Return from Haiti

Bonjou!
On May 1, 2009 I returned to Haiti with Team Canada Healing Hands and spent ten glorious days doing what I love: playing with children and taking pictures. I have completely fallen in love with Haiti, I think the re-visit was the clincher. I had such an amazing time and am so distraught by the idea that it could be over a year until I am able to return as there will be no spring trip in 2010, that I am signing up to go in November 2009, and possibly staying on for an extra week if all goes swimmingly.

On this trip I went to three orphanages that I had not visited last year, and re-visited one. I did not make it up to Wings of Hope this year and really missed the drive up the mountain. I worked in the clinic one morning and actually ran into Dorothy, who remembered when I had visited Peace, Love, Hope: Infant Rescue last April; she gave me a thourough update of all the kiddos I missed out on seeing this year! I feel like our trip was very very productive, we put together so many seating systems it would make your head whirl (so much more productive than waiting for DSD approval here!)

It seemed as though, that by having that first experience out of the way, you could really come into your own in Haiti. Having a better idea of the processes definitely helped with my direction on each visit, and it helped to have an underlying sense of comfort...having done it all before. I am really looking forward to returning in November. I find that it is extremely difficult to stop thinking about the children I worked with in the orphanages, constantly wondering how they are doing and what more could be done for them. It makes the adjustment back to your regular job that much more difficult, when your mind is often in other places. It is nice to know that the people I work with and treat are very understanding and supportive of the work we do with this group. I had a client today, who actually remarked, "and to think I was complaining about being able to grip my kayak paddle!" after viewing some of my photos
(in particular this one, a young boy who walks on his hands because of knee contractures)

That is precisely the side- effect that I have difficulty dealing with upon each return, re-finding the empathy for people who seem to be complaining about something trivial (in comparison). A clerk at the Health Centre said to me today, I wouldnt be able to do it, but I am glad that there are people like you, that can do it for me. Sometimes I am surprised at how well I do handle it. There are certainly moments when I am standing in an orphanage, just barely holding everything together, with tears welled up in my eyes...but more often than not...they are tears of joy and hope. I cant describe the feeling of being a part of helping someone move about their world on their own for the first time, or watching someone discovering the art of effective communication, or teaching a skill that will allow for increased independence- in a region where perhaps hope is often lacking. But that I believe is completely false, for hope is something in Haiti that always surprises me. That, and how they always look so immaculately clean and put together! No matter where you go, down the street in Port-au-Prince, into an orphanage, or a small village in rural Haiti...you hear laughter, you see smiles, and you get a big hug. I believe that is part of the charm of Haiti that really draws you in.

Each year I make memories that will stay with me forever. And, it never seems to fail; at each orphanage there is always that one (or more in my case) child that stands out to you and grabs right onto your heart strings!

But, for now, I must return to my Kreyol lessons with visions of the beautiful side of Haiti on my mind. Bonswa!

A Year later...almost

Well, I just got a quick reminder of why I dont blog very much. I had an entire post ready to publish after slowly working on it all day...as it took forever to load pictures...and every time it put in pictures the formatting would add large blank spaces, and as I was trying to delete the blank space above one of the pictures it somehow deleted the entire first half of the post and then autosaved 2 seconds later losing it forever. Needless to say I had a mini flip out and am in the I HATE YOU COMPUTER PHASE. It is lucky to still be sitting on my desk. Autosave is the devil. My least favourite thing to do is to try and remember what you wrote and recreate it.


I had returned to this online journal after someone wanted to post a comment on one of my NZ entries. I saw that my last post had been around this time last year as I was getting ready to go home for Christmas. I am not nearly as prepared and organized as I was last year, shopping in July for gifts did not happen in 2008. The family reinstated Craft Day, but we did not stay for it this year because we wanted to have a day of rest before returning to work rather than getting in late after a long drive and heading off to work the next morning. We had our own little crafty day in NB with Chris woodworking in the basement and I at the sewing machine working on a top secret project.


Kenzie has become a full blown cat. We had been worried for a few days that it wasnt going to be a successful transition into our little family, because everytime Nanuk came in to investigate the new creature, he tried to put her in his mouth. We never left them un-supervised for fear that she would really get hurt. After a few days though we began to let our guard down and as we were working away in the office, it dawned on us both that we had left them alone together for quite some time...we rushed out imagining a scene of flying fur, only to find them snuggled up together for an afternoon nap. They have been great pals ever since. So much so that I am pretty sure Kenzie believes she is a dog.



