I know I have moaned before about the poor quality of electrical goods in North America, but I couldnt resist another one.

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Last Monday the baking element in the bottom oven in our Maytag Gemini double oven failed. We brought this in Dec 2005 when we moved into the house. In the last 2 years we have needed to have replaced three heating elements.

1. One in the top oven,
2. now this in the bottom oven and
3. one on the top hob.

In the UK we had a Hotpoint cooker from 1996 - 2005 and never had a single problem with heating elements. I think the only problem we experienced was the door spring went a little slack in 2005., but it still shut tight.

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The only plus point for North American appliances is that you can access the detailed manuals with all the components and instructions how to repair/replace them. I simply ordered online (paid about $55) and the element was mailed to me. But why did it fail in the first place .

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Anyway today is a beautiful day, here in Canada 20th March is the first day of Spring not like the 21st in the UK (I am guessing it is because of the lower latitude than the UK). The longest day is 20th June and Sept 20th is the First day of Autumn also 20th Dec is the shortest day.  We are just enjoying the sunshine, and opportunity to open the windows and freshen the house. However 4-5cm of snow is forecast for tonight

Well it is March 12th already, and the winter snow is thawing (we have a relatively mild winter this year). The flowerbed by the deck has a crocus that has opened it's purple flower up today! So Spring is sprung  

Good news, we have recovered from our spring colds

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Everyone is busy in the Whelbourn household, my work is interesting, demanding and I still enjoy it. This week has been one of those weeks were I have been working long hours (Jules asks me "so why did we emigrate to Canada"). But that said, I still get home for dinner around 7:30pm (most evenings). 

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Jules is busy making some amazing dresses. I promise to get some photo's loaded on my next blog entry. Gemma is in the middle of Mid Term exams for her Uni courses. She is turning into a right boffin (A, and 4 B's)  I'm proud of her, she has worked hard and deserves it. She of course is disappointed and says she could have done better  I guess she could but I'm happy with her progress.

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Kathryn is still settling into her home and looking forward to spring and lower heating bills.  Both Gemma and Kathryn are also working hard with Lexie. They are looking forward to getting out on some hacks this spring and the stable will let Kathryn take a horse out for the day.

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Well this will have to do, I am watching TV and thinking about the work I have lined up for tomorrow (Jules, wants me to lay a hardwood floor in Gemma's bedroom)

Well the sun is shining and the thermometer is hovers around zero and doesnt go much below -3c in the night. Spring looks like it is early this year. The winter has turned out to be a mild one this year, we still have about 1 cord of wood left (famous last words, watch March be a flipping return to winter).

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Work is keeping me very busy (still having fun with the challenge of it), and I am working with a great bunch of people too. I had to present to a management communications conference last Thursday (about 140 people) and I cannot imagine how the simultaneous translator was coping with my Nottingham accent. Luckily my team were spread around the tables to help others understand my deep vowels (apparently they had trouble with the word Flood, which I pronounce Fluud).

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Jules is busy creating another amazing dress and I will post some photos when she finishes this one.  She is constantly challenging herself by picking increasingly difficult patterns. I brought her a couple of design books for her birthday and she is starting to think about make her own original designs!

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Gemma is busy with her University studies and working hard to make money so she can buy stuff! She is growing as a photographer and artist, I'm proud of the way she is developing (even if she is stroppy occassionally).

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Kathryn is working hard, learning to turn down the heating in her home. I know she is enjoying walking Millie and meeting new people through that. She will be here tomorrow for a family Sunday dinner

Newfoundland is in the midst of a blizzard that is started yesterday and is still raging today. Washington is set to get 70cm of snow and we are just cold with a dusting of snow forecast. The high pressure system is pushing the "Snowmagedden storm" hitting DC across the Atlantic towards the UK

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Haircut day today. It seems a shame to spend $10 on somthing that only takes 5 minutes to do. Julie said it reminded her of when I was a soldier (although it is a bit thinner and grey) So here is a blast from the past photo.

I am the squinty eyed, good looking one in the middle of the back row. I did complain about the sun in my eyes at the time but I was ignored.

