FINALLY!!

Good news to report!! Dixon got a job!! We got the call yesterday, from BC Transit and his start date is Feb. 4th!! He will be one of their Transit Managers and is very excited about the job - it seems to have been written just for him and all of his qualifications and experience. Now that leaves me to find something but at least with one income some of the pressure is off. Now we don't have to work at A&W or Diary Queen - we were starting to get worried.

More later, and thanks for tuning in and rooting for us!!

I'm still here!!

Well, it's been a while since my last post and I figured I was due to post something new.

We are still adjusting to life in Canada and it is getting easier as the days go by. Both of us are still job hunting so no change there. Hopefully that will happen soon. In the meantime here are some observations we've made since our relocation north. If some of you are thinking of making the big move maybe some of this information will help with the decision making process.

Electricity - cheaper than back in Wisconsin by about 33%. Because we are out in the rural area there are no natural gas lines, only propane in a tank if you so choose. As a result our entire house is electric - heat, water heater, cooking etc. We were concerned that our initial hydro bill would be staggeringly high, but for the first two months it came out to only $90 per month - not so bad.

Water - WAY cheaper than back in WI. Most people out our way rely on well water, which we have heard can become scarce in the drier summer months if you have the unfortunate circumstance to live in an area prone to water levels dropping. We do have well water but it is relegated to green house and outdoor spigot duty because the previous owners paid to have the house hooked up to city water, which is a fairly new addition to this area. The first two months worked out to less than $10 per month and when the green house is up and running that will be on free well water.

Groceries - averages to about the same as back in WI. You really have to do comparison shopping to figure out where the deals are. Some items - cheese, eggs, cleaners - are more expensive and some other things - shrimp, bread, flour - are less expensive. We do most of our shopping at the Real Canadian Superstore (similar to, but WAY nicer than Walmart) and if we were to average it out we probably spend a bit more on food than back in WI, but not a huge amount more. One thing we are having trouble finding is good cheese. Maybe we are spoiled, having grown up in the Dairy State but the mozzarella tastes very different and we just can NOT find good Parmesan cheese anywhere!! Our next step is to try to find a cheese specialty shop but you know it's going to cost more at a place like that.

Gasoline - more expensive than WI, coming in at about $4 per gallon ($1.079 per liter if you would like to do the math).

Insurance - Basic auto insurance is required in British Columbia, before you even can get plates for your car, and it is more expensive than in WI, almost double I would say, but we have much higher coverage so that probably makes a difference. Homeowners insurance is less expensive and we even have earthquake coverage! We do live on a volcanic island on the Pacific ring of fire, after all, so the possibility is certainly there.

Income tax - I can't give an answer on this one yet, seeing that we are not yet working, but I have heard that it is roughly the same as the US rates. We still have to file in the US each year and have heard there is a reciprocal agreement between the US and Canada so hopefully we pay just once.

Housing - Prices in Vancouver are very high, Victoria is not much cheaper. When you get out into the more rural areas of Vancouver Island things start to get more affordable but then you have to do your homework as far as finding a job. It is a balancing act that takes some time to master - we found a great place to live, got a lot for our money but now have to find work. We'll most likely have to work in Victoria, which will be a 45 minute commute, but we may have the option of taking public transit. One thing this area, and BC, has going for it is a very extensive system of public transit, not to mention ferry routes all over the place!

BC is VERY recycle conscious and it really makes a difference in the amount of regular trash that one has, at least for us it does. Almost any type of paper or cardboard gets recycled and just about all plastic and glass is the same. The only real exception is containers that may contain food residue, such as milk cartons - those go in the trash. I've also started a compost pile, which will come in very handy for all the garden area and greenhouse, so that eliminates another bunch of items from seeing the trash can.

One thing we have noticed, which surprised us, is the amount of burning that goes on, as far as yard waste is concerned. We thought BC would be very conscious of having residents emit all that smoke into the atmosphere but it seems they are not. There is a rising concern, and some people want burning eliminated or restricted to just a few days a month (which is what they do in Sooke) but they have a way to go to get the laws changed for the area. Builders even have a habit of burning off leftover materials at home sites, not to mention that a LOT of people heat their homes with a wood burning stove and/or fireplace, which of course adds to the problem. AND there are not car emission tests done here, which really surprised us!!

