The Truck Club

It's official. We're part of The Truck Club.

Chris and I recently traded in our 2007 Dodge Caliber for a 2008 Dodge Dakota truck. I know, we hadn't had the caliber long, but it was proving to be a pain and besides, how can one live in La Crete and NOT own a truck?



There she is. And I'm in love with it. We still haven't named it. I'm thinking McSexy, so it has some Grey's Anatomy in it as well. It sure is beautiful though. It's black...and that's about all I know about trucks. Hey, I know the type of truck it was, so that's pretty good for me! It came with a cover for the bed and steps (important for me to have) and everything is automatic. Unfortunately, we lost our sunroof which I miss dearly, but I'm sure I'll appreciate having command start this winter!

And it's already proved to be amazing. Remember those Buffalo Head Hills we tried to get to last fall with Kristin but my sunfire couldn't make it? Well, McSexy got us up there last night. However, after three tries trying to locate and get up the hills, we were a little disappointed once we got to the top. Albertans just don't know hills like we Ontarians. They weren't nearly as large as I had thought, but the views were pretty nice. Max, the dog we're taking care of while living in La Crete for our landlords, also enjoyed the walk and drive.

Photos of Ecuador

The internet is quite slow up here in the north pole, so uploading is proving to be quite a challenge. Therefore, this might take a while, but here's a few to keep you busy.

Enjoy!

Ecuador

I know it's been over a month since I've written, but hey, who wants to write in their blog while they're enjoying 35 degree weather on a beach? ..That's what I thought.

Ecuador was purely amazing. We had a great time...when we actaully got there. Our flights got all messed up, which meant five flights there and five flights back, and over 30 hours of travelling each way. It was awful! But the trip made up for it.

On the way down we had an 8 hour layover in Costa Rica. Since we'd been flying since 4:30 p.m. the day before, and it was now about 9 a.m., we decided to head out into the community to get a hotel and shower. Bad idea. We got the worst, creepiest, sketchiest hotel ever. I wouldn't even use the bathroom (which only had a curtain, I might add!). We were there about half an hour, to shower, and get out! I was even afraid to sit on the beds!

So we headed back to the airport because we had no idea what was safe in Costa Rica and it appeared that we were in the wrong area. Since I had tourist written all over me, we decided to go back. So there we were, in the Costa Rica San Jose airport for about 8 hour with no internet. Thank you, airport.

Off we were to Peru and then finally to Ecuador!

We got in really late (or early, depending on how you look at it) just a few minutes in to my birthday (April 21). As soon as we walked out of the airport, my lungs filled with what felt like glue. The air was so hard to breath for the first few days, it was so humid. Especially coming from the north pole and all. It took a few days of getting used to, and then it was pure, joyous warmth.

We were busy just about every day, and thankfully spanish people use a lot of enthousiasm and body language so communication wasn't that bad with the language barrior. I went shopping one day with Chris's aunt July and his friend, which was interesting with knowing little to no Spanish and them little to no English, but it was definitely one of the best days! Chris spent the day with his mom, grandma, and siblings.

We did just about everything: horseback riding on the beach, pub crawls, climbing all 444 stairs on the cerro santa ana: a bunch of houses, pubs and restaurants on the side of a hill with stairs to the top), swimming in the ocean (lots of that!), shopping, zoos, fruit markets, etc. etc. the list goes on. It was amazing! There were so many fresh fruits (which I soon learned were my enemy, especially juice). However, I sure missed Canadian food after about 4 days of banana.

The triffic, however, was terrible. And to make matters worse, seatbelts are not even an option in the back seat. And there were usually about 7 of us stuffed inside this jeep/SUV thing as we were weaving in and out of traffic, forcing six lanes into four lanes of traffic. And they don't even stop at stop signs! They just honk and keep going, so whoever honks first (or I guess has the bigger vehicle..) gets to go.

There is so much more but I will have to post pictures for you, as my lunch hour is jsut about over.

A little catch up

Hello fellow blog readers,

I am sorry this blog post is so long overdue. Things have been crazy busy here in the north, preparing for my vacation to Ecuador with Chris, wrapping up my employment with the Chamber of Commerce, and just trying to get through the dark, cold, winter... which actually includes spring.

It's definitely been a tough winter. It's been extremely cold, so cold that both of our cars have had their fair share of time in the shop, and it's been dark, which had definitely taken a toll of my regularly giddy self. But this morning, when I got up around 7:30am, the sun was already shinning brightly. The weather sure has an impact on your day. Usually, I would feel tired in the morning when the sun wasn't up, making me tired and grumpy all day, but today I woke up energized, even with fewer hours of sleep than usual.

Yesterday I took both of our cats (Lilly is now Willy, as we have discovered she is not a she, but a he) and Mimi to the vet yesterday to get fixed. I go today to pick them up. I hope they're not too scared without us!

This summer I have a couple of things to look forward to. My parents wanted to come visit, but couldn't get any respite for Bradley. So now Mom, her sister Heather, and my cousin Josie are coming July 21 to 29, which should be a ton of fun. We plan to go to the North-West Territories for a night or two with Chris.

I was sad that my Dad couldn't make it, but was glad to hear that he was going to Vegas for a few days with a friend for a vacation. And to my surprise, he is going to come visit me after his trip! June 15to 19 Dad is going to come see me in La Crete. He won't get to stay very long, but the visit will be great! I can't wait to see him!

