Bye Bye Biggie

Well...my time at Big White was a blast and, lucky me, the Snow Gods answered my prayers before I left.   The Heavens opened up and the Snow Gods showered down - more like dumped down - beautiful fresh powder that was up to my knees!  OMG is all I can say....sooo amazing!!!   I had a late start on Sunday - I had some drinks the night before - however even though I was a little bit...well you know...it was the best day I had on the slopes.  

It was amazing…I couldn’t have asked for a better last couple of days.   Just the feel of the powder under my board and up around my legs as I glided through it,  going through the glades.   I even got Mads (from the hostel) to record me…just to prove to everyone that yes I really did ride through the trees.  However, I look like a huge dork when I am riding.   Maybe it’s because I used to dance but man do I use my arms a lot.   Sometimes I look like I am rolling up/down a window or I swim with my back arm to turn on my toe edge.   I even lift my arms up when I hit a kicker which, to be honest, just makes the kicker feel that much better lol…I don’t know why but it just does.  We just rode all afternoon under the lift line and off to the side through the trees, over and over again and then when the last lift closed we snowboarded down to the path that goes to my place where we went and curled up with some warm tea.  Honestly…it was the perfect day and my best of the season.

The next day we still had beautiful powder and went out with my friend Nandita for the day.   I really wanted a great day out as it was my last one, but half way through the day I started getting a sore throat and headache –GREAT – so I was kind of off and not 100% but we still had t-bar adventures, this time we couldn’t even get on properly lol but it’s always worth it.  Riding through the enchanted forest with all the powder was just incredible and it was such a clear day so the view was just amazing.   It was a little sad as it was mine and Nandita’s last day of riding together and the end of our adventures.  We spent the evening sharing appies and a bottle of wine at one of the restaurants in the village and then I snowboarded home.

Isam got home at midnight and woke me up with a bottle of champagne that I could only enjoy 1 glass of as I wasn’t feeling well…of course I had to be sick my last night with him.

The next day Nandita drove Isam and I into Kelowna and we all had one last lunch together before I had to say a teary goodbye to the both of them.   Nandita is my girl and the closest friend I had up at Biggie and Isam…well, we went through a lot together the past few months and even though it wasn’t all ups I wouldn’t want to have spent the last six months with anyone else.   I have been with him every single day – pretty much – since I arrived in BC so it is a little weird without him and I will miss and always hold him in my heart.  See, we decided long distance is not for us and by the time I get back to BC he will have already left for a job in Saskatchewan so there is a big chance we will not see eachother again.   I know right…

It was a sad day and we were pretty quiet – I guess we were all trying to ignore the inevitable goodbye.  I think I even shed a tear when I packed up my snowboard lol – “we had a great season didn’t we!” Is what I said as I packed it away – and not really mentioning what was looming over us in the hours ahead.   I kind of panicked a bit.   I don’t think it really hit me that I was saying goodbye but I still felt funny and tried not to think about goodbyes as it made my eyes well up.   To be honest we were more focused on how weird it was being off Biggie.  It was the first time I had been of the mountain since (around) December 10^th.   You don’t realize how isolated it is up there until you get down to reality where the air seems fresher and there was so much space.   I mean I was no longer limited to a certain area of space of where to go and what I could do…it took a few hours but by the end of the day I felt great, other than my goodbye.  

 How do you say goodbye to your boyfriend/girlfriend when you know it’s gonna be the last time you will ever see them. I know I have done it before, so I’m kind of used to it but it still doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.   We just stood there hugging and the tears just started to make their way out and I was choking them back, I didn’t want to make it harder then it already was.  Turning around and waving and saying I love you for the last time is strange.

I stayed at the hostel that night which was good because it was really great to be around friends after saying goodbye to Isam and Nan and feeling a bit wigged out about being off the mountain.   To be honest I should’ve done a night off the mountain earlier to give myself a break but whatever it’s too late now.

I stayed at the hostel one nght and then stayed at my cousin’s (Karen) for the past 3 nights and just relaxed and enjoyed doing nothing and not working.   

Now I am on a plane with my parents and we will be landing in an hour.

But before I say goodbye to BC I would really like to say thank you to everyone I have met in the past six months especially up at Biggie. I have had an amazing (half) season and so glad I finally got my BC winter.  I met some amazing people :  Tegan my shuttle buddy. The boys Paddy, Mick, Bryce, and Raphael so much love coming from you guys and I couldn’t ask for better guys  to hang with and drink with.  The crew at Black Diamond especially my Wikipedia Nandita I will miss you. Mads for the best day ever, it was nice to finally just be one on one with you I really enjoyed riding the afternoon with you and really getting to know you.  Daisy, Robbie and Daisuke my Kelowna family, kisses kisses kisses.  Kevin and his crazy laugh and love for guacamole, I miss you …and…umm…  I know I am missing people so I do apologize.  But of course – no I ddn’t forget – Isam.   You have been incredible and stood by when things weren’t going great.   I love you and would do it all over again.  Don’t ever forget me, I won't forget you xox.

Well it’s a new adventure now almost time to land and stretch these legs of mine.    Where is the new adventure u ask…ITALY!!!

I'm an Accident Waiting to Happen!

I hit a tree last week...well actually a tree stump.    I had just come out of a little trail in the glades and picked up some speed.   I was heading towards another little trail where at the entrance there is a two foot high tree stump that is really jagged at the top.   My speed was picking up and I knew - due to me not being the greatest boarder - that I wouldn't be able to steer myself around it, and, if I did try  there was a possibility of me falling on it and that really didn't seem appealing.   With time running out I did the only thing I could think of; I dug my heel-side into the snow as hard as I could falling on my butt.  With my heel-side still in the snow I slid - on my butt - getting closer by the second.  I hit the tree with the bottom of my board, the impact bringing my knees right into my chest and then flipping me over on my right side twisting my knee as the top of my board stayed in one spot and my body kept going!  I just stayed there for a few minutes to catch my breath, make sure I didn't dislocate anything as I kind of hurt my shoulder when I twisted and to make sure my knee was mobile.  I was a little shaken to be honest, I had avoided this trail all the time because of this tree stump and I got carried away for a minute and look what happened.  However, it could've been worse, way worse so I can't really complain.  Plus - to be honest - we all know I am a little melodramatic when I write, it did happen the way I wrote it but it literally all happened in five seconds but I like to build the intensity for you guys :)  Oh and yes...I wear a helmet!

I was a little shaky for the rest of the day, I was really paranoid, every time I saw something sticking out of the ground I got nervous.  I would slow right down.  It really just through me off for the rest of the day; but it was still  a really good day.  Nandita and I took the T-Bar up to the summit and snowboarded through the Snow Ghosts. 

