Greetings from the land of the moose, the snow goose and the .......squirrel.
I'm going to spare everyone this week and keep this relatively short as there isn't a lot to report from the weekend. Saturday morning dawned clear with no flurries. (Hah, mother nature fooled you). and we had to be up and out early to attend the orientation conference for all the Australian exchangees over here at the moment, the conference was held at a college at on the other side of Toronto so it was a bit of a drive. It was great to arrive and hear an Aussie voice or two, it was also good to be able to sit down and discuss experiences and difficulties up to this point and it makes you realise you are not alone with some of the issues. Apart from the usual dry subjects like health and tenancy agreements etc there were a couple of Canadian teachers that had returned and gave us there thoughts and experiences of their year overseas. Surprisingly it turned out to be an interesting and valuable morning if only for the contacts we made.
There was a room set aside for the kids to play and Ryan and Tash made new friends that hopefully they will see periodically through the year. Most of the day was taken up by the conference then lunch afterwards at a place called the Swiss Chalet, know idea why it was called that as from what I saw most of the meals were fried. After lunch it was head back home and do the shopping, we also bought each of the kids second hand ice skates, so that will be next on the agenda.
Saturday also marked the anniversary of our first month in Canada, what a busy month it's been. we've had our up's and downs but seem to be settling in well, though one of the things we've resigned our selves to is not being able to get decent sausages over here. Another thing that is strange is going and buying your wine and spirits from a liquer store and then having to go and buy beer from the beer shop. I went out Friday to grab a bottle of Bacardi , some wine and beer. I picked up the wine and spirits and thought I'd get a bottle of coke, nope liquer shop doesn't sell softies??? Ok says I I'll try the beer shop, nope not open... On a Friday night!!!!
Sunday was spent at home as Chelle is deep into writing reports and parent teacher interviews, yep only been here a month and she's expected to write reports. The kids also had assignments they had to work on and aside from all that it was bitterly cold outside.
Was even colder this morning it got down to -20, though the weather network says it felt like -23, don't know what that's all about, guess it makes the Canucks feel they can hack the lower temps. It's an interesting sensation feeling the hairs in your nostrils freeze.
Australia Day this week and I guess all of you back home will be planning your bbq's, spare a thought for us. Chelle is going to put on an Aussie morning tea, so I've spent the day making lamingtons and Anzac biscuits and tomorrow am going to tackle meat pies and damper.
Thanks to my trusty Australian Womens Weekly cookbook I have been becoming quite adventurous in my cooking not to say that they've all turned out ok. I even had a go at baby back ribs in the oven and they turned out ok, but I've got to work on my sauce. The search for the perfect ribs is a national pastime over here, they even have a festival devoted to it here in Burlington. I am determined master ribs before I get back even if I have to cheat by buying the sauce Lol, so beware anyone who's coming over you are going to be the guinea pigs.
Well I'm going to sign off, this one has been a bit of a ramble. Everyone enjoy Australia Day.
All the best Ken, Chelle, Ryan and Natasha.
