This afternoon I went to visit a teacher friend of mine.  She just had a baby and is going crazy at home alone so I went to hang out with her for a couple hours and chatted a bit about next year.

 

Thing is, last August, I came back to Ontario from Whistler, and although I can't really say I regret it as I have payed off a ton of dept, and have been having a fab year with my class, I can say that I don't think I made the right decision. Thing is, I didn't really have much of a choice.  I have been travelling tons, and have had a pretty great life up to now. But this summer, things went down back home and my parents asked me to come home. And I listened. I know, what kind of 26 year old still lets their parents tell them what to do. But there are so many other factors.  My parents needed me around, they needed the family back together. There were so many deaths and illnesses in the family that my parents just needed me to be here. So, for the first time that I can remember, I was unselfish and came home to Ontario, as much as I knew it wouldn't make me happy.

 

I knew then that I would be moving back to BC as soon as I could. Hopefully back to Whistler. I was hoping to be there all of this summer, but now with all these weddings (would people stop getting married already!!) I'm going to have to stick around for a bit (and head back for a week or 2 at the end of Sept-beginning of October).  But my parents are trying to guilt me into staying here again. I keep trying to explain to them why I need to go, but they don't see it.

 

Anyway, I went to talk to this friend because she was there when I started my career, I get tons of calls for jobs all over ontario because of her, and she really knows me. So we sat down and had a chat about me leaving.  She is a bit biased because as she is on maternity leave, she wants me to take her class from Sept to Dec next year.  However, after a couple hours, she's 100% behind me. All the doubts I had about leaving have been erased.. mainly because I know I can come back here and get a job if things don't work out in BC.

 

Now, I have to go home on Thursday and confront my parents again.  And let them know this is for real.  My new fear isn't leaving for BC, it's them not giving me the 10 000$ loan they were going to give me to help me finishing paying off my OSAP. And seeing as I didn't win the 649 last night, I need that money. If anyone has a plan that has me keeping the $ and making my mum and dad AND me happy, please feel free to let me know!

23C (74F) and sunny.

 

If I could board, I'd be pissed.

 

But since I can't, bring on the BBQ and beer!

This past weekend I went on my first overnight trip to the US.  THursday night, I headed to Windsor for Korean BBQ with Cathy, John and Cris, then back to his for 'fros.

 

Early friday morning, I crossed the border headed up to Grizzled's place and off we were for a weekend in Northern Michigan.  The sun was shinning, the weather was fabulous, and I was so stoked to get on my board!  We rode at Schuss Mountain Friday.. and there was hardely anyone there.  It was great for me, as it was my first day on a board since the knee injury and i was having some difficulties.  Boarding itself was great... but skating was painful, and stopping and getting off the lifts was just hillarious. At one point I felt like Zoolander as I exclaimed 'I can't turn left!'.  After a couple hours, I needed a break.. so we took the shuttle to Summit mountain. What a joke. about 6 runs, and 2 2man lifts that look like they were the first lifts ever invented.  But, we were the only 2 on the runs for most of the time we were there.  The runs were still groomed from the morning, and it was now 5pm.  It was great! Norbert (grizzled) crossed off an item from his to do list, as he wrote 'skiers suck' in big letters under the lift.  We then headed back to our place to change, have dinner, then call it a night.

 

Saturday Morning, I woke up and iced my knee. I knew that I wouldn't be riding again, so I decided to start the day out with some 'fros.  After a couple, then a breakfast beer with my egg n bagel, I started to pack up my provisions for the day.  This included some beer and filing my camelback with redbull and vodka. Yum. I was sipping at that thing before we even left the Inn.  Norbert went riding, and I hobbled around the village... then sat on a bench and people watched and chatted with some other injured folk.  Lunch time came around, and it was tailgating time.  Nothing like beer and hotdogs at the base of the mountain to cheer a girl up, and I needed cheering up, I was sooooooooo depressed about not being able to board.

