Since I like to make lists and I was thinking of them when I was hiking the Blue Lakes on Monday, I thought I would draw up a list of some of the memorable hikes I’ve enjoyed over the years. Kootenay Plains, AB; 1987 Wood Bison Trail, Elk Island, AB; 1987 Siffleur Falls, AB; 1988, … [Read more…]
$2.75 to ride the train or bus in Calgary. Not a terrible rate really. Our family used the transit system for the first time in Calgary on July 1st to go to Prince’s Island Park for the festivities and to avoid the parking chaos. I brought change in case the machines didn’t take credit card … [Read more…]
Since I first visited Smithers in 1997, Amber has promised to take me to Blue Lakes, near Hazelton, BC. It’s a 40 minute drive and then a 14 km hike (round trip) to the second lake. This year, our schedule allowed it and we had child care (thanks Judy). This is the first one. This … [Read more…]
We planned to leave my sister’s house west of Edmonton at 11:00 am on Dec 13 in order to make it to a birthday party in Calgary. Instead, our car wouldn’t start. By brother-in-law gave it a boost with his truck. Nothing. We tried charging the battery. Nothing. Canadian Tire tried charging it. Nothing. So, … [Read more…]
8.3 Km One Way Five Sets of Lights One Stop Sign Four Left Turns Four Right Turns Five Different Speed Zones I Pass: 7-11. WalMart. Remand Centre. Youth Detention Centre. . . . and . . . Bright pink sunrises that stretch 180° from north to south. Rolling hills covered in wild shrubs and grass … [Read more…]
Located on the northern end of the Northumberland Strait, Koujibouguac is a gorgeous collection of dunes, beaches, and coastal forest. I hadn’t visited the park since childhood before returning in 2001, probably almost 20 years later, but I could still remember the boardwalks and dunes. This past summer I took my family there (Amber, my … [Read more…]
All photos courtesy of Chris and Christie, our companions to the show! A couple weeks ago, Amber and I splurged (actually, we splurged back in July when we bought our flights, reserved our hotel, and got tickets off our friend Chris) and flew to Vancouver to see one of our all-time favorite bands perform the … [Read more…]
As you can read in the post above this one, Amber and I travelled sans children (big thanks to Alanna and Kyle) to Vancouver to see U2 perform on October 28. I’ve been to Vancouver a handful of times, most recently this summer when we spent a few hours at the Aquarium. I even lived … [Read more…]
This past summer in New Brunswick, I again had the privilege of visiting my childhood friend’s farm. Jean-Pierre and I were little buddies when we were pre-schoolers because our parents were good friends. Along with my grandmother, he and his family represent for me my origins and a sense of home as they are geographically … [Read more…]
Drove 3800 km this summer: Calgary to Kispiox to Squamish to Calgary with stops in Prince George, Smithers, Hazelton (Two Mile), Vancouver, Abbotsford, and Revelstoke). I managed to sneak listening to Neko Case’s “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood” about five times in the car – it wasn’t Amber’s favorite, but I couldn’t get enough. The … [Read more…]