Snow Ghosts - snow and ice are incrusted on the tips of Evergreens.  When covered they look like snow ghosts!!!  Sometimes its just the tops of the trees, so the trees may look or seem short but really the snow is so high/deep and the rest of the tree is buried.

This has become my favourite area to ride...it is incredibly beautiful...you can see everything from up there and it is so peaceful, it's easy to forget where you are.   Riding through the ghosts is amazing...well, the fact I am riding through trees is amazing lol...but seriously I really wish I could explain how amazing it is, the views, the feel of riding the trails, riding through trees, the sense of freedom, how stoked I am as soon as I come out the last bit of trees and just wanting to do it again.   I'm not a fan of the T-bar though, never have been.

It's not the small ones I remember as a kid.  These are on a retracting rope so they are as long as needed for the rider or skier.  Skier's have it way easier on the T-bar then snowboarders. They just put it under there bum and up they go, snowboarders have to put it in between there legs and it can be quite uncomfortable especially going up steep parts...ouch!   I have fallen off 3 times.
 
The first time I rode it I thought I was gonna hit the pole so I bent my knees thinking it would help make some tension and move me out of the way not thinking that it's on a retractable rope and I ended up falling right on my bum.

The second and third time was yesterday.   My friend Raphael were riding up double.  We both ride goofy and had to face the same way instead of each other,  we didn't get close enough and he fell back on me within the first minute.   Then later on as we were riding up, I caught a grove in the snow and lost my balance.   I pulled him down with me - I was holding on to the back of his jacket - and he fell back to the left but my front leg - the one I hurt when I hit the tree stump - got wrapped around the t-bar and I started getting pulled up.  I finally got my leg unwrapped and the t-bar swung around hitting the pole and then retracted up the rope and continued it's way up the hill.   I tell ya, I'm an accident waiting to happen lol.   Yes we did make it up to the top, at one point I was pretty much flying.   He is taller than me and when we were going up the steep part my board pretty much wasn't even on the ground...it was less painful then usual but a little more tricky not falling.

Alex and her boyfriend Simone came up last week for two nights.  We got a full day of riding in but it was so cold.   One part of the mountain - at the top - was a very cold -37!!!  We had to go in every 2-3 runs to warm up.  My face bandana froze!   My nose kept running because it was so cold so the only place it went was either my mouth - at least I stayed hydrated lol - or my bandana.   I could actually mold the bandana around my nose haha, and I couldn't take it off because it was way too cold - my house mate ended up getting frostbite on his nose.   It was a beautiful bluebird day and the slopes were pretty empty but it was way too cold.  The sandwiches we packed for lunch in the backpack were almost frozen by the time we sat down to eat them.   All in all it was a great day despite the freezing temperature.   We went for a nice dinner and then met Isam after his shift at the bar but we were so tired we were home and in bed by 12:30.  

I have pretty much just been working and riding.  Tonight a bunch of us are going night riding and I believe we are going to the park where my friend Sam is gonna teach me how to hit some boxes so wish me luck, hopefully I make it out with every muscle and joint in the correct places.

Happy riding.
                                                                                            - My Beautiful Life -

My Playground

I'm sore all over...it hurts to roll over in bed because everything aches.   I have a bit of whiplash, my arms scream at me when I move them and my right leg is covered in bruises. I was having a really off day and not having a good time.    I kept catching edges and falling and swearing at myself as I got back up "for fuck sakes Emmie!  WTF?"  I was getting so annoyed.

I should've had a great day.  The sun was shining for the first time in about a week,  it was warm enough to feel like a spring day and with how much I have been improving the day should've been perfect...but unfortunately it wasn't.

First, I couldn't stop sweating (I always wear layers and never sure how I am gonna feel out there); Second I wasn't feeling any of the runs we did, I was snowplowing pretty much everything and the hills just seemed so steep even though now, looking back I know they weren't.  However, there was one hill that had this really steep part...so steep that when I snowplowed down and fell on my butt I couldn't stand back up!   I was riding so bad that my housemates had to keep stopping and waiting which made me feel bad so then I felt worse.   "How was that Emmie?"  one of them asked me when I caught up to them "Alright I guess.   Not really enjoying it, I really just want to go back."   We were boarding at Gem Lake which is another part to Big White just over on the other side and it takes awhile to get over to.   When they said boarding back over was the only way to get back I wanted to cry...I really just wanted to curl up into a ball until it was time to go to work.   At this point I had already fallen about 3 times.   The first time I was boarding along a cat track and I caught an edge.  I fell face first with my arms splayed out in front of me, my helmet shook around and my goggles actually flew out of the grip on the back of my helmet and flew off.   I checked my shoulder to make sure it wasn't dislocated as it was hurting.    After that it just never stopped....I was not having fun.

It's been two days and I am still in quite a bit of pain and I have a really pretty purple bruise on my right leg that keeps getting darker everyday; it's not the only one that I have but it is the prettiest that's for sure.

Not all my days out have been like this, most of them have been absolutely amazing!!!  I am pretty much up every morning to at least go out for an hour and be home so I can relax, eat lunch and get ready for work.  I am loving it so much I am actually going to bed thinking of riding...haha, I know right?   We all know I am not a winter person and am usually overseas during the winter time but I really can't get enough of it here.    It's been so sunny and warm here that our fresh dump we got last week -30cm over night and it snowed for a week so imagine how much we got - is just melting away.   Don't get me wrong the sunshine and spring like weather is great, however this weather and fresh powder falling don't really go hand in hand, so I have decided to pray for a bit of a drop in temperature so I can have the powder back and accept the spring weather when it's actually spring time.  Besides, I ride so much better in the powder - which I think the melting snow had an effect on my riding during my bad riding day.  If there had been heaps of powder that day I probably wouldn't have the prettiest bruise right now haha.  But no seriously it really changes things, I am not as afraid to fall, and it's really so much nicer and (I find) easier to ride; that is however unless you are going through the trees.

