I am beginning to think we moved to Calgary...
Yesterday it was 13 C nice, and a bit blustery. This morning it was 8 C. Now it is 1 C and snowing!!!!! I just don't get it. Wacky weather...even the locals say this past winter was unusually snowy. It is spring time for crying out loud!!! :)
Friday, March 30, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Great News!
Greg got offered a job today, and he accepted it. He starts on Monday. We went out for dinner tonight in sort of a celebration. It was so nice, because we were the only people in the restaurant, and our waitress took it upon herself to take Molly on a tour around the dining area while we had our dinner in peace. She stayed close by so we wouldn't feel weird. Molly did really well, and it was strange eating dinner out , and not having her right there with us the whole time. It was a nice break. :)Small town life is so different than the big city. I think we will do well here :)
Sunday, March 25, 2007
It's the weekend...
Just trying to plan out our Sunday. Saturday got botched because Molly had a rough night on Friday night, and bled into Saturday. She is trying to cut her upper teeth, and is suffering a bit. She is having a really hard time this go around. Luckily what started as getting up every hour or so whining, and crying ended about midnight, and she slept through until 5:30a.m. had a bottle, and up again at 8 or so. So we had a much better night. Thank goodness. Anyhow, it is suppose to rain later, but looks nice for now. I think we are going to go out exploring. So, I better go get ready, and pack up some stuff for Molly. :)
Have a great day!~
Have a great day!~
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
It's snowing again!
It is the first day of spring, and we are getting snow. It has been snowing all day. We haven't gotten a whole lot of accumulation though, and it will probably be gone in the next couple of days. I am ready for it to be nice, so that we can spend some time on the land.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Kiva.org- microloans for small businesses
I really love this idea.
They manage no-interest loans for small businesses in poorer countries. They have a 100% payback rate (since they took over…prior to that it was 96%), and that’s a pretty incredible thing. They are choosing the right people who need the right kind of help.
Their spiel:
I want to let you all know about a cool non-profit that is doing great things: Kiva.org
Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals like you provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.
It’s a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty, and the way I see it, I get a higher return on $25 helping someone build a future than the interest my checking account pays.
Anyways, if you have a minute, please check out the site: http://kiva.org. If you need more “reputable” validation than my recommendation :), know that they have received great press in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to NPR to BusinessWeek.
Thanks for reading!
Greg, and I picked one borrower to help right now. Olga Djondo of Togo is seeking a little more help to get her beauty salon business to a sustainable state. She's apprenticing two sisters. Looking over this, I'm willing to give it a $25 shot, and the repayment terms for her are 12-15 months (where I can reinvest in another business or take back my money).
I think it is a worthwhile cause, hopefully you will too. :)
Cheers!
Jen
They manage no-interest loans for small businesses in poorer countries. They have a 100% payback rate (since they took over…prior to that it was 96%), and that’s a pretty incredible thing. They are choosing the right people who need the right kind of help.
Their spiel:
I want to let you all know about a cool non-profit that is doing great things: Kiva.org
Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals like you provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.
It’s a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty, and the way I see it, I get a higher return on $25 helping someone build a future than the interest my checking account pays.
Anyways, if you have a minute, please check out the site: http://kiva.org. If you need more “reputable” validation than my recommendation :), know that they have received great press in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to NPR to BusinessWeek.
Thanks for reading!
Greg, and I picked one borrower to help right now. Olga Djondo of Togo is seeking a little more help to get her beauty salon business to a sustainable state. She's apprenticing two sisters. Looking over this, I'm willing to give it a $25 shot, and the repayment terms for her are 12-15 months (where I can reinvest in another business or take back my money).
I think it is a worthwhile cause, hopefully you will too. :)
Cheers!
Jen
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!
Raises a pint in honour of me late Grandma Gert!!! Here's to ya Gertie! :)
Friday, March 16, 2007
Woke up to snow this morning...
The old snow was about gone in town, and now we have a whole new batch! We got at least 5-6 inches. The locals say that this is the worst winter in a long time...usually don't get this much snow. I don't know what the grand total thus far for the area is, but I am sure it will help out it being so dry this Summer.
Monday, March 12, 2007
It's just after midnight, and the town is asleep
It is so weird getting used to a small town again. Being from a small town the towns were pretty close together where I am from originally. The largest town near here is over an hour in either direction. It is currently after midnight, and we have a good view from our townhouse. This town is definitely asleep...I don't see a soul. Now, I am not saying someone isn't driving around, and we are near the highway, but all in all it is QUIET! It is kind of creepy.
I went out to the store last night, and no kidding, I was the only customer in the store aside from the 2 clerks on duty! A couple people came in after, but it was soooo weird. It was only 9:30pm. The Safeway does close at 10pm, but even in Richmond, stores have people in them up until closing.
Anyhow, I am off to bed. Daylight savings time has me all screwed up!!
Cheers!
Jen
I went out to the store last night, and no kidding, I was the only customer in the store aside from the 2 clerks on duty! A couple people came in after, but it was soooo weird. It was only 9:30pm. The Safeway does close at 10pm, but even in Richmond, stores have people in them up until closing.