Back row: Ken Childs (Kinder), David Whelbourn (Wellie), Sgt Major (Smiler) Miles

Front Row: Victor Vaz (Vic), David Blackler (Blackie) and Philip Milner (Millie)

1st Regt Horse Artillery Best Command Post competition 1983-ish (I think, could be 1984)

We were the crew of H2 Command Post - E Battery

I can almost hear your amazement at our imaginative nicknames.

Well we have been here since November 5th 2005 and we have been missing UK Style Heinz Baked Beans in tomato sauce. We tried all the Heinz baked beans variation and other brands but they all had a much stronger flavour than UK Style Heinz 57.

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A week ago Kathryn called home all excited but she had discovered a can of beans that tasted like the UK variety!!!

Heinz Deep Browned Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce

We tried them this evening with a simple Chicken and Chips, and they were GREAT!   No more expensive imports or visitors packing 4 packs in the luggage

 SO ALL YOU EXPATS IN CANADA LISTEN UP. If you crave some UK Baked Beans here is the substitute that fits the bill!

Just a quick entry to say it is bloody freezing today. Apparently it is a Stansfield day. The local forecaster uses Stanfield rating as a temperature gauge. Today is a 3 Stanfield Day. Oh yes they make lady Stanfields too

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Minus 20 with a windchill making it feel like -26c and if you think this is bad there is a windchill warning for Northern NB and Gaspe Bay Peninsula -40c to -45c. The cold temperatures are forecasted for the next week (well below the seasonal norms) But the west coast is above normal and they are worried about snow for the Vancouver Olympics!

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Apparently when it gets down to those sort of temperatures the air in your tyres contract so your tyres deflate and freeze with a flat bit at the bottom. Square wheels.... I bet that makes for interesting driving until they warm up!

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OK time to go to work, layers of clothes is the answer and vanity takes a back seat to being warm.  Unfortunately I do not own a pair of Stanfield's, but I am rapidly rethinking that. Also I swear the silliest hat you have is the warmest! Mine is a trapper style hat (I do not look as cool as the guy in the photo on the link), when I wear it Gemma refuses to be seen with me

January has gone by in a blink of eye. My work is keeping me really busy and days seem to fly past when I am that busy. Things are still going well, the teams are amazing and I am so pleased with how much we are achieving. But the deadline of April 1st is looming (8 weeks) and I need to keep them focused on producing stuff rather than worrying about the date.

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OK enough of work. Gemma has been been keeping a record of the month and I have some of her photo's to share.

Kathryn and Lexie - isnt she looking marvellous (I mean Lexie of course )

Kathryn went and brought herself a dog from the local SPCA. She was looking for something to keep her company in her new mini-home and found Millie. Apparently she didnt want a German Shepherd dog ....... Looks to me like Millies mum or Dad would have understood the word Hund and know where Berlin is on the map. She is a very smart, high maintenance. Much like her owner.
Another shot of Millie who is very playful and loves to fetch things and chew them to pieces.

Now for some winter shots - oh, and for those of you in the UK, Gemma has captured one of a Snowplow (canadian spelling). I thought you might be interested to see what one looked like.

This comes past at least once a day when the snow is falling and then again about 6am, and we do not live on a main road. The only problem is the bloody wall of snow they build across your drive entrance!

The next few are snow shots from the nursery across the street from us.

Very Narnia like isnt it?

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So there are the usual winter shots, and this afternoon we are going for a walk around the nursery. It is about -12c but beautifully clear and sunny.

We haven't had much chance to go cross country skiing this year, and only one snowshoeing expedition. Despite that I think it is fair to say we are all pretty happy.

Julie and I were at the Lunar Rogue last night for the monthly Pub Night and met several more new arrivals from the UK. I think we all had a good night (we left at 11:50pm), many of the Newcomers club still see each other despite the club being dormant. We seem to enjoy the social aspect of meeting without committment of organizing lots of events.

Have you noticed how fast a year seems to go? It doesn't seem two minutes when I was welcoming in the new year of 2009. I am seeing in the new year with my first cold of 2009  (man flu as many call it).

Tomorrow will be 2010.... It wasnt that long ago that we were all worried about 2000 being the down fall of western civilisation! Now we have only two more years until 2012 and the end of the world !

