Goodman-Baines Valentine Celebrations!

Both of us have always disagreed with the inflated prices of restaurants on Valentine day.  So our usual treat would be to head to Marks and Spencers and buy a luxurious three course meal and have a cosy candlelit dinner at home!  So as we were lacking a very vital ingredient this year (M&S is no longer in Canada!) we decided to pick something that we hadn't had since we'd arrived, but had really missed since coming to the UK.  A FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST!

So we headed off to the Scottish butchers for our British back bacon, British breakfast sausages, British Heinz baked beans and some black pudding, and a couple of bottles of dandelion and burdock!  then we went to the supermarket for the rest of our goodies and after 40 minutes in the kitchen, we both sat down to one of the best Valentines meals we'd had in a long time!!!!!!  

Please note that Domino was not left out and the bowl 

pictured by the two plates was her little full english breakfast treat!

All Work and No Play

As we still haven't heard anything from the Canadian Immigration regarding our Permanent Residency, so we are going to do the sensible thing and start preparing for a 'Plan B'.

Our current work visas are due to expire in the middle of May and with the current economy as it is, there has been an increase in unemployment over the last 3 years, so there is little chance of us being granted a work permit.  In order to get a work permit now, it would need to be for a skilled job, so even though Nigel's employer would be happy to do it, it would be difficult to prove that he has any specific skills that a Canadian wouldn't, for his current role.  I on the other hand would have had a problem, the Alberta Health Region (whom I am currently working for) are no longer issuing work permits due to the number of newly qualified Canadian nurses (Graduate Nurses).  Even though I am now a qualified Registered Nurse, working in a very specialised area, I am only working on a casual basis so would not be eligible!

Basically we are going to anticipate a bit of a gap (possibly a few months) between when our current visa runs out, and when we are granted our PR.  So we have been, and will continue to work as many hours as we can, so that we can save some money and not have to worry about paying the bills when we have to stop working. 

We are due to go to the UK for about 10 days for a close friends wedding at the beginning of May so when we arrive back into Canada we will do so as visitors and then stop working.  Last week Nigel worked about 68 hours and I am currently in the middle of an 11 day stretch.  Apart from spending very little time together, it hasn't been too bad and the knowledge that we'll have a couple of month's vacation when we get back from the UK is getting us through!

Birthday Skiing at Lake Louise!

Well today was Nigels 21st (+10) Birthday and we decided to both head out to Lake Louise for a days skiing. We brought our days pass from Costco for $50 each the week before so we set out early (via Timmys!) out into the mountains. Now we have been into the mountains and to Lake Louise many times but we were not prepared for the amazing scenery that the slopes had to offer. We'll let the photos and video do the talking!

The sun rising over the mountains

View of the mountains from the top of the ski resort

(can you spot Lake Louise and the Chateau?)

Here it is zoomed in a bit

Any one recognize why the top run's name brought a smile to our faces?

The Olympic Torch Visits Calgary

As many of you will know the 1988 winter Olympics were held in Calgary and they are still very proud of this fact, so we were to expect a big celebration when the Olympic flame returned more than 20 years on. The olympic torch has been traveling across canada since October and celebrations in Calgary took place over three days whilst the torch travelled to key destinations in the city. One of these locations was the Olympic Plaza in downtown so this evening we headed off on the C-train into the city centre.

The Calgary Tower was transformed into an enormous flaming torch!

There was entertainment planned from 5:30pm with local artists preforming, local athletes that are due to compete in the 2010 winter Olympics and local medal winners from the last 25 years. The atmosphere was amazing with over 20,000 in attendance at the Plaza waiting to welcome the flame and the route through the city lined with thousands more.

At first we positioned ourselves on the last section of the route so that we could see the torch arrive, and when it did it was electric with everyone cheering and clapping, traffic blowing their horns and cameras everywhere.

Next we headed into the Plaza to watch all the entertainment

finishing with a large firework display.

We had a wonderful evening and are now looking forward to catching all the Canadian Olympians compete on the TV in the next couple of weeks!

Exam Stress!

Well with the conformation recieved a couple of weeks ago of my place to write the Canadian Registered Nurses Exam-CRNE, (for the 2nd time!) on the 3rd February, the revision is well under way.   Although before coming to Canada I purchased a few Canadian Nursing text books and an exam prep guide, I joined the hospital library and got myself a few other book to help me with my revision. 

I basically went through every question in the book 100 at a time, marked them and then made a note of those I got wrong.  Now I am slowley going through them all reading around the topics, then after I have done all that I will repeat all the questions.

As I have previously mentioned, the format for the CRNE is two 3 1/2 hour multiple choice exam papers.  Now although it may sound easy, as my first failure showed, that its very different than passing a nursing exam in the UK which was question and essay format.  I tend to find that most questions in the exam have one very definite wrong answer, then two very possible correct answers and then another thrown in for good measure. Now as I have gone through all the test papers etc, i have began to realize that what they want you to do is to not think too much about patients as individuals and just to give a 'text book' 'if nothing else was taken into consideration' answer, which can be difficult to a nurse that has been treating every patient as an individual for the last 6 years!'  I am hoping that now i have a better understanding as to what CARNA are looking for that I will pass this time, but not wanting to tempt fate, we shall just wait and see................

Dancing Domino!

We had to put this video up of our little girl, unfortunately we video'd it in Portrait so you'll have to either turn your computer on it's side, or lie down to view it at it's best! We just bought her some new winter 'shoes' and tried them on her in the house. This is what she thought of them.

She really suffers with her feet getting cold in the snow and -15c or lower, so we hope she gets used to them quickly!!

Nakiska Jan' 2nd 2010

I will let the pictures and Videos do the talking here!

Just arriving at the Nakiska Ski resort, 1hr and 15mins from our house.

Stunning scenery from the top of the Gold Chair.

The Mid Mountain Lodge where we like to re-fuel.

There's Sophie in the distance.

'Whoop-Up' was our next challenge, a Black Diamond run which we survived to tell the tale!

So warm we had to open the jackets up. Very nice!

I meant to do that, honest!

A great day had by both of us and we feel like we're getting the hang of things now. It really is a great past-time.