Canadian Taps & Wild Cows

There are some things that I just assume that my children know about, or at least have recollections about from living in Canada.  For example, on day 2 of our road trip we passed a field of Holstein cows, and Abby innocently asked "are there WILD cows around?"  After a little snicker (I apologize, but it was cute), we talked about how cows are typically domesticated in British Columbia.  Watch, one day she'll be hiking a mountaintop meadow and run across a wild cow, and both Tris and I will have to ask her forgiveness for snickering at her question.

I was a bit more taken aback at my brother's house when last evening one of my kids came out of the powder room and asked my sister-in-law how to work the tap.  It's one of those round, crystal taps that you turn left for hot, right for cold.  You push up to turn on the water and pull down to turn it off.  Simple.  Unless of course you've spent the last 3 years in a house that has only cold water in the kitchen and bathrooms (except for the showers which have individual hot and cold faucets), or in public toilets (not washrooms/bathrooms/restrooms) that either provide a squat toilet, a bucket and a scoop, or a sprayer coming out of the wall OR, in malls where the toilets flush themselves and the soap and water turn on automatically.  Those are the contrasting experiences we've had in the last 3 years, and none of them, apparently, includes a round, crystal tap.  This leads me to wonder what terribly exciting learning adventure is in store for my kids tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.

Alberta Bound

Candace and Nathan cutting their Mario cake

It's been two weeks since we arrived in Canada, and we've done a good job of vacationing.  The weather hasn't been too bad, not nearly as cold as last year but still not super sunny either.  I usually walk around with a light jacket on each day, so that's a bit of a treat after spending the last year trying to wear as little as possible while still being acceptable in public.  So far on our trip we've seen both sets of parents and we've been able to get a few dinners/coffee dates with a few friends.

lovely Dale

The highlight of our quick, 4 day return to Vancouver Island, other than reuniting with family and watching the Canucks lose to Boston, was watching a good friend Candace get married to a guy who seems just perfect for her.  They're quite two peas in a pod, and it's a delight to see her happily skipping off into the sunset with the man she loves, and didn't even know existed this time last year.  Sadly, although I was able to visit with my dear friend Dale (Candace's Aunty Dale) at the wedding, our paths won't cross again this trip home and that makes me sad.  On a happy note, I was able to meet and quiz my friend Rebes' new husband Wayne, giving him the friend-5th-degree, which he passed with flying colours.  Again, sadly, I will not see Rebes again for a long time as she's moved from the Island as well.  Thankfully, all three of the above mentioned women have spent some time in Indonesia and we have some wonderful memories and photos for me to look at whenever I miss them.

Last year I had fun camping with some girlfriends for my 40th, but with time and circumstance being the way that they are, we settled this year for a girlie, reminiscent-of-7th grade, sleeping-on-foamies-on-the-cement-floor-of-the-basement sleepover.  Times have changed since the 7th grade, and after a delicious steak dinner, a cooler or two, and some intense catch-up chatting, we were all fast asleep before midnight.  My goal is to one day all meet in Bali and we can chat non-stop for a week!

the cousins after a long walk

hanging in the hot tub

The last week has been spent in Cloverdale, visiting my husband's family and mostly just hanging out.  This year our intent is to just be with others, rather than always going, and overall we've done that quite nicely.  We've gone on long forest walks, explored the birthplace of British Columbia (Fort Langley--gotta get some Canadian history in my kids while I still can!!), gone for coffee and just hung out in the back yard.  I have to admit, I've gone shopping a few times, much more than last year, and it's been difficult to say no to all the good things that jump out at me ALL over the place.  Did Value Village twice and a few bookstores as well...very successful but not sure how we'll get it all home.

cousins panning for gold in Fort Langley

Today we're all sleeping in on the day we should be running around getting packed up.  In 2 hours we're expected to be at the Rod and Gun Club for a special events day, and after 2 hours of shooting fun our family of 4 will head off down the highway, take a left towards Alberta, a few zigs and zags and we'll be at the foot of the Rocky Mountains before we know it.  Tomorrow we explore the mountains, Banff and whatever else comes our way.  After that we'll head to my brother's house in Red Deer (I'm so excited!), down to cousins in Calgary and then further south to Idaho to visit friends we met in Indonesia.  This is a trip I'd never thought we'd take and so I am very excited about it, and about seeing all the people we'll get to visit.

