On to Bigger and Better Things:

Well time really flies by. I cannot believe it has been almost 15 months since I left BC. Since my last post, I have some exciting things to report and some fun times to share.

Bentley has matured quite a bit in the past few months. He still has his quirky Border Collie moments, however. When the ground thawed, he spent about 2 weeks digging up peanuts that were buried by squirrels and then reburied them in different locations. Later he would dig them back up and eat them. He has also become a very proficient duck herder. Almost every morning we walk down to the waterfront where he swims out to scare off a huge flock of seagulls that congregate on a rock island. After claiming it as “Bentley Island” he inspects every inch for left over fish bits. If he finds any, he likes to roll in it and eat some too. When he is done he swims back to shore for his next order of business….herding ducks. He will patrol the shore line looking for any ducks that are not tightly grouped with other ducks and swims out to herd them together. It is really funny. The ducks of course are not very pleased with this intrusion and usually quack up a storm. Often one of them will try to fly or swim away from the rest to lure him away from the baby ducks, but Bentley usually successfully chases it back to it’s group. Funny puppy. We are really going to miss Lake Nippissing. A couple of months ago I submitted his picture and bio to Modern Dog Magazine. He appeared in the summer edition. As published:

"Bentley

Age: 2

Breed: Border Collie

Hometown: North Delta, BC.

Nicknames: B

Likes: Other dogs and people; cats; chew toys

Dislikes: Santa, jack-o-lanterns, and possibly other holiday characters; having his coat brushed

Favourite pastimes: Wrestling with Callie and playing chase with Buster; swimming and saving sticks; herding birds; chewing a good bone; sleeping on mom's bed

Favourite foods: Raw bones, peanut butter and Greenies "

On the May long weekend, Bentley and I drove down to meet my sister and her family in Algonquin Park for a couple of days. There were many moose to see along the highway. The bugs were not too bad, but it was still pretty cool in the evening and early in the morning. We visited the logging museum and went for a canoe ride. We tried to get Bentley to come in the canoe, but being the water hound he is these days, he kept jumping out!!! We had a nice relaxing campfire and dinner while Bentley kept himself busy burying his bone several times before deciding to chew on it for a while.

Several weekends have been spent on layovers in Toronto on a scheduled charter that we do. This has been a great social opportunity for me because we stay at the same hotel as do all Air Canada trainees. Several of my former coworkers are doing their training at Air Canada right now so I have had the opportunity to catch up with several old friends. It has been really fun. One day I ventured away from the hotel, which is actually in Etobicoke, and took the subway to spend some time with my cousin Giselle and get a dose of civilization in downtown Toronto. When I reached street level at King and Yonge, I was thrilled to find Starbucks!!!! I sat outside with my Americano and people watched for a while as I waited for Giselle to arrive, enjoying the hustle bustle of the city. It was a beautiful warm sunny day. We walked to St. Lawrence market to get a few things for a BBQ on her rooftop. Around the St. Lawrence market there were several people with their dogs and several outdoor vendors selling pet products. Apparently an event called “Woofstock” was in town. We returned to Giselle’s condo and sat up on the rooftop patio and had a BBQ. The view of the city was spectacular especially because it was such a clear day. Later that evening, we met up with some of Giselle’s girlfriends and visited a club downtown. It was a fun time. While on another layover in Toronto, my sister and her family came out to meet me on the weekend of my Birthday and treated me to a nice dinner at The Keg. It truly has been great having the opportunity to catch up with so many people.

Career wise, things are working out pretty much as hoped. Shortly after returning from Hawaii, I was upgraded to Captain. I am enjoying the added challenges and responsibilities that go along with being Captain, and the raise is nice too!! I

