Plans Abated - What else is new?

We delayed purchasing tickets to fly to El Salvador for December due to the fact that we were quite hopeful that Douglas would be getting a Visitor Visa for 1 year to return to Canada (and then of course be processed for PR status while in Canada) in time to be with us for Christmas.  We started the process in November - every time he went back to the Canadian Consulate in Canada he was told a different story and different paperwork thrown at him.  The Visa documentation I sent him on November 19th via GUARANTEED Canada Express Post NEVER arrived, despite having it traced! Goddess knows where that ended up.  Oh well, whoever has them - hope you enjoy the photos and magazines and fortunately the money order will be useless to anyone as it is addressed to "The Receiver General of Canada". 

So, he will return for the fourth time on Monday to apply for this Visitor Visa yet again - the first three visits he confirmed with the clerks that it would take only 5 to10 business days to process - unfortunately, on the fourth visit he was told their website was "wrong" and that it would take 4 weeks to process! Ay Carumba!

So, we are in a "holding pattern" for now.  I found great flights for January and February - but will wait to see if he is able to come back up here to Canada by beginning of February.

So, while his Christmas was very quiet in El Salvador - ours was very busy and loud with family/friends and lots of young ones running around - oh and lots of shopping marathons! Good times!!

A nice long paid break courtesy of the University was much appreciated! Love you McMaster!

Our little corner of the globe avoided any major snow storms - although all around us they were pummeled with the white flakes! We just had a bit of cold and very light dusting of snow and ice.

        Oh my! Avalon looks quite devilish!

                             Thumbelina needed a new jacket for the cold weather!  She doesn't like them!

                               But Thumbelina loves Avalon's sock monkey!

                                   Trinity is loving this artist - Angelina Wrona - from Ottawa!

                               Avalon is a tea fanatic so I couldn't resist this little novelty duckie that helps to seep the tea leaves into her tea!

                                Avalon joke at Christmas was "Oh, sorry I haven't shaved my legs today!" - she got these cool furry leg warmers from Santa.

                              Out for a brisk Christmas walk.

YAY! A New Sink!

Yay - the new sink is installed! It's a miracle! Something actually done on time! The new salon is up and running and it's even better than the one before - great location and in the middle of all  the action! I will post pics as soon as I see it up close!

Only in Latin America...

We just moved our Hair Salon location in El Salvador to one more visible and right on the main street of Playa El Tunco - just a few paces from the old one.  Only after all the salon furniture had been moved into the new place and handing over the lease money, does the landlord inform my husband "Oh, by the way, the water only works from 8am to 12 noon every day."

Really? Seriously?

Apparently they are now trying to work out a solution with some water pump configuration.

EL SALVADOR POSTAL SERVICE - NO MAN'S LAND

I've put my leave of absence from November 30th on hold yet again! Reasons? Well, trepidation for the challenges of living in El Salvador; job prospects for a non-spanish speaking person, education system for the girls - so in a nutshell the financial hurdles are the main reason. 

We have been working very hard to get a Visitor Visa for Douglas to come back here for a time - really hoping for Christmas (if it is approved at all)!

I sent some important Immigration documents with a money order for $100.00 U.S. via Canada Post, Express Post, Guaranteed with signature upon delivery over 10 business days ago. It was guaranteed to be delivered within 7 business days.  It was a small envelope and cost me about $55.00 to post.

I have sent a few letters and packages to him in El Salvador and only ONE ever made it to him - it was the most boring item I had posted that miraculously made it.  So, am I surprised this "guaranteed" delivery didn't make it?

Let's just say that we all kissed the package farewell before we handed it to the Postal person.  I don't blame Canada Post - in the tracking it shows it as having left Canada safe and sound and on time. 

Now they are instigating a trace on the package in El Salvador - which I am told can take up to 2 months to do ???

The money order is another problem to be dealt with! I have to pay to have a trace put on that now. 

So, in in the interim.  I was going to wait a few days - see if anything is found under a rock or a palm tree and then if nothing found, I plan to drive to the airport and pay a stranger waiting in line to fly to El Salvador to carry my small envelope to San Salvador. I think that is the safest way. 

Come on El Salvador - what is wrong with your postal service?

We Met KAT VON D!!!

We bought her new book - she signed it and also signed Avalon's sock monkey and Trinity's cast.  She was just as beautiful in person. 

Too Many Kartwheels!

At Cheerleading practice, Trinity broke her ankle. She is hobbling all over - but at least she blinged out her cast!

Cheerleading Competitions

The girls belong to a local competitive Cheerleading troupe.  They have competitions all over - some will be in the U.S. - so we are looking forward to those.  The girls' did well at their first competitions - their teams placed 1st and second.

Our little Avalon is third one standing from the right.

Trinity is the first one standing on the left hand side.

Our Baby is a Teenager!

Our bootiful baby recently officially became a teenager, although because of her love of fashion, hair, & makeup it feels like she's been one for a while.  Trinity is a joy to have as a daughter and we love her with all our heart! She practically grew up in a salon, with Daddy giving her highlights starting at age 7 - so she has had years to develop this quirky lollygoth cutesy style of hers.  She is a leader and not a follower with old-fashioned values like her mama - so I hope that sustains her through the "teen years"!

 

Trinity wanted only one small thing for her birthday - an iPhone 4.  Ya, just a small little thing.  I broke down, against all my years of telling her she was too young for a cell phone, when I decided that the "face time" feature would be great for her and her Daddy to use, since Skype didn't seem to work so well for us!

Trinity's Aunty baked her a wonderful cake (this is Trinity's #1 favourite cake).  As her Aunty GB was driving it over to our place, her daughter had the very tall cake (about 5 levels) on her lap.  Everything was fine until they went over a bump and the cake "slipped" out of her daughter's hands, did a complete flip, and landed upside down on the dashboard! She managed to salvage some of it - it still tasted divine - but she had to drive home with chocolate frosting all over the dashboard and window! ha ha

We celebrated Trinity's birthday as well with her friends and went to Canada Wonderland's "Halloween Haunt".  It was in the evening from 7pm-midnight. It was chilly, especially whipping through the cold air on rides, but a great time was had by all.

Historic House Event

We went to an event at an Historic house built in the mid 1800's in Burlington.  We usually go there at least once a year.  It's a nice modest farm house, usually with ladies downstairs baking apple pies and such from scratch. We went for a tour of the house one weekend and had a blast making floral arrangements for $3.00.

The well in the kitchen is covered with glass for us to see it clearly, but it is a bit freaky to walk over it.

The kids had a blast getting airbrush tattoos.

Good Fun!

One Less Brick in the Wall

Well, it only took the RCMP a little over 6 months to process his fingerprints (she says sarcastically).  Apparently, if his fingertips were here in Canada, they could have done this in 24 hrs, but because said fingertips are down in El Salvador, and because the Immigration officer that processed his removal was an ignoramous who did not inform us that he should do the prints while his fingertips were still in Canada, we had to submit the fingerprints by ink the old fashioned way. 

So, finally after numerous emails, calls from our MP to their offices, phone mail messages never returned by the RCMP,  the day has finally come that we have received the documentation from the RCMP.  I think I should have a party.  Now the next couple of steps will take the next department anywhere from 6-12 months to process.

Then and ONLY then can we even submit all this to the Immigration department in Guatemala City - so right now, the Immigration person handling our file is sitting in limbo waiting for the LONG DELAYS of the various CANADIAN departments that take sooooooo long to process!  I mean, really, I don't understand why it takes so long to process this paperwork.

Oh, this is soooooo draining.