So, you've heard about the start of their holiday while Kristen was here. Ice-skating, snowboarding and winter fun. The rest of their holiday was much of the same, but also included a weekend trip to a cabin at Red Lake.
The most exciting part? I was allowed to go on a boys weekend away!! It's a miracle, but in their defence they didn't have much of a choice. I had to work all week while the boys were having fun, they weren't allowed to desert me! So what happens on a boys weekend? Scotch, cigars, cards, fishing, sledding, paintball, campfires, ribs, sausages, burgers and farts. Standard.
We burned out to the lake on Friday night and managed to squeeze in a bit of ice fishing. While we didn't know it at the time, Jez got the only bite of the weekend that Friday night. Guess what? He blew it. I don't think it was his fault since he'd literally only been at it around 5min. We were super excited, if there was fish this late in the day imagine what we'd get at dawn!
After packing up, having dinner, playing some cards and testing out the paintball guns, I for some reason decided that I really wanted to shoot someone. I'd never been paintballing before and wanted to know what it felt like, luckily for me Luke was a willing target (I think this had something to do with him being 100% sure he'd hit me, and only 10% sure I'd return the favour). We decided this is the best way to blow office tension, screw yelling at someone or giving them a dirty task. Shoot them with a paintball gun and all will be forgiven. This video is bad quality because it's dark, but I think it's hilarious. In my defence it's hard to shoot straight when you're pissing yourself laughing.
On Saturday there were at least 30 people on the lake trying to catch fish. We were armed with the underwater camera and spent a lot of time saying "ooohhh loook, there's a bunch swimming straight past!". On the way home we got pulled over by one of the licence checkers, who said that a lot of the fish at Red Lake had been conditioned not to take bait.... perfect. We're using that as our excuse for the dismal failure. So this leave the score at: Fishes 7, O'Hara 0.
We did try hard before lighting a fire and giving up
So to burn off our sorrows, we had paintball fights at the top of the island in the middle of the lake. I think we were those bogans (rednecks) who ruin what is supposed to be a peaceful day on the lake. Our only saving grace was the fact we weren't drinking, but with the skidoo burning around, us yelling during a paintball fight, having a fire on the lake and generally being loud and obnoxious we were ruining the serenity. I would have hated us.
Ever wanted to know what happens when you put a hot grill in snow? Awesomeness!!
How's that serenity? Braaaawwwwppppp
Always safety first!
Our sweet snow fort and why you wear a mask!
The rest of our trip once Luke left was trying to kill each other playing pond hockey. I am the worst skater, you can see that for yourself. I put it in fast forward and cut out all the sections where people didn't fall over.
So much work.... to get this photo right!
Even though Sean and O'Hara were harassed by the licence dude for what seemed like an hour, we made it back in time to watch our first Super Bowl. As we'd only eaten protein all weekend (literally. Sausages, ribs, burgers, bacon and eggs) we were feeling a great need for fibre. Our Super Bowl snacks weren't very traditional with stuffed zucchinis and mushrooms, cheese, vegetables and dip, and some more ribs. Thanks Alexis and Hal for coming and showing us how it's supposed to be done!
For their final day I took them up to Sun Peaks while O'Hara was in a training course. Jez only had 3 days snowboarding all up, but he was probably better than me (devastated). Doing jumps and calling me a pussy for not going down Black Diamonds with him. I guess it's true. Sadly snowboarding mid-week has kinda ruined weekend time for me. What sort of chumps works full time and only go up the hill on the weekends. Epic fail O'Haras!!
This is how it should be done. Midweek snowboarding>>>weekend snowboarding
While Jeremy and Sean were visiting us, Kristen managed to make a quick trip up from her US tour.
The night before Kristen arrived, we took Jez and Sean to a Blazers game. It turns out when the Blazers play on Monday night, the have an awesome game. I think it needs to happen more regularly. We had poutine, beer, hotdogs, a win in overtime and tried to dance for our dinner. For some reason, the camera loves me when I'm just sitting in the crowd but will NEVER come by when I'm busting my moves. Shocking?! We convinced Jez and Sean that everryyyooone does it, I don't think they believed us but were good sports.
Ohh yea, bust a move
Love Monday hockey
As a mid-winter holiday, the options are not necessarily limited but are generally focused around snow or ice activities. While Kristen was here, we had a full day of snowboarding and O'Hara took them for a half day ice-skating/pond hockey while I was working.
O'Hara being the sports jerk that he is, has managed to pick up skating and pond hockey quite quickly. Video suggest that he's the only one who can actually skate, where as everyone else sort of shuffles around. Kristen picked up skating after about 15 minutes and clearly states (on video) that she's mastered it and starts skating in circles. O'Hara promptly calls half time and everyone leaves the makeshift rink. It didn't make a lot of sense since he was on her team!
Sun Peak snowboarding was obviously a win. We had an awesome powder day which was perfect for Kristen and Jez to test out their first time. It was also the first time I've snowboarded power and actually been able to snowboard. It. Was. AWESOME!
