Couple more July photos

Just a couple more piccies from the Mayfield branch's first visit - they're in Alaska right now, kayaking with killer whales, or somesuch.... We meet up with them next in Tofino in a couple of weeks time - looking forward to it.

Late July

Sorry, we haven't posted anything for a while.
It's been an entertaining couple of months, as a few things have been going on - major change has been moving house yet again - we're currently staying at Mark and Paula's house, and trying to earn our keep by mowing the lawn....
We move into our new gaff in Deep Cove next weekend, and we can't wait (though Mark and Paula's house is very nice!) - finally, I'll have more than one pair of shorts, we can break the kayaks out, we can have our own pictures around us, and my climbing gear can see the light of day. Oh, and Holly can have her toys.

Major highlight was CCTJ staying with us a couple of weeks ago - some photos from a trip to the Okanagan - probably more to follow.......

Start June.....

One more photo - commuting via seaplane - the only way to get around...
Also, just a note to say that my wife is now a stunning brunette - Holly doesn't know what's going on.

OD here - you've probably already received an email about my 60km walk in August in aid of Cancer Research. To those that have already donated many thanks. To those who opened the email and have forgotten about it, this is a reminder. To those of you that don't know quite what I'm on about please click to find out more. I'm almost half way to reaching my required target of $2,500 so please dig deep......

More May

More photos really - some more from the trip with Iain and Sara, and general photos from around and about...

Early May

Well, it's been an interesting month - as I'm sure you're all aware, we've managed to buy a house, but we don't get to move in until the end of July. Until then, we're still living out of a suitcase (except OD who has every single item of clothing - strange how every box we took out storage contained her clothes........).
Life post-looking-for-houses has been lots of fun, and we've regained our weekends - good-bye to looking around badly decorated houses in north Van, and hello to bouldering at Squamish - a good swap.
Unfortunately, we need to move out of our bat-cave for the month of July - probably a good thing really, as the unremitting pinkness of it is starting to get to us (though I think Joe would like it...) - it might start to have a deleterious effect on Hols if she thinks she's growing up in a pink Barbie world.....
Bunch of photos here (and probably a few above as well) - we've had loads of visitors recently, and it's been great to see everybody - first the Brackens where we had a great w'end in Whistler; then the Gibbons/Zancanaro team (no photos unfortunately), and finally the Wright-Barker combo - we had a Rambo experience in the interior - splendid.

Done and dusted....

Final update. The survey went ok - needs a bit of work but it's not falling down so all systems go for moving in July 29. Anyone fancy popping over to give us a hand moving that weekend?????

Other news .....Holly took her first steps last week and can now (when she can be arsed) walk/wobble from one side of the room to the other. Crawling is still her optimal mode of transport. New words the last couple of weeks include ambulance (ambua), train (doo doo), bicycle (bicika), hi, bye bye and door. Oh, and yeah.....she's still very cute!

A home....finally!

So - finally, we struck it lucky on the 5th house offer and we are very pleased indeed! Managed to find ourselves a pretty cool pad in Deep Cove which backs onto a forest park, is approximately 200m from a beach and jetty from where to launch the kayaks, approximately 10 mins to a ski hill, 20 mins from work and 30 mins from downtown.....and we also have enough room to grow into and to house any straggling visitors. It's old and needs a bit of t.l.c. so we're having a survey done on monday and assuming it's not falling down and we don't back out, we'll be moving in on 29th July. The photo gives you a general idea of what the water and views are like in the area. This is a link to the house details. Come and visit us soon......
house




More photos

Here's a couple more photos - fantastic slopey rail hauling in Gibb's cave, Shannon Falls just near the Chief, Hols on fire, some snowy mtn near squamish, and the chief.
Not great photos I know, but it gives you some idea what the place looks like - every time I drive up to Squamish I have a big grin on my face - different from the drive through tallaghtfornia to get to wicklow......

Three months in....

Well, we've been here three months, and it still seems like a good move. Had a great easter weekend, mix of bouldering at Squamish, boarding on Seymour and house hunting....

So far, we've put in offers on three houses and been refused three times - the last one we put in 50K over asking and it wasn't enough - I'm not sure what we have to do - we're out again today to look at a bazillion houses and hopefully one will become ours - we're so desperate we'll buy anything, so if you're coming out to see us, expect to be staying in a 500 sq ft basement in the rough part of town.......

