It's hard to believe we only left Regina a week ago. Of course we lost a day somewhere, which is OK for Sue but I think Dave and I may be past the point where we would want to make a habit of loosing days - even one.
The trip over (or should I say down, I guess its both) was every bit as bad as we decided it would be, so we did fine. Planning ahead I packed enough food so that if Dave and Sue didn't get fed they could eat. Of course, on the longest leg from Vancouver to Hong Kong there were no gluten free meals on board. The staff on that flight made sure the meals were on the next flight. And their meals were really good. Dave has been given not much more that rice cracker in the past.
The weather the first few days was perfect - 20 degrees the first day which was a treat.
Friends - Paul Austring's sister and brother-in-law - picked us up at the airport and brought groceries - thank goodness. They had just hosted a celiac cousin from the US so knew the food and brought what they had!!
They have continued to be very helpful and we are going to the Wayne Shorter concert with them.
The house is great. Neighbourhood is very close to what we would call downtown. Here we say we are going to town or to the city. Being a 15 minutes bus ride doesn't seem like going to the city for us.
The house is great. Neighbourhood is very close to what we would call downtown. Here we say we are going to town or to the city. Being a 15 minutes bus ride doesn't seem like going to the city for us.
Bonny gave me a diary which I've actually written in it every day, which is unusual for me. Not sure I'll be able to keep it up but will try.
We managed to find the grocery store on Saturday and bank and metro information on Monday. Suzie Healy at the bank was very helpful. Found out there that the bureaucracy continues. Sue needs a tax number to be able to wrk. This interesting tidbit is nowhere in her visa information so she didn't know. She has applied for one, which will take about 28 days to come but apparently she can work for 28 daysbefore she her employer has to have the number.
Sunday morning we went to an art show and brunch with Eileen and Peter. Dave met Eileen in Saskatoon. There were boat races and swimming races on the beach we were at. It really reminded me of one morning when Dave and I had breakfast with my cousins in Vancouver, right down to the fact that we didn't know the races were on until we got here.The differences were blue sky, much like Saskatchewan - all blue (slightly different shade of blue) with white wispy clouds, palm trees on the beach and a helicopter flying over to watch for sharks. Yes, that's right, sharks. They were having swimming races and the helicopter was watching for sharks. Eileen was saying she doesn't like to go in the water because of the sharks - no surprise there. The last time she was in, they saw a fin coming so got out quickly. Turns out it was a dolphin, but somehow that didn't make me more comfortable!! We're told that there are never any reports of people "being taken". One must assume this means by sharks, not aliens, although if there are no reports it could refer to both.
Monday was hot - even walking at 9 in the evening was oppressive. Fortunately we get evening here. It's light until about 9 pm. I haven't seen a sunset or rise, but am told we should go to the beach late afternoon and stay to watch it. I think we are going to go this afternoon - Wednesday. It is hard to tell in the city but I don't think we get rises and sets in the same way here as at home. I'll know better after the trip to the beach.
We managed to find the grocery store on Saturday and bank and metro information on Monday. Suzie Healy at the bank was very helpful. Found out there that the bureaucracy continues. Sue needs a tax number to be able to wrk. This interesting tidbit is nowhere in her visa information so she didn't know. She has applied for one, which will take about 28 days to come but apparently she can work for 28 daysbefore she her employer has to have the number.
Sunday morning we went to an art show and brunch with Eileen and Peter. Dave met Eileen in Saskatoon. There were boat races and swimming races on the beach we were at. It really reminded me of one morning when Dave and I had breakfast with my cousins in Vancouver, right down to the fact that we didn't know the races were on until we got here.The differences were blue sky, much like Saskatchewan - all blue (slightly different shade of blue) with white wispy clouds, palm trees on the beach and a helicopter flying over to watch for sharks. Yes, that's right, sharks. They were having swimming races and the helicopter was watching for sharks. Eileen was saying she doesn't like to go in the water because of the sharks - no surprise there. The last time she was in, they saw a fin coming so got out quickly. Turns out it was a dolphin, but somehow that didn't make me more comfortable!! We're told that there are never any reports of people "being taken". One must assume this means by sharks, not aliens, although if there are no reports it could refer to both.
Monday was hot - even walking at 9 in the evening was oppressive. Fortunately we get evening here. It's light until about 9 pm. I haven't seen a sunset or rise, but am told we should go to the beach late afternoon and stay to watch it. I think we are going to go this afternoon - Wednesday. It is hard to tell in the city but I don't think we get rises and sets in the same way here as at home. I'll know better after the trip to the beach.
Tuesday it was 39 above here and 30 below at home ( with the wind chill). Yes, we find 39 degrees stifling. When it is a little cooler than 30 the Aussies race along in long pants. We, of course, are barely moving, constantly heading for shade and panting for water.
Dave does do better in the heat than Sue and I. He actually makes some progress when he's walking and he has to wait for us to catch up.
Mornings are "cool" (the definition of cool being that its easy to breathe outside and one can actually be comfortable in shorts and t-shirt) and fresh until 8:30. Then suddenly the air is hot. The same seems to be true in the evening. Its like someone turns a switch at 8:30 am and pm. Although the evenings don't seem as fresh to me, but that could just be fatigue on my part.
There are spider plants growing outside here!! Ours froze in the dining room when we had the door opened for about three minutes.
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