 

Saturday was not only St-Pats,but also Carnival Days at Boyne.  Meaning, lots of drinking and costumes on the slopes.  They had a party on the slopes.. which ment having to get a lift ticket and board. And I have to say, I was so stoked to be able to do one run!  Got up the lift with a swift pay off to the lifty, and borded across the slope to the party, where all the random people I met in the parking lot were.. good times, and I was so excited to strap on my board to ride down!  After much more drinking, and some random run-ins, ski patrol was starting to kick us of the mountain. So I went to get my board. But Norbert already had it, and was refusing to let me ride. He said that I should save my knee for whistler and just walk down instead. I tried explaining that it hurt more to walk down the hill than to ride, but he was having none of it. Then, in what is not my proudest moment, I just sat on the slopes in total frustration and cried! There's a great pic of this... there is also a fab pic of me getting pulled down the slope with a ski pole.  I have to say, all i wanted was that one run, and the damn knee police took it away from me.  No worries, i'll get over it eventually!

 

Sunday, did a bit of tubing before heading back home... and yet another fabulous day! The weather was so great all weekend! And i did have tons of fun dispite not getting to ride.   so yeah... that was my weekend!

 

Oh, and monday morning, I walked into my class to find that the ceiling had caved in over march break. No fun at all... what a crappy day that was!

No more bruising, no more pain, and very minor swelling....  I got myself a knee brace, and I'm going to give boarding a try on Friday... if it doesn't work out, i'll sit in the bar and throw pretzels at people. If it does, i'll be boading all weekend, and most of next week.

 

Board is waxed and ready to go...although the cat walked over it a few times when the wax was drying and now has wax covered paws... so much for not letting my housemates know I was hot waxing in the house.. it's a no no! :(

 

So, Michigan, here I come! Carnival at Boyne sounds like it,s going to be awesome! woohoo for road trips. Actually, it'll  be my first trip to the US that lasts more than a day! :)

I'm not the kind of person that does well with sitting around doing nothing. There is a reason I have 4 jobs and a snowboard addiction to fill up the rest of my time.  But for the last 3 days, this knee injury has kept me out of the action.  And the worse bit is that it's march break and I had intended on boarding for 8 days straight. No boarding, No work. Nothing. It's depressing really.

 

Here I am, sitting in front of my computer for the 4th time today. I have watched every movie I own, and rented a few as well.  I translated a full show for a musician in town who is preforming in Quebec and wanted me to help with the french bit. i'm meeting him tomorrow to go over pronounciation.. hurray getting out! I actually tried to go out today.. went for groceries.. a girl has to eat.. but after less than a half hour of walking, my knee was swollen to the size of a grapefruit again.

 

Now, not only am I bored, but i'm starting to get depressed.  It just hit me that i don't know ANYONE in this town.  I didn't realize how much i hated being alone until I had to spend 3 days at home doing nothing. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr i need to move again soon!

 

 

So i ran into a skier on friday night. it wasn't all my fault. She even said so.  But today the ski gods got their revenge.  I was taken out by a skier at the top of the lift. Ski patrol was there thankfully and sorted out the situation and got me down the hill. I was the first to break in their new sled.. something they were very excited about.  I just wanted to hit something.

 

So after the 3.5 hour drive back to London and the hour and a half wait at the clinic (just long enough for all the X ray machines in town to be closed) here I am, on Advil and with ice on my knee, which at this point looks more like a grapefruit.  The verdict... the doc isn't sure... he doesn't think it,s ligaments (thank god) but because of where the pain is and the swelling, there may be a bone fragment behind my kneecap and a scope may be needed.  f*cken hell.

 

I was supposed to be instructing from Saturday until thursday, then i'm heading to board in Michigan. I hope that I wake up tomorrow and it's all better... send me good vibes.. i need them :(

 

EDIT: X rays were done today.. looking good.  But now I am soooooooo bored just knowing that I have to sit around on my ass and rest for a week. It's march break, and i have no plans until thursday... so if anyone wants to entertain me.. feel free! even my housemate is out of town... just me and the cat.. oh god, i'll turn into a crazy cat lady!

Well, the time has come... the 'screw mother nature, we're getting shi*ttered meet' is happening this weekend at Blue Mountain, Collingwood, ON, where sb.com's finest ECers will be out tearing up the slopes and the drinking themselves silly!  If you happen to be in town, be sure to find us... we'll do our best to stand out :) And true to the meets name, a huge storm is rocking the EC today and tomorrow, hopefully we'Re getting all the ice down here and the nice freshies are falling on the slopes! 

 

To all the ECers who are now on the West Coast... wish you could be here and looking forward to seeing you all in Whistler in April!

 

I'm off to get my packing done.... i'll be back monday with some fab stories, and a mild hangover!

 

Have a great weekend everyone :)