Whelbourns in Canada
• Thursday 8 November 2007 - Post Weekend and the Dreaded Lurgy
Well the Christmas Craft Market (in November) went well, Julie sold several bags and one of her wraps! There was lots of interest and half of her business cards were taken by people wanting to get back in touch once they have got their christmas party outfits! or they want something to match their special outfit...  (perhaps I could retire next year, I may even make it one of my new years resolutions).
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We took the booth down in record time (under 2 hours) mind you it did help that this was the first time we have ever done it . We did have a Buster Keaton Event when I loosened off some screws and the whole of one side dropped down passing safely over Julie leaving her sitting in the middle of the frame. (watch the film clip you will get the idea). Several witnesses were telling her how lucky she was while I was trying to say there was never going to be a problem and then switched the blame to Gemma seeing as she obviously didnt tighten all the screws when she put up that side on Thursday night 
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Then about Tuesday I caught the Dreaded Lurgy or as someone on the BritishExpats website called it Man-Flu (or from the woman's point of view an ordinary cold). So I have been working from home the last couple of days to avoid infecting my team... I don't want them to have any excuses for not working!
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We have our annual Bonfire Night celebrations this Saturday where the neighbours get the opportunity to watch me trying to incinerate myself while setting off fireworks and then they can watch the spectacle of us setting fire to a pile of wood with an effigy of Guy Fawkes on top..... We always had a bonfire party in the UK and they are becoming quite popular over here with about 40 people expected. I will get Gemma to take some photos for the next entry. If you are lucky you will see me outlined against a blazing fire 
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• Saturday 3 November 2007 - Christmas Craft Market and Noel
Well we made it and managed to get the booth ready for Julie D's debut at the Fredericton christmas (yes I know it is only just November) craft market. This is it's 33rd year and the organizer is a Brit who emigrated here 34 year's ago. He is very picky about who comes to the show and has managed to build up its reputation for being the premier craft market in the Maritimes with people coming from the USA to visit. So when he asked Julie to come and take a booth she was very happy. I know there is a two year waiting list, so it was down to the quality of her work.
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Then out of the blue the weather network announce Hurricane Noel will down grade to a Post Tropical Storm and pass over NB Saturday ...
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Well here are some photos of the booth in preparation and a lady brought a bag within a couple of hours of opening on Friday .
Dont you think I have built a brilliant booth? (well we, I guess others helped )

We brought the collapsable shelving from Home Depot (about $89 each). The peg board was an idea I had and it gave me the opportunity to try out working with it before I put some in the garage. The frame is made out of electrical conduit about 10' long by 6' tall

Fingers crossed for the rest of the show, and hope that Noel is not too loud! |
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• Thursday 1 November 2007 - Bloody Big Roadkill
One thing about Canada which is very different from the UK, well there are alot of things different but the roadkill over here is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy bigger. None of those little squished hedgehogs or the odd run over cat or rabbit. Nope here we have 1200lb Moose and bloody big deer and the smallest things are Racoons and Skunks!!.
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I came around the corner the other evening there in the middle of the road was a big deer dead having been hit by a van. Someone was checking the Van driver and I got out as traffic slowed/stopped and grabbed the deer by the back legs and hauled it over to the hard shoulder. Heavy b*gger it was too, I am glad we never hit it. I have had a couple of close calls with deer at night. They play chicken in pairs. One darts across the road just in front of you causing you to hit the brakes and just as you breath a sigh of relief and ease off the brakes, blow me if another one doesnt decide to make the mad dash!!!! much squealling of brakes and cursing of stupidity of deer.
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If you accidentally come into a roadkill situation with a Moose then I can tell you it is most likely that both of you will die. Moose have these really long legs so when a car hits them it is about knee high to a Moose and the end result is they fall onto the bonnet and come in through the windscreen!!!! There are several deaths a year in NB because of Moose collisions.
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I have seen several live and dead Moose on the side of route 7 most are killed by big trucks (18 wheelers to Canadians). Still it is pretty scary to be driving along and see Moose walking along the verge.