Over the last couple of months, I have also been going through the hiring process with Air Canada Jazz. It is super exciting but it has been a longer process than I would have hoped for. In April I did the interview. It went well and they invited me back to do a simulator evaluation and a medical exam at the end of May. Most of the interview questions were behavioural based type questions and I was fully prepared for them. The simulator evaluation was fun. I expected to be really nervous, but after talking to so many of my peers who have been through the process, I knew what to expect. I chose to approach the simulator evaluation as an opportunity to practice my skills as oppose to getting all nervous about being “evaluated”. They gave me 45 minutes to review the approach plates, standard briefings, procedures, speeds and power settings that would be required. Luckily their procedures were very similar to what I was already used to. One of the simulator instructors posed as my copilot and the other sat behind us and posed as air traffic control. One of the chief pilots sat in to observe. I was thrilled how adjustable the seat and rudder pedals were so that I did not require a cushion! I had never flown a Dash 8 or a Dash 8 simulator before, but, I pretty much just flew it the way I would a King Air. It was very sensitive so my altitude control was not the greatest, but I had heard from others that this was to be expected. I am pretty certain that I improved by the end and finished with a beautiful landing. Unfortunately at the end they give you no feedback on your performance. But I felt fairly confident that it went well. The next day I went for the medical. As a result of an unexplained elevated liver enzyme, my medical clearance was delayed by about a month. I had to endure several additional tests to rule out a whack of health issues. Fortunately I have no serious health issues. Although the elevated liver enzyme has not yet been explained, I have been deemed medically fit!! With the medical clearance I received the good news yesterday and I will start my training with Air Canada Jazz at the end of August!!! So, I will be leaving Voyageur and North Bay at the end of July. Bentley and I will be returning home to BC at the beginning of August to spend some much needed time with Rob. I am so excited to get to see all of our friends and family and to meet our new little nephew Declan.

On to bigger and better things and closer to finding my way home to BC!

Aloha!!!!: Lemon Drops and Mango Sunsets

OK, I know I am really late posting this one………………..With my Captain training completed successfully just days before leaving for a vacation in Maui at the beginning of March, I was looking forward to trading my snowshoes for flip flops for a week. The journey was a long and sleepless one. I left North Bay at 06:00 and 20 hours later, and 4 airplanes later, I was in Maui. It took me 4 flights to get there on a route that took me through Toronto, Denver and San Francisco. It also took me 4 flights to return, taking me through Honolulu, Vancouver and Toronto before arriving in North Bay approximately 27 hours after leaving Maui. Yikes!! I now understand why Hawaii is not a popular vacation spot for people on the east side of the country!

The cool thing is that I was on many different types of aircraft, flying on the Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 between Toronto and North Bay, a B737 and B757 with United Airlines taking me from Toronto to Maui, a B717 with Hawaii Airways from Maui to Honolulu, a B757 with Harmony Airways from Honolulu to Vancouver and a B767 with Air Canada from Vancouver to Toronto. Wow. The best leg was from Honolulu to Vancouver with Harmony because their service is impeccable with great onboard complimentary food (they served Mario’s gelatti!!), complimentary blankets and pillows, and very considerate and friendly flight attendants. It helped that I had a whole row with 3 seats to myself. (It really is too bad that Harmony is done with scheduled flights now. Aviation is a tough business!!!) Unfortunately, on every flight that I was on they showed the film Night at the Museum (both ways!!). Definitely not my first choice in movies…especially four times!! I read one book on the way to Maui and two one the way back.

There is a 5 hour time difference, so it was safe to assume that I suffered some jet lag. Ted and Rob met me at the airport in Maui and brought me back to Kehei where we stayed in a condo at the same complex (Hale Kameoli) as we did the last time we were there. I got a really good night sleep and we took it pretty easy on the first day, hanging out on the beach and browsing some local shops. We went out for Thai food with Ted, Carol and Shannon. The next day we took a boat cruise on a Catamaran to Molokini Island for some whale watching and snorkeling on the reef. We saw many whales and even got up close and personal with one who decided to swim under our boat and then treated me to an awesome photo op. We had a great time snorkeling around the Molokini reef taking in the colourful fish and other strange sea life.

The next day Rob and I spent the whole day alone together just lounging on the beach and snorkeling around the reefs. We had a romantic dinner at seaside restaurant where we took in a beautiful sunset. I indulged in a fancy drink that came in a whole pineapple as well as a few lemon drop martinis. Yummmm!!! We finished off the night with a starlit stroll along the beach. The next day, Rob went on a deep sea fishing adventure with his dad while Carol, Shannon and I visited the spa for a Hawaiian massage. Oh ya, now that’s how to wind down and relax for your vacation!! Rob and Ted returned with the fruits of their adventure….a red snapper and some fish that apparently induces lucid dreaming. They cooked them up on the barbecue for dinner. The next day, Rob and I headed to Lahina in the morning for a surf lesson. Wow, so much fun!!!! I cannot wait to go again. I think I have found a new favourite summer sport!! Afterwards we met up with everyone else and had lunch at “Bubba Gumps” and then browsed some more shops. We ended my last evening in Maui with a nice dinner on the patio at Tommy Africa’s. It was a very short trip but a well appreciated break from the winter blahs and a chance to spend some time with my husband and family who I miss so much.