A few Saturday's ago my housemates and I went out pretty much first thing in the morning, and what a morning it was.  The first run we went down was almost untouched and pretty empty, complete open range for us to play, it was an awesome first run and a great way to start off the morning.   Our last run I followed Jocelyn through the trees branches waking my head and face - thank god for goggles and helmets. I'm not as fast as her so she was off to my left and hire up and I was just a bit lower than her.   She was further up ahead and not exactly sure where she was an because of my speed I had to keep going down to the right instead of up to the left. "Fuck...what did I get myself into?" My famous question went through my head. " with my luck if I keep going right I'm gonna end up on a black diamond and then I'm really gonna be screwed.  Shit. Jocelyn!!!!" There was so much powder and it was so heavy on my board. I fell a few times but it was hard to get my momentum after falling.  At one point I was holding onto a tree branch, I was pulling myself as hard as a could - the powder was weighing my board down - I was trying to rock myself so I could get enough momentum to start up again. Another fall. "Ok...this is not fun anymore...this is way to much work...I don't know where Joce is and I want out of the trees!" Lol I was so frustrated and I had started to sweat from all this work and I had had enough.

Finally I see Joce sitting down in the powder waiting for me "sorry, I fell a few times." "That's ok" she replied and got up and kept going.  "No wait up, please don't go ahead of me." But I caught up to her easier this time as she fell.  "Joce do you know how to get out of these trees?"  "Well the hill is right there," she pointed to the left"see, you can see everyone skiing past." I could and I really wanted to get back  there. " We just have to find one of the paths that takes us back". So I followed her.  I picked up speed...I bent my legs...up, down, left, right, left, up, down, small kicker right back onto the run.  High five myself!!! Pretty stoked I'm confident enough to go through the trees and that I manage to go along these little paths that pick up speed an land kickers.  I'm always so proud I land them but there has never been anyone to see me...that was however until the next day.

The next day I went out riding with Pete (Jocelyn's other half).  "I heard you are a pretty good snowboarder." "Really?" I said surprised "who told you that?" "Jocelyn". Well that made me feel good until it came time to get of the lift and I lost my footing and almost took Pete down with me...him saying I was good jinxed me,..it was his fault.  Anyways we were heading down the cat track to Happy Valley for lunch. At one point off to the right there is a small track through a few trees that goes down a bit, then comes up again and the drops a bit steeper and deeper and comes up into a kicker where you can get quit a bit of air.  So I thought I would go that way - I had done it the day before - I bent my knees and basically let my board do the work, I got some good air and landed perfectly.  High five myself!!! Then Pete said "emmie that was really good, you got some nice air and landed that nicely". Finally! Someone saw me! I could actually high five someone instead of myself! Oh happy days :)

A few days later we got Isam out for the first time.  He had a blast, even though he face planted and ended up with a cut on his nose he reacted with "I love it!"  When he got of the chair lift he made it over to us but he fell and started rolling down the hill.  "Your supposes to put your board in first babe!" Lol it was soo funny.

Our friend Daisy (manager from the hostel in Kelowna) was up staying with us then and she is a begginer as well.  After we got them down the small hill a few times we took them to a bigger one " I'm not going down there...I'm going to die." Daisy said from the top "you are not going to die" I reassured her just take your time.  I won't leave you."  She made it...it took awhile but she made it, and in one piece :)

I started writing this over a week ago so I am no longer in pain and my bruise is slowly disappearing.  We had that amazing week of snow but it has been sunny for the last two weeks so everything has melted.  It has been like spring here, it got to 14 degrees.  I know, and all you guys are freezing your butts off back home.  It's gotten icy and the runs have been shitty so I have been waiting patiently. If finally snowed yesterday but not much but today, it's been snowing all morning and we are getting a fresh layer of powder so I am super stoked.  I can't wait to get back out there...two weeks to rest up and feeling fresh to ride :)  One of my favourite things on the slopes is the chair lift.  I know it sounds strange but I have a tendency to go off in a trance.  I look out at everything in front of me, around me and below me, there is snow as far as the eye can see and (after a snow) everything is  pure white, like a winter wonderland and you can ski/board anywhere.   I mean yes there are hills with names but from those hills there are ways through the trees and this hill connects to that,  and that hill connects to that cat track...it really is amazing to see and watch as you are traveling up...it literally is open range out there...so much freedom, its like a playground...and it's all mine.   Watching makes me so calm and riding it fills me with exhilaration. 

Ride safe!!!

                                                                                       - My Beautiful Life -

A Powder Paradise Christmas

I know today is Christmas, but here at Powder Paradise we celebrated last Tuesday - due to work schedules.  What a Christmas it was!!!

The first thing I did was hop in the shower as I wanted to be fresh and pretty for the days festivities.   As I was lathering away I heard a squeal in my room and the door shut.  I started giggling to myself.  Jocelyn - one of my housemates - was planning on waking everybody up by jumping on them; she was extremely excited that it was (Poweder Paradise) Christmas.   She had run into wake me up but I was already up and in the shower so she squealed with excitement.  

I finished up my shower and got ready...or I tried to get ready...all I could here from downstairs was banging and Jocelyn shouting "hurry up Emmieeeeeeeeeeee...it's Christmas!!!"  I put my makeup on hold and head downstairs  to  be welcomed by "Happy Christmas" and a mimosa.   We then went to the living room to look at our stockings.   We each had one over the fireplace with our initial on it - so Santa would know who's is who's - and each one was full.  SANTA CAME!!!




Him and his Reindeer even left us a note!!!

 

We then sat down to a pancakes, pineapple and maple syrup - which I didn't eat because I am not a big breakfast eater especially when I first get up and I am not big on pancakes either, but I did help myself to another mimosa to replace the pancakes.

 

After breakfast - and a glass of wine for me - we walked to the shuttle and went to the village to pick up mail and grab mulled wine and mimosa's at Black Diamond (where I work).  Everyone was in such a great mood as our next stop was tree cutting.  Yup we were planning on cutting down our tree!   The chef at Black Diamond printed off a (free) tree cutting licence for us and we all hopped in my boss'(Theresa) pick up - some in the cab some in the back - and off we went to find the perfect tree.

 

 There was a lot too choose from and a lot of snow to get through as well, it didn't stop us though. We were like kids in a candy store...we were all so excited to cut down our very own tree. We hiked through snow heaps of snow, some of it up to our crotches.   Jocelyn sunk right down in one spot screamed and yelled "The snow is vagina deep!!! I have snow in my vagina!!!"  Yup, very non-censored for a Christmas excursion, but that is Joce and we love her dearly,  she is the entertainer of the group.  

