…leaving the grandparents in charge, of course!

Jrock and I leave today for a long overdue getaway – just the two of us. That’s right, people – no kids!

Of course, we are leaving them in great hands. (Even though Sugar (above) has contracted a serious cold and her snivels are making us feel quite guilty.) Jrock’s parents have flown in from Saskachewan to look after the kids for five days. Meanwhile, Jrock and I are flying off to Las Vegas for a rest and relaxation.

Las Vegas isn’t my idea of a getaway, really – too many lights and stimulations. But we have direct flights, and honestly, it is so darn cheap. We are staying in a 5 star hotel for 4 nights… sweet. And my husband, who knows me well, allowed me to book as much time out of the city and hustle and bustle as possible. We’re going hiking, I get a day in the spa, and for the rest of the time, we’re planning on eatingour way through Vegas. I’m a bit of a food, you see… and Las Vegas does have some of the best restaurants in North America.

So chat with you when we get back! And I’ll be sure to share some pictures. Bon voyage a nous!

Last fall my brother B and his wife D moved out to Gatineau/Ottawa. I’m so glad they are doing their own thing and have found an exciting place to live – but it sure is far away. Anyway, when they came back to Vancouver Island to stay with D’s family over Christmas, I suggested that we meet up with them in Vancouver.

So early in the new year, we did just that. It was a 24 hour visit, but a good one. We picked them up at the ferry, drive to the hotel, and then spent the afternoon in Stanley Park. It was the last night of Bright Lights in the park, and the last day ever of the petting zoo. My husband, the wimpy Jrock, found himself chilled to the bone and grumped enough that we skipped the train in Stanley Park. But we went into the petting zoo for the girls, and despite its incredible lameness, they still loved it. Easy to please!

After a hybrid taxi ride back to the hotel (the girls just though this was amazing and asked so many questions…) we drove down to commercial for Ethiopian food. We went to Harambee, which has good food but isn’t that great of service. You always have to competitively wave someone down for more injera. I think we need to find a new Vancouver Ethio restaurant.. maybe next time we’ll try the Addis Cafe. The one we ate at on Broadway (Fassil?) had much better service, but the owner came out and gave us an angry earful last time about the Ethiopian child trafficking scam called adoption, etc. So hmmm.. not really on the list to try again. Too bad, because his wife was really nice and friendly. Anyway, any suggestions are appreciated!

The next day we went from dog boutique to dog boutique and explored Yaletown, which I had never been in before. Then at noon – off we went and bid my sis-in-law and brother goodbye. We had to get over the Okanagan Connector highway before dark, and to pick up the dogs in the kennel at home.

It was a lovely visit, though, and uncharacteristically clear and bright in Vancouver. Just lovely!

Well, I’m still feeling the pits, but my self-pity has droped down a notch or two. (Thanks for the good wishes, friends). Yesterday we had a great distraction – Jrock and I and the girls drove the three hours north to my godparents house. the overt purpose was to drop off our trailer, Gordon, to be stored at their property for the winter. But the (not so) covert purpose was to get out of town and have a relaxing visit with two of my specialest of pseudofamily members.

It was a grey day, but we still spent much of it outside. The farmer who owns the cows grazing my godparent’s land was there to pick the cattle up, so Sugar and spice had their first taste of herding cows. They paid close attention and did a great job wrangling some honery Anguses. The sticks they insisted on carrying reminded me of one of our pictures form the Ethiopian countryside. See why?

Today is a lazier day – ballet class, lunch out, baking muffins and catching up on some of my work while the cow herders sleep. And the sun has started shining… yeah. Here are some other pictures form a lovely day.

While we were in Victoria, Jrock was also on the west coast – but south! He traveled to San Francisco with his brother to watch a couple of NFL games.  Jrock is a San Francisco 49ers fan; his brother D is an Oakland Raiders fan (just across the bay.)

He came home with a hoarse voice from all the yelling and screaming he did at both games, a good indication of his level of enjoyment, lol. I think it’s great that he spends this time with his brother… they did it two years ago and it’s nice that every once and a while they get to burp, scratch themselves, yell and generally be mannly men together!

I thought it was cool that they wore each other’s (mortal enemy) jerseys, don’t you?

The girls and I went on a whirlwind trip down to Vistoria this weekend. We didn’t have much time, but we did what we set out to do: we joined First Nations chiefs and elders, farmers and environmental advocates from across BC to protest the proposed Site C dam.

I’ll share some pictures when I get organized, but for now, here is some of the media coverage for the event. Unfortunately, our headline speaker, David Suzuki, was fogged out and they couldn’t land his float plane. Still, I hope our message got through.

