OK,OK,OK...Christmas slowed me down. Here is a sample of what I was doing, including packaging and wrapping them to give as gifts - and that was only one thing. SR came home for Christmas which was nice - although as usual, I have not seen too too much of him. With the new multi-plex open, he was out playing soccer EVERY day. I must admit that new facility is great - one day I'll take my camera there. It has an indoor soccer arena, 2 hockey rinks and a gym for volleyball, basket ball etc & a huge pool with a lazy river- a weight room (with other equipment too) a childrens play area and the best coffee bar in town (Midnight Sun coffee).

So, hope y'all had a Merry Christmas and that Santa was good to you and I wish all that read my blog health and happiness in the New Year!

Winter is back. -20 degrees C today, but alas with the cold temperatures comes the beautiful light. Our days are much shorter now. Sunrise is at 9:39 AM, sunset at 3:59 PM. Getting ready for Christmas. All away parcels have been mailed so just intown to do. Only two more classes at college, then I'm done for now. If you're reading this Michele, thanks for your postcard. New Zealand sounds wonderful. If anyone else is travelling, please be aware I would much rather receive a postcard than an invoice in the mail. 

Yes, I was there too, but difficult to take the picture and be in it as well. 

Book club was here on the weekend. Two couldn't make it for various reasons, but those that were there did the Christmas ornament exchange and ate the best appies. Funnily, our conversation fell once again to the Life of Pi, a book we read many many moons ago and still talk about. 

...but did hit that international trade fair (forget it's name) downstairs in the CYO Hall. Here I found real Peruvians (who will be staying in town for 3 weeks and playing music at Zola's Coffee House in a couple of weeks) (I should have asked them if they knew Rusbel the little World Vision boy I supported for many years - but alas I forgot). Now that I was in the Christmas spirit, came home and (as there were no movies playing in town that I wanted to see except for the new Harry Potter movie, but wouldn't stand in LINE with the young ones) I made some Christmas cookies, which I will serve at book club next week at my house.

Spruce Bog was once again at F.H. Collins High School. It was more crafts than art, although I did purchase one Christmas gift there. It still is a great place to meet all the people you know in town though. So a trip through this venue, then off to Midnight Sun & General Store, as they were having their open house (with nibblies), Westmark Hotel as they were having the home business fair, (missed the Java Connection with the quilting fair, but did hit ...

First stop, Bakkerei (sp?) Kaffee Haus- you know the one in Horwood's Mall that no one can spell - to meet Brenda and start the excursion with some sustenance - a most delicious scone in the whole world and a cup of fair trade coffee.

Did have my camera with me this time, and as all the now melted, thought I'd show you the aftermath of the fire at Midnight Sun Coffee House. Standing by it, you can still smell the burnt timber.

November 19th -- Spruce Bog day! It must be the Christmas season, as this is THE day for arts & craft sales. Up early (relatively speaking) and drove downtown. Our winter weather has turned to spring. From -15 degrees celcius to +4! It rained last night, then froze, now it is warm again. The streets and sidewalks are shiny ice. But it is Spruce Bog day, so we plug on. All the cars are so dirty you cannot tell what colour they are. Here I am on my drive downtown.

Semi-arid you say??? It hasn't stopped snowing all month. I shovel every day. I have already levelled the tops of the flower boxes in this picture and again the snow has piled up. I think we are in for a winter like last year. And we have already had lower than normal temperatures. So winter is here and the snow makes it look like Christmas - very helpful to me as I try to assemble gifts to send south. Spruce Bog is next Saturday, and soon I will start baking the Christmas cookies. "Oooo, the weather outside is frightful....."  

In the wee hours of Nov 9, this was the scene downtown. Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters & The Nest (used furniture store) went up in flames. I drove past that afternoon (on the way to the dentist - yuck) and wished I had my camera. Both buildings were completely demolished by the fire - only black charred rubble on the ground. I drove by the next day WITH my camera, but enough snow fell that it looked like a little hill, so I didn't bother snapping a pic. (For you "old timers" reading this, this was the sight of the Pepsi bottling plant.)  

View from my bedroom - mountains on the left (snow capped), lots of trees, and a church on the right. Lots of blue sky today and just a skiff of snow on the ground. 

My neighbour is a birder - in fact, his job is banding birds in Watson Lake. He predicted that soon, birds will flock to my mountain ash tree and pick it clean of berries. I watched the birds the other day clean up a tree across the street. It was amazing. The flock swarms down like a tornado, circles the tree then all of them fly away in one swarm. They flew away before I could get me camera and the tree was clean. Today was my turn. I did manage to get a few pictures before they left. Here is a berry eater I caught on film. 

