Marmot Basin

Since most of you back home are in the midst of an epic heat wave, I thought i'd give you a few posts to help cool you down...

I've been lucky enough to go snowboarding 4 times and each time I get a little better. We haven't had much snow lately but we've also had some pretty warm days too. I've started doing the blue intermediate runs and hopefully I can get more comfortable at speed and work towards my goal of being able to do black runs, tricks and jumps by the end of the season.

Here are some pictures from Marmot Basin on a clear day.
S.

At the top of the Eagle Ridge chair with Jasper in the background

Probably not a good idea to go down there anytime soon... probably no birthday party or candy there...

From the top of the Eagle Express Chair, Jasper is just above the sign to the left behind the trees

This is the lower Chalet

Looking up the mountain from the lower chalet, Eagle ridge is at the top left

Supermarket Fun

Okay so, I’ve been meaning to blog about this for a while… Those that know me, know that I’m amused by simple things and I have an active imagination and can’t help but create stories and imagery at the slightest hint from things around me.

So here are some pictures of products that I find funny. Either because they make no excuses about their sugar content (see sugar crisp) or they have a funny name (see manwich), or they are just plain ridiculous (marshmallow spread – goes well with peanut butter apparently and is called a ‘fluffer nutter’, or French Toast cereal).

Enjoy,
S.

Reminds me of Billy Madison...


(Best one I could find)

Great concept for salad dressing

Wholesome

I'll take my french toast with maple syrup rather than milk thanks...

The eggs hatch whilst you eat...

Candy - what every cereal needs

Anyone for tang?

It's chlorine blue, and it's raspberry, lemon flavour... go figure!

Should probably be 10%...

Jono is a chicken... a female chicken...

So cute, so crunchy.

The famed, 'Fluffer Nutter', I will have to try this one day.

A White Christmas..

Hi everyone, Sorry it's been such a long time in between posts. I am working a lot more than I was in November, having moved departments within the hotel. I now work in Central Reservations, which is where we book guests into our hotels. It's a much better job, and I am enjoying it much more than front desk. My hours are still a little erratic so I don't get as much spare time to blog, in between sleep, work and trying to stay fit.

Anyway, since our last blog, Christmas and New Years have come and gone, and we've had some great experiences here. Along with a cold snap that came through southern Alberta, we experienced nearly two weeks of weather under -30. Walking to work became a lesson in survival and out-running hypothermia. Any exposed skin becomes frost-bitten, so you end up looking like an afgan in a burka, just to get to work!

There was also snow... lots and lots of snow. At one stage we had so much snow that cars outside were nearly completely buried under it. I love waking up and looking out the window to see this kind of thing. It really reminds you of how different Canada is to Australia.
You adapt to the cold quicker than you'd think. The week after the cold snap we had a swing from -45 to -4, and the change felt like a summer's day. Christmas day was about -12, which was fairly comfortable.

We went over to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on Christmas eve with some friends from work. Stu had to work til 11pm, so I went over earlier to see the light displays they had put up. JPL spends approx $50,000 a year on Christmas lights and Decorations. It's insane.

You drive through the entrance and there are literally dozens and dozens of massive trees covered in lights. All throughout the property they have Christmas displays and decorations on show. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is the most expensive place to stay in Jasper. The queen stays here when she comes over every few years. She stays in a cabin that is worth $12,000 per night!! Our tour guide graciously drove us around the property and showed us the cabins, staff accom and general layout of the cabin side of JPL. By this stage Stu had joined us and we got to see some elk face to face, from the safety of a car!
Anyway, we had planned to skate on the frozen lake outside JPL (Lake Mildred), but it turns out they don't do night skating anymore. We will definitely be doing that another day though!

An elk, at JPL.. about 2 metres away! I'd be just shorter than the stone pillar.

Stu in front of one of many massive, elaborate Christmas trees at JPL

Hanging out with Fred and Barney, local residents at JPL. These are roughly to scale as well!

Our little tree and the tonnes of gifts from family!

Christmas day was lovely. Thank you so much to our families for sending out gifts over, they made for such a great reminder of home. It snowed on Christmas morning. Stu and I took our time waking up, making "brunch" of bacon and eggs on toast. We opened our gifts and lazed around a bit, before heading over to Anthony's Restaurant (one of our hotel's restaurants) and enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner that was so amazing we just couldn't fit it all in! We walked home in -26 degrees (and I nearly died of hypothermia..) and spent the rest of the night cuddled up watching movies and resting. It was a really nice, relaxing day and despite the cold the snow made it magical!

Stu at Athony's Restaurant for Christmas Dinner

Ice sculptures outside the Sawridge Inn on Christmas Eve

New Year's eve was a bit of a non-event, Stu was working til 11, and he didn't finish up til just before 12, so I spent the night watching tv and making resolutions :o)
Anyway, I will upload a ton of our Christmas/New Year's-related pics for you to enjoy. We miss you all and hope you had a great Chrissy!
lv beth. x

Wearing the sock-puppet mittens Stu got me for Christmas, in front of the oiler's blanket I got for him..

