I'm trying to make this post more interesting by uploading images, but it takes so bloody long for each picture to upload that I may give up the whole endeavor. Currently I'm posting my pictures on facebook and my videos on youtube (search for "karenanneford1"), and that may have to be good enough. The blog may just have to be filled with my literary work :) so enjoy!
My baby's asleep and I'm putting off housework, so I figured it was as good a time as any. Plus, Julie informed me that she was going to write a blog today and I didn't want to be outdone.
Last weekend was Carnival, an event I missed again this year and so will never see as this is our last semester in Grenada. I am pretty ok with missing the whole event, but I suppose it would have been nifty to see the costumes. Julie informed me that Carnival is supposed to be the hedonistic display before Lent begins, which would make it weird to have a Carnival in August. The explanation is that Trinidad was getting all the attention for their Carnival and Grenada's was being passed over, so they aribitrarily moved the date. Hmmmmm....so where's the party before Lent? I suppose one should head over to Trinidad.
OMG, I might grow old and die before any pictures are being uploaded! Well, here's what I wanted to show pics of:
Paul in his new Dora the Explorer chair
Paul feeding Stan - his new favourite activity
Paul & Isla playing in the "fort" - aka beach tent
Chris & Breck at their Journal Club booth at orientation.
So, use your imaginations.
I'm really proud of Chris & Breck for starting a new club this semester. And how fortuitous that they start it in their last semester and then get to hand it over to the next generation as this is their last term. Way to pad your resumes boys! I made one of the signs for the Journal Club, and I announced that this sign would be my legacy in Grenada as perhaps it will be used for years to come at Journal Club orientations :)
Paul has started back at daycare this week for three afternoons, and it is really nice to have the extra time again. Come September he'll be starting three full days, and I'm sure I'll be missing him a ton. Unfortunately, I also need the time to be able to get my school work done. And honestly, I think the "missing" is all on my part as Paul seems to have the time of his life while he's over there.
Well, this is all I got for now. xoxo K
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Grenada Again
Well, much to my surprise, my husband chastised me for not keeping up my blog. Apparently he actually reads it. So, after a three month hiatus, I'm back. Here's to all you voyeurs out there that I don't know about, but that apparently read my blog :)
Canada was a whirlwind as usual. I had a wonderful time, and owe thanks to many people for their generosity and contributions while I was home. I spent the month of June living with my mother, and it was really nice to have the time with her and watch her relationship with Paul develop.
The three of us went to Victoria for 10 days, where I spent most days in a classroom, and mom & Paul were kickin' back on vacay. The University of Victoria campus is a really cool place. We had the third floor dormitory mainly to ourselves. I stayed in one dorm room while Mom & Paul stayed in another (far away from me so I wouldn't be woken up by Paul at night). Our little rooms were really cute, and it made me reticent (am I using this word correctly?) that I never had the dormitory experience while in University myself.
Paul had a lot of fun crawling the halls, and hiding under the lounge cupboards. We had cafeteria food every day, and surprisingly it was very good and cheap. The University was also very close to the ocean, so we would walk down to the beach quite often. One house in our vicinity was listed by Sotheby's for a mere $13 million. Who knew houses went for so much in Victoria?!
Shortly after my return to Calgary Chris came home! That was great, as being apart for 6 weeks is no fun at all. Chris had the opportunity to shadow an orthopedic surgeon this summer for a week and spent his days doing rounds, consulting with patients, and getting blood splattered on his shoes in the OR. These were very early days (had to be at the hospital at 6:30am every day), so he needs to take that into consideration when applying for ortho residencies - haha. We all know that Chris IS NOT a morning person. But he did managed to be up that early daily without complaint, and even managed to have breakfast (which is an improvement over his Grenada lifestyle). This experience made him really look forward to getting out of a classroom and into a hospital. I can't wait for it either as I know it will be really exciting for him.
The month of July was spent as Chris' parents house, which was also a great chance to catch up with family and let Paul be fawned over by the Fords. The only complaint was our smokin' hot bedroom. Thinking back it's the only bedroom I've slept in over the past few months that hasn't had a/c. My how spoiled I've become (although as I speak the a/c in our BR in Grenada has stopped working and we have to blast the a/c in the kitchen in hopes that the cool air circumnavigates itself into the BR).
In July Paul & I also did a 10 day side trip to California to vacation with my sister's family. We spent a few days at Bass Lake near Yosemite National Park - absolutely beautiful and a must return spot - and a few days in Anaheim at Disneyland. We all had such fun! Paul loved spending time with his cousins, and was really sad to leave them again. Adam was really close to his goal of teaching baby Paul how to walk (he's started walking constantly just this week, and is working on being able to get up to standing without aid).
