Houston, we have completed our mission!

Hello!  We have made it! All four of us are safe and sound in Houston, BC.

The trip has been an adventure and we have learned lots along the way.  We've seen beautiful scenery and had our ear drums pierced by the howling of cats.  All in all it was a successful trip and we are all so happy to have made it safety and soundly to our destination.

We met up with Jill and her husband Mick two days ago, to grab the key for Kara's house.  It was so great to see her again and she and I were bouncing around all excited.  She has just taken up backcountry skiing and wants to go out touring soon!  I doubt we will go backcountry anytime in the near future, as the avalanche ratings are dangerous right now, but I'll watch the forecast and see what next weekend brings!  Jill also has asked me to teach her how to knit!  I think I've found my soul mate.....

It's pretty cool to think that she was my mentor (and will continue to be) and now I can be her mentor too!

It feels strange to be back in Houston seeing the same sights again, but from a slightly different perspective.  It's also strange to be seeing them with Tom beside me.  Being in the same places where I was mostly on my own, but now with this person who I've only ever known as being in Ontario... weird.  But I wouldn't want it any other way.

Seeing Meighan (my brother's girlfriend), in Calgary for dinner was a big treat.  We haven't seen her or Stefan since the summer.  We had a nice catch-up and I hope they can come up and visit us in the North this summer!  Lots of hiking and camping await.

Meighan and I about to drink some yummy Bellini's

Our visit with Stefan in Revelstoke was just as short and sweet.  I wanted to stay longer but he would be working the next day anyhow, and we were going bonkers by that point - just wanting the routine of waking up and sitting in the car with white knuckles to be complete.

"Litlle" brother

And now it is!! I took Tom for a tour of Smithers, and today he had his first ever day skiing!  I couldn't believe it - the first run we did, he was skiing parallel and following me into the powder at the side of the run! He is a natural!

View of the Telkwa Range from the Canfor turn-off on the Hwy in Houston

First ride up the chairlift with Tom

We had hit the gym yesterday - first time in probably two months or more for me... so we were both very sore by lunch time and had a nice pint of local beer at the ski hill before hitting the German bakery in Telkwa and driving back to Houston.

The search for our own place continues and I can't wait to update you once we find something.  Hoping to get a little house in Telkwa so Tom can be close to work and I can be closer to skiing ; )

And as for this blog:  I've had a few people telling me that they can't leave comments and I am happy to report that I've figured it out.  When you go to leave a comment, the blog will ask you who you want to leave the comment as: ie.Google account name.  If you do not have a Google account, just drop down the menu and choose Anonymous.  But please sign the end of your comment so that I know who you are!  Hopefully that works... let me know if it doesn't.

Alright, well I am going to sign off for the night.  Tom and I are about to make local Smithers sausages and potatoes for dinner... a German's dream haha

Hope all is well where you are!  Please try to leave a comment!

Miss you all,

Danielle

Updates from the Road

Hello! After only three days we have already had many adventures!

Day one saw tears as we left home, then dicey ice south of Sudbury.  We made it safely to Sault Ste Marie and stayed the night with two very tired cats.

Day two began once the highway was reopened after an overnight closure (instant nervousness). Unfortunately Tom's truck decided it needed some fixing so we only made it to Terrace Bay. I was so ecstatic that a simple fix was all we were faced with, and no one was hurt/sick/etc. However, due to CAA not putting our tow request through while we waited 30-45 mins.... we ended up waiting for two hours in my Civic. Tom, Bruce, Oden and me... and all of our stuff. Poor Tom was in the shape of a pretzel just trying to fit in. Once the tow truck finally arrived we began following it to Thunder Bay but after stopping to help someone who had spun out on black ice and ended up in the ditch backwards and in the dark.... we decided to stop driving ASAP and ended up in  Nipigon. In one of the most sketchy motel rooms. I admit I was so ready to call it a night that I didn't care where we stopped. But let me tell you-forget bringing a black light into one of those motels... bring two cats! They were smelling invisible spots on carpets, table tops, bed spreads.... so gross haha

Which leads us to day three. Today we saw three bald eagles on the way to Thunder Bay. Tom's truck was finished by lunch and we hit the road once more. The bush beside the highway had moose tracks all through the snow but we haven't seen one yet. The past two days have been GORGEOUS. Fresh snow on the trees,  clear blue skies and mostly dry roads.

