On Friday Paul and Chloe picked up our new puppy, a 4 month old lab/husky called Duke or Dukie as hes so cute. Hes pretty timid and our Womble cat decided to pick on him all weekend in the most confrontational way, I didnt realise he had it in him. Poor Duke wanted to disappear all weekend.
Hes been very good though, he hung out in his crate a lot (safety!) and didnt cause ANY trouble of any kind.
He started to relax a bit yesterday and I almost got a waggy tail on our 6am trot round the block this morning - in my pyjamas and dressing gown, wellies and coat - stars were amazing!
We had a pretty cruddy day weather wise yesterday, freezing rain, gusting winds and a power outage. We were immediately aware that we had made a cracking decision to have our wood insert installed as we stayed toasty warm while the wind raged outside.
We had been cooking - well actually Paul had been cooking all morning - and we had a shepherds pie waiting for the oven and more importantly a wonderful spag bolognaise in the crockpot. Our wonderful lodger Don had a propane stove and so we were able to whip up the spaghetti and have spag bog last night instead. It was one of Pauls best.
The power came back on just when I was starting to get bored of it all and it was starting to seriously jeopardise my scary movie plans for the evening.
Tonight is Halloween and although we have been to loads of Halloween parties now, tonight is the official treat or treat night, its going to be -1C so snow suits on under the costumes and out we will go.
I will upload pics very soon to post on here, been a bit slack in that department!
Monday, 31 October 2011
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Halloween is a coming
Its finally starting to cool down. I have been for a few walks in the dark recently too. There is one road that has no houses on it but its near houses and also near woods. Its been paved and is going to have houses built on it but they havent got that far yet. Well, apart from almost peeing my pants in fear of hearing something coyote like growling at the edge of my vision at any moment it was amazing. So much sky, so many stars, it was simply stunning. I have never seen such an expanse.
Last night I got out of the house at dusk and they are really starting to go nuts with Halloween in our neighbourhood. Last night I went past an enormous spider on a lawn enlosed in police tape that moves its head. Its abdomen is yellow and lit up so I couldnt miss it. Theres also a graveyard and endless blown up - lit up spooks everywhere.
The girls have some Halloween parties this week - 2 each and they have some good outfits.
Our fire is lit now every evening and its so cosy in the house. My view of temperatures seems to have changed, I am viewing the 4C in the morning as "not too bad" when in the UK that would mean scarves and gloves. It warms up a lot by lunchtime and has been positively balmy.
The trees are fast starting to lose their pretty leaves and its foggy alot. Its still beautiful though.
We get our new puppy on Friday - starting to get super excited, hes from a rescue charity called Critters and Litters and hes a 15 week old lab cross something called Duke. The cat is going to freak!
Last night I got out of the house at dusk and they are really starting to go nuts with Halloween in our neighbourhood. Last night I went past an enormous spider on a lawn enlosed in police tape that moves its head. Its abdomen is yellow and lit up so I couldnt miss it. Theres also a graveyard and endless blown up - lit up spooks everywhere.
The girls have some Halloween parties this week - 2 each and they have some good outfits.
Our fire is lit now every evening and its so cosy in the house. My view of temperatures seems to have changed, I am viewing the 4C in the morning as "not too bad" when in the UK that would mean scarves and gloves. It warms up a lot by lunchtime and has been positively balmy.
The trees are fast starting to lose their pretty leaves and its foggy alot. Its still beautiful though.
We get our new puppy on Friday - starting to get super excited, hes from a rescue charity called Critters and Litters and hes a 15 week old lab cross something called Duke. The cat is going to freak!
Monday, 24 October 2011
tough weekend
I am sad to say its been a really tough weekend. The only really good part of it was when I was outside on the deck drinking coffee in my dressing gown at 9am and savouring the golden-ness of a tree in our garden. The light was pretty at that time of day too which just added to the magic.
Sadly that time lasted all of 15 minutes.
The rest of the weekend was spent refereeing my childrens arguements constantly, trying to keep them quiet so that Paul could sleep (hes on nights) which was nigh on impossible and then being out of the house with them at my lovely friends houses so that he could get some sleep. By the time I got to those houses I felt as wound up as a tight spring and ready to ship my children off to my mother in Germany.
This of course had the impact of no laundry being done at all and now we have no clothes really on Monday. The house is a tip and I havent been able to clean it.