They have the most hilarious wrestling matches I have ever seen. This picture seemed to have captured a moment of ferocity...yet somehow they always come out unscathed. I cant get over how gentle Nanuk is...

Last winter in Fredericton we got more snow than I cared for. Locals say it was the worst winter in ages (and I have to take their word for it, and hope that means this winter will be an improvement). We were running out of places to throw the snow in our attempts to clear the driveway, and we broke 2 shovels in the process. The driveway was my nemesis last winter. We share a drive with the house next door, and it slopes toward the neighbours, coat that in a thick layer of ice and you have a great little winter game of chance. The people there last winter would park at the end of the driveway to avoid the need to shovel the entire length...so their car became an expensive obstacle. I had the great joy of having to park a rental car at the top of the driveway 2 days a week, a rental car that lacked winter tires. I spent many mornings and afternoons spinning my tires and slamming on the emergency brake trying to avoid that car at the end. Lovely way to start or end your work day I tell ya! I had been very excited the past few weeks because the students who were renting next door moved out over the summer and noone filled their space...however a few days ago we noticed lights on in the house and now today...a car at the end of the driveway. sigh. Let the games begin. :)

There really isnt one iota of me that is looking forward to a rough winter

But then again, I can only speak for myself ;)

I spent the winter fundraising for an organization I joined called Team Canada Healing Hands. We are a rehabilitation medicine group, including orthotists and prosthetist who work with the "teach a man to fish" philosophy in bringing medical aid to countries in need. The organization owns a guest house and clinic in Haiti and travels throughout the year to provide support and training to the Haitian rehab techs and prosthetitians who were trained initially by the organization. When our teams are not there (teams go from Canada and across America in spurts throughout the year) they are self sufficient.
The trip was amazing, not what you would call an eye opener, because I like to believe my eyes are mostly already open. It was educational and fulfilling, challenging and a lot of fun. Haiti is a beautiful country, driving through the country side you get the chance to really see Haiti's potential...hidden underneath it's problems, you can see what Haiti once was, many many years ago. Haiti has been hit hard, again and again. The day after I arrived in the country manifestations (protests/riots) broke out in the southern regions. Long story short: rising food costs are a problem we ourselves are facing, rising costs of fuel etc etc vicious circle. Only for us, it's something to be annoyed and frustrated by...but we still get to eat, we still drive to work. The average Haitian earns $1 a day, that's enough for some rice, cooking oil maybe an egg and the tap tap home. What that means is the average Haitian lives day by day. So what happens when the price of a cup of rice rises to $3? That is what happened in April 2008. And thus ensued...the Food Riots of 2008. To make that even worse there are theories about how it all began, and why unrest seems to always occur. A nation that is constantly at unrest, chaotic and frenzied...is a hot spot for low lifes trafficking drugs in and out of the country. If the authorities are tied up trying to keep the streets safe from the average citizens...that creates one big playground for...well you get the picture. Theories finger point at one man in particular who rallies the people to believe that the president increased the cost of food, and that this is something only happening in Haiti. Who wouldn't be upset by that?

Since I have left, Haiti has been hit hard by several tropical storms, and as you can see in one of the pictures, a large storm could effortlessly destroy many of the homes, not to mention the surges that easily engulf many of the towns.

Well, jumping down off my soapbox...some quick highlights! ;)

A tap tap, a very colourful form of public transit. Entrepenuers buy into the truck like a franchise.

Driving up into the mountains

This serenity was found at Wings of Hope, a home for children with special needs who could not be provided/cared for by their family

Our neighbours at the guesthouse and clinic.

A sailboat on our trip north

The gang! Taking a break on Sunday.

With a little girl Melisse outside P-au-P (knee flexion contractures)



We (Caryn a PT from Ottawa) met a fisherman on our walk along the beach, he had clawless lobsters, red fish and conch...Coconut milk is too sweet for my tastes!

The boys performing at St. Josephs, a school that teaches the arts to boys who had been living on the streets. It was a great show, and I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling through Petionville.

Bartering for a painting in Delmas...that piece now hangs in my living room...I'm so glad I had a translator and a staff driver there with me! What a HUGE help!