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Apparently it will be so because the Mayan's couldn't be bothered to keep going on the calendar calculations). I can just hear the calendar calc team leader saying "I am fed with with this", "lets just say Dec 31st 2012 the world ends". "I mean no one will be able to check and I am pretty sure everyone will be happy to stop calculating the calendar and get on with human sacrifices or something more useful".

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OK back to something more real. Snow and we could be in line to get alot this weekend. CBC (like BBC) put this article out today, sounds like it could be fun this weekend (although the weathernetwork is only forecasting about 30-35cm). We have a full store of wood for the stove, Generator, Camping Stove, snow blower, chain saw, axe, wooly hat, gloves etc... we are ready and if things get bad and food runs low,  Kathryn has left the rabbits with us  and to top up the pot I can shoot a couple of squirrels/crows with my new air rifle.

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Well with that cheery thought in your heads, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a prosperous, happy and health 2010!

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My next post will be a 2009 round up and a look forward to 2010 with some resolutions, forecasts and expectations.

Well Christmas has finally arrived, I completed my shopping in time (Christmas Eve_  on the good side sales had already started! On the bad side I have about 5 hours to get it all done (I only have a few things to buy and I already have a list it shouldnt take me much more than 3 hours to complete).

Seriously I am not as ill prepared as it sounds (hmmm...perhaps I am), I suspect like most families Jules handles most of the christmas present buying, wrapping and posting.

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We have had several snow storms (well more small ones that have continued accumulating snow rather than big dollops of snow) so we have about 40-50cm of snow on the ground.

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Santa has been very good to me I have several shirts, books, wallet, DVD's an Air Rifle (from Gemma) and a Router (woodworking type). Those pesky Gray Squirrels had better watch out or they will be sunday dinner!  (amazing how far you can through routers LOL .  I had no idea about the air rifle, I will be doing a little target shooting (first).

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We have made the calls to family wishing them all Merry Christmas and catching up on news. My family are like me 5 minutes on the phone is more than enough to cover a whole 12 months of living. Jules family takes a little long (55 minutes).  I also discovered that Sydney Australia is 15 hours ahead of Atlantic Time. We spoke for some time with my sister, Richard (her husband) and my nephew Michael (who is all grown up at 17). Aren't families amazing? The only normal one is the one you live in, all the rest are weird.

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Dinner is cooked, eaten and the dishwasher on, the girls are playing on the Wii Fit and Jules is putting the finishing touches on a sherry trifle. Me I am typing in the blog letting you all know we are still alive and kicking.

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I think my next entry will be an annual summary / lessons learned about moving to Canada. Until that entry I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas for 2009

I am enjoying my new job, it is unbelievably busy, but still fun.

This last week has been one of those rollacoaster weeks, with lots of show stopping issues hitting us mid week and finally resolving (most) them on Friday afternoon. The team looked frazzled by the end of the week.

One of my team plays Santa for the kids of people in the Finance Dept (his old dept) and he suggested I might like to play Santa for our office. So I donned his amazing costume (I didnt need the pillows ) Here is a fuzzy photo (Santa is protected by anti focus technology) of the proof that I do have a heart (rare feature for a project manager).

The only problem was in my judgement one only person made the Nice List the rest were on my Naughty List (the thick wadge of paper in my hand)

This could be the start of a whole new career! I would only need to give out one present a year

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Another strange but nice feature of my new workplace is the department breakfasts. The senior managers serve breakfast to the staff, so on Friday we trouped over to the main department location (on the North Side of Fredericton) and were served scrambled eggs, ham, hash browns, toast and coffee / tea. There was a healthly alternative (and they hid the pancakes with it) but few takers. Some staff members then serenaded us. The breadth of musical talent in Fredericton never ceases to amaze me. It seems to me that almost every family has people in who play musical instruments and sing. I will have to put a request in to the real santa for a Harmonica.

This may be my last entry before Christmas as I have to go out this week and get my shopping done, so Merry Christmas to all (oh yes we have about 8 inches of snow and they forecast more on Christmas day). 