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Racoons appear to be the Canadian equivalent of the UK hedgehog, they just arent fast enough to get across the road and their dark colouration makes it hard to see them on the road at night.
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Skunks are the worst road kill because they must spray as they are hit you can drive past a skunk roadkill and still smell it for 4-5 days.
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• Tuesday 30 October 2007 - Improving and Snow
It has been a few days since I wrote anything on the blog.... ok so its been over a week. I have had to recover from England being beaten in the RWC
Well I am over it now and we have been working hard preparing for Julie's first craft show at the Fredericton Exhibition grounds(FREX). Setting up is on this Thursday evening and just like any project we have lots to do and the days are getting shorter.
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The weather has been changeable in the last week, we have had record warm days (mid twenties) with people in shorts and tee shirts and yesterday the high was about 4c. Last night we lit our first fire in the woodstove to add extra heat the house. There is something nice about watching a log fire... Last night it snowed, we have about 2cm on the ground but it isnt forecasted to stay around more than a day or so.
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Also we seemed to have finally figured out the telly! Over the last couple of weeks we have been watching the Tudors, Jekyll (great mini series) and last night it was Sweeny Todd (with Ray Winstone). It has only taken us 2 years to figure it out.
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Finally my Bells Palsy is improving, well thats to say my face is starting to look relatively normal if I don't try to smile . Dr Z's needle work must be helping, I have another session this morning. My Friday session last week was relatively normal, if you can call it normal. Dr Z did roll up my tee shirt and insert a line of needles in my stomach and shock horror! she adjusted the waist band of my undies (much worrying when that happened) and inserted a couple more needles in the line... phew. Then as I paid my $50 I wondered how many other places in the world could a man pay $50 to have a young woman lay him on the table, stick some needles in and fumble around with his underpant waistband and then tell him to relax all for only $50, and then to top it off get an insurance company to pay him $40 back 
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• Sunday 28 October 2007 - Shopping, Building and Drinking
The weather this last week has been a bit weird. We had record highs for October with temperatures in mid twenties.... Lovely and warm sitting in the garden enjoying a cold beer.
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Rain came on Thursday and Friday so hopefully the Bonfire night celebration will be on with full Bonfire and fireworks. 
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Still working hard on Julie's booth for her debut craft show, lots of shopping for knuts and bolts, velcro, lights, craft show furniture, and other bits and bobs. Thank god for Home Depot!
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After a long day slaving over a hot screwdriver, stanley knife and nailer thank god for the Newcomers club Pub Night ... Lunar Rogue in Fredericton 8pm we all met up and had a great time and even though I refrained from drinking (I have a blood test coming up and didnt want to freak the doc's out) I still enjoyed it.
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We met up with some new members Ian and Caroline. He is English from Bristol and She is French they moved here about 4 months ago and feel isolated and lucky to find us. Lets see if they still feel like that after a couple of months  |
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• Sunday 21 October 2007 - Oh Dear, Lets Look to the Future
England lost 6 - 15 to South Africa in the final of the Rugby World Cup 2007 .
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I could go on about the poor decision around the disallowed try, and the some dubious decisions to award penaltys against England.
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But in the spirit of the game I have to admit that South Africa have consistently been the best side in the tournament, and they deserved to win yesterday. England has probably been the side that improved the most during the tournament, demonstrating a determination and true grit to win.
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All was not lost though, as Argentina gave France a lesson in rugby and really rubbed salt in the wound of them losing to England in the semi final, by beating them 34-10 ..... 
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Now I have to clear up all the empty Moosehead, Alpine, Keith's bottles and look at the dried on Chilli in the pot. I am very impressed with the adhesive qualities of this Chilli. Perhaps I can patent it and sell the formula to 3M or some other whiz company. I have decided the dishwasher may not be able to cope with this red-hot dried on super Chilli, so I am going don my industrial rubber gloves, prepare a bath of acid and then try paint remover to budge the impressive crud.
