Well, a few days ago when we went skiing it was a good day. I made 6 runs total, a few on the easy main run, a few on a harder one and I always went up the chair with my mom or my uncle or my cousins. The first few runs that day were a little hard and slow for me because I had to get my ski legs back. On the harder run, it's called 'Panhandler' I was going a little fast over an icy bump on a steep hill, and I crashed over the bump, lost both skis and poles, rolled over a bunch of times and almost slid into a tree well. It was fine though, I landed in powder.
Today, my cousins went up to the hill at the crack of 8am with their friends and I went up with my mom and aunt and uncle around 10. My mom didn't feel up to skiing so she stayed in the lodge and socialized and I went up with my aunt and uncle. My aunt needed to get her ski legs back today so my uncle coached her a bit and I took off alone. At the bottom I couldn't see anyone so I went back up the chair alone. It's a long bumpy lonely ride alone and so was skiing back down alone too. I passed my cousins and their friends a few times. Usually I skiied under them when they were on the chairlift. I made 5 runs alone and then I had to go in and get some feeling back into my fingertips. Back on the hill a while later I met my uncle on the top of the hill and we were going to ski down together but I got going ahead of him and I actually had to wait for him at the bottom before going up one last time.
Total runs made today: 7
Total times I went down the hill alone: 6
Total times I went up the chair lift alone: 5
It wasn't until later that everyone told me how fast I'd been going. I was just plowing down that mountain every time they caught sight of me they said. My uncle (a very experienced skiier) said he tried to catch up with me like 3 times and he couldn't because I was going so fast. This I should mention is only the 6th year I've been skiing in my life and I'm very impressed with how capable I've become. That's one thing I've noticed throughout this year is how capable and confident I've become with almost every aspect in my life. It's a wonderful, in control feeling and I'm proud I've achieved it.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The Days Following Christmas
It's hard to believe, my fifteenth Christmas come and gone. Christmas morning itself gets less and less exciting every year older I get. I got nice presents; a few hoodies, books, chocolate, manicure set, a bunch of writing stuff. My mom gave me a ticket to Cirque de Soleil when they come to Victoria next September which is a totally awesome present!!! It utterly amazes me how flexible they are!! I think a girl at my school used to be involved with Cirque de Soleil in some way. And my aunt from Japan called us and it was nice to hear from her again. Japanese Christmas is like a big date night, so is Valentines Day and Thanksgiving doesn't even exist!!
Christmas Eve we did all go over to my aunt's parent's house for dinner. It was fun, good food, nice people. We all went over there again this morning (well, afternoon really) for brunch-lunch. I know all my family on my dad's side in Victoria had Christmas dinner together at my grandma's house. I almost wish I'd been there because I'm always saying they don't get together enough. But there's always next years Thanksgiving for that. As for our family back east; I'm sure our distant family in Oakville had a huge, happy family Christmas, and if my aunt, uncle and cousins in London are reading this... I'm sorry we haven't called you yet!!
Boxing Day here, my uncle and cousins went skiing but I woke up in a total non-wanting-to-ski mood so I stayed behind. I'm regretting it hugely and we're going up again tomorrow fortunately. I'm a much more confident skiier then I was a few years ago and I've long abandoned the rope-tow. The chairlift no longer scares me and I even promised to try the t-bar at the top of the chair lift to get up to the bigger runs. I can't go home again having not tried that. I'm sure my uncle will me fine to take me up the first time. And I promise to not freak out!!!
Today after brunch we went for a ride in my cousins Teryx (an off-road 4 wheeler that my uncle adapted a bit. It's about the size of a smart car. I rode on it a couple times when I was here in the summer and I even got to drive it a few times, and I only put it in the ditch twice!!!) It lives in a warehouse on the edge of Kitimat during the winter so my mom, my uncle, my 2 cousins and I drove out and rode it through the woods halfway up the side of a mountain (in the snow I might add!!). It was so cold the wind was just whipping through my quite warm winter jacket and the part of my face my helmet didn't cover; my eyes, ears and mouth were just frozen solid. But it was so beautiful. Just picture it: a forest full of trees and not a single leaf on any of the branches, but sparkling virgin snow layering the trees, covering the ground in a thick blanket and showers of icy sprays filling the air now and then.