Work is still crazy, this last week has been hectic I have been going in early and coming home late. Probably putting in 12 hour days (which is hectic for New Brunswick office work). Christmas and preparing for Christmas is a stressful time and I think I should spend part of this post recognising the effort it takes.

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Julie is the rock that ensures the home keeps working efficiently and effectively. She has organized the house, made sure all the christmas presents are brought and despatched to far off places. She makes sure we don't run out of food, clean clothes, toothpaste, razors, toiletrolls and all the other things that it takes to keep a family thriving and surviving. I think it today's world the recognition of good housekeeping is very undervalued.

So we are approaching Christmas well prepared with very little effort on my part. I can hear you all muttering "whats new", pah I will have you know I did hang out the Christmas lights on the tree outside and today I will be cutting down two christmas trees (It is deemed manly work by wielding a chainsaw). The two trees are because Kathryn wants one for her new home.

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What else is happening in the Whelbourn sphere of influence here in Eastern Canada.

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Gemma has been busy revising and preparing for her exams; she is studying, English, Biology, Anthropology, Classics and Art (which looks like more classics to me).  I have to admit she has really buckled down to revision and I am sure it will pay dividends for her when the marks come in.

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Kathryn came home(our home) for dinner last night and then we had a  family evening playing Uno and Yahtzee. Both good fun and not requiring too much intellectual participation. I didnt win at either game (perhaps I should have used more intellect).

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Another of life's obvious things, is that eating and game playing together help to form and maintain the family bond. We always insist that the TV is turned off and we sit down to dinner at the table. It is almost a ritual that I interrogate each person  asking them how their day went as we eat. Something that many people seem to be losing as they move to processed foods/TV dinners and the family seem to split up immediately as they all go about their different interests (even watching different TV's in different rooms?).

Winter looks like it is finally here (again). We had an early snow storm in October that left about 5cm but it quickly melted. Last night we had a Nor'Easter track up the east coast of USA and the jet stream hits us at the right angle and POW we have snow, about 10-15cms. So I thought "don't be a wimp and use a shovel" . I used the shovel to clear the drive and the deck and now my back aches. Yeah I know I am not as young as a I used to be.... Next time it's the snowblower whatever the depth of snow. I'll try to look cool when using it

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I have been preparing for winter for several weeks now. The wood is all in, and not a moment too soon. I put the last load in and restacked the Pine logs from the tree I cut down a few entries ago and it started snowing  Below is a photo of the finished wood pile in the garage. Now there is some good exercise, moving 256 cubic feet of wood!

Here are couple of photos of snow for you followed by some recent snaps.

Snow on the deck (AGAIN) we love it really  (I wonder when that will wear off?)

Hmm which tree for christmas .... I must get the chain saw sharpened.

Here are some random shots.

Yours truly posing as 'The Thinker' captured by Gemma. I think I was in a daze or doze rather than deep meaningful thoughts.

An atmospheric shot taken by me while walking around the Beaver pond at Mactaquace

The Essentials bin, snow blower, generator (next to snowblower), Union Flag , ash bucket and Jule's summer alloy wheels are stacked waiting for next spring (look above and to the left the union flag, in the poly bags) .

Gemma with her new Hairdo and Camera Nikon D3000.

Alot has happened since my last post on November 3rd.

1. We have been here four years now (Nov 5th is our Canniversary)
2. Julie has completed her first christmas craft fair show
3. Gemma is nearly through her first semester at University
4. Kathryn has brought furniture, stove (cooker to you Brits) and is neeearrrly moved out
5. I have been very, very busy with my new job (and enjoying the challenge)
6. We held our first nearly all Canadian Bonfire Night
7. Letter back from the immigration / citizenship informing us our application is being processes

Were can I start....

We decided that this year as we have been here for 4 years to try to have a 95% canadian guest list for our annual bonfire party. I think we had about 55 people (slightly smaller than last year). After the party we discussed the differences between British and Canadian's when it comes to Bonfire Parties. Below are a list of differences (not criticisms)

• There was much less alcohol consumed (which is ok because we have a good supply for christmas)
• There was much less food consumed (which is ok because I had my lunches mapped out for the next 3 weeks). People ate before they came?
• People left earlier, we had our discussion at 10pm I think they had all left by 9:30pm. We started at 6:30 with food and drink etc, fireworks 7:30 and bonfire about 8pm.  I think the first left around 8:30.
• Much less talking between different groups. People tended to stay with the people they new.

