More Ch-ch-ch-changes: Year in Review 2013 (Part Two)

AUGUST 18: JASPER NATIONAL PARK
The mountains? What's so big about the mountains? They're just big piles of dirt, right? You know, you really can't appreciate the majesty of the Rocky Mountains, or any mountains for that matter, until you're staring them in the face. Not in photos. Not on the TV. For realzies. Even Sam, who wasn't even sure he wanted to do a road trip to one of Canada's most stunning parks, as it would drag him away from his computer for longer than it takes to go to the bathroom, was impressed. So was I. So was Dave. And just LOOK at the colour of that water! It's not Photoshopped – that's the real colour! And boysohboys, it's cold. Colder than that beer you've got chilling in the fridge.

AUGUST 18: FOOTHILLS
We took a boatload of photos during our weekend trip to Jasper, but some of our best pictures were taken on the way home. Dave snapped this one at the side of the road, southeast of Jasper on the way to Rocky Mountain House. I'm going to have this one blown up, framed and hung in our living room. 

AUGUST 18: OUR FIRST GRIZZLY
Growing up in northern Ontario, we Websters have seen plenty of black bears but we'd never seen a mighty grizzly until our trip to Jasper. This one was munching berries at the side of a curvy mountain road. And yes, I took the picture with a long lens from the safety of the Jeep. 

AUGUST 19: AN EARLY BIRTHDAY
Sam officially became a teenager on September 5 but we celebrated his birthday early because he headed back to Ontario August 20. *sigh* Because it was a special occasion I ordered him an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Everybody raves about those things but I think I like real cake best. You?

AUGUST 20: LEAVING ON A JET PLANE
Sam's first ride on an airplane! Don't worry, he didn't go alone. I flew back "home" with him and spent a few days visiting folks. I also attended a "renewal of vows" ceremony for a couple of dear friends. I wish I could share their photo, but they're shy. It was, however, a wonderful occasion. As for Sam, he handled the flight like an old pro. Hardly nervous a bit!

SEPTEMBER 1: COLD LAKE LESS COLD
Cold Lake is aptly named. The ice doesn't go out until the end of May and the water stays too cold for swimming until it's almost time for freeze-up. I stuck my toe in it earlier in the summer and the darn thing froze and fell off. I did finally go for a swim on Labour Day weekend (after I dumped a Diet Coke all over my dumb self and had to rinse off before I attracted bees). Our neighbours, Michelle and Gerald, took us out to a "secret" beach which was quiet and sandy and gorgeous. One of the best things about moving here was meeting our neighbours. They're good people and, bonus, they play euchre!

SEPTEMBER 14: COLD LAKE MORE COLD
Two weeks after we went swimming we were bundled up in winter coats! Despite the cooler temperatures the weather was sunny and fantastic for the last bit of camping we did, at a campground right here in Cold Lake. We joined Michelle, Gerald and our other new friends Rob and Krista (and Krista's mom) for a memorable weekend soaking up the very last bit of summer.

SEPTEMBER 15: SNUGGLE TIME
I love this photo of Dave snuggling with Misty in our trailer. Just had to share it with you.

OCTOBER 1: MY NOVEL IS PUBLISHED
It was like giving birth after three years of labour. 

OCTOBER 8: MY PERCH
I spent many happy hours in this chair on my front porch, reading mostly, sometimes blogging, sometimes just catching a snooze. I finally had to give it up when it started snowing, but come spring you can find me there, ass in seat, smile on my happily unemployed face. I gotta say, if you can find yourself a sugar daddy, I highly recommend you hang onto him tight.

OCTOBER 14: THANKSGIVING
I am mostly thankful for making new friends in a brand new place. It honestly feels like we've been here for years. Our house was packed with people on Thanksgiving, including Dave's nephew and his family from Edmonton, Matt and Shauna and their kids (where Dave rented when he first arrived) and Michelle and Gerald next door. In the photo above is Michelle, Gerald and Matt hanging out at our dining room table. Of course we missed our friends and family back home, but having new friends makes it hurt less.

OCTOBER 20: WORKING HARD
Believe it or not I got my shite together in the fall of 2013, finally publishing Weezie as well as a collection of my Friday Flash stories. Above is the high-tech drawing I photographed and sent to graphic artist Steven Novak, who did both covers for me. I always thought, as a graphic artist myself, that I would do my own covers. But I am presently without InDesign or Photoshop on my computer and, believe me, it's a lot cheaper to hire someone to do the work than it is to buy the programs. Anyway, Steven does great work. Somehow he manages to translate my scribblings into the covers you see above and below.

OCTOBER 20: DOG DAYS
You can tell your life is kinda boring when the big news of the month is Dave building a fenced dog run for Misty to poop in.

OCTOBER 19: SOLD!
Now that I'm an unemployed bum we don't need two vehicles so we sold the trusty Dodge that I drove all the way across the country in. Me and it bonded, I think, and I wasn't entirely pleased to see it go. Thankfully the fresh green in our bank account helped ease the pain. 

NOVEMBER 8: FRIDAY GIRLS PUBLISHED
I worked hard and fast getting Friday Girls together, hoping a free release would draw attention and readers to Green Eggs & Weezie. In all honesty, it didn't do as well as I hoped. Maybe, just maybe, some wind will find its sails in the new year. 

NOVEMBER 8: WINTER ARRIVES
And never freakin' goes away. It started snowing November 2 and it hasn't stopped or melted. There were a lot of -26 C days in November. A lot. A lot a lot a lot. That's a lot, in case you were wondering. A lot.

NOVEMBER 11: REMEMBERING
Cold Lake is Canada's largest air force base so there are a lot of people running around in uniform, including our neighbour, Gerald. (That's him grinning at the camera.) On Remembrance Day we travelled to Lac La Biche to watch Gerald march in the memorial service. It. Was. Awesome. I am so proud of our neighbour, and of all the women and men in uniform who protect our beautiful country. If you've never been to a Remembrance Day service, please take the time to go. Your heart will swell like the Grinch's, I swear.

NOVEMBER 17: OH HONEY? WOULD YOU DO ME A FAVOUR?
If your better half asks you that, do not, I repeat, do not answer "yes" without first seeing what he or she wants. Dave said, "yes," and the next thing he knew he was painting our family room. 

DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS MORNING
I woke everybody up at the crack of six, just like when I was 10, and we all went downstairs to our freshly painted family room for presents! My mom came out to visit December 15 and she's spending a few weeks with us. It's great to have her here, it really is, and Ben-Ben has glommed onto her like fuzz on a humbug. I got an ice machine for Christmas. AN ICE MACHINE. As the person who has made ice for her entire life, I must say this is one of the best presents I've ever gotten. Better than diamonds. Better than world peace, even. If I was Miss America I would give everyone an ice maker. And a visit from my mother, because both are good.

ENTIRE REST OF DECEMBER AND PROBABLY JANUARY, TOO: LOST
I'm finally getting my money's worth out of Netflix. My poor mother, she's been subjected to two-three hours, every night, night after night, of Lost. I never watched the TV show when it was actually on TV but I remember people raving about it. One day, for some reason, we started watching it on Netflix and now we're in some kind of Lost Hell. Last Sunday we watched Lost for 10 hours. My eyes and my ass are cramping. I don't think my mother can get out of her chair. And Dave is starting to look a lot like a cross between Sawyer and the Doc. I think we've only got 52 more episodes to watch... ermagherd. Whatever you do, don't tell me what happens. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.