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We had quite a party last night, drowning our sorrows and discussing what might have been... then we got fed up of moaning, and decided there is always another chance in four years time so we settled down to watch "Casino Royale". There is nothing like a good Bond Action film to restore faith in the good guy's winning in the world.
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The rest of today will be spent putting the finishing touches on Julie's exhibition stand (I will post a photo some time later).
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• Friday 19 October 2007 - Finally the FINAL (I mean the RWC Final!)
Well it's Friday (thank god for that). I like to be back at work but tomorrow is Crunch day. Tomorrow is the final of the Rugby World Cup 2007 in Paris and England play South Africa.
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I have organised pay per view access on Rogers Cable TV ($35) to watch the final and invited a bunch of Brits to come watch. Also we have a couple of Canadians who are interested in seeing something different to American Football (Nancy's game with all the padding and taking a break every 10 minutes). Lets see if they can cope with the tension this game promises to deliver!
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England are bloody lucky to be there and have shown amazing guts and determination after being pretty much awful since we won the last world cup in Australia four years ago in case you have forgotten here is that photo of the kick that one us the cup in 2003.

Lets hope the game tomorrow has the same tension and excitement as the one four years ago and that ............ENGLAND win and become the first back to back winners.... A very tall order indeed.
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Well I hope my reader will have a great weekend it is very strange writing this blog and not knowing if anyone is actually reading any of your waffling, rambling, wittering thoughts. |
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• Thursday 18 October 2007 - Needles, Heat Lamps, Ping! I
If anyone out there is following my story you will know I had an attack (if thats the right word) of Bells Palsy July 25th-ish. The right side of my face was paralysed.
After three months I am now receiving Acupuncture physio to help improve the condition which can take upto a year to fully recover.
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Today I went for my 5th session and it was different from the four previous sessions. Today I really felt those needles being inserted into my face , but I didnt whine, and then Dr Z did something new! She rolled up my T-shirt and inserted six needles in my stomach arranged in a sort of Y around my tummy button. (that is going completely on feel of the needles going in, so it could have been a T shape ) Then as per usual she hooked me up to a pulse generator thingie and proceeded to make me twitch like a frog's leg in a science lab. But before she left me for my usual 30-40 minutes of twitching, she positioned a heat lamp over my face and left me to gently cook during my twitching!
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Let me explain about my worry over the tummy needles. I don't exactly possess a six pack sort of stomach. Being nearly fifty, it seems like I all the packs I ever drank have moved to my stomach, so I don't have a six pack, it is more like a 127 pack.
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Now herein lies the question: what size needles does she use on a 127 pack stomach compared to a six packer? Well I didn't look but it did seem to take a long time to position them and remove them. Next time I will look for knitting needle sized needles .... But I was cool and I paid my $50 and booked my next session for next Monday morning.... I hope Dr Z doesnt feel the urge to move anymore clothing up or down
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Update 14:00 or 2pm for civilians 
Mediva Blue Cross accepts receipts for Acupuncture and I manage to get back 80% of the cost of the physio. So instead of paying $50 a session I effectively pay $10. That seems reasonable. |
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• Monday 15 October 2007 - Deep Joy and Watch the Needles!
What a weekend... England beat France in the Rugby World Cup Semi Finals and move on to the Finals next week. Phew I don't know if I can cope with all these exciting weekends, last weekend it was Australia who bit the dust! Fingers crossed England are peaking at the final on saturday.
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More rain too which means our Bonfire Night celebrations look like they will be ok to go ahead. Today I can see the sun and the fall leaves are looking wonderful.
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Back to work full time again this week, ah it is good to be back.
First I have to endure another session with the lady and her needles (no this isnt a developing S&M fetish) my acupuncture session is 9am and basically I lay on a bed in shorts and t-shirt while Dr Z inserts about 20 needles into my face, neck lower arms, and lower legs and the one's that go between the big toe and the other toe is the only one that stings. Then she hooks me up to some sort of pulse generator that proceeds to deliver mild electric shocks for about 30-40 minutes.
