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)

WOW it is Autumn already! Today (22/09/09) is the Autumn Equinox here in NB

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OK we have been working hard, doing stuff and working in preparation for the change in seasons.

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The chainsaw has been busy (in my hands) cutting logs and I am looking at tackling a big tree that is dead and I worry it will fall on to the shed during a winter storm. We have enough wood for our woodstove to go through a long winter (about 2.5 cord) and I think there will be some extra for storage (in case winter lasts longer than expected).

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I have also being doing my good voluntary work with the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival as an MC on the Queen Street, JDI Acoustic Stage. Thursday evening was bloody freezing and I felt sorry for Jules as she was stood watching and waiting for 3 hours! The line was Teresa Doyle (singer, guitar player), Heckman and Downes (two blues guitar players and singers), final act was Ryan LaBlanc from Saint Andrews (amazing talent, he plays the guitar with one hand while using the other for percussions).

Ryan LaBlanc on the JDI Acoustic Steps

Saturday was 5:30pm to 9:30pm with the following acts; An amazing opening act Ross Neilsen (without his band the Sufferin Bastards); Heckman and Downes, and fantastic final act was Isaac & Blewett, they were so good I brought one of their CDs.

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I am turning into my Father-in-law (Ernie). What I mean by this is where ever we have been in the UK with Julie's dad it was almost inevitable that we would bump into someone who knew Ernie! Well as we walked through Fredericton (not the whole of the UK admittedly) lots of people stopped to say hello and chat, it is mainly because my new job has suddenly put me in front of alot of new people, added to my presenting for PMI has a lot of people who had heard me waffling on. So this means someone says "Hello Dave, how are you" I say " Fine, how are you" ... conversation follows, we part and Jule's asks "who was that" I reply "Dunno".

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Kathryn is preparing to take over her mini home (final closing date 1st October), Gemma is enjoying UNB and both are having a great time with their new horse. Apparently she took Gemma for a gallop today.

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Jules is working unbelievably hard as usual, preparing for her November show, painting doors in preparation for winter, making sure we are all fed, watered and clean (equivalent of running a small hotel) and managing all the money(we owe our credit rating to Jule's).

This is going to be a general waffling entry, because I do not have central theme to use. The truth is I am feeling too lazy to think one up this sunday morning.

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First I want to thank my family for the congratulations card (for starting my new job).

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Kathryn has brought a mini home and moves in October 1st... she is so grown up now, and controls her finances really well (I'm impressed, and I wish I had her financial skills when I was 22). She is nervous about the big step and worries about lots of things (mostly other people because she has a natural empathy to consider other people first). I am sure she will be fine because she has a strong character.

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Gemma is starting uni (at UNB) next tuesday, to study for her BA in applied arts. We are proud of her as the first Whelbourn on this side of the family to go to university from school. She is nervous and worries about whether it will be boring or full of people who are more intelligent than she is.  Gem will be fine because she is smart and will work hard because she fears failing.

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Jules is continuing her dress/purse/wrap/scarve making, gardening (digging out tree stumps and building new flower beds), decorating the cold store in the basement, weeding the lawn by hand and the other full time occupation of looking after us mere mortals. She never ceases to amaze me with her organizational skills and attention to detail. I wish I were as organized in my profession of project management.

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Me ....hmmm what am I doing? Well I fixed a leaking pipe, mowed 14,000 acres of grass (thats what it felt like yesterday), sealed some potential leaks in the cold store, started a new job, volunteered to MC at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival (Jules says it is because I love an audience, but I say it is because of my intrinsic kind heartedness).

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All in all a busy start to September 2009 and starting to think about preparations for winter. We had the driveway cracks fixed and sealed, I emptied the pool and today I'll clean it and pack it away. I am eyeing up some trees that need the attention of my chain saw  

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Finally we are going to visit New River Beach tomorrow for a family picnic on Labour Day Holiday.

Well an eventful August here in Mooseland.