• Site C dam critics rally support at legislature
• Northeast natives rally against dam
• Assembly of First Nations and Treaty 8 First Nations call for Full Panel Review on Site C Hydroelectric Dam and fulfillment of Duty to Consult with First Nations

In the Okanagan we have a huge fall fair – it’s called the Interior Provincial Exhibition. Apparently 150,000 attend the fair each year. That’s a lot! And it has been going strong for 111 years, which is another impresive number.

A few years ago, Jrock and I went for the first time, and swore we would bring our kids “when we got them”  (This was during the interminable wait.) Well, we got to take them on Sunday. Junk food, icecream, pony rides, carosel rides, jungle gym, petting zoo, animal exhibit barns, dog agility trials – whew! The IPE’s a kids dream come true.  We had a lovely time. We had to rush back because Jrock was working a night shift, but next year, a full day.

On a side note, both Jrock and I grew up spending substantial time outdoors.  He grew up on a farm (lots of cattle, but a few chickens and the like.) I spent a lot of time in the woods and mountains. Our kids are urbanites, though; we’re so aware that they are city girls. But we want them to feel comfortable with animals, and with quiet, and with nature. So we make sure we give them lots of opportunities to see farms and get out in the bush. And taking our time walking beside the creek in the mornings on the way to school, observing the ducks and muskrats – that’s important stuff. It may not be “every day” stuff, but we hope it’ll be “special stuff” and they’ll grow up to value some of those things like sustainable agriculture, and connections with nature. For an interesting read on the topic, check out “Last Child in the Woods-Revised: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” by Richard Louv.

The girls, my mom, my sister and I had a wonderful time hiking at Lake O’Hara. It’s just such an amazing, wonderful place… even if we did have rain for the first day and a half.  But us ladies are no strangers to roughing it, so we packed warm and had lots of fun.

It’s an interested unique place for many reasons. First, you are living communally with other hikers from all around the world. You brush your teeth together, cook together, warm up in the shleter together.  We met a lovely family from Isreal on a 5month tour of Canada. They had a ltitle girl the same age as Sugar and Spice, so they really enjoyed playing with her.  We’re going to write her letters close to Christmas time, when she is due home.

It’s also amazing because youreally are just below the tree line, in high alpine. So there are all these fun ground squirrels, picas, snowshoe hairs and other little animals for the girls to spy on. They are micro-level hikers… the spectacular moutnains and vistas were the big people’s delight; the small people enjoyed the animals, mushrooms, lichens and mosses.  The trails are so fantastic that it makes high alpine accessible for four year olds (and grammas too!)

Enjoy the video… It’s fun to take you along. I’m sure Auntie Ena got much better pictures… but mine will give you the idea, anyway. Thanks to my mom and sister for accompanying us! With their help and good cheer, we had a positive, cheery experience, even in dreary weather.

With three computers simultaneously freshing refreshing at 7am in the morning, we (J & C and us) by some miracle of fate, managed to secure two campsites for the weekend at Haines Point in Osoyoos. It’s only BC’s busiest campground! But there’s a reason. The small campsite is gorgeously situated in the middle of a lake on a spit; each campsite almost has its own beach, there is a big dog beach, it’s shady with big cottonwoods, etc.

We had a lovely time with our friends a couple of weekends ago. The girls hadn’t spent time with their friend Tigger most of the summer, so it was so nice to reconnect and just chill.

Since we got married, my husband has cheerfully allowed me to drag him up and down a few mountains. But as a prairie boy, it isn’t really his thing. It’s my thing. So I figure, if I want my girls to experience the Canadian wilderness the way I have experienced it, it’s up to me.

One pair of boots is a little more tarnished than the others.

So off we go this weekend… our intro trip. We’re hiking at Lake O’Hara, up in the alpine meadows of Yoho National Park. It’s supposed to rain, but what the heck. It’ll still be fun and lovely. We’re going with my sister and my mom – just us girls! The girls actually told me they thought hiking was a girls-only activity; I had to explain it’s not a segregated thing… just this trip~ no boys allowed!

Of all the strange places in the world, I finally bought my very own injera pan in… wait for it… New Norway, Alberta. Look it up on google maps and you’ll know why I was surprised. 

Jrock and I were taking a round-about way home, wandering through the secondary highways looking for antiques, when we pulled into the unmarked antiques store.

Just when Spice and I were about to leave, what should I see but a PILE of BRAND NEW INJERA PANS! And I mean stainless steel, North American plugs, super duper looking injera pans! 

