Vic to Mac

Well the truck and car were packed by an elite team of loved ones that worked as quickly and efficiently as they could in the rainy conditions that were supplied.  Many of my well  loved possessions did not make the cut. Including the entertainment unit, the couches, the kitchen table, my bed, my dressers, the allspark, and the lid to my food processor; which I still morn for every time I have to grate anything by hand.

My friend Krystal, came to save the day and completely kept me on track the whole day. She packed everything I thought I could not pack and took everything I did not want to throw away (That way if I ever want that purple sweater with music notes on it, I know where to find it !! and many other things we both loved in my closet that just could not come)

The Team and I got the house completely empty by 6pm the day before we had to leave.  (nice to finally be ready ahead of schedule for once) So while Jeremy and his father did the finishing touches on the "load" in the back of Jeremy's truck. I puttered around our completely empty house waiting for my last visits. My friend Renee and her hubby stopped by to say good bye and pick up my last hoop sale :) Also my bestie Crystal came by after work and brought me a card. It was a very sad couple of hours. My final good byes to the last 7 years of my life! Even my landlords got me a card :)

Jeremy and I stayed that night in a hotel by the ferry. I managed to sneak my box wine in to my car, so I had couple glasses out of the plastic cup celebrating my new journey the next day, we didn't get there till 10ish tho, so we were super tired and slept in on trip day!

We caught the noon ferry the next day and traveled to Merritt. That is a very special town. ha ha . Not much to say about it, just socked in and rainy. We traveled to Edson AB for our next night of sleep. The drive from Merritt to Edson was the most exciting and dangerous of the whole trip. The wet Rockies mixed with the cold of Alberta just made the roads slippery.  We were not traveling on big highways like I thought we would be. It was very similar to how the Island hwy was on the Vancouver Island before the huge highway renovation 10-15 years ago; But none the less we made it.

 Then it was there! The final day of Travel!  ALMOST THERE

Edson was a winter wonderland. The roads to Edson had kinda freaked us out so we were a little nervous to head into Edmonton and up to Fort Mac, but we couldn't hide in our hotel room forever! Off we went. The highway from Edson to Fort Mac was a breeze, huge twined highways, the roads were clear and dry. There was a lot of snow in Edmonton, but we didn't have to go though, just around the outside, which was nice not to have to deal with crazy traffic. I am a little sad I didn't get to see any of the prairies cause of the fog; the whole way up was just white. You really couldn't see the "see for miles" affect I had been warned about!

The Final stretch to Fort Mcmurray, was fine, I almost don't remember it because the roads are so flat and straight, that they start to blend together. I was listening to the local radio station where they were speaking about the dangers of Hwy 63 (the one I have to drive that evening to Fort Mac). I am very glad I got some insight tho. I wish I had stopped on that final hwy to take pictures for you. I will try to explain how the hwy is.

The highway has no bends, at all. It's as narrow as our  highway is along Goldstream Park; Which one would think is fine because it is very straight. Then you get on to high 63 and you see this huge rig coming towards you, fast, the speed limit is 110. Then, you realize he is taking up 60% of the highway and he is not slowing down, and he is expecting you to move.  I KNOW!!! this can't actually be happening! Some times there will be 5 of these guys driving one behind the other. The whole side of your car shakes when they pass, you are driving half in the "bike" lane and  half on your side of the highway. ( Only crazy people would ride a bike on this highway) Only when the loads are so large that the rig can't go the speed limit do they send a warning truck ahead with lights; but those are almost easier to deal with cause they are going slower.

It is just crazy to have a highway so fast, and straight and have the vehicles so close together  while driving in opposite directions. I completely understand why there was a huge radio announcement about that Hwy. If anyone wants to come visit, just fly up, driving is not worth it!.

We finally arrived in Fort Mac at 6pm. OMG is Fort Mac not what I thought it would be. It is HUGE. I am mean HUGE.  The town is not much to talk about, but the size of the highways, the size of the turnpikes, I guess it has to be that way because of the big trucks; but seriously they are planning something and it is going to be BIG I tell you!

 We found our place just fine. Our Landlords are pretty cool. The streets are packed with cars because 1 house has 4 sets of tenants in it, so that means each house has 6 to 8 cars that belong to it. Then when it snows. Well you get the picture. DOG PILE :)

Luna loves the back yard. It is something we both have been waiting a long time for. The only thing I am dreading is the summer melt and all the poopies I missed. I may go on a hunting for poop on the weekend and see if I can find some of it. ugh! I will update about our jobs, and things that have happened since we have arrived in my next post :) ttyl

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Where it all started… the puppies!

So it all started when Jeremy's mum (Doreen) called saying that her dog Chloe had puppies. We made plans to go visit. OMG those puppies were as small as your thumb and just so cute!  We were discussing family type things and then Doreen tells us that Denise (her sister) is up living with her hubby Ken in Fort Mac.

Denise had expressed that she wanted Jeremy and I to come up and work.

I didn't think we would actually go, but you should have witnessed Jeremy when he discovered that he could be making a lot of money. A LOT OF MONEY. If anyone knows my man like I do, well then you know for the rest of the day he had $$$ in his eyes and he could not stop talking about going there.

This was a Saturday in the middle of September, I think. I am really very horrible with remembering. Before the end of September rolled around I had already quit my job of 6 years; which I LOVED, and had given notice to my landlords.

IT WAS HAPPENING!!!

I have always dreamed of what it would be like to sell everything I own and just take off. I always thought, "oh how reckless. I could never do anything like that". Well I did it and I feel great. I feel excited and have a slightly upset stomach, but I am assuming that is too be expected?

We are giving most of the furniture to loved ones or family. I do have a dying aloe plant if anyone wants the pot and hanging thingy it came in (I am pretty sure the plant has died, just lying to myself that it is still alive). The packing is going well. The living room is empty except for furniture, the bedroom is packed except for clothing; which will be bagged. I am slightly worried I may have to leave some shoes behind. This does not make me happy.

We have been searching far and wide for a place to live in Fort Mcmurray. The hunt is not going very well. Most people who actually own there don't want to deal with someone they never meet, or they don't allow pets. I've found two scams in my hunt as well (crooks). I am still on the hunt for doggy day care for Luna. #1 mission right now though is too find a house. Got 13 days left before I leave.

I hope this works ;)