Kathryn made an offer on a mini home and provided the home passes an inspection she is moving out into her own place in about 1st Oct. One down One to go

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Kathryn and Gemma also plunged into horse ownership and brought a HUMUNGOUS 16.1 hand horse called Lexie.  Lexie is a rescued riding school horse. Apparently the school went bankrupt in Ontario as a result of the recession there.  She is underweight but healthy and apparently has all the good habits (easy to catch, doesn't complain about head collars, doesnt bite (much) and Gemma loves her). They have both ridden, her and she is schooled in English style and responds well, and she has spirit (which pleases the girls). See a couple of photos below.

So it seems that the girls have put down some serious roots here in New Brunswick. Jules is pleased

My news is that I have volunteered to MC at this years Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. This festival has been running since 1991 and is completely organized and delivered by volunteers. I will be introducing acoustic acts Friday (18th Sept) and Saturday (19th Sept) evening on the FREE JDI Acoustic Stage in the front of 527 Queen St.

So come on down and enjoy the atomoshpere in downtown Fredericton! See you there!

PS I start my new job on Tuesday 1st September. you are welcome to come out Monday night for a drink at the Hilltop Grill on Prospect

The skunks have deserted us (without paying rent) and the whelbourn family in Canada are just getting on with life.

• Visiting friends,
• Walking around the beaver ponds,
• Accepting new job offer,
• Feeding our pet Racoon (who has replaced the skunks as the new family pet).
• Registering for UNB fall courses
• Spending money

Tomorrow we (Julie and I) are off to Saint Andrews NB. There are a couple of events and places to visit.

• Ministers Island Community Picnic
• Kingsbrae Gardens  (see what is blooming now)

Over the coming weeks I will be transitioning my assignment and preparing to start my new job (still hush hush really). One of the downsides to the new job is that I will have to carry a Blackberry phone. After watching the crackberry addicts tap out emails constantly I have managed to resist the pressure to have one. But alas the new job requires me to have one, I will have to time limit my use (no messages after dinner).

OK time to go and soak up the sun (its a sunny 30c here in Fredericton). The summer has finally arrived and forecast is hot and sunny all next week

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So as the ever dutiful father I vowed to spend some 'quality time' with my two daughters who are now both young women and not girls (as I have been reminded).

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I know this may sound strange but I used to teach survival skills while serving in the army and Gemma decided it was time I took her wilderness camping where she could benefit from my knowledge and spend some time with her Dad. (I cannot wait to write that entry when it happens at the end of August).

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When I was younger I also used to hike alot in the scouts and then as a soldier. I did the usual Kinder Scout Walk in Derbyshire, the 3 peaks in Yorkshire (which turned into a race), the Lyke Wake Walk in North Yorkshire, Snowdon (in February), Scafell Pike, culminating in 268 mile The Pennine way. So I would class myself as a relatively experienced hiker and one who knows his way around a map and route. (I was also a surveyor in the Artillery). I know I havent done much since 1982 but surely it is like riding a bike and the knowledge would come flooding back....

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I suggested to Gemma we have a short hike to get back into hiking shape before we think about survival camping. We picked a short (very short) 3-4km hike around a circular route in the Nursery next to our home. It was 1:30pm and  told Jule's we will probably be out for a couple of hours at the most....... She reminded me that at 6pm we had Brenda coming round for dinner with her kids and also her sister. "Oh yes take a big knife with you as there was a report that bear problems are up this year". "No problem" I said. (I have a thing about big knives). 

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Our 3-4km was turned into an 8-10km in deep woods strenous hike with no water, no food, no real map, But I did have a compass....and a M3 Fighting knife from my Army collection. To cut a long story short I knew we were never more than 3 km from home but we followed an unknown track into the woods to get off the boring logging road. Little did we know it was a mountain bike track (those mountain bikers are very sadistic) which was called 'Snake' for a reason.... we must have climbed the same hill 10 times and crossed the same stream 10 times. We could have always turned back and walked the 1-2 hours back but surely it will be finished just around the corner. It took us until 5pm to get out of the woods, and we rejoined the logging road 25 metres further up the path than were we went in .

