Do salmon have arms?

We have had a great couple of weekends recently.

We were lucky to have the Auto shop class at Frank's school take a look at our Dodge and report back that the tires were in need of replacement. So last weekend we attended to that (see photo in earlier post!) and have been enjoying the MUCH improved traction it has provided in the snow and ice!



Frank, Cynthia and Bruce at The Noble Pig.



On Saturday night we employed Kayla to look after Liam and Phoebe and we went out with her parents, Cynthia and Bruce, to The Noble Pig, a brewery pub / restaurant in Kamloops. It was a great night with samplings of a range of beers and Canadian fare including deep fried pickles, poutine (chips with gravy and cheese curds), Vancouver Island mussels and a shaved pork sandwich, the name of which I am unsure.



The delights of The Noble Pig!



On Sunday we took a drive out of town to Salmon Arm, which is an arm of the Shuswap lake, a very large lake in the area. Salmon Arm is about an hour away from Kamloops. On Cynthia and Bruce's advice we went the scenic way and enjoyed vistas of forests, mountains, frozen lakes and ice fishing. Salmon Arm itself was beautiful, with the lake frozen and covered in snow, and it will be nice to see it again in all its summer glory!



Some ice-fishers we passed.



The pier at Salmon Arm.

 



Frank and Liam in the village at Sun Peaks.

This weekend just past we enjoyed a fantastic meal at Lori and Brett's place on Friday night. Lori is the Italian teacher at Frank's school and she prepared the most delicious lasagne and chicken cacciatore! Mike and Carol joined us and we had a great evening of wine, food, culture sharing and laughs. Mike and Carol did an exchange to Albury a couple of years ago, and Mike has been looking after Frank very well. We are already looking forward to more of Lori's cooking!

 



The slopes.



On Saturday we thought we might take a run to Sun Peaks, a ski resort about 45 mins from Kamloops. Having mentioned this at work, a colleague of Frank's very kindly gave us use of his apartment in the village there. It was spectacular!! The village itself was beautiful to look at and walk through, and the ski-in ski-out feature of the accomodation there combined with a beautiful looking set of slopes was enough to impress even we who know nothing about skiing!! The snow fell throughout the time we were there. We were so lucky to be able to stay and experience it all! On Saturday we took a horse-drawn sleigh ride (dashing through the snow.....) and on Sunday morning Liam and I had a go at skating on an outdoor rink. Shall I just say that I think lessons are ahead. Unlike Australian rinks there is no rail to hold onto here! We both need to develop some confidence. It got a bit cold standing there on the ice!!!



Ready for our dash through the snow!



View!

Apparently there was a big dump of snow while we were gone, but it had all melted by the time we got home. On Monday morning we walked to school in the most beautiful crystally snow that looked like glitter as it fell. There was light snow again on Wednesday. Last week people were saying that the 'big thaw' is near! Spring may be on its way.

Phoebe enjoying the apres-ski!