Playing with sound

A little footie with some children affected by HIV at Arc en ciel.

I am currently fundraising for my next trip with Team Canada Healing Hands, and my co-workers are such great supporters of this effort. The OT Dept even hosted a bakesale during OT month with all proceeds going towards purchasing a one-arm drive wheel chair for a little girl in Isle a Vache.

When I got back from Haiti all our snow had melted, which was a nice homecoming. The adjustment back to routine was a process, to say the least.

Over the summer my best friend Colleen got married, and shortly after that my travel buddy from NZ, Jo Anna, who you will be quite familiar with if you have been following along, also got married.

Colleen and Jacob

JoAnna and Eddie

As I was pulling into the hotel for Colleen's wedding I received a call from dad, letting me know that my Grandfather had been rushed to the hospital and things did not look good. He didnt know much more than that, and I spent the rest of the evening trying to pretend everything would be fine, with minimal success. I went home directly afterwards and stayed there for a week, as we all tried to pick up the pieces. He passed away before making it to the hospital, it was all very sudden and unexpected, which makes it so much harder to accept. Last year, with my dad's dad, it was very hard, but I had a chance to go see him, tell him I love him and say goodbye...this time...I felt...cheated. It has been three months and I still cant think about it without tearing up. I was blessed with wonderful grandfathers, caring and gentle, intelligent, down to earth grandfathers. Both of them loved nature and worked hard their whole lives. I didnt volunteer to speak at the funeral this time, I knew I wouldnt be able to get past one word. My sisters both got up and spoke, and I cant believe they were able to do it, they were great...even the choir cried. It is in times like this that you appreciate growing up in a small community in rural Canada...what amazing people.

My last image of Grampie is him standing in his yard waving and blowing kisses at me as we pull out of his driveway, after we stopped in for a visit on our way through to NB. A big hug and an "I love you, I love you more"

...it's as good as a goodbye as I could ask for.

I just always thought that I would see him again.

Where I get my adventurous streak?

I can remember standing in his basement, shortly after my dad's dad passed away, faced with an overwhelming amount of grief, current grief and thoughts of what could come if I had to say goodbye to the man who stood in front of me. I really didnt think that I would lose both of my grandfathers before I had a chance to start my own family. I think I was spoiled because I had great-grandparents in my life for so long, I just thought that would be how my own children would grow up. I think the 5 stages are more of a cycle, because I keep returning and revisiting certain emotions even after I thought I was finished with them.

As we prepared for the funeral we spent hours and hours digging through old photos, and I found a new hobby...restoring old photos. This was my first attempt at colouring along with the restoring. So many great pictures in the collections, mesmerized for hours. It is times like that where you smack yourself for not doing this with your loved ones while they were there to tell you all the great stories to go along with the stills.

It provides some comfort knowing that they are reunited.

Now we are beginning to get ready for another Christmas...and I have picked up yet another crafty hobby, but I cant speak of it just yet because its a christmas present if I finish it in time. That and I borrowed a fiddle from my cousin, I have to fit lessons in there somewhere. Maybe over the long snowy winter...

'Twas the week before Christmas...

