Another week goes by and here is our latest edition of Nelson News.
We hope you are all well and we understand from our international reporters over in Sheffield & Halifax that England has at last got some sunshine - hurray, the weather here has cooled down a touch to about 25-28 degrees. We have managed to get out and about a bit more and the kittens have even been outside too. We think we have successfully trained Pavlov's cats and they return to the back door to the sound of the food bowls and kitten biscuits.
On the subject of food we have taken advice from one of Shaun's work colleagues who is an expat of 7 years on where to find english style cut back bacon. For those of you who have been to Canada you will know that the bacon is cut streaky and just doesn't make for a great bacon butty - well we have found a local deli who prepare the correct style bacon and on saturday we enjoyed a great bacon butty lunch - yumm.
We have also experienced our first film at the cinema in Nelson, it was Harry Potter but there was no air conditioning, the sound was coming from two speakers at the front of the hall and well, the whole experience was quaint rather than the big screen cineplexes we are used to. But it only cost about £3 each and it was a great building - a bit like Cottage Road cinema used to be in Headingley. Next trip to the cinema will be to Castlegar which does have the usual comforts!
Rachael is also sorry to announce that she has managed to find a job - today Matthew I am going to be ...........an Optometrists Assistant. I start next monday so another week of being a lady of leisure. I am set to be trained in the first few weeks with the aim being to be able to assist in helping people choose glasses and also train on how to put contact lenses in etc - really need to get over my eye ball phobia pretty quickly !? Yuck.
I have heard from the ICES that my degree is comparable to a Canadian dietetics degree and have been in touch with the BC Dietitians ready to submit all my training and experience to them for assessment. Then will sit the exam or do more training whatever they decide.
Here is a funny tale which is very typically Nelson :
I was going into the bank to pay some bills when I noticed a Brinks lorry park up at the side of the road (Securicor). I did my banking and just as I was about to step out noticed that the guards were pushing a trolley up the disabled access ramp into the bank. I stepped aside to let them pass through the door just as a lady came running up to the guards shouting " Hey Sir you have dropped some of your money!" I turned to see her handing him a bundle of notes that had fallen off the trolley - which I then noticed was piled high with bundles of notes from $10 upwards ! It could only happen in Nelson !
Yesterday we drove over to a place called Creston which is heading out towards Alberta, the trip is really pretty as its heads up a pass which is 1170 m high and is very spectacular - well, there wasn't much happening at Creston but we did come across a tea shop - the owner was really friendly and invited us to try some of her teas. We were chuckling that Shaun was really going to miss his Yorkshire tea when the supply that Alison kindly sent over to us would run out, when she produced from under the counter what can only be described as the tea drinkers bible.
She flicked through a few pages then announced "is this Yorkshire tea from Harrogate?" Wow, we have found a source of Yorkshire Tea and she told us about a shop in Nelson that she could recommend would also have access to the 'bible' for her to order for us. It comes in 1 lb bags so should keep him going for a while.
She also went on to say that she had just received in a supply for another English family of LADY GREY !!!!!!
On the way back from Creston we were fortunate enough to be in the car when we had a bear encounter - a mother bear and cub were crossing the road. She was really big and showed no concern at the cars she made stop. We were just pleased to be in the car. No need for bear spray.
Today was the Nelson Triathlon and when I went on my regular jog around the Lakeside Park there were lots of very athletic looking men and women getting ready for the race. From the house we saw them swimming across the lake, then cycling around town then running around the park. Luckily I wasn't mistaken for a competitor as I had no bike, not really keen on swimming and would never be able to finish the race ........not this year anyway.
Well that is about it for this week, I am afraid there are no pictures attached as my Photo Editor is having problems with his external hard drive where the pictures are stored so I shall have to whip him into shape for the next edition.