Next year it will be back to 80% Brits

Work is keeping me  busy (as usual) and I am really enjoying the challenges of a tight deadline programme (what's new) plus working in a completely different environment. The government work environment does have it's unique challenges and here in New Brunswick we have the added challenge of being the only official bilingual province in Canada. This means that we have to have all external documents available in both English and French. The project's operating language is English. The translation requirements creates a delay that you have to factor into the project. Sometimes it is frustrating, but the best way of facing it is to log it as a requirement and treat it as any normal part of the project workload.

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It seems as if more British families are arriving all the time. I have met at least two more, who arrived in the last couple of months plus they know others who are coming. No comment from me on the situation in the UK  

I thought the regular readers would get a smile out of this. After my previous moan about poor quality electrical goods.

Yes you have guessed it, the back up Iron died today

Serves me right for complaining! LOL

One of the freakiest things is to see the concept of six degrees of seperation in action. We have experienced it a few times here in New Brunswick.

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We have some friends (a Welsh couple) who we discovered connections with by accident. The husband went to Nottingham University and stayed in Beeston as a student. During those years he used to go into my Dad's shop almost weekly. The wife's best friend was a dentist in our last home town of Horsell (there were only two dentists in Horsell)..

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Yesterday we were invited to a party by one of my new work colleagues. While there we met his neighbour an English lady from Suffolk. It turns out that I had met her husband in 2003 while we visited Fredericton and both he and I were born in Redruth Cornwall (tiny place)....

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ALSO just to top of the weird evening. My host's wife had an Uncle in the UK who lived just outside Woking (yes you guessed it Horsell) but even weirder .....We lived at 69 Meadway Drive and He lived at 57.... and our eldest daughter used to stop as she walked home from school and chat to him.

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Now tell me that is perfectly normal and not in the slightest spooky!

One thing that does 'pee me off' here in Canada (probably North America as a whole) is the poor quality of electrical goods.  I hear you saying "what on earth is he talking about?", well let me tell you that since moving to Canada (four years this coming Nov 5th) we have brought 2 kettles, 3 irons, 1 toaster and all have failed.

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I was so fed up with buying expensive kettles in an effort to get quality, that after our last electric kettle failed we purchased a low tech, whistling, on the stove (cooker) top type kettle. Ah to be back in the 1960's. But you know what it works every time!  Replacement cost $20 and unlikely to break in the next 10 years.

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We have had the same experience with Iron's it doesnt matter what brand you buy they all seem to have a built in life span of just over a year may 18 months max (funnily enough the warranty for all things electric is 12 months).

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The toaster was the same! So it is back to whacking the bread under the grill and remembering to turn it over (oh the hardships I endure).

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The net result of this crappy product policy, is that you buy cheap and throw away. Something I hate!

I suppose it keeps industry ticking over. Fixing the products is often pointless because of the plastic moulded covers that you need to break to get into the workings.

This last week has seen a big leap in technology in the Whelbourn household.

1. Gemma has purchased a Nikon D3000 Digital SLR Camera (see her photos below)and I am so happy because it means I get my Fuji S7000 back  
2. We purchased a new house computer because the Compaq Presario brought in 1998 eventually gave up and refused to display anything on the screen. So this entry is being typed on our new HP P6241 Windows 7 driven 6GB RAM and wait for it 1 Terabyte hard disk!!! Cost $799.99 but I had $750 Future Shop gift card from cashing in all my Aeroplan points.   For my family who are reading this, sorry I spent the christmas money and due to the postal strike there will be no pressies and probably no cards

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Kathryn is still kitting out her new home, and our friend Brenda has given her a microwave, one of those George Foreman grilling thingies, and a DVD player. Lucky Gal eh?

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Jules is still busy sewing and preparing for the 1st Christmas Craft show (I counted 20 bags she is working on simultaneously . Oh to have the talents of a multi-tasking woman!

We had our first snowfall on Friday 23rd October,  about 5-10cm. This is the earliest we have known and the locals have said they cannot remember anything snowing before November. So much for global warming, time to wear long johns and eating porridge for breakfast.