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I love the way she tells me to relax as she leaves me twitching on the bed. The machine gives out a loud repeating beep when I am done (yep sounds like a microwave binging away). Dr Z comes in turns off the alarm looks at me and says "Another 10 minutes and then I will remove the needles", followed by "relax" and walks out leaving unable to see a clock or look at my watch.
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The reason I cannot look at my watch is because I have about 7 needles in my hand and wrist and moving my arm causes a feeling of pressure at the site of all the needles. Ultimately I am a little of a coward and lay still until Dr Z comes and sets me free! takes $50 and books me in for Thursday  |
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• Friday 12 October 2007 - Pin Cushion Dave
Miserable weather today, raining hard, windy and Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning 60mm in two hours! WE LOVE IT The garden needs it we havent had any significant rain for a couple of months.
Today I had my second acupuncture session. The lady was very polite and insert about 20 needles into the righrside of my face, both lower arms and hands and both lower legs and feet! I closed my eyes and ignored it. There isnt really a needle jab sort of pain more like a dull ache as is someone poked you hard with a finger. After an hour of electronic pulses following through my face I was into work.
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I must admit I feel better and my mouth seems a little straighter and my right eye seems easier to close and more tightly closed too. Anyway $115 for two sessions and from now on $50 a session (I hope the insurance will refund 80% of the cost).
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We are starting into a social whirl of a life, Julie is off out for dinner with a girls night out at the Blue Door restuarant while I go living it up at Dooleys pool hall on Prospect Street (I dont think my prospects of winning will be that good). This weekend we have been invited out for dinner on Saturday and some guests are coming over on Sunday to watch England Vs France in the Rugby World Cup. We get it a day later here in Canada.
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Well must dash and practice my pool action. |
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• Thursday 11 October 2007 - Healthcare and other costs
Some of you may know that at the end of July I contracted or had a bout of Bells Palsy. The right side of my face was paralysed it looks like I have had a stroke, very scary to discover it first thing in the morning. Anyway since then as you can imagine I have had quite a few dealings with the Canadian Healthcare system and I thought it would be useful for anyone heading to New Brunswick and perhaps other parts of Canada to know what happens.
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I went to the ER (Casualty) at our local hospital and was screened and taken straight into a cubicle. I had to present my medicare card and they booked me in. There were a few people waiting in the ER area but nothing like I have experienced in the UK. Anyway seen, diagnosed, 1 week supply of drugs handed over (no charge), discharged with information sent to my doctor within 30 minutes. I know we are lucky to have a doctor as there is a waiting list.
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Called my doctor and booked in an appointment for the beginning of the next week. During the visit she spends time talking to me about my condition and likely causes/treatments. She also asks about my family and we spend about 15-20 talking all in all. She gives me a prescription and asks me to book an appointment for 2 weeks time. I go to the pharmacy, collect prescription. My company Healthcare insurance covers 80% of the cost so I pay $10. (They also cover 90% on dental).
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This goes on for a few weeks, not much improvement after the initial burst. My company gives me a form to get the doctor to fill in for short term disability leave. The emphasis seems always on me getting well not getting back to work. My doctor prescribed further tests to make sure there is nothing else going on with my Bells Palsy (MRI scan. done two weeks after request). Further blood tests all carried out with a week. I have absolutely no complaints about the Canadian Healthcare system. I am sure others in major cities will have a different experience.
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After 35 days off work, my company sends me information on the Long Term Disability insurance benefits we get (50% of salary, and the company can decide how much more to make up). However I would have to be off work for 105 days before this kicks in. They are just giving me heads up on what Benefits are available. I start returning part time to work (being at home was driving me crazy as you will know from reading my earlier entries).
