March 9th–12th, 2019

My 6 month teaching contract is now completed in SD91 (until I return in late May) and this weekend was dedicated to enjoying Cross Country skiing at Omineca, witnessing the Racing Rocks ski competition between local schools, packing up 6 months of belongings, and snuggling with both Mark and Brat. Without a doubt my husband is happy I am returning to ‘retirement’ at least for a couple of months!

Meanwhile, Brat (the cat I have been house sitting) is extremely aware that something is amiss and things are changing. She sneaks into the bedroom and under the covers. She hides in any open drawer or box. Whenever I sit down, she jumps on my lap. As a source of company, she is hard to beat and her snuggles and purring definitely increase my oxytocin levels. She was a joy to come home to each day and I will truly miss her!

Omineca ski club is less than 10 minutes drive from Burns Lake towards Francois Lake. This stunning area for X Country skiing contains multiple trails which meet the needs of all ability levels. Omineca club is a cooperative venture run by amicable, welcoming individuals. I bought a yearly membership and a seasonal rental for my equipment in hopes that I would attend on a regular basis and become proficient at this type of skiing. I’ve always been a downhill skier.

Unfortunately, between the days below -20 degrees, the days without fresh snow which were really icy, and the perfect condition days when I was sick, I only skied 6 times. But  improvement was occurring and the long skinny 190 skis were slowly becoming more familiar. I still found balance tricky especially going downhill. Arggg! So, I became very familiar with the basic level trails! Cross country skiing requires less warm clothing than downhill because it is great cardio exercise coupled with beautiful scenery and fresh air.

The benefits of starting young were pretty evident by the skill level of many of the young skiers we watched at the Racing Rocks school challenge. The young skiers raced down slopes, pulled others in team races, wound their way through obstacle courses and participated in events for several hours. I bet they all slept well that night! The winning school this year was WKE! William Konkin Elementary School

 

After skiing and observing Racing Rocks competition at Omineca we had one last drive around the area I had called “Home Base” for nearly 6 1/2 months! Goodbye snow, frozen lakes, gorgeous blue skies, beautiful Brat, and Lorne St. Burns Lake, B.C. Thank you for sharing your home Loretta and Joe. It was time to  pack up the vw Jetta and get ready to depart for our next adventure.  Mark and I are now heading north west to Prince Rupert via Smithers and Hazelton.