Whistler Week
HIghlights
Those days just flew by and were focussed on settling in, completing designated projects and yep, playing cards.
Very confused that this is the spring to summer transition. After such a grand weather welcome over the last three days, guess it was to be expected that rain would eventually come. The positive is that it softened the soil ready for the first dig of the garden project.
On the bright side - have had two days of sunshine in the last week — they coincided with the athletics meet thank goodness — but the majority of the days have featured rain and maximums that hover between 8 and 10.
The workers have to work, so we have stuck pretty close to home and have limited our walks to strolls to the cafe across the road and to inspections of the garden and rock collecting. On a "typical day” - the locals have been out, picked up groceries, been to the garbage disposal, completed the school run and reported for work before we’ve even stirred. A darkened room, warm bed and a silent neighbourhood, combined with 1 am bedtimes … very conducive to snoozong.
District Athletics Meet
We were keen to tick our projects off the list. Two days of the District Athletics was high on the list. We were pumped and prepped. Perhaps I should say OVER pumped and OVER prepped … a different version of “meet” from our previous experience.
For the meet we had to revisit #Squamish for the two days which is a bit of a winding road 60 km trek along the Sea to Sky Highway.
We were treating this as a trip down memory lane — but it was a long way off what we had experienced in our years of track meets. No problem though, the kids were having a ball.
- @Mindy was part of the staffing team that hosted the track events over two days. It was an early arrival so that the “staggers” could be measured out for the 200 metre events and the relay. Last year “apparently “ every 200 metre event was won by the runner in lane 1. Funny that, given that they lined everyone up on a straight start line! Definitely none of that this year — that you beaut trundle wheel, complete with determined operators, was measured to the cm! Mind you, because some of the locals weren’t really familiar with running a bend and its implications for distance, there were a few conversations around how this was “fair.”
@Ian, @Mac and I took up our allotted positions as the “ribbon” distributors and judges and were joined by a couple of volunteer parents to round out the numbers.
A couple of interesting anomalies. First of all — everyone gets a ribbon — 6 lanes ran, there were ribbons that proudly proclaimed first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. These were handed out in each of the laned races in each of the heats. Four or five heats for each year level — you line up and run. No timing. No final. No points. Certainly no PBs, no records and no age champions. Just the luck of where you stand in the marshalling area determines your competitors in a race.
We were coming to understand that the “diatricylt” meant wasn’t a progression or qualification standard. Rather, it was an organised meet up of schools in the Sea to Sky District. A free for all fun afternoon of athletics. Cool.
An interesting addition was that competitors were filmed as they crossed the line — in case the results were disputed. Glad this was an inclusion because there were quite a few replays that were needed over the course of the two afternoons. The video evidence was irrefutable and children and parents alike were “settled” by the replay. Phew.
We did have a few queries on the staggered start for the relays- some of the runners proclaiming it wasn’t fair that some were getting a “head start.” We even had one mum come down and move her child from lane 1 out to lane 5 so she would get the perceived “head start.” Didn’t matter that the rest of the team at changes 2, 3 and 4 were in lane 1. Sorted that one pretty quickly — not sure the mum believed us though and presented the trusty trunfle wheel to emphasis our professionalism.
All of this was pretty impressive when you think about it. All voluntary — the staff who were there just do it to give the children an opportunity. Some schools have access to a bus, but many of the children have to organise lifts with parental networks. And there’s nowhere to advance to — there are no regional or province meets. Many of the schools don’t have a school based carnival as a selection process — if you want to have a run, or jump or throw — you just turn up! For the relays — if you didn’t have a team — gather round and one would be found for you — mixed ages and genders.
It all worked out — there was no shortage of enthusiasm and effort. There was some disappointment with the 800 metre runners because ribbons were limited to six places — so the sanctioned standard reply was ”no matter, off you go, run in the 200 and you’ll get a ribbon”… so that’s what they did.
Certainly different from our years involved with track and field — but you know what, the children were out there having fun, having a go and cheering on their mates.
Fabulous two afternoons. And we got Chinese take away, and we got to go to Walmart and Home Depot. A treble of bonuses to round out the two days
Gardening 101
The physical project was to create a garden. The request was to transform the asphalt border of the car parking space into something that had a chance of supprotung life. No mean feat — given that it was a gravel pit under the constant shade of the massive trees that make up the front of the property.
