Doesn't time fly...

Well it's midweek and thought I'd post another update on our new life here in Canada. I think blogs are always interesting with a picture, so this time I have a picture of where I work! How exciting is that? IMP Aerospace have 6 facilities up at the airport and I work in Hangar No. 1. I'm in an office along the left side of the hangar. Currently the right hand side of the hangar is enclosed in scaffolding as they are constructing new offices, but you get the idea.
On Sunday we went downtown as Deborah wanted to go to the Wedding Fair in the World Trade and Conference Centre. Hoping to suss out the competition should she decide to re-start her cake business here. While she was there, I took Matthew and Emma for a walk along the Boardwalk at the Harbourfront. It has to be said it was particularly cold, but luckily we were well wrapped up. Although cold, it was a glorious bright sunny day, with great views over the harbour towards Dartmouth (if Dartmouth could be called a great view...). We popped into the Tourist Information Office to pick up some information on the Halifax Explosion. If you don't know anything about it, I encourage you to check out the link on the right. This is an excellent website and gives you all the details. Needless to say the French were involved....
The Tourist Office also told us about a superb exhibition on the explosion in the Maritime Museum, which is also at the waterfront. This will be something to do when Deborah's sister is out visiting over March break - just over 2 weeks away! In fact there is quite a lot planned so she should get a good taste of Nova Scotia when she's here. And of course there is always the shopping....
Monday night was the Baden Powell Campfire. The 2nd Wellington Beavers, Cubs and Scouts all met at a Campfire site not far away and did the usual skits, songs and stories. We were late leaving and as a consequence, I fogot my snowpants. Have to say it was pretty chilly sat on that log. And believe me a campfire is NOT the same as a bonfire....

Wolf Cubs

We were quite keen that Matthew and Emma get into the Scouting scene here in Canada as they were both Beavers and then Cubs in the UK. We've signed them up for 2nd Wellington Scout Group - who's motto is 'We put the 'out' into Scouting'.
Well since joining in January, they have been to two camps, one evening hike, one evening spent tobogganing and on Monday they are off to the Baden Powell Camp Fire. They also have plans to go Cub Car racing (what ever that is, but I know it involves wooden cars and quite a competitive evening) and the local Ice Hockey Team (Halifax Mooseheads - see link to the right) are having a 'Scout Day' next Sunday, where all scouts/cubs/beavers get into the game for $8.50. If they go in their Uniforms, they will be entered into a draw to win a signed Mooseheads jersey! The draw is at halftime and the winner gets to wear the jersey for the remainder of the game. We have our tickets, so it will be an experience as it's our first game!
They went to the first meeting in January in their UK uniforms which everyone thought was really good. All the leaders thought the UK uniform was far superior and 'parent friendly'. The uniform here consists of a Beige shirt and sash and a bushmans hat. All their badges that are earned, get sewn onto the sash. As you can see I've included a photo (taken Wednesday) so you can get the full effect.! The neckers are made by volunteers. In fact Deborah made these. It involves sewing a yellow band onto the green triangle of material.
As usual they are always asking for volunteers and helpers and as usual it's the same old faces!
No plans for any more camps this year, but we'll see what the spring weather throws up.
Aside from the little darlings, I managed to buy a projector on eBay with the intention of setting up a media room in the basement. I got a bit of a bargain as it included a set of powered speakers and a spare lamp. Spare lamps for LCD projectors are notoriously expensive.
Set it up last night in a temporary fashion to see if it all works, and it does! I've ordered a ceiling mount so I can ceiling mount the projector and bought some conduit today to conceal the cabling. All in all it looks like it will be a major success - even Deborah likes the idea of having a mini cinema in the basement despite her initial misgivings! I think it will get quite a lot of use as the television over here is 'not very good' to put it mildly. The number of commercial breaks is unbelievable with some adverts being shown twice - one after the other?!! Repitition is rife! However, we're almost at the final of 'Dancing with the Stars' - the US version of Strictly Come Dancing'. It's the viewing highlight of the week - that's how bad it is! Good job we don't watch much television and thank goodness for BBC Canada.
A quiet weekend is planned, the weather is cold, but dry and bright, so might go for a walk downtown tomorrow along the boardwalk, followed by a Hot Chocolate somewhere.
Oh and I got my first pay cheque this week! Spent already probably.....

More Snow...

And so another weekend bites the dust - where do they go? We decided to go out for dinner on Friday evening to celebrate the end of my fisrt week with a job - any excuse eh? Went to Swiss Chalet which is child friendly with a basic, no frills menu. Had great ribs though - the meat just fell off the bone. Shame they are so messy. We headed straight home afterwards as it was down to -12 at this point with -14 forecast for later that night. As a result of this though we had a glorious day Saturday - clear blue skies and crisp - fabulous. Just how you imagine Canada. Dragged the little darlings over to Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth as we had to buy some bits and bobs (as you do) and Saturday is now the day to do it as I work all week and the shops are shut on Sunday. The Walmart over there is quite upmarket (for a Walmart) and so the whole retail experience is quite bearable. I've heard on the grapevine that Walmart are going to be refurbishing a lot of their stores over here with the aim of making them 'posher'. They could do with startiing in the Sackville store - it's terrible (with a clientele to match - care in the community at it's worst...). We decided to buy ourselves a Gas Barbecue (or gas Grill as they say here) but as we were in the Golf, I had to return later with the Dodge to collect it. I say Barbecue, but they are in fact treated as an outdoor cooker, and come in particularly handy when you have a power outage. We only bought a relatively small (and cheap) one - some of them could be used to cater for the 3rd Armoured Infantry Division they are so big! Anyway, we decided to go small and have a little respect for the Ozone Layer. It has yet to be assembled, I was going to do it on Sunday but it...