 

To make the atmosphere I played my Christmas Radio on my phone so we had music the whole time, well at least I did :)

 

The boys kept going further into the woods but the trees were getting bigger and bigger and I was looking at the trunks thinking we have to chop it down and they are getting thicker and thicker and taller and taller, how are we gonna do this?  We turned around and hiked back through the vagina deep snow to the truck and stood back to take a look.   Pete (Peaches) - Jocelyn's Fiance - was scoping out a tree for quite awhile and said "the only thing is the back of this tree is flat; there are no branches."   Perfect, we are putting it against a wall anyways we don't need a back to it.   So one by one, we took the axe and began chopping away.   And yes, I actually hit the tree in the right spot!  Well not the first time I missed and Will said "Emmie, hit the tree we are cutting down not the other one!"  We must've been a funny sight to watch, there are all the boys in all their winter apparel, snowpants, hats, coats gloves; then there are us girls, make up hair done, dressed up in our celebration clothes cutting down a tree...Jocelyn was in a dress and tights...we are a great bunch that is for sure.

 

 After many chops and everyone taking part in the tree chopping the tree started to bend ever so slightly then it fell and I yelled TIMBER!!!   Yay!!! We actually cut down our own tree!!!  It was great.   To be honest I wasn't expecting it to be that much fun, usually I have these high expectations and then it just doesn't seem as good as I wanted it to be, this however exceeded what I was expecting!!! It was soooooo much fun.

 

The boys picked up the tree and carried to the road, stood it up and proudly posed around it so us girls could take photos of them.  It was like when somebody stand there with their big fish catch, and they hold it up proudly, they were proud of their tree and so were we!  They put the tree in the back of the pick up (with me) Tom, Tommy and Peaches hopped in the back as well and we were off, singing away to the Christmas carols playing on my Christmas radio, proud and excited about our catch.  The boys carried the tree into the chalet, up the stairs and out to the porch and began working on the bottom and branches so it could fit in the corner properly.  While the boys worked at the tree and setting it up for about an hour while us girls stood in the kitchen drinking wine, nibbling on food and preparing food.    After an hour of hard work the boys had our tree placed in a recycling bin jammed with fire kindling to keep it in place...it looked awesome!!! It was now time to decorate the tree!   We had the fire going, wine poured, lights tinsel and decorations, Lauren even made an angel out of tinfoil for the top of the tree!!! Honestly....it's the prettiest Christmas tree in the world, backless and all, it's perfect!!!   We put all the presents under it and then had to wait for Collin and Isam to get home as they both had to work.

 

Dinner was amazing,  we had turkey, stuffing, ham, sweet potato, gravy, carrots...I could go on.  There was so much food...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.  We had table crackers as well and we all got little toys and crowns in them.   Our friend Shannen (from the hostel) joined us for dinner as well which was really nice....she loved every minute of it.   I loved every minute of it I was having a blast - I started drinking at 10am -  the day was going perfect.   

 

After dinner was presents!   We did a secret Santa and I was excited to hand out all the gifts as I wasn't getting one.   What happened was we pulled names when Isam was at his staff party.   I pulled one for him.   When he got home that night he was pretty drunk but I didn't want to forget to give him his name.  "Whats this?"  "It's for your secret Santa."   "I don't understand."  " Well you have to buy a gift for under $10 for the person you have."  "Oh,  well it only says your name on here baby."   Yup, my boyfriend LOL...gee thanks baby....your not supposed to tell me.   Haha.   So I told him not to worry about getting me anything as we were planning on doing a nice night out.   So as much as I was giftless to me there is nothing better about giving gifts and handing them out.    The whiskey was brought out and the Baileys and that's pretty much where I got really drunk.   A few friends from work stopped by to say hi and I just got more happy and more drunk.

 

It was the perfect day and the most epic Christmas...I couldn't have asked for a better day.   Though, I could've asked for a better day after as I was super cross eyed and had to work at 8am till 4pm as the only server all day...haha...I did warn my boss' that I was gong to be cross eyed so they weren't surprised.

 

Now today for Christmas it is work....it's ok I don't mind.   The owners are serving us a "family dinner" tonight at work with wine and beer...I'm so excited!!!

 

Anyways...I know you all need to be off celebrating with your loved ones. I send my love to you all and a big WARM hug to my loved ones who have been without heat.  I know it's cold but just remember you have each other and there are still many things to be grateful for, such as knowing someone like me :o) haha

 

                                     MERRY CHRSTMAS FROM POWDER PARADISE

 

 

                                                                          - MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Powder Paradise

 

A month's worth of groceries, our bags, and 2 of us, packed up in someones truck (no no, we didn't have someones truck, someone gave us a lift) and we were off to Big White.  I was a little excited as the shock of not going to Asia was wearing off, but my excitement didn't last long.   We were suppossed to stay with with a friend from the hostel till mid-december; however, Isam had called him on our way up and he was told that our bed was no longer available?!?!  WTF?!?  He is telling us this now!?!  What are we suppossed to do?  He still told us to come and we would figure everything out once we got there; which we did.   One of the guys living there was heading to Kelowna for the night so we got his bed, but then he moved out the next day so we got to keep his bed.

Originally we were able to stay with our mate until mid-december but since his other 2 mates moved out he said we were able to stay for the whole season, but we weren't sure what we wanted to do.  We liked the guys and the place was quite nice.   It was very cabin like - even though it was an apartment - it was all wooden like with wooden pillars, wooden staircase up to the loft - where we slept - bear skins on the wall - yes real ones - the shower was massive you could fit 5 people in it and it was also a steamer it was awesome - one of the guys left it on one morning and I didn't know how to turn it off.  I was sittin gon the toilet thinking "gee, it's really fucking hot in here" lol not really the greatest way to pee.   The place (not the shower) was really cozy, but as a couple we really wanted a bit of privacy and unfortunately we didn't have any there.  We were up in the loft but there were two other beds up there as well so we never had a space just for us.

We wanted to decide soon as we really were in limbo, we weren't unpacked and we couldn't settle as we didn't really know what was going on.   Our buddy really wanted an answer aswell, were we staying or were we going?  

With figuring out where we wanted to live, we had other things going on.  I still didn't have a job at the hill yet and Isam was starting his on the Monday (we moved up on Saturday).     I did have a job offer at a nice restaurant, however the guy that wanted to hire me doesn't have a very good reputation on the mountain and I had heard nothing but bad things about him so I really wanted to use him as a last resort.   We went for a walk after we moved our stuff in just to look around.    Isam really wanted me to stop into Black Diamond, one of the places I had dropped off my resume - and the other bar that wanted to hire Isam - but I didn't want to go in.   The owner didn't seem to like me when I dropped it off and then I sent a follow up email and didn't have a reply so I didn't think they were interested.   As we walked by the owner saw us and waved through the window and then came outside "Hi Emmie, did Theresa call you.  We would like you to come in for an interview.  Does tomorrow at 11:30am work?"    He knew me by name!   I guess I left a better impression then I thought.

