in late November, the whole town will be covered in snow, at least it better be! The weather channels predict snowfall for the next week, so I really hope it proves correct. Hopefully we’ll be making snowmen in no time!
As Robyn and Adam have headed back to Australia for Robyn’s sister’s wedding, Zane and I have the whole house to ourselves! We’ve decided to celebrate our 5-year anniversary a month early, so today we’ve rented out some movies, had a few beers, and cooked some pork ribs on our balcony BBQ. And they were DELICIOUS! Amazing and tender, marinated in hickory sauce. Might go downstairs soon and enjoy the luxuries of the hot tub. Unemployment is bliss!
Much love to all, Z and T.
PS: Jo and Darcy, have a beautiful wedding and don’t tempt Robyn and Adam into staying in Australia! We need their rent payments! And their drinking inclinations!
Master Barbequer
Mmmmm Ribs
The local Fernie Hockey team are consistently awesome. The name Ghostriders comes from a Fernie legend dating back to over a hundred years ago. The story goes like this: the founder of our beautiful town, William Fernie, pursued a local Native Indian girl, even proposing to her, having seen she was wearing a necklace made of coal beads. Once he discovered the source of the coal, he promptly left the girl, incensing her father. A shadow falls across one of the nearby mountains in the shape of a man on a horse, the Ghostrider. People say this is the spirit of the Father, chasing down William Fernie for shaming his daughter. A lot of people believed a curse was on Fernie, which attributed to the string of bad luck such as fires, which burnt down Fernie two years in a row in the early 1900s. A few decades later, a nearby Indian tribe was invited and performed a curse-lifting ceremony to rid Fernie of bad spirits. Maybe they were a little too good at removing bad spirits, maybe they went a little over-the-top, encouraging people to stay in Fernie forever... Fernie Phenomenon anyone?
Anyway, we’ve seen the Ghostriders play a few times and they’ve won all but one game, which they lost in a deeply disturbing turn of un-awesomeness. The opposing goalie was freaking amazing and could stop pucks with nay more than a steely gaze.
Most of the time, the team are unbelievable. They are ranging in 16-20 years of age and they fight with the unbridled anger of young testosterone. When they get on the ice, it’s go-time. The first game we went to was against Kimberley, a nearby town with whom they obviously have an ongoing grudge. The ferocity and the inevitable fisticuffs which ensue are different to when they play other teams. It’s pretty sweet. A number of times during the game, the crowd would chant “Kimberley’s a girl’s name”, which Robyn would find hilarious, as her Dad’s name is Kimberley. Classic. I never thought I’d be the sort to encourage violence but for some reason I just get all riled up and when the gloves come off, I’m standing with the rest of the crowd screaming “fight fight FIGHT!”.
The funniest thing about the team is the surnames. Surely it isn’t a joke, but the various names of the teammates are quite peculiar. Golightly, Milhouse, Cool, even the goalie has the last name of Pickles! My favourite player, however, is Baba. He’s the newly appointed assistant captain, and I was concerned that this move would tame him somewhat. You see, Baba is the Willie Mason of hockey. I think he is brought out, no, unleashed, only to bring bloodshed and punches onto the ice. The first time we saw him come on, he skated on and within two minutes had a biff and then skated straight off, leaving a trail of blood drops on the ice. I was concerned because lately, it had seemed the Baba had lost his punching power, possible due to his appointment to the position of assistant captain, bringing status, respect and responsibility. But, thankfully, during the midweek game against Kimberly, the old Baba returned with flying fists. He came on and I swear within twenty seconds he’d picked out a player of the opposing team, doing the whole pointing “you, me.... it’s on” thing. And then less than a minute later, the gloves were shunned, the sticks thrown aside, the helmets sliding across the ice and the biff was on {his second for the night}.
The funny thing is, the refs are SO vigilant when it comes to fighting. The second even a few harsh words are exchanged, the refs are there breaking it up even before the players are skating towards each other. But when it’s Baba, they know to just let him go. And they do, and he gets a few good punches in and then he just skates straight off, amidst cheers from the crowd.
Going to the hockey is great. When we first went, we were like “Awesome! It’s $9 for a ticket! It’s a cheap night out!” But then when we get there we always get a few beers.... And then a few more beers.... And then if we’re peckish we’ll get some chips.... And then a few more beers.... And then when the hockey is over we’ll be walking home.... And then on our way home we’ll see the pub.... And then we’ll go to the pub.... And then we’ll wake up the next morning with hangovers and empty wallets.