In Good Company:

In the middle of February, Bentley and I moved to the basement apartment at Callie’s (Bentley’s best friend) house. During the move, I stayed upstairs and house/pet sat for 10 days while Mike & Laura went to B.C. for vacation. (Mike is one of my coworkers). The old apartment is only a five minute drive away and took several trips in the Echo to move most of my stuff. It is amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in 9 months!! Norm, the guy who looks after Bentley at the dog daycare, helped me move the large pieces of furniture in his truck. This was a great relief because, as proud as I was with myself for putting it together the first time, I was not looking forward to taking apart and putting together all my IKEA furniture again. The new place is better for many reasons, but mainly because it is much cheaper. It is within walking distance to the beach and the (unofficial) dog park, it is bigger, and more open, and most importantly has laundry facilities. Additionally, we can help each other out with looking after our dogs, and Bentley and Callie will get to see each other more often. Although, Bentley will likely miss his weekly treat from the visit to the pet store while we waited for the wash cycle to finish at the laundry mat.

Although Bentley and Callie spent a few days at daycare while I did the move, for the majority of the time, I was mainly in the company of 2 dogs and a cat. All of them were vying for my attention. I couldn’t have felt more needed or loved. Whenever I left them for even a short time, it was as if they hadn’t seen me in months upon my return. All three of them followed me from room to room. Even going to the bathroom was a group event. The dogs were constantly playing under my feet and Kahlua (the cat) was on my lap whenever I was sitting for more than a few minutes. Kahlua is a sweet, beautiful cat who reminds me a lot of our cat Ripley, except that she seems to like dogs!! She is about the same age as our cat (13 years old) and very much a cuddle bug. She sleeps a lot, but when she is awake she can be a bit whiney. When the dogs have finally spent their energy (usually around 19:00 each night), she likes to walk over them, sniff them and rub her head up against them. Bentley is absolutely in awe of this since his kitty usually hisses at him and thumps him at least once a day. Luckily while I stayed upstairs in Mike & Laura’s guest room, I got to sleep on a double bed…..because I usually found Bentley and Kahlua sleeping with or on me!!!

Bentley and Callie both have endless amounts of energy to burn and had several wrestling matches and games of chase in the house daily. We went for at least two walks a day and found ourselves getting accustomed to a daily routine. Both of the dogs learned to walk very well together on the leash, leaving their wrestling matches for off leash activity. Thank god, because together, they outweighed me by at least 30 lbs!! They were actually really good puppies (lots of treat rewards helped). Once we reached the lake or trail, they sat and waited patiently until they were both unclipped from their leashes. Then they took off in unison for a new round of chase and wrestle. I put on the snowshoes a couple of days and took them out for a trek on the lake. They were stunning days with blue sky and sparkling snow, but subzero temperatures. The dogs didn’t seem to notice.

One day that I was on call and Bentley and Callie were in daycare, my crewmate and I decided to lace ‘em up and play some hockey!! We found a great outdoor rink and were invited to play with a bunch of young guys. I had a great time. I was surprised to find that I played and skated fairly well, since I hadn’t played in so long. I really miss playing hockey!!! Since then, a bunch of us from work have vowed to try and get together to play some more. But, it is so hard since we are all on such different schedules. Also, so many of my workmates are leaving all the time for bigger and better things. While I was house sitting, two more of my workmates got interviews with Air Canada. So, while the dogs slept at my feet and the cat on my lap, I spent my evenings studying hard for my upcoming Captain training. After Mike and Laura returned, the dogs had a hard time getting used to being separated from one another. Bentley always wants to go upstairs and Callie always wants to come down stairs. They are slowly getting used to it though.

Work got busier for me after the move and my week of house/pet sitting (hence the late post). I completed my Captain training a couple of days before leaving for my vacation to Hawaii where I got to spend some time with Rob and his family.

