A view from the back

My parking is either in the front of the house or pad parking in the back of my lot. I am only two houses from the entrance to the back lane, with plenty of street lamp lights (that was a feature I liked when I picked this lot). I thought to get a different view, I took this from the back lane. As you can see it is not rectangle and has a L-shape in the back. The room that extends out is the master suite and the inner ledge is the kitchen nook and where the future deck will be going. When I was looking at extras - I could build a 10x13 size deck. Depending on the viewpoint, I could extend it out past my suite wall to get a better southern view of Calgary. It is funny when I look at the foundation, I'm thinking will I have enough room to put all the furniture I inherited from my dad's condo (he sold it in January) in there? Feel luck though - I go in with a basically fully furnished home - not bad eh? With help of my friends here, I am sure I will find my own person touch with the furnishings making it feel just like a home. I'll keep you posted on the build... 

Onto the next stage....

On Sunday, Char and I drove by my place as she hadn't seen it. To my surprise, there was the foundation already poured in. It was only 7 days since the last was there to take photos. With it being cooler here I didn't think it would have been poured yet. Darn - no camera that day too. So after work yesterday I drove back to the house to take a couple of photos of the progress. This is the front of the house facing eastward. The two houses on the sides look like 2 storey homes and mine is a bi-level so it will be interesting it to see the height difference with me in the middle. I am just really happy that my external colours don't clash with my neighbours (I got my shades of blue!). The front of the house is mainly the front foyer and the living room and of course the stairs to the lower level. I get the morning sun for this area - you know those lazy mornings to read the local paper with a cup of tea. Ya - to dream eh? Plus - should be no glare while watching evening TV in the summer time! 

No Back to Back for Canada!

Now working with the gals in the office for almost a year - learning quite quickly HUGE sport fans, especially hockey. They are bound and determined to convert me into a Calgary Flames fan. As I shared with them, the only live sports games I've seen was when I was a kid and both were in Montreal (Baseball Expos and Hockey Habs). Ohh - word to the wise don't mention Habs in the inpatient coding area at the Foothills site - super diehard Flames fans! Of course, this afternoon, Mens Team Canada Hockey were playing Russia. So we were going to CBC blog play by play of the hockey game. Not knowing anything about hockey - I am assuming it was a good game as the first and only goal of the game was scored in the third period. As the title mentioned - it was Russia who won 1-0!! (Hats off to your adopted country David and Erin! Good luck in the semis) Reading CBC's blog was funny with their descriptions and quirks of the game. The men will have much to prove come 2010 as it will be on home turf in Vancouver. Sarah at work is determined to go to the winter Olympics in 2010 as we are so close to Vancouver (relatively speaking). How cool would it be in 2010 to win the womens AND mens hockey again and on home turf to boot!! We have to wait 2 years before purchasing any tickets though (Sarah checked for us). It wasn't all bad for Canada today - we won some more gold & silver medals in speed-skating and skiing. Men's Curling won their semis to play in the gold medal game. Cindy Klassen, speed skater (I believe from Canmore, Alberta) has won the most medals (4) in at a winter Olympics for a woman. Congrats to Cindy!!! It is an interesting observations - the Canadian women atheletes are kicking butt this year - raking in a good portion of our current 17 medals at these Olympics. I think our aim is 25 medals for this Olympics - Klassen skates one more competition on Saturday. Go Canada Go!!!

Winter Wonderland!!

Yes, we finally got a good dumping of snow. It has basically been snowing all day. It has just stopped. The one thing I noticed that Calgary doesn't seem to have but Thunder Bay does - snow plows!! I haven't seen one yet. When I walked to work this morning it was beautiful with the big fluffy snowflakes falling. Of course, the roads are a different matter. As going to work, I heard a crunch and here a little car slid into the back end of the truck. Of course, no damage to the truck but the plastic grate in the front of the car was smucked in. For almost for an hour my little inpatient coding area was quiet - it was lonely ole me. People were delayed because of the weather. This is a photo from my baloncy. In the distance is the COP (Calgary Olympic Park) jumps. Plus the snow still on the evergreen trees. It is beautiful though. 