Snowed! Started just before Midday and carried on into the evening. By 7pm we had about 20cm (8") . They came and ploughed the drive that evening which meant I could go to work this morning (damn!) and luckily no more fell over night. It was really strange snow though - all dry and powdery - almost like polystyrene! Not good for sledding apparently and the wind was certainly blowing it around. I did have to clear the mound at the end of the drive created by the main snowploughs when they did the road, as well as our footpaths, but that's not a problem. Actually quite enjoy a bit of snow shovelling - though I'm sure the novelty will wear off in time!

I still haven't got my computer at work, so it was a quiet day there. Spent a lot of the day correcting my bosses English. (At his request I might add). He's from Chile, the other two on the team are also from foreign parts - one from Colombia and the other from Turkey. I've been earmarked to look after all the document amendments - I wonder why.....

Anyway, another day passed and another blog entry completed. Hope you are all enjoying them!! I'll post some more pictures soon, but in case you've forgotten what they look like, here's a photo of the twins taken before we left the UK.

1st Day at Work

Well it's happened - I no longer need to sponge off the state, I am now officially employed and pay Canadian Taxes (similar to UK's since you asked..). Fairly uneventful day, was introduced to about 100 people this morning, 95% of whom I have now forgotten, and spent the day filling in forms on and offline. Went to a Training session on the online bit. Have a secondhand desk - my new one is on order and should be in next week, have a brand new phone though - very swish (the others all have crappy beige things, so I'm really surprised no-one swiped my new one before I arrived - that's what would've happened in the UK (Clive/Jackie...)). My new computer is also on order and will be chased up tomorrow. Don't suppose it will have a nice flat screen - too expensive! It would also be the only one in the office so that would be fun. There's an onsite canteen (just along the hall from my office) and Macaroni Cheese Casserole is on the menu for tomorrow ($5 complete with garden salad and a roll!). Thought I might partake as I'm out tomorrow evening and won't get much chance to eat once I get home.
I picked my new car up yesterday, got it registered, had Snow Tyres fitted and today it behaved beautifully. Looked very smart in the company car park. Got a lift during the day up to one of our other facilities in my bosses' Chevrolet Malibu - no wonder GM are in trouble. Just makes me glad I bought a Volkswagen! All in all though an enjoyable first day. It'll be interesting to know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing....

We Survived Camp...

Well that was fun...Cub Camp at Sespenaak including a short hike to Camp Frosty 2006. The only way Matthew & Emma would stay overnight was if we agreed to stay with them. (the things we do....). As it happened if we hadn't stayed they would've had to cancel the camp as there weren't enough helpers. On the plus side, the weather Saturday was absolutely glorious. Snow on the ground, clear blue skies and warm temperatures (+11degrees). On the minus side, this camp has no running water and so toilet facilities were a delight ( see right - hate to think what they are like in the summer!), cooking and heating was on a wood stove and boy could it kick out the heat! and there was no electricity...

Despite the 'challenges' All the kids had a great time, especially at Camp Frosty - which is basically a range of activities set up and run by the Scouts. Snow-shoeing, Toboggan Baseball, shaking scramble net (bottom photo left) and blindfold maze (middle photo left) and other activities, followed by Hot Chocolate and Marsh Mallows.
They were absolutely shattered by 7pm and we then had to get them togged up in snow suits ready for a short walk to the Campfire. They did us proud with a couple of Skits and delightful rendition of the The Chicken Song. Then it was back to the cabin (see top photo left) and they were all in bed asleep by 10pm which is unheard of apparently. They were all up by 6.30am though which made up for it!
The weather today wasn't so good and it's rained all day, but we were home by 11am and in the bath by midday. As for that huge dump of snow we had.....well it'll take some rain to get rid of it, but the drive is clear. It was supposed to be ploughed on Thursday morning, but the snowplough driver got the plough stuck. Then in the afternoon when he managed to dig it out, he broke one of the hydraulic rams on the first snowbank he tried to move. So at 2.30 we were told it would be Friday before ours was done (at the earliest!). As I had to be downtown that evening, we borrowed a huge snow shovel from next door and set about clearing it by hand. It took us just over 2 hours, and we cleared only just enough to get the car out of the garage and up the drive, but we made it!! Then Friday evening one of our neighbours brought a plough home from work and did our drive for us. He also said if we were ever stuck in the future, to give him a call and we can borrow his snowblower. Great neighbours!!
As far as the Job goes, the saga continues, albeit on a positive note. Got a call from the Director of ILS on Friday with a verbal copy of my Offer Letter - still awaiting the final signature. However, the offer was good and they've ordered my new desk and Computer, so they must be fairly confident of my acceptance! Hoping to start later this week, or early next. Actually looking forward to it!

Snow Day!!

Well finally Matthew got his wish and today was indeed designated a snow day. No school! They are currently out sledding and having the time of their life. Emma was particularly keen to get out in the blizzard like conditions. We did have quite a snowfall last night, but it was made worse by the high winds we had. This has created pockets of really deep snow which is a delight to try and shovel away! It also blew drifts up against all the doors, which then promptly falls into the house when you open the door. It is now approaching mid-day and the roads have yet to be snowploughed, let alone our drive, so if I had been working, I would've been on the phone informing them of my late arrival. Still no sign of my written job offer, don't you just love HR departments....
Just got an email to say that Cubs has been cancelled, they are all going sledding instead followed by Hot Chocolate. Beats knot tying anyday....Best they make the most of the snow, I think it's forecasting +9 degrees at the weekend. Should be nice for our camp....