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My benefits package also includes 3 x salary life insurance, 1x salary accidental death or disability payment I may we worth more dead than alive!!!!. The Optician costs for eye tests and glasses (upto $250 in one year). Physiotherapy such as massage and acupuncture (which I had last Monday and today more on that later ). The benefits coverage includes my family for medical and dental costs. This insurance coverage costs me about 7% of my salary. The company pays double that. I also pay 4.5% of my taxable pay Canadian Pension Plan, about 26% income tax and about 2% for EI (Employment Insurance). So you can see the taxation isnt that different from the UK in terms of amounts. See CRA for payroll deductions calculator.
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Of course this peace of mind is why North Americans always talk about their Healthcare Benefits with their job.
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One difference in the tax system here is we can split it between spouse. So as Julie hasnt been working we have been getting a refund each year of approx $2,500-3,000. This comes in April / May just in time to pay the yearly council tax (for want of a better word) which because we live out of the city is about $1,800. No water charges we are on a well. Sewage is via a septic tank which costs about $200 to empty every 3-4 years. |
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• Sunday 7 October 2007 - Thanksgiving - England Beat Australia 12-10 in RWC !!!
Maybe I have slightly skewed the idea of Thanksgiving but yesterday we had our new Canadian family group all together for a early thanksgiving dinner, Alex and David prepared the Turkey and other meat related bits (stuffing, sausages etc), Ceri and Jason prepared the veggies and Julie and I prepared dessert (Apple and Blueberry Crumble and a traditional Pumpkin Pie).
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At 3pm we all gathered at Alex and David's home and watched the England v Australia Rugby world cup quarter final (that was played on last friday). We had carefully avoided all sport/tv/websites/ anything that might give us the score. So it was a great game to watch. Jason and Ceri are Welsh so they took a bit of teasing when Jason asked if it was acceptable to support Australia ...... 
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I think we eventually left at 8pm the food was great and so was the company. I may load up some photos later. |
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• Friday 5 October 2007 - Moving Offices - Again
At work today we were all told we are moving to a new office building or in my case back to the building I left in July. Seems they will save alot of money if they move all their divisions out of leased buildings into those they own outright (duh that took some thinking about by senior management).
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So my actual moving day is 16th October, I have to pack everything back in the boxes, lucky me being a man means I havent even bothered to unpack since July so I have an easy time of just changing the labels.
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Another nice day today, on the radio they have warned us that the fire department has put a ban on fires. Damn I was going to sit out tonight and light up one in the truck wheel rim. There is something nice about sitting under the stars, with a campfire and watching the girls toast marshmallows, while I do something similar with sausages. Oh well I just sat on the back deck looking up at the stars. It is so dark out of the city the skies are beautiful. In the UK there was always some sort of lighting while here it can be pitched black in the house and you cannot see you hand infront of your face.
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One problem with the fire ban could be our celebration of being here 2 years (Nov 5th). We are organising a bonfire party, I hope it rains before then LOL never thought I would be wishing for rain.
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This weekend we are in a social whirl, tomorrow we have some neighbours over for dinner. Sunday we all whisk of to Alex and David's for dinner and to watch the Rugby then Monday is our thanksgiving dinner! We will look like bloody turkeys by tuesday!
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• Thursday 4 October 2007 - Another Beautiful Autumn Day
Is this getting monotonous, today is beautiful blue sky with hardly a cloud in sight and the temperature is about 24c.
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I never grow bored of seeing the fall leaves with their stunning shades of red, gold and yellow still mixing with green.
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This week I have been back at work and unbelievably people have been telling me to take it easy and asking if I should be back at work. The lady in the admin unit that tracks short and long term disability also asked if I should be back? Different attitude completely to the UK. Oh well I am going mad at home suffering a sort of enforced quality time with the family . It is hard to believe but I have been off work since July 28th.
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I am busy helping prepare a business plan and exhibition stand for Julie's purse venture. Her debut show is on the 3rd Nov at the Christmas Craft Fair in the Fredericton Exhibition Centre. Fingers crossed things go well and she sells lots of purses or handbags as I used to call them before moving here (then I can retire). |
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• Monday 1 October 2007 - Frost -4c last night
Before I talk about the drop in temperature I want to tell you about our sunday.
