A Whistler weekend away

With Beth and Marc in Vancouver, the travel duo made plans for us to meet up in Whistler for 2 days. Darci and Barry were able to take a quick reprieve from the bakery and join us for a couple of days. Unfortunately it was overcast both days, but did manage to clear up the morning we left back for Vancouver. Go figure. There was no snow in the village and what we could see of the hills, they were still pretty bare as well. Despite this, Akis did bundle up.

The thing about being in the village during the off/off-season is that there is next to nobody there AND it all closes at 9pm! We couldn't even get KFC after 9pm, but Beth did make a good effort to find a fix for Barry's 'skin' craving. We did stop at the Love Nest and I think this is Akis' favourite store there....

In honour of the Olympic sports that will be hosted in Whistler in 2010, there was a bobsled for the photo ops. Hey, if the Jamacians can do it, so could I!!

We managed to have a lunch in the brewhouse ~ good times.

Beth and Marcus in their Whistler/winter garb...

Darce and Barry:

There were other photos ~ baked goods, hot tub snaps, but they are all with Marcus, I'll need to get the incriminating photos from him...

Life in Vancouver

We're getting settled in and starting to get into a a routine. Well as much of a routine as one can get into while being unemployed. Our days are filled with getting things unpacked and put into their home and trying to make the place a home. Here's a peek...

The building

The entrance:

The Kitchen: The Livingroom:A bedroom:

And a tiny bathroom...

We spend time outside walking and discovering our new neighbourhood.

Our other passtime is heading out on Sundays so Akis can play soccer/football. He has been progressing well ~ the first week there were some stamina/fitness issues, however he is now able to play longer and even scored the last time we went out...












Akis in action....

The trials and tribulations of looking for work

Akis and I have been in Vancouver for just over a month now. And while some folks ~ including Akis ~ would say that we have done a lot over the past few weeks, it also feels sometimes like things move very slowly. As you watch the money go out of the bank account, it seems like some things move in slow motion! And I want it all to be sorted out TODAY...

I have never been a great big fan of job hunting. I have a hard time getting myself out there and saying 'Hey big company, I think you should hire me because I am fantastic.' And while I know I do good work, it is the spreading of the peacock feathers that I don't do as well, or perhaps that I don't feel comfortable with. I have never really been one to walk around saying 'look at me, I'm the best', which is maybe why this process is challenging for me. I suppose that is also why sometimes I am content to stay in a job even if it isn't exactly what I want to be doing...

So the job hunting experience is one that requires a bit of patience. And I am not always the most patient person. However sitting on this side of the fence, I do have a better perspective and perhaps this is karma for all the times someone's resume sat on my desk at Class for days while I tried to find time to get to it. Sometimes what goes around, comes around.

They say it is a numbers game ~ you need to get your resume out, people need to see it, and then perhaps someone will give you a call back. I've had moderate response at this point. I've met with 2 different recruiting companies, interviewed with 2 different companies ~ waiting on a decision from one and having the first telephone interview with the other... The position the recruiter put me forward for, didn't happen, so in the meantime, I continue to submit resumes.

I know that this time of uncertainty will pass, I will again be gainfully employed, and then I will wonder why it was that I stressed out about looking for work. Somehow you just don't have that same perspective while you are going through the process as you do after you know the outcome. Everyone says that you need to be patient and even if it means sitting for a bit longer, being a bit more broke, you need to wait for the right job. While I can appreciate this sentiment, I do hope that the right job is coming shortly. I try not to be too cranky with Akis as I go through this process ~ god love him he does what he can to support me including doing the dishes and laundry. He is a good hubby. I just can't wait until I can take him out to celebrate having a new job!

Anyway, here's to finding gainful employment, and hoping it doesn't take too long to show up on our doorstep!

Moving Day... Wahoo

We finally made it. After just over 3 weeks in Vancouver, we finally got to move into the apartment. It seems a bit strange that I'm moving back into the same apartment building, but in a different apartment with a different layout. There are more windows and being on the ground floor, we have access to an outdoor space that has grass and room to move around. Barbeques in the summer are going to be great!

We got the keys on the 31st and bought a whole whack of cleaning stuff. After sterilizing the kitchen and bathroom ~ you might have thought we were in Code Red with the smell of bleach ~ we were ready for the movers who were coming between 9 and 9:30 on Saturday.

It took the guys just under 2hrs to drop off all of the goodies, but I can defintely tell you it has taken more than 2hrs to put all the stuff away! My god... here is what the place looked like during the first few hours. The photos were not of great quality as we had to use the phone, still no charging of the camera battery.

The place empty...
Entrance:


Bedroom:


Kitchen:


Livingroom/Outdoor Space:



First things moved ~ Akis is so excited, he is helping the movers bring stuff in. Nice hat!

Marking off the boxes as they come in:


Our chaos...



Our lunch break ~ precooked Safeway chicken and those bagged salads. How could you possibly go wrong with that?!?



Overall, 4 days later, things are starting to come together. I have fought with Telus, but we now have phone and internet. TV will have to wait until next week, but that is OK, I should be looking for a job, or unpacking a box anyway. We seem to be able to find many things that we 'feel' we need when we are out... a mat for the door, new curtains for the windows as the ones with the apartment have a hem that is stapled... you know, general things. But all in all, we like where we are and now I just need to find a job so that we are able to stay here! :)

Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en with Aislynn, Steve and Neva is definitely an event. It seems that every year they go all out with the costumes. Previous costumes have been very clever and this year was no different. While I don't have pictures, here are the details so you can imagine....

Neva was dressed up like the game Operation. Decked out in flesh coloured clothing, she had box lids under her chest, arms and legs, with the appropriate parts cut out ~ the Apple, the Bucket for the water on the knee, the Pencil for the writer's cramp, the Heart for the broken heart, etc. Each area was lit up so you could see the pieces. She was complete with a buzzer and a red nose that lit up. Parents went as bloody surgeons. To partake in the walk through the neighbourhood, we needed to dress up as well... Digging into the 'tickle trunk' ~ Canadians will understand that childhood reference... ~ we pulled out some coloured wigs and witches costumes.




The night turned out to be relatively nice as the rain stopped and it actually got a bit warm out. Some of the houses go all out with the decorations and I only wish I had my camera charged so we could have taken more pictures!