TI AMO OGRI SPINONI ITALIANO

Such a big name for a little dog, but he will grow into it (look at the size of those feet!). Ogri arrived into the Fort St John airport, Friday night, all tired and frowsy but very cuddly. He is just starting to wake up now for longer periods of time (Sunday) where he chases us around the garden, always managing to catch someone and generally chewing on your head - Charlie doesn't mind but I keep imagining those jaws of his as an adult dog, and I think that such chewing could hurt quite a lot! Ogri met his first cat today and it doesn't look like he is going to be territorial, nor does he know what a cat is. He just looked at it, from six feet away distainfully...

Our lives are now going to be totally rearranged, coping with the huge responsibility (Charlie's words) of puppy ownership. We are now totally consumed with thoughts of food intake and output. So far, day 3 in, we are enjoying the whole experience even though we are awoken several times a night to take the little bugger outside for a wee and a poo. It isn't that bad at the moment but we are not looking forward to when the cold weather comes (yes, the snow has melted).  

Winter comes early to FSJ!

Imagine my shock on the 15th of September to wake up in the morning to snow! While Southerners talk of the Indian Summers of September ( in fact, we got married on such a day ), this can, and obviously does, happen in the North. Just a couple of days ago, we were also enjoying temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, so we are now finding it rather chilly... 

Hudson's Hope

Finally took the 80 km trip from FSJ to Hudson's Hope at the start of the 'Mighty Peace' River. Unfortunately, the WAC Bennett dam was closed to visitors for the season but we did enjoy the view from the Hudson's Hope Museum. While we were there, Charlie also enjoyed sitting on an old McCormick Deering "chackter" (tractor in Charlie speak!). We found a nice campsite, so next year we will probably spend some time there, soaking up the lovely scenery and throwing our dog in the Peace. 

An explanation (of vespa)

On the right, you see a teen from the sixties riding a vespa with his chick riding pillion. Vespa, as well as Lambretta, were Italian manufacturers of scooters. We have a great love for the kinetic beauty of these classic vehicles and own 3 - 1960's Lambrettas and a 1980's Taiwanese Vespa copy. When we lived down on the coast, we were members of the Capital City Scooter Club in Victoria and enjoyed attending various scooter events such as the Vancouver Rally that is held every Labour Day weekend. Since we were unable to make this year's rally, we thought about what we would be doing if we were there. Such things as a convoy of 200 scooters riding through the traffic-choked streets of Kitsilano to Iona Island, post-hangover coffees at the Continental Cafe on Commercial Drive and possibly a trip over to Bowen Island, as well. Good times... 

Our little Fort St John house

Well, here is our latest house...built in 1957 for Petro Canada. It is solid, at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, has good neighbours, and is only five minutes from town (not even). Most importantly for Charlie, it has a big shop!!! It also has a good-sized yard for our impending hound.
It is nice to be settled. We have a five year plan to be in FSJ, then we will re-evaluate the situation. But having spoken to many residents of this fine town who came for a year (30 years ago) and never left, we foresee being here for some time. Although aparently there is a large influx of "rig pigs" each winter (for exploration and maintenance of the oil and gas wells), there appears to be a strong non-transient community based here. Charlie already has procured membership for the two of us at the local Rod and Gun club (no, I don't shoot, but I guess I am going to learn soon). Charlie is looking forward to enrolling Ogri into some sort of gun dog training so he can take advantage of the natural spinoni ability for flushing and retrieving upland gamebirds. FSJ is a small, friendly town. We can't imagine that it will be too long before we have made friends here. Charlie is already making himself known throughout the community with his usual frantic activity and acidic wit and I have been out to the movies with some of the "girls" from work. 

Blazing Bird Box

Our dear friend, Megan Ames, visited us from Prince George this past Labour Day weekend. She is definitely "good people". She ably assisted us in the burning of the last bird feeder which had adorned one of the many trees on our property, as can be seen in the fire pit. Vast quantities of Megan's delicious beery creations were consumed over the course of the weekend. Megan is the "Beer Frau" at Caribous Brewmasters in PG. We met through her dad who is the dentist at the Dental Hygiene college I went to, but our friendship grew through a love of silliness, literature, CBC and good beer. We missed Ryan, her beau, as he is still busy working as a fishing guide on the Queen Charlotte Islands but we are looking forward to seeing them both in October time when we next will go down to PG. "Megan, thank you for coming, we think you are fab!" (said in a sturgeon mouth pod stylie). 

vespa

Missing out on the Vancouver Scooter Rally this weekend down on the coast... 

Awaiting Spinone

At right is an example of a brown roan spinone pup. At the end of September, Charlie and I will be the proud new parents of such a pup, called Ogri. It has been a few years now that we have been waiting for this little guy to be a part of our lives and finally he can join us. He will be leaving Mommy, Bufala and his 7 litter mates towards the end of September, having his first flight at just 2 months old. In the future, I am sure there will be many photos posted of this little hound. 

Dawson Creek Rodeo

So, here we are even further north in the Great White North. We have been taking in the local events. Here is Charlie engaged in one of his favourite activities: getting his hand sucked on by a young cow. As well as seeing many farm animals, we attended our first rodeo, stampede and chuckwagon races...so far we have really been enjoying it up here.