and I am so glad that I began my gift shopping in July! There is something to be said about knowing your family will be happy with your finds...Christmas is a whole new shopping experience when you finally have money coming in, instead of only going out! Therefore this whole employment thing ain't half bad! :)
I did make it home for "craft day" our annual Remembrance weekend tradition where we gather at the Patterson's for a day full of crafting, tea, treats and Christmas music. I, however, use the words Craft Day lightly when I state that I made it home for this event, because they neglected to inform me that *gasp* Craft Day had been cancelled! I was in shock...it just couldn't be. I had been planning for this day for weeks...deciding what projects I would work on, what I needed to pick up etc. So, I revolted...and I stowed away by myself in the sewing room and I hemmed a bunch of pants and made the bedroom curtains. Having all these pants finally fit me was like Christmas in itself because before this they had been lonely in my drawer and unworn. I am also happy with how the curtains turned out. The day was not a bust completely though, we did have tea and treats, and played some games to boot.
I also was able to stop in home the next weekend as I was travelling near the area to attend a Rehabilitation of the Hand course in Halifax. I am very glad I was able to stop in because it gave me the opportunity to visit my grandfather and say goodbye to him in the hospital before he passed away the next week. The palliative care unit at the hospital was amazing, so well done, they should be proud.
The Hand course was not all I expected, because there was no real "hands on" learning, from which I really benefit. I did get to spend the night at Katie's apt though and have some catch up time with her which is always nice. We also ate lunch the next day at the cafe she works for, and I had the most amazing soup ever! Curried cauliflower chowder...I couldn't stop talking about it. Katie says the girl who makes their soup is a soup guru and needs to open her own soup shop, and I second that motion. After the course I was able to spend some time with Becky, a friend from school working in Hali, strolling around the city and shopping...a nice afternoon! The next night I spent out at Colleen's and we went to a Halloween party hosted by work friends of her fiance. I didn't really know anyone there but it was really neat to see all the different costume ideas (especially since her fiance works in an animation studio!) It was a quick visit but its always great to see Colleen, so I take what I can :P
I was back home the next weekend to attend my grandfathers funeral.
My grandfather was an amazing man, and inspired me as I grew to love nature and to remain curious about the world around me...because no question was too silly or naive...and he had an answer to all of them. I can only hope that I can provide the same for my own children and grandchildren some day...I better start studying now :) The weekend was a mini family reunion and it was good to be able to catch up with family who has been away, and to listen to the stories of relatives I wish I knew better; like my grandfathers Brother. He told a story about when they attended the one room school house (which we were all seated in at the moment having lunch and socializing), he said grampie was never afraid to debate with the teachers and on one such day he was in a disagreement over a math equation, after awhile the teacher finally gave in and said yes Billy you are right. Later as grampie and his brother were walking home, grampie turned to his brother and said, 'part way into the argument I realized that the teacher was in fact right, but I couldn't back down after all the effort I had put forth'! I guess it just goes to show that stubborn is a family trait that cant be easily rubbed out. He also told me about how much grampie loved to read, and how they had enjoyed British humour most of all (which must be where my Dad gets it). Grampie would read them stories out of a book and then well after the lights had been turned out would continue to make up stories to entertain his siblings. One of my favourite things to do when visiting my grandparents growing up, was to sift through grampies library that he had made up for us...a box full of nature books. We even had little library cards so we could sign the books out and take them home. I also loved walking through the woods with grampie and my dad...probably chattering non stop with whats that, how does that work, what is that made out of, what do you call this...And now, the land has been passed on to my father so that I can continue to stroll through the woods and teach my children how to identify trees and bird calls.
I was becoming slightly spoiled getting home every weekend for awhile, so I havent been back since, but mom will be up to get me this Friday for the holidays! I am so excited to give everyone their gifts! I think I might be turning into my mom...who has passed on her love of finding the perfect gift :)
I also did pick up the knitting needles again and I made Chris a touque, which he loves so much I am sure the reason he doesnt wear it is to protect it. haha...I also havent finished the ear flap ties so I will let him use that as an excuse. We have an enormous amount of snow so it is definitely touque weather...even if he says boys dont wear touques and scarves :P
A few weeks ago we added to our 'family' and rescued a kitten from CARMA, I think she is adorable, if not slightly hyper and rambunctious...she makes up for it with snuggles. She is striped grey and we named her Kenzie, after James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie!