The interview went really well.  They quizzed me on a couple things like how I would approach a table and introduce myself...basic stuff.   She even told me she loved the fact that I sent a follow up email, it showed I was really motivated and wanted to work there.  I was in there for half an hour talking and laughing.  I didn't even realize that Don (the owner/husband) had told Isam to come in - he had been outside smoking and waiting for me.    I got the job!!! I was so excited!!! Plus one of our friends from the hostel got a job there as well. 

Black Diamond is a casual fine dining restaurant.  We do breakfast and lunch and then at dinner all the candles come out and the lights get dimmed and there is a fire place in the middle of the dining room...it's so pretty.   The owners are fantastic...they are amazing people to work for and treat us all like family.  The staff is fantastic we all get a long great and have drinks together after work and go riding together.  The food is to die for...I'm drueling just thinking about it and the cocktail menu is to die for as well.  We have had beer and wine training which was awesome and not because we got to drink...learning the products really made me excited to serve and sell the products we have in, plus the wine rep gave us a lot of selling tactics that I never really thought of before and explained how to word our description of the wine...he made me look forward to serving and selling wine.     

It feels so good to be serving again.    I really do love it, though that could because we are not busy yet and I am not ripping my hair out questioning myself on my carerr choice which usually happens when I have had a horrible day on the floor lol.      

It's still quite slow up here.  The hills opened 2 weekends ago, just a few lifts and only for the weekend.  It's the earliest Big White has opened in 50 years.    There is so much snow up here and it's all powder, you can't even make snowballs with the snow up here.  It's amazing, there is soo much snow they don't need to blow fake snow and it's some of the best snow around,  it gets grey and foggy but it barely rains here.  The average temperature is about -5 to -10 which is so warm compared to winters back home though this week the temperature is dropping quite a bit.  Isam is not used to the cold or this much snow.  There are heaps of people up here includ him that have never experienced snow like this or have never seen snow at all and they are so excited.   I wish I had that excitement, seeing snow is no biggie for me lol, I admire the childhood excitement in their eyes and wonder what it's like to see snow for the first time...I'm kind of jealous.

There is one thing I am experiencing for the first time...snowboarding an actual mountain. OMG!!! It's amazing!!! I went out for my first time yesterday - I also hadn't been boarding in 4 years - and it was not only the best riding of my life but I think I even boarded the best I have ever boarded.   I was a little nervous at first, I was really praying and hoping it was like riding a bike - once you can do it you never forget - but my day wasn't starting out like that.  I was falling, I felt akward couldn't find my edges, couldn't carve "this is not like riding a bike" I said to my mate Sam (who I work with who by the way is in a cast already and hasn't been able to work. At least he has an awesome wrist guard now).  "It's alright Emmie you are doing fine."  We went down the bunny hill...not for me to meet up with our friend Luis (from work) who is just learning "perfect" I said "I really need to work on my edges."  "The carpet is going a little fast isn't it?" I said to the girl working the carpet.  She must've thought I was a piece of work.  It honestly looked like it was going fast but it wasn't - i just fall easy.   I didn't fall getting off any lifts which is amazing for me and after doing two runs down Hummingbird - a green run which is the length of the hills back home - we headed up to one of the longer green runs.

There are 118 runs here at Big White, the longest one being 7.2km!!!  Big White is also known for it's powdery snow and is some of the best in BC (from what I have heard).  It's literally a powder paradise and amazing to ride in. 

 Living here reminds me of when I lived on the Island - not weather wise of course.   All staff live here, we are isolated, going to Kelowna is like going to the mainland (Airlie beach).  Instead of views of beaches and islands it's snowy hills and mountains.   It really great, I'm loving it here.

Anyways back to riding.

It was so cold and windy on the chair lift.   Sam said something to me and I was like "what?!? I can't hear you!"  But as soon as we got off the lift it was perfect, everything was perfect.  I wish I could explain how I felt riding down this mountain with fresh powder lined with trees on both sides just completely covered in the beautiful fresh powder.   "Wow!" I thought "this is incredible.  This is what it's all about, I can't believe this is what I have been missing."  At the top of my lungs I shouted "I love BC!!!"   I felt like I was in heaven.  I was riding the best I ever had in a winter wonderland and I felt amazing...though I did have to sit down everyonce inwhile as the hills here are long.  It doesn't just take 5 minutes to get down it take like 20 mins or half an hour - with me maybe a bit longer.   I fell just at the bottom of the hill, I rolled but my legs got twisted behind me so I snowplowed the rest of the way down and called it a day.   I was sore, tired and hungry.   I was suppossed to go out again this morning but I was so achey and my knee was bothering me a bit - from my twisty fall - so when Sam texted me in the morning I replied with "ouch" and decided to stay in bed.

Where is my bed you are probably asking.  Isam and I found an awesome chalet in Snowpines which is about a 15-20 minute walk to the village (depending on weather and snow depth) so it usually takes about 10 -15 minutes to walk home, which means we are not central at all.  The walk can take the breath out of you considering the village is at a higher elevation then we are but it gets your cardio and is definitely keeping us fit.   We live with 8 others; all couples except for two guys in a shared room and one of the couples have an apartment in the basement.  It sounds like a lot of people but the place is huge and even when we are all in the living room it doesn't feel like there is that many of us.  The ceilings are huge and there are so many windows so the sun just pours through on really sunny days, we have a huge stone fireplace in the centre of the living space and a really nice sized kitchen  and a huge balcony out the front where we have a beautiful view of the Monashee Mountains.  Everyone (in our chalet) is 24 and over, clean and in bed by 11pm everynight.   Everyone works mornings except me and Isam so it is pretty chilled which is what we wanted. Plus, we all get along great.  A few nights ago we had a barbecue and sat around with drinks, played cards and strung the Christmas lights on the balcony.  We counted down from 10 at the top of our lungs and then turned the lights on at zero and cheersed eachother.   Next, we have a huge (early) Christmas day planned, heaps of food, wine, alcohol and snowboarding...it's gonna be so great.   To top of my mountain living...our chalet has the perfect name -   I don't know if you have ever noticed but chalets always have a name? Well ours is perfect, it completely fits in with this winter wonderland known for it's powder...Powder Paradise...how perfect.

                                                                                      - My Beautiful Life -

                                                                                               
 

A Change of Plans

I completely prepared for Asia.   My backpack was packed and ready with the bottom part holding warmer clothes for Europe in March.   I stocked up on feminine products, pepto for upset stomach, I was already taking my vitamins.  My clothes for the plane were already to go with a change of clothes for when I landed in the boiling hot weather.   I put a monthly payment on my bills, transfered my money in to a travel account and had enough money in my main account so my bills could be paid for the following months.   I had all my flight info printed out and ready to go, all my electronics charged, a ride to the Greyhound and  dinner plans in Vancouver with friends before heading to the airport where I would be whisked away to the Philippines.  I was so stoked! Other than having to part with Isam  I was  excited.