Anyhow, I am off to bed. Daylight savings time has me all screwed up!!
Cheers!
Jen
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
It was Quesnel or Bust, and We're finally here!!! :)
Well, I just got my home machine hooked up this afternoon. I have been checking my email from our laptop for the last week. I haven't been able to upload any pictures, or do anything really.
We made the move from Richmond, BC to Quesnel, BC finally after having bought land in Quesnel in the Summer of 2004.
Our plans are to build a house on the acreage we bought in the next year!!! Here's to hoping!!! :)
I am going to cheat a little, and post my husband's blog entry about our little adventure to the Cariboo. He just makes it sound so much better than I could ever make it sound. :)
It was an interesting adventure to say the least! I am just glad we are here, and ready to get on with our lives.
Taken from www.gadgeteer.net
So much here, I’m just not sure at all where to begin.
On the 27th of February, I picked up a moving truck from U-Haul. If you think about moving trucks for a second, you probably know how crappy this was. The truck itself was just one year older than our 1999 Forester, but it was beaten up pretty bad in its life. Really, if I was an honourable U-Haul CEO, I’d make a rule that said anything someone pays $800 for three days use of a vehicle, they should be given something that works properly, and has a very few comforts. At the very least, comforts like a working set of tail-lights and a stable suspension should be provided. Alas, the world is a different place than my aspirations for the quality of my moving truck.
The 27th was a very difficult day. Thanks go very much to JD and Gret, who helped us immeasurably. But in the poor state of our packing, and the difficulties in playing 3D Tetris with misshapen boxes and miscellaneous furniture in the back of a truck, and attempting to pack with a needy and cold-afflicted 9 month old baby in the house…things got problematic.
Our original intent was to split the trip over two days…Richmond to Merritt, and then Merritt to Quesnel. It ended up being Richmond to Chilliwack (not anywhere near as far) and then Chilliwack to 30 minutes from Quesnel and then back to Williams Lake, and then a third day into Quesnel. The hotel we booked in Merritt for that night said that they had to charge us anyway, but the hotel in Quesnel that we weren’t able to reach did not do so. From now on we’ll just not bother booking hotels ahead of time. It never works out well.
1 hour from Quesnel we came across, on an unlit rural road, a truck over on its side in the ditch, with blood in the interior and the rear cab window apparently kicked out. After getting a flashlight to make sure there was no one still inside we headed on, after a fair delay.
30 minutes from Quesnel, according to a trucker I talked to around 10:30pm was a semi that decided to take steep “Chin Hill” without chains in February. He ended up jackknifed and across the whole road, so while the RCMP, a sand truck, and a wrecker-tow truck arrived, they had to stop all traffic in both directions and wait. We waited an hour or so, before I made the judgment call to turn back to the previous town…over an hour backtracking. According to that and another trucker, it could have been another 1.5 to 3 hours before they had it clear, and I didn’t want to make Jen and Molly sit through that.
I wonder though, if we hadn’t stopped for the truck that was flipped over, would we have gotten ahead of the semi? Or perhaps been involved in the accident?
So, on back to the road in the morning, but much later arriving than desired. We got in around 9, and meeting the people who offered to help us unpack. My father’s wife’s sister lives in Quesnel and she arranged for a couple of young, bright, and kind Mormon men to help us unload. I truly cannot express how much I appreciated and continue to appreciate this help, and I still don’t know what I can do in return but continue to be thankful. I asked about offering payment, which they refused, as expected. I ended up offering whatever computer advice I could give whenever they needed it. I hope they take me up on the offer eventually. After helping us, they headed off to wash dishes at the Salvation Army. Like I said, awesome young men.
Now, the house is a disaster, but we are here and can manage it over time. It’s a 2.5 level townhouse, with 3 bedrooms upstairs, kitchen and living room on the main floor, and a half-level basement with laundry, furnace, etc. Pico managed to find his way down there and into the enclosed crawlspace beneath the townhouse…we’ll have to keep him out now, as I don’t know what all is down there. I’ve already managed to make a few contacts that might pay off, and have an interview next week.
The place itself…kinda sucks. When I found this place, I wasn’t able to see it. I was allowed into a neighbors place to see it, and was assured that our place was “in better shape". It’s not. Holes in the industrial-level carpet, crappy paint, and a need for more serious cleaning and updating. It’s livable, but really does need some work. I hope to convince the owner that it’s worth doing.
So, all in all…we’re safe, we’re in Quesnel, and we’ve got a lot of unpacking ahead of us, as well as a lot of bill-paying to do. I haven’t yet looked at the credit card statement. It’s going to be ugly, and I’m certain I’ll need to scrimp and save for a while to recover from this move.
So that is it in a nutshell...
Aside from that Molly is growing like crazy. She stood up on her own in her crib yesterday. Today she waved to a nice lady at the drugstore. She is so happy, and healthy. She is not quite crawling on all fours, but she is getting there. she is so expressive, and she just makes us laugh. She is a joy.