Blizzards & Doggie Birthday Celebrations

Last weekend, after about three days of what seemed like non stop snowfall, Bentley and his two best friends celebrated their 2nd birthdays. All three pooches were born within three days of each other. Bentley & Marshall were both born on the 2nd of February and Callie on the 31st of January.

Saturday morning, a group of us with about 10 dogs went for a snowshoe out on the lake in the morning where the dogs romped around in the snow, chasing and wrestling with each other. Bentley and Rain, both Border Collies, couldn’t resist the urge to try to herd the snowmobiles that roared past on the lake. This scares me a bit because no matter what I do or say, he just cannot resist the urge to chase them. At least he gives up when he realizes they are getting smaller, and that there is no way he is going to catch them. What is funny is that when he picks up the scent of a snowmobile, he rolls around in the snowmobile tracks because he thinks this will help him sneak up on them.

Later in the afternoon we had a little doggie birthday party at Callie’s house. (I know, I can't help it! Nothing is too good for my B!) They played some more chase, wrestled around some more and gobbled down their birthday cakes. What a dog lover I must be, as a vegetarian, to have baked these disgusting concoctions for my B and his friends. The ingredients included eggs, salmon and potato dog food, peanut butter (natural & organic, of course), honey, olive oil, baking soda and whole wheat flour. I iced them with a thin layer of natural peanut butter and decorated them with real bacon sprinkles. Instead of candles, they each got 2 pepperoni sticks. My apartment stunk for two days!! But they loved them.






















The next day I took Callie and Bentley out for another romp out on the lake. It was very cold (-28º C with the windchill). But it was clear and beautiful and thankfully snowmobiles were scarce because (I am guessing) it was Super Bowl Sunday. We did come across a few kids who were ice fishing. They had a few holes in the ice, one of which attracted Bentley’s attention. The kids thought he was thirsty…..but it turns out he was stealing their bait!! Bentley loves to eat live fish. After apologizing, I had to hook him up to a leash and drag him back to the car or he would have eaten all of it!!

Since there was about 50cm of new snow in the last few days, I decided to check out the local ski hill with another coworker who is also from B.C. We went there with an open mind and did not have great expectations. We decided that a half day was probably going to be enough since we anticipated getting bored quickly. Well, it definitely was not very challenging. After we got our passes, I said to my friend, well maybe we should look for the black diamond runs?? To which he replied with a grin: "They are all going to be green runs to us!!!". He wasn't kidding. I barely had to speed check on either of the 2 runs that were groomed to the point where it didn't matter how much it had just snowed. There was a sweet spot under the chair lift (at least there was a chair lift!) that was pretty much untouched powder. Above it was taped off with caution tape. I ducked under and got a few good turns in knee deep heaven before meeting a ski patroller at the bottom. Unbelievablly, I almost lost my pass!!! Apparently, unlike at Whistler the caution tape is not just a suggestion here, it means it was a closed area. It certainly was not marked as a closed area. Instead of arguing, I played dumb and told them that it was my first time here and that I did not realize it was a closed part of the hill. They let me go, but banished me from returning to the only powder on the hill. We did about 4 more runs, only to get our money's worth and decided we were just too bored to go any longer. At least we gave it a go and are trying to make the best of living in North Bay. We decided that we may return once the terrain park opens. I havn't ever really learned to ride the terrain park, so maybe it will at least offer me a challenge! We are also hoping to get to Mont Tremlant in Quebec at some point which is a bit bigger and has several more runs.

After a good weekend of fun in the snow and with the dog, I got sent up to Moosonee for a few days on a charter. It was a good thing that I have been getting out in the cold a lot lately, otherwise it would have been a shock to my system. For those of you unfamiliar with Moosonee, it is on the south west side of James Bay. On the day we arrived, the temperature was -37º C. I was very grateful for my parka, ski pants, and winter boots while securing the airplane on the brutally cold and windy tarmac. Since there is no hangar for our airplane, we had to use engine heaters and tents and we even removed the battery and brought it indoors to guarantee we would be able to get the engines started again. In the time it took us to do this, even though we were dressed warmly, we still had to go indoors twice to warm up our fingers. We did stay in a very nice B&B in Moosonee. Although, it was a chilly fifteen minute walk to get dinner in the only restaurant in Moosonee. The next day we took our clients to two reserves in Fort Albany and Attiwapiskat. Both are very isolated places with small gravel strips. All in all it was great remote winter operations experience for me, but I am grateful that I have not had to go there too often. It was nice to return to a balmy -15º C in North Bay on Wednesday.