I was getting some last little things together and getting some stuff on my computer ready when I saw I had a message on Skype from my school in Thailand -  I am taking a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in Thailand in January.   "Hi Emmie we are going to cancel the January course."  WTF?  No way?!? This can not be happening!!!  Apparantly the Thai MOE (Ministry of Education) changed the school year or something...anyway the course is being postboned till March 1st...the thing is I can't attend in March as I am meeting mum and dad in Italy and then I am going to Paris to meet up with Isam.   What does this mean for me?   I skipped my flight!!!

It was a hard decision...I was so excited to travel Asia before school...however I had planned and budgeted for school to begin in January, then Europe in March and then a job placement in April; but now I couldn't afford to do all that time in Asia, then Europe, then back out to Asia for school and then a job placement. So...I am doing a season up at Big White!!!  

I was really upset at first but I am pretty excited now.  Isam and I got a place and we move in on Saturday.  He got a job as a bartender...I'm still waiting for calls.   My cousin Sydney drove us up the other day so I could hand out resumes.  I had a few interviews that I feel went well.   The one place I would really like to work is the place Isam works at but she sent him an email saying she doesn't tend to hire couples...that didn't stop me though.   I walked in with my resume and said "I am going to be completely honest with you, I am Isam's girlfriend.   We got your email but it said you don't "tend" to hire couples but it didn't say that you "didn't" so I wanted to come in and meet you so that way I could have a fair chance at you meeting me and seeing my qualifications instead of you saying no because I am his girlfriend.   If you say no it's a fair no so please look at my as if I am just me and not attached to Isam."  So proud of myself!!!  After a 25 minute interview she told me I was amazing!  Though she said she really needs to think about the couple thing.  Isam went in after and she told him the same thing...that I was amazing!!! Good news but I am trying not to get my hopes up.  

 Another place said they would be happy to take me but with my experience in the hospitality industry it wouldn't be a fit for me so they took me up to the place where I was interviewed by both owners at the same time.  They told me they also had a fine dining restaurant up there and that with my maturity and experience they think I would be the perfect mix up there. They want to meet me on Monday to show me the place and introduce me to the chef...not sure if I got the job? but it does sound promising right?   Now it's just the waiting game.

It's been so hectic the past week with packing and preparing and now my plans changing in less then 24 hours.   I was so excited to not look for a winter job and be on a hot beach lol.   I have had to ask my mum to send out all my gear, I bought winter boots, I had to run to the bank as my money was being transfered to my travelers account in Australia...thats been fun.   They couldn't stop the transfer because it had already left the bank.   The only way they could is if the person on the other end requested a stop, but it's Dan's name on the account and not mine.  I said I had access to it only to be told thats illegal.  "Great" I thought "now I am going to get arressted for accessing an account illegally"  So I then had to get a hold of Dan and told him he might have to put a stop to it.  I had to go back to the bank the next day but they said they are not sure what is going on, it will either end up back in my account or make its way over to Australia, plus on top of me spending $30 to transfer the money I got charged $21 for a retrieval fee even though it may not be retrieved.  AHHHHHHH!!! Grocery shopping needed to be done as I had no food because I wasn't planning on staying, I had to buy winter boots - awesome ones from Walmart I might add - I had to buy clothes for interviews as I wasn't job prepared for here, plus I had a farwell lunch with my family out here...it's been crazy this past week.
 
It wasn't all hectic though...Halloween was fun.   Everyone at the hostel was really excited as most of them are Australian and Halloween is almost non existant there.   I helped decorate and I made a Halloween playlist and put on Halloween movies :)   Everyone was dressed up for the occasion which was awesome.   Almost everyone went trick-or-treating; "Emmie are you coming trick-or-treating with us?"  "LOL I dont think so. Besides, you really don't trick-or-treat past the age of 12, people don't really like older trick-or-treaters."  It didn't stop them though, they wanted the full Halloween experience.  Some people commented on their age but they just said they were Australian and this was their first Halloween...there is still candy floating around LOL.

Well thats it really, now it's just  packing to move on the weekend and also playing the waiting game - for jobs - which I hate.   Keep your fingers crossed for me.  Talk soon

                                                                                                      - My Beautiful Life -
 

KIH NEWS FLASH: Turkey and Grapes and Bears OH MY!!!

Before I begin I would like you to do two things; pour yourself a glass of wine.  Any wine is fine (I myself prefer Red), and next I would like you to get some vinigar pour it into a glass (not with your wine) and put it at hands reach.   I will give you a few minutes...........................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................all right...have you poured it?  Are you sitting down comfortably?  Now; hold your glass up to the light and look at the colour, smell it, but don't  taste it, this post is interactive, you can't drink it until I say so, and no cheating. 

Now that you are settled with your wine and vinegar I will begin with a question.  Have you any idea what goes in to a bottle of wine or your glass for that matter.  The picking, the process...there is so much that goes into that one glass.  What goes into it you ask?  Well lets start with the picking of the grape itself.

We (me and a bunch of us from the hostel including Robbie and Isam) have been picking grapes for the past 4 weeks - not with the same people as in my last post (we didnt like working for them and it took them weeks to pay us the $30 we made so not worth it) - we actually worked with a with a few different people over the weeks.  

The first guy we worked with was Tony.  Tony was awesome.  He was fair, treated us well and I learned quite a bit from him.   If it was gonna be a short day and he just needed bins filled he paid us hourly,  if the grapes were smaller then he raised the price of the bins which is always a bonus.  We worked on two vineyards with him.  The first one we went to was incredible, the view was just breathtaking.  The vineyard itself was on a hill which looked out at a lake surrounded by beautiful rolling hills with sun shining through the clouds that sat at the tops of the hills.  We could see the other side of Kelowna and the other vineyard we worked at with Tony.  I would forget where I was sometimes and just pick away and then look up for a moment and have to stop and take a breath because the view always amazed me.   The other vineyard we worked in with Tony (the one we could see from across the way) was owned by this sweet Italian couple.  The woman made homemade pizza for all the grape pickers the day we were there along with a supply of canned drinks - coke, iced tea, gingerale - and desert...Robbie was over joyed as he slept in and didnt pack a lunch.   The pizza was so good....not only is pizza my favourite food group but it was homemade Italian pizza,  you could tell the dough/crust was homemade yum yum.  