I did manage to fit in my grocery shopping trips (how I MISS Tescos home delivery) and I baked a cake for Pauls birthday that was meant to be a Victoria Sponge but tasted rather like a dry sponge masquerading as a cake. He even asked how I managed to make it with Peanut butter in it - huh? There was no such ingredient added.
We are going to go out to Stayners Wharf at the weekend with some friends to actually celebrate his birthday which I am really looking forward to. I have come to realise that I really DONT like his night shifts especially at the weekend.
If someone can sort out my girls so that they dont hate each other (yes that has been said) then please come forward as I have had enough!
Perhaps I need some free time - you know the sort where you dont work and you dont look after children and you dont fit all your shopping chores into your half hour lunchbreak.
Sadly that time lasted all of 15 minutes.
The rest of the weekend was spent refereeing my childrens arguements constantly, trying to keep them quiet so that Paul could sleep (hes on nights) which was nigh on impossible and then being out of the house with them at my lovely friends houses so that he could get some sleep. By the time I got to those houses I felt as wound up as a tight spring and ready to ship my children off to my mother in Germany.
This of course had the impact of no laundry being done at all and now we have no clothes really on Monday. The house is a tip and I havent been able to clean it.
I did manage to fit in my grocery shopping trips (how I MISS Tescos home delivery) and I baked a cake for Pauls birthday that was meant to be a Victoria Sponge but tasted rather like a dry sponge masquerading as a cake. He even asked how I managed to make it with Peanut butter in it - huh? There was no such ingredient added.
We are going to go out to Stayners Wharf at the weekend with some friends to actually celebrate his birthday which I am really looking forward to. I have come to realise that I really DONT like his night shifts especially at the weekend.
If someone can sort out my girls so that they dont hate each other (yes that has been said) then please come forward as I have had enough!
Perhaps I need some free time - you know the sort where you dont work and you dont look after children and you dont fit all your shopping chores into your half hour lunchbreak.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Turkey lurkey and Pumpkin Pie
We just enjoyed our first ever Canadian Thanksgiving and it was beyond fabulous.
I started the weekend with a late night at the neighbours house, playing music and eating nachos at midnight - yes not very healthy but very nice.
Saturday was hot, I got some great walks in over the weekend due to the heat and I learnt to make pumpkin pie and cherry pie over at Bevs house that day. I also managed a teeny bit of housework, needs must and all that.
I actually got to go out Saturday night too, over to Doug and Stephens for a party in which karaoke was involved, I prefer to listen and thats all and it was fun but I was driving home so was on the water. Left at midnight and was surprised at how warm it was, on the way home I saw a skunk shuffling about - my first wild skunk spotted!
Sunday was blissfully hot weather again and we hung out at our pals Ruby and Steve and had our first dins of the season, was scrumptious. Ruby and I then went and hung out by the riverside where her dads ashes were scattered, it was a beautiful moonlit night.
When we got home and put the girls to bed, Paul was knackered and went to bed too so I went back over to the neighbours as we had been invited and we hung out again and I came home with a delicous Maple syrup ham and scallop potatoes. Couldnt fit it in my tummy so it went in the fridge.
Monday - Paul played golf and I pottered in the house till he got home and then escaped for another walk. During my pottering I made an Autumn decoration for our front door with the girls as we have so many beautiful leaves in the garden and the front door was lacking:
The top pic is Lilys ghost flower biscuits that she made at her babysitters.
The girls loved gathering leaves and then sticking them to the heart - courtesy of Rolands glue, I love our neighbours!
Dinner at Doug and Stephens on Monday night was like a remake of Easter. Loads of people and crazy kids running around having a blast afterwards. Chloe played endlessly with the dogs and we came home with loads of leftovers which have now all been eaten!
Since that weekend temperatures have dipped again, so we had a mini summer that weekend and it was back to the heat and humidity and I loved it! I also had three nights of bedtime at past midnight and I am so paying for it now
I started the weekend with a late night at the neighbours house, playing music and eating nachos at midnight - yes not very healthy but very nice.
Saturday was hot, I got some great walks in over the weekend due to the heat and I learnt to make pumpkin pie and cherry pie over at Bevs house that day. I also managed a teeny bit of housework, needs must and all that.