New Beginnings!!!!

On the way home from Chestermere today I drove by where I will be living come around June. Let me introduce you to my new home in Coventry Hills! They had broken ground last week and will be preparing it for the foundation. They think by mid-March the framing will be going up. Funny how little things get you so excited. I have a hole in the ground and it is just hard not to smile. What I looked at on paper is now gradually becoming a reality - I am going to be a home owner. Placing roots of my own and all that goes with it. If you didn't know about the Calgary market - it is just skyrocketed. Since locking in my purchased price, the cost of the Whitney plan has gone up in price by $55,000!! Talk about being stunned. Reading the paper lately too - I am so fortunate that I am building with Excel homes and I bought when I did. Due to the shortages of labour and supplies, one company has actually had to cancel some of their contracts with future homeowners that haven't broken ground yet because of those two issues, while some have said pay this increased amount due to the great increase of supplies costs and we will continue with building your home. Very thankfully indeed! I will keep you posted too on the development. I'm lucky, Melissa every once in a while swings by my place as she drives home from work and keeps me up to date of any changes. 

Settler Sisters

Here is Amanda, Amy and I, before we played our game of Settlers. The Settler sisters missing from the picture is Char and Sara. It is a fun game but that was only my second time playing it. I can see why you enjoy playing it Erin. I did beat Char (finally!) in Scrabble this week. I lucked out as I got a 7 letter word (gave me 77 points). Jon Keatley have told me he would like to play us one time. You are on Jon once I move out to Chestermere next month! Oh yeah - we will be playing the English version of Scrabble as Char hasn't taught me the Russian version yet. 

The Shock has worn off!!

John was totally stunned and speechless when he realized the gift that Sara has planned for them. No Way? Your Joking? Nope - John you are going to Brazil!! The smile says it all - totally blown away that he will be able to revisit areas of Brazil he knows and now can share them with Sara. The next few months will be the fun part too - looking at books and plan their adventure. After dinner a bunch of them enjoyed the hot tub and visit with the family. There was another great bit of news too - Peter James won Player of the Game for Basketball (he plays for Mount Royal College). They are top in their league and will host the final 4 for provincial playoffs and said too they are like 10th in Canada. Congratulations Peter!!! Best of luck in your playoffs too!!
Thought of you David and Erin - Amy, Char, Amanda and I played Settlers while the others were in the hot tub - Amy was the big winner...this time! 

Surprise beginning to be revealed....

Sara planned an awesome surprise gift for John. Not only did she have a wonderful Portegese dinner for John, she plans to take John back to Brazil (probably in Jan/Feb in their summer) for 3 weeks. Sara has never been to Brazil so it will be exciting trip as they explore Brazil together. Sara had gone online to find some Portegese sayings and had a bilingual card for John revealing her surpise. 

Mommy-to-be

Here are Garron and Amy looking on as John and the kids blow out the candles. Amy you look great too!! Just a few more months and we get to be introduced to little Solomon Honor Jon Rish!! 

We're ready to help daddy!!

John's children Sierra and Ethan are getting ready to help dad blow out his candles on his cake. Sierra was a great helper to Auntie Amy as she dished out the ice cream after Amy put it on the plate. 

Happy 40th John P!!!

Hey Happy 40th Birthday John P!! You made it look easy turning that age - just 4 more years for me. Sara hosted the party and we enjoyed some Portegese (sp?) food - salty meat, a berry-type drink (it tasted like iced tea to me), and a rice/bean dish. As you can tell by the cake - Amy decorated the cake with the country of Brazil, the country's flag and two photos (one of John and Sara). John spent some time in Brazil teaching English. Thanks for the different tastes John. 

Exciting months ahead!!