My Snowboarding Marmot... he's so cute!!

The Fireplace at the JPL dining room where we had dinner. Note the giant Bison head..

Us, Christmas 2008

2 Years Strong.

Today, November the 19th 2008 marks my two year anniversary with Stuart.
For those of you who don't know our history, Stuart and I met through a friend while I was studying my arts degree at the CCC School Of Creative Arts on Sydney's northern beaches.
Stuart was living in Melbourne at the time.
Stu and I on our 3rd date, November 23rd 2006
When we first started to feel things for each other it presented a can of worms that I didn't think was avoidable. Long distance relationships are hard at the best of times, let alone when you're both students with limited resources and finances. Yet, somehow in my heart I knew it was worth the effort.

My primary love languages are touch and quality time, so I couldn't comprehend how I would go with a long distance sort of relationship. The distance wasn't all we had to overcome either. Our lives were so different, and yet there was a tangible connection too special to ignore.

So I promised Stu that once I'd finished my degree I would move to Melbourne so we could be together.

There were so many times I felt like giving up on my studies to be with him, but I also made a promise to God - that I wouldn't leave college until I had finished what I started. It was never the love of music, the friends, the ease of my position and influence that kept me in Sydney, it was always my word. And again, my word is what caused me to pack up my life and follow my heart once my studies were completed nearly 16 months later..
Stu and I in Melbourne. 5th January 2007.

Today we are celebrating our anniversary in Canada, in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. The temperature is -14 outside, and the views (and the altitude here) take your breath away. But what truly captures me, truly renders me breathless and speechless, is this gift I have. Because I stayed true to my promise, because I put God's purpose first in my life, He has blessed me so much by giving me Stuart.

Stuart's 22nd birthday, March 14th 2007. I surprised him by flying down to Melbourne.

Stuart Walker - the special (very, very special!) man who was made in such a way to put up with, understand and love me always.

Today I am grateful for Him.

Stu and I on our 1 year anniversary in Sydney. Nov 19th 2007

I just thought I'd share this with whomever chooses to read this little note. I am blessed to be loved by Stu, and to get to share this part of my life story with him.

I never thought it would happen to me... but it has.
Cheers for that, God.
Beth. x

Today, Our 2 year anniversary. November 19th 2008.

More Snow!!!!

Yep, you guessed it, more snow.

SNOW!!!!

Hi everybody, all is well here in Jasper with Stu and I.

This Thursday just gone we had SNOW!!!!! It snows a little here in the fall, but not much, so to see the streets covered and the snow falling heavily enough to make snowballs here was quite exciting!!! Stu and I were both working at the time, but I ran outside to take some photos. These photos were taken about 15 minutes after the snow started to fall, and by the time we finished work at 11pm, the streets were blanketed in the most beautiful, soft, powdery snow I've ever seen. The roads get very icy after the snow is ground into the asphalt by cars, so walking home was an exercise in balance and sliding!

Stu and I went out with some friends after work and ended up walking home through the town at 1am, throwing snowballs and writing in the snow on a few car windows. (read: Stu wrote words like "poop" and "pee pee" on every car.)

We tested out our new snow boots, and to my pleasure they turned out to be very comfortable and warm, although it was only about -5 out at the time. The town of Jasper is so peaceful and beautiful when covered in snow, every stretch of ground was pure white. The snow here is so soft and powdery, not like the hard icy, wet stuff you get in Aus. Making a snow ball is like picking up a piece of Styrofoam! Stu and I took turns throwing them at signs, street lights, even jasper, the town mascot. Of course we didn't throw them at each other, it was too cold. That will have to wait for another day.

We were both very excited about the snow, but I am in no hurry to make it happen again. Once winter kicks in we'll have plenty and it will stay around for months. It is definitely starting to get verrrrry colllld here in Jasper.

Me and Malorie, a fellow employee out in the snow!

I am however looking forward to seeing the town lit up for Christmas with all the lights and snow. I think it'll be quite special!

In other news, Stu and I are wondering if we should leave Jasper to work in Banff or Fernie - two other ski resort towns in Canada. Banff has a little more to offer than Jasper does, and we are not too sure about our employers here in Jasper. More on that another time though. We will keep you posted.

We will post more pics of the snow as it falls, you can be sure to see a lot of them in the coming months!!!
We miss you all,
b. x

Hey to all our Australian and American friends,
Just a quick blog to let you know that as of yesterday we are now 18 hours behind Australia as daylight savings has come to an end.
We are now on Mountain Time, which means we are plus 6 hours, minus one day. So right now it is 10am in Jasper, Canada, which means it will be 4am in Sydney and Melbourne.
So if you're looking to skype us, call or text the best times for you to do it are between 12pm - 5pm Australia time as that will be 6pm - 11pm the day before here in Canada. We get free incoming calls after 6pm in Canada, otherwise we get charged the same rate to receive a call as to make it.

We've been here in Canada for one month yesterday by the way. Do you miss us? :oP
Lots of love...
x