Well, it makes sense, since Norwegians use the same pans to make lefse (Norwegian pancakes.) But it was still surprising.  So if you want a pan, call the lady there!  She was super nice and is happy to ship them. The pan cost $170ish… but worth every penny if you ask me. I’ve been trying to get my hands on a good pan for ages, and finally, I have one!  Now, I just have to start making better injera….

To buy your own pan…

Call Joan at Nifty Things in New Norway, Alberta. 780-855-2696!

Continuing our eastward journey… we spent several days in Saskatchewan, visiting Jrock’s family and some dear friends.  He grew up in that area, and we also lived together for 5 years in the neighborhood. 

So it was lovely to reconnect with our Best Nextdoor Neighbors Ever S and R… who now hae a little tike.  As well, A  and W: A grew up with Jrock and now lives back in the small small town. Their daughter is just growing and growing! And last, but certainly not least, was Jrock’s family. the girls met their only cousin for the first time, and had a blast with him.  He’s a lovely little boy, firmly planted in toddlerhood, and yet still very sweet.

The girls had several unique experiences, including visitng cows out in the pasture with Uncle K’s dad, chatting up the old farmers on coffee row, peering into a lion cage at the Lloydminster petting zoo (and hearing Mommy’s mixed feelings on petting zoos after,) and antiquing our way through the countryside.

Enjoy the pictures! It almost makes you want to go to Saskatchewan for a pleasure trip. Except for the mosquitos. And the tornados. And the thundershowers. And the muggy heat.  Hmmm… Ok, maybe just the fam visits! I have to say, we miss our peeps, but we are SO very glad that we moved to the Okanagan!

We always enjoy going to visit our friends and family in Calgary – we just never seem to have enough time!  But this time, in two days, we crammed in an Ethiopian lunch with Nona and Auntie ; Butterfield Acres and a splash park with our hosts K, L and Leo (as well as more Ethiopian food!); a Roughriders/Stamps game/tailgate party (for Jrock) with his best bud K, and lunch with K the next day. …Whew.  Fun though! 

Well it isn’t the Naramata Bench if you don’t do a little wine tasting, now is it?

We did slip away to see a few wineries… our favourite that we tasted at was La Frenz - everything was good. Somebody there obviously knows what they are doing.  And the prices were great. Kettle Valley had respectable wines… I came home with a few bottles, including a viognier which I have had several times before. Hillside had a sirah we liked, but that was it. It had a nice cafe, though… Jrock and I enjoyed our meals but the girls felt their pastas were too bland. Probably the first time a chef had a kids meal sent back for blandness, but heck – they were right. Marichel is doing exclusively Cotes-du-Rhone varieties, which is a bit limiting, but they had a viognier/sirah blend which was interesting. And Therapy was, well, terrible. Not on the recommended list.

The other reason we go wine tasting is the AC! Seriously, when it gets hot as hell camping out in the semi-arid desert, it’s a good idea to take the dogs and kids to the wineries.   The dogs are welcome anywhere there isn’t a restaurant, as long as, just like the kids, they are well-behaved. Which they are. And the kids like the occasional treats like slushies and cheese and other tidbits they get along the way.

Enjoy the pictures!

Harambee was a chance for the girls to spend some time with their new and old friends… I found they did more socializing than I did – maybe in future years I’ll get a chance to relax a bit more. But it was neat to see.

Sugar, in typical fashion, hung out with her Swazi friend T and some of the older girls, like JC and R & S… but she also stayed quite close to her mama and ababa. Spice, on the other hand, found a new friend that she stuck like glue to – C, who is a sweet boy seven years old (R&S’s brother.)

So both girls floated around in the same crowd much of the time, flitting between our trailers and the gathering places, but C and Spice would constantly find each other and dance with each other, etc. At the hip. So funny.

For me, a highlight was seeing my friends E and S, and L with her husband K. The first three I stayed iwth in Ethiopia, and it was lovely to see them again. they both looked so relaxed and happy. Eplainable in contrast to when we were in Ethiopia – top stress for them because they were some of the Almaz moms that busted out their babes early from the transition home, and for me because of the whole visa / bankruptcy business. In fact, E was the first one to email me from Ethiopia to tell me to get over there and pick up my kids.  

I digress. But they stopped for part of the day and we went to a winery and did a little catching up. Otherwise, I spent a little time with my friends from Kelowna and got to know some of them a bit better. We also started spending a bit of time with JC’s family from Nakusp, who are really nice. Next year – more visiting!