I actually got to go out Saturday night too, over to Doug and Stephens for a party in which karaoke was involved, I prefer to listen and thats all and it was fun but I was driving home so was on the water. Left at midnight and was surprised at how warm it was, on the way home I saw a skunk shuffling about - my first wild skunk spotted!
Sunday was blissfully hot weather again and we hung out at our pals Ruby and Steve and had our first dins of the season, was scrumptious. Ruby and I then went and hung out by the riverside where her dads ashes were scattered, it was a beautiful moonlit night.
When we got home and put the girls to bed, Paul was knackered and went to bed too so I went back over to the neighbours as we had been invited and we hung out again and I came home with a delicous Maple syrup ham and scallop potatoes. Couldnt fit it in my tummy so it went in the fridge.
Monday - Paul played golf and I pottered in the house till he got home and then escaped for another walk. During my pottering I made an Autumn decoration for our front door with the girls as we have so many beautiful leaves in the garden and the front door was lacking:
The top pic is Lilys ghost flower biscuits that she made at her babysitters.
The girls loved gathering leaves and then sticking them to the heart - courtesy of Rolands glue, I love our neighbours!
Dinner at Doug and Stephens on Monday night was like a remake of Easter. Loads of people and crazy kids running around having a blast afterwards. Chloe played endlessly with the dogs and we came home with loads of leftovers which have now all been eaten!
Since that weekend temperatures have dipped again, so we had a mini summer that weekend and it was back to the heat and humidity and I loved it! I also had three nights of bedtime at past midnight and I am so paying for it now
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Thanksgiving
Its our first Thanksgiving here in Canada and we are fortunate enough to have been invited to TWO Thanksgiving dinners by our new Canuck friends (well actually we were invited to THREE but we can't go to them all sadly -unless we had one of those time things that Hermione has in Harry Potter)
So, this Thanksgiving I give thanks for:
My husband - he supported my dream to move here and has taken on being a new Canuck extremely seriously. He has become wonderfully good at fixing everything and sorting everything out. Hes also a great father and the best partner I could hope for. We have been together for 12 years and he still makes my heart flip.
My Children - my two girls are just so wonderful and even when they bicker, I love them and could not be without them. I am so enjoying watching them grow.
Our new home - our house is better than I could have hoped for, we live in the best neighbourhood and every day I cannot believe that we actually live here.
Our jobs - in this day and age I am grateful that not only do we have two jobs but that they are in our field and we actually like working in them.
Our family - I appreciate all our family for their constant support of everything we do even though we are now spread all over the globe.
Our friends - those back in the UK and down in Florida - the support you have shown us in our move to Canada is amazing and I think you are just awesome! I love that we have the technology that enables us to keep in touch the way we do.
Our new friends here - we have made some pretty wonderful new friends here, those that have let us live with them to those that have offered their friendship. We really appreciate it and are so pleased we now know you.
Health - I am thankful, so very thankful for the health that we all have, the services here to keep us that way and those that work in them.
Our home and neighbourhood this Fall:
I love living here!
So, this Thanksgiving I give thanks for:
My husband - he supported my dream to move here and has taken on being a new Canuck extremely seriously. He has become wonderfully good at fixing everything and sorting everything out. Hes also a great father and the best partner I could hope for. We have been together for 12 years and he still makes my heart flip.
My Children - my two girls are just so wonderful and even when they bicker, I love them and could not be without them. I am so enjoying watching them grow.
Our new home - our house is better than I could have hoped for, we live in the best neighbourhood and every day I cannot believe that we actually live here.
Our jobs - in this day and age I am grateful that not only do we have two jobs but that they are in our field and we actually like working in them.
Our family - I appreciate all our family for their constant support of everything we do even though we are now spread all over the globe.
Our friends - those back in the UK and down in Florida - the support you have shown us in our move to Canada is amazing and I think you are just awesome! I love that we have the technology that enables us to keep in touch the way we do.
Our new friends here - we have made some pretty wonderful new friends here, those that have let us live with them to those that have offered their friendship. We really appreciate it and are so pleased we now know you.
Health - I am thankful, so very thankful for the health that we all have, the services here to keep us that way and those that work in them.
Our home and neighbourhood this Fall:
I love living here!
Friday, 7 October 2011
Tony and Lisas visit
I have been so remiss at updating this but it really is so painful to do on our laptop at home, I want to throw that machine out of the window!