Moving has become my constant standard of living

Well I have moved again! For some reason I am not capable of leaving a suitcase unused for more than 4mos. at a time. I wonder where I will go next...please dont even get me started on my travel list because it may make me cry when I realize it most likely will never happen. My latest move has brought me closer to the student life than when I had been living in Halifax last year; let's just say I now know how quickly and brilliantly a couch burns in the middle of the street. The neighbours seem fine to allow these hooligans to run the streets at night whooping and hollering and blasting music, oh and of course lighting anything flammable...but they do not like if Nanuk barks in the morning. My street is night owls so that is going to take some adjusting. The place we moved into is very...quiant...haha! We are renting a house from a lawyer in Ottawa who purchased the tiny home while attending law school. It's small, but so are we so it should work out pretty dandy. My biggest complaint though is the cold, it is quite chilly and it is only early October. Our yard has heaps of trees around the house so we dont get much sun, not to mention the home is made of large cement blocks (thats just a guess, I dont really know what they are, I will leave that to Chris to explain). We also have a sun porch that is slightly spearated from the house and thus leaking in cold air, plus the windows are old school and only single paned. Most of the windows have been weathered, but there is still some more to do. I am currently working on getting some curtains made to pretty the place up. We painted the bedroom the most spectacular shade of blue based off Debbie travis' "Best Friend" blue, we thought that was fitting for our situation...and it works for both him and myself. We got a new comforter set as well from Ty's line and it is chocolate brown, so the walls really pop with it. The curtains for the room will be a lighter shade of brown and remind me very much of a skirt I got at the Black Market. Its very exciting to decorate a home rather than an apt. The living room is green already, I had wanted to paint it a vibrant shade of green, like grass, but we decided to conserve money and I remained content with a more muted green. Chris' father, Roger, has the neatest vinyle cutting machine and he has been experimenting with wall words and wall sticker vinyl so I hoping hoping to have something amazing to put up in the living room...I'm aiming for fern curls.
I received word that I passed the licensing exam for OT, so that means I have to keep working :P So much for my backpacking adventures in Scotland, instead I continue to grip the steering wheel on my journey to Minto each week. One day I saw a total of 8 deer on my trip in to work, being forced to break for 4 of those! It's a nerve wracking stretch of highway to say the least, I do not even kid when I say my hands get sore from gripping the wheel too tightly. I've still only seen one moose though. On the bright side though I am having fun testing a new car each week, today it is a cherry red Yaris, last week a brand spanking new grey Corolla, and the week before a silver Versa. I'm hoping to get the Mazda 3 next week, the rental guy said it's his favourite. If I had my own car the hospital would be paying me mileage instead of renting me a vehicle, so I am pretty tempted to look into financing options that somewhat equal what I would earn each month in travel expenses. Something to ponder for sure...and Mazda IS having a sale...
In other news I travelled over to PEI the long weekend in September for Anne-Maries wedding to Wayne. I took the bus to Moncton to meet Laura and then we travelled over the bridge the next day! It was great to see Laura again and we had a lot of fun putting together our gift for the newly married couple...of course it came complete with a poem...it wouldnt be a true Melissa-Laura creation without one! We drove over in our matching outfits and got gussied up in Summerside before heading over to the church where we were pleased to run into Martha in the parking lot! I was already getting excited for the dance event, knowing AM had invited some FANTASTIC dancing OT machines! Sarah, Maggie and Cathy were all seated at our table, so it was a mini reunion :) They had a really neat idea at the wedding where they took everyones picture as you entered the church, then later at the reception all the photos were in an album which acted as the guest book! That way you signed your best wishes and the couple would have a keepsake photo reminder of everyone there on their special day! The church was immaculate, I havent been in many catholic churches so it was a small treat. I think my breath stopped when AM came around the corner in her dress with her dad...she looked exquisite! The ceremony turned out to be pretty funny, as the priest whipped out his magic wand that ensured the marriage would be smooth sailing! I do not jest, he bonked them both on the head with a sparkled/ streamer tipped baton...and I almost died laughing! At the reception our favours were scottish thistle pins and they were handing out blue spruces to offset the paper used in the ceremony...I was in my element...both fantastic ideas I have no qualms in stealing for my own future event...if one ever comes. The dance was beyond fun, and I may have shed some pounds as we all galloped around the floor, twisting and spinning with the bride and her brothers all donned in kilts! Chris joined us near the end of the evening for a few dances and then Laura Martha Myself and Chris expired to our campground where we near but collapsed in a heap on the ground before setting up a tent in the dark (and in dresses!) Chris and I spent an extra night camping before going back to our respective provinces. It was a great weekend!


Last weekend, coincidentally, was also a long weekend! Thanksgiving! Chris and I went home and I attended a friends stagette party where we all dressed as fairies! Very interesting. Sunday I visited with Meredith and marveled over her VERY cute apt they created across from her home, its very lively and fun! She had great exciting news and it was so nice to be able to spend some time with her, even if we didnt get to trudge up Greenhill and freeze as we marvelled over the foliage! Sunday afternoon was spent stuffing ourselves with a great meal, followed by another stuffing event of desserts at the Pattersons. Monday morning Emily, Chris and I carved THE most coolest pumpkins ever carved. Biased opinion of course. Emily taught me how to do shave carvings and it was a lot of fun...we saved all the seeds for roasting and for crafts. I wonder if I will make it home for craft weekend?
I have some sewing projects on my table to do, and a lady is selling a VAST variety of homespun yarns at the hospital so it is tempting me to pick up my needles again and see what I can create! Perhaps I will be able to post some crafty pictures someday.

