Alberta Newsletter Volume 1 Edition 4... Let it snow!

Let it snow and let's go skiing!

Brr! Can you believe it, it was 30 below as we skied at Marmot Basin on the weekend with the Johnstons!!! To be honest, with our balaclavas and hats and goggles we looked like we were about to head off to rob a bank rather than woosh down a hill!!! It was fantastic nonetheless and after finishing one run (or maybe two runs for the really brave) we'd head indoors to thaw out and then go out again. They say only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, well I think there should be a saying about mad cats and Aussies going out skiing in 30 below... well you do have the mountain to yourself! Johnston family pictured here saying their final sad goodbye to Marmot Basin after a year in Canada on Teacher exchange...

The Rocky Mountains are truly spectacular. Each time we took a photo we'd look at the digital image and say "oh, that doesn't quite capture it" and try again, you cannot capture the enormity, the expanse the sheer grandeur of the place.




Some wildlife wandered across our path on our way home and as a semi-trailer was headed our way we slowed to a stop to let the mountain sheep have their side of the road and the truck have his side.

After skiing we returned to work and school for another week and our favourite past time has now become "Hot tubbing" after dinner and before bed. If you get cold at all on the way home you know that sitting in the hot tub will fix anything (it's set at 40 degrees) and you really sleep well.


Alec has become quite proficient at keeping safe paths for us at the front and back door, with his new, ergonomic (OT approved) snow shovel :-) Every morning he heads out the door to clear the path of any fresh snow, scrape the ice off the windshield and windows and warm the car to bearable level for the kids. We're always delighted to find someone's drink bottle in the car frozen solid from sitting outside all night. They stay frozen all day too if you don't take them inside, it's great for shopping as the food cannot possibly go "off".

Friday night was a real treat, we were given four seats to see the Hockey game and see the Edmonton Oilers (pron Oy-el-ers) and although they didn't win, they have a new fan in Will! The special at the merchandise store that night happened to be Team Jerseys, so he got an early Christmas present...

Unfortunately that night Alec and Sam were in our first Edmonton fender bender, we can presume the other guy was drunk or in a stolen car... his headlights were off and he drove off in a huge rush! We visited the police the next day to report the incident and gave them the pieces of the guy's front bumper bar left on the back of ours. Our steel rear bumber now has a big 'V' in it.

So, with colder weather now the norm (it's been around the minus 12 to minus 20 range for three weeks now) we're enjoying the new routines of snow plows coming out to clear the roads and put down "grit" to make it less slippery. It's all just so novel. I'm sure the locals think we're hilarious, especially when we take a snap shot of a snow plow on Whyte Avenue.