The weather is great, hardly any snow where we are, just a few light dustings that melted the next day! And we are finding out why they call it Sunny Sooke - the past 5 days have been spectacular!! We have bulbs poking up in the garden and in pots, a few roses have continued to bloom since last fall and the grass has remained green! What a pleasant change that is from Wisconsin winters, where it has been below zero lately and they have received quite a bit of snow this season. We sure do not miss that and that is exactly the type of weather we would have gotten if we moved to Toronto.

Well, that's about it for now. I think that gives you a bit to think about and mull over. We do really like it here and not one of these things would be enough to have put us off of moving here last year. It is a different country and there are some things that we just have to get used to. PLUS we basically moved to the west coast, which is a whole other blog post in the future.

Thanks for tuning in, and keep warm!!

Doug

A fine begining!

What a fine way to start out 2008! This picture is the scene we awoke to, high clouds but clear enough at the water to see the Olympic Mountains across the way in Washington State. Looks like they have been getting a bit of snow.




We then picked up Dixon's Mother and her husband Herb and had lunch at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Victoria. After lunch we took a drive up The Malahat to Mill Bay. On the way we stopped at a scenic lookout and I snapped this picture of Mount Baker in Washington. I think Mt. Baker is in the Cascade mountain range.




After our drive to Mill Bay we returned to Victoria and dropped Mary and Herb off at The Empress Hotel, which was to be their last night in town after partying it up for New Years Eve. I snapped this picture of the Parliament Building as the sun was setting. Dixon and I then headed home to get ready for Mary and Herb to visit for a week starting Thursday, Jan. 3rd. In between The Empress and our house they are in Vancouver for just one day.



Thanks for tuning in, and have a GREAT 2008!!

Happy New Year!!

I certainly won't be feeling nor looking like this, seeing that we are staying in New Years Eve and I am finishing off a bottle of home-made wine that we received from our new friends Mary and Diane. After a few days of rain/sleet/ice and HIGH winds it is glorious sunshine today, even though it is only about 40 degrees. We are supposed to meet Dixon's mother and her husband, who are vacationing in Victoria, January 1st to spend the better part of the day with them. Of course there are wind warnings posted for tomorrow so we'll see how the weather is. I'm sure we can meet them and I was planning a trip up to Sydney for lunch at a great little waterfront restaurant we've been to a few times. Here is a view from the restaurant that I took a couple of years ago when we were here on vacation - this is the SUNRISE at some ridiculous hour of the morning.




We are looking forward to the new year in our new home. The job hunt will kick into high gear after the holidays so wish us luck! We've been told to be patient but I'm starting to wonder if I'll have to take some part-time job, in the interim. Oh well, if I have to then I suppose I'll have to.

I'm already getting anxious to get the greenhouse up and running. I SO just want to get a small bag of potting soil and plant SOMETHING! I think I get that from my Grandfather on my Mother's side. He and his wife came to the US from Russia in the early 1900's and even though we was a master carpenter in Russia he spent many years farming in the Midwest. I just love the smell of good soil and have no problem getting my hands dirty in the garden. I also have a yen to do some woodworking, again probably from Grandpa, but the gardening bug is stronger and that takes priority. I've had a new compound miter saw in the box for probably more than 3 years (I got it on sale at a REALLY good price!) and just NOW managed to unpack it and start reading the instructions. There is a large workbench in our garage and the end of the bench will be the perfect place to mount the saw but of course I have to get bolts to hold it down! If it ain't one thing it's another, eh? Of course, as another excuse, it's pretty cold in the garage so the saw will have to wait until it warms up a bit.

With the impending visit from Dixon's mother and her husband we have managed to get our butts in gear and get more of the house in order. Now, understand, the house is not a mess, it's just that there are certain things that, due to low priority, have been sitting in boxes and not found a proper home. We have tackled some of those issues, hung numerous pictures/prints on the walls and spruced up the bathrooms. It is really starting to look like home, finally, and I can't wait until we are working and I can start spending some money on this place. The things we brought with only go so far.