Apart from taking us to beautfiul vineyards with owners who fed us he also taught us (well me for sure)  keys to picking grapes.  It doesn't sound like much,  however you can't just go out there and snip away. there are grapes that are shrivelled and dry that are not bad they are actually just sundried and have a lot of flavour.  There are ones with rot, you can tell by looking at them and they will have mold inside the cluster, if the whole cluster isn't ruined you can just cut off the bad part - though Isam, because we were working per bin just through out the whole cluster because cutting off the bad part wasted time and just wanted to move as fast as possible...I did however cut it off, I like to be thorough.  Sometimes the moldy ones just look yuck and gross.  As I am picking away I here ''eww, what the fuck is that?!?"  "whats wrong"  I asked Isam.  "What is that?"  he said pointing into the vine "I just put my hand in it."  I saw what looked like - and I really can't put it into any better words - a pile of mud coloured squished poo hanging in the vines LOL I know gross right.  "I don't know, maybe some bad grapes?"  5 minutes later Tony came buy with a cluster of a poo like cluster saying "if you see this its mold" ...question answered.

We also worked for a French group which taught us about picking Pinot Noir.  We had picked it with Tony,  the vines are thick and your hands get scratched up really easily so we knew what we were picking except picking here was more picky,  if the colour is off - no lighter grapes, a few is fine but they all need to be dark and no flaws -  or if they smelled you just tossed them.  This is where your vinigar comes in, yup, thats right pick it up stick your nose in and take a big wiff - come on, don't feel silly  this post is an interactive post and it can't be interactive if you don't interact lol.  Smell that?  Thats a bad cluster of grapes, and the vinegar isn't even that bad, imagine vinegar with a musty smell or add a bit of a rancid smell.   If they smell like your vinegar or worse they are bad - do not throw it out you are not done with it yet.

I was so sore when we worked for them.  We had just done like 3 days of picking and my back was so sore and my arms were so achy from carrying and dumping my buckets into the bins (that is when Isam wasn't doing it for me).   However I was working and I was working good,  infact I felt that I was going faster then I usually did until the owners wife came up and said "you are working to slow, we can't have you working like this you need to speed up!"  Speed up? I thought...hell lady I'm moving like wild fire right now!  These people were not impressed with us at all and in French (everyone we worked with was French even from the hostel except me and Daisuke who is have Spanish and Japense - I like to call him my Japanish/Spanese friend) - said that we are not worth the money they are paying for us.  It was hourly pay which was good but the thing is they are hardcore professionals her husband has been picking for like 20 years and grape picking is there business so they have heaps of experience,  they are fast, really fast so I can understand us being slow compared to them.  However, if you are posting for grape pickers in a hostel I don't know exactly what they were expecting?   Whatever I got paid and on top of learning colour and smell of bad grapes she taught a stance for grape picking that stops your back from getting sore and that enables you to cover more ground and faster.  They did ask us back the next day and then decided against it because of our work speed, which we were happy about in the end because we were so tired and could barely move.

Tony got back to us for some more work that week so we went with him, but Isam went with the French group as they really liked him and wanted to help out with netting, picking, bins basically all the grunt work.  It was hourly pay so he went with them for 3 days and me and the others went to work with Tony for the next 3 days which only lasted for a day because he had less product then expected so there was no more work.

We had the next 5 days off before we started a gig the following week that we got through one of our mates who was already working there.   It was so nice to have the days off.  My body was so sore and the early hours in the morning and cold days were killer.

We decided to let lose on the Friday night.  Unfortunately I let lose a little too much.   We started drinking at 4pm, we were sitting around playing cards (shit head) so we were having beers.  Then Isam and I got into the wine,  then two Saxon and Simon brought out the shots of Rye.   10pm we end up at Sapphire (Nightclub)  where I apparantly was at the bar every five minutes - which I would like to add is because everytime i ran out for a smoke or to the toilet and I asked a friend to watch my drink I came back and my friend and drink were gone - and I did (which I don't remember) 3 shots of tequila and I remember shots of jager.   To top it off I got kicked out of the nightclub!!!  Apparantly the liqour inspector was there and that out of everyone in the club I was too drunk to be there.   I was an happy club goer that night.

News travel fast at our hostel home the next day not only did I feel like a Mac truck ran over me and then reversed it was the KIH (kelowna international hostel)  News Flash.  "Emmie I heard you got kicked out last night?"  "Morning Emmie, I heard you took on 3 bouncers last night?"  "So you got kicked out huh!"

"How do I feel so horrible?"  "It was all the shots we did." said Isam  "Ya I bought a couple of jagers."  "Ya babe but I bought you like 3 shots of tequila."  "There is no way I did 3 shots of tequila I dont' beleive you"  "I bought 6 shots, 3 for me and 3 for you."  "Did I drink them?" "Haha ya." "Ohhh, why would you give me tequila,  I take it and say 'see you tomorrow'  that stuff kills me and I black out.  Thats why i feel yucky and got kicked out of the club." "It has nothing to do with the fact you started drinking at 4?"  "NO.  It was the tequila!" Oh to kill ya, how I hate thee lol.   However, my short lived friendship with Tequila wasn't the reason I got kicked out.   Isam had lost his wallet and was looking all over the club for it.   I checked our table with everyones coats, I was checking all the pockets but I couldn't find it.   While this was going on I remember the bouncer saying to me "excuse me you are going to have to leave, the liquor inspector says you are too drunk to be in here."  I didn't even have a drink at this point.  "I"m sorry I'm just looking for my boyfriends wallet, he lost it so I am just checking our coats.  - Lets pause for a minute, I'm not gonna make a big thing about it but just so there are no questions. For those of my readers who don't know, Dan and I seperated.  There is no bad blood things just did not work out.   We are both with other people and I whish him nothing but the best as he is a great guy. - However what I do not remember is finding a random pile of coats -which were not ours or our friends - and started checking their pockets for Isam's wallet -which was in my purse the whole time.  So not only was I know stupidly drunk of Tequila and shots of rye -which i'm not suppossed to drink - I am now going randomly through strangers coats.   This was apparantly the final straw for the bouncers because three of them actually grabbed me and escorted me out.   Robbie - who told me this the next day - walked up and said there was no need to man handle me and that I was not refusing to leave and for them to take their hands off of me.   I was outside for I don't know how long with no coat and Isam inside who had no idea I had been kicked out.  I have no idea how long I was out there for even what I did, I don't even remember Robbie waiting for me but Isam finally came out for a cigarette and said "hey babe, what are you doing out here?"  "they kicked me out."     

