In phase 2 of holiday detox

On Spring break in the Blue Mountains, fantastic weather, glorious sunshine. When we arrived on Sunday it was icy cold with people skating on the mill pond. We had it all planned out...small person has snowboarding first thing then we chill watching a movie and take him skating the next day.  The sun had other ideas, the skating pond started to melt as the sun rose high in the sky.  Oh well!

Small person loved snowboarding yesterday but super loved skiing this morning. He was a little miffed that they wouldn't let him have snow poles, but we explained many times that they teach you to stop before they teach you to go, hmmm, not impressed with that. I spoke to his teacher this morning and it transpires that Small person, having watched the down hill at the Olympics, believes that to stop you swerve sideways and kick up a wall of snow.  They had to unteach him, and get him to pizza.  He is adamant that he was right because they did it in the Olympics, and "the Olympics is real mum".  The power of TV.  He took to skiing quicker than to snowboarding, but the latter is cooler so it may be a while before he finalizes his Olympic event for 2026.

They are showing movies at the hotel at the village...yesterday he and I saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 which was surprisingly good.  Today he gets to go with daddy whilst I soak up some sun.  Aged over 40 and Celtic but still daft enough to sit in the baking sun ignoring the risks. But It has been cold, very cold and bloody cold here for 4 months, snow on the ground throughout that time.  Today does not herald Spring though as a storm warning is in force ... 15-25 cm of snow over the next 24 hours. Making the most of a lovely day, 15 foot from the piste.

I have 10 whole days off from work...and my brain has completed phase one of holiday transition "dreaming about all of the chaos, filing it in the right drawer whilst I sleep"; now I am in phase 2, too tired to do anything but wishing I was out doing stuff. Phase 3 usually kicks in around day 8 and sees me thinking " great, chilling out, let's go do stuff". Will have to back to work too soon...everyone knows that a holiday should be at least 2 weeks long.  Well everyone born on the right of the Atlantic that is.

Blogging in the basement

It's movie night but I am hiding.  There is a limit to the number of times I can watch Wreck It Ralph.  I didn't play video games as a kid, so the puns escape me.  Small person has already watched it once today as part of his seven hour TV fest that he has dubbed "pyjama Saturday".  Tells you all you need to know about dresscode and timing.  In a bid to stop his brain turning to wax my husband has signed up for a 6 week IT course that sees him out of the house every weekend until mid April.  Leaves plenty of time for mummy and small person to bond.

The fact that I have escaped to the basement speaks volumns.  So here's the thing...how long is enough "quality time?".  I have been reading about being an "available parent" recently (in a magazine, no time to read a whole book!).  Today I have listened to all of his animal impressions; praised him for his Eminem style rap about "having a party and asking your mom if you can".  That one came with street dance moves and was pretty good. Watched Sponge Bob with him (can't help feeling that that is a modern day Captain Pugwash, with all of its double entendres).  We fought the battle of the homework, and I managed to squeeze 15 minutes of effort out of him, to get him to write about winter.  Is that quality time?  Honestly he'd rather watch TV with his mouth open than spend any time with me these days.

I remember some years ago, reading an article by a journo who had a 7 year old son, and she went into print to say how boring it all was being a mum.  She was lambasted and at the time, having struggled for years  to have a child, and still not succeeding, I thought bad things about her.  How could she be so callous? - but now I do understand what she meant.  I love him to the moon and back again but I do struggle to connect with his 6 year old world.

Opportunities for more bonding abound though.  We are off north in a week for a short break at a ski resort.  I have booked ski and snowboard lessons for small person, and whilst I would love to go cross country skiing whilst we are there that is looking less likely.  My husband may get the contract work he has been chasing and if he does (hope he does) he can't come away with us that week.  So I will likely spend my time watching small person having fun.  Which is great, if a little vicarious.  One thing we do both love is painting - so there will definately be a mother and son trip to the pottery painting store at the ski resport, where he will sit silently for 30 minutes, concentrating, with his tongue stuck out, creating a masterpiece souvenir.  Happy Days.

In other news, fell over again on the ice; spent hours at the US embassy asking for permission to go to US and do the job that I am paid to do; handed over a few cents short of $1K and it was approved; went to Walmart and got 2 hair cuts for $30 (me and the boy).  Is there nothing you can't do or get at Walmart?  Worked long hours for two weeks and got nagged by husband for being a slave to the man; went sledging; crocheted a scarf; drank lots of wine; vowed to stop drinking lots of wine; bought a car; painted the bedroom wall that we promised the landlord we would paint back in November; followed a healthy eating regime for 6 whole days, then returned to wine after hearing that our Tennant had let a blocked drain flood the downstairs clockroom through her negligence causing around $1K worth of damage. Back here it snowed a bit, then a lot, then it thawed a bit and we saw grass, then it snowed again.  All in all a busy few weeks.  Take Care.

When we have a car...

