Expedition Canada

Chips With Everything Sun Jul 17th  First batch of machine mixed sour dough The power in question was for our UK appliances which operate at 220v-240v/50Hz and needed a more specialist (and much more expensive) type of transformer, that also changes the power frequency from the North American 60Hz, as well as the voltage.  It now means we can use our beloved Kenwood as well as my Denon TV/Audio amp, record deck (very frequency sensitive) and Fred's sewing machine - just not all at once.  It was cheaper than the cost of replacing the kit it was purchased to power.   Chips with everything! The chips were for mulching the garden beds.  We had bought several bags of the stuff when we had to modify one of the veg beds and needed to make good, but it was expensive.  In the end we managed to track down a tree surgeon who offered to drop a FREE load off from his 'mulchinator' machine.  I was expecting a cubic metre or so.  We got the whole truck load...

Rain Stops Play Starts Hopkins Landing - Morning Walk Sun Oct 17th The thrashing took place in the City of Bath when the home team were given a rugby lesson by Saracens in a palindromic 17-71 drubbing.  Bath have now lost all of the opening games in the Premiership and are bottom of the league.  The Sarries game was a great game to watch, even for Bath supporters.  Bath probably learnt more today from the opposition than their own coaching staff.    My fellow Brit dog-walker with the Rhodesian Ridgeback, is a Gloucester supporter.  They drew 25-25 to London Irish in Brentford.  Much less embarrassing!  On the plus side, at least we're not paying subs to Bath now we're in Canada! By Sunday afternoon the rain of the last few days finally stopped and we got out to play without wet weather gear.  In the local area we'd had 154mm of rain over Friday and Saturday and a modest 15.4mm Sunday.  Roads, creeks and trails have been running...

Through Step One Hopkins Landing dock - Sunday morning Sun Aug 22nd Mon Aug 23rd Looking from afar you may wonder about the complexity or security of our presence in Canada.  In some ways it's both though we are taking a three step approach to a continued stay.  It also varies by age and if you are coming to study, work or just visit. Strand one - We arrived on British Passports for a stay of six months and entry to Canada as part of their programme of 'reuniting families' during the pandemic.   It meant an immigration on arrival not just a passport check and stamp. I suspect some friends thought we were mad to do this at the height of the Pandemic - and probably were, but nothing ventured.......   Nick, as a Permanent Resident, enabled us to meet the 'reuniting families criteria' was sufficient to get us in.  Since then he has become a Canadian Citizen.   We are allowed to remain for six months, as all British Passport holders can ...

Water Restrictions Tightened Hopkins Landing Beach Fri Aug 20 Sat Aug 21 Saturday kicked off with the overcast skies of the day before, rain was forecast.   It did not disappoint.  By lunchtime it was falling out of the sky.  Reports suggest it did provide some help to the firefighters in the interior as the day went on, but wildfires still rage. I've been curious to see the rain around the house with the chain 'downpipes' on the deck instead of conventional pipes. It was quite mesmerizing to watch the water tumble down the chain links.   The week it rained was the same week water restrictions were tightened across most of the Sunshine Coast, which has moved to level four, the highest level.  This means there is a ban on " the use of tap water for things like garden hoses, sprinklers, and irrigation. It also cannot be used for pools, hot tubs, and garden fountains".   It has also hit hobby farmers, though after lobbying they have been given ...