I am going to try to do it from work one lunchtime each week as their computers actually work!
Anyway, we had a great week a couple of weeks ago when Tony and Lisa came to stay. They were only here for a week but we got out and about as much as possible in fabulous weather.
We hung out by the pool:
We went to Halifax with our friends Ruby and Steve too for a lovely meal at Stayners Wharf, I had the Panfried Haddock, it was gorgeous. We caught the ferry across and back from Dartmouth. Here is a shot of our trip back
On one of the days we went to Peggys Cove, which is a place I just LOVE. Its so serene and I could actually spend the whole day there, if I didnt have to hang on so hard to Lily. She was a pain in the butt as she kept wondering off and paid no attention to the warnings about the black rocks - I mean really!!
On another day we dragged everyone down the South Shore via the scenic route and had a picnic and wander about in Lunenburg:
where it was hot and I wished I had worn a t-shirt. We picked up some pretty nice gifts there and ate some extortionately priced icecream. Still we had a really nice picnic of bread and cheese pretty much. I love those simple lunches out in the sun.
On the way home we stopped off at Queensland Beach which is just stunning and makes up for the fact the water there is always cold. Girls didnt seem to care though, they got in there and got soaked all the same. I love the fact that they love the sea so much. I dont care if they get all their clothes wet and we have to conjure up something makeshift to wear on the way home.
We went to Melmerby too and spent some quality eating time at Montanas where everyone drooled over the steak and I of course had fish. I love fish in restaurants. Can I just say the Kapow shrimp is a must have there.
When they had to go back, it was very sad and now when I look at the pictures it almost feels as though it never happened. I guess we need to just get used to that, the sad side of being an expat.
It was a week of great weather with two rainy days slotted in and a couple of humid nights, we had some firepits, we shivered out there in the evening and we found ourselves too hot.
As I write this, two weeks later we are in a most bizarre week - weather wise.
It is Friday - on Monday it was 25C, Tuesday it rained all day hugely and was a gale out there, Wednesday it continued with the wet theme but much colder at 8C, yesterday the temp struggled to get above 4C and today its 11C, the weekend promises to be sunny and 22C! If I dont get a cold this week, I shall count myself lucky!
We have Thaksgiving coming this weekend! Our first here, am so looking forward to it.
I am going to try to do it from work one lunchtime each week as their computers actually work!
Anyway, we had a great week a couple of weeks ago when Tony and Lisa came to stay. They were only here for a week but we got out and about as much as possible in fabulous weather.
We hung out by the pool:
We went to Halifax with our friends Ruby and Steve too for a lovely meal at Stayners Wharf, I had the Panfried Haddock, it was gorgeous. We caught the ferry across and back from Dartmouth. Here is a shot of our trip back
On one of the days we went to Peggys Cove, which is a place I just LOVE. Its so serene and I could actually spend the whole day there, if I didnt have to hang on so hard to Lily. She was a pain in the butt as she kept wondering off and paid no attention to the warnings about the black rocks - I mean really!!
On another day we dragged everyone down the South Shore via the scenic route and had a picnic and wander about in Lunenburg:
On the way home we stopped off at Queensland Beach which is just stunning and makes up for the fact the water there is always cold. Girls didnt seem to care though, they got in there and got soaked all the same. I love the fact that they love the sea so much. I dont care if they get all their clothes wet and we have to conjure up something makeshift to wear on the way home.
We went to Melmerby too and spent some quality eating time at Montanas where everyone drooled over the steak and I of course had fish. I love fish in restaurants. Can I just say the Kapow shrimp is a must have there.
When they had to go back, it was very sad and now when I look at the pictures it almost feels as though it never happened. I guess we need to just get used to that, the sad side of being an expat.
It was a week of great weather with two rainy days slotted in and a couple of humid nights, we had some firepits, we shivered out there in the evening and we found ourselves too hot.
As I write this, two weeks later we are in a most bizarre week - weather wise.
It is Friday - on Monday it was 25C, Tuesday it rained all day hugely and was a gale out there, Wednesday it continued with the wet theme but much colder at 8C, yesterday the temp struggled to get above 4C and today its 11C, the weekend promises to be sunny and 22C! If I dont get a cold this week, I shall count myself lucky!
We have Thaksgiving coming this weekend! Our first here, am so looking forward to it.
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