We'll be able to:

• buy that enormous bag of bread flour that they sell in Walmart.  I think it is 13kg, not sure, but I want one
• go to the Science Museum (yawn!) which is husband and small persons favorite place
• go the ice rink or the library with small person and not dread the moany walk back
• go to the swimming pool or a yoga class and stretccccch and be taller
• drive to a wool store and drool over all of the yarn
• visit places on a weekend
• go for weekend walks that don't see little legs aching by the time we reach the boundary with nature
• go north for spring break and watch small person have a ski and snowboard lesson
• drive to our allotment that is a promise for spring
• drive to the drop in Art Club every other Saturday, and see about arranging an exhibition
• go to Snoopyland in the summer, but not on the ghost ride
• buy a huge picture in the ReStore shop for $5
• drive north, east or maybe west for our summer holiday

I can't wait.  It's been fun walking around since October; seeing places you miss in a car;  feeling the weather rather than just seeing it from behind a window but i can speak for all of us when I say enough now.  Yes we will live on beans in order to pay for it, whilst husband is jobless, but that is okay.  A new chapter awaits in our Canadian adventure...just as soon as the car gets delivered...counting the days.

Winter Activities

Apparently it's Ground Hog Day today.  I've seen the Bill Murray movie so I know it is something to do with a Goaffer type creature popping out of a hole in a golf course, and that means it will get warmer or stay colder for six week.  I may be blurring Bill's films there.  Our neighbour was explaining it to small person earlier, to which small person pointed out that we don't speak ground hog, so how will it tell us about the weather? Neighbour and I had no answer - so he went back to shovelling the snow off of his driveway, and I returned to digging a snow tunnel that sees me shovelling snow onto our driveway.  Is there any limit to the fun that can be had with snow?

Small person announched later that he had seen a film about winter activities, and that we can make snow lollies with maple syrup.  Worth a try.  Unfortuneately he could not remember anything more than "syrup, snow, lolly" so trial and error were needed.  He and I, on our knees in the back garden, in the pristine snow with a quart or syrup and some lolly sticks...what were those crazy brits doing out there?   Not sure if we did it right but we worked out that if you pour a line of maple syrip along the snow it freezes to a toffee like consistency straight away, and then you can roll it up around the lolly stick.  Small Person declared it to be "belicious" before we escaped back in side as our hands were throbbing in pain, burning with cold.

This week saw us get one step closer to getting a car.  We put down a deposit on a 2007 Landrover and are just waiting to hear if we can get finance for it.  We are good for the money, but with no local credit history (overseas stuff doesn't count) and a visa dated to expire in 2015 it seems we are a high risk.  We are rolling with it, nothing more we can do.  Fingers crossed. 

Small person seems to be settling in at school - he came home with a sticker for good work.  He announced that we had done all of the tasks that the teacher had set him.  That made me smile as when I was at school not doing what you were asked never seems like an option.   He has skating this week, in PE  (gym).  He is very nervous but I hope he loves it.  He is fearless on the pavement (sidewalk) ice, and instinctively puts one arm behind his back like a speed skater.  I am hoping the Olympics will inspire him too.  We have been watching the ski jumping trials and the snowboarding.  Apparently I should try Curling as I am a good sweeper!  His new treat of eating crisps (chips) and popcorn whist watching a dvd gives me ample sweeping practice.

With a new year of adventure ahead of us I'll be exercising, stretching and eating better starting today.  In one year I have shrunk an inch (2.5cm) in height and put on a stone (14lbs).  I do walk a mile or so everyday, but with all of my muscles in the wrong place I am not sure the benefits outweigh the stress on my bones.  I turned on my Yogalates dvd the other day.  (husband describes it as "as new" although I have had it for 7 years).  I did the warm up stretches - they hurt!  Then I skipped to the relaxation session at the end before getting myself a coffee and some buttered toast, and sitting at a desk, on the phone, for 8 hours straight.  Here's to a taller, thinner and more energetic 2014.

Too early to go home, too early to decide to stay

Didn't snow on Friday...made a nice change.  Snowed yesterday though, snowing now.  Lots of snow here.  We blame the weather.

We've been here for 1/3 of a year now.  A pulse survey was issued last night to assess the mood in the camp. Three sections, free text responses. Participation was optional but encouraged, then a rumour went around that 100% participation was expected and the mood changed to one of compliance.  The surveys covered:

1. Things that I like/love about Canada
2. Things that are annoying in Canada
3. Things that "grind my gears" in Canada

When the survey closed participation was at 100%.  I put this down to enthusiasm, engagement but mainly because all partcipants had to put up with me standing over them threateningly until they completed the survey.  Early analysis shows a trend towards snow and snow related matters, although I am advised that the results are not scientifically significant, unlike the snow, which is everywhere.

Results are below and completely anonymous so that no one can ever tell who said what:

Things that I like/love about Canada

• The weather, scenery, elements, space, walking around,
• Snow
• Not working nights
• Cheap travel to the city
• The city
• Watching the small person play in the snow (learning to play)
• "Christmas, because there was no school"
• "Weekends, when we go somewhere"
• Bayblades

Things that are annoying in Canada

• Mummy shouting at me
• Not having a car
• Not working
• The boredom
• Not enough salt on the pavements
• Too much salt in the food (none left for the pavements I guess)
• Snow
• Cars turning right on a red regardless
• Letting the kids watch TV at school lunchtime

Things that "grind my gears" in Canada

• nil
• nothing yet
• The Ghost ride at SnoopyLand...oh, and all rollercoasters!

