Spring? Really???

Well, we thought we would soon be on our way.... Canadian Spring weather had other ideas.Our truck is serviced and our trailer ready, waitng for us on Mary & Jim's smallholding south of town, and we spent the week honing our skills - Sid at driving through the middle of Calgary daily, Penny navigating and becoming adept at interpreting TOM-TOM's cryptic instructions, getting ready for departure tomorrow (Saturday). Imagine our dismay when the weather service issued a storm warning - in red block capitals on all weather channels - stating that there is a huge snowstorm approaching the whole of southern Alberta this weekend, expecting up to 25 cm of snow, accompanied by high winds. Jane and Victor are adamant that they would not set out in such conditions and will not allow us to do so either. We bow to their greater experience in these climes, wryly acknowledging that the time has arrived sooner than expected, when our children are telling us what to do and we obey!!

So this is the sight that will no doubt greet us again in the morning, and we will simply pull the blankets over our heads and go back into hibernation until Spring is really sprung!

Winter wonderland

We are now heading for the next leg of our trip, and the preparations are hectic! The trailer and truck are standing in the parking area of the apartment, and we are very keen to begin packing our 'huisie', but the -5'C, accompanied by a nippy little breeze and fog and the most beautiful hoare frost, tend to slow things down a bit! We went on a major shopping expedition yesterday, and purchased all sorts of treasure for the trailer. Talking about treasure, we also found, in an old packet in one of the cupboards, all the trailer's handbooks and user manuals - it may sound strange, but there really is an art to the plumbing system and furnaces, so Sid is reading away happily, getting to understand the inner mysteries of RV living!


Registering the vehicles proved to be quite challenging, as it required several bus trips to the appropriate offices with various bits of information, but fortunately public transport is regular, (from just over the road from the apartment) and the buses are all WARM inside, so that is finally done and the new number plates are in place. Today Victor and Jane are going to help us do a little maintenance on the trailer and service the truck, and then we will be on our way!

19 March - W-Day!

At last, the big day - the hall looked great, everything in place, and joy in great measure. What can one say about such an occassion, except that it was wonderful, Jane looked radiantly beautiful, and that we are now a son and a whole large, loving family richer than we were last week? It was really special to have Joan and Brian (my sister and her husband) all the way from Johannesburg, South Africa, to be with Jane for this momentous day in her life, and Johann and Tharrie ( my first cousin, also  living in Calgary, what are the chances of that??!!) present at the family table too. We had a lovely day and a great celebration - what a party!

Wedding preparations - joyful jobs!!

The Big Day has come and gone - and what a day it was! Well, truth be told, what a week it was - first of all, the preparations took place in a storm of activity, as we helped Jane wash hundreds (it seemed like hundreds) of little bottles and their lids for the Favors. (Why can't they sell the glue that they use to stick labels on, in tubes, so that one can use it when one really needs something to stick?!) Then labelling, ribbon, buterflies, sour sweets, and they looked so pretty...

Next step was table decorations. Twigs Jane wanted, and twigs we gathered, in the little forest behind their appartment on the hill. The snow was knee-deep in places, and while we were up there the heavens opened and we found ourselves in a REAL snowstorm - big flakes falling in silence - what an awesome experience! To my amazement we were not wet, and we had a very successful twig-gathering time.

Back home once more, twigs were sprayed (many thanks to Victor for a job well done) and I was delighted when Joan and Brian arrived from South Africa the next day and Joan could lend a hand with the fiddly job of blossoms and butterflies. The results were most satisfying, and we were all set to go!

Count-down to the wedding - what a busy time!

Time flies by, and there are only 3 days left to Jane and Victor's wedding - hard to believe we have been here more than two weeks already. Last weekend was a really busy one, with a trip to Olds on Saturday to watch  Victor's team in the charity sno-pitch tournment, and a 2-hour drive in the other direction on Sunday to see whether the rig that was for sale out there would fit our needs for our tour.

The Tournament was great to watch: a group of  energetic young people playing a game very much like Rounders, in snow that was knee-deep. Diving for a catch was literally that - the fielder would disappear into the snowdrift and resurface with the ball held high. Running between bases was a real challenge, and we were told that it is like running on soft beach sand, only worse! Everyone was totally exhausted by the end of the weekend, as they play at least four games each day!! The spectators applaud and encourage with noisy enthusiasm, and a wonderful time is had by all. We were really cold, but one of the players was actually wearing SHORTS!! Canadians are tough....

The trip out to Vulcan on Sunday was a two-hour drive down south, and the scenery was truly breathtaking

 

We spent about an hour looking at the 5th wheel trailer and truck, and decided it looked good, so once it has been through all the necessary checks, that will be our home for the next number of months. It is cosy inside, and has plenty of storage space, electrical hook-up capability, a fridge with a small freezer compartment, a gas stove with an oven, a couch and eating nook, a TV aerial, a double bed in the elevated area and a shower and toilet on board - what more could one need? The plan is becoming a reality..

Snow fun!

We are  now becoming aclimatised to this unfamiliar weather, and realising that the only reason it is tolerable is because of the lovely down jackets that Jane and Victor have sourced for us to use.

I wore my own Grey Junior duffle coat (the one that is used for the freezing Grey Bloem weather) yesterday - was quite sure it would do the trick - and I nearly FROZE! Thank you Jane and Victor for resources that enable our inexperienced survival!

Over the weekend we tried something completely new - riding on a snowmoblie (only as a passenger though, not brave enough to drive one) It was really an awesome experience, fast & SSSOOOO cold! All bundled up in a snow-suit and crash helmet and sheepskin mittens, and still frozen by the time we got back to the house despite all that!

This week we are hunting for our future mode of transport - RV, truck-and-trailer (caravan) or truck-and-fifth-wheel?? Many advantages to each option, so we will look for the best deal and then try to make sense of driving a unfamiliar set of wheels on the wrong side of the road - life is certainly never dull!!

Out in the cold!

Well, here we are in Calgary, and it has been a baptism of ice, not fire! It was so cold when we arrived here, the wind chill factor took the temperature to -35'C, and the cargo doors of the plane were frozen shut, so they had to heat the plane with steam before they could remove the luggage!  It was really strange to leave London at 1:30pm on Monday afternoon and arrive in Calgary at 3:30pm - after travelling for nine hours!! It has taken the body clock a few days to re-oreintate, and now we are ready to brave the big freeze. Jane has managed to borrow suitable coats for us, and we set off on our first trip feeling like stuffed toys - after five minutes outdoors we no longer minded looking decidedly strange, and were really grateful for the layers of clothing and the unusual headgear! Although it is very cold outdoors, all indoor areas are well heated, so it is easy to forget that it is midwinter.  The snow is really beautiful, and I feel like a child - so excited to see the snowflakes falling.........