My aunt and some of her family were waiting for us when we got back. They made another trip or 2 up but I only went once. But one time when it was just my aunt my cousin and I waiting in the car because it was so cold and she asked me if I WANTED TO TRY DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT!!! I actually said no at first (I'm studying the driving guide book, but I'm not 16 till February and I was scared) but eventually I said yes. She was very patient with me: "Put it in drive, now forward, okay stop, now into reverse, good, now shoulder check and back slowly then back into drive..." and more of the same. I did a few slow loops of the parking lot and actually enjoyed it. Everyone else was just pulling into view like a second after I parked. My aunt said I would tell my mom I was just sitting in the drivers seat but after they babbled about the ride it just popped out. My mom and uncle were both shocked and impressed that I'd done it. My cousin wanted to drive too, so badly, but my aunt wouldn't let him. He's only 13 after all. However he can drive the Teryx and he did a bunch of donuts and even I got to drive it again. At first my donuts were "lame" as someone put it to me, but then I got the hang of "gunning it" and they got better. It's much easier than driving a car.
So, a very eventful day for me. More tomorrow to report on my exciting skiing experience!! Wish me luck!
Christmas Eve we did all go over to my aunt's parent's house for dinner. It was fun, good food, nice people. We all went over there again this morning (well, afternoon really) for brunch-lunch. I know all my family on my dad's side in Victoria had Christmas dinner together at my grandma's house. I almost wish I'd been there because I'm always saying they don't get together enough. But there's always next years Thanksgiving for that. As for our family back east; I'm sure our distant family in Oakville had a huge, happy family Christmas, and if my aunt, uncle and cousins in London are reading this... I'm sorry we haven't called you yet!!
Boxing Day here, my uncle and cousins went skiing but I woke up in a total non-wanting-to-ski mood so I stayed behind. I'm regretting it hugely and we're going up again tomorrow fortunately. I'm a much more confident skiier then I was a few years ago and I've long abandoned the rope-tow. The chairlift no longer scares me and I even promised to try the t-bar at the top of the chair lift to get up to the bigger runs. I can't go home again having not tried that. I'm sure my uncle will me fine to take me up the first time. And I promise to not freak out!!!
Today after brunch we went for a ride in my cousins Teryx (an off-road 4 wheeler that my uncle adapted a bit. It's about the size of a smart car. I rode on it a couple times when I was here in the summer and I even got to drive it a few times, and I only put it in the ditch twice!!!) It lives in a warehouse on the edge of Kitimat during the winter so my mom, my uncle, my 2 cousins and I drove out and rode it through the woods halfway up the side of a mountain (in the snow I might add!!). It was so cold the wind was just whipping through my quite warm winter jacket and the part of my face my helmet didn't cover; my eyes, ears and mouth were just frozen solid. But it was so beautiful. Just picture it: a forest full of trees and not a single leaf on any of the branches, but sparkling virgin snow layering the trees, covering the ground in a thick blanket and showers of icy sprays filling the air now and then.
My aunt and some of her family were waiting for us when we got back. They made another trip or 2 up but I only went once. But one time when it was just my aunt my cousin and I waiting in the car because it was so cold and she asked me if I WANTED TO TRY DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT!!! I actually said no at first (I'm studying the driving guide book, but I'm not 16 till February and I was scared) but eventually I said yes. She was very patient with me: "Put it in drive, now forward, okay stop, now into reverse, good, now shoulder check and back slowly then back into drive..." and more of the same. I did a few slow loops of the parking lot and actually enjoyed it. Everyone else was just pulling into view like a second after I parked. My aunt said I would tell my mom I was just sitting in the drivers seat but after they babbled about the ride it just popped out. My mom and uncle were both shocked and impressed that I'd done it. My cousin wanted to drive too, so badly, but my aunt wouldn't let him. He's only 13 after all. However he can drive the Teryx and he did a bunch of donuts and even I got to drive it again. At first my donuts were "lame" as someone put it to me, but then I got the hang of "gunning it" and they got better. It's much easier than driving a car.
So, a very eventful day for me. More tomorrow to report on my exciting skiing experience!! Wish me luck!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
How an entire year has gone by this fast and we've once again returned to Christmas Eve is absolutely beyond me, but we are. It seems like the older I get the faster time goes. Will it be like that forever? I don't know.
But that doesn't matter. It's 11:30 on Christmas Eve morning and I've got to wrap some last minute stuff, have lunch and get ready for the get together at my aunt's parents house. Her whole family is here and we go there for Christmas Eve dinner every year we're here. It's always lots of fun, even though they're not my family. They're still very nice. Well, gotta fly! More tomorrow!
But that doesn't matter. It's 11:30 on Christmas Eve morning and I've got to wrap some last minute stuff, have lunch and get ready for the get together at my aunt's parents house. Her whole family is here and we go there for Christmas Eve dinner every year we're here. It's always lots of fun, even though they're not my family. They're still very nice. Well, gotta fly! More tomorrow!
JOYEUX NOEL!!!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Journey North
It suddenly occurs to me that I never did explain how we got to Kitimat. It's a two day drive here from Victoria and an absolutely beautiful one in the summer. You can either take the ferry to Vancouver and then drive halfway up (to about Quesnel or Williams Lake) in one day and then the rest of the way the next day or drive to Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island (an 8 or 9 hour drive from Victoria) in one day and then take a 15 hour ferry trip to Prince Rupert the next and drive 3 hours to Kitimat from there. I've done both ways several times and it's absolutely beautiful.
