3 Years….

We’ve reached another milestone, as they say. That’s 3 years living in Canada….

Never thought we’d make it this far. Not sure if it’s because we can’t think of where to go next, or can’t seem to get ourselves moving again though. Nothing has really changed here as such, the wages are still crap, the paperwork and bureacracy is mind boggling, but the people are still friendly, although judging by a few recent conversations, maybe a little too laid back about current affairs, especially about ones that are going to impact on Canada and Canadian life.

But to go back to the UK? If you had asked us a couple of months ago, we’d have said, we’re planning to go back, we need more money. It was on the cards, at the start of the summer holidays, with a new Criminal Records check being done for me, so I could go back to tutoring, the moment we landed in Septemeber.

Now, today, after our camping trip, it’s a little harder to decide. Energy bills going through the roof, literally, kids being criminalised for petty things, criminal records for the slightest thing, (I was reading of a guy “threatened” by the police as he was about to sip a beer with his friend in a park. How on earth does that work in Richmond Upon Thames, where we used to live? We, along with hundreds of others would sit on Richmond Green, for a pint, or down by the river. Drunk and disorderly is one thing, but an innocent drink in the sunshine?….).

We still need to earn more money, we can’t do that here in the Okanagan it seems. It just isn’t going to happen. Plus, again, after visiting Vancouver, there really isn’t much going on here, that we’re interested in. Museums, exhibitions and so on, are all going on in the big cities.

So our resolution, as we begin “Year 4”, is to get our backsides in gear and get across, nearer the city.

Taking it easy….

M

(PS. The camping “report” is coming, just getting the photos together.)

Tags: Emigration, Living Abroad, Canada, Travel

Posting Pics?….

Just had a couple of messages from people on Skype, even a couple praying for us to get some good weather, which is nice, thanks!….

… and yes, of course, I’ll be sticking some photos up. Let’s hope the weather is good, at least, for a little. We’ve just heard the report for the next few hours here, in the Okanagan and it’s a severe storm warning. Of course it is, we’re about to go camping….

In answer to another couple of questions, yes, this is the first camping trip together. Sam has done a little with the scouts, Miss in the back garden and me, when I was younger and with my band in my early 20’s, in Cornwall, UK. The Phantom knows what a superb week that was, with many Jamaican ciders, and late nights with a Jamaican drumming group….

Also, I’ll try and post somethings as the days/week progresses. I wasn’t going to take the laptop, but I might. The Missus has already told me to go "lid down" as they say at her work. But I’ll see if I can sneak it into the jeep somewhere. Space is going to be limited….

Of flat tyres and Oyama….

A couple of Sundays back, we took  trip up to a new beach in Coldstream, just outside Vernon….

Just before you get to Vernon, is a turn off to Coldstream. You drop down to the lake, where there is a lovely sandy beach on Kalamalka Lake. (“Kalamalka” meaning “many coloured, and from the photo, you can see why.) A great little general store appears as you get down to “lake level”, where they stock many things, as well as their own home made bread and rolls. We managed to pick up some organic cherries and peaches for a couple of bucks.

So, onto the lake, and Jade Bay. Silver sand, crystal clear water, a little chilly, a little walk down to the actual beach, but well worth it. We got the cooler box down there and stayed put for the afternoon.

As we left, we got talking to the “Smoothie Man”, a tanned Buddhist, we think, who we have seen many times at the Farmers Market, but never managed to get talking to. He’s always too busy. Anyway, he was packing up his wares after an afternoon lugging trays of various flavoured smoothies along the beach and getting ready to be picked up and dropped off back in Kelowna, to carry on selling. And this was at 5pm! He’s flat out through July and August it seems, making 300+ of these smoothies a night, hawking them round the markets, festivals and beaches of the Okanagan. Where he finds time to make meals for the homeless in Kelowna, running a yoga session for them whilst renovating his house, I have no idea. Great man, a real nice guy. As we were getting in the car, he came over, “I’m giving you guys a smoothie each.” Tasty. A strawberry one, a pina colada one and a pineapple one, all in bio degradable cups. We’re gonna have to buy a couple next time we see him now. We’re hooked.

We left Smoothie Man and headed for the mountain and home, an adventure, see somewhere new. We started well, a little unsure of where we were going, maps and signposts, not being the best in Canada…..

