Fingers Crossed!

Douglas' 23 year old file has finally been shipped and ARRIVED in GUATEMALA CITY (love you Guatemala!  yay!  Go Guatemala!! Best looking Immigration officers around!) late last week for the bulk of processing.  This is a huge step in our Sponsorship application. If the timeline tables on the Canadian Citizenship & Immigration website are correct - from this point it could take as little as 8 months or as long as 22 months. I am hoping that his file will be in the 30% of files that were processed in 8 months.  For some reason Mexico processes them at a rapid speed of 4 months! 

We have been waiting for the replacement birth certificates for the girls to arrive in order to facilitate them having passports.  They were sent in months ago and for one reason or another are still not processed - the latest was that they were returned to me after sitting on someone's desk for weeks on end, asking me to fill out the forms again and have them notarized yet again (at a cost of $60.00) due to the fact that I wrote the middle names above the place, instead of below the place where they were supposed to go. 

We've decided that we cannot wait much longer for the certificates - I am flying out in a couple of weeks to be with Douglas for a bit as the separation on everyone, but most of all Douglas, who is all alone, is very daunting at this point.  As soon as the girls' certificates arrive I can get their passports processed in about a week - so they will fly down then to join him as well.

Road Trip!

The girls and I decided to go on an adventure.  We piled into the mini-van and off we went to the cobblestoned, french speaking, gorgeous Ville de Quebec (Quebec City) for almost a week. In my opinion, this is one of the best cities in Canada. It is steeped in history.  It was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608.  We spent hours discovering the city and the historical buildings. We were fortunate to stay at the Chateau Frontenac (opened in 1893 - sister hotel of Banff Springs Hotel where many moons ago, right out of University, Douglas and I worked).  I would thoroughly recommend a stay in this gorgeous hotel - the pool, spa and customer service was exceptional!

It was a twelve hour drive there (stopped for 1 hr shopping & 45 mins lunch) & then an 11 hr drive back (quick pull throughs to get gas and check on the tire that kept going flat!)  The drive was gorgeous, didn't even feel like a long drive - all I can say is thank goddess I purchased them each a  DVD movie player before we set off! 

The view from our window of the courtyard below.

We took a ferry ride to Levis - the city across the St. Lawrence. View of the lower city & Chateau Frontenac sitting atop the hill. The girls have been in French Immersion since Junior Kindergarten - so they were able to order the meals in french and translate for me since it is not bilingual in Quebec City like every other province - it is completely french only.  There are some people who speak English a bit, but it was rare to find and all the signs, menus, etc. are in french.

On our first day we had a gorgeous 45 minute horse & buggy ride throughout the city. Well worth $100.00.  When I went to Quebec City as a teen - this was the only real solid memory I had of it. We went up to the Plains of Abraham - where the battle between French and English took place in 1759.

I love the lower city!  We went on a 90 minute Lantern Guided Ghost Tour throughout the entire lower and upper city.  Wow, was that ever a workout!  We were up and down hills and stairs and the girls' little legs kept going!  It ended with a monologue in a darkened Holy Trinity Church with one lone candle to guide all 20 people - apparently the most haunted building in Canada.  We took dozens of pics trying to capture a ghost!  There is one pic that Trinity and Avalon are sure shows a ghost hovering next to Trinity's shoulder.

 

Quite a few murals on buildings in the city - very intricate and gorgeous.

We couldn't leave without seeing Montmorency Falls.  With trepidation, we took a cable car up and walked over the falls on the suspension bridge.  Quebec was quite a bit colder than Ontario, as you can see from the pic!  It was very unfortunate that Douglas couldn't be with us, but we speak daily so he got an earful of our travels and the girls and I have such wonderful memories from our trip!

Halloween & Dia de Los Muertos

I'm so glad I took the time to take some pics of the fall foilage at the RBG last week.  This morning I drove by this same tree (in the rain), to see that probably 90% of it's beautiful leaves have fallen off and it is now  almost bare.

                                        

On Devils' night we went to the 8th Annual "Screamfest" located at White Rock Ostrich Farm, about 20 mins north of us.  It was very much a scream fest!  Live actors inside the creepiest haunted house and then "Jason" from the movie "Halloween" was waiting for us outside - he then chased us in the mud! Ya, it was so scary and fun that Avalon wanted to go in again.  Trinity chickend out - oops -  I mean, sat by the bonfire while we went through the house.

                                                

Waiting in line for our turn to get scared - old time horror movies played in the tent while we waited.