Home Sweet Home:

It’s been a few weeks since Bentley and I went home to beautiful B.C. for a visit, but I thought I would give the lowdown. It was a very short visit but a great one packed with fun activities and visits with good friends and loved ones. Poor Bentley endured about 9 hours to Vancouver and about 8 hours back to North Bay cooped up in a kennel. We arrived to an unusually snowy Vancouver with subzero temperatures. Ironically, there was more snow in our backyard in North Delta than was in my yard in North Bay. After a joyful reunion with Rob at the airport, we wasted no time cramming in as much as we could into our short visit. We reunited with Bentley’s best friend Buster at the local dog park, and exchanged late Christmas presents before packing up and heading to Whistler where 20cm of fresh powder awaited us.

Arriving in Whistler, I quickly realized the epic ski season that I was missing. Big flakes of snow were falling, adding magic to the winter wonderland in the village. Snow banks lined the roads like huge icy fences. Rooftops were blanketed with what looked like a dozen or more snow duvets. The deck at the cabin was full of snow almost as high as me!!! I don’t think I have ever seen so much snow at Whistler. Rob treated me to a delicious Indian dinner at the Tandoori Grill, and except for the very high winds on our first day and a temperature of -30º C on another, we still got some sweet turns in. Our last morning in Whistler was crisp and clear with a picturesque view of the mountains. We decided to enjoy it for a little longer and took Bentley for a good hike in the snow at Rainbow Park. This gave me a chance to test out the sweet new snow shoes that Rob bought me for Christmas. After our snowy hike, we headed back to the lower mainland for an evening set aside to spend with friends.

The turnout at the YBC was absolutely incredible, allowing me to see close to 40 of our friends. Although I was only able to visit a few minutes with each of them, it was so amazing to see them. It was a strange mix with friends of mine from school, the flight school I used to work at, our coed hockey team, a few of our in-laws, and some longtime friends that Rob grew up with. It meant so much to me that they all could make it. This was our last night in B.C. and it was the only night that I got to sleep in our house, in our bed. Bentley and Ripley came to an understanding and Bentley slept on the couch in the living room letting Ripley have the whole upstairs with us.

Our last day in Vancouver included a lovely brunch with Rob’s family at Cam & Kelly’s place. I was shocked to learn how much our niece and nephew had changed in the nine months I had been away. I got teary when 3 1/2 year old Dylan greeted me with a hug and told me he missed me. He was no longer a baby and certainly becoming a charming little boy. His baby sister Serena was now a toddler running around after her big brother. More late Christmas presents were exchanged, a yummy brunch was enjoyed by all, and we finished with a Birthday Cake for our sister in law, Fran. Again, I was spoiled rotten with lovely gifts. After excited talk of our next reunion in Hawaii, we said our good byes and Rob and I spent the rest of the day together before we had to depart on our 23:00 flight back to Ontario. It was a teary goodbye. This time, was much more difficult to leave than the last. My eyes were very puffy by the time I got to Toronto, and it was only partly because I did not sleep a wink on the flight. Bentley and I safely arrived back in North Bay the following morning. Whew….what a whirlwind trip. I was sad because I missed everyone already. But, at least I have Hawaii in March to look forward to!!

Holiday Shenanigans:

Bentley and I arrived at my sister’s place on the 22nd for a few days of holiday spirit. It was mild, rainy and miserable. At least it felt like home!! After being cooped up in the car for 3 hours, Bentley was full of beans and greeted Tiger (the cat) with a little too much enthusiasm, causing the cat to bolt with Bentley in trail. This chaos was a bit stressful for my sister. She was somewhat concerned about the cat’s emotional state and physical well being, having the dog there, and therefore tried hard to keep them separated. After a day or so of some persuasion from me, she realized that Bentley was likely more at risk of being hurt than the cat, and that she should just let them sort it out. As I suspected, after a few warning hisses from Tiger, Bentley approached the cat with a bit more caution, and Tiger soon realized he was the boss. By Christmas Eve they were lying in the same room together, just feet apart keeping a watchful eye on each other. Overall, Bentley was relatively well behaved (well, except for the Christmas ornament that he decided to eat…..oh…..and his overzealous greeting that almost sent Uncle Ray backwards down some stairs). We went for many walks and games of fetch to keep his endless energy in check. I also brought him lots of chew toys and a huge smoked bone to keep him occupied. I didn’t get him a raw bone this time, because his tendency to hide those didn’t go over very well last time we visited in the summer. It seems my sister found it hidden in a closet……a couple of months later! He will chew on a smoked bone for hours, but unfortunately, whatever they use to flavour them gives him gas causing him to let some “room clearers” go! Ahhhh the joys of being a dog parent!!

