We are all here at last

Sorry to take so long to update the blog but it has been a pretty hectic time. Bev arrived back last Tuesday and has been settling in and readjusting to the cold ,

and on Australia Day our two dogs Murphy and Herb arrived in Saint John after a very long flight from Sydney which included a stopover in Toronto for everyone's peace of mind.

We have had four days or so with sunshine and no snow but the temperature is around minus 27c over night and around minus 10c during the day. That is all about to change with a winter storm warning current and the temperature warming to low minus. This means we are in for 15 to 25 cm of snow followed by strong winds blowing snow and lowering visibility and freezing rain which will make the roads slippery and dangerous. It is all part of living here and in a way is quite interesting because we have not been through it to this extent before.

University continues to be great fun particularly ritual studies where we are looking at rituals from all areas covering everything from attending a Muslim religious ceremony to all the ritual surrounding the inauguration of a US president.

We are having a belated Australia Day bash this Saturday with six of our immediate neighbours and two good friends who live in town. Although totally different from the Oz Day breakfast we are used to holding at home (one reason being that you cannot get a decent plain beef sausage here for love nor money, the boys who run the Jerra butcher shop are greatly missed). We are having dinner with garlic chilli banana prawns, steak and kidney pie, quiche, peach salad, lemon tart and a lemon meringue. You have to do the best with what you can get.

We have continued to explore the local area and are constantly amazed at the local architecture. There are some outstanding examples and I have included several photos of houses in the upmarket historic area close to downtown.

The local pub is called the “Wetmore – Street Pub” and is named for the two local lawyers who in 1821 participated in the last fatal duel held in the province. The duel took place in the immediate vicinity of the pub and Mr Wetmore was the one who got killed.

In these photos, taken outside the pub, you can see the ski-doos that are a favourite mode of transport at this time of the year. Just like riding the motor bike to the local at home.






Notice in this one the baby carriage attached at the back of the parents vehicle

Stay safe. Ross and Bev