About a week ago we had our first in-town snowfall. It really snowed. Big beautiful fat flakes falling heavy and fast to the ground where they promptly melted. But still, Zane and I were walking to the library and it was like we were in a snowglobe, it was so beautiful. But the snow got in our eyes and it kinda hurt but it was still cool. And then yesterday, the day Robyn and Adam were set to leave for Australia, we all woke up to find a dusting of snow on the grass and rooftops. It was great for them to see the first snowfall because we haven’t seen much but I’m sure by the time they come back in late November, the whole town will be covered in snow, at least it better be! The weather channels predict snowfall for the next week, so I really hope it proves correct. Hopefully we’ll be making snowmen in no time!
As Robyn and Adam have headed back to Australia for Robyn’s sister’s wedding, Zane and I have the whole house to ourselves! We’ve decided to celebrate our 5-year anniversary a month early, so today we’ve rented out some movies, had a few beers, and cooked some pork ribs on our balcony BBQ. And they were DELICIOUS! Amazing and tender, marinated in hickory sauce. Might go downstairs soon and enjoy the luxuries of the hot tub. Unemployment is bliss!
Much love to all, Z and T.
PS: Jo and Darcy, have a beautiful wedding and don’t tempt Robyn and Adam into staying in Australia! We need their rent payments! And their drinking inclinations!
Master Barbequer
Mmmmm Ribs
Thursday, November 4, 2010
THE FERNIE PHENOMENON
After about a week of overcast, drizzly weather, the past couple of days have been blindingly sunny and beautiful. There's been something of a heatwave lingering, with average daytime temperatures of around 10-15 degrees. We haven't wanted to waste what could be the last great weather before the snow falls so we've been getting out and about and exploring the town.
Zane and I went on a two hour walk right around the historical part of Fernie, out through the rural area and then home alongside Elk River. You can see the photos from our trekking below. It was pretty overcast when we started and we had to trek through quite a bit of mud but once we got through the fields the trail went onto stone paths and then through the forest. It was beautiful and quiet, so green and lush, and despite the serenity of the moment, I couldn't stop my brain from thinking about bears. It didn't put my mind at ease that I couldn't remember whether it's the grizzly or the black bear that you make a lot of noise or play dead upon sight...
No need to worry though, no bears sighted. There have been two black bears meandering around town lately, according to the "bear corner" section of the Fernie Free Press (which isn't free, go figure). The section allows people to report bear sightings but, due to the impending cold, it is going into hibernation from next week har har.
This particular blog is called the Fernie Phenomenon. This alludes to the mysterious condition that we have noted that many locals appear to be ailed with. The name has arisen because I like alliteration. We were thinking Fernie Fever, Fernie Feeling but I like Fernie Phenomenon as it makes me think of the muppets... phenomenon doo doo doo doo doo...
Anyway, the Fernie Phenomenon refers to the strange condition where people that move to Fernie for a season, holiday or brief interlude, seem to settle down and stay in Fernie... FOREVER. Everyone that we talk to has said the same thing "Oh you know, I came here X years ago, just for a few months and now here I am years/decades/centuries later. Fernie does that". And everyone that we talk to gets this knowing look in their eye when we say we're only here for a few months. It's a look that says "Yeah sure, just a few months. You're here forever". I'm not sure if it's the abundance of powder in the Winter, or the nature and wildlife of the Summer, or the year-round activities, or the friendly locals, or the feeling you get like you just belong here.... Fernie takes you over and soon enough you're STUCK!
It's probably not a bad thing, the Fernie Phenomenon. Everyone here seems so happy! Maybe there's something in the crystal clean mountain air, maybe they put something in the water. All's I know, I don't think it would be a bad place to get caught up in.
Lots of Fernie love, T and Z.
This is the view from just near our house. The mountain in the background is where Fernie Alpine Resort is located.
Clearly Robyn and I weren't the only ones getting our carve on over Halloween.
This is a field we walked along, out in the rural area of Fernie. There was a cute little battered down cottage and ute.