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The horse (Lexie) is looking good and filling out.

 The rabbits are still pooping and peeing whenever the girls pick them up.

OK time to post this entry and get on with trying to get to bed early (yes I am still busy at work and putting in some extra hours) 

Well it's mid October already and this is my first post since Sept 27th, and the leaves are falling like.... well leaves off a tree

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October timetable, well on the 2nd we were invited to the Harvest Jazz and Blues volunteer appreciation party. Julie and I had a great evening at Sweetwaters in Fredericton, listening to the Downtown Blues band click on the link for a choice of some of their music.

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We took in Jeff and Elizabeths Budgie call Basil (but we think it is a girl) below is a photo taken by Gemma

 The girls have been looking after Lexie, with triple feeds to build up her weight. She is definitely looking better for it, below is a photo of Kathryn washing Lexie's legs (she loves rolling in the mud).

Today has been a busy saturday at the end of a busy couple of weeks. Julie is working flat out (as usual) creating bags, scarves etc in preparation for the Christmas craft fair in Fredericton (1st weekend in November) and I have been cutting down trees . I know, I know it seems to be my hobby well here is a photo to prove that I am not just trimming the hedge.

Yes that is me way back in the tree line, proudly surveying the chopped down tree with my trusty Echo chainsaw in one hand (I'm so macho).

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Jules has been preparing for our annual Bonfire Bash cutting chicken for the world famous "Julie Whelbourn Chicken Curry"! Tonight we had a Chicken Korma as she gets into practice for the super curry.

Here we are again, it is October already and next month it will be our 4th Canniversary. We arrived Nov 5th 2005 and the years have flown by!

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On October 2nd Kathryn took possession of her Mini Home and she is welcomed to the mature world of mortgage debt . I'm proud that she has organized herself to a) purchase a home and b) pulled off all the arrangements for mortgage, insurance, reconnecting utilities, etc... I told Jules that she had done a great job on getting Kathryn ready for living her own life. (I am working on when she is actually moving out).

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Gemma is working and studying hard, she seems to be enjoying the wide ranging set of classes: Classics, Anthropology, English, Biology and something else that escapes me. (Hmmm caring father failure). She is busy saving her money for a new digital SLR Nikon or Canon (at last I will get my Fuji finepix back).

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The girls discovered that Lexie (their horse) used to race under the name of "Lady In Red". I remember the Chris De Burgh song that inspired her name! 

Oh yes, I also feel smug, because I managed to cover my woodpile with a tarpaulin before we had 75mm of rain on sunday  so we have dry wood (I have yet to cart it all into the garage in preparation for winter warming)

I will try to get some photos of the Autumn leaves before they fall off.

The last few weeks have been a flurry (not snow thank god) of activity preparing the house for the eventual flurries that will arrive. (A rather cryptic way of saying - we are preparing the house/garden for winter). Regular readers will know that I like the changing seasons and the way they make us prepare for them. It is a basic part of life, that we have lost in our urban lives. The exaggerated weather changes in Canada has triggered that cycle of preparation for the changes.

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Well Jule's spotted some flaking paint on the gable end of the garage. Actually it was quite a bit of flaking paint and a decision was made to rub down and repaint to avoid winter damage.

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So yesterday up the ladder I went (probably about 10-12 feet, but it always feels higher somehow) and rubbed down sections moving along in small steps to avoid over stretching(I am not a great fan of heights). I repeated the process and filled the holes, painted an undercoat.

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I had just finished the final touches and let the paint brush fall to the ground and started to climb down.  I heard Jule's say "The ladder is slipping", of course I already knew this and the ladder slipped to the right, I know I cannot fall back (I would probably crush Jules and there is a huge pile of drying wood), so I opt to stay on the ladder and push it down below me by standing up on the rung. My old army training kicked in ... legs together, bend knees and roll on impact .... result no injury, sore head (well there are concrete slabs on the floor) and aching ankles from the impact.

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Decision - I will paint the gloss today and be really flipping careful.

PS We had a great evening at the Lunar Rogue with the newcomers club (I suppose it is just a social club really)