However, it's December and it's not so beautiful a drive this time of year so we flew. We couldn't get a flight out of Victoria so we ferried to Vancouver and flew out of there. After spending the whole day in the airport (we went hours early so my mom could go to ikea. Yeesh!!) we were finally ready for takeoff. But then there was a mechanical problem and our flight was delayed for about an hour while we waited for a replacement plane. While waiting, another flight going to Smithers also had a mechanical problem and several others were held up because of weather at their destination point. One flight to Cranbrook had to be redirected to Edmonton!!! That means bussing back across the mountains in the middle of winter. Not fun.
Well, we finally got on our flight and not 15 minutes out of Vancouver there was another mechanical problem and we had to go back to Vancouver so they could fix it. They told us to wait an hour for another replacement plane, but while we were waiting I heard someone say they'd fixed it after about 5 minutes. Aurgh!!! It's less than a 2 hour flight from Vancouver to Terrace but with a 3 hour delay that adds up quite a bit. Oh, plus then there's the 45 minute drive from the airport into Kitimat. And they got snow here a few weeks ago that wasn't very much and wasn't really worth plowing, so everybody drove over it and it turned into slush which then froze and iced over every street and driveway in town, very much like the odd time it snows back home. It's like, no matter where you go you can never really win. Life's funny like that isn't it?
However, it's December and it's not so beautiful a drive this time of year so we flew. We couldn't get a flight out of Victoria so we ferried to Vancouver and flew out of there. After spending the whole day in the airport (we went hours early so my mom could go to ikea. Yeesh!!) we were finally ready for takeoff. But then there was a mechanical problem and our flight was delayed for about an hour while we waited for a replacement plane. While waiting, another flight going to Smithers also had a mechanical problem and several others were held up because of weather at their destination point. One flight to Cranbrook had to be redirected to Edmonton!!! That means bussing back across the mountains in the middle of winter. Not fun.
Well, we finally got on our flight and not 15 minutes out of Vancouver there was another mechanical problem and we had to go back to Vancouver so they could fix it. They told us to wait an hour for another replacement plane, but while we were waiting I heard someone say they'd fixed it after about 5 minutes. Aurgh!!! It's less than a 2 hour flight from Vancouver to Terrace but with a 3 hour delay that adds up quite a bit. Oh, plus then there's the 45 minute drive from the airport into Kitimat. And they got snow here a few weeks ago that wasn't very much and wasn't really worth plowing, so everybody drove over it and it turned into slush which then froze and iced over every street and driveway in town, very much like the odd time it snows back home. It's like, no matter where you go you can never really win. Life's funny like that isn't it?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Blame Game
People fascinate me. Like, the relations, the interactions, the feelings and emotions, thoughts and actions everything. Sometimes I wonder if some of what people do is simply human nature and can't be helped. What I'm really thinking of right now is blame. For example, think about when something bad happens. Most people seem to imediately say "It was her fault..." "It was his fault..." and it just goes on and on, everyone trying to put everyone else at fault for whatever it was that went wrong. Nobody wants to be the bad guy but everyone wants to be the hero right? Another thing I've noticed people do is blame themselves. "This is all my fault. If only I'd... If I hadn't done... If I'd looked sooner..." you see what I mean? It just goes on like that. But maybe that's just part of what we as a species are. Maybe it's just human nature and unstoppable. It's an interesting thought don't you think?
Good old Kitimat!
The thing I love about coming to Kitimat for vacation is the sense of relaxation. There is absolutely nothing that immediately needs to be done. Like, at home there's always school and school related activities, there's weekend courses and volunteering and shopping, there's groceries to buy and carpets to vacuum and you see what I mean? There's always something!! But here, it's really vacation. I mean yeah, it's my aunt and uncle's house and there are things and chores that need to be done, but we're only ever here at Christmas or in the summer and we can fall totally into vacation mode. And there's family and snow and it's just so wonderful and magical. I get that the rest of the year it's just like us, work and school and things to do, but that's why we all need vacation right? To get away from the chaos of real life. And in 3 days it'll be Christmas, after which will be the last week of 2009. How the time flies. I don't know if I like that or not.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
End of Victoria Christmas
Once again my mother and I are making the preparations to embark on our journey to Kitimat up north for Christmas. School ended yesterday, our tree is down, and our Victoria Christmas is pretty much over. But we still have much more Christmas to enjoy, and New Years too for that matter. Here's a picture of our Christmas tree, I decorated the whole thing myself. There is also a little one that usually spends December in my bedroom.
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