On a lighter note, the Brackens are over, and we're off to Whistler for a couple of days - still loads of snow up there, so should be fun. I think after this weekend it'll be time to dust off the climbing gear and start scaring myself stupid.
We have a new land line at home - email us if you want the number.
Some photos - the beach and bridges are right next to where we live at the moment, the river is the Fraser about an hour from the city, and the big lump of granite is the Chief.

More bobbins.....

So, another wasted weekend and guess what? Yep, still no house. We are losing the will to live.......apart of course, from the fact that it's looking and feeling more and more like summer each day. The mountains glisten in the sun and the sea is looking a bit more inviting. A good time then for me to begin my kayaking lessons this week and after several years of avoiding it, actually get down to some full on capsizing.

Holly started free standing for the first time this weekend so walking is probably not too far off. Her new words for this week include: spoon (poon), bus (bu), shoes (doos) and book (boo). She's getting there!

Andy is threatening to buy a new road bike this week so he can start commuting to work. As you all know, he doesn't need many excuses for more gadgetry!!

Not sure what we're up to for Easter but really hoping that it doesn't involve house hunting..........

Bobbins

Finally we put in an offer on a house at the weekend.
We didn't get it.
We were cross.
We will try another.

Very moving

We're moving today - not such a big move though, as we're only getting in the lift and moving a couple of floors downstairs. Our new landlord is a very nice chap called Tim, who I know Joe would get along very well with, and his apartment manager is a guy called Shanti Wind. Bonkers.

Another gratuitous cute shot of Hols - I can't help myself.

We're also off to continue the perpetual waste of oxygen that is looking at houses - god knows I wish we could make a decision....

Night boarding

Yeah, I know, more boarding, but this time at night - pretty bonkers finishing work, popping home, and then going boarding for the night on floodlit slopes - better than the dry slope outside Wellingborough as well.

Photos are rubbish, but give you some idea of the view over the city whilst you're boarding - think the night-time season is finished now, but will make it a fixture next year.

Not actually sure if my boarding is improving, other than being able to go at quite terrifying speed - must be the new kit.

Our container arrives this week - time to dust the mountain bike off - that's where I get really scared.....

Cute fix

Gratuitous cute shots of Hols - fab dress from Aunty Liz, and chocolate biscuit from her Mum.

El Tinker

Penrith's finest East Anglian alpinist found himself chased out of the Rockies, and in the Couve, via Seattle, with tales of derring-do, fragile ice, loose rock and underlying cowardice. Pictured below with his latest belay bunny......

For Neil

Sorry, didn't take any photos of inside our apartment, but here's the view from our balcony - looking south to Kitsilano.

After...

....the Birthday lunch at an all-you-can-eat Thai buffet, we went for a walk in the hills. The big thing with snow on is Mt Baker - you can see it from our office - I hope it doesn't go boom any time soon......

Holly's First Birthday

Thanks to everyone who sent cards/presents for Holly's numero uno birthday - quite frankly, we can't believe it's a year since she appeared. Holly very much enjoyed her home made rice crispie birthday cakes and we just managed to keep her fingers out of the candle flame. Other than that she was pretty oblivious to it all but enjoyed playing with her new toys and seems to particularly like the picture of the two cows that her Granny painted for her birthday. She also looked super cute in the 'Made in Ireland' t-shirt Maree sent her for St Patricks day! Bath time was, as always, a fun way to round off her day......

Post boarding lunch...

This is for the benefit of Kev et al......

More boarding

Yep, I know, more of the same, but I can't get over quite how amazing it is being able to leave the flat and be boarding within half an hour - it snowed on the hills again this week, so conditions were great.

I think the container may arrive in the next week or so, so there's a chance we may be able to pick up some bits and bobs - it's about time - I've been wearing the same clothes for the past 2 months. Plus, should be able to pick up the bouldering mat, so might make it up to squamish before too long.....

Yoga

Oh yes, and OD is doing hot-yoga. Check this pose out......

We went boarding!

So, we went out on Friday after work and spent some (what seemed like significant) wedge on new everything for boarding












- boards, bindings, boots the works. Flushed with success at having spent some money, we decided to hit the slopes the next day.

Top conditions (for us) - some fresh snow and bright blue skies. Whilst OD was off boarding, I took Hols for a jaunt round the snowshoeing circuit - genius, and much more fun than going running - luckily the snow was well packed where the snow shoers had been, so I was able to get round in trainers - we had to stop so tourists could take photos of Holly.......