July 2011 Archives

Part of what is making Canada home is having a weekly schedule and getting up to old and new shenanigans. Recently I went on a bike tour along the southern tip of the island, and another through the Okanagan. Furthermore, my weekly schedule is littered with fun and games - or things that I turn into fun and games, anyways.

My Canada Day bike trip to Port Renfrew was, not surprisingly, an unattainable goal. 120kms out and 120kms back. I made it to Jordan River (90km point) and the Italian picked me up - knowing it was an unattainable goal and just happening to be in the area (my hero). Just in the nick of time, too. I had only begun to cry a little.

The next bike trip was in fact with the Italian. I took him through the Okanagan, which he had never been to, and tried to persuade him that Okanagan wines were on par with Italian wines. It is tough selling someone on an idea that you yourself don't believe in. But I wouldn't say I totally failed.

We are both in love with Pinto Gris from Burrowing Owl.

The best view award went to NkMip, for the second year in a row.

During the week long, much needed visit to the Okanagan, the Allenby Awesomes got together for our first ever reunion - twenty years after I had moved away. We did what we always did - played Soccer Baseball, and the best part by far was teaching the children of the kids I had grown up with how to play our childhood game. The second best part was the Okanagan Springs Brewery donation we had won, which contained 8 12-packs of beer and a plethora of beer-related paraphernalia.

In and among the odd bike trip, work drama, and Italian lessons, I do still maintain a weekly schedule of things I look forward to when in town (2 out of every 4 weeks). This weekly schedule is probably what has allowed me to begin to finally feel at home again.

Sunday dinners at Ian and Debs are by far my favorite part of the week. Aside from the fact that Debbie's food is the best in the world, Eli and Lily remind me that there is so much more to life than a career and traveling. For instance, playing at the park and watching Cars 2!

Every Wednesday afternoon I volunteer with Crime Watch for the Victoria Police. Even just saying that makes me feel sixteen. The little red shirt I wear, with "Crime Watch Volunteer" on the back, is the real kicker though. I feel like a kid doing it, in a lot of good ways. Basically we drive around looking for criminals, and walk the beat, keeping the peace. No, not really. We mostly just watch for things like suspicious behavior and then walk through parking lots, "locking out" auto crime. The odd shift something exciting happens, like the time I found a stolen lambourgini. And the time we followed a guy running with only underwear and an ipod. I wanted to call the cops but the manly guys I was with wanted to follow him. We proceeded to park and got out to follow him (the perp.;)) by foot. We subsequently lost him (um, guys, cause we're not cops). But found him again when the real cops came and wrestled him to the ground, 200m from our van. I don't think the po-po were impressed by our initiative.

Moreover, I spend many of my weekends and the odd afternoon volunteering as the Business Coordinator for the BC Green Party. So far this has involved spending afternoons with the leader of the BC Green party, who is so awesome. On the topic of politics, I was talked into running for city council in October and running in the upcoming municipal election as a Green in the university riding. The results of the HST referendum will impact the ability for students to vote...more on that in a month or so. Last thing on the politics front - I met with Elizabeth May in the flesh Monday and am going to a bbq with her today!!

I might break down and ask for her autograph... she is so cool.

Lastly, as part of my update for the month, here is my favorite pic of July. An abandoned hotel on our bike route between Oliver and Penticton. And the best song of the month: http://youtu.be/AhxF9xudm04 - Mia, by Emma the Great.