On the second day we took Bentley to a Doggie-daycare to play and meet some new canine friends, while we drove into Toronto for a brunch at my Grandmother’s place. We had a nice visit with some family members, catching up and enjoying a potluck brunch with lots of yummy treats. We made it back to Port Perry in lots of time to prepare for dinner with a family who are good friends of Wynn and Karina’s. Luckily, Bentley was a star with their children who kept him busy all night. By the end of the night, the eldest boy was all but begging his parents for a dog like Bentley. On Christmas Eve day, Bentley and I went to my hometown to visit some friends (the couple who got married in the summer) and to meet their new puppy, Hank. Hank and Bentley played and even though Bentley stole Hank’s raw bone, they got along fairly well. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we went for a walk with the dogs. It was a very green Christmas indeed. It felt more like spring. Not at all like the Christmases that I remember from when I was a kid. After our walk, we left the dogs together at their place and went to a local pub for a beer and some lunch. Bentley made himself at home, realizing it was a very dog friendly house and found a comfy spot on the couch to chew Hank’s bone. It was great to visit my hometown and friends to get caught up and to hear about friends I haven’t seen in years. Hopefully I will be able to visit again for longer and see some other people. After a good walk down memory lane, we headed back to my sister’s for a relaxing Christmas Eve dinner and an evening of favourite holiday movies (It’s A Wonderful Life and the original A Christmas Carol). I treated the Borgardts family with some Gingerbread Pudding, a yummy desert that I discovered in Vancouver, to enjoy while we watched the movies. For as long as I can remember, my sister and I used to try to stay up to watch Scrooge every Christmas. After a long day and a full tummy, most years, and this year was no exception, I struggle to stay up to watch the whole thing.
Alas, Christmas Day arrived full of more delicious treats, thoughtful gifts and time with family. Although different from the Rattray Christmas that I am used to, I had a wonderful time. Everyone, including the animals had a stocking full of treats and presents to open. Bentley got some more treats and chew toys. Every year my sister makes up a plate full of German delights (Wynn’s family is German) for each of her family members. I was very touched to be included in all of their traditions. We had an early afternoon dinner, including a vegetarian casserole that my sister thoughtfully made just for me. More sinful treats followed and an evening playing Cranium and Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture. I ended the evening with a call home to Rob and our family in B.C. to send my love and wish them all a Happy Holiday. It certainly was great to have the opportunity to have Christmas with my sister and her family, but I really really missed Rob and his family and all of our friends along with all the holiday traditions I have become accustomed to.

Cold, Homesick and Addicted to Coffee:

OK, I realize that my last post wasn’t’ much of an update. The main purpose was to post some recent pictures of Bentley for Rob, who misses him so much. I am counting down the days till we get to go home to visit in January.

The weather here now is cold (by Vancouver standards, anyways), but all the beautiful snow that we got a few weeks ago has melted because of a warm spell. I am disappointed. I thought that if I have to be here for Christmas, I should at least get a white one!! I hear that since I have left Ontario 15 years ago, I have really only missed about 5 white Christmases in the GTA. When the snow was here in North Bay, it was beautiful and put me in the Christmas spirit while I played with Bentley down at the waterfront and while I was Christmas shopping downtown in old North Bay. I don’t mind the cold too much really. I just have to bundle up.

As for work, I have actually been fairly busy. The days that I am scheduled off are usually filled with activities such as chores, hitting the gym and finding ways to occupy my energetic canine companion. But the days that I am on the schedule are only great if I am actually working. I shouldn’t complain too much…..I really have been flying a lot lately. I was doing a scheduled charter to Toronto on a fairly regular basis, giving me the opportunity to see more of my family on the layover. This past week, I was on air ambulance and flew my butt off, maxing out my duty time at least 3 times. It was great. It is fun flying and usually fast paced. Although, we will occasionally get stuck waiting for the land ambulance, that is delivering or picking up a patient. The hours can be long and may go into the wee hours of the morning, making coffee your best friend. I have never drunk as much coffee as I have since I began working here!! Sometimes it is just for something to do while we wait….other times you really need it.

