A busy 10 days!

Since writing last Tuesday - we have been all over the country! Wednesday after mail we left to Dawson creek to my parent's place, and from there we travelled to Grande Prairie for a Costco trip and so Tim could pick up an order of steel. He is building a trommel (in simpler terms - a machine to run gravel through to find gold) for someone in central BC. The next day we were off to Hines Creek for the afternoon. Back at the farm for a few days we celebrated Easter and did what we hope will be just about the last shopping trip of our time here. I hope to have very little food left to pack out in June. If there is anything left that is unperishable - we will take it up to the claim cabin to be used at a later date. We are also packing up winter clothes, snowshoes, skis, Sorels and anything else we will not need in the next few months to take out.

Our drive out and back was pretty uneventful. There were rough roads to deal with though until we got on to the pavement, and the same rough roads to deal with on the way back in. I did get to see a wolf crossing the ice on Finlay Reach of Williston Lake. We also spotted grizzly tracks on the way back on the Finlay FSR and the Manson Road. None too near here though - but they are out and wandering around! It was really nice to be back in Alberta. The mountains offer amazing views - but they don't vary. There is definitely something to be said about the big Alberta skies - and Tim and I do miss them.

After being back home for just a couple of days it was back out for mail day and a bit of a birthday party for Cohen, a friend from the valley and Sasha. I have pictures that I will post next week of the get together on the side of the road where it snowed on all the food on the table. The kids were covered in mud when we got back - but we sure had a great time visiting with our neighbors.

Right now we are happily housesitting for friends travelling to sunny Mexico. There is only one problem with this - we don't want to leave! We are are really relishing this. This is a beautiful home and view that we are enjoying! Plus - something else I miss - indoor plumbing.

Tim hauled out a generator, welders, cutoff saws, and other tools he will need this week as he works on his trommel. It was a little bit of a strange sight to see a quad pulling the skimmer. We brought our quads up the road with us as the last 4 or so miles to the place we are watching is not plowed in the winter. The quads run great on the trail - there is certainly no risk of damaging it as it is very hard packed right now. No point risking overheating the snowmobiles!

During the day here we continue with school, play with the dog and feed the birds. After lunch we quad over 10km to where Tim is busy working and have a quick visit. We have even had company the last couple of days and have a busy week planned! A birthday celebration in Manson on Tuesday, mail day and a supper invitation Wednesday (Thank you G!), and we may go to a fire-fighting course on Thursday and Friday. Like all other times out here - this week will go way too fast!

Tim will have to make another trip back to Dawson Creek/ Grande Prairie in the next few weeks for more materials. We would also like to go spend some time at the claim cabin when Tim is done building. It will still be winter there until the beginning of June. It will also allow for some real quiet time before leaving here. It is already the middle of April so there are only about two months left to go here. Then it is back to the real world. Cell phones, work, crowds. We are still unsure what to do when we leave here. Do we sell our house and look for the land we want to build on? Which direction from Grande Prairie do we want to go? How far out (it is seeming that price will dictate that!) All of this is next to impossible to accomplish from here though. We can look at real estate websites, but would not want to try buying something sight unseen. We just hope if there is something we really like that it is still available when we leave here!