Sylvan Lake...

Friday 21 January - International Pot Luck Supper. Laura (the Base Commander's Wife) and a group of girls organised an international pot luck supper for all the girls in the village which took place in the Jubilee Arms basement. The intention was to bring along as many different dishes from around the world - not sure where my pasta salad really comes from!! Laura and her band of helpers did an amazing job decorating the basement and providing us all with games to participate in. My favourite was the indoor curling - the girls had improvised curling to 4 frozen plastic containers with the bottoms cut out with solid ice inside and 4 floor mops thus throwing the ice containers across the floor to a brilliant marked out zone. There was also a general knowledge quiz and a random game of what you have in your handbag - great if I'd read the advice not to change handbags before coming to the evening; unlike me who got out my tiny bag that contained lipstick, perfume and not much else. By the time I left for my little walk home the snow was falling, something that has happened much more frequently compared to last year. This was slightly concerning as we were due to leave for Sylvan Lake, Red Deer north of Calgary the following morning.

Saturday morning arrived and the village was yet again covered in more snow; approx another 10 centimeters had fallen. Not to be put off (we are in Canada you know) we shovelled our way to the car, loaded everything in and set off to Sylvan Lake, just outside Red Deer which was approx 31/2 hours away. The first part of the journey from here to Brooks was very gentle journey as the highway was littered with cars that had come off the road and into snow drifts. Slightly worrying when we saw a tanker overturned on the road, which by looking at it had only recently happened. So with plodding along very carefully we made our way up to Calgary and then North to Sylvan Lake. Friends Dave & Helen had very kindly invited us up to Sylvan Lake to go and watch the Red Deer Rebels against the Moose Jaw Warriors. We met Dave and Helen at Sylvan Lake where we put on our skates and had a go at skating on a frozen lake. So many times we have told Tegan and Fraser not to go near a frozen lake as it is dangerous, however, this was a bespoke area organised for skating; there we were encouraging them to skate and play hockey - how fab was this!!! It really was great, there were two areas that had been cleared for skating, along with people out on their skidoos whizzing across the frozen lake, guys in their fishing huts who had drilled holes in the ice to fish (who in their right minds would want to sit in a tiny tiny hut on ice trying to catch a fish!!??) the whole lake had an amazing community feel about it. So after a while skating and playing hockey - according to Fraser the boys won - we headed to Dave and Helen's house to drop off our bags.

Then it was into the cars for a 15 min drive into Red Deer to the ENMAX Centrium stadium. After buying our tickets we walked into an amazing stadium with all the hustle and bustle before a game. Tegan and Fraser's faces were alight with all the noise and things going on. Our seats were up in the gods so after a Everest climb we took our seats ready for the game, before deciding we needed some food and refreshments. As always the atmosphere in the ice hockey stadiums is amazing not only with the music playing but the loyalty of all the teams supporters there to shout and cheer the loudest - absolutely brilliant. Pleased to say that the Red Deer Rebels won the game with an exciting finish - Moose Jaw Warriors pulled their goalie in order to put another player on the ice in an attempt to get a goal - however the Rebels made a long shot down the ice and into the unattended goal - huge cheers from the crowd, including all of us.

So back to Dave and Helen's and kids to bed whilst we sat up drinking and chatting until 2am - needless to say it was a slow start Sunday morning, Helen very kindly providing much needed bacon sandwiches. On the way home we called into Cross Iron Mills - a large indoor shopping mall in Calgary - Fraser wanted to look at skate boards - his new thing and is currently saving all his pocket money towards one - here comes the summer - as I write this it is -43degrees!!! A great weekend enjoyed with very good friends.