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We left the Lunar Rogue around half past midnight and picked the girls up from Ceri and Jasons house where they had been babysitting. It had been a good night out with our new extended family. David & Alex (he is from Doncaster and she is from Ottawa), Jason and Ceri (both from Wales) and Julie and I (from Nottingham) . In our group poor Alex is the one with the strange accent although she does enjoy our easy joking and she loves the Pub Night.
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So a late start on Sunday morning as we didnt get to bed until 1:30am, quick breakfast and busy getting read for Julie's Christmas exhibition.
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We were invited to Brenda Gillis's for Lunch / tea she told me on Friday that she was in a cooking mood and would be making Maritime food for us. Brenda is from Nova Scotia and she moved to Fredericton with her three kids (two daughters and one son) last year. She works with me at xwave as a Project Manager. Well she made four loaves of fresh bread, homemade bake beans, scalloped potatoes, and maple glazed ham, with apple pie for dessert. Julie took an Apple and Blackberry crumble to contribute to the feast. The food was great and we sat and talked for several hours leaving about 7:30pm.
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The sky was clear and we had our first real frost the outside thermometer was registering about -4c at 5:45am. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so looked out of the windows at the first frost and I read the telegraph online.
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• Saturday 29 September 2007 - Autumn (or Fall) is here
After our record breaking last few days the week has ended cooler. Yesterday it was a rain day, which is probably about the third one this summer. The river is low (see photos) and needs the rain but the only problem I have with the rain is that the grass grows! More mowing for me. Anyway today is back to a bright blue sky and very sunshine although a little cooler though at15c.
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Yesterday was a very busy day, I went to work at the office as part of my return to work plan building up to fulltime after the initial rest for Bells Palsy and after work a nice walk in the rain twice around the Beaver trail as part of my new improved David keep fit regime. I am definitely fitter and I have lost a little weight and as I get fitter I will take on more strenuous exercise. (Don't want to have a heart attack).
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In the late afternoon we also visited the local Enterprise office, and discovered that Julie wasn't eligible for Self Employment Benefit because she hasn't claimed EI (employment insurance - Dole to Brits) . However they have another program where she can get a loan with one year no payments and no interest. We are finishing her Business Plan and applying for that program. The advisor was impressed with Julie's purses and feels there is a definite market for them in Fredericton. I am making the frame for the exhibition stand and Julie spotted the perfect shelving units (they fold up) for the exhibition. It's all very exciting (for us anyway).
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As promised I took some photos today of the beautiful autumn / fall trees to share with you all. Ceri Davies told us of a view point were you can see across the Saint John river valley which is next to us, the photos below were taken from that vantage point.
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Views across the Saint John River with Hart Island in the middle. The river is low, the trees on the island are normally on the riverbank.

I don't know if I have told you this but Gemma is part of the SaveGrad committee and they are raising funds for a Save Graduation Party (alcohol free). Today she and a group of the committee have been raising money by giving car-washes for $5. She seems happier now than ever before.
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It seems like Kathryn is feeding the birds and squirrels of the whole east coast, we have flocks of birds queuing up for her bird table. Her Biology and Chemisty courses at UNB seem to be going ok she doesn't tell me much.
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Tonight is our monthly Pub Night with the Newcomers Club at the Lunar Rogue on King Street. I am really looking forward to that especially after England won through to the last 8 in the RWC 2007.
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• Wednesday 26 September 2007 - The Summer Continues!
Record breaking September temperatures. Yesterday saw the temperature at 31c beautiful if it wasn't this blasted Bells Palsy the summer would have been outstanding. However that said it has been a great summer.
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The trees are starting to turn their beautiful shades of red, gold, yellow and light green as the Autumn starts. One thing that always strikes me is the clear blue skies you get this time of year.

I will have to get some more photo's for the blog showing the Autumn beauty of the Maritimes.