The more difficult thing is the days that I am on call for air ambulance…..waiting for the phone to ring…..not knowing when….or if I will fly that day. It is difficult because I am on a one hour call out. Although, it’s not like I am stuck at home (I don’t have a land line anyway). I can go out and about….but I have to make sure I don’t go too far away and have all my stuff with me that I need for work, in case I have to go straight to the airport. On these days, I leave Bentley at the sitter because it is too difficult to meet the one hour call out requirement when I have to factor getting him to the sitter. It sucks when I don’t get called in because I usually end up being all by myself all day, missing my dog. However, I do often end up having many MSN conversations with my friends at home!!

In the weeks leading up to the holiday season this year, I have missed out on many social events back home. However, instead of running around attending festive parties, I actually had the time to sit and enjoy some old holiday specials on TV that I haven’t had time to see in years. Sitting in front of the TV with Bentley, wrapping presents, I couldn’t decide if I was feeling sorry for myself for missing out, or happy to have the opportunity to reminisce about my childhood while watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the Grinch or the Sound of Music!! I decided I was feeling a mix of both. I did take Bentley to have his picture taken with Santa. This did not go as well as it did last year. It seems that Bentley has issues with holiday characters!! Not only is he wary of Jack-o-lanterns…but he is terrified of Santa!!! As soon as he saw him he backed up stuck his head in the air with a howling bark. In his defense, unlike last year’s Santa, this Santa did not seem very dog friendly since he just sat there, still, without any effort to make Bentley feel at ease. I am sure, to Bentley, he looked like a huge, scary red monster with a white furry face. Despite having to be forced to sit in front of Santa, with Santa gripping his collar so he wouldn’t run away, and with a very worried look on his face, the picture turned out not bad.

I am making new friends, but, as our visit back home nears, I realize how much I really miss it, and all the people I care about. I also realize how lucky I am that Rob is so understanding and supportive of my quest. Most of the guys I work with get heat from their significant others all the time, and they get to see them at least every couple of weeks. It has been six months since Rob and I have seen each other. Soon we will have to make some tough decisions since we agreed to be apart for a maximum of one year. It is difficult to forecast what options will be available to me in the coming months, but wherever we end up, our goal will always be to return to BC. Although Northern Ontario has certain charms, my heart will always belong to British Columbia. I think if I have to, I could live in North Bay for a little longer, but definitely not long term. North Bay is the kind of place that few people enjoy outdoor winter activities (other than snowmobiling) and therefore, pretty much every house has a satellite dish. Although it has a trendy coffee shop and a couple of cute downtown shops in the middle of town, the busier places tend to be Tim Horton’s and Walmart. Few places here warrant getting dressed up for, if you are going out for dinner. The best places to go out for breakfast are at places called “Dave’s Diner” and “Burger World”. Ya….well. However, it is also the kind of place where the waitress at Burger World remembers you are vegetarian and offers to create something to suit your needs without rolling her eyes. It is also the kind of place where the guy who looks after your dog offers to give you a lift to pick up your car, and invites you for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with his family, so you won’t be alone. It is the kind of place where your neighbours bring your garbage cans off the street for you, and the guy across the street shovels your driveway because you have been away for 3 days while 20cm of snow fell. It is impossible not to be impressed by the sense of community here.

Christmas will definitely be different for me this year, but at least I won’t be alone. Fortunately I do have time off over Christmas, so Bentley and I will be heading down to spend it with my sister and her family and inlaws. I will also get to see some of my other family members at a brunch my sister has organized. It will be awesome to spend Christmas with my sister for the first time in 15 years. I am also hoping to visit some friends in my hometown as well. Anyway, I am so looking forward to my visit home to BC in January to see my sweetie and the rest of our family and all of our friends. I can’t wait to strap on my board and ride the piles of snow I hear that Whistler has and maybe even partake in a hockey game. Also, I look forward to the chance to get dressed up in something other than my dork suit or dog walking clothes and experience some civilized night life with some friends in Vancouver.

I will include some photos from our Christmas celebration in my next post. Bye for now. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!