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Halfway through my third week already, now time is motoring past. I have become so comfortable it is as if I have been here for months. But the end is in sight and I will actually be quite sad to leave.
It has been such a positive experience and we are really cocooned here. Mothers, do you remember that feeling in maternity after you have had your baby, you are treated as if you and the baby are the only things that matter in the world, that is how you are treated here. Not mollycoddled exactly, but made to feel that the staff will do whatever they can to make sure you achieve the goal that you have come here to reach. I think the main thing I have learnt here is how to focus on me again. After 30 years of looking after others and putting myself somewhere low down the list of priorities, it has been fun only focusing on myself-I thoroughly recommend it and hope I can take this back with me and keep it up.
Last week we 'escaped' twice. It was very exciting lol. The first time, we went into town, very small but
it had a cute coffee shop. Whilst the others went to the mall I sat outside with a lovely capuccino and watched the world go by. You will never know how much I enjoyed that coffee. Talk about deprivation fosters appreciation. That coffee was like nectar and I was not even tempted by the cabinet full of pastries!
Our second escape was to the 100 Mile House 15th Annual Rough Stock Rodeo. It was most enjoyable, all those taut thighs clinging to bucking broncos and bulls. I have posted here a video of a bull rider which I found particularly amusing-yes it is a bit cruel but if these men need to partake in allegedly, the most dangerous sport in the world, to prove their masculinity and superiority over animals, then don't blame me if I snigger when it goes wrong and the animal wins! I think he survived largely undamaged although I would guess his ego might have taken a bit of a bruising......
The other bit of excitement last week was that I found my waist again. Granted it is still quite a girth but it is definitely there-thank you Aquafit and Yoga - it really
works.
And Helga (for those of you wondering, I will reveal that Helga's alter ego is cousin Andree), I don't care how much you are pushing me-I am not climbing that bloody mountain. I will do everything else but these hikers are getting blisters on their blisters-thank you Anne for getting me the medical supplies-I have had no need of them but am handing them out to everyone else! I love the morning walks through the forest, the pool, the gym and several of the classes and I do not feel the need to knacker myself hiking for 2 hours, not able to see anything around me for the sweat fillling my eyes only to be left feeling I want to vomit-I am not that bull-rider!
The big excitement this week was our lovely new baby Jenny. There are 3 donkeys here 1 male and 2 female. Both females were pregnant one due in August but lucky for us the other delivered two days ago. See the video I took yesterday-isn't she just so cute. And Big. How can that mother produce a baby half her size-I am so glad I'm not a donkey!
We had been
waiting for the delivery and very unusually she gave birth in the middle of the day and the staff were there to see it. I believe it has been videoed so I am going to try to get to see it-yes I know I am weird but you are used to me.
The other good news here is that by the end of the first week, the food had improved tremendously. What is even nicer is that if we are really missing something and ask for it, the chefs do their best to get it for us. For example, last night I asked Chef Richard if he ever served smoked salmon and lo and behold breakfast today was Eggs Benedict-delicious. By the way, they do a lovely dessert of frozen yoghurt in crepe with stewed berries which is really yummy-does anyone know where we can get frozen yoghurt? I don't recall ever seeing it. Maybe I could find a recipe for it.
Now Chef Richard is what I call a real man. Anyone who can come out to a room full of woman on diets and ask if their food is okay, gets told
it isn't, does something about it and then comes back again and checks on a daily basis, has balls the size of that bull. Thank you Richard, you have my respect. I believe there are four chefs here but Richard is the only one that I have seen or spoken to.
We are playing Euchre most evenings now, originally it was myself with Maureen, Marlene and Marilyn (the only M&M's I get here!) but sadly Maureen left yesterday to return to her real life however her place has been adequately filled by young Andrea who does not seem to be a bit bothered about playing cards with us oldies and is bringing her own delightfully dry brand of humour to the table.
I have decided to leave here three days earlier than planned. I want to have several nights to see something of Vancouver and Marlene is visiting her cousin on Vancouver Island and has invited me to meet up with them. As I had hoped, I have been recommended some good hotels to stay in so will have the night of 5th June in the Westin Bayshore, Vancouver harbour and then will take a seaplane to Vancouver
Island and have booked two nights in the Empress hotel which was built in 1908. Its original purpose was to service the Canadian Pacific Steamship passengers. Over the years it fell into disrepair and was going to be demolished, but the locals protested and in 1989 it had a CAD45 mio refurbishment and has been restored to its former glory. There is a good little story surrounding the designer of the hotel told to me by another guest, Stephanie (she is in one of my hiking photos).
In 1893, the province decided that it needed new Parliament buildings to show their increased economic status. They set up a competition for the submission of designs for the proposed building. A young British immigrant recently arrived, Francis Rattenbury, submitted his designs under a pseudonym, ABC Architect. His designs won and after the Parliament building, he went on to design the Empress hotel and several other landmark buildings. His standing in society grew and he married but blotted his copybook by taking a mistress and treating his wife very shabbily. The scandal forced him to leave Canada and he returned to England with his then second wife and a son. Back in
England his star never again shone as brightly, his finances dwindled and he took to drinking heavily. His wife took their 18 year old gardener as a lover and Rattenbury was found murdered in their home. The wife and lover were charged for it, the lover was given life and and the wife committed suicide a few days later. Apparently, many years later their son returned to Canada and made his peace with the society who, in the shunning of his parents, ultimately led to their downfall.
Well enough of the history lesson, it is time for lunch, Vegetable Quesadilla Richard told me this morning, sadly not deliciously deep-fried like yours Paula but very nice all the same.
Next week I am going to look into hiring a car for a few days. The Gold Rush town of Barkerville is a couple of hours away. Named after Billy Barker who arrived there in 1861 and literally struck gold the following year. It has been kept as a very authentic working town which I am told is a must-see. I love things like that, a step-back in time, so would be sad to miss out on it.
Speak
soon x
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jamie
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tres bien mon amii
hi Sue ,you sound as if u have really enjoyed it ,,,,told ya u wud ,,,,and i haven't heard MANY winges ,,so good vibes all round ,,,sunny here at the moment so cant complain ,glad you are getting out and about ,might as well as u have travelled that far ,,just remember your little bells and yer pepper spray ,,he he he he ,,really pleased that u have went for it ,,proud of ya ,,mwah xxx