Took three days to “dig a grave” — that’s what it felt like. It was hard yakka with an ice pick (the best tool ever) and a borrowed shovel. The more you dig, the more rocks you reclaim. The good thing was that with cool temperatures and daylight for hours, it was possible to pick any time you wanted. In fact, day ran into night with very little change to the light conditions, the temperatures were perfect and the progress was so rewarding.
My favourite grave digging evening was when @Mindy skipped out all smiles and cheekily advised “The gardener needs to finish up now because the chef is needed in the kitchen.” So good to be needed!
The gardening project dovetailed into the Athletics meets in #Squamish — this meant we could visit the “Home Depot” and stock up. Picked up 16 bags of soil, sphagnum moss and lots of plants! We were loaded — not only with the produce but with great advice from the staff member who was trying to ensure that the prospective “Plant Killers” were making sensible choices that would perhaps survive under their care. “Hardy, hardy, hardy” was the key on all the labels.
Spent another three days digging that new soil and moss into the “grave” and with heavy watering and constant turning and aeration of the new mix, transformed that gravel grave into a garden bed. Have attracted a lot of interest in the process and have met the neighbours, talked with the local dog owners and even got myself an invite for a bear shelter if I needed to dash inside! Heaven help me. The gentleman did jokingly tell me that with my red hat, the bear might mistake be for a berry. Definitely not helping my growing paranoia about sharing the laneway with bears coming out of hibernation.
The final landscaping decisions for the collection of perennials and annuals we had selected was created on Saturday by the locals. They did have a lot of fun, finding the perfect spot for each plant and then digging it in, seating it, and giving it the first drink of water. Long may their enthusiasm continue — it could be a long hot summer for some of these plants.
They are very happy though and there are now four of the front units interested in the “garden” so hopefully they can share the watering load when the heat and dry of summer arrive.
Loads of fun and mission accomplished — another project completed.
Home Bodies
It has been hard for the locals to accept that we are really here just to spend time with them — we don’t need entertainment or day trips or activities. We are more than happy fitting into the rhythm of their life for our short stay and being part of their day-to-day routine.
The two regulars for the evening have been cards and ice hockey. Sometimes we do both in the one evening!
“Five Crowns” has been a winner — and with the addition of the hats to signify last and first — there has been fierce competition in place. Really is a game of luck — and we have so many hard luck and good luck stories to tell. The game is often accompanied by outrageous comebacks (@Mac scored 60 points on the last hand to lose the hat — what a comeback by me!)
It has also been a week of Stanley Cup playoffs and with the Vancouver team out of the race — it means that all the cheering has been focussed on the Edmonton Oilers in their matches against the Dallas Stars. Been a game every other night in this playoff segment and with the games starting at 5 pm and lasting some 3 hours — means we have had some late card nights.
I have also been entertained with the live streams of the #Eras Tour — another 3 plus hours — so really the days have just disappeared. With only those two afternoons of fair weather — this combo of late night entertainment, early afternoon gardening and then very late sleep ins has been a perfect Whistler combo. Hard to believe — but my recollection is that I have outslept @Mac on every day except one! I have discovered a new talent for lazy mornings.
We did venture into the Village on Sunday morning — and it was virtualy deserted. Not many takers for the Village Stroll in the rainy cold conditions — mind you — like many others we were tucked up inside a #Carumba for a cosy breakfast.
We had ventured to Creekside to visit the Community Garage Sale. We were definite “lookers” and were not tempted to bring home anyone else’s trash as our treasure. Everything was for sale here. People had set up their boot stalls and floor rugs and were selling off all sorts of stuff. Homewares, clothing , ski gear, bikes, shoes, books, games, kitchen goods and tools. If I had spotted a “plant stall” I may have been tempted.
Don’t get me wrong — we loved the cruise — but it is nice to have an apple and juice for breakfast, be back to our “Dove” soap, have a strong stream of water in the shower and to be able to walk without bumping into the walls. A little clarification — that wall bumping was from the movement of the ship — not the number of cocktails!
A week to go — and then we will be heading back to Australia and more cold and rain by all reports. Hope clear skies and sunshine are the order of the day for us when we return.
PS Lots of conversatioins here around bears. Bears everywhere coming out of hibernation. Neighbours tell you when they have spotted a bear, our lane seems to be popular. Piles of fresh black poop, dogs barking and cars slowing — that seems to be the signal that the bears are out!