Dylan had thought about coming out this summer but then decided to stay home and work for our cousin, Shawn. So I guess I'll be seeing my brothers at Christmas! :(

Hmm, what else is new in the life if Ashley?

I have been busy getting all these vaccines to go to Ecuador next week that I have been brutally and violently ill for the last few weeks. I've been spending weeks being sick so I don't get sick in Ecuador, and I'll bet I still get sick! But, Yellowfeaver, Malaria, Hep A, Hep B, MMR, and everything else, will be worth it. Or so they tell me. But as of right now, it's causing a huge itchy patch on my arm, soreness, and an upset stomach.

We fly out Tuesday, April 19 for my birthday and easter. So if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm enjoying pina-colodas on a beach in Ecuador, soaking up the sun!

Old MacDonald had a Farm...

Last week, I had the most wonderful time outside on a cold day in La Crete.

I know, it sounds crazy, right? Well I spent the afternoon visiting La Crete's Farm Family of the Year.

They live just outside of La Crete on a beautiful piece of land, where Mr. Farmer grew up. Mr. Farmer’s Dad used to be a wheat farmer, with a few cattle, but when Mr. Farmer and his wife bought the farm, they turned it into a cattle farm.

But not just cattle, as if 370 wasn’t enough. They have 6 horses, a rabbit, 15 cats, 3 dogs, chickens, ducks, and in the summer they also have goats, pigs and sheet. For the kids, says Mr. Farmer. Because apparently the kids don’t have enough animals to play with!

Mr. Farmer also said he was expecting over 100 more calves in the next few weeks. He said last year his record was 20 calves in one day. Absolute craziness!

Back home, it’s dairy farms galore, so this cattle farming and wheat farming stuff was all new to me.

Mr. and Mrs. Farmer, and their lovely daughter and son took me on an entire tour of their farm, inside and out. Their daughter even showed me her rabbit.

It was a really welcoming place and I loved spending the afternoon there, even with having so many articles on the go and so much to do at the office. It was nice to just spend the afternoon on a farm and decompress.

Mr. and Mrs. Farmer, who had just met me, referred to me as Auntie to their kids, probably just so they would know I was a friend and someone they could trust going through their barns and house. It was nice, though, to feel like a piece of someone’s family out here. I feel like people do that a lot here, call friends Auntie to their kids, and I really like it.

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

...and I really hope I'll make it back again!

Chris and I have decided to go to Ecuador, his home country, in April. And if you're anyone who knows me, you know I'm very excited but also very nervous.

To say I have a "fear" of flying would be an understatement. I don't know very many people who need a tranquilizer to give them the courage to get on an airplace. No one except for me.

The first time I flew, which was to Florida with my Mom, Dad, and brother Dylan when I was 17, was an absolute disaster. The trip was amazing, but the way there and back...I would have traded anything not to get on that plane. I remember at one point telling my parents to go without me... to go to Florida and have fun on Daytona Beach, Disney World, Universal Studios, Daytona Races, etc. without me. I fainted about 11 times and had consumed 8 gravol and one glass of wine. It was awful.

So the next time I flew, to Thunderbay when I was 18, my doctor perscribed me this wonderous pill, to which I have named my "plane drugs". A tiny white pill makes everything a little more loopy, a little more happy and a little more fun. Some require liquid courage, I require powder. Legal powder. My wonderful plane pills!

So the other day I called my Ontario doctor to get more, because I only have two left and lets get real here, Ecuador is a million miles away. I mean, if it's not a million, it's got to be pretty close.

We fly from Grande Prairie to Calgary, Calgary to LA, LA to San Jose Juan Santamaria (Costa Rica), Coasta Rica to Guayaquil, Ecuador. We leave April 19th at 4:20 PM and arrive on April 20th at 3:00PM. That's over 24 hours of flights with four flight changes. If I survive, it will be a miracle.

I am really excited to go to Ecuador, though. Regardless of the fact that I won't be able to communicate with anyone except for Christofer. Chris has me totally freaked out about all the weird foods there that are going to make me sick, and the bad water and how I am going to stick out like a sore thumb. Which is why when he told me to try to "blend in" I proceeded to go out and find the biggest sunhat I could find. It screams tourist. I love it.

We plan to stay with his aunt, who lives in Guayaquil (you know, just a city I can hardly pronounce) and will visit his mom and grandma once or twice. They live in the country.

My birthday is April 21st, so somehow, I managed to squeeze myself on to another Spanish beach for my birthday. Last year, my parents took my brother and I to the Dominican in the spring, which also landed on my birthday. I told Chris I don't care what we do down there, as long as I am on a sand beach for my birthday! :)

We will also be celebrating one and a half years together while we're there, so we'll likely go to one of his favourite restaurants. He keeps talking about this boat/ship cruise that goes along the harbour, a party boat, so we might go on that for a night of dancing.

...If I don't get off the plane in Calgary and give up, that is.

Mean

A song that I just can't get out of my head, that makes me think of all the people along the way (and in my life currently) that have NOT helped me get to where I am now. Or, if those people you may not really even know, but you know they're just not very nice. Mean. No grudges, it's just a great 'angry' song. Makes me think of one person in particular...

Taylor Swift -- Mean

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man

Well, you can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and your walk-by lies and your humiliation
You, have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them
I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't Write

But all you are is mean
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Someday, I'll be, living in a big old city
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?