LOL I should've kicked myself out earlier.   Man I felt horrible the next day...one of the worst hangovers I have had in awhile - not including the one in Vancouver.  I decided to swear off alcohol forever...I didn't want to look at it or smell it, I could barely eat.  Ughh it was awful.

The next day was thanksgiving and the hostel put on a Thanksgiving dinner for all the guests.  It was fantastic!   They cooked, turkey, ham, homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce, yams, potatoes. It was amazing...plus everyone had to contribute something - kind of like a pot luck.  I made a lovely pasta salad "A glass of wine from the girl who has sworn of alcohol forever!"  "Well," I said "I'm not really drinking, I'm cooking.  I'm having a glass while I cook, it's completely different." "uh huh, sure it is."

 There was so much food and so much wine.   The tables were set up out on the back patio,  the sun gods shone down on us for the day which was awesome.   Everyone who works at the hostel is Aussie except for 1 Kiwi ...and they managed to get every traditional Canadian dish to make an authentic Thanksgiving and did a fantastic job,  it was probably the best Thanksgiving I have ever had (sorry mum).  Everyone was in good spirits, the music was going, it wasn't the everyday backpacker noodles or pasta for dinner, it was a real feast with people from all over the world...I really couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate.

( I know you are dying to drink your wine but just a bit longer I promise.  I hope you haven't cheated as I want you to get the full effect and appreciation for that nice glass that is calling your name right now. Haha.  A few more minutes I promise.)

On Tuesday we started our new job, which ended up being fantastic.   We worked for the winery Ancient Hill and it was such a great experience.  We picked heaps of grapes, the past 11 days.   There were cold mornings and afternoons.  Some days were so warm and sunny which put everyone in fantastic happy moods.  Sometimes on the cold mornings they would bring us out coffee to warm us up and sometimes after work they would bring out bottles of wine for us (nope not yet).   We are sitting there it was our 4th day in, enjoying some wine after a long day when Daisuke comes running over to Isam completely out of breath.  "Isam.....I saw....a bear!!!"  "What? Where?"  "Vineyard...I went to...my bag.   Fuck....so scary."   Isam, me and a few others grab out camera's and head toward where Daisuke said he saw the bear.  Daisuke came with us but he hung behind us about 10 feet completely freaked out.  

We rounded the path where Daisuke said he saw the bear but it was gone by the time we got there.  "Right there by that tree!" Daisuke said pointing "I forgot my bag so I came to get it,  I came around and saw it, about 10 meters from me.  I stared at it for 3 seconds, it stared at me."  "What did you do?" "I ran through the vineyard as fast as I could."  " I don't think you are suppossed to run when you see a bear.  Did you check behind you to make sure it wasn't following you."  "No I didn't want to look."   Haha poor guy was so freaked out.  The owner were laughing at him.  "What do we do if we see a bear?"  Someone asked Richard - the owner.  "Well waht you do is take out your phone and take a picture.  That way we can send it to your family and show them what you saw your last minutes."

We knew bears were around.   Not only do they eat and ruin the grapes but they like to evacuate their eaten grapes in the vineyard so avoiding big piles of bear poop becomes part of your everyday routine, along with picking, carrying buckets and sniping your fingers.  It's funny, its a monotonous job but it doesn't seem monotonous if that makes sense.   I mean as much as we are working,  we have our ipods, we can smoke, we talk we laugh, we have coffee breaks.  I never woke up saying I hate work,  I really actually enjoyed, even on really cold days with wet feet it still wasn't bad.

While the picking was going on every few days they would pick a few people to work the crusher.   This machine is huge.   First the grapes go into this vibrating part where rocks, grass and bad grapes are shaken out but you still have to pull out big stuff.  This is where our noses came into play.  We had to make sure everything bad was taken out as from this part the grapes went down into a conveyor belt which then dropped the grapes off into the magic machine.  The magic machine pulls the grapes clean off the stems. It spits the stems out and drops the grapes into the crusher where they are crushed (obviously)  and pushed into a long tube carrying the grapes into the tank where it sits and becomes wine.   I got really stressed out at first.  I thought "OMG  I am responsible for good wine right now.  If I let anything  bad through then this wine will be bad."  So much pressure lol.  It was such a nice break though from picking, but it was cold and Isam and I were getting sick but it was still enjoyable.   Some bins smelled (smell your vinegar) so bad as soon as they were dumped into the sorter.   We had to keep smelling (smell your vinegar) to make sure they could go through, they may look good but it's all in the smell (yup smell again).  It got to the point I had to get Isam to smell the grapes I was picking up because all I could smell with vinegar (smell again).  I couldn't tell if they were good or bad(smell again).  How is your nose?  Not so good huh.   Well lol thats what we went through, but man I willl tell you,  just sorting the grapes is a lot of work and I had absolutely no idea that that amount of work when it  to grape picking and sorting, it really makes you appreciate that glass of wine.  

NOW YOU MAY DRINK.  I know, torture but I really wanted you to appreciate it...plus too had the amount of times I cut my fingers and they bled and now I have had a cold for 3 days from being outside in the yucky weather.   It's not just the grapes its the pickers work as well lol.   The day we sorted I had to clean the machine,  I was drenched from the hose and - of course - as i am hosing it down the head decides to blow off and the hose just went full force into my face.

Our last day (Friday)  the owners bought us pizza and opened up quite a few bottles of wine.   It was such a great way to end off our 11 days.  Everyone was in high spirits - prolly from the wine.  They needed us back the next day to finish sorting.   We were sorting the pinot noir by hand as the crop was quite bad, there was more bad then good in the bins and it would've been too much for the machines so we had to sort it before it got sorted in the machine.   We were all super keen on the hours but i woke up so sick the next morning with a fever that Isam begged me to stay in and get some rest which I did only because we were going out to see our mates band.  I had a blast but I was even sicker yesterday and still feel like poo today :/  LOL oh well.   While I was dancing to our friends band ( My Kind of Karma <--- check them out they are awesome)  some big huge guy comes up to me wraps his arms around me and says "I want to eat you!"  "Cool" I said "you should talk to my boyfriend about that"  seriously who says that.  On what planet does that actually work on.  Oh well, whatever, we had fun,  I didn't get drunk, tipsy, but not drunk.  Isam did loose his wallet again but don't worry,  I didn't check strangers coats and take on three bouncers lol our friend in the band found it.

Well,  that is all my lovelies.  I hope you enjoyed this one and I hope you have a different look and appreciation for that yummy glass of wine you are drinking (you have possibly already poured another one), enjoy.

                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                          *My Beautiful Life*