They had two lessons with an awesome instructor that meant they were set. Jez is also a sports jerk and was doing black diamonds by the second day and tree runs by the third. I also had a lesson (it was a Wednesday so I was the only one) which was the best idea I've had all season. I was able to go at my own pace and he taught me a lot. I was taught how to do tree runs properly in theory (in practice I was falling over constantly and running into trees). O'Hara was heaps jealous!
Kristen getting all strapped in
On the slopes, covered in powder from falling over constantly
Ahhh Australia Day. The one day of the year we can behave obnoxiously patriotic in another country! That and ANZAC Day, AFL Grand Final, NFL Grand Final, State of Origin, any sports event when Australia plays.....
The good thing about celebrating Australia Day (or 'Straya Day as it now seems to be called) in Canada, is that it's almost a full day behind so we got to celebrate it twice! Friday (technically the 26th in Australia) we had an Australian themed morning tea and Saturday we went to Vancouver for a party at an Australian bar.
So it turns out 'morning tea' and 'smoko' do not translate into Canadian. It took a while to explain it's just a mid-morning break, and we wouldn't actually be drinking any tea. Instead we had Milo, Cherry Ripes, Jaffas, BBQ Shapes, Vegemite and cheese crackers and Killer Pythons. Not really traditional Australia Day fare, but stuff that can't be bought in Canada and I didn't have time to bake the night before. I really need to make lamingtons at some stage, I've made more pavlovas here than ever before I think!
Snacks!
Before everyone was allowed to eat, we made them tell us why they loved Australia. In true lovely Canadian fashion, they told us no hesitation. Mostly they said the people, which I think is possibly the worst part of Australia. Ha! Friday night I flew to Vancouver, trying to listen to as much of the Hottest 100 as I could where we met up with some old colleagues from Peak.
Questionable tattoo locations
Saturday in Vancouver, we put on our Australian best and headed to Moose's Down Under for some shenanigans. Flags, tattoos, attempted lip tattoos, XXXX, Bundy Rum, New, snake bites, vodka lemon lime and bitters, Australian tunes, singing and meat trays made up our night.
Double dipped and Captain Australia
A meat tray raffle raising money for Red Cross Tasmania finally saw O'Hara and I get our meat tray mojo back. Though it took us being somewhere we couldn't get it home to finally win one! I think meat tray raffles need to become a thing in Canada. They are awesome.
Pretties
I loved that it doesn't matter if Australians are at home or abroad, they still dance in a circle and sing. Standard! I also didn't realise how much I missed standard Australian pub tunes. There are some classics.
Nothing, it's a fact. Winter Wine Festivals are a win.
Last weekend we went with a bunch of friends to the Sun Peaks Winter Festival of Wine. This was a 2 week course of events held at a Sun Peaks, a local mountain resort. We went to the Progressive Wine Tasting event, which basically consisted of us wandering through the village tasting a bunch of local wines.
Cool wine glass pens and party of the crew
We had the most incredible weather all weekend, which meant wandering the village drinking wine was possibly one of the best nights we've had. Some highlights from the weekend, names omitted to protect the guilty!
Quick snack of roast chicken sandwiches before wine tasting, and pounding cheese without crackers at the event
Four snowboards were dropped off to get waxed Friday night, only one made it to the mountain on Saturday
Someone got their nipples rubbed by a colleague during wine tasting
Everyone always asking to try the Ice Wine
Someone took "good wine" notes that significantly increased in quantity over the course of the night
"Did you get that snow from outside?"
"Can I tip it out?"
One girl wasn't bashed by teens because they "heard she's a tough c*^t"
One couple lost the group, then met us on the way to the condo carrying delicious bread
Someone taught the Australians the value of a good rum snow cone
One couple went all "European" and got nude in the hot tub
The male nudie thought it was ok to try and wrestle people in the hot tub
Someone's stress ended in swilling rum from the bottle in the hot tub
Someone got drunk and went all SK
Someone having no idea how they managed to get into to the top bunk
Someone bled in the hot tub after being gouged by the nudist wrestler's nail
Two girls sat up in bed watching Clueless and eating roast chicken at 1am
3 boys had 3 different yelling conversations until 3:30am in the hot tub
One couple had to listen to this conversation through the window on the pull out sofa
4 of 8 people didn't step foot outside the condo Saturday
Mimosas Saturday morning
One dog having only child syndrome and never letting anyone pat the other dog
Someone woke up Saturday, got dressed to hit the slopes only to stagger back to bed
Pancakes and bacon one morning, and bacon and egg muffins the next
One couple made a late comeback at Crib
Cheese fondue for dinner
Two "Blue Bird" days on the hill, with positive temps keeping the snow soft
One couple graciously offered the master bedroom on night two, after spending a drunken, puking, full day sweating it out in bed
3 people started watching the Canucks game, until halfway though the 2nd period. We changed to Zoolander
No domestics between the 8 people sharing a 2 bedroom condo
Class
Rum Snow Cone! The toads loved the wine
I'm pretty sure both O'Hara and I lost some brain cells over the weekend. On Monday O'Hara went to Ottawa for the week (around -20 deg C) and forgot to take a jacket. That afternoon I left the petrol cap off when driving home. Fails!