The Trans-Canada rail line runs right along Fernie. Coal trains go through a couple of times a day including a really appreciated 5:15am wake-up route.
Zane next to the Elk River
A water feature at the Fernie Golf Course
Annex Park is just over the bridge from our house
After about a week of overcast, drizzly weather, the past couple of days have been blindingly sunny and beautiful. There's been something of a heatwave lingering, with average daytime temperatures of around 10-15 degrees. We haven't wanted to waste what could be the last great weather before the snow falls so we've been getting out and about and exploring the town.
Zane and I went on a two hour walk right around the historical part of Fernie, out through the rural area and then home alongside Elk River. You can see the photos from our trekking below. It was pretty overcast when we started and we had to trek through quite a bit of mud but once we got through the fields the trail went onto stone paths and then through the forest. It was beautiful and quiet, so green and lush, and despite the serenity of the moment, I couldn't stop my brain from thinking about bears. It didn't put my mind at ease that I couldn't remember whether it's the grizzly or the black bear that you make a lot of noise or play dead upon sight...
No need to worry though, no bears sighted. There have been two black bears meandering around town lately, according to the "bear corner" section of the Fernie Free Press (which isn't free, go figure). The section allows people to report bear sightings but, due to the impending cold, it is going into hibernation from next week har har.
This particular blog is called the Fernie Phenomenon. This alludes to the mysterious condition that we have noted that many locals appear to be ailed with. The name has arisen because I like alliteration. We were thinking Fernie Fever, Fernie Feeling but I like Fernie Phenomenon as it makes me think of the muppets... phenomenon doo doo doo doo doo...
Anyway, the Fernie Phenomenon refers to the strange condition where people that move to Fernie for a season, holiday or brief interlude, seem to settle down and stay in Fernie... FOREVER. Everyone that we talk to has said the same thing "Oh you know, I came here X years ago, just for a few months and now here I am years/decades/centuries later. Fernie does that". And everyone that we talk to gets this knowing look in their eye when we say we're only here for a few months. It's a look that says "Yeah sure, just a few months. You're here forever". I'm not sure if it's the abundance of powder in the Winter, or the nature and wildlife of the Summer, or the year-round activities, or the friendly locals, or the feeling you get like you just belong here.... Fernie takes you over and soon enough you're STUCK!
It's probably not a bad thing, the Fernie Phenomenon. Everyone here seems so happy! Maybe there's something in the crystal clean mountain air, maybe they put something in the water. All's I know, I don't think it would be a bad place to get caught up in.
Lots of Fernie love, T and Z.
This is the view from just near our house. The mountain in the background is where Fernie Alpine Resort is located.
Clearly Robyn and I weren't the only ones getting our carve on over Halloween.
This is a field we walked along, out in the rural area of Fernie. There was a cute little battered down cottage and ute.
The Trans-Canada rail line runs right along Fernie. Coal trains go through a couple of times a day including a really appreciated 5:15am wake-up route.
Zane next to the Elk River
A water feature at the Fernie Golf Course
Annex Park is just over the bridge from our house
Monday, November 1, 2010
HALLOWEEN
With devils horns on, pumpkin hats attached, Robyn and I were ready for the Halloween party down at the pub. Zane and Adam had decided it was “lame” to dress up so they were attired in their regular clothes. Robyn and I were pretty excited, I mean, we looked awesome. My pumpkin hat was set at a jaunty angle and Robyn looked sweet in her stripes and with her devils tail peeking out from the back of her dress. We were pretty proud of ourselves. Then when we got there we were totally bowled away by the costume talents of our fellow Fernie-ans. There were heaps of the undead, Fred Flinstone, someone in a shark costume, a headless lady who was holding her head in a basket and even a wacky-inflatable-arm-flailing- tube-man from Family Guy.
Wow, we were completely outclassed. But that didn’t stop us having a good time. Well Zane didn’t have a good time-he went home after around an hour as he felt sick. Adam was a bit sad; not only had he lost his wingman, but now he was pretty much the only one not in costume.
The evening progressed and, of course, it came to Jager-Bomb time! We all did the drop and shot and as I lifted the glass up to my lips, I saw Robyn and Adam doing the same. “Great”, I thought, “Robyn and Adam are probably going to down the whole drink and if I don’t too, I’ll be lame and weak”. So down the hatch it went in one quick guzzle. Pleased with my skulling ability I put the glass down on the table with a triumphant whack.... to find another two glasses already down with only a sip taken out of each. In my haste I hadn’t realised that the other two were being a little more leisurely with their beverages. Oh well.