Well, Happy New Year to each of you and we wish you a very happy and prosperous 2008!! I know we are certainly looking forward to it!!

Thanks for tuning in...

Merry Christmas!

I just want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2008!

I found this photo at webshots and just had to share. I thought it was terrific and embodies the holiday season.

The Golden Compass

The trailers for this movie are intriguing me, and I just found out about this little game on their website. You answer 20 questions to find out what your Daemon is, the animal personality equivalent of your human form. Interesting.....here is mine.





It claims I am Solitary, Shy, Spontaneous, Dependable, and Responsible. Yeah, maybe so, but a SPIDER??? I really do not like spiders, but maybe that is the quirky twist to this game. Perhaps subconsciously you really are akin to one of the animals that you fear/dislike the most. Hmmmm......
You can check yours at www.goldencompassmovie.com

Thanks for tuning in.

Dec. 17th???

Well, I can't believe that it is almost Christmas!! Maybe the mild climate here is throwing me a little out of sorts, seeing that there are roses and some other things blooming in the garden, or perhaps due to the lack of any snow, but it sure does not feel like Christmas is just a week away. There is so much greenery in the yard, and everywhere else, that it kinda reminds me of the time I was in Hawaii for vacation right before Christmas. Of course they have palm trees and hibiscus and much warmer temperatures but it's kind of the same feeling. When one has spent 46 years in a climate where there is usually snow at holiday time, or at least freezing cold, and then you find yourself somewhere that is warm and green, it just doesn't seem right. Maybe I'll have to start cuddling up by the fireplace with some hot cocoa to put me in the mood. I have been getting some decorations up around the house and that has helped me feel a bit better, but I'll still be missing friends and family over the holidays. Phone calls help a bit but there's nothing like Aunt Loretta's cranberry relish with orange zest, chopped walnuts and cinnamon to make me feel all warm and cozy. But I did find some wonderful cranberry tea at the grocery this weekend, and when I add a bit of cranberry juice to cool it off, oh my how that hits the spot. Back in the States there is a little coffee shop we would eat at two or three times a week and they used to make a Cranberry Herbal iced tea that was to die for! They would brew a wonderful herbal hibiscus tea from a small supplier in rural Minnesota and then add 1/3 white cranberry juice. It sure hit the spot on those warm summer Wisconsin evenings but alas they discontinued it and I was forced to find other sustenance. I did attempt to replicate it at home but it wasn't quite the same. Lately I have been adding a touch of cinnamon to the coffee grounds before I brew, for just a hint of old Vienna to warm me up on a chilly morning.

On another note we finally met up with Mary and Diane for brunch on Sunday. I found them online through their blog and we have corresponded back and forth a bit. They moved to the area here from Las Vegas so we were anxious to make a connection and see how they are managing life in Canada. They have indicated that the job hunt may take a bit longer than we would expect but they said to hang in there and be patient. If only we could tell the bank account the same! HA! They are great gals and I do believe we have made our first friends here! They may even talk me into making my own wine, which seems to be a very popular thing to do here, even though there are wineries all over the place that you KNOW I will end up checking out. They indicated that summer farmer markets on the island are incredible, with a lot of organically grown produce, so I am kind of anxious for summer to get here.

The weather lately has actually been really good, with very little to report as far as storms go, so I am crossing my fingers that it stays that way. Dixon's mother and her husband are arriving Jan. 3rd for a week long visit and we are looking forward to that. We have to get the house a bit more organized as far as accommodations go but company coming is always a great motivating factor to get the house in order.

Another bit of news is that we finally found a couple of things that are cheaper here than back in the States: electricity and water. We received a bill for each last week and were pleasantly surprised when we opened them up. Two months of electric was less that one month of electric and gas at the old house (no gas here) and water came out at less than $10 per month!! And that is city water! If we were on the well water, with questionable quality, it would be $0. We'll leave the well water for the yard and greenhouse though and stick to city water for the household needs. Oh, also, Sydney is doing just fine on her new medication, which is a relief. She really is a tough little gal and seems to be very adaptable. Now if we could just get her to stop pulling on her leash when we walk to get the mail....

As always, thanks for tuning in....