We were exhausted and it took us another 25 minutes to walk the 1km home, then a long hot bath and rest until the visitors came...... I dare not drink more than two glasses of wine otherwise I would have fallen asleep at the table.

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So we are off on another hike tomorrow and taking a pack with us (plus sticking to the logging road this time). We will take a camera to record our epic trip!.

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On a different note, it is Kathryn's birthday today and she is 22 it doesnt seem that long ago that I was teaching her to read, swim, ride a bike etc...

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OK, I'll sign off for now, while I go to prepare for our 4-5km hike tomorrow, complete with kelly kettle, energy bars, teabags, map, compass, BIG KNIFE and the forecast is drizzle.  Have a great weekend where ever you are and think of me walking in the gentle drizzle.

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PS we didn't see any Bears or even sign of a Bear, but I did like the excuse to get 'tooled up', as the youth of today says.

Well we are back from our pilgrimage to the UK and a week in Whitby.

We had a great time and the English Summer came out for us. Two weeks of mostly glorious Sunshine! I think we used up the summer quota of sunshine for the UK.

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It had been 2.5 years since our last visit and we didn't notice any huge changes, apart from the sales and reduced eating out costs due to the recession. The girls loved the shopping (and did plenty of it), there was definitely a subdued return to Fredericton from that perspective.

I have so many photos from the holiday I decided to upload them to our online album and let you browse them.

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Well I am over the jet lag and we have discovered a family of squatters has moved in while we were away. A family of Skunks had moved in under the shed. They are cute, see the two little ones below.

We now have to buy some anti-skunk shampoo for when we eventually get squirted.

We have had some beautiful days which allowed us to splash in the pool (we have an above ground pool that we fill up at the beginning of June, it is about 4 foot deep) after mowing the lawn.

Yesterday it started raining, and we realised that we actually haven't had much rain over the last 3-4 weeks. So last night we went for a walk in the dark in the rain with our umbrellas, hundreds of fireflys were putting on a light show too which was a bonus.

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Julie has been watering her flowerbeds (and my veggie patch) for a while. The water comes from our well which is over 200 feet deep, and we have plenty of cold, clean, clear water (the Well has an electric pump which kicks in when the pressurised reservoir tank is low(this holds about 10 gallons). If you want to know more check out this link on Buying a House With a Well and Septic System in Canada. Our well is a Drilled well and we have a concrete septic tank.

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The Whelbourn household is busy preparing for a holiday in the UK (I wont give the exact dates just incase the burglar in New Brunswick is reading my blog ), but suffice to say there will be much packing and repacking because Transat Airlines are sticklers for the 20Kg limit. I am going to attempt an all time minimum civilian pack for a two week visit. My packing skills while serving in the Army were legendary. For a 6 week exercise I packed soap; razor; shaving brush; toothpaste and toothbruth; 5 sets of undies (because Jules insisted); 5 pair of socks; couple of tee shirts and perhaps an extra shirt; Jumper in case it got chilly and mess tins with KFS (which I still have).

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So my packing this holiday will be multi functional set of clothes where the addition of a slight accent colour or jacket will set off my jeans/shorts for that man about the seaside look. ( no I don't wear ankle socks with sandals). Infact I just might publish the David Whelbourn recommended packing list for two weeks in the UK.

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Kathryn and Gemma have both registered for UNB courses in September. Kathryn didnt make the Nursing draft this year(applied too late) and so she is taking some non-degree courses to improve her GPA and get her mind back into studying.

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Jules has been busy redecorating the hall and stairs which she completed yesterday (well I saw her putting a mirror back on the wall). She is a great painter and decorator. During her spare time she has been making some more dresses, handbags, scarves etc... and her sowing room is starting to look like a designer shop.  Just incase you think she is slacking, she also looks after the three of us, and tends her flowerbeds!

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Me? oh I have just been going to work and playing around on the computer OH yes I have planted a veggie patch (I think I mentioned digging in the garden a couple of entries ago). Well the Peas are doing great, the spring onions are coming through too, and I have to put in some netting so the peas have something to climb up.

Gemma has been practising her Macro photography so here are a couple of shots that might interest you.

To see more go to her art site