We experienced our first attitude on the lift last weekend. Old skiers from AUSTRALIA! I was dirty, they're not even from here! I watched Mean Girls yesterday, best. This is how it went down;
O'Hara: Sorry, I just need to lift my feet a bit. Snowboards are a bit annoying on chair lifts. Old Aussie Bitch: Uuuggghhhhhh, you should have seen my face when I realised we had to share a lift with snooowwwwboarders O'Hara: Umm sorry, it's just a bit awkward. Old Aussie Bitch: You take up soooo much room Old Aussie Arsehole: THAT is why you're the most hated people on the mountain!
Maybe I should have offered them some Cherry Ripe? Or not sat down so much!
I never grew up with any preference for either. Generally the only people who grow up skiing in Australia are super rich. It makes sense since we don't exactly have a lot of mountains, and we also have the most expensive lift tickets in the world (in 2008 we did at least). I don't like the Winter Olympics for the same reason I don't like professional equestrian. If there is a direct correlation between ability and income, I'm not interested (yes I'm jealous, and yes you don't have to be rich to be good at skiing in Canada).
O'Hara and I decided to snowboard because 3 out of 4 siblings in his family have had at least one knee reconstruction. Dr. Google says snowboarding is easier on your knees because your feet are strapped facing one way. Where as with skiing, they're twisting all over the shop.
My boss has just started giving me attitude about snowboarding. It didn't come out of nowhere, I think within the first week he mentioned he hated snowboarders! As he's Australian and only started skiing 3 years ago, I can't take him too seriously. Apparently he doesn't like how they always sit down (jealous he can't), they are always high (not limited to snowboarders) and they have attitude (teenage boys? They're all jerks).
I think everyone's enemy on the mountain should be ski school/kid racers. Those guys always seem to be there when I stack it. Then zoom past and cover my path. O'Hara had a close call last week, apparently he rode over one of their skis. They have really, really short skis!
I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school... I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy... What is your winter sport? Why? BTW who could hate these snowboarding fools?
And if you don't want to watch the whole thing, a highlight GIF!
There is no way you can choose just one of these when in Canada, so here goes.
Cars
I haven't heard of any city in Canada that is known for it's public transport. Here, cars rule. The bigger the better, you can't be a real man and not drive a truck. Obviously. Cars seem to be a status symbol here, so much more so than Australia. At home, old shit boxes are cool. Almost.
Unfortunately, not all Canadians are good drivers. This is coming from the self admitted worst driver ever, but people can be pretty shit. So many people drive huge utes, they drive as if they are the only people on the road. Also, parking them is obviously a bit of a joke. We started collecting photos of people who suck at parking, but it got old when we realised we could get multiple photos a week.
Winter has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works, with snow and ice causing all sorts of problems. I think I now understand why car insurance is so expensive here (over $2000 per year, for expats anyway). The other morning there were 4 accidents before 8am.
Try parking this bad boy between the lines
Clamato Juice
Picture the most delicious Bloody Mary you have ever had. Times it by maybe 2 (I was going to say a zillion, but that would just be too delicious) and that is a Caesar. Like a Bloody Mary except made with Clamato Juice.
The ingredients in Clamato Juice? Well I always thought it was just tomato juice and clam juice. Then I took a photo for the blog, but I wish I hadn't. Not really the most healthy of things.... how is it possible for tomato juice to have no vitamin C? Don't worry, MSG wasn't forgotten.
Dried clam broth, mmmmmmm, but it doesn't taste like clam really. It just kinda tastes like slightly sweeter tomato juice. Delicious.
I blame you curious people in Aus for making me read the ingredients. I now have knowledge regret.
O'Hara and I were so keen to try this out, ever since we came to Canada and found out it's actually something that people do. My favourite thing to do is tell people I want to catch a fish so big it can't fit through my ice hole..... Unfortunately our first attempt went very similar to every single of O'Hara's other fishing attempts. Epic fail. Not even a nibble.
So, ice fishing is basically exactly what you'd expect. Drill a hole in the ice, sit and wait until you catch a fish. The fun part (aside from fishing if you get something) is the campfire, talking rubbish, whiskey and beer. Standard.
Watching the camera in the snow. Dedication
I love roasted marshmallows!!
It's also a pretty technical experience, if you go with Luke anyway there's no drop a line and wait. That would be silly. It's all about having an underwater camera, so you can see if there is fish there in the first place. How did we not catch anything even with a camera? O'Hara is the most unlucky fishing charm.
We also had a little mini hut thing, that you can sit in with a heater and fish for hours. When we went it wasn't overly cold and we had a fire so didn't really use it. I can imagine if it was much colder or there was more snow, it would be pretty important.
O'Hara trying to stay warm and some idiots on the underwater camera
We've got friends visiting in a month, so we're hiring a cabin by the lake for a weekend. Surely over 2 days we'll have to get something. I'm wondering if we don't take any food, there would be more incentive to catch something?