Once we head back to Canada we'll keep on driving and will start the 3rd leg of our journey in Campbell river with my family. At this point the thought of returning to Indonesia overwhelms me, not because it's a negative thing, but because there's still so much to see and do before we pulang (head home).  Instead of stressing, I'm going to sit in the passenger seat of our van, watch the beautiful scenery whiz by, enjoy time with family and friends, and keep up the constant eating that I've done since I arrived.

Thanks for reading!

Halfway to Canada

When I was little we used to talk about digging our way through the earth, getting halfway to China.  Here I am, in Taiwan, which is halfway to my childhood home.  We've got 14 more flight hours and then we're there.  To get rid of any pent up energy from the first leg of the trip, and to stretch my legs a little, I plugged into my mp3 and walked the store corridor.   It's a long stretch of expensive, beyond-my-finances and beyond-my-need stores, people movers, and high-priced snack bars, and nothing really caught my eye enough to make me stop.  While I was walking, the Eagles' 'Desperado' came on and I had a major flashback to my teenage past.  Memories of sitting in front of a campfire along a lake somewhere, sometimes roasting marshmallows and usually watching the stars, blasted my thoughts and made my heart skip a beat.  Over the years whenever a group of us got together for the evening or to camp for the night, someone always provided music, and Desperado is one of those 'summer songs' that whisks me back to those nights.  As an aside, I remember camping across from our place at Sproat Lake in a spot that we could only reach by boat.  Wouldn't you know it, the people I was with brought the usual necessities like tents and food, but what I remember most about that trip is the generator, stereo and 2 HUGE speakers that they plugged in smack-dab in the middle of nature.  I kind of liked it!  Probably those across the lake weren't so thrilled, but it sure made a good memory for me.

Who would have thought, in the 1980s, that 20-something years later I'd be walking the halls of a Taiwanese airport, on my way home for a visit, and that I'd be living in a foreign country like Indonesia?  Life sure takes some interesting turns, and gives us some challenges and opportunities to stretch.  I must say, I've been stretched over the last 3 years, but overall, I am extremely thankful.  I am so excited to be heading home that I feel like an 8 year old waiting for Christmas morning to arrive.  Only 14 more hours and we land on sweet Canadian soil.

Thanks for reading.

O Canada, here we come!!!

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Canada, we're almost there.  Just a few more sleeps and we're on the plane.  There's a lot to do until then, with moving into a new house (new to us) just down the street, finishing up school, finalizing some paperwork and of course, going for the final travel touches...manicure/pedicure for Kim and whoever else in this family who wants to come along.

Tomorrow is a busy one.  We're moving some of our things out of our house tomorrow, school parties are planned all day long, I'm seriously booked for a salon visit (!), and tomorrow night Tris and I get to be part of a 'relationship' discussion panel held by the Senior School students.  I'm quite excited to be a part of this panel, and am impressed by the questions that have been asked (we get a preview of what they are...thank goodness).  I think it's good we have packed our days full, because I'm too excited to just sit around staring at my already packed suitcase.

On our Cdn agenda:  a good friend's wedding, a quick trip through the Rockies, a visit to family in Red Deer, in Calgary and on to stay with friends in Idaho, an open house at my parents so we don't miss seeing anyone on the island!!!, camping, and of course, just hanging on the porches at our parents houses, visiting with family and friends.  What am I most looking forward to?  Visiting, and showing my kids the Rockies.  I can't believe they're born and bred in BC and have yet to see them.

So, until we climb onto the plane that will land us safely in YVR (Tris is hoping we land the same time that the Canucks are passing through the airport...fingers, toes and all else crossed...), we will buzz around here, keeping busy, saying our sad goodbyes and looking forward to next week.

Thanks for reading.