| Well we have been here just over 12 weeks now and we have done so much it seems more like twelve months!
We moved into our house on the 16th December 2005, went to the xwave Christmas party on the same evening. The entrance fee was a bag of shopping to go to the disadvantaged families within Fredericton area (great idea). The party was themed on a Casino night I blew my casino money quickly. Julie kept hers going most of the night and she won a $25 gift voucher for the Mall.
When we left at about 11:30pm we discovered there had been an ice storm (freezing rain onto already below zero surface!) while we were indoors and the car had become a huge ice-cube… This was a very different experience to cleaning off the frost on the windscreen! How do you open a door that is covered in ice to a 3-4mm depth very weird and chip away softly.
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Christmas preparations were all completed early as the last day to post to the UK was the 5th of December so we only had to buy for ourselves (I still didn’t really shop until 22nd Dec). The Canadians seem to have a extra set of furnishings especially for Christmas. When they decorate for Christmas they replace all the pictures with Christmas themed hangings, even the towels in the bathroom are Christmassy.
So to ensure we were seen to be integrating with the community off we went and brought our first Christmas hangings/ornaments.
Kathryn and Gemma with our Merry Grinchmas sign.
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We sent Christmas cards to our nearest neighbours and they all came and delivered theirs with little house warming gifts of home made jam, biscuits etc. This is a friendly neighbourhood and people seem to make their own jams and wine much more than in the UK.
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We had a cold snap were the nighttime temperatures were down to – 20oc and some days the high is only -12oc. The roads are cleared very quickly and there isn’t really a problem driving. Seems like my decision to by a Ford Escape (4WD gas guzzler) is a waste of money (but fun to drive).
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Well we had a White Christmas this year (I know its hard to believe), with a quiet dinner just the four of us (the first time in 24 years). It was very relaxing, not having to worry about what people, wanted to eat / drink or what to do in the afternoon etc…
After Christmas dinner, we went skiing, just a walk across the road and through some woods! Apparently, there are over 25 km’s of ski trails there! Wow, this is the life.
Here are the girls in the Tree Nursery just across the street from us.
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On the weekend of the 13th January we had a huge thaw with temperatures way above freezing (even as high as 15oc) and lots of rain which washed away all the snow. Then in a bounce back they forecasted an ice storm approaching for Tuesday. Canadians take ice storms very seriously, so Gemma had a snow day(school shuts for the day), but we had not listened to the radio and David took her to school and he noticed no one seemed to be about, so he gave her money for the telephone and told her to call home and left her there (mean Dad). The storm failed to happen so the schools were all closed for no reason!
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Everyone keeps telling us that the winter so far has been exceptionally mild.
Back to work, saw me being put forward to Project manage the Province’s foundation healthcare project in preparation for future eHealthCare records that will save millions of $ (well that’s the plan).
The girls pony club events are starting to take off, with meetings yesterday and one planned for next week. The two leaders have asked the girls to do some cross-country riding / racing. (lucky girls)
Everyone is settling in well, and getting into a rhythm. We will update you all again in February (should be cold then). | 