Hi all,
Well another weekend gone.
Saturday morning, snowing...meh.
Snow didn't last long and then the sun started coming out, Spring is on its way and all that lovely white virgin snow has given way to mud and slush. Saturday morning was spent around home, then we went out to do some shopping and go ice skating. Once again Chelle became the queen of the thrift shop and got her self a snow jacket, a spray parker, some boots and two windcheaters for me all for $37.00, got to love thrift shops.
After that we went and checked out Costco. All I can say for those that live in Sydney, when the one in Auburn opens up become a member. I don't think there's much this place doesn't sell and much cheaper than everywhere else. Only catch is that most things are sold in bulk, but if you've got the space it'll save heaps.
After Costco it was back down to Burlington waterfront for another skate, unfortunately the weather didn't co-operate and the council closed the ice not long after we got there because it was getting slushy and dangerous. It was good to see Canada also has its fair share of idiots, we watched a woman argue with one of the workers for half an hour because they closed the ice, not content with the verdict, she then went and as far as we could see phoned anyone that would listen. In the time she wasted she could have driven to any one of a number of other venues that would probably have been open. some people.
After this let down it was back home via a sports store to pick up some ski goggles, Chelle also picked up a cheap pair of second hand ski boots. Anyone see a pattern building here:-)
18:00 it was off to Glen Eden Ski Park for another shot at discovery lessons for the kids and I and this time a run for Chelle. Ryan and Tash are starting to pick up skiing quite well and I think we've achieved all we can with Discovery lessons. time to step up to private lessons, which are unfortunately all booked out till the end of the season. bummer. Tash enjoyed herself this time as she got the hang of it and Ryan was giving all the baby slopes he could get to a bash. I enjoyed myself and am keen to get really serious about skiing.
Chelle met back up with us later in the night after having given the other slopes a go and seemed happy that some of her former skills were coming back.
Sunday morning, sleep in and brunch and vege around the house. In the afternoon it was back out to the skating rink and sure enough the same woman was there, wonder if she stayed the night and stared the ice into submission?
Tash has got her confidence up and can head out on to the ice on her own and navigate her way around ok. Ryan by the end of the session had shaken off the wobbles and was starting to glide, a few more sessions and he should be catching up to Tash.
Monday, I got the car, Yay... Because we were going out that night Chelle got a lift into work and left the car for me, so after dropping the kids at school I went off for a bit of an explore in Hamilton. Hamilton is much like Newcastle, a steel town.
Monday afternoon the kids and I drove in to Missassauga, picked Chelle up and then headed into Toronno (yes that's how you say it) for the Bon Jovi concert. We had booked into the Novetel, 5 mins away from the Air Canada centre so we didn't have to do the hike back out to Burlington afterwards. After getting in we headed off to dinner at what is becoming our favourite Pizza & Pasta joint in the city, once again we got to hear a familiar accent as the waiter we had was from Melbourne, over here on a two year working visa.
The concert..... was bloody fantastic, even though we where in the nose bleed seats, literally we where in the very back row off to the left of the stage. There must have been around 30,000 people in the audience, with 60-70% being female, as Jon Bon Jovi commented during the show, "Bon Jovi is viagra for women" Being Valentines Day there was a fair number of ballads and they even did a good cover of Roy Orbisons "Pretty Woman" The audience went off.
Once again you couldn't keep my wife down, both Chelle and Ryan were up and bopping away. Tash on the other hand will probably never forgive us for dragging her along. At one stage she was sitting there playing her DS.
After the show we were all pretty shattered so it was back to the hotel.
Tuesday, we dropped Mum at school and I kept the kids home with me as they were still recovering.
As I said earlier, Spring has sprung and the snows quickly receding. Frosty's gone off to the big snow cave in the sky and the roof of the cavern has collapsed. This weekend they are predicting a heat wave, with temperatures getting as high as 12 degrees, time to break out the budgie smugglers. The change will be welcomed as it's a three day weekend coming up and we are taking our first trip below the border, we're going to head down to Buffalo to do some shopping and stay over Saturday night, so hopefully when next we meet I will have plenty of news.
Take care,
Ken
