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So much has happened since I blogged regularly, it really is difficult to pick a starting point. Perhaps I'll try to include snippets of the past 1.5 years in the days to come, but for now... An update on present day happenings.
Jaco & I have officially claimed our land legs. We have said goodbye to Princess & then have most certainly set sail without us. Jaco is happy & I suppose I am too. Obviously I will miss the travel opportunities - who wouldn't want to wake up in another exciting location from one day to the next without having to drive or fly? But I hope in the future both of us will be able to enjoy a trip together. Certainly we will if I have a say in the matter!
Jaco has been busy applying for his Canadian registration. He has a job. He has a work permit. He only needs to certify with the College in BC and have a few references sent it and it's a green light for life in Canada!
He has a job in Penticton. Where? Penticton, British Columbia. A quaint little town that sits between 2 lakes & mountains on the other sides. Kelowna is to the north and Osoyoos is to the south. The area is known as the Okanagan Valley & is home to many vineyards & fruit orchards. The climate is as close to Mediterranean as I could find in Canada & apparently the winters are mild. We'll see about that! Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Penticton.
I'm very excited to finally move into a house and unpack. No more suitcases! No more 50 lbs is your life! No more baggage! And our 3 dogs will finally be together. Three dogs you say? Yes, since my previous blogging days, Jaco & I have acquired another dog. His name is Kudu and he is a Miniature Pinscher born and raised in South Africa. We have had him for just over one year. A brief history...
My adorable niece, Zandrie, got a guinea pig last year when I visited her family for the weekend. Jaco was attending a recertification course nearby. On Sunday afternoon, Zandrie, her Dad, and myself went to a few pet shops to try and find a pen for the guinea pigs. When we entered one of the pet shops, they had one puppy. The store was just opening and was still preparing the shelves and shop. This poor little puppy was lying there all alone. No toys, no blanket, and fleas and worms as I later discovered. When I saw him I said, "Oh, look at the little puppy!" He went crazy when he heard my voice. Crying, whining, scratching at the door, licking my fingers... It was unbearable! He even came with a little upside down heart on his chest! I immediately called Jaco, who said I would have to ask his Mom, as she would have to care for Kudu while we were on the ship. To my surprise, she said yes! We drove back to Cape Town the next day and brought Kudu home. He weighed a whopping 1.4 kgs and he has been such a delight to get to know. In South Africa it is against the law to crop dog's tails & ears, a topic which is dear to my heart and I hope the rest of the world will catch on! Needless to say, Kudu's huge ears are one of his most endearing qualities. Of course, his spirited personality is another!
I took him to puppy classes and he loves them! He caught on very quickly and whines the entire class because he is just so happy to be there! In fact, since I've been away this last little while, if the dog walker didn't come to collect Kudu for puppy class, Kudu would clear the fence (over 1m) and run down the block and into the municipality where he would completely disrupt the class. The instructor loves the fact that Kudu likes puppy classes this much. He is truly an example of 'the Teacher's Pet'!
Currently we are making arrangements to fly Kudu to Canada. I bought a wooden box last time I was in SA to fly him in. He can not fly in the cabin of the plane & must fly cargo. Not impressed! In any case, I have spent the past 3 weeks painting his 'flying box'. Primer, white enamel, SA flag, Canada flag, Kudu's name, checkerboard, stripes, and I still have the inside to do! And then he needs to get used to it!
He loves to play ball and run - very much a Daddy's boy! I am excited to see how Kudu will get along with the girls. Valentina's nose might be slightly out of joint as she does not have the long legs Kudu does to run & jump for the ball!
Jaco & I are currently in South Africa at his parents place. We have been enjoying quiet days. We have started eating healthily and preparing our own food. Yes, you read that right. I have been cooking. *gasp* I am doing my best to try and give us a good start for our arrival in Canada. Jaco has been very helpful in the kitchen and he even does the dishes! I'm so lucky! My Mother-in-Law used to cook and bake professionally, so I have a plethora of expertise at my fingertips. Although I think her and my Father-in-Law are a bit skeptical of the 'alternative' ingredients I use! Buckwheat flour, agave, coconut oil, cacao nibs, almond butter, kelp noodles... Good times and challenges for the taste buds! It has also been very interesting for me to learn of some of the traditions South Africans use in the kitchen. For example, they eat their gem squash (think mini acorn squash) by boiling them in a pot of water and then putting butter and sugar inside.(seeds removed) We always baked them in the oven and then put butter and salt and pepper in them.
Our days are filled with internet (!) (Yay for no more satellite internet that is as slow as dial-up!), yoga, a walk or a jog, taking the dogs to the beach, and sometimes Jaco will watch some sports, I'll paint or knit a bit, we'll get groceries and then make dinner. I haven't quite figured out how parents do it in the real world. I don't wake up early and I'm lucky to get 3 things done in a day. (This blog thing could be a challenge!) Hats off to those of you who manage to handle yourselves and children day after day!
Oh and speaking of internet... Our internet was out for 11 days last month. We spent hours on the phone with the Internet company. They told us our password needed to be changed, they told us the transmission cable was out and 82 other people were without internet in our area, they told us what their colleague was telling them to tell us, they sent one technician who couldn't fix it. I was nearing my breaking point with South African service. Finally, I had a lovely gentleman on the phone who escalated our need for service and the following day a second technician came out to fix our internet. The problem? Kudu. Yes, the dog. Kudu managed to bite through the cable. He must have had a ball in amongst the wires and played away until he bit through the cable. Rather humorous, I must say. He has had his photo, along with the cable, submitted to Dog-Shaming.com Apparently they have over 12,000 submissions, so I don't know if Kudu will make the cut, but in any case, it's a funny way to laugh your way through a lunch break!
I suppose that is enough of an update for now. I'll do my best to submit some more posts on a much more regular basis!
Until then... Keep well and enjoy your day!
Maria, Valentina, Oceana, Kudu, Adios and of course, Jaco
The day we brought Kudu home
Just look at those ears!
Sorry Telkom!
He looks guilty, no?
On his skateboard
Mama's boy.