Back in Calgary we had just a few days to plan Paul's first birthday party, which was an awesome success. We had a Disney theme since we had just returned, and Paul wore his Mickey ears as his party had (pics on facebook). Then, three days, later on Paul's actual first birthday we left for Grenada again. I said goodbye to the Sheraton in TO, as I probably will not be staying there again anytime soon. I said goodbye to the airport in Barbados, as I will not be traveling through there on my final trip home. And I said GOODBYE to Liat, which I will never be flying again (or at least not in the near future). Yes the airline has gotten me from point A to point B on many occasions, but this last plane seemed so completely neglected that I was surprised when we didn't plummet into the ocean.
And now we're back! And I will do my best to enjoy these final 5 months on the island. This experience has been so wonderful thus far. I'm so grateful that my husband is fulfilling his dream, and that I get to be a part of it. That Paul has had such an amazing first year of life, and is a seasoned traveler at 1yr and 7 days. I will keep you all updated on the last chapter of Grenadian living as it unfolds. Stay tuned...
Canada was a whirlwind as usual. I had a wonderful time, and owe thanks to many people for their generosity and contributions while I was home. I spent the month of June living with my mother, and it was really nice to have the time with her and watch her relationship with Paul develop.
The three of us went to Victoria for 10 days, where I spent most days in a classroom, and mom & Paul were kickin' back on vacay. The University of Victoria campus is a really cool place. We had the third floor dormitory mainly to ourselves. I stayed in one dorm room while Mom & Paul stayed in another (far away from me so I wouldn't be woken up by Paul at night). Our little rooms were really cute, and it made me reticent (am I using this word correctly?) that I never had the dormitory experience while in University myself.
Paul had a lot of fun crawling the halls, and hiding under the lounge cupboards. We had cafeteria food every day, and surprisingly it was very good and cheap. The University was also very close to the ocean, so we would walk down to the beach quite often. One house in our vicinity was listed by Sotheby's for a mere $13 million. Who knew houses went for so much in Victoria?!
Shortly after my return to Calgary Chris came home! That was great, as being apart for 6 weeks is no fun at all. Chris had the opportunity to shadow an orthopedic surgeon this summer for a week and spent his days doing rounds, consulting with patients, and getting blood splattered on his shoes in the OR. These were very early days (had to be at the hospital at 6:30am every day), so he needs to take that into consideration when applying for ortho residencies - haha. We all know that Chris IS NOT a morning person. But he did managed to be up that early daily without complaint, and even managed to have breakfast (which is an improvement over his Grenada lifestyle). This experience made him really look forward to getting out of a classroom and into a hospital. I can't wait for it either as I know it will be really exciting for him.
The month of July was spent as Chris' parents house, which was also a great chance to catch up with family and let Paul be fawned over by the Fords. The only complaint was our smokin' hot bedroom. Thinking back it's the only bedroom I've slept in over the past few months that hasn't had a/c. My how spoiled I've become (although as I speak the a/c in our BR in Grenada has stopped working and we have to blast the a/c in the kitchen in hopes that the cool air circumnavigates itself into the BR).
In July Paul & I also did a 10 day side trip to California to vacation with my sister's family. We spent a few days at Bass Lake near Yosemite National Park - absolutely beautiful and a must return spot - and a few days in Anaheim at Disneyland. We all had such fun! Paul loved spending time with his cousins, and was really sad to leave them again. Adam was really close to his goal of teaching baby Paul how to walk (he's started walking constantly just this week, and is working on being able to get up to standing without aid).
Back in Calgary we had just a few days to plan Paul's first birthday party, which was an awesome success. We had a Disney theme since we had just returned, and Paul wore his Mickey ears as his party had (pics on facebook). Then, three days, later on Paul's actual first birthday we left for Grenada again. I said goodbye to the Sheraton in TO, as I probably will not be staying there again anytime soon. I said goodbye to the airport in Barbados, as I will not be traveling through there on my final trip home. And I said GOODBYE to Liat, which I will never be flying again (or at least not in the near future). Yes the airline has gotten me from point A to point B on many occasions, but this last plane seemed so completely neglected that I was surprised when we didn't plummet into the ocean.
And now we're back! And I will do my best to enjoy these final 5 months on the island. This experience has been so wonderful thus far. I'm so grateful that my husband is fulfilling his dream, and that I get to be a part of it. That Paul has had such an amazing first year of life, and is a seasoned traveler at 1yr and 7 days. I will keep you all updated on the last chapter of Grenadian living as it unfolds. Stay tuned...
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