Bula from 'Rat-tastic' Fiji!!

Okay, there was only one rat, but it ran over Ann-Marie's feet on our first night on Waya island. Not an auspicious beginning. Actually, the inauspicious beginning actually started when, instead of the boat from Bayside picking us up from the ferry, it was two glassy eyed pirates in a rotting fiberglass skiff from some other 'resort'. Then, after they extorted $10 from us to take us to Bayside, the owners finally and reluctantly wandered down to the beach to greet us, after much shouting from the boat.
Things turned better after that though. Tim and Ani turned out to be great hosts, not so demonstrative in their pleasure in having us, but they accomodated us well. And Ani loved Tobin. Actually EVERY Fijian loved Tobin. He learned how to say 'Bula' and finished every statement with 'thank you', this would send any Fijian woman into twitters and pinches throwing their incredible afro's back to laugh. It was pretty fun. Fijians are the friendliest people I think I've ever met, easygoing, approachable and fun loving. It really made the trip.
We eventually made it up to Octopus resort to see Chris and Kirsten and things got even more fun. Fun to hang out with those guys in a paradise with the kids playing. Chris and I got to go snorkeling and diving which was great. While everyone else was snorkeling 50' from shore, Chris and I would swim out to the middle of the bay where we could find the deepest water (not really that deep) and see if we could get to the bottom. The fish were insane and the coral was mind blowing as well.
Anyway, just a portion of the trip. Pics follow. We just arrived in NZ so will have some reports to file soon. Tomorrow I start my training as a jockey for the horse racing season.

Chris and Coen

Coen looking...sunburned.

(the only thing worse than uploading photos to blogger is uploading to blogger from a computer with Vista on it)

"starfish!"

These guys didn't need sunscreen as our pale skin was reflecting pretty much all the UV.

More child flinging. It just never gets old.

Stranger lurking on a chaise lounge

Tobin wanted to stop at these bananas every time we walked by them.

In Fiji, Elvis is still the king.

the Gill/Cokes

There was a fellow out fishing off this point in a canoe made of what looked like corrugated metal roofing. He had about 2 inches of freeboard even before he had any fish in it. I guess the worst case scenario is your boat sinks and you just snorkel your way back to shore.

Crazy rock all over the place!

Countdown to the Tropics

Tobin and his natural grin

First ski day. Whiteout and blowing a million miles an hour. I think this is where Troy said: "we wouldn't be here right now if you weren't leaving for New Zealand next week."

Tobin and Sophie running and squealing, squealing and running

November Monsoon

It's been the usual November monsoon here lately. The snow level is about 300m above town so we have this delightful mix of rain right on the verge of being sleet.
Luckily we have a toddler, who marvels at puddles, so it's easier to get outside on days like this.

Visiting "Santa" the white horse next door

Hiding behind the couch

Halloween

Not many pics, as I forgot the camera for all events.

Practicing smiling for the camera in his monkey suit. It really is a smile, even though it looks little like a grimace.

Reading 'Goodnight Moon' to the pumpkin

Nana Countdown

Spent the night in Sicamous visiting Nana, Chris, Kirsten and Coen, and counting down the days til Nana leaves. That will be a sad day as it's been great having them around. Oh well I guess we're just going to have to suck it up and go to New Zealand in December!

You get an idea of their respective eating habits from this picture:
Tobin: toast, oranges, apples, bananas and of course Maggie.
Coen: four grapes and a piece of pear. He's a big fan of Gandhi.

Work off those grapes, boys!

Maple Bay redux

"Ever since I had m'back fused I kin't stand up real good."

The usual fuzzy family blog photo. Oh well, it's a good one.

Bear is going as a dog for halloween

"Why must I live my life in such utter and constant humiliation?"

52

52 what you ask?
Weeks in the year? Well yes, but not quite
Cards in a deck? Guess again!
Ryan's IQ? Sometimes it feels like it.
Give up? Well that's the number of porcupine quills Dr. Dogtard, aka Chancellor of the Compost Heap, aka Canis retardus had plucked from his jowls yesterday after trying to eat said animal. Ann-Marie, Bud, Bear and I went for a hike up to Bostock pass while Nana Tobin-minded. Ann-Marie and I had a great day, we hiked up to a high point just down the ridge from Corbin peak and had great views and nice weather all day.

As for Bear, well he didn't have such a great day. We managed to pull about 20 quills out on the trail, but we were still 5km from the car. He had quills stuck in the bottom of his feet, in his legs, up his nose, under his tongue, on the roof of his mouth... It makes me shiver just thinking about it.
I helped the vet pull the rest out, and it gave me the willies watching a) the forceps go up the nose as far as they could reach, b) catching the long end of the quill to pull the broken end through, c) then pulling forcefully to get the barbed end out.
Nothing like 60 barbed daggers to the face to make you feel alive!

"Sniff sniff, I smell something delicious around here..."

"I think we're somewhere between Vancouver and Calgary."

Western Anenome, trapped in the rubble of fall, with the flood of winter rising around it.

30cm at treeline!

At the top, before Bear grew his moustache

Looking west towards Fang, the Tangier River and Bachelor Creek

Corbin Peak

Who's the bigger sucker in this picture?

If you asked Bear, he would tell you that porcupines are proof that there is no God.

Tobin and Nana, chillin' at the crib

"Man" night

Quite a change since Man Day, John.




Just for the record, I was out in the shop doing one arm pushups.

Harvest Season

We're just finishing up looking for mushrooms and soon I'll be walking around in the forest with a gun. I might even bring bullets, but if last year is any indication I'd do just as well going light and not bother taking any.

Tobin with a handsome Matsutake

It is no dream!
Matsutake are growing
On the belly of the mountain.*

* Like Stephen Harper's speech: plagiarized.

Hey! Look at me! Look at me!

That's right, I'm famous. If you look at page 33 of Ski Canada you'll see me there, pimpin' my ghetto style.

Here's the pic, courtesy of the not-quite-so-equally famous Steve Ogle:

Simmer down now ladies, there's plenty to go around. Autographs available in the limousine.

Diagnose the Diagnosis

Symptoms:
- Panting
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety
- Dry mouth
- Shaking
- Blurred vision
- Excitability

Diagnosis:



Pregnant wife.

Yes, even though I'm sure *all* the people who read the blog already know this, Ann-Marie has a bun in the oven. We just had an ultrasound this morning to confirm how far along she is, and evidently she was pregnant when she won the Calgary marathon!! So now we're counting down till the due date, April 14.
The ultrasound technician kept referring to the foetus' "arm and leg buds"... I cringed every time I heard that. I wanted to say, let's just call them arms and legs, okay?
Anyway, fingers crossed that Progeny comes out with more than buds.

Single Parenting It

So Ann-Marie is up in Prince George for the week, gearing up for school. That leaves Tobin and me spending the week on our own. And let me tell you, it's a breeze this single parent thing.*

Eating delicious and healthy meals together: "More Butter Chicken, son?"**

Going for relaxing walks on the estate. "I think the deer blind should go here, father."

Examining the local fungus. "Nope, sadly not a Psilocybe, son."

*The trick, I've found, is to only eat every second day, disregard your personal and domicile hygiene and only sleep 1 hour per night. This leaves plenty of time for relaxing with your son.
**If you look closely there are Cheddar Bunnies sprinkled in his dinner, a ransom offering if he'll at least eat a few vegetables (lest he get scurvy before his mother returns).