Stay at Home Mom

Well, Tom went off to camp yesterday morning, leaving me at home with the "boys" until Thursday eve.  I feel like a stay at home mom!  I spent the first few hours of the day yesterday looking through cooking books since I will now have to fend for myself... yikes.

Photo cred: Tom
Bruce sucking up and posing for his close-up

This morning saw fresh breakfast muffins, a hike on Jill's property, and this eve has Caribbean Rice on the menu... I'll let you know if I burn down the place in the process.

Back to Jill's property for a moment; at the last minute she sent the dogs to the boarding kennels, as they were having major issues with their septic.  She said the septic field froze and backed up and the basement was dirty to say the least.  Ewww.  This all happened the day before they were to leave for their New Zealand trip!!  The problem was fixed but just in the case that it came back, she didn't want us to be stuck in a house with three pets and crap all around.
So now it's just the cat "Princess".  She is one of those cats that you can pet twice but if you go for the third pet you get a swat! I went to top up her food and let her outside this morning and took a nice long walk on the property.  Jill has 100 acres! So there's lots of forest to explore.

I had an update from Tom's first day, yesterday.  The guy that's training him is also from Ontario and has already invited us by to his place this weekend! They had a short day in the bush yesterday since they had to do the long drive out there first, but will be doing a long day today.  I feel guilty just hiking at Jill's and relaxing at home...   He loves the food at camp, just as I knew he would.  Camp is the best.  He had ribs, roasted potatoes, veggies, salad, the list goes on.  The guys even hung out to watch a movie together last night.  Seems like a pretty relaxed and fun crew.

I start work on the 6th and am looking forward to it.  I'm a little uncertain what the job will hold for me this time around, however.  My old position (Supervisor of Field Operations) has been filled and I was going to be on the field crew with my friend Kara until a higher-up position becomes available for me to apply to.  But Kara has gone back to Ontario and they can't send out a solo field crew member... so maybe I'll be going out to the bush with the new guy in my old position?  The little tidbit that I'm holding onto is that I have my professional affiliation with the ABCFP (Association of BC Forest Professionals) and this kid doesn't, yet.  So I have my fingers crossed that if a higher position presents itself, I'll have a better shot!  Or best case scenario would be if this guy decides he'd like to take another position and I get my old job back hee hee

In any case, I'm just thankful to have a job lined up and a paycheck in the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately when I am left to my own devices at home all day, I tend to daydream about things I'd like to invest in.... my latest obsession is the idea of dying my own yarn.  I have been watching tutorials online and it is possible to dye gorgeous yarns in your own kitchen! And then if you decide to sell your yarn, you can make a killing!!!  I think I will wait until spring, when I a) have a paycheck and b) could maybe set up something outside.  I just need an element or burner out there.... hmmmm.

The house is coming together.  Still just some random furniture and no couch to speak of, but it feels like home already.  And very cozy.  The cats have both settled in and have their routines down to an art.

Living room!  Pictures still need to be hung

QUEEN SIZED BED! Luxurious

Sniffing daffodils while I make tea

Kitchen... note: the cats' new favorite place.  Can you find Odin?

The weather has not been nearly snowy enough.  That is my only complaint. I'm hoping there is still time left in the season for another huge dump on the ski hill.  The season usually lasts way into April, but who knows what will happen this year.  Fingers crossed for another dump of powder and then bring on the spring skiing if you must.  Beers on the deck of the ski chalet are welcome : )

Tom and I hiked the mountain the other day.  Me on skis and him on snowshoes. It was wild up there - into the clouds we go!

Speaking of beers, before leaving Ontario I had been testing out the gluten-free life.  I like it! I have been able to find gluten-free beers and bake with "gf" flour.  I don't miss many things, and if something delicious comes my way that has gluten, I eat it.  I've really just cut back on the gluten, I guess.  I've been doing lots of reading into the subject, and gluten is an inflammatory food.  Unfortunately our flour and grains have been heavily modified since the old days, and now aren't really all that great... I've found that by cutting out/cutting back on gluten, I don't feel bloated or tired after eating like I used to, I have a clearer head and better concentration, and I even sleep better!! As long as you are making most of your own food at home, it really isn't hard to cut back on or cut out gluten.  I highly suggest giving it a shot for a week and seeing what you think!

Anywhos, sorry this post is a little heaving on the rambling.  Maybe I'll have some fun pictures after this weekend with Tom and his new buddies!

Take care and pray for snow!!!

Ski touring and knitting

Good morning from the mountains!

We are settling in well in lovely Telkwa.  Tom has a lunch date with his new boss next week
 and we've been hanging out with Jill (my boss) and her husband.

Last Sunday I went for a quick jaunt up the side of the ski hill with Jill and Mick.  Man am I out of shape.  I always find climbing hills to be hard - I was totally gassed by the top.  Jill of course was leading us to the top and just powered her way on up.  During one of my frequent stops to "take in the view" (a.k.a. I can't breathe and am gasping for air), I told Mick that she was a machine!! She later told me that since I'm the youngest and should have been first up the hill.... maybe after some more practice.

Jill and Mick taking the skins off of their skis at the top of our hike.  

Finally made it to the top! Out of breath and taking pictures of my thumb.