Date change

I noticed that after I posted that last item it was dated as July 3rd...a reminder to myself that it was that long ago that I sat down at the computer and attempted to update. I had saved the draft and then today continued it. I forgot to mention that we all wrote our national certification in July and are still awaiting the results. Perhaps this blog will soon centre around my search for a new profession :P
Anne Marie's wedding is also this upcoming weekend and I am so excited to see some of my classmates again!
Although of course I see JoAnna and Tara quite often as they also accepted positions in Fredericton. :)
Colleen was up for a night to visit, and Emily spent a week with me. Visits sure do make this apartment seem quiet once they have left :(
Mom, Sarah, Emily, Lisa and I took a trip to Ontario to visit with the family members out there, lots of fun! (Eventhough Air Canada managed to misplace my luggage between Fredericton and Toronto) The first night we played games and rebonded. The next morning we were off to Canadas Wonderland (with a new bathing suit with no thanks to Air Canada) where I learned just how much I can scream in one day. On the drop tower I also discovered a new sound I had not been aware I was capable of producing, I believe Sarah has this on video. My favourite rides were The Italian Job and the Cyclone. The next day we went to Debbie and Ken's to celebrate Megan's birthday and see a few more relatives we hadnt met up with yet. That weekend I took a train to Kingsville to meet Chris and his family for a very quick visit before heading back to the maritimes. We visited Pelee National park and the Pelee winery in our whirlwind visit.

Tired of re-runs?

Oh what a special treat for those who actually still check on this blog from time to time. I have returned. SO MUCH has happened since I was last able to really sit down and post more info on here. Exams flew by without a hitch, we all went out on our last day to Niche and had appetizers and martinis, hardly believing it had all come to an end. I dont think it really sunk in for me at that point. After three years you grow accustomed to seeing the same people and keeping the same routine, I think somewhere in the back of mind I had assured myself that this was merely a short break. We all went home and awaited our grades and graduation. I had many road trips and adventures inbetween and took hundreds of pictures. Graduation was a blur, the preparation leading to that day made the actual event seem anti-climatic. Nonetheless it was an amazing feeling. Laura and I brought down the house with our Valedictorian speech, and I was so happy to hear from classmates, staff and families about how much they enjoyed it. We walked across the stage, as the class with the most "graduating with distinction" members :) To celebrate Mom, Dad, Emily, Lisa, Bev and Katie and I all went out for supper in the restaurant in Katie's building, Trinity. That evening I joined my fellow graduates, along with those from the Physiotherapy class on the Sylva boat cruise, lots of laughs and dancing. The next morning we had our farewell Brunch which also celebrated LB's birthday. After we had finished our meals an awkward silence fell over the table. For this was it. Throughout the festivities we had continued to expect to see each other again at the next event...but we had no more planned events. We stood on the sidewalk and hesitated to part ways. We eventually peeled ourselves apart and I finally went down to the waterfront and ordered my grad pictures.
I accepted a position in Fredericton, 3 days a week I am in the Chalmers on the Orthopedics floor, and 2 days a week I am in Minto at the Community Health Centre as the only OT. It has been great so fAR.
I am living alone, and as my last post predicted it is much better than some of my other situations. But I must admit...cabin fever often finds me. There is only so much peace and quiet I can take.
Chris has recently been offered a position at an engineering firm in Fredericton so that is very exciting news. And soon I will move into my rented house so Nanuk can join me in my new Fredericton adventure.