Well, I am off for now. I will be posting new pictures on our flickr account, and hope to have some good ones as soon as the place is put together.
Cheers!
Here are some pics I took today on a walk along the river:
We made the move from Richmond, BC to Quesnel, BC finally after having bought land in Quesnel in the Summer of 2004.
Our plans are to build a house on the acreage we bought in the next year!!! Here's to hoping!!! :)
I am going to cheat a little, and post my husband's blog entry about our little adventure to the Cariboo. He just makes it sound so much better than I could ever make it sound. :)
It was an interesting adventure to say the least! I am just glad we are here, and ready to get on with our lives.
Taken from www.gadgeteer.net
So much here, I’m just not sure at all where to begin.
On the 27th of February, I picked up a moving truck from U-Haul. If you think about moving trucks for a second, you probably know how crappy this was. The truck itself was just one year older than our 1999 Forester, but it was beaten up pretty bad in its life. Really, if I was an honourable U-Haul CEO, I’d make a rule that said anything someone pays $800 for three days use of a vehicle, they should be given something that works properly, and has a very few comforts. At the very least, comforts like a working set of tail-lights and a stable suspension should be provided. Alas, the world is a different place than my aspirations for the quality of my moving truck.
The 27th was a very difficult day. Thanks go very much to JD and Gret, who helped us immeasurably. But in the poor state of our packing, and the difficulties in playing 3D Tetris with misshapen boxes and miscellaneous furniture in the back of a truck, and attempting to pack with a needy and cold-afflicted 9 month old baby in the house…things got problematic.
Our original intent was to split the trip over two days…Richmond to Merritt, and then Merritt to Quesnel. It ended up being Richmond to Chilliwack (not anywhere near as far) and then Chilliwack to 30 minutes from Quesnel and then back to Williams Lake, and then a third day into Quesnel. The hotel we booked in Merritt for that night said that they had to charge us anyway, but the hotel in Quesnel that we weren’t able to reach did not do so. From now on we’ll just not bother booking hotels ahead of time. It never works out well.
1 hour from Quesnel we came across, on an unlit rural road, a truck over on its side in the ditch, with blood in the interior and the rear cab window apparently kicked out. After getting a flashlight to make sure there was no one still inside we headed on, after a fair delay.
30 minutes from Quesnel, according to a trucker I talked to around 10:30pm was a semi that decided to take steep “Chin Hill” without chains in February. He ended up jackknifed and across the whole road, so while the RCMP, a sand truck, and a wrecker-tow truck arrived, they had to stop all traffic in both directions and wait. We waited an hour or so, before I made the judgment call to turn back to the previous town…over an hour backtracking. According to that and another trucker, it could have been another 1.5 to 3 hours before they had it clear, and I didn’t want to make Jen and Molly sit through that.
I wonder though, if we hadn’t stopped for the truck that was flipped over, would we have gotten ahead of the semi? Or perhaps been involved in the accident?
So, on back to the road in the morning, but much later arriving than desired. We got in around 9, and meeting the people who offered to help us unpack. My father’s wife’s sister lives in Quesnel and she arranged for a couple of young, bright, and kind Mormon men to help us unload. I truly cannot express how much I appreciated and continue to appreciate this help, and I still don’t know what I can do in return but continue to be thankful. I asked about offering payment, which they refused, as expected. I ended up offering whatever computer advice I could give whenever they needed it. I hope they take me up on the offer eventually. After helping us, they headed off to wash dishes at the Salvation Army. Like I said, awesome young men.
Now, the house is a disaster, but we are here and can manage it over time. It’s a 2.5 level townhouse, with 3 bedrooms upstairs, kitchen and living room on the main floor, and a half-level basement with laundry, furnace, etc. Pico managed to find his way down there and into the enclosed crawlspace beneath the townhouse…we’ll have to keep him out now, as I don’t know what all is down there. I’ve already managed to make a few contacts that might pay off, and have an interview next week.
The place itself…kinda sucks. When I found this place, I wasn’t able to see it. I was allowed into a neighbors place to see it, and was assured that our place was “in better shape". It’s not. Holes in the industrial-level carpet, crappy paint, and a need for more serious cleaning and updating. It’s livable, but really does need some work. I hope to convince the owner that it’s worth doing.
So, all in all…we’re safe, we’re in Quesnel, and we’ve got a lot of unpacking ahead of us, as well as a lot of bill-paying to do. I haven’t yet looked at the credit card statement. It’s going to be ugly, and I’m certain I’ll need to scrimp and save for a while to recover from this move.
So that is it in a nutshell...
Aside from that Molly is growing like crazy. She stood up on her own in her crib yesterday. Today she waved to a nice lady at the drugstore. She is so happy, and healthy. She is not quite crawling on all fours, but she is getting there. she is so expressive, and she just makes us laugh. She is a joy.
Well, I am off for now. I will be posting new pictures on our flickr account, and hope to have some good ones as soon as the place is put together.
Cheers!
Here are some pics I took today on a walk along the river:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)