Waiting for me at work this morning was an email from Melissa (a coworker who will be living around the corner from me in Coventry). She was so excited to tell me that when she drove home, she saw a hole - the ground has finally been broken on my lot!! Of course, I had exciting news for her - our house plans went up again another $5,000.00!! We seem to have a trade - she lets me know the happenings in my lot and I keep her up to date of our house prices. Fair, don't you think? I was going to wait until tomorrow - but the excitement got the better of me. I saw my hole as well as the beginnings of the stakes and metal formations for the foundation. So excited about this whole thing - it is now becoming a reality instead of dreaming on paper, so I went by the showhome to get a rough estimate of timeline. Now we do have to consider the coordination of labourers, tradespersons and of course supplies, but the house could be ready maybe end of May but sound like June for sure. That is okay as I am staying with Amanda in Chestermere, so I can take my time with the signoffs are complete to how I want them to be. There were too many tradespeople around, didn't feel proper taking a photo of the house lot. Maybe on Sunday when it is probably quieter. I'll keep you posted as it progresses.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day to all my family and friends!!! Last Friday, I attended a "Keeping the Spirit Alive" workshop - basically a morale booster for our coding staff. It was a day of fun but also to see how our team as a whole and as a specific site gel. In the afternoon, Maria (a coworker on my site) taught the 44 ladies that attended, the basic steps of Salsa Dancing!! Can you imagine - learning how to dance on company time??? She did a great job too. Near the end of the day, our Foothills group had to draw something that represents our team. During the school months, once a week we rotate bringing in cookies for our coding staff - so we right away figured the FMC Cookie Coders was very appropriate. Today, we are to bring goodies that are either red or pink - since that is the colour scheme for Valentine's Day. Was at Safeway's yesterday so picked up nutless brownies with red and pink decorations. A coworker mentioned too that she had seen the improvement and how we compliment and gel together since she arrive a year + ago. Myself, it is not quite a year for me (wow!) but they have made me feel so welcome and feel at home right away. Sure makes a difference to feel that. Once again - no regrets especially professionally making that jump to Calgary last March. Personally - it definitely has been a growing, positive experience for me.

A Taste of a Morning Commute

Last night I spent the night in Chestermere. I had to see "Must See TV" Thursday - Smallville, Survivor and CSI (the original). Smallville and CSI were dark but had some interesting turns to it. This is a new season of Survivor so I am just getting into it. As some of you know, when my lease is up in March I will be moving out to Chestermere temporarily until the house is ready to be moved in. So last night I used it as a test guide for the morning commute. It wasn't that bad, and that is probably due to the fact that I left Chestermere at 6am - the beginning of rush hour traffic. I got to the other end of town by 6:25am. I think this is really good as Chestermere (NE)is past city limits east of Calgary and Foothills is NW heading out to Banff. So with the offsite parking that I would have to do, I will still be able to keep my 7am start time at Foothills. Talking with a coworker who lives up the street of where I will be living, tells me that the drive to the Foothills is about 20 minutes. So not much difference really. It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I might be able to code at Stratmore Hospital only a 15 min drive east of Chestermere - absolutely no traffic lights until you hit the town. Sleeping in a new place compared to your old one is something to get used to. At my apt have basically gotten used to the ambulance & firetruck sirens, and STARS air ambulance flying over the building and the basic traffic noise you get living on the TransCanada. Out in Chestermere, you still get the TransCanada traffic, but you also have silence. This morning (around 2:30am), the house was totally silent, you could hear a pin drop. The only noise you hear is the call of the coyotes across the Chestermere Lake going at it for about 20 minutes. Okay - admittingly felt a brief sense of panic. It was unnerving as I am not use to that noise...yet.