We still have yet to find some decent furniture and desperately need a couch.  In the meantime we've borrowed two chairs from Jill - one of which the cats have claimed.  We have a futon as a "couch" but it makes our butts sore, so we are always on the look-out for something better.  Once we get a real couch we can re-arrange the living room but for now it's.... open concept hee hee

Thou shalt not sit

Our mattress should be arriving any day now and I can't wait to have a new cozy bed!

Next week we will start living part-time at Jill's place while she is in New Zealand. And then Tom starts work on the 16th!  So soon I will be flying solo during the day until I start work in March.  Can you say knitting and skiing 24/7 ?!?!?  We discovered a new yarn shop in Telkwa!  It's featured in this promotional video for Telkwa that Tom stumbled upon:

Hopefully this video works.  If not, here's the link

I finished the mittens that I was knitting.... but think I'll have to re-do the first one as it seems to be QUITE a bit smaller.  Frustrating.  I think I'll take a break from the mittens for a bit and have my sights set on finding a sweater pattern.  I've knit a few sweaters but they've always followed simple patterns.  This time I may try something more complicated and cabled.  We'll see what I can handle.

That left mitten... sheesh.  I can't fit my hand into it very easily so it'll be re-knit... eventually.

I have become OBSESSED with watching knitting podcasts.  Knitters will show off the projects they are working on, review yarns and patterns, and sometimes do give-aways of free yarn!  Poor Tom has been listening to all of them in the background as I sit and knit and watch and talk to the computer screen as if the other knitters can hear me...

I'm looking forward to practicing my ski touring again soon.  Going up the side of the ski hill means that I don't have to worry about avalanches and can go on my own.  It's just a quick hike up, but I can do a couple laps if I have the energy.  We haven't had any new snow in eons, so venturing out into the real backcountry doesn't seem as exciting at the moment.  But we still have a few months left in the season, and there's always next year.

Well, not too much else to report on for now.  I'm sure I'll have more to share once we are house-sitting for Jill and hanging out with her dogs - exploring her +100 acres of land!

Take care and we'll talk again soon!

Our New Home!

I am happy to report that we have found our new home, in Telkwa.

We found a basement apartment, two bedrooms, private entrance, washer and drier, big kitchen... and I can't believe how much light there is down there! The basement is really only half-way underground so we have big windows and lots of sun.  The gal that owns the house is away in Dawson Creek working with her boyfriend until spring break-up (that's when everything starts melting and getting really muddy) and then she goes to work as a camp cook for six months in the summer! So basically never home.  Which means we will have peace and quiet and the use of the backyard, fire pit and bird feeders!  Hoping to grow some veggies this year, too!

There's even enough head-room for Tom!

The kitchen looks out into the backyard 

"The Blue Room" looks out to the street in front of the house... not sure which room will be our bedroom yet. This one has the most sun.

This back room looks out onto the trees but it a wee bit smaller.

Open living/dining room.  Any tips on furniture arrangement are welcome...

It's such a relief to know that we have our own spot and don't have to search anymore, or live out of our duffel bags.

Tom's work is only about a 5 minute drive from our door, and in the summer he could bike to work! There's a pub on the way so I've been teasing him that he will probably stop for a pint after work before heading home.  He's been very happy to try all of the micro-breweries out here! There weren't many at all when I left, but now we can get beer from Prince Rupert, Terrace, Vancouver, Revelstoke, Quesnel and Vavenby to mention a few.

This week we drove to Terrace to shop for a mattress.  The Brick had a sale of 60% off mattresses! Couldn't pass that up.  Our new QUEEN (big-girl bed!!) mattress will be delivered to our door in about a week.

En route to Terrace - South Hazelton mountains

Next I need to get a doctor's appointment, apply for BC Health Insurance (no free health care like Ontario, but thankfully Canfor will pay for mine and I should be able to cover Tom through common-law), get a PO Box in Telkwa and then switch all of our licenses, addresses, mail blah blah this is probably boring for you to read...

Most importantly.... being in Telkwa brings me MUCH closer to the ski hill! Today we are moving some more things into the new place and then hitting the slopes for the afternoon!  It was absolutely GORGEOUS here yesterday and I was bummed that the hill wasn't open.  The past few days have been super chilly in the morning (-17 right now) but that means that the skies are clear and blue and the snow is blindingly bright, and then warming up to a balmy -6 during the afternoon.

Snow on the top of Hudson Bay Mountain

Tom on the top of Hudson Bay Mountain

The avalanche hazard has stayed high in the area so I won't be out backcountry anytime soon unless it's on quite mellow terrain.  Maybe I can talk Jill into going with me.

The ski hill from Jill's house

Knitting has started back up again and I am almost finished my first ever pair of mittens!  Unfortunately, because it was my first time knitting stranded (color changing) the left mitten was knit first and my tension was off, causing it to be tight and a bit small... after I wash and block it, it should be fine, but meanwhile the second mitten is great so far.  So one may be bigger than the other.... Not sure if it will bother me down the line, or I may have to make another left-hand mitt to fit.

I'll post more pictures of our new place as we get more furniture and it starts looking more lived-in!
Off to move some stuff and then ski the afternoon away : )