And then, on the way up the mountain, (I say, “up the mountain, we were on the mountain, deep in unknown territory……), Leigh and the kids heard a weird noise, which on investigation, was a flat tyre. A sodding flat! The first one and it had to be in the mountains, miles from anywhere, with no cellphone. And then, as I was figuring out how to attach the jack to the Jeep, Bob turned up…. who helped me jack the Jeep up and get us going again, so many thanks. His questioning about English swear words was hilarious! You meet some real nice people in the middle of nowhere. It’s not always like those “horror films”!

After changing the tyre, in the middle of nowhere, in the mountains, kids panicking about bears and cougars, whilst I lay on the floor, getting eating alive by the mozzies, we finally got back underway, nearly an hour later, Bob following us as far as King Edward Lake, to make sure the tyre was OK. He was camping there doing a little fishing and said it was a great place to come camping, he did regularly with his nephews. You can see why….

And then as we started our descent, we found a layby, with a breathtaking view, north to Vernon, and down to Oyama….

Trees everywhere to our right, in a large valley, water north and south, mountains all around, no sounds other than nature, a couple of bald headed eagles doing there screeching calls and not another person in sight. As the sun went down in front of us as we came off the mountain, dropping into Oyama, we all thought, “What a fantastic day!”, even with the flat tyre and the mosquito bites.

I’ve just noticed the length of this post. By far the longest in the history of the No Going Back blog. With the temperature at 32 degrees as I sit in the shade,think I’ll call it a day. I’m off for a smoothie….

Tags: Oyama, Okanagan, British Columbia, BC, Canada

Camping….

OK, we’re set, waiting for a bit of a break in the weather. Amazingly, we’ve had glorious sunshine across BC, until the week we’ve decided to camping….

We got the tent, apparently a 10 man, not sure about that, but enough space for us 4 anyway, and some other bits an pieces, water storage, sleeping bags and what not, borrowing the stove from a neighbour, so we’re all prepared. The Missus has been getting meals ready, so all we need to do is warm them up, stew, curry and other delights, whilst the kids have made chewy bars and cookies.

The route, follow the blue line;

Thought we’d make a bit of a "road trip" and see some different scenary this time, going via Kamloops and Lilooet. It’s a beautiful drive, so we keep being told, so damn it, we’ll go that way. We’re heading for Porteau Cove, on the coast north of Vancouver, a little further south of Squamish. We’re prepared for rain, apparently, so the kids and missus say. Whether they think the same trying to get the tent up in the rain remains to be seen….

Having said that, it’s supposed to be doing that now and as I look out the window, it’s obviously clear blue skies. As Buddha would say, it’s a trial, so we’ll pack the raincoats anyway….

Tags: Camping, Howe Sound, Porteau Cove, Squamish, Vancouver, BC, British Columbia, Canada

Underwater….

Just going some photos from our day at Jade Bay, up near Vernon and found this one from the good old underwater one….

Tags: Jade Bay, Vernon, Okanagan, British Columbia, BC, Canada, Summer, Summer Holidays

Bread….

One fruit loaf with cranberries and one, "oregano white", as we call it. I’m starting to get the hang of this bread making thing, 2 in one day, eh….

I’ll admit, it’s pretty easy with the bread maker, but still. And it does feel good when you cut it, knowing you made it.

Now, I’m just about to get cracking on some cookies. If I could only remember where I left my "pinny"….

Tags: Organic Food, Organic Bread, Bread, Homemade Bread, Food

An Unexpected Visitor….

We’d just come home, having just done a library trip, when we came upon a visitor….

Not sure if he was there anyway, or had been brought there, by a certain feline member of the family. He was alive, barely, as we tried to get him on a spade he slithered off under the stones and steps. He’s not there now, so I am assuming he’s OK.

Otherwise, Mojo has started bringing us "trophies"….

Tags: Wildlife, Okanagan, British Columbia, BC, Canada

20/08/08/2008….

Never mind the Olympics, it’s 20 years ago today, that "fate decided the path of 2 wonderful people, should cross, in the grand scheme of things"….

Apparently….

"…… traditional 20th wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of China. A contemporary or modern 20th anniversary gift has a theme of Bone China and Platinum. The flowers associated with the 20th anniversary are Day Lily. The Gemstone list shows Emerald associated with this anniversary. (http://tinyurl.com/5a9o4z)"

So, that’s a chinese tonight, and a Guiness at Kelly O’Brian’s after I guess.

Yep, 20 years. The years have flown by, eh….

Tags: Love, Anniversary, Anniversaries