So, for a quick update - The boxes are unpacked and the living room, dining room and hallway are all painted. Just have 2 more bedrooms to re-paint before I can relax. Have started my photoshop course at the college and love learning - and there is a lot to learn there. Will be working at my old job for 2 days next week - just to help them out. And today, I must make my artichoke dip to take to book club tonight. That's my life in a nutshell. I can't wait to get everything done so I can slow down a little. SR will be coming home for Xmas (he just had his 23rd birthday, for those that know him), so I want the house in order well before that. Here's my front door, and everyone is welcome. The kettle is always on! 

Cleaned out my rock garden and look who I found. 

I'M BACK....took a small walk - and I mean small - behind my house today. Was going to take some great pictures of the mountains as it was a clear, crisp, fall day. Found that all the clouds were sitting on TOP of the mountains, so here's the only portion of the view you can see. "There's snow on them thar mountains!". Yes, but it isn't on the ground yet. I expect any day now... 

Monday September 26, 2005

Just a couple of words to let you know I am still alive and living in a new home. Finally unpacked (almost) all of the boxes and just found my camera, so no pics yet. Kayla, if you are reading this, your birthday gift will be late - I still haven't found it. Started my college course too, so Tuesday afternoons I am sitting in a classroom. Will start painting the inside of the house next, but first I want to just sit and sip my wine. Now that I am in town I get more visitors as well - which is of course welcome, so if your in the neighbourhood, drop in - the kettle is always on.

Fall has been here for a bit now. The colours are beginning to glow vibrantly. Although our days are still overcast, the sun does shine periodically and you can breathe in the fresh fall air. I'm STILL packing. Almost finished now, which is good as I move this Thursday. I start my college class tomorrow. On Wednesday, my computer gets packed up, so you won't hear from me for a bit, but the computer is usually the first thing that gets unpacked. Then I have to remember how to attach to the internet again - something I'm not very good at. So, I'll say adieu from my old house and the next time you hear from me, I'll be in my new abode. 

Haven't written much - as you can see my house is getting emptier and emptier (except for the rec room which is filled to the brim with boxes). 27 years of collecting things makes for a lot of boxes. My move is the 15th, my class at Yukon College starts on the 13th, and my garage sale is the 10th, so I just keep plugging away. I probably won't write too much until this move is over, but will try to keep you up to date. If I haven't emailed you my new address, please email me and I will be pleased to send it to you - and invite you over for a lovely cup of tea in my new digs. 

Do we look any different than when we were high school rebels together? The unfortunate incident of the evening was when Nuge took a sip of his beer and immediately began spewing it all over us...he had started to drink a WASP, which stung him on the inside of his lip. Other than that, we remembered great stories (remember the Red Barn???) and great laughs. 

Guess who came to visit - Mat-tea. Here we are saluting old times - me, Paulette, Matt 

For MJT 

Just to prove I did fly, here is the 2 Mile Hill (the road from the Alaska Highway down into Whitehorse) with the Takhini Arena on the right (turquoise roof) and the new pool and sports centre top left (can hardly see it but it is blue and white). It is smoky so you cannot see the mountains in the distance.  

I SHOULD BE PACKING, but... went up in a helicopter today with my neighbours Kristin & Helen. "Little" Ben Drury was pilot. I knew him as a toddler, now I put my life in his hands! It was fun albeit smoky (from the forest fires in Alaska). Flew over Whitehorse and area - my house (although I was on the wrong side for a picture), followed the Takhini River a bit and the golf course. Same company Hilary Clinton will be using for her visit on Monday. 

Summer finally arrived yesterday! I have put my coat away and taken out my shorts. I thought I wasn't going to use my summer clothes this year, but alas, away went the clouds, rain and wind and out came the sun. My thermometer is registering 37 degrees celcius currently. My flowers are loving it as long as I remember to give them a drink. 

My next door neighbour has a most beautiful garden. Here is one of her displays. 

Remember the cute little Yellow-belly sap sucker that flew into my window and we revived? This is what they do to trees, often killing them. They love the sap and the bugs. 

A view of the deck and back yard. 

My new home. My offer was officially accepted today.  

Thursday, August 4, 2005

Just to keep you up-to-date, this real estate magnet has just bought a condo in Edmonton, Sold a country-residential house in Whitehorse and am in the process of buying a downsized house here (am signing the papers tonight!). I am also the contact for selling SR's truck and "parts" truck and want to sell some of my furniture too. Am so busy I don't quite know what I'm doing, between purchasers, vendors, banks, lawyers ... so will write again when things have settled.