So analysis tells us that the one with the job would like more time away from work.  The one without the job wants to go to work. The one that gets all of the attention wants more attention and everyone wants a car.

Action planning is now in place, to buy a car and to go somewhere at weekends.  Snow is predicted for the next 40 days so additional tunnel digging is being discussed.  A snow man may appear at some point, although it remains the wrong type of snow for now.  Tickets to Snoopyland have been purchased, but we won't be going on the ghost ride - no way.

Wanted Abroad?

Many years ago I worked in a building 2 miles from my home.  I saw my colleagues everyday that I was at work.  We socialised together - within my terms as an introvert obviously, no clubbing or dancing.  My whole world was very small back then.  Over the years my jobs changed, I moved firms.  My colleagues and I worked in different buildings, over time in different countries.  My parents retired to continental Europe.  My world gradually got bigger although I hadn't physically moved. 

Today I work everyday, over the phone, IM and email, with friends in at least 6 countries.  If we are talking about colleagues rather than friends then that is more like 20 countries.  There is a saying that the world is a much smaller place these days. At the risk of sounding like Sheldon - no, the world has not got smaller.  Travelling just got quicker.

My job is global but the world isn't. Global is a philosophical concept not a map location.  This has been brought home to me these last few months...

I went to the US in November and had to spend a fair while at border control answering questions about the purpose of my travel.  I was simply going to meet, face to face, people I work with every day.  Seems that I need a visa to do that, something about protecting US jobs from folks overseas...I was confused.  The act of being in the same room caused the drama.  Banned from re-entry pending a visa.

My husband is looking for work here.  He has a visa that permits him to work in Ontario, but finding a role is hard because whilst he has the paperwork that says it is okay, there are now laws that restrict firms from hiring temporary foreign workers.  It is to do with protecting the opportunities of more permanent folks, and we get that, but the grit in the wound is that we are being taxed on our Worldwide income...so our logic goes "not keen for him to work here, and contribute, but happy to tax him for work elsewhere.

There are borders everwhere and it is all about tax and $'s. I know that it is for security too, but not at this level.  As my knitting friend said to border security when they questioned her having knitting needles on a flight "I am knitting a jumper, not an Afghan!" 

I have been listening to the BBC this week - they are all afeared of Romanian invaders.  For folks in Europe, debating being in the EU and fearing an influx of folks I say "come live here for a few months, and remind yourself what the borders mean...they prevent you doing what you take for granted; they see you paying huge taxes accross a border; the import taxes of food stuffs is enormous; paperwork and beaurocrachy slows things down and you end up supporting people who are taking out of society whilst preventing them from contributing.  You kind of get the thing you are trying to avoid.

When does it start getting like Star Trek where we all work on the same blue sphere?

Happy New Year

I love New Year, the season not the party party part.  Never a fan of social gatherings New Years Eve is my introvert hell.  Forced to go out, and stay out for hours. You can't call it a night and slope of home early without people thinking you are an alien.  It's great in movies but in real life it has always felt like a night at the pub that went on 2 hours too long.  Not a problem these days though, as having a kid is the best excuse to stay in at the end of December.

Two of my dearest but long lost friends have their birthdays on New Years Eve. They both used to share stories of being forgotten rather than celebrated....too much party spirit to notice they wanted a party.  As you can tell December is far from being my favorite month.  I have a genuine physical reaction to all of the "joy and wonder".  December sees me having to consciously manage my health for fear of slipping downwards.  My black dog, as Winston would say.

But that's why I love New year! because it is the start of the journey! the possibilities! the adventures.  Horticulturally I can start to plan my veggies,. Thinking beans, cucumbers, tomatoes  and lettuce.  Its not clear yet if that will be in the tiny back yard or in a comunity garden.  Fingers crossed for the later.  Crossed extra tight.

A few years back I took an online course called big-dreams-small-wonders.  I needed some motivation to redirect my life.  I had lots of ideas but everything seemed impossible.  Like many people I was happy enough but not content.  It felt too easy to just carry on in the same routine.  I don't mind routine in small measures, but the idea of thinking big was inviting.  The course helped me work out what I wanted in my life and what I could happily let go of. I dreamt of a move abroad, for adventure and working through the course helped me go from "that happens to other people" to  "I want to do that.  I will do that". And I did.

The course is hosted by my friend Louise.  We worked together 10 years ago.  When she left I got her desk. I sat in her chair and I saw the view from the window that she saw...not sure if that was inspiration to live life, or a desire not to spend years staring at a 1960s block of flats in West Croydon.  There are people who talk about doing stuff and there are people who DO stuff.  Louise is my inspiration to do the latter.

So, starting Monday, I am taking the course again.  It's fun and helps me to focus on what I want to do rather than being carried through life on a cloud of "busy, coffee and wine".  I see wine in my future though, let's not be ridiculous here.  But it's too easy to get tied up in busy stuff and forget yourself. And my husband wants me to visualize getting him a Land Rover Discovery..." You got us to Canada, now we need a car"