Road Warning

Yesterday Alex and I both had our first opportunity to drive on the right side of the road. Which wasn't quite as scary as we had both first imagined. When on main roads and the like you almost forget actually. But when you come to a turn, especially a left hand turn that is when you have to really concentrate! Rea took me (Tamara) out and was an excellent teacher. He said I did well especially since I only used the wipers once to indicate that I was turning. LOL.

So now that we were out and about we borrowed Rea and Sandy’s car and took a trip down to Pincer Creek, which also has the a Walmart  J

It was really nice to get out on the road together as a family, we enjoyed checking out the different scenery. We saw deer and Indian silhouettes, big red barns, and obviously plenty of mountains! We all got a real kick out of the wind turbines. At first we just saw one and girls couldn’t stop talking and exclaiming over it and then about ten minutes later we started seeing them everywhere! Fields and fields of them.

Alex bracing himself against the gnarly winds that were happening.   He could actually lean into the wind at a pretty good angle it was blowing that strong!

Once arriving at Walmart, we noticed that although it was a little exciting because it had a Maccas (with heaps of random stuff that we don’t get!) and a supermarket (also stocked with heaps of stuff we had never seen) it was mostly just like a Kmart. Other than being a bit bigger, it didn’t really live up to the hype. But that’s ok, we wandered around and had fun.

We had headed out this way today because we decided to have an Aussie meal tonight and invite all the staff and we even had some of the Crow board there because they had their board meeting today.  We decided to do a big Aussie BBQ with lamb chops, snags, rissoles and shrimps, with all the trimmings. And to finish it off, Pavlova!

Sadly Canada doesn’t seem to have lamb. I know, it’s a crime! We talked to a few of the staff who said that they love lamb but over here it’s really hard to find and it’s incredibly expensive. L Boy are they missing out.

We found everything we needed and headed sback home, stopping a thousand time to take a photo here and there of course.

Since the board had just finished up there meeting when we arrived, good old Josh was able to give us a hand in the kitchen. Seeing as we love him and think he’s awesome, we gave him the best job off all…cutting the onions. Nothing like seeing a grown man cry. J

I (Tamara) began working on the Pav. Now, I know my Mum is probably reading this and going “But you have never made a Pav Tamara!” and anyone who knows me knows that I DO NOT make food that I have never tried before for other people. It just stresses me out and makes life hard for everyone.  It was a recipe for disaster!

Which is exactly what happened. Josh and Alex were having a grand time chatting and joking in the kitchen across the bench from me. Alex looks up while I am counting my 11^th egg white and grumbling under my breath when a little of the yolk drops in and ask how I am going.

I look directly into his eyes, giving him THE LOOK and said “YOU ARE IN TROUBLE”.

You know the look. Women everywhere have mastered it and men cower in fear when they see it. It’s a primal thing. Its why sheds where invented so men could run and hide until their wives had consumed enough chocolate to placate them.

Josh and Alex were no exception. They immediately look like tiny little possums who have just been caught in the headlights of a Mack truck. They stood very still and their eyes became as big as saucers.

“Ah…..everything ok….there? …..Hon?”

“NO! Everything is NOT ok. 20 people are coming to have tea, I have never made Pavlova and you know how I hate trying new foods out on people when I have never made them before, and if this turns out to be a disaster, which it will because I keep getting yolk in there, you are the one in trouble!!!!!!”

Poor Josh. He’s not used to crazy wife rants. But he coped well. Alex was also quite the champ calming me down and reminding me that no-one here had even tried a Pav, so if it sucked how would they know?

Miracle of miracles, in fact even though we set the temperature on the oven too high and did everything wrong, the Pav turned out great J Crisp, crunchy outer coating, chewy on the edges and smooth and silky in the middle, the perfect combination. Mum, you would be so proud!

The snags and shrips...4kg worth, you'd be in heaven Andrew Turner!

Elizabeth enjoying her Pavlova :)

The whole meal was quite a success actually and I think that most of it came down to Josh and Alex keeping a level head. I on the other hand lost my marbles a couple of times but I did feel pretty good when one of the guys actually said “This is my new favourite dessert of all time!”

Yah for Pavlova and amazing understanding husbands, good friends who are always there to help and all the great people who watched the girls while I cooked and were willing to try our food.  It was a beaut day :)

Here is a few other snaps for you.

Hannah and Laura throwing sticks in the lake

This s a Panorama of one view of the site. To the left is the Lodge (Kitchen, Dining, Hall) and the two cream buildings next are accommodation, the building hiding behind the trees is the office and then there are other cabins to the right.

This Panorama is from the side of the mountain you can see in the above picture. Not all the way to the sop as it was a bit windy that day. In pretty much the centre there is the camp site.