After the Jager Bomb and a few more Captain Morgan’s with ginger ale and lime (my bev of choice) my memory of the evening gets a bit hazy. Luckily (for means of humiliation) Robyn managed to document some of my more elaborate (read epileptic) moves as I carved up the dance floor. There’s even a particularly mortifying photo of me, hmm how do I put this... being quite friendly with the behind of Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man. I normally wouldn’t have the gonads to put the said photo up but I figure at least it’s humorous, it gets a laugh out of me every time I see it. Poor Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man. So oblivious to my advances. Luckily there’s also a photo of Robyn in a similarly compromising position so at least we can both be shamed together.
Much shameful and promising to be sober forever love
T and Z
This was my favourite costume and the winner of the best costume prize, which was a season ski pass. Epic costume.
Robyn as Devil
Tenille as a Pumpkin
Tenille assaulting Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man
Robyn assaulting Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man
No hard feelings then eh?
With devils horns on, pumpkin hats attached, Robyn and I were ready for the Halloween party down at the pub. Zane and Adam had decided it was “lame” to dress up so they were attired in their regular clothes. Robyn and I were pretty excited, I mean, we looked awesome. My pumpkin hat was set at a jaunty angle and Robyn looked sweet in her stripes and with her devils tail peeking out from the back of her dress. We were pretty proud of ourselves. Then when we got there we were totally bowled away by the costume talents of our fellow Fernie-ans. There were heaps of the undead, Fred Flinstone, someone in a shark costume, a headless lady who was holding her head in a basket and even a wacky-inflatable-arm-flailing- tube-man from Family Guy.
Wow, we were completely outclassed. But that didn’t stop us having a good time. Well Zane didn’t have a good time-he went home after around an hour as he felt sick. Adam was a bit sad; not only had he lost his wingman, but now he was pretty much the only one not in costume.
The evening progressed and, of course, it came to Jager-Bomb time! We all did the drop and shot and as I lifted the glass up to my lips, I saw Robyn and Adam doing the same. “Great”, I thought, “Robyn and Adam are probably going to down the whole drink and if I don’t too, I’ll be lame and weak”. So down the hatch it went in one quick guzzle. Pleased with my skulling ability I put the glass down on the table with a triumphant whack.... to find another two glasses already down with only a sip taken out of each. In my haste I hadn’t realised that the other two were being a little more leisurely with their beverages. Oh well.
After the Jager Bomb and a few more Captain Morgan’s with ginger ale and lime (my bev of choice) my memory of the evening gets a bit hazy. Luckily (for means of humiliation) Robyn managed to document some of my more elaborate (read epileptic) moves as I carved up the dance floor. There’s even a particularly mortifying photo of me, hmm how do I put this... being quite friendly with the behind of Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man. I normally wouldn’t have the gonads to put the said photo up but I figure at least it’s humorous, it gets a laugh out of me every time I see it. Poor Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man. So oblivious to my advances. Luckily there’s also a photo of Robyn in a similarly compromising position so at least we can both be shamed together.
Much shameful and promising to be sober forever love
T and Z
This was my favourite costume and the winner of the best costume prize, which was a season ski pass. Epic costume.
Robyn as Devil
Tenille as a Pumpkin
Tenille assaulting Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man
Robyn assaulting Mr Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Man
No hard feelings then eh?
Friday, October 29, 2010
Over the past couple of days we've really been getting into the spirit of Halloween. Having never spent a Halloween in a country that actually embraces the spooky day, we (read: Robyn and I) are going all out, getting costumes and candy and we've even carved Jack-O-Lanterns. Now we just need a Halloween party to go to... They do a bit of a do down at the pub and there's prizes and whatnot so we might mosey on down there.
The only problem is, having grown up in Australia, somewhat sheltered from all the money-making commerciality of the day itself, we just don't know what to go as. We thought we'd go as something actually scary but it seems that you just don't do that. In fact it seems the main reason for any girls over the age of 12 to dress up is so they can wear the smallest items of clothing they own and add a hat or a broomstick and call themselves a witch. This would of course be fine, but the average temperatures overnight in Fernie have been hovering around the -3 mark. Not so great for Naughty Nurses and Wicked Witches and the like. Robyn and I scoured the op shops and the $1 stores (girls on a budget) and we came up a little short (pun intended). Man I wouldn't be able to bend over in some of those costumes, and if I did, THAT would be scary.