We've stopped a bit early tonight in Dryden and got ourselves a very nice and CLEAN room at the Comfort Inn. After a hot bath, we're looking into ordering pizza and snuggling in.

Bruce is definitely a stress case in the car. Thankfully we bought calming treats today, and Tom  reports that Bruce slept the whole afternoon beside him in the truck, until Dryden. Oden meanwhile... ate a few too many treats I think. He looked stoned all day and snored while he slept.

Looking forward to getting into a new province tomorrow! Stay tuned for more updates on our adventure!

I have pictures to share but can't figure out how to load them onto the blog without my computer (I'm on my phone...) so more photos to share once I can fire up the laptop.

Traveling into the Western Setting Sun

Welcome back to the blog.  I've started over with a fresh layout and new material... well maybe not so new after all; I am heading back to the same spot in beautiful Northern BC.  I can hardly believe it myself, but I am getting very excited!

Over the past year and a half I have been living in Caledon, Ontario working as a Forest Tech for Credit Valley Conservation.  I worked mainly with contractors, building contracts, sending them out to tender and then supervising the work of the contractors as they cut down hazardous ash trees, killed by the mischievous emerald ash borer.

During my time back in the homeland Ontario, I met my wonderful boyfriend Tom.  We worked together at CVC and now can't wait to make the leap to the other side of the country, away from the city, in the mountains... with two cats.  Yes I have not lost my crazy-cat-lady love for cats.

Tom and I at the top of Osler this past summer

Oden and Bruce being artsy in black and white

 If you were reading this blog in the past, you'll know that the first time I moved to Northern BC it was with Boxster.  The best companion I could ever have asked for.  After nearly 15-16 years she has passed on, and now Tom and I have two crazy kittens on our hands.

Have I mentioned that we are driving out west?  In January?  In the snow, with two kittens?  Yes.  Never a dull moment.

I will be going back to Canfor, working my way up again from the bottom.  There was an opening for Field Crew (where I started with Canfor a couple years ago) which I've got!  Once I am there and working for the company, it will be easier for me to move into higher and more permanent positions as they open up.  I have my eyes set on a Permitting Supervisor position.  For now, I have a 10 month contract with Canfor, working under my #1 boss, Jill.

Tom has a job doing the same work with ProTech: Canfor's contractor.  This will be an awesome experience for Tom and I really hope he enjoys it!  He also took forestry in school, but in Ontario, so there are a few differences in practice between the two provinces.  Working for a contractor, I think he will gain more experience in a shorter period of time, getting lots of hands on work every day.  Plus, with all of that experience, and knowing the Canfor territory, if a job comes up at Canfor in the future,and he feels he wants to switch over to the company, he will already have a foot in the door.

Tom's job starts in February, and mine not until March (sucks for the bank account but hellloooooo ski bum lifestyle! I'll be skiing every chance I can get!!).

Our trip starts some time in mid-January, and "wifi permitting", I will be able to keep you updated along the way.  We are estimating the drive to take 5 days in good weather... but it's winter and there is a lot of snow this year.  Plus we are hoping to stop by in Revelstoke for a day to rest and visit with my brother Stefan, his girlfriend Meighan and her family.  As well as my great friend Leslie!  Revy will be the light at the end of the tunnel, after a long drive of meowing cats.

Lastly, we are taking two vehicles.  Tom in his truck and me in my civic.  Each with a furry friend.  Hoping to get our hands on some walkie-talkies before we head out, so we can still talk during the drive.  That will be nice when cabin fever inevitably sets in...

Thanks for reading along and I'll continue to post stories and pictures from all of our upcoming adventures!