Remembering someone special

Today, is one of those days that will always be different from others. Hard to believe, but 12 years ago today my sister Kathryn passed away. Despite the years passed, it seems like yesterday. I still remember what the office felt like in Victoria, when I walked in to get the phone - just the sense that something was wrong. On the other end of the phone was my dad telling me my sister is now in heaven. Being a survivor of someone who took her life has not been easy, but with my family, friends and definitely my faith, I have learn to go on with my life enjoying all that is out there. Though her life was short, 21 years long, Kathryn did teach me to put your faith in God that He will be there for you. My mom shared with me one time just before Kathryn went to have her major back surgery, Kathryn told her not to worry that everything will be okay as it is in God's hand and He will be there with the surgeons. Surgery went great too. As her big sister, I miss our midnight talks and being able to share our thoughts and frustrations at times too. Kathryn was my sister but she was a special friend too. A family friend of ours had told me after the funeral, that Kathryn shared that she was concerned about me as I didn't sound happy out in Victoria. All she wanted was for me to be happy. Wow, what a statement! Kathryn, it has taken some time but I am at a place in my life that I am happy. I am learning to leave that comfort box at times to experience something new. With everything we have gone through as a family, you have taught me your life is not complete without your faith. Though you don't see it right away, God always is there for you by putting the people who have always been there or a person is there only to help you through that one particular moment in your life. It might seem silly, but thank you for being friends with Kimberly Pidgeon. She brought us both to Dorion Bible Camp where we became Christians but also developed friendships that were there for us when we needed them. For me, all of the James Family have been a blessing and a rock for me. Now that I live in Calgary where the James family are, I have never felt more closer to them, then I do now. They have become my second family - sharing laughs, and cries too; playing card games and scrabble just like our family did growing up. Thank you for loving me and being there for me James Family.

Kathryn, thanks for being a great sister and I cherish all those times together be it with tears or laughter. Even though you can not be here physically, I know when those special moments in my life occurs that you will be there in spirit sharing it with me like sisters do. Miss and love you much Kathryn. I will see you one day where we can be together once again.

A year on this new path

Times flies!! This week in 2005, I came home from work in TB with a message on the answering machine from Calgary Health Region wanting to set up an interview. Almost getting that excited, nervous feeling instantly because definitely wasn't expecting it as that was the 12th time I had applied (so if it is something you really want to do - be persistent). Within a couple of weeks, I received a call at TB Hospital just before lunch that the job at the Foothills Hospital was mine if I wanted it. Had to wait a few days to give my official answer as the director was out of the office that week - but I knew that I would be accepting it. Did feel bad for my mom who had just left for New Zealand the week I got to call about the interview. Being on a trip of a lifetime, I didn't have the heart to email her about the happy news of this new opportunity. Within a month of that call, I had done a major Clean Sweep of my clothes and packed away my things - I was quite through as I gave away 5 garbage bags of clothes!!! Hard to believe - I didn't cry when I said goodbye to my mom in TB (admittingly eyes were watery). It was an adventure driving out to Calgary. Had a great co-pilot with me (thanks Amy) and my dad followed with more of my stuff too. This past year at my new position at Foothills as been great with opportunities opening up for me, like attending coding workshops and after all these years, FINALLY can say I am an inpatient coder. What a confidence booster for sure. About confidence, I think that is one of the major things I gained this year - the personal confidence to know I can take a new direction and stay on my own two feet. Suprisingly, the confidence to drive in a big city and knowing the directions of the major arteries around town, as I am a relatively new driver. One of the great things I have seen since my move to Calgary, is the deepening of relationships of those friends in Calgary and those back in TB. Plus getting to know my friends children here in Calgary. Even tonight at Char's (after watching Smallville), Ethan, Ocean and Sierra all gave me hugs and kisses before I left. Uh, does the heart good!!! Of course, the one thing I thought I would never think of doing - being a homeowner. With the Calgary market, I am SO glad that I purchased the house in September. Since that time, on paper of course, my house plan has gone up $50,000.00!!! Can you imagine?? The funniest thing is that the only thing on my lot is dirt from my neighbour's lots. Looking forward to see what adventures and challenges this path will be taking me. I am sure I will keep you posted along the way too.