...a three hour tour!

I've been in beautiful British Columbia for 5 days now and its been a really great trip. I'm here with my family, all members of my mother's immediate family, all staying in one house. It actually feels like an episode of Full House sometimes with all the kids, aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, even some foster kids! Its really interesting!

Today was a particularly interesting day. Everyone woke up early, as usual, (its hard to sleep in with a four-year-old running around). Grandma was already working away in the kitchen making New Year's Cookies.  These wonderful deep-fried, fruit-filled cookies are traditionally made on new years's day. I am sure they are traditionally a hang-over cure as well with the sugar and oil...mmmmmmm... Everyone had their fill of the seasonal treat and began to make plans for the day.

My dad, sister G, and Auntie Ro decided to go skiing at a near by hill. My mother told the little girls that they were going on an "adventure" or as one who can read between the lines, a shopping trip. They took my sister K and bro-in-law Ty.

That left Uncle Lou, Uncle K, the two teenaged girls and me. We were to go on an adventure of our own. One that didn't include shopping. While Uncle Lou gassed up the ATV's and snowmobile, Uncle K took the girls on their paper route and I made sandwiches and gathered snacks. At 11:30 we were on those ATV's and heading up the mountain. First of all, driving ATV's up the side of a mountain is pretty frakking awesome!

Eventually we got to a lake where we cut a hole in the ice and dropped a line. It was the first time I have ever ice fished. I learned that there isn't much to it but could be kind of relaxing.  We built a fire soon after and Uncle K and the girls put on their skates. The lake was covered in snow and the fog was so thick you couldn't see the other side of the small lake but off they went. Uncle K, who hadn't been skating in years was like a little boy with brand new skates on and just skated and skated! I glided on my boots and ran around the lake. Something about being up and out in nature and the great outdoors makes you feel free like an uninhibited child. I even made a snow angel. Returning to the fire from across the lake the fog got so think I could hardly see where I was going. If I didn't know where I was going, I wouldn't have known where I was going.

Well, we didn't catch any fish to eat but we ate my sandwiches, some fudgey cookies and chips while we warmed our cold toes by the fire. Soon we were out of firewood and it was time to return to civilization. Loading up the ATV's and snowmobile we headed back down the mountain. Letting the girls drive down for part of the way I got to really see the mountainside. The indescribable beauty is, well...indescribable.

We got home safely and the whole thing was awesome!  I could do that everyday. The little trip up the mountain is making me seriously reconsider my plans for moving to a major city centre in favour of moving to a mountain town or some out back resort town in Quebec or something. Maybe even the Yukon, I hear it beautiful up there. It might be longer than a three hour tour but then again so was Giligan's!