My weekends

So I have been going home for the past few weekends because there hasnt been much going on around Halifax and seeing as how it is nearly time to grow up and move away I should make the most :) The first weekend I was home I got to see Emily say her speech and I must say she blew everyone away...definitely the best one there! The next weekend she was saying her speech at the next level and it was also moms 50th birthday so another good excuse to go home, it worked out that I could surprise mom because a girl in my class, Maureen, was going home as well (to Stellarton) so I hitched a ride with her. She definitely provides some interesting chit chat for the drive :) To save Maureen driving me out home, and because Chris and I were planning an outing anyway, he picked me up in Stellarton and we ate out and rented a movie to bring home and watch with the family. However mom was working a late shift so we had to wait a while for her to come home. As we couldnt hide Chris' vehicle we tried to pull off that he was so bored he decided to come and hang out with Emily. Mom wasnt buying it and found me hiding :P That weekend we also went down to the shore to take pictures for Emily's 4H project. It was absolutely freezing on the beach and I was quite disgusted over the mess the workers had left behind! Chris and I also hung the shelf I had made for our front entry. When I got back to the city I discovered that we no longer had internet and therefore had to run off to the main campus library (as ours was closed) to complete an assignment due the next day. I didnt see any of my roommates until late Tue night. Our phone and TV were quick to follow in the disappearing act and I was none to impressed to discover the cause was unpaid bills...they were not paid the entire time I was out of the country. I missed a very important phone call from a potential employer and have not heard from them since I sent an apologetic email. After displaying some assertiveness when they finally returned we were reconnected to the internet but still do not have phone service and it is very annoying. I cannot wait to move out. Living alone may turn out to be a glorious experience. I have just returned from another weekend home as it was the long easter weekend. Emily is in Europe (until next Sat) so it was much quieter than usual! haha! Chris kept me entertained in her absence. We went on a mini road trip Saturday to take photos of the new windmills and waterfalls, and Nanuk of course came along too! We stopped at the windmill first but had a hard time making it look as big as it appeared to the naked eye on film. Then we went to the bakery on the brule shore and got a loaf of bread and some date squares. We then drove to wentworth and found the first waterfall on our list and took some shots of the ice formations and of course some portraits. We moved on to the under mountain river and then drove to Truro for lunch. While waiting for our food I noticed that Nanuk was in the back of the SUV and his movements looked suspicious...as suspected he had gotten into the baked goods and did quite a number on them in the short amount of time he had. The snow had started at this point so as we drove back to PC we decided we would get the rest of the waterfalls the next time I came home. It was a good choice because we had quite the storm! A lot came down really fast! This seems like an appropriate time to quote my sister Sarah, as I think she summed it up quite nicely and it made me laugh
"please someone make it stop!! round white fluffy things are surrounding me. they're all over the place and all through the air. they're building up and up and up until that's all you can see. I've yelled at them, "It's April!" but they won't listen. they're like those stubborn jellyfish that show up in August. Or the people who chit chat with the cashier after their groceries have been bagged. Or those who move away and then continue to consistently fill your inbox with useless babble. They don't understand when their time is up. I mean I love it all winter and one of my happiest days is the first day they show up, but I can't take it anymore. Oh, the powers that be, please take pity on me. We're talking since Oct. 28th. 5 months - that's almost half a year. I coasted on it, I played in it, I threw it, I scuplted it, I danced in it, I walked in it, I fell in it, I skiied on it, I shovelled it,I extreme drove through it, I gave it it's due and glorified it during it's time, what more does it expect???? It's time to let go."
We had easter dinner at home, it was weird to not have Sarah and Emily there. The next day Chris, Nanuk and I went sledding and tried to build a fort...not too successfully.All in all I watched a lot of movies and did very little studying for my last 2 exams ever! On the drive back into the city though Maureen and I spent the entire drive talking about all the things we knew about our course which we will be examined on tomorrow and it turns out we know a fair chunk so we are no longer worried.

Here are some of the photos from our sessions:


Ice jumping at the beach


Chris and I successfully causing Emily "to look" at nothing by pretending we see something exciting...


Nanuk, Chris and I on the rocks


Nanuk, Emily and I on the rocks


Walking back...joking about belts :)


The shelf on the wall!


Emily giving her heart-felt, well researched speech on how one person can impact change on the world


oh she looooved this...I believe the quote here is "hurry up and take the picture, people are laughing at us!" Then she tried to shove it in the trunk, but it didnt fit...so it rode with me in the back seat all the way home, where I believe the next quote came from me "I feel as though I am staring my future in the face..." I am one lucky girl ;)


Neither look a day over 29...or is that act? Posing with a gift from Sarah


Nanuk sleeping in the sun


The windmill in Tatamagouche


haha!


an old boat


Ice on the waterfall


Nanuk the creeper


Base of the waterfall


Jumping into the river that runs under the mountain


the back seat...haha...


my dapper travel buddies!


There were 8 very perplexed and anxious robins skirting around the yard during the beginnings of the storm