I really wanted to go as butchered brides but the thrift store wedding dresses were still pretty expensive. So in the end, Robyn got a cute little devils tail, horns and some sweet red and black striped stockings and she's borrowed one of my dresses and she's going as a devil. I'm sure she'll be batting off questions about her horns and if she's horny all night but what can you do. I'm going as a pumpkin. I think it was an idea that, once in my mind, I just ran with, and maybe I shouldn't have. And now I have an orange shirt and a glowing pumpkin cut-out to stick to my back, and the top of my jack-o-lantern to wear as a hat (depending on the extent of mould growth) so I'm really all in. I even got a cute little pumpkin bag! And orange nailpolish! So I'm a pumpkin.
It's quite funny how we've all got into the groove of living together. We've all intuitively chosen places to sit at the dinner table, we all help out and cook dinner in turns, we don't argue about the cleaning chores, everyone lets me watch Glee on Tuesday nights. Mostly Zane and Adam have been playing online poker and Robyn and I have been reading the Charlaine Harris True Blood series non-stop. We're home bunnies but it's nice. Robyn and Adam are getting snow tyres for Crystal over the weekend, in anticipation of the MASSSIVE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT IS GOING TO FALL SOON!!! We had our first at-home snowfall yesterday, so we all ran out onto the balcony and caught snowflakes on our tongues. It was exciting. It's been snowing heaps up on the hill but it's still too warm in town for any snow to gather.
So the Halloween party is tomorrow night, look out Fernie, you are about to be outpartied by a devil and a pumpkin and two guys who refuse to dress-up OH YEAHHHH
I'll try and get lots of photos to put up :)
Lots of spooky love, T and Z
The only problem is, having grown up in Australia, somewhat sheltered from all the money-making commerciality of the day itself, we just don't know what to go as. We thought we'd go as something actually scary but it seems that you just don't do that. In fact it seems the main reason for any girls over the age of 12 to dress up is so they can wear the smallest items of clothing they own and add a hat or a broomstick and call themselves a witch. This would of course be fine, but the average temperatures overnight in Fernie have been hovering around the -3 mark. Not so great for Naughty Nurses and Wicked Witches and the like. Robyn and I scoured the op shops and the $1 stores (girls on a budget) and we came up a little short (pun intended). Man I wouldn't be able to bend over in some of those costumes, and if I did, THAT would be scary.
I really wanted to go as butchered brides but the thrift store wedding dresses were still pretty expensive. So in the end, Robyn got a cute little devils tail, horns and some sweet red and black striped stockings and she's borrowed one of my dresses and she's going as a devil. I'm sure she'll be batting off questions about her horns and if she's horny all night but what can you do. I'm going as a pumpkin. I think it was an idea that, once in my mind, I just ran with, and maybe I shouldn't have. And now I have an orange shirt and a glowing pumpkin cut-out to stick to my back, and the top of my jack-o-lantern to wear as a hat (depending on the extent of mould growth) so I'm really all in. I even got a cute little pumpkin bag! And orange nailpolish! So I'm a pumpkin.
It's quite funny how we've all got into the groove of living together. We've all intuitively chosen places to sit at the dinner table, we all help out and cook dinner in turns, we don't argue about the cleaning chores, everyone lets me watch Glee on Tuesday nights. Mostly Zane and Adam have been playing online poker and Robyn and I have been reading the Charlaine Harris True Blood series non-stop. We're home bunnies but it's nice. Robyn and Adam are getting snow tyres for Crystal over the weekend, in anticipation of the MASSSIVE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT IS GOING TO FALL SOON!!! We had our first at-home snowfall yesterday, so we all ran out onto the balcony and caught snowflakes on our tongues. It was exciting. It's been snowing heaps up on the hill but it's still too warm in town for any snow to gather.
So the Halloween party is tomorrow night, look out Fernie, you are about to be outpartied by a devil and a pumpkin and two guys who refuse to dress-up OH YEAHHHH
I'll try and get lots of photos to put up :)
Lots of spooky love, T and Z
Roadtrip from Vancouver to Fernie
Road-tripping!!!