                                      

I loved this creepy guy in a cobweb!

                                                   

This is a great idea when the kids don't behave.

                                                  

I especially love this one!!

                                                  

Avalon was a "Punk Pirate" & Trinity a "Red Tassled Cowgirl" for Halloween.

                                      

The houses around here are totally into the Halloween spirit - loudspeakers playing creepy music and all!  Awesome spirit!!

                                           

                                          

With Trinity being a "Halloween Baby", we always seem to have a "Dia de Los Muertos" Party for her and this year was no exception!  Fun times!

Cutie Petutie

Douglas has been in El Salvador for over 6 months now without us and it has, of course, been emotionally draining.  The poor guy needed a companion - so he decided to buy an adorable teacup Chihauhau - better than getting himself a girlfriend!  He named him "Tequila". 

I can just see it at the airport now - when Douglas comes to meet us, the girls are going to ignore him & make a big fuss about this little cutie petutie!

Building Art

I just love these transformations. On the way to my office, I pass by these works of art. I absolutely love them! This Architectural firm's building was painted with irridescent paint and it just glistens in the sun.

I also love this wall - love the colours!

Thanksgiving

While Douglas is dealing with torrential downpours in the heat (and no Thanksgiving dinner) - we guiltily enjoyed a day at the farm and then a wonderful dinner with cousins and other extended family.

Avalon & I on the wagon ride - it was a chilly day!
A pony ride through the farm for Anitcka.
Freya loved all the barn animals - and they loved her and the food she offered!
A trek or two or three through the "Haunted Maze".
Thumbelina wondering when dinner would be served.

Avalon made it through the long day, but was not her usual "Dennis the Menace" self. The reason for that? Unbeknownst to us she had come down with H1N1 (Swine Flu). She was so generous, that she gave it to her sister also. So, the week that unfolded was filled with two sick littled kidlets home from school for the entire week! I think I heard "Mummy!" every 10 minutes for the last week.

Acceptance Speech

Excellent acceptance speech by President Obama, who never asked for this award. I think he found it difficult to accept the Nobel Prize, realizing that after only 8 months in office, he is just getting his "feet wet"; he was very humble and gracious. (Perhaps Europes' slap in the face to George W. Bush?)

Nobel Peace Prize: Canadians Should Be Insulted

We all heard/read the news today - the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to President Barack Obama. I do not dislike the President. He is an eloquent speaker and has delivered excellent speeches around the world.

Also, in The Huffington Post today there are two articles entitled: "Obama to Accept Taliban in Afghanistan's Future" & "U.S. Considers Establishing Political Party for Taliban in Afghanistan". The articles outline how the President Obama is prepared to accept the Taliban to have some rule in Afghanistan.

With all due respect to President Obama, as a Canadian I am insulted that the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to him. Let me explain.

Canadian soldiers have been embedded in Afghanistan since 2001. The cost of this offensive military operation, until 2011, is expected to be $18.5 billion. More importantly 131 young Canadian soldiers have been killed and brought back to be driven in a hearse down our "Highway of Heros" as Canadians stand on the overpass bridges waving their Canadian flags.

A very interesting read that outlines the Canadian soldiers' liberation of the Afghani women from the Taliban and rebuilding of Afghanistan, is Christie Blatchford's "Fifteen Days", awarded the Governor General's award.

If you are familiar with the atrosities of the Taliban (especially against Women) and the hard work of the Canadian Solidiers who have carried the weight of Afghanistan on their shoulders since they were removed from power in 2001, you should be insulted.

The ideologies of the Taliban should never be allowed to have a voice or place in any society on this earth.

"Those who cannot learn from History are doomed to repeat it." (George Santayana)

Renos - The Ongoing Project...

Below are the photos of the living room and dining room prior to the Renos. (Wide angled lens would have come in handy here, but you can get the idea.) It is very obvious that Douglas and I are addicted to the store "Home Sense". Note to self: look into Minimalism theories. The floors previous were black and had lost their shine and gleam over the last couple of years.

AFTER: Clean and bright with cherry hardwood floors installed on Monday. I'm very happy with them. They are also in the entry way as well.

Currently underway - the kitchen, bathrooms and entire upstairs. Should be done soon. In the interim, the housing market is making a slow recovery here - hopefully it continues to trend upwards!

Mother Cat

Just as a follow up - we had great difficulties trying to catch the Mother Cat mentioned in previous entry. The poor hussy is still running around the neighbourhood somewhere! Hopefully the kitties will find nice warm homes.