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Tomorrow we are have an appointment with the Local Enterprise board to help Julie get started as a small business making her purses. This has been a long journey and I wish we had known about it earlier. But like many things in Canada you have to search it out much more than the UK. The provision of information in the UK seems to be made more available than here.
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Oh yes I made an appointment with an acupunture specialist for my Bells Palsy physio - Oct 9th 9am. I am hoping it will speed up my recovery. |
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• Saturday 22 September 2007 - Indian Summer
All this week the temperature has been hovering around the mid 20's and beautiful blue skies. The leaves are turning because of the frosts at night. 
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Julie is busy making purses for her debut show November 3rd at Fredericton Exhibition Ground's christmas craft fair. I am helping to build a business plan so she can apply for some help from the local enterprise agency.
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Kathryn is really enjoying her Biology and Chemistry studies, plus she is making friends. Gemma is one of the official photographers for the school year book and she is in the Save Grad club. She is making lots of friends and seems much happier too.
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Yesterday evening we sat on the back deck and watched a young American Kestrel trying to catch food. Now these are small birds looking similar to UK Kestrels and they eat mice, grasshoppers and perhaps a very small bird. This one has different ideas, it is chasing crows and actually managed to catch a Blue Jay but it doesnt have the ability to actually kill it so after much indignant squawking the Blue Jay flew to a tree and the Kestrel chased a passing Crow. All the squirrels were scurrying around and the sparrows hid in the trees. It was funny to watch this little Kestrel chasing after a big Crow.
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Apparently this isn't unusual and on the radio the other week they were talking about immature bald eagle trying to pick up a German Shepherd dog  |
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• Monday 17 September 2007 - Doctors Visit
Well I had a re-assement with the Doctor today and she doesnt see any improvement in my Bells Palsy so prescribed some physio with acunpuncture and another bloodtest to search for anything behind the problem.
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My company (xwave) is being very understanding about the problem and mostly they urge me to rest and get well rather than rush back to work.
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Another gloriously sunny fall day 22c, we are having frosts at night now and the leaves are starting to turn those beautiful Autumnal colours. All of the birds and animals seem to be rushing around eating anything and hoarding the peanuts that Kathryn puts out on her bird table. We have seen Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Cow Birds, Grackles, Blue Jay's, Chippin Sparrows, Juncas, collared doves and even Merlins (I guess they are looking to eat some of our other visitors).

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Racoons visit the deck most evenings, groundhogs in the garden and all sorts of squirrels, and chipmunks
All photos by Gemma Whelbourn
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• Monday 17 September 2007 - Queens County Fair
Lazy weekend, yesterday rained all day. It is the first grey day we have had in a long time. Funny but it reminded us of England.
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As is typical in New Brunswick one day of rain followed by 7 days of sunshine. Today was gloriously sunny with a temperature of about 18c.
So we ventured out to the Queens County Fair in Gagetown. Like most things we had to search out information about where this was being held. We had heard it advertised on the Radio for about two weeks but they never actually gave the location. Well it was in Gagetown (a pretty town on the banks of the Saint John River). It took us a while to get there and we had a great time. Horses, cows, poultry, vegetables, fruits, jams, pies, quilts, biggest pumpkin prize together with arts and photography competitions a fair and rides. A real village / county fair.
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1st Prize - 620 pounds of Pumpkin!!! |
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The competition was pretty tough.
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| All photos by Gemma Whelbourn |
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The fair is probably how the English county fairs were 20 years ago. There is a great opportunity here for someone who is in that area to build a new business with little or no competition. Infact there are lots of opportunities here for people from the UK where they can take ideas and transplant them to NB.
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Anyway we had a good time so this will be on the calendar for next year and who knows we may enter some pickled onions British Style (like many things in North America even pickled onions are sweet). Maybe Gemma will enter some of her photographs she certainly seems to have an eye for it and she has been nominated official photographer for her high school yearbook.... that means lots of trips to sports and events.... Dad can I get a ride to .... I can hear it now.
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