Welcome to America!!!
Crystal!
For most of the ride, beautiful lakes and streams were winding alongside the road. Every couple of kilometres along the way we'd find another pretty stop to take a photo.
Epic Helmcken Falls. I don't think photos can aptly capture the magnificance of the falls. Super amazing.
We all agreed Jasper was the most beautiful town we've come across. And it was situated high enough that snow had already begun to dust the tops of the mountains, which were completely surrounding the town. They made for a spectacular backdrop.
Day-trips around Jasper also provided up with some awesome sightseeing and nature watching. Nothing beat the bear though.
Zane and Tenille at Medicine Lake
My favourite location was Maligne Lake. It was so pretty and we stopped at a lookout and walked right down next to the lake. There wasn't a soul around apart from the four of us, and there was complete silence and the water was still and like glass. It was such an amazing moment.
Zane's gets up close with Jasper wildlife
Beer time in Jasper!
Pretty snow-capped mountains near Jasper
Cruisin in Crystal
This is the epic Columbia Icefield which is 325 square km of ice. It's the largest body of ice in the Rocky Mountains. We managed to visit on the last day of touring for the year. They take you up onto the Athabasca Glacier. In some parts the ice is 300m deep, that's the height of the Eiffel Tower!
The glacier drains into the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and is therefore called the Triple Continental Divide.
This is the vehicle that takes you onto the glacier.
Banff. When we were strolling down the street there came the unmistakeable sound of a backfiring vehicle. Repeatedly backfiring. Sure enough, an old van painted with "Bob the Bang Bus" on the side came bunny-hopping down the road. I can't be 100% sure, but I reckon they were Australians.
These are the Johnston Falls, between Lake Louise and Banff. It was pretty cool because you could walk through a little hidey-hole and pop out right next to the waterfall.
Stunning Lake Louise
Our accommodation at Lake Louise. Pfft I wish!
Here are some photos of our mad jack-o-lanterning skills. Wasn't nearly as hard as we anticipated, but we agreed clearly, we must just be awesome. Love how mine looks all evil and Robyn's looks happy and dopey.
Welcome to America!!!
Crystal!
For most of the ride, beautiful lakes and streams were winding alongside the road. Every couple of kilometres along the way we'd find another pretty stop to take a photo.
Epic Helmcken Falls. I don't think photos can aptly capture the magnificance of the falls. Super amazing.
We all agreed Jasper was the most beautiful town we've come across. And it was situated high enough that snow had already begun to dust the tops of the mountains, which were completely surrounding the town. They made for a spectacular backdrop.
Day-trips around Jasper also provided up with some awesome sightseeing and nature watching. Nothing beat the bear though.
Zane and Tenille at Medicine Lake
My favourite location was Maligne Lake. It was so pretty and we stopped at a lookout and walked right down next to the lake. There wasn't a soul around apart from the four of us, and there was complete silence and the water was still and like glass. It was such an amazing moment.
Zane's gets up close with Jasper wildlife
Beer time in Jasper!
Pretty snow-capped mountains near Jasper
Cruisin in Crystal
This is the epic Columbia Icefield which is 325 square km of ice. It's the largest body of ice in the Rocky Mountains. We managed to visit on the last day of touring for the year. They take you up onto the Athabasca Glacier. In some parts the ice is 300m deep, that's the height of the Eiffel Tower!
The glacier drains into the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and is therefore called the Triple Continental Divide.
This is the vehicle that takes you onto the glacier.
Banff. When we were strolling down the street there came the unmistakeable sound of a backfiring vehicle. Repeatedly backfiring. Sure enough, an old van painted with "Bob the Bang Bus" on the side came bunny-hopping down the road. I can't be 100% sure, but I reckon they were Australians.
These are the Johnston Falls, between Lake Louise and Banff. It was pretty cool because you could walk through a little hidey-hole and pop out right next to the waterfall.
Stunning Lake Louise
Our accommodation at Lake Louise. Pfft I wish!
Here are some photos of our mad jack-o-lanterning skills. Wasn't nearly as hard as we anticipated, but we agreed clearly, we must